Prologue

The lights above his head blinded him, the sweat of his body made his shirt cling to his form and all the blood rushing to his ears muffled the crowd. He sang the last note, and breathed hard as he did the last spin, liberating his unsettled spirit. ARMY's cheer cleansed away the self-doubt and loathing he had been feeling. He knew that he had not messed up and they had enjoyed the performance. This, was the only thing he had control over, and there was no way he would ever give this up. The stage was his first love, and the stage had given him ARMY, the first real love outside of his family he had ever received. He breathed loudly, his lungs hurt, and his body screamed, but he smiled and bowed and kissed the crowd with a wave. Where would he be without them? He knew; and he shuddered at the thought of that place of everlasting darkness.

He felt his shoulder blaze when someone touched it; Jimin smiled regardless at his dancing companion. Taemin waved at the crowd smiling; he too understood the love of the crowd and lived for it.

"You were amazing!" Taemin said loudly, but Jimin could barely hear him.

"Thank you for all of your hard work." Jimin screamed over the crowd patting Taemin's shoulder.

His gaze blurred for a second. He felt tired; when was the last time he'd eaten? He couldn't remember. He held onto Taemin's shoulder for a second, few more steps, that's all he needed, just enough to get off the stage and not alarm ARMY.

He saw Yoon-gi just ahead and before he knew it, his knees hit the floor hard. The world spun around him, he braced his fall with his hands, yet the world went dark.