it's just kissing | m.j ✓

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

For a moment, Jimin freezes up. It feels as if he's trapped in ice. Water has never hurt so badly in his life, and in that very moment, he regrets having jumped in. It hurts. God, it hurts.

But survival instinct quickly kicks in, and Jimin begins to swim, using the current to his advantage as he rushes towards Namjoon, who looks completely panic-stricken as he tries to figure out which way is up or down.

"Take the scarf!" Jimin screams as loudly as he can manage, throwing one end of his wet scarf towards the other man. Namjoon, however, appears completely oblivious to all noise surrounding him as he gurgles the water trapping him. Jimin grits his teeth and move closer, kicking his feet and making sure to keep his head above water. He continues to yell Namjoon's name, praying that the other will just listen to his voice. he knows better than to grab the man, knowing it might end up with both of them drowning. The river is a lot deeper than he had anticipated, and at this point, standing in the middle of it is clearly not an option...which means that Namjoon's going to have to hold onto his scarf so that they can both swim to the side.

And with the temperature of the water, they both don't have much time.

Jimin throws the scarf again, and this time, Namjoon takes it with both of his hands, his eyes staring back at his in utter fear and panic. Jimin pulls the scarf tightly towards him and then begins to kick again, taking both their bodies towards the nearest land. Luckily, the river is relatively narrow compared to its depth, and with the adrenaline coursing through his body, Jimin manages to hold onto a sturdy branch hanging over the water.

He doesn't waste time quickly draping his end of the scarf over the branch and then holding it securely with one hand to make sure that he doesn't lose hold of it. At this rate, he can't afford to let the current take him again, and his fingers are already shaking violently despite how numb they feel. Jimin struggles to pull his body closer to bed of rocks and stones, but the strain is too great with Namjoon's weight pulling him away.

"Hold on!" Jimin screams and tries again, clenching his jaws tightly as he reaches for something else to hold on with his free hand. And then he hears Jungkook and Seokjin rushing towards them, hopping over the rocks beneath them and not even caring that they might all trip and crack their heads against one of them. Jungkook is the first to reach them, and he takes Jimin's free hand tightly, and with a strained noise, Jimin finds himself being pulled into safety. Seokjin helps Namjoon back to land, and Jimin just remains lying down for a moment, his eyes darting around frantically as he tries to figure out if he's made it or not.

"Jimin!" Taehyung is yelling now, pulling him into a sitting position, and Jimin says nothing as the man drapes over layers of jackets over his body. Suddenly, the coldness is unbearable and he's shaking uncontrollably, his teeth chattering against each other incessantly and his limbs vibrating violently against his torso. When Jimin manages to finally turn his head around, he sees Namjoon in the exact same state, huddled with layers of jackets as well. Everyone except the two of them are standing without a jacket on, the cold air of late-Novembers seemingly forgotten as they fret over the two men.

"Kim Namjoon! What did I tell you about being careful!" Yoongi is full blown yelling now, pulling the jackets even more tightly against the bar owner who looks too shaken up to even formulate a response. "Come on, we need to get both of them inside, quick. Jungkook, can you run back and prepare a hot bath and turn all the heaters on?" he asks, and the bodyguard doesn't waste a second darting back towards the trail. Taehyung and Hoseok hoist Jimin off the rocks and help him steer away from the river, just as Seokjin and Yoongi do the same to Namjoon.

By the time they get back to the house, the bathtub is already filled with hot water and the heat blasting from the heaters hit Jimin hard.

"We're going to have to get you both in the tub," Yoongi announces rapidly as the two men find themselves being shuffled towards bathroom.

"T-to-geth-ther?" Jimin stutters out, unable to regain full control of his own facial muscles. At this point, he's worried that he's going to shatter his own teeth from chattering so badly.

"Yes together," Yoongi replies back rather impatiently. "This isn't the time to think about that shit. Get in before both of you die from hypothermia!"

Jimin obliges, needing heat, because the jackets weren't doing all that much to make him feel like he's not going to freeze to death. He's guided into the tub, his wet clothes still on and only the jackets pulled off, and he buries himself in the tub, welcoming the warmth it provide. Namjoon is placed inside the tub as well, and while it is hardly big enough for two grown men, Hoseok turns on the shower and begins to spray hot water over them as well.

Jimin can feel his muscles starting to relax, and it's only then that he realizes that the both of them could've very well never have made it out of the river. Subconsciously, Jimin reaches out and takes Namjoon's hands into his, suddenly overcome with the urge to make sure that the other man is OK, and Namjoon squeezes back tightly, his eyes still focused on his own knees.

They remain holding each others' hands as they let the warmth of the shower thaw their frozen bodies, and for the first time, nobody comes up with a witty joke or a teasing remark.