𝙱𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙳 𝙸𝙽 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴

𓆩♡𓆪; 17

Jimin's POV

I couldn't bear to see her cry. I loved her, and I still do. But there's a saying that once a doubt takes hold, everything starts to crumble under its weight. That's exactly what happened to me.

FLASH BACK

The moment I saw her with Taehyung, my heart shattered into a million pieces. I trailed them, hoping, praying it wasn't my Airene. But when I saw her smile and the love she showered on him, it was like a dagger through my heart. It felt like I was already dead, just a walking corpse going through the motions of life. Everything turned black for me.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hospital bed. My head was throbbing, and I felt disoriented. I tried to get up, but the sudden dizziness made me collapse back onto the bed. A woman in a white coat, a stethoscope draped around her neck, approached me. She looked professional, yet there was a softness in her eyes. As I attempted to sit up, she gently but firmly pushed me back. "Don't strain yourself," she said with a calm authority. Her voice was soothing, but the situation was far from comforting. I wanted to speak, to ask what happened, but my head was still spinning. "Who brought me here?" I managed to croak out, my voice weak and unsteady. 

The doctor glanced at me, her expression a mix of concern and professionalism. "You were found unconscious and brought in by a friend. It looks like you've been through a rough time. Rest now, and we'll discuss things once you're more stable." I closed my eyes, trying to focus on her words. I had so many questions swirling in my mind, but for now, all I could do was lie there and try to piece together what had happened. The pain of seeing Airene with Taehyung was still fresh, and the confusion of waking up in a hospital only added to my turmoil. I felt trapped between the desire to confront my past and the need to heal from the wounds it had inflicted.

After two days in the hospital, I learned more about the doctor who had been taking care of me. Her name was Laura. She'd been kind, attentive—too much so, given what happened. "What exactly happened to me?" I asked, my voice still weak but curious. Laura chuckled lightly, sitting at the foot of my bed. "You collapsed on me when I was walking home from work. Thank God my car broke down that day, or I wouldn't have been on foot. I checked your pulse—it was a little serious—so I took you to my hospital. I didn't sleep for an entire day because I had to take care of you. Even after my shift ended, I stayed on." She smiled warmly, and for a moment, I was struck by how familiar her smile felt, how much it reminded me of Airene's. My mind wandered, drifting back to thoughts of her. But every time I thought of Airene now, the image of her with Taehyung came flooding back—the look in her eyes, the way she was happy with him.

My heart raced uncontrollably, as if the pain was still fresh, still raw. Laura noticed immediately and stood up, her expression shifting to concern. She placed her hand gently on my shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. Just breathe. Calm down." Her soothing voice grounded me, pulling me back from the edge. But even as my heart slowed and my mind cleared, I couldn't escape the suffocating weight of everything—Airene, Taehyung, the betrayal I couldn't shake. After being discharged from the hospital, Laura kindly offered to take me to my hotel. Her care and concern were evident, and she even volunteered to stay nearby in case anything happened, but I insisted I'd be fine on my own. Reluctantly, she left, leaving me alone with my turbulent thoughts. Before she departed, Laura handed me her phone number, saying I could call her if I needed anything. I took it, but as soon as she was gone, I tossed the number into my luggage and packed up my things. I didn't want to rely on anyone else right now.

The memory of the business deal in Italy and its aftermath was still haunting me. Once everything was packed, I flew back to Seoul, hoping that a return to familiarity might help clear my head. As soon as I stepped into my apartment, the memories came flooding back. The cans of beer, the remnants of my past self-loathing, beckoned to me. I drank them all, seeking solace in the familiar numbness, and soon fell into unconsciousness. The next morning, I woke to a call from Jungkook. His voice was urgent, "Jimin, there's a new deal in LA. We need to discuss it."