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HI ARMY and adorable readers.

Thank you so much for staying with me.

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His soulmate's crying face yanks on something in him.

Yanks hard.

So hard that his head spins for a moment and he doesn't know what to do.

And Jeon Jungkook swears that it is his bond, not him, that made him do what he did next.

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His bond grabbed his hand and reached it toward her face, softly, as softly as he had ever touched anything, wiped away her tears with his index finger.

Trailing the back of his finger over one cheek, then the other, as she gaped at him, her eyes wide and shocked, probably not more shocked than himself though.

In his brain he knew it was wrong, was too forward.

But for some reason his bond, the silver and gold thing in his chest, told him this is right.

So Jungkook's internal battle raged on as his finger continued down to her chin, brushing away all her tears.

And he heard himself say,

"Don't cry."

He didn't have a choice.

She was his to take care of now.

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You

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He didn't have a choice.

It was simple.

The two of you were bonded, stuck together, and needed each other to survive.

You saw the way Jungkook's arms trembled when you stopped touching for just a second.

He needs you, even if he doesn't want to.

You are just a huge inconvenience.

Guilt gnawed at your gut as you took in how pale his face was.

Surely healing is supposed to be faster than this?

You already felt better.

Why does he still look so frail?

You remember all the videos you watched of BTS.

Jungkook was strong.

He held himself easily.

Why is he just a shadow of his former self right now?

He pulls his hand away from your face, wiping your tears on his shirt.

He is staring at you so intently that your heart is thundering in your rib cage.

Why is he looking at you like that?

, you seethe at yourself.

You cough to clear your throat and break out of this trance.

"Can we... move over there to get some more water?"

Jungkook's mouth firms into a thin line, as though he's considering something.

Then he hesitantly, slowly, reaches over your lap and takes your hand into his large hand.

"So... so we can move without being weird," he says, not looking at you.

You know you've got to be red from your forehead to your toes.

He stands and pulls you up, collecting an armful of water bottles. He also rearranges some blankets, all while holding your hand.

When you both sit back down, sipping water, he's had every chance to let go of you but he hasn't.

"Do you... heal better like this?" you ask him.

It has to be.

Why else would he want to hold your hand?

"Uh. Yes."

But he still isn't looking you in the eyes.

Probably too awkward.

"Okay then. Are you healing alright though? You still seem very..."

Weak.

"... tired."

"I think I just need more time?" he half asks half replies.

He runs his other hand through his hair and bangs, ruffling it up, looking both embarrassed and frustrated.

The gesture and the look on his face are so endearing...

... a jolt of something silver and warm and bright jolts through your chest.

Your jaw drops.

What was that??

Your hand leaps up of its own accord to grip the fabric of your shirt over your heart.

The feeling continues, sizzling down your arm to where your hand meets Jungkook's hand.

Your eyes widen involuntarily as you gape at him.

What was that?

Was that... Jungkook?

Or was it the bond?

He blinks back at you, the both of you staring at each other in confusion for a moment.

Then he, Jeon Jungkook, center stage of worldwide most popular band,

He looks down, at the floor, then at the wall, then at the ceiling and at his knee and away, anywhere but at you as he asks,

"Did you... did you feel something?"

"I...it, we..." You blink rapidly, trying to make sense of what just happened.

No.

You can't bring yourself to say .

You bite down on your lip.

"Did you feel something?" he asks again, firmer.

If this soulmate thing was going to work, you were going to have to be a lot braver, weren't you?

You take a deep breath.

"It was like, like... electricity? But, not painful, it... it was, very... warm," you whisper.

He seemed to sigh in relief.

"I felt that earlier too," he says quietly.

You grip the edge of your shirt, panting as discreetly as possible.

God, even your bond was such a fangirl.

"This bond thing is... kind of overwhelming, isn't it?" He looks at you through his lashes.

You nod.

But as you glance at him... you can't help but frown.

He just seems so... washed out.

"Jungkook... I think you should sleep a little more. After you drink water. I'm sure we'll heal faster if we nap..."

He nods again.

You release each other's hands to uncap the water bottles.

The millisecond your skin breaks contact, a thudding migraine immediately surfaces into your temples.

Great.

How needy you are.

"I'm going to go to the washroom and wash up," Jungkook says.

You watch as he gets up and sways a little on his first two steps.

You swallow half the water in one breath, clenching your teeth at the probing dizziness that enveloped you, growing heavier and blurrier each heartbeat that your soul mate was away.

You finish a second bottle by the time Jungkook is back.

You use the washroom while he attacks the water bottles.

When you return, there are three empty containers by Jungkook's shoulder.

He has lain himself down on the mat.

But his hands are shaking, his eyes squeezed tight and his lips parted, panting.

"Hey, are you alright?" you kneel beside him.

This isn't right.

You felt sick too when you weren't actively bond healing but Jungkook doesn't seem to have healed at all.

Maybe you should wake the nurse.

Ask her to bring the doctor back.

