Aftertaste | J.JK

Confirming Not Asking

"Is he okay?"

My voice trembles as I wring my hands in anxiety. Jimin and Taehyung hasn't been letting me leave my room ever since I woke up, and it was really starting to piss me off.

You'll see, they say. Just wait.

Does it look like I have patience when it comes to Jeon Jungkook?

"Let me out," I plead, for the millionth time. "Just once— let me just see him once, and then I'll come right back in here. I promise."

"Yoongi hyung is taking care of him right now," Taehyung says, in a tone that makes him sound like an adult soothing a whining toddler. "Just give him time, Elle. You've only been out for ten minutes."

Both of the vampires watch me in pity as I pace rapidly around the room, cursing the clock for moving so, so slowly. Every second seemed like eternity.

"Can you just check if he's alright?"

Finally, Taehyung gives in. My eyes grow alight with hope as he sighs, telling Jimin to make sure I don't break out as he leaves the room.

"He'll be fine, Elle." Jimin says, flashing me a warm smile. "Jungkook won't die from something like this."

"Yes, but—" My voice sags as I pin the straw at the blood packet Jimin had given me first thing I'd woken up.

"I guess I'm worried."

My nose instantly wrinkles at the smell of animal blood— worlds different from Jungkook's. While his blood had smelled like heaven and paradise, this smells like the worst thing that's ever been made.

"I know," Jimin nods, his features twisting at the smell as well. "But— you get used to it. Eventually."

"I could never get used to this," I mumble as I pinch my nose and put the straw to my lips. Even if I'd limited my smell, the taste still is enough to make me cough violently at the first sip.

All he does is frown.

"Just drink it all down," He advises, waving at the packet. "It's better than sips— just more torture that way."

"Now I know why Jungkook described this as dirt," I mutter, bracing my senses as I prepare to tip the contents in. "It literally tastes like it."

But Jimin is too busy pinching his nose and scrunching his face together to answer, and I quickly tip the entire packet down my lips.

My hunger subsides, and I feel relieved even though the disgusting aftertaste lingers in my mouth. Now I won't be able to hurt anyone— temporarily, anyway.

Then Taehyung walks in, his face immediately scrunching as he smells the blood.

"Sorry."

"Don't be," He says, shrugging. "You're the one who drank it. Jungkook's fine, by the way. Yoongi hyung's almost done, too. He said you could see him in just a hour or two."

Hour?

Sighing, I plop back down on my bed as my eyes fix against the cursed clock once more.

_________________________

"You said he was fine!"

Taehyung's face instantly twists into a wince as he points at Yoongi, eyes wide and innocent.

"He told me to tell you that."

"Min Yoongi!"

"Is it too bad that I didn't want to worry you?" Yoongi sighs, putting a finger to his lips as he motions at Jungkook's fluttering eyelids.