𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐍 | ✓

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐

How hard it was for him to focus, only he knew. The words everybody around him spoke were clear when they left their mouths, but right before reaching his ears, they blurred. His head was in pain.

After achingly long 3 hours of two different lectures, the bell rang, indicating it was lunch break. Chatterings of all the students suddenly increased, simultaneously worsening his headache. Jimin clutched his head in his hands, shutting his eyes tightly. The pain was gradually increasing. Why did you cry all night? Face the consequences now.

It was out of his hands. He grabbed his bag pack and swung it to his shoulder, hurried footsteps lunging forward to leave the classroom as soon as he could. To spend time in tranquility, he had only one destination to approach.

Rooftop.

It took Jimin a little while to reach the rooftop, striding up numbers of stairs. But the exhaustion felt worth it when he stepped in, the cold wind hitting the pores of his face.

'Finally, silence..'

With slow, heavy steps, he walked towards the edge of the rooftop, resting his forearms on the rail afterwards. His eyelids met softly, feeling the breeze brush against his skin. The cold did make him feel weak, but it was better than violent noises.

But you're not worthy of feeling calm, are you?

A painful twitch in his head made him grunt, his serene being snatched away from him. In a matter of seconds, the pain turned sharp, making him scream in agony. Jimin stumbled back, but gripped the rail before he lost his balance. The little needles poking his head felt like axes slicing him apart.

He inhaled a shaky breath, his cold body shivering. The twitches in his muscles didn't go unnoticed, but the only thing he was aware of was the hot tear that coursed down his cheek. You're so weak, so vulnerable. Why don't you do something about the fatigue? Do you like being useless?

"I'm not useless.." Jimin whispered, more tears following the old ones. His head was pounding, he wanted to stop it, but no matter how much he denied, he was useless. A person whose existence has never been acknowledged by anybody. Not even by her.

Y/n..

The name hurt. The name caused him so much torment. The last time he heard her name being called by anybody was 2 years ago, when she was still around him. The last sight of her beautiful face was still vivid in his teary eyes.

────

2 YEARS AGO

────

"Elli! Let go!" Y/n yelled, trying to escape Elli's grasp. But she wasn't as powerful, compared to her best friend who dragged her all the way to the dance floor.

A small chuckle left Jimin's lips as he sat on the far away chair, eyeing every movement of Y/n. He wanted to see her dance too, it's been so long she partied. He watched as Y/n fake cried, being whirled around by Elli. All her friends were laughing and giggling, some joining them to start couple-dancing.

Her laughs were music to his ears. Heavenly.

A black sheath covered Y/n's delicate, milky skin, reaching upto her knees. Unlike all of her friends, Y/n had never dyed her hair, leaving her black locks down. She had little to no makeup on, small studs decoring her ears while a chain of pearls was gently wrapped around her neck, catching Jimin's eye the most. She was so natural, yet so attractive. She wasn't the disco light of the party, but without her, her friends were lifeless.

So was Jimin.

He was head over heels for her.

"Jimin? What are you doing here all alone? Come join us!" Elli chirped, catching the absent-minded boy off guard. He blinked up at her as she held his arm, trying to drag him the way she dragged Y/n. But her efforts went in vain, "No Elli, I'm good here. Go and enjoy the party," he tried, but it almost seemed like Elli heard no word of him. She kept pulling him as hard as she could.

A soft smile stretched his lips as Jimin loosened up a bit, Elli's pull finally having an effect as he got dragged towards the dance floor where.. Y/n was.

Jimin tensed.

"One drink for Jimin too!" Elli shouted with so much energy, catching everyone's attention. Y/n stopped laughing, turning her head to glimpse at him and their eyes met.

He looked away.

"Here, Jimin-ah," Elli handed him a cup and left him there, running around to bring everybody close. Jimin gulped, eyes carefully shifting back to his girl's figure.

'Gosh, she looks so beautiful from this close..'

────

The place was now an empty, dim room with barely any people and low music. All friends were bidding goodbyes to Elli and each other, one by one stepping outside. Jimin stood rooted on his spot, wishing to approach Y/n and bid her goodbye. But just the thought of it turned all the butterflies of his stomach wild.

Just as he kept glancing at her in secret, his eyes fell on her neck. It was empty.

'Her chain? Where is it?'

He turned his head, looking around for her chain in her previous seat. A lustre caught his eye and he gazed down to see the glowing pearls on the floor. With no second thought, Jimin ran towards it, taking it in his hand.

'Sh-Should I go and give it to her..?' Jimin debated, licking his lips in nervousness. Will this open a conversation? If yes, will it be the only time they talk? He glanced at Y/n one more time, watching her stepping out with her friends.

'I can.. give it to her tomorrow, in school.'

'Yes, I'll give it tomorrow.'

────

PRESENT

────

Why?

Jimin's vision fogged, his head spinning.

Why did you not give it to her that night?

He shivered, his grip on the rail loosening gradually.

Why do you always take wrong decisions?

The shortness of Jimin's breath was causing him heavy dizziness. The nausea crept from his abdomen to his throat and his head. He swayed heavily before his legs gave in, and his frail body hit the ground.

And all went black.