One month

-Morning, sleepy head!

Chan was leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. Jisung woke up in a hospital bed with a huge migraine and the last thing he wanted to see was Chan's face.

-Care to tell me what happened? Before I call the others.

-Don't, Jisung groaned trying to rearrange himself on the bed.

-Too late cause Felix has been blowing up your phone for the last 30 minutes.

-Felix... Please Don't tell him about this! Please!

-The blood bath in their apartment says otherwise, idiot.

-Fuck... Jisung squirmed in pain.

Chan picked up the phone in front of Jisung.

-Lix, calm down! He's with me! Ye-yes! He's safe. I'll explain later, alright? He's alive and safe. I promise! Okay, talk to you later!

-How was he?

-The audacity to ask that... Chan clenched his jaw and scoffed. You're a little showman, aren't you?

-I didn't want this to happen, Jisung kept his head down.

-Right... So the knife just magically landed in your arm. Amazing story! he clapped his hands.

-I didn't wanna- It was an accident! Jisung protested.

-Accident, my ass! Chan bended to be closer to Jisung and force him to look him in the eyes. You want to exit so badly, you should have thought about it before you got together with Minho. If you die, you'll break his heart.

-You... You don't think I love him, Jisung realised.

-How could I? Look at you! You bring troubles, yell, whine like a bitch and come up with a stupid ilness to excuse your outbursts. Seriously? Oh, no- Sorry! You are sick, right here! he pointed towards Jisung's forehead.

Jisung felt tears building in his eyes. He couldn't help it. Every word just cut through his heart like a pair of scissors.

-What? Are you crying?

-Yes. I'm tired of you and you're unnecessary criticism. I saw how you are with the others. I saw how you treat them. But when it comes to me I'm just trash to you. I won't ever be more, will I?

-What does it matter?

-Because... I wanted to get along with you. I called for you when I thought I was dying.

-Because I was the only one home.

-I didn't know that! I called because I needed you. I cut myself, god dammit! And you're just making me wish I have finished it! Get out!

-Gladly, Chan headed towards the door. Oh, and... I've already told Minho. He's on his way to pick you up. I've done my part, he slammed the door behind him.

Jisung looked at his hand wrapped in bandages.

He took out away and peeked through it.

Nothing.

Nothing?

The numbers were gone.

A smile crept on his face, but lasted merely two second. His gaze slipped to the other side where the number 50 was casually tattooed on his other arm.

-No.... he stared in disbelief. No no no...

A knock at the door made his heart stop. How could he face Minho like that?

The door opened and revealed Jeongin who was angry as well.

-What did you do?

-Explain this! Jisung showed him his arm.

-Your numbers. What's up with them?

-They were on my other arm. I stabbed myself and now they are on the other one. How?

-What? Jeongin took Jisung's wrist in his hands and analysed it.

-The curse can't be stop, can it? Jisung gulped in fear.

-I'm afraid not.

-I don't wanna die... I don’t want the curse to go to Minho after I die! Jisung shouted panicked.

-Maybe there's a way to stop it from spreading.

-What way?

-Suicide... Jeongin remembered his grandma saying this to him. If you kill yourself before you reach 0, the curse it's not finished. It stays on your arm in the grave.

-Will it work?

-I hope so, Jeongin confessed. I'm part of this too. Minho dies, Felix gets it. Felix gets it, Changbin gets it and then...

-You get it.

Jeongin nodded terrified.

-I have to kill myself... Jisung admitted.

-We need a plan.

-We? Thought you don't wanna be part of this anymore.

-I don't have a choice. If you let me finish there, you would know we're linked through my tattoo. Basically while you were stabbing yourself I almost chocked on my hot chocolate.

-You feel what I feel?

-I feel what you do to your numbers. Even scratching them.

-Sorry...

-Jisung? Minho's voice echoed through the halls.

The older stopped at the door frame to catch his breath.

He ran all the way from the shelter to the hospital. He didn't care about anything else but to make sure Jisung was alright.

-I'll leave you two, Jeongin patted Minho on his way out. And Jisung, he suddenly stopped and glared at the patient. Don't you dare do stupid things like this ever again. You're not just hurting yourself, but all of us, he rubbed his nape as he could still feel the pain.

