With all your equipment in hand, you began making your way towards the first patient, eyes scanning over the paper in the tray once again. The first name on the list was Jeon Jungkook, and as you read further down, you noticed a familiar name, Park Jimin. That was the name you had seen on the doctors paper earlier. You regretted not wearing your contacts today, or at least bringing your glasses, maybe that could've helped you see what was written and ease your mind.
Excited, but a little bit nervous, you quickened your pace to find his room. It wasn't far from Dr. Hans, which made it quite easy to find.
Jeon Jungkook had the same type of door as the doctors, in fact all the doors in this corridor seemed to be the same, except this one contained more writing on its label. His name was written in bold, followed with eating disorder right beside it.
You brought up your hand and knocked thrice, leaning in closer to hear a voice to invite you in. When that voice didn't come, you hesitantly wrapped your fingers around the cold metallic handle, pushing the door open and revealing a room that seemed to drain every essence of colour from the world, a stark contrast from Dr. Hans place. For a second, you wondered if all the upcoming rooms would be like this.
The only blasts of colour that were visible was the small, green plant perched on a bedside table, its leaves providing a welcome burst of life amidst the sea of monotony, and the very few canvases adorning the walls, each one a splash of various hues. Yet, the rest of the room seemed to exist in a realm of blandness, a symphony of whites, greys, and blacks.
Just as you were stuck in your own mind, a sudden clearing of a throat jolted you back to reality. "Oh, sorry," you apologized, voice tinged with a hint of surprise. Hurriedly, you made your way over to the bed where he was seated, gently placing the tray down on the table. This time, you took the chance to look at the man sat in front of you. His dark jet black hair kept falling in front of his eyes, blocking his vision and causing him to have to fix it every so often. He was dressed in a very light blue hospital gown, and even he seemed to be void of any colour, his skin a pale white.
The man, who sat crossed legged on his bed, looked up at you with big, doe eyes. You noticed the faint bags beneath his eyes, but he seemed to be fully alert and awake, once again confusion set in your body and you wondered why he didn't respond to your knocking.
"You need something?" he inquired.
"I'm Y/N, I'm here as a volunteer." you smiled politely, hoping for it to be replicated by Jungkook. But, of course, it wasn't.
He sat there expressionless, sighing as he released his legs and sat up straight. "Let's do this quickly."
You handed him the small cup containing water, and poured some of the pills into his hand which he downed in one gulp and quickly placed it back down onto the tray with a wince.
Once again, your gaze shifted towards the paintings adorning the right wall, and Jungkook shifted his gaze towards you. He took the moment to admire your face without you knowing, watching as you admired something of his.
"Do you paint?" you stupidly asked, suddenly feeling the awkwardness of the silence.
"Mhm. Do you?"
"No, but I admire. I've always wanted to paint but I don't know how." your eyes wandered back to the painting that initially captivated you, looking back at a mesmerizing blend of blues, oranges, purples, and pinks. The canvas seemed to come alive with a symphony of vibrant colors, each hue dancing and intertwining with the others.
A warm smile spread across his face as he tilted his head, meeting your gaze. "I could teach you, if you want," he offered, his voice filled with genuine enthusiasm. But as your eyes locked, you felt a sudden shyness wash over you, causing you to quickly avert your gaze, unable to sustain the intensity of the eye contact.
"Sure, I'd—I'd like that." you looked back down at him after recovering from his intense gaze, but his eyes were still on you, not daring to move as if you would disappear in any second. This caused you to once again look away. "Sorry for barging in, by the way. I knocked but you didn't answer."
"Don't apologise, you're free to come to my room whenever." He continued to look at you, and when you looked back at him, you couldn't help but notice the way his lip quirked up into a smirk. Was he suggesting something?
"Anyways, how often are you gonna be here, and when will you be back?"
"During your lunch, and I'll be here for a while, I guess. Why?" you responded, going over to pick up the tray.
"Just asking so I know when we can paint together." his face was back to its expressionless state, eyes still trained on you.
"Oh, I'm looking forward to it." you smiled brightly.
He nodded, going back to his cross legged position you saw him in earlier, and waited for you to leave.
Just as you were about to, his voice called out, "I'm looking forward to painting with you too, Y/N." he expressed, your name flowing effortlessly from his lips. The way he uttered it sent a flutter through your stomach, leaving you uncertain whether it was a delightful or unsettling sensation.
You smiled, trying to keep the feeling in your stomach hidden, then opened the door and left.
