A Year to Change Your Lives

Chapter 34

As the car arrived into the hospital complex, Reader wasn't surprised to see another huge gathering of fans and also of reporters waiting outside of the main entrance, behind a makeshift barrier which a couple of police were patrolling. Whether they knew to look out for her car didn't matter because it swung away from the entrance and into a barriered carpark underground.

Reader was led to a service lift by the team who were looking wearily to their left and right every time they changed directions. At their designated floor, she was hurried away from a man who was running towards her brandishing a large camera but was quickly stopped by one of HYBE'S staff. She was led to double doors with two hospital security either side and was asked to show her face to them so they'd know her for access later. This she did and was seen through, alone, while her guides remained vigil on the other side.

She was looking down a wide hospital corridor with a couple of sofas dotted along each of the walls. In one of the sofas, Reader spotted Namjoon and Yoongi, both with their arms folded and their heads lolling back. She stood for a moment, not wanting to wake them but the noise created by her entrance seemed to have roused them anyway and they both looked up and towards her, their tense expressions fading as they stood and Reader rushed forward.

She had never been particularly tactile with either of the two rappers before now, as it wasn't their natural inclination, the way it was for Jimin or Tae, to touch those they were close to. But today she threw her arms around both of them and breathed in the familiar smell of their Seoul home.

She held Yoongi's face between her hands and scrunched her fists in Namjoon's jumper. "You're okay?" She half asked, half told them. They were too weary to be jubilant with her but they both gave her shy smiles and told her that they were. She released them and they flopped back onto the sofa.

"Have you slept?" She asked them, trying to get through the reasonable pleasantries before she found her way to Jungkook. Now that she knew he was safe, she wasn't so frantic.

"Just a few hours since we got here, but we keep getting news. People keep coming out."

"Won't you go back to the hotel?" She asked, looking at them with concern.

"We are waiting for the doctors to speak with Jimin and they are with JK now. We have to speak with the managers at some point this morning, but we may go back to the hotel to do that. Do you need to sleep?" Asked Namjoon, his eyes closed as he leaned back.

"No, I slept on the plane so I'm on the right time." She told them. "And I want to see Jungkook."

Namjoon patted her knee. "Just wait until the doctors are out. He's in that room." He pointed his finger down the hall to a room on the end. "They'll be done soon then you can go in."

"Where are all the others?" Asked Reader, looking longingly at the door.

"They're around, getting breakfast I think. Don't worry, people will be here soon."

Namjoon was fading fast and Yoongi's mouth was already hanging open a little as he resumed sleeping after the long and terrible night they'd had. Reader was desperate for more information and was burning with questions. She wanted to rush into Jungkook's room but she felt held back by the protocols Namjoon had just given her, so she waited.

After a few minutes, as Namjoon had predicted, the door to the room he'd said Jungkook was in opened and a nurse held it for a doctor with an iPad to walk out of. Reader glanced at Namjoon but he hadn't stirred and she decided she couldn't wait any longer. She rose up, leaving her bag next to the sleeping boys and hurried towards the door which was still swinging shut.

She gave a little knock but entered. The room was large and full of bland hospital furniture. In a bed in the middle, was Jungkook, sat up and awake but looking dreadful. His round eyes seemed massive and sunken into alabaster white skin. His whole face was washed out with dull eyes and greying, chapped lips. Reader sucked in a little breath. "Jungkook." She breathed and his head snapped towards her.