Min Yoongi feels nothing as he speeds up the highway. It's been like this for a while now. Is it sad that he never really noticed when he started to become numb? It's just like, one day he finally snapped: whoa; I don't feel anything anymore.

Yoongi would never admit this to his friends, but he's not scared to die. He could drive off the road and plow straight into a light pole and he wouldn't really care. Would he have any regrets about how he's lived his life? Perhaps. Maybe a few.

Yoongi guns the engine, pushing his Corvette even harder. The engine roars as he flies forward with a burst of speed. He reaches over, picks up his 42 ounce cup filled with straight tequila and takes a healthy swig, smiling as the burn rips down his throat and into his chest. He shudders, grunting as the fire in his chest dulls slightly. The road in front of him warps and twists, like a reflection in a fun-house mirror. "Oh, shit." Yoongi bites his lip as he swerves to attempt to stay in the right lane. "Ahh," he sighs, pushing a hand through his hair. He knows what he's doing is dangerous. He knows he could hurt someone, or end up hurt himself. But in all honesty, he doesn't fucking care. He doesn't care about his life or anyone else's, and it's been this way for who knows how long?

Yoongi's mind begins to wander, playing back through memories of his childhood, times spent with his friends raising hell. When did everything go so wrong? Yoongi's not sure. He shakes his head, reaching over to turn up the radio. The beat of the rap song floods the car, effectively drowning out the past that was running through his head. He sings along, closing his eyes.

After a few terribly long seconds, he opens his eyes once more, reaching for his phone. His fingers clumsily dial the number of an old friend. This friend picks up after a few rings, his voice making a dull ache blossom in Yoongi's chest. "Yoongi-ah, what is it? It's late."

"Joon-ah," Yoongi says, swallowing past the lump that has formed in his throat. It's been so long since he's talked to any of his friends. "B–Been a while, huh? How are you? How is everyone?"

"Everyone's fine. Are you drunk? I can tell that you're trying hard not to slur your words." Namjoon's voice takes on an admonishing tone. "It's not good to drink alone."

"I know, I know," Yoongi sighs. But you guys won't drink with me anymore. "Why'd you even answer if all you're gonna do is bitch at me, bro? If I wanted that, I would've called my mom." He runs a hand down his face, rubbing his eyes with a closed fist. A memory comes up in his mind, fuzzy with age and over-consumption of alcohol. Yoongi and his friends completely running the streets without a care in the world. They truly believed they were invincible, and they were; they really were. Nothing could touch them. "Hey, do you remember when we stole Jin's brother's truck and ran from the cops? And we completely stopped traffic?" Yoongi chuckles. "Do you remember?"

"Yes, I remember," Namjoon sighs. "But that's in the past. We don't run anymore. We've grown up now. Is this all you called me for?"

Yoongi feels the smile on his face slowly fade. "Yeah, Joon. I just... I wanted to reminisce. But I can see that I'm getting on your nerves. I apologize."

"Is that all? I have a meeting in the morning, so I should go. Goodnight, Yoongi."

"Joon, Joon; wait! Before you hang up on me," Yoongi speaks hurriedly. "You...You know I love you, right? I know we don't talk as much as we used to, but I'd do anything for you. You and the rest of the guys."

"Yeah," Namjoon says, his tone completely dismissive.

Yoongi sighs, shutting his eyes. When did Namjoon become so cold? He was never like this before. "Joon-ah, can you do me a favor?"

"What?" Joon sounds exasperated. "What is it, Yoongi?"

The lights of the oncoming truck flash directly into Yoongi's eyes, momentarily blinding him. "Aish," he mutters. "Joon..."

The sounds of the crash over the phone's tinny speaker are crystal-clear in Namjoon's ear. "Yoongi... Yoongi?! Min Yoongi, are you there?! Answer me!!"

Namjoon hears a low moan that chills him to the bone. He falls silent as he holds his phone in a white-knuckled grip. His heart sprints in his chest; he takes a deep breath to steady himself. "Yoongi, can you hear me?"

"J–Joon..." Yoongi's voice comes out in a soft croak. "I fu–fucked up..."

Namjoon's heart skips painfully in his chest when he hears Yoongi's voice. "Yeah," he says, swallowing past the lump in his throat. "Yeah, you did fuck up, but it's okay. You're going to be fine, Yoongi."

