The sound of the clock ticking has left Mark in such a groggy state. His hands were dry holding onto the pillow that served as his cushion throughout the unfamiliar night. His feet were trembling under the blanket that surrounded him. They were icy cold despite the warmth of the weather. His eyes were wandering nowhere, taking in the oblivion that surrounded him.  And the room was silent, but it was deafening.

Mark wasn’t used to this kind of peace.

It was supposed to calm him, but it didn’t. The circumstances didn’t allow him to do so. Because thinking of silence means loneliness, and he can’t afford to think about that. Not here, not now.

“Mark! Help please, I can’t breathe.” Jinyoung screamed gasping for air, as he woke up.

Mark hurriedly opened the drawer right beside their bed, retrieved the medicine, and gave it to Jinyoung.

Jinyoung drinks the medicine with shaking hands, eyes worn-out and expressionless. His body was giving in to the urges of his mind; he wants to rest. He wants to take a break from the discomfort and pain.

‘Thank you. I’m okay now.”, Jinyoung reassured Mark as he squeezed the older’s hand.

“Sleep well now, Jinyoung. Come back stronger tomorrow.”, Mark whispered to his ear.

Mark heaved a sigh of relief as soon as Jinyoung was back to normal, breathing heavily under his sleep. The chaos made Mark safe, even for just a little while since it served as confirmation that Jinyoung was still breathing, still living.

The circumstances made him scared, paranoid. The thought of Jinyoung unresponsive was something that had always crossed his mind, even though he fought the urges to do so.

He’d always thought about this ever since Jinyoung was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer three months ago. They were told that there wasn’t much the doctors could do since it was already too late. Everybody had offered to pray for them, to help them in anyway possible. Even looking at them with eyes full of pity and sympathy.

But Jinyoung didn’t need that.

All he wanted was love and care.

And that’s what Mark gave him.

Jinyoung vowed to keep up a good fight for Mark. But when all that’s left is defeat, is it still worth it to keep on going?

The demise was upon them and Jinyoung had already accepted it, but Mark was still holding on to that 1%, that miracle that could alter their fate. Mark was a fighter, a believer.

He believed in Jinyoung more than he has ever believed in himself. He kept pushing Jinyoung to get better, no matter how far-fetched of an idea it was.

Mark wasn’t ready to give up yet.

He didn’t think he’d ever be.

How could he? When his whole world had revolved around Jinyoung.

Mark closed his eyes and let the waves of darkness succumb him. He closed away the thoughts of silence that had always engulfed his mind on early mornings such as this. He didn’t want to think about them.

Because thinking of silence implies being alone. And Mark doesn’t want to be left alone. Not now, Not ever.

“Mark, please dance for me.”, Jinyoung said, as he gave Mark the heartiest smile amidst his sullen face.

They were stuck at the hospital room after Jinyoung had collapsed the night before. The pandemonium was over and the couple has entered their steady state that morning. And so, Jinyoung wanted some entertainment since the room gave out such a depressing aura of the previous night’s events.

“I haven’t danced in so long, my dear. I don’t know if I still have my groove.”, Mark joked despite their unfavorable situation.

“Just stand up and wiggle for me!”, Jinyoung laughed at the silliness of what he just said.

“Okay, okay. I will.”, Mark chuckled.

Mark’s movements were rusty, robotic. He was thinking with his head, thinking of the steps that would make Jinyoung feel better. He danced so perfectly but his emotions were nowhere to be found.

And Jinyoung noticed that.

“Mark, stop thinking. JUST DANCE!”, Jinyoung yelled and that brought Mark ba