As Kihyun awaits the verdict from Hoseok’s mother, his condition worsens. He finds it more difficult to practice as hard as he did before. He has to take more breaks more often, clocking more time on the bench in the room than actually on the floor running through choreographies. His body temperature never tempers off into any semblance of a usual temperature. He’s even had to stop sleeping in Hyunwoo’s bed nearly as often, as his nightmares are becoming more and more frequent.

Every night, he dreams of losing his love to the flames, and he wakes up in a cold sweat. He merely stares at the ceiling above until it’s time to awaken the others, wondering through the silent hours just how he can possibly avoid the inevitable.

“I’m sorry, Kihyunnie,” Hoseok replies, keeping his voice low so as to keep from drawing the others’ attention despite them being in the room over. Kihyun closes his eyes, leaning against the counter for support as the disappointment hits him a bit harder than it should. “My eomma didn’t know much… but she said she’d look into it, so not all is lost!” He quickly adds this last bit, seeing how the younger wavers. He reaches out and takes hold of the vocalist’s arm, worried suddenly that he might pass out judging by his paling complexion.

“I’m fine,” Kihyun snaps as he snatches his arm away, his tone coming out harsher than he’d intended. Hoseok presses his lips together in surprise, and sheepishly retracts his arm. Kihyun sighs in exhaustion, pressing a hand against his eyes. “Sorry, hyung,” he mutters, his voice lower than usual. “I appreciate your eomma looking into it, and I’m sorry for snapping at you. You don’t deserve it…”

“It’s okay,” Hoseok assures him almost immediately, “but could you sit down? Please? You’re really worrying your hyung…” He chuckles a rueful sort of laugh, and Kihyun can’t help but smile at the sound.

A clearing throat echoes behind them, and they both whirl about to see who’s suddenly behind them. The movement proves to be a bit too fast for Kihyun, though, and he’s suddenly very dizzy. He leans more against the counter, his vision swimming as he glances over to meet Hyunwoo’s concerned gaze. The oldest in the room closes the distance between them in a single stride, and suddenly his hands are pulling Kihyun off the counter and slinging one of his arms across his shoulders.

“You need to rest,” is all Hyunwoo says, his voice a deep rumble. Kihyun hums, and mumbles something about having to finish the dishes, but his boyfriend is already leading him away and towards the bedroom. He’s too out of it now to notice the stern look being thrown in Hoseok’s direction.

After putting Kihyun to bed in his own bunk, Hyunwoo returns to the kitchen to find Hoseok finishing up the dishes from dinner. He leans against the doorway, crossing his arms over his chest as he dares to imagine that Kihyun had told his same-age friend about his condition, had let him in on some huge secret, before telling him. The thought sets a cold, furious envy ablaze within Hyunwoo’s heart. It leaves him wondering just what could be so bad Kihyun doesn’t feel like he could confide in the man he supposedly loves.

Hoseok turns, clearly having finished up, and jolts in surprise at seeing the leader there, leering over at him.

“Hyunwoo…” Hoseok mutters anxiously, not liking the light in Hyunwoo’s eyes, “I d-didn’t hear you come in. Ith Kihyunnie okay?” Hyunwoo visibly ripples at this, and Hoseok can’t help but flinch. He knows the other would never actually hurt him, but the knowledge doesn’t set his bunny-heart at ease in the slightest.

“Do you know what’s wrong with him?” Hyunwoo asks bluntly, clearly not in the mood to beat around the bush. Hoseok gulps, remembering what Kihyun had said about keeping his condition a secret from the man. He doesn’t feel right about revealing it against Kihyun’s wishes, but, at the same time, he can’t very well lie to Hyunwoo in such a way. Hyunwoo reads his hesitation for what it clearly is, and hastily walks over to grab him by the arms. “Can you tell me?” he asks, his voice pleading and desperate. The matching look in his eyes is enough to break Hoseok’s heart about five times over.

“I’m sorry,” Hoseok says meekly, unable to meet Hyunwoo’s gaze, “but I can’t.” Hyunwoo drops his hold on the other, sighing in defeat.

“Can you at least tell me if it’s serious?” he asks, causing Hoseok to bite his bottom lip. He doesn’t think it’s right to leave Hyunwoo completely at the dark, after all. Besides, this technically doesn’t reveal Kihyun’s true identity, anyway…

“It usually is,” Hoseok relents, but quickly adds at the look of panic skipping across Hyunwoo’s face, “but we’re looking for answers! It’s kind of an… ancient, not researched condition, and not a lot of people know about it. It runs in his family.”

“Why’d he tell you?” Hyunwoo asks, his voice subdued in what can only be described as defeat. “Why’d he tell you and not me? Do you know a lot about this condition? Can you help him?”

“I’m trying,” is all Hoseok can bring himself to say. He shifts on his feet, unsure of how to put this. “My family works in, um, alternative kinds of healing, sometimes, and Kihyunnie thought my eomma might know of a cure that he hasn’t found yet. She’s looking into it.”

Hyunwoo’s gaze falls, and Hoseok can see the interrogation is over. The older turns and begins to walk away, back to his love to just hold him close. But, he pauses, and turns back round, one final question on his mind.

“Can this kill him?”

“… Yes.” Hoseok doesn’t see the need to beat around the bush, not when it’s such a crucial piece of the puzzle. Hyunwoo merely nods his head once, and then leaves the room. Hoseok heaves out a breath and leans back against the counter, his eyes flicking up to the ceiling. He sends up a silent prayer to whoever might be listening that Kihyun finds the answers he needs, that the younger will be allowed to outlive them all…

Hyunwoo crawls into the bunk beside Kihyun, and wraps his arms around the younger. The vocalist moves close to his boyfriend in his sleep, and Hyunwoo can’t help but sigh. Even now, when he’s sleeping, he just feels so terribly warm, like his skin is on fire.

He replays the conversation he’d had with Hoseok, wondering just what in the world Kihyun could be hiding from him. He’d always thought he and the younger were almost brutally honest with each other, but apparently he’d been sorely mistaken.

Please, he thinks, closing his eyes as he tightens his hold around his beloved Kihyun, don’t take him away from me. I just found him. Please, just let me spend the rest of my life with him, however long that may be. Let him stay with me…

I’m begging you, don't take him away from me.