Let's go home
Second Star to The Rightlong author's note at the end
Cool wind brushed against the cheeks of a chubby boy who sat beside the wall, eyes casted outside of the window and on the stars that's twinkling above him. He always makes it a habit to tell the stars about his day because he solely believes that there's someone living beyond the stars that could relive him from the pain he is feeling right now. His mother used to always tell him about a boy who will visit sick children and bring them to a place where there is no pain. He wants to go there too. Anywhere is better than this place he is confined in.
Yes, Park Jimin is 15 and dying a slow painful death.
He wasn't suppose to be out of bed, but he couldn't stand listening to the quiet murmurs by the door.
"Poor boy, probably doesn't know what's coming."
"I wished someone could do something."
"Does he know his parents left him?"
Jimin's been told by many people that he has a bright future. His passion for dance, his angelic voice, his innocent face- people all say he's going to make it big. But now his future seems cloudy and almost non-existent. He can no longer see himself dancing anymore, he can no longer picture himself with his friends anymore. All Jimin has now are four white walls and a machine that could determine between life and death. Jimin could feel another wave of coughs coming his way and his chest constricted in the most painful way possible. The coughs rattled his lungs and for a moment Jimin was afraid they might give way. He knows the nurses will come in any minute now to check up on him, but all Jimin ever wanted was to visit the outside world one last time before he died. Jimin wanted to see his parents one last time before he died.
Truth be told, Jimin was afraid of dying alone.
He was always surrounded by friends, and Jimin thinks that it's not fair. His friends deserve to know the truth, they deserve to know that he's not moving to somewhere far away. Jimin remembers the look on Taehyung's face when his parents told them.
"He's not coming back then?"
"Yes Taehyung, Jimin will not be coming back."
"Will he visit us?"
"No Taehyung, he can't."
Oh how badly Jimin wanted to yell at his parents for lying to them. But it's alright, Jimin thinks. After all, he won't be remembered.
"Jimin!! Why are you out of bed?" he hears a familiar voice call out to him and smiles. It's his favorite hyung.
"Hyung, I wanted to see the stars." Jimin murmured. He could hear his hyung breathe out heavily before feeling his legs leave the floor.
"There, can you see them better now?" Hoseok asked as he carefully adjusted Jimin in his arms and walked closer to the window. Jimin pressed his palms against the window, looking out at the sky as the stars twinkled, as if they're asking him to follow them.
"Hyung, where do I go when I leave this place?" He could feel Hoseok tensing up behind him and he almost feels bad for asking. Hoseok was the only one that has been taking care of Jimin for so long. All the other doctors call Jimin a "gone case", but Hoseok chooses to stay with him.
"You'll be one with the stars Jimin-ah." Hoseok's voice came out strained and scratchy. Jimin giggled a little as he turned around in his arms and cradled his hyung's face.
"Don't be sad hyung."
"I'll be sad if you keep on saying these things, Jimin." Hoseok replied, allowing a quick smile to grace his lips before frowning as Jimin was sent into a fit of coughs. Hoseok carried Jimin back to his bed immediately, scolding him for being out of bed for so long while hooking Jimin up with a few packs of medicine again. Jimin hated needles, but it's not like he has a choice anyway. He never has a choice. Jimin was quiet the whole time Hoseok fumbled with the beeping machines around him, thinking about what he said about being one with the stars. Jimin likes stars, so he figured it will be alright, even if he's alone.
Maybe he can see the boy that his mother always talks about.
"Hey Jiminnie, want to hear a story?"
Normally Jimin would be up for Hoseok's stories, but tonight he just wants to go to bed.
"No, it's okay hyung. I'm pretty tired." He could see Hoseok's frown from the side, but chooses not to say anything. Jimin kept his head low, fingers fiddling with the hem of his shirt until Hoseok gives in and ruffles Jimin's hair, giving him a quick peck on his forehead before tucking him into bed.
