UNDER HIS SPELL { taekook }

二 ; ６４

The six men stood there, entirely still, frozen into that very moment when Hoseok had emerged inside the establishment, with Park Jimin following closely beside him.

And Jeongguk's eyes, they gradually widened, mouth parting at the sight of his best friend whom he hadn't even spoken to in days. It wasn't like he really blamed the boy for it, either. He knew much too well what a broken heart could make one feel like—knew the helplessness and the ache that came with it. How easy it was to sink into a mind-space of solitude, wishing to be swallowed up into a world unreachable from reality.

It was because he knew it too well that he couldn't blame him. And all he felt in that moment was the sheer relief expanding inside his chest, just seeing that his friend was up and out of his apartment, finally emerged from his shell of despair.

But after that wash of relief, came his confusion. The question that popped into his head, at first, wondered what Jimin was even doing here in Abyss, of all places.

"J-Jimin.." The name left his lips in a worried call. The blond boy who stood a good distance from him then gazed at him and weakly smiled.

"Hey, Gguk.." Jimin spoke calmly, his hands slipping into the pockets of his padded jacket, an eased glint in his determined eyes. "Sorry I was in my own world for so long, but... I think I'll be okay now.. Somehow."

Jeongguk's teeth dug into his trembling lip before he hopped off of the stool he was seated over and ran the short distance toward his best friend. The minute he reached him, Jeongguk nearly attacked him with a hug, and the boy stumbled backward from the impact.

"It's o-okay!" Jeongguk whined out in a sniffle. "I'm just glad you're here now. Did Hoseokie-hyung drive you?"

"Yes he did," Jimin gave a quiet giggle, his small arms wrapping over his best friend to return the embrace. He patted at Jeongguk's hair, nuzzled into his hold before pulling away with a hesitant glaze in his eyes. "I promise we can catch up for hours and hours later, but.." He paused for a moment before clearing his throat. "There's actually something I need to do right now, before it gets too late.."

Jeongguk stared back at him with glimmering big eyes, a look that made Jimin hold back from cooing at him reassuringly.

"Will you wait for me, Gguk?"

Another long string of seconds rolled by, and Jeongguk could see the lit flame inside his best friend's eyes. A look he also knew too well.

"Of course..." He finally whispered. "Take your time, Jimin.."

※ ※

The dimmed lighting in the room flickered alongside the candles hoisted upon the wall sconces, its small flames dancing in the still air while light sounds of scribbling emitted from the long wooden desk.

Yoongi gave a quiet exhale, his brows lowering in focus as he persisted in noting down words across the page, the ink bleeding from the tip of his pen. There was a sudden knock on the door that broke his focus for a mere moment, and he lifted his head to look past the sea of shelves filled to the brim with stacked books.

"Come in!" He called out, then propped his chin to the palm of his hand while he continued his writing. The curt creaking sound of the door pushed a small breeze of air that flickered the candle lights once again, and Yoongi heard the clicking of the door shutting, followed by unintrusive footsteps.