#Medical Practice SEO

[ennobletechnologies]

Revolutionizing Healthcare: Digital Marketing Solutions for Medical Professionals

The healthcare industry has been experiencing a transformation, with digitalization becoming a pivotal aspect of healthcare delivery and patient engagement. In this era, where the internet has permeated every facet of our lives, it is imperative for medical professionals to leverage digital marketing solutions. This article delves into the dynamic world of healthcare digital marketing, offering insights into why it’s essential and how it can be harnessed effectively.

Understanding the Digital Age in Healthcare

The impact of digitalization in healthcare cannot be overstated. Patients are no longer solely reliant on their local physicians for medical information. They turn to the internet to research symptoms, seek treatment options, and even find healthcare providers. Understanding this shift is crucial for medical professionals.

The Changing Patient Journey in the Digital Age

The traditional patient journey, from symptom recognition to diagnosis and treatment, has evolved significantly. Patients now take an active role in their healthcare decisions, starting with online research. This shift necessitates a strong online presence for medical professionals.

Challenges in Healthcare Marketing

While the digital age offers numerous opportunities, it also presents challenges unique to the healthcare industry.

Regulatory Hurdles

The healthcare sector is subject to strict regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Navigating these regulations while conducting digital marketing can be a complex task.

Competition in the Healthcare Sector

Competition among healthcare providers is fierce. Standing out in a crowded market requires a well-thought-out digital marketing strategy.

The Power of Online Presence

An online presence is the cornerstone of any digital marketing strategy for medical professionals.

Establishing a Professional Website

A professional website serves as a digital storefront, providing essential information about your practice, services, and expertise. It’s often the first point of contact for potential patients.

The Role of Social Media in Healthcare Marketing

Social media platforms offer an opportunity to engage with patients, share valuable healthcare information, and build a community. Utilizing these platforms effectively is key to success.

Continue Reading: https://ennobletechnologies.com/healthcare/healthcare-marketing-solutions/

[anuvallc1]

Transform Your Medical Practice with Strategic SEO

In today’s competitive healthcare landscape, having a robust online presence is no longer optional. As patients increasingly rely on the internet to find medical providers, it's critical for healthcare practices to stand out in search engine results. This is where SEO for medical practices becomes essential. By optimizing your digital strategy, you can improve your website’s visibility, reach more patients, and build long-term credibility.

The Importance of SEO for Medical Practices

More than ever, patients are searching online for healthcare solutions, treatments, and doctors. They expect to find relevant, trustworthy information quickly, and tend to trust providers who appear at the top of search results. That’s where medical SEO comes into play—it helps your practice rank higher for relevant queries, allowing you to be more visible to the patients who need your services.

Medical practices that leverage SEO for medical websites benefit from increased organic traffic, higher engagement, and ultimately, more appointments. This makes it an indispensable part of modern healthcare marketing.

Key SEO Strategies for Medical Practices

To successfully implement SEO for medical practices, you need a multi-faceted approach. Here are the primary strategies that can help your practice thrive:

Keyword Research and Optimization: Understanding the search terms that potential patients are using is crucial. Common phrases like “orthopedic surgeon near me” or “best general practitioner in [city]” need to be integrated into your website content. This ensures that when patients search for these terms, your website appears in the top results. By strategically placing these keywords in blog posts, service pages, and meta tags, your medical practice will rank higher in search engines.

Optimizing Your Medical Website: Technical performance matters. A fast, mobile-friendly website with easy navigation is critical for improving user experience and search rankings. Medical website SEO ensures that your site is optimized for both search engines and patients, leading to better rankings and more user-friendly functionality. Websites that load quickly, are responsive across devices, and provide clear calls to action will convert more visitors into patients.

Content Creation: One of the most powerful aspects of SEO for medical websites is the ability to create valuable, educational content. Blogging about common medical issues, treatments, or prevention tips positions your practice as a thought leader. Not only does this build trust with potential patients, but it also drives more traffic as search engines prioritize informative, high-quality content. Regularly publishing blogs, FAQs, and patient guides helps establish your practice as an expert in your field.

Benefits of Medical SEO

Implementing a well-thought-out medical SEO strategy offers a host of advantages for healthcare providers:

Increased Patient Traffic: Appearing in the top positions on search engine results increases the likelihood of patients visiting your website, which can lead to more inquiries and appointments.

Higher Credibility and Trust: Websites that rank well are often seen as more credible. Patients are more likely to trust a provider who ranks at the top of search results for their medical needs.

Enhanced User Experience: SEO isn’t just about getting more traffic; it’s about improving your website for a smoother user experience. This translates to better engagement and retention rates, as patients can easily find what they are looking for.

Cost-Effective Marketing: Unlike paid ads, SEO delivers long-term results. Once your site is optimized, it will continue to attract traffic without the ongoing costs associated with advertising. Over time, the investment in SEO provides a high return, as it steadily generates leads and appointments.

Conclusion: Boost Your Practice with Medical SEO

For any healthcare provider, embracing SEO for medical practices is a smart investment in growth. By optimizing your website, creating valuable content, and focusing on patient-centric strategies, you can build a stronger online presence. In turn, this leads to increased patient traffic, higher credibility, and long-term success. Whether you're looking to attract new patients or retain existing ones, medical website SEO is the key to standing out in today’s digital world.

Blog Post URL:

[techhouseagencyus]

SEO for Medical Practices

Medical SEO stands out as a beacon in the healthcare industry, guiding potential patients to the services they need. Unlike traditional marketing methods, SEO in healthcare isn’t just about visibility; it’s about connecting patients with life-changing medical services.

[solution21]

Digital Diagnosis: How Medical SEO Experts Can Boost Your Practice's Visibility Digital Diagnosis: How Medical SEO Experts Can Boost Your Practice's Visibility

[medresponsive]

2023 Guide for Repurposing Content

Get ready to unlock the potential of your content and elevate your digital presence with the ultimate 2023 guide for repurposing content.  An experienced provider of content writing services can assist businesses in getting unique content formats.  https://www.medresponsive.com/blog/ultimate-content-repurposing-handbook-2023/

[getmoretraffic]

Medical Marketing Services by Get More Traffic

🚀 Boost your medical practice with effective online marketing strategies tailored for doctors. 🌐 Enhance your online presence, attract more patients, and build trust with targeted digital campaigns. 💻📲 Let us help you reach new heights in the digital landscape.

https://www.scribd.com/document/659461190/Doctors-Online-Marketing-Services-by-Get-More-Traffic

[vocisllc]

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[fosterideaztechnology]

A guide to SEO for medical spas

Our medical spa SEO serviceat FosterIdeaz provides customized solutions for your business needs. The design of a website that generates leads goes beyond the aesthetics.

[medicalseoservice]

Medical SEO Services In Norther Virginia | Medical SEO Service

If you're a dentist in Northern Virginia, then you know how important it is to have a strong online presence. After all, potential patients are searching for dental services online more than ever before.

That's why it's so important to invest in SEO services that can help you rank higher in search engine results. At http://Medicalseoservice.com, we specialize in helping dentists like you improve their online visibility and reach more patients.

Visit Now: https://medicalseoservice.com/

[drcatalyst320]

All You Need to Know About Healthcare Marketing Services

In order to advance public health, healthcare marketing services appeal to traditional marketing theories and principles as well as evidence-based strategies to safeguard and improve the health of diverse populations. It entails developing, disseminating, and delivering messages about prevention, health promotion, and health protection for the general public. It is one method for spreading awareness of advancements in medicine and health-protecting services like insurance.

