The Raven Hotel | Jikook |

Chapter 24: Clarity

          "If that's what you desire, I won't leave you at all if you just stay here... with me..." Jimin responded. Looking at the same ceiling Jungkook was observing before and got lost in his thoughts as well. Keeping his right hand over Jungkook's soft hair while the other rubbed the boy's back carefully. Hoping to soothe him from his toxic thoughts that only surfaced because of those horrid memories he sadly had to live through.

     Jimin listened to Jungkook's gentle breathing along with his calming heart beat as he drifted away into slumber. At some point, the beat became rhythmic and Jimin couldn't help but to keep listening to it as if every pound enchanted and intrigued him. His cold hands longed to feel and count each strand to Jungkook's silk hair, but he knew better not to remove his gloves when he was around the boy. Ever since Jungkook's first punishment Jimin didn't want to show him his hands or touch him, only now was he able to do so when he realized a more gentle way to comfort the helpless lamb.

       In time, Jungkook was sleeping over the bed while Jimin stood by him, watching over every breath he took. He knew Jungkook didn't wish to let Jimin go, but the man understood that Jungkook was only drunk and didn't mean it at all. So, he was sure to separate himself from the younger just so he wouldn't wake up and feel uncomfortable. Just as Jungkook laid over the bed, Jimin finally picked up the blood-stained glass and took it to the small kitchenette to wash the wine glass.

      His red eyes flared at the sight of the blood, yet, he contained himself at the moment as he washed the cup without his gloves on at the moment. Just when the glass was finally spotless, he heard a knock at the door and finally set the glass down. Jimin approached the door where the hollow knock continued on until he swung it opened to see Seokjin standing there, holding a large bag over his shoulder.

      "Sorry I took a while, but I'm here to drain him....just like you asked..." Seokjin mentioned and stepped in while Jimin closed the door behind him. "Is he... asleep? Or is he taking a short nap?"

     "He's knocked out for the moment. Apparently, he stepped out of the hotel room to drink," Jimin mentioned and stepped forward, hiding his cold hands behind his back while Seokjin stepped up to the boy and observed him. "I don't know where he must have gotten any alcohol into his system, but for sure, he has a drinking problem... so I can tell as soon as he got his hands on it, he couldn't stop at all. I can't help but to feel bad for him..." Jimin whispered as Seokjin looked back towards the pale man.

     "I think he must have gotten it from the kitchen for sure! But anyway, wouldn't he taste a bit bitter to you for drinking?" Seokjin wondered as Jimin only shook his head in response. "Do you want me to drain him?"

      "He would, but the way his blood tastes is different... it's special, it's addicting... so even if he drinks, it won't put me off at all. Drain him... and be on your way..."

      "I thought you said you weren't going to do this anymore. You said you found Hyunwon in him, so why would you continue asking for this? There are other guests to choose from," Seokjin assured and set the bag right against the bed where Jungkook rested over.

      "I just don't want him to have enough energy in him to run out of this room again. This is the only exception I have. When he arrived, I couldn't stop. I craved him too much! But when I noticed he was just like Hyunwon, I had to stop before I harmed him any further. I'm only doing this to make sure he doesn't escape again. You know how much I hate it when Hyunwon used to escape me... even if it wasn't for a long time, it still annoyed me... in a way, I can see where Hyunwon bleeds through Jungkook like this... they are so similar, yet so different in many ways, I can't seem to spot it in order to fix it before it gets worse."

       "Jimin... he won't remember you at all... that could be his past life, something he will never remember. How could you pressure him to remember you if it's impossible? If fate brought you two together again like it did many times before, then you will have to build it up again..."

       "I hate building up our relationship again for the fiftieth time... it's as if I fall in love with many other people, one after another... why couldn't I just hold onto Hyunwon a bit longer?" Jimin growled to himself and looked towards the boarded window. "But he refused this curse... this curse I wanted to bestow upon him... they all refused, will Jungkook be the same?"

       "You will need to create a bond with him, but if he doesn't want to stay here, you can't force him, Jimin. He has a life too. He's not your Hyunwon. Hyunwon is no more... you have to learn to let go. If you need clarity, here it is now, laying on your bed..." Seokjin concluded and began to take out a numbing cream along with an alcohol wipe. "I will only take out one pack worth of blood. Two packs left him close to death the first time he got here..."

      "That's fine by me..." Jimin whispered and turned away from the boy to then walk over to a chair. Dropping onto it and staring at Seokjin's every move.

        "So... when do you think is a great day for the masquerade ball?" Seokjin asked, looking at Jungkook as he thought of the plan he was told before.

       "Maybe in a few weeks if we're fast enough, but if we aren't, we will be looking at a ball in a month from now..." Jimin replied and heard Jungkook let out a sharp exhale once the needle was injected. "You seem to be asking a lot about the date of the event... should I be worried?"

        "Of course not. I'm the event coordinator after all, I have to know," Seokjin mentioned and smiled to himself as the blood flowed through the tube and into a small pack. "I guess you can say it will be a life changing ball now that Jungkook is here... do you plan on dancing with him?"

         "I don't. The only reason why I'm kind to him is because I believe Hyunwon lives in him... if he didn't look like my Hyunwon, I wouldn't have him in this room sleeping on the side he used to fill..."

        "And to think... you still love Hyunwon after he... you know... caused the reason as to why you boarded up every window in this hotel..." Seokjin shot back and left Jimin tilting his head and gripping onto the armrests of the singular couch he sat over. "When will you ever learn to let go, Park Jimin?"

        Letting go; it was something Jimin never grew familiar with. In every aspect of his life, he believed fate brought him close to his soulmate each time and refused to let them go when they left. When it came to Hyunwon, Jimin grew madly in love and refused to move on when he was no more. Now, he only hoped to hold onto it when it returned to him once again. This time, not allowing it to leave him one bit.

        "Jungkook may not be Hyunwon, but comparing him to someone who died twenty three years ago? I know they look alike, I looked through the photographs and found many resemblances... but when it comes down to personality; I tend to like Jungkook more compared to the stories you would tell me about Hyunwon." Seokjin whispered and looked back at Jimin. "Are you upset that I keep bringing up the truth? Then stay like that and learn the hard way if you won't take my words. I'm not afraid of what you would do to me... I know every part of you enough to know you wouldn't dare to kill me next. At the end of the day, you need me to drain guests since your complex fangs tend to mix up venom and feasting. So, you're afraid of giving others the eternal curse of immortality."

        "Just... hurry up and leave..." Jimin silenced himself and looked over to the boarded up window. Still recalling Seokjin's truthful words that were bound to lead him to clarity and letting go, yet, Jimin only looked the other way and wanted to believe what he told himself. He wanted to believe Hyunwon was still here, laying on his bed and sleeping like before, but the more he looked at the boy, the more he began to realize his unnoticed grief that had yet to be faced after so long. The more he looked at Jungkook, he couldn't help but to associate him with what once was.