Soul Bound

10 | Crossroads

Jungkook was still staring at where the Im's coven mate had left the campus — Narae, he corrected himself as he remembered Taehyung's voice. He was hurt by her reaction and hurt by Jimin's actions, or rather lack thereof. But he thought that he might have reacted just like she had if their situations were reversed. A sadness overcame him as he thought of how lonely she must feel.
He had his soulmates. His coven. Their magick with him at all times like a safety net and a reassurance that he would never be alone. Soulmate bonds were different in that regard to coven bonds. And Jungkook remembered how utterly terrifying it had been to be alone. Before he had found his mates. He had been so young and lonely back then.

Maybe...maybe she must feel the same. Wouldn't she as the sole human in an entirely magickal coven feel just as lonely? Especially if the rest of the coven were soulmates? Like a bothersome addition? A burden?
His heart ached for her as he imagined how she must feel.
"Hyung...", Jungkook began lowly, voice barely audible. "Why didn't you help her back then?"

Jimin looked up to his mate. Surprised at the sudden sadness flooding their bond and even more blindsided by the sudden question.
"She's human", he replied automatically. Humans, in the end, brought nothing but pain.
Jungkook furrowed his brows cutely. "But that has never stopped you before", he said and Jimin blinked in surprise. It...was true.
He had never let anything stop him from helping. He truly had helped a few humans even if he always did it in a way that they wouldn't trace it back to him and Bangtan. Jungkook knew that. Jimin knew that.
Jungkook's eyes seemed to ask the question Jimin had asked himself so often since that day: Why had the fact she was human stopped him?
"I—", Jimin began but shut his mouth with a tense clench of his jaw as he had no idea how to continue the sentence.
If he were absolutely honest with himself he knew why he had turned away from the girl. In the depths of his soul, he knew.

He remembered the situation clearly. Remembered her heartbreaking fear. And the utterly endearing smile before. Her wonder at the world that painted her in a light that had made Jimin's heart swell with...he didn't know.
Or didn't want to name it, anyway.
"I was afraid", he whispered lowly and abruptly turned away from his soulmate. He had made his decision and he stood by it. Humans only brought pain.
"Afraid?", Jungkook's voice held confusion. "Of what?"
Jimin swallowed and his tongue darted out to wet his dry lips.
"Of getting attached", he replied so silently that it was barely a whisper.

Jungkook's eyes widened at the revelation of his soulmate. But before he could say anything or sort through his emotions and process what Jimin had just admitted, Bambam turned up with such worry etched on his face that Jungkook's heart ached once more.
His friend turned his head around frantically in search of his coven mate.
"She went that way", Jungkook said loudly. His heart beating like crazy as he anticipated what would happen now. He held his breath as Bambam turned towards them.
"That way", Jungkook repeated and pointed in the direction Narae had left. "There was a small...argument between her and some classmates", Jungkook continued to explain nervously.
"She's fine", he added hastily at Bambam's murderous look. "And went that way." Jungkook felt horribly lame. And ashamed. His hand fell slowly from where he had pointed at.
He should have helped her even if Jimin hadn't wanted him to.

Bambam scrutinised him and then let his eyes wander towards Jimin. A sneer began to grow on his face and Jungkook couldn't help but to be devastated.
Then Bambam's eyes flitted back to him and to Jungook's utter delight, he gave him a short, sharp nod before he rushed off to run after his coven mate.
"Hyung", Jungkook began once more as he watched his friend leaving. "I think...", he hesitated. "I think you made the wrong decision."
He felt Jimin's hand around his waist tighten. The bond they shared fraying a bit, quivering in their conflicting emotions.