Wolves and Bread (COMPLETED)

Chapter 25

None of us is ever truly at ease as long as we have our mysterious men walking about. All that we can do is play pretend and go on living as we normally would, just with more caution.

I have taken up residence at Jimin's so he will not be alone and they cannot get at him quickly without alarming any of us. Besides, he can use the company for as long as Hoseok is still hospitalized. I told mom I would be staying at his place for a few days and she had not complained. I only had to promise her to not skip any lectures and drop by the bakery every now and then.

Yoongi was against the idea, rather keeping me by his side, but Namjoon insisted on it. According to him it would be better if I stayed as far out of the city as possible and seeing as the apartment of the older wolves is closer to a potential hotspot for incidents, I was sent to live with Jimin.

The platinum-haired lad did not tolerate any form of protest when he told us he would escort me. His hand held mine tightly as we took the bus to the beach district and did not let go until I practically had to wreck it free when we reached the front door. Before he left, he inspected all the locks and sought for any entrances through which they can break in. After Yoongi had satisfied his need to know, he reluctantly said his goodbyes, gave me a kiss on the cheek and a warning to Jimin he would come to find him if anything happened to me. Followed by telling him to be careful as well.

Yep, my wolf is totally not overprotective. Not that he would kill his hyungs.

Tough as nails on the outside, a marshmallow on the inside. That is Min Yoongi, the true him.

'Do you think everything will be fine?' my temporary flatmate asks sadly from the couch as I am preparing dinner, kimchi jjigae, for us. He has been staring out of the window for a while now and throws occasionally a doubtful glance in the direction of the kitchen. I know why he looks that way at the food, he is wondering again. I assured him I would cook healthy meals when I arrived and I meant that. So for tonight's dish I replaced the pork with tofu to filter out more fat and thus make it better for the body.

'Yeah, I think it will play out just fine.' I figure he cannot use my honest doubtful thoughts on top of being worried about Hoseok.

'And in all honesty? Scarlet, you don't have to sugarcoat it. We all know things are bad at the moment.'

I sigh and stop stirring the jjigae to turn to him, who has finally averted his gaze from the window to lock with mine. 'Honestly I don't know.' I shrug helplessly. 'I really don't. What I do know is that whatever happens, I will be by your side and not go down without a fight. You're my friends, something I couldn't say in the past for a very long time. Not even when I left England behind. No matter the darkness, I'll be there and together we'll walk to the light.'

A sympathetic yet sad smile forms from the tight line that his lips were drawn in. 'I hope you're right.' He gets up from the sofa. 'There's no use in just sitting here and overthinking. I'll go set the table.'

And thus we prepare dinner, trying to keep up life as if nothing is wrong with it.

As we sit down to attack the stew however, I see him doubtfully fumbling around with his spoon and every time he pushes himself to take a sip of the hot soup or eat a piece of tofu, his expression cannot hide the inner battle he is waging. The promise of healthy food is not enough to make him eat.

'Jimin?' Softly I call out his name when he puts down his tableware and sighs deeply.

'I'm sorry, Scarlet. I just can't do it. It's really delicious, but I can't bring myself to eat.'

Sympathetically I look at him, knowing his eating disorder is taking over again. 'It's alright. I'm glad you at least tried.' Forcing down food on somebody with struggles like these is never a good idea and will not accomplish anything. I am proud he managed to take a few small bites to fight back and let go of the restrictions he put on himself.