Next up, was Park Jimin, the same name of the boy you had seen on Dr. Hans paper. The former feeling of curiosity creeped back, invading every part of your body. You felt your stomach drop once again, and your head was screaming at you to get out and never look back but your heart told you to stay.
Trying to brush the feeling of nausea away, you stood in front of the next patients door, which was—thankfully—right opposite from Jungkooks. Unsurprisingly, the exterior looked the same, the door held the patients name and the illness, and you wondered whether or not the interior was the same as well.
You knocked three times, and this time, a voice welcomed you in. "Come in."
Your hands attached to the cold metal of the handle, holding it tightly before pushing the door open. Straight away, your eyes landed on a young man seated on the bed with his legs stretched out.
The two of you looked at each other for a moment before he broke the eye contact, swinging both his legs to the side so that he was facing you and his feet were now touching the ground.
You sent him a small smile before walking towards the bed, but didn't bother to look if he shared his smile with you, and then took a moment to let your eyes roam around the room. The walls were painted in a faded, dull gray, and every peace of furniture that was visible was either white or black. There was no other colour, excluding the man sat in front of you—
Right, you were here to give him his pills, not look around his room and invade his space.
Quickly, you snapped your head back towards him, noticing his confused stare. His eyebrows were furrowed and he had dark circles under his eyes, his eye bags were deep, much more than Jungkooks, resembling the inky depths of a moonless night sky. They hung heavily beneath his weary eyes, like two crescent-shaped shadows that whispered tales of sleepless nights and endless worries. The darkness within them seemed to swallow any hint of light, adding an air of exhaustion to his once vibrant gaze.
His eyes, like pools of obsidian, held a darkness that seemed to penetrate the very soul. The deep, rich brown hue appeared almost black, intensifying the sense of unwelcoming coldness that emanated from them. Their icy gaze could freeze the warmest of hearts, leaving one with a distinct feeling of unease in their presence.
The rest of his face contrasted with his intense eyes, exuding a youthful and vibrant energy. His skin, though somewhat pale, possessed a subtle radiance, like a gentle glow that illuminated his baby-like features. Despite the darkness in his eyes, there was a certain brightness that emanated from his complexion, adding a touch of innocence to his overall appearance.
How could someone possess such striking features, you wondered. His intimidating stare pierced through your defenses, making you instinctively look away, unable to withstand the intensity of his gaze.
Instead of focusing on his face, you once again found yourself drawn to explore the room around you. Unlike the previous room, there was a distinct lack of color. No vibrant splatters of paint adorned the walls, no plants added a touch of greenery, and even the rays of the sun seemed to be absent from this space. It was as if a monochromatic filter had been applied, creating an atmosphere that felt devoid of life and vibrancy. The absence of color left the room feeling stark and sterile, devoid of any visual stimulation.
The previous feeling of sympathy began to attack you mercilessly. You felt a pang of guilt in your heart, realising how lonely and colourless it must be living inside here. It was unimaginable to you.
Your mind wandered back to your own home which was a place that embodied the essence of vibrancy and color. Every shade of every color could be found there, creating a kaleidoscope of hues that brought joy and warmth to your heart. In that moment, you began to realize the importance of gratitude for the abundance of colors and beauty that surrounded you in your own life. It reminded you to appreciate the little things and find gratitude in the richness of your own experiences.
"Excuse me?" a soft voice interrupted, causing you to switch your gaze back to the man in front of you. He was still seated in the same position, but this time his head was tilted slightly as he looked at you, also feeling somewhat curious to who you were and what you wanted.
You swiftly apologised for invading his room and looking around, for the second time, but you just couldn't help it. The past three rooms you've been in were completely contrasting to each other and it made you more curious with every second that ticked away.
"I'm here to give you your pills by the way, my names Y/N." you introduced, realising he didn't even know what you were here for, then you began searching for his prescribed pills.
It wasn't long before you found it and handed it to him, which he took with a look of disgust decorating his face. For a second you forgot what his illness was, but another glance at his eye bags reminded you it was insomnia.
You also owned some eye bags of your own from the late nights of binge watching shows or studying that were slowly recovering, clearly they weren't as bad as his and were quite easy to cover if needed.
He downed the pills and the water in one gulp, handing it back to you to place back onto the tray, while doing so you noticed a phone placed next to the lamp.
"Is that yours?" you couldn't help but ask, pointing towards it.
