°cherry tree°- •비민•

二十五

He looked at me.

I looked back, but I didn't see him.

Why was he still hidden?

I didn't understand.

The room became silent. All I could see were two nurses, one of them holding a platter of food, handing it to Jimin, and the other one was typing something on her laptop.

Jimin's bangs now grew to come down to the top of his nose.

I haven't seen him in almost three months.

I can't believe I'm still in love with him.

"Taehyung! You- You came..? You came all this way for- for me?!"

His voice was soft, and it slightly cracked.

I smiled and nodded, heart beating so fast I swore I felt like my chest was about to explode.

I felt bad for coming with my hands empty. I shouldn't have chickened out.

But what counts most is that he's with me.

"I-I did- Twice..."

The nurses left after leaving Jimin's food platter on a stand that rested on his lap.

Jimin smiled, then giggled. I came closer to him and sat on the chair next to his bed.

I saw the cords. I saw the IV bag.

I saw the life support machine.

I cried.

Jimin comforted me, he took me in his arms and I couldn't help but cry harder.

I felt his fingers crawl over to my hand to hold it tight.

It was weird.

Weird for me to hold his hand,

And see him hold it back.

I looked up, sniffing, and Jimin wiped my tears with his thumb.

"I'm sorry, I'm too sensitive,"

Jimin smiled at me.

"No, I'm sorry for not telling you... I'm sorry for lying," he said, voice quiet and sweet.

"I don't care. I know you did it for the best. I forgive you. I'm not mad. I've never been. What counts most is that you're here with me."

The words left my mouth naturally. I didn't know what I was saying, I said what my mind told me to say.

I put my other hand over his, who was already holding mine.

"You said you came here twice... What about the first time..?" He asked gently, rubbing his thumb against the palm of my hand.

I stuttered. "T-The first time, I heard about you aunt, who was here. Then, I came to Busan after finding out her address. And she wasn't here. Her neighbor let me stay over, and then... I-"

I froze while I talked. Should I tell him about the car part? I was confused. And I was shaking. Then, I cried again.

"I- got hit by a car. Jin's car. The neighbor's car. It was all an accident, is long to explain, but... I ended up here. And I looked for you, Jimin. I looked for you so much. And I didn't find you."

Jimin put his face against my shoulder, and I rubbed his back.

"At the cherry tree, Jimin. You sent me a sign. I don't know if it was true, if I was hallucinating. But you were there. You told me things. You were almost a ghost. And I hear voices, Jimin. I hear voices. I'm scared."

Jimin held me tighter, and I knew he had something to do with it.

"Was it-"

"It was me."

I froze, holding his hand tighter. "Y-You..?"

"It was me. I don't know how. I don't remember. But the person you saw. It was me. The real me."

"Jimin, I don't understand-"

"Me neither. But you have to trust me. I sent that sign. I was in a coma. It all seemed like a dream, it was all blurry. The Jimin you saw was me."

I played with his hair.

"Did Jungkook tell you about me?" He asked softly, whispering in my ear.

"He did," I whispered back.

We were silent, and my phone was vibrating again. I ignored it, holding Jimin in my arms.

He was so fragile, so small. I wanted to hold him for longer, I wanted to stay with him forever. He was so precious.

He was so happy. Despite his illness, he seemed so happy.

Hours passed, and we spoke. About everything in our lives, about ourselves.

He told me the exact same thing Jungkook told me, and I explained in detail everything that happened with Jin.

I looked out the window and the sun was setting.

I grabbed my phone, plugging my headphones in and opening my music app. I ignored the dozens of texts and missed calls from Jungkook.

Jimin looked over my shoulder. I gave him one of the buds. He put it on, his face leaning towards me.

I wanted to know why, after everything I've done for him, he was still hiding his facial features from me.

I pressed on the song I wanted him to hear.

"I'm sorry if you think this song is old, I don't only listen to old songs, I promise."

Jimin laughed at me, resting his head on my shoulder.

The song was Breakeven, by The Script.

Jimin immediately stopped talking, he was closely listening to the lyrics.

The beat of the song quickened, and I hummed along to the chorus.

'Cause when a heart breaks no it don't break even, even, no,

My heart beat faster as I grabbed Jimin's hand, making him jump. He adjusted himself and enlaced his fingers with mine.

What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?

I licked my lips, bouncing my leg up and down as I leaned my head over his, feeling his soft hair against my ear.

And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay?

I looked at our hands, despite the music banging through our ears, I didn't bring the volume down. Because I learned to live the moment.

I'm falling to pieces, yeah,

I didn't know it would be like this. I didn't know Jimin would let me enter his room like this, I didn't even know he was going to be alive.

I'm falling to pieces,

The beat softened and I set down my phone on my thighs, before grabbing his chin and rising it up.

I pressed my forehead against his, making him blush.

I didn't know what I was doing, yet, I didn't have any sort of anxiety, or stress.

It felt like the right thing to do.

So I did it.

I kissed him.