Author's POV:
Mrs Kim sighed saying, "Actually... if I told you, you wouldn't be able to focus on your studies. You just gave your exam and... I didn't want you to worry. You're already so soft-hearted. I couldn't worry my son like that."
"Mom. Do you realize you hid this from me? You shouldn't have- Why did you even hide it?! Did you think I would've been a bother or something?!" Taehyung asked in a louder voice than expected as Mrs Kim sighed saying, "Son.. you know well, it's not like that. You're the best son one can ever have and that's why I couldn't tell you. It would distract you. So I'm telling you now, in fact, no one knew about this other than Mr and Mrs Kim and- I mean, just them."
"And who?" Taehyung asked as Mrs Kim said, "No one. Don't think about that.."
"Did noona know?" Taehyung asked as Mrs Kim looked at him not knowing how to reply. She gulped saying, "I'm the one who told her not to tell you. Don't get mad with her."
"I know. I won't. But... it still hurts me to know you hid it from me." He said as Mrs Kim hugged him saying, "I'm sorry, son. I just did it for you to stay focused in your life."
"Let's go," Taehyung said as Mrs Kim looked at him confused.
"Let's go to the hospital. We can just talk about this later." He said as Mrs Kim sighed nodding. They both got out of the room. You saw how Taehyung's face looked down and he wasn't smiling at all. He took the luggage from Junho saying, "I'll take it."
They walked down and you saw how Taehyung wasn't even talking to anyone much. You sighed walking down as Mrs Kim and Taehyung, along with your mother and father got in the car.
"We should go there by taxi," Junho said as you nodded. Mina and you followed Junho as Mina spoke, "Taehyung looked pretty down just now. He didn't know right? I was so shocked when I got to know about this today. He must be sad."
"He cares about his mother a lot, he must be devastated. But he also knows Mrs Kim only hid it for his sake.. He must be overwhelmed." Junho said as you sighed.
You were feeling guilty for some reason. Even you didn't know why. It wasn't your fault that you didn't tell him about his mother, you didn't have any right to when his mom wanted to hide it herself. But, seeing his fallen face and knowing how soft he was from the inside was making it pretty hard for you. You didn't want to disappoint him in any way, nor did you want to see him sad like that.
Soon, the taxi came as you 3 got in the taxi on your way to the hospital.
---In the hospital
You 3 got in to see Mrs Kim moving in the cabin. She got changed as well and they were sitting inside. Taehyung was sitting beside her looking down while Mrs Kim and your mom were talking. You saw your father standing on the balcony of the cabin. You 3 walked inside as Mrs Kim said, "Y/Nah.. how have you been? It was so rushed, I couldn't even greet you properly."
"I've been good. How are you feeling now? What did the doctor say about the treatment?" You asked as she replied, "I'll be here for a week. The surgery is tomorrow."
"Oh... congratulations. You'll be fine!" You said as she smiled nodding.
"Taehyungah." She spoke as Taehyung looked at her. He was looking so unreadable but you could sense he was holding in his tears.
"Can you go and get me a bottle of water?" She asked as Taehyung nodded walking out of the room glancing at you. You followed him taking the chance. You saw how he went inside the balcony of the hospital and stood there looking outside. Walking behind him quietly, you sat there looking at him. Placing your hand on his shoulder, you looked at him to see him look at you a little surprised.
"Noona? What are you doing here?" He asked as you said, "Same question to you... you were supposed to get a bottle of water." He gulped looking away about o walk inside but you held his hand as he looked at you.
You went towards him and hugged him saying, "Don't hold in your tears. It's too obvious." He looked down feeling your warmth embrace him as his eyes brimmed with tears.
"I didn't want mom to think like that." He mumbled as you said, "I know."
"Taehyungah... I'm sorry. For not telling this to you before." You said softly as he said, "I know."
"Mrs Kim didn't tell you because she thought you'd worry about her too much. It's not because she didn't want you to know or something. I accidentally overheard their conversation that day... and when she told me why she didn't want to tell you, I could understand her. If I was in her place, I'd be too worried and not tell anyone either. Don't overthink it please.." You softly spoke stroking his back as you felt his teardrops on your shoulders. He buried his head in your neck crying as you patted his back.
