Sun & Moon

SEVENTY THREE

Taeyong arrives at the coffee shop earlier than Heiran. He fumbles with his fingers and stares at the table, feeling absolutely terrified. He bites his lip anxiously, refusing to look around. His hair is disheveled, and his glasses have smudges that he had not bothered to wipe off. Upon finding out that Heiran wanted to meet up with him, Taeyong took the liberty of washing his favorite hoodie for the first time in days.

When Heiran steps out of her car, Taeyong can see her out the window. She gracefully runs a hand through her long hair and lifts her sunglasses to the top of her head, revealing her incredibly angry eyes. Heiran spots Taeyong watching her and gives him an intense glare. She marches inside, swinging the door open with all her might. Her heels make thunderous clicks against the ground, getting progressively louder as she approaches where Taeyong is sitting. Taeyong gulps and instinctively leans back.

Heiran smacks a hand down on the table and leans over towards Taeyong's face. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she seethes out through gritted teeth. Upon a closer look, Taeyong can see that Heiran is not only upset, but distressed and worried. She bites her lip as if she is scared to know the reasoning behind the entire situation. "Want to explain why you've completely ruined Doyoung after promising me you'd take care of him?"

"I'm sorry," Taeyong hoarsely says. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

Heiran lets out a slow exhale and sits down. Her fingertips anxiously tap against the table as she debates on what to say. "Can you tell me what's going on?" she finally asks, sounding exasperated. "I thought you cared for Doyoung."

This statement makes Taeyong erupt into tears. He had not expected it, but he cannot help the overwhelming shame that hugs him in its embrace. He sniffles and sobs as Heiran stares at him in a sort of disgusted awe.

"Taeyong..." Heiran trails off, unhinged by the sudden situation. She abruptly stands up and gets a napkin before coming back and handing it to Taeyong.

Taeyong graciously accepts it and makes the sound of an angry duck as he blows his nose. Heiran wrinkles her nose distastefully watching the slobbering mess in front of her.

"I'm going to die, Heiran," he manages out, choking between sniffs.

"What?" Heiran exclaims, leaning forward. She shakes her head in disbelief. "Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

Taeyong manages to tell his story between the crying and blowing his nose. In the end, whereas Taeyong had expected the sympathetic look he'd gotten from Sungyeol, Heiran only stares at him with her mouth agape, an eyebrow raised in disbelief.

She closes her eyes and rubs her temple. "Hold up," she says with a sigh. "You have VHL? From your mom?"

"Yeah," Taeyong says sadly, looking like a lost puppy.

"Do you even know what that is?"

Taeyong blinks. "Not really."

"Your mom died of pancreatic cancer, but your doctor said you probably have hemangioblastomas?"

Taeyong nods slowly, in slight awe that she had recognized the term from him saying "hema-somethings."

"And you think you're going to die? Did they tell you that? Did you ever get your follow-up from your screening appointment?"

Taeyong sheepishly shakes his head, thinking of how he had ignored the phone call from the hospital. Suddenly, a lightbulb goes off. Taeyong can almost hear the "ding" his brain makes when he remembers that Heiran is a medical student.