Corals of multiple colours stretch across the ocean floor and a baby turtle seems to be fascinated seeing a human in the waters, because it swims over to Jungkook's face, curious little eyes trying to make sense of the creature it sees for the first time. It stretches its neck and tries to nip Jungkook's nose when Jimin tugs it away.
"You're a mischievous little thing, aren't you?"
"He seems more curious to me than mischievous," says Jungkook, with a chuckle, "just like you are."
Jimin grins and lets go of the baby turtle. It darts back to Jungkook, tiny head nudging his cheek before it seems to bore itself with its act and swims away. Jimin entwines his fingers with Jungkook and swims further, leading the younger deeper into the ocean and Jungkook's eyes light up when he sees it.
There's a golden glow that comes from beneath them, almost like a whole city underwater. Mermaids swim along the way passersby walk the streets of Seoul. The architecture of their homes fascinates Jungkook. It's like nothing he's ever seen or imagined before.
Just then, a school of fish brush against Jungkook's arm and something about it has Jimin frowning. These creatures are usually graceful, spiralling into rings beneath the surface and dancing around other sea creatures but right now they seem hasty, almost as though they're trying to get away from something.
Jimin twists around and his eyes go wide. In a split second, he shoves Jungkook away and dives out of the way just as a shark lunges at them. Jungkook squeaks in terror as the shark's fins brush against him.
The shark turns its head and its jaw falls open to reveal its teeth. By now all the commotion seems to alert the other merfolk.
"Go back, Jungkook. Swim back to the shore," Jimin cries, urgency in his tone causing Jungkook to swim in the direction they came from.
The shark lunges for another attack and Jungkook's heart skips a beat in fear when Jimin narrowly escapes its teeth.
"Jungkook, I said go!" Jimin yells, brows furrowing.
Jungkook doesn't look back. His heart beats faster and louder with every stroke he takes away from the raging battle between merman and shark. Memories flash before his eyes and Jimin's voice rings aloud in his ears as he paddles out of the cave.
"You're just going to quit on us without a fight? You're just going to let go?"
Jungkook's breath hitches but he can't find it in him to turn back. He's too weak. He's too afraid. And it holds him back. The tiny part of him that screams for him to help Jimin is drowned out by the voices of terror that beg him to run away with a need to save himself.
He swims toward the surface and can see the rays of light shining through. He gives himself a boost, his body aching as he pushes himself further.
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming~
Dory's song is suddenly playing through his head, along with Jimin's voice when he sung along with her for fun as they were cuddled up in bed watching the movie together. There's a cold feeling that settles over his heart.
Why did he leave Jimin to fight alone?
Why didn't he stay back and help?
Because he's useless as a human, his brain tried to convince. There's nothing he could have done. There's no way he could have helped Jimin apart from turning tail and running.
That's what you do best after all, his mind supplies and Jungkook's breath hitches.
"Why didn't you fight?"
Jungkook breaks through the surface with a gasp and paddles to the shore. He's out of the water. He can breathe freely or rather, he should be able to breathe freely, but he can't. It's like he's underwater. He gasps again, chest aching.
"I'm the only one fighting for us."
Jungkook crawls onto the sand, pulling himself out of the waters, his chest heaving as he struggles to gulp in air.
"The Jungkook I know would have never left me to steer our ship by myself, not even through the roughest seas."
He falls onto the sand and turns over so he rests on his back. His eyes sting. His chest heaves. His body trembles.
"So where are you, Jungkook?"
Jimin's voice echoes in his head, louder than ever before. Jimin never left him. He left Jimin to fight alone. He left Jimin to fight alone with a shark when he should've stayed back to protect him.
You're a human, there's nothing you could have done, his mind argues but he isn't convinced. He's not convinced.
Why is he even here?
His breath stutters and he presses a palm to his chest, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.
Why is he here?
What could possibly be the reason?
He gulps in air, vision going blurry. His lungs scream with the need for air but he can't seem to give in to its requests. His world slowly fades to black.
——
"When you can stop, you don't want to. And when you want to, you can't. That's addiction."
1 June, 2023
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𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 • ᴊɪᴋᴏᴏᴋ
Fanfiction"Addiction is a family disease." Jungkook's life is taken over by his addiction to substances and Jimin tries to fix the cracks on their ship single-handedly; tries to keep them afloat. Bound by the chains of addiction, Jungkook is blind to the havo...
