Asclepsius

Chapter 14: The Pull

Am's POV

Sleep refused to come.

Ever since I had seen that i********: post, my brain had decided that bedtime was the perfect moment to replay every interaction I'd ever had with Jimin.

I rolled onto my side.

Then onto my back.

Then buried my face in the pillow.

"Why can't I sleep?"

My thoughts were a complete mess.

I was scared.

Scared of what the fans might think if they ever noticed what was happening between us.

I was nervous.

I had work in a few hours.

And I was going to see him.

But more than anything...

I was happy.

Because I knew what I was feeling.

I just didn't know if he felt the same way.

Still, something was happening between us.

Something neither of us seemed capable of explaining.

I looked at my phone again.

That photograph.

That caption.

"B&W has so many meanings, mostly sad. But now, it's only you."

I buried my face in my pillow again.

"Jimin..."

Eventually, exhaustion won.

But morning arrived far too quickly.

Author's POV

It was a fresh start after the vacation.

Amungi wanted to look good.

At least, that was what she told herself.

She stood in front of her wardrobe for several minutes, carefully choosing what to wear.

Of course, she wanted to look presentable for work.

But perhaps...

there was another reason.

A certain someone might be there.

And with that thought, she smiled to herself.

She grabbed her bag and headed straight to HYBE.

HYBE Labels

Hoseok's POV

Knock! Knock! Knock!

I looked toward the door.

"Who is that?"

I opened it.

And the second I saw her...

"AMMMMMM!"

I practically threw myself at her.

"I missed you!"

Amungi laughed as I hugged her.

"Oh my gosh, hyung! How are you?"

"I'm fine!"

I pulled away and looked at her.

"Wow. You look gorgeous."

She smiled.

"Thank you, hyung."

"Come in!"

The moment Amungi entered the room, everyone immediately noticed.

"AM!"

"Hello!"

"Long time no see!"

"We missed you!"

Everyone spoke almost at once.

Amungi laughed.

"I'm happy to see you guys too!"

But while she greeted everyone...

her eyes were searching.

One face.

One person.

But he wasn't there.

Namjoon noticed.

"Who are you looking for, Am?"

Amungi immediately looked away.

"Ah... what?"

She laughed nervously.

"No one."

She gestured around.

"I was just looking around. You know, this place is really nice."

Jungkook narrowed his eyes.

"You okay, Am?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

He continued staring.

"Then why are you looking around like you're searching for someone?"

Amungi blinked.

"What? I'm not!"

She smiled awkwardly.

"All of you are here anyway."

Taehyung raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't search for anyone?"

"No!"

Namjoon finally interrupted.

"Guys, calm down."

He laughed.

"She's here to do our makeup, not to be interrogated."

Amungi sighed in relief.

"Exactly!"

Namjoon smiled.

"Let's start."

Amungi opened her makeup kit.

"So... who's first?"

"Jin."

"Okay!"

Everyone laughed when they answered almost simultaneously.

A Little Later

"Jin hyung, come here."

Jin sat down.

Amungi smiled at him.

"Worldwide Handsome is already handsome, so we're keeping this one light."

Jin smiled proudly.

"Thank you, Am."

"You're welcome."

One by one, she worked through the members.

Namjoon.

Yoongi.

Hoseok.

Taehyung.

Jungkook.

Each look was carefully done, keeping their individual features and personalities in mind.

The room was filled with laughter and conversation.

Everyone seemed happy.

Everyone except one person.

Jimin

Amungi looked around.

"Where's Jimin?"

Jungkook looked at her.

"When you came in, you said everyone was here."

He tilted his head.

"Didn't you notice Jimin wasn't here?"

Amungi's heart dropped.

"I mean..."

She hesitated.

"No."

Taehyung pointed toward the corner.

"There he is."

Amungi turned.

Jimin was sitting quietly in the corner.

His head was slightly lowered.

He looked completely unlike himself.

Amungi froze.

Is he like this because I pretended not to notice him?

Or was something else wrong?

Before she could ask, Namjoon spoke.

"Guys, what's going on with you two today?"

He looked between them.

"Am, don't mind him. He was completely fine this morning."

Namjoon sighed.

"But suddenly he's become really quiet."

He shook his head.

"He hasn't said much since he arrived."

Amungi's concern immediately grew.

"Did you take him to a doctor?"

Namjoon nodded.

"There's an emergency doctor here at HYBE."

"He checked him."

"Health-wise, he's completely fine."

"But..."

Amungi frowned.

"But what?"

Namjoon shrugged.

"We don't know."

"Did you guys try talking to him?"

"We did."

He sighed.

"Nothing."

Amungi looked toward Jimin.

Her expression softened.

"Should I try?"

Namjoon nodded.

"Go ahead."

"Let's see if he'll talk to you."

Amungi swallowed.

"Okay."

Am's POV

I slowly walked toward him.

My heart was beating ridiculously fast.

I crouched down beside him.

Everyone else was talking quietly, but I lowered my voice so only he could hear.

"Chimmy?"

His head lifted immediately.

Our eyes met.

For a second, neither of us moved.

Then something completely unexpected happened.

Jimin suddenly threw his arms around me.

I froze.

"Jimin..."

He buried his face against my shoulder, holding onto me as though he had been waiting for me to arrive all morning.

I instinctively held him back.

And then...

Pain.

The same burning sting exploded through my shoulder.

I gasped silently.

My arms tightened around him without meaning to.

The pain became stronger.

Hotter.

Sharper.

I couldn't breathe properly.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

I tried to endure it.

But the pain kept increasing.

I couldn't take it anymore.

I gently pushed Jimin away.

"I'm sorry..."

My voice broke.

I stood up quickly.

Then I ran.

BTS

Everyone in the room froze.

Jimin stared at the door.

"Am..."

His voice trembled.

"Please don't go."

He stood up.

"Am, please!"

His eyes began filling with tears.

Namjoon immediately grabbed his shoulders.

"Jimin!"

He shook him lightly.

"What is happening?"

Jimin didn't answer.

He just stared at the door through which Amungi had disappeared.

Jin looked at Jungkook.

"Go check on her."

Jungkook immediately nodded.

"Okay."

He rushed out.

The Hallway

Jungkook's POV

I looked down the corridor.

"Am?"

Nothing.

I walked farther.

"Amungi?"

Still nothing.

I turned the corner.

"Am..."

My voice echoed through the hallway.

I became more worried.

"AMMMMM!"

Nothing.

I kept searching.

But she was nowhere to be found.

And inside the styling room, Jimin was still staring at the door.

Neither of them understood why being near each other caused the same strange pain.

Neither understood why Jimin had felt an overwhelming need to hold her.

And neither knew that the ancient force sleeping beneath their ordinary lives had just taken another step toward awakening.

Something had recognized them.

Something had remembered them.

And soon...

they would too.