Chaeyoung looked down at her feet as she slowly walked. Suho was already ahead of her and up the stairs. She hadn't been feeling the best since last night and told herself to go to Younghoon and visit him.

Jugyeong spotted her and called her name. She looked up and forced herself to smile at her.

Just as she was going to walk to her friend someone stepped in front of her.

"Huh?" Han Seojun stepped right in front of her, blocking her way. "Are you going to tease me by saying you'll listen to whatever I say?"

"No, that's not it," he answered, scratching the back of his head. As if no queue a ton of his friends came running around the corner making noise. "I'll only listen to you," he said, seeming panicked by his friends.

"You said you weren't going to say it. Are you joking?" she questioned, looking up at him. "If you keep messing with me at school, I'll deal with you myself." She pushed past him, not sparing him another glance.

Seojun glared at his friends for getting in his way, but they continued to tease him anyway. He sighed, watching the girl's retreating figure, a small and unfamiliar feeling settling into his stomach.

☾

"Moon Chaeyoung," said Mr. Han. He was giving their test scores and rankings back. Chaeyoung stood up and went to grab the small paper.

Rank #2 of the entire class. Suho, as always, beating her for #1. She continued staring at the paper, the tiredness she felt since this morning still lingering.

She listened as the whole class groaned at Mr. Han's cheesy quote. When their teacher started talking about parent conferences, Chaeyoung looked to Suho. Since Suho's father was technically her legal guardian, ever since her parents passed, he would be coming to the conferences, but he's never gone to one.

☾

Suho and Chaeyoung sat at one of the cafeteria tables to eat. Well, only one of them was eating. The other was laying her head down on the table to get more sleep since she's been tired the whole day.

"Lee Suho, Moon Chaeyoung, Lee Suho, Moon Chaeyoung," chanted Taehoon, walking over to them.

"What?" said Suho, looking to the boy who sat next to him.

"Ah seriously, why are you like this?" asked Taehoon. "We really burn up the court together. We're an NBA-level combination. Like Stephen Curry and-"

"Be quiet," groaned Chaeyoung, turning her head from the table to face Taehoon.

"Hey, Lee Suho! Your dad is Lee Juheon? And Moon Chaeyoung, you're his niece?" exclaimed Ahn Hyungyu, making Chaeyoung shoot up from her seat. "People said they saw him in front of the counseling room. Wow, Lee Suho, Moon Chaeyoung! That's amazing."

Chaeyoung and Suho slowly looked at each other before both storming out of the cafeteria.

"I thought he wasn't coming?" whispered Chaeyoung, trying to keep up with Suho. Eventually, they found him outside by his car.

"Why'd you come?" asked Suho, Chaeyoung standing beside him.

"It's lunchtime. Have you guys eaten?" questioned Juheon.

"I told you not to come to school," said Suho.

Chaeyoung looked back and forth between the two, slightly confused. She assumed that the two had met recently due to what Suho said to his father.

"Don't you think you're being shameless by showing up like this?" questioned Suho.

Chaeyoung on the other hand didn't have much to say because he was the person who took her in when her parents passed. Even though she wasn't pleased with his actions, she was still grateful to him.

"Ju-sama!" yelled an older woman, running down one of the ramps.

"Mom! You didn't go yet," asked Jugyeong. It was her mother who ran down the ramp, thought Chaeyoung once she recognized the lady.

Jugyeong tried to pull her mother away from embarrassing her, but her mother broke away anyway.

"Is this your son?" asked Mrs. Im. "Oh! Chaeyoung?"

"Hi Mrs. Im, it's nice to see you again," greeted Chaeyoung, once the older lady saw her.

"Ah, do you two know each other? Are you guys classmates?" asked Juheon.

"Yes, hello," answered Jugyeong, quickly bowing.

"We'll be going," said Suho, pulling Chaeyoung away from them.

"Are they that prickly at school too?" asked Juheon, turning back to face Jugyeong.

"Yes, but only Suho," answered Jugyeong.

☾

School had finally a while ago and Chaeyoung was on her way to the hospital. She made her way into the oh-so-familiar hospital office to meet with Younghoon.

"Younghoon Oppa," she greeted, walking into the room.

"Ah, Chaeyoung. You said you were coming by today, but what for? Your appointment isn't till next week?" he said.

"I've been feeling much more tired lately, but it's been much worse yesterday and today. I wanted to be safe and come in today to see if you can do the usual tests to see if anything changed?" she explained to him.

He frowned at her words. Everything had been going smoothly since the last incident. But maybe it was a delayed effect?

"Of course," he said.

It was hours later and the results came back. Chaeyoung laid in her usual hospital room and bed, waiting for Younghoon to come back in.

The door opened and she sat up. She looked at his face, hoping for good news only. But one look at his face and she knew it was all but that.

☾

Chaeyoung moved sluggishly as she walked back home. Eyes slightly swollen from crying at the hospital earlier.

She sniffled, rubbing her eyes while Younghoon's words burned themselves into her mind.

"What is it?" she asked, seeing his solemn look.

He walked up to the side of her hospital bed, clipboard in hand.

"I'm sorry Chaeyoung," he started, making her heart drop. "I ran some tests and the results..."

Chaeyoung's eyes filled with furious tears. She turned to face forward, head looking down at her hands that laid in her lap.

"They weren't good huh?" she asked. "That was what you were going to say right?" Please tell me I'm wrong, please tell me I'm wrong, she chanted in her head, but she knew that she wasn't.

Younghoon shook his head sadly, he himself tearing up. He didn't want to lose the little girl who had felt like a daughter to him. He'd practically seen her grow up as he took care of her over the years.

Even though Chaeyoung couldn't see him, his lack of words already answered her question.

She let out a shaky breath. She didn't blame him for what was happening to her. She didn't blame anyone. She wanted to push the blame to someone, but she couldn't. And it was because she knew there was no use. She was going to die soon anyway.

So what was the point anymore? To live happily as if nothing was wrong? She wanted to do that, and maybe she still would. But right now, she just wanted to let it all out. To cry hysterically like no one was watching. To cry in her room where no one would bother her. But at the same time, she wanted to let people know that she won't always be there for them anymore.

But most of all,

She just wanted to live.