Sanghyuk's back flexed uncomfortably as he turned in the hospital bed, the tape on his arm—the one keeping the IV lodged securely in his vein—pulling slightly.

                Glaring, a lofty sigh spilled from his mouth as he settled on his side.

                He was in Seoul, the latest group of doctor's shaking their heads as they left. They had never seen anything like it, had never thought they'd ever see the day where a man's heart could stop beating for a whole 30 seconds and nothing change.

                A nurse had called Sanghyuk the walking dead, averting her eyes when he looked at her.

                Raising his gaze, he stared at the heart monitor. It hadn't beeped in a while and he blinked at it, troubled eyes waiting.

                A quick beep sounded out, the flat line spiking in a small curve before flattening again.

                He was healthy, the majority of his vital signs positive and those of an active 26 year old male.

                But his heart… it didn't always beat right.

                Sometimes, it didn't beat at all.

                Feeling the tear drip over the bridge of his nose, Sanghyuk gave in to the sleep that pulled at his body.

~

                Taekwoon smiled.

                Then he remembered where he was, who he was looking at. His professor gave him a strange expression then focused back to her computer.

                "So it looks like you failed to complete two out of the five papers. At this point Taekwoon," she sighed. "If you somehow pull perfect marks, you could pass. Barely." She narrowed her eyes at him. "And I mean perfect marks."

                Taekwoon frowned then leaned into his hands, running them through his oily hair. His professor made a noise somewhere between empathetic and resignation.

                "You look like hell, Taekwoon. Have you been in to see a doctor?"

                Scratching at his scalp, Taekwoon righted himself. He stared at his professor with dead eyes. Dark, ashen bags sat beneath them and his skin, normally pale, was now ghoulish.

                He hadn't slept in over two weeks and he was starting to ponder his own existence.

                Lips slowly curving, he saw the man on the ledge. Only this time, he was facing him. Calling Taekwoon near, folding him into his arms.

                They'd both jump just as their lips met.

                "Taekwoon, that's it! I am calling an ambulance."

                Taekwoon blinked back to reality, realizing he was on the floor, staring up at the ceiling.

                He just wanted to sleep.

~

                Sanghyuk perked up, hearing his mother shuffle in and out of his room. She smiled when she noticed him watching, breezing over to wipe his hair off his forehead.

                "Your father is outside, getting something from the vending machine. You want to go meet him?"

                Shaking his head, Sanghyuk dug his face back into the pillow. The heart monitor beeped and he heard his mother, her soft gasp. But then it was silent and her sigh was dense against his body. She wanted him back to normal, face sagging as her fingers trembled against his forehead.

                "I wish I could take this away from you," she murmured, pursing her lips against his hair line.

                Sanghyuk remembered what his life had been before, how he would light up his mother's eyes the moment she saw him. He was warm and outgoing and headed towards something great. He had the rest of his life—the life he hadn't realized he loved—before him and when he had gone to bed, he had gone to bed knowing he was going to wake up the next morning.

                Sniffling, Sanghyuk willed himself to go to sleep. At least there, he met the stranger who made him feel alive again.

                He woke up hours later, around 11 pm and the lights were dimmed outside of his room. He could hear the nurse's at their station, laughing before being hushed. Sanghyuk hadn't stepped out of his room in days.

                What was the point?

                Squeezing his eyes closed, he suddenly saw the stranger in his sleep, the man who called for him beyond a black shadow. He was always shouting for him, tears in his throat as he stretched his hand out for Sanghyuk.

                Once or twice, he caught him and his touch felt like water to the thirsty, food to the starving. But that was when Sanghyuk would wake up, panting and pining, wishing he could go back.

                "Up again?" Sanghyuk heard one of the nurses say, her footsteps tapping along the floor right outside of his room.

                "Still nothing?" Another asked and at this point, Sanghyuk realized he was straining to hear. Who were they talking to? What were they talking about?

                "Nothing," came the reply and it was so incredibly heavy, Sanghyuk almost smiled.

                Yeah, his heart wasn't working but it could be worse, right?

                Lips falling back down into a grimace, Sanghyuk settled back in bed. Turning away from the door, he stared out the window at the starless night instead.

                He was the walking dead but at least he didn't sound like it… yet.

~

                The nurse who reminded Taekwoon of his grandma shook her head, putting a hand to his shoulder. Her dialect was thick, she was from the south and it was oddly soothing. Sometimes, despite his bravado, he wished she'd sing to him.

                Maybe then he could find some rest.

                Not that he held any hope any more. It had been a week in the hospital, test after test coming back negative. He didn't have any ailment known to man and the doctors always told his sisters and parents like it was a relief.

                "At least he doesn't have this."

                But what did that mean when he couldn't sleep? His mind, strong in the beginning, was starting to wane from consciousness to unreality seamlessly. His body, though also tired, was holding up much better.

                So he had started walking around the hospital unit floor at night. He was beginning to get cramps from lying in bed, and while it was too busy during the light hours, the night staff was considerably quieter.

                They also had all the best gossip.

                There were four nurses Taekwoon had become close with and they always looked for him when he started wandering.

                "I had a good feeling about tonight," one of them moaned when she saw him up and about. He just smiled tiredly and she leaned over the counter. "Well did you at least see the man of your dreams tonight?"

                He laughed at her joke—the one she always told—and she grinned triumphant.

                "It's supposed to snow tonight, I just hope it clears up by the time I leave tomorrow." Another was always complaining about real life things and Taekwoon appreciated her so much. He loved remembering what life had been like before.

                "Taekwoon-ah, you need some socks."

                He looked down at his sandal clad feet, about to turn down the offer (if it was even his choice to) but then heard the nurse head towards the end of the hall. That was where they kept the supplies—gowns, blankets, socks, etc.

                Taekwoon had seen it all, had learned every inch of this unit.

                Deciding to follow her, Taekwoon waved slightly at another of his favorite nurses, her sweet smile widening as she continued charting.

                "Don't stay up all night, Mr. Jung," she teased.

                Bowing his head with a grin, he suddenly thought of his nephew. Did he miss him? Did he miss sitting in front of the television with Taekwoon? Did he miss the songs he'd sing him when he was tired or fussy?

                Sighing, Taekwoon raised his head with resolution. Sometimes he felt like giving up, felt like leaping off the building just as the man in his day dreams did.

                Other times, like now, he pushed through it.

                At the end of the hallway, he heard his nurse rummaging in the closet.

                "I know you're there," she laughed lightly, as to not disturb anyone in the rooms around them. Taekwoon's face relaxed and he stopped at the doorway right before the closet, absently looking into the patient room on the corner.

                The man inside was hooked up to machines and always had his back turned towards the door, face towards the big windows. Eyebrows raising, Taekwoon felt his heart flutter at the snowflakes that fell.

                "It's snowing," he whispered.

                Slowly, the man in the bed lifted his head, Taekwoon freezing. He hadn't meant to say that aloud. He hadn't meant to wake up the patient in that room.

                "It is," he heard in response.

                Face falling, Taekwoon felt his bones start to ache, felt his fingertips start to go numb.

                Eyes rolling back in his head, the whites of his eyes all that was visible, Taekwoon's core started seizing, limbs giving out from under him as he smacked into the floor.

                "Taek—?! Oh my god, assistance! I need assistance!"

                That was the last thing Taekwoon heard before the white of his world turned black.

Well... ? >.< Questions will be answered in the next one (since we only have 2 left) but I am curious what you all are thinking so far? :) Thanks, as always, for giving this a try and sticking with it <333 See you tomorrow!