Serendipity

Chapter 5

I come to in a moving vehicle, the seat beneath me warm from my prone body. My limbs feel heavy, too heavy to move. Doing my normal body scan, I notice how swollen my eyes feel, which must be why I can't open them...and I don't feel anyone around me.

I'm relieved when I can open my mouth though, even if my lips are tight and cracked, the inside like a cotton ball.

Jimin, I think to myself, wishing he were here with me, holding my hand or brushing my hair back from my face. But I know he's not and I feel so alone.

"NaeYeong," I hear my name being called in Hobi's voice. "NaeYeong, can you open your eyes?"

"Thirsty," is all I can get out for a moment as I work on wetting my throat with saliva. "Eyes swollen, hurt."

"Okay. Hold on NaeYeong, we'll get you something to drink soon. We're almost to our destination."

"Where?" I ask.

"Our hotel," I hear Yoongi say from behind me.

"Your hotel?"

"Yes. We didn't know where yours was, Jimin isn't answering us, and we think it will be best to bring you to ours until you are well enough to be left alone," I hear Namjoon supply from somewhere in front of me.

"Is Jimin okay?" is all I can think of saying, what my brain is laser focused on.

"Yes, he's fine, NaeYeong," Namjoon says.

"Why doesn't he answer then?"

There's a pregnant pause in the vehicle as if no one seems to know, or wants to say, the answer to that. A single tear slips out of my closed eyes as I lay in the backseat of that vehicle, waiting for any answer that will stop my heart from breaking. I check my body again, and I'm able to move my limbs enough to pull my legs to my chest as I lay staring at the backside of my lids.

Soon the vehicle slows and the pitch of the tires change as we angle downward slightly. We must be in an underground parking area. The vehicle glides slowly to a stop, and doors start opening in the front and next to my head.

"NaeYeong, can you sit up?" Namjoon's voice says above my head.

"I think so?" I carefully and slowly straighten out, getting my left arm under my body with my right hand fumbling for the seat in front of me so I can pull myself upright. It takes a bit of struggling, my limbs not wanting to cooperate. Once I'm in a somewhat sitting position, I wipe the sweat created from the strain with a shaking hand.

"Yoongi hyung, can you get the elevator doors for us?" I hear Namjoon say across me as he leans in. "NaeYeong, can you put your arm around my neck? I'm going to pick you up and carry you to the elevator and up to our floor, to Hobi hyung's room."

"Hobi's room?" I query, a slight panic tinging my voice at that thought.

"Yes, you're going to stay in his room and he's going to stay with me tonight. His room is connected to mine, so if you need anything, all you have to do is call out and we'll be right there."

"Okay...I think I can do that..." I breathe out. I lift my arm up and bump it into his chest. I cautiously feel for his shoulder and finding it, I'm able to slide my arm around his neck as I feel his own slide around my back and under my knees before pulling me toward him and out into thin air. Then I feel the movement as he walks with purpose.

"Hobi hyung, after you park the SUV, can you bring NaeYeong's things up? Yoongi hyung, you have the room key, right?"

"Yes, right here," I hear Yoongi say as we settle in the elevator and the doors close. I don't know how many floors we've passed when the chime dings softly and the doors swish open. Then we're moving again, Namjoon's and Yoongi's quiet footsteps getting swallowed by the carpet. We stop, and I hear a mechanical lock tumbling open and a door getting pushed open.