This is Prompt #77: Disease / Virus.

 

 

"Jaehyun." I heard a hoarse voice call my name and I looked up, rubbing my eyes.

 

 

"Yeah?" I yawned and stretched in front of him.

 

 

"This midnight will be New year, right?" Doyoung weakly asked me and I nodded.

 

 

"Yeah." I nodded and held his hand.

 

 

"I just can't track time anymore the longer I stay here in this hospital."

 

 

"We have no choice, Doyoung. You need this."

 

 

In such young age as 18 years old, Doyoung was found to have stage 2 cancer in the lungs and declared that his life will be limited.

 

 

It has been a year now and he's still stuck in this hospital for his daily medications and weekly checking of the cancer cells.

 

 

"No, I don't."

 

 

I understand that he's tired of fighting the disease and he wants to get out of this hospital and live his life like when he was still young. 

 

 

But we all know that he's not getting better. So he needs this. He must continue staying here until he is well. Or at least he can live a little longer than he is destined to live.

 

 

"Doyoung, you must live."

 

 

"But Jae, this isn't living at all. What I'm doing is surviving. Breathing expensive artificial oxygen that my parents pay for. What I'm doing isn't living."

 

 

"But this will make you better." I started tearing up because of our argument.

 

 

"That's what they said a year ago." He tightened his grip on my hand.

 

 

"So what do you want to do?"

 

 

"I wanna go out, Jaehyun." Doyoung told me and I smiled at him, hiding my pain.

 

 

"Why?"

 

 

"I wanna see the fireworks." He smiled so sweetly at me.

 

 

I couldn't say no.

 

 

"I'll try."

 

 

I said and I stood up, going out the room and wiping my tears away.

 

 

Why is life so cruel?

 

 

Why is this happening to us?

 

 

Me and Doyoung met in the age of 10.

 

 

And we knew that we were gonna be the best of friends.

 

 

We met the group of friends we had when we were 12. That time, we both started to doubt our feelings to each other.

 

 

In the age of 16, we both confessed to each other on New Year and we both made a promise to not leave each other.

 

 

And just last year, Doyoung said sorry to me because he can't keep his promise.

 

 

We're just two boys falling in love.

 

 

Why does life need to be so cruel to us?

 

 

"Mom?" I said when I heard that the ringing stopped. Doyoung's mom answered my call.

 

 

"Yeah, Jaehyun? Is there anything wrong?"

 

 

"I have a very important favor to ask you. Just one time. Please." I begged.

 

 

"Okay." Her voice sounded doubtful but I still took my shot.

 

 

I will do anything to make Doyoung happy.

 

 

I went in his room and threw a shirt and pants at the guy who's watching T.V.

 

 

"What's this?"

 

 

"We're going out." I said and at the same time I said that, a nurse went in and assisted Doyoung when he sat up.

 

 

"Really?" He looked and sounded excited even though the tiredness of his face can't be denied.

 

 

"Yes. Now go prepare."

 

 

I closed the door while keeping my smile to myself.

 

 

This is why I agreed to this crazy thing.

 

 

Seeing him smile makes me sure of my choice.

 

 

Doyoung's happiness is my happiness.

 

 

"Where will you take me?" Doyoung asked the moment he sat on the front seat of my car.

 

 

"I don't know. I have no plans. You?" I raised my eyebrows at him when he giggled.

 

 

"I have everything already planned!"

 

 

"I guess you really were waiting for this."

 

 

"Yeah."

 

 

"Now where to?"

 

 

"Remember the park that we always go to? The one near our elementary school." He cheekily smiled at me and I could see that he's really happy about this one-day-trip of ours.

 

 

"Okay."

 

 

It didn't take us a long time to reach there and we were walking around with hands intertwined.

 

 

 

"Ice cream!" He ran when he saw a nearby ice cream shop.

 

 

"I can't believe it's still here!" I heard him say when I caught up with him.

 

 

"Let's go." I pushed him inside and I could sense his excitement again.

 

 

It has been a year since his freedom was stolen away from him. I guess he'll make this day as memorable as ever.

