Through the Looking Glass (TXT x Itzy)

thirty-three

Beomgyu was only discharged after intense checkups after checkups, the doctors, nurses and interns rotated around his beside so often he was about to start noting down their names, birthdays, favourite food and more just so he could have conversational starters with the people he saw every half-an-hour.

The other person that never seemed to leave his side was Taehyun. His friend always lamented on how much he had to work, but suddenly had a lot of free time to spend in his hospital room.

During meals and breaks from the doting doctors, Taehyun was there joking and laughing with him, sharing news from the outside world and being sure to bring treats and snacks. All while perfectly ignoring the elephant in the room; this was not to last forever.

It was Beomgyu feel even guiltier to see Taehyun try so hard as if his good deeds could somehow make Beomgyu live longer. His friend of so many years just wasn't willing to let him go.

Neither do I, Beomgyu bitterly thought, as he watched Taehyun sleep with his head cushioned by his arms at his bedside, cheek pressed against Beomgyu's blanket. He was sure to wake up with neck and back aches, but if years of friendship taught him anything, it was that Taehyun slept like a rock.

He tried to sleep despite the dull throbbing pain in his body, his eyes pinned on the clean hospital ceiling, with the tiniest bit of streetlamp light glowing amber on the walls.

Faint footsteps thudded on the floor, making Beomgyu inwardly groan to prepare for yet another midnight checkup. A cool hand slid to his forehead, which was weird since they usually used a thermometer.

"What are you doing here?" A light, familiar voice whispered. "I could ask the same to you," Beomgyu mumbled out groggily. After a soft click, the light above his head blinked on, and Ryujin's features were gently illuminated, displaying her concerned expression.

"Do you know what hospitals are?" Beomgyu chuckled, awkward since he was lying down and Taehyun was holding the blanket down, restricting his movement.

"Don't get up," Ryujin chided, then sighed, dropping down into the other available chair, "Of course I know what a hospital is, dummy."

"You don't have to talk so softly. If you wake up Taehyun, I'll give you a prize," Beomgyu tried for a joke again, but was met was a serious, exasperated look. Thank god it was dark, if not this would have been so embarrassing.

"Chaeryeong told me you were here," Ryujin explained, still speaking in a hushed tone, "I just wanted to pop my head over to see how you were doing, then I find Chaeryeong alone at home with no lights on, eating pizza on the floor. Then she told me where you were."

"At least she's saving electricity," Beomgyu grumbled. "Forget that," Ryujin said, "How bad is your...illness? Surely it can be treated with magic. There's nothing that-"

"I'm pretty sure it's incurable, but thanks," Beomgyu managed to sound as sincere as possible, but honestly, he was pretty sick of people trying to give him hope. He took two weeks to accept the cold hard truth and didn't appreciate people trying to undermine that effort.

Since his mind had drifted off somewhere and he was silent, Ryujin had assumed he was one, upset, and two, sleepy.

"Alright, I shouldn't have come, I'll let you rest," Ryujin murmured, standing swiftly but too sudden, causing her to flinch from the pain. Beomgyu's hand snaked out from his blanket cocoon to grasp her strangely trembling fingers, "Sorry, I just-" His breath came out shakily and carefully, "Everyone's been trying to give me hope, and I can't take it. I know I'm going to die, and I've come to peace with that."

Ryujin was like a statue, neither turning back nor walking away. Then her head bowed as she said, "I'm sorry about that." Beomgyu tugged her hand slightly, and she took her place again at his bedside.

"Been pretty busy myself, couldn't really come and see you," Ryujin explained, determined to avoid bringing down the mood. "That's okay," Beomgyu hummed out, his eyelids heavy.

As he felt himself slip into dreamland, he caught Ryujin's last few words of "we should get pizza again together", and felt her lips on his temple before darkness enveloped his vision.