Work Text:
April 1st, 2018.
"Thanks for agreeing to gather to here guys." Seokjin smiled. He looked tired. Very tired and very week. He was able to hide his condition from everyone for a whole year, trudging along, too stubborn to give up on everything to quickly. But he was running out of time. He had leave without causing too much pain.
It isn't that the members didn't notice how Seokjin look unhealthy as days passed. His sudden weight loss concerned them, specially Jimin, thinking that he was putting himself on a harsh diet. He was always cold and wrapped in over-sized thick sweaters even during the summer, running a fever from time to time. They did get him checked in with a doctor and Seokjin said that he was fine, his body was just too tired. They took his word for it. Now, Seokjin had gathered them to talk to them.
"What is it, hyung?" Namjoon asked, stepping into his leader-friend mode.
"I am sorry." Seokjin said, looking down.
"For what, hyung?" Taehyung asked, sipping on his juice.
"I can't continue anymore." Seokjin said. "I ended my contract with BigHit. I am not a part of the group anymore."
There was pin drop silence for long second before Jimin burst out into giggles.
"Hyung we know today is 1st April." he said, giggling hard. Seokjin just sighed.
"I am not joking Jimin-ah." He said. "I am really leaving."
" No you are not." Jungkook said, voice sharp, staring his hyung down.
"Yes I am." Seokjin said, slinking into the couch. "I am sorry."
"But...but why?" Yoongi asked, looking more distraught by the second. Jimin has stopped giggling.
"I...just can't continue anymore." Jin said. "I am too tired and I really don't think I should."
"Ok." Namjoon said, taking a deep breath in. "Ok. Let us...calm down. Jin hyung, tell us why."
"I just did." Seokjin said.
"The real reason." Namjoon said, trying very hard not to sound desperate.
"There is no other reason Namjoon-ah." Seokjin said, feeling extremely guilty. "I am sorry I am leaving."
"But...you can't just...leave us!" Taehyung burst out. "We just got started. You can't leave us! No way!"
"I am sorry." Seokjin said. Distressed voices broke out around him and the only thing that Seokjin could say was "I am sorry."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December, 5th, 2019.
Kim Seokjin is beautiful. He was the picture of calm and serene as he lay there, on the soft satin sheets, inside the wooden casket that he hand-picked themselves. He looked so much at peace. Nothing would ever bother him again. He was safe and free from all pain and sorrow and he even looked like he was smiling in relief.
It has been a whole 5 years since the world came to know about Kim Seokjin's passing.
Leukemia.
The news was so unexpected that no one had the time to react properly.
It was a perfect morning, Yoongi was drinking coffee, Namjoon was scrolling through his phone and everyone else was busy in their own world. It was an off day. It was all peaceful until their manager called and their world shattered into pieces.
When they entered the Kim Residence, everyone looked at them sadly. None of them bothered to spare anyone a glance, eyes frantically searching for that one person they haven't seen in months.
One by one, their eyes landed on the casket in the middle of the living room. Jimin was the first to move has he stumbled towards the casket and collapsed beside it. His hands fluttered all over the sleeping figure, caressing and touching, trying to grasp the situation. Taehyung was next as he collapsed beside Jimin, fingers tapping on the sleeping face, trying to wake him up. A chocked cry brought them back to their senses Jungkook collapsed on the body inside the casket and started to bawl his eyes out. That is when the rest of the members seemed to be jarred out from their stuppor. Namjoon didn't know how to react as he stood, hands shaking, as his eyes landed on the person inside the casket. Never in a million years did he think that he would have to see this sight. Hoseok had joined the maknaes, crying over their hyung, desperately calling out to him to wake up and come back to them. Yoongi was rigid beside them. At the back of his mid, Namjoon knew he had to be very strong for his band members. He was the leader. But the donseang in him just wanted to collapse and cry his heart out for him hyung. The members around the coffin had to pried off. Seokjin would be taken to the funeral hall for his service.
Needless to say this news came as a shock wave to the world. Namjoon hated how it was being treated as a new hot headline when he knew Seokjin would hate this much gusto. The Security was very tight, not allowing any reporter or fan to enter the hall.
The other idols from the industry came in to pay their respects and condolescences, looking genuinely hurt and upset at loosing another fellow idol so quickly. Seokjin's friends from the industry were looking as lost the members themselves, not expecting to hear this kind of a news. Jaewahn was so distraught that he had to be taken away by his crying members to console him. Members of Shinee swooped in to hold the BTS members tight in their hugs, sharing the pain of losing their brothers and members. Idol groups came in and went, some flying in from an oversees schedule to pay their last respects. Young and old, every friend and acquintance of Seokjin came in to say farewell to Seokjin for the last time.
And in the middle of all this, the BTS members were trying very hard to be strong for themselves and Seokjin's family. Seokjin's mother hasn't stopped crying, his father and brother holding her and mourning quietly, trying to be strong for her.
Namjoon held on to Taehyung with a tight grip. Taehyung wasn't crying anymore, standing guard beside Seokjin's coffin. Yoongi had Jimin and Hoseok had Jungkook, each one trying very hard not to collapse in tears and sobs.
They didn't get to say good-bye.
The members along with Seokjin's brother wore the white band on their arm, the weight of it making them stagger but stand strong.
When time came, SeokJung lifted Seokjin's picture as the members lifted Seokjin's casket, hands shaking, three on each side.
Never in a million years did they think that they would be carrying their hyung to cremate him.
When Seokjin was lowered into the ground and covered by earth, it started to rain heavily. No one had umbrellas, getting drenched.
Seokjung returned home, when the news of his mother fainting came. The BTS members didn't move and inch.
Silence descended on them before it was broken by a piercing scream. Taehyung had finally collapsed, screaming out to the sky as he doubled over in his grief and the others didn't stop him.
Jungkook just curled in on himself as he let out pained sob after sob. Hoseok and Jimin were wrapped around each other, crying into each other's shoulders.
Namjoon allowed himself to cry for his hyung. For a little while, he promised he will be strong for his members, but he just wanted to grieve the loss of his hyung like his inner donseang wanted too.
Yoongi wept and wept and wept, wrapping his arms around their baby maknae, who was too young to be carrying their hyung to the burial ground.
"I am sorry." Jungkook cried. "I am so so so sorry."
He kept repeating it like a mantra. No one stopped him.
It was a very very long time before any of the members could make themselves leave, their managers forcing them to get back home.