Hoseok opened the door of the humble home, a smile instinctively breaking out on his face as he looked around.

The four-bedroom house used to belong to a family friend before they moved across the world.

Now it was filled with shelves and shelves of books, spilling over the edges and sitting around the floor. The smell of both old and new paperback always occupied the space the most, their aroma—while in deep contrast—seemed to mix well.

The walls were lined with polaroid film; boys on hiking trips, splayed across beaches, draped legs through trees.

Countless pairs of shoes were huddled by the door, and Hoseok shuddered as he stepped over them. While he loved the boys, he had always disagreed with the idea of these two living together.

The only time the house was clean was if one of the others urged them all to organise.

Throwing his jacket at the coat hanger, not checking to see if it had hung properly, he walked into the open living room, immediately laying on the couch.

"Jimin? You're home early," Namjoon's surprised voice came from the kitchen, and Hoseok groaned.

"It's me."

"Ah," his figure appeared in the door frame before he sat on the seat next to Hoseok. "Nice to see you finally."

He grinned, looking up at his friend, "Did you miss me?"

"If you can count missing my weekly strawberries, then yes," he held his glass of juice to Hoseok's mouth, "You alright?"

He nodded, lips pressed against the rim of the cup as he drank some of the beverage, "There's something I have to tell you guys, but I'll just wait until the rest are here. Something quite big."

"Well, now I'm nervous, you can't just say that and not tell me what it is!"

The pair whipped around when they heard the beeping of the door lock and watched as two more people walked in.

"Wait," Hoseok frowned, looking around the room, "You didn't bring my best friend along?"

"He's with his mom today," Seokjin shook his head, "Just be happy to see me, you moron."

"We promised today was going to be a boys day though, didn't we?" Yoongi shoved Hoseok's legs off the couch, sitting down in the free spot as the former huffed, getting up. "That's why Leah didn't come along."

"Yeah, I'm so ready to finally play The Last of Us," Seokjin sunk into the sofa next to Hoseok, resting his head on the younger's shoulder. 

Namjoon's phone sitting on the coffee table lit up then, and he read the screen. "Oh, the others said they can't come tonight," concentrating on the message, he continued, "Something about being stuck at work."

"Huh?"

"I guess they're at the florist tonight," Yoongi shrugged, turning the television on, "Namjoon, do you have popcorn?"

"Wait, wait," Hoseok took the remote and lowered the volume, "I have to tell you guys something."

The men then turned to face Hoseok, sensing his serious tone.

"What's up?"

"Okay, so," Hoseok sucked in a deep breath and the boys watched his resolve shatter in less than a nanosecond. The smile he was pushing so hard fell, "My dad's sick."

"Hmm," Yoongi nodded, and the rest of them did too.

But they froze, eyes starting to widen as they watched the tears start to fall from Hoseok's eyes.

The boys had been friends with each other for as long as they could remember, and they had definitely seen Hoseok distressed before. But everytime he cried, it was as if each tear shed pulled at each of their hearts. When Hoseok cried, they all wished they could clear his skies for him. They never wanted him to be sad.

"When you say he's sick..." Namjoon didn't have to finish his sentence, for as his voice trailed off, Hoseok nodded.

"Oh, Hoseok," Seokjin rearranged his position so that he could drape his arm over the younger's shoulder, allowing him to rest his head against him.

"Your family is so strong, you're going to get through this," Yoongi muttered but he only shook his head.

"My mom said they reached an agreement," he hiccuped into his hyung's sleeve, "They don't have enough money to pay for chemo, so they're not going to go through with treatment."

"Wait, what?"

"No, they can't just-"

Their voices were cut off when Hoseok's soft sobs turned into a louder wail. Seokjin clutched on tighter.

Yoongi turned the television off and rested a hand on his knee, Namjoon walking over and sitting on the coffee table in front of them.

Although, at this point in the conversation, they were all a sigh away from mourning too.

