Nyctophilia // A Taekook Story

F O R T Y - S I X

Warning: mentions of drug abuse and mental illnesses

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Time seemed to slow for the three men sitting on plastic chairs in the pristine hospital, where people in tidy, white suits glided around in a frantic yet controlled manner. 

Yoongi wouldn't stop shaking, his veiny, pale hands shivering even as heat surged through out the hallways. Jungkook was sitting to the left of the blonde, stroking his back as gently as he could and occasionally glancing over to check up on Taehyung. The brunette couldn't take his eyes off his hyung's face, which fluctuated between hope and hopelessness at the rate of a hummingbird's beating wings.

Taehyung squeezed Yoongi's hand again, trying not to bite his lips when the blonde looked at him for comfort. Stay strong, Taehyung. Don't let him worry anymore than he already has.

"Min Yoongi? Is there a Min Yoongi here?" a soft voice twinkled through the almost-empty hall.

Yoongi shot up like a rocket at his name, his eyebrows creasing as he looked at the lady calling his name. "Yes, that's me. Is Hoseok alright? We tried asking the doctors, but everyone was too busy to answer. Is he okay? What happened? Why is he here in he first place?"

"Mr. Min. Please," the lady—Sung Aera, her name tag read—mumbled quietly. Her maple-brown eyes were filled with sympathy, but there were flecks of uneasiness floating in her light irises. "I know what happened to Mr. Jung was very shocking and untimely, but I cannot tell you anything if you are going to panic."

Yoongi glared his dark eyes straight at the lady, stepping forward and watching as Aera swallowed. He growled softly, "What the fuck do you expect me to do? Nobody's told about his situation or why he's even here in the first place? Nobody has any fucking right to tell me not to panic."

Aera stepped back cautiously, tucking a strand of her hair behind her pinkish ear. Her locks curled at her waist, and they were a oak-brown from her scalp before fading into a lighter brown the same shade as her eyes.

Taehyung bit his lip, debating whether to react or not. In the end, he stepped out, placing a hesitant hand on Yoongi's shoulder and whispering, "Hyung, why don't you go sit down. You already look tired; I'll handle this, okay?"

The blonde paused like he was pondering Taehyung's words, but he sighed softly and slumped back in his chair before shooting Aera a nasty scowl.

The brunette smiled tightly and made eye contact with the woman in front of him. "Miss Aera, I apologize for my hyung's outburst. Hoseok Hyung is just very important to us, and we weren't told anything, so he got a bit worried."

Aera seemed to loosen her stiff posture a little, smiling lightly at Taehyung's gentle words. "I completely understand, and I am incredibly sorry that we haven't been able to update you on Mr. Jung's situation." Her smile disappeared. "His situation was very serious, and most of our staff has already left, so the rest of us have been running around trying to get everything under control."

A sour, dry taste—like one that coats the tongue after a long night of sleeping with a open mouth—spread like a virus in from Taehyung's mouth to every nook and cranny of his body. His organs seemed to tremble at the thought, his situation was very serious.

"Is-is he okay, now?" the brunette stammered, the pit of his stomach hollowing.

Aera pursed and unpursed her lips. "It's... hard to say. We're still running tests, but he's in a much more stable condition than he was earlier."

"Why is here in the first place?" Jungkook asked coldly, his deep voice sending chills through the tranquil hospital.

The three men stared at Aera, waiting for her answer. "He overdosed on drugs—pills, to be exact."