Healthcare professionals may establish, communicate with, and offer value to their target market with the help of marketing. Instead of beginning with items or services, modern marketers start with the customer. Instead of ensuring a single transaction, they are more concerned with developing a long-lasting relationship. They want to produce a high degree of customer satisfaction to encourage repurchasing from the same vendor.

Marketing research, product design, distribution, pricing, advertising, promotional sales, and sales management are just a few of the traditional methods that marketers have used. In order to attract customers through messages and offers, new approaches that are related to new technology and new concepts must be added. The marketing strategy is how a company acts when influenced by environmental factors. Practically speaking, marketing strategies chart a course after analyzing environmental conditions. The marketing policy defines the overall plan of action that will be used to carry out the entire activity, including several strategies. DrCatalyst can assist with healthcare marketing services.

The benefit of healthcare marketing

Increasing the patient base of the practice

By focusing on and attracting potential patients, healthcare marketing can provide you an edge over your competitors. Informing and educating your target patient base is the goal of healthcare marketing. A sound healthcare marketing plan will use digital marketing to gather leads and patient data in order to create drip campaigns that keep in touch with current clients.

Promote important medical services

Healthcare marketing systems like healthcare SEO services, websites, social media marketing, content marketing, and digital advertising are excellent tools to let physicians promote and feature their medical services and capabilities.

Enhancing the patient experience at the practice

Patients benefit from top-notch medical care and an amazing overall experience with the aid of healthcare marketing systems thanks to the availability of continuing education resources, patient portals, reviews, and much more! Patients can send and receive important information for their care as well as contact the medical practice quickly and effectively. Be it healthcare marketing, remote medical assistant, or Medical Practice Billing Services, we at DrCatalyst can help.

Conclusion

As a result, marketing plays a crucial role in the healthcare industry. Find a partner who is knowledgeable about the industry and only focuses on healthcare marketing when you start your journey. A healthcare marketing agency can use tried-and-true procedures to bring you where you want to be while taking the industry and patient experience into account. You can get in touch with DrCatalyst for quality healthcare marketing services.

[bravelabs]

Are you looking to build a successful healthcare brand? A marketing strategy is a must for establishing a successful brand. But you should be using integrated marketing instead. Here's what you need to know.

[ennobletechnologies]

Revolutionize healthcare marketing with digital solutions for medical professionals. Enhance your online presence and engage patients effectively. Explore now!

Do Read: https://ennobletechnologies.com/healthcare/healthcare-marketing-solutions/

[anuvallc1]

Transform Your Medical Practice with Strategic SEO

In today’s competitive healthcare landscape, having a robust online presence is no longer optional. As patients increasingly rely on the internet to find medical providers, it's critical for healthcare practices to stand out in search engine results. This is where SEO for medical practices becomes essential. By optimizing your digital strategy, you can improve your website’s visibility, reach more patients, and build long-term credibility.

The Importance of SEO for Medical Practices

More than ever, patients are searching online for healthcare solutions, treatments, and doctors. They expect to find relevant, trustworthy information quickly, and tend to trust providers who appear at the top of search results. That’s where medical SEO comes into play—it helps your practice rank higher for relevant queries, allowing you to be more visible to the patients who need your services.

Medical practices that leverage SEO for medical websites benefit from increased organic traffic, higher engagement, and ultimately, more appointments. This makes it an indispensable part of modern healthcare marketing.

Key SEO Strategies for Medical Practices

To successfully implement SEO for medical practices, you need a multi-faceted approach. Here are the primary strategies that can help your practice thrive:

Keyword Research and Optimization: Understanding the search terms that potential patients are using is crucial. Common phrases like “orthopedic surgeon near me” or “best general practitioner in [city]” need to be integrated into your website content. This ensures that when patients search for these terms, your website appears in the top results. By strategically placing these keywords in blog posts, service pages, and meta tags, your medical practice will rank higher in search engines.

Optimizing Your Medical Website: Technical performance matters. A fast, mobile-friendly website with easy navigation is critical for improving user experience and search rankings. Medical website SEO ensures that your site is optimized for both search engines and patients, leading to better rankings and more user-friendly functionality. Websites that load quickly, are responsive across devices, and provide clear calls to action will convert more visitors into patients.

Content Creation: One of the most powerful aspects of SEO for medical websites is the ability to create valuable, educational content. Blogging about common medical issues, treatments, or prevention tips positions your practice as a thought leader. Not only does this build trust with potential patients, but it also drives more traffic as search engines prioritize informative, high-quality content. Regularly publishing blogs, FAQs, and patient guides helps establish your practice as an expert in your field.

Benefits of Medical SEO

Implementing a well-thought-out medical SEO strategy offers a host of advantages for healthcare providers:

Increased Patient Traffic: Appearing in the top positions on search engine results increases the likelihood of patients visiting your website, which can lead to more inquiries and appointments.

Higher Credibility and Trust: Websites that rank well are often seen as more credible. Patients are more likely to trust a provider who ranks at the top of search results for their medical needs.

Enhanced User Experience: SEO isn’t just about getting more traffic; it’s about improving your website for a smoother user experience. This translates to better engagement and retention rates, as patients can easily find what they are looking for.

Cost-Effective Marketing: Unlike paid ads, SEO delivers long-term results. Once your site is optimized, it will continue to attract traffic without the ongoing costs associated with advertising. Over time, the investment in SEO provides a high return, as it steadily generates leads and appointments.

Conclusion: Boost Your Practice with Medical SEO

For any healthcare provider, embracing SEO for medical practices is a smart investment in growth. By optimizing your website, creating valuable content, and focusing on patient-centric strategies, you can build a stronger online presence. In turn, this leads to increased patient traffic, higher credibility, and long-term success. Whether you're looking to attract new patients or retain existing ones, medical website SEO is the key to standing out in today’s digital world.

Blog Post URL:

[seoforsm]

Medical SEO Services

What exactly does medical SEO entail? Is it something I should consider?

Medical SEO involves optimizing websites for specific diseases or conditions. This helps patients who suffer from these illnesses find relevant information about their condition.

SEO is a powerful tool that can improve the visibility of your site. In addition to improving traffic, SEO also improves conversion rates. If you want to optimize your website for a particular disease, then you should contact a professional medical SEO expert.

Benefits of Medical SEO Services

Medical SEO services help your business grow by increasing traffic to your website. This is done by optimizing your site with keywords that are relevant to your industry. These keywords are used as meta tags on your page so search engines find them when users type in certain terms. When people see your site listed among others that match what they were searching for, they click on your link and visit your site.

The first step in any search engine optimization (SEO) campaign should always be keyword research. This will help you understand which keywords people actually type into Google and what they want from your website. It will also give you ideas for new content and product offerings.

Keyword research is just one part of the process. There are many different tools available online that allow you to find out exactly how popular certain terms are. For example, I recommend using Ahrefs to see how many times each term has been searched for in the last year. Once you have identified the most important keywords, you need to make sure those words appear frequently throughout your site. If you don't, your SEO efforts may be wasted.

Medical SEO services help your website rank higher in search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. This allows more people to find your site when they search online. It also makes sure that your business gets found by those searching for health-related topics. If you want to learn more about medical SEO services, visit my page today.

