Just One Day

Part 5: Sad

3:15 A.M.

Namjoon and Seokjin were hovering outside Jimin's bedroom, their ears pressed to the door.

'Do you hear it, Joon?' whispered Jin. 'Jiminie is crying.'

'Sort of ...' Joon was frowning. He straightened up and folded his arms across his chest. 'Why is Jimin crying? Do you know if anything's upset him lately?'

Jin shrugged and just about didn't roll his eyes. Truth be told, Jimin was often upset, but almost never shared the reasons for his sadness -- at least not with Jin!

'I think we need to get Yoongi!' Jin turned to head in the direction of Yoongi's room.

'No--wait!' Namjoon grabbed his friend's arm. 'Why are you--'

'Jimin always tells Suga his problems.'

'No, no, no,' whispered Namjoon. 'If he wants to tell Yoongi anything, he will. If Yoon isn't here means he might not know -- we can't force it.'

'So, what do we do? Just leave him to it?'

'It's been so long since Jimin actually cried ... it must be something really bad ...' Namjoon chewed at his lower lip. 'Err ... maybe I should just knock and ask him if he's OK?'

Jin nodded. 'Yes, yes, do that. Don't say I'm here though. It might embarrass him. You can comfort him.'

'If he wants to be comforted,' Namjoon said doubtfully. Jin wasn't the only one Jimin didn't tell his problems to. It was normally Yoongi whom the boy hung out with, and sometimes Taehyung and Hoseok. 

Namjoon raised his hand and knocked. 'Jimin? Jimin-ah ...'

Silence. The soft whimpers that they had heard stopped abruptly.

'Jimin? Are you OK? It's Joon. Can I come in?'

Silence. 

Joon looked at Jin and shrugged. Jin shrugged back.

Then the whimpers started again. A little louder than they had been before.

Joon tried the door handle. Locked, as expected. 'Jimin! Open the door -- I can hear you crying. What's going on? What's wrong?'

'G--go away!'

Joon and Jin raised their eyebrows in unison. 

'Jimin-ah, open the door, I'm worried,' persisted Joon.

'Th--there's no--nothing t--to be wor--wor--worried about. J--just g--go away!'

'Hmm ...' Joon hesitated. The boy sounded extremely upset and it was not in Joon's nature to ignore the bad or sad moods of his bandmates, even if he was told to! He looked over at Jin who was mouthing: 'Shoo-gah.'

'Err ... Jimin-ah, should I ask Yoongi to come see you? You wanna talk to him?'

That suggestion was greeted by a wail and then loud sobbing. 'Nooooo, don't tell him anything. Noooo ...'

There was a thud and then a scramble and the door opened, revealing Jimin with a wet, blotchy face, red eyes and swollen lips. He looked from Joon to Jin and frowned. 'Aigoo! Can you just leave me alone? Please?'

'Jimin, if you really want to be alone we'll go. We're just really worried about you cos you sound so upset,' said Jin.

Jimin hung his head and covered his face with his hands. 'I'm soooo sad. I'm so saaaaad.'

He repeated that a few times and then trailed back to bed where he threw himself down and sobbed into his pillow.

Namjoon and Jin followed him, uncertainly, Jin closing the door behind him. Then they stood, one on each side of the bed. 

'Hey, hey, Jiminie, you wanna tell us what's wrong?' Joon stroked Jimin's hair softyly.

Jimin shook his head. 'I--I--wanna-d--dieeeeee.'

'What's wrong, Jimin? Did you get some bad news?' Jin asked gently.

'Y--Y--oo--Yooon--ahhhhhh--nnnnn--giiiiii.'

Joon and Jin made puzzled faces at one another.

They stood, each with a hand on Jimin's back, patiently waiting til the boy calmed down. Finally, Jimin's sobbing lessened, and he grew still. Jin looked around the room. He whispered, 'Hang on, I'll be right back' and left the room. Three minutes later he returned with a damp wash cloth and a box of tissues. Jimin was sitting up by then and Joon was seated next to him on the bed, with his arm around the boy.

'Here, Jimin, wipe your face, OK?' said Jin handing the boy the wash cloth. Jimin obeyed. 'Now, blow your nose.' Jimin did as he was told, but said nothing. Then he just sat there, and his tears started again, making their slow descent down his cheeks. He didn't bother to wipe them away.

'You wanna talk?' Joon asked gently.

'I can leave if you want,' added Jin. 'Just tell Joon.'

'I don't want to talk,' said Jimin firmly, although his voice trembled. 'I will never tell anyone. I'm stupid. I'm going to die of misery.'

Joon and Jin exchanged glances over their friend and bandmate's tousled head.

Finally Joon said, 'OK, Jimin. But let us know, OK? If you change your mind?'

Jimin's response was to laugh harshly. He rubbed his eyes. 'Don't you dare tell the others you saw me like this.' His voice was hard.

'No! Of course not,' said Jin. 

He and Joon gave Jimin hugs that were not returned. The younger boy just stared stonily ahead.

'Melodramatic much,' said Jin once they were out of the room and were walking down the corridor towards their own rooms. 

'Aish--don't say that! The kid looks really upset.'

'Ahh--well.'

Joon shook his head slowly at Jin. 'Sometimes I think you're made of stone.'

'Whaa--where did that come from?!'

Joon shook his head again. 'Nevermind. Good night.'

They two boys parted at the doors of their bedrooms. Down the corridor, Jimin continued to cry.

A short chapter. Where the hell is Yoongi?! Is there no hope for Yoonmin???