Inevitably, days turned into weeks. Mister Jin was continuously showing signs of recovering. He was always smiling, he looked energetic, and his paleness gradually subsided. Even the doctors were surprised with his improvement. Mister Jin didn’t look like someone diagnosed by a doctor with only a month to live. The old man was having the time of his life with Sean, Fran, and his children.
Fran was overjoyed to see his friend spending time with the important people in his life. The Alva siblings—Noah and Natalie were always by their father’s side. Nigel, on the other hand, although he was not too showy about his true feelings like his siblings, was often seen by Mister Jin’s side, too. Together with Fran and Sean—the family of four would dine together, spend all their waking hours with one another, having the best times of their lives doing things that made them happy, and just genuinely being there for each other.
Just like today—Fran, Noah, and Natalie were on their morning routine—bringing Mister Jin to the hospital garden. The old man needed some fresh air and to view a different scenery other than his hospital room. Natalie was the one pushing Mister Jin who was in a wheelchair, while Fran and Noah were walking behind the two.
“It’s a pity that your brother had to go back to our country just to take care of some things in the company.” Fran said to Noah.
“Although, he did not say any word about it, I’m sure, Nigel was pretty pissed off when he left. He wanted to spend more time with our father, ah!”
Fran chuckled. “How can you tell? Unlike you, who wear his heart on his sleeve, your brother doesn’t show a tiny bit of emotion.”
Noah wrapped his arm around Fran’s waist. “Nigel may look like he doesn’t care at all, but the fact that he left his work behind just to be with our father, tells a different story. You see, Nigel is a freaking workaholic. He lives and breathes business. He may not say and show it directly, but he truly cares for dad.”
“He even rented a villa near the hospital, so that, we can be with Mister Jin in a snap of a finger. Good thinking!” Fran commented.
“Noah and Fran, hurry up!” Natalie caught their attention.
They saw Mister Jin and Natalie in a huge flower garden. Fran and Noah immediately walked up to them.
“Don’t leave dad alone.” Natalie told them. “I’ll be back!” Then, she went off to pick some flowers.
“Natalie is a very sweet girl.” Mister Jin pointed out. “I want to see her grow up to be the woman she wants to be.”
“You’ll see that, pop…” Noah told his father.
Mister Jin smiled. “And I want to see you and Fran be happy forever.”
“You don’t have to worry about that…” Fran said to his friend. “We will always be happy, Mister Jin.”
“Why are you still calling me that, Fran? Just call me father-in-law.”
“I’d be happy to!” Fran exclaimed.
“Does it mean, if I ask you to marry me today, you’ll agree without any second thought?” Noah teased him.
Fran raised an eyebrow. “Hey, mister, don’t tease me like that. I might agree with your proposal.”
Noah’s eyes brightened in excitement. “Really? Then, Fran, will you mar—”
“Calm down, son…” Mister Jin interrupted Noah. “You have to get the approval of Fran’s parents first. That’s what a real gentleman does.”
Noah scratched his head. “Oh, thanks, pop! I’m happy you’re here to give me some advice.”
Mister Jin held Noah’s hand. “I am glad that I am here…I am still here to see my loved ones happy.”
“You’re going to see more things, pop. You’re going to have a full recovery and fuck cancer out of the window.”
“I agree,” Fran said. “You’re going to be with us for a long time. The doctors are not gods. They can be wrong, too.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Mister Jin laughed. “Hmm, let’s change the topic because you guys are making me cry. How about you tell me your entire love story? I never had the chance to ask about that. Well…?”
Rbjt uluuifv. “Yeg ibnf rabgs? Tbe rff, Mgjc mbeivc’a gfrlra ws mtjgw jcv tf ofii lc ibnf klat wf.”
“Tbe’gf atf olgra bcf ktb rtbkfv lcafgfra lc wf!” Mgjc fzmijlwfv. “Efwfwyfg tbk sbe ibbx ja wf ktfc kf olgra wfa ja atf ybbxrabgf?”
“Yt, sfjt. Tbe kfgf ibbxlcu ja wf ilxf sbe tjv cfnfg rffc rbwfbcf jr tjcvrbwf jr wf yfobgf.” Rbjt klcxfv ja tlw.
“You, jerk! You texted me first.” Fran hit Noah’s shoulder.
“I didn’t know it was you, huh.” Noah replied.