An Effective SEO Strategy for Medical Practices

The first step in creating a successful website for your practice is determining what type of site you want to create. There are three main categories of sites: informational, transactional, and promotional. Each category has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. An informational site provides patients with basic information about your practice. This includes contact details, hours of operation, directions, and any special services offered by the practice. A transactional site allows patients to purchase products or services online. These include patient portals, billing systems, appointment scheduling software, and electronic health records (EHR). Finally, a promotional site promotes your practice to potential patients. It may include social media pages, blogs, videos, and more.

While each of these types of websites has its advantages, it’s important to keep in mind that they all require maintenance. For example, if you decide to build a transactional site, you will need to update your payment processing system every year. If you choose to promote your practice through social media, you will need to post regularly and engage with your audience.

Once you know which type of site you want, you must determine whether you should develop it yourself or hire someone else to do it. Hiring a web developer is often the most cost-effective option. However, if you don’t have experience developing websites, hiring a professional might not be worth the investment. In this case, you could consider outsourcing the project to a freelancer who specializes in building websites for medical practices.

In order to rank well in search engines, your website needs to meet certain criteria. It should be optimized for mobile devices, contain relevant keywords, and be easy to navigate. If your site does all those things, then it has a good chance of ranking high in search results. If you want to find out more about what I offer as an SEO expert, visit my page here. In the past, Google has made changes to its algorithm that affect search results. These changes were designed to help users find what they want more quickly. However, some of those changes also affected the way websites appear in organic search results. This can cause problems for businesses whose main goal is to rank well organically. If your business relies heavily on organic traffic, then you need to make sure that your website is optimized properly so that it ranks high in search engine results.

In addition to optimizing your website for search engines, you should also optimize your site for social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. These platforms allow patients to share their experiences with your practice online. If you don't take advantage of them, you're missing out on valuable patient feedback.

LinkBuilding Efforts for Medical Service Providers 

In this section, we will discuss some of the most common link-building strategies used by medical service providers.

The first step in link building is to identify which sites are relevant to your niche. This means researching what types of content they publish, who links to them, and whether those websites are related to yours. Once you know this information, it will help you determine if they are worth pursuing.

In order to find out whether or not a site is worth pursuing, you need to look at its backlink profile. Backlinks are links pointing to your website from other websites. They are one of the most important factors when determining the value of a domain name. If a site has more backlinks than others, then it is likely to be more valuable.

A recent study by HubSpot found that more than half (53%) of B2B marketers believe link-building efforts should focus on medical service providers. This makes sense given that most people don't think about doctors when they're looking for health care services. However, according to the same study, only 11% of B2B marketers actually engage with medical service providers as part of their link-building strategy. 

The reason why so few B2B marketers engage with medical service providers is simple: Most medical service providers aren't interested in linking back to your website. They want to build relationships with physicians and hospitals, but they don't need links to help them accomplish that goal. So, while it's important to reach out to medical service providers, it's also important to understand what they want. If you can figure out what those professionals want, then you'll be able to create content that fits their needs.

Content marketing isn't just about creating great content; it's also about distributing that content across channels. In order to distribute content effectively, you first need to know who you're trying to reach. For example, if you're targeting doctors, you might not want to send emails to nurses. Instead, you should focus on reaching doctors directly.

A study published by the American Medical Association found that nearly half (48 percent) of all U.S. adults say they've used social media to find health information. That number jumps to 70 percent among people ages 18 to 34. But only 15 percent of Americans trust online reviews from friends and family.

So, what does this mean? It means that when you create your content strategy, you need to think about where your audience is spending time online. If you're writing about topics that interest them, chances are they'll spend more time reading those posts than any others. And if you're looking to drive traffic to your website, you may want to consider focusing on blogs and forums that are relevant to your business.

Conclusion

Medical SEO is one of the most important aspects of any successful internet marketing campaign. When someone searches for something related to medicine, they usually look for specific terms. These include diseases, symptoms, treatments, doctors, hospitals, etc. Your goal should be to make sure that your website ranks high enough so that when someone does type in one of these keywords, your site comes up first. To achieve this, you need to hire a professional medical SEO service provider. They will work with you to ensure that your site has all the right elements needed to rank well.

Medical SEO Experts provide services such as medical website optimization, keyword research, link building, backlinks, social media marketing, etc. They help businesses reach out to more patients by optimizing their websites and increasing traffic. This increases sales and revenue.

A medical SEO expert works with your company to improve its visibility online. He/she does all the necessary tasks required to make sure that your business gets maximum exposure on search engines. These experts also work closely with your web developer to ensure that the site has all the features needed to attract visitors. They also create unique content that is optimized for search engine rankings.

Medical SEO Experts offer several different services including medical website optimization, keyword analysis, link building, backlinks, social media marketing, and much more. Their goal is to increase your brand's visibility on Google. They do this by improving your website's performance on search engines. They also help you build relationships with potential customers.

[wannaeatramyeon]

Samuel Seo x Reader: Waiting

G/N. 3 separate fluffy scenes. Sammy just being sweet and not unhinged. Masterlists

"Sammy you don't have to come with me."

He gives you a look over the top of his glasses. One he reserves for when someone is being particularly ignorant and stupid.

(Jake Kim and Ryuhei Kuroda have been on the receiving end of this many many times.)

You think he's being a little unfair.

"I thought you were supposed to do something with your friend?"

"It's fine." Samuel responds.

It really isn't.

Goo had thrown something of a tantrum when Samuel said he wasn't able to accompany him on his latest errands. Threats of his secret (or not so secret) friend status was bandied about.

However, you have a medical appointment. Which is really more of a check up than anything, but Samuel still thinks he should be by your side.

He understands that it's standard procedure. Nothing is expected to come from it.

But there's a lot of things in his life that he regrets, and he's trying not to make any moves that would make you regret being with him.

"Sammy-"

"No." His tone holds no room for argument. "I'm coming with you."

.

-

Samuel, the absolute sweetheart, plays chauffeur without complaint and always walks you to your front door.

You had nearly swooned the first time he strolled around to your side, opened the car door for you to climb out as elegantly as you could (which was not very), and strode next to you with his hand resting on your hip.

Over time, it had become second nature for him to do so and every time, you find it just as sweet as the first.

"Did you want to come in?" You ask him under the porch light as you fiddle around with the keys.

That was also something you asked after you became better... acquainted. Nine times out of ten, Samuel would answer with a hungry glint in his eyes and a smirk that makes you want him to devour you.

Tonight-

"I've got an early morning."

It's a straightforward response. You know there's no game playing, yet you can't help the pang of disappointment and rejection. "Oh."

He chuckles at your response, the eagerness that was so clearly painted on your face then the way it dropped, "Were you expecting something?"

Samuel knows exactly what you were expecting, and relishes the way his question makes you blush.

"No!" Even to your own ears it sounds like a complete lie.

"Tomorrow," he promises, kissing you on the lips and leaving you breathless.

.

.

No matter what time your train gets in, Samuel is there waiting on the platform for you.

Sometimes it's with a bouquet, sometimes it's with a coffee. A little pick-me-up that he has thoughtfully prepared for you.

He really didn't need to do this, although you express constantly how much you greatly appreciate it. You've told him again and again but he insists on being there for his peace of mind. To make sure you've arrived safely, to make sure that you return back to his arms in one piece.

