Hello, my loves~♡ I hope that you all know that I love you very much~♡ I appreciate all of you taking time out of your day to read this chapter~♡ I put a lot of work into my writing in hopes that it won't be boring or it'll keep you interested enough to continue reading~♡ Hopefully, it works.:3 How are you all doing though? I always wish to know how my readers' days are going.:3 Hopefully, you are well but don't be afraid to vent if needed.:3 I'll always listen~♡ Today has been a busy day for me.🤣😂 I worked a double which means I was at work from 5pm to 3am today.😂🤣 But it will be worth it when I see my paycheck.🤣😂 I've also been listening to books on audible while I work.😂🤣 Enjoying a good book is always nice and now I have time to listen to it and be doing something menial and mindless.🤣😂 Enough about that though, onto the chapter!~♡ This chapter contains depictions of near death experiences and hysteria, so please be advised when reading~♡ Once again, I love you all and I hope that you enjoy this next installment~♡♡♡

♡･ﾟ:*｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡*:ﾟ･♡

Jungkook woke up gently that morning, rolling over to see Taehyung still sleeping hard next to him. Jungkook knew Taehyung had over-exerted himself last night and only smiled at his sleeping beauty. He was both astonished and upset that Taehyung could push himself so hard for something that wasn't that important. Jungkook gently brushed his finger over Taehyung's features, not even a twitch from Taehyung as he slept unbothered. Jungkook kissed Taehyung's nose and slipped out of bed to shower. Once he was standing under the hot water, reality hit Jungkook hard as he realized Taehyung may not have much longer. He was growing increasingly worse and it was evident with each passing day.

Jungkook wrapped his arms tightly around himself, begging whatever deity would listen for Taehyung's recovery and good health. He sighed heavily as he finished washing up and shut off the water, wrapping the towel around his waist. When he exited the bathroom to get dressed, Taehyung was still fast asleep. Jungkook sighed softly at how tired he looked even sleeping, shaking his head as he got dressed. He hastily dressed in warm attire, checked to make sure Taehyung was still breathing and left to procure them a breakfast.

||

When he returned to their room, Taehyung was sitting up in bed on all fours. He seemed to be struggling to get out from under the light sheets that had kept him warm. Jungkook chuckled softly, thinking Taehyung was playing with him and pulled the blankets back for him. Although when Taehyung tried to climb out of the bed, his legs gave out from under him and he crashed to the floor. Jungkook rushed over toward the side Taehyung was on to see him struggling to get back to his feet. "Tae? Is everything okay?" Jungkook asked out of concern, offering Taehyung his hand for support and help. Taehyung nodded firmly, silence following as he finally got to his own two feet without taking Jungkook's hand. He had refused Jungkook's help because he wanted to ensure he could still stand on his own but he was worried he'd pushed himself too hard now. He took several unstable steps with Jungkook's help, Jungkook swiftly picking his legs up off the floor and carrying him to the chair beside the table. Taehyung had tried to fight Jungkook the entire way, wanting to walk there on his own but he knew Jungkook had reason to worry too. "I can still walk," Taehyung croaked out lowly, his voice rough from last night as Jungkook threw the blanket on Taehyung. "Wrap up in that while you eat and I'll help you wash up afterward," Jungkook reasoned softly, tenderly brushing his finger under Taehyung's sharp jawline.

Taehyung struggled to stand to his feet once again, using the table as a crutch to wrap himself in the blanket. Before Taehyung could sit back down though, he felt something trickle down his lip and drip onto the pristine white sheet. Taehyung glanced down to see a singular speck of red that gradually turned into several specks of red on the white sheet and touched his hand to his nose. Jungkook turned toward Taehyung with hot coffee in one hand and a plate of eggs and bacon in his other hand. Jungkook noticed Taehyung staring at his hand that rested just under his chin while his head was tilted down. Taehyung glanced up at Jungkook with hallow eyes before stumbling backward into the dresser. Jungkook dropped what he was holding without thought as he rushed to Taehyung's side, shaking Taehyung hard and pulling him into his arms. Taehyung remained unconscious through Jungkook's cries and pleas, forcing Jungkook to call an ambulance to take him to a hospital.

||

Taehyung felt that lonely darkness envelop him as he stood there, casting no shadow or enjoying no company. He could feel or hear nothing. No pain, no wind, no trouble with his health or strength. He wondered where he was as he looked around the silent and absolute darkness. There was absolute nothingness all about him and that terrified him as he glanced around hastily. Panic should have set in by now but he didn't even feel that as he looked up to see bright light beckoning to him. He wondered if that was his way back to Jungkook if he wandered away. Looking around once again, he wondered how he'd even gotten here until he remembered his nose bleeding. He hadn't remembered walking away from Jungkook and he wouldn't wander anywhere this dark on his own. He opened his mouth and let out a piercing scream of intense pain, realizing where he was at this moment now. He'd done too much. He'd forced his body beyond its limits and now he was paying the ultimate price for that. He cried out angrily again into the silent darkness as he ran away from the light, terrified he'd never see Jungkook again. His cries echoed in the darkness while he desperately tried to escape the bright light that would lead him further away from Jungkook. He was suddenly stopped by a sharp stitch in his left side, pain suddenly enveloping him as he was yanked backward toward the bright light...

Taehyung's eyes snapped open as he shot up out of bed in haste, his breathing labored. The jolt of electricity they sent straight through his heart was painful now that he had regained feeling. He breathed heavily at the searing pain in his chest, realizing Jungkook was being restrained by a nurse- large tears of relief in his eyes as he collapsed to the floor. Taehyung clutched at his chest, realizing how thin his own hands looked to him right now. He couldn't even recognize his own hands from the amount of weight he'd lost while being riddled with cancer. Taehyung bit his lip at the piercing cries Jungkook released from the floor, curled up on himself as he cried uncontrollably from almost losing Taehyung.

