----Chapter Nine----

Jimin sees perfectly the moment Chaeyoung falls down on the ground and immediately makes his way toward her, gently pushing the people in his way. The crowd around her make no notice of the fallen girl like she isn't even there.

He can feel Hoseok behind him, even though he most likely has no clue why Jimin's suddenly moving since he'd been facing the other way. Maybe he saw something in his eyes. Or Hoseok's simply curious.

When Jimin reaches the motionless Chaeyoung, he kneels down to her level, placing a careful hand on her shoulder, and takes in her unfocused eyes, her labored breathing and the uncontrolled tremors of her body. "Chaeyoung?"

She gives no reaction to his voice as if she doesn't notice his presence at all.

"What's wrong with her?" He hears Hoseok ask, but he has no answer. She was fine when he saw her with Yeri of Red Velvet and then, she fell down and didn't get up. He has no idea what happened in the short time he looked away.

He should've kept his eyes on her.

He calls out her name again, but no reaction.

"Jimin!" He looks up to see Seulgi who looks breathless as she squats on Chaeyoung's other side. "God, I saw her fall...We need to get her out of here."

He nods. He places Chaeyoung's arm around his neck, Seulgi doing the same on the other side, and they slowly get up on their feet. Hoseok quickly takes the lead and clears them a path, either by politely yelling or pushing people.

Getting off the dance floor is no easy task, as Chaeyoung is unresponsive and Seulgi struggles to support her side of the taller girl's weight but she declines Hoseok's offer to switch places. Her determination to help her friend would've made Jimin smile at any other time, but Chaeyoung's heavy panting and the gibberish mumbles he catches when her head bumps on his shoulder every other step make it impossible.

Something about flashing lights?

Hoseok leads them in one of the private rooms, kicking out a make-out session between two idols in the process. Jimin and Seulgi slowly lower Chaeyoung down on the leather sofa. Boneless, she slumps forward, only stopped by Seulgi's hands reaching just in time to grab her shoulders.

Seulgi bends down in front of her, trying to make eye contact with her. "Chaeyoung? It's okay now. Everything's fine. You need to slow your breathing." Seeing no chance, she turns to Jimin, desperate. "I don't know what to do!"

Jimin takes a seat next to the unresponsive girl. Clueless about how he could help, he takes her hand in his, like he'd done at Inkigayo. The situation is different, but he's drawing a blank and he hates feeling helpless while she's in such a state.

"I'll go get one of her members," Hoseok proposes.

"No..."

They almost don't hear her. Her voice comes out soft and hoarse. Her breathing is still uneven, but her eyes are locked on Seulgi's form in front of her.

Seulgi lets out a relieved sigh. "Chaeyoung, thank god. Are you sure you don't want us to get someone?"

"I just need some time. Please don't tell the girls. They'll just worry and they've worried enough," Chaeyoung struggles to say, slurring the words out.

Jimin and Seulgi exchange a look. "Ok, if you're sure," Seulgi finally says, but her whole body is rigid with tension. Since he knows her well, Jimin knows she's not happy with Chaeyoung's decision, but the last thing they need is to agitate her more by going against her wishes.

Hoseok leaves, seeing as things were under control. Seulgi starts pacing around the room while keeping her eyes on Chaeyoung. "Anything we can do to help?" she finally asks after several trips back and forth.

She shakes her head slowly, eyes strained on the ground. "No...I guess maybe some water." On cue, Seulgi immediately jumps on the opportunity to be helpful.

When she's gone, Jimin leans his arms on his knees and rests his head on his hands, facing Chaeyoung. "Concentrate on getting better instead of racking your brain trying to find excuses to get me to leave. Not gonna work."

--

His eyes stay on her the whole time. How much time, she has no clue. She vaguely hears Seulgi returning with a water bottle and must've drunk a bit because isn't as dry as before.

She doesn't know how after how long, but at some point, the world finally stops spinning and she can hear Jimin humming softly next to her. She finally raises her head, feeling a major migraine behind her eyes. She searches the room, but Seulgi is nowhere to be found.

The humming stops. "Seulgi left a while ago," he says softly, answering her silent question. "There was a crisis with Joy drinking too much and puking on Irene, I think."

Chaeyoung frowns in worry. She hopes her friend will be fine. "Ah, I, um, thanks for staying with me. I'm a bit better now. I think I'll go home and sleep," she finally says after a long stretch of tense silence.

He insists on accompanying her back to her dorm, refusing to let her leave alone. Another time, she would've stubbornly argued but tonight she's too exhausted, her body too heavy, so she lets him help her out of the club and into a taxi.

She watches the buildings pass by, only blurring structures to her tired eyes that make her head spin, but closing her eyes would be worst.

She can't say it but Jimin's warm presence by her side works as a lifeline to her current weakened self.

She wants to slip her hand in his, but she has no right to such a bold move so instead, she digs her nails into the palm of her hand. She sighs with satisfaction as the pain stops the haze from taking control of her once more.

Her heart almost jumps out of her chest her when Jimin gently covers her hand with his. As if he read her mind.

Chaeyoung almost sags in relief but keeps her eyes on the night scenery. Pretends that she doesn't notice, that it's no big deal.

The pressure from her fingers fades until they're slack against her palm.

Why does he keep doing this? How can he know his touch mysteriously helps her?

Does he suspect her little crush on him? She hopes not, that would be so embarrassing.

Once they reach her dorm, she figures he'll stay in the taxi to go back to his own dorm, but he pays for the ride and then helps her up to her dorm. "You don't have to," she says weakly.

He only answers her with a smile and she knows he won't listen to her at all. He's really too kind...

He stays in the living room while she changes. She'll just tell him that she's going to bed immediately, so he can go back to his dorm. He's probably tired and she ruined his night too. He'd been having fun, dancing and then had to take care of her.

It doesn't take her long to return wearing black sweats and a large grey hoodie. He's sitting on their couch with an old black and white movie playing in the background. His attention switch from the movi