EAT/JIKOOK.

eighth.

the doctors weren't letting anyone in to see seokjin yet, and so jimin and namjoon both sat in the waiting room. jimin had called hoseok to drive jungkook to the shoot, and then called namjoon because his two hyungs were close.

jimin still felt awful. he wasn't able to cry, but there was a horrible feeling in his stomach that had built up to his throat, and he felt like he couldn't breathe.

"jimin, it wasn't your fault," namjoon gently told him, rubbing his back.

the younger boy only shook his head and hunched over into himself more.

"it wasn't," namjoon insisted. "you weren't even in the car, how could it be your fault?"

"it was my fault!" jimin finally shouts. "i was being stupid! i left home alone without my car! i was being irresponsible!" he chocked back a son and brought his hand up to cover his mouth before whispering. "he was coming to get me," he covered his face with both hands. "it's my fault. hyung always takes care of me. look where it got him."

before namjoon could even say anything, the doctor came back and told them that they could go see him in room 246.

they went in silence, namjoon walking with good posture and confident steps, whereas jimin kept his shoulders hunched and his head down, and he twisted his sleeves into knots.

when they reached the room, jimin stopped. he wasn't sure if he should go see seokjin. what if he was angry with him? he had every right to be.

he decided that if the injured man was angry with him, he'd go in and deal with the consequences. so with a deep breath, he pushed open the door and went inside the room.

seokjin lay on the bed with a hospital gown and a neck brace. his eyes were closed, only because he really couldn't turn his head to look at anything.

namjoon went ahead, and greeted seokjin. they shared smiles and greetings before namjoon stepped back to let jimin do the same.

one look at seokjin's tired, smiling face, and jimin was in pieces. he nearly fell forward, and put his hands on the foot of the bed to support himself.

"hyung..." jimin said before letting out a sob. "hyung i'm sorry! i didn't mean for any of this to happen. i swear, i'll pay all your medical bills, i'll take all your shifts at work. i'm so sorry."

jimin was a babbling, apologizing mess, and namjoon helped him sit on a chair. at seokjin's request, he brought up the bed so that seokjin could sit up, and then he left the room, not because he wanted to but because he was going to work.

"jimin," seokjin called out softly. he was annoyed that he couldn't turn his head to the side, but he could at least put it straight.

"jiminie," he said again. this time, jimin looked up.

"yes?"

"come here." he blindly patted the spot next to him, and he smiled upon feeling the bed dip.

"did you have breakfast, jimin?" he asked first.

jimin shook his head, and seokjin sighed. he let jimin shuffle slightly to get more comfortable before he spoke again.

"why do you feel like it's your fault?"

jimin whimpered slightly before answering the question.

"you wouldn't be here if i hadn't left without thinking." he explains quietly.

seokjin sighed. "it's not your fault. don't," he stops him from trying to protest. "i'm not mad at you, at all. so there's no reason to feel sorry."

the two men sat next to each other on the bed, talking and laughing as well. they both did good jobs of cheering each other up, and for a while, everyone seemed happy.

***

jimin was driving to pick jungkook up from his shoot. he was nervous, because he would have to explain himself to the younger and frankly, he didn't want to.

he texted the man to tell him he was outside and sat in his car, full of anxiety and dread. and when he saw him leave the building and walk toward the car, he kept his head down.

"thanks for picking me up, hyung," jungkook said when he sat down. he buckled his seat belt before turning to jimin. "so about this morning..."

the elder tried to avoid eye contact and gave a half shrug.

"oh, you know," jungkook continues. "when i panicked and nearly called the police because you decided to take a nap in a dangerous city full of drunks and sadists."

jimin smiled softly and scratched the back of his head. "there's not much to be said..." he says as he puts the car into drive. "i was half asleep and made a stupid decision."

jungkook laughed. "most people don't get that affected by a sleepy brain, hyung." he shrugged before finishing. "just don't do it again. you could've gotten hurt. or..." he looked down at his hands, his jolly mood gone. "or somebody else could've."

***

the two men had reached the apartment, and were sitting in the living room, not talking to each other but not in uncomfortable silence.

"how was your shoot?" jimin had asked after a while.

the other put his head in his hands and sighed dramatically. "oh, i'm so very tired. it lasted for hours."

jimin giggled at his behaviour. "but," he continued, a bit seriously. "there was only one shoot? are you returning to busan now?"

jungkook shrugged. "i originally planned to stay for a week. now i'm not sure. maybe a couple more days, to look for a job and an apartment."

the elder nodded, and hummed in response instead of saying anything. there was silence for another minute before jungkook spoke up.

"thanks for letting me stay here, by the way," he laughed lightly as he spoke. "it was so unfair of hobi hyung to dump a total stranger on you like that. though his apartment is small. and i'm afraid of his roommate."

jimin laughed. "yeah, he seems pretty cold. but once you've seen him cuddle with a build a bear, you lose any sort of fear."

he glanced at the wall to check the time. 4:38.

"i'm gonna go get ready for work, okay?" he says, standing up.

"why are you asking me if it's okay?" the younger asked with a smile.

"um, i, uh, i dunno." he sighs. "nevermind. sorry." he shakes his head and left the room.

"stop apologizing for everything!" jungkook called after him, and he quietly giggled to himself.