Jiwon's tears might have ceased the moment she blacked out and lost consciousness, yet the tempestuous rain seemed to empathize with her as it refused to end its parade, drenching the town with driblets Jiwon's eyes could no longer cry out.
If only he had answered.
The thought persistently perturbed Yoongi as he appeared from the doorway. His watchful gaze landed on the male doctor adjusting the roller clamp of the IV stuck to Jiwon's left hand. Yoongi looked down and averted his head sideways. Brushing a towel through his damp hair, he released a sigh. The stillness of the room was beginning to become too much for him.
"Would you like a change of towel?" asked an elderly woman as she placed a stack of neatly folded clothes on the bedside table.
Yoongi shook his head politely in response and the woman smiled at him. "I'll be outside if you need me."
At the click of the door, Yoongi drew himself closer towards the bed. Keeping his concerns to himself, he stood silently but with keen eyes. His brows knitted by a minuscule of an inch, hesitation flickering within him.
Until he finally asked in a voice soft and low, "How is she?"
"Her fever is still high," began the doctor. "But other than that, her vitals are stable. For now the IV fluids will replenish the nutrients and hydration her body needs." The doctor paused. "Mr. Min, has she been stressed lately?"
Yoongi turned to the doctor and then to Jiwon's frail body resting on his bed as if she were merely asleep, except for her unusually pale complexion and light yet labored breaths.
"Will she be needing anything else?" questioned Yoongi instead.
The doctor cleared his throat. "I suggest monitoring her food intake and see to it she gets proper sleep. In the case her fever prolongs, it'd be best to have her checked further."
Yoongi nodded thoughtfully. Thereupon discussing about Jiwon with the doctor, he requested that this matter stayed between them. Jiwon wouldn't exactly appreciate the attention and concern her condition might raise, and Yoongi knew that — another reason why he had called the housekeeper instead of his own mother.
Once the doctor had gone, Yoongi went back to the room and leaned on the wall. His eyelids felt heavy, but he couldn't stop observing her from the small distance.
"Yoongi," spoke the housekeeper and he angled his head to her direction. "Son, you should get changed or you'll also catch a cold."
Only then did it dawn on Yoongi that he was still wearing his white polo and black trousers. If not for him moving here and there, his apparel would have remained drenched until now. He checked the time on his wristwatch.
"Halmeoni," he said, "it's late. You should go now. Thank you for your help."
"Nonsense." She smiled with understanding. "I'll leave when you're done. Come on, I'll watch her," she encouraged.
Yoongi was about to decline, but the housekeeper gave him a pat on the arm before he could utter another word. He had known her since he moved into his own apartment, and grew close to her to treat her much like a family.
Knowing he could leave Jiwon to her gave him an option. Yoongi then relented with a sigh.
↠
Exhaustion floated as the hour passed, yet Yoongi remained seated on his bed, his back pressed on the headboard. He'd glance down at her from time to time, and rest his eyes behind his heavy lids. Sleep failed to visit him, though.
Yoongi stood up, cautious as not to disturb Jiwon, and ambled towards his bookshelf. Shoving his hands inside his pockets, he stared at the line of books in front of him.
Unbeknownst to him, the lady on his bed shifted subtly and groggily opened her eyes, the light from the lamp blinding her momentarily.
Feeling her fingers, she lifted her left hand and a pinprick sensation made her immediately drop it back to her side. Her right hand reached for the cloth on her forehead. She shut her eyes for a brief second, and as she blinked back to her surroundings, Jiwon caught Yoongi's figure through the corner of her eyes.
Jiwon's gaze seemed to have some sort of telepathic message, that Yoongi whipped his head at her direction too quickly. His brows shot up and he dragged his feet to the bed.
Jiwon carefully sat up with Yoongi's assistance, stacking pillows behind her.
And then silence fell upon them.
"You okay?" Yoongi broke in. A stupid question brought about by his unwillingness to let the silence cloud them.
Jiwon slipped a smile on her face. "I'm okay."
"Liar."
"Who told you to ask?" Jiwon retaliated, a faint chuckle left her lips. "I probably look like shit and you ask me if I'm okay?"
"Standard question..." Yoongi shrugged. "But I was hoping you'd be honest." Yoongi inched closer to the nightstand. He poured water into the glass and handed it to Jiwon.
"The doctor said you need to eat and sleep properly," he told her. "You have all the time to nag me about my health when you don't even take care of your own."
Yoongi glared at Jiwon, but his milky eyes failed to intimidate her, causing Jiwon to simply adore his sleepy expression.
"I'm cutting down your privileges to order me around, Kim Jiwon."
Jiwon scrunched up her nose. Even so, the smile lingered on her lips. She twisted her upper body only to be halted by Yoongi before she could extend her arm. He took the glass from her hand.
"I have no idea how to return that back." He pointed at the IV attached to her hand and sat beside her. "So just stay still. Much better, go back to sleep."
Complying, Jiwon laid back on the bed and requested for the light switched off. In the darkness, she could hear Yoongi shuffling on his feet. The bed dipped as he settled himself on his side.
"What's the time?" she asked, the coarseness of her voice noticeable.
"Time for you to be asleep."
"You weren't sleeping when I woke up, though."
"That's because I'm not sick," he said. "Now stop wasting your energy over useless arguments."
"Are we arguing?"
Yoongi didn't answer.
"Is talking to you useless?" she pressed further, and when no response arrived, she turned her head sideways, trying to make out Yoongi's features in the dark.
Her eyes trailed from his messy hair to the curve of his nose, down to his lips ajar. Jiwon's laugh came out as a hushed exhale.
"Hey, Yoongi," whispered Jiwon. "Can I hold your hand?"
No response.
"Just until I fall asleep?" Her tone sounded hopeful and laced with quirk, yet it failed to elicit a response from the man beside her. "I guess that's a no?"
Letting out an amused sigh, Jiwon stared up at the ceiling, admiring the stillness of the dark. A wry smile slipped on her face.
"Sleep tight, Min Yoongi," she muttered under her breath.
Jiwon wasn't exactly disappointed, though she'd be lying to say she hadn't hoped for him to lend her his hand. Given the silence, she assumed Yoongi had finally fallen asleep. He had so much to mind, and her adding up to his concerns surely burdened him, she assumed.
So it astonished Jiwon when warm fingers suddenly wrapped her cold ones, her right hand enclosed in a protective retreat.
"Stop talking and go to sleep."
— ✿ —
❝yes, hello, I'm alive! aaa sorry for the long wait (again). is anyone still reading/anticipating for updates? can I get a pulse through a vote or comment? I do hope you somehow, at least, liked this chapter. also, thank you so much for being patient! lately, I've been really busy with uni, including org duties and other extra-curricular stuff that I need to balance with sleep and my social life, though of course, that's not really much of an excuse for updating very late. so I'm really thankful for you all being very understanding and patient. please take care of yourselves and stay healthy! all the love as always.❞