𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚑𝚠𝚊 ➶ 𝚗𝚊 𝚓𝚊𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚗

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

i want to make more online friends :( any volunteers?

"nabi is terminal so she doesn't have a lot of time left" taejoon, jaemin's father was shock to hear that news from his friend. "junhyung says she has less than a year" hyunbin, nabi's father adds before sighing heavily

taejoon looks sadly at his friend before saying, "that's why she said she wants to marry jaemin hurriedly" hyunbin nods before saying, "i've thought a lot about it and i don't want to do this to you, eunmi, and jaemin"

[eunmi is jaemin's 'mother']

hyunbin inhales lightly before outstretching his hand and gripped his friend's shoulder as an attempt of comforting. "hyunbin-ah, let's grant nabi's wish. jaemin knows how severe nabi's sickness it and i will tell him later about her condition right now, he won't take it lightly but i'm sure he still wants to marry her"

"jaemin doesn't know yet?"
"i don't know for sure but if he does then i'm sure he has prepared his self for this. this marriage isn't only for nabi, jaemin also wants it"

hyunbin then nods before saying, "thank you taejoon-ah"

-

jaemin stayed silent as he closed the door again and leaned his back on the wall beside it. the phone in his hand was no longer ringing so all that was left is only the sound from the machines beside nabi

his eyes bore into the ground as his head was empty to the point he didn't hear nabi calling out for him. he snapped back to reality and hurriedly went to nabi's side

"what's wrong? are you hurting any-" "no, i'm fine... just help me sit" jaemin gently helped her sit up before grabbing the remote on the desk to fix her bed so she can sit comfortably

"do you need anything?" nabi shook her head then her brows furrowed when she noticed his wary eyes, "what's wrong? you look really troubled"

"nabi is terminal so she doesn't have a lot of time left"

those words kept running through his mind. he took a deep breath before reaching out to hold her hand before starting to swipe his thumb on the skin repeatedly. "why didn't you tell me? ... that you were terminal.."

nabi's breath hitched at his question. "i'm sorry... i didn't want to make you worry" jaemin sighs as he felt annoyed with her reply, "i'm your fiance nabi it's not wrong for me to worry about you especially you're sick like this"

nabi gulped when he raised his voice at her so she looked down to her lap - afraid to see his furious eyes. jaemin finally realized what he just said and sighed before taking a seat on her bed and gently pulled her to a hug

"I'm sorry for yelling, i was just really worried" he stroke her head as his other hand was tightly wrapped around her body,

"i thought you knew already since you read the book" jaemin then pulled away from the hug with a confused look. "it was in the book?" nabi nods, "you didn't see it?"

jaemin shook his head, "i haven't read all of it"

then it all went silent between them until jaemin decided to speak up again. "i want to tell you something, can you lend your ear to me?" nabi noticed the hesitance in his voice so she nods before saying, "only if you actually want to tell me, i don't want to force you"

jaemin nods, "it's better if the both of us are lying down" nabi said as she pulled jaemin's arm so he can fully sit on the bed as she scoots aside so they both can fit on it. they both lie down on the bed with jaemin's right arm under her head and nabi's arm over his waist as she rested her head under his chin. jaemin took a deep breath to prepare what he's going to say next,

"the woman you've been calling mother to... is not actually my mother nabi-ah... she's my step mother" nabi stayed quiet and waited for him to finish telling his story

"my birth mother... died when i was 10 because she was sick. she had a heart disease just like you but the difference was she wasn't born with it. i loved my mother will all my heart so her death wasn't something i can easily move on, i know my father still loves my birth mother but he also loves my stepmother and thankfully, she also loves him and she doesn't only see his money"

"she takes good care of me but i feel bad because i can't return the same love she gave me.. i don't hate her but i can't say i'm comfortable with her too... she's just too different from my mother. i try to get used to having her around but it's not easy"

"but besides from that... the reason i used to dislike you is that you remind me so much of my mother. when i was told that i got arranged to you i was disheartened because i was afraid of being left again, not that i'm saying you're leaving soon but it's just that i'm scared nabi"

nabi couldn't help but chuckle when he said 'not that i'm saying you're leaving soon' but then she tightens her arm that was around his body before raising her head slightly

"let's worry about when i die later, what i want right now is to make a lot of memories with you jaemin. i can't tell you to stop being scared because i'm also scared... i'm scared of leaving all of my loved ones"

jaemin sighs heavily before turning sideways to properly hug nabi and close the gap between them. nabi buried her head to his chest as jaemin rested his chin on top of her head

"the bracelet you're wearing right now... my mother made it"
"it's beautiful" jaemin smiled before kissing her hair softly and nodded

"i'm sorry for earlier.. i never wanted to be like that but the writer made me" nabi was confused at what he meant until she understood. "it's okay.. i'm hurt but i know you never meant it"

jaemin pulled away from the hug and stared at the girl in his arms before leaning down to kiss her forehead softly, "i'm really sorry" nabi rolls her eyes playfully before nodding her head and buried her head to his chest again

jaemin chuckled which made his body vibrate and it made nabi laugh because she felt it. the two continued their evening while hugging each other as they pass around a few stories until jaemin heard a soft snore from the girl under him

he looks down slightly to prevent any sudden movements that can wake her up. he felt a smile creeping up as he stared at the girl sleeping in his arms before looking up again and closed his eyes, drifting up to dreamland