Hoseok's father had been one to them all the years of their lives as well. They all dealt with loss, parents, friends, family moving away. And Hoseok's father (along with some of the other parents) had always been there to ground them all. Never leaving one person behind.

"I'm so sorry Hoseok," Seokjin managed to croak, not knowing what else to say.

The boys knew each other inside out,  each other's little mannerims and tendencies. They knew that while Hoseok's face was always painted with the brightest of smiles, that never deterred from the fact that he was always one tear away from breaking down.

The kind of boy who put up a facade so that no one would be able to differentiate his bad days from his good ones. The kind of man who got so caught up in being everyone's happiness that he still hadn't learnt to give some to himself.

That's why the people sitting around him in that moment—holding his hand, hugging his shoulders, wiping his cheeks—made it a point to shower him with all the care and concern he'd give others.

—

Hoseok went home that evening; an image of cherry infused eyes and a faltering smile.

He knew if he showed any ounce of misery in front of his parents they'd be disappointed in themselves.

He knew his parents wished so badly that they could change the plans of the universe.

And he wouldn't allow for them to feel bad about it.

So he plastered a smile across his face as they ate their dinner, his father's favourite—beef lasagna—and accepted that this food would start to tug at his heart strings in due time.

He laughed with his father as they played cards, the tears springing in his eyes confusing him as he questioned whether they were from the jokes shared or the underlying heartache.

He lay his head on his father's lap as they watched the last Star Wars movie before bed, eyes closed as he pretended to sleep when all he was doing was bathing in his father's presence.

He was so used to pretending everything was fine, but he didn't want to then.

He wanted to talk, to yell, to scream about how it was unfair that he couldn't do anything to help. His parents had already made the decision that they weren't going to undergo treatment, 'I'm not letting your mother spend all that money on me when it'll go to waste, son'.

It wasn't fair.

He knew they didn't have the funds to support him, he knew they were helpless. But he wished he could do something.

However, he just allowed himself to feel the warmth his father radiated, soak in the love he wanted to feel for the rest of his days. And he drifted off to sleep.

—

The next morning Jungkook and Jimin visited Hoseok's shop, apologising for not being there for him the previous day. He was grateful, kissing them both on the forehead and assuring them he was fine.

Of course they didn't believe him but they knew staying together for a while would alleviate something in him at least. 

So they did, the three of them spending that time packing strawberries, sharing stories about a few customers in Jungkook's shop who wouldn't stop asking for deliveries and insisted he had to be the one to do it. Jimin's diner now had another additional group of regulars, all school girls who'd only order if he was the one waiting their table.

And as midday rolled around, the pair had asked Hoseok to go out for lunch.

However, they watched as his phone light up and he checked it only to find a smile growing on his own mouth.

Jungkook and Jimin exchanged glances, raising an eyebrow at their hyung, "Hello? Earth to Hoseok hyung?"

"Hmm?" He hummed, replying to whatever message he'd received.

"Are we talking to the wall, Jungkook?" Jimin questioned and the younger nodded his head.

"I don't see anyone else listening, honestly."

"Sorry," their hyung finally said, slipping his phone into his pocket and walking around the counter to throw his plaid top on, "What are you guys doing this afternoon?"

"Nothing!" Jungkook grinned, "Do you want to-"

"Awesome, can you watch the shop?"

"Huh?"

"Thank you," he was at the door, "Love you!"

And he left without any further words shared between them. Jimin looked to Jungkook, "What just happened?"

"We came here to console him and he just left," Jungkook sighed, "And now we have to look after the shop."

"I cannot believe him."

"Do you think it's a girl?" Jungkook asked suddenly, scooting closer to his hyung, "You know he came over to my shop the other day with someone I'd never met before."

"Chris?" Jimin's eyebrows rose, "They ate at the diner a couple times."

One gasped while the other slapped a hand over his mouth, "This hyung."

—

"Hello," the woman in front of Hoseok spoke as she walked over to him.

Today she was wearing a cream set of wide leg pants and a cropped top. Nothing short of gorgeous. Hair flowing in chocolate rivers along her collar and through the wind. Despite everything, he felt his heart paint yet another wall the shade of the honey dripping along her shoulders. 

