SEVEN DAYS

prologue

the bright sunlight peeked through the thin curtains, shining its warm rays onto jimin's bare legs. his limbs were entangled with his boyfriend's, and somehow during the night they'd ended up on top of the blankets. jimin turned his head to the side and glanced over at jungkook, who was fast asleep with his lips parted. soft snores escaped his mouth, which most people would find annoying but it was just one of the many things jimin loved about jungkook.

sighing, jimin stretched as much as he could without disturbing jungkook. but that plan quickly went out the window when his phone began ringing obnoxiously loud from its place on the night table. jimin reached for the device, seeing on the display that it was his doctor calling. jimin frowned. what could the doctor want? reluctantly he answered the call.

"hello?"

"ah, hello, mr. park! it's doctor lee. i hope i didn't wake you?" the friendly doctor said.

jimin smiled, even though the doctor couldn't see him. "oh, please, sir, call me jimin. and no, i've been up for a bit," he told him. "can i ask why you're calling?"

the doctor sighed. "mr. par–jimin, it's er, about those tests we ran a few weeks ago."

for a moment jimin was lost, but then he recalled: he'd gone to the doctor after having severe chest pains for a week straight. "oh, yes! what about them? did you find anything?" jimin asked hopefully. he just wanted to be prescribed some medication so the horrible pains would go away.

again the doctor exhaled. "um, jimin, are you sitting down?"

"y-yes, why?" jimin bit his lip, chewing on it anxiously.

"i'm very sorry, but i don't have good news to give you," began the doctor carefully.

beside him, jungkook stirred in his sleep, stretching lightly and making a quiet whimpering sound when he did not feel jimin beside him. jimin extended his hand, taking jungkook's in his palm and squeezing lightly.
the younger smiled contentedly and settled back into his slumber.

"jimin, i'm afraid you have terminal lung cancer. there's nothing we can do, it's much too advanced. the only option at this point would normally be a donor, but i don't think we'd be able to get one in time. healthy lungs are very in demand right now."

"o-oh." was all jimin could say.

"we don't estimate you have much more than a week left. i'm so sorry we weren't able to detect it sooner. lung cancer is tricky like that."

jimin couldn't feel anything. around him, time seemed to slow. the soft ticking of the bedside clock got louder, ringing in his ears. his grip on his phone slackened, and the cell slipped through his fingers, falling into his lap.

a week?

"jimin? are you okay?" the doctor asked worriedly. jimin didn't answer, he couldn't move his lips to form words. slowly he slid off the bed and fell with a 'thud' onto the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest.

he had only seven days to live.

suddenly an arm pulled him back, close to a warm chest, and jimin shakily breathed in the familiar scent of jungkook. "jimin, why are you crying?" his voice was rough from sleep, and laced with concern.

jimin hadn't even realized he'd started crying. but for some reason, overwhelming emotion bubbled up from somewhere inside of him and he promptly burst into sobs, burying his head in the crook of jungkook's shoulder. the younger held tightly onto his boyfriend, rubbing his bare back soothingly. he had no idea why jimin was so upset, but he wanted to comfort him. "shh, shh, i'm here."

"jimin? are you still there?" the doctors worried voice could still be heard through the phone, that had been tossed onto the bed when jimin had fallen to the floor. jungkook picked it up and handed it to jimin, who took it without words. "jimin?"

jungkook watched as jimin took a shaky breath, putting the phone to his ear. "i...i'm here, doctor lee. sorry i-i was in shock." jimin replied in a small voice. jungkook continued to run his fingers down his boyfriend's arm soothingly.

jimin listened for a minute, nodding although the doctor couldn't see him. "yes. yes, i...i understand." jimin looked pained, and briefly looked up into jungkook's eyes. they shined with fresh tears, and jungkook wiped under jimin's eyes with the pads of his thumbs.

"o-okay, sir. i'll see you then." jimin said before hanging up and staring at the phone in his hand.

they sat together in silence for what felt like hours, jungkook lovingly rubbing circles on jimin's bare back. neither exchanged words, although jungkook was burning with questions. but, sensing jimin needed time to process and calm down, he waited.

his answer came a while later, when jimin had finally stopped
crying and he grasped onto his boyfriend's hand. "jungkook, i-i only have a week left to live." jimin said quietly.

hearing those words, it felt like jungkook was being stabbed in the gut with a dull knife. when jungkook didn't say anything, jimin began to tear up, afraid he'd upset his boyfriend. now crying again, he reached up and held the side of jungkook's face with his soft hand.

jungkook broke out of his trance, gazing at jimin and trying not to cry. he had to be strong for his love. jimin needed him right now. the younger male wrapped his arms around jimin, pulling him back into his chest and resting his head on his shoulder. "oh, jimin. oh, jimin."

jungkook had seven days and seven nights to be with the boy he loved. and damn him if he wasn't going to make the best of it.