Lost and Found (Jirose)

Aftermath

The faint prickling sensation radiating from his injured shoulder down to his fingers was the only thing keeping him anchored right now—he would have long disappeared into the abyss of unconsciousness, just to sleep and never wake up again.

Jimin gingerly ran his fingers over his sling, pausing as he experimentally touched the last three fingers of his hand. He still couldn't feel anything in those fingers, but the doctors said that with time maybe feeling could return.

Could.

Same as Chaeyoung could wake up...or not.

Immediately when his thoughts returned to her, he gnashed his teeth together and slumped back on the bench.

The glowing neon sign above the door (indicating the ongoing surgery within the theatre room) was the only light in the otherwise darkened waiting area.

"Jiminie..."

He turned as Jennie lowered herself next to him.

"They're still in there," he croaked, "but...it could be any moment now...."

"That's right," she said softly, "don't give up just yet. Chaeng is strong."

He gulped, replaying the exact moment that the bullet buried itself deep in her back, watching on helplessly as she slammed to the ground with a strangled cry.

He hadn't told them he had been the one to shoot that damned bullet.

He couldn't bear to admit that Chaeyoung was on the verge of dying because of him.

They hadn't questioned him much either—when he came to, he didn't ask how he survived. Instead, he simply asked: "Where's Chaeyoung?"

Jennie and Irene had been standing next to his bed. They glanced at each other, making Jimin fist his sheets, ignoring the throbbing in his shoulder.

"Where. Is. She." he growled.

"They're operating on her," Irene said finally. "But you are going to wait for her here—"

"No. I'm going to wait for her there. I'm fine."

And that was how he ended up waiting for well over an hour now, seething thoughts flooding his head like a storm in his skull that was threatening to blow up. No amount of poetry reciting could keep him distracted.

They said she had been in there for half an hour before he woke up...

"Chim?" Jennie said softly, laying a hand over his good arm. "Hey..."

She moved forward, cupping his cheek and swiping her thumb just underneath his eyes. He felt the wetness dampen his cheek. 

He hadn't realised he was crying.

"Jen....I...I ruined...everything..."

She shook her head no. "It's Chanyeol, he's responsible for this mess. If anything, you saved Chaeyoung—"

"No." He gulped. "Everything... she...I...maybe....it's better if I hadn't.....better if we hadn't—"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Jennie warned. "If you say it would have been better if you and Chaeyoung hadn't met or some crap, then you're a coward."

He laughed mirthlessly. "Fine, but it doesn't change the fact that the reason you all got dragged into this mess is because of me."

"No but—"

"Just shut up, Jennie," Jimin said tiredly and tilted his head back, closing his eyes. "I wish I had drowned."

To his surprise, he heard Jennie snort.