35

Busan. Free zombie city. All this time everyone didn't even know their existence and that's including San. The city were so clean as if the place haven't been raided by 'them' at all.

San rushed to the hospital as he knew the room occupied by his wife, leaving other behind. He could think of Serine in his mind. And even left his children back with ATEEZ member.

He knew that his instinct were never wrong. That Serine is still alive. His wife is still alive. As he standing outside of the room wanted to reached for the doorknob, he heard a boy crying inside the room. It was JungKook and he couldn’t take it.

High expectation killed his hope. She's in coma. Even she's being a normal again but her current state wasn't any better than being a zombie at all. Lying on the bed with wire and tube all over her.

He ran away.

He didn’t want to believe it, those memories imprint in  his mind that day giving him small kisses and bright smiles. He yelled to the sky, praying that she’d make it through this alive. He needed her to wake up.

...

Day after day, night after night, he made every effort to get to the hospital whenever he could. Being a parent of two children wasn't easy at all. But his hope that she will wake up was what keep him strong.

It broke his heart, he couldn’t bare seeing her sleep for so long, he felt so lost. He would hold her hand everyday, having been told by the doctors it would be a good stimulus to help try and wake her up.

“You know Hyun started to crawl now. But I'm still waiting for him to speak a word. How I wish the first word is me, Appa or you, Eomma", his thumb grazed against the back of her hand, still no movement. His bravery was admirable, he dedicated every spare second of his day being by her side.

“I know you’re tired, but if you can, just give me a sign,” he pleaded. "Just let me know you’re okay, I need you. Ani. The kids need you more", he said looking down on the floor. He could feel there's a slump in his throat as he holding up his tears. He doesn't want to be such a weakling during this time. Not when she need her.

...

“Well, when one of the nurses went in earlier they believe to have seen her finger move, it’s only a minor movement, but it’s a sign that she’s at least aware.” He struggled to stop himself from crying, racing down the corridor.

“Thank you so much!”

He stopped just outside the door, like he did everyday, taking a deep breath, composing himself for her as Aera looked at his father. As nice as the news was, he didn’t want to get ahead of himself, he had to see her move for himself before he could take any hope.

“Is this my mom?", the little girl question made him smiled, walking into the room, sitting beside her, taking a hold of your hand as Hyun in his arm. "I’m exhausted after work today, but I still made time for you. The boys all say hello, just like they do everyday,” he giggled. "Eomma, today I made a friend. Their mother said that I'm beautiful because my face just like you", she stated but San than stared down at Aera who's little bit optimistic for a reaction, but she got nothing from her mother. It's breaking his heart too. "How long eomma will be sleeping?", she asked her father.

"Let's pray so eomma can wake up and play with you again", he said stroking her hair gently.

He spoke to her almost everyday like she were awake in the hope that she’d be able to hear what he says and take motivation from it.

“The doctor said you moved this morning,” he whispered.

“Come on,” he begged, “I don’t know what you’ve done to deserve this, but you’ve got to pull through because I don’t know what I’ll do without you. All that strength and courage you’ve got inside you, use a bit just to keep fighting, don’t give up on me because I’m not leaving your side, I won’t allow this to have an unhappy ending. Not when we has this two sunshine in our life now. You told me that you want a happy family family", he said again.

Still there was nothing, as remained for the rest of the night. He’d got hopeful, just to fall from grace and crash back down as she's remained lifeless.

...

“Why is this happening?”. he almost shouted, staring up at the ceiling of the room as he realised the kids has been sleeping soundly. “It’s not fair, why didn’t you just let this happen to me?”, the day she saved him and Aera made him feel like a crap. He left her behind when he should've stayed with her instead.

...

The following day he came back to the hospital again, sleeping after the night before he felt happier and calmer as he made his way into the hospital.

“Mr. Choi", the doctor greeted him. “I’m so glad you came today. We’ve got another breakthrough, I think you’ll be really pleased with this one. Follow me.” Reluctantly he did so, knowing in the back of his mind how yesterday’s breakthrough played out, he wasn’t convinced.

“Please don’t play more of this games, chagiya,” San said tears brimming through his eyes. “I had enough heartache yesterday, I’m not prepared to be let down again when I see that nothing has changed”, he said didn't let go of her hand at all.

He couldn’t be optimistic, not like yesterday. He wasn’t in the right state to go through the same turmoil, he wasn’t prepared to be pushed off the top of the mountain when he thought things were finally looking up.

“Will she ever wake up?”, San whispers to no-one in particular, and JungKook barely even hears it, because of how quiet and croaky he sounds after days of stillness. The tears that had been threatening to fall for so long finally give way, and he lost every last shred of his composure.

Seeing how sad the male waiting his wife to wake up making JungKook guilt increased more. 'If only we had another way to save JiMin hyung. Mianhe, Serine noona, San-shi', he could only say them in his mind.

...

After yet another day at the studio he was incredibly tired, but he never allowed that to deter from his priority, the kids and her wife who's still laying lifelessly on the hospital bed. Despite the boys encouraging him that a night off wouldn’t be a bad thing, he couldn’t stand the thought of her being alone.

"Going to Serine again?", SeongHwa asked him as other looked at him with tired look. They were just done practicing as San reaching his things, shoved them into his bag. Just like everyday, he would sent the kid to his or Serine's parent before going to practice room and taking the kids back after visiting Serine. Sometime, the kids would gone to Serine with him too.

They stopped outside her door, the doctor stepping aside. As he did everyday, he took a deep breath, slowly opening the door.

Everyday . She's lay, the same day as she had done everyday, unresponsive, unaware and unfazed. But this it was different.

He's panic seeing the difference. Especially when he couldn't trust BTS member for trying to separate them.

The bed were empty. She's gone.