"Joonie... Tell my mom I love her, okay? Take care of the boys." Yoongi coughs, shutting his eyes. "I love you guys more than anything. I know I've made some stupid mistakes; I'm sorry."

"Stop it," Namjoon says, trying with all his might not to break down. "You're not going to die. You're going to be fine. Do you understand me?"

"My head hurts, Joonie. It hurts a lot..." Yoongi groans as he tries to move.

"Are you bleeding in that area?" Namjoon asks, easily falling into his old position of authority. If he tries to take control of the situation, it will force him to keep calm. "Where did you wreck?"

"I don't know," Yoongi moans. He lets out a cry of pure agony that makes the hair on Namjoon's arms stand on end. "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"You're not," Namjoon says, his voice cracking ever so slightly. "You're going to come out of this just fine!"

"I don't think I'm gonna make it," Yoongi murmurs as the taste of blood envelops his tongue. "Promise me that you'll take care of the boys."

"We'll take care of them together! It's always been us! I can't do this without you. You have to..."
Namjoon's voice fades out as Yoongi fades away.

Instantly, Yoongi's pain subsides. When he opens his eyes again, he sees his body lying face-down a few feet below. A puddle of blood is quickly staining the grass. "Holy shit," Yoongi breathes. "Am I...dead?" His car is a few feet away, completely mangled. It's nothing but scrap-metal now.

It's quiet, eerily still; as if the world has suddenly stopped turning. "Ahh..." A low moan sounds, getting Yoongi's attention. "H–help me... Somebody..." There's a man pinned beneath the truck that collided with Yoongi's car.

"Fuck... This is my fault..." Yoongi murmurs, his eyes wide. "Can I even help when I'm like this?" He looks at his palms, marveling at their transparency. "I have to try, don't I? I can't let this guy die because of my stupid mistake." He hovers just behind the man's shoulder. "Please... Let this work...!" He moves to place his hands underneath the man's armpits, hoping against hope that he'll be able to pull this off.

Instead of meeting warmth, Yoongi's hands pass straight through the man's body. "Shit!" Yoongi hisses. The man shivers, goosebumps rising on the skin of his arms. "C'mon!" Yoongi tries to grab the man again, but his hands refuse to cooperate, passing through the man's body again and again. "C'mon!! Fucking...! Help me out here!!"

The man groans, his eyes drifting closer to closing. "It's so cold... I'm tired..."

"No, no, no!" Yoongi says quickly. "You have to stay awake, alright?! Don't go to sleep!! What's your name?!"

"My name...? My name is..." The man groans as sweat pours down his face. "I can't remember..."

"Try! Please, try your best!" Yoongi cries as his head whips around, searching for something, anything that may help this man. The highway is empty; the silence creeps in, furthering Yoongi's panic. He looks down at the man, sucking in a breath when he realizes the man's eyes have closed. "Hey! Hey, bro! Open your eyes!!" Yoongi shoves his hands into the man's body with as much force as he can muster. "Wake up!!"

The man shudders violently, his breath rattling in a way that makes Yoongi's hands immediately draw back. He feels something strange settle in his chest, something that makes him feel almost numb. It begins to spread, threatening to overtake him.

Then, he hears it. The distant sound of a siren. Yoongi lets out a shaky breath, looking down at the man. "Hey! Help is coming! Can you hear the siren?"

"Yes," the man says, the word coming out in a gasp. "Yeah, yeah..."

"So you have to stay awake, okay? Open your eyes and look at me!" Yoongi says, looking toward the sound of the siren for a moment.

The man slowly opens his eyes, looking into Yoongi's face as it gradually comes into focus. "Whoa... Are you an angel? Did I die?" A dreamy, delirious smile spreads across his features.

Yoongi chuckles mirthlessly. "I'm about the furthest thing from an angel you can get. And you're not dead yet."

The man starts to pray, his words barely reaching Yoongi's ears. "...God. ...you God..."

"Keep praying," Yoongi says. "Do whatever you can to stay awake. I'll be right back." Yoongi heads toward the road, keeping an eye out for help. He can't hear the sirens anymore. Fuck. Did they go somewhere else?! No!! "Shit," he mutters, pushing a hand through his hair. "God damn it..." His eyes begin to fill with tears. Things seem so hopeless. With the way things are looking, both men are going to die here. They're going to die. They're going to die and it's Yoongi's fault.

