KANG SIAN
"Save him?"
Jungkook's confused voice echoes, but desperation speaks before my mind does.
"Then do it." I plead, feeling Taehyung unconsciously tremble under my hand. "Help him. What are you doing— now!"
Then the woman finally nods, and men spill into the small convenience store. My eyes instantly go wide at the sudden people, and Jungkook makes a sound deep in his throat as he tilts himself protectively over me and Taehyung.
"Don't worry— they're with me." She says, but I feel Jungkook's uncertainty-filled eyes flicker over in my direction. I just stare straight ahead, my body frozen to the ground.
"Come on, Sian."
Jungkook is the one who finally pulls me out of my trance as he forces me to stand. But then the woman turns back, her eyes full with apology.
"I'm sorry."
"But you can't go where we are going right now."
When she sees me purse my lips, she sighs and gives me a smile and a promise. I can't see Taehyung anymore, and Jungkook paces restlessly outside with his eyes fixed down the street.
"I promise you'll see him again."
"You promised." I stress, and her eyes are kind when she gives me one last look. Then she nods curtly, and then disappears out of the store.
I swallow.
What if this wasn't the right decision to make?
"Fine, then." Jungkook's quieted voice rings at me flatly. When I feel myself floating in midair, I snap out of my thoughts and scrabble for ground.
"What the heck, Jungkook?! Let me down!"
"I asked you to stand up like eight times." He shrugs, and guilt presses at me from noticing his tired eyes. I should've gotten a grip on myself quicker.
"Sorry."
"Hyung will be fine." He says assuringly, and I suddenly want to cry. Barely shoving the tears back down into my eyes, I whisper in a shaky voice.
"I think I can walk now, you know."
"No." He whispers, looking around in the dim lit streets before adjusting my body in his arms. "Just relax. I'll get you home."
Even with exhaustion pouring into my veins, I start kicking my feet. When I ignore his sharp look, he just gradually tightens his arms so I can barely move an inch after a few moments.
"You live in my house." He says, giving me a pleading glance. "Can't you just listen to me once?"
"Fine." I finally say, sagging like a rag doll. I couldn't get the image of Taehyung's shivering figure out of my mind, and it was driving me absolutely insane.
"Just go to sleep." He says soothingly, voice quiet. My leaping heart slowly calms down at his steady pace, at the firm hope I'd convinced myself to believe. "All you have to do is close your eyes."
__________________________
JEON JUNGKOOK
I can't do this.
It's a miracle she didn't hear my rushing heartbeat when I'd hugged her that tightly to my body, her skin warm against mine. Pushing down the warmth flushing my cheeks, I bite the inside of my mouth as I walk silently in the streetlights.
Her eyes are closed, so she can't see the conflict of emotion that colors my features.
Why did you have to fall for someone who's already taken this far?
Pressing the sigh back into my lips, I push open the apartment door and close it behind me to reveal the dark, silent inside. Jimin hyung's soft, faint breaths echo evenly with sleep, and relief floods my mind.
He hadn't woken.
Trying to think of anything else but how small she seemed to be, I quickly put her down on the bed and slide back into the mess of blankets on the ground next to hyung again.
Rubbing my eyes and pulling the sleeves of my shirt over my cold hands, I shove the whirlwind of emotions that I shouldn't be feeling deep back inside my mind.
There was no way I was going against Taehyung.
Especially when he trusted me enough to tell me to keep watch of her until he came back.
