She observed her mother seated at the table, visibly distressed by the mounting stack of bills. "I cannot afford to keep up with these escalating hospital expenses; it's draining me financially. Hide probably dying anyways!"

Kaelynee left the house quietly, not saying a word to her mother. She had just received her paycheck and found the cash in an envelope on the table. On her way down the street, she made a stop at the bank and withdrew all the money from her savings account to cover her brother's treatment costs. Her mother had removed him from health insurance and refused to pay for his expensive medical bills. Kaelynee completed a transaction, wrote a check for the hospital, and placed it in an envelope. She then took the bus to the hospital and handed the envelope to the receptionist.

"Thank you for your payment. Here is your visitor pass!"

She rode the elevator up to his room, where time seemed to stretch on endlessly. Hesitant to step into the hospital room, she tightly held onto her bag slung over her shoulder. After sliding open the door, she settled into a well-worn, soft chair, her fingers intertwined with her brother's. With his eyes shut, his chest moved up and down in a steady rhythm. Various tubes and wires linked him to machines emitting a constant hum and beep.

Two years had passed since the car accident that left him comatose, and his body is now battling cancer in addition to the lingering effects of the trauma the doctors says

The hospital room was enveloped in a quiet atmosphere as Kaelynee looked down at her brother, hoping for his awakening, holding onto the belief that he could come back to her.

" I apologized for not being able to spend time with you lately. I been super busy with working to support mom and cover some of the bills since father left, and put me in debt- I still remember the times when you used to belittle me, saying that I was smart enough. Well, a few month ago I scored the highest across the world."

She eagerly reached into her backpack, feeling the gamilar texture of the envelope containing her hard-earned test score. A radiant smile illuminated her face as she envisioned sharing this joyous moment with her brother, longing for his congratulatory words and the warmth of his pride. However, her heart sank as she stood by his hospital bed, his unresponsive form reminding her of the harsh reality she faced. As she gently held the test score close to him, hoping it would rouse him from his state, the mechanical hum of the life support machines served as a poignant backdrop to the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Please just open your eyes for a second. I'm begging you!

The nurse gently knocked on the door and entered the softly lit hospital room. "Ma'am," she spoke in a soothing tone, "I wanted to inform you that visiting hours will conclude in fifteen minutes."

Kaelynnee stood by the hospital bed, her face etched with devastation as tears flowed down her cheeks. With a trembling voice, she whispered," Please take care of my brother." She spoke to the nurse.

As she made her way towards the door, her eyes drifted and she caught sight of her brother lying in the hospital bed hooked up to life support machines. The sight weighed heavily on her, and she felt a crushing wave of emotions.

""Goodnight, Hide. I'll come see you again soon."Despite her words, he lay unresponsive, and she longed to hear his voice bidding her goodnight in return.

She brushed away her tears as she slowly walked out of the room, unable to shake the image from her mind.

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" I finally manage to bring myself to come to the hospital and see my brother."

" How's his condition? He is doing better?"

" I can't complain...not really."

" Are you okay?"

" I'm fine..Hey, I will talk to you later, okay?"

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"I'm surprised by how abruptly she ended the conversation. I'm curious if she is truly doing well."

On the cluttered desk rested an array of over a thousand photographs of Kaelynnee, documenting her interactions with various individuals and illustrating her unwavering commitment to her dual roles. These images depicted frequent visits to the hospital, offering a detailed portrayal of her daily routines and responsibilities.

The assistant subtly suggested, "Perhaps giving her some space could help," sensing the tension in the room.

Sitting at the table, lost in contemplation, his phone suddenly buzzed with a call from his fiancee. Despite the emotional turmoil caused by her recent affair, he couldn't deny the love he still held for her. With a heavy heart, he answered the call, looking out the window as he did, and chose to conceal his inner struggles as they conversed further.

The bright, shimmering stars elegantly twirl and dance in the expansive, starlit night sky..

It's a shame that you're unable to see the beauty of the night sky, Hide.

Kaelynnee rested her head on the window, her hand against the chilly glass, while she sat at the back of the bus. Tears streamed down her face as she looked out at the sky, overwhelmed by a feeling of suffocation and despair that burdened her chest. The fact that her brother had been unresponsive for two years left her with a 50/50 chance of hope, and the idea of living without him felt unimaginable.

I wish it could've been me instead