I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU REREAD THE LAST CHAPTER TO UNDERSTAND SHIRA'S ACTIONS IN THIS CHAPTER

Even though I normally don't update when plagiarized, the plagiarism has happened on such a wide scale on the copycat site that several other people I know are updating even though their stories have been taken. My updates are pretty tentative, I guess, because I don't know if these newer chapters will automatically transfer to the copycat site. We'll see what happens so I'll let you guys know.

When Taehyung wakes up two days later, he’s ridiculously sore. Sure, he was sore the day before, but it’s even worse the second day. He’s far too stiff to even move his head. He groans, trying to stretch and miserably failing.

“Feeling better?” Namjoon is sitting on the edge of his mattress with a mug of coffee in his hand and glasses perched on his nose.

“No.” Taehyung rasps, reveling in the warmth from the covers. He didn’t want to move. “How’s Jungkook?”

“His stitches seem to be fine. Do you need another day off?”

Taehyung nods sluggishly. “But I want food.”

“Jin made extra breakfast just in case and it’s on the stove.” Namjoon stands up with a bit of a wince, but continues anyway. “We have the rest of the week off from Big Bang.”

“Thank god.” Taehyung mumbles as Namjoon leaves. With another groan, he scoots over in his bed and stretches out his hand for his phone on his bedside table. With bleary eyes, he swipes at his lock screen and opens up a text to Sonha.

Taehyung: hey
Taehyung: I’m not feeling the best and I’m going to be missing class again
Taehyung: do you think you can take notes for me?

Two hours later, Taehyung has finally gotten himself out of bed to eat. He never gets a reply.
 

Seunghyun watches as Shira pushes away her plate on the overbed table. Her face is carefully blank as she sits, propped up against multiple pillows.

“How about a piece of meat? What if I get Taeyang to make jjajangmyeon?”

She blinks at him before slowly shaking her head.

“Look. You have a notification.” Seunghyun places her phone on the overbed table. “Why don’t you respond?”

“I want to sleep.”

She hasn’t been able to properly sleep since the trauma. She’s been having nightmares and wakes up in cold sweat. Sometimes she just stares at the ceiling for hours.

They’ve been walking on eggshells around her. They had seen her medical report. All they could do was give her time and support.

It’s hard to believe that this is the Shira he knows when she blankly stares back at him.
 

Jackson watches as Mark undoes the bandages around his shoulder. The wound is still angry and red, but the stitches seem to be helping.

“Why did you do it, Mark?”

“Because.”

“But why?”

Mark turns back to him, eyes unreadable. “Do you know what it was like? Hearing you scream over the headset, unable to do anything?”

Something in Jackson’s stomach sinks. Mark had to hear all of that.

“But I listened the entire time anyway, because each scream meant that you were still alive.”
 

Taehyung massages his neck as he walks into class. The headaches had stopped after a few days but he’s still drained. It’s been a full week since he’s been in class and finals are coming up. He’s going to be taking a serious deduction from his grade after missing so many lab days.
 

He slips into his seat with a sigh and a soft, “