*THIS IS NOT MEANT TO MAKE FUN OF OR JOKE ABOUT MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY* 

This was written for my bio final. I had to study and write a short story on a genetic disorder and I tried my best to capture this disorder in the best way I could without having any previous knowledge on this topic until I personally researched. 

If anything is portrayed wrongfully, please inform me so I can fix my mistake.  

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Jungkook's Pov:

    "Jungkook! Come on, it's time for your doctor's appointment!" I sigh, putting my book down and rolling my eyes. "I don't want to go! Why do I need to go two times a week? Unless they've found a cure for DMD, it's completely pointless." My mom peeks her head in the doorway and gives me the "mom" look. She looks like she wants to argue back, but instead, she says, "We're gonna be late."
    The car rides there are always the longest. It's grey and rainy outside, but that's nothing new when it comes to Busan. Mom always tries to make small talk, but she knows I'm not listening. If there's something I hate more than hospital visits, it's small talk.
    Something I've learned over the years is that the secretaries are always the nicest, especially when what you have is not curable. "Jungkook! Hi, how are you? I've been waiting for your next visit so I can give you this new book I found. I think you'll like it." This is something me and Janet have done for a long time now. Every time I come we each have a new book for the other to read.
    "Thank you, and I have this book for you. I finished it this morning, but prepare yourself, it's a tearjerker." She gives me a skeptical look and asked, "Did you cry?" I laugh and shake my head. "No, but it almost made me want too." She nods and smiles. Mom wheels me away after signing the check-in papers. And the cycle continues.

-

    School is a whole different fight. People aren't always accepting of the kid in a wheelchair, but being a senior takes a little bit of the load off. In elementary school, my mom had to beg the district not to put me in classes for people with disabilities, so I've always had that. I've always had it a little easier than others with Duchenne. For some people with my disease, it acts quickly and rapidly, they get worse quicker than I am. The doctors say I have a small case, I can't walk, but it's slow-moving, and the chances of me dying young are lower than others.
    There's a new girl standing behind my desk when I come into homeroom. I clear my throat and put on a half-smile. "Excuse me, this is my desk." She turns around a little startled, but smiles. "Oh, my bad! Sorry, I'm new. I probably should've picked a different desk anyways. At least now I understand why there's no chair here." I nod and laugh to myself. What are the odds that she picks the only desk without a chair? I mentally facepalm and remind myself to laugh about this later.
    "It's alright. I mean, not every school has a kid permanently in a wheelchair. Don't worry about it." She nods and moves out of the way, taking the desk next to mine. "What's your name?" I look towards her and frown. "Me?" She nods and smiles, "Who else?"
    "Jungkook, what's yours?"
    "Y/n."
    She intrigues me and I can't figure out why, but it becomes a little clearer when she asks, "Now that we know each other, can I ask about your wheelchair?" I pause before I answer, unsure of what to say next. On one hand, nobody's ever really asked about my wheelchair, they all just knew it was something I needed, but on the other hand, I'm not really sure what she's asking me. Is she asking why I'm in it? Is she asking what disease I have or if I'm paralyzed? My mind spirals with questions, but I'm pulled back to Earth when she says, "I'm sorry if you don't want to talk about it. I don't know if I'd want too either, especially with someone I just met."
    "No, it's okay! I'm just not used to people asking me about it. I have a disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, or DMD for short. It makes me paralyzed in my legs and eventually my arms too." She nods and looks forward as the teacher walks in. Some students had started to file in around us and I think the conversation is over until she says, "I've never heard of your disease before, is it rare?" I nod and sigh. The few times I've had this conversation with people they always ask that. People can't wrap their minds around people actually having a rare disease, it's something out of a movie for them, but it's my reality. It's not this mythical thing that I want to learn about, it's something I'm living through.

-

    Weeks have passed since me and Y/n first talked. We've gotten closer, we always try to hang out when we can. I taught her the controls on my electric wheelchair. She's the first real friend I've ever had, the only one who's ever given me a chance. She came over after school today. I went to put my stuff in my room and when I came back, I overheard my mom talking to her in the kitchen. "Y/n, I'm really happy you became friends with him. He hasn't ever really been close to anyone over the years except for me. It means a lot to him and he's the happiest I've ever seen him, but I know he hasn't really told you much about his disease except it's paralyzing him. Have you researched it at all." There's a pause and then Y/n answers, "No, I haven't. Is there something I should know?"
    "He's dying, Y/n. The disease stops their heart. Their life expectancy is late teens to their early twenties. Because his disease is rare, there isn't a cure, it's inevitable. We're both prepared for it, I've been honest with him since he was first diagnosed, we live in the moment instead of worrying when that day will come. I know he hasn't told you because he has been too scared of your reaction, but I still don't think it's fair for him to not give you enough time to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. All I ask is please don't treat him differently now." Once my mom finishes, it goes silent. I sit there, anxiously waiting for a reaction, an outburst, anything to fill the silence. The seconds feel so long, that I feel like I can't breathe, but then I realize what's happening, I'm actually not breathing.

I push the button on my wheelchair to move forward into the kitchen and start trying to wave towards my mom, but then I realize I can't lift my arms. When did they become paralyzed? I haven't been paying attention to my DMD lately because of Y/n, I must not have noticed how bad I was getting. I try to speak, but it comes out as sputtering. My mom's eyes go wide and she pulls up my pants leg, revealing my legs to be swollen. "Y/n, call 9-1-1! Hurry!"

-

Y/n's Pov:

Jungkook's heart was still beating by the time the ambulance got there, but it was slower than normal and he had passed out from the lack of oxygen. The ride to the hospital was so drawn out. His mom held his hand the whole time, she didn't cry, though. She really has prepared for this and it's sad that she had too. It's sad that it's even happening and to such an amazing person.

The second we stepped into the hospital, Jungkook was wheeled away in a bed. Jungkook's mom was frantically talking to the nurse, telling her about all his medications and that he has had all these surgeries in the past. I sit in the waiting lounge, needing to think over what's going on. My best friend is dying and there's no cure, I haven't had time to prepare myself for him dying, and now I might lose him the same day I found out he was dying. Who am I supposed to hang out with when I'm sad? Who am I going to get to motivate me to read? Who's going to teach me how to work an electric wheelchair?

At some point, while my mind was spiraling, Jungkook's mom had sat down next to me. "How're you holding up?" I look up and sigh. "I wish I would've researched this a long time ago. He said he'd explain it to me one day, but just not yet, so I wanted to respect his wishes, but now I wish I would've gone behind his back to research about his disease. I would've gotten more time to prepare for the loss of my best friend."

Jungkook's mom pauses before she sighs and says, "No matter how long you know it, it still hurts so bad when it happens." Her voice cracks on "hurts" and she starts crying for the first time tonight, but as if on cue, the nurses and doctor walks out.

"Ms. Jeon, your son, he's, he's no longer, with us."

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I had to cut this short due to the due date on this final project. 

I'm sorry it took me so long to edit it into a JK one-shot. I had to change the names and a few details from my original draft for my teacher. 

I hope everyone's summer is going well. I'll try to work on more one-shots and hopefully get more out for you! I have a few Part 3's coming 👀

Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 52K READS!!! It's absolutely unreal I'm so thankful to all of you 💕