"Mom… wake up."
Choen sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers gently brushing a strand of hair from Meena's face. The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. Everything looked peaceful—too peaceful.
She smiled faintly, leaning closer. "You said we'd bake that tart together today, remember?" Her voice was light, teasing, the way it always was when trying to nudge her mother from sleep.
No answer.
Choen shifted, reaching out to squeeze Meena's shoulder gently. "Mom? Come on… you'll be late for your morning prep."
Still nothing.
The smile began to fade from her face.
She leaned in closer now, watching her mother's chest… but it wasn't moving. Her breath caught in her throat. Choen reached again, a little firmer this time. "Mom?"
Her hand moved to Meena's arm—and that's when she felt it. Cold. Still.
Time slowed.
Choen's heartbeat thundered in her ears as she stared, hoping, waiting for any sign. "No… no, no…" she whispered, her voice shaking now. She tried again, shaking her gently. "Wake up. Please."
Nothing.
"Mom, stop playing around. This isn't funny," she said, louder now, her voice cracking. "Wake up. Please wake up."
Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone with numb fingers, dialing blindly. The world felt distant, wrong—like she had slipped into someone else's life.
Joon's voice came through on the other end, panicked when he heard hers. Minutes later, he burst through the front door. But it was too late. Even he, even with all the denial in his eyes, couldn't change what had already happened.
Meena was gone.