outbreak | bts

025

Jungkook finally strode into the terminal to tense silence as the clock hit six pm. He was three hours past curfew, but he had made quite a discovery that needed to reported first.

Everyone stared at him for a few moments before they almost all exploded with words. Overwhelmed, Jungkook attempted to calm down his friends who had crowded him as soon as they identified that it was him.

Namjoon and Joohyun exhaled in relief and Yoongi and Baekhyun grinned at each other. Of course this strong kid wouldn't go down so easily. Jungkook scanned the room until he found her. There was Eunha, sitting alone on the bench bed. They locked eyes and she rose up on wobbly legs, looking apprehensive.

The others turned to see what Jungkook was smiling so warmly at and quieted as she approached, coming to a halt right in front of Jungkook. The pair of them looked at each other, and something passed between them that made the others feel like they were witnessing something extremely private. Silently studying Jungkook, Eunha reached out and weakly grabbed his hand, leading him wordlessly to the med bay.

"Eunha...?" Mina called uncertainly. The expression on her friend's face wasn't something she could easily decipher. She sent a look to Yuju who shrugged back, equally confused. The boys looked at each other.

"...Should we give them some space?" Seokmin asked. Eunwoo nodded.

"She must have a lot to say to him. And it looks like a little more than what we know of may have gone down between them out there."

Jungkook didn't resist when Eunha pulled him. Nor did he resist when she pushed him onto one of the sick beds. But when Eunha was quiet even as she grabbed a first aid kit and disinfected and bandaged his elbow, he couldn't take anymore silence.

"Eunha-"

"Did you get hurt anywhere else?" She murmured, cutting him off. Jungkook tried to make eye contact with her but she dodged him. She found it hard to look at him with the guilt and relief overflowing in her heart.

"Look at me, please." He requested again, reaching for her hand. Again, Eunha pulled her hands away from his reach and spun around to rummage in a cabinet. Rising from the bed, Jungkook ignored the aching in his back and knelt down behind her. Spinning the stool she sat on, he turned her around and looked up at her. Eunha blinked tears from her eyes as they locked with his.

"Hey," Jungkook whispered as he felt his heart pound, "I'm okay. See? I came back in one piece, just like you asked." He didn't want her to cry, and he certainly didn't want to be the reason she cried. Reaching up with his hand, he paused.

Standing up, he walked to the sink and washed his hands, wincing a little. Some of his fingers must have gotten cut. Eunha watched him in confusion. What was he doing? Jungkook returned to her and reached for her hands, successfully clasping them this time. Pulling her up, he got her to sit on the sick bed beside him and delicately wiped her tears away with his thumb.

Eunha released a shaky breath and let her head fall forward so that her forehead rested on his chest. She could feel the pulse of his heart through his t-shirt like this. The relief beat the guilt and caused more tears to well up, and she sniffed. Jungkook, not sure of how to comfort her, pulled her close so that her cheek rested on his chest.

Eunha shut her eyes to stop more tears from flowing and focused on Jungkook. On his arms wrapping around her, one hand gently patting her back while the other hovered just below the length of her hair.

"Will you stroke my hair please?" She mumbled, granting him permission. Jungkook didn't reply, but she felt his fingers gently run through her hair and she snuggled deeper into his embrace.