HBWnovel Chapter 1: THIS DAMN LIFE
Chapter 1: THIS DAMN LIFE
Chapter 1: THIS DAMN LIFE
"I'M afraid I have some difficult news to share with you, Mr. Kang," the doctor began, his voice steady yet tinged with empathy. His somber expression showed that whatever he was about to say would not be good. "Your recent tests have confirmed that you have stage 4 lung cancer."
Haneul felt a lump form in his throat as he struggled to process the doctor's words. "Stage 4? What does that mean exactly?" he managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper.
"It means that the cancer has spread beyond the lungs to other parts of your body, such as your liver and bones," the doctor explained gently. "Unfortunately, it's quite advanced."
Haneul's heart sank. His already hoarse voice cracked as he asked, "Is it treatable?"
The doctor's expression softened with understanding. "Given the extent of the spread and the late stage of diagnosis, treatment options are limited," he admitted. "At this point, our focus will be on managing your symptoms and ensuring your comfort."
Haneul understood immediately what that meant. He- he was going to die. At that realization, he felt his whole body tremble. He felt so lightheaded that he couldn't think properly. He didn't even know what to feel at this moment.
"How long... how long do I have?"
"I wish I could give you a definitive answer," the doctor replied solemnly, "but with stage 4 lung cancer, it's difficult to predict. Based on your current condition and the aggressiveness of the cancer, I would estimate you have about three months left."
Three months. The words hung heavy in the air. Haneul only had three months left to live.
"We'll do everything we can to support you during this time," the doctor reassured him. "We'll explore options to manage your pain and keep you as comfortable as possible. And if there's anything else you need or any questions you have, please don't hesitate to ask. We're here for you every step of the way."
"Thank you, doctor," Haneul mumbled, then he stood up. "But there's no need for that."
Then he turned around and walked out of the doctor's office.
"Mr. Kang, please wait!"
He heard the doctor called. But Haneul ignored that and continued walking.
Three months. He only had three months to live.@@@@
A bitter laugh suddenly escaped his throat. He didn't feel sad or angry about that news. He just felt... numb. All the sadness and anger he had in him had already dried out. This dying body could no longer bring itself to feel anything. The last bit of emotion he had disappeared the moment his comatose sister died.
Last week, in this same hospital, Haeun - his younger sister, experienced cardiac arrest and subsequently flatlined. The doctors were unable to revive her, and she was declared as dead.
He was at work at the construction site when he received the news. When he arrived at the hospital, the only thing that welcomed him was his sister's cold body. He couldn't remember what happened or what he did after that.
A nurse told him that he was beside himself. He was wailing and shouting beside his sister's hospital bed. And then, probably because of too much emotion, he fainted.
When he woke up, he moved mechanically, as if on autopilot. Arranging his younger sister's funeral with a detached efficiency. Three days later, he found himself burying yet another family member—the last remaining one he had.
Was he sad because he's going to die? No. There was nothing for him in this life, so he didn't mind if he died today or tomorrow. It wouldn't really make much of a difference.
He cried out in anger and frustration, mourning all that had been taken from him. The past 10 years felt like an endless nightmare rather than a life worth living.
Before he could wipe away his tears, Haneul heard a panicked scream beside him.
"Sarang-ah!!!" a woman shouted, looking with widened eyes at the road.
Haneul glanced in that direction and spotted a young boy, about four or five years old, chasing after a ball. His heart skipped a beat as he also noticed a truck heading straight toward the child.
Without a second thought, he dashed forward, overtaking the woman who had shouted moments before. Surprised by his own agility, he reached the boy just as the truck closed in. With quick reflexes, he shoved the child out of harm's way without hesitation.
He felt a huge impact hit his body and then he floated mid-air. All he could think of as that happened was...
'This damn life is finally coming to an end.'
Before his eyes closed, the last thing he saw was Jung Taeyang's gray eyes staring down at him from that damn billboard, as if mocking the life he had lived.
***
Pronunciation of some names:
Kang Haneul - Kang Ha(↑)-nul(↓)
Kang Haeun - Kang Ha(↑)-yun(↓)
Jung Taeyang - Jung Te(↑)-yang(↓)
*The arrows represented voice intonation.
***
AUTHOR'S WORDS:
Hi! This is Tyramisu! I've really been wanting to write an omegaverse for a while now, but I just haven't been able to choose the right setting for it. Like, should I write it in a medieval/fantasy setting or a modern one? Things like that. But when I was choosing between the two, it was a time when I was kind of into idol korean novels. So, I was a bit influenced by that and just wrote a BL idol novel. LOL.
If you have read my two other BLs here (The Return of the God Level Assassin and The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era), you're probably already familiar with my writing style. I don't really put smut in my novel. So, even though this is Omegaverse, don't expect very detailed R18 scenes. It will also be very slow burn. (⌒_⌒;)
Anyways, thank you for reading Chapter 1! I hope you will be interested enough to continue the novel. ^^