⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆

"Breathe regularly...relax."

My mom watches from my bedroom door as Dr. Choi checks my breathing. They both share the same creased forehead as I silently wait for them to say something.

    "There seems to be some mucus in his airways," Dr. Choi says, taking the stethoscope out of his ears. "But it doesn't seem to be restricting his breathing."

    "Will it progress?"

    "It's too soon to tell."

Mom sighs. "That's how the pneumonia started last year."

    "I remember," Dr. Choi says standing, bringing his fingers to either sides of my throat and pressing down slightly. "If his cough doesn't go away in the next day or two I'd recommend seeking further treatment. Until then, continue to use the humidifier and make sure he stays hydrated."

    "Okay," Mom says, biting the inside of her lip nervously.

    "Am I dying this week?" I ask with a short laugh.

"No more than usual." Dr. Choi pats my shoulder with a sympathetic smile.

"Don't ask him that again, Taehyung," Mom snaps. "I mean it."

"It's a joke~"

"Well it's not funny," She says. "This is the second time you've gotten sick in less than two weeks. Have you been sitting outside during lunch hour again?"

"No," I say. "I already told you that I sit with Jungkook."

"It's not adding up," My mom says. "If you can't take care of yourself for the nine hours that you're at school, I'll pull you out~"

"Mom, no," I say. "I can take care of myself, I'm just a little sick."

"You can't afford to be a little sick," She says. Her worry comes across as anger, as it often does. "Get dressed while I walk Dr. Choi out."

"You can't pull me out of school~"

"Enough."

I fall silent and as she leaves the room with Dr. Choi. I stand from the stool I'm sitting on after a moment and tiptoe down the hall. I can make out what they're saying from where I stand.

"I know the life expectancy is only 25 years, but plenty of people go on to live well past that," Dr. Choi says. "Either way, you can't stop him from living his life."

"If I can keep him well his chances will go up," My mom says, I can tell she's crying. "That's not going to happen if he gets sick twice in two weeks."

"Every second matters," Dr. Choi says. "Don't make him resent you."

I walk away after hearing that—shutting myself back in my room. I know the life expectancy, I've known since I was a kid. But it hurt hearing it every time, and now it was just getting closer and closer.

I'm seventeen. That means I already have less than ten years if I'm lucky.

jungkook:
heh

taehyung:
hah

jungkook:
hih

taehyung:
huh

jungkook:
are you mad at me?

taehyung:
why would i be??

jungkook:
dunno...

taehyung:
mnot

jungkook:
mglad

taehyung:
:]

jungkook:
you should come to mine

taehyung:
can't msick

jungkook:
again!?
yah
are you lying?

taehyung:
why would i??

jungkook:
bc ur avoiding me

taehyung:
mnot

jungkook:
kk,,,should i come take care of you?

taehyung:
no, my mom wouldn't let me

jungkook:
but if she did you'd let me?

taehyung:
...maybe

jungkook:
mmmmmm...now i feel all tingly inside

taehyung:
yah, i have to rest now,,,i'll see you at school

jungkook:
okeyyyyy

taehyung:
bybye

jungkook:
<333

taehyung:
<333

☾𖤓☽

JUNGKOOK

I sit across from my friends at the cafeteria, looking down at my phone as I wait for Taehyung to text me back. He didn't come to school today, so we've been texting all day.

"Why are you sulking, Jungkook?" Namjoon nudges me. "Are you sad because Taehyung didn't come?"

"No," I say, shoving him away. "Leave me alone."

"Aw, leave him alone, Joon," Seokjin says. "He's obviously having separation anxiety."

"Yeah," Jimin chuckles. "He's probably texting him right now."

"Can you guys stop being so weird about Taehyung and me?" I ask. "He told me what you said Seokjin. Why would you do that?"

"Come on, Jungkook, I did you a favor," Seokjin says, looking to the others for support. "The last time you liked someone you never told them and they ended up dating someone else."

"That doesn't matter," I say. "I didn't want to make things weird between us. Now you've made them weird anyway."

"I didn't want you to let him go," Seokjin says. "I want you to be happy."

"I don't need your help," I say. "Seriously, don't bring it up to him again. I mean that for all of you."

"Fine," Seokjin says. "I won't bring it up again."

"Can I ask you something without you getting upset?" Jimin asks.

"What?" I ask—expecting to get upset.

"Do you find Taehyung to be...a little odd?" He asks, tilting his head.

"How do you mean?" I narrow my eyes slightly.

"I don't know," Jimin says, glancing at Seokjin. "We just think he's a little weird."

"Why are you guys being so horrible?" I ask. "I introduced you because I thought we could all be friends."

"We want to be his friend," Namjoon says quickly. "We just found it a bit strange when you told us how his mom treats him. And that his dad died and everything."

"A mother taking care of her son and a father passing away is weird now?" I ask.

"No, Jungkook, jeez you're taking this all so wrong," Jimin says. "Forget we even said anything."

"Y'know, if you don't like him you can just say so." I stand and gather my things. "You don't have to be assholes."

"We do like him." Seokjin tries to stop me. "It just feels like he's hiding something."

"Why do you think that?" I ask, highly annoyed. "You've only met him once and you barely even talked to him."

"Forget we said anything," Jimin says. "Just sit down, Kook."

"Screw your guys," I say, walking away from the table. I storm out of the cafeteria and into the cold air outside. As I'm walking to the student parking lot I see Hoseok, the guy that works at Taehyung's mom's coffee shop.

"Hey," I say walking towards him. "Hoseok, right?"

"Hey." Hoseok smiles. "You're that iced green tea guy."

"Yeah," I chuckle. "I haven't seen you around here before."

"Oh, I've been around." He laughs. "This is Yoongi by the way."

"How's it going?" I smile at Yoongi, he nods his head but he doesn't say anything.

"So," Hoseok starts. "How's your day coming?"

"Alright," I say. "I was wondering if you've seen Taehyung 'round at the shop lately."

"Taehyung?" He says with a confused expression. "Oh, Ms. Kim's son? No, Jihye tells me that he's been really sick. Ms. Kim hasn't even been to the shop."

"Really?" I ask, my worry reaching a new high.

"Jihye said he gets sick really easily." Hoseok shrugs. "She said he has a condition, but she couldn't tell me about it."

"Did you she say anything else?" I ask.

"No, just that he gets sick easily," He says. "I can ask her if he's okay when I go in later if you want."

"No, its fine," I say. "I was just worried because he didn't come to school."

"Oh yeah, no worries then." Hoseok smiles. "What's your name again?"

"Jungkook."

"Well it's nice to meet you, Jungkook," Hoseok smiles as he takes Yoongi's hand. "See you 'round."

"See you," I say before the two of them walk away.

I sigh as I continue to the the student parking lot, looking down at my phone as I receive a message from Taehyung.

☾𖤓☽

taehyung:
soz, fell asleep

jungkook:
soz?

taehyung:
didn't know i was texting an old man
sorry**

jungkook:
haha.
are you sure you're okay?

taehyung:
yeh, why?

jungkook:
hoseok says you get sick often

taehyung:
oh...mfine
just a random cold
you asked hoseok about me?

jungkook:
just asked if he'd seen you at the shop
bc i miss you :(

taehyung:
oh,,ha
well, i should be 'round again soon

jungkook:
okieee
will your mom still not let me over?

taehyung:
she won't let you over while i'm sick
you don't wanna risk catching my cold

jungkook:
i'll wear a mask!!!!

taehyung:
nopeee

jungkook:
</3

taehyung:
( ˘ ³˘)♥

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ ◯ ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