[Jimin]
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"Taehyung. It's nice of you to meet me," I said as I greeted him with a smile and a hug.
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"Jimin. I did say I would meet you. It was nice of you to remember me with your busy schedule," he said as he fixed the rings on his hand. Tae loved jewellery as much as he loved women.
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I did stick with my plans for the morning: beach and shopping so after I went back to the hotel and changed for lunch and Hannah's party. I met Tae at a little bistro he selected. Another franchise of his dad's. They were really spreading their businesses thin and I hoped that they were organising their finances well. Sometimes in the quest for profits and wealth, people could get greedy and ending up losing everything. Or marry someone who would take everything you took your whole life to accomplish. Hannah was a unique individual. Not everyone would want their estranged spouse to be rewarded so handsomely even with a pre-nup.
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I thought of Jungkook. We wouldn't even think of doing something like a pre-nup. Whatever I had was his and whatever he had was mine. We both gave to each other and took from each other. Separation is not something I would even consider but then here I was, in another state, trying to find a way to extend my family. If you had asked me last week, what I had planned for today, I would've never said what I'm doing now. Planning is good especially when you have a wonderful and loving partner. And that I have. I love my Jungkookie. Love him with a passion and couldn't wait for later for our video chat. That was all I could think about even as Tae and I were eating our lunch together.
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While we were dining, I noticed that Tae was looking a bit fidgety but I didn't think much of it. He answered a few business calls on his phone and then asked me about my plans for the evening and I happened to mention Hannah's little get-together. And just like that, Tae invited himself to the party. Figures! That's exactly the kind of person he was and apparently still is. Sheesh. Then I thought, he would definitely be better at distracting the ladies than I would. I liked the idea of Tae coming even more now. HA! Yet even with those plans for tonight, after our meal was over and it was almost time for Al to pick me up, I was only thinking of my Jungkookie. It was only when Tae mentioned his name that I perked up.
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"What did you say? Sorry I was checking something on my phone," I lied. God, this was becoming a bad habit especially when I was around Tae.
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Then he said something that puzzled me, "With Jungkook here, would you prefer I take you both out to the club instead? It might be more of our style."
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I blinked my eyes and sighed, "Jungkook? No he isn't here. He's got work. He couldn't make the trip with me."
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"Oh really. Well then who registered at the hotel a few minutes ago?"
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"Hmm. No. It's probably someone else. Not my..." but he didn't let me finish.
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"A 'Jeon Jungkook' was just asked to be put into Suite #13. Isn't that your room number?"
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I shook my head. "No... I mean Yes! That is my room number. But that can't be true."
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And then the bastard showed me a black and white picture of what very much looked like my Jungkook at the counter of the hotel. How the hell did Tae get this footage so quickly? I looked at it carefully. NO! THIS CAN'T BE TRUE. WHAT THE HELL WAS JUNGKOOK DOING HERE?
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I was confused, "I don't know... How... How is this possible?"
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"I don't know. Maybe he's here to surprise you."
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I didn't see the look on Tae's face and if I did I would've seen a look of an imp, ready to do the devil's work. I looked down at my phone and decided to call Jungkook. No answer. "Answer," I said quietly while Tae's eyes were glued on me. My eyes were already glassy. Why would Jungkook come? Why wouldn't he tell me that he was coming? We spoke this morning but he didn't mention anything about coming to Florida to be with me. Normally I would be thrilled at having him with me but he had work. He couldn't leave just like that. What if he lost his job? But not only that, I told him not to come. We needed that space to think about each other and what we wanted for our future together. Why was he here? This was not what we agreed upon.
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"Damn-it," I tried a video call but still no response. I decided to call Al instead. When he didn't respond, then I knew something was up. They planned this. They planned this all along. What a fool I was to think that Jungkook could trust me to do something on my own and that I could trust him to keep his word. WE BLOOD SWORE!!! I knew my tears were falling because I felt the edge of a napkin on my face. FUCK! I forgot Tae was sitting opposite me but now he came up a little closer.
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"I'm sorry, Jimin. I thought you knew he was coming. I just thought maybe he got caught up at work and could only meet you after you arrived. I'm sorry if I spoiled his surprise."
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Unfortunately, I knew Tae like the back of my hand. Too well. But then I thought I knew Jungkook too. "Tae, the only truthful thing you've said to me is when you said that you would meet me. Everything else, I take with a pinch of salt. You knew Jungkook was here and you knew I didn't know. If Jungkook got into my room, it would only be approved through you. Plus you kinda had that photo ready on hand. Did he really check in a few minutes ago or a few hours ago?"