In the past he has cut off meetings with Eugene early, or heads back to the office to work late into night once he has taken you home.

For him, it's always worth it.

"Sammy!"

You're the first off the train, already impatiently gathering your things as soon as you recognised his outline waiting on the platform. Practically running off the carriage and full body slamming into his open arms.

He holds you like he hasn't seen you in years, like you're his lifeline and he's been adrift without you by his side even if it's only been half a day.

"Let's go home," he says, finally releasing you from his embrace. He offers up his hand and you happily intertwine your fingers together.

[violetsiren90]

All I Haven't Said | Namjoon/Reader

💜 Chapter 3: Part 2 💜

Table of Contents: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 (part 1), Chapter 3 (part 2)

Pairing: idol!Namjoon/f!Reader

Genre: Soulmate AU; idol AU; chapter fic; strangers to lovers; a bit of idiots to lovers, tbh; slow burn; eventual romance; eventual smut; angst (life is messy & hearts are complex); OT7 featured

Summary: You found your soulmate - or rather, he found you. Turns out he's an idol of much acclaim who needs you for very real and unglamorous reasons. What could become of two hearts so used to giving of themselves when they are confronted with needing each other?

Chapter Word Count: ~7k

Chapter Warnings: This fic is 18+, as is all my work and my page as a whole; depictions of cancer and its treatment; secondhand embarrassment; awkward situations; soulmate skinship; loss of consciousness; dudes dude-broing a bit lol; mentions of minor character death (in past); cursing; chemo therapy and its symptoms; nausea and vomiting; characters eat meals; Reader is starting to grapple with some difficult feelings; Hybe kinda sorta depicted as being collective assholes in responding to this situation (gonna be a theme, guys)

Author's Note: Here comes part two! I know this is months coming (again), but I've finally found my stride with writing and work. I had this mostly done, and then redid some parts and finished editing, and well...I just hope you all enjoy it! My hope is to post part three in two weeks - I really want to get into a groove with plot progression here!

There is a lot of content in this chapter about medical procedures and treatment. I tried my best to represent these as accurately as possible with what information I could acquire, but if there are any misrepresentations, great or small, please don't hesitate to let me know!

Thank you again to all who have stuck with this story! I continue to be blown away by how much love you have all showered upon it, and I'm so excited to walk the path I intend for these two and have you all along for the ride!!

P.S. If you want to join the tag list, drop me a comment or an ask!

P.P.S. If no one has told you yet today, you're loved and worthy of love! 🧜‍♀️💜

"Out of sheer taciturnity the ceiling listens To the fall of ancient leafless rain, To feathers, to whatever the night imprisoned." ~Pablo Neruda

Chapter 3: My Windows Ache

Namjoon's labs had come back with even more promising numbers. A radiology scan had shown no shrinkage in his tumors, but the doctors commented that these were early days, and that the effects of the bond might even be keeping them from inflaming due to the chemo. You had watched him, smiling as the doctor reviewed the result, and couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Your soulmate was on the road to recovery. 

     Nurse Cha quickly checked both of you over before initiating another skinship session.

     "I saw you out on the grounds earlier, and for the first time in weeks," she said, shooting Namjoon an approving grin. "Keep that up. He needs sunlight and fresh air," she remarked to you, flustering you even as you nodded in agreement.

     Why was she telling you that? Were you his keeper?

     Actually, you supposed, in fact, you were.

     You peeked back up at him and found him regarding you with a small, amused smile, which disconcerted you further. You shook your head, shooting him an eye-roll as you made your way into the bathroom to disrobe.

     After your first few experiences with skinship, you had asked Matt to acquire you some sporty, conservative sports bra and boy-short sets, and you slipped into one, pulling a hospital gown over it. After the way your conversation with Hyung-seo had unfolded you were glad to have them - the practical underwear felt far less intimate and flirty than your typical bras and panties, giving you much more peace of mind. 

     As you left the bathroom and made your way back to Namjoon's half of the suite, you noticed him sitting on top of the covers, long legs stretched out in front of him, in nothing but a black tee and blue boxers. He had a drip attached to a tube that ran under his shirt. When Nurse Cha glanced up from her touchscreen tablet to see you approaching, she waved her hand for you to come around to the other side of the bed, which had been adjusted to accommodate Namjoon's upright position.

     "We’re going to try this sitting up today," she explained as she typed. "He's on a chemo drip right now, and the doctor wants to see if the bond will help ease the nausea and some of the other side effects. I heard you just had a nice lunch, so it would be wonderful if Namjoon could hang onto his."

     She shot him a rueful smirk and he let out a chuckle. You smiled in turn and nodded as you slipped off your hospital gown and draped it over the end of the bed. You glanced up at Namjoon who had cast his eyes down at his hands, folded in his lap. The huge apparatus was lower than usual, so you slipped rather easily into it and against Namjoon's side. He raised an arm to drape over your shoulders and you settled against him, pressing your bare leg against his. It was comical how much shorter yours were, but you could only think of that for a fraction of a second as every other thought in your mind melted at the feeling of the man beside you.

     Butter. Warm, melted butter. It was as if every single muscle group in your body had suddenly released every bit of tension it had been holding. So many sensations at once, but this was the one you felt like leaning into at the moment. You felt like collapsing against him.

He sighed deeply through his nose. Yeah, you felt that on a spiritual level. Mmh. 

     Your melty, bond-induced reverie was broken, however, by a dissatisfied noise from Nurse Cha as she stepped toward the bed. You looked up to find her expression matched her tone. 

     "You're not really getting much contact," she said, scanning her eyes over everywhere you touched...and didn't. 

     You raised your arms slightly and a bit uselessly. You felt Namjoon lean forward.

     "Should I...like..." you looked to her for direction, but she was already in motion. 

     She grabbed your arm, guiding you off the bed and motioned for Namjoon to scoot back to the middle. She said something to Namjoon in Korean and suddenly he was tugging his shirt over his head. You felt your cheeks getting hot. Social norms had not prepared you for this amount of casual nudity. You stood there, eyes glued to Nurse Cha, hugging your arms over your middle and hoping that Namjoon was playing his usual blessed game of "look anywhere but soulmate". The nurse took your arm again and guided you back toward your previous perch.

     "Sit between his legs and lean back against his chest," she instructed, nudging you to join him.

You looked up at Namjoon. His face looked like you felt. And then it was just too much. You were standing in a hospital in South Korea in your underwear being asked to sit in a practically naked celebrity's lap so that he wouldn't die.

     You busted out laughing.

     Nurse Cha jumped, surprise clear in her features as she regarded you. 

     "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" You gasped, bending over to support yourself against the bed as you continued to chuckle, "This is just..."

     You snorted. Mortified but still attempting to swallow your giggles you clapped a hand over your mouth and looked up at Namjoon whose dimples were out and whose shoulders were shaking with his own silent amusement. Nurse Cha's lips curved up a bit to one side, but her narrowed eyes spoke of far less hilarity felt.

     "Here's the thing," you said, turning to the nurse while still biting back your laughter, "Namjoon is spoken for, and...well...I have a pretty nice ass."

     The nurse's eyes widened.

     You were probably being really impolite. That would have been borderline in the States. You weren't sure about here, but you felt like that might have broken some unspoken rules. Or, maybe spoken ones because there were a lot of formalities, you were learning. But you had reached your limit with all this. The awkwardness levels were at maximum, and you were gonna cope the only way you knew how - with humor.