They were at the park again, barefoot and ready to breathe in the fresh summer air with each other.

However, Chris's text asking if they could hang out worried him. It was the middle of a work day, she wouldn't ever walk out of work unless it was important.

"I've been thinking," she started as they dug their toes into the ground, step after step toward the tree they'd sat underneath a couple times now.

"That's not bad for your brain?" a ghost of a smile on his lips as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

They'd hung out a few times now and neither one of them shied away from cracking a few jokes here and there. Along the same lines, neither one felt uncomfortable to open up when they wanted to discuss something more serious.

"Hilarious," she rolled her eyes, her expression softening, "I hadn't checked up on you in a while."

"Hmm?"

"After our last talk, I never had time to ask how you've been, how are you holding up?"

He sighed, pursing his lips. Chris looked over at the soft sound, watching his dimples poke out from the sides of his mouth. She'd learnt that there were only two types of occasions this would happen; when he was either extremely happy, or not too sure of what to say.

"It's honestly been difficult, it's so hard to see my father just give up like that."

After a small silence, Chris spoke up again, "And you're sure there's no treatment you could do?"

He shook his head, "We don't have the money, they don't know what else to do. My dad's just..." he sighed, "he's just given up."

"Hoseok," she whispered, reaching to put her hand on his shoulder, "I'm so sorry."

Shaking his head, he looked up to her again. His lips curled up, not so much as to reveal his dimples, however. "It's okay though, we'll get through it. Thank you for being there for me."

"Can I—" she cleared her throat when she felt herself become anxious. Why was she nervous? "Can I meet them?"

"Huh?"

"Can I meet your parents?"

Hoseok looked as if he'd never expected Chris to ever ask such a question. His mouth slowly opened and hung agape, eyebrows rising. "You really want to?"

She nodded, "I do."

"Yes," he didn't know if he could hide it well but the misery he'd felt over the past few weeks started to chip away. Flying sparks melted the pieces of his heart instead.

It was minute, but it had to be one of the most beautiful emotions he'd experienced that week.

The feeling of rising.

Seeming like he'd been stuck in a pit, helpless with his situation, he finally felt like he was rising.

As they reached their spot. Hoseok immediately pulled off his jacket and lay it on the grass, waiting for her to sit on it. Chris didn't move, however, she just stared.

While it was quick, she suddenly remembered the last few times they'd come there and he did the same thing. Or when he would always run out to open her car door open for her before she could even touch the handle. Or every time he walked on the outside of the sidewalk as they strolled the streets.

Always unbothered, a huge grin across his face.

She tried to remember the last time her boyfriend had ever done anything of the sort.

Chris knew there was a time in her life where she told herself she didn't need other people to do anything special for her. It wasn't important.

But it was too hard for her to recall the last time he'd actually done something nice for her.

She hated that it made her feel selfish; as if she was making a tally of the good and the bad.

However, she was beginning to believe she was allowed to want something too. She didn't think it was normal for her to love being around Hoseok more than her boyfriend. She didn't think it was right for Hoseok to be treating her better than her own lover.

And when that realisation hit her, she knew her next Facetime with her boyfriend was going to be difficult.

Maybe it was a snap decision. Maybe it was something she'd seen coming long ago. Maybe it was a choice that had been building up and it was only a matter of time before she finally saw it through.

But she knew the next time she'd speak to him would quite possibly be the last. 

sorry angels for the late update!

how are you all uwu

i hope you're all eating all your meals and taking your pills on time! it's quite easy to mess this up in lockdown but please please make sure you make it a priority!

my country is back in lockdown and something we've made a little motto from our prime minister is 'team of five million, we can do it again' and i think that's super adorable so i just wanted to extend that to you all; we're all a team and it's our responsibility to look after each other as teammates do! make sure you're wearing your masks in public and regularly sanitising yourselves! 

i love you all so much, thank you for reading!