─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

❝ My whole heart is with you, your dreams are with me. Enduring life together is making me a little bit happier. We'll be connected without end, can't live without you ❞ — WITHOUT YOU, NCT U

🎼

C H A P T E R E L E V E N

IT'S HIS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION DAY. A plate is set aside on the clear glass table, and he sits on the vanilla cream sofa. It's breakfast by his dad; French toast with scrambled eggs.

"Where are you going?" Kevin can't help but wonder where his dad is headed so early in the morning. The sun is still asleep behind the clouds sailing slowly in the twilight sky. Birds began chirping after dawn breaks.

"Yujun needs my help at the hospital," Siwoo says, quickly slipping on his shoes, "it's an emergency. I don't want you to panic, but if you need me, call me. Don't do something I wouldn't do."

"Dad, what's wrong?"

"I just want you to be safe." Siwoo walks to his son and cups his face, holding his warm brown gaze flickering with concern. "Promise me you'll be okay?" voice soft, he takes a step back, turning to leave from the main door.

Kevin doesn't even get a chance to run after him, thoughts revolving around the sudden departure.

It's the same gloomy atmosphere floating in their living room, the door closing behind him, casting a shadow from the sunlight spilling across the floor between him and the door.

It's the same mood when his mother left in the morning for an errand, except he didn't expect to get a call from the hospital concerning his mother's critical condition.

Kevin's mom had a heart attack—the oxygen in her lungs collapsed. Her blood became frozen.

Suddenly Kevin's phone rings. He immediately answers the call after looking at the contact's name. At first, he doesn't hear anything until there's haggard breathing across the other line as if his best friend was running.

"Kevin, you know how it feels when you're helpless? You can't do anything. Like as if the world was ending, and you wish how it were all a nightmare?"

"Younghoon, slow down. What's going on?"

"I can't keep believing she will be okay. That she'll stay forever. I wanted her to at least see me graduate. Now she can't. I'm not ready. I'm not ready to let her go—"

Kevin feels a knot tighten in his chest, recalling his mother's admission to the emergency room. "Where are you?" he breathes out, heart beating rapidly.

He hopes Younghoon's okay. He has to be.

"Langone Hospital, Brooklyn Emergency Room Bay."

"I'm coming. Stay there. Please hold on, okay?"

The call ends.

Kevin sprints upstairs to grasp his beige jacket and rushes downstairs as various scenarios his best friend must be going through flash in his mind. His heartbeat pounds nervously with each step he takes, chasing, chasing, and chasing after the one only hope he desires to stay.

He doesn't acknowledge aloud that hope is his mom, though.

Because he knows how Younghoon feels right now. He can't let him drown in the darkness of the ocean. He can't allow that. If Younghoon suffers, he will go through the dark with him.

He slips his pair of shoes and ties them quickly as he recalls Changmin's words.

"Remember to look left, right, up, and down, silly. Don't want to end up falling. Look after yourself better, okay?"

Kevin feels a warm smile life on his mouth.

He grabs another pair of keys just in case.

. . .

KEVIN STOPS IN HIS TRACKS UPON ARRIVING INSIDE THE EMERGENCY ROOM. The sign in bold letters about the elevator's order practically screams out of order and Kevin feels his heart drop. He hurries upstairs instead. Kevin's a little tired when he reaches the top floor, hand holding the rail to catch his breath.

He may not be athletic, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Running a flight of stairs isn't a problem. Well, maybe a two-minute rest would be okay. He needs to build his stamina back and regain some oxygen.

It takes him thirty seconds to snap out of his mind pleading to stop running, and his heart whispering to keep going.

Kevin runs to the room number Younghoon texted him, blood pumping through his lungs, and his heart, wondering how he's holding up.

And when he finds the room, the door creaks open.

The nurses move the stretcher out of the melancholy room at the doctor's order.

Kevin's gaze falls across the woman lying on the hospital bed with a mask covering her face, trailing up and locking with Younghoon's glistening brown eyes burning from tears staining his flushed cheeks.

Younghoon runs to Kevin, throws his arms around him, and holds him tight as if his life depended on it. "Do you think she'll be okay?" he whispers and takes a shaky breath. Kevin wraps his arms around Younghoon and rubs a comforting hand down his back.

It's not his place or in his knowledge to confirm his doubt, but he answers, "She will be okay," and a tear escapes the rim of his eyes.

Flashbacks of his mother's transfer to the intensive care unit enter his mind. His heart weakens, recalling memories of the time he was in the same situation as his friend.

The one person he loves and who gave birth to him is no longer in the world with him.

And now, Younghoon's mother may not survive, but she will be in a better place, Kevin thinks.

Like gravity pulling them down, their hearts heavy, holding their precious treasure.

Hard-earned by being with her through every argument, fight, memories of time spent together, and the Evergreen tree of love for each other. But gravity keeps them in the center, holding on to each other, to never let go.

To keep living.

Because they walk on the same path together.

Because they need each other.

Because friends stand next to each other, not against each other.

. . .

GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL MUST FEEL AS IF YOU'RE ON TOP OF THE WORLD.

Kevin doesn't feel that way.

His eyes wander around the field and scan the stadium packed with families rooting for their children's golden moment. Everyone is excited to see the smile on their faces, walking toward the stage and receiving their diplomas.

But for Kevin and Younghoon, it's not the same. It's not the same without their mother's support. Without their mother's presence and for who she is, without waking up to her voice, making breakfast for them, and saying goodbye before they exit the door to leave for school.

Goodbye. Such a tragic word.

He forgets about the line moving, standing in place, and Younghoon accidentally steps on his shoelaces. Like strings connecting them, then loosening, Kevin's connection with them breaks.

Kevin's eyes widen. He trips on his laces, landing in someone's arms, holding him by his arm: grip strong as iron.

Lifting his head to look at the person preventing him from falling, his cheeks redden, remembering the same thing occurring on the bus.

Gosh, how clumsy can he be?

Kevin pulls away, feeling embarrassed. Changmin grabs Kevin by his arm and pulls him close.

He leans down to tie his laces and stands up. "I thought we talked about this last time. To look left, right, up, and down, silly. Don't want to end up falling. Stop thinking about whatever you're thinking about. It's going to be alright."

Despite the reminder, Kevin's heart stutters as Changmin stretches his arm out, palm facing upward. "Yeah? Let's graduate together and walk on the same path together," Changmin says, a sunshine smile blooming on his face.

Kevin's heart shakes.

And he thinks how the stars aligned in his sky aren't dull after all.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A U T H O R ' S N O  T E

Me casually trying to help with chores in the house because I'm taking summer classes and writing Baby You Are to make it complete before the Wattys deadline. NOT REALLY.

I know, I know, another late update. I wasn't feeling well and am still a little under the weather, but I'm slowly recovering and can write. Also, there will be double dates, so I can submit baby you are to the Wattys on time.

This was an emotional one and one of my favorite chapters. Thoughts?

Again, if you enjoyed reading this chapter, please don't forget to vote and comment. If you haven't already, make sure to add Baby You Are to your reading list, so you know when there's an update!

Thank you for reading ❤️