DMF: Yoongi’s POV

[A/N: This happens in Jimin’s aunt’s house while he was sick, right after the last update ended.)

He watches the soft rise and fall of Jimin’s chest as he dozes soundly against his pillow, eyeballs darting behind his closed eyelids, and wonders what kind of dream Jimin must be having. Hopefully it’s not a nightmare.

Because there’s a tiny crease forming in the space between Jimin’s brows. Yoongi reaches over with his free hand and presses the pads of his fingers to sooth the tension there. The other hand he keeps locked in Jimin’s warm grip. Even in his sleep, he’s clutching Yoongi like a lifeline. It’s endearing.

What is it about watching Jimin sleep that makes it so enjoyable? Yoongi has been wondering this for the past few minutes as he sits in contemplative silence. Is it because Jimin finally quiet and docile for once, and only when he’s in slumber? No, that can’t be it. Jimin is fun to have around both sober and silly—Yoongi wouldn’t really trade it or have it any other way.

Psychology states that sleepiness comes naturally to humans mostly when they feel safe. Maybe that’s why Yoongi feels a warm, pleasant thrill humming through him right now, sitting guard in Jimin’s bedroom. If Jimin feels safe enough to fall asleep in Yoongi’s presence, then there’s something to be said for that, right?

He doesn’t hate me, Yoongi rejoices internally. So many years of believing he’d been ghosted, or worse, that Jimin hated him, and as it turns out they hadn’t even managed to receive letters from each other.

It’s a pretty anticlimatic resolution, now that Yoongi thinks about it.

But it’s nice.

If anticlimatic means getting to share a more comfortable silence with Jimin from now on, Yoongi wouldn’t mind anticlimatic any day.

Jimin makes a scrunchy-faced expression in his sleep, which pulls an amused snort out of Yoongi. How can somebody look so innocent at his age? Despite everything?

Although Yoongi doesn’t exactly know what went down in Australia—he hasn’t mustered the heart to ask, for fear of upsetting Jimin with the burden of having to remember—he can admire Jimin for retaining such childlike qualities not because, but in spite of. Because yes, while this new, older Jimin may be a bit more guarded and jaded now, his delirious little antics today has shown Yoongi a glimpse of the inner child still hiding in him.

Slowly but surely, there’ll come a day when Jimin’s smile won’t be so hard to see anymore. Yoongi wants to be there when it happens.

He yawns and looks around, eyes latching onto the guitar pick pendant dangling on Jimin’s wardrobe door handle, and bites back a fond smile.

So Jimin had kept it all this time. If Yoongi had any doubts before, seeing that pendant truly sealed the deal for him: his Park Jimin is still in there, somewhere.

Yoongi can’t wait to keep holding his hand and see him grow out of this bleak misery.

Marigolds, after all, always come back seasoned and stronger.

—————————

Later that evening, Jung Miseon keys in the passcode to their front door and enters their home quietly, followed by her husband. “Jimin-ah?”

The downstairs rooms are empty, but there is leftover food on the table, and kimchi stew on the stove waiting to be re-heated. Miseon smiles to herself. Heh.

“So that young man did stop by like he offered,” she muses.

“Who?” asks Sejin, taking off his jacket.

“Earlier, outside the café.” What was his name again? Miseon could have sworn the kid had introduced himself at the hospital yesterday. “The one who asked for permission visit our Jimin.”

Speaking of which, Jimin must be sleeping. Hopefully he managed to eat a little bit. Slowly, Miseon makes her way up the staircase and knocks quietly against Jimin’s bedroom door.

When that doesn’t earn an answer, Miseon gently twists the doorknob to peek inside.

“Awww,” she coos under her breath.

Two boys, illuminated by Jimin’s warm bedside lamp, are snoozing inside. Jimin is lying on the bed, and his friend is passed out face-down at his bedside, drooling over the blanket.

“Sejin, come here!” Miseon hisses, beckoning her husband over.

Sejin comes bounding up the stairs, adjusting his glasses with one hand while holding his phone in the other. “What is it?”

Miseon smiles and gestures to the view in Jimin’s bedroom. Surely such an adorable sight must be shared and captured for memory’s sake. “Help me take a picture, won’t you?”

☺️♥️☺️♥️☺️♥️☺️