ᴘɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇsǫᴜᴇ. | ᴊɪᴋᴏᴏᴋ ✔️

33 | till i reach you

It lasts, fluctuating from worse to minor relief, then back again, then minor relief again. Taehyung elects to stay with his friend - basically demands to, as he insists leaving Jeongguk in his current state would earn himself the world's worst friend award. The guilt poisons the suffering boy's heart but down to his very core he's beyond relieved at Taehyung's decision.

He doesn't want to be alone right now. Maybe later, when he can be even the slightest bit assured the pain won't peak again, but not right now. So he takes advantage of Taehyung's presence and takes all the hugs he can get. Lets out all the tears he can cry.

Jeongguk knows it hurts Taehyung. To see him like this. In such a pitiful state, the most pitiful state he's ever been in, hopeless and confused on top of it all. And afraid. So very, very afraid.

He had a peaceful childhood. No trauma, physical or emotional, not that he can remember. And for the most part, Jeongguk enjoyed good health, with the worst ailment endured being a fever or cold, which all kids and adults experience throughout their lives. Normal, common, but this, whatever this is, is far from it. Knowing his own words are lies, that it's not just a headache, is probably the worst part.

He told Taehyung a label didn't matter. But a part of him still wants to know.

In the chance it's news he'll have to brace himself for.

It's impossible to wrap his head around how much time is passing now. At some point during the day, whether afternoon or evening, Taehyung comes into his room with a mug of hot tea and some fruit in a bowl. He sets the mug carefully on the dresser, then sits down on the bed beside Jeongguk.

"Fruit's easy to stomach, right?"

Delayed, but Jeongguk nods.

"You stopped crying. Is the headache dying down?"

"It's bearable," the boy says with apparent hesitance, "right now. It could pick up again."

"Let's not think about that." Taehyung holds out the bowl to his friend. "Here, your mom cut up some apples and strawberries. Eat."

"I'll try."

"That's all I'm asking for."

From there, it grows quiet for a while, as Jeongguk attempts to pick at and digest the cold fruit, and Taehyung simply sits still, not doing or saying much at all. Not once in the entirety of the time he's spent with Jeongguk has he even picked up his phone to look at the time. His friend has had his full and utter attention.

It's touching, but saddening all the same.

"...Tae."

"What is it? Need something?"

Jeongguk pauses as his aching mind cracks open the shell of his thoughts and drops it into his mouth. "...do you think something's wrong with me?"

"No, you're fine." A terse response with strained eye contact.

"...if that's the case, then why do you keep telling me I should see a doctor?"

"Because I need you to feel better, Guk, it doesn't matter what I want."

Taehyung exhales deeply out of exasperation, once again struggling to look the other boy in the eyes. Jeongguk spots the faintest trace of water glinting from them.

"I kinda put it out of mind for a while, but it's been bothering me off and on ever since that day you said you saw writing and it just...disappeared, or whatever." He shakes his head as if to dismiss a thought. "You've never acted like that before. Like, legitimately paranoid, and then you acted the same way when we went to Everland, and...and then when you freaked out and ran out of class that one day?? And...three or four days ago or whatever when..."