"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Jaebum repeated his question for the fifth time, worried for his sick friend. With a nod and a smile from him, Jaebum felt a bit reassured. But he could never be completely assured when it came to Youngjae. He cared about his friend too much not to worry about him. Youngjae had been his only friend, his best friend. Jaebum never liked to interact much with other people. He found their interests boring and liked to be alone.

Youngjae had been his first and only friend so it was natural for Jaebum to worry this much. He was happy that he had met Youngjae, but what was he supposed to do with him? Now that he was dying, Jaebum was slowly losing hope that he could find someone to replace Youngjae as his friend. Youngjae actually understood him, unlike most people. He could understand Jaebum's worries and problems and helped him get through most of them.

Jaebum had never found a better friend. The problem was that Youngjae had never told Jaebum about his worries. No matter how hard Jaebum would try to make Youngjae tell him, he never would. So far, the only thing he got out of Youngjae was his worry that his medical bills were too expensive and his parents had to work ever harder just to pay for them. Jaebum understood that problem. Youngjae wasn't rich. He was born into a family who had just the right amount of money to pay for their living necessities.

Youngjae had never been someone who would call out Jaebum's name whenever he needed him. He didn't want to disturb his friend who was still in college with his so-called useless things.

Youngjae's 'things' weren't useless. Youngjae's 'things' were the problems that bothered him every day and every night. The problems that kept him from sleeping at night. Even if Youngjae really needed Jaebum, he still wouldn't call. Even if Youngjae was already crying into his pillow because of the guilt he felt towards his parents who had to pay for his expensive medical bills, he still wouldn't call. But of course, Jaebum would often call him to comfort him at night and wish him a good night and to sleep well. Sometimes, he would even sing for his friend.

"Youngjae-ah," Jaebum spoke his words softly. "I don't want you to go just yet."

Jaebum really meant those. He didn't want Youngjae to go. If he died, who would make Jaebum smile? Who would help him with his homework that were far too confusing for him without Youngjae's help? Who could possibly replace the country boy that had made him smile and socialize? Who would Jaebum turn to whenever he had a problem?

Jaebum had no one else. He only had Youngjae.

"Don't say those words, Jaebum," Youngjae told the elder. "Just stay positive! I'm still here for you!"

Youngjae had an infectious smile. That was one of the things Jaebum liked best about him. A small smile formed on the corner of Jaebum's mouth. It was strange how Youngjae was the one dying and he was the cheerful one.

Youngjae looked at the wall clock before looking at Jaebum again. "You should go now, Jaebum. It's getting late, and you still have your class tomorrow." Jaebum opened his mouth to say something but Youngjae beat him to it. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. We can always see each other next week, right? Then you'll be bringing your homework with you!"

Youngjae was so cheerful that it was almost impossible to think that he was actually dying. Unless you saw him lying on that hospital bed with tubes attached to his hand.

Jaebum raised his hand slowly. "See you next week, Youngjae. Sleep well."
"I will, Jaebum," Youngjae replied with a smile. "See you."

Jaebum walked out of the room, closing the door gently behind him, and let out a deep breath. He checked his watch. It was already half past ten o'clock. It was still a bit early. Should he go back and stay with Youngjae a little while longer? But then Youngjae would lecture him on the disadvantages of being late to class, which he had heard for four times already...

With a sigh, he walked away from the door to Youngjae's room. He'll just come back next week. Hopefully, he'd still be there.

There he goes again. This is what Jaebum hated about himself! He always dwelled on the negative side instead of thinking that Youngjae would be there to talk to him and help with homework and make him smile next week.

He put his earphones in his ears, playing a song on his phone, singing as he walked to his apartment that was fifteen minutes away from the hospital. Arriving at his apartment, he unlocked the door and the lights, removing his shoes before returning to his comfy bed and lying down.

Thinking, he couldn't help but worry about him. Over the past week, he had noticed that Youngjae had become weaker and his voice became quieter. Jaebum was starting to feel scared. So many 'what ifs' were running through his mind, but he pushed those thoughts away and remembered what Youngjae had said. That he was still there. To stay positive.

Yes, Jaebum should stay positive. Youngjae wasn't gone yet. He was still there, alive and smiling, yet already weak and sick. 

'Think about the bright side!' Youngjae had told him that once. But what bright side was there to think about? His best friend was dying! His one and only friend! Perhaps Youngjae had been talking about the fact that they were still together, that Jaebum still found time to visit him despite the many assignments he had to do for his college.

Jaebum spent the entire week worrying about Youngjae's health that he barely listened in his classes. He merely asked for the assignments from his classmates and brought all of his books home just in case there was an assignment that he forgot to write down.

At the end of the week, he was feeling mixed emotions. Happy that he was going to see Youngjae again, and sad that another week was taken from Youngjae's life span.

Cut it out, Jaebum! Don't be so negative!

He hit his head lightly. He shouldn't think that Youngjae was dying. He didn't even seem like he was dying if you didn't know he was lying on a hospital bed, growing weaker and weaker every day.

