A Love Across Time

Chapter 21: "Miraculous Awakening"

Jimin's POV

"Have I told you,
How you look through my eyes
How my day brightens by your smile and oh! Your voice, how it brings me joy

Have I told you,
that your heart doesn't beat for one but two and one of them is me with you having no clue."

I thought I was capable of loving you.. You made me believe that maybe I can be loved too but I believe that I was born to be loved only by you, Hera...

How will I get rid of this ache I seem to feel in my chest, it doesn't seem to go away... I feel suffocated, knowing you're in love... But not with me.. I wish I was 'Him'. For the first time in my life I want to be 'Him' but alas, I was destined to only be the unrequited lover of yours.. Even after all this I cannot stop loving you, Hera.. I'll continue to love you till the last breath. But I won't let these feelings of mine come in between us... I'll make sure you and Jungkook end up together. You're destined to be with him... I can do this, right..?

Author's POV

As Jungkook slowly regained consciousness, the sounds of muffled voices and hushed whispers filled his ears. Blinking away the fog of unconsciousness, he found himself face to face with the royal doctor, who wore a relieved expression upon seeing Jungkook awaken.

The physician's inquiry about Jungkook's well-being prompted a nod from the prince, though his eyes scanned the room in search of a familiar figure. Yet, to his disappointment, the one person he longed to see was nowhere to be found.

With a heavy sigh, Jungkook straightened himself on the bed, taking in the sight of the now orderly chamber, a stark contrast to the chaos he had wrought in his distressed state.

As the Royal Physician explained the events that had transpired during Jungkook's collapse, the King felt a pang of guilt for causing such concern among his loved ones. The revelation that his heart had briefly stopped sent a shiver down his spine, a stark reminder of his own mortality.

Outside his chamber, Jimin, Taehyung, and Chaeyoung stood vigil, their anxious faces betraying their relief at Jungkook's awakening. But amidst the crowd, Jungkook's eyes were drawn to a silhouette by the door, a figure that bore a striking resemblance to Hera.

A surge of emotion washed over Jungkook as he reached out, whispering her name in a voice laden with longing. Though his words went unheard by those around him, Hera, who stood nearby, felt her heart ache at the sound of his voice.

Tears welled up in Hera's eyes as she witnessed Jungkook's silent plea, but before she could gather the courage to approach him, she turned away, fleeing to the sanctuary of her own chamber.

Left alone once more, Jungkook's heart felt heavy with the weight of his unspoken feelings. He silently bid his companions to leave, craving solitude in his moment of vulnerability. As they departed, casting one last glance his way, Jungkook was left to grapple with the ache of longing that consumed him.

Meanwhile:

Hera's body quivered with each sob that wracked her frame, her world crumbling around her as she knelt on the cold floor, tears streaming down her cheeks in a torrent of anguish. Every fiber of her being screamed with the weight of guilt that threatened to consume her whole.

In the depths of her despair, Hera's hands trembled uncontrollably, her fingers clawing at the air in a desperate attempt to grasp onto something, anything to anchor her in the storm of emotions raging within her.

Her heart felt like it was being crushed beneath the weight of her own remorse, each beat a painful reminder of the role she played in Jungkook's suffering. The realization that her rejection had led to his heart attack tore at her soul, filling her with an overwhelming sense of self-loathing.

The image of Jungkook lying unconscious, his life hanging in the balance, haunted Hera's thoughts, a constant refrain of what-ifs echoing in her mind. She couldn't shake the fear that if she had accepted him, only to be torn away by the forces of fate, the pain he would endure would be unbearable.

The memory of Jungkook's eyes, filled with unspoken agony, pierced Hera's heart like a dagger, leaving her gasping for breath as she relived the moment of their separation. She couldn't bear to look into those eyes, knowing the depth of pain she had caused him.

Even now, as Jungkook lay awake and conscious once more, Hera couldn't bring herself to face him. The thought of confronting him, of seeing the pain and hurt reflected in his gaze, filled her with a paralyzing dread.

And so, consumed by her own guilt and anguish, Hera cried out into the empty void, her voice a raw expression of the turmoil raging within her. She screamed until her throat was raw, until there were no more tears left to shed, until the darkness threatened to consume her whole.

As Hera's anguished cries echoed through the palace corridors, Taehyung, Chaeyoung, and Jimin hurried to her chamber, their hearts heavy with concern. They knew Hera's pain ran deep, and they feared the toll it was taking on her fragile spirit.

Rushing into the room, they found Hera on the floor, her body wracked with sobs as she knelt in despair. Chaeyoung's eyes filled with tears at the sight of her friend in such agony, and she wasted no time in rushing to Hera's side, enveloping her in a comforting embrace.

Hera's cries filled the air, each sound a heartbreaking lament for the love she could not have. As her sobs grew louder, Chaeyoung could see the toll it was taking on her friend, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she struggled to contain her emotions.

Unable to bear seeing Hera in such pain, Taehyung and Jimin joined Chaeyoung at Hera's side, their hearts heavy with sorrow. They longed to ease her suffering, to banish the shadows that clouded her spirit, but they knew there was little they could do to mend her broken heart.

As Hera's cries grew fainter, her body finally succumbed to the weight of her grief, and she slumped into unconsciousness in Chaeyoung's arms. Tears streamed down Chaeyoung's cheeks as she held her friend close, her heart breaking at the sight of Hera's shattered state.

With gentle hands, Jimin lifted Hera's limp form from Chaeyoung's embrace, carrying her to her bed with a tenderness born of love and concern. As he tucked her into bed, he whispered words of comfort, his voice a soothing balm for Hera's troubled soul.

Taehyung stood silently beside Chaeyoung, his own heart heavy with the weight of their friend's pain. He longed to find a way to heal the rift between Jungkook and Hera, to bring them back together and mend the bonds that had been broken. But try as he might, he could find no solution, no path that would lead them back to each other.

With heavy hearts, the three friends left Hera's chamber, their minds weighed down by the enormity of their loss. In the quiet solitude of the palace garden, they sought solace in each other's company, finding fleeting moments of peace amidst the turmoil of their emotions.