Ask her to help Jungkook.

You turn to the nurse but the noona on the sofa has opened her eyes at your raised tone.

She drags her gaze over you kneeling by Jungkook.

She sighs.

"Don't you feel unwell?"

"Um, a little. But, I'm fine... it's Jungkook... he's... not healing. He doesn't seem any better. Can you... can we help him? Should we call someone?"

You gesture to his pale face.

His brows are drawn.

He doesn't seem to have heard your conversation at all.

"He was more sick than you when you arrived here. He will take more time to recover. And I think he got sick faster than you too. He may just need the soulmate bond more than you do. He doesn't need us to call anyone. He just needs you."

The noona tilts her chin at toward Jungkook.

"Only you can help him."

Your gut sinks with each word she speaks.

The responsibility of his well being rested solely on your shoulders now.

And if he stayed sick... then that would be your fault.

How do you even heal your soulmate faster?

You bite down on your lip, frustrated.

You lie down beside Jungkook, who is lying on his side with his back to you, pressing your entire arm, shoulder to fingertips, against his back.

It was a little awkward as you didn't want him to wake up thinking you were groping his butt, but your hand was dangerously close.

But you forget it and gasp as all of the soreness, pain and discomfort in your body ebbed away.

You revel in the floaty, soft warmth.

But your mind is paying close attention to the boy beside you.

Jungkook's laborious breathing took a few minutes to slow down and grow deeper, but it did eventually.

A little reluctant, unsure... not wanting to be inappropriate, you turn slowly, keeping your torso a chaste enough distance away from Jungkook's body to disqualify from spooning him...

... dear god please let him not wake to you spooning him...

... as you gently fold your other arm on top of his other arm too.

The thought still holds firmly in your mind...

... the healing is too pleasant, zapping through your arms...

But don't spoon him...

... as you slowly sink into sleep.

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Jungkook

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Jungkook wakes to a soft murmuring of voices.

But his first clear realization was that an arm was draped across his waist from behind and something warm was pressed against his back.

He thought it was Taehyung for a moment but his mind cleared to the buzzing of the soulmate healing, telling him otherwise.

He opened his eyes.

Standing over him, concern all over the curves of his face, was his leader, Kim Namjoon.

Standing next to Namjoon was Jimin, looking down with a smirk on his face.

"What?" Jungkook says defensively.

It would have been a lot more intimidating if he voice wasn't a croak and he wasn't whispering as to not wake his Soulmate.

"Well, don't let us bother you," drawls Yoongi's voice from somewhere else.

Then Jin's squeaky laugh cuts in and soulmate girl is waking, letting out a small huff of air as she draws her arms back in.

She opens her eyes wide as she recognizes the laugh and jerks into a sitting position.

Leaving Jungkook suddenly feeling weak at the lack of contact.

Damn, he had felt so rested just a moment ago.

"Were you two... spooning??" asks Hoseok from behind Yoongi.

"We... ?" the girl whispers, her eyes wide and Jung-shook.

"No, just our arms were touching," Jungkook cuts in quickly, just as Yoongi opens his mouth.

But Jungkook was secretly pretty sure that his hyungs were, in fact, correct, and soulmate been, in fact, spooning him.

Her face was as red as a tomato at the suggestion of it though, so he shakes his head at her again.

He widens his eyes at Yoongi as Yoongi tries again to argue.

Strangely, he didn't mind, though.

Did she spoon him on purpose? Kind of odd.

But it seemed acceptable.

They were bonded, after all.

It's not like they'll stay strangers.

At least that's how he justified it to the little voice inside his head saying but you hate it when strangers hug you.

She looked a little less mortified after his lie, however, so it kind of made it worth it.

She ran her fingers over her hair, rubbing her eyes, straightening her shirt, trying to iron out the wrinkles with nothing but her fingers.

The noona, bless her soul, saved soulmate girl.

"Good morning. I got you a set of toiletries. Do you want to brush your teeth and have some more water?"

Girl-who-makes-things-in-Jungkook's-chest-turn-golden was handed a zippered bag and a towel as she dashed for the washroom, trying not to make eye contact with any of the Bangtan members.

Jungkook wasn't thinking about it.

But after he ignored everybody and went to shower in the other bathroom, brushing his teeth and washing his face too, he found himself back in his bedroom, pulling out two fresh shirts instead of one.

He still wasn't thinking about it until he was knocking on the hallway bathroom.

"I'll just be a few more minutes, almost done," came her voice, muffled like she was wiping her face under the towel.

"Hey, I'm going to leave a clean shirt by the door for you... if you want it," Jungkook heard himself say.

A long pause.

"That's... so... nice. I... I actually do want it. Thank you."

"No problem," Jungkook loops a sleeve hole of the spare black tee over the doorknob.

He's greeted by snickers sounding suspiciously like Taehyung and Jimin as he turns into the living room.

His ears feel hot but he ignores it.

Even the noona is smiling.

He braces himself as both Namjoon and Yoongi turn to him.

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