achromatopsia

18: the bond

Jungkook.

The sound of Serena saying his name echoed in my mind and made my heart rate increased to an unhealthy speed.

The most horrendous scenarios flashed by in front of my inner eye covering every ever so atrocious possibility; from his limp body lying on the street, bleeding out after being hit by a car to his pale figure sleeping in a deep coma in the ICU.

I shivered as I felt the panic grasping my body and the anxiety rising up. I didn't even know what happened but I was already worried sick.

Why did I care so much? He was only a stranger to me after all... but also my soulmate.

"What happened?", I asked trying to hide my shaky voice but failed miserably, "is he alright?"

"I wish I could affirm that but he's not", she told me and I felt the claws of the monster digging deeper into my flesh, "we don't know what's wrong with him. He seems to be awake, but he's not responsive and his pulse is low, almost too low. He's pale and very weak but there's no medical reason for that."

Okay, he wasn't bleeding to death. And he didn't fall into a coma.

Inhale. Exhale.

"Why are you calling me?", I asked, almost whispering while picking on a loose thread of my duvet.

"We've come up against our limits, we have no more ideas on how to help him", she explained, "that's when I thought of you. The secondary effects of soulmate bonding are not well researched and since there isn't an obvious sign of a medically explainable disorder, I figured it might be connected to your bond."

"You think I can help him?", I asked in disbelief, accidentally tearing the thread.

"We're desperate, Yuna. We'll try anything to improve his condition", she said strained, "it should be in your interest too."

"Of course", my answer was quick like a shot, "what can I do? Where is he? I'll be there in no time."

"Relax, Yuna. Take a deep breath before you jumpt to action", she instructed me, keeping me from exploding with panic fear, "get ready now. A car will be waiting outside your building in fifteen minutes."

"Okay", I said inhaling deeply like she told me to.

"I'll see you in a bit", she said and hung up.

I could break down, drown in my fear and let the worry cloud my head, but that would be of no help to Jungkook. And if Serena was right, he needed me badly right now so I had to compose myself and get the hell changed.

After I quickly got ready I tiptoed out of the apartment and quietly closed the door behind me, careful not to wake my mother.

I wouldn't know how to explain this. She'd be very angry with me, then upset and eventually worried sick. I couldn't deal with that right now, time is short.

Lately, I haven't been honest to her at all and the guilt was starting to eat me up on the inside. But what could I do? As for now, I was legally prohibited to talk about what happened ever since the concert.

But still, it was such an important moment in my life; a huge milestone, maybe the biggest of my life; and she can't be a part of it. After everything we've been through. The only person who stood by my side for the longest time, through thick and thin, protected me with all she had and loved me unconditionally. And this is what she gets in return; a dishonest daughter, sneaking around behind her back.