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"Jimin, how could you say that? I'm telling the truth," Tae lied but his photo didn't.
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"Oh really, so why does it say, 11am on the photo?" That time would mean, Jungkook came in right after I left the hotel to do some more shopping and then meet up with Tae. "It's now 1pm."
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"Well the desk now informed me about it," he lied again.
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"I highly doubt that, Taehyung. A strange guest asking to board in another guest's room without his consent. That's a management's decision. The hotel could lose its rating if people found out that you're allowing your employees to put your guests in danger. That's a serious security breach and legal lawsuit. That definitely wouldn't be good for business, now would it? Stop lying to me Tae." I was ready to fucking fight. I wondered if Tae was still upset at us for embarrassing him and ruining his party all those years ago. I knew he probably didn't plan it but he saw an opportunity to ruin us and he took it.
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Then his true side came out and he confirmed my thoughts. Damn! I hate being right. He slammed his fists on the table in front of me, making me jump and all the dishes shattered. "You ruined me! That little stunt you and your boyfriend pulled ruined everything for me. Nobody wanted to come to my parties anymore. Everyone thought I was fucking gay. They said you were probably fucking me too and they all laughed at me. Your disgusting kiss went viral and every single fucking gay man on campus came to my house. They were in awe of you two and wanted to party in the place where the 'Dynamic Duo' came out in society. My parents had a fit. My dad literally told me if I didn't stop my foolishness he would disown me. So I had to take this fucking job just to keep him quiet. FUCK YOU, PARK JIMIN!!!"
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FUCK! I never felt so frightened before. He was seriously pissed. It had been two years and he was holding on to this anger waiting for the right moment for it to explode. I hid my phone below the table and dialled Al's number again but he still didn't answer me. I sent out an 'SOS' text to him hoping he would respond. Then Tae did something I didn't expect at all. He pulled on one of his rings and I saw it had a tiny compartment inside with some white powder. He put it to his nose, took a long pull and bent his head back. SHIT! I didn't know he was doing drugs. He then got out of his seat and pulled me out of my chair.
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"What the hell? TAE!!!" I protested but he dragged me toward the kitchen area to the back of the bistro. For some reason the entire kitchen was cleared. Not a soul was in sight.
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'Where the hell was everybody?' I felt like I was in a mobster movie where they would drag the innocent mobster, if there ever was a thing, into the back to teach him a lesson. I started a video call to Al and hoped he would answer. SHIT! Tae was really taking me to a room. It looked like the cold storage room. Not only would it be creepy as shit in there but I wouldn't get any reception on my phone either. For a brief second, I thought this would be a good plot for a movie but then this was happening for real and I didn't know what Tae was capable of doing. He turned, passed the storage area and went swiftly down a narrow corridor dragging me behind him. I kept telling him to let me go but he wasn't listening. God, he was strong. Could it be the drugs giving him that push?
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He opened a door pulling me inside and then slammed the door shut. Flipping on the lights, he pushed me further into the room. It was then I realised it was an office. Maybe it was his own if he was the manager here too. I looked at my phone. Al didn't respond. FUCK! I was about to dial Jungkook's number again when Tae reached out and snatched my phone from me. I screamed at him, "Tae. What are you doing? You're scaring me. Stop this now!" I tried to sound strong but my voice came out hoarse and frightened.
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He looked down at my home-screen. The picture of Jungkook and I hugging at my dad's wedding. "When was this taken? Did you guys get married?"
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Tae saw us in suits and flowers all around and just like when he saw me with Al, he made his own assumption, "It was for my dad's wedding." I mumbled.
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I was scared and rightfully so. Taehyung was never forceful on me at all. As a matter of fact he never touched me like that before. Ever! But it was the first time I saw him sniffing coke. He used to drink but never do drugs. God help me. Tae was bigger than me. His size compared to mine, even though I was fit, he was definitely stronger and bulkier. He could overpower me especially with him being high. I thought of 'Matthew' being raped by the person he trusted. Please God! Save me from that detriment. Tae wouldn't do that but then Matthew thought the same about Jude and this wasn't the Tae I knew.
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Tae's anger was fuelled, "So your dad gets married and you couldn't tell me? I'm your best friend. Or I was your best friend until he came along." Then he flung my phone on the floor breaking it apart. I seriously need a better phone. But then horror overtook me as I saw the evil in his eyes as he started walking towards me. I stumbled back onto the edge of the wooden work desk that was at the back of the room. I was trapped as Tae came up closer to me. I tried to run around to the other side of the desk, but he reached out and grabbed my hand.
