𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑

F O R T Y - T H R E E

After quite some time, he finally has permission to see her. But his hand is like a stone on the door to her room.

"Go on," her tired father encourages and he enters.

There is a girl on the bed, smiling as if everything is okay.

And he meets the same familiar grey eyes again.

Several tubes connected to apparatuses are attached to her skeletal arms, providing what her body can't. It isn't a pleasant sight to see.

She is worlds apart from the pictures, no hair everywhere, just pale skin and lips. Much like a withered flower.

But he doesn't care.

It's Noona— Jangmi.

He rushes to her side, he has a lot to say to her. "I say hi and you say goodbye to me... Why didn't you tell me sooner? About this?"

Jangmi blinks a few times before opening her shaking dry lips, she has the weakest voice, "... Y-You're unfair too, drawing me more to you. I didn't wanna be close to you, so you won't have to look like that. But you know... We all have to say goodbye someday."

She traces the line of his frowning lip with her cold thumb.

"I wanna be closer to you. You can't go..." he says, holding back his tears.

At that, Jangmi faces the window, looking somewhere far.

She looks so tired.

"I had cardiac arrest during the surgery. I was in a really bright and peaceful place. For a moment.. I died..." she pauses and mumbles softer. "A-And it didn't hurt there..."

His heart is in pieces and he can't pick them up.

Does living hurt her?

Then she turns to him with sparks in her eyes suddenly, "Let's sneak out tomorrow."

Squinting and giving her a puzzled and surprised stare, he says, "That won't get us in trouble at all."

"... I'm not the good-natured noona you think I am. I have a long list of bad and questionable decisions I made in the past. One more won't hurt. We are never just one thing. Let's get out of here."

"We all had bad decisions and you won't be making one that could harm you right now."

"I'm not spending the remaining of my days in this room."

"You might die if you step out of here," he argues again. With blunt.

"At least I had fun. With you. Please..." she pleads as if it's a last wish.

Jungkook sighs and folds at her sad puppy eyes. His heart skipped a beat at that. How does she do it so well?

"I can sneak you to the rooftop. That's it."

"It's a date then."