It's off his mind for a while.

The hallucinations, the terrifying dream.

Just for a short while, Jeongguk is able to push it all aside.

But the third time a message shows up, the nausea comes back full force.

It's Wednesday, just three days after he hurt his ankle, and Jeongguk's at school, thanks to Yoongi offering to give both him and Taehyung a ride. He's in a good mood, feeling proud of himself for not only catching up on his assignments and all the studying involved, but also for having found a way to turn Jimin's little crocheted gifts into cute keychains which he hooks onto his school bag.

Jeongguk can't help but glance at them every so often during class - and, of course, at Jimin. It still brings a smile to his face, replaying the brief memory in his head of Jimin giving him the small "get well" gift. He was shy about, as always, but he had done it on his own accord, no one had made or even asked him to do it.

His gaze is spilling fondly over the crochet Pikachu when Jeongguk's math teacher places a worksheet on his desk, as well as the rest of the students, naturally. Not thinking much of it, the boy flips over the sheet so that he can scan it before starting.

The numbers and math problems on the paper seem to be in the background. The foreground is occupied by the strange, unsettlingly familiar writing.

y̷̡̢̻͎̞̪̝̿͒͒͗̇͊͝o̴̝͛̄̃͐̄ù̵͉͖̒ ̵̥̈́c̴̡̗̯̭̦͕̠̘͐͛͑̇̚ą̷͓̝̘̱̱̅̆̎͒̏͗̓ñ̶͎͓̽̂'̴̨̳͉̈̅̾͒͗͘ţ̷̳̅̀̇̈ ̶̭̱̰̻͈͍̼͎͆͗̓̃̚d̶̙͕̖̽́̈̍̈́ơ̴̼͆̄̿̈́̏̕ ̸̡̛͔͓̲̓̎̈̂̊̍͜t̴͉̖̒͆͌̓̇͋̕h̸̦̮̳̓͜ḭ̴̻̀̆̍͆̏̐s̵͖̻͖̫͆̄̃̀̈́̅͘ ̴̛̣̖̗͑̿̈̈͠ț̸̓̃̈́̒̂́̊͝ô̷̡̯̝̬̭̇̔̃̕ ̵̘̭̝̼̱̟̀͜m̴̛̺͙̫͖̐̑e̵̡̼͇̻͍͒͋̈̾̈́̇̕͝ ̸̬͓̰̤͔̟̣͎̀̆͘͝j̵̧̣͔̖̘̰̎̿̌͂̃͌̄e̸̡͇̖̝͙͖̳͓̽̋̏͌̂͌͠ǫ̴̞̜͍͈̻̒̓͝n̴͉̍̐͛͆̈́̊͘͝g̸̠̦̘͖͕̪̓̉̈́̇̃͒͝ģ̸̛͚̲̲̦̻̾́̿̈́͘͝͝ư̴̝͖̟̳̯̙͖̗̆̓̓̅̂̎k̷̮̔̌,̷̞͙̫̹̫̎̊̆̔̎̒͋̅ ̷̘̈́p̶̟͔͉̝̞̺͖̃̔̿̆͒̽͜l̶̫̪̝̥̯͉̒̄̍̍ͅͅḙ̶̼͔͠a̷̛̪̒̆̈s̵͔̲̜̺̓͘̚͝e̸̖̦̥̿̀̊̽

It sparks something in Jeongguk. The memories of the first and second times he found the writings which were directly addressed to him, the dream, even that stranger he thought to have seen on the drive home from Jimin's house over a week ago. All the bad or uncomfortable things, all meshing together in his brain and his chest, which compresses and Jeongguk's stomach flips over. Sick. Nausea. He wants to throw up.

He doesn't ask to be excused. Grabbing the crutches leaning against his desk, Jeongguk carries himself and his one-track mind all the way down the hall and to the bathroom where he collapses on the cold, white tiled floor. There's no one here. Thankfully, no one. He places a hand over his chest and breathes deeply - inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, steady.

The nausea fades but he still feels sick somehow, in his head, as if that's where his stomach is now. It's a mess. He feels a mess, defeated by something in his imagination.

Jeongguk can feel his heart beating frantically. Thanks to his breathing exercise, it relaxes a bit, but barely enough that he can call it "comfortable."

His chest jolts at the unannounced opening of the bathroom door.

"Guk, are you alright?"

"Fine, Tae," Jeongguk blurts without thinking. His friend looks back at him with not a shred of trust in his expression.

"Right. Like I'm supposed to take that answer and walk out."

