Three saddest stories hidden in math...
Title: Three saddest stories are hidden in math…
Pairings: Story one: 2min. Story two: OnKey. Story three: Jonghyun/ Eneda
Summary: Math describes three saddest love stories: Story of parallel lines, which are never meant to meet. Of tangent lines, which were together once then parted forever
and of asymptotes, which could only get closer and closer, but could never be together. Often people live these stories, but unlike math, life meant to be unpredictable…
A/N: This going to be three different stories, but math problems are always connected, rite? BTW, all other writings are on a hiatus right now. I’ll try to finish up this story, then go back to others, because people are still dying there, and I don’t like that…
Part one: Tangent lines: once they were together, but then they parted forever…only the place where they met always staying there as reminder of each other….
***
Minho’s POV
“Minho, are you ready? Car is already here.” Mom shouted from the downstairs. I looked around one more time to check if I left anything, but room was sterile empty and clean like hospital room. I wonder how my hospital room will look like.
Oh, I forgot, my name is Minho. I’m 17 years old high school student. No, wrong. Until one week ago I WAS high school student, now I’m patient. Patient in my dad’s oncological clinic in south-west of Seoul. You probably wonder what kind of oncological clinic I am in. it’s pretty big, private and one of the bests clinics for super-duper famous and important people.
About few months ago I started having fever and get tired easily, even though I have been in this 400-meter trackers group since first year in middle school and was very active and strong. I started falling a lot, and from that falls I started getting lots of bruises, and they wouldn’t go away easily.
In the clinic near home they said I was having a fatigue because I overworked myself, but I didn’t believe that shit. I have overworked myself trizillions of times, and it never was like this time.
In other clinic they said I was having an anemia and slight fever, since I was a teenager and my nutrient balance and living style was very unbalanced. They gave my dozens of vitamins and some antibiotics. They made everything worse.
And then three weeks ago I had to go to dad’s clinic, even though I tried to avoid it. If anything was wrong a little bit, dad would prohibit me running, and running was the only thing I did wholeheartedly.
It went wrong, I mean EVERYTHING went wrong. One week later after my first visit they called me back, and told that results were ready.
~2 weeks earlier~
“Minho-sshi, your dad will come from meeting soon, we can’t discuss anything without him.” Doctor Chen explained calmly.
Minho was throwing tantrums, because he didn’t want to meet his dad inside the clinic. Of course he knew that his dad would eventually find out that his only SON came to HIS clinic for check up because of fatigue.
“Just tell me why my bruises aren’t going away, and give me some vitamins like in other clinics, I have marathon coming soon, I need to go on practice” Minho didn’t have any marathons coming, he even wasn’t a marathon runner.
“I’m sorry but you’re underage and you need a parent or guardian in order to discuss your situation” Dr. Chen was unbelievably stubborn.
Minho tried to put his cute pout on his face, but seeing doctor’s strict face his cute pout turned into hurt grimace.
After two hours his dad finally arrived to the doctor’s office.
“Minho-ah, why did you want to check up? Do you feel bad? ” His dad might seemed to be worried, but Minho knew that it was only show off in front of doctors and nurses. He has to be a perfect dad…only in front of others…
“Just… I fell few times on track, and it still feels stiff, and I have marathon coming up soon, so I thought that doctors could give me some vitamins…” Minho was mumbling so his dad wouldn’t understand him well.
“Dr. Choi, may we discuss it without Minho-shhi? I think it would be better. Then you can explain everything to him”
“Why? Is it something serious? Minho, please wait outside, I’ll call you in later.” His dad pointed at the door, so Minho wouldn’t argue.
Minho waited outside for about an hour. Then finally his dad came out of the office with pale face, like he has seen a ghost.
“Appa, why did you come out? Aren’t you going tell me what’s wrong?” It was getting frustrating.
