ɪ'ʟʟ ʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ➻〚𝙣𝙘𝙩 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙤𝙩7〛

Flashback: Not Truly Gone

Jisung's POV-Age: 13

"Jisung, sweetie, do you mind getting me some Advil? My chest feels tight, and my shift starts in an hour," Mom asks in a bleak tone from our measly counter with a microwave that we call our kitchen. She clutches her chest in pain, and as she cringes because of the discomfort, I realize that she's having another bad episode of pain again.

The lights are off because we were late to pay our electric bills, and I find myself wrapped in blankets to keep warm as I fold clean clothes on our ratty couch. This life is my truth, and though I want to conceal it, our lack of money is apparent in the way I carry myself in life. All of my friends know about my family's situation, but we simply don't talk about it because I don't want them to pity me and my family.

I turn back, and tears gloss my eyes over as I take a look at my mother, eyes red and hallow, her lack of sleep very apparent on her face. Her face is gaunt, and she looks bony and thin from the lack of food in the house. Seeing her do so much for Taemin and I that she's in the worst condition physically and mentally, shatters my heart. She's so strong to be able to face all of these troubles head-on, and I want to always repay her somehow, but I don't think I'm capable.

Mom's sick. She has been for the last three years, and because we're so damn poor, we can never rake up the money for treatment, despite the fact that both Taemin and I work, and that she works three jobs. She's so weak physically that it's a wonder that she can get out of her bed in the morning and toil all day and night, but she always tells us that Taemin and I are the reason she gains the strength.

Dropping the stretched, faded t-shirt from my hands, I scamper to the medical cabinet in the bathroom and scan the shelf for Advil. My eyes land on the familiar bottle, as it's practically a habit to get Advil for Mom, as she's always in pain during the little time I get to spend with her.

I pick the bottle from the shelf, and as I'm about to rush back to her, I hear a throaty, weak, "Taemin!" from the kitchen, followed by a louder thud. My heart speeds up exponentially and I scream in fear as I sprint the short distance to the kitchen, dropping the bottle as the small pills scatter along the floor. To my horror, I see my mother sprawled out on the ground, not a single muscle in her moving. Beginning to panic, I fall to her side as I scream for Taemin, who's in our shared bedroom.

"Taemin! Taeminnie! T-taemin! M-mom!" I wail, as I look over her frantically, trying to figure out how to help her with my limited medical knowledge. She has to be alive... she's way too tough to let go now, just when Taemin is just about to become an adult.

Taemin rushes into the room, his heavy footsteps loud against the creaky floor. I turn to him hopelessly, my cheeks red and stained with tears that cease to stop as I keep crying in fear, seeing my own mother motionless and helpless on the kitchen floor. Taemin's jaw drops and he screams, rushing to my mother's side, as I helplessly look at the traumatic scene.

"Call an ambulance, Jisung!" Taemin commands at me, a desperate hollowness in his voice, as his eyes frantically scan over my mother, and he desperately feels for a pulse.

"Does she h-have a p-pulse?" I weakly ask, a glint of hope in my eyes. Mom's has chest pains all the time, and she's even fainted a few times, but I could've never expected that she would have a heart attack. She's too strong. She'll make it. She'll make it...

"JUST CALL AN AMBULANCE, JISUNG!" Taemin shouts almost breathlessly, tears pouring down his own cheeks as he tries to keep his composure and hide the truth that's hiding deep within both of us. He didn't answer my question, which gives me grim suspicions...I refuse to believe it. I have to keep hope; that's what Mom always did, no matter how foggy the future looked for us.