Author's Note:

Extra long chapter 😉

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Chaeyoung froze in that moment, her eyes wandering all over his face as she tried to take in Jimin's serious voice and expression. She slowly lifted her hands to lay on top of his that were placed on her cheeks. She gave him a small smile before nodding her head at his words, making Jimin return her smile with an even greater one. "I'm sorry I was so rude to you before but what's going on in my life is not something simple. I didn't want anyone else to be involved in my issues so I was trying to keep you away." Chaeyoung lowered her head, feeling ashamed at how she had acted with him before.

"I see now that how I acted was wrong and I ask you to please forgive me. I made you get more involved by trying to push you away. I appreciate your thoughts for my safety and I want to thank you for coming to help me out back then at the library..." she removed his hands away and pulled him into a gentle embrace, wrapping her arms carefully around his back. Jimin was completely taken aback by her gentleness since he wasn't used to this side of her and it made him feel extremely warm on the inside.

He wanted to return the gesture by wrapping his arms around her back as well but stiffened once his hands came in contact with warm flesh. His face heated up once he finally realized her hospital gown was open and her back was completely exposed. He hadn't noticed it before because she had been covered with a blanket when he first came in and when he had hugged her before he was too overwhelmed with emotion that he hadn't noticed. Chaeyoung was confused as to why he was taking so long to hug her back when she could clearly feel the warmth of his hands hovering behind her.

She moved away to look at his face only to find his cheeks flushed and his eyes averting from her own completely. She raised an eyebrow in confusion, "what's wrong?" Jimin cleared his throat and lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Chaeyoung. I just realized your back was exposed this whole time and I had hugged you without realizing that. Please forgive me for touching your skin." He looked extremely apologetic and his face kept getting redder with every second of silence. Chaeyoung would have felt shy but his expression and the sincerity in his voice made her break out in a laugh she hadn't had in a long while.

Jimin looked up in surprise, his eyes widening and his mouth opening in awe as he witnessed what he had only seen directed at Jin before. Chaeyoung was smiling brightly and her laugh was like music as the whole scene seemed to slow down so he could enjoy it for longer. So beautiful. I've never seen anything so bright before in my life. He was so amazed at the sight of her and he couldn't help but laugh along with her, feeling like he was finally able to fully relax and be himself. He felt like he had a new start with her and this time he didn't have to walk on eggshells around her. He had so many things to learn about her and she had so many things to learn about him too but now he could comfortably talk with her and get to know her like a normal person.

Chaeyoung calmed herself down when pain started to invade her body from all the strain her laugh was causing her. She coughed a bit, which worried Jimin and he immediately rubbed her exposed back in an attempt to soothe her. She stopped coughing and laid herself back down on her side as she took deep breaths and exhales to relax her body. Jimin moved away and sat back down on his wheelchair since his legs were begging him to rest. "Are you okay?" he asked, voice filled with worry. Chaeyoung sighed and nodded with a smile. "Don't worry. I just laughed too hard when I'm supposed to take it easy. Thank you for that by the way. I haven't laughed that hard in a while." Jimin sighed in relief and gave her a shy smile, inwardly proud of himself.

"I'm glad I amused you." Chaeyoung chuckled, "it was just the fact that you were so worried about my thoughts of you touching my back. Nothing even came to my mind so you don't have to worry. The reason why it is exposed would be so that the stitches don't get caught on any harsh cloth and come undone. Resting on my side alleviates the pain of resting on them and laying on my back causes friction when I move so that's why I must maintain this position."

Jimin frowned, remembering how hard she had tried to protect him and he was still upset at himself for allowing that. "You said you had thanked me for coming to help you but it was you who helped me. Thank you for protecting me and I'm sorry I couldn't do much more to help you out." He looked down and started to play with his fingers so he didn't have to face her. "Jimin.." she called out to him softly and that made him look up at her, surprised to see her gazing at him so intensely.