-What happened? Chan hyung called me and... are you alright? Do you need anything? Minho started mumbling without sense.

He was shaken up and wanted to avoid the question that haunted him the most.

Was it his fault?

-I'm sorry... I was... I've been really sad lately and I tried to keep it to myself. I thought it would go away, but I reached my limit. It all came at once. I miss my mom and dad... I miss them so much! They left me. They left me alone for what? I don't wanna do the same to you? I don't wanna leave you alone! I'm so scared, Minho! I've never been so scared in my life, his voice cracked. I love you all! I love you and Felix and this group of friends and I don't wanna go! he grabbed Minho's sleeve and dragged him closer. I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it! I swear! It was an accident. I feel and got frustrated and the tattoo reminded me of my problem and I wanted to scrap it with the knife, he sobbed. I could never leave you, Minho! Please believe me! Please! I didn't mean it... he broke down in Minho's shirt.

The older wrapped his arms around him and watched his own tears fall in Jisung's hair. He had never seen Jisung like that and it was heartbreaking.

-I believe you! It was an accident, that's alright. I'm happy you're alright. We'll stay here for a few days for you to feel better, then we'll go home.

-But the shelter...

-Hyunjin will take care of it. I'm not leaving your side, you hear me? he took Jisung's tattoed hand and placed it on his own heart.

-I don't deserve you, Jisung felt another wave of tears coming.

-You do. We deserve each other. Two assholes with big hearts, Minho tried to joke as he whiped his tears fast.

-I've never thought I would love someone so much that it would hurt. It pains me to be away from you, Jisung confessed.

Minho was so moved he started bawling his eyes as well.

-You make me so happy, Jisung. I hope you know that.

Felix ran through the halls, his heart pounding like crazy.

Once he was done with his date he took a cab and rushed there to see Jisung.

When he reached the room he spotted Jeongin leaning on the wall, lost in his thoughts.

-Jeongin? What are you- he stopped mid sentence to breathe.

-How low?

-What? Felix asked not understanding the question.

-How low was the number this morning?

-40.

-And you left him alone? Jeongin raised his voice at the freckled boy. You said you wanna be his reaper. You said you would help him. How could you leave him alone?

-I didn't know it was that bad. He told me he was okay.

-Okay? Okay? If he were okay, I wouldn't had felt not one but three knife stabs in the back of my neck! he lashed out at the other.

-I'm sorry! Felix started crying. I don't know how this works. I was just trying to help. Maybe if we tell Seungmin he can find a solution. He's smart and-

-No. We don't get more people involved, Jeongin stated. I already talked to Jisung. He'll try to stop the curse transferring to Minho and to you.

-H-How?

-Suicide.

-No! He's not killing himself! There must be another way! Felix fell to the ground on his knees.

-There isn't. I have to prepare a funeral in a month, he threw his hand through his hair.

-A month? Felix froze in horror. What do you mean? Why a month?

-He has a month left. You said it yourself. 40 days.

-What? Felix felt so sick he could had thrown up right then and there. I thought it was 40 years. He told me that.

-There are days. He didn't die because he made sure to annoy people daily and his number increased. But now... Even if the whole Korea hates him, Minho's love is too strong. It won't work. He had a month and a week left. And I have to prepare a funeral.

-Then, Felix blew his nose in a napkin. I'll prepare a wedding.

-Huh? Jeongin was left aback.

-You prepare a funeral and make sure it's the best funeral anyone has ever seen up until now. I'll ask Seungmin about this, but won't mention it's Jisung or any of us. And I'll prepare a fake wedding for them. We must work together to make him happy in his last days. No more avoiding the problem, no more hiding. Got it?

Jeongin shook Felix's hand before being dragged to the floor at his level.

-We're doing this properly! he took a deep breath.

-Yes, hyung! Jeongin nodded. I might have an idea for a honeymoon, his eyes sparkled with a brand new idea.

__________________________

Better prepare for what's to come.

Remember this story is experimental, so it's a bit different from my other works. This should say enough about it.

I actually had a breakdown while writing this chapter and cried my eyes out.

Thank you for reading!