angel | taekook

one.

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silence doesn't truly exist. in the quietest setting there is always the subtle sound of your own heartbeat – just as with pure whiteness, there is always light. there was nothing that compared to the whiteness and silence that surrounded him right now. even his own thoughts about how silent it was was proof enough that there could never be pure stillness no matter how much it was hoped for. if there is a soul present, there will always be something.

the only moment that his belief faltered was when the boy entered the room, no longer needing to check the plague for the correct number. the directions to get here were ingrained in his brain by this point. there was pure stillness in this room, pure silence, light from the window shining in – and what should have been a lively soul simply taking a short nap.

taehyung didn't need to knock. there would be no welcome-in, not as she laid there with her eyes closed and lips parted slightly to allow the shallow breaths to pass. he walked into the room and set down the new cup of water beside her bed, replacing the flowers from the old cup and tossing the old one in the small plastic waste bin against the wall. the chair beside her bed was still warm, considering it didn't take too long for him to get the new water for the flowers he hoped to replace soon. they were starting to wilt, but somehow still managed to look like the most lively thing in this place. the sleeping woman managed to look as familiar as his own face, yet nothing that he's fond of recognizing. she was as tiny as a doll, pale with slender limbs hiding beneath the cotton threads of the blanket. she didn't look the same as he liked to remember, how lively and warm her face used to be. it was hard to believe her feet have known the streets of rome and the sidewalks of new york. her hair that used to be long and silky, the winds of greece blowing the strands around until they were heavily knotted but still stunning and healthy. the person that used to travel and bring life to the world around her, the person that brought him into this world.

that person was in there somewhere, locked in a body that wouldn't quit like it should – tethered to a heart that insists on beating despite the chances of survival being non-existent.

taehyung leaned forward to leave a light kiss on his mothers cheek. visiting hours had just begun, but he already felt like he'd been here for hours, watching her rest and then waking to ask him about his day as if he hadn't spent most of it here by her side.

breakfast would be coming soon, her nurse would leave the tray on the bedside table and then help bathe his mother first so she could be comfortable enough to try and get something down. not all days were as hard as these ones – it goes up and down. the last couple have been a few of the downs, the fatigue and aches somewhat worse than usual. taehyung could only comfort, make her tea and read her a story while she slept. it didn't matter if she wasn't really listening, the soul always listened despite the silence.

"good morning you two." her nurse arrived like clockwork, ms. aecha smiling brightly in an attempt to start the day on a lighter note. "i got the good stuff for you today mrs. kim." she continued to talk, knowing the noise would stir the lady in bed eventually. and if it didnt, he knew his mother was listening to their talk in her dreams anyways. thats what he liked to believe.

his mother actually made a sound, crinkled eyes blinking open just to squint some more from the sunshine peering in through the hospital room windows.

"look what i gotcha here." ms. aecha was still smiling bright as she spoke, coming closer to the opposite side of the bed that taehyung was seated on. "its the pudding you asked for." she seemed very pleased with herself for sneaking it in despite the diet chart hanging at the end of his mothers bed.

mrs. kim seemed to almost smile at that. "i knew you took good care of me." she said, voice sounding hoarse from just waking up.

"here, mom." taehyung spoke to grab her attention away from the pudding. her head lifted a bit from the pillow, her smiling growing every so slightly to see her son sitting there. taehyung returned it with a small smile of his own, handing her the cup of tea he made, already knowing she liked the warmth against her throat in the morning.

"thank you, my love." she took the cup gently, her nurse helping prop her back up just enough to comfortably sip the tea.

ms. aecha smiled and took the mug from his mother when she finished her sip. that would be all she could do for now. "now we're gonna get you cleaned up-" she started to go on, taehyung knowing that was his cue to leave the room so his mom could comfortably get cleaned and ready for another day in the same bed. "-get some of that breakfast in you, maybe we can go for a stroll down to the card room later on. mr. gi has been asking if youre ready to play yet-"

their words became quieter as taehyung left the room, only briefly glancing at his watch for the time.

9:02 am.

he was just in time for the breakfast being served in the cafeteria. unfortunately today he didn't have that much of an appetite. there seemed to be so much on his mind, yet nothing at all. the only thing really intriguing him right now was missing each crack in the tiled floor of the hospital hallway. he walked with his head down, bangs brushing thick eyebrows and only mumbling a few apologies if he knocked into a nurses cart or almost ran into someone turning a corner.

the cafeteria was probably the noisiest room in the entirety of chonnam national hospital – and even then, it still wasn't that loud. there was hushed conversation, some scrapes of chairs and then the occasional ding of the register or drop of a snack from the vending machine. it was background noise as taehyung walked up to the coffee station. it was complimentary, which already meant it probably wasnt that good. it didnt matter how many times the boy tasted it and hated it, he still got a cup every morning and forced it down.

nothing changed today, the paper cup filled almost all the way, leaving only a little space for creamer and two sugars. it was a measly attempt to make the drink taste a little more appealing on the way down. really, the only good thing about it was the warmth and the caffeine.

he found his usual spot by the windows, a view overlooking the busy streets with cars trying to get places before others and only causing minor jams in the flow of how things should naturally be. the sidewalks were full of bodies and stores were open for customers to enter. there was a coffee shop down on the corner, taehyung could see the line extending outside and he wondered how good it must be – just to take a sip of his own, a scrunch to his nose at the flavor. the creamer could only help so much.

"you know it tastes better if you put a piece of chocolate in it."

the voice startled him from his thoughts, tearing his gaze away from the streets and the people busy outside with their own lives. taehyung didn't even notice the boy sitting there, right on the windowsill with his head leaning against the glass, a notebook in his hands that were nearly covered by the sleeves of the hoodie he wore. the boy didn't look away, a small smile tugging on his lips as he reached into the front of his hoodie pocket, and soon there was a little hershey kiss tossed onto the table infront of taehyung.

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first chapter done!

comment your thoughts rn >:(

jk only if u want to, but i really do have high expectations for myself and i hope this is off to a good start for every single one of you!