"H–hey; are you still there?" The man's voice brings Yoongi back. "Mister Angel?"

Yoongi returns to the man's side, wiping his eyes. "I told you, I'm not an angel. I'll stay with you until the end. I won't leave you." Yoongi reaches for the man's hand, his heart sinking when his hand doesn't make contact with flesh. "I'm...I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you," Yoongi murmurs. "This is all my fault, you know. I can take ownership of my mistake. I'm...I'm truly sorry."

"It was an accident," the man says. "We all...make mistakes. I don't hate you. I...I want you to make me a promise, though."

"Anything," Yoongi says.

"I want you to promise me... Promise me that you won't do something like this again." The man looks into Yoongi's face, his surprisingly steady gaze seeming to pierce straight though him.

Yoongi falters, feeling a fluttering in his chest. "I..." Can he make that promise? Can he even keep it? "I'll try." He means it. He will try.

The man smiles, showing his teeth tinged red with blood. "That's all I can ask for."

"I fucked so many things up before," Yoongi says, tilting his face up towards the pitch-black sky. "But I won't fuck this up."

"What did you mess up before?" the man asks. "Tell me, if you can. Release it."

"I...I'm a drunk. I pushed all my friends away, so now they don't even want to see me. I haven't wanted to be alive in so long." Yoongi swallows passed the lump in his throat, willing the tears in his eyes not to fall. "I'm alone. What's going to happen if I make it out of here? Nothing. I'll still be the same old drunk Min Yoongi."

"S–see, that's where you're wrong," the man says, smiling up at Yoongi. "This is your second chance. You can always choose to change. Start now. Right now. Commit to the change in your heart."

"I can choose... It's not too late?" Yoongi feels that fluttering in his chest again.

The man shakes his head, never losing that smile, although his breathing is becoming labored, wheezy. "Never...Never too late, bro. When you make it outta..." The man falls silent, his eyes glazing over. His gaze is on Yoongi's face, but he's not seeing him. Not anymore.

"Hey..." Yoongi freezes, a heaviness dropping onto his chest with such a force it's a wonder Yoongi didn't fall over onto the grass beside his new confidant. "Hey! No, no...!" His hands tremble as the tears he's been fighting this whole time finally spill over his cheeks. "Don't die...!" He sobs, screaming. "HEEEELLLP!!! I need some FUCKING HELP!!!"

Yoongi cries over the man's body, wishing that the roles were reversed. He would give anything to switch places with this man. "I won't leave you. You won't be alone."

Sirens sound once more, far off and distant. Yoongi pays them no mind, though. It's too late. He stays by the man's side, his mind turning to his friends. How will they react when they hear what happened?  Would they show up to his funeral? Would they even care? Probably not, right? He wouldn't count on it.

But... Why does it seem like the sirens are getting closer? Yoongi shuts his eyes, stilling himself. They are...! They're coming! "Help is coming..." he laughs, feeling dizzy with relief. The lights of the ambulance come into view. Yoongi frantically waves his arms high above his head. "Here!! We're here!!"

The ambulance stops, the screams of the siren completely shattering the stillness of the night. Paramedics rush out of the ambulance, swarming around the scene like ants. A pair of medics hurry over to where Yoongi is kneeling, completely passing through him as if he's nothing more than vapor.

Another pair of EMTs head over to Yoongi's body, rolling him over onto his back. Both groups of EMTs begin to work on the men, their goal the same: save them.

"Looks like they've been here for a bit." One of the voices reaches Yoongi's ears.

"Hey, we've got a pulse here!" a voice rings out. A group is gathered around the man that Yoongi wrecked into. They quickly load him up onto a gurney and into the back of the ambulance.

Yoongi breathes a sigh of relief as he watches the ambulance speed away. He looks over at the EMTs that are still working on his body. Yoongi shuts his eyes as he turns away from the scene. "So, what? I'm just going to be a spirit, haunting this road?"

"No," an unfamiliar voice sounds in Yoongi's head. "It's not your time yet. Go back."

" 'Go back?' " Yoongi parrots.

"Go back," the voice says. "NOW."