"Just the fact that you didn't run away and decided to stay to help me in the first place makes me feel eternally grateful towards you. I promise to tell you what is going on but I need some time to gather the right words. I don't even know what's happening in the first place so give me time and I'll explain from the start. I just have one thing to ask of you right now because I see in your expression that you are upset. Please, don't ever feel guilty over not being able to help me out more. Having your support means the world to me. You really have no idea how much your existence itself is of great help to me. You calm me down in ways that no one has ever done before and I-I should probably stop talking now.." Her face flushed in embarrassment at her words. Gosh, I got carried away and said stupid things.

Jimin however, was feeling great and felt slightly shy after hearing her words. "Thank you for making me feel better. I will wait until you are ready to tell me everything and thank you for trusting me. You will have a very hard time getting rid of me so good luck." He finished off by winking at her and Chaeyoung groaned, hiding her face in her pillow. Before he could initiate more conversation, he turned his attention towards the door when someone softly knocked.

"I knew you would be here, Jimin. You need to go back to your room this instant and leave poor Chaeyoung-ah to rest, mister." Seulgi came into the room, stomping towards Jimin while holding a bouquet of white roses. When she caught Chaeyoung's eyes she smiled at her with a genuine bright smile. "I'm so relieved to see you pulling through, Chaeyoung." Seulgi showed the flowers to Chaeyoung, making her smile at the older girl softly. "I brought you a get well soon present. Jimin told me you liked white roses yesterday so I got you the prettiest bouquet I could find." Chaeyoung's smile grew bigger but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. She couldn't help but feel her heart ache a little when she stared at Seulgi. She's such a kind soul. So caring and loving. This is why Jimin is dating her...why do I feel my heart squeeze in pain every time she smiles so brightly? "Thank you so much, unni. You didn't have to go through the hassle."

Jimin remained silent as he looked at the two ladies conversing. He was amazed at how well they got along. His heart was reacting so violently when he looked at both girls and he felt like he suddenly couldn't breathe. He looked at Chaeyoung and what he felt made him afraid. It made his heart beat faster with every glance he took of her and his whole being feel warm and fuzzy. A feeling he had never experienced in his life, an overwhelming feeling of wanting to keep her to himself so she couldn't be exposed to harm or to anyone else; he felt selfish.

If he had to describe Seulgi in one word, he would say home. Seulgi had been his first commitment he had ever made to anyone other than committing to take care of his mother. She had been with him for so long and they had shared so many memories, whether good or bad. She made him grow up as a person to a certain extent, so he felt having her with him was normal and he had gotten used to her presence in his life whether romantically or friendly. He really cared about her and he didn't want to label his current feelings for her as he was far too confused and it would be considered unfair. Am I really doubting my affections? He suddenly felt emotional just thinking about it all. I can't keep on doing this. Seeing both together while I'm still so confused is too much.

Seulgi turned to look at her boyfriend, gasping when she saw how pale his complexion had gotten. She immediately crouched down to look at him in the eyes. "What's wrong, Chimmy?" She was panicked and even though she was a nurse in training she had no clue what was wrong with him. Jimin wasn't in pain due to wounds, if anything, it was the inner turmoil he was having over his feelings that were making him ill. He was feeling lightheaded once again so his vision was blurring out. "Unni, I think it would be best if you take him back to his room. He should be taking it easy. Watch over him, I'll be okay by myself." Chaeyoung spoke softly, a hint of worry and sadness in her voice. Seulgi immediately nodded, thanking Chaeyoung and grabbing onto the back of Jimin's wheelchair. "You dummy, this is what happens to you for being such a good person. You want to make sure the world is fine that you forget about yourself." Jimin glanced at Chaeyoung before Seulgi began pushing him away, noticing the hint of sadness and worry on her face. Chaeyoung smiled at him as he was pushed away and laid her head down with a sigh when she heard her door close. "I wish I could help him get better too." she whispered with a pout.