     When you hazarded a look at your soulmate, he had drawn his knees up, grabbing them with his hands, his head dropped between them and his shoulders shaking as he badly repressed laughter of his own. You could see those dimples again. They were even deeper than before.

     "We need to get maximum skin-to-skin contact during these sessions," Nurse Cha insisted indignantly, clearly a bit flustered. 

     "I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," you offered her a contrite smile as you rocked back on your feet. 

     "Ah!" Namjoon drew your attention as he pointed behind you. "Throw me that pillow?" 

     You grabbed the little green cushion from the corner of the couch and tossed it to him. He lowered his legs and placed it over his lap.

     "How's that?" he asked with a closed-lip smirk.

     You gave him a thumbs up and clambered back onto the bed to situate yourself between his legs. You looked back over at Nurse Cha. 

     "Better?" 

     She raised a brow as she handed you a blanket. You thanked her quietly and cleared your throat as you fanned it out over your legs and Namjoon's, tucking it up to your waist. The nurse checked Namjoon's vitals and said that she would return in an hour to take him off the drip.

     You sank back tentatively against your soulmate's chest, careful to avoid the little port below his sternum. There it was again. Butter.

     Somewhere above and behind you, Namjoon chuckled. You smiled knowingly.

     "What?" you asked indignantly.

     "Did you see her face when you said that?"

     You shrugged against him.

     "Hey, it's true!" you insisted.

     "Sorry if this is uncomfortable for you," he murmured.

     You could hear that he was still smiling, but he sounded serious all the same. You let your head fall back.

     "Honestly, I felt bad for you," you huffed in another laugh before sobering. "And, thank you," you turned, casting your eyes up over your shoulder, "For always being so respectful. It's made this a lot easier."

     "Oh," Namjoon responded softly, "Of course." 

     You looked at his arms resting at his sides and thought of what Nurse Cha had said. You slowly picked up his hands in yours, raising them slightly.

     "May I put them around me? For more contact," you asked.

     You asked it boldly, but you felt shy. You wanted the chemo to work. You wanted it to stop hurting him while it did. When Namjoon let out a low hum of assent you drew his forearms around your waist and laid your own over them.

     Your eyes slipped shut. So euphoric but it always made you feel like sleeping. You weren't going to give into the urge, though, not just yet. There were conversations to be had.

     "Tell me about Hyung-seo," you prompted softly, shifting against him to get comfortable. 

     He was quiet for a moment.

     "Well," he responded slowly, "what do you want to know?"

     "How did you meet her?"

     He went quiet again. Then he sighed a small sigh. You wondered what that little breath carried.

     "She debuted in 2019. A buddy of mine - Seo Jungkwon, he goes by Tiger JK in the industry -  had signed her to his agency. Bangtan was just taking off, things were blowing up. I actually collaborated with him which is when I met her."

     He silenced for a moment.

     "We had a lot in common - how we approached life and music."

     "Had?" you asked, gently.

     He heaved another sigh. 

     "The last few years have been really tough on her. I mean, she hasn't had an easy life to begin with, but..."

     He paused, as if deciding whether or not to utter the words he wanted to say next.

     "Anyway," he redirected himself, and you wondered what thought he had dismissed, "Preparing for a tour is grueling, and this is her first one. I think the stress is really getting her."

     You hummed in acknowledgement. You recognized it in his voice - you should after all, as the same sound had echoed so often in your own - the hollow clemency of lying to yourself on someone else's behalf. 

     "Well," you offered, "She's lucky to have you supporting her, especially when you're going through such a difficult time yourself."

     Namjoon scoffed.

     "I mean, yeah, I'm sick, but...I don't know. In a lot of ways my life has been a lot easier these days. A lot simpler."

     "Really? In what way?"

     He huffed out a wry laugh.

     "I have so much time to just do whatever. Read, write...I've been learning a couple of languages. I get to do v-lives with ARMY pretty regularly, as the company allows - Jungkook went kind of crazy with it before enlistment so we have to go through them for access now."

     You had no idea what a v-live was, but from what little you had seen of Jungkook, you could imagine it took very little for him to get up to a significant amount of shenanigans. You smirked.

     "Did you have so little time for those things before?" you queried.

     "No! No way. It was like running non-stop for ten years. During my time in the military, I got a bit of a break and a change, but then I got sick and had to be discharged early, so...well, I didn't even get to experience that like I should have."

     You felt your hands tighten in response around his forearms. His life hadn't been cake-walk either, that was clear. You wondered if he knew that, if he acknowledged it.

     "Well, I'm glad you have more time for those things. You should keep as much time for them as you can, even when you're better."

     He paused for a moment before whispering agreement into your hair. You felt it even though he didn't say it, the caveat - if he got better. He would. You'd never make him a promise you couldn't guarantee, but you could make one to yourself. So you did.

     For the rest of the session you talked about Bangtan, and the recent history of the group's situation.

     You learned about conscription and that it applied to idols as well. You learned the members had decided to enlist pretty much around the same time so that they could reunite to tour again after being discharged. Namjoon had been released ahead of schedule when he had fallen ill, and at this point most of the members had followed, save Yoongi who was set to be discharged the following week. He fondly reported that they were all anxious to meet you, and that Jungkook and Jimin hadn't stopped pestering him with all manner of questions in your regard since their visit the previous day.

     Every time you had heard him speak about his members, the deep brotherly affection that permeated his words was incredibly evident. 

You asked him to tell you about each one, and he did.

     You blinked your eyes open as you felt Namjoon shift you in his arms. You slowly pulled yourself forward, struggling to focus.

     "I...I'm sorry," you murmured, "I fell asleep on you again." 

     Namjoon chuckled and assured you it was quite alright. As you wearily slipped off the mattress to stand, you suddenly felt the room tilt and your knees buckle. Namjoon's reflexes were quick enough to catch you in his arms. He stood to pull you up and hold you against him.

     "You okay?" he asked in concern.

     "I...I got dizzy..."

     You attempted to put your weight into your legs, but failed, sagging weakly against his broad frame.

     Nurse Cha was already in motion.

     "Help her to the bed," she ordered, striding across the room. 

     Namjoon wasted no time in scooping you up in a bridal carry to follow her. You gasped despite yourself, the sudden movement and his strength equally surprising. But every thought was fleeting as you found yourself struggling to maintain a grip on consciousness.

     You felt Namjoon lay you gently on the bed as cold, sticky monitors were pressed to your skin; heard him ask the nurse what was the matter, his voice tinged with anxiety. 

You heard him say your name.

     And then you heard nothing.

     You groaned as you came to. Your throat felt like the Sahara and your head was pounding. Pushing yourself to sit up, you became aware of the sound of voices on the other side of the curtain. Carefully drawing your legs to the edge of the bed, you clutched your IV stand as you struggled to your feet.

     Pulling back the hanging divider, you were surprised to see Matt occupying the little couch, a cup of coffee on the low table in front of him. Namjoon sat in the opposing chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees in rapt attention as the older man spoke. It was dark out.

     "Matt," you croaked, shuffling forward.

     Namjoon's head whipped around at the sound of your voice and he sprang up, just a moment faster than his guest, striding over to take you by the arm. You faltered just a moment in your steps as his hand cradled your elbow and you felt it - his touch and what it did to you. You wanted to curl into him. You wanted him to hold you.

You gently tugged your arm away.

