231.

And that was it.

Jungkook stared into nothingness with red burning eyes and kept counting from zero to 231 and back. The body in his lap was gradually turning colder, the blood's warmth seeping out of it, taking Jungkook's warmth and energy with it into nothingness.

Every couple minutes the stream of numbers running through the young Blessed's head was interrupted by other thoughts.

Why were people always so overdramatic in describing death of their beloved, claiming the world had turned black and white and stupid stuff like that I mean... no? Excuse me? I'm not colorblind? What's wrong with all of you?

This is all just a bad dream. In a few moments I will wake up screaming from the bottom of my lungs and tossing the disgustingly sweat-drenched blanket away as Yoongi-hyung kicks the door open to yell at me I should better ing let him sleep.

Tae isn't dead. He can't be. This is all just a horrible nightmare. I had similar ones before, it's just another bad dream.

Did I ever tell you often enough how much I love you? Can you still hear me when I keep saying it for the rest of my life?

Where are we even going? This is not the hospital... is it?

Whom is Yoongi-hyung going to kill now as his car is stained with blood everywhere?

Why won't my legs move?

The car ride seemed to take forever and go too fast at the same time. As if time itself was stretching like some nasty bubblegum sticking between thumb and finger, both digits opening and closing again and again and again. So when they came to a halt and the sky was dark steel grey Jungkook hadn't the slightest clue how late it was. It didn't matter anyways.

He just went back to counting till 231.

Next time he turned his head Jungkook sat on a chair in some sterile white room with tiles everywhere. Then suddenly the room was green. Was it even the same room still? He couldn't tell. Who cares? 

But when foreign hands tried to detach him from Tae it was the end of line. Jungkook wildly threw hands, kicked and roared as more and more strangers came to manhandle him. One he bit in the arm as hard as he could. Tossing and turning like a captured animal, shouting in fury he fought against the countless limbs tackling him down.

"GET THE AWAY FROM ME!"

More pressure was added onto his back. Were they building a puppy pile on him? Jungkook pushed his arms up, huffing and growling to throw them down. Hectic his eyes darted around, searching for-

"TAE!!!"

He scrambled to his feet, knees buckling as he made his way to the sickeninshly pale body. Arms wrapped around his legs, his arms, his torso.

"NO! TAE", he roared again.

His brain registered a faint sting before the world went black and he sacked down like a bag of potatoes.

"I'm incredibly sorry but this is not how it works."

"What the actual , why are you being called Giver when you can't even actually give life, huh? You better stop playing around and get to work or I swear I will---"

"I already told you, sir! It doesn't work like that. He is dead. I can't revive corpses, I'm not some necromancer. Now if you will excuse me."

Jungkook shot up the instance he regained control over his body, effectively silencing his second and the nurse. He didn't listen closer, didn't care what they talked about. He cared for one thing only, for...

"Tae", he rasped with breaking voice and stumbled to the oh-so-still frame laid on a white hospital bed.

The moment their hands touched the world became a slightly better place once more. The raven-head smoothed a thumb over the cool skin he was holding, drawing idle circles. He didn't realize he was crying until he choked on snot running down his throat. As part of him still refused to accept things an other section of his mind must've had registered that Tae indeed was gone and time for mourning had come.

His knees gave out.

Slumped down on the freezing floor and Tae's unmoving hand pressed at his forehead Jungkook shed tear after tear, snot dribbling out of his nose in obscene bubbles as he clung to his beloved for dear life.

Could be he had passed out from exhaustion. He didn't know. In the background muffled voices were speaking. And then suddenly...

A sharp pain.

Jungkook's head shot up as he was harshly slapped in his face. His cheek puckered.

After a couple moments his blurry sight had adjusted enough for him to recognize Seokjin. The tall man hovered above him, hand still raised, spotting an apologetic yet determined expression. He was moving his lips, saying something, anything but-

Another slap. Jungkook's head that had unintentionally turned back towards Taehyung whipped around. The younger was starting to get pissed. As he snarled in warning Seokjin gave him an approving nod before crouching down to eye-level.

"Listen, Jungkook". The elder's voice was steady, calm. All the doc he maybe - or maybe not - was. "I know you are having a hard time right now. But you can't let yourself down. So listen closely. We may still have a tiny chance. Taehyung-sshi may still have a chance!"

Jungkook stared at his hyung, questioning whether he had finally gone insane. But the latter merely continued. 

"A while ago I came across a certain method - a backdoor if you will - regarding the effect of one's Blessing. I'm not gonna lie to you, it is dangerous. Very dangerous. And chances everything will work out are not even ten percent. Most people I know doubt the method completely. But it's the only solution I know. So if you are willing to try, then we need to be quick. Every minute counts."

Vaguely Jungkook registered the presence of other people behind him.

"How dangerous", his second demanded to know.

The pink-haired man kept looking at Jungkook as he answered. "In worst case it could kill you", he confessed in dead-serious tone. "Or maybe immobilize your body. Take your Blessing away. Turn you insane. Honestly, I don't know. There are eight people recordered who used the method successfully, but speaking worldwide and with different impact on themselves. It's an all-or-nothing decision."

It didn't even took Jungkook three seconds to answer. "What do I need to do?"

And now he could see how nervous his hyung indeed was as the eldest gulped and wiped away a faint sheen of sweat on his forehead. "You need to use your Blessing in reverse. Make it act the exact opposite it's supposed to. As an Average I don't know how far I can guide you but-"

"Teach me." Jungkook's hands turned to fists.

"Tell me what to do."

Ten percent.

He needed to make it worth.

You see, I honestly didn't want to keep you waiting. Sorry.