January 2019

"What are we going to tell the fans, PDnim?", one of the managers urges the man standing outside the hospital room.

"She's in a coma. What are we supposed to tell them?", he replies exhaustedly.

"They think she's dead. We need something to calm them down."

"We don't know if she's ever going to wake up. Maybe it's better if they assume the worst", he responds defeatedly.

"But we have to release some sort of statement..."

"Aish, I know!", Bang PD gets agitated, his worry about the girl overcoming him, "I'm sorry, let's just talk to Taehyung first. Right now he's not in a state he can work in. Even the other boys are having a hard time."

The manager follows the man into the dim room, congregating behind him at foot of the patient's bed. Bang PD stares sadly at the couple in front of him. The couple who's always caused him so much trouble, but has always painted a rare smile on his face at the end of the day. They now lie broken in front of him and he doesn't know how to respond.

"Taehyung", he says deeply, causing the boy to turn his way in his chair, "You have to come back to the dorms sometime."

"I can't...", he croaks in a hoarse voice, "What about her?"

"I know she means everything to you, but you still have a life to live. A career to handle. This is hard to hear, but you can't just sit here and wait for a girl who may never wake up", he gives him tough love, the only way he knows how to handle situations like these.

Taehyung just stares back at Bang PD with a horrified expression. To him, there's no way he could ever do anything again if Moonhae doesn't wake up. The fact that he referred to her as just a girl turns his stomach over.

"Get out", a dark voice suddenly sounds out in the doorway.

They turn to see Yoongi standing there, his face painted in agitation.

"How can you talk like that?", he has his eyes narrowed at Bang PD, "Like she doesn't have a meaning in the world. Get out."

The elder lowers his head, slightly in shame, but mostly in sorrow, sighing loudly at Yoongi's words. He knows how much the boys are hurting and that he's not helping the process of healing.

"Please come back to the dorms soon", he pleads one last time before simply exiting with the other manager closely behind him.

Yoongi immediately draws closer to Taehyung, his face now falling apologetically, yet still upset.

"Don't ever let anyone talk about her that way", he tells the boy sitting solemnly in front of him, "I don't care if it's the man you owe everything to. She's not just a girl."

Taehyung suddenly grabs the brunette, wrapping his arms around him tightly. Yoongi breathes in sharply at first, but gradually relaxes into his friend's longing hold, knowing he needs the comfort. The younger is ever so grateful that his hyung voiced what he couldn't at the moment. The understanding is more than enough for him right now.

"Oh my god! I heard the horrible news! Is she going to be alright?", Jiyoo bounces into the dance studio and rushes towards the boys standing around lifelessly.

Jungkook avoids her eyes as his jaw clenches. The others can only sigh and tell her they're not sure what will happen.

"Kookie, I feel so terrible about everything! All of you must be miserable. Aw, Kookie, you're really upset", she steps towards her boyfriend.

When she starts putting her arms around the boy, however, he suddenly pushes her away angrily.

"You have no idea, Jiyoo! You have no fucking idea!", he yells at her surprised form, "You could never ever understand!"

"Kookie-", she squeaks.

"Stop! Don't fucking call me that", his eyes glaze over in the bright studio lights.

"Ay, Jungkook, calm it, will you?", Namjoon steps between the two, "It's not her fault that all of this is happening. Don't take it out on her."

The short girl starts whimpering and crying into the palm of her hand that she holds in front of her face protectively.

"Jungkook, seriously...", Hoseok says uncomfortably as the boy doesn't seem to respond or care at all.

When he finally does speak, he doesn't even give her a second glance, "Jiyoo, I think you should just go."

The members exhale sharply, upset with the way he's treating her, but too emotionally stressed to do anything about it. Jiyoo immediately storms out of the room with tears streaming down her face and once the door shuts, Jungkook sinks against one of the walls exhaustedly.

"Jiyoo! Aish...", Namjoon glances around nervously at the others before letting out an exasperated sigh and hurrying out of the room after the girl.

"Jungkook-", Jin is about to give him a half-hearted lecture and the youngest already anticipates it.