     "You're awake - let me call the nurse," he said, almost to himself as he moved to press the red call button. 

     You sank down beside Matt.

     "What time is it?" you asked in a husky murmur. Your friend checked his watch.

     "1:33am."

     You frowned, blinking blearily.

     "What the heck are you doing here at the hour?"

     "Well!" Matt laughed before taking a sip of his coffee, "It's nice to see you too."

     "You know what I mean..." you grumbled, rubbing your eyes.

     "He called me," he said, gesturing with his raised mug toward Namjoon, who had returned to the armchair. "Said you'd had a fainting spell."

     Your eyes followed his motion to your soulmate, who was already scanning his over you, brow furrowed and full lips pursed pensively.

     "How are you feeling?" Namjoon asked.

     You huffed out a mirthless chuckle.

     "Like I got hit by a freight train."

     The worry lines on his brow deepened.

     "Hey, look..." you held up a hand to wave it weakly between both men as they regarded you in apparent concern. "I'm probably just adjusting to the bond or something. Cancer isn't contagious, you know," you ribbed, shooting a tiny smirk at Namjoon who attempted to return the expression though the smile didn't reach his eyes.

     The night shift nurse and an aid entered the room to assess you. Namjoon asked to speak with a doctor, and was told that Dr. Na would be checking in first thing in the morning. The nurse had very little else to report other than that your blood work had been sent to the lab and that they would be able to determine more once your results were available. He informed Matt that some charts would likely be available in twenty-four hours, but that your CMP could take up to three days. The aid urged you to try to get some more rest. Before departing, the nurse removed your spent sodium chloride drip and said that a meal would be sent up which you were advised to eat if possible, but to be sure to report any signs of food-rejection should they appear.

     Namjoon stood and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he gazed at your little portion of the suit.

     "They want you to rest, but how the hell are you supposed to sleep with me over here snoring? It's keeping you up, right?"

     You smirked.

     "Well, most of my rest over the last couple of days has been due to a lack of consciousness, but I do have to admit that you woke me up a couple of times last night."

    Namjoon groaned discomfitedly.

     "It really isn't a big deal!" you reassured him, "I'm a pretty sound sleeper."

     "And still I woke you up."

     "Don't worry about it..."

     "It's not just that, though," he insisted, hands in the pockets of his sweats and head cocked to one side as he continued to consider the small space across from his. "You don't even have a window. If you want privacy, you have to sit behind that curtain in the tiny bed -- I hate it. I've hated it since they were first preparing for you to arrive. I'll make some calls tomorrow. You need your own room," he stated decidedly, returning to the chair across from you.

He fished his phone out of his pocket and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he fired off a message.

     Namjoon did have a point, it was a pretty meager space you currently occupied. But they must have had a reason, you thought, for wanting you to share a room with him. And you didn't want to cause any kind of fuss in the name of personal convenience that might detract from his treatment or recovery. 

     "Namjoon, it's fine..."

     He looked up at you, his brown eyes assured and determined.

     "Just let me handle it. I've got you."

     A sudden warmth spread through your chest like the rising sun on the frost of your anxieties, his gaze melting away the familiar worry of burdensomeness. You looked away shyly.

     "Good man," Matt said to him with a nod, and they shared a look as your soulmate nodded in return that seemed to be one of mutual masculine respect. You wanted to roll your eyes a little bit. You also felt pretty damn grateful.

     Matt stood to leave, pressing a kiss on your temple and promised that he'd return in the morning. He paused to shake Namjoon's hand.

     "If there are any further developments, don't hesitate to call me," he said, to which the younger man nodded in agreement.

     "Or I can call you!" you rasped after him as he raised his hand in one last gesture of farewell while shutting the door.

     You huffed.

     "Smart guy," Namjoon remarked, sitting back down in his chair. "You know he's read Toegye exhaustively?"

     You raised a brow at him, your lips quirking with a wry grin.

     "Two peas in a pod. He's probably going to be coming around here nonstop until he leaves just so you two can gab in genius."

     Namjoon smiled and touched his fingers absently to his jaw, his eyes trained on the linoleum.

     "Are you bothered that I called him?" he asked abruptly, glancing up at you.

     "What? No, of course not," you reassured him with a shake of your head. "I just..." You rolled your eyes and smirked. "I'm not used to sitting around while boys decide what's best for me."

     "Aaahhh," Namjoon responded with a nod, interlacing his fingers, "Well, you've been looking out for me since you walked through that door back there, and honestly, I could get used to that..." he leaned forward a bit, "But only if I get to return the favor. You said we don't owe each other, but that doesn't mean you get to be the only one doing the giving."

     You stared at him. The only one to do the giving. The words jarred something loose inside you. You swallowed the strange feeling that threatened to well into your throat.

     Before you could respond, an aid entered with your meal. A tray loaded with dakjuk, rice, and several banchan was placed before you. It smelled fantastic, and you actually felt you could eat. You moved to take the tray to your side of the suite but Namjoon stopped you.

"Hey, wait. I'm hungry. I'll eat with you."

He crossed to the other side of the room to pick up the telephone.

"Go ahead," he said with nod of his head a little grin, "Don't wait on me."

     He didn't have to twist your arm. The chicken porridge was steaming and savory, warming you up within just a few bites. A similar tray soon arrived for Namjoon, and you found it did feel far nicer to eat with someone than alone.

     Between bites he asked you about Matt.

     "He's my dad's best friend. When he died - my dad - Matt and his wife Rebecca helped to take care of us for a while. They've been really good to my family."

     Namjoon's face sombered.

     "I'm sorry about your father."

     You smiled softly at him.

     "It was a long time ago, when I was ten. He was a firefighter."

     He nodded quietly, giving you the opening to continue. You decided to take it.

     "A fire broke out at a high-security prison. The situation got really bad with a lot of people still inside - prisoners. They told the team to stop attempting rescues, that it wasn't worth it, for people like that. But my dad kept going. Alone. He saved seventeen more lives before...well, he couldn't make it out."

     When you looked up at Namjoon again his eyes were locked on you, his chopsticks resting idly in his hand.

     "Wow," he murmured after a pause. "And you were ten years old? That must have been so hard."

     You dragged your spoon through your dakjuk.

     "It was. But managing things after he was gone...that was harder, I think."

     Namjoon's brow knit in question but he didn't press you further. For the second time that night, you were grateful. Death was easy to explain, other things were much more difficult.

     You finished the rest of your meal chatting about Matt, Neo-Confucianism, and unequivocal humanism between mouthfuls of rice and porridge.

      The next day, you were moved into your new suite a few doors down. Namjoon had received no resistance from the hospital in procuring you the space, as apparently Hybe's representatives had been the ones to originate the request that you be at the idol's immediate disposal.

     Your room mirrored the setup of your soulmate's, being on the same floor but across the hall, and Kang Dae had dropped in with a catalog stating that you could select whatever you wished to make the space more comfortable. You had circled a few things and he had departed to procure them. Matt had brought the bulk of your luggage, which meant a good portion of books, your art supplies, and finally more clothes which you would blessedly now have no worries of mixing up with Namjoon's. You changed into jeans and a comfy Nirvana graphic tee.

     You were busy unpacking when a knock came at your door. You called for the person to come in while you continued to stack books onto a small set of shelves. The doctor had cautioned you and Namjoon against further skinship sessions until your blood work had come back, so you were anxious for the results, not wanting him to go through another bout of chemo without the aid of the bond. 

