I yawn, rubbing my eyes sleepily as I slowly shuffle back to my room. I probably should get some more sleep. I probably won't remember to, though.

I hear something that makes me pause outside of someone's door. It sounds like muffled sobs. I mentally nudge my sleep-deprived brain to think and- oh, this is Jimin's room. I contemplated pretending I didn't hear anything and walking away, but sigh as I decide against it. I lift a hand to Jimin's door and hesitatingly knock.

"Jimin-ssi? Are you in there?"

The sobs abruptly stop. The ensuing silence is making me lose my nerve. I was about to give up when I hear rustling and the sound of the door unlocking. It opens a crack, and I see the darkness of his room, and Jimin. Though dark, I can still see his usually cheerful lips pulled up into a painful resemblance of a smile. His pink hair is messed up, as if he'd been running his hands through it.

"Yoongi-hyung? I didn't expect to see you!"

"Well, it is about three in the morning. I didn't really expect to see me either."

Despite his condition, he laughs softly. I ask him more seriously, "What happened?"

Silence. I hurriedly add, "Ah, if you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."

"No! Uh," He whispers softer, "No. It's okay. Here, come in."

He opens the door wider for me to pass. Once inside, he shuts it, and we're plunged into total darkness. I carefully walk towards the bed, making sure I didn't step on anything fragile or bang my knee on something. Finally feeling the mattress under my hands, I plop down on it.

I hear Jimin sink into it next to me. It feels as if neither of us wants to break the thick blanket of silence that envelopes us. Finally, Jimin croaks, "Hyung, I don't know if I can do it."

I blink, then reply, "Do what?"

"I don't know if I can make our fans happy. I don't know if I can ever be satisfied with the work I do. I don't know if I can keep pretending like I'm okay when I'm not and-"

I pull him into a tight hug. I hold him tight, and he quietly cries onto my now-damp shoulder. I rub his back and calmly whisper, "It'll be okay, Jimin-ssi. It'll be okay."

After his breathing started to even out, I tell him, "And I do know a few things. I know you are one of the most caring people I have ever met, and seeing you hurt is something I never, ever want to see. I know you may feel like the world is putting everything against you, and that nothing we do will ever be good enough, but... wait, where was I going with this?"

He snorts and smacks my arm. I grin. "Ah, right. Though all that may be happening, remember that we have each other for support. Maybe I shouldn't be your go-to for advice, though- Taehyung or Namjoon have some pretty decent advice, when it comes down to it. But... if you need an anchor, remember that I'll be here. I'm not perfect, but I'll try my damned best to help you feel happy again. So..." I trail off as I realize I made a giant speech, and my face burns as I remember what I said.

Jimin squeezes his arms around me tighter, and another, more comfortable silence comes to stay.

After either a second, or a minute, or an eternity, I hear a whisper, so soft I could barely hear it. "Thank you, Yoongi hyung. I love you."

I smile softly, and whisper just as softly, "I love you too, Chimmy."

Who needs sleep when you've finally found your way back home?

IIIIIIIII

And that's how I ended up continuously going cross-eyed and maybe dozing off in the middle of a photo shoot the next day. But still, I didn't regret anything.

Well, maybe I regret not drinking a coffee or something, but that's about it.

[End]