When they finally reached their destination after what felt like hours, Jeongguk took no time to jump out of the car onto the white concrete that led inside. The hospital was huge from the outside, with windows everywhere and multiple stories extending towards the sky, and the same feeling continued to the inside. The building was cold, white, and the sickeningly sweet scent of death and antiseptic wafted into his nostrils.

"Can I help you, sir?" a receptionist asked from a desk not far from where Jeongguk was standing. He found it in him to compose himself and nodded, stepping towards the desk.

"Yes, I'd like to know where my friend is," he said. "His name is Kim Taehyung."

The receptionist looked away with a smile and typed something into her computer quickly, her eyes then scanning the screen. "He's on the second floor, room 2231. Will you be able to find that okay?"

Jeongguk bowed, forcing a hollow smile onto his face. "Yes. Thank you for your help."

He then headed towards the large staircase located behind the receptionists desk, assuming it would be faster than the elevator in this instance. He took the steps two at a time, reaching the second floor in less than 10 seconds. Simple signs decorated the walls, some hanging from the ceiling, all directing him as to where to go.

After taking a left, Jeongguk walked down a white hallway, his nose full of the scent of antiseptic. He fought the nausea that was rising in his chest and continued to walk. Doctors and nurses occupied the hallway, chatting about stuff Jeongguk didn't understand. Eventually, he reached room 2231.

Jeongguk stared at the door, not sure what to do now. It would be rude to just go in, he thought, but he'd have to wait for someone to let him in otherwise. He decided to knock.

After a quick rap of his tattooed knuckles on the door, he heard someone move inside, and a hushed voice said something. The door opened slightly, and a person Jeongguk had never seen before was standing there.

"Are you Junglebook?" he asked. A small voice said something from behind him, and he shook his head. "Jeongguk, sorry. I haven't slept in awhile."

Jeongguk smiled at the person, who was shorter than him by a few inches. His gaze flicked behind the person, but Taehyung wasn't visible from where he stood.

"Don't worry about it. Can I see him?"

The person, who Jeongguk now realized was probably the Jimin he had spoken to on the phone, looked behind him. "Jeongguk is here to see you," he said quietly. "Do you want to see him?"

The reply came, and Jimin nodded. "Okay, he wants me to talk to you first."

Jeongguk stepped back, allowing Jimin to enter the hallway, and the door clicked shut softly behind him. "I'm Jimin, Taehyung's best friend," he said.

Jeongguk nodded. "I'm Jeongguk, but you knew that," the younger said. Jimin smiled at him briefly.

"Yep, Taehyung never shuts up about you," he chuckled to himself, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. They remained dark and hollow. Jeongguk couldn't help but feel a flutter deep in his stomach at Jimin's words, but he ignored it.

"I guess you're wondering what happened?" Jimin asked. "Well, unfortunately, we don't really know. Taehyung was getting groceries late last night, and on his way home, some thugs jumped him. They beat him up pretty good, and we're still waiting on the results of his x-rays to see if he broke anything," Jimin said flatly.

While the older talked, Jeongguk had time to get a good look at him. His ashy blonde hair was a tangle of locks, uncombed and obviously not washed for a few days. His eyes, however, were intriguing—they weren't the usual almond shape Jeongguk was used to seeing. They were rimmed with red, and there seemed to be no emotions in them. However, his best feature was his lips. The cupid's bow was almost non-existent, the rounded tops of his lips blossoming into a circle-like structure. Jeongguk had almost forgotten to listen to the words leaving the lips.

"Do you know who did it, then?" Jeongguk asked, having forced himself to pay attention.

Jimin shook his head. "He was outside his apartment building, so they either knew who he was or they just wanted to get some vegetables for free. The police have been in to talk to him, but he can't remember anything without freaking out."

Jeongguk felt a pang of pity hit him. "How bad are his injuries?"

"You can see for yourself," Jimin replied, his voice tired and strained. He gestured to the door, Jeongguk allowing the older the glide past him and open the door.

Jeongguk stepped inside the room behind Jimin, and it was worse than he had feared. Taehyung's usually bright and beautiful face was covered in bruises and cuts, his eyelids swollen and dark.

Jeongguk felt a rush of emotions that he hadn't felt since he had first met Yoongi, seeing his older friend come home looking just like this.

"Tae-ah?" Jeongguk said so softly that he barely heard his own voice. Taehyung stirred, and his eyes opened to reveal the same eyes that Jeongguk had come to love since they met four months ago. The usual life they contained was dimmed, but Jeongguk could see that they illuminated when they rested on his face.

"Hi, Ggukie," Taehyung said. His voice was mostly the same, but with a slight rasp to it now. "Sorry you have to see me like this."

"Don't apologize," Jeongguk chuckled, and he felt a wave of relief wash over him, cleansing him of most negative emotions he felt when he stepped into the room moments ago. "Unless you're really talented and did this to yourself, there's nothing you could've done to stop this."

Taehyung beckoned Jeongguk to come sit in the chair next to his bed. "Can we have some privacy?"

Jimin shot Taehyung a questioning but understanding look, and he and a nurse exited the room.

Taehyung let out a sigh of relief, cracking a smile. "Do you know how weird it is to try and sleep when there's a bunch of random people coming in and out of here?" he said lightheartedly. "I've never had a harder time sleeping."

Jeongguk forced a smile onto his face. "That and you're covered in bruises," he said, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice despite his efforts.

Taehyung's smile wavered, and it turned to a frown. "That too, I guess. I'm sorry we won't be able to study today."

Jeongguk shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you're apologizing about us losing our study date."

"What am I supposed to do then?" Taehyung demanded, frowning. "All I can do is sit here and take pity from everyone around me."

Jeongguk, in a surge of emotions, grabbed his friend's hand and held it in his own. It was shockingly cold, the fingers long and slender. Taehyung searched Jeongguk's eyes.

"What are you doing?" Taehyung asked softly.

"I don't know," Jeongguk replied, looking down at their now intertwined fingers. "I was so worried... and you're kinda okay." Tears blurred Jeongguk's vision, and he blinked furiously to get rid of them. He wasn't the type to cry, and he hated it when he did, especially around other people.

"I'm alive," Taehyung said. "That's always a good thing, if you ask me."

Jeongguk laughed, this time genuinely, and looked up at Taehyung. "Yeah, I'd say so." He squeezed Taehyung's hand, closing his eyes momentarily, a small tear trickling down his cheek. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Taehyung smiled and squeezed his hand back. "Me too." He then cleared his throat. "Well, this took a horribly depressing turn. Can we talk about something else?"

Jeongguk wiped his face quickly with his free hand and nodded. "Do you wanna hear about a crazy client I had yesterday?"

Taehyung nodded, and Jeongguk launched into his story.

When Jeongguk left the hospital hours later, his heart was much happier than it had been earlier, and his mind was at peace. Taehyung was exactly the same inside—besides a few broken ribs and a broken leg—and his smile was still heartwarming.

Yet again, Jeongguk had decided to walk home, partly because he'd hope to show whoever hurt Taehyung what happened when you messed with someone Jeongguk cared about.

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