B E F O R E
3 2   Y E A R S   A G O

"You have to come with us, Jisung!" Felix called out, waving a hand at Jisung, while Hyunjin wheeled Seungmin on his wheelchair out of his hospital room.

Jisung, who bit his lip, looked at the nurses' office, where Minho, the head nurse, was busy directing the other nurses about their duties. Changbin whistled to Jisung, motioning him with his hand to come along.

Being an interning nurse at Morningstar Medical Center, Han Jisung was quite skeptical of following these boys out. After all, he had only begun interning here a few months ago, and having faced a huge number of difficulties already, he could choose to avoid these boys and focus on his duties.

However, being the nurse of all of these boys, ever since they had gotten admitted in the hospital, he had already grown attached to them -- much to his dismay.

He could barely cope with deaths, but currently, he was in a building where deaths were natural occurences, having befriended people with chronic illnesses. He had told himself not to get attached; berated himself against being friends with any of the patients; pep-talked himself into being impersonal and only aiding the patients with whatever they needed. Yet, he had come to realize that these boys needed friendship more than a cure.

So Jisung cast a look at Minho, who was still caught up in his work, and sighing, he nodded at the boys.

Seungmin sighed on his wheelchair, sardonically speaking, "So you all managed to push him into peer pressure. Quite impressive."

"Shut up, Seungmin," Hyunjin shushed him, "Don't say such things before we can complete our mission."

"And what's the mission?" Jisung said, approaching the boys.

Hyunjin rubbed his hands like an evil, malicious villain, cackling, "Stealing."

"Oh, no, I'm out."

"Don't act like you haven't done this shit with us before!" Felix pouted, his eye patch almost on the verge of falling off.

Jisung fixed that eye patch, making sure it covered his eye fully, "Yeah, but it wasn't my idea."

"We'll all collectively blame Hyunjin for it, then," Changbin snickered.

Hyunjin rolled his eyes, "Of course, like always."

"We aren't even lying," Seungmin spoke, "It's always your ideas."

"Well, you should thank me for those! I bring in all the adventure!" Hyunjin argued, and Felix chuckled.

"Let's go before Minho finds us!" Jisung rushed, "And I'll be in a big trouble because of you guys then!"

"Bro," Changbin spoke, "He won't fire you. This hospital is lacking staff already."

"I shouldn't have told you guys the secrets of this place," Jisung sighed.

"Secrets of this place? You're talking as if you gave us the route to the hidden treasures in this place," Seungmin raised a brow.

"You don't even need to look so far," Hyunjin laughed, "I am the hidden treasure."

"Delude yourself."

"Straighten your spine."

"Grow a lung."

"Guys!" Jisung scolded them, voice slightly hushed, "We talked about this? No one needs to make jokes on each other's problems."

"Not like they give a shit about it," Felix shrugged, "Plus, Seungmin's problem isn't even his spine."

Jisung sighed.

"Let's go!" Changbin encouraged.

"Wait, isn't Chan coming?" Felix questioned.

"He wants to take care of Jeongin," Seungmin spoke, "Jeongin's lung has an issue again."

"That brat," Changbin sighed.

"And Chan's doing my job, even though he's a patient and I am a nurse," Jisung muttered, "I should go assist him."

"Wait," Hyunjin grabbed his wrist, "He's making your job easier. Let him do that, alright? We're just going to include you in my foolproof, world-class robbery."

Seungmin suppressed a snicker.

"Guys, Minho is coming! Go, go, go!" Felix alerted everyone, and the boys dashed off to the elevator, Changbin wheeling Seungmin along.

As the elevator's doors shut, in the metal compartment, Changbin looked at Hyunjin, "Are you sure we'll be able to steal the things we decided this time?"

"I told you, Binnie. It's a foolproof plan."

"See, I don't really trust that."

The elevator tinged, opening up for them, and the five boys rushed out of it. Jisung, who, by now, knew all entries and exits of the hospital, guided them out of the back door of the hospital.

"Okay, Hyunjin, what's the plan?" the nurse spoke.

"See that supermarket? Right down the street?" the troublemaker pointed at a store, not too far away, "Our agenda for today is to get cigarettes."

"Did you forget that you have only a single lung, Hyunjin?" Jisung shrieked, "Do you wanna burn that one as well?"

"Oh, chill," Hyunjin waved a hand dismissively at him, "It's not like any of us are going to consume it. It's more like a prize."

Changbin stood straight, "Alright, I'm in."

"You always go along with the worst ideas, Changbin," Jisung commented.

"Not like I have anything to lose at this point."

Everyone fell silent. And Jisung was aware that Changbin was right. Their diseases had already made them lose half their bodies, and now, with only refreshed minds and a desire to steal some moments from life itself, these boys were robbers. Not everything you steal is tangible; sometimes, the seconds you seize from your greatest enemy, time, is what completes you -- even when you physically are not complete.

"Can we end the awkward silence? We have to go back before Minho catches us," Seungmin spoke up, and Hyunjin clapped his hands, "Aight! So, now we begin!"

(a/n: we are in the past!! And i know that you must be confused right now, but things will make sense very soon!!

How was this??

Thanks for reading! I love you!)