chapter fifty-four ;; tapping
third person
°☆.。.:*・°☆

Taehyung's foot was furiously tapping, almost unnatural and terrifying. Whoever occupied the waiting room at that moment seemed to stare at the young boy, body hunched over and stare completely blank, although so many things were flashing through his eyes. The index finger and thumb on his right hand was currently twisting the ring on his left while deeply thinking.

The others still hadn't come yet. School just got out, and traffic was hectic because of it. Busses were more than likely blocking the parking lot's exit per usual, and parent's were in the long car rider line. Even thinking about how many people were probably piled in front of the group of five boys, which were spread out into four cars, infuriated him.

Shaky hands reached up, now being used as support for a sick looking face. Usually beautiful and tan skin had begun to pale slightly, looking washed out. Taehyung was washed out, his whole system and brain practically done with everything; and he was so beyond happy to hear a set of footsteps quickly walking down a hallway with another closely following after.

Yoongi was the first to stand in front of Taehyung, breath still being steadied, as he'd been running from his car. Jimin was the second one there. He latched onto Yoongi's side in anxiety and a need to be comforted.

For his brother's sake, Yoongi stepped closer and somewhat hesitantly placed his small hand onto Taehyung's back while he sat down in the chair next to him. It was stiff plastic, uncomfortable, but worth it, because the elder would do almost anything for his little brother. Taehyung did flinch at the sudden contact yet calmed down and accepted the hand running up and down his back.

"Do you know anything yet?" Yoongi whispers, trying to not push anything that might cause Taehyung to snap..

"N-No." Taehyung stutters, eyes closed and voice shaky, "They haven't come out of that fucking room since I sat here."

"Maybe he's just resting up," Jimin softly says, pink lips forming a small and sweet smile.

"Or he could be fucking dying." The second oldest grumbles with fear and anger, an almost perfect combination for disaster. Taehyung knows he should be at least a little bit optimistic. He should hope for the best and not spend his time worrying and shaking, yet flashes of police lights and distant sounds of wailing sirens keep his hands trembling and leg bouncing to a quickened pace.

"Taehyung, you know not to think like that-." A lady in a white coat cut off Yoongi. She looked young, more than likely in her mid-twenties, hair blonde and short. Cherry red stilettos upped her height by four inches, and a clip board was pressed against her chest.

"Jeon Jeongguk is finally well enough for visitors, but he still isn't quite awake yet, so he'll more than likely wake up more the longer you stay." She smiles, "All of you may enter together, if you wish."

As the nice girl had finished her quick and kind words, Seokjin, Namjoon, and Hoseok all quickly rushed down the hallway. Their footsteps sounded loudly against the tiled flooring, and Seokjin humiliatingly stumbled slightly on the way, "Is he okay?" The blonde was first to speak, eyes wide.

"He's just gotten well enough for us to see him." Yoongi speaks. He knows Taehyung wasn't really in the best position to explain anything. Too many emotions that had been pent up were finally being pushed open, like a broken dam.

"C-Can we all see him at once?"

"Hmm," she thinks for a moment, seeming to decide something, "the max is five in a room, but there's six of you, so...I'll allow it. He's in room five-thirteen, but I'll just direct you to there."

The three standing down slowly stood up, Taehyung holding onto Namjoon's arm, "You're a good boyfriends." Namjoon assures Taehyung's guilty mind. The six of them began to make way down the hallway, the one with green hair having a pounding heart and clamped mouth.

He could only nod as some sort of appreciation for the kind words, but Taehyung couldn't find himself to be anything great or good. Jeongguk's complaining from earlier that morning leaves a weight on his chest and shoulders. He didn't feel good. His head and stomach hurt, but Taehyung brushed off what should've been taken seriously, and they were instead left with this mess. This whole situation could've been avoided- could've been handled better if Taehyung had just listened.

"Here we are." She smiles, knocking on the door lightly before opening it, "Mr. Jeon, you have visitors."

A soft mumble replies, and Taehyung was the first to slowly enter. He knew Jeongguk hated it so bright, turning a knob over slightly in order to dim the lights. Taehyung's too scared to look over at the small boy. The others walk around him while his glassy eyes remain trained on the knob between his fingertips. Taehyung doesn't know what to expect, but after setting his jaw and taking a breather, the eighteen year old goes to walk closer.

Somehow, Jeongguk appears even paler than before. His skin breathes a stark white against the navy comforter. Bright blue veins shined all throughout thin arms and lips were an unbelievably pale pink. A prominent dull shines, only the black of his hair and eyes that still somehow held so much love and curiosity remained.

"Hey." Taehyung softly says and sits down in the plastic chair pulled up next to Jeongguk's small hospital bed. A smile made it's way onto his face. It didn't reach his eyes but it was at least an attempt to act as if a breakdown wasn't on the horizon, and the smallest one there was able to let off a faint and extremely tired one of his own.

"Hi." Jeongguk's voice reaches out in a rasp. Round eyes turn to small slits in order to see the boy through a haze, who was having an internal battle, everything being held inside.

Taehyung reached over to take ahold of Jeongguk's thin and dainty hand, oh so bony and cold. It was sad to think Taehyung hasn't felt his hand be this cold in such a long time. Now it seemed a bit too chilly, "How're you feeling, Baby?" He whispers while staring with loving eyes and running his coarse fingers through no longer so soft hair.

