Sick | BTS ✓

13

I wake up suddenly when I hear someone yelling.

It's Jin.

"No! No!" He's screaming over and over again in his sleep, thrashing in the bed next to me.

"Jin!" I yell, reaching over to grab his shoulders. His shirt is soaked in sweat.

"Wake up!" I say as calmly as I can manage, gently shaking him.

His eyelids pop open and he looks around wildly before immediately relaxing when his gaze meets mine.

He lets out a deep breath and puts his hands on his face.

"Sorry."

"Looks like I'm not the only one who apologizes for no reason," I say softly. "I'll go get a cool washcloth for you."

I get up and put the cloth under cold water before bringing it back to Jin, who is sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.

I place the cloth on the back of his neck and he shivers, but doesn't move his head out of his hands.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask quietly as I sit down next to him.

"No."

I sigh but I don't press him any further. All I can do is be here.

I rub his sweaty back softly as he lets his mind calm down.

"Go back to sleep. I'm okay."

I scoff. "Do you really think I'd leave you alone like that? Shut up and let me comfort you, dumbo."

He sighs but doesn't resist any further.

I bite my lip as I struggle to think of what I can do to calm him down.

I tap my finger on his back three times.

He reaches over and taps my thigh three times in response and then immediately turns to pull me onto his lap.

"I had a nightmare," he whispers as he buries his head into my neck.

I hum in response, running my fingers through his hair as his heart continues to race from the fear he felt in his dream.

"About my parents."

I freeze. He hasn't talked about them much. All I know is that he was physically abused his entire childhood by them, and they were both alcoholics.

"I'm here, Jin. I'm here for you."

"I know."

"Does this happen often?" I ask softly.

"Every night."

I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer to me.

I forget how broken he is sometimes because he's so good at pretending that he's okay when he's around other people.

"Let's go back to sleep. Okay? I won't let anyone hurt you," I say, kissing the top of his head.

He nods wordlessly and shifts our weight so we're laying down on the bed.

"Don't let me go," he whispers as he wraps his arms around me and lays his head on my chest.

I just tap his shoulder three times in response.

**********

"We missed you!" Jimin exclaims when Jin and I walk up to the table he and Yoongi are seated at.

I smile brightly. "How's freedom been for you two?"

"Freeing," Yoongi says, winking at me.

I laugh as Jin and I sit across from them.

"Are you two together yet?" Jimin asks bluntly and I choke on my spit as a waitress comes to take our drink order.

"W-water," I say between my coughs as Jin watches me in amusement.

After the three boys tell the waitress what they want to drink, she walks away and all three of them burst into laughter.

"You're blushing," Yoongi says as he continues to laugh.

"We're not together," I say, looking down at the table that's suddenly become very interesting to me.

"Not yet," Jin exclaims.

I choke again.

They laugh again.

The drinks arrive and I take a big gulp before giving a side glance to Jin who is still just watching me with an amused look on his face.

"Cute," he mumbles before turning to the waitress.

After everyone's placed their orders, the waitress takes the menus and leaves again, and of course, the three amused men turn their attention back to me.

"One of you is about to get water poured on you, one of you is about to get kicked and one of you is about to get pushed out of his chair," I say grumpily as they all just smile brightly at me.

"You're fun to tease," Jimin says.

"Sorry, Clara Bear," Jin says from beside me and I pout dramatically.

I immediately smile when our eyes lock. I can't help it.

"Awww," Yoongi and Jimin say in unison.

"There's enough water here to pour on the both of you," I warn playfully as I pick up my cup.

They laugh. "You're such a good friend, offering to help us cool down on this hot day," Yoongi smirks.

"What are you guys doing after this?" Jin asks as I give Yoongi a death glare.

He sticks his tongue out at me and I snort in laughter.

"We have to work," Jimin says.

"Where do you work?" I ask.

"Here," they say together.

"Can you tell that they're brothers?" Jin asks, laughing. "It's creepy how in sync they are."

"Brothers?" I ask, my eyebrows shooting up.

"Same mom. Different dad," Jimin explains.

The food comes and I gulp as I see the waitress place my plate in front of me.

Her hand touched my plate.

Her dirty, germ-filled hand touched my plate.

I can't eat it. I can't.

"She has to wash her hands a million times a day being a waitress. It's okay," Jin whispers in my ear.

I look over at him. How did he even know what I was thinking?

"She didn't touch your food. Only the plate," Yoongi says.

I glance over at him now.

"How...?" I ask.

"Your facial expression gives it away," Jimin says, smiling softly. "Trust me, your food is fine."

I nod slowly.

I have to learn how to live normally in the real world now that I'm out of the protection of the hospital.

I gather all of my courage and take a tentative bite.

"Look at you go, beautiful," Jin says before kissing my cheek. "Taking the world by storm."