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

Vulnerability

"Hi Hobi," Taehyung said softly as he entered the hospital room, gently shutting the door behind him.

Hoseok didn't say anything, he only gave a small wave and a weak grin. Taehyung let out a sigh and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He narrowed his eyes as he scanned the boy up and down, noticing something different.

Hoseok was no doubt paler looking than usual. But that wasn't the only thing. His eyes were sunken and glassy, his lips chapped and dry, and just by looking at him, you could tell that he was losing strength. The sight of him made Taehyung want to burst into tears, but he held himself together.

"Not talking I see?"

"It hurts to do so," Hoseok coughed. Taehyung just kept his gaze low, playing with the bedsheet beneath them.

"Well, I forgot to tell you, but a few days ago, I got into a fight."

"Was it those boys again?" Hoseok asked.

"Yeah... But, I'd say I won... Again," he smirked, and Hoseok gave a laugh that quickly turned into a cough.

"I'm sorry they're giving you trouble because of
me-"

"Don't be sorry. At least they're keeping me entertained while you're not there," Taehyung shrugged, but Hoseok just barely shook his head.

"Did they tell you about the new medicine," he asked, changing the subject.

Taehyung nodded.

"Has it done anything?"

"I'm... Not sure. I mean, I still feel the same," he shrugged.

But he didn't look the same.

The only thing that hadn't changed was his smile.

"What's today?" Hoseok asked out of nowhere.

"Uh... Wednesday-"

"No, not the day of the week. What's today out of eleven?"

"Oh... Four. Today is four out of eleven."

Hoseok just let out a sigh.

       Four out of eleven. That meant that four days had passed since the terrible news, and there were only seven days left. Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them, he saw tears leaking down Hoseok's thin face.

"What's wrong?"

"... Nothing," he gave another small smile, but Taehyung didn't buy it.

"You wouldn't be crying over nothing. What's wrong?"

"I just... I'm scared."

       There was a pause, and Taehyung looked into his eyes. He could see the vulnerability, more than he had ever been able to before. When he looked at him, he didn't see a strong warrior who defeated enemies with a smile. He saw a frail boy with hardly any hair, attached to tubes, breathing heavily, giving the weakest smile.

"Don't be scared... The new medicine will work. I promise," Taehyung said as a few tears streamed down his own face. The words seemed more believable when they came out of his own mouth.

"... Will you be there?"

       Taehyung thought for a moment. At first, he didn't know where "there" was, but at the same time, he did. "There" would be in this room, in seven days.

"Of course," he gave a little smile as he took the boy's frail hand in his own.

"You won't leave?"

"I'll be there the entire time."

Hoseok smiled.

And Taehyung did the same.

But their eyes didn't match.

      And somewhere in the distance, the sound of church bells rang over the town as the clock above the door ticked to 12:00.