•𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑰𝑫𝑬•【√】

↱CHAPTER 11↰

"Minhee!" Taehyung's voice, cracked with fear and urgency. But he shouldn't be here. My alarm hasn't even gone off yet. I turn away from his words. Five more minutes. The cold tile floor touches my cheek. This is most certainly not my bed. I jolt up, but the sudden movement almost blacks me out again. Shit, my head is splitting in half.

"Minhee." He whispers, clearly worried sick. I feel his calloused hands on my shoulders, steadying me. A good thing too, I feel as if I may well fall over. I open my eyes only to shut them again. God, this room is bright. A slight groaning sound escapes me, grating against my searing skull. Not good enough.

"What?" The best I can do at the moment. My voice comes out rough, barely audible.

"Oh, thank God!" I am ambushed by a fierce hug from Jiwon.

"Is she gonna be alright?" A deep voice that sounds as ragged as my own.

"Yeah, 'm fine," I mumble. It takes everything I have to get the words out. I lift one arm off the ground and cradle my head. Taehyung's bony arms and Jiwon's clinging hug keep me from sliding back to the floor.

"How'd you do it? Oh, Honey, how'd you do it?" She sounds like she's crying, but I won't risk opening my eyes again to check.

"I don't-" The new voice is interrupted by a coughing fit. He sounds like he can barely form the words, "I don't think she knows. She looked scared," My curiosity beats out over my aching brain and I force my eyes open. It can't be. Jeongguk. He's hunched over on his bed, looking as bad as I feel. Looking right at me.

"Jeongguk?" More air than words, "How?" This is too much to process. My brain feels soggy.

"You did it, Minhee," Joon speaks softly; amazement ringing though his tone. Jiwon finally disentangles herself from me, she stands up only to go and hug Jeongguk just as desperately. She looks scared, like she shouldn't be allowed to be so happy, but her mouth is plastered into the biggest smile I've ever seen, tears streaming down her face.

What did I do? I'm lost, "How is that... what happened?" Every word drains me. Not drain. As empty as I feel, my throat seems blocked. My mouth floods with bile. I retch, twisting away from Taehyung as my vision slips away again.

~~~~~~

Everything hurts. It's the hurt that wakes me. I try to sit up, but it's too much. A tiny whimper gets caught in my throat. Nope. I will not be the helpless invalid. I have to get up. I open my eyes and stare at the grey ceiling. Come on now. I'm asking too much of my screaming muscles and crackling joints, but I have to get up. My legs are shaking, but hey, I'm standing. I'm in Jiwon's room. I suppose it's my room too now, but that's irrelevant. I'm at the firehouse. I'm safe. Thank everything good in this world.

I make it to the door with tiny, unbearably slow steps. My feet don't seem to want to listen to me. Outside the room I lean against the wall for a minute to catch my breath. The pressure of the brick makes my skin sting. Gosh, does everything have to hurt?

"There's the goddess rising," Taehyung comes stamping up the stairs,grinning to beat the band, in a instant pulling me off the surface, making me meet his warm chest .If it was another situation I might had beat the shit out of him. I reciprocate with a grimace that could almost pass for a smile, as I push him a bit away and landed my feet back on ground.

"Hey," My voice pops like an old vinyl.

"C'mon, we're all in the living room," He hooks his arm around mine and leads me down the hall. He doesn't make any comment on my slow pace, patiently helping me.