"I don't want to hear it", he cuts him off, "I don't care. I just don't care."

It's almost the end of January and Taehyung still sits at Moonhae's bedside. The soft beeping of her heart rate monitor has become a part of the sounds buzzing in his mind and he's starting to lose feeling in his arm again as he keeps clutching her hand so tightly. Maybe if he holds on tight enough, he can pull her out of whatever misery she's in right now.

The sunset's rays shine down on her porcelain skin, letting him know that another agonizing day is slowly coming to an end.

Although he's been completely blank and dry of tears in the last few days, the whole scene suddenly just gets to him. Choking up on his own breath, tears start wetting his cheeks once again. He leans his sobbing figure down against the frail hand he's holding, feeling her skin against his.

"Moonhae...", he cries out softly, all of his insides aching.

"Moonhae, please come back to me", he squeezes his eyes shut as he begs to her out loud, "I can't live without you. You know I could never live without you... Without that beautiful smile of yours. Without your warm touch. Without knowing you'll be by my side no matter what."

"How will I ever be able to sleep again?", he smiles painfully against her palm, "Who will be there for me? Who will comfort me into sleep? You know I can't do without you. I'm useless..."

His tears begin to dry as his sobs grow into sniffles, but the aches in his heart just seem to grow.

"You can't leave me now. Not when we just fell in love", he whispers finally, "Not when... Not when I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."

It seems like hours that he rests his head against her palm and he slowly begins to doze off. The room darkens further and further as the sun has gone down, but he can't seem to find the energy to switch the lights on.

Drifting in and out of his restless dream world, he suddenly feels movement against his cheek. It's gone so quick he must've imagined it in his sleepy state. Nevertheless, he flips his head up to gaze at the figure lying in front of him. Utterly serene she still sleeps there. Nothing has changed.

Until those eyelids slowly twitch and ever so slightly open themselves in the dark.

Taehyung jumps up in shock, not being able to trust his own eyes. He draws closer to her, leaning over her bed he can tell for sure that those eyes are open. Open narrowly and blurry in confusion.

"Moonhae!", the tears that had come and gone so often in the past week have returned once again as he gasps out her name.

"Taehyung...", by some miracle a barely audible hoarse voice comes from her mouth.

 "I can't feel anything", her eyes display definite discomfort and genuine fear when she forces those words out.

"Y-you can't...?", he quickly fumbles for the emergency button on the side of the bed to alert the doctors, something that completely escaped his mind when she just awoke.

Not even a few seconds later, three nurses and a doctor storm into the room to assess the situation. When they see the girl awake, they immediately rush to give her medical attention.

"When did she wake up?", the doctor questions Taehyung sharply.

"It was just a minute ago", he glances at him nervously.

The doctor turns back towards Moonhae, stepping between the nurses and speaking softly to her, "Ms. Choe, it may be difficult to comprehend right now, but you've just woken up from a coma. What you may be experiencing is paralysis."

She doesn't respond with her voice, but her eyes display how alarmed she is at what she's being told.

"Temporary paralysis?", Taehyung cuts in hopefully.

"I don't know", the doctor says quietly to him, "The likelihood that she may never regain any feeling below her neck is very high."

"B-but I saw her hand move!", he bursts out.

"I don't think that-", he retorts before Moonhae's broken voice interrupts him.

"Taehyung", she starts tearing up, her eyes darting back and forth as she repeats her concerns, "I can't feel anything."

The heart rate monitor beeps loudly, indicating her heart rate has surpassed a healthy level, the stress getting to her.

"Hey, hey", Taehyung jumps to her side, gently taking her hand into his, "It's okay, Moonhae. Everything will be alright."

"Give her something to calm down", the doctor conveys to the nurses, who immediately step forward and give her a shot.

"You're going to be alright", Taehyung whispers more to himself than anyone when she begins to drift off.

Holding onto her hand as tightly as he ever can, her eyelids grow heavy and her face slowly relaxes. This time it's not his imagination when her pinky finger moves along his palm.

"Taehyung...", she barely breathes out hazily, "I can feel you..."