"What do you mean by 'he won't wake up?'"
It's a little crazy, how your heart beat almost stops at the thought of Jungkook lying still and cold, his chest an unmoving curve.
He can't be dead.
Surely he didn't lose that much blood. Surely he didn't get that cold.
But your mind insists on running through all of the possible ways that he surely could have perished in that free fall.
Anywhere from hitting his head too hard on one of the branches to landing at the wrong angle on his back or neck could be reasons for a fatality. You just can't believe that someone so young and vivacious and alive could disappear so quickly from this life.
Jimin has trails of tears leaking down his face now, and it seems that his anger has diminished with the approach of sadness.
"He's alive," says the weeping man. "But he won't wake up. He's unconscious. He's in a coma."
Your chest fills with a mixed sense of relief and horror at the words. He's alive, and you're glad for that, but a coma?
If he never wakes up, if Jungkook turns into simply a body without a soul inside to live...
That seems like a fate worse than death.
"I didn't push him," you say quietly.
Immediately, Jimin slams his fist into the wall, roaring, "Is that what matters to you right now? Defending yourself?"
After the words flow out of him, he seems to cave in on himself, like all of the support has fled his body.
Speechless, you can only sit there.
What else can you say?
You're just trying to tell him the truth after he assumed incorrectly. You're glad that Jungkook's alive, and sad that he's in the condition he's in, but you also can't be falsely accused of something you're innocent of.
Most likely being attracted by the loud noise of Jimin's anguish, Jin appears at the door. He's dressed in dark colors, a brown sweater and black jeans, and his hair is a nest of fluffed up hair.
When the oldest sees Jimin's tears, his eyes crease in sadness. "Come here," says Jin, and Jimin flees into the security of his arms. They embrace for a long moment, Jimin's muffled cries dampening the material of Jin's sweater.
You sit silent and still on the bed, not wanting to interrupt their moment of comfort.
Visions of Jimin's cheerful laughter and Jin's mischievous smile dance through your head, reminding you of what they should look like.
Not this. Not grieving for a brother in danger, wallowing in a sea of tears.
Although it isn't your fault and you can't help but feel that something like this could be the universe's punishment for everything Jungkook's put you through, it's still sad.
There isn't a single person on the planet that you wish would go into a coma and lay there for the rest of their life, surrounded by friends and family to watch them slowly pass.
Not even Jeon Jungkook.
After a while, Jin pats the younger man on the back and softly pets his frazzled orange hair.
"Go sit with Taehyung," Jin quietly whispers, urging Jimin out the door. The upset man doesn't look at you again as he slowly trudges out, dragging his feet like they're weights of solid cement.
When he's gone, Jin looks at you with heartfelt eyes.
"I'm sorry if he said something that upset you," says the eldest, reading the emotions on your face. "Everyone's just emotional right now and trying to find someone to blame."
"I didn't push him," you say.
Nodding slowly, Jin reassures you. "I didn't think you did, and I don't think Jimin does either. He's just upset. Lashing out. We're family here, and when one hurts, we all hurt."
Your chest tightens at that.
"Can I see him?" you ask.
You're glad that Jin isn't playing the blame game, because you and the Bangtan Boys could go back and forth all day trying to figure out whose fault it really is. That's just a waste of time.
You start to push yourself up from the bed, only to stumble back as your body fails you. Jin lunges forward at your faltering and takes you by the arms, gently lowering you back down into the bed.
"You need to eat and rest first," he says. "Jungkook isn't going anywhere for the moment."
Ouch. What a reminder that is.
Jin puts his hands out in a blocking position, motioning for you to stay still. "I'll be right back with something to eat."
He leaves you alone in the vanilla and silence.
Understanding that you're too weak at this point to attempt another escape, you lay back on the bed and contemplate the situation.
You're back, Jungkook's unconscious, and the Bangtan Boys will be even more watchful of you now that you've successfully escaped once.
The thought of your capture, of Wooseok and Mina's deceit, makes you grit your teeth in frustration.
But you don't linger on that.
What's done is done, and you've learned your lesson on trusting seemingly helpful strangers.
So now what? You're back to square one. You don't have a way out, and you're under high security. Even if you weren't, your body isn't strong enough to get you anywhere.
As of right now, you're totally stuck. Your ability to maneuver is completely demolished.
You're in checkmate.
Sighing heavily, you dig the heels of your palms into your eye sockets, trying to rub away the headache borne from hunger and dehydration.
You're totally at the mercy of the Bangtan Boys, and Jimin is convinced that you pushed his brother out of a tree and sent him into a coma. In other words, some of them who might have believed in your innocence beforehand may have lost their confidence in you.
Laying like a boneless blob on the bed, you stare up at the ceiling and wonder what you're going to do.