"It's alright. Go to sleep Jiminnie. You have to wake up early for a check up tomorrow." Jimin sighed and nodded, giving his hyung a light kiss on his cheeks before allowing Hoseok to tuck him into bed. He casted one last glance towards the window before and he swore he saw one of the stars flicker for a moment. But before he was able to process anything, he felt sleep wash away him like a tide. His eyes drooped and Jimin fell asleep hoping silently that he'll dream about the stars.
-
Jimin felt a cool breeze caress over his skin and he snapped his eyes wide open. Why was it so breezy? He sat up slowly, eyes rubbing at his eyes sleepily before realizing that the window was open.
Didn't Hoseok hyung shut it just now?
Jimin blinked once, twice and when he opened his eyes, his breath got caught in his throat.
Squatting on the window railing was a boy that wore green tattered clothes and hat that frames his face perfectly. The first thing that Jimin notices about the boy was his pink hair. It reminds him of all the cotton candy his parents used to buy for him when they're at carnivals. The next thing Jimin notices is the boy's eyes- sharp and fiery, but somehow there's a glint of mischief Jimin can't quite put his finger on. He felt his heart beat just a little faster when the boy turned and made eye contact with him. Shivers went down his spine and he could feel goosebumps rising up at the intensity of his stare.
"W-who are you?" Jimin's voice stuttered, but he doesn't notice it because he's actually afraid. Jimin's room is located on the sixth floor, and there's absolutely no way the boy could've climbed all the way up here. What catches Jimin off guard was the gummy smile that the boy throws at him. Jimin watches in amazement as the boy's eyes crinkles up, kind of resembling the stars that he saw just before he went to bed.
"Hiya, I'm Yoongi. You must be Jimin, right?" Yoongi asks, amused at how Jimin's jaw dropped just a little more at his name. Truth be told, if Yoongi wasn't told that Jimin was dying, he probably wouldn't believe it. The boy had such lively eyes for someone who's nearing death and Yoongi wants so badly to reach over to pull him into a headlock. He feels a kind of bad for Jimin, the boy would've grown up to be beautiful. But it's Yoongi's job to put children out of their misery, and Jimin was one of them.
"Yoongi? That's a funny name." He watches from the window as Jimin giggles, finding himself smiling along casually. Suddenly, Yoongi doesn't feel like taking Jimin with him anymore. He casts the boy a pitiful glance, hoping, wishing he could do something.
"Say Jiminnie, do people visit you?" Jimin's heart flutters at the nickname, but he shakes his head slowly, brain still not processing what's going on.
Yoongi purses his lips, heart clenching at the thought of Jimin alone is this white room.
Adults are mean. Adults are ruthless. That's the reason why I made Neverland.
"How about I make a deal with you Jimin? I'll come visit you tomorrow again, but you have to be a good boy and listen to the doctors okay?" Yoongi hates himself for asking Jimin to trust the doctors, but he has no choice. He can't stay around Jimin when the adults are here. They'll chase him away.
He watches excitement grow on Jimin's face before he's nodding so hard Yoongi's afraid his head will fall off. He laughs, and Jimin's absolutely captivated by the creature in front of him.
"I'll see you tomorrow Jiminnie." He whispers and with that, Jimin watches in horror as he flips down the building, throwing his legs off and running towards the window. He looked down the window, expecting to see a bloody mess below. But instead, he was greeted with the sight of Yoongi soaring through the air, carefree and occasionally twirling around. Yoongi catches Jimin gaping, and throws him a smile before zipping up the sky and Jimin finds Yoongi nearing the star second to the right. Again he blinks once, twice and when he opened his eyes again, Yoongi was gone.
Jimin rests his chin on the railing and states dreamily up at the stars. He must be the boy his mother always talks about.
"Come back soon, Yoongi."
