The Sweetest Poison

Chapter 3: The Lingering Scent

It has been seven days since the incident. Seven whole days that Taehyung has been not so expertly avoiding Jimin, which was not very easy, because they both were very touchy-feely people, or, cuddle monsters, as they liked to call themselves.

Taehyung kept putting in more hours and shifts at the hospital, barely sleeping and eating little to nothing. But Jimin, being the angel that he is, cooked food and neatly packed and put them in to his bag ever so discreetly, every single day that week, just like he always did.

Although Taehyung itched to get his hands on the amazing smelling chicken soup, or the stew, or the pizza with the meat that he loves so much, or the shakes and teas, which are Jimin's specialty, he was a stubborn human being.

So he kept eating sandwiches from the hospital's cafeteria, and drinking cafeteria's tea, which was literally leaf water.

For the whole week he kept going back and forth between his house and the hospital, he didn't dare take the same road, not because he was scared, per se, he knew he can protect himself, if need be, but because he didn't want his mind wandering off to those eyes and that scent that seemed to linger all around him, even after a week.

On the seventh day, he was at his office with one of his co-workers, who also happened to be one of his close friends. Taehyung's eyes were focused on the papers in front of him, his mind occupied with his bestfriend, and his food, which Taehyung could smell because his bag was right next to his desk. He glanced at it, sighing, and then continued looking at the papers.

"Kim, I don't understand how you do this." Bogum shifted on his legs, while looking at Taehyung who kept stroking his neck ever so slightly, "you are practically living at the hospital at this point. Is everything okay with your partner, what was his name?"

Taehyung's eyes shot up to him, and he rolled his eyes. "His name is Jimin, and he is not my partner, Bogum, he is my best friend and roommate." He let out a breath, "and you've known each other for years!" he shook his head. His co-worker only laughed at this and continued annoying him. "Okay, yeah. I just wanted to see if you are paying attention to me."

He turned serious, suddenly becoming all professional. "Anyway, back to our topic at hand-" when he didn't continue, Taehyung raised his head from the papers in front of him and looked at him, wondering why he isn't speaking and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" his friend tilted his head to the left a little, opening his eyes slightly, "since when do you have the habit of stroking your neck, Kim?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Taehyung's breath hitched, hand coming to a stop on his neck. He didn't have that habit, but for the last week... after his friend pointed it out, he realized, he has been touching and stroking the same place that... man... touched him.

He moved his hand right away, like it would burn if he kept it there, trying to understand why his heart suddenly started feeling all kinds of weird in his chest by that realization. "Uh, yeah, it's a nervous habit I guess," he struggled to find words, his eyes looking everywhere except his friend in front of him, like he was being called out for doing something shameful, "it's because I haven't been resting or eating well and-"

A knock on the door, and the nurse rushing in, covered in red all over her uniform, made them both turn to her and start running to the ER without even letting her talk, because from the look on her face and the state of her clothes it was evident that they were needed.

Taehyung rushed to the room on the left side, in which he found a man, who laid on the bed, motionless, and as soon as he laid his eyes on him, he felt nauseous. From head to toe, the man looked like he was bathed in blood.