By Zephyria The seasons passed quickly. The air turned chilly in the mornings and evenings, and before they knew it, the year was over and a new year had begun. News came that classmates were getting accepted into universities one by one.
While everyone was frantically busy preparing for college, Koi quietly went back and forth between the hospital and school. Father was frequently hospitalized, but thankfully, Father had gone bankrupt long ago, and because they were at an economic level close to extreme poverty, they didn’t have to pay for medical expenses.
Koi stayed late in Father’s hospital room to watch over him, then returned to the Motorhome and fell asleep alone. There weren’t exactly affectionate conversations. But it was definitely different than before.
They didn’t have enough time left to make up for the more than ten years that had passed since his brother’s death and his mother’s departure. They both knew it, but they didn’t bother to say it. Instead, they shared useless words and tried to get a little closer during the remaining time. And that was enough.
“Koi!”
Ariel shouted at Koi, who happened to be passing by. He stopped trying to ride his bicycle and waited for Ariel to approach.
“Where are you going? To the hospital again?”
“Yeah.”
Koi nodded obediently. His friends knew that his Father was hospitalized. Ariel frowned with a serious face and asked.
“Are you really not going to college? I heard you didn’t apply anywhere.”
She and Bill were going to attend the state university. Koi had once desperately wanted to go too, but it had eventually become a dream.
“I can’t go to college and leave Father behind.”
Anything could happen while he was in the dorm. Above all, it was Koi’s job to take his Father to the hospital whenever he needed to go.
“I’m looking for a job, so it’s okay. I can go to community college first and then transfer to a four-year university…….”
“Haa…….”
Ariel sighed deeply. Koi had already seen this reaction several times. It couldn’t be helped, so Koi smiled nonchalantly.
“Then, Al, I’ll go first.”
“Ah, Koi.”
Ariel, who had called Koi back as he was about to head to where he had parked his bicycle, asked.
“Have you heard any news about Ash?”
“Huh? ……No.”
“……I see.”
When Koi shook his head, Ariel lowered her head as if disappointed. Koi awkwardly mumbled a greeting and left. Ashley had not been seen at all since that day. He had only heard secondhand that he had gone to the East Coast.
Koi busied himself so that regret wouldn’t have a chance to take over his mind. And it was one day, after spring had passed and he was about to graduate, that he heard news about Ashley.
*
“Ash is coming to the prom?”
One of the ice hockey team guys, who was having lunch with him, shouted loudly at the sudden news. Koi also put down the sandwich he was eating and looked at Bill with wide eyes. Bill, who had delivered the shocking news, nodded and continued.
“I barely got through to him yesterday, and I just asked him on a whim, and he said he would come. He said he would attend the after-party, so I told him to go ahead.”
“Oh, so Bill, is he coming to your house?”
“Yeah. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that guy’s face, so I want to see how he’s been.”
Everyone cheered and rejoiced at Bill’s words. Koi’s face also brightened, but he couldn’t cheer with them. Bill, who glanced at Koi crouching awkwardly, added nonchalantly.
“Anyway, that’s how it is, so after you guys have some fun, come to my house. Got it?”
And Bill looked at Koi and added.
“You too.”
Koi unconsciously swallowed hard. Only after nodding did he finally answer.
“Yeah.”
Bill smiled at him. Koi lowered his head and pretended to eat his sandwich at the somehow pitiful look on his face.
He can see Ash again.
The thought alone made his heart so full that he couldn’t swallow his food properly. The kids were already talking about something else, but Koi’s mind was so full of Ashley that he couldn’t say anything.
*
The weather was even better than usual on the day of the prom. When Koi opened the door and saw the cloudless, bright blue sky, his heart pounded and he took several deep breaths.
“Koi, is something wrong?”
Father, who was sitting up in bed, asked. Koi turned to him and quickly closed the door.
“Oh, no. The weather’s nice.”
