The Seven Passengers (BTSxTitanic)

Chapter 26: Yoongi

I leave the crystal dining room with Jimin in my arms. He's easy to carry, which makes me grateful, but also dreading how light he feels. I worry he might float away like a balloon if I don't hold on tight. Jimin groans as we move down the hallway. At least he's alive.

"We're here. I just need to get this..." I struggle opening the cabin door, clawing at the wall with one free hand until I finally feel the door knob.

I push the door open and set Jimin down on the bottom bunk bed. His head flops to the side and I have to shove him over so he doesn't fall. Jimin's eyes flutter open and it takes all of my strength to stay calm.

"What happened?" he slurs. His mouth hangs open, like a broken hinge. He looks horrible.

"You fainted on stage," I say gently. Jimin looks at me with tired eyes. His eyes have dilated, black overtaking the beautiful brown color. I have to look away. "I carried you here, to your room. I'll stay as long as you like."

Jimin lazily tugs at my sleeve. When I look back, his eyes are almost rolled to the back of his head. "I like your stay," he gives a lopsided smile.

I swallow and force myself to smile back. I can't do much more. I'm not a doctor, but something is definitely wrong with him. Just before he went on stage he was fine with me. I should have known not to leave him before going on. I should have asked if he was feeling okay. I want to hug him, tell him it'll be okay, but I'm afraid I might crush his fragile bones.

"Yoongi," Jimin says in almost a whisper. I lean closer to him, expecting a question or even for him to tell me something important, but he only giggles and repeats my name in a melodic way. If he wasn't out of his mind, I'd be flattered. "Yoongi...Yoongiii...Yoongiii."

His face falls as he meets my eyes. "Why are you crying?"

Dammit, I didn't realize I was. I wipe away the tears and shake my head. "I'm fine."

Even in this state he's in, Jimin isn't convinced. He rolls over to his side, his head lolls after him. "I'm sorry I ruined tonight."

"You didn't ruin anything," I say. I steady my breathing. I'll be no use if I'm a blubbering mess. "I should have been there for you."

"You didn't know—"

"No, I mean I should have been there for you from the beginning."

He squints at me. I can't tell if that's because he's confused, blind, or both. "We've only known each other since boarding the ship," he says.

I wish he was right. I wish that could have been the first time we met, where I was clumsy and oblivious to the life he lead. But fate has put me in his path. I cannot turn a blind eye now, not when he's hurting right in front of me.

"Jimin, I know what happened." I finally say. It should feel better to admit the truth, but it hurts much more than I thought it would. It hurts to watch his face stare at me for what felt like hours before sinking.

"What are you talking about?" Jimin says.

The boy is shaking. His skin has gone a ghostly pale. I reach out when Jimin shrinks back at my hand. I am hurt, but I understand. He sees me as an enemy, a predator.

"I want to help you." I wonder if I should take the chance of holding his hand. I resist the thought. "I doubt Taehyung knows the full story, but I do. You've seen things, and you've done things that you were forced to do."

"Stop it."

"You afforded your rent by working as a prostitute. You did it under the apartment complex you and Taehyung lived in. The landlord was probably your first client and then you branched out."

"Yoongi, stop!"

Jimin puts a hand to his mouth as tears stream down his face. I can still hear the sobs escape even when he tries to hide them. That must have been what it felt like—cry quietly so no one can hear the pain. Smile before someone sees the scars.

He looks at me once and that's all it takes for him to wrap his arms around me and sob. His body shakes my own. Jimin holds me tighter, burying his face in the crook of my shoulder. I can hear him muttering something over and over again, but it's too low.

I feel Jimin suddenly freeze in my arms and I wonder if he's unconscious when he rises and slowly pulls away from me. His eyes are trained on me intensely.

"How did you know I did that?"

"What?"

He crawls back on the bed until he is all but pressed against the wall. "How do you know?"

"Jimin, it's okay,"

"No!" he screams. "You knew this whole time and acted like this was our first meeting. You lied to me for what reason?" His eyes then widened and his face turns red. I see tears forming in his eyes again. "You did this to me...You drugged me to get me alone with you."

How could you believe that? I remind myself that he has every right to suspect me, but that doesn't stop my emotions from leaking. "I never drugged you, Jimin. I would never do anything to hurt you."

He shakes his head and leaps out from the bed. He's not stable to walk, let alone run. He's going to kill himself.

Jimin runs past me. He is almost to the door when he makes a gagging noise. His feet catch under him.

I dive, but it's too late. Jimin crashes to the ground, his head bangs against the dresser. Red blood has stained the white room and makes a pool around his head. I've managed to hit my knee on my way down, though it doesn't stop me from crawling to Jimin.

I curse as I take his head. Blood seeps into my hands and I have to be careful not to slip as I pick Jimin up and lay him back down on the bed. My knee aches, but I ignore it.

"I'm getting help," I whisper to him. "I'll be back."

I limp outside and shut the door behind me. As I do, my hand touches my suit and I don't feel the familiar lump that's supposed to be my notebook.