Dark | BTS ✓

9

The next morning, Jimin's alarm goes off and he feels the after-effects of the physical labor he did yesterday. His muscles are groaning in defiance, begging him to rest in bed all day, but he knows he can't take a day off, especially with him just starting out. He needs to make a good impression on Will and his other co-workers.

He makes his way into the bathroom, taking a hotter shower than usual in an attempt to relax his overworked muscles. After getting out, he takes some extra time to stretch, hoping that will ease the general discomfort he is feeling.

As he gets to his coffee maker, he wonders if he should make Evelyn coffee. He doesn't need to even knock on her door; he can just leave it where he usually does, and if she steps outside and sees it, it may just lift her mood a bit to know that someone is still thinking of her well being even if she doesn't want to think about it herself.

He decides against it as he presses the button. Evelyn made it clear that he was stepping over her boundaries, and he needs to respect that what he has been doing is not something she wants to happen anymore.

He pours his coffee into his cup, making sure to grab his white coat and his car keys before leaving his home, locking his front door behind him and walking the short distance to his parked car. He glances at his neighbor's house, and again, he doesn't see any sign of her. He sighs, shaking his head to clear any thoughts of her as he climbs into his car and makes the now familiar drive to his job.
As soon as he pulls in, he tries his best to leave all of his personal feelings at the door as he steps inside the clinic, greeting his co-workers as he sips on his coffee.

"Good morning, Jimin," Will says as he walks up to him, smiling warmly.

"Morning," Jimin says, sending him a half-hearted smile that Will picks up on.

"Let's come talk in my office for a second," Will offers, holding his hand out in the direction of his office that is just across the hall from Jimin's.

"Sure," Jimin says, nodding as he drops his stuff off inside his own office before following Will inside of his.

"Are you okay?" Will asks as soon as the door latches shut.

"I'm fine," Jimin says, plastering a smile on his face to deflect any suspicion.

"Okay," Will says, his tone revealing that he's not convinced. "How's it going living at your new place?"

"Wonderful," Jimin says, smiling again as he sits down in the chair across from Will's desk. Will moves to sit in his own chair, leaning back as his hands rest in his white coat's pockets.

"Where did you move to again?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. "What road?"

"I'm sure you wouldn't know it," Jimin says, laughing as he rubs the back of his neck. "There are only two houses on the entire street."

"This is a small town," Will reminds him. "I know it like the back of my hand. You're talking about Evelyn's road, right?"

"You know Evelyn?" Jimin asks, leaning forward as he hears his neighbor's name.

Will smiles, though his eyes seem sad. "She used to volunteer here to lend a hand while feeding the animals we have."

"Why did she stop coming?" Jimin finds himself asking. He knows he is prying again, as usual, but if he can get some more information about this mysterious girl, he may be able to understand why she is the way she is.

"She lost someone very special to her about six months ago," Will says. "She hasn't been the same since."

Jimin hums, nodding his head as he takes this new information in.

Who did she lose? What happened?
"I shouldn't say anything else," Will says, shaking his head. "I'm not a person who likes to gossip. Let's have a great day, yeah?"

"Yeah," Jimin says, forcing a smile.