JiMina Collection

From Within The Rubble ~ Part 4

               There they were, lying in the midst of concrete and rubble, covered from head to toe in dust and grime. And yet, Jimin had never felt so comfortable. So safe. He sat, leaning against the wall with his arms wrapped tightly around Mina, who was contently curled up against him. The sweet scent that wafted from her hair assuaged his nerves. Jimin pretended to shuffle around for a more comfortable spot on the ground, just to give him an excuse to "accidentally" nuzzle his head into her neck. Jimin didn't mind the comfortable silence that ensued, for they'd already had the chance to talk. He'd gained a friend through this daunting experience. They spent enough time stuck together to get well acquainted and found that they actually had quite a lot in common. But as his chest rose and fell in complete synchronization with hers, he found himself longing for something more. Under the light of the stars, Jimin smiled as he noticed the faint blush upon her cheeks. This small detail made him realize that, perhaps they've already done so.

             With the most recent collapse, a new source of light had appeared through the cracks of the concrete dome. He could tell that they were now far into the evening hours. The sunlight had long since disappeared. Eventually, his eyelids began to droop against his own will. Jimin fastened his jacket around Mina, then wrapped his arms tighter around her small frame. Resting his head on top of hers, he let the silence lull him to sleep.

Boom!

              Groggily, Jimin woke with a shock, his eyes flying open and struggling to adjust to the darkness. He felt Mina jump in his arms, just as confused as he was.

"What was th- !"

"What just happ- mm?!"

            They'd forgotten just how close they really were, and as a consequence, their lips crashed together the very second they turned towards each other. Their eyes widened in unison. Frozen in place with their lips still in tight contact, they simply stared. Jimin couldn't believe it. All thoughts of the recent loud disturbance were erased from his mind. Forgotten. Now he was fully awake. His heartbeat quickened exponentially as he realized what was happening.

He was kissing Mina.

            As of now, they'd remained lip-to-lip for over a while, too stunned to move. Mina seemed to realize that too and promptly recoiled, shifting completely out of his embrace. Jimin almost whimpered and held his arms out to grab for her again. He needed that warmth and proximity. He missed it already. But instead, Jimin looked down at his legs and tried to fight the oncoming blush that coloured his face. It wasn't working, and he knew it. In secret, Jimin relished in the fact that he'd shared something so small, yet so special with her. He was over the moon about it. But, he was also terrified of admitting it to her. What if she didn't feel the same way? Reality continued to set in, and yet, no one dared say a word. Jimin tried his best to break the silence and push away his intense embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry-" Jimin blurted out, his voice trailing away. He rubbed the back of his neck, self-consciously.

"N-No don't worry, it's fine... Not the kiss! - I was talking about the- I-I mean- the kiss wasn't bad, it was good- fine -um- normal?- but I meant..." Mina realized she was rambling and shut her mouth. She blushed even more and sighed. "What I meant was... It's not just your fault. It was mine too. It was an accident."

           Jimin's eyes widened. She'd just unintentionally admitted that she liked  the kiss. Jimin was ecstatic, even if Mina was obviously embarrassed over what she blurted out. Gathering his confidence, he locked their eyes together and let out a tiny smirk. "Well... It doesn't always have to be." Mina simply gave him am inquisitive look, then gasped softly as she pieced together his hidden implications. She was caught at a loss for words. Slowly, Jimin coaxed her towards him, their faces inching closer and closer.

Boom!

        There it was again. This time, it sounded as if it was coming from directly in front of them. Suddenly, a painful combination of dust and rocks rained down on their heads as the strong beams of light from flashlights temporarily blinded them. Jimin cradled Mina even closer to him, trying to shield her. "They're here! We've found them!" someone yelled. The entire enclosure shook. Jimin realized what was happening; the dome was destabilizing. 

        Large, heavy machines seemed to be mindlessly scraping away at the concrete dome in an attempt to dig them out. "No! Stop!" Jimin tried to yell. But, his urgent shouting was drowned out by the groaning of bulldozers and the many voices of Search and Rescue team personnel. Mina gasped in fright. If the extraction crew wasn't careful, the two of them would be in huge trouble. In a flash, their rescuers created a hole big enough for a single person to fit through. However, in doing so, they knocked out the only  remaining beam of wood that held the dome up. "No!" Jimin yelled, again. But, it was too late. All around him, huge slabs of concrete slammed down to the ground, threatening to crush them both. Looking down at Mina, his eyes made contact with her own. He made an imperative decision right then and there.

It was now or never.

        He picked Mina up in his arms and kissed her, hard and full on the lips. Then, without hesitation, he shoved her through the hole and into the safety of their rescuers just as the dome collapsed entirely. In a matter of seconds, he was buried deep beneath the rubble. The last thing he heard was the echoing of her tearful voice, desperately screaming his name. He felt increasingly dizzy as he was struck on the head multiple times. The warmth of blood soaked his clothes, but Jimin couldn't even feel the pain anymore. The world was slowly slipping away, until there was nothing left but darkness.