A/n: This part might get a bit complicated due to the Time Skips. If you have any qsns you're always free to ask :) 

P.S: Some triggering themes ahead. Please be absolutely sure if you want to continue. 

~ The Way Our Horizons Meet ~

* AUTHOR'S POV *

* Flashback to starting of school year *

"Jungkook-ah. Your condition's not stable enough. You need to be under constant medical supervision.", the Doctor said grimly as he looked at the reports in his hands. 

"I can't afford to do that! My college and my academics will suffer!", he yelled frantically before he was attacked by another bout of coughs and gasps for breath. 

"This is not the time for jokes, Jungkook-ah. You need to prioritise your life now.", the Doctor said with a scowl on his face. 

"Doc...please. I'll do anything else. And my mom will hate me even more if she comes to know.", he said as he fidgeted with his hands. 

The Doctor sighed as he looked at Jungkook's miserable expression and then at his clipboards. 

"Fine. I will not let your mother know about this. But you have to promise me something.", he said in a stern no-nonsense tone. 

"Anything!", he cries out, elated and relieved to some extent. 

"You will come for a checkup every week. And for chemo at least once a month. I don't care how you do it. And I'm giving you some meds which you need to take twice daily and keep an inhaler with you at all times. And no stressful activities or anything that requires you to run about. And absolutely no exposure to citrus fruits or spicy stuff.", the Doctor said as he wrote it down on the prescription. 

Jungkook merely nodded, his heart heavy with the possibility of his aggravating situation. 

He had never thought his cancer would return. 

The day he had been cleared, his Noona had such a breathtakingly beautiful smile on her face which he knew would disappear if she came to know about this. 

Chemo had been hard not only for him, but for his Noona as well, who had to see him suffer day and night. 

Thankfully, he didn't lose hair like normal patients. 

Instead he developed sore throats, frequent bouts of flu and abnormal skin bruising and bleeding gums. 

He sighed as he knew the old signs would return to plague him once again. 

As he walked down the stark white hallways, the pungent smell of disinfectant stinging his nose and creating a burning sensation in his lungs, he couldn't help but feel lost. 

As the cool fall air of Seoul hit his nostrils, he was at ease again, the burning sensation dissipating slowly. 

He stared at the prescription, the letters becoming blurry as tears welled up in his eyes. 

Was he destined to suffer!? 

Devoid of any hope...

Any cure...

He looked up at the sky, littered with clusters of stars, the bright moon appearing and disappearing behind the clouds every few seconds. 

Where did his freedom lay? 

Perhaps...

Among these stars...

Amidst the breeze...

Alive in death...

From all suffering...

And all pain...

* 2 WEEKS LATER *

"I'M NOT HAVING ANY OF YOUR EXCUSES! I'M CALLING YOUR MOTHER OR YOUR SISTER. TAKE. YOUR. PICK.", the Doctor growled at Jungkook, who cowered further into his seat. 

Jungkook knew it was time. 

Time to let his mother know. To let his sister know. 

"Fine. You can call my mom.", he said in a cold detached voice. 

Perhaps...

His mother would show him some kindness this once...

- TIME SKIP TILL HIS MOTHER REACHES THE HOSPITAL - 

With her 3 inch Pradas echoing against the smooth tiles with every step, Mrs. Jeon walked into the examination room, her brows knitted into a perfect scowl. 

"Mrs. Jeon. May I have a word with you?", the Doctor said as he bowed slightly as a form of greeting. 

"That wouldn't be necessary, Doctor. Could you give us a minute? I need to speak to my son in private.", she said in a sickly sweet voice, her eyes ice cold. 

"Um...yes. Sure.", the Doctor said reluctantly as he shut the door behind him. 

He looked at his mother nervously, afraid of her reaction at this sudden news. 

"M-Mom?", Jungkook asked after a few moments of painful silence. 

His mother glared at him before she slapped him. Hard. 

Jungkook's cheek turned red with a perfect imprint of five fingers upon it. 

He wanted to yell and scream and trash about. 

But he did neither. 

He knew his mom would react like this. 

Why had he expected something different...

"You disgusting wretched! Do you know how much you've cost me till date! Why can't you get cured of a stupid illness! You're just like your father! Worthless and useless! Only thing that you have is looks! Or else, you're absolutely of no use! Nothing! You're simply just nothing and a dull head! Only susceptible to catching diseases and adding up to money bills!", his mom ranted as she tugged at her perfected straightened hair. 

He looked up at his mother, round eyed and baffled at her outburst. 

Were parents like this when your child fell ill? 

Were they...

So hateful...

"You listen well and you listen good. I'm not going to pay another penny for your stupid illness. If you die, you die. I'm not willing to waste my hard earned money on the likes of you. Earn to pay your medical bills. I don't care how.", she said as she paced up and down in the small room, shooting dirty looks at him. 

Earn? 

How? 

He didn't even have the energy to walk on most of the days. 

Working was simply out of the question at the moment. 

"M-Mother! Please don't do this to me! I promise I'll get better! Please mom!", he begged as the pent up tears streamed down his cheeks. 

