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Jimin had seen the moment when Jungkook would finally open his eyes. There were practical reasons why I needed to have some time alone with him before he spoke to anyone else; Jungkook knew nothing of our covert actions. Of course, Jimin or Namjoon could have handled this, and Jungkook was bright enough to feign amnesia until he could get his story straight, but Jimin knew I needed more than just to clear up the narrative.
Over the hours of waiting, Jimin had introduced himself to Eun, and then proceeded to charm her until they were now close confidants, in Eun's head, at least. It was Jimin who convinced Eun to go have lunch at the perfect time.
This was just after one o'clock in the afternoon. I'd had the blinds closed against the morning sun, but I'd be able to crack them soon. The sun was on the other side of the hospital now.
Once Eun was gone, I pulled my chair close to Jungkook's bed, resting my elbows on the edge of the mattress next to his shoulder. I didn't know if he would have felt the time passing, or if his mind would still be back in that accursed room of mirrors.
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He would need reassurance, and I knew him well enough to be sure that my face would comfort him.
For good or ill, I put him at ease.
He started to fidget right on schedule. He'd moved before, but this was a more concentrated effort. His forehead creased when his efforts caused him pain, and the little stress V appeared between his brows. As I had so often wanted to do, I brushed softly across that V with my index finger, trying to erase it. It faded slightly, and his eyes started to flutter. The beeping of his heart rate monitor accelerated slightly.
His eyes opened, then closed. He tried again, squinting against the brightness of the overhead lights. He looked away, toward the window, while his eyes adjusted. His heart was beating faster now.
Hands struggling with the monitor lines, he reached for the tubing under his nose, obviously meaning to remove it. I caught his hand.
