The wind blew again and his jet black hair swayed along, exposing a bit of skin on his forehead and causing him to shiver a little. He should've listened to Namjoon when he told him to bring his jacket but he was too stubborn to do so and now here he is, on the garden with no one in sight except loads of flowers and orchids and some plants he didn't know what the name were, slowly freezing.

And yet, he doesn't want to go back.

He doesn't want to stay in his room for long, it makes him feel trapped. Like he was hidden away from the world and was denied of a lot of things just because he is sick. He believes it's unfair,  it's unfair to treat patients like him as if they were fragile glasses that would break the moment they fall to the ground. And to prevent that from happening they were kept like hostages without a choice.

But the thing is, he isn't a glass— and there isn't any ground present. He's just simply falling, and falling, and falling endlessly and there's nothing to stop the fall.

Soobin ignored the cold and tried his best to kneel down on the grass despite of his back and chest's protests. A low moan of pain then escaped his lips as he winced and successfully put one of his knees down and leaned forward to pick up a white tulip.

It has been his hobby for a while now, picking up a single flower every week and preserving them inside his books. He got 12 different flowers in total so far, each one of them randomly laying on a book page.

He was about to pluck up a well-bloomed white tulip when something caught his line of vision causing him to shot his head up. He frowned, finding it quite unusual to have someone else around. Although that someone was standing across him from a pretty good distance, he still found it to be kind of strange since every time he went in the garden, it was just him. Without anyone else.

The doctors and nurses are always busy monitoring and doing medical stuffs. On the other hand, the patients are either unable to move and confined in their rooms or just a little too obedient and following every rules they were given for thinking that it would "help" them. He used to be like that too— obeying, waiting, hoping, believing. Believing that someway, somehow, he'll finally be free and would be able to do everything he desires and he'll no longer be held captive because of his stupid illness.

But fuck that, he's way over that now. If he's just going to stay in his forsaken room and wait, he probably won't be ever to do shits forever. It's either he would take the risks and actually experience what it's like to live or he'll wait, wait until he'll no longer have a chance to feel what it's like to live.

Ignoring the person he saw, Soobin proceeded to pick up the flower and stood up. He stared at it, admiring how white, beautiful and pure it looked only to be pluck up defenseless from the ground. He kind of felt guilty upon realizing that and wondered if it was such a cruel sin to be pure and innocent.

Was it really a sin? Why do the good ones have to go so early? Why do they attract danger and harm so much?

Oh, is that it?

Was that the reason why he suddenly fell ill? Was it because he was so positive and happy and cheerful and optimistic that the world wanted to throw a great toll on him and watch him suffer? Was it because of how he used to be?

Is the world finally satisfied that it succeeded on knocking him down? Is it happy now that he's not?

He turned the regulator on his tank off and removed his oxygen tube. It surely could be a hassle sometimes, always having to adjust it according to his breathing pattern and having to replace it once it ran out— and it's only one of the many things he has to tolerate.

But like they said, those things are needed to "prolong" his life or whatever you want to call it, so he can't really argue and complain. Doesn't mean he has no right to get annoyed though.

The black haired male took a final glimpse on the field before making his journey back inside the institute, white tulip on one hand and his tank on the other; his oxygen tube dangling on his right shoulder. He would've ran if he could since the weather's starting to get chillier, thanks to the sky for having been began crying out white icy crystals, but it would only lead to him panting and coughing his lungs out or him straight up passing out before he could even reach the entrance door.

And he is trying to avoid that, thank you very much.

Soobin felt grateful the moment he stepped foot inside and felt the warm embrace of the heater placed beside the registrar. He wanted nothing more than to get inside the damn elevator now and rush to his room, and maybe try to drown himself with the comfort of his blankets.

"Hey, Soobin!"

But like always, he didn't get what he wanted.

He's used to it by now so no worries. To be honest, he kind of expected something like this to happen so no one's really hurt.

What he did not expect, however, was the turn of events that followed after this very moment.

With a sigh escaping his lips, he turned around and face Namjoon who surprisingly did not have any trolley tailing behind him but rather, it was someone. Someone who looked quite familiar to Soobin, his mind wondered for a second before it gave up. Not really in the mood for focusing and shit.

"Yes, hyung?"

He swore he caught the guy with the brown hair and fox like features narrows his eyes at him for a few seconds but he quickly replaced it with a friendly smile the moment he realized Soobin is looking at him. He fought the strong urge to raise his brow at the dude because he knew he'll receive a ton of nagging from Namjoon if he did— something about manners, courtesy and first impressions, he supposed.

Namjoon frowned when he noticed what were on Soobin's hands, "Did you go out again without supervision? And why aren't you wearing your tube? Soobin, how may times do I have to te–"

"Tell you to listen, blah blah. Yeah, yeah, I know. Had it memorized already,"

Namjoon gave him a pointed look.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'm sorry. I was wearing it but it ran out so I turned it off, removed the tube because what's the use of wearing it if it ain't working anyways, right?"

The elevator made a sound and the door opened. The three of them entered with Soobin being in the lead.

"He actually has a point, Namjoon hyung." The brown haired dude with the face resembling a fox said, his lips curling up in a playful grin, causing the nurse to shake his head.

Soobin did not expect that but he still nodded nonetheless. He'll take all the support he can get.

"Don't agree with him, it'll go to his head."

He did not make any comment on that after, he just simply shrugged. The other dude softly giggled, his nose scrunching up a bit.

"Oh right, I forgot to introduce you boys," Namjoon stated the moment they left the elevator. It made both boys to halt their steps and look at him. Namjoon went in between the two, "Soobin, this is Yeonjun," he pointed at the brown haired male who now has his friendly smile plastered on his face again.

Despite the smiles though, Soobin could tell he looks tired.

Tired in all different degrees.

"—and Yeonjun this is Soobin, who you unfortunately have to endure being 'neighbours' with. His room's right across yours."

The boy, who he learned to be called Yeonjun laughed and Soobin would be lying if he said he didn't found that sound endearing.

"Is he really that bad?" Yeonjun playfully asked.

"You don't wanna know," replied Namjoon, "and for you Soobin, be nice to him, you get me? He's a patient too, got transferred here this morning and I'm ordering you to treat him nicely."

Oh, of course he's a patient. He wouldn't look too tired and drained behind the mask otherwise; he could tell he's wearing one. After all, Soobin's been wearing that same mask for so long. Only decided to remove it recently.

"You made it sound like I'm a handful brat."

"But you are."

A shrug.

"Anyways, go talk or whatever. I'm gonna go back now. Still have to make my rounds in like, 5 minutes." Namjoon walked out and waved them goodbye, not even bothering to glance at them back.

Soobin could only watch his retreating figure in disbelief before shifting his gaze back at the smiling guy in front of him.

"You can drop the smile now, I know you're just as tired."

And slowly, Yeonjun did.