Even staff watched in horror but stayed away as Jinki practically threw the inhaler across the backstage area when it did nothing. Taemin’s own hands were by his throat, as if something was choking him and he was trying to stop it, but that was the extent of what he physically could do. Too weak to even keep his own body upright, Key was the one holding him and Jonghyun switched to helping Jinki get the medicine and then pried Taemin’s mouth open himself, ignoring the pain as teeth bit down on his fingers hard enough to almost draw blood. Only after the medicine had been given did he go back to holding Taemin as Minho got water for him and Jinki tried to calm the boy some.

But that only went so far, and while his coughing calmed some, the boy was still blue-tinged in the lips and paler than snow. The water couldn’t even go down and they gave up on that in seconds. “Do you guys need anything?”

Jonghyun glanced up at Amber, the only one who came close and also the calmest in the place. “Just the ambulance. Didn’t you say they were coming?”

“They are… It’s only been a few minutes but I don’t know where they are.” She looked around at all the stunned stars and then to the stage, where fans were screaming. “I’m going to get everyone away and then you can bring him closer to the doors. Okay?” Jonghyun only nodded and turned to tell the others as Amber faced the crowd of celebrities. The group didn’t listen as she got them away, but she managed to do so in some way.

While they had all ripped out their earpieces at some point, Amber still had one in and some voice came through to her, freezing her in place and then giving a little smile. “The ambulance just got here, but they can’t get in with the fans…” She was speaking as she heard, but as soon as she said that, Jonghyun was in her face, grabbing the one she had taken out to hear for himself. “Someone carry him and I’ll lead us there fastest.”

There weren’t any protests as Jinki lifted the small frame of Taemin. The boy’s head only lolled against his chest as his eyes fluttered shut and the coughs slowly silenced to nothing as they raced through halls and stairways. And while they all knew he had passed out, as long as he was still taking breaths—even the failing little ones he was—they knew he was alive and figured it would just be better for him to be out of pain.

When Taemin opened his eyes, there was no one else in the pitch black room but him. Hooked up to different machines and drips, he barely had the strength to hit the button to call for the nurse, yet he managed.

It was not even a minute later that the door opened and she came in, a few heads looking through the door behind her. “You’re awake?” He only blinked and gave a slight nod, his throat too dry and painful to even dare to speak. “Are you in pain?” There was another nod from him and she went through a locked cabinet in the room to get a bottle of something to inject into one of his bags. In silence, she continued to take notes about him while Taemin watched, not sure what even happened. “It’s close to midnight, but some of your friends are still here. Do you want them to come in?”

There wasn’t even any time where he thought before he nodded and she left the room with the door open when she was gone. Key and Jinki were the first ones in there, followed by a half asleep Amber a few steps behind. “Oh… Minnie…” Key didn’t even say anything else before he was by the bedside, grabbing a hand Taemin could barely feel. “Thank god you are okay…”

“Do you remember what happened?” Jinki was the reasonable side of the member pair, staying back a little to give Taemin some space. When the youngest shook his head slightly, he gave a little sigh and explained. “You left the stage in the middle of the performance and had an attack backstage. None of the medicines were working so someone called for the ambulance. Now you’re here.”

He tipped his head down a little to say that he understood then before looking at Amber. She still wasn’t fully awake, but seemed to notice and gave a small smile. “I was there and couldn’t just let you leave without knowing you were okay. The rest of the show was canceled so I was able to come here. I ended up driving everyone that didn’t go in the ambulance…” Her Korean was a little slower since she was tired, but Taemin got the idea and gave a small smile to her before letting out a yawn.

“You can go back to sleep. We have to leave soon since we weren’t even supposed to be here this late, but we’ll be back tomorrow. Okay?” Jinki pried Key off of the boy before leaving with a wave. Amber was just a few steps behind and closed the door as she left, but by the time it had swung closed, Taemin was already out of it again.

“So it is nine-thirty in the morning on July sixth and this is Taemin’s hospital room.” Key spun around the room while holding the camera, only getting a blurry image of it. “Minnie, tell the camera why you are here.”