***
After you've eaten the simplistic meal of a sandwich, apple, and some water that was delivered to you by Jin, you sit with the eldest brother for a couple minutes and wait for some of your energy to return.
"Do you know what happened?" you ask him, watching as he fingers one of his earrings in a fidgety way. "When I left him, it he didn't look like anything was broken. He was just bleeding a lot..."
Shrugging broad shoulders, Jin shakes his head in a way that makes his silky hair shift back and forth. "We aren't sure. I think he must have hit his head somewhere on the way down. I don't have enough equipment here to judge how severe the head injury is, although I don't believe there's any internal bleeding of the brain."
You blink, surprised at the authoritative tone in Jin's voice. He must have some sort of medical training, to be speaking so confidently. In fact, you remember him being the one to tend to Jungkook's wound in the van when the kidnapped you.
These men have so many hidden talents that you never would have expected.
"How are you feeling?" asks the possible undercover doctor, leaning his hip against the table beside your bed.
"Better," is your response, a true one. You've eaten and gotten some water into your system, and rested too. You feel so much better that it's indescribable.
A smile gifts Jin's face for the first time since he's entered, creasing his pretty eyes and stretching his full lips into smoother, thinner planes. "Good. You want to go see him now?"
Yes, but also no.
Logically, you know that his condition isn't your fault, but you were he one who climbed that tree. Your sensitive inner-self screams at you that maybe it is partially your responsibility to see him, to check on him.
So you nod in confirmation to the man in front of you, and he helps you stand, making sure that you're steady and strong on your feet before letting you go.
Jin leads you down the carpeted hall, past the staircase and to the other end.
The very last door you come to is cracked open, revealing a figure inside. Jin splays his fingers over the door and pushed it open, displaying Yoongi sitting in a chair beside the bed, nodding off.
The room itself is colored in shades of dark blue and grey, neat and tidy and studded with speakers, sketchbooks, and gaming systems.
It looks like the room of an average university student.
You don't know if you were expecting weapons of mass destruction to be holed up in here, or maybe a torture chamber, but you can definitely say that you didn't expect it to be so...
Normal.
In the bed lies Jungkook, eyes closed, chest falling in deep breaths. He would look like he was simply taking a nap if it wasn't for the bruising and cuts on his face and the paleness of his skin. You can see a hint of his bare shoulder over the blankets, fresh bandages wrapped around him. There's a tiny scrape that runs through the center of the cross on his cheek, making it look like an incomplete asterisk.
At your entrance, Yoongi starts awake. He glances up at you with bleary eyes and exhales heavily.
You grimace in return.
"Anything?" Jin asks his black-haired friend, but Yoongi shakes his head in a silent negation.
"Not a peek," he says. "Just...nothing. I know the kid is hard to wake up, but this is something else."
Hesitantly, you approach the bed so you can get a better look at your tattoo partner. He's on his back, head turned to the side, soft lips slack and open as he breathes.
In slumber, Jungkook looks more like a little kid than adult. You notice the soft curve of his nose and the fullness of his cheeks, and well as the fluffiness of his hair. You're so tempted to reach out and touch that hair.
Again, the tattoo marring the smooth skin of Jungkook's cheek catches your attention. You wonder for a moment what that cross means, glancing at Jin's matching mark as you do. You also take a look at Yoongi's teardrop, remembering that Hoseok's is the same.
"What do these mean?" you ask softly, reaching out and letting your fingers hover over Jungkook's cheek and the tattoo that lies there. His sleep-softened face is so much easier to admire.
Yoongi and Jin exchange a glance, then look at you.
"It's a reminder," Yoongi says. "-of where we came from, and why we are who we are."
The tilt of your head and your confused expression seems to be the reaction that Yoongi had expected. He glances at Jin again, and you watch them silently communicate with only their eyes.
Jin nods, and Yoongi sighs again. The small-statured man stands up from his chair, letting Jin replace him.
"Come on, Y/N," he says. "Take a trip with me. I want to show you something."
"What?" You turn around and watch in confusion as Jin shoos you out the door, Yoongi by your side. "You're taking me out somewhere? What about Jungkook?"
"Jin hyung will watch him." Yoongi gives you a hard glance. "I trust you. You won't be running again, right?"
Gulping at the frosty glaze in the man's brown eyes, you nod quickly. It's not like you can be anywhere. You really won't be trying this time.
"Good. Now come on. I think this will help all of us understand each other better." Yoongi takes your arm and leads you down the stairs, headed toward the front door.
You go with him, wondering with apprehension what it is you're about to walk into.
[A/N]
Unedited
Hi Lilpockets ❤️❤️❤️
I'm traveling today and tomorrow, so I'll try to write some but I probably won't be able to update.
Hope you guys enjoyed!