for those who waited patiently and are still curious about the ending. thank you.

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CHAPTER 27
All Apologies (1)

"And he wants to talk to you," Namjoon's voice echoed around the almost empty emergency room. He pointed his thumb right at the direction where Jungkook stayed. "He wants to tell you something important."  

Taehyung stood up from the couch he was sitting on and released a sigh.

"I'll be back, Jin hyung."

Upon reaching the curtain that was located at the edge of the emergency room. Taehyung wanted to run to Jungkook but he surpassed the feeling. He had to remain calm and try his best to understand the situation.

"I guess I'm right, you and your friends know something that I don't know. And you've been keeping it from me all this time," Taehyung said, walking closer to the bed where Jungkook's body that was just completely fine a few hours ago. "I'm right, aren't I?"

Jungkook stood up slowly and removed the respirator what was strapped to his mouth. He looked down on his feet as he inhaled and exhaled deeply before speaking.

"You're right," Jungkook said, still lowering his head in shame. "I told you you were my family and yet I kept this very important secret from you."

"Are you sure you want to remove that?" Taehyung asked, pertaining to the respirator Jungkook just removed. "You still haven't told me anything but I guess I have a slight idea on what is going on."

The younger smiled and patted the spot next to him on the bed. "Just for a few minutes. I have something to tell you, sit here."

Taehyung followed his instructions. He carefully sat on the bed to not make it move.

"Hit me or give me an angry glare all you want but please, stay as I tell you everything. Don't walk out or anything."

Taehyung knew to himself that he won't do anything as he listened, but he should probably brace himself for what he's about to hear.

"As you probably can guess," Jungkook clutched the bed sheets while thinking the proper words to say. "I have this terminal sickness and I don't know how long am I going to live. As yoy parents aren't living abroad, they left me when I was young because they can't pay for my expensive treatments." He laughs, "Such a sob story, I know."

"...can't you get cured now? I can help finding the best doctors for you, I'm sure even your friends would help too. Sorry for mentioning him, but Jimin has connections with other people. I'm sure in no time--"

"It's no use. For someone like me, you're would only be wasting money."

"J-Jungkook..."

The younger held Taehyung's hands and softly squeezed them. "I was attached to my peers on my previous school so knowing that I might leave them anytime soon, I transferred to this new academy, where I met you and everyone else. I promised to myself I wouldn't get attached to anybody, but I deceived myself."

"..."

"I met you. At first, I planned to just 'play along' with you and treat you as a fling. You know, just so I can experience one more relationship before I die."

Taehyung's hands trembled, his tears were already falling from the corners of his eyes. "Don't tell it as if you're dying. D-Don't believe as if it might really happen."

"Okay, I won't," Jungkook smiled sadly and held the other's cheek momentarily before he continued. "I'm sure you thought popularity was the reason why I changed. That was a factor, but that isn't it completely. I met those guys, Hoseok hyung, Yoongi hyung and Namjoon hyung. It was fun at first. I had the best set of friends, and I had you as my family and lover that was always for me. But then I realized one thing. What if I left all of you? It would be hard for me, and it would also be painful to the people I would be leaving,"

"My original plan was to stay distant from you and them. Though one day, while I was hanging out with them, I passed out. They all admitted that they thought it was just from the summer heat, but then when I woke up in the hospital, it looks like the doctor told them everything about my condition. Because of that, I trusted them to take care of me whenever I faint or I need medical attention. It's not like I don't trust you, Taehyung but... thinking of it this way, them knowing instead of you, you'll be less burdened."

"You could've told me everything from the beginning and I would understand," Taehyung raised his voice a little, to make his point. "That way, you didn't have to make me feel so horrible from making it look like you're the bad guy."

"I really am the bad guy, Taehyung," Jungkook retorted. "Bluntly, I wanted to let go of you. That's why I acted to hostile, I didn't want you to miss me when I'm gone. I want you to hate me to the extent when you hear about the news, you'll be saying 'this jerk deserved it'."

Both of them were sobbing silently. Perhaps those who waited outside knew what was going on, but they stayed quiet, thanking that there aren't as many patients in the emergency room as they thought.

"Though I felt jealous at times so I did what I did. And I'm sorry because that confused your feelings even more. Plus I also did everything my friends told me to do, I just thought that if I didn't, they'll leave me. But in the end, it turns out I was the one underestimating our friendship."

Taehyung was speechless. He knew he was just invited to listen, though this was too much for him to digest all at once. That being said, he also knew that the younger was waiting for his response. "Now that you told me all of these... Jungkook, do you want forgiveness? I know I already told you this but I'll always stay by your side, I forgive you. Let's just go back to our happy relationship as we find a cure for you. That's good, right?"

Jungkook slowly shook his head from side to side and looked directly to Taehyung's eyes. "I already told you, you would just be wasting your money and time. I actually called you here for another reason, I have a request to make."

"What is it?"

"Please find someone better. Jimin's a good choice, since he made you happy countless times already. I won't interfere this time."

"W-What? No, you can't just say that!"

"I know you want to talk but maybe later!"

"Please don't stop me, I have to say it now."

"Eunbi you can't just--"

In an instant, the curtain opened causing Jungkook and Taehyung to stop to stop talking. They both looked at the area where two people seemed to be arguing earlier. It was Eunbi who hasher hands in fists and Namjoon was seen to be sighing and awkwardly leaving the area. 

"What is it?" Taehyung asked in an unwelcoming tone. Not because she just interrupted their conversation, but also because she didn't have a good history with the two.

"I-I want to say sorry. I already told the others outside about this, but I want to say sorry personally to you both, Jungkook and Taehyung."

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since the title is like that, i also would like to apologize for the delay. though i have good news for those who have been waiting patiently.

all of these chapters would be updated once a day from now on. meaning there would be an update tomorrow, the day after that, and so on. i will publish those chapters at exactly 12:00 PM KST each day.

canT WAIT TO puT A CHECKMARK on THIS THING