As Long As I Can (Jiminx Reader) [Completed]

Chapter 21: "Stay With Me A Little Longer

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Some moments don’t shout—they whisper. And those whispers leave echoes forever.

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The warmth of the hot shower still lingered on her skin, but it was quickly fading, leaving behind the familiar chill of exhaustion. Y/n sat on her bed, shoulders wrapped in a soft towel, her damp hair curling slightly at the ends and clinging to her cheeks. Her mom had just helped her change into her cozy pajamas—a loose knitted sweater and warm fleece pants. The room was quiet now, only the sound of the wind gently brushing against the windows, a distant reminder of the rain that had just passed.

The door creaked open gently.

Jimin stepped inside, dressed in fresh clothes—a gray hoodie with slightly damp strands of hair sticking to his forehead. He looked at her, then to the towel draped around her shoulders.

“I thought you might need help,” he said quietly, almost hesitant.

Y/n smiled softly, shaking her head. “You don’t have to—”

But he was already moving. He walked over and picked up the dry towel her mom had left at the edge of the bed. Without asking again, he moved behind her and carefully began drying her hair.

The motion was gentle, unhurried. His fingers combed through the tangles with such tenderness that it made something ache in her chest. He didn’t speak, just focused on making sure she was warm, safe, and comfortable.

She closed her eyes briefly. “I could’ve done it.”

“I know,” he murmured, “but I wanted to.”

The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable. It was full—of things unsaid, of glances exchanged, of quiet care that didn’t need a name.

When he finished, he tossed the towel to the side and came around the bed to sit beside her. The bed dipped slightly under his weight, and Y/n instinctively scooted a little closer.

The room smelled faintly of rain and lavender soap. Outside, the sky had dimmed to a soft twilight, stars just beginning to peek through the heavy clouds.

Y/n played with the sleeve of her sweater for a moment, then turned to face him.

“Why do you do all this?” she asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He blinked, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean,” she whispered. “Why are you so kind? So patient? So… good to me?”

Jimin frowned slightly, shifting on the bed to face her more fully. “Because I want to be.”

She let out a breath, her fingers tightening around her sleeve. “You do these things—like the rain dance, like carrying me when I couldn’t even move—and you say it’s for me. But you don’t realize… it makes everything harder.”

His expression softened. “Harder?”

“Every time you smile at me like I’m not broken,” her voice trembled, “every time you hold my hand like nothing’s wrong, you make me forget… and then remember again. You make me want to stay more than I should.”

A single tear fell, landing silently on her lap.

“That’s not fair,” she whispered. “Because you make leaving feel like the worst thing in the world.”

Jimin's breath hitched, and he looked at her for a long second—like he was trying to memorize every piece of her.

Then he reached up and gently brushed the tear from her cheek. His thumb lingered a moment too long, as if hoping to ease the pain in her heart just by being close.