2 Minus 1 | joshua✓ ( School Series )

N I N E

N A O M I ' S  P O V

"You're graduating, Naomi. What do you want?" My mom asks me.

"Don't buy me anything, I can buy it, I have money." I answered.

"I'm just giving you a gift." She said.

"Mom, just make milk for the youngest." I response.

Our graduation has already begun, but I feel that I am not happy. It seems like I'd rather finish this soon than take longer, after which the calling we all followed with the award. I expected that I would not receive an award so I just didn't listen.

"Park Naomi, best in Arts and Music." The emcee announced.

I was shocked at the announcement, I didn’t know I would receive anything. I said I didn't expect it but this, I will receive something. I got up and went to the stage with my mom, this is the only thing I can be proud of her. When he hung a medal around my neck, I looked straight ahead to take a picture of us. I looked back and saw my arts, she was so beautiful. I'm back in my seat, I'm waiting for this to end.

"Congrats, Naomi! Wow you received awards and best in Arts and Music yet really." Lisa says.

They didn’t even say they were going to be here for my graduation, when I saw my Mom I introduced them to her.

"Mom, this is Lisa, Yerin, and Jackson. My co-workers." I said.

"Nice to meet you." My mom said.

"Nice to meet you too." My co-workers response.

"Aunt, we will celebrate Naomi's graduation at the restaurant we work at." Yerin says.

"Will you come with us, Auntie?" Lisa asks.

"I'm not coming, you have to enjoy, you need that." She answered.

I looked at my mom, I saw the seriousness on her face so I just avoided.

"All right, auntie. We're leaving, be careful auntie." Lisa says.

"Be careful, Mom." I said.

She just smiled at us, as we walked away I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.

"Cheers! Congratulations Naomi!"

They even closed the restaurant to celebrate my graduation, while I was having fun here I was worried about my Mother. I'm nervous, I'm restless.

"Best in Arts at Music! Park Naomi!" Her shouted.

"What you can't get over, I've already gotten over that you still can't." I said.

When the celebration was over I left immediately, not losing my nervousness. I took my phone out of the bag and called Mom, but she didn’t answer so I called her again. But I didn't really receive a reply, I tried to text but there was also no reply.

"Mom, can you please answer my calls?"

It was still unknown until she answered, it was good and it was already answered.

"Mom, are you okay?" I ask her.

"Uhm, are you her daughter?" A lady answered my call.

"Yes I'm her daughter, why? What happened to my mom?" I ask her.

"She's in the hospital, right now." She answered.

I was surprised by her answer, I don't know if I will believe it or not.

"Can you send me the address and the name of the hospital, I'm going." I said.

I hung up the call and looked at the nurse's text, she used Mom's phone to text me. I took a taxi to tears, when I got a taxi, I hop in. I wiped away my tears, so that the driver would not notice. I showed him the address and name of the hospital, and he nodded. I'm still not comfortable so I look at the phone, maybe it's just Mom's prank. I noticed that my tears were dripping again so I immediately wiped them away, when I saw someone reach for a handkerchief I accepted it.

"T-thank you." I thanked that person who gives me a handkerchief.

"You're welcome."

I wiped my tears with my handkerchief, how could I give them back to him if we never meet again.

"How can I get it back to you if we never meet aga—" I couldn't finish what I was about to say when I looked back at the person next to me in the taxi.

I saw it was Joshua, he turned to me and the shock was also obvious on his face. I don't know what to do, I can still return his handkerchief because we'll meet again, but I'm not sure yet.

"It's you, Naomi." He said.

I averted my eyes from him, embarrassed because he saw me crying.

"Why are you crying?" He asks.

"Mom is in the hospital." I answered.

I still haven't turned to him, I really need to tell him that I'll just return his handkerchief when we meet again.

"I'll just return your handkerchief when we meet again, I'll wash it." I said.

"Just keep it." He response.

When because of what he said I turned to him, I could no longer take his handkerchief.

"I have to give it back to you." I said.

"My handkerchief is yours, Naomi. You need a handkerchief because if you cry, you will wipe away your tears." He said.

I haven't spoken yet, I really need a handkerchief.

"We have arrived, ma'am." The driver said.

I was about to pay when Joshua got ahead of me, when he finished paying he got out and pulled me out of the car.

"What are you doing, Joshua? Maybe your parents are looking for you." I said.

"I will accompany you to the hospital." He said.

We entered the hospital and we headed to the counter, I don’t know if I could ask which room my mother was in.

"What room did Charlotte Park stay in?" I ask.

"What is your relationship with Mrs. Park?" She asks.

"I'm her daughter." I answered.

"Room 293, in the second floor." She answered my previous question.

I thanked him and hurried to the elevator, Joshua and I entered the elevator together. I don't know if anyone is watching over my Mama there, when we got to the second floor we got out of the elevator and looked for room 293. We already found room 293, even though we found it I couldn’t afford to enter.

"Let's go in, Naomi." Joshua says.

I moved a little away from the door, I wanted Joshua to go first.

"You go first, I'm not ready." I said.

He sighed, he opened the door and he entered. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the hospital room, even though I wasn’t ready I looked at Mom. Walking towards her makes me cry even more, is it like this? That when you are happy, there is sadness in return?

"M-mom, w-what happened to you?" I ask her and still crying.

I didn’t receive an answer because he was just lying in the hospital bed, I just cried and cried as Joshua stroked my back.

I turned to him and wiped away my tears, he still really needed to see that I was crying.

"You need to go home, it's 9:40 now." I said.

He nodded, he had to go home because his parents were really looking for him.

"I'll come here tomorrow, see you." He said.

I was surprised by what he said, he was coming here tomorrow and I didn’t even say anything?

He's willing to visit here, he insisted it. But it's embarrassing to have a visitor and then I'm not even ready.