"My stomach felt weird."

"Did you throw up? Do you need water?"

He shakes his head. "I didn't throw up. Thought I might, but I'm okay."

"You're not," Taehyung argues. As his friend laughs, he crosses his arms in disappointment. "If you're sick, go lie down in the nurse's office. I'll wake you when Yoongi's ready to drive us home."

"Nah, that's okay." Jeongguk forces a smile, rather, attempts, but it falters enough that Taehyung notices.

"At least let me help you stand."

He knows he won't win against Taehyung in this situation. With the boy standing right in front of him, above him, no less, as Jeongguk's still in a feeble position on the bathroom floor, there's not much the latter can do to successfully argue his case.

"It's not just me, you gave Jimin a heart attack, too," Taehyung says, holding out his hand to help Jeongguk stand up. "You should've seen how pale he got when you suddenly scrambled outta the room like that. I'm impressed you didn't fall on the way with those crutches, though. Well done."

"Thanks," Jeongguk replies flatly. He slides the crutches under his arms once Taehyungs hands them to him. "To be honest, I don't need them that much, but my dad thinks I should use them for the week just to be safe..."

"Yeah, so do I. So are you going back to class or should I guide you to the nurse's office?"

"Class..."

"If you say so, Guk."

To his own surprise, Jeongguk makes it through the rest of the school day without freaking out or experiencing any panic attacks, as he feared he would. But he's not feeling much better getting in Yoongi's car to go home. He can't think of anything better waiting for him there.

He feels it eating at his mind. Relentlessly so, as though it had been waiting till now to attack with full force and not plan on stopping. He stares out the window, biting his tongue.

Jeongguk would rather have someone knock him upside the head more than this, because at least he could be assured that pain would pass after some time, but this is a whole different kind of headache. He honestly wants to throw up. Just in that slight, off chance it'll make him feel better.

Thursday and Friday pass with that same discomfort settled in his chest and in his head. And Jeongguk strives, to the best of his ability, not to show it outwardly, because he doesn't want anyone to worry, especially not Taehyung, who sadly already seems to suspect something's wrong.

Not to mention Jeongguk doesn't even know how to go about explaining himself without sounding insane.

So he stays quiet.

Tries to, and succeeds until that Friday after school when he receives a text the moment after he arrives home.

It's from Jimin.

-

Jimin
you've been acting weird these past couple days...

Jimin
is your ankle bothering you that much?

me
oh, no haha it's not even that bad

me
my ankle anyway

Jimin
so there is something else

me
maybe

Jimin
do you not wanna say?

Jimin
if not then it's okay but it's just really strange you being so quiet all of a sudden...

me
did tae say anything to you

Jimin
he asked me if you told me anything

Jimin
i think he's concerned too

Jimin
and me

Jimin
i'm worried about you

-

It strikes his heart without mercy, kind and gentle and harsh all at the same time. Jeongguk clutches the shirt over his chest and inhales deeply. He feels his eyes water as all his pent-up stress and fear and dread clash together, wanting nothing more to be released, somehow, anyhow, and through crying seems the easiest way.

Jeongguk bites his tongue again.

-

me
okay, you got me

me
i'm freaking out :)

Jimin
why? what's wrong?

me
things, i don't even know, i've just been trying not to panic over it but it's been killing me lately

me
i stopped eating dairy and spicy things like tae suggested, but i don't feel much better about it

me
it's really bad haha if this keeps up i could start failing my subjects ヽ('o｀；

Jimin
have you tried seeing a doctor? if you're sick i mean i don't really know what's wrong

me
i don't think it's a physical issue

me
then again idk haha

me
i just need a distraction i guess

Jimin
can i help?

me
('；ω；') jimin be careful what you say i might take you up on that

Jimin
i don't mind...

me
this is your last warning then

Jimin
?

me
i mean it jimin, last chance to back out of this

Jimin
i'm the one who suggested it...

me
okay fine

me
then

me
how about

me
tomorrow, we go to the mall?

Jimin
is your ankle okay enough?

me
it's fine, jimin i hardly even need the crutches

me
the sprain wasn't that bad to begin with

Jimin
that's good...

me
so it's a date?

Jimin
??

me
i'm teasing lol relax

me
so i probably shouldn't drive since it hasn't even been a week since i got the sprain but i could take the bus and meet you at the mall if that's ok with you

Jimin
that's fine

me
great (｡･ω･｡)

me
i'll see you tomorrow (*'∇｀*)

Jimin
see you...

—