When you glanced up expectantly, however, you found your curiosity would have to wait - at least, concerning your charts - as in the entry stood none other than Kim Hyung-seo.

     She lingered in the entryway at the mouth of the space, her arms wrapped around her middle. She looked much more casual today in a pair of big baggy camouflage cargo pants, a tight black crop top, and chunky white sneakers. Her hair was pulled up into a bun, and she had black mask pulled under her chin. She was bare-faced, save for two small red dots under her right eye.

     You stood from your crouched position, trying your best to keep the surprise from your face.

     "Hi," you greeted her with a small smile, which she returned remorsefully, still hugging herself as she glanced around the room. "Would you like to sit down?" you offered, motioning to the furniture beside you. 

     She nodded, crossing over to take a seat in the little arm chair. You moved to sit across from her. Your first instinct was to offer her something to drink, only to realize you were in a hospital room with no way to deliver, at which you both laughed awkwardly. After a moment of tense silence, she looked up at you, gnawing her bottom lip.

     “I owe you an apology," she sighed. 

You gave her an encouraging smile.

     "Fuck..." she dropped her head in her hands, and you waited for her to collect herself. Finally, she raises her eyes to yours, interlacing her fingers with their long white nails in her lap. 

     "What I did...what I said yesterday...I was cunt. I'm sorry." 

     You let out a little laugh at her choice of words.

     "Well, I do accept your apology...but, don't be too hard on yourself. It was a really bizarre and unprecedented situation for all of us. I'm glad we're moving forward, and in a better direction."

You smiled again at her reassuringly.

     She nodded, her lips pursed and quivering slightly. You could tell she was blinking back tears.

     "Me and Joon...we'd only been engaged for a few weeks before we found out...you know, that he had a match. That it could be his only option to live - bonding. With you. It's just all really fucking scary."

     You nodded sympathetically. She released another sigh as she continued.

     "He had to decide so fast, they pushed him to just make this huge life commitment as fast as they fucking could and now..." She raised her arms, looking around the room in resign, "Here we are. And we have to figure everything out, and I'm about to leave and..."

     "I'm sorry," you murmured sympathetically.

She looked down into her lap, worry still twisting her features.

You wondered why she was leaving, now of all times - when things were the way they were. But that wasn't for you to judge.

"You know," you offered hopefully, "At least he's on the mend. At least you know he'll have someone to look after him."

     She hummed. You wondered if it was an agreement as her eyes flitted over your face searchingly. Anxiety from the previous day's encounter began to seep into your chest as you considered if you had chosen your words poorly. You had said what would have comforted you in under the same circumstances. But maybe you were different - too different.

You softened your heart, determined to reserve judgement. Life had given Hyung-seo had her own shoes, and you would do everything you could to understand what it was like to walk in them.

     "Can I add you on KakaoTalk?" you asked, realizing you were still clutching a book, and setting it onto the low table to pull your phone from your pocket.

     She was chewing on her lip again when you looked up. She stared down at the hardback. 

     "You read a lot, huh?" she asked, though it didn't sound like a question.

     "I do," you answered slowly, wondering where her train of thought was headed.

"All that stuff you said yesterday, you seem, like really in tune with people. And smart. You guys are, like, the same."

She pressed the words out in a strained voice. She looked so small and so sad. Your heart sank for her.

"Namjoon actually said that very thing about you yesterday."

She glanced up at you in surprise and confusion. You smiled.

"He said that when you met he was struck with how much you shared in how you saw the world, and how you approached music."

She regarded you silently as you continued.

"And that's your life right, your great love? Music? What a wonderful thing, to base your life with a partner in a love you share."

She nodded slowly, her eyes watering.

"Thank you," she finally whispered, and you nodded in understanding.

You reached out to take her hand and she squeezed yours. After a few moments of silence, she rose and wiped her eyes.

     "I'm leaving tomorrow and I want to see Joon again before I go," she explained. 

     You nodded.

     "Thank you for coming to talk to me and for sharing about how this has been for you. I really appreciate it."    

     She smiled - perhaps genuinely for the first time since you met. It was a lovely smile.

     You sighed as she left. It wasn't much, but it was progress. Maybe she would let you in. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard after all.

     When several hours had passed with no updates on your lab results, you decided to take a walk down the hall to see how your soulmate was faring. You knocked on his door, but received no answer. 

     "Namjoon!" you called softly with another rap of your knuckles, but were still met with silence.

     Just when you were about to turn and go, the door creaked inward on its hinges, slipping open to reveal your soulmate's tired face.

     "I just came to see how you were doing...are you okay?." 

     You followed him as he slumped back into the suite, but before he could even reach his bed he turned and pushed past you to hurry into the bathroom. It caught you a little off-guard and you stumbled, catching yourself on the opposing wall, but quickly realized the reason for his urgency when sounds of retching followed.

     The bathroom door was cracked open and you could see him hunched over the toilet, breathing heavily as his body wracked with each attempt to expel the contents of his stomach. You hesitated a moment, then pushed the door in slowly, coming to kneel beside him and gingerly place a hand on his back.

     He raised his head, eyes fluttering when you touched him. You gently pulled your palm up and down his spine, feeling the warm surge of the bond even through his shirt. He reached for a piece of toilet paper to wipe his mouth.

     "You don't have to do that..." he murmured, resting his forehead on his arm propped on the porcelain rim.

     "I know," you answered quietly, continuing to slowly rub his back. "Can I put my hand under your shirt?"

     "You're not supposed to be touching me until we know what's going on with you." 

     You slipped your other hand out to curl your fingers around his exposed bicep below the sleeve of his tee. He sighed, shoulders sagging as the comfort and warmth of the contact soothed his aching body.

     "Can I?" you softly persisted, and he nodded his head where it laid against his forearm.

     Slipping your hand beneath the baggy cotton you ran your fingers over his soft, taut skin, heart squeezing at the definition of his spine and the ghosts of his ribs. 

     "Did you do chemo without me?" you asked.

     “I've been doing it before you got here, you know,” he retorted weakly.

     "How are you supposed to gain weight if it makes you this sick? Please don't do it again without me."

     "You passed out, Y/n," he shifted his head to look at you.

     "We'll figure that out," you smiled, "But you need to be as agreeable to these treatments as possible, right?" 

     He nodded.

     "Hyung-seo paid me a visit this morning," you remarked after a moment of silence.

     "She told me."

     "Said she leaves for her tour tomorrow. When does she get back?"

     "February."

     "Of next year?" You paused to temper your shock, "That's a long time."

     "It's a world tour. That's how it goes."

     "Wow."

     You realized for the hundredth time in as many hours that there was so much about their lifestyle to which you were ignorant. You had so much to learn, but one thing you did know: he needed you right now, so you stayed by his side until the sickness had subsided.

     Nurse Cha arrived shortly after to conduct routine checks on Namjoon, and you sat by, thumbing through the latest issue of Batman and Robin which Matt had been kind enough to drop off with your things.

     "Your initial blood work came back with some concerns," she said, turning to you and picking up her tablet to access the results. "There are signs that your body's nutrients are being depleted. Since your fainting spells have been occuring during skinship, we ask that you refrain from touching until your CMP comes back."

     Namjoon glanced over at you, a chiding expression on his features. You flatly ignored him.

     "I need to be able to touch him, especially if he feels ill. He needs to keep down his food, right?"