He felt weak and pathetic. 

But...

He was helpless...

Helpless in front of the cruelty of his mother...

"Ok. I won't. But I have a condition.", his mother said as she looked at him with contempt. 

"W-What is it?", he asked apprehensively. 

The price won't be cheap...

"You will get a job. And pay for your college tuition and every single amenity you need.", she said sternly. 

He frowned slightly then nodded. 

"And...I have another clause.", she said as she walked over to him and caressed his cheek with a sense of gentle affection, her eyes deep as a stormy sky. 

Jungkook was puzzled, but trying his best not to show it, he managed to say,"W-What is it, mom?" 

"You look exactly like your father when I had first fallen in love with him.", she murmured to herself, ignoring Jungkook's question. 

"Anyway, I like you Jungkook. You're so submissive.", she said as she laughed a cruel piercing laugh. 

"W-What do you mean?", he asked, scared. 

"Nothing, my darling. You'll understand soon enough.", she said as she cupped his cheek with both her hands and imprinting her cherry lip colour on his cheek. 

"I'll go speak to the Doctor now. I'll see you next week, love.", she said with a smile which she hoped was seductive. 

After all...

She needed men to look after her needs...

* A WEEK AFTER THE INCIDENT *

"I'm done being your toy, mom! You either perform your duties like that of a parent or else I'm going to child abuse centres.", Jungkook yelled at his mom. 

Currently he was in his mom's apartment. 

"Huh? Do you think you have the option of threatening me?", she asked in a dangerously silky voice as she crossed her legs. 

"Yes. And when they workers hear about the atrociti-.", Jungkook began but was silenced when his mother splashed him with wine. 

"Shut up, you dog! Be grateful that I'm not killing you and your precious Noona already!", she yelled as she threw the wine glass on the floor, which shattered into a million pieces. 

"Don't you dare touch Noona!", he yelled as he clenched his fists. 

She laughed at his immature protests as she dials a number and says something in a language which was beyond Jungkook's comprehension. 

"What have you done?", Jungkook asked with a certain amount of fear laced in his voice. 

She looked at him with snake like cold eyes and said,"You didn't uphold your side of the deal. Now watch what happens." and smiled grimly.  

 "I hate you!", he spat out. 

How could a mother harm her own children!? 

He couldn't begin to even fathom what his mother might do to his Noona. 

He turns on his heels and leaves the apartment, rain pouring down outside, mixed with his mother's laughter, perfect for a grim and horror movie setting. 

He rushes from the 1st District to the 3rd District, trying to reach his Noona through his cell while getting drenched to the bone at the same time and his lungs and muscles screaming in protest, longing to drop on the road itself. 

But...

He must keep going...

Not stopping...

Curses on his mom who lived in one of the most posh areas of Seoul. 

He simply hoped. 

Hoped for his safety...

His Noona's safety...

Perhaps hoping was all he was born to do...

Hope is all he had left now...

- TIME SKIP TO HIM REACHING HOME - 

He stood in front of the porch, clutching his chest trying to normalise his breathing and calm his racing heart. 

He was scared to go inside the house. 

What the house unfurl...

He didn't wanna know... 

But...

His Noona was in there...

Closing his eyes for a moment, he opened them again and took small, yet quick steps towards the house. 

This felt like deja vu...

Finding the door ajar, he pushed it with all his might and entered. 

The house was perfect, without any sign of an intruder. 

Probably it was the calm before the storm. 

As he navigated his way through the perfectly arranged living room, he couldn't find his Noona anywhere. 

Had they taken her away!? 

And then he saw it. 

In the kitchen, his Noona was sobbing into another man's arms, clutching onto him for dear life. 

"NOONA!", he said and ran into the half-demolished kitchen. 

The other male looked up at Jungkook and then, at the girl in his arms. 

"Who are you!?", Jungkook asked roughly as he took in his Noona's dishevelled state, bruised and broken. 

"K-Kook, h-he s-saved me. F-From t-them...", Jieun said in between sobs. 

"W-Who? Who were they!? What did they do to you!?", Jungkook screamed as he pulled his Noona closer and hugged her, afraid to let go. 

"Some men. Probably three of them. They were trying to have their way with her.", the other male said in a monotone. 

Jungkook's eyes snapped to the other male in a questioning glance. 

How could his mother even stoop so low...

"Well, I'll get going then. Since the night's past.", the unknown male said as he lowered his cap even further and pulled up his mask to conceal the rest of his face. 

"T-Thank you.", Jungkook said, overwhelmed with the sequence of the events. 

The other male didn't bother to reply as he walked off. 

"D-Do y-you...have a name?", Jungkook asked as his Noona gentle snores sounded like music to his ears. 

"Y. That's what they call me.", he said as he titled his head to the side and gave him a swift side-glance before disappearing into the stormy night. 

Y...

The name sounded so familiar...

Like a distant memory...

A/n: It was kinda integral to put this chapter tho it has no Taekook in it T-T Like if you get what I mean :) 

- Logging off for now...

-💕Moonie💕