"Well, if you want to practice then take care of me first, pasta." She heard a familiar voice say and she groaned in annoyance, although she was happy to hear his voice. "Jin oppa must be nearby for you to be in my room without him." Jungkook was behind her, staring at the stitches on her back as he spoke. "He's actually trying to see if they can transfer you to a new hospital so he crossed by the room to go to the front office and I slipped in here before I was far from you."

He gently began to trace the stitches with his fingers one by one, sending shivers down Chaeyoung's spine. "What? Why is he wanting to transfer me to another hospital?" Despite how relaxing his touch on her back was, she was still panicking at the thought of leaving the hospital since Jimin was in the hospital as well. He was the only reason she hadn't complained about being there in the first place even though she despised hospitals. Jungkook could automatically tell she was panicking by the tone of her voice and movement of her shoulders so he tried to soothe her some more.

"Seriously, Chae? You almost died because of lack of staff. Hyung wants you to be transferred to a better facility that will make sure you have everything you need every second of the day." he replied, slowly lowering his face down to her back. "I don't need that. I'm fine here. I haven't been assaulted by any ghosts around and I consider that a huge miracle. Maybe it's due to Jimin, he's not being followed by anything either, meaning there aren't any bad spirits in our area specifically. A bigger hospital will surely have some exposure to ghosts and Jimin won't be around to ward them off." she had finished stating her point when she suddenly jumped at the cold touch of Jungkook's lips on her back. "W-what the hell do you think you are doing back there? Yah! Who gave you the right?!" Jungkook just smirked and went around the bed to face her with an innocent expression.

"What? I was just trying to make your stitches heal faster." He was trying to tease her again but Chaeyoung just gave him an unamused expression. "You pervert." she told him but he just shrugged his shoulders once again and chuckled. "Kissing had a positive effect before so why not try it in other places. If demons are real then kisses that heal shouldn't be too unbelievable. Besides, Jimin did end up saving you from near death with a kiss too." Chaeyoung had momentarily forgotten about Jimin and his lips but recalling them after having Seulgi in her room made her feel like a horrible person. She didn't necessarily do anything wrong to have felt guilty but something in her heart was making her feel that way. I care for him too much but what kind of caring is it? The feeling is different from how I care for Jin oppa and Jungkook, could it be because they are like family?  She realized she had grown quite attached to the eye-smiling boy in such short notice. She was doing and feeling things she had never experienced with anyone before and she was kind of scared if she was being honest. Don't think about it too much, Chaeyoung.

Jungkook stared at her and analyzed the furrow of her eyebrows as she thought hard in silence. "You okay, Chae?" he asked, concerned when she continued to remain silent. She finally let out a sigh and looked up at him. "Can I ask you something, Jungkook? Please answer this seriously." She gave him a pleading look and Jungkook automatically nodded his head, a serious expression taking over. "I'll answer anything you want." Chaeyoung appreciated his interest and began to voice out her concerns, "I was just wondering if you have ever had someone who you couldn't stop thinking about? I've been very confused recently and it's terrifying. More so than when the demon has hunted me down. When I see this person, I feel like my eyes only spot them even though there might be millions of others around. I feel protective of them and my heart starts to act all sorts of crazy. It has never reacted like that to anyone else but this specific person...I just end up doing stupid things because of them..."

