ACATALEPSY I BTS AU

CHAPTER 2 - Silent resilience

Jimin unlocked his phone with a quick press of his finger and lifted it to his ear. He didn't even get a chance to say hello before a deep voice exploded through the speaker, nearly rupturing his eardrum.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? GET TO MY OFFICE IMMEDIATELY!" The voice was sharp, nearly hysterical.

"Sorry, Father, I got sidetracked with something important, but I'm on my way now," Jimin said, his hand brushing nervously over the café's worn wooden tabletop.

His father didn't calm down, instead his voice rose like a storm breaking over him.
"YOU'RE NEGLIGENT! MAYBE I SHOULD JUST MOVE UP THE WEDDING DATE!"

The words hit like a punch to the chest.
"Father, you can't do that to me....please," Jimin pleaded, cold sweat snaking down his spine.

"I CAN AND I WILL. IN FACT, DON'T EVEN BOTHER COMING. I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE UNTIL YOU CAN HANDLE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES. YOU SPOILED BRAT. RETURN ONLY WHEN YOU GROW A SPINE AND TAKE THINGS SERIOUSLY. YOU HAVE A DUTY AS A PARK. FREAK!"

The line went dead. No goodbye. Just the sound of his father's contempt ringing in his ears.

Jimin exhaled heavily, his body folding in on itself as he slumped in the seat. Do I really deserve this? The question rattled around his skull, but the answer wouldn't come. His chest felt tight, his limbs heavy. Without warning, the weight of it all tipped him forward until his forehead met the edge of the table with a dull thud.

You'd been watching from behind the counter....first his tense, hushed phone call, then his sudden slump....and now this. Without thinking, you darted into the back, grabbing an ice pack from the café's first-aid kit.

As you returned, the elderly couple at the next table rose to leave, their movements slow but deliberate. The woman's gaze lingered on Jimin, her voice soft as she passed him.
"Cheer up, young man. It's not the end of the world."

Her husband gave a warm nod before they headed for the register.

You finished ringing them up, then made your way back to Jimin's table, setting the ice pack gently beside his head, still resting against the wood. Before you could say anything, a coworker drying mugs called your name.

"Y/N, we're leaving the café in your hands for a bit. Andrew and I are off for a smoke. You can take a break when we're back," she said, stacking mugs overhead.

"Alright, see you in a bit," you replied, heading briefly into the kitchen to grab piping bags of cream for the day's pastries. But as you returned to the counter, your gaze kept straying to him...the ice pack still untouched, his posture unchanged.

"You should really use that ice pack or you'll end up with a nasty bump," you said softly. He only sighed, the sound heavy enough to fill the space between you.

With the café empty and the moment feeling oddly private, you reached for one of the small, heart-shaped pastries the staff usually gave out with coffee....treats that often went to waste by closing time and placed it quietly beside him, careful not to startle him.

But his eyes flickered open at just that moment, and his gaze fell on the pastry— its golden crust and tiny pink sugared heart catching the light. 

"I didn't order this," he mutters, but when your eyes meet his, you smile and wink signaling him to keep it a secret. Without a word, he watches you walk away, a small smile playing on your lips. 

As you stretch your arms, Mr. Jimin can't help but rub his chest, his heart pounding as if it were fireworks.

 "What are you doing to me...?" he whispers to himself, bewildered by the sensation. He takes a hesitant bite of the pastry and to his surprise, it's one of the sweetest things he's ever tasted, so much so that a small tear escapes his eye. Baffled by the rush of warmth and adrenaline flooding through him. "First you make my heart explode... and now this," he murmurs under his breath, a wry smile tugging at his lips. Are you trying to kill me?