Taehyung nervously looked around. He was unable to sit still in his chair. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that this was his last ever fansign and fan meet he’d attend and give. The last time fans could come up to him and ask for signatures and ask questions. After this, they’d never see him again, not perform or laugh. After today, the only news that would come out about him was his death and fans mourning. It made him nervous to think about it. He didn’t want this to be the last time, but there was nothing he could do about it. He could only give the fans a last smile, a last giggle as they’d said goodbye.

Hoseok was seated beside him. He too seemed nervous and uneasy. But he kept up his bright smile nonetheless, pretending everything was fine. Pretending everything was going to be fine. If only that was true. He looked at Taehyung, and the male looked back. They knew exactly what they were thinking. And then, the first fans streamed in. They were rather quiet compared to the normal fan signs where there was lots of talking and sometimes sobbing because fans got to meet their idol. But now it was quiet because they all knew this was the last time they could ask for a signature.

He was seated last. Taehyung watched the fans talk to the other members. It gave him a sweet comfort, knowing the others would still be there. The first fan stopped in front of him and handed him a photo. He smiled and put his signature on it. She seemed to be a young girl, somewhere in her early teens. She was silent, looked sad. Just as she was about to walk away, he took her hand and kissed it gently.

“Please smile,” he asked her. And a small smile formed on her lips. He smiled as well and let her go. She headed to her mother, who bowed her head to him. He did the same and focused on the next fan, as he continued smiling. He got so many presents, it was overwhelming. The presents ranged from a simple flower to paintings and books and letters to him. It almost made him break down into sobs, but he contained them, pushed them away and tried to smile. He was so touched by all these fans, and so many international fans had come as well. And they’d learned bits of Korean to try and communicate with him. It was amazing to him.

Hoseok watched as Taehyung happily received all the gifts and continued smiling. He wondered how he did that. He wouldn’t have been able to stay that happy. He’d probably have broken down by now. But it was good to see him like that. The past few months had been so difficult on all of the members, but especially on Taehyung who had tried his very best to be cheery and cheer up the members when needed. It was amazing how, even facing such a sad ending, he continued to be his happy self. It was comforting.

The most heart-breaking to see though were the fans that were crying. Not because they were crying, but because they truly didn’t want him to die. Of course, neither of their fans wanted that, but it was something about crying fans that Hoseok felt bad for.

He got snapped from his thoughts by a fan waving her hand in front of him. He blinked and then turned towards her, giving her an apologetic smile. He signed the picture for her and she watched him write on the picture. As Hoseok looked up, her eyes seemed to change colour from brown to green. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, questioning himself if he’d truly seen that and she moved on, getting the picture signed by Taehyung. He raised a brown, sighed and looked back at the next fan, smiling and signing and talking and laughing.

And so it continued for several hours, from morning till late afternoon, when the last fan passed by and went home. The members sighed in relief, drinking some water and leaning back against their chairs, exhausted. Taehyung looked at the mountain of gifts, letters and much more. He really couldn’t comprehend how someone could care about him that much. It was nice but he felt bad, bad that they’d put so much effort into something he wouldn’t be able to enjoy much. He sighed and turned his chair towards the other members, who’d gotten up and were now leaving and stretching. He smiled faintly, grateful that he belonged to this group and not another.

Hoseok looked at Taehyung as the young male got up and stretched. He saw a glimpse of the ribs and thus how skinny he was. It wouldn’t be long until the boy would be buried deep in the ground and the only thing that would separate him from the other graves would be a stone. He was already dreading that moment, but it would come if he wanted it or not. There was no such thing as a potion to keep the boy alive. No one could save him and he’d accepted that. But it still hurt.

“Hoseok?”

Hoseok snapped from his thoughts and looked at Taehyung. He smiled faintly, shrugging. Taehyung giggled and took his hand, leading him over to the pile of gifts.

“Look. I cannot believe all these fans did this for me,” Taehyung said, his voice high-pitched because he was on the verge of tears. Hoseok wrapped an arm around the shoulder of the orange haired guy, pulling him close.

“They care more about you than you can imagine. It’s truly a wonderful thing to know that you’re loved by so many.”

Taehyung nodded in agreement. It was.

Jimin approached, looking at the two and smiling brightly. “Hey! Why are you still here? We’re having a party back in the other room,” he said. He sounded so happy, strange considering Jimin had been the most upset member since the news came. And barely anyone had been able to comfort him, except for Taehyung on rare occasions. But it was a nice change and Hoseok and Taehyung followed the short guy to the other room.

There was indeed a party. Loud music, lots of food and drinks and colourful confetti laying around. Taehyung immediately started dancing to the music, using all the energy he had left to celebrate the day. That’s all he wanted to do. Celebrate the time he had left and celebrate it together with the other members. He wanted to be remembered as a happy guy, a fighter. And not someone who wasted away on the last few days. He sang loudly above the music, joined by the rest. Many laughs and jokes and dancing until it was time to go back to the dorm.

They packed their stuff and exited the building, walking through an alleyway towards the bus that was awaiting them. Before they reached the end, a big dog jumped in front of them, growling. White teeth and piercing blue eyes. White fur that stood up as the dog approached slowly but surely. And then attacked, jumping and lunging at the arm of Taehyung. And Taehyung was too late to avoid and felt the teeth sink into his flesh, break his bones. The dog let go, gave the wound a and ran off before it’d be killed.

Taehyung had fallen down from the sheer force, laying on the ground and staring up as he seemed lost. Where was he? What had happened? And then the pain came as the other members helped him up and quickly brought him to the bus.

“. We need to bring him to a hospital,” Hoseok said, worriedly watching Taehyung who seemed to go in and out of unconsciousness. “Driver, please drive us to the hospital,” Jimin called. The bus was started and they started driving. Hoseok in the meanwhile tried to let Taehyung stay awake.

“Hey! Stay awake.”

“What?” Taehyung mumbled, his eyes closing again and his head resting against the window. They then fluttered open and he looked around, as if panicked and scared before slipping back into unconsciousness.

His arm was covered in blood, soaking his clothes. Hoseok looked around to see if there was anything around to bind the arm, but there wasn’t. So he pulled off his shirt and tore it into a long piece and tied it around Taehyung’s arm, hopefully that would slow down the bleeding. Soon enough, they reached the hospital and they carried him inside.

“Nurse! Please help him! He was bitten by a large dog,” Hoseok called, nurses rushing over with a wheelchair and then rushing the boy into an emergency room where the six others were not allowed to come. Now it was a waiting game.

After two hours, a doctor finally came. Hoseok had been pacing the room from beginning to end and looked at the doctor.

“Your friend will make it. He’s now resting,” he said, and led them over to the room where Taehyung was lying in a big bed. He seemed to be slowly waking up and all the members rushed to his side. They were all worried.

“Taehyung, are you okay?” Hoseok asked.

Taehyung grumbled, non-responsive and closed his eyes, falling asleep.

Jimin sighed and sat down in a chair. So did the other members, and soon they fell asleep from the exhausting day.