SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS

JunHao| Leukemia Part II

Minghao sat on the edge of their bed, a heavy silence hanging in the air. He felt the weight of the past few days—the cold distance between them, the unspoken fears.

As he was organizing their things, he stumbled upon a box tucked away in the corner of the closet. Curiosity piqued, he opened it.

Inside, he found an assortment of medicine bottles and a folded piece of paper. His heart raced as he unfolded the note, reading the words that shattered his world: "Diagnosis: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Stage 3."

"No... no, no," Minghao whispered, tears streaming down his face. He felt a mix of anger and heartbreak. How could Jun hide this from him?

He called out, his voice shaky. "Jun! Come here, please!"

Jun appeared at the doorway, confusion etched on his face. "What's wrong?"

Minghao held up the paper, his voice trembling. "What is this? Why didn't you tell me?"

Jun's expression fell, and he stepped into the room, panic flashing in his eyes. "Hao, I—"

"You have leukemia! Stage 3! How could you keep this from me?" Minghao's voice cracked, tears flowing freely now. "I thought we were partners!"

"I didn't want to worry you!" Jun exclaimed, desperation creeping into his voice. "I thought I could handle it!"

"Handle it? You've been lying to me!" Minghao shouted, the hurt spilling over. "How could you think I wouldn't want to help you through this?"

"I was trying to protect you!" Jun insisted, his own eyes glistening. "I didn't want you to see me like this!"

"See you like this? You think I care about that? I care about you!" Minghao cried, heartbreak washing over him. "You should have let me in!"

Jun's shoulders slumped, his resolve crumbling. "I was afraid... afraid of how you'd react. I didn't want to lose you."

Minghao shook his head, overwhelmed. "You've already lost me by keeping this a secret. I can't believe you thought you could do this alone."

"I thought I was being strong," Jun said softly, regret filling the air.

"Strong? This isn't strength, it's fear," Minghao replied, his heart aching. "I love you, Jun. I just wanted to be there for you."

Jun's voice broke as he looked at Minghao, tears streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry, Hao. I should have never kept this from you. I just... I didn't want to burden you."

Minghao clutched Jun tightly, both of them sobbing. "You're not a burden. I love you, and I want to help you. Please, just let me be there for you."

As they held each other, exhaustion settled in, but Minghao's eyes widened suddenly. "Jun, your nose—"

Jun reached up, touching his face, and felt the warmth of blood. "What...?"

Before he could finish his thought, dizziness washed over him, and he leaned heavily into Minghao's arms. "Hao... I feel..."

"Jun!" Minghao cried, panic rising in his chest as Jun went limp. "No, no, no! Stay with me!"

He quickly laid Jun down, tears streaming down his face. "I'm calling an ambulance!"

Minghao fumbled for his phone, his hands shaking as he dialed. "Please, hurry! My boyfriend... he has leukemia and he's unconscious!"

The operator's calm voice felt distant as Minghao held Jun, his heart racing. "Jun, please wake up! You can't leave me like this!"

As he waited for help to arrive, he pressed his hand against Jun's cheek, feeling the warmth slipping away. "You're going to be okay. I promise you'll be okay."