𝙱𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙳 𝙸𝙽 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴

𓆩♡𓆪 ; 22

A few hours passed, and exhaustion weighed heavily on Airene. Jungkook had left for a quick business call, and feeling drained, she decided to go down to the hospital canteen to grab a coffee. After waiting for nearly 20 minutes, Airene realized they had forgotten her order. Frustrated but too tired to make a fuss, she asked them to check. A few minutes later, she finally received her coffee and hurried back to Jimin's room, anxious to check on him.

As she pushed open the door, the sight before her made her freeze in her tracks. Laura was standing beside Jimin's bed, and to her shock, Jungkook was there too. Airene's blood boiled in an instant.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" she yelled, her voice trembling with rage. Her outburst startled both Laura and Jungkook.

Jungkook quickly stepped in, raising his hands in a calming gesture. "Airene, calm down, it's not what you think—"

But Airene wasn't having any of it. She ignored Jungkook completely and stormed over to Laura, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her away from Jimin's bedside. Laura stumbled, her expression stunned, but Airene didn't care. Her eyes blazed with fury as she faced Laura.

"I don't know what business you had with him in the past," Airene spat out, her grip tightening on Laura's arm, "or if you ever loved him, but let me make one thing clear—you will not come near him again. Jimin is mine, and I won't share him with anyone. Do you hear me?" Her voice was trembling with a mix of anger and protectiveness.

Laura, still in shock, tried to compose herself. "I was just—"

"I don't care!" Airene cut her off, her voice sharp. "I won't tolerate you being around him anymore. If you ever show up again, I swear you'll regret it."

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Jungkook quickly stepped between Airene and Laura. He knew things were about to escalate beyond reason. Airene's chest was heaving with anger, her hands clenched tightly, but before she could lash out again, Jungkook acted swiftly. He reached out, covering her mouth with his large hand to stop her from speaking, and with his other arm, he pulled her closer, wrapping his strong grip around her waist. Airene's arms stiffened, trapped within Jungkook's hold. His voice was calm yet firm, forcing her to listen. "Airene, stop. Listen to me," Jungkook commanded, his deep voice cutting through her anger. 

Her muffled protests against his palm softened as she blinked up at him in surprise. "She's not Jimin's girlfriend or ex, and she's definitely not some side chick," Jungkook continued, keeping his voice steady as he tried to make her understand. Laura, feeling the intensity of the moment, took a hesitant step forward, deciding it was her turn to explain. "Airene... I'm not here to cause problems," Laura began gently, her voice steady yet apologetic. "I found Jimin in Italy when he was at his worst. I'm a doctor, and I was the one who took care of him when he was deeply struggling. My brother died from alcohol poisoning... and seeing Jimin like that, I couldn't bear it. That's why I let him come to my bar. I wasn't enabling him to drink—I was keeping an eye on him because I didn't want him to spiral out of control like my brother did." 

Airene's body was still tense in Jungkook's hold, but her eyes softened, listening intently to Laura's words. "Jimin's like a brother to me," Laura added, her voice sincere and filled with emotion. "I care about him deeply, but not in the way you're thinking. That's why I got worried when he didn't show up at the bar that night... I thought something bad had happened. So when I saw you at the door earlier, I didn't know what was going on. Jimin told me you two were on a break, and I thought maybe my worst fears had come true. That's why I called him." Laura took a deep breath, her eyes locking with Airene's, hoping she'd understand. "I'm sorry if I caused any confusion or hurt. That was never my intention." Airene's breathing had slowed, and her body had relaxed slightly in Jungkook's grip. Jungkook carefully removed his hand from her mouth, sensing that she had calmed down enough to listen fully.