"Mrs Kim loves you more than anything. She doesn't want you to get hurt. Everyone here, only wants you to be happy and not worry about things. The surgery will go well. The doctor said that himself. So... don't hold in and be sad, it hurts me too." You spoke hugging him tightly. Time passed by and there was a silence in the place. Your heart was aching feeling Taehyung break down like that. He was so worried about his mother that it became natural for him to act that way.
You both sat on a bench in the garden as you held his hand caressing it. He looked at you before looking down and said, "Ah.. mom wanted water. I took too much time."
"Let's go." You said as you held his hands while walking. You smiled at him reassuringly as he looked down walking with you. You knew he didn't have the energy to fake smile and you didn't want him to do that either. You were rather glad he was being honest about how he felt.
You both got 5 bottles of water and went inside the cabin.
"Ah.. thank you." Mrs Kim said taking it. She noticed Taehyung's eyes and figured he cried. She looked at you to see you smiling at her. Smiling, she looked down drinking some water.
"Y/Nah. I'll stay with Mrs Kim tonight. You should take Taehyung home." Your mom said as Taehyung replied, "I want to stay though. I will stay with mom."
"Taehyungah.. not today. You're really tired. Sleep well at home today, stay with me tomorrow." Mrs Kim said as Taehyung sighed looking down.
"I said I'm fine.." Taehyung said as Mrs Kim looked at him with puppy eyes. He sighed saying, "Mom!"
"Go home. Y/Nah, take care of him for me!" She said as you nodded.
"I'll go after some time. Let me stay with you a little more." Taehyung said as Mrs Kim nodded stroking his hair.
Some time passed by as Taehyung got up after quite a few insists of Mrs Kim.
"Let's go, noona." He said as you nodded smiling. You both got out of the cabin as he sighed walking quietly but slowly waiting for you. You smiled walking beside him without saying anything.
"I called a taxi already. It's here. Let's get in." You said as he spoke, "Okay."
You both got in the taxi on your way to Taehyung's house.
"Are you coming with me?" He asked as you said, "Didn't you hear my mom? She wants me to take care of you." He nodded looking outside the window. His house was a little far from the hospital so it's take up to 30 minutes by car. It was 5 pm right now. You looked beside yourself to see Taehyung dozing off.
"He must've been tired after such a day." You mumbled before shifting closer to him as you put his head on your shoulder. You looked at him before looking outside the window while he was sleeping on your shoulder. Soon, the taxi arrived in front of his house as you poked Taehyung's arm mumbling, "Taehyungah.. we're here."
He slowly opened his eyes moving his head a little as he got up looking at you realizing he dozed off.
"We're home." You said as he nodded walking inside with you. You both got inside the apartment as Taehyung sat on the couch saying, "Noona. Sit here." You walked towards him sitting beside him as he hugged you making you a little confused but you hugged him back asking, "What's wrong?"
"Noona... do you know I was disappointed in you?" He asked as you nodded saying, "I'm sorry to you for that."
"But, you were right. Mom was only worried about me. Though I'm still hurt because she hid it from me... and you didn't tell me either... I won't blame you." He said as you smiled a little saying, "Blame me if you want. But don't blame Mrs Kim."
"Why would I blame you?" He asked as you replied, "I don't know."
He pulled away looking at you innocently and spoke, "Thank you."
"For what?" You asked as he replied, "For comforting me." You smiled caressing his cheeks and spoke, "Don't be sad. It makes noona sad too."
He looked at you for a while before saying, "Stay with me tonight. I've never stayed home alone before. I'm scared." You looked at him for a while before saying, "Use a different excuse, then I'll consider." He looked down with a smile saying, "Why are you so.."
"I was going to stay here anyway. Mrs Kim told me not to leave you alone or you might cry the entire night. She said you're capable of doing that." You said as he sighed saying, "I was only joking... why are you seriously staying?"
"Why~ Am I interrupting your night?" You asked as he said, "Yes."
You raised your hand to smack him but didn't as he sighed looking away.
"Junho is coming too. Including Mina." You said as his face fell from 1 to -100 hearing you.
"I'll just sleep on the street tonight." He said as you replied, "No~ You can't."
"I am going to." He said as you chuckled shaking your head as he smiled saying, "You shouldn't be doing this to me.."
"Doing what?" You asked as he replied, "Making me fall for you harder..."