“I don’t know why I am… I remember the show and coughing and then… now.” He gave a sheepish smile as he looked around at the four. “Maybe one of you can say…?”

“Taemin had another attack in the middle of the performance and ran off stage and started choking so a staff member called for an ambulance.” Jonghyun shrugged from where he was sitting by the boy’s bed, a joking smirk on his face. “He passed out and almost stopped breathing. Nothing special.”

“Sounds about right…”

“Yah!” Taemin couldn’t help but jump at the sudden outburst from the singer, looking at him with wide eyes. The heartbeats on the monitor became a lot faster and the four chuckled a little at that. “I was joking!”

“O-oh… I wasn’t.” The heartbeats didn’t slow down any and he reached for the oxygen mask he had taken off, but Minho put it on him before the maknae was even close to reaching it. “Thanks…”

“Not a problem Taeminnie.” As the others took over talking to the camera, he sunk back into the pillows and just relaxed as the beeping slowed back to a normal pace. Before they even knew it, the beeps went slower as the maknae drifted off into a dreamland.

“Isn’t there anything that can be done for him?” Jinki, Jonghyun, Key, and Minho were back in Taemin’s doctor’s office, but the sick boy wasn’t with them as he slept in his room. “Can’t the surgery be moved up or anything? It’s only a few weeks…”

“And those few weeks are critical right now.” He looked at Jinki with a sad look that didn’t sit right with any of them. “After this last attack, Taemin’s body is even weaker than it was before. If the surgery were to be done now, there’s a greater possibility that he would die,” they all flinched at that, “than have it help him. And with how it is looking… his heart is under more strain than we originally believed.”

“So you can’t help him anymore?” Key was only held back by Jonghyun from getting on his knees to plead with the man, and he was pushing that restraint hard.

“I had said before the surgery could have offered a chance for him to live long enough that the tumor could be removed, or at least give comfort for his last months of his life…” He looked down on the file to make sure that was right, even though he knew from only saying it a few days earlier. “The tests we did now showed that to be wrong. While performing the surgery would lessen his pain… He isn’t going to see the end of this year. Three months maximum.”

Key broke down right away into full-out sobs as Jonghyun let his tears fall silently into the younger’s hair and Jinki tried to blink them away. After the first one fell, he just gave up on that and buried his face into his hands, trying to hide them at least. Minho was the only one to not let his pain show, but his eyes still watered a little as he studied the man across the desk. “There’s no hope, even with the surgery?”

“The chances are so slim and in the condition he is in now… I am afraid there isn’t.” The rapper nodded and looked to his hyungs and then back at the doctor, becoming the one to talk to now. “I know this isn’t the best time, but there are still a few decisions he or his guardian has to make. Considering he is still technically under-age, I need to talk to his guardian. I cannot seem to get in contact with them, however…”

Jinki lifted his head a little and raised two fingers much like the wave everyone would make fun of Siwon for doing. “I’m his guardian.”

Four sets of shocked eyes fell to him, but Jinki ignored s as the man gave a startled nod. “Okay then… there are a few options for the future. He can spend the next few months in the hospital…”

“Not happening.” Key cut in through his sobs, shaking his head. “My baby isn’t staying here away from us.”

“He can return home and return for treatments, much like he has been doing…” Jinki gave a nod at that option, acknowledging it. “Or he can stop treatments and just pass on peacefully, without the added suffering that can come.”

Jinki thought for a few minutes in the silent office before looking back at the doctor. “Can I get back to you on this?”

“I need an answer soon, but you can have a few days to think. Until then, Taemin will be discharged and released with you four. Take care of him.”

Key and Jonghyun took care of the proper goodbyes while Jinki was left in his own thoughts, supported by a silent Minho.

What is it you would want Taemin? “Just ask him. It won’t hurt.”

“What?” Jinki looked at the boy who was back to being silent, but the corner of his lips turned up in a slight smile.

“He’s strong. Just give him the options and let him decide. If this were to happen in two weeks, that’s how it would go anyways.” You’re… actually right. That is what I will do.