IT ISN'T YOU

53| Did you mean it?

"You had us worried to death. I am getting old each day and do you know how harmful this is for my health?"

Jimin chuckled, voice hoarse from exhaustion, "I am alive now, isn't that what matters?"

"Oh, don't you dare speak about your barely saved ass like that." The phone was ripped away from Yoongi's hands and the screen displayed a very pissed Seokjin I'm gonna run all the freaking way to Korea to knock some sense into you regarding road safety rules."

Jimin groans, rubbing a hand over his face and wincing, "Okay this screen light is making my head hurt like shit, I'm gonna call you back later." He hangs up once he hears goodbyes from Seokjin and Yoongi. Putting down the phone in Taehyung's hand, he smiles at the other boy, looking at him with such care in his eyes.

"What?"

"Thank you for making it out safely Jimin."

It's been a week and Jimin's progress has been rapid since then, ever since he opened his eyes that day. Everybody was a sobbing mess including me. He couldn't move a muscle for another 2-3 days, but now he's recovering quickly and can sit up without support from me and Taehyung.

"What thank you, it's thanks to you all I made it through." He snorts, "You all thought you can get rid of me this easily."

"Oh my god, stop being so sarcastic towards this. I'm this close to taping your mouth together."

I slide open the door, hot home-cooked food packed in containers for us three in my hands. Taehyung rushes over to my aid, yelping when he touched the bottoms of the containers. "I told you this was hot."

"Yeah, sorry, my bad." He manages, wincing as he looked at his reddening skin.

"Go keep it under tap water and freshen up, I'm gonna plate the lunch"

He walked outta the room, me and Jimin were now alone. The air felt awkward and uncomfortable around the two of us. I grimaced, remembering how I sobbed like a broken record in front of Jimin.

Ugh....great sight to wake up to for sure.

Silently, I plate the food from containers. Only the scarping of utensils and gentle hush of the breeze from the outside can be heard, or was it Jimin's even breathing? It was always quiet and talk-less between me and Jimin. I wondered how would the Jimin back then, who knew me as Cathy, would talk to me about his whole situation and the trauma he went through these three to four weeks.

I rubbed my hands together, trying to not appear awkward, the plating was finished. I turned around, Taehyung still didn't come in.

Guess it's up to me now...

"Jimin, could you please get up?" I managed, as politely as I can.

Wordlessly, he sat up slowly on the seat, face scrunched in pain for a second because of the unhealed injuries. I tidied up the sheets real quick, smoothed the wrinkles, tucked them in comfortably. "Lean forward for a second," I mused and Jimin shifted forward. Reaching behind, I organized the pillows comfortably for him, fluffing them up. Jimin tensed up when his head brushed against my shoulder. I immediately moved back after doing what was needed.

Last thing I wanted was Jimin to feel uncomfortable around me.

Taking out the wooden board, I placed it on his bed, and set up dishes full of food for him to eat. He slowly started eating, small portions. I went out the door for a second, standing out in the hallway and looking for Taehyung.

Where the hell is he?

Sighing, I walked back inside, taking my place on the chair away from Jimin.

"You should eat."

I froze, looking up at Jimin slowly to only find him staring back at me. His face was near expressionless, but it seemed more on the conflicted side, as if he wasn't sure of something.

"I...uh, yeah, I was just about to, uh, I figured I'd just wait for Taehyung."

"Oh." He said, setting down his chopsticks, "Yeah, should wait for him."

"No, you should eat, he will come back in a minute or two, continue please." I said, unsure of where this forced conversation was going.

Jimin nodded, continuing to stuff himself with food, chewing silently and slowly.

I sat and toyed around with my mobile, uncertain of what I should do. Jimin gasps audibly when his bowl of rice falls to the ground.

"Oh it's okay." I took out another bowl from the bag, filling it up with rice and giving it to him. He mutters a low 'Thank you' under his breath.

I cleaned the rice from the floor, keeping out the bowl aside to wash it when I get back to their house.

"Did you mean it?" Jimin says hesitantly from the other side.

"Hmm?" I look at him, confused.

He took a deep breath, setting down his chopsticks on the table as he pondered over his thoughts for a few seconds, "Did you really mean it...when you said you were sorry?"

"I..." exhaling heavily, I feel this weight on my chest pinning me down uneasily, "So, you heard that quite alright."

"Yeah." He nods, looking at me.

"Well, yeah I meant it Jimin. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you and your friends. I truly am, sorry. I believe this could've ended better if there was more of a rationale involved other than just whimsical actions. That is true but please don't invalidate whatever I've been through too, because I have been deeply wronged by all of you."

"I agree." He breathed out, "And...it would be wrong, I realized, to completely make you take all the blame for whatever went down. As hard as it is for me to say this, but we both are at fault here I guess. I believe that this could've been sorted out much easier and quicker if we had tried even a little."

"Hmm."

"So, I hope that this time we both really cooperate and end things for the better now."

"Yeah."

"And," he looks around hesitantly, "I've not been the nicest person these few days, so I guess I'm kind of apologetic for my behavior."

I laugh, "Kind of?"

"I mean," He grumbles, "Yeah, I'm sorry."

"It's okay Jimin. I hope we get back on with our respective lives soon."

He nodded, "Also, what did you mean when you said 'I wish we could go back to how we were' or something along the lines? I've been a little confused, have we by any chance met before too?"

As If struck with lightning I sputtered, Jimin can't know this, Jimin shouldn't know this. This can make matters much worse than it can make better. This is not right.

"I...uh well, you see-" I blabber trying to come up with a gullible excuse while Jimin looks over at me with a frown etched on his face.

The door once again slides open and comes in a beaming Taehyung, with a small packet in his hand, "Guess what? I stepped out for a minute and this is the first thing I found. Dalgona! I absolutely love this you two don't understand. This is so sweet you'll die and go to heaven after eating this."

He stops abruptly, looking at the looks on my and Jimin's face. "What? Are we gonna eat or not?"

Of course, of course, we are.