Chaeyoung continued to speak but Jungkook blocked out her words, refusing to listen to her any longer. She had just confirmed something he had wished was only in his mind but had already figured it out a long time ago, he just refused to accept it. Of course I've had someone like that. You dense, idiot. Even if you leave out his name I know you are talking about Jimin. You have such an obvious crush that it's hard for me to keep denying it exists. When we had met you the only emotions you expressed were anger, sadness, and mistrust. You eventually learned to open up and began to show joy, comfort, and eventually genuine affection for us. You treated us like friends, growing into a strong bond of family but I had other feelings towards you. Despite my obvious affections for you...you never realized and I died, losing my chance to start anything slightly romantic. You were absolutely disgusted by anyone who approached you with any romantic intent because you didn't understand them since you had never experienced the feeling yourself. I wanted to be the one to unlock that emotion but now someone has finally been able to accomplish that and you have yet to realize. I no longer have the opportunity to try so I decided to dedicate myself to keeping you happy and protected while I'm still around. Will it be selfish if I decide to protect you from him as well? Can I play dumb and keep you in the dark regarding your feelings as well as his? I don't want you to be hurt. He's just as confused as you and two will end up hurt if he doesn't man up and accept his growing interest in you. Jungkook had remained in deep thought that he hadn't noticed Chaeyoung calling out his name until she stretched out her arm, groaning to herself in pain as she tried to catch his attention. He snapped out of it when he felt her touch.

"Are you the one that's okay? You completely spaced out and your face looked pained." Chaeyoung was worried about him and he felt happy having all her attention to himself. He gently removed her arm from him and set it down on the bed once again, helping her lay comfortably. "I just focused on your words too hard. To answer your previous question, no, I have never felt that way nor do I understand what you are talking about. You must be a little loopy from the painkillers you were given. They might be making you think strange things or overthinking. Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing so forget it and focus on getting out of here soon, alright?" Chaeyoung had smiled at him for giving her a little peace of mind with his response but he felt slightly guilty for lying to her. He knew what Jimin was feeling but he didn't want her worrying about useless things when her life was at stake and that was much more worrisome. He just wanted her to focus on finding a way to get rid of the demon that was trying to kill her instead of the tempting angel that was stealing her heart.

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It had been two weeks since Chaeyoung had last seen Jimin and she felt silly for feeling deprived but slightly relieved. She still had to tell Jimin what was going on and had more than enough time to gather her words and explain everything once she saw him again. Even though she wasn't quite sure what was going on still; she felt like she was more prepared to tell him her story. The demon hadn't come back and it made her feel relieved but the fear was still there. She didn't want her defenses to drop although she really couldn't defend herself while hospitalized anyways. She had been angry at Jin for transferring her out of the previous hospital she was in despite her refusing to but she couldn't be mad at him for long since he had a good reason for the transfer. Jimin had been released from the hospital a few days after he had left her room with Seulgi. Chaeyoung couldn't help but feel disappointed at the fact that he hadn't visited her at all after that day but she couldn't be mad at him when Jin told her he had been very busy catching up with work and school. She just got so accustomed to having him around that she felt lonely without him. She did always wake up to find white roses and a card by Jimin that Jin said he had been given to place there.

"How long do I have to stay in this stupid hospital room?" she grunted, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she sat on the bed. She was pouting at both Jin and Jungkook who were chuckling at her child-like behavior. "Calm down, kiddo. You will be released in a day or two. While your bruises may be disappearing for the most part, and some of your stitches have been removed, and the minor cuts have healed, you are still not completely healed yet. The doctor will be removing the stitches on your back so that they can fully heal on their own now. You are extremely lucky; your healing process was a lot faster than many other people despite the severity of your injuries. How is your body? Still in pain?" Jin asked her and Chaeyoung nodded slowly, "I still feel dizzy when I make a lot of physical effort and I have muscle pain, along with some of the bruises still hurting but for the most part, I'm okay. Physical pain is just temporary after all. I'll feel way better when I go home."

Jungkook approached her and ruffled her hair, "so cute. You are just like a baby, Chaengie. You are looking a lot better. Soon you will be out so wait a little longer." he reassured and she swatted his hand away but maintained a smile. "The doctor allowed me to assist you in walking around for a bit so that your legs can get some exercise." Jin helped her out of the bed and wrapped his arm around her waist while Chaeyoung put hers around his back. "I like the exercise since I can leave the room." she mentioned, taking slow steps as they made their way out. She still struggled with walking since her legs were still feeling weak, especially since her spine had taken most of the hits and her nerves were taking their time to heal properly.

