𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑫𝒚𝒏𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒚

𝟓𝟖

Rosé's P. O. V.

The cold wind whipped through the park, sending leaves scuttling across the pavement like tiny, golden soldiers. Park Jimin, wrapped in a thick coat, walked alongside me, his hands buried deep in his pockets as he stared straight ahead.

The trees swayed and whispered, their bare branches creaking under the weight of the wind. Each gust seemed to carry with it a frosty bite, as if winter had come early to this tranquil haven.

I zipped up my coat and pulled my hat tighter, the cold seeping into my bones.

The silence was finally broken by him, his voice softer than the rustling leaves above us.

"I never realized the park looked so peaceful at night," he admitted, pulling his gaze from the scenery and turning it towards me instead.

I glanced at him, surprised by the wistfulness in his tone. "It's beautiful, even in the cold," I replied, my breath misting in the air as I spoke.

He nodded, his eyes lingering on mine before he looked away, his gaze returning to the park's serene landscape.

I watched as a breeze ruffled his dark hair, the winter chill painting his cheeks red.

A single drop of rain fell from the heavens, cold and solitary, landing squarely on my nose. I blinked, surprised, and looked up at the dark sky. More drops began to fall, gentle and sparse at first.

He turned towards me, his dark hair plastered to his forehead.

"It's starting to rain," he observed unnecessarily.

His eyes met mine, questioning. "Should we...?" he trailed off, jerking his head towards a nearby tree.

I nodded my assent, and we hurried towards the tree, our footsteps echoing on the now damp pavement. The branches swayed above us as we came to a stop underneath, creating a small oasis from the rain.

The tree's leaves rustled overhead, creating an intimate canopy of green. I shivered slightly as a gust of wind blew through the branches, sending a spray of droplets cascading down onto us.

He stepped closer, his eyes searching mine, reflecting the dappled light filtering through the leaves. "You're cold," he murmured on my face.

His fingers hovered over my arm, then finally settled on the goosebumps that littered my skin. He rubbed gently, his touch warming me better than any fire could. "Here," he said softly, pulling me closer.

I went willingly, my cheek pressing against his chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat was comforting, soothing, in this little bubble of calm amidst the storm.

He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly against him. The rain pattered against his back, creating a background noise.

"You smell like... lavender," he murmured into my hair, his voice barely audible over the rain. He paused, his hands tightening slightly around me. "It's nice."

I felt a warm flush spread through my cheeks at his words, and I buried my face further into his chest.

As the storm began to subside, he slowly released his hold on me, stepping back to gaze down at my face.

His eyes lingered on mine for a moment, as if trying to commit every detail to memory. "We should probably..." he trailed off, glancing around at the clearing.

Awkward silence hung in the air as we both fidgeted with our clothes, avoiding each other's gazes. He cleared his throat, running a hand through his damp hair. "So, um, the rain's stopped," he remarked, stating the obvious. "We should probably... head back?"

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Yeah, let's go." I turned away from him, wincing as a twinge of pain shot through my ankle.

His eyes snapped back to me, "Hey, wait," he called out, hurrying over to me. Crouching down to examine my ankle, his fingers gently probed the swelling. "It looks pretty sore."

"I can help you hobble back," he offered, standing back up. "Or, I could carry you," he added, giving me a small sheepish smile. "It would probably be faster," he reasoned.

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, yeah, that... that would be helpful," I admitted. He bent down, sliding his arms under my knees and behind my back, lifting me effortlessly into his arms.

"Comfortable?" he asked, adjusting his grip on me. I nodded, nestling my head against his chest. He started walking, slowly and carefully at first, but eventually picking up the pace as we got further from the creek.

His breathing grew heavier the longer he carried me, but he never once complained or paused.

Soon, we reached the villa and my eyes fell on the lights coming from the living room.

He carried me up the steps and onto the porch, gently setting me down on the couch before reaching for the door handle. He pushed the door open and carried me inside, kicking the door shut behind him.

He carried me into the living room and carefully lowered me onto the couch. "There you go," he said softly, tucking a pillow behind my back for support. "Does it hurt a lot?" he asked, crouching down in front of me to examine it again.

I winced as he touched my ankle, feeling a sharp pain shoot through it. "Ah," I moaned, trying to move it slightly and immediately regretting it. He gently probed around the swelling, his fingers warm against my skin. "It's definitely sprained."

"I'll go get some ice for it," he said, standing up and disappearing into the kitchen. I heard the freezer door open and close, followed by the sound of running water. A moment later, he returned with an ice pack wrapped in a kitchen towel.

He knelt down in front of me again, holding the ice pack out to me. "Here," he said, placing the ice gently on my ankle. He pressed down lightly, wincing in sympathy at the way I jumped slightly and hissed at the sharp pain.

I sat there, trying to relax as he held the ice pack in place. His hand felt warm against my skin, and I found myself studying the way his fingers curled around the towel. After a few minutes, he carefully removed the ice and set it aside before picking up my foot again.

His touch was gentle as he began to slowly rotate my ankle in a circular motion. "This should help loosen it up a little," he murmured distractedly. I bit my lip, trying not to make any noise as he continued to work on my ankle.

He chuckled softly, continuing to manipulate my ankle gently. "Well, you did manage to take out two of them with that spin," he said, maybe trying to lighten the mood.

"Maybe you should consider a career in hockey." I said.

He smiled at me, his eyes crinkling up in amusement. "I could teach you a few moves, if you'd like," he offered, putting my ankle down gently and standing up.

"I'll grab some painkillers for you," he said, turning to head for the bathroom. "And then I think it's movie night. You can choose, since you're the injured party," he called back over his shoulder.

I smirked at his choice of words, laughing softly as he retrieved the painkillers. "You are such a sap," I teased as he returned to the living room and handed me the medicine.

He rolled his eyes playfully, flopping down on the couch beside me. "Shut up," he said, pulling me against him so that my head was resting on his shoulder. "So, what do you want to watch?" he asked, reaching for the remote.

I snuggled into his side, feeling warm and content. "Something funny," I suggested, yawning slightly as I reached for the painkillers and dryly swallowing them. He smiled, picking up the remote and starting to scroll through the options.

"How about this one?" he asked, pausing on a comedy movie poster. I nodded sleepily, my eyelids growing heavy. "That looks good," I mumbled, nuzzling closer to him. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me even tighter against his side. "Comfy?"

He chuckled softly, pressing play and leaning back against the couch. As the movie credits began to roll, I yawned and snuggled up against him, my eyes drifting shut as I settled in for the evening.

"Goodnight," was the only thing I could hear before I stepped into my dreamland.