Strawberries And Cigarettes | Jikook

1. First Time in Forever.

"Jimin, no matter what happens, you will NOT move from here, okay? I'll be right back." The older's concerned voice ordered Jimin's small, scared frame.

Jimin's body was already shaking with fear, his face painted with unrestricted tears, but he somehow managed to hold the older's hand tight in his, his eyes stringed with urgency and despair, "No, hyung! Don't go. They'll kill you!"

The older caressed Jimin's face between his hands and made him look at him, smiling, just a little, to assure him that everything will be okay, "Don't worry. I'll be right back before you know it."

Jimin knew he was lying. There was no escape out of this. He didn't want to loose the only person that mattered to him. The love of his life. But before he could stop him, the older pushed him away and ran outside, towards his inevitable fate. Jimin hugged himself, just as he heard the older cry out loud, his voice cracking and teary.

"I love you so much, Jimin!"

Jimin let out a sob before whispering, "I love you too, Yoongi hyung."

"Yoongi Hyung..."

Yoongi Hyung...

Yoon...

"YOONGI HYUNG!" Jimin screamed as he woke up panting, sweat running down his forehead as he tried to bring his racing heart to calm down.

Just a memory, Jimin...nothing more...nothing...

He sighed as he looked around, there wasn't the old shack he was weeping under, or the smokes of the flames that raged outside. Neither was he the small, scared Jimin anymore. He was in the bedroom of his newly acquired apartment, and soft sunshine peered through the window, birds sweetly chirping outside. He brought up his legs to his chest, hugging them tightly, closing his eyes, washed with relief that none of this was real. He was safe, in his room. For now, at least.

But his relief was replaced with the familiar feeling of pain and emptiness, reliving the same nightmare of losing Yoongi, over and over again. It had been almost over five decades since he died, and yet Jimin had been getting all sorts of terrible memories in gruesome details when his death anniversary neared, till date. He missed him, terribly and god knows that he'd give anything to bring him back. But he knew that was impossible, as was a normal life for him.

Jimin was a 120 year old vampire, born 13th October, 1898. He was turned when he was about 23 years old and since then, Jimin hadn't aged a hair. Being immortal meant he couldn't stay at one place for more than 5-6 years, because people would start to notice that he didn't age, and he'd have to move before their suspicion turned into something more. He hated that, he was an emotional young man who got pretty attached to the house he lived in and to the people around him, so it was very hard for him in the beginning, especially when he didn't have Yoongi to support him anymore.

But over the years, he got used to it, turning into a much stronger individual, both physically and mentally. His powers grew to flourish and so did his bloodlust. But he tried hard to control it. He took up to gym, meditation and mountain climbing. Anything and everything to keep his mind focused and off the alluring scent of human blood around him. And as a result, he has been only drinking animal blood since last 50 years, considerably weakening his powers, but still stronger than any human being.

"Hey...are you okay?"

He heard a deep, concerned voice speak above him which caused him to look up from his arms a little, meeting his roommate, Taehyung's tired yet worried eyes as he sat down next to him. Jimin had always preferred to live alone, ever since Yoongi's death, but when he moved to Seoul, he'd promised himself to move on from it all, to leave back all the dark memories behind him and start a new life. That's why he decided to rent an apartment with another person, hoping to make a friend after a long time. And when he met Taehyung, he knew he'd found more than just that.