"M'okay."

"I'll go get you some more ice chips. Do any of you guys need anything?" Everyone slowly shakes their heads towards the nurse, too enveloped in watching Taehyung talk to Jeongguk so softly and caring, an unbelievably heart warming sight. There was no lie Taehyung was meant to be a loving husband and father when the time came, "We'll discuss Mr. Jeon's condition in depth once we all get more settled in." She leaves the room, heals clacking and hips lightly swaying.

"Thank you." All of the boys say in unison.

Taehyung places his warm lips onto the back of Jeongguk's cold hand. Not a kiss- just a simple gesture for comfort, watching closely as the younger went in and out from a light sleep. He was so weak right now, like the thinnest branch on a flimsy tree.

"I told you he was just resting." Jimin speaks up, trotting over to Taehyung's side and sitting in the chair next to his. His round eyes looked at Jeongguk, showcasing a bright eye smile when he received a soft one from his best friend, "Hi, Jeonggukie."

"Mmm?"

Taehyung looks over at Jimin with some type of aw. No more jealousy or hatred was held towards the younger boy, and there was nothing to be angered about. He had changed so much over a short amount of time you almost wouldn't suspect him to be the same person, and Taehyung couldn't blame his brother for falling in love with someone like Jimin. In some ways, Taehyung found some Jeongguk within the one next to him.

He looks back over at Jeongguk again, "You still look beautiful, you know." Taehyung softly says and smiles softly. He received a giggle in return that made his poor heart soar.

Seokjin almost screamed at those words, unbelievably proud and heartbreakingly sad for their current situation. Only if he hadn't interfered so much before. The couple could've spent more time loving instead of fighting and worrying. Namjoon had to wrap his arm around the eldest's waist in order to have him break out of it, the two sharing short glances.

Hoseok and Yoongi were whispering quick words together, discussing everything that was going on. The two of them were always ones to discuss things together- always thinking about the future.

Another knock was heard from the door, and the same lady as before walked back in. A clear plastic cup filled with chips of ice was in one of hand being exchanged to Taehyung so he could give it to Jeongguk. She knows Taehyung wants to help all he can.

"So about Mr. Jeon's condition," she sighs, looking down at her clipboard, and everyone was listening closely, "for starters, he's unbelievably dehydrated. Due to him having Leukemia and his body working so much more and being in a constant over-heated state, Mr. Jeon has to drink lots and lots of water...although that was only partially why the episode happened."

"Wh-What?" Taehyung stutters, trying not to hurt Jeongguk's fragile hand by gripping it so tightly. The younger boy was currently in deep sleep again.

You could tell the girl was trying to keep a neutral face. She takes another glance at her clipboard, "It appears the Leukemia is getting worse and at an extremely rapid pace...I'm so sorry to tell you this, but Mr. Jeon will have to stay in the hospital for now on and undergo Chemotherapy. It's one of the best and most accurate ways to cure Acute Myeloid Leukemia, and it has to be done quickly."

"I- I-" She had to cut Taehyung off, if she didn't, she would end up crying while speaking.

"When we first spoke to Mr. Jeon, we warned him about putting off Chemotherapy until it was absolutely needed, but he insisted he wanted to wait for it. That's what caused him to have a complete shutdown." She takes in a deep breath, "Thi-...This also means he'll begin to look more like a typical cancer patient."

"Y-Y-You mean-"

"Yes, his hair will begin to fall out, and when that begins to happen, we recommend you shave it so that the process will be less traumatizing."

Taehyung slowly shook his head in absolute disbelief, tears silently welling as he looked down. This is the hell Jeongguk had screamed and cried about. This was the true beginning of his journey, what he feared would break him completely.

Taehyung knee it was bound to happen sometimes, but everything seems so be happening so fucking fast. It feels as though he's going 100mph in a speed limit of 30, and there's a red light ahead but his breaks have suddenly stopped working. Even though Taehyung didn't believe in these sorts of things, he was mentally praying for his most favorited and loved person in the world to make it out the same person he was before everything happened.

"Thank you for informing us." Yoongi sadly speaks for his little brother and watches Taehyung turn to silent tears. Seokjin had his head planted into Namjoon's shoulder, shaking and not understanding on how to handle any of this. Yoongi was never one to cry, but right now it seemed like the only thing he wanted to do.

"If you need anything, just press the button on the side of Mr. Jeon's bed. We'll keep an extra close eye on him." She walks out of the door, and as soon as it closes, Taehyung let out a sob muffled into Jeongguk's comforter as his head drops forward in defeat, wetting the thick fabric for what it's worth.

Everyone jumped at the abrupt sound breaking through all of their occupied minds. His whimpers were vivid, and Jimin lifted his shaking hand to comfort the older, bringing it to run along his back, "He didn't deserve this...He didn't fucking deserve any of this. J-Jeongguk did nothing wrong." He cries into the bedsheets.

"I don't know why Guk's going through this, but I hate it as much as you do." Jimin tried to keep himself composed.

They all slowly walked over to the twin sized bed, pulling up all the seats in the room to form a tight circle around. All of them stayed silent, not exactly knowing what to say. Their faces tried to remain dry, but at least a soundless tear two were bound to be shed, because the destructive little bunny was now turning into one so weak and scared.

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*drops phone on face*