“Oh, I remember a certain incident…” Mister Jin said. “Fran enjoyed reading in my shop. I always saw him engrossed in a book he was reading. However, one day, I saw a different scenario. Fran was having a hard time focusing on his book because he was constantly looking at his phone! When I asked who he was texting with, he just said it was a friend. Was that you, Noah? Fran’s text friend?”
“Yes, it’s me!” Noah shouted at the top of his lungs. Then, he poked Fran’s cheek. “So, you’ve been crushing on me since we were text friends. Hahahahaha. I love you since day one, too.”
“Shut up!” Fran’s cheeks reddened.
“Come to think of it, I still owe you a favor. You told me that you’re going to think about what you want in return. Have you thought about what you want? Or is my body enough? Tell me, boo.”
“How about I tell you to shut the fuck up for an entire year?”
Noah hugged Fran. “I love you!”
Fran was too whipped for Noah. Even though, his boyfriend was sometimes annoying, he couldn’t help but love him more and more. “I love you, too, even if you’re annoying as hell.”
“To make it up to you, I’ll eat you good tonight.”
“Fuck you!” Fran couldn’t believe that Noah said something like that in front of his father.
“No, I’m going to do that to you later…”
“Noah!” Fran let Noah go and kicked his leg.
“Okay, lovebirds, that’s enough.” Mister Jin was shaking his head. “Ah, I miss Sean!”
Sean left that morning to meet some of his doctor friends. He would be back sometime in the afternoon.
“Daddy!” Natalie called out. They saw her running towards them holding a flower crown. “I made this for you!”
“Oh, it’s beautiful…” Mister Jin smiled. “Thank you, Natalie.”
Natalie put the flower crown on her father’s head. “You look handsome, daddy!”
They saw Mister Jin’s facial expression turned from happiness to melancholy.
“What’s wrong, pop?” Noah asked his father.
Mister Jin sighed. “I just have this thought that I won’t see any of my children getting married. Especially, my dear Natalie. Forgive me, for daddy can’t escort you to the altar on your wedding day. I’m sorry…”
“Don’t say that, daddy…” Natalie started to cry.
Mister Jin laughed it off. “Sorry for ruining the moment. Don’t cry, my dear. Daddy is still here.”
Fran looked at Noah. He saw the shaken expression on his boyfriend’s face.
To comfort him, Fran hugged Noah in a loving manner.
*****
A few days later…
When Nigel Alva returned to A country, he went straight to the hospital from the airport. It was already eleven-thirty in the evening, but because his family had a special permission from the hospital that they could visit Mister Jin at any given time, Nigel decided to see his father.
Truth be told, Nigel was still reluctant to show his true feelings towards his own father. After he heard the truth behind his father’s absence in their lives, Nigel started to open his heart to his dad bit by bit. Although, he would act like he didn’t care at all, but deep inside his heart, Nigel learned how to forgive his very own father. The only problem was Nigel didn’t know how to be affectionate towards others.
Nigel Alva was so used to his cold-hearted, high and mighty, and domineering persona that he already forgotten how to be human again. However, the incident regarding his father made him feel that the human emotions that he discarded a long time ago were returning to him one by one. Nigel wanted to be with his father’s side, too.
When Nigel arrived at his father’s room, he saw Sean sleeping on the sofa. For the past weeks, Nigel found his father’s husband as someone reliable and kindhearted. Never in a million years, would Nigel expect that he, of all people, would be fond of his father’s husband because it was out of character for him. However, Sean proved that he was someone perfect for Nigel’s father. Thus, Nigel accepted the relationship between his father and Sean without any problem.
“Oh, Nigel, you’re here…” Sean woke up and greeted him.
Nigel just nodded at Sean.
“Your siblings and Fran were just here a while ago. Jin needed to sleep early, that’s why, they left. Did you eat dinner? Let me buy you something…”
“It’s okay, Sean.” Nigel interrupted him. Then, he cleared his throat. “T-Thank you for taking good care of d-dad…”
Sean smiled brightly at him. “Don’t mention it.”
Nigel sat down on the chair beside his father’s bed. He looked at his father’s peaceful face. When he was on the plane, the only thing he could think of was his father. Nigel had the urge to see his dad immediately. He wanted to see his face. He wanted to know if he was okay. Nigel was a bit confused about the surge of emotions that came upon him.
However, when Nigel finally saw his dad, even though the latter was asleep, all the emotions he was feeling finally calmed down inside him. Upon seeing his dad’s face, Nigel thought of one thing: He was finally home. After all those years of pain, suffering, and anger—Nigel was finally home. His dad was the missing piece that he needed in his life all along.
