awake [seokjin]

seventeen ; blood after rewinding?

I waited for Mei whilst she got ready for her graduation ceremony. Whatever Ken said before was bullshit. I didn't want to believe she was the reason that everything that had happen, happened.

She walked out of the bathroom with her graduation gown on, except her face was bloodshot, tears still dripping from her eyes. "Mei," I said, standing up to face her.

"I can't do it," She whimpered. "I-I can't grad-graduate without him. He-He's m-my best friend. I-I just can't!"

"Mei, you-,"

"Jin..." She cried, breaking down. "I can't do this anymore. First my mom and now Jimin? Jimin was there for me when I needed him, he was my best friend and now he's gone."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, as my heart hurt. She lost the people she loved because of me and I felt guilty. I pulled her into a hug as she sobbed in my arms.

"You have to graduate," I said. "Jimin and your mom would've wanted that."

Tears welled in my eyes without knowing. I realized I sacrificed their lives to save Mei's. I wondered who else's life I would have to sacrifice. Will I have to sacrifice my own?

"My heart hurts," she cried, sniffing. "I'll just end up crying when they call his name up there."

"It's okay to cry, Mei." I said softly.

I'm doing the right thing, right?

At the graduation, I watched as Mei walked up to take her diploma with a smile plastered on her face. Her eyes were still red, and her mouth was trying hard not to curve into a frown. She stood where the other kids stood and looked around.

Was Jimin her only friend?

After calling all the names, they called Jimin's name.

"Such a tragic thing to happen to him on the day of graduation. Park Jimin was a great student. He had good grades, listened, was a bit of a teachers pet, but was confident in doing everything. He was hardworking, and having to teach him for four years, he was excited to graduate-excited for college and to start his own life. Let's hope this tragic thing never happens to anyone of you, and hopefully you learned to keep your eyes always on the road while driving. May Park Jimin rest in peace."

My eyes were stuck on Mei. She couldn't stop herself from not crying. I wanted to hug her, tell her she'll be alright, but I felt that everything was my fault. She hasn't cried so hard after the death of her mom.

"If anybody has anything to say, please come up here,"

I watched as Mei wiped her eyes, and walked up the stage.

"Park Jimin..." She choked before taking a big breath. "Aishh, that Park Jimin was my best friend... Sadly, he left me so early in life. He passed away the day we graduated. If I could go back in time, I would've done something. I would've told him not to drive to school, or would've told him to stay with me so nothing would've happened to him. If only he could've gotten the chance to take the diploma home before something like this happened. I'm sad this had to happen. I'm sad he didn't get to graduate with us, but I'm glad he came into my life. He helped me grow and I'm thankful that he did. May Park Jimin rest in peace."

I choked up in sobs after she dropped the mic and broke down. I wiped my eyes, trying to stop myself from crying. Mei, I'm sorry.

-

After the graduation she pulled me to the side. "I need to ask you something," she said, her tone a bit sharp.

"You said you were a psychic and that you had a dream about me and Jimin in a car crash." She said, her eyes starting to glare at me. "I wasn't in the car with him this morning so why did he get in a car crash?"

I was speechless and nervous. I couldn't talk like someone just cut my tongue off.

"You also said the same thing at my house before my mom died!" She shouted, her eyes welling with big tear drops falling. "So why did my mom die when you told me not to go in because it was dangerous!? Why did Jimin die when you told me not to ride the car with him because we'll get in a car crash!? WHAT'S GOING ON!? WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME!?"

She shoved me before breaking down again, crying in her own arms. "Am I a curse?" She cried. "Did they die because of me!?"

I sighed with frustration as I massaged my forehead. "Mei, it's not your fault." I said, pulling her up from the floor. "Let's go home."

"Tell me what's going on, Jin," she sobbed. "I don't understand and it hurts. It hurts so much and I don't know why."

Mei, I can't tell you everything yet. You're going to hate me forever once you know.

"It's not your fault, Mei,"

"You know what he said to me before he died? He said, 'Okay! I'll see you at graduation! You better be there because I can't get my diploma without you.'" She wiped her eyes. "I miss him already."

"I'm sorry," I said as she stood up.
"Let's go," she said, looking at me with her puffed up eyes. I nodded and walked her to the car.

-

The next day, I woke up before Mei did and cooked her breakfast. She woke up after breakfast was ready.

"I woke up from the smell," she smiled, stretching. "I'll go wash up."

I nodded and prepared the food for her. After we ate breakfast she told me she wanted to go buy flowers for Jimin at a flower place they always went to.

"You're the best!!" She grinned giving me thumbs ups as we walked inside the flower shop. I slightly laughed as she picked her flowers right away before taking them to the cash register.

"I'll pay," I said, handing the cashier my card. Mei looked at me, tears welled her eyes.

"Thank you," she mouthed.
"You're welcome," I mouthed back.

We walked out of the shop, only to run into a gang. I took Mei's hand and tried to turn the other way, but they stopped us. A guy with milky white skin stood and observed Mei, with a gigantic smirk on his face.

"Hello," he said, not gazing at me, but eyes kept on Mei.

She looked at me, holding my hand tightly at she moved behind me.

"Wanna smoke?" He asked, his gaze now shifted to me. "We could make a real good deal."

He arched an eyebrow when I didn't answer. "Please move out of the way," I said when they began laughing in my face.

"I said we could make a real good deal, kid. Hmm, but by the looks of your face, you don't look like like a smoker."

"What the hell do you want?" I asked, anger rushing into me.

"Lend me the girl and I'll give you drugs. You have to try them, they'll make your life complete." He said, grinning, his gaze switching from me to her.

I swallowed, trying to rewind back so I wouldn't have to deal with them. But once my powers of rewinding mixed, I felt dizzy, unable to breath when I fell to the ground of the flower shop.

"Jin!!" Mei shouted, grabbing my arms, trying to help me up. Everything was still dizzy around me as I felt blood rushing up my head.

I blinked a couple times until my vision stopped blurring. I tasted metal like blood in my mouth only to feel blood dripping from my nose.

"Oh my God, Jin!! What-what's going on, are you okay!?" Mei shouted, tilting my head back. "Hey, Cashier! Can you please grab me some paper towels!?"

I lifted my shirt up and covered my nose with it to stop the bleeding. "Goddamn, Jin. What happened?" She asked when I looked down at her.

"I'm okay," I said, before shifting my gaze to the door, hoping the guys from before won't walk in here.

Instead of getting my hopes up, the door swung open and the gang walked in.

Shit, too late.

-