Body And Soul

54. Taking Control

"Come on. Please work," muttered Laylin under her breath.

She stood in front of the temperamental vending machine with her arms crossed as she watched the machine seem to decide or not whether it would give her her mini bag of potato chips. She groaned when the spring on the aisle stopped and her bag of chips ended up wedged between the end of the aisle it was on and the window glass.

It had been a week and a half since Jungkook and Taehyung had gotten hit by that car and fallen into a coma. Nothing had changed about their state just as nothing had changed in terms of catching whoever was responsible for the hit and run. To say she was heartbroken and frustrated would be an understatement. Laylin placed her hands on the glass of the vending machine and pounded against it weakly.

"I think you've been spending too much time here. Even the vending machines are getting sick of you."

Laylin smirked as she turned to see Jimin standing there. He had a white hat crammed on top of his head; a gray scarf about his neck. Wrapped within his gloved hands were two cups of coffee. The unseasonably cold rain showers they'd been having all week had caused him to bundle up.

"I bought a coffee for you too because I figured you would be here. You never leave."

"Well, I have to be here when they wake up," said Laylin.

"I understand. I'd be here more too like you if it wasn't for my job."

Laylin nodded her head as she took the cup of coffee he held out to her. Ever since the accident, she had asked for leave to be by their sides, but her leave was soon coming to an end. Laylin took a sip of her coffee as she looked longingly back at her trapped in limbo potato chips. Chuckling, Jimin handed off his coffee to her before approaching the vending machine. He gripped the side of it with his hands and gave it a firm shake or two. The potato chip bag fell to the bottom as Laylin let out a relieved sigh.

"You're my hero," said Laylin as Jimin chuckled, bending to retrieve it. "Think shaking will work on Jungkook and Taehyung too?"

"I'm sure the doctors wouldn't be happy with us if we tried to find out," said Jimin as he came back over to Laylin and held out the bag of potato chips which she exchanged for his coffee.

Walking side-by-side down the monochromatic hallway, they made their way back to the room where Jungkook and Taehyung were. Upon entering, they saw that neither of their states had changed. Laylin moved to sit in one of the chairs by the window where the rain from outside was clicking against the glass as if it too were trying to wake the both of them up.

"So how is work going?" asked Laylin as Jimin sat down in a chair beside her. She needed to keep her mind occupied to keep herself from crying.

"Good enough, I suppose," said Jimin as he took a sip of his coffee before looking at Jungkook and Taehyung's still forms. "Their parents are still wanting the album to go out since we already had it pretty much done."

"I hate those people..." mumbled Laylin as she set aside her coffee, ripping open the bag of potato chips so violently that a chip flew out and onto the floor.

Jimin chuckled as he took a chip out of the bag she offered his way, popping it into his mouth.

"Don't take your anger out on the poor bag of chips," said Jimin.

"I'm sorry. It's just...those people get under my skin so bad. I mean, you look at Mrs. Kim. She's been here a handful of times since the accident, but always wants time alone with her sons. I hate being kicked out into the hallway while she visits them when I'm actually the one who cares. She can pretend all she wants, but I know her true colors. I mean, she and her husband are trying to profit off them still when they might..."