Chapter 19

Of course he had been awake. How could he have remained asleep while she was touching him like that? He had been dozing off in the beginning, but when she put the blanket over him, he couldn't bring himself to open his eyes for fear it was all a dream. Hadn't he just been thinking about how much he wished she would do that again? He was afraid he would open his eyes and she'd be gone. He thought it was better to let himself be happy and ignorant for just this night.

Then she started singing. He had never heard her sing before, not even during the karaoke for his going away party. But it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. Especially since… she was singing the song that he'd sung to her on the beach more than a year ago.

She was remembering. And maybe right now, she didn't remember everything, like how that song connected to him, but she would. He had no doubt that she would. But for right now, he just pretended to be asleep while she sang and ran her fingers through his hair. He had thought he could not be happier, and then she kissed him. It was a small peck on the forehead, but it was more affection than he had gotten from her in days. He honestly felt so happy he thought he could die. Which would make it even worse if he actually was dreaming all of this.

She was gone far too soon. It was nearly morning and she must be exhausted. Of course she would go to bed. What had he expected her to do? Sleep on the floor next to him? As it was, she would only be getting in at most two hours of sleep before daybreak. Enrique had to stop her from waking up at dawn. It was the least he could do to ensure she got as much sleep as possible.

For that, he needed to wake up at dawn himself, which was something he wasn't looking forward to. He pulled out his phone and set an alarm for 6:30. He turned the volume up enough that he would hear it, but Dok Mi shouldn't be able to.

He lay back down on the couch and pulled the blanket closer around him. He imagined that Dok Mi was still next to him. He could almost feel her fingers massaging his scalp. It wasn't long before he had drifted back off to sleep with the image of Go Dok Mi caring for him.

It seemed like only a moment after that his alarm went off. Enrique tried to open his eyes, but they felt heavy and painful. His throat was scratchy and he could barely breathe. On top of that, his head was pounding. He was obviously sick, but how sick? Was he dying? Generally, Enrique knew his own body well. He could normally tell when he was going to get sick. But this had taken him completely off guard. It must have been all the time he spent outside in the snow this past week. He had never even bothered to put on a jacket all the times he went to Dok Mi's house. He'd brought this all on himself, now he just hoped he wouldn't get Ahjumma sick.

He needed to get off the couch, but he couldn't move his legs. He was so tired and sore. Enrique wasn't sure how long he was on that couch, but it felt like an eternity. He was so cold. He felt chills racking his entire body.

"Enrique" a voice said. It pulled him briefly back into reality. Dok Mi had a way of doing that to him. He could feel her cool hands on his skin.

"Ahjumma" he murmured. Maybe she wasn't really here. He'd hallucinated her before, like the day he was hit by the car. He swore he saw her, but she wasn't there. Maybe this time, like last time, he was just wishing for her to be there, "Maybe I've fallen in love" he said to himself echoing what he said in the past.

"You're burning up" she said. He could here concern in her voice. Was he really that hot? He felt freezing, "Open your eyes, Enrique" she said.

Enrique tried, but his eyelids were just too heavy, "I'm sorry," he said.

He felt her hands gripping both sides of his face, "I don't know what to do" she said. Was she crying? She sounded like she was.

"Stay with me" he said. He probably needed so many other things. Medicine, a hospital. But all he wanted was for her to stay here with him, touching his face, crying for him. He was so selfish.

"Stay with me, Ahjumma" he said as he felt himself slipping back into unconsciousness, "Please"