PAPER HEARTS || JAKEHOON

COMMITTING

As Jake stirred from his slumber, he found himself engulfed in a disorienting haze, the remnants of sleep clinging to his consciousness like a heavy fog. Blinking away the remnants of dreams, he glanced around the room, searching for any sign of Sunghoon's presence. But to his dismay, there was no one in sight.

Frowning in confusion, Jake rose from the bed, his heart pounding with a sense of foreboding. Where could Sunghoon be? His mind raced with worry as he scanned the empty room, his thoughts swirling with a myriad of fears and uncertainties.

With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Jake's gaze drifted towards the closed bathroom door. Could Sunghoon be in there? The thought sent a shiver down his spine, his instincts screaming at him to investigate further.

Approaching the door with cautious steps, Jake hesitated, his hand hovering uncertainly over the doorknob. What if Sunghoon was in distress? What if he needed help? With a deep breath to steady his nerves, Jake steeled himself and knocked softly on the door.

"Sunghoon?" he called out, his voice trembling with concern. "Are you there? Are you alright?"

There was no response, only the sound of muffled sobs echoing from within. Panic surged through Jake's veins as he realized the gravity of the situation. Without a moment's hesitation, he turned the doorknob and pushed open the door, his heart pounding in his chest as he braced himself for what he might find.

The sight that greeted him was nothing short of heart-wrenching. Sunghoon stood in the center of the bathroom, his wrist full of cuts whilst his other hand was holding a scissor. Jake's breath caught in his throat as he took in the scene before him, his mind reeling with shock and disbelief.

"Sunghoon, what are you doing?" Jake's voice cracked with emotion as he rushed forward, his hands trembling as he reached out to stop his friend from inflicting further harm. Jake took the scissors away from Sunghoon and pulled Sunghoon out of the bathroom

But Sunghoon remained frozen in place, his eyes vacant and hollow, lost in a sea of pain and sorrow. With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Jake realized the depth of Sunghoon's despair, the weight of his anguish threatening to crush him under its unbearable weight.

Frantically, Jake searched for something, anything to staunch the flow of blood, his hands shaking as he reached for the tissue box and clean towels scattered around the room. Tears welled in his eyes as he worked to clean and bandage Sunghoon's wounds, his heart breaking with each crimson stain that marred the pristine white towels.

"Why, Sunghoon?" Jake's voice trembled with emotion as he struggled to comprehend the senseless act before him. "Why would you do this to yourself?"

Sunghoon's only response was a hollow whisper, a faint echo of the pain and torment that consumed him. "I'm tired, Jake," he murmured, his voice barely audible above the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "I'm so tired."

The words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the depth of Sunghoon's despair. Jake's heart ached with a pain, unlike anything he had ever known as he gathered his friend into his arms, holding him close as if to shield him from the darkness that threatened to consume them both.

"So am I! so am I, sunghoon!" Jake shouted, his voice choked with emotion. "But despite all of that, did I give up? I didn't."

Jake looked at Sunghoon's wrist which was full of cuts, blood was nonstop dripping down. Jake covered it properly and held it. "They are so beautiful," Jake said while looking at Sunghoon's other wrist where there were no signs of cuts. "Don't ruin them"

ake's heart raced as he tried to comprehend the scene before him. Sunghoon's anguish was palpable, his eyes distant and vacant as he stared blankly ahead. Despite Jake's frantic efforts to stop the bleeding, he could feel his own strength wavering in the face of Sunghoon's despair.

"Sunghoon, please," Jake pleaded, his voice trembling with emotion. "You can't give up like this. We've come so far together."

But Sunghoon remained silent, his gaze fixed on some unseen horizon as tears continued to trickle down his cheeks. Jake felt a surge of desperation welling up inside him, a fierce determination to reach through the darkness and pull Sunghoon back into the light.

"Sunghoon, look at me," Jake implored, his voice cracking with emotion. "I need you to hear me. You're not alone in this. I'm here for you, always."

Slowly, almost reluctantly, Sunghoon's eyes met Jake's, and in that moment, Jake saw the depths of pain and suffering etched into his friend's soul. It was a raw, unfiltered expression of vulnerability that shook Jake to his core, igniting a fire within him to fight for Sunghoon's survival with every fiber of his being.

"We'll get through this together, Sunghoon," Jake said firmly, his voice filled with conviction. "I won't let you go through this alone. You're not alone, do you hear me?"

With a heavy heart, Jake turned away from the harrowing sight before him, his fingers trembling as he reached for the button to summon Nurse Emily. But before he could press it, a pair of arms enveloped him from behind, pulling him into a tight embrace.

Startled, Jake turned to find Sunghoon standing behind him, his eyes brimming with unshed tears, his expression one of raw vulnerability. Despite the pain etched on his face, there was a flicker of hope in Sunghoon's eyes, a desperate plea for reassurance.

"Even if..." Sunghoon's voice wavered, his words hanging in the air like a fragile thread. "Even if my situation's much worse than this...will you still love me?"

The question pierced through Jake's heart like a dagger, the weight of Sunghoon's anguish pressing down on him with unbearable force. For a moment, he was rendered speechless, the enormity of Sunghoon's pain threatening to overwhelm him.

But then, with a surge of determination, Jake found his voice, his words echoing with unwavering conviction. "Of course," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "What are you talking about?"

Gently, Jake turned to face Sunghoon, his hands cupping his cheeks with a tenderness born of love and compassion. "All you have to do is stay with me and heal with me," he murmured, his heart aching with the depth of his feelings.

With a trembling sigh, Sunghoon buried his face in Jake's chest, his tears mingling with Jake's own as they clung to each other amidst the turmoil of their shared pain. At that moment, their bond felt stronger than ever, a beacon of light in the darkness that threatened to engulf them both. Summoning every ounce of courage he possessed, Jake pressed the button without hesitation, knowing that Nurse Emily's arrival would mark the beginning of Sunghoon's journey toward healing. As he held Sunghoon close, he vowed to stand by his side every step of the way, no matter the obstacles they may face.