YOU BEFORE I KNEW | JIKOOK ✔

24. I WOULD NEVER HURT YOU

Jimin watches through fogged over eyes as he's pulled from the burning car by his armpits. In spite of the smoke and bright flames, he can see his mother and father in the front seat.

He doesn't know if they're alive or if they're dead. But he's only fifteen. He's their little boy. They have to be

"N-no," Jimin murmurs sadly, his stirring in his sleep.

The red and blue lights rotating around the scene make him feel nauseous. He's lain on his back, onto a stretcher, looking up at the sky. Between spurts of smoke clouds, he can see some of the stars. In that very moment, he finds himself wishing upon them, hoping that his parents will be okay.

"Help," he mumbles.

"Baby?" Jeongguk calls out, voice groggy.

But not one minute later, a loud explosive sound ladens the air. Debris from the car is sent flying and the flames emerging from the vehicle increase in size and ferocity.

"Jimin." Said boy's eyes shoot open and he stares at the ceiling motionlessly.

He can feel that his cheeks are wet and the way tears trail down either side of his face. His sight is fogged over, much like the night of the accident. His heart feels like it's being torn from his chest and his breathing becomes irregular. His reaches out toward the side table, grasping at thin air.

Jeongguk acts quickly without needing to be told anything. He rushes from his side of the bed to Jimin's and opens up the drawer, grabbing the boy's inhaler. He holds it to his mouth and upon pressing the botton down, the teenager inhales deeply.

The nightmares have been so irregular lately that Jimin honestly almost forgot what it felt like to have them. No questions are asked. Jeongguk simply joins him on the bed once more and pulls him into his arms, tugging the blanket over their bodies.

It's odd, considering the fact that Jimin thought he was all out of tears, especially for this specific situation. It's been so long since he's last needed to use his inhaler, too. Everything is so sudden that he finds it impossible to wrap his head around any of the possible explanations running rampant in his mind. But at least it's the weekend. At least he's lying on the bare chest of his favourite person.

A familiar, warm and protective hand nestles on his waist, pulling him in closer. The side of Jimin's face rests softly on Jeongguk's chest and his free hand relaxes against his abdomen where curious fingertips travel over the muscles of his abdomen in seek of distraction.

"You haven't had a nightmare in such a long time, Min," Jeongguk says quietly, breaking the silence.

The boy stares off, looking at the wall. "I know," he murmurs. "I've just been really sensitive lately. I think that's why." His head perks and he meets Jeongguk's eyes, feeling warmth envelope him from such a simple action.

Jeongguk hums, leaning down to place a kiss against Jimin's forehead. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

The latter doesn't reply, focusing on the fingers that run through his hair. He comes to realize that the crash is something he never really talked about with anyone. Jin doesn't necessarily know what went down and neither does Taehyung. Only the first responders who were present that day.

It comes to his realization that maybe, this is why it's been more difficult to accept than it could be. He has kept most things bottled up and tucked away in fear of reliving that which he could hardly handle the first time around. In retrospect, perhaps he shouldn't have. But his emotions were ripe and almost anything served as a trigger. He shut himself out from the world and who's to say he won't do it again?