25

"I guess that you never expected a thing like this to happen to me..." Dad utters as Mari closes the door and proceeds to the garden.

"How could this happen to you, Dad?" I ask bluntly, "You are the strongest man I know."

"Stronger than your dad, I suppose?"

I chuckle lightly and shrug, "My father wasn't really that strong, so yeah. You have my permission to say that." I utter nonchalantly.

"Permission..." He scoffs and starts to chuckle. "Hey, you really are an Agreste! But you are also my son-"

"I lost that title four years ago..." I interrupt him and immediately, he shakes his head in denial.

"Adrien, you are still my so-"

"How can I still be a son to you?" I question him. I clearly don't understand why he is still insisting to call me his son. "I shouldn't even be calling you, 'dad'. I also lost that right!"

He doesn't respond to my statements and I sigh heavily before taking his silence as my queue to continue.

"How can you still call me your 'son' when the only thing I did to your daughter was hurt her?" My voice cracks at the end and I rapidly blink my eyes to hide my tears that are threatening to fall. "I'm supposed to be considered a stranger to you! But now I'm here, with your daughter again and finding out that you're not well...is this too much for one heart? I can't comprehend everything that is happening at this moment. How can you forgive a man like me?" I point to myself and look at him in disbelief. "I don't deserve anything from you..."

Deflated, I slump on my chair and run my hand on my face. "I'm not even being decent enough to ask if you're okay. Instead, I'm the one that's spilling out all my thoughts that have been kept in my mind for the past hour-"

"Prostate cancer." He whispers, leaving me speechless. He flashes me a small grin before looking down at his hands.

My lips quiver as I try to utter a word. But, I couldn't say anything and I could not even mask my shock. I run a hand through my hair and abruptly stand from the chair. I stride to the window and lean on it, looking at the view of the garden outside. Coincidentally, I spot Marinette sitting on a bench under the shade of a tree.

"Adrien..."

"What was her reaction?" I quietly ask, still looking at Marinette through the window.

"The worst I've ever seen from her." He answers. I turn around to look at him.

"Like what?"

"My daughter does not easily cry over things, Adrien. You from all people should know that."

"It was her mom who told her that day and I have to let you know that I was diagnosed a year late...meaning that-"

I raise a hand at him. He stops talking in an instant. "You don't have to tell me, Tom." I interrupt him bluntly. "I know what will happen to you..." My eyes soften as I look at the man in front of me. The man who became an inspiration to me, the man who allowed me to love and marry his daughter.

That very same man is dying.

"Her mom and I didn't know what to do for such a long time...she wasn't the same Marinette we knew. I felt so hopeless."

Guilt starts to overcome me as I look at Tom in his sad state.

"But seeing you here, Adrien." He continues, trying to shift the tension into a happy one. "Seeing that she brought you here, I felt content. And I knew that I was given the chance to see my son again. So please, allow me to call you as my son."

I grab ahold on the chair and roughly, I sit on it and bury my head in my hands.  "I'm sorry, dad. Forgive me..." I apologize as I choke on my own sobs.

"I really lived a good life, son." He utters. My head darts up and I wipe my tears away. "Once you entered the room, I knew that I had the heart to forgive you. And I know that as I reunite with God...my wife will have her big family with her and my only daughter will be left in your care. I'm not leaving anyone alone."

He clasps my hand with both of his hands and gives me a reassuring smile. "Do you care for my daughter?"

"Yes, dad."

"And do you love her?"

I nod and let out a small chuckle whilst ruffling my hair. "I'm turning red with your sudden interrogation, dad."

"Hey," he raises his hands in surrender, "I'm just giving you the permission to date my daughter again...and maybe marry her."

I grin with just the mere thought of marrying her again.

"I can't believe that you still love her despite what happened." He says.

"Even with Tommy's passing, she needs me as much as I need her."

"I...I'm not only talking about Tommy." He says slowly. Was he unsure of what he just said? "My son...my son, do you know?" He inquires.

A furrow forms between my eyebrows as I look at him in confusion. "W-what are you trying to say?" I try to laugh it off but I couldn't erase my feeling of doubt towards Marinette.

"She hasn't told you?" He asks exasperatedly. Dad starts to breathe unevenly. His eyes nervously dart in every direction but he made sure to avoid facing me.

"T-told me what?"

He pushes a button at the side of his bed. "I-I'm sorry." He wheezes, "I don't feel well...don't tell Mari about what is happening to me right now." He clutches his chest and groans in pain.

"Dad!" Just as I stand to help him, three nurses dash through the door. Two of them immediately run to dad to help him while the last one approaches me.

"Sir, are you his guardian?" She asks and I take time to even say a word so I just shake my head. "V-visitor..." I mumble.

"I would have to escort you out the room, sir. We'll take care of Mister Dupain. You shouldn't worry." She guides me to the door and I take one last glance on dad with an oxygen mask on his mouth before the nurse closes the door after us.