-
The first thing Yoongi sees when he emerges from the clouds is a boy with raven hair sitting by the shore. When Yoongi lands on the beach, he feels grabby fingers tugging at the hem of sleeve. He looks down the sight he is greeted with his endearing. Jungkook peered up at Yoongi through his bangs, one hand grabbing his shirt while he had a bunny plushie in the other.
"Hyung, hyung, where's the boy you said you would bring?" Yoongi crouched down and ruffled Jungkook's hair, carrying him and twirling him around.
"He's not going to be here yet Jungkook. He still has things to do." Yoongi explains to Jungkook after his laughter had died down. He watches Jungkook pout and stomp his feet on the ground childishly. But Yoongi forgives him. It's not easy being the only kid around here in Neverland. He had brought Jungkook in when he first saw him at the alleyway. He was assigned to bring Jungkook over, and the sight he was greeted with was heartbreaking. Jungkook was lying in the alleyway, hands grabbing onto his plushie bunny and all the poor boy wanted to have was food. Yoongi remembered the frantic look on Jungkook's face. He crouches down and holds onto the boy's hand tightly and watches Jungkook choke on his own tears.
"Are you going to bring me home?"
Yoongi smiles sadly at the boy, hands clutching just a little bit tighter.
"Yes, I'll bring you home. Let's go Jungkook, let's go to Neverland."
And with that, he watches Jungkook's eyes close while he gently pulls him off the ground.
The moment Jungkook's legs left the ground, he had stopped aging and stayed 8 ever since.
"Hyung, hyung, the man in the creepy cloak came to see you again." Yoongi's thoughts got cut off by Jungkook tugging at his sleeve again. It must be Namjoon again. Yoongi heaves Jungkook onto his back and walks slowly back to his hut.
When he got back, he is greeted by the sight of Namjoon ransacking his cabinets like a bear.
"Tsk, go get your own food Namjoon." Yoongi scolds as he lets Jungkook down, watching him scurry into the living room and away from the scary cloaked man. He has to remind himself to tell Namjoon not to wear that cloak anymore. Namjoon turns around abruptly. He gives Yoongi a dimpled grin before realizing that he should have another boy with him.
"Yoongi, you didn't get Jimin?" Namjoon asked wearily, watching as Yoongi sighed and plopped down onto the chair.
"I couldn't Namjoon, not when he stares at me like that. When I told him I would visit him again, he looks at me like I'm the only person that matters in this world." Namjoon looks at him disbelievingly. Yoongi is getting soft.
"I can't take him away, not when he still has so much more to discover." Yoongi whispers the last part, and Namjoon knows his words won't waver his mind.
"I understand, but you know what will happen right?" Namjoon asked, watching Yoongi nod silently.
"If you don't bring him here soon, I'll have to take him with me."
"I know Namjoon. I know."
-
The next day, Jimin doesn't tell Hoseok about the mysterious pink haired guy. He also went through the doctor's checkup obediently and ate his medicine and vegetable when Hoseok told him to do so. Hoseok looks amazed when Jimin downs his medicine in one go without putting up a fight. But he smiles and pats Jimin's cheeks lovingly, reminding him to finish up his water and food. Jimin nods, but all he cares about his the second ticking away until he meets Yoongi again.
Please come back quickly.
Night approaches swiftly and before Jimin knows it, Hoseok is ticking him into bed again. He presses a rushed kiss on Hoseok's cheek before scurrying beneath his blankets, waiting for Yoongi to come back again.
Jimin is certain he fell asleep, but when he feels the cool wind brushing against him again, he smiles and sits up. Yoongi is in the same position as he saw him yesterday and Jimin smiles so hard his eyes disappeared.
"You came back again Yoongi."
"Yah, I'm older than you punk." Yoongi listens to Jimin laugh and wants to deny the fact that his laughter might save a dying bird. Yoongi doesn't know what happened, but he was certain he came to visit Jimin with a mindset that he would bring him away. But he finds himself sitting by his bedside, fingers treading through his soft hair as he listened to Jimin babble on about his day. Yoongi could feel a persistent tugging in his chest and when he looks up, he realizes that it's time for him to go. He stands up and Jimin knows that he has to go.