“Minnie…” it has been years since his dad has called him by his childhood nickname “…let’s go home, we will talk there. Do you want to grab a lunch on the way? It has been so long since we had lunch together…”
Minho saw his dad trembling. It was his only second time seeing his dad like this. First time was when he was 12 and his 18 years old hyung has died from some sickness. From that day his dad had “stopped” being his dad, meaning he stopped being al that caring and loving dad.
“Dad, you are making me worry. Just tell me ok? I can see that you have not the best news for me.” Suddenly Minho’s knees were shaking, his chest felt too tight and he was short of breathe, and he didn’t want to hear any news that doctor and his dad talked about, because he felt that it was the turning point of his life.
“Let’s go. I’ll tell you when we will get home.”
The drive home went in silence.
It felt like silence was going to become Minho’s best and inseparable best friend. It was silent when they got home. It was silent when his dad said that Minho had same disease as his hyung. It was silent when his mother’s tears fell down her cheeks. It was silent when Minho cried at night biting his pillow to not disturb the Silence. It was silent in the morning too.
In the morning his dad and his mom decided to send Minho to hospital and keep him under medical surveillance. Minho didn’t argue.
For him now everything was over. His life was over. He was sure he was going to eventually die. Like his brother, even though his dad owned one of the best world-wide known oncological clinics. He didn’t believe in their promises that everything was going to be okay.
It wasn’t going to be. He would live in hospital, take medicine and one day he would die. So, why bother arguing with those people?
~Present time~
Now, I was going to the hospital. They were supposed to prepare one room for me, and dad promised that I would have everything I needed, and life there would be same as at home, but whom he was trying to convince? Probably himself, because I didn’t believe, even for a second, that my life in the hospital could even possibly resemble my regular day.
We arrived there, and first thing they did was take another series of different fluids from me for the tests. It seemed that that was going to be the daily routine.
When I got to my room it sort of resembled my room at home. Dad wasn’t lying. They brought everything I had to here: my bed, table, computer and laptop, the room was even colored into two shades of blue. Only big window on one side of the room with huge shades were reminding that it wasn’t my room.
Once again I just fell on my bed, covering myself with comforter, with tears flowing down my cheeks. I wonder why it was me who had to die. Why it had to be me who wouldn’t see the world, whose dreams would never come true.
***
Taemin’s POV
It has been 3 months since I came to this hospital. That weird doctor said that I was the only match in entire Seoul for his son. He looked creepy. But I had no choice, I need money for my little brother’s medication, and doctor promised that he would take care of my brother if I would agree to the surgery.
I agreed, the surgery wasn’t dangerous for me at all. They would just take some part of my bone marrow and shove it into doctor’s son. I wouldn’t have any problems with my health after surgery.
They said that surgery would take place on March 8th, one more week left.
For these past three weeks I lived in the hospital. I don’t know why it was necessary, but they told me so. I had my own room, with all necessities. I ate only what they gave me: vegetables, meat and diaries, every single product controlled by doctors.
I did physical exercises: running everyday around the hospital, working out on all those machines. I guess doctor wanted make sure I was healthy enough, but I wonder what would be the difference if I wasn’t 100% healthy. Still, I was the only match for his son, right?
***
Minho’s POV
Today is the big day, today is my 4month anniversary in this hospital, and last day before surgery. Three months ago dad came into my room happiness overflowing out of him. I thought that he won a lottery, maybe even better.
“Minnie-ah! We found!!! WE FOUND!!!” he kept hugging me and shouting that they found. What they found, why they found, how they found was still mystery for me.
“Dad, wait… you found what?”
“We found a match for you!! Imagine! Finally we found a match!” it was a big surprise.
After a week when I came to hospital, doctors said that my results were not good, and that surgery would be successful only if the donor was at least 92% match with me. I had little hopes, it was almost impossible to find higher than 85% match, and to find in short time. I had one year left.
And today, they took another round of blood from me. It became normal routine for me to bump blood out of me every single day for tests. After testing, I just lied in my bed.
