Aftertaste | J.JK

What We Ever Imagined

Even though they try to hide it for my sake, I can see their already pale faces grow paler as minutes tick by with Jungkook's absence.

Six hours.

And still no Jungkook.

"Something must've happened to him," My voice sounds panicky and rushed as I shoot up from my seat for the millionth time, waiting for Jin to push me back down.

But he doesn't, and I take this chance to hurry my way towards the front door.

"Jimin, go with her." I hear Jin say quietly behind me as he quickly hisses commands that makes my heart beat wild.

"Taehyung and Yoongi. Look for him near the bridge and the river, alright? Watch for signs of hunters, and be careful— if you get caught, I'll kill you personally."

The duo shoots up to their feet, as if they'd been waiting for Jin to give the word. In a moment they've both disappeared, eyes glowing vampiric.

Jimin pulls me out of the house before I can hear what Jin says next, his eyes already its own shades of flashing storm gray. Concern and panic tenses my figure as his brows furrow with focus.

"I'm going to open my senses, Elle. Hold still— don't move a single inch, don't let the wind carry your blood scent to me."

When he says that, I nod and plant my feet firmly to the ground. My body falls completely still as his irises deepen another shade, another level of color.

"He was here." Jimin whispers, running his fingers through his hair as his eyes narrow with concentration. "Definitely— no. Not that way. Five meters down— around the corner—"

I watch him in amazement as he snaps out of his trance, pointing down the street to our right.

"That's where he went. Come on, Elle— hurry. We can't waste any more time than we already have."

Adrenaline pumps through my blood as I nod, breaking into a run as I follow his flashing figure down the streets. Jimin somehow magically seems to know where Jungkook had gone— until he stops, expression unreadable.

"What's wrong?"

His eyes narrow as he looks around the buildings, gray flickering. "This is where the trail ends— everything ends here. But how—"

My mind suddenly closes off his words when my eyes catch on a dark figure, strangely familiar in the black of the night.

Him.

A startled gasp runs between my lips as my legs move by themselves. Within a breath of a moment, I'm right in front of his hunched body, eyes wide and words rushed with relief.

"What were you thinking? How could you not come back for six hours, Jungkook? Do you know—"

Something thick and wet seeps into my hand, pressed against his shoulder.

What...

"Jungkook," Jimin is beside me in a flash, voice shaky as he grabs hold of the swaying maknae. "What happened? Are you okay?"

His arms wrap around me, and the same moment his head falls against my shoulder do I realize that he's trembling.

Violently.

The metallic tang of his blood fills the air, and I quickly wrap my own arms around his body as I suck in a harsh breath.

"We need to go," Jimin says stiffly as he grabs my sleeve, his body tensing before the teleportation. "He needs to be treated."