Our Universe | Jikook |

Chapter 8: When stars align

             Jungkook stood there, mesmerized by the older astronaut and couldn't hold in his smile. He almost wanted to run up to the man and ask him many questions about space, yet he knew he had to hold back because Jimin wasn't in his strongest state at the moment. So, the two exchanged gazes until… Mr. Park stepped up and all the astronomers kept quiet so Jimin's head wouldn't be spinning from the noise.

           At last, Jimin was back on earth. His ears were filled with the sounds of moving wind, the sways of the high grass against the ankles of every astronomer and the buzzing sound of the rocket powering down. Jimin made a smile, finally pulling his gaze away from Jungkook to look at his own father and nudge the astronauts to bring him closer to the ground. As soon as his shoes touched the soil, Jimin teared up because of those wasted hours in space, he was weak now, but he never regretted his expedition. He was able to last one earth year in space and it made his life become so frail before his own eyes. Speech was limited and walking was tough… But he still held a smile; happy to be back home than staying in the B248 for hours on end.

            “Jimin… It's me, your father… We would talk over the communicator…” Mr. Park whispered softly and once Jimin got close enough, Jimin moved his hands up from the astronauts' shoulders and moved them in to give his father a hug. Jimin's suit was a little heavy, but the father hugged the boy and didn't really care about how heavy the suit became. “I'll take him to the facility… Jungkook, come here.” The man spoke up as Jungkook felt like his heart began to sink once Mr. Park signalled him to come forward. In reality, Jungkook had no idea why his heart was pounding as if he was going to meet the president of South Korea… Maybe it was just the fact that seeing Jimin for the first time made him worry about what the man might think of him. “Jimin, this is Mr. Jeon Jungkook… He's going to be your caretaker after a week and you'll be living at his place. He'll make sure you'll be strong enough to come back.” The man said into a whisper as Jimin locked eyes with Jungkook once again and rose his hand to shake with his.

          Almost instantly, Jungkook noticed the size difference between the two. Their hands were in contact and Jungkook turned Jimin's gloved hand over to see that the man had a small hand. He wanted to comment on it, but he held it back just so he wouldn't get on the man's bad side. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Park…” Jungkook said into a soft whisper and just then, Jimin rose his hand to drop over Jungkook's shoulder and held him close so he along with Jimin's father, walk him to the facility.

          “It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Jeon..” Jimin whispered and kept his gaze at the young astronomer as Mr. Park and Jungkook kept moving the man forward and walked him to the facility. Jungkook looked to his right to gaze back at the older man when Jimin was right in the middle of gazing at the young boy. Jungkook just didn't know what to do, Jimin was just as cute as the pictures he was shown and how he was described… However, Jungkook was set aback once Jimin kept gazing right at him. Of course, he couldn't tell what Jimin had in mind, but so far; Jungkook knew he was on Jimin's good side.

       Once they reached the care unit, Jimin was placed to stand on his own as he tried to take off his space suit. He grew weak and suddenly fell back onto a hospital bed he was in front of and laid back to gaze up at the ceiling as Mr. Park tried his best to help Jimin out of his astronaut suit. Just as he pulled down the top part of the suit, Jimin was wearing a loose white sweater under it, black tight jeans and white socks. Wearing this similar to when he departed a year ago. To him, it felt like he was gone for a day, but his body knew it was an earth year. As confusing it may have seemed, it was unbelievable for Jimin to accept that it really has been a year.

      “I'll be sure to get you new and comfortable clothes to put on while you're here. You need to get used to eating as much as you need to and learn how to at least walk with crutches to be able to head over to Mr. Jeon's house next week. Until then, you need to take your vitamins and try to move your legs like before.” The astronaut's father claimed and this made Jimin nod his head and looked around the white care unit. The bright white color across the room was uneasy on his eyes and spent much time closing them and nodding his head to everything. The man's silence made Mr. Park's heart grow heavy as he then watched how his son tried to adjust to the feeling of the soft bed, the bright white colors, and the atmosphere around him.