It had taken some finagling with Jungkook's case worker, but eventually, they got the room number in question. Jungkook stood outside the door, eyes tracing the number outside the room to the number on the index card in his hand to verify for the hundredth time that they were identical.
"I'll be waiting right out here," his mom told him, taking a seat on a bench in the hallway. "Go on in and say what you want to say. Take as much time as you need."
Still, Jungkook hesitated. It felt like his heart had climbed his throat like a ladder and was sitting in his mouth; with each beat, he felt like throwing up.
"And, baby?" A small pause. "I think you're really brave to be doing this. Forget whatever happened with your team. I know you better than anyone, and I know that you're a good person, no matter what some other kids think and no matter what the boy in there thinks."
Those were words Jungkook had wanted to hear for a long time now, but he still felt like he didn't deserve them. Not yet, at least. "Thanks, Mom," Jungkook whispered before setting his hand on the doorknob. His eyes wandered between the index card and the room number one last time before he opened the door and went in, leaving the only person who believed in him outside.
Jungkook stopped almost immediately after entering the room. Lying in the middle of the bed was a boy, covered in blankets and attached to machines, who-
"Jungkook?"
"Taehyung?" Jungkook choked out, taking two quick steps forward before halting fast. "What are you- why-" He looked down at the index card yet again. The numbers had matched, so why-?
"Took you fucking long enough," Taehyung said cheerily, using his hands to push himself further up in his bed so he could see Jungkook better. "How's it going?"
"Why are you here?" Jungkook asked, his ears ringing. The urge to throw up had intensified.
"Um, because you hit me with your car?" Taehyung said slowly. "Ring a bell?"
Jungkook put a hand up to his forehead, rubbing at the skin. Was this real? Or some cruel joke? "You were...you were the boy in the other car?"
"Yep, that was me," Taehyung said with a small laugh. "And I texted you like four hundred million times but you never responded. Didn't even leave me on read, just on delivered. And we've been friends for how long?" Taehyung scoffed. "Asshole."
"I..." Jungkook was wholly lost. "So...you were in the other car...and you're..." Jungkook swallowed before looking down at Taehyung's bed, but his legs were buried beneath blankets.
"A little bit broken at the moment, yes," Taehyung said with a small snort. "Apparently my legs are a no-go, but I'm lucky to still have my arms and brain function. Also, I have my own wheelchair now – one of the nurses here is super hot and she takes me out on Mondays and Wednesdays for a ride – and I was kind of thinking about maybe painting some fire on the side or something because I-"
"How can you joke about this?" Jungkook interrupted, still feeling as though an explosive had gone off in his brain. The aftershock was weighing down on him heavily. "Taehyung, I- you're paralyzed because of me, I..." He locked his hands together in a firm hold, needing someone to hang onto him to keep him anchored, but the only one who could anchor him was himself. He realized rather abruptly that he hadn't even apologized yet. "Taehyung, I'm so sorry, please, you have no idea how-"
"No worries," Taehyung said before patting the bed. "Wanna hop up? Wheel of Fortune comes on in-" He paused to consult the clock. "Two minutes. Last time, I went bankrupt, but I'm feeling pretty good about today."
Jungkook just stood there, mouth hanging open with the feeling that he was in some weird alternate universe. Or a dream, maybe? Wouldn't that be a relief. "Taehyung, really, I'm sorry-"
