Third addition to the characters' inside life.
"Jaebum."
My eyes twitched.
"Jae, my darling, wake up."
Finally fluttering open, they landed on her aged face.
Dark orbs half concealed with drooping lids, crinkles joined like hands praying, her high set nose smoothly met with thin lips, which were pulled up into a light smile.
"Aren't you tired, my son? Go home, sweetheart. I'll be fine."
I sat up immediately, hands shooting out to clasp in her frail ones. My slow gulp resonated in the silent air as my hand touched nothing but bones, her flesh withering away.
"Mother..."
"Hm," she hummed, lovingly.
"I can't leave you, not alone like this."
She chuckled softly.
"You worry too much about me. Can't you see I'm perfectly fine?"
She raised her arms and tried to flex her non existent muscles.
"See? These babies aren't going anywhere," she smirked.
I smiled sadly at her, taking her face in my hands and touching our foreheads together.
"Yes, yes, you are."
My trembling lips landed on her temple, and a tear escaped my eye. I wound my arms around her delicate frame, afraid, that a single tug could end her right there.
She started humming a tune, swaying in my arms, and I realized it was her favourite song. The song she used to sing to me every night before I went to sleep. The song which was my consolation from the monsters awaiting under my bed. The song which would made me break down in her loving embrace whenever I'd have a hard day. The song, which I knew would be my last time hearing from herself.
"If I could
I would try to shield your innocence from time
But the part of life I gave you isn't mine
I've watched you grow
So I could let you go
Don't give up
It's just the hurt that you hide
When you're lost inside I
I'll be there to find you
Don't give up
Because you want to burn bright
If darkness blinds you I
I will shine to guide you
I'm so proud of who you are
The man you've become
For the great things you will do
I'll be blessed cause you're my son
But I'll always see the boy
In the man you've become
And my dear, my love for you knows no bounds
I will be by your side till the day you've found
The courage to face who you are
Though I may be not here, but standing afar
Our hearts will always be intertwined
And you will, without a doubt, always find"
Her beautiful voice quivered slightly, and her breath shallowed. She stroked my face and wiped my tears with the pads of her thumbs, pressing my head tightly to her chest which rose and fell heavily.
Her hands pulled away from my cheeks, and she stared into my glistening eyes, her papery lips still etched into her beauitful, peaceful smile.
"That though I may not be here beside you, my darling, Jaebum, but I will always," Her voice faded into a whisper as she tapped my chest.
"Be in your heart."
I laid my head beside her chest to muffle my sobs, and she continued to hum into my ear, her voice dripping with honey, and so, so sweet. She wound her fingers through my hair, and pressed her mouth to my forehead, her hums soothingly vibrating against my skin.
"I love you more than anything else in this world, my son. You're my heart, my soul, and the light of my life."
Her fingers stopped, and so did her humming.
"Always be happy."
With her faint whisper, her hand around my head dropped to the bed, her breaths finally coming to a rest. Her mouth fell open slightly, as her lids covered her dilating pupils, the glow from her eyes, draining away.
As her hands turned cold, and her lips turned blue, I had lost count of the time I spent there, just lying in her embrace which was too lacking of warmth and life.
I lost count of the tears that soaked into her clothes, and the times I whispered my love into her ears.
I lost count of the will I had left to live.