Love Story Short | Jikook/Kookmin

Chapter 18

[A/N: I wasn't expecting to finish up a chapter or to publish either, trust me. :) It just happened. I think it helped me cope with some of the terrible things we are witnessing in the world. I would like to believe in change, and I hope this little chapter brings a smile to y'alls faces. <3 Love you guys.]

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Jungkook wakes up from a nightmare. He is sweating, his heart racing. His surroundings don't make sense for a few shocking seconds.

Everything is unfamiliar, from the popcorn ceiling and the distinct smell of wood to the gentle lifting of a white lace curtain through the early morning breeze. His gaze lands on a hand peeking from the side of the bed next to where he is laying, sees delicate fingers, short, unpainted nails. The sound of Jimin's breathing slowly fills up the quiet room, and Jungkook is slowly brought back to reality.

The cabin seems to be the way they left it last night. The second bed is made. There are two pairs of shoes, and his phone — Jungkook grabs it in a hurry to realize — has no new text messages. He curses quietly, attempting to sit up. With it a sharp ache stabs the back of his skull all the way to his left eye, and the resulting nausea has Jungkook curling over his knees as his body absorbs the pain.

There it is. Jungkook had been mildly feeling the headache since yesterday but nap escapades during the trip had helped with it. He was hoping that sleep would chase it away, but it makes sense that he isn't feeling any better because he barely slept last night. Hell, it was like 3 a.m. when he and Jimin went to bed... they kinda stayed up, talking.

With a soft grunt, he stands up, using the table leaned on the wall behind him for leverage. There are a few items on it. In his state of pain, the only one standing out is the bottle of aspirin.

He hates himself a little bit as he picks it up. He is not even sure if he deserves it, given the dramatic backstory of what it costed Jimin to buy that for him. He eyes Jimin's sleeping figure on the bed. The man is in a deep slumber with his arms extended to the sides as if he sold his soul to the keeper of dreams. The world behind his eyes must be prettier, Jungkook thinks absentmindedly as he tugs the cover higher over Jimin's body.

He swallows a pill and steps outside in a state of restlessness, wearing some random slippers he found by the door. Immediately, Vernazza is too bright for his comfort. The sun is milder in the morning — what, it's like... he checks his phone, 8 a.m.? He must have had five hours of sleep or something, Jesus. There is a sprinkle of clouds guarding the skies as well, nevertheless, everything seems twice as vibrant in this town of rainbow-colored buildings.

The woodsy smell follows Jungkook outside the cabin, and only belatedly he realizes it's smoke. Grey vapor is rising into the air from the direction of the cabin's backyard Jungkook hadn't noticed. He skips to check it out, ignoring the stronger pounding of his left eye. To his shock, Yoongi is there! He is airing a bonfire in a circular little area surrounded by three white plastic chairs.

The "hyung!" that leaves Jungkook's throat is very much similar to the one from last night when he called for Jimin. Desperate, guilty, relieved, spent, all at once, Jungkook runs to him, stopping short of a hug. He trembles pathetically, full of hesitation as he tries reading into the otherwise calm expression on Yoongi's face. Certainly, he does not expect to tear up when Yoongi pulls him into a hard hug. He clings so tight that the producer has to peel him off of his body in an attempt to look at him.

"What, what, what," Yoongi chants indifferently, as if he is offended Jungkook suspected he wouldn't survive in the first place. "You even found Jimin."