It was the closest they'd both come to losing each other and it was already very lonely. Taehyung struggled but managed to climb out of bed to crawl over toward Jungkook and console him. Jungkook hugged Taehyung tightly in his arms and buried his face deep in Taehyung's shoulder as he cried. After some time, Jungkook finally calmed down and rubbed his swollen eyes as Taehyung continued to sit on the floor with him. "What happened? How did that happen? You pushed yourself too hard, didn't you?" Jungkook asked hastily, sniffling from his nose being stuffy now. Taehyung was silent in the face of Jungkook's questions, nodding hesitantly and realizing what this meant now. Jungkook was going to refuse his touch or touch Taehyung in any way that would lead to intimacy anymore. While that wasn't all that important to them, it still held some merit when they wanted to really express their love for each other. Now that was off the table as Jungkook stood to his feet and picked Taehyung up off the floor. "I guess we can't be intimate with each other anymore," Jungkook reasoned softly, laying Taehyung back down in his hospital bed. Although they wouldn't be intimate anymore, that didn't mean Jungkook wasn't going to completely leave the intimacy behind as he curled up in the bed with Taehyung.

Jungkook rested his head on Taehyung's chest, listening to his heart beat once again. Jungkook had begun to panic when the adrenaline shot didn't work at first. Taehyung's heart rate was still flatlined even after the first shock to his heart too. Jungkook seriously thought he'd lost Taehyung in that instance. His whole world had crumbled in less than an hour from the time Taehyung collapsed to the time he flatlined on the paramedics. Jungkook had even called Jimin in a hysterical panic that probably sounded like crying jibberish when they couldn't revive Taehyung on the first attempt. He still hadn't received a call back yet because of the time difference but he was certain he'd get one equally as panicked soon.

Taehyung tenderly brushed his fingers over Jungkook's hair which was growing back with each passing day. Taehyung's hair hadn't even made an attempt at prospering yet and while that shouldn't have bothered him, it did. Simply because he wanted to feel normal again. He wanted his health to be normal again as well. Although, he felt that was wishful thinking at this point in time now. Taehyung shifted slightly so that Jungkook's arms could encircle him while they lay together in silence. When the doctor entered, Taehyung sat up somewhat to see what the doctor had to say. "What happened?" Taehyung asked softly as Jungkook sat up as well, climbing out of the bed to make Taehyung more representable. The doctor sighed heavily and shook his head, staring at Jungkook and Taehyung sternly. "Well, this one told me what happened last night, and honestly, you pushed yourself to quite amazing feats. I'll give you that," the doctor started sternly, causing Taehyung to blush fiercely under his doctor's gaze. "Pushing yourself like that is bad for everything going on in your body though. It takes a serious toll. You've ignored all of my warnings of rest and you've expectantly shortened your life span," the doctor continued gravely, Taehyung earning a swift glance from Jungkook. They didn't know how bad this would turn out if he continued but Taehyung still refused to be bedridden for the rest of his time on Earth.

"You have six months to live if you take things easy, as I've recommended. If you continue to ignore my warnings... well, it would only give you two to three months tops," the doctor declared as Taehyung swallowed hard. He knew the ramifications of his decision would ultimately decide how much longer he had on this Earth but he wasn't about to sacrifice the remainder of his time to a hospice. "I'm sorry. I know you do your best to care for me because of my father's instructions but I can't spend the little life I have left tied to a hospital bed. If I'm going to die, I want to be doing something I love. Not cramped up in a room with nothing but white walls and silence," Taehyung rationalized calmly, folding his hands in his lap. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not refusing treatment... I just want to do so outside the hospital where I don't have to worry about how many visitors I can have in one room," Taehyung added softly, gazing up at the doctor with determination. The doctor nodded his head at Taehyung's determination with a soft smile. "Alright then. Just remember my warning about your life expectancy now," the doctor reminded softly, nodding respectfully toward Jungkook before leaving the room.

Once the doctor had left, Jungkook climbed back into the bed with Taehyung, resting his head on Taehyung's chest. Jungkook peeked up at Taehyung with a soft sigh, his eyes still swollen from his intense crying earlier. "You really should reconsider what the doctor said... I know you don't want to spend six months in hospice but... You'll have longer with me if you consider that option," Jungkook whispered hesitantly, anxious that Taehyung would get upset about his suggestion. After all, he was adamant about not spending his remaining time in a hospital bed. Taehyung glanced at Jungkook with an unreadable emotion deep within his eyes before opening his mouth to speak. "Why would you even suggest that...? I- I still have things I haven't fulfilled... No matter how much time I wish I had with you," Taehyung responded softly, averting his gaze from Jungkook to hide the fact that he was hurt.

Jungkook tenderly slid his hand around Taehyung's cheek, cupping the hollowed outline of Taehyung's face as he coerced the elder to look at him. "I'm sorry, Tae. I just feel that we're both being selfish... You don't want to give up your dreams and I don't want to give you up anytime soon... I don't want to make this an issue but... I don't want to feel like this for a second time so soon," Jungkook added softly, striking something within Taehyung as he stared down at his hands in his lap. He knew Jungkook had been devastated after he'd been resuscitated and he honestly didn't want Jungkook to have to go through that alone again.

When Jungkook's cell phone rang with a call from Jimin, Jungkook wiped his eyes once again and dipped out of the room to take the call. Taehyung watched as Jungkook left the room with tears still in his eyes because of their conversation before grabbing his own cell phone. He dialed Hoseok's phone number and waited for the other to respond. When the ringing finally ended and a groggy voice came through the other line in greeting, Taehyung sighed softly at the time difference but remained on the line out of respect.