TEN DAYS | Winrina

Day 10

Chapter 11

When Ning had picked up Jimin the previous evening she hadn't been sure of what to expect. The text had not revealed the state the blonde had been in, but the words hit home nevertheless. It had been months since the brunette had received a message from Jimin asking to be picked up. She had sent those words almost every night from various different bars and locations after her dad had died and her mom had kicked her out.

Ning had arrived at the address and had found Jimin sitting on a bench, jacket tightly wrapped around her torso, eyes staring into nothingness. She hadn't acknowledged her arrival, so Ning had gotten out of the car and slowly walked over to sit next to her.

"What happened?" She'd asked calmly to avoid spooking her friend. "Jimin?" She'd taken both hands in hers and applied soft pressure, warming cold fingers in the process. "Talk to me."

"I" Jimin had stuttered and without warning tears had started to escape her eyes and she'd started sobbing uncontrollably. Ning had wrapped her arms tightly around her and cursed the universe for not calling Aeri yet. She'd always taken care of Jimin when it had come to breakdowns. Ning had seen many of those, and it had always been their third friend who had been able to help the most. After a while the tears had stopped spilling and the sobs had become sporadic. Jimin had let Ning guide her back to the car and had dropped into the passenger seat. However, the memories of her and Minjeong driving this very car a few days ago had brought a new wave of tears and Ning had quickly searched for her cell phone.

Ray of sunshine (19:25): '10-00'. My place.

Drill-Instructor (19:30): OMW. Keep her safe.

It had been a trained communication between the two of them as it had happened so often in the past. The coded text had merely been a quick way to inform each other. Ning had come up with the police code, saying 'officer down' for Aeri to know Jimin needed her immediately. She'd fastened Jimin's seatbelt while the blonde had cried silently, covering her face with her hands, ashamed of being so weak. The sight had broken Ning's heart. To see her in such a state was devastating. She had driven them as fast as possible to her home and had helped Jimin inside and onto the couch. She had stopped crying somewhere between High Street and Mount Weather Road but hadn't said a word since being picked up.

"I'll make some tea. I'm just in the kitchen okay?" Jimin had nodded but had avoided eye contact. Ning sighed and had gone to do what she had said she would do. Only a few minutes later the front door had opened and Aeri had pushed into the hall. "Ning?" She had hissed out when the other brunette hadn't appeared. "Kitchen."

She had made her way over and had looked at Ning with a serious expression. "How bad?"

"6 out of 10. She isn't drunk."

"Thank god. At least something. Living room?" Ning had nodded and pointed to the kettle. Aeri had signaled her understanding and walked into the other room. Jimin had still been sat on the couch in a similar position as when Ning had found her an hour ago on the bench, legs bent and arms around them, head on top of her knees.

"Jimin? Darling?" She'd sat down and had put her arm around the blonde's shoulder. Jimin had turned towards her and had burrowed her face into her neck. She had let her without question, brushing her other hand up and down her thigh in a soothing manner. Ning had come back and had set the cups of tea down in front of them and had settled on the floor. Jimin had lifted her head and her attempt to smile had made her friends smile too.

"Who would have thought the emergency chain was still working so efficiently?" She had breathed out. None of them had said anything as all had known it had only happened so smoothly because it had been needed so often in the past.