Seven Days | an OhmFluke short story

Chapter 1 - The day I knew

"I'm very sorry, Mr and Mrs Siripongthon, he doesn't have much time left."

"How much does he have, doc?"

"A week or so."

The gentle thud of the door was heard, Fluke looked up to see his parents coming closer to his hospital bed, a warm smile on both of their faces, but their eyes red and swollen.

Fluke knew immediately what the doctor had told them.

"Fluke, sweetheart," She calls out, taking a seat at the chair next to the bed, with Fluke placing the book down to the side table. Not a few moments later, her tears started to fall down her cheeks and that of his dad as well.

"Mom, I know. Please don't cry." He coaxes, only for both of his parents to cry harder.

Fluke was almost immune to this; crying, seeing pain. He almost couldn't feel them anymore. The months he's spent at the hospital have taught him a lot of different things about life and love. Seeing kids run around the hallways laughing with their friends, or teens who had suffered from a mild illness getting visited by their friends and even the elderly who were loved by their children.

He couldn't ask for more from his parents, they visited him almost everyday, always checked with the doctors about his condition and even brought him all the nutritious food they figured he would need to gain his strength back.

But Fluke was prepared for the worst case scenario, he knew his brain tumor would cost him his life, and now, here it was, he was finally paying the price.

The Siripongthons came back to their family house at the heart of Bangkok, guiding Fluke with his apparatus that helps him breath normally, his father opening the doors and windows while his mom helping him walk to his own room down the hall.

The white oak door revealed the spacious room painted in baby blue; Fluke's favorite color, the bed neatly made and the room squeaky clean. It has been months since Fluke got to sleep on his own chamber, and tonight shall be the first of last.

Settling onto the soft mattress, his mom passed a small button to him which was painted red, "Press this whenever you feel uncomfortable or anything. Fluke, please?"

"Okay, mom. I will." He answers, his voice coming out as a soft whisper as his mom lets him take a rest and retreats from the room.

"Oh and sweetheart, your phone's by the lamp."

Fluke reaches out for his phone and sees the hundreds of notifications he's got from the past week. He hasn't touched the device in a few days because he was feeling worse than usual and stuck to the books he liked to read rather than damaging any more of his brain with the mobile device.

A text message caught his eye.

Message from three days ago.

From: yeonghwoni
hey, i heard you were hospitalized. how are you?

He smiles a bit before unlocking the phone and types in a short response.

To: yeonghwoni
yeah i was, but i'm home now. thanks for your concern, ohm.

From: yeonghwoni
are you feeling better?

To: yeonghwoni
not much, there's nothing more i can do.

actually, can i ask you a favor?

From: yeonghwoni
sure, what is it?

To: yeonghwoni
can you stay with me for a week?