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They headed to a restricted area that was only allowed to certain patients. Chaeyoung snuggled into a sweater that Jin had brought from home, sighing happily as she saw all the beautiful flowers on the terrace of the hospital. "I needed this. Being inside my room for a long time isn't fun." She pulled herself away from Jin who just watched her take careful steps as she explored the flowers. Jungkook and Jin stayed behind to allow her to view the area as she pleased. Chaeyoung's legs were feeling slightly wobbly but she ignored them in order to take in the plants she hadn't seen in so long. "I wish I could have been coming here more often. This would have been much more enjoyable and relaxing to me than being cooped up like a prisoner." she muttered out loud.

She kept on exploring, walking aimlessly until her legs bumped into something cold and she fell to the ground. Chaeyoung hissed in pain, laying on the ground due to the soreness of her body. "Chaeyoung, are you okay?" Jin and Jungkook came rushing to her and knelt down to help her up. Jin supported her by placing his arm around her waist again and once she was stable she looked down at what she had bumped into. Her eyes grew wide and she immediately bowed in apology. "I am very sorry, ma'am. I apologize for not paying attention and bumping into you." In front of her was a woman in a wheelchair that appeared to be in her 40s. She was very petite with a small face and short black hair that stopped at her shoulders. The woman stared at Chaeyoung and then slightly to her right where Jungkook stood. He gulped when he saw the woman look straight at him. Chaeyoung followed the woman's eyes and blinked when the woman turned to look at her again.

"You poor child, you have been given a death sentence by people of blood. You are in serious danger. A de-" "Eomma!" Chaeyoung audibly gasped when a familiar voice was heard shouting towards their direction, cutting the woman off. She turned towards the voice and her heart started to beat harder when she saw a face she hadn't seen in two weeks. Chaeyoung turned away from Jimin who was rushing over and hugged Jin by his waist, hiding her head on his chest. She was shaking from the words of the woman in front of her and the emotion of seeing Jimin in person after a long time. Jimin came to a stop in front of them, positioned beside the woman in the wheelchair. "C-Chaeyoung..." he whispered, heart clenching when he saw her hide away more and hug Jin tighter. He looked down at his mother who had an intense stare going on towards Chaeyoung.

"Jin hyung, Chaeyoung, it's nice to see you both again. I'm sorry I didn't visit, Chaeyoung." She remained silent, still refusing to look at him since his words made her weak and she couldn't face him at the moment. He turned his head towards his mother, "this is my eomma, Park Jihyo." Jimin introduced his mother who was still silent. Jin and Chaeyoung both bowed deeply and introduced themselves to her. Chaeyoung began to feel her legs give out and grabbed onto Jin's sweater with her fists. "O-oppa, I want to go back." she whispered, looking at him desperately. Jimin bit his lip harshly as he watched Jin nod and take her away once they bowed again and excused themselves.

He noticed how she had avoided his eyes and it made him feel upset and guilty. She might have thought that he never visited but he had gone to see her; every single day to be exact. The only thing was that he went when Chaeyoung was asleep and he had asked Jin not to tell her. He was still very confused about his feelings so he wasn't prepared to face her after what had happened in her room. He would bring her roses and a card for when she woke up and would speak to her about what was going on in his life; her presence enough to relieve his stress. He sighed and turned to his mother when he felt her grab the sleeve of his sweater. "Jimin-ah, I want to see that girl again. Something is endangering her life, something very dark and powerful is after that girl's soul. Please, I have to speak with her." she desperately begged and Jimin felt his heart drop and his blood drain from his system.   

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Author's Note:

Hi everyone!

I decided to write a longer chapter this time.

Finally, Jimin's mother has made an appearance.

She is very important.

Also, Happy Belated Birthday to Jisoo and to me (we share the same birthday)!

Bye now, hope to see y'all soon!