"You're leaving hyung?" Yoongi wants so badly to reach over to wipe over that pout with his lips. Wait, what?
"Yes, hyung needs to leave now Jiminnie."
"I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow punk." Yoongi likes to pretend he doesn't feel his cheeks burn when Jimin smiles tenderly at him. He reaches down and before he can regret it, plants a soft kiss on his forehead.
And with that, Yoongi jumps.
-
Yoongi lost track of how many times he visited Jimin. But he notices vaguely how the boy seems to have grown. His cheeks are less chubby now and he swears the boy was still shorter than him a few minutes ago. He also notices how Jimin wants him to lie in his bed with him all the time. And how he would fall asleep to Yoongi softly caressing his cheeks.
But Yoongi's afraid, because he can feel himself start to look at Jimin differently. He sits at a corner and watches Yoongi carve something out of wood for Jungkook. Yoongi has told Jimin about Jungkook, and he can't wait to see the little boy. Yoongi was about to finish up on the figurine and Jimin whispers to Yoongi.
"I love you hyung."
Yoongi stares up at Jimin in disbelief and feels his throat go dry. Jimin was starting at him with so much love Yoongi wants to look away. He stands up abruptly and moves away from the bed, shaking his head as he ventures closer to the window.
"Hyung I-"
But before Jimin finished his sentence, Yoongi had fled.
-
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. It had been 11 months since Jimin last saw Yoongi. The moment Yoongi left the room, he felt as if Yoongi had taken a part of him too. He felt lifeless and didn't find any reason to live anymore.
You were my new dream, hyung.
Yoongi might not have noticed, but he had spent more than 365 days with Jimin before he left. Although he missed Jimin's 16th and 17th birthday, he doesn't blame him. Jimin scared Yoongi away. Jimin waits everyday by the window in hopes of seeing a pink haired boy come for him. But everyday he gets disappointed and feels his heart sinks just a little lower.
But now he can barely move from the bed. Jimin feels weak from head to toe and doesn't find the strength to even lift his hand. He knows he is dying, and instead of wishing he could at least see his parents once more, he finds himself wanting to see Yoongi one last time. He finds himself feeling sleepier and sleepier.
Is this what death feels like?
Jimin can feel someone's gaze on him, but he was certain there's no one around him. Just as he closed his eyes, he saw a dash of pink in front of him and smiles softly.
-
Yoongi panics when he notices Jimin's light flickering. Every child Yoongi is assigned to has a tree and he had been staring at Jimin's for ages. He scolds himself mentally for being a coward. Yoongi thinks he might like Jimin too. But he can't. He shouldn't. Every time Yoongi wants to go back, he would get scared and somehow his feet just won't leave the ground. He goes to sleep every night with guilt eating at his stomach and wishes he could've stopped feeling scared.
And now he's basically running through the sky to get to Jimin. He had to bring him over. Yoongi only realized it now but he wants Jimin to be happy. And if Jimin being happy means staying with Yoongi, he would grant this selfish wish just once.
But when he got to Jimin, he saw the younger boy's eye slide shut.
"No, no, no, no, no," Yoongi chants as he rushes over to the bedside, hands gripping tightly around Jimin's. But he couldn't feel anything stirring in Jimin. He stares intently at the heart monitor that now shows a straight, flat line and the deafening sound that it produces shot right through his heart. He was too late, he couldn't bring Jimin over now.
But he had a clue of where Jimin would be.
-
Yoongi isn't used to being in the dark, but when he spots a familiar turf of blonde holding onto a boy that looks strikingly familiar, Yoongi calls out to him.
"Namjoon," said man stopped in his tracks as he heard his name being mentioned.
