Secrets - [TAEBIN FF]

Chapter 2

Taehyun opened the door to the tiny apartment not too far away from the subway. His mom, Kang Ahyeon, was cooking something on the stove, but stopped when she heard her son entering their home, giving him a warm and loving smile.

"Hey Taehyunie, how was camp?"

"Pretty good."

The brunette went over to help her by cutting the carrots. While doing so, he told her about his day at camp.

"There's uh... this one boy who looks similar to him," Taehyun said.

Ahyeon paused in her cooking motions.

"Oh? What's his name?"

"Soobin. He's really tall."

"So are you Taehyun."

"I could have been taller if I had more to eat in my early teens."

Ahyeon sighed as she stirred the vegetables.

"I know. You all didn't deserve—"

A sudden loud cough coming from another room in the far back of the apartment caught their attention. Taehyun took a deep breath when he heard it.

"What did the doctor say today?"

"Nothing has really changed. But her body has found better ways to deal with it. Her life expectancy has increased too."

Taehyun sighed in relief.

"That's good to hear."

He took the cutting board to hand and began washing it in the sink. When in reality, it was his way of distracting himself from the unbearable growing thoughts in his mind.

Until he could no longer take it, and he just said them out loud.

"Do you think they'll both make it to adulthood?"

Ahyeon suddenly became very still as she heard her son saying those words. Of course, as a mother, that fear for her only two daughters was always there, and every day when she woke up to find them both alive was a miracle and blessing to her.

If she ever woke up not to that sight...

Ahyeon brushed off that thought, and mustered a brave smile.

"There's always that little chance Taehyun. But... we also gotta be prepared for the worst."

"Yeah..."

She patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"I can finish dinner. You go to them."

"'Kay."

Taehyun gave her a little kiss on the cheek, and scurried out of the kitchen room. As soon as he was out of sight, Ahyeon shut the stove off and sat down in a nearby chair, burying her face in her hands as she held back the forming tears in her eyes.

"Oh god..."

Taehyun headed towards his sisters' room, opening the door quietly in case they suddenly fell asleep. That certainly was not the case, seeing how they were both coughing, his youngest sister more violently.  

"Hey you two..." he gently greeted them.

They stopped coughing at the sound of his voice and widened their equally big eyes.

"Taehyunie!"

Despite their illness, the girls both sat up in their beds, with Taehyun coming closer to them to prop up their pillows.

"How was camp?" his twelve year old sister asked.

"It was good, thanks for asking Lia."

"Did you make lots of new friends, knowing how extroverted you are? And how is Beomgyu doing?"