The next day, at Caffebene

Jimin flew into Caffebene, a cafe down the street of the hospital. He was breathing heavy, cheeks flushed. He looked around, and saw, him, Taehyung. His heart skipped a beat. He saw Taehyung frown, and started to walk towards him, wondering what was wrong. But Taehyung recovered his smile quickly and shouted, “Jimin! Come sit!”

Jimin maneuvered through the bustling cafe, to a worn leather armchair across from Tae. “So.,” Jimin said. “How’s your life been?” Jimin, why are you so awkward? “It’s been great! But tell me about your life!” Came the enthusiastic response. It always warmed him when Tae let him talk, because Tae was the most extroverted people he knew: he could talk about a topic like coffee for 4 hours nonstop.

As Jimin started talking about his job, he noticed that Taehyung looked a little pale, and when he blinked, his eyes closed for a little too long. But he brushed it off. Being with him made Jimin feel truly happy, and he didn’t want that feeling to go away. After he finished giving a lengthy description about the annoying coworker he had, he got up to go order.

“Do you want anything, Taehyung-Ah?” Tae looked up and smiled. “Just a warm pastry is fine. Thanks!” Jimin walked through the maze of tables to the barista at the counter. As he made the order, he glanced back at Taehyung. He had his eyes closed, hand to his heart, as if he were reciting the national anthem. Jimin quickly finished and rushed back to their table. “Tae, are you ok?” Tae opened his eyes, his signature boxy smile spreading across his face.

“Yes of course! I’m just a little tired, is all. Come, sit and tell me more about your coworkers.” Jimin’s face brightened, and he sank down into the armchair. All of my coworkers are so annoying, so who should I choose to rant about first? His thought was broken by the barista calling out “Tall coffee and muffin for Jimin?”

Jimin got up, and gestured for Tae to rise to get his food. Jimin turned back and started to walk to the counter when he heard a small moan, followed by a crash. He turned, and on the ground lay Taehyung, not moving. Jimin quickly knelt down. All he could feel was panic. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, fumbling with his password. There were people gathering around, yelling out things to do. A man slid onto the floor and checked his pulse. Jimin called 1-1-9, just as the man said, “He has a pulse, but call that ambulance quickly!”
 

“Hello, 1-1-9, what is your emergency?” “I need an ambulance, m-my friend, he fell and--” “Where are you right now?” “I-in the caffebene, in Guri. P-please hurry, I don’t know what’s wrong with him!” Jimin could vaguely hear the receiver telling him to stay on the line, but the phone dropped to the ground.

Time slowed. The people around him shouting became nothing more than whispers in the wind. He tried to move closer to Taehyung, to help him, but he was frozen in place. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t speak, he couldn’t breathe. He just stood as the ambulance staff rushed in, the sirens going off. He watched as his friend, one whom he had only known for a day was lifted onto a stretcher and carried into the ambulance.

He watched as the bright lights gradually faded from his vision. There was no feeling, he was numb. The feeling of a thousands eyes glaring at him bore into his back, but still he didn’t move. Finally, he felt a tap on the shoulder. A short woman was behind him. “Would you like a ride to the hospital? The nearest one is in Asan, and I think they will take your friend there.” He turned to face her. When would look back on this incident, he would always remember the small act of kindness that had shaken him out of what would have probably become a long lasting feeling of.. Nothing, numbness.

He stuttered, “Y-yes, thank you.” and wordlessly followed her to her car, the sounds of the ambulance still ringing in his ears.