Jimin entered his home, face planting into the couch. Even the smartest kid in school hated exams.

"Jiminie, what's wrong?" Jimin's mother wheeled herself into the living room to sit next to the sofa.

"Just exams," Jimin sighed, sitting up properly to face his mother.

"Oh, I understand," she started. "But what I don't understand is why you have not told be about this hunk of a guy friend you have!" Jimin's mother teasingly poked at her son who defensively swatted her away.

"Ahh, do we seriously have to discuss this!" Jimin giggled into the arm of the couch, hiding his embarrassment.

"Of course we do! So... is he just a friend or is he more than that." She batted her thin eyelashes toward the flustered boy.

"Tae is only a friend, sadly, but I'm working on it." Jimin softly smiled as his mother attacked him with hugs.

Jimin loved that he could talk to his mother about anything. Reason being, she was always so accepting towards her son no matter the circumstances. He came out to her his sixth grade year of middle school, much to her surprise, as she assumed him and Jaehee were an item. He couldn't blame her though since during the prime of their elementary school years he and his best friend often held hands and were once caught kissing after they each confessed to never having their first kiss before and agreed to be each other's firsts. Putting that aside, his mother was beyond accepting and made sure Jimin felt loved and accepted above anything. And he did, which was all he could ever ask for.

"Well, just don't get your heart broken. Always remember that you deserve someone who loves you and only you. Anyone who treats you otherwise, doesn't deserve your tears." Jimin's mother softly kissed her son on the cheek and he muttered a shy remark of gratitude.

Jimin began to study his mother. Her skin seemed paler than ever, along with her face growing thinner, her cheekbones peeking through her paper skin. She seemed less energetic as much as she tried to hide it. And her eyes, once filled with passion, we're only hollow caverns looking back at her son.

"When's the last time you went outside, mom?" Jimin questioned, reaching for her hand.

She seemed taken aback by the sudden concern. "Umm... I'm not sure, actually."

Jimin looked outside, noticing there was about three hours left until sunset. He stood to his feet, grabbing a coat for himself and his mother. "Come on, we're going on a walk."

❦

The cool wind tossed Jimin's hair as he pushed his mother's wheelchair down the sidewalk. The orangey tones of the sky and the smell of fresh foliage and saltwater surrounded the pair with an aura of tranquility. The moment was to be cherished.

"Thank you, Jiminie." His mother breathed, taking in the breathtaking view.

"There's no need to thank me. Any time I get to spend with you is time I'll never forget." Jimin smiled parking his mother's wheelchair next to a bench just short of the beach.

     The silence between the two was comforting, but Jimin's mind became bombarded with questions and thoughts as he sat on the bench next to his mother. He looked at her, unable to form a sentence as he was extremely conflicted over whether or not he should ask the question that nipped at his mind.

     "M-mom? I-I have a question, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I- I've just got to know." Jimin nervously tugged at his ear in fear of a response.

     "You can ask me anything, darling." She smiled, rubbing a reassuring hand up and down her son's back.

     "O-okay," he paused. "I... I just wanted to know what... d-dad was like."

     Jimin's mother didn't seem to have a reaction as she only slowly turned to stare into the golden horizon that kissed the deep ocean.

     "Your father was a great man," she smiled. "He loved me exactly how I deserved to be loved. We only dated for a year before getting married. I remember those few years as the best moments of my life. Then, one day, we were blessed with you. I remember showing him the pregnancy test and him being so excited. And the next morning, when I woke up, he was gone." Her voice took a sharp, bitter tone, "he just packed up his bags... and left. I never thought a man that loved me the way he did could abandon his own son like that... but... he did. I'm sorry you had to be raised without a father, Jimin." She took his hand into hers as she continued. "And I know you blame him for a lot of things, but please don't. There's nothing you could've done to change things, so there's no point in holding such a deep hatred for something not worth your pain. I tried my best to give you the best life possible even if you only had me. And I hope you never blame yourself because you are the biggest blessing God has given to me. I love you, Jiminie."

     Jimin pulled his mother into a tight hug, sniffling with each inhale. She rubbed circles with her hands into his back as he cried onto her shoulder. "I love you too, mom. Thank you for everything you've done for me." He leaned back into the bench, using his shirt to dry his tear-stained glasses.

     "While we're on the topic," Jimin's mother wiped her own eyes, "I wanted to tell you something."

     Jimin nodded for her to continue.

     "I bought you an apartment," She smiled.

     Jimin sat dumbfounded before regaining consciousness to attack his mother with hugs. "Are you serious!? Why would you do something like that?"

     "Well, as you know, I won't be here for much longer and—"

     "Stop." Jimin bluntly cut his mother off, slouching back into the bench.

     "Jimin, you can't just pretend that—"

     "Don't talk about it!" He snapped. Jimin hated talking about his mother's ill state. Even if he knew she was destined to die soon, he still had hope that a miracle would happen. If he couldn't handle talking about it, how could he handle life without his mother.

"Sweetheart, listen to me. I know it's hard for you, but life goes on with or without me. I don't want to just leave you to fend for yourself after I'm gone, so I'm only trying to prepare you for the future. Everything's going to be alright, I promise." Jimin's mother looked upon her son with loving eyes who had his back turned towards her.

Remorsefully, Jimin turned around to reveal the tear tracks that fell down his cheeks and his quivering lip that threatened to bring on more. "I'm so sorry. It's just hard to imagine a world without you. I don't know if I can handle it!" His mother brought him into her fragile lap that somehow held him up. She cradled him in her arms and gently caressed his hair in attempt to calm down the distressed boy.

It reminded Jimin of when he was a little kid and his mother used to cradle him in her lap and sing him to sleep when the kids at school would bully him for being too 'girly.' Her touch was so restoring, like no other.

"I'll never give up fighting, Jimin. I'm going to stay here for you as long as time will allow me." Jimin's mother kissed the top of her son's head as he closed his eyes, leveling his breathing.

Nightfall crept upon the sky as the sun provided its last moments of light before yearning to leave for its daily rest, allowing the moon to take over. This signaled Jimin to sit up from his mother's lap and push her wheelchair back home, taking every opportunity to talk to her about anything and everything because, for all they knew, Jimin's time to hear that sweet, honey voice was numbered.

[a/n:

don't you just love it when my book comes to life :,)
also, this morning i woke up to so many notifications from y'alls comments and votes and ahh i love each and everyone of you so much ❤️
i try my best to reply to all of you bc y'all are just so sweet and make me so happy!! thank you, loves! xx]