Holding On To You | k.th + j.hs

Beginning To An End

"Is Hobi going to be okay?"

"He's fine, Taehyung."

"Promise?"

"Of course. Don't worry, he's okay."

Nine year old Taehyung frowns. His best friend Hoseok, or Hobi for short, has just been checked into the hospital. Again. Unfortunately, this happens quite often to the boy.

Taehyung and Hoseok have been friends since the age of three. Their parents have been friends with each other since college, so it only made sense for their kids to become friends too, right?

At first, Taehyung disliked the boy. He didn't want anyone playing with his toys or sleeping over at his house in his room. But as time grew on, Taehyung learned to accept him. Now, they're like brothers.

Now, the other boy carries around an oxygen tank rather than a toy action figure.

About a year or two ago, Hoseok had been diagnosed with cancer. It was genetic. His grandfather had it, his dad has it, and now he has it.

"It runs in the family," Hoseok would say.

Taehyung on the other hand, is healthy. He's just how every other nine year old child should be. He's normal, and he's thankful for that.

He looks around, taking in his surroundings. He and his mother are sitting in the waiting room, visiting Hobi and his family. They do this at least once a month.

Though, this visit isn't like the others.

Taehyung is used to going to the hospital to visit his friend. He's used to the boy not being able to catch his breath. It's almost become normal.

But this visit is different. Taehyung thinks back on what happened hours before.

-

      Taehyung and Hoseok were playing outside in his backyard, their parents watching from the kitchen window as they carried on with their conversations and drank lemonade out of wine glasses. Strange, yet somewhat fancy. Everyone was having a good time. Everyone was laughing, telling stories, smiling.

Breathing.

Taehyung and Hoseok were playing in the dirt when all of a sudden, the boy went into a coughing-fit. But, this was normal. Nevertheless, Taehyung still sprinted to the backdoor and told his parents that Hoseok couldn't breathe.

The strange thing happened when they went outside.

The boy who was once choking on air was found unconscious on the ground. This wasn't normal.

Usually if Hoseok went into a coughing-fit, all it would take was a glass of water and his oxygen mask to get him back up on his feet. But this time, he lay unmoving.

Taehyung remembered tears springing into his eyes as someone called an ambulance. At the time, he didn't know what was going on. He didn't know why his friend had stopped laughing. Or why he had stopped breathing. He just new that everyone around him was panicked and afraid. So, he became panicked and afraid, as well.

And that's how he got here. That's why he currently sits in a waiting room, waiting for news. Waiting to see if his best friend is alive. Unfortunately, there are more visits like this to come in the future.