A Visit from Friends

The warmth of the afternoon sun streamed through the hospital window, casting a gentle glow over the room where Julie and Yoongi sat, holding hands and chatting quietly. The door opened softly, and two familiar faces appeared, their smiles faltering for a moment as they took in Julie's pale complexion. Jimin and Hobi stepped into the room, their eyes fixed on Julie as if checking to make sure she was truly okay. Jimin's face was etched with concern, and Hobi's usual bright demeanor was subdued. Yoongi released Julie's hand and stood up, opening his arms to welcome his friends. "Hey, guys," he said, as Jimin and Hobi approached. "Come on in." Jimin's eyes locked onto Julie's, and he forced a weak smile. "Hey, Julie. We're so glad to see you're doing better." Hobi nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the room before settling on Julie. "Yeah, we've been worried sick about you." Julie smiled, feeling a pang of guilt for worrying them. "I'm doing okay, thanks for asking. Just a bit tired." The conversation was light and easy, but Jimin's eyes kept drifting back to Julie, his expression haunted. Hobi noticed and placed a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder. "Guys, can I talk to you for a minute?" Hobi asked, his voice low. Yoongi nodded, and Hobi led Jimin and Yoongi outside into the hallway, leaving Julie alone for a moment. The door closed softly behind them, and Julie wondered what was going on. A few minutes later, the door opened again, and Hobi stepped back into the room, Jimin following closely behind him. Jimin's eyes were red-rimmed, and his face was pale. "Hey, Julie," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Julie nodded, feeling a surge of concern. What was wrong? Hobi sat down beside her, his eyes filled with compassion. "Jimin's been having a tough time," Hobi said gently. "He's been having nightmares about what happened." Jimin's eyes dropped to the floor, and he rubbed the back of his neck, his face twisted in a mixture of guilt and shame. "I keep seeing it," he said, his voice cracking. "The way you fell to the ground... all that blood... I keep thinking I could have done something to stop it." Julie's heart went out to him, and she reached out, taking his hand in hers. "Jimin, it's not your fault," she said softly. "You were there for me, and I'll always be grateful for that." Jimin's eyes met hers, and for a moment, they just looked at each other, the only sound the soft beeping of the hospital machines.