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"Ugh..." I wrung my wrist out of his grasp but he held on to my hair instead. "FUCK!!! TAE! WHAT THE FUCK?!! LET ME GO!!!! YOU'RE HIGH, TAE!!! STOP IT!"
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But he grabbed me and made me turn to face the desk. Then he jammed the front of his body onto my ass and back. I bawled but he covered my mouth with one of his hands. His legs and hips locking me in place while his other hand was still holding my hair pulling my head back closer to him. I trusted him. Made plans with him and this is what he does. Why was he doing this? Tae's face was up on cheek pressing hard. Then I felt his mouth on my ear. I tried to pull away but he yanked my hair harder.
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"You've made such a mess in my life. Let me see what the fuss is all about, eh. Are you that good, Park Jimin? Do you feel so good that you have all the girls and boys wanting to taste you and fuck you? Everybody wanted a piece of you yet you refused everyone. Everyone except that FUCKING ASSHOLE JEON! You let him in... Why not me?" I was crying now and my muffled sound coming out from his hand. He only chuckled at me, "What's that you're saying? I can't hear you but then again there's no one here to hear you," and he moved his hand from my mouth.
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I begged, "Please, Tae. Don't do this. I never meant to ruin you. That wasn't the plan at all."
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"SO YOU DID PLAN IT!!! You knew you were going to do that at my party. WHY??? I TRUSTED YOU! YOU WERE MY BROTHER!" His body was swaying like a junkie would. Then he pressed his groin hard into my ass and I felt his saliva dripping from my cheek to my neck, "Well you're not my brother anymore so now I'm going to ruin you."
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"NO PLEASE TAE! DON'T DO THIS! THIS IS NOT WHO YOU ARE!"
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I fought him as best as I could but he grabbed and squeezed my neck. I struggled with him, reaching out but my body felt dizzy and everything was starting to look hazy. I almost passed out. Then Tae stopped squeezing, keeping me conscious. I had become weak and disorientated. I couldn't stop his mouth from crashing on my neck or him biting down on my ear. I felt when he ripped off my shirt and I also felt the big bulge down below hidden in his pants as he rammed his groin deep into my ass again. He was aroused and I wondered if he did secretly want me.
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"Tae... stoppp... pleeeaseee..."
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SHIT! PLEASE TELL ME THIS ISN'T HAPPENING!
GOD HELP ME!
JUNGKOOK!!!!
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Then I saw what he really wanted to do. He took out his phone and with one hand holding my neck, the other focused the camera on us. Everything looked blurry but the light illuminating from the camera made me focus on the screen. The reflection showed me Tae behind me licking and sucking on my neck. Then I saw. OH GOD NO!!! He wasn't filming, he was calling someone. But who? FUCK!!! I saw the name 'Jeon' on the screen. How did he get his number? SHIT! The booking at the hotel. Tae's the manager. I can't focus... I was in and out of consciousness. Tae's hand was gripping me really tight and I felt like a ragged doll.
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Then I heard a voice coming from the phone. A familiar voice sounding worried as hell. I found every single part of me, male, female, producer, actor, brother, son, friend and finally lover and found the strength to scrape Tae's hand from my throat. He cussed but released me and I took that escape to scream at the top of my lungs:
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"J U N G K O O O O O O O O O O O O O O K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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Then Tae's hand was squeezing again and the blackness was coming again. I heard a loud bang noise and every sound became muffled and everything became hazy. I felt myself falling but I fell on top of something big and white. Was I home? My sheets? They were fluffy and soft. Hmmm... the smell was faint but familiar. I wrapped myself in it. Then I got another smell. So sweet like honey and a fresh breath of sweet soap and sandalwood. It was so familiar and comforting. The scent was strong and it filled my nostrils. It made all the hairs on my arms and body stand at attention. My Spidey Sense. Then I felt myself being lifted up. Am I dead? Isn't there supposed to be a light or something? Then I saw it. A figure of someone. It was already dark all around but I could see the silhouette of someone holding me. Broad shoulders, wide chest, strong arms...
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Jungkook. Then he was gone as the blackness took me over.
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Beep... beep... beep... beep...beep...
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"Jungkook. Take off your alarm. It's time to get up. You have to go to work."
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Beep... beep... beep... beep...beep...
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"Jungkookie... baby the alarm. It's still beeping..."
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Beep... beep... beep... beep...beep...
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"Jungkookie..."