The next thing Yoongi knows, he feels a pain so intense he actually wishes he did end up dying. He screams into the night, effectively scaring the shit out of the EMTs that thought him dead.

Yoongi's pain seems never ending as they wait for an ambulance to arrive. But, perhaps by some miracle, he's pulled into a long slumber.

When Yoongi regains consciousness, he finds himself in a hospital bed, connected to an impressive tangle of wires and machines. A nurse quietly enters the room, smiling when she sees that he's awake. She's pushing a small rolling cart bearing a pitcher of water and a covered dish. "Good afternoon. Visiting hours are happening now. You have quite a crowd that's been waiting for you to wake up. Would you like to see them?" She hums quietly as she checks the readings on a few of the machines.

"People? To see me?" Yoongi's voice comes out in a croak.

"Oh yes," the nurse replies as she fills the glass on the tray near Yoongi's bed with fresh water. "They've been here since Monday morning, waiting for you. They drive the nurses crazy, but the other patients seem to like them." She smiles fondly.

"What day is it today?" Yoongi asks.

"It's Friday. You've been resting for a few days now. If you're up for it, I can send them in."

"Yes," Yoongi says. "I want to see them."

"I'll bring them in." The nurse begins to walk out of the room.

"Wait!" Yoongi says. "What happened to the man I wrecked with? Is..." Yoongi clutches the thin hospital blanket that is draped over him in his fists. "Is he okay? Is he...alive?"

"I can't discuss that with you; I'm sorry." The nurse gives Yoongi a sympathetic look.

"I understand," Yoongi mumbles.

"I'll bring your visitors in, alright?" the nurse smiles. "If you need anything, just press the call-button right up there by your head." She points towards it.

"Thank you." Yoongi gives her a small smile.

There's about a half-second of stillness before Yoongi's friends burst into the room. The younger boys hurry to Yoongi's bedside, their eyes wide.

"Yah." Namjoon's voice rings out, dripping with authority. "Easy."

"Yoongi-hyung, what happened?" Jungkook's voice is small.

"Your face..." Jimin trails off, his fingers twitching as if he wants to reach out and touch Yoongi.

"I...I made a stupid mistake," Yoongi says. "I...never wanted to tell anyone, but..." He pauses, taking a shaky breath to gather himself. "I've been so unhappy, for so long." His voice breaks, but he doesn't cry.

"I'm sorry, hyung." Taehyung slowly reaches for Yoongi's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "We knew you were in a bad way, but we didn't do anything to help you."

"We'd like to help now, if you'll let us," Jin pipes up, stepping forward.

"Really?" Yoongi asks, looking into the faces of his friends. They've changed so much; even Jungkookie looks more mature. "I missed you guys." Yoongi hangs his head, finally feeling the immense weight that seemed permanently settled on his chest begin to ease.

"We can't leave each other ever again," Namjoon says. "I'm sorry about the way our phone call went, Yoongi. I'm so sorry."

"Joon-ah," Yoongi murmurs, smiling up at his friend.

Hoseok hums. "Let's all promise right now that we're back to the way we used to be. Always together; stuck like glue."

"Shall we make it a blood oath?" Jungkook grins as he pulls a small knife out of his pocket.

"Yah!" Namjoon exclaims. "Why'd you bring that in here?! Put it away!"

"If you're scared, all you have to do is admit it, hyung," Jimin teases. "Let's do it!"

"Aish..." Namjoon groans as he watches Jungkook prepare to slit his palm. "That's so unsanitary."

"We're brothers, right?" Taehyung smiles as he takes the knife from Jungkook. "It's fine!"

The room is quickly filled with laughter and chatter, and it's like the boys are old friends again.

The knife makes its way to Yoongi and the boys fall silent, their gazes locked onto him. Yoongi thoughtfully twirls the small blade in his fingers for a few moments before looking up at his friends. "I love you all." He slices his palm as the boys cheer.

"Yah, yah," Hoseok says, glancing toward the door. "We'd better keep it down or they'll kick us out again."

"Can we seal the deal already?" Jin asks, his voice coming out in a slight tremble. "I think I'm losing too much blood."

The boys all join hands, sealing the oath.

God, Yoongi's missed this. He feels so full, so warm. "Together forever," he murmurs.

"Together forever," the boys chorus.