RIEUL

"Jungkook?"

I drag myself into the small house, massaging my shoulders and trying to press down the dull ache in my back. All I want is to fall asleep, but I have to check if Jungkook ate.

A loud clatter echoes.

I smile softly when Jungkook comes running, a children's book tucked in one arm and a drawing in the other. He comes so fast I have to remind him to slow down again.

"Kook, what did I say to do when you're excited?"

He taps his chest proudly, giving me a sheepish smile as he clumsily stops his feet.

"Take deep breaths— take deep breaths, and always make sure not to run!"

I tilt my head, nodding. "And why?"

"Because I can get hurt!"

"That's right." I say, slipping my shoes off of my sore feet. "So what have you been doing? Did you eat already?"

He starts bouncing on his heels, and I close the door behind me as he shakes the drawing in front of my face.

"Look, Noona, look! I drew a picture from here— it's supposed to be, supposed to be a tiger. What do you think!"

I whistle, examining the messily colored drawing of the animal. The paper's crumpled around the edges, from him holding it so tight.

"Jungkook, you've gotten so much better."

He smiles childishly, and bows his head in a shy expression. It makes me laugh, and I wipe at his crayon-streaked cheeks in one hand, patting at his soft brown hair with the other.

"Good job."

"Noona." He suddenly pipes up, blinking. "Do you think that he'll think it's good too? Kim Taehyung-ssi?"

I smile. Jungkook loved this painter's work, loved it so much he'd covered the  walls with his art. This painter, who went by the name V.

"I'm sure he'd love it."

Jungkook grins. Then he skips back inside, humming under his breath with his soft voice. And then I snap my head back up, remembering that he hadn't answered me still.

"Wait— Kook! Did you remember to eat the meal I set out for you on the table?"

He yells back a yes.

"Alright then." I say as I clap my hands together, putting my jacket on the back of a chair. "Then you know what time it is. Time to go to sleep."

Jungkook groans. But I smile when he reluctantly lets go of the crayons, putting them down on the desk. And then he obediently goes to lie down on the blanket I'd set out for him.

I turn the lights off, too exhausted to do anything else.

As I lie down on the blankets next to him, I watch Jungkook with blurring eyes as he waves his arms in the air. He's drawing circles with his fingertips, before switching to squares.

"Noona?"

My eyes snap open. I hadn't realized I'd even closed them, my arms and legs all feeling so heavy.

"Yeah?"

"Did you know that the world's first speeding ticket was issued in 1902?" He says, and I turn my head to look at him. His eyes are glassy with the moonlight, sparkling at the ceiling.

"And that 60 million cars are produced every single year?"

I laugh quietly, forcing my hand out underneath the blanket and smoothing down his hair.

"Of course I didn't know that." I say, winking at him as he smiles bashfully. "But I knew you would. Do you have anything you want for your birthday tomorrow?"

I already expect the first part of his answer.

"Toy car set!" He says, clapping his hand together. "The one that they sell at the store outside. It has all these brands, and some of the cars run by themselves! Can you believe that, Noona?"

"We can buy that first thing." I say, but then he suddenly swallows.

"And— and I also want Taehyung-ssi's autograph. I really, I really want that."

My eyes go wide.

"Jungkook....."

"I know." He whimpers, and my heart stings when he grips the edge of the blanket and flips it over his head. "I know, Noona. I-It's really fine, I promise. I just— I just really want that."

Swallowing, I tuck his curled up figure into my arms.

"I'm sorry."

He just shakes his head, and falls silent. I can tell he's crying a little underneath the covers, with his body trembling slightly in my arms.

His voice comes hushed and small.

"Don't worry."

"Jungkook's fine, Noona."

_________________________

"Kim Taehyung. He's coming here today to do a live painting for the patients."

I nearly drop my coffee.

Instantly jumping to my feet, I find the person who'd said that— at the other side of the table. And then I get up so fast I almost trip over myself.

"Excuse me." I huff, eyes wide. "I'm so sorry, but can you please repeat that? Who's coming today?"

The nurse looks up at me.