     Nurse Cha hummed, pursing her lips.

     "Well, I'm going to run this by Dr. Na, but if absolutely necessary, keep it light and brief. And please be sure to document even the smallest instances of skinship so that we can track the effects."

     You agreed readily, and she left to continue her rounds. 

Glancing out the window, you noted that the evening was mild, and the gardens were aflutter with birds and awash in soft late-afternoon light. You thought about what the nurse had said before about the fresh air.

     "Hey," you remarked, still looking out the window, "We should take a walk - it looks so nice out. You up for it?" 

     "Great idea," he replied, joining you to look out across the greenery. "I'm definitely feeling up for it." He huffed out a little chuckle.

     "What?" you asked suspiciously. You were beginning to recognize his different laughs - this particular chuckle was always at your expense.

     "Gonna keep pushing it with the poor nurse, huh?"

     You scoffed.

     "Well, if I hadn't would you be feeling well enough to go out right now?"

     "No."

     When you glanced up you found that he was gazing raptly at you, his face filled with unchecked thanksgiving. Your witty response faltered on your tongue. 

     His touch, you were pretty damn sure that for the rest of his natural life you would never grow used to it...but his eyes? It was almost the same. Was this part of the bond? Or was it just...him? Did everyone feel this way when he held them in those eyes? When he looked at them, really looked...

You couldn't tear your eyes away. You couldn't find words.

     When Namjoon's phone suddenly buzzed you thanked almighty Samsung and sagged against the window pane. 

     "Damn," he muttered. 

     You looked at him questioningly.

     "I have a consultation with my radiation oncologist in ten minutes. Go ahead! I'll meet you down there right after."

     He pulled a sweatshirt over his head and changed his slippers out for his shoes.

     You returned to your room to grab outerwear as well. The evening was temperate enough to go without, but you were feeling chillier than usual. You felt your phone buzz in your pocket.

     Mom flashed across the screen.

     Your chest tightened and you silenced the ringer. You'd call her tomorrow, you told yourself. Besides, she had already spoken to Matt. 

     When you reached the garden, you decided there was someone you should call while you waited. Ambling down a gravel path, you held the phone up to your ear, stuffing your other hand into the pocket of your jean jacket.

     "Matt told mom that you passed out - are you okay?" Diana's voice on the other end registered genuine distress.

     You rolled your eyes and sighed. 

     "I'm fine. My body is just adjusting to the bond and probably jet lag and whatnot."

     "You better fucking be fine or I'm coming out there to make sure you are."

     You laughed. 

     "To South Korea? On a Wednesday?"

     "You know what I mean, god! You're so - hey! How did the fiancee thing go?"

     "I knew you'd want an update."

     "Spill."

     You sighed.

     "Uh-oh," she hummed, "That was your, things-are-an-effing-disaster sigh."

     "It was no- why do you keep trying to divine my air flow like they're casting-runes or something? Will you just let me tell you?"

     "You don't always say."

     You huff in exasperation.

     "Okay, well, I won't tell you what that sigh is," she mumbles in trepidation, "But I will tell you that I know enough to shut up and let you continue. Go on."

     "It didn't go swimmingly."

     "Fuck."

     "Yeah,” You lifted your fingers to absently stroke at the petal of a rose. “She seemed very frightened by the whole situation, which is completely understandable. But then...she also kind of came at me. She started asking pretty intimate stuff about the bond right off the bat. When I tried to redirect by suggesting we get to know each other better she started saying all this stuff she already knew about me. About Dad and Mom."

     "What?!" Diana gasped incredulously.

     "It was almost as if...I don't know, I could have been reading her incorrectly, but it was almost seemed as if she was trying to bring things up that might knock me off my footing. Make me...insecure." 

     You suddenly remembered your conversation with Namjoon the previous night. He hadn’t let on that he had already known your father passed when you were a child...but he had known. Passing out during skinship had gotten in the way of the conversation you had intended to broach with him about knowledge of the other. You had done research before meeting him, but only the basics. You had felt that as much should come from him as possible. Clearly you hadn’t been given that opportunity.

     "That bitch," Diana seethed, pulling your mind back into the moment.

     "Hey, hey, hey," you cautioned her, "She's in a extremely difficult situation. And that was just my biased impression of her intentions. Don't be too quick to judge her, Di."

     Diana hummed discontentedly.

     "Also, she came to apologize to me today before she leaves on tour. We made progress, I think."

     "Apologizing? Bare minimum," Diana said with an air of dismissal. "What did you say her name was?"

     "Kim Hyung-seo. Her stage name is Bibi."

     Diana was silent for a moment. 

     "Found her," she declared. 

     You smiled to yourself - of course she had found her, the woman was famous. It wasn't as if stalking measures were necessary (though you had no doubt of Diana's abilities should that have been the case).

Diana clicked her tongue in disappointment.

     "She's hot."

     "She is very pretty," you agreed.

     "Yeah, but you're hot too. And, y'kow, you're you. Bet you're smarter..."

     "Di," you said, stopping to pinch your brow, "We're not in some kind of competition. We're both just human beings navigating pretty uncharted waters, okay? We both have our strengths and weaknesses. She's going to be part of my life as Namjoon's wife, so not only is building a good relationship with her important to me, I have a responsibility to her as well. We all do. To each other."

     Your sister paused on the other end before relenting sullenly.

     "Yeah, yeah. I guess you're right - you do need to make nice with her...as long as they're married, that is..."

     "DIANA."

     "Okay! Geez!" Diana cleared her throat. "How is the soulmate doing?"

     "He's getting stronger every day," you answered, happily moving the topic away from Hyung-seo.

     "That's great!" she crooned. 

     "It is."

     "Are you smiling? You sound like you're smiling."

     "How are you doing, Di? Classes are starting soon."

     You smirked as your sister's attention surged in a new direction, and for the next half an hour she regaled you with tales of her new housemates, and the smarmy and unseemly Johnnie (who had come crawling back, as predicted, upon returning to the States). 

     Upon hanging up with Diana, you checked the time, and discovered that it had been nearly an hour since you left Namjoon. You were starting to feel weak, and a bit cold - hunger, you told yourself - so you decided to return indoors for dinner.

     You called Namjoon on the way up to the fifth floor to inform him if your change in plans. He apologized profusely, saying that the doctor had been detained, and asked you to join him for dinner.

Letting yourself into his suite, you shrugged your jacket off as you headed for your usual spot on the couch when, suddenly, you froze.

    A man was rising to stand from where he had been seated on the sofa. He was clad in a dark blue button-down with a golden emblem on the shoulder and black slacks. He wore a black cap which bore a similar insignia to the one on his shirt and fit snugly over his short dark hair. He wasn’t as tall as Namjoon, though his shoulders were nearly as wide. His features were soft but arresting, and his deep brown irises, you thought, seemed to hold a bit of everything a pair of eyes could. Your comic book was in his hand.

You crossed the room toward him.

     "Hi, I’m sorry, Namjoon will be here soon - oh, I'm his soulmate, Y/n," you stammered, before catching yourself.

     The young man's sharp eyes widened, his lips parting as you bowed.

     "Je ireum-eun Y/n imnida," you started over in Korean.

     He bowed in return, raising his dark brown eyes to you again as he responded in a soft deep voice.

     "Annyeonghaseyo, je ireum-eun Min Yoongi imnida."