"Yoongi, I warned you. I really did." Yoongi doesn't miss the way his tone quavered. It must be hard choosing between his job and lifelong friend.
If you don't bring him here soon, I'll have to take him with me.
"I know Namjoon, I know. I won't make it hard for you. Just let me see him once more. Please." Yoongi hates the way his voice cracks at the last syllabus. But he needed I see Jimin again. He needed to make things right.
He heard Namjoon sigh audibly before turning around with Jimin beside him. Jimin's eyes looks vacant and Yoongi finds it so foreign he feels tears pricking at the back of his eyes. Namjoon snapped his finger and Yoongi feels a wave of relief as he see live flow back into Jimin's eyes. He ran forward, not minding how shock Jimin looks and threw his arms around him, burying his face into the crook of his neck.
"I'm so so sorry baby. Hyung's so sorry." he could feel Jimin's shoulders trembling and how he seems to clutch onto Yoongi even harder. Jimin buries his face into Yoongi's neck and cries a little harder when Yoongi whispers a soft 'I love you too'.
When Yoongi pulls away, he smiles and pats Jimin softly on the cheek.
"Be a good boy and listen to Namjoon okay? I'll visit you whenever I can. Hyung promises." Yoongi lifts his pinky up to Jimin and feels his heart clench when the boy reaches to lace their hand together instead. Yoongi takes a deep breath and leans in closer to the boy, lips barely brushing against Jimin's before moving away.
"Namjoon, take care of him." Yoongi says without breaking eye contact with Jimin. He hears Namjoon sigh again, before feeling cold fingers on his shoulder.
"Yoongi, you owe me."
Before Yoongi can question Namjoon, he watches the chain on Jimin's leg break apart. His eyes widen as he stares up at Namjoon. All the taller did was to give Yoongi a sad smile.
"I don't want you to end up like me Yoongi."
I don't want Jimin to end up like Seokjin too.
Yoongi throws Namjoon a grateful smile before scooping Jimin up into his arms, burying his face into his hair and whispers against his scalp.
"You know, I can always hear you from the stars. All your cute complains and whines about Hoseok babying you." Yoongi chuckles as Jimin whines again, softly hitting his chest.
"Let's go home Jimin." he hears Jimin's laughter and holds onto his hand again, smiling when Jimin places a kiss at the corner of his lips.
"Yeah hyung, let's go home."
A/N:
if you read it till here you are awesome.
ok first of all a huge apology to the people that subscribed to this. i had it all written out until the middle during december but my computer freaking crashed and i lost everything. kinda lost the motivation to go on to because i have to start everything again from scratch. also this turned out better in my head pls dont hate me. secondly let me explain the story a little. yoongi's obv the 'peter pan' in here and i wrote this based on what i saw a long time ago about peter pan being the one bringing dead kids to neverland or something like that. the original plot was that i made jimin 10 and yoongi 14ish 15. but then i realize jimin would be too young to understand anything or even understand love or even understand who is yoongi lmao. so i tweaked the plot a little and now yoongi is 18 and jimin is a little older. and if you guys caught on, there is an age limit for the kids yoongi can bring. and i made the age limit 16. so when jimin turned 17, yoongi can't bring him anymore. and why is yoongi 18? because he made neverland he can do whatever the he wants (im kidding). and then there's namjoon. if any one of you guessed, namjoon is death. he is the one that brings people who are 17 and above over to the afterlife. which explains why namjoon and yoongi are lifelong friends/partners. they kinds work tgt ya know? but since namjoon made a mistake once about seokjin (thats an entirely different story) he decides to let jimin go back to yoongi by breaking the chain that prevents yoongi from taking jimin away. i hope the story makes more sense now??? namjoon and seokjin had something before (but i may not write it). anyway i feel super super relieved that i finished this and this is the first fic that i wrote that went over 3k omg. and to everybody reading this fic I LOVE YOU <3<3<3<3<3 till nxt time!! also this is unbeta'd pls forgive me.
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