LUMINESCENCE | K.NJ ✓

XXIX - WHAT MATTERS MOST

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE—WHAT MATTERS MOST

THE SKY WAS BLUE IN SEOUL. From the outside looking in, the bright rays of sunshine and crisp white clouds might have looked like they belonged to a midsummer's day. Only after one had stepped outside into the chilling wind would the reality of late autumn set in, as leaves crunched underfoot, the breeze biting at cherry red noses and flushed cheeks, causing teeth to chatter and shoulders to shake.

The wind skimmed across Nouri's skin. She shivered a bit as she walked, but whether that was from the chilly air or the nerves that grew in the pit of her stomach, she couldn't be sure.

Something nudged her shoulder. She glanced up to see Namjoon's kind and tired eyes, his coffee cup extended towards her. "You should take this. If you hold it you'll warm up a little bit."

"Thanks." She smiled, slowly taking the cup from him and holding it close. The warmth seeped into her hands, spreading through the rest of her the longer she held it.

Namjoon glanced down at Nouri's thigh before he pointed to a swing that rested beneath a bare tree—one that sat two people and faced the tiny creek that ran through the hospital's grounds. "Want to sit?"

Eager to give her leg a rest, Nouri was happy to hear the offer and nodded with enthusiasm. Soon they were side by side on the swing made of wood. Nouri leaned forward and set the coffee down on the ground, pulling her legs up to sit criss-crossed. The sounds of the creek water running over stones filled her ears, the scent of the coffee rising with the wind to tickle her nostrils.

"How have things been?" Namjoon spoke first. He began to push on the ground with the tip of his toe. The swing moved back and force slowly, the chains creaking a bit with the motion.

"As good as they can be I suppose," Nouri replied. "I think I'm still trying to process everything. I can't imagine what the other girls are going through."

She turned her head to look at him and saw that his eyes were already fixed on her. When their gazes connected, his cheeks went red and he turned his eyes back to the rushing waters of the creek, a small grin pulling at the corners of his lips.

She sighed, scooting closer to him and gently pushing her shoulder against his. "How are you though, Namjoon?"

His smile faltered as he glanced at her again. Nouri's heart fell right along with the expression on his face. He rubbed his hands along his thighs and exhaled slowly.

"It's been a rough few days," he admitted. "I thought my best friend was going to die. Then, he didn't die. Which is great! I mean it's great that he didn't die, the fact that he didn't die isn't what's made the past few days difficult or anything, I realize now that's kinda what it sounded like—"

"Joonie." Nouri covered his hand with hers and he stopped mid-ramble. "It's okay."

He sighed, regaining some composure. Nouri noticed the way his eyes caught the light of the sun, shining with flecks of golden brown. He blew air out of the corner of his mouth to move a few stray strands of his hair out of his face.

"It was really hard to watch Yoongi take the news," He said. "I know he was probably being his usual self when you went to talk to him. But I was there when the doctors told him."

Namjoon shook his head, staring down at the grass. "That was the first time I'd seen Yoongi cry since we were kids, Nouri. And he cried for a long, long time."

Her lower lip trembled as she watched a tear slip down Namjoon's cheek, her own eyes growing damp once again. She rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand, doing what little she could in the ways of comfort.