Path Of Thorns| Vmin Historical AU

T h i r t y F o u r

Jimin’s eyes fluttered open, the soft glow of morning light filtering through the curtains. His entire body felt heavy, and his head throbbed with a dull ache.

Blinking slowly, he tried to sit up, but a wave of exhaustion washed over him, forcing him to slump back against the pillows. For a moment, everything seemed blurry and distant, as if he were trapped in a fog.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice, filled with relief and warmth. “Jimin, you’re awake!”

Jimin turned his head, his vision clearing enough to see Taehyung standing by the window. His face was pale and tired, dark circles under his eyes, but his smile was bright and full of emotion. Before Jimin could say anything, Taehyung rushed over to his side, wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug.

“Taehyung…” Jimin’s voice was barely a whisper, his throat dry and weak. “I’m sorry… for everything. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Taehyung pulled back just enough to look at him, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “Don’t be sorry, Jimin. You have nothing to apologize for. I’m just so happy you’re awake.”

Jimin’s heart ached at the sight of Taehyung’s face, so filled with relief and love. He felt a deep sense of guilt weighing him down, remembering the last thing he’d done before everything went dark. He had unleashed his full power against Eodum, driven by rage and pain, and he could still feel the toll it had taken on his body.

“I… I still don’t feel right,” Jimin admitted, his voice trembling. “I have no strength left. It’s like… everything is gone.”

Taehyung’s expression softened as he gently brushed Jimin’s hair away from his forehead. “You’ve been through a lot, Jimin. It’s going to take time for you to recover.”

“How long… how long was I unconscious?” Jimin asked, a nervous edge to his voice. He didn’t want to know the answer, but he needed to hear it.

Taehyung hesitated, his eyes flickering with a hint of sadness. “Six months,” he finally said, his voice almost breaking. “You’ve been unconscious for six constant months.”

Jimin’s eyes widened in shock. “Six months?” he repeated, disbelief etched on his face. “I… I don’t understand. How is that possible?”

Taehyung took a deep breath, his hands still cupping Jimin's small face. “Your body needed time to heal after what you did. You used so much of your power, more than you’ve ever done before. It’s a miracle you’re even alive.”

Jimin’s mind raced, trying to process everything. Six months—how could that be? It felt like just a moment ago he was on that bridge, fighting Eodum, feeling his body breaking under the strain of his own magic. And now, here he was, weak and frail, with no sense of time or place.

He looked around the room, his eyes narrowing as he took in his surroundings. It wasn’t the royal chamber he was used to. The walls were different, the air felt different—more familiar, almost comforting in a way that stirred old memories. “This… this isn’t the palace,” he murmured, looking back at Taehyung with confusion. “It's my home! Why are we here?”

Taehyung’s expression grew tense, and he quickly looked away, avoiding Jimin’s gaze. “Don’t worry about that right now. You need to rest and regain your strength.”

“But Taehyung, I—” Jimin tried to protest, but Taehyung gently pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him.

“Please, Jimin. Not now.” Taehyung’s voice was soft but firm. He stood up, forcing a small smile onto his face. “I’m going to get you some food. You must be starving.”

Jimin watched as Taehyung moved towards the door, his heart heavy with unease. Something was wrong, he could feel it. The way Taehyung was avoiding his questions, indicated that something happened.

“Taehyung, wait!” Jimin called out, his voice breaking slightly. Taehyung paused, his hand on the door handle. “Please, just tell me what’s going on. Why are we here? What happened while I was unconscious?”

Taehyung turned back to him, his eyes filled with a mixture of love and sadness. “I promise I’ll explain everything, Jimin. But for now, just focus on getting better, okay? That’s all that matters to me.”

With that, he stepped out of the room, leaving Jimin alone with his thoughts. As the door closed softly behind him, Jimin sank back against the pillows, his mind spinning with questions. Why had they left the palace? Why was Taehyung acting so strange? And what had really happened during those six long months he had been lost in darkness?

His heart ached with the need to know the truth, but his body felt too weak to even move. All he could do was wait and hope that Taehyung would keep his promise to explain everything. But deep down, he couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever had happened, it
had changed everything—for both of them.