I don't mind waiting. [MinJoon]

Part 15: A promise

Honestly, I was afraid to see how badly he was injured. I never wanted to see him hurt again. Not by me or anything else.

Even through my fear, I was dying to get to him. I couldn't have cared about anything else. It was as if he would fade away forever if I didn't get to him soon enough. No God above could prevent me from reaching him.

An older nurse resided by his bed, taking routine vitals. She gasped while dodging my body when I almost plowed into her.

"S-sorry" was all I could manage hurriedly.

"He just fell asleep. He was awake earlier, but the pain medication just kicked in." The nurse squinted, suppressing a scolding for my erratic arrival. Part of her tried to be understanding, given the circumstances.

I fell to my knees at his bedside, grasping at its railing while trying to catch my breath.

"Let me stay by him, please."

She lifted her finger to her lips, reminding me to mind the volume of my voice. "Other patients are sleeping. You can stay as long as you aren't disturbing the other rooms."

I quietly and thoughtfully pulled a chair close to his bed, finally studying him. Assessing the damage inflicted upon him. A large bandage was placed across his forehead. Dried blood slept under its surface. Cuts and bruises littered his pale honey colored skin.

Is this what it's like to see a fallen angel? Not in the sense of beauty, but total demise. Ruin, mangled wings and all.

Thunder boomed, and lightning lit up the city of Seoul outside the glass window. Rain trickled down its smooth surface.
Time stopped in this room, but outside, it still continued on.

Jimin stirred from the sound of the thunder. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the sensations of the room lights and wires attached to him.

"Jimin," I grasped his hand into mine.

He winced, drawing it back. The stitches freshly sewn into his skin must have stung from my touch.

"Why damn you, why would you do such a thing!? Stepping out into traffic!?"

Finally succumbing to my emotions, hyperventilation crept upon me. Tears restricted my view of his face.

Jimin spoke faintly. Making it difficult to hear, "I can still smell her on you. If you wanted someone else, you could have told me... you didn't have to pretend to want me back."

Coughing on the saliva building in my throat, my voice raised. "Want someone else? W-what!? To what lengths are you willing to go with confusing me without explanation. To what end!? You act as if I know what you're thinking. Or what you want, so what the hell do you want from me? How am I supposed to know. You act towards me as you do literally anyone. You flirt with anything that breathes Jimin!"

I shouldn't be this way. Look at the state he is in. I have to control my anger.

"I wanted you!" He screamed. "I've wanted you for so long! Unrequited love hurts Joon-ah. How would you ever accept me!? I've always looked up to you, always leaning on you. I started falling for you and never stopped falling, and you let me. You let me spiral as if you never even noticed. You are my safe place, my home. And to you.. I'm just a boy lingering in your shadow. Waiting for you to discover that im a man, too. A man who wants you!"

Frustrated, I jumped up from my chair, knocking it back onto the floor with a crash. "I didn't want anyone else, Jimin! Celeste set me up. We aren't dating! You should know better than to trust media outlets! You should have waited for Hybe to clear it up instead of acting on impulse!"

Struggling to continue, I licked my chapped lips. "Her, Chung and your boy toy Min-jae collaborated against me! If you wanted me so bad, what were you doing in the hallway with him!? Huh? Explain that to me! And why did you leave me wanting for you on the balcony when he called? It was as if you couldn't get away fast enough to answer him!" 

"He was nothing but a distraction! It was an old fling that started a year ago. I needed someone to help me stop thinking about you, but I never stopped thinking about you! When he called me the other day, I knew it was time to go end it between us, and at the award show, I wanted to make you jealous, becau-because"

"Because what!? I'm losing my patience with you about this."

Jimin began to sob uncontrollably. Kicking his legs, crying so hard that he couldn't make a sound. Thrashing about the bed as if he was fighting some unseen force. Perhaps fighting his own frustrated broken heart, his vitals climbed and beeped on the monitor.

"Jimin stop, please stop." I sobbed as I attempted to hold him down and cease his movements.

"Look at me Jimin, look at me." I cradled his face, trying to kiss his tears and force him steady. "Calm down, please. I am here now."

"You dont have to wait in my shadow anymore, so promise. Promise me you'll get better and when you do I will take you to the ocean. Just you and me. You can eat whatever you want, we can do anything you want."

He held my body tightly as if he thought I would be ripped from his grasp. As if he didn't believe me. His arms trembled with cries muffling into my shoulder. Lightning illuminated us, thunder almost drowned him out. "I promise." He whimpered.

I gathered him up closer to me. "If you keep falling, l will catch you, Jimin."

The elder nurse stormed into the room nearly cursing. "Get out right now," she pointed in my direction after hearing the commotion between us.

"Keep the promise." I called behind my shoulder after tearing away from him. Leaving him in pieces. Yet again.

Once this dust settles, I'll take you to the ends of the world. Wherever you want to go.