They gave me hopes. They gave me hopes that I would live normal life once again after surgery. I thought that my fate would be different than hyung’s . In hospital I saw many patients who had no hope, the patients for whom hospital couldn’t find donors, or who couldn’t have surgery.
Looking at them, and how they wanted to live I was ashamed of myself; I was ashamed that I gave up on my life while still having chances.
***
Taemin’s POV
Today is surgery day. I’m scared. I’m scared that something will go wrong. I am so scared that I feel that my heart might stop beating any moment. I need someone to be near me. But there’s no one.
There always were only me and my little brother. And Yoogeun-ah cannot know about my surgery. He would be against it, but what can I do?
I was sitting in the room and waiting for nurse to bring me the clothes.
After 30 minutes she quietly entered my room, with all my fears trailing behind her. I wanted say ‘no’ so much. I wanted to run away from this creepy place, but I couldn’t. Too many things were on my shoulders. My little brother’s life, that guy’s life, my future.
“Taemin-sshi, everything is ready, let’s go.” Doctor Chen murmured from the doorway.
“Already? That was fast. Can I go to bathroom really quick? Or not? Yes? No?” I was way too nervous.
“Don’t worry, Taemin-sshi, everything will be great. I’ll do the surgery myself, and I promise you that everything will be fine.” Nth time doctor was reassuring me.
Then we went in. It was big room with all apparatus around the room and two operation tables in the middle, two bright lighters were lightening on each of them. Around eight people in blue clothing were standing around those tables, ready to start any moment.
Second table was still empty when I lied on mine. Light was blinding me.
I felt injection of needle in my right forearm, and nurse put oxygen mask on my face.
“Taemin-sshi, count till 20 and we will start.” I heard one of the doctors say, I couldn’t recognize anybody’s voice.
When I got to 8 I heard someone lying on the table next to mine. “Minho” was the last thing I heard before falling into darkness.
***
Minho’s POV
Finally this day came. Day, which I waited for so long. Day, which would determine the rest of my life. There were only two choices I would live or I would die. Nothing more.
When I entered the operating room, my donor already was lying on one of the operation tables. I couldn’t see his face clearly under the oxygen mask, only his light auburn hairs were just laying freely around his head.
“Minho-ah, everything will be great, ok? Don’t worry…” his dad was holding his hands when nurse injected anesthesia in my vein. It didn’t hurt at all.
“Minho-sshi, we’ll start. Count till 20 and close your eyes. When you’ll wake up, everything will be over”
I closed my eyes, oxygen mask was also placed on my face, I started counting. After 18 I fell asleep. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. Last thing I remember was the blinding light lightening right into my eyes.
***
Third POV
Surgery was going for 3rd hour already. It was supposed to be 2 hour surgery, but there were some complications with donor.
After another hour one of the pimping machines stopped fixing the heart rate of one of the guys’ lying on the tables.
“Doc, Taemin… Taemin’s heart is stopping…” everyone was shocked.
No one expected this happen.
Then everything happened too fast: doctors pulling electroshock on young boy’s fragile body, nurses checking the oxygen tank, other nurses injecting adrenalin in Taemin’s cold, almost dead arms.
Mr. Choi was shocked. He didn’t expect to have any complications with the donor, they have checked every single day the health condition of this little boy, all his analyses were 100% clean, he had exercised every day, eaten only healthy diet food provided by specialists. How could this be happening?
Minute passed… two minutes… three minutes… then four… Every tickling second was like eternity for everyone in the operating room. Finally, on sixth minute the machine went ‘beep’ once, then twice. Every one sighed out a relief.
The rest of the surgery went fast and quietly. With last sews on the guys’ bodies, nurses cleaned them up and moved to after-surgery rehabilitation ward. In two separate rooms two guys were waking up from anesthesia.
~Taemin POV~
It hurt. It hurt so badly, I couldn’t even breathe without pain twitching my chest. And I even didn’t know why it was happening, maybe that was the side effect of anesthesia or after surgery effects. I couldn’t know.