The Light of Dead Stars | KSJ

49

You wake up the next day feeling like you've lost your left arm, probably because you cannot feel it. You've never felt this numb in your life, and you realize the absolute disadvantage of being a stiff sleeper and sleeping next to another stiff sleeper.

Jin didn't move at all the whole night, and he had his arm around your arm, which was wrapped around his waist. You're unsure if at any point during your sleep, you tried to remove your hand from his hold, but with your husband's strength, you doubt it would've made a difference.

He's still breathing steadily and is probably still asleep, so you just lay there behind him, taking in his natural scent and basking in the softness of his skin. You wish you could do more, make him feel more comforted or secure or even believe that things are going to be okay. You refuse to accept that with everything you both had to go through individually and together, it would end like this - with broken ties with his family and tainted names if the issue gets bigger.

You'd just been enjoying your time together as a "newlywed" couple in their honeymoon stage, and life, with all the shit it throws your way, decided to just throw you the biggest shit it could at this moment.

But like you'd told him last night, you didn't go through what you did to not think that there's gonna be a way to get out of this, out of anything, really. Jin has resources, and though his parents and Sejeong are angry right now, you trust in Taehyung that it's also going to be okay on their end. You have to believe it. If Jin won't, you're gonna have to do it for the both of you.

You feel movement from the man next to you and then hear his groans, so you pepper his shoulder and back with kisses to wake him up.

"Hmm, you awake, ___?"

"Uh-huh. Just can't feel my arm. Could you, uh, let me go first?"

"Oh, shit. Sorry," he says, unbuckling from you and turning to face you. He massages your numb limb and asks if you're okay.

"I'm fine. And you?"

He shrugs in response, and you know that feeling, so you don't press him.

"I've got shit to fix today," he says.

"You mean, we. You're not doing this on your own, Jin. I'm not letting you."

He smiles and hums. "We've got shit to fix today," he corrects himself.

"We do. But first, breakfast! I'll go make us some. Go down when you're ready."

You kiss his lips and head to the bathroom before you run down the kitchen to see what you can make.

You're surprised to see Yoongi already there, speaking to Mrs. Kang as he removes items from a grocery bag. There's beef, lobster, instant ramyeon, and bags of gummy bears, as well as whiskey and beer and soju.

"Hey," you call out. "Is this all for Jin?"

Yoongi turns to you with a faint smile. "For both of you, actually, but mostly for him. Taehyung said he got a beating from his parents last night; I figured I'd buy and maybe cook some food to help make him feel better."

"That's really sweet, Yoongi. You know, he regards you as his only friend," you smile.

"Yeah, well, I don't really have a choice. We spend the most time together, after all. But I don't mind," responds. "You and I both know he's a good man, ___. He doesn't deserve this."

"I know. You should've seen him last night. He looked so devastated hearing his parents speak to him like that," you state.

"I can imagine. I've only seen Mr. Kim get angry at Jin once and he really took it to heart. He hates disappointing his parents, you know?"