"Yeah. It is." Jimin replied. Your mouth formed into an 'o' shape, surprised by the fact he was even allowed a phone in here. "You're allowed to have phones here?"
Jimin's gaze remained fixed on you, unwavering and intense. For a brief moment, he held you in his stare before averting his eyes with a heavy sigh. You didn't realise the weight of your words, but clearly it impacted him in a negative way. "Oh, shit, sorry. I didn't mean it like that," you moved away from the bed a little, the young man furrowing his eyebrows at your foul language.
"I just— I didn't think they'd allow you to have those." You started mumbling at this point and fidgeting with your hands in embarrassment. What a good first impression.
Instead of cursing you like you expected him to, he let out a delighted giggle, his smile radiating pure joy as his eyes crinkled up. "It's okay. Don't worry, I understand," he reassured. "My uncle actually owns this place. He let me have it. I don't use it much, anyway, just for listening to music. You know?"
You let out a sigh of relief and nodded, feeling much better knowing that he wasn't offended with your comment. "What music do you listen to, then?" you asked as an attempt to start a conversation.
Jimin gestured for you to take a seat next to him, and you did as you were told. His hands reached for his phone which he quickly grabbed and unlocked. No password.
"I'll probably get it taken away soon." he mumbled.
"Really? Why?" she spoke, taking a seat on his bed beside him. Jimin shrugged, and your mind travelled back to Dr. Hans room where you saw his name, you had forgotten all about it for a moment. Maybe it had something to do with that?
From the corner of your eye you watched him go onto Spotify and click on a playlist before he turned the screen towards you and you turned your head towards him.
"This is my sleeping playlist," he said, turning the phone back towards himself. "Ironic, right? I cant even sleep but I have a fucking sleep playlist."
"Well, does it work?" he raised an eyebrow at your question, not understanding what you meant. "Does it help you sleep?"
He sighed, looking back down at his phone, "Sometimes. Most of the time, no." Jimin said before taking out his airpods from the drawer beside him. "My cousin got me this, he's here now too. Anyways, wanna listen to something with me?" he asked.
You had leaned in closer to look at the screen which allowed you to really look into his eyes properly. It seemed... different, somehow. You contemplated for a moment, ten minutes. You'd give him ten minutes, no more, no less.
He took your silence as a yes and got comfortable, patting the space beside his pillow this time for you to sit which you did with no questions.
He handed one to you. Your hands brushed together and he smiled at the contact before he started playing the music from his 'sleep playlist,' the first song coming in to play.
"My cousin, Yoongi. He helps me out a lot." Jimin spoke after a few minutes of silence, just listening to the music.
"Yoongi? I think I have him on my list." you said.
"Probably. He's just down the corridor." he said, shrugging.
"Pretty sure his dad owns this place."
Jimin nodded, "My uncle." you hummed in realisation.
You sat there, side by side, just enjoying each other's presence and listening to the music. For 20 minutes. Ten minutes over what you had promised yourself. In all of those 20 minutes, neither of you spoke. You both didn't want to ruin this peaceful moment. You knew you shouldn't have spent so much time doing something like this, but you didn't have the heart to get up and go.
All of a sudden, a heavy weight was placed on your shoulder, Jimin had rested his head on you. You quickly turned to the side to see Jimin with his eyes closed, asleep, on you shoulder which caused you to smile.
This was the first time in a long time that Jimin slept, and it was thanks to you. That obviously wasn't known to you, so you quietly and slowly got up from the bed, letting Jimin sleep peacefully on the pillow.
For a moment you stood there before taking out the airpod from your ear and placing it on the table, not taking Jimins one out or turning the music off as you thought maybe that was the reason he fell asleep, completely oblivious to the part that you played. You fixed the covers over him and brushed a strand of hair out of his face and left the room silently.
Jimin, even in his sleep, couldn't escape thoughts of you. Your smile, such a beautiful smile. It was truly a sight to behold. He made a mental note to compliment you on it the next time you crossed paths. Your conversation may have been short, but they brought him joy, and he didn't mind sitting with you in silence. As he drifted off to sleep, he imagined you right there beside him, bringing him comfort and happiness.
But when he awoke, reality hit hard. With the covers pulled over him, one airpod nestled in his ear with music blasting, and the warmth of your presence nowhere to be found, his thoughts were consumed by a single overwhelming realisation.
You had left him.
authors notes,
can you tell i got lazy towards the end lolllll hope u guys enjoyed 💜💜💜
make sure to vote :)))