Bus Ride || TaeJinKook ☑️

Take its Toll

A/N:

Did I mention before that this book is angsty?

Okay. Now you know.

I love you all.

***

Taehyung left and Jin is in the living area, staring at his son's crib. He can feel the burn in the middle part of his stomach. He clutched onto it. He begins to sweat and he starts to feel nauseous.

He stands up but his knees are wobbly. He is feeling weak and tired. He thinks maybe because he cried too much.

He runs to the toilet to vomit. Kneeling and almost hugging the bowl as his stomach contracts and lurches. Sweat trickles from his forehead but he's feeling cold. His chest heaves as he saw what he just threw up.

Blood.

Wiping his mouth and looking at his hand, he confirmed that he just threw up blood. He is scared that he has cancer but now that the symptoms are getting worse and he knows that his illness is taking its toll, he is now more terrified of what is about to come.

He washes his hands and his face to at least lessen the discomfort he's feeling. But then, Soobin cried.

Jin moaned in pain as he struggles to walk. Supporting his weight through the furniture to tend to his baby boy. He prepared milk, his hands shaking causing some powder to spill. After battling his weak muscles and his dizziness he was able to feed Soobin.

He kneeled on the floor and slipped his arm in between the dowels. He cried silently as he watched his son drinking milk. Soobin is just three weeks old. What if he's leaving soon? He won't be able to carry his child anymore.

He felt the need to sleep. His eyes hooded as he reached for his phone while his other hand is still holding the milk bottle and waiting for Soobin to finish his milk. He opened a message from Taehyung.

Taehyung:
Jin, Yoongi will arrive anytime. Please be okay. Don't forget your medicine. I'll be home soon.

He knows the he needs help. This is the first time that he wanted to be rushed in the hospital. The pain is almost unbearable, he is writhing on the floor.

He stumbles on the floor. Feeling the darkness creeping through him. He dialed Taehyung's number but Taehyung's phone is off. And before he could dial Yoongi's number, he lost his consciousness.

BUZZ

Jin woke up by the sound of the doorbell. He looks at the window and it's already morning. He realized that he's lying on the floor.

He stands up immediately to get the door. He's feeling weak but better. His sleep somehow eases the pain. Fortunately, Soobin is still sleeping soundly in his crib.

"I'm sorry Jin, I'm late. I need to finish a job." Yoongi said with a paper bag in his hand. He looks at Jin who just gave him a weak smile "Are you okay? You looked terrible."

Jin nods while closing the door. "I will see my doctor today. Maybe you can babysit Soobin while I'm away."

Yoongi did not answer, instead, he stared at Jin. Studying how he looks like. "What happened? Why did Taehyung ask me to go here?"

"Jungkook is Taehyung's brother."

Yoongi's mouth fell open upon hearing what Jin has just said. Jin tells everything that happened last night. What he felt upon seeing the father of his child after a long time. And how he admitted everything to Taehyung.

"Oh my God. So Taehyung got angry? That must be painful for him."

Jin's face has no reaction at all. He is impossibly calm. "I don't know if he's angry but I know he's really hurt. I can't blame him."

"You know what? Appa said I deserved to be happy. Now I wonder why all of these are happening. I thought I already found my happiness but I'm wrong. Things just keep on getting complicated that I doubt if I can still find the happiness I'm looking for."

"Taehyung saved me from all my fears. I feel so safe and protected with him. He invested too much for us. He accepted Soobin even if he doesn't belong to him. He accepted and loved me for who I am. He never doubted his love for me. What more can I ask for? But all I can give him are disappointments. I let him carry my burdens and I just added more."

"He doesn't deserve any of these, Yoongi. He doesn't deserve to feel pain or anguish or fear. He is too pure to be hurting like that. He doesn't deserve someone like me."

Yoongi sighs. "Jin, I understand you but you should not blame yourself. You don't like it too. Just trust Taehyung, okay?"

Jin trusts Taehyung. He will not come to him if he have doubts.

"What about Mr. Jeon? I think he deserves Soobin too. Besides, he's just a victim of his mother. He also looked for you but his mother sabotaged him. He almost killed his mom when he learned about it."

"He almost what?" Jin looks shocked hearing that Jungkook almost killed his mom.

"Jin, I also feel guilty. Even more now. I wonder if I told Jungkook the truth early on, I think this will not be the outcome now. It's not that I don't like Taehyung for you but I think it's unfair for Jungkook that you're angry at him for no reason at all."

But Jin has other things in mind. Something that he thinks will be better for the three of them. "I will see Jungkook today. Can you message him and tell him that I'm going to come to his office?"

****

Feeling a little determined today, Jin decided to meet Jungkook to his apartment as Jungkook did not come to office today.

But before his meet up, he went to his doctor to find out the result of his tests. He's secretly meeting up with a doctor, leaving Soobin to Yoongi in case he has his check-up.

The assistant called him to come inside the clinic and he's starting to get nervous. He knows he's not well. He can feel that he's getting weaker and weaker every day. He has difficulty breathing at times and food doesn't taste the same anymore.

The doctor is holding the results. "Jin, I'm sorry but the results are not good. I know even if you don't tell me that you're experiencing pains and discomfort lately. I saw it in your tests. Your cancer is so rare and aggressive. It's in your lungs and liver now. It has metastasized and it's no good."

"This type of cancer is inoperable and it will be up to you if you still want to undergo treatments to manage your symptoms. This cancer is not curable but don't lose hope. You need to be strong."

Jin did not wail but a tear fell from his eyes. Thinking about his son. "Doc, h-how... How long? My son is just three weeks old."

The doctor holds his hand. "Maybe weeks to a month. But Jin, it can be longer."

"If I undergo treatments after I gave birth, is there a possibility to cure this?" Jin asked. He sometimes regrets that he did not take the treatments early on.

"Jin, your cancer cannot be detected early on. This type usually gives the symptoms on the end-stage. The treatments have no guarantee. It is usually given not to cure but to alleviates the symptoms. Jin, I'm really really sorry."