Filter (Kim Namjoon X Readers)

Chapter 26

The time you spent with Namjoon felt like a dream. Everything meets the eye seemed perfect. He would surprise you with more poems in your locker and more bouquets at your desk in homeroom. At lunch, he would be glued to your side with his arms around your waist to make it clear to everyone that he belongs to you completely. Namjoon took pride in the fact that only was he able to make the cold-hearted class prez his, not because of the bet but because he captivated with every detail of you and he was proud that you were his.

Indeed everything was perfect on the surface. But you were keeping a secret from him, and he knew exactly what it is. Every morning, you dreaded going to your locker. Aside from Namjoon's love note, the rest of the content wasn't anything delightful to the eyes. In short, there were handwritten notes of threats and some dead birds. It reminded you of the old days when every hated, it's not different from now, but at least up until recently, they did their hating in secrets. You made it a routine to go to school a little earlier to clean out your locker in time before Namjoon stops by to drop his poems. It was a full-proof plan, or so you thought.

Namjoon saw the girls hacking into your locker and leaving indecent carcasses a few days after the news of you two dating broke out. He had been waiting for you to tell him ever since, but he realized you weren't the type of person who would go to anyone for help. Namjoon felt guilty that he hadn't broken down your walls completely and guilty because he was the reason you became a public target. And no matter how many warnings or repercussions he ensued on those who harmed you, the bullets never stopped firing in your direction. Comments on social media also escalated. The insults ranged from calling you a hypocrite for warning students about the boys only to go date one of them, to a gold-digger because the news also reported on his father's investment in your hospital.

Namjoon tossed his phone on the couch and rubbed his face, hoping to get some clarity. He found none, except his phone rang. It was from Taehyung. "Hey-"

"Hyung!" the little one yelled. The tone of his voice made Namjoon sit up straighter.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Come to the hospital, now!" Taehyung answered. "It's Y/N. She got into an accident."

Namjoon didn't wait for his chauffeur to get into the car, he slammed the gas pedal himself and sped through the busy Friday night street of Seoul. His mind was blank, completely blank. He didn't allow his mind to think or else it would go to the worst possible location and Namjoon couldn't imagine losing you, ever. And he could just be overreacting, minor scratches could have happened and Taehyung was just trying to scare him. That's right, he thought, just a joke.

When he arrived at the hospital, his hope for it to be a joke vanished. Your parents were there, your father holding your mother as she sobbed. Seokjin, Taehyung, and Jimin were also there, sitting on the bleak chairs with their faces down on their knees. The room in front of them was blaring in red, Surgery in Process, it read. Lifelessly, he trudged over to the crow. Jimin was the first one to see him.

"Hyung-"

"What happened?"

"We were out shopping for Christmas presents and we saw Y/N walking on the other side of the road. I think she was out buying presents too. She was crossing the street but when we were about to call her over, a car came down the street and she didn't have time to dodge it." Jimin explained to the best of his ability without letting his tears choke him up. Seokjin stood up and calmly placed a hand on Jimin's shoulder, signaling that he did a good job and the elder will take over.

"The driver was Soo Ji," Namjoon gasped, anger rising in him. "The rest of the boys are at the police station with her. Jungkook told me that it's unlikely she'll be able to get out of it, even with her family's influence because it was caught on camera. She had the intent to hurt Y/N."

That didn't make Namjoon feel any better. In fact, the guilt had swallowed him. He knew long ago that Soo Ji had eyes for him and after the event at the resort, he should have done something about her. And now it was too late. You were hurt and it was all his fault.

"And what did the doctor say?"

"Minor blood loss, a concussion, and a few broken ribs." Taehyung answered. Namjoon's heart felt like it had been stabbed with every word. He could feel the pain, every fracture, every scratch and he begged for a god to switch your places so he could take away your pain. This time, he gave his tears permission to fall. The red light continued to hammer at him and he slumped against the wall, hating himself even more.

***

Christmas came and passed like a winter breeze. Namjoon didn't feel the festivity. In fact, he couldn't feel anything sitting in the hospital chair beside your bed. Every time he saw the bandaid on your head and body, he's reminded of the fact that you haven't woken up and he hadn't seen your smile in a week. The surgery was successful, but waking up was another story. He was going crazy and his eyes were swollen with the nights he had waited for a Christmas miracle to happen. The present he bought you was left unopened on the table. He wondered when he'll be able to put that matching watch on your wrist. "I love you, please wake up." he begged.

A small knock came from the door, it was the boys. They had visited everyday, knowing they would find their leader here. No one said anything for a while. Every word had been said and none of them provided the comfort Namjoon needed because none of them were your voice. He sighed, biting back the words he was about to say next. "I have to break up with her."

Everyone snapped their heads toward him, he didn't laugh like they had wanted. "What?" the maknae questioned.

"This happened because of me. Soo Ji did this because of me. And if I want to keep protecting her, I can't be with her."

"Hyung," Jimin muttered. "You don't have to do this. We can work something out, we can keep an eye on her."

"No, we can't," Namjoon scoffed. "And why should you guys care? Wasn't this supposed to be a bet? I wasn't supposed to fall in love with her."

Yoongi exhaled, "I know this all started as a bet but I haven't seen you so happy than in the time you were with her."

"Hyung's right," Hoseok continued. "We stopped caring about the bet a long time ago. This is real, the relationship between you two and we don't want that just disappear."

"But if we keep going, I don't know what will happen to her." Namjoon mumbled, holding on tightly to your hand. "The threats, the dead birds, hateful comments, and now a car accident. I'm a catalyst for bad things to happen to her."

Taehyung clenched his palms, "Hyung, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Namjoon shook his head, biting back the tears. "Don't be sorry. Because of you, I found the love of my life," he hummed softly. "But this is a cruel game and I will hate myself for what I will do when she wakes up."