"Kim Taehyung." She says, and I lose my breath. "Do you know that famous painter? He's coming here today, for a live painting session. For the patients."

Today.

Kim Taehyung.

The first thing that I think of is how happy Jungkook would be, when I came back home with his autograph in my hands. And I could already see it, the wide smile on his cute pink lips.

The nurse looks a bit taken aback when I say thank you to her multiple times in a row.

"Rieul!"

I straighten up the moment I hear my name, turning towards a caregiver. She waves wildly at me, and I rush to her with my expression surprised.

"There's a patient." She huffs, pointing at the end of the hall. "She's panicking, and I don't know how to handle it. It's worse than last time."

Patient— from last time?

I quickly remember. The middle-aged woman with dementia.

With the nurse on my trail, I quickly run down the hallway, careful not to let other patients see us running. It could agitate them if they did.

"Finally!" Yoongi sighs in relief when I run through the doorway. He's obviously been trying his best, with a blanket clutched in one hand and the IV fluid in the other.

And there she is.

I quickly take her hands in mine, rubbing soft circles on the palms. And then I start talking in a warm, semi-low voice.

"Breathe, miss. Everything will be fine. Just breathe three times. Deeply."

I nod along when she starts mumbling, words I can't understand flowing out of her lips. And then I pat her back, still rubbing her palm.

"Shh. It's going to be alright. Now one hand on your stomach, one hand on your chest...."

"Breathe in and out. One, two, three."

I give her a gentle smile when she finally calms down, her hand clutching mine so tight the skin is all pale.

"Everything's going to be fine."

I look at Yoongi, tilting my head at the blanket he has in one arm. He quickly nods, unfolding the material and covering her lower waist and legs.

"Tea." I mouth, pointing at the already prepared cup on the countertop. "Give me the tea. I think she's going to go to sleep."

When he passes the mug into my hands, I tenderly bring it to the woman's mouth and let her take little sips. Her eyelids are soon drooping.

After that, it's all easy. I swiftly tuck the blankets up to her neck, adjusting the pillow under her head and finally slipping my hand out of hers.

I'd done it countless times with Jungkook.

Yoongi looks at me in awe when I close the door, leaving her to sleep in the quiet of the room.

"Damn." He whistles, and I just laugh when he looks at me in admiration. "Every time I see it, I just can't believe my eyes. You have this gift or something for calming people down, Rieul. I swear."

I shake my head.

"It's not— you know my little brother. I've just had a lot of practice with him."

He snorts. "Practice doesn't always make perfect, Ri. Just believe me when I say I actually think you have a talent for this kind of stuff."

Then he's called, and I'm left alone in the middle of the empty hall.

I pull out my phone, tapping in Jimin's number.

"Hey, nurse. Calling me this early in the morning?"

I laugh. "Jimin. With all this time, you'd finally think that you'd actually know my schedule. I'm in the hospital, and it's—"

"Jungkookie's birthday." He finishes, and I hear a loud gasp suddenly cut through on the line.

"You left Kookie alone on his birthday? Jeon Rieul, he's going to wake up and find that no one's in the house—"

And I start the cue to beg.

"Jimin, that's why. I know all that, I really do. I just thought I'd work the dawn shift today and come back so I can celebrate his birthday with him, but—"

"Kim Taehyung's going to be here. I just heard."

The line goes completely silent, before it crackles back to life.

"The Kim Taehyung? That painter Jungkook's obsessed with?"

"Yes, that painter." I say, and Jimin sucks in a sharp breath. "I have to get his autograph. So can you please, please stay with Jungkook until I get that?"

He doesn't answer.

"Jimin?"

"Of course I will." He says, and I breathe out in relief when I hear the sound of him climbing down from his bed. "I can't let Jungkook wake up to see him all by himself. He's going to panic."

I sigh.

"Thanks, Chim."

"No worries, partner." He murmurs, but then I bite my lip when his voice gets narrow. "But a dawn shift? Don't you come back at like one in the morning?"

Concern laces his voice.

"You're overworking yourself."

I laugh, taking another long sip from my coffee. "Jimin, I'm fine. Just keep Kook company for me. I'll be back as soon as I can with the autograph."