Father silently watched his son, who was hurriedly moving around preparing breakfast. Recently, it had become difficult for Father to eat. It was only natural since it had already metastasized to his stomach, but Koi tried his best to feed him something.
“It’s vegetable soup.”
Koi, who had warmed up the soup and brought it, suddenly remembered something he had forgotten. He hurriedly shook his head and erased the overwhelming emotions, placing the cracked tray with the soup plate and spoon on Father’s lap.
“Thank, you, Koi.”
Father, who had thanked him, coughed in succession. Koi silently waited for his cough to subside and then handed him water. Father took a sip of water, dividing it into several sips, and barely moistened his lips before picking up the spoon. He scooped up the watery soup and put it in his mouth, smiling.
“It’s delicious.”
The taste of the instant soup bought from the store couldn’t have been very good. Considering the situation where he had to make soup every meal, quantity and, above all, a cheap price were important rather than quality. The soup he had bought this time was a bundle of discounted, expired soup from the supermarket, probably the worst of the instant soups on the market.
Nevertheless, Father always smiled and said it was delicious. Koi, who had waited for him to slowly and laboriously eat the entire bowl of soup, hurriedly cleared the tray, gave Father his medicine, and helped him lie down in bed.
When he returned after doing the dishes, Father was already dozing off again. Koi was relieved to hear a faint breathing sound and sat down in a chair.
The money he had saved to become independent was almost gone. He was doing part-time jobs, but it was difficult to call it a proper income because he was taking care of Father’s hospital expenses.
He had already given up on college, so he had to find a new path.
Koi sighed and started doing housework. The day quickly passed as he busied himself. After making Father’s evening soup, giving him painkillers and sleeping pills, and rechecking the jobs he had picked out, a message notification suddenly rang.
Koi was startled and his body stiffened. If he got a call at this time, it was obvious what it would be about. Bill, considerate of Koi, who couldn’t attend the prom, had promised to contact him if Ashley showed up at the after-party. Koi took a deep breath and checked the message with trembling hands. It was Bill’s message as expected.
[Koi, Ash is here.]
Koi took a deep breath, hurriedly picked up his cell phone, and left the Motorhome. Father had taken his medicine, so he would sleep soundly for the next three hours.
Koi carefully closed the door and hurriedly got on his bicycle. His mind was already full of Ashley. Koi frantically pedaled towards Bill’s house.
*
“Haa, haa.”
When he finally arrived at his destination, he was so out of breath that he felt like he was going to die. Koi bent over and tried to calm his breathing, gasping for air.
The party was already in full swing. The music and chatter coming from inside made Koi feel dazed.
“Ah, Koi.”
Bill, who recognized him first, called his name happily. Koi, who was looking around for Ashley, pushing through the crowd of kids, approached Bill with a delighted expression.
“Welcome, it must have been hard to get here? Is your Father okay?”
“Yeah, he took his evening medicine, so he’ll be sleeping for a while.”
At Koi’s answer, Bill nodded, saying, “I see.” Bill was the only person who knew that Koi had dated Ashley. He didn’t know why they had broken up or why Ashley had left for the East Coast, but he didn’t ask.
It was a problem between the two of them, and all Bill could do was something like this.
“Ash is in the back garden.”
Koi unconsciously held his breath.
“Thank, you.”
His voice was hoarse with tension. As if to cheer him on, Bill patted him on the shoulder a couple of times and then let go. Koi forced a smile and passed Bill, heading towards the garden.
After pushing through the crowd of kids and barely getting out of the mansion, Koi saw a crowd of kids gathered around the pool. Koi, who saw them laughing, chatting, drinking punch, and jumping into the water, shifted his gaze again. But no matter how much he looked around, it was in vain. Ashley was nowhere to be seen.
Just as Koi was getting impatient and unconsciously raised his head, he suddenly saw someone’s shadow on the second-floor balcony.
It was Ashley.
The moment he confirmed his figure standing and looking into the distance, Koi hurriedly moved his feet and went up to the second floor.