Risk is the Spice of Life

Chapter 10

Namjoon dragged me to the bathroom, told me to wait there, and left. The bathroom was tiny but clean; there wasn't a closet, but above the plain white toilet was a bamboo shelf/cabinet combo that I guessed held items such as towels and washcloths. I started shivering and I hugged myself as I felt goosebumps race down my arms and legs. If it had been summer, possibly even early autumn, I would have welcomed the cold rain and the chill it brought. But it was the start of winter and the temperatures had been dropping dramatically; the cabin provided little relief from the cold.

Namjoon returned shortly, carrying a bundle of fabric. While he was gone, he had changed into sweat pants and a light long-sleeved shirt. He grabbed a towel from his bundle, tossed it on my head and started drying my hair. I thanked him, but the towel muffled my gratitude. Once most of the water from my hair had been transferred to the towel, Namjoon tossed it in the bathtub behind me and then snickered. I didn't need a mirror to tell me what I could feel; my hair looked like a washed-out birds nest. I fixed it as best as I could; at least the tangled mess was no longer spread in all directions. Namjoon patted the rest of the bundle.

"Here's some dry clothes; you should change so you don't get sick."

"Thanks" I replied with a smile, though my teeth were chattering. I grabbed at my jacket zipper, but my trembling fingers kept missing it.

"Are you really that cold?" Namjoon asked as he grabbed the zipper.

"I get cold very easily." I responded as he helped me out of my jacket.

"The dry clothes will help. I'm going to see if I can make something to warm us up. Unless you need help with the rest of your clothes?" he raised an eyebrow at me. I flushed as I tried to stop the images of Namjoon helping me out of more than my jacket flooded my brain. I wasn't very successful.

"Ahhhhh, no, I think I can manage. Thank you though." I responded as I mentally high-fived myself for keeping my voice under control. Namjoon grinned at me as he left, closing the door behind him. I quickly changed into what he had brought me - sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt- because I didn't want to be stuck in a dark bathroom longer than necessary. It felt weird to wear Namjoon's clothes; he was nearly a foot taller than me and I felt like a child wearing clothes that were too big for it, but I was warm and mostly dry and I preferred that than being cold and wet.

While I was in the bathroom, Namjoon had lit candles around the main area of the cabin; visibility was low, but it was better than being in pitch blackness. When Namjoon saw me he said "I would have started a fire in the fireplace, but I forgot to get firewood."

"That's ok, I like candles. It's probably best anyway, who knows what would have happened if you had tried to start a big fire. Jin would never stop scolding you."

"Hardy har har. I'm making tea, but it will take a while on the battery operated hot plate." Namjoon said as he exited the kitchen and sat on the back of the small couch in front of the fireplace. He was eye level with me.

"So....what is this?" I asked, gesturing to encompass the cabin.

"Sometimes we, me and the guys, need time away from the chaos. Only a few people know where this, so we come here to unwind. I had gotten too irritable with them because you were avoiding me and Jin and Yoongi exiled me here until I could behave like a proper leader."

I felt bad all over again. I was silent for a moment before apologizing.

"I've had a lot of time to think here, and I've been wondering: why did you run away from me? Why did you avoid me?"

I tried to answer, but Namjoon used his hand to cover my mouth.