The Road Trip

CHAPTER 7

Namjoon and Jin spent the entire day driving to Carolina. The radio played but neither man spoke a word. Namjoon could easily see Jin's uneasiness the nearer they got to Carolina. They put aside the map and turned on Namjoon's GPS to get to Carolina quicker. At some point in their journey, Namjoon reached over and took Jin's hand. Jin gripped it tightly, but loose enough to not hurt the other man.

Throughout the ride, Jin was impossibly quiet. Namjoon had grown used to Jin's constant chatter, be it talking, reading or singing, to hear Jin not saying anything was uneasy.

Namjoon guessed he shouldn't have been surprised by Jin's sudden silence. Jin obviously clearly loved his uncle as any father figure. They were halfway through their trip before Namjoon made his first stop at a gas station. It also had a diner attached to it. Other than needing gas, they had been on the road for five hours and knew that Jin would need to stretch his legs, if not use the restroom. Plus it was past lunch and all they had were the snacks Jin had bought the day before.

"What did we stop for," asked Jin as Namjoon parked the car by a gas pump.

"Well, for one, we need gas," said Namjoon. "And two, bathroom break, leg stretch, food, anything else we might think of."

"But, what about my uncle," asked Jin.

"Don't worry, if he gets worse, you know that your cousin will call you. And besides, what would he say if you crashed because your driver got a cramp?"

For the first time since the news about his uncle, Jin laughed. It was only a chuckle, but it lifted Namjoon's spirits and hoped it did with Jin.

"Fine, but twenty minutes, no more," he said and walked toward the station.

Namjoon started putting gas in the car. Ten minutes later, Jin walked out with a bag that smelled of hamburgers and french fries and a case of cold soda. By then Namjoon had finished filling up the tank and had parked in front of the building. Namjoon went into the station for his own bathroom break and came back outside to see Jin in the driver's seat.

"I'm driving," he said in a no questions asked tone.

Namjoon tossed him the keys and got in the passenger side. He ate the sandwich Jin got him as Jin drove. Once again, both rode in deafening silence with only the radio playing. They stopped for gas once more before they got into Carolina, Jin, still driving. Namjoon took a quick look at the welcome sign as they passed it by. It was a nice looking town. Namjoon could really see Jin growing up here. He wondered where Jin's old restaurant was. He could see Jin behind a stove cooking up a feast for his friends and family. One of the previous topics during their travels had been food and Namjoon remembered hearing the passion and excitement behind Jin's voice, and none of the food places they stopped at to eat had been a fast food place. Each one had been a fresh food establishment where they would wait ten to twenty minutes for food and each serving was delicious. Jin had an eye for food.

As Namjoon sat thinking, he was surprised to see them pull up in the hospital parking lot. He opened the door and when he didn't hear the driver's side open. He turned to see Jin frozen in his seat, eyes staring up at the building in fear. Namjoon reached over and placed a hand on one of Jin's that still clutched the wheel. Jin turned to look at Namjoon, eyes still in fear.

"He's fine, Jin," he said. "I know it."

"Come in with me," Jin pleaded. Namjoon nodded.

"Not going anywhere."

Jin smiled at him gratefully before getting outta the car. Namjoon followed a step behind, but when Jin reached behind himself, Namjoon immediately took the other man's hand. They walked into the hospital side-by-side and walked to the front desk.