RIPPLE | P.JM

12

SEVEN

My eyes snap open.

It's morning, and I hear the sound that had woken me up again. It's not far away, and I quickly recognize it as footsteps. Multiple of them.

"Jimin!" I hiss quietly, climbing off his lap and shaking his body. He's leaning heavily against a tree, eyes closed. His arms are limp against his sides— both of them bandaged with dark strips.

The footsteps get closer.

"Park Jimin!" I try again, my hand slowly reaching for the knife I'd slipped into the cloth of my thigh. But he's still not waking, still completely unconscious even when I pinch him hard on the skin of his neck.

Okay. You can handle this.

Breathing evenly, I aim the knifepoint towards the approaching sound and hush myself. I stance protectively in front of Jimin, forcing my heart to keep calm.

"Seven! Thank God."

"Yoongi." I sigh in relief, dropping my hand to my side. He catches sight of Jimin behind me, and his eyes widen.

"Is he dead?"

"He won't wake up." I say, a bit of worry lacing into my voice as Yoongi lifts him into his arms. "You're alone? Where's everyone el—"

"Thank the holy heavens you're alright!" Jin's voice comes, and I turn in surprise as his figure bounds out between the undergrowth. He hugs me so tight I can't breathe. "You have no idea how worried everyone is. And— Jiminie!"

"I got him." Yoongi says. "Come on. We were all freaking out over you two last night."

Jimin I understood. But me?

Even though I push it down, I can't help the feeling of warmth bubble up in my chest.

________________________

"Noona. It hurts." Jungkook whines, and I baby him like he wants me to. His wounds had spilled so much blood that his face is pale, and I pinch his soft cheeks to get a bit more color in them.

"You sure that arm's the only thing broken?!"

Hoseok's been fussing over Jimin ever since he'd woken up, a roll of bandages clutched tight in one hand as he scans Jimin for the thousandth time.

And I wait for Jimin to confess.

His silver eyes flicker nervously at me, and I give him a nod. At that, he sighs and stares down at the ground.

"Hyung, I don't think I'm getting better."

"What? What are you talking about?" Jin shrieks, and Jimin winces as he clasps his hands together. "What's not getting better?"

"My eyes. It's getting worse."

And everything stops. Yoongi stops messing with Taehyung, and even Jungkook quits his mumbling instantly. The roll of bandages drop from Hoseok's hand to the forest floor.

Jimin sighs. "I'm not blind yet. It's not that dramatic."

"You're going blind again?" Taehyung whispers, his hand lightly seized around his bandaged wrist.

"Again?!"

Everyone looks at me as the word pushes itself out of my lips. "This isn't the first time? What are you talking about— that he was blind once?"