In This House // BTS Mafia au

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Jungkook, slow down."

"How long has he been awake?"

"Not long, just please stop running for a second."

Jungkook stopped when he was in the hallway outside of the bedrooms, after sprinting through the house from his room. He had left Miyeon down there, but he was sure she wouldn't mind. Not with these circumstances. Meanwhile, Monster was chasing him from behind the whole way, saying things Jungkook ignored in his hurry to Jin's nursing room.

"What's wrong?" he finally asked Monster, who was still behind him. "What is it?"

Monster cleared his throat, looking like his news wasn't easy to say. "Jimin is conscious, but Jin doesn't know how long he's going to stay that way, Jungkook." His words were soft. Jungkook didn't like the delicate tone he was using. 

Monster once again was treating Jungkook like a kid. He was saying everything carefully as to not upset him. He didn't need cryptic messages or euphemisms. Jimin may have been awake, but he could still....

No. He won't. He can't. He'll live. Maybe that's childish, but fuck it.

Jungkook shook his head at Monster and entered the bedroom, opening the door quietly despite his rush. And there he was, right where Miyeon had been just a day before. 

Monster didn't follow him inside, so Jungkook closed the door. Jungkook moved closer to the bed for a better look. Jimin was sickly pale, almost translucent. His lips were dry and cracked. He had his eyes closed, but to Jungkook's relief, his chest was rising and falling. Despite the breathing, he reminded Jimin of a skeleton.

Why did Jimin look so lifeless? This wasn't him, this wasn't the same person who would smile, laugh, lecture him, sing around the house.....who cared if he was a gang member, he was more caring than most people with normal jobs. There was no one who was more spirited than Jimin. No one who was always there like Jimin. But Jungkook knew that Jimin wasn't in the bed. It was something else.

Jungkook couldn't bear to look at it. He needed Jimin back. He needed to hear the voice of his best friend, to see his eyes.

"Jimin?"

His words were barely a whisper. He just needed to see his eyes open. "Jimin? Can you hear me?"

Silence. Stillness. Jungkook pushed away the frustration rising. He wasn't frustrated with Jimin, but with everything. Was this what Monster meant when he had said he was 'awake'? Did he mean to say that he was alive just enough to be a lifeless fucking shell of a person? Was that what he meant by 'awake'?!

"kk-kook...."

Jimin's lips barely parted when he said it. The nickname seemed to simply blow out of his mouth. His eyes were still closed. 

Jungkook lowered himself, kneeling beside the bed so his face was parallel to the side of Jimin's. "You can hear me. Oh my god, you're okay." Jimin's response sent a rush of relief through Jungkook. He didn't know what was happening to the gunshot wound under the bed sheet, but he must have been okay if he was responsive....right?

"Jungoo...." Another tiny whisper from his chapped lips. 

"Yeah?" Jungkook said eagerly, inches from Jimin's face. "What is it Jimin?"

Ever so slowly, painfully slowly, Jimin's head rolled slightly to face Jungkook. It reminded Jungkook of a broken doll. Jimin looked so empty, even when he moved. Like a corpse's head falling to the side....

No, not a corpse. He's gonna be okay, dammit.

Jungkook watched his eyelids open just halfway, but it was enough. They were glassy, watery, but they were open. Jungkook held his gaze with them, refusing to look away.