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Why wasn't he answering? 'Jungkookie?' I heard my voice but it sounded like an echo. I opened my eyes and I saw the haziness all around me. Then as my eyes cleared, I saw something was coming towards me. A figure, bright and beautiful. She was coming up to me. 'Mom? Is that you mom?' I asked wondering if I was dreaming or maybe I was dead. As the figure came up closer, I realised it wasn't my mother but a young lady.
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'Min-min...' I heard the voice say and I gasped. My dad was the only one who called me that because the only other person to refer to me as 'Min-Min' was dead... Jane. She used to call me that but it couldn't be her. Jane died as a child, this figment of my imagination looked like a young woman. Its almost as if... OMG... I saw the two long plaits and brown eyes like mine. It is Jane. But it was almost as if she aged with me. 'I've drawn pictures of Jon as a young man and all grown up. But he never was.' Somehow Jungkook's words about his drawings came back at me. He was right.
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'Jane?' I asked and I got a smile and a nod. It was her. I wanted to hug her but she kept her distance. I kept away but I had questions, 'What's happening? Am I dead?'
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'No. You're not dead, Min-min. You're just in a place where waiting takes place. Sort of an in-between.'
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She came and sat close to me. When I sat up alongside of her, it was only then I realised that I was on a bed in a room. It was hazy all around but I saw the bedsheets and some monitors. 'Are we in a room?'
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'Yup. Your hospital room. Al and Jungkook brought you here. Don't you remember?'
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'Al and Jungkook?' And I remembered the smell of the sweet soap and sandalwood. Jungkook! 'Wait! Jungkook is here?'
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'Nope. He's there,' and she moved her arm to part the haziness and I saw a glimpse of my Jungkookie crying next to the bed.
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'Why is he crying?'
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'He blames himself for what happened with Tae.'
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I blinked. OMG! Tae! 'Tae tried to r...' I couldn't say it because I couldn't believe it. Then I looked at Jungkook and I got my strength. 'Tae tried to rape me. Didn't he?'
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She nodded and explained, 'Tae's confused and hurt and he wanted to hurt and confuse you too. Al and Jungkook responded to your calls and texts and came just before Tae could do anything. Do you remember anything like that?'
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I nodded, 'Yes and I remember the smells. Honey, soap, sandalwood...'
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She giggled, 'He does smell good, doesn't he?'
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'Who smells good?' I asked but I knew the answer.
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'Jungkookie, silly Min-min...'
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'Wait... You know my Jungkookie. You know Al and Tae. How is that possible? You died years ago. Long before they ever came into my life.'
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'Jimin, I told you on my last few breaths that I will always be with you. A part of me is in you.'
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'And what about mom? Is she here too?'
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Jane bowed her head, 'No... She's down there,' and with the movement of her arm again, I saw a different place. It was rocky, messy and in chaos. Then I saw a figure. A tall, slender woman wailing, crying and in pain. It didn't look like my mother at least not the way I remembered her but Jane said, 'That's her...'
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'Why is she like that?' I asked and strange not feeling any pity for her. She killed herself maybe this is her punishment for taking a life: Her own.
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'She's like this because she had unfinished business that she did not attend to. She's waiting too but not here or not in the place where you can't come out...'
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'Can she come out of there?'
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'Yes actually she can but it's not up to her. If the business she left unattended is sorted out, then she'll be free. But if it doesn't, then she'll remain like this for all eternity.'
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I saw the tears falling from Jane's eyes and I knew it pained her to see our mother like this. It didn't bother me at all. Let her rot for all I care. But then Jane looked at me and just like that, her eyes turned blue. Jane doesn't have blue eyes but... I do. Then I felt and saw Jane's pain as she spoke to me. 'Mom's unfinished business is not here, Jimin but on earth. I can't do anything but you can...'
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'But what unfinished business are you talking about, Jane?'
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'You, Min-min... You...' and with that, Jane disappeared.
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'Jane... Jane! What do you mean? Jane...'
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"JANE!!!"
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I shouted out and frightened everyone in the room. Jungkook, Al and the doctors heard when the beeps of the monitor sounded as one: BEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!! My heart gave out.
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"JIMINNNNNNNNNNNNNN!" That was Jungkook...
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"Jungkook..." That was Al...
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"Clear the room! NOW!" That was someone I didn't know...
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I heard the noises of persons talking over me, I heard the monitors beep but it was the sobbing that I was focused on.
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"Jimin... Oh God please... Bring him back... Jiminshiiii I love youuuuuuuu..." I heard the last part as his voiced faded out... But I heard him and I fought with every fibre of my being to come back to him.
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My Jungkookie...
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