Jimin awoke to find was that Taehyung was not there. 

He went looking for Matron Lee, who broke the news to him. 

“Taehyung? He was discharged yesterday. I’m surprised you don’t know that Dr. Park, seeing the amount of attention you place on him.” Matron Lee teased amicably.

Jimin cursed himself inwardly for failing to question Taehyung about his attire yesterday. He thought Taehyung was only wearing the oversized hoodie to keep warm, and his general awareness had also been dulled by his alcohol intake so he didn't take too much notice. 

“Noona, do you know where I can find him?”

"He said he was going home."

"Home??? Did he say anything else?"

"No..." Matron Lee looked puzzled at the horror reflected on Jimin's face. "Where else should he go but home?"

To Matron Lee, a patient nearing full recovery belonged at home. But Jimin knew better.

Why would he go home to face his Dad unless he......

Jimin's thoughts were inconclusive but of all the scenarios he was conjuring in his head, every single one involved Taehyung being ushered to a police car in handcuffs. He had to stop Taehyung from being rash.

"Noona, I need to find him. Can you help me to retrieve his address, and one more thing— Can you send an ambulance or call the cops if I message you to?"

Matron Lee was visibly startled, but Jimin was quick to reassure her.

"Don't worry, Noona. It could be nothing but my suspicions. I'm just going to check in on Taehyung real quick, k?"

Matron Lee frowned. "That was the same thing Taehyung said to me — to not worry. You boys better mean it!"

Jimin put on a sheepish smile and gave Matron Lee a quick parting hug before making his way to his car, breaking into a run once she was out of sight. He didn't want to worry Matron Lee unnecessarily. But as he fumbled with starting the car engine and stepped on the gas hard to get going, he had doubts and fears on his mind.

I swore to protect you. Can't let anything happen to you. Please be alright... PLEASE.

Jimin got the address he needed from Matron Lee's call to him on his way out. He drove in that direction right away, and it took utmost effort to focus on figuring out the fastest route while mental images of Taehyung washing his father's blood off his hands kept surfacing.

When he finally reached Taehyung's house, he wasn't ready for the escalating scene he caught sight of through the window.

Taehyung crouched over the floor, his lips already pouring blood as his Dad delivered a consecutive kick to his abdomen that made him sputter more red, adding to the pooling stains on the ground.

"......That's weak... Is that the best you can do?" Taehyung gripped his abdomen while his face scrunched up, and clearly the pain was unbearable because his entire body was trembling on wobbly knees, yet he couldn't shut his defiant mouth up.

"Gotta hit much harder to do me in." Taehyung's tone was antagonising, and while he was a quivering heap of broken ribs and swelling bruises which was damage done before Jimin had arrived, Taehyung still possessed enough rage to look at his Dad with scornful eyes. 

"Don't you want to get rid of me?" Taehyung challenged. "You always get away with it anyway, SO STOP BEING A WUSS AND TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT."

Just before Jimin clambered to Taehyung's side, these words resounded in Jimin's head and stopped him in his tracks.

He had rushed over to this house, worried out of his mind that Taehyung was out for revenge. Instead, Taehyung was just lying there defenceless against his Dad's thrashing like it was the most natural thing in the world, like he didn't care to make it out alive.

Taehyung had come home on a suicide mission. The moment Jimin realised that, his heart ached so badly he felt like he couldn't breathe.

A crash of glass was heard from inside the house, and Jimin's instincts took over as he found himself striding past the open doorway and diving down over Taehyung's crouched frame.

"Jimin?" Taehyung was confused to set eyes upon Jimin's pained face. He hadn't harbored any hopes of seeing Jimin again. "No- Jimin, stay away— Too risky—"  

Jimin thumbed over the corner of Taehyung's cracked lips to quieten his panic. Up close, he could see that Taehyung's injuries were severe enough to warrant a few more months of hospitalization.

"You ..." Jimin lamented softly. He could taste blood rising from his throat and washing over his tongue. Taehyung's widening eyes flickered to his father standing behind Jimin, holding up shards of a broken beer bottle painted red, while more of the same blood red was now seeping from Jimin's chest, soaking through the fabric of his shirt. Jimin just looked sad and forlorn.

"Taehyung ah... Do you really want to die so badly?" A stream of blood spewed from Jimin's lips, but his hurt was reflected more in his imploring gaze on Taehyung. Taehyung's hands flew over Jimin's cheeks to keep him from falling, but Jimin lost consciousness just then and landed with his head cradled in Taehyung's arms.

"N-no— Jimin— JIMIN!!!— Don't leave me don't leave me" Taehyung held Jimin tightly while crying breathlessly.

Jimin had covered Taehyung and taken the stab that was meant for him. He had taken a stab for Taehyung who wanted to throw his life away.

"Who's the now..." Taehyung cried harder, shakily placing his palm on Jimin's cheek, but Jimin was still out cold. He cried so earnestly for Jimin to wake up that he could have entirely missed hearing the approach of the cops and ambulance sirens in the distance. His father was handcuffed and brought away by the police.

Taehyung passed out from the blood loss resulting from his injuries, as the paramedics pried away his arms that held Jimin — arms that had deliriously clung on to Jimin for life. Both ambulances sped to the hospital in close tandem as the heart rate on the beeping ECG for both casualties continually threatened to slow down...

_______

Author's Note: 

Heartstopping chapter. Noooo I'm just being a tease. 

Pls continue to support this fic, it'd so great to know if you have the same Vmin feels as I do. 

My Vmin feels may be a slow and labored love... but we'd get there :3 Leave me comments?