Guarded Hearts & Shattered Soul's

Of meals and mending hearts

Early morning light gently caressed his face, and the soft chirping of birds filled the air. Slowly, he moved towards the window, where the only sound in the room was the steady beeping of the machine. Jimin lay peacefully on the bed, his face an innocent canvas with a serene smile, untouched by struggle or fear. The nurse quietly changed his bandages and stepped out. Yoongi watched Jimin through the observation window, his heart aching. When he saw the nurse, he asked, "How's his condition now?"

"It's still the same," she said softly. "He's not responding to the medicine as quickly as we hoped. Sometimes, it's about the patient's willpower, their hope to survive."

Yoongi's gaze remained fixed on Jimin, his thoughts swirling. The nurse continued, "You can go in and talk to him. Show him that someone is waiting on this side. Make him believe it's worth coming back. Trust me, if your bond is true, it will make a difference." She patted his shoulder gently and walked away.

Tears welled up in Yoongi's eyes as he slowly entered the room and sat beside Jimin. He took Jimin's hand in his and whispered, "Jimin, please come back for me. Remember your promise? Please, for my sake, return. I'll make everything better. I know I can't be with you now, but once I sort out this mess, nothing will keep us apart." His voice broke as tears fell onto Jimin's hand. Gently, he brushed the strands of hair from Jimin's forehead and placed a tender kiss there. As he turned to leave, he noticed tears trickling from the corners of Jimin's eyes. Carefully, he wiped them away and left the room.

Namjoon and Jin had stayed with Yoongi all night, neither sleeping nor eating. While Yoongi spoke with the nurse, Namjoon left briefly and returned with an iced Americano and two coffees. He handed the Americano to Yoongi and offered a coffee to Jin, who glared at him.

Namjoon sighed heavily, "Jin, I know you're mad at me, but please, you've been here since yesterday and haven't eaten. At least have this. You need your strength to take care of Jimin."

Jin hesitated, then took the cup, sipping slowly. Namjoon smiled faintly, relieved to see Jin finally taking a moment for himself.

For two days, Jimin had been in the hospital, and no one had had a proper night's rest. Everyone was exhausted and anxious about his condition.

While Yoongi, Namjoon, and Jin slept fitfully on the seats outside Jimin's room, the doctor arrived and gently woke Yoongi. "I believe he's starting to respond," the doctor said, a hint of optimism in his voice. "His readings are improving, and his blood cell count is looking better.""Can we move him home?" Yoongi asked, his voice a mix of hope and fatigue."In three to four days, we can discharge him. After that, he'll just need to come in for regular check-ups and tests. For now, you should all get some rest. I've seen you here for the past two days without a break," the doctor said with a kind smile.Yoongi returned the smile, shaking the doctor's hand. "Thank you for the good news. We'll wait until he's ready to be discharged. Please continue with the necessary treatment."

After the doctor left, Yoongi looked through the window at Jimin.He then woke Namjoon and Jin, sharing the news. Their relief was palpable as they hugged each other tightly. Jin, caught up in the moment, first embraced Yoongi and then Namjoon. Realizing his actions, he abruptly pulled back, clearing his throat, leaving Namjoon feeling a twinge of hurt despite his happiness.

Breaking the awkward silence, Yoongi spoke, "Hyung, I think we should leave now. Jin, you'll stay with Jimin until he's discharged. I've already arranged for staff to guard the area, and Soo-Hoo hyung will be with you the whole time. Don't worry about anything, and I brought you a gun. Be careful."Jin nodded, "Yoongi, I'll be careful and keep an eye on things. But why are you leaving now when Jimin is about to wake up?"

Yoongi's expression hardened, pain evident in his eyes. "Hyung, you know I can't stay with him. I'm taking a risk being here, and I can't show the world why I'm doing this. I have to keep Jimin in the dark as well, You know the treaty I made to be here-if anyone finds out, it won't just be Jimin at risk; all our lives will be in danger."Silence fell as Jin and Namjoon absorbed his words. Namjoon broke the silence, "Hyung, don't worry. No one knows besides us, and we trust Soo-Hoo hyung completely. If any other eyes or ears find out, I'll make sure they never see or hear again."Yoongi patted Namjoon's shoulder, "I know."After that, Yoongi and Namjoon left, and Jin made several calls to arrange additional security. He spoke with the guards, ensuring that only the most trusted and highly trained personnel would stand watch over Jimin's room.

A few days later, Jimin was finally discharged and brought home. As he lay on his bed, Jin went to the kitchen to prepare something to eat. Jimin's mind was racing, trying to piece together the faint silhouette of the person he saw before he fainted. He felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if that person had been with him the whole time. Was it real or just a hallucination? he wondered. What's happening to me? Why do I feel this sudden pull, as if he's near? He scolded himself, Stop thinking about him, Jimin. You're being foolish again.

Just then, Jin entered the room with a tray full of delicious food. The aroma made Jimin's stomach growl loudly, and he felt embarrassed as Jin chuckled, trying and failing to hide it. Jin handed him the food and told him to eat.

"Mr. Jin, thank you for being with me and for the food. But you can leave now. I can take care of myself," Jimin said, his voice void of emotion.Jin's eyes filled with tears at Jimin's words. "Chim, why do you always push me away? Do you think these small things will make me leave? I'm your hyung. I know you better than you know yourself. I raised you.

"Jimin's anger flared. He threw the tray on the floor and struggled to stand on his wobbly legs. Jin quickly caught him, helping him to steady himself, but Jimin pushed him away. "Then why did you do that? After I begged you a thousand times, why did you make that decision? It made my life hell. Everyone left me because of you. I don't even know where they are or if they're even alive." His breathing became rapid as he started to cry heavily. Jin caught him again, gently laying him back on the bed.

Jin made a call, summoning help to Jimin's room.A few minutes later, Jin's personal family doctor arrived, checked on Jimin, and administered a shot for quick relief. Jin anxiously asked about Jimin's condition."Don't worry," the doctor reassured him. "He just got a little worked up and fainted due to his lack of strength. He'll wake up soon and be alright." With that, the doctor left.

Jin appointed his most trusted maid, who had been with him since childhood, to look after Jimin. She quickly arrived and instructed other maids to clean the room and prepare some food for both Jin and Jimin.She called Jin to the dining room and served him food, but he was lost in deep thought and didn't touch his meal. She gently shook him. "Son, eat something. You need strength to move forward. Look how thin you've become."Jin looked at her, his voice weary. "Halmoni, do you also think I'm a bad hyung? Do you think I did everything just because I wanted to? I'm so tired of everything, of bearing all this hatred from my brothers."Halmoni hugged Jin, patting his head lovingly. "No, Jin. You did the right thing. Don't blame yourself. Everything will work out perfectly soon. First, have this food." She began to feed him, and Jin ate, feeling warmth and love from her touch.