“Daddy…” Nigel muttered in a gentle voice. “I’m sorry…and I forgive you for everything.”
Mister Jin opened his eyes. When he saw Nigel, he smiled and said: “I love you, son…” Then, he fell asleep again.
Nigel held his father’s hand. Then he whispered in his father’s ear: “In my next life, I’ll still choose you to be my father…and in the one after that, and in all the ones that follow…I’ll choose you in every lifetime, no matter what.”
Nigel decided to be with his dad throughout the night.
*****
Fran was floating in the middle of the ocean. He didn’t know how he got there or why he was there. It was dark and his boy was beginning to feel numb because of the cold water. Fear began to eat his being. Fran didn’t know how to swim. What if there were dangerous sea creatures out to get him? He started to panic.
“Noah!” he called out for his boyfriend. “Noah!!!!!!!!!!!!” But to no avail. Fran was still alone.
He didn’t even have enough time to think about the reason why he was there when he felt cold hands grabbed his legs and dragged him under the water.
Fran was drowning. Someone was there to kill him. He didn’t know who and why. But Fran was sure enough that he was going to die…
“Fran!” a voice was calling him. “Fran!”
Fran opened his eyes. He gasped for air. However, Fran finally realized he was no longer under the water. He was in a beautiful place. The sun was shining brightly and there was even a rainbow! Trees and flowers were everywhere and there was a distinctive sweet smell all over the place.
“Fran…” said a voice.
“M-Mister Jin?” Fran was surprised to see his friend. “W-what are you doing here? Why am I here?”
“This place is my new home.” Mister Jin answered. “Fran, I am here to say goodbye.”
“What?”
Mister Jin gave him his brightest smile. “Thank you for being my friend, Fran. Please take good care of my children. You’re the only one who can make Noah happy and I am thankful to you for that. I love you, Fran. This may be goodbye, but we’ll see each other again at the right time. Please tell my children that I love them dearly. Tell Sean that I love him and I’ll miss him so much. Make him continue living his life even after I am gone. Don’t be sad, Fran. I am happy here and I don’t feel any more pain.”
“No, don’t go!” Fran extended his hand to reach Mister Jin.
“Goodbye, Fran…”
“Mister—!!!!!”
Fran woke up. He was crying and he felt a sudden pain on his chest.
“Fran?” Noah woke up, too. He panicked when he saw Fran crying. “Hey, what’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?”
“Let’s go to the hospital and see your dad, Noah.”
“Why?”
“He said goodbye to me in my dream…”
“What?” Noah exclaimed. “Oh, then, let’s go!”
They immediately woke Natalie up and the three went to the hospital.
Fran’s hand was shaking when they reached Mister Jin’s hospital room. He slowly opened the door, afraid that he might cause alarm to Mister Jin and Sean who were inside. If he was just having a bad dream, then it’s good. He didn’t want anything bad to happen to Mister Jin.
What he saw inside made him feel relieved. Mister Jin was sleeping on his hospital bed. Sean was soundly sleeping on the sofa, and Nigel—he was sitting on a chair beside the hospital bed. He was sleeping, too, while holding Mister Jin’s hand. Nigel was still wearing a business suit; it was evident that he went straight to the hospital from the airport.
Fran closed the door and breathe a sigh of relief. Then he told Noah and Natalie. “It was just a bad dream. Mister Jin is sound asleep. Nigel was there, too.”
“Thank God…” Noah blurted out.
Natalie felt relieve, too. “What do we do now? Go back to the villa or just sleep inside daddy’s room?”
“Hmm, let Nigel enjoy his time with dad in peace. You know we have a tsundere brother.” Noah commented.
“I agree…” Fran said. “Let’s go back to the villa.”
However, before they could move, they heard a sudden commotion inside Mister Jin’s hospital room. Fran, Noah, and Natalie went inside in a hurry. They heard a constant beeping sound and they saw a distraught Nigel. The monitor beside the bed was showing a flatline.
The nurses came rushing into Mister Jin’s room.
Oh my! Sad!
Oh no! Thank you for the chapter
im sobbing
thanks for the chapter <3
😭😭😭
Thank you for the chapter <3
Nooo Mister Jin ! 😭😭
“Mister jin is sounds asleep”
/sudden flashback of Banana fish
Sean is the only parent they have left now. I hope he’ll stay in touch with them.