The Sky Ablaze | Park Jimin

Chapter 18

Eunjin

Hyerin wasn't waking up. She was too weak, and it'd been days. Eunjin decided to stay by her side whenever she could. Whether it was out of guilt or a budding friendship, she wasn't sure.

Taehyung had been asking her what she was going to do. She was concerned for Jimin's kingdom, so she delegated different tasks that she saw fit. She never asked Jimin since he only tried to convince her to take his throne.

That was another reason she stayed with Hyerin. Jimin hadn't been to see her once. The others had, even Jungkook, and it was concerning that Jimin didn't feel an ounce of worry for his wife.

"Any changes?" Namjoon asked when he entered the the tent they were in.

"She's not doing well, I don't think. They haven't really said one way or another, but I have an awful feeling about it."

"I've tried to ask if they will move her back inside the palace, but they say moving her won't be wise." Namjoon sat next to Eunjin. "You're letting guilt eat at you. Would you have changed anything at all?"

Eunjin had been thinking about that a lot, being with Jimin. Her husband was being killed, and Hyerin was bleeding out.

"No," she said. "I wouldn't change it."

"Then let it go. Whatever happens if Hyerin wakes up is something you and Jimin will have to face, but you've faced worse." He gently rubbed her shoulder. "You and Jimin need to help make the final preparations for Yoongi."

"Namjoon, I can't do it," she said.

"You've faced worse," he reminded her again. "Despite everything, what you two had was special. No one can ever deny that, not even you. It's okay to grieve him, Eunjin."

"Why are you so wise?" She asked. "You're supposed to be the dumb clumsy one."

"I will pretend that's not offensive." He stood from his seat. "You won't miss anything if you leave her side. This is something you must do."

She stood with him and left the tent. There were hundreds of tents set up to tend to the wounded, and people were running constantly from one tent to the next with bloody bandages and medicines. Some would occasionally stop when they registered she was walking by so they could bow to her, but she wished they wouldn't stop. There was no time to stop.

"Jimin really wants you to make all the decisions for Yoongi's funeral pyre," Namjoon told her. "You may have to twist his arm to make some sort of decision."

She wasn't surprised by that at all. "Perhaps I'll send him off to see his wife," she said bitterly.

Jungkook and Hoseok met them at the palace doors. They bowed to her, and she frowned.

"Please stop doing that," she said. "It's making me feel weird to be around you."

"We thought we could escort you," Hoseok said, ignoring her.

"Just like old times," Jungkook added.

She paused. "Like old times? Just throw me down the stairs then."

"It's for support," Namjoon corrected.

She walked past them and towards the far west side of the palace where they were holding the dead. She found Jimin there where Yoongi was lying with a sheet covering him. He'd been cleaned, and he looked almost peaceful.

"Nice of you to finally join me," Jimin said. "I've been waiting for you."

"I've been by Hyerin's side."

She looked at his face and noticed how dark it was under his eyes. He seemed washed out and a little lost. His skin looked too sallow compared to the dark black of his coat.