 

 

"It's still the same as I remember." I could see that Doyoung's eyes were shining.

 

 

"Order. My treat." I said and winked at him.

 

 

Suddenly, I remember our elementary days.

 

 

"Jaehyun! Hurry up on your things and let's go!" Doyoung was poking me while I was putting all my papers in my bag.

 

 

"Just a minute." I told him and arranged everything in my bag.

 

 

"Come ooooon. The ice cream shop might close." He whined and I smiled at him.

 

 

"The shop will close on 6pm, Doyoung. It's still 3. Calm down."

 

 

"Fine." He pouted at me and played with my phone.

 

 

"Okay, I'm done. Let's go." I said, putting my bag on my back and pulling Doyoung to stand up.

 

 

"Yaaaaaay." Doyoung kept yelling or singing a random song while we were on the way. He also kept moving around so I needed to put my arm on his shoulder to make him walk straight.

 

 

He is way too excited for this.

 

 

"That math test was so hard! After the test, I just craved for ice cream right away! And that was 1pm! 2 hours, I waited!" He was telling me and I nodded.

 

 

I should've guessed. He wouldn't be such in a hurry for ice cream if he's not stressed.

 

 

When we got in, he looked at all the choices, probably looking for something new but there wasn't so he just stared at his favorite.

 

 

"Order. My treat." I said and winked at him.

 

 

He grinned and I almost laughed when I saw a space between his teeth.

 

 

This guy is hilarious.

 

 

"I'll order the same thing I order every time." Doyoung said.

 

 

"There's a lot of new flavors. You don't want one?" I asked him.

 

 

"I might not get to eat here again. So I guess I better eat my favorite flavor."

 

 

I felt pity deep down in my heart but knew that I shouldn't because it'll only make Doyoung sad.

 

 

"Okay, I'll order the same thing."

 

 

We both went to the cashier and smiled.

 

 

"Two caramel ice creams, please." I said and Doyoung held my hand.

 

 

Of course. I'll never forget his favorite.

 

 

We sat together at a table for two and quietly ate our ice cream.

 

 

"The group doesn't have plans?" Doyoung suddenly said between the silence.

 

 

"I guess they're celebrating New Year together." I said. I lied. I'm sure they're gonna celebrate New Year together.

 

 

And there will be two missing people.

 

 

Me and Doyoung.

 

 

Because I'll spend 24 hours with Doyoung.

 

 

"That sounds like fun." He smiled and I thought of something.

 

 

"Come here." I said and he moved his chair beside mine and I called Ten.

 

 

I the front camera and now we both see our own faces.

 

 

"We're gonna take a selca?" He raised his eyebrows at me and I just smiled.

 

 

When Ten finally answered the call, I saw him smiling at me and beside him was Taeyong and Johnny.

 

 

"Yo, Jaehyun!" He called out and I waved at him.

 

 

"Is that Doyoung?" Mark, the little brother of Taeyong yelled and pushed Taeyong out of the way to see Doyoung.

 

 

Doyoung always took care of the younger ones so I guess they really miss him now.

 

 

"Hi, everyone!" Doyoung said and I could see tears starting to form from his eyes and I just smiled warmly.

 

 

Of course, everybody seldom visits Doyoung at the hospital and sometimes if they do, Doyoung is sleeping.

 

 

Only I chose to stay at the hospital most of my time. Ten, Taeyong and Johnny are the ones who always visit Doyoung but not really enough.

 

 

"How's the holiday?" Ten asked and Doyoung showed his ice cream.

 

 

"We're here at an ice cream shop, eating ice cream."

 

 

"You sure sound happy there." Johnny pointed out in the background.

 

 

Doyoung looked at me and I stared back at him.

 

 

"Come on! Are you guys gonna stare at each other forever?!" Taeyong said and I saw him disappear from the screen.

 

 

Me and Doyoung both laughed.

 

 

They all started saying different stories to Doyoung while he listened and ate his ice cream.

 

 

And I just looked at him.

 

 

He looks he’s really having fun.

 

 

I’m glad.

 

 

Doyoung already got his freedom away from him. He deserves to be happy once in a while.

 

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