He gently knocked on the door before opening it. "Youngjae," he called softly. He stepped inside, crossing the room to go to the bed, sitting down on the edge. "Youngjae," he repeated, his voice louder this time to wake his sleeping friend. "Wake up. It's ten o'clock."

Jaebum stood up and went towards the side of the bed, kneeling down beside him. "Yah, heodang," he spoke, using his nickname for Youngjae, poking his cheek. "Wake up,"

Youngjae mumbled something incoherently, swiping at the air in front of him. "Jaebum-ie...?" he said slowly, his eyes half-closed. "Is that you?"
"Yes, it's me," he chuckled.

Youngjae sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, focusing his gaze on Jaebum, who was smiling at him. "You brought your homework?" When he nodded, a smile formed on Youngjae's face. "Give me your math homework,"

Jaebum laughed and took out his math book, opening it to the page of the assignment for Youngjae. He grabbed a pen and his notebook for himself, opening it to a blank page. As Youngjae dictated the answers one by one, Jaebum wrote them down. 

Youngjae, who hadn't even finished his last year of high school, found Jaebum's college math quite easy. Jaebum had been saying that he was a genius since the time he solved that ridiculously difficult math equation (for Jaebum), but Youngjae had always denied it. Unlike most students, Youngjae was one who always listened attentively in class and always had his notebook on his table and a pen in his hand to take down notes when the teacher was speaking.

Jaebum felt blessed to have a genius friend like Youngjae.

"Seriously, Jaebum, why did you bring all your books? Doesn't your shoulder hurt?" Youngjae asked quietly. Jaebum shook his head.
"I'm used to it already."

With that, no other questions were asked as Youngjae kept on dictating the answers and Jaebum wrote them down. When they were finally finished with the assignments and all Jaebum had to do was take down notes, Youngjae asked a question.

"Can you really understand all that on your own, Jaebum? Do you need me to explain those?"
Jaebum shook his head, "It's fine, Youngjae. I can understand these,"

Jaebum didn't want to trouble him any more. Youngjae had already done so much for him, from telling him the answers to his assignments to comforting and encouraging him. He was already sick. He shouldn't do so many things for Jaebum that could make him stressed...

"Your finals are coming up, right?" Youngjae questioned. Jaebum nodded. "Good luck, Jaebum-ah. You should do well on your finals so you can graduate and find a good job."
"You know, Youngjae, you actually sounded like my mother!"

Youngjae laughed quietly.

"I'm your brother, Jaebum," he smiled. "Doesn't that count?"
Jaebum shrugged. He looked at Youngjae again. "How are you feeling?"
"I've felt better..."

Jaebum sighed and opened his mouth to speak when Youngjae beat him to it.

"Don't say that you don't want me to go. I don't to leave you, either. Who will make you talk if I leave? But I'm already dying. You know that. So now that I'm still here, be happy and smile. Okay?"

Jaebum bit his lip, nodding, as he brought his hand to Youngjae's cheek.

"What am I going to do without you?"

Youngjae answered quite simply. "Just live your life. Don't think of me. Find another friend like me."

Jaebum couldn't do that. Youngjae was different. He was one-of-a-kind. Youngjae always knew when Jaebum had a problem and always knew what to say to make him smile. Jaebum could never find someone else. It could only be Youngjae.

They spent hours, sitting there and talking. They mostly talked about what was going on with Jaebum at college, since there wasn't much to say about the hospital. At times, when their topic came close to Youngjae's sickness, Youngjae would always comfort him, saying that he should smile and think of happy things.

Whenever Jaebum spoke, Youngjae stared at him. He was listening but he was also thinking. What would Jaebum be like if he was gone? Would he still be fine? He had those kind of thoughts.

This time, Youngjae was reluctant to let Jaebum leave, not the other way around. It was the weekend, anyway, but the nurse had said that Jaebum had to leave since it was past visiting hours and he wasn't Youngjae's family.

"See you tomorrow, Youngjae," Jaebum said with a small smile.
"Bye, Jaebum-ie," Youngjae replied quietly.

The moment the nurse and Jaebum left the room, Youngjae buried his head in his pillow. He willed himself not to cry, not to let his tears fall. 

The next morning, Jaebum headed to the hospital with a smile on his face. Since Youngjae had always loved reading, he had brought a book with him to let Youngjae read. But the moment he stepped inside the lobby of the hospital, he felt weird. He had a strange feeling that something was really wrong. That something had happened.

He went towards the stairs, running up the stairs to the sixth floor, the room where Youngjae was. He ran towards the room, stopping in front of the door to catch his breath. He burst in the room, to see his friend lying on the bed, looking completely lifeless yet peaceful as if he was sleeping.

He grabbed the folder on the table, looking through the papers until he found the one he was looking for. He scanned it, his eyes moving silently down the paper. The one sentence at the bottom was enough to make his knees weaken and he, himself, break down.

Time of death : 3:28 A.M.

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First one shot - done! Sorry I only updated this now :( I had exams this week so I had to study, but they're over now so I'm happy!!! ^.^ What do you think of this one shot? Any comments? And thanks for reading this!! (I was really surprised with 29 subscribers! Thanks a lot for that!! It really made me happy!! ^.^)