Colleagues Or... Friends?

Carmela felt a rumbling vibration under her, as she lay on a soft surface and a mild siren sound reached her ears. There was no energy in any part of her body and she felt numb and limp as she lay there, rumbling with the ground. She noticed her eyes were shut and strained to open her sore eyelids. A speck of light seeped in and she saw a blur of dark curly hair, and a mop of maroon hair beside it. Was it... was that Aunt Kass? Before her mind could do any more thinking, her eyes closed again and she drifted unconscious.

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The sound of muffled voices stirred Carmela awake, and she inched her eyes open again. The ground was still rumbling and moving beneath her and the curly hair was still seated beside her. This time, the blurred figure moved and towered over her. She could make out his pale complexion and a deep voice rang through her ears. She blinked and for a second she saw widened dark eyes and a smudge of rosy lips, before the pain in her head knocked her out once more.

Tae...?

***********************

Carmela awoke to the light beeping, and felt her unmoving body lying on a soft bed. She opened her eyes ad squinted against the bright light all around her. Everything seemed to be white. Where the hell was she? Was this a hospital? Carmela twitched her bandaged hand, and her head felt much clearer. Her legs and hips felt better too.

A frightened shiver ran through her spine, remembering what had happened. She recalled the man and the way he crept closer, and the way he crushed her, and the way he touched her. Her heart beat faster and her breathing became panicked again as she thought about his sneering face and her shrieking sobs.

She pulled herself up from the bed, wincing, and glanced around the white room. There was hospital machinery beeping beside her and a little table of pills and cups on the other side of her. The curtain of the window was slightly open, and she glanced at the black sky outside. She sat up completely, laying her wrapped hands in her lap and peered in front of her. Her heart wrenched in surprise, and awoke her mind even more.

Tae was lying across the small blue couch in front of her bed. He was on his side, his legs curled up and trying to stay on the short couch that couldn't hold his height. His cheek was softly pressed against his elbow and his chest rose and fell with his sleeping breaths. Carmela felt a fluttering feeling in her stomach again, and she couldn't help but... smile a little. She remembered how... Tae had thrown his bike against that perverted man. Did he-- did he follow them on his bike? All that way? Huh.

"Ahem." She cleared her throat, and brushed her bangs down to her eyebrows, waiting for him to wake up. But he didn't.

"Ahem. Tae..." Carmela raised her voice slightly.

But he still didn't wake up. He didn't even move.

"Tae? Wake up." She sighed. Ugh, this guy.

"Tae!"

He raised his eyebrows, slowly blinking his eyes open. When he saw her sitting on the bed, he jumped from his spot and rolled off the couch to the floor with a shout.

"Ow...' He groaned, as Carmela giggled and tried to see him on the floor over the foot of her bed.

"Are you okay? Did I scare you?" She laughed, as he stood up and brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"When do you not scare me?" He muttered, sitting back on the couch.

He was wearing a white hoodie and grey sweatpants. His socks were visible through his Vans slides, and Carmela tried not to goggle too much at how good he looked in his comfy clothing. She licked her lips and became self conscious all of a sudden. I must look like a fucking mess..

"So... how are you feeling?" Tae asked, rubbing his hands together.

Carmela rougly combed her fingers through her hair.

"Good. I feel good."

"That's good." He nodded.

She wiped her mouth and patted her cheeks lightly.

"Are you... hungry?" He asked.

"No." She wiped her nose with her fingers, sniffling slightly.

He sighed as she combed her eyebrows and pushed up her eyelashes.

"Can you stop? You look fine."

Carmela stopped in her tracks and brought her finger down from her face. She gulped and folded her hands together in her lap.

"Uhm, sorry... anyways, what even happened? I think I saw Aunt Kass or something--"

"I called the ambulance and they called your aunt. She's gone now to sign a bunch of shit, I think. We got here like 6 or 7 hours ago. Its like 1 a.m." He scratched the top of his head and covered his mouth as he yawned.

"Oh. Um, well I feel fine now."

"You feel fine?"

"Mmhm."

"Okay, uh... I'll call the doctor to check you up. Then we can go home-- I mean, ahem, then y-you can go home. Like your home, and I'll go to my home. Obviously, haha." He spoke fast and nervously, embarrassed from his weirdass words.

Carmela felt her cheeks warm up too and looked away, coughing into her elbow. She glanced back at him on the couch, looking at the ceiling and drumming his fingers together. She furrowed her brow and nudged her head towards the door. Tae gave her a confused look.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Why aren't you going to call the doctor?"

"Oh, shit. Right, sorry." He quickly got up and basically ran out of the door.

Carmela giggled and felt a warm sensation in her chest. He was so so cute-- CARMELA. REGAIN YOURSELF, GIRL. CALM DOWN.

She cleared her throat and stretched her legs, sitting cross-legged in the bed. Somehow... the sight of Tae calmed her, and made her less afraid and panicky of what just happened. She felt sort of... happy when she saw him. She stretched her arms over her head and back down. The pain was basically gone from her body, and she wanted to see Aunt Kass so fucking bad.

A tall woman, almost as tall as Tae walking behind her, stepped into the room and strolled over to Carmela's bedside. The brown haired woman sweetly smiled and touched Carmela's pale hand.

"Hello Carmela! I'm Sandra Nettle, your doctor for tonight. We're so glad to see you're up! Your Aunt Kass is just out there, signing a couple of documents pertaining to your health and well-being. We will be taking care of you, even when you're discharged. I think support is what you need right now and we will provide that in any way possible!"

Carmela smiled at her and mumbled a "thanks" before the woman started giving her a final check up. Tae was standing by the bed the whole time, staring at the process with furrowed brows. He looked deep in thought, and he suddenly sucked a breath in, fluttering his eyelids.

Carmela gazed at him. He... he stayed the entire time. He followed her and helped her from those perverts, and now here he was. At the hospital, beside her bed. He said it had been 6 or 7 hours. And he was here the entire time... Carmela felt an even warmer feeling in her chest and she didn't even know she was smiling and staring at Tae at the same time. The doctor chuckled, while checking her ears.

"Oh yes. Now, you should be smiling at him. He helped you quite alot, you know. Boyfriend?"

Carmela choked on her spit and coughed loudly. She realized Tae was coughing into his elbow too, behind the doctor. Carmela avoided his eyes as the doctor tilted her head in his direction, checking her other ear. He was looking up at the ceiling again, pushing his dark messy curls out of his eyes.

Hmm. Carmela noticed that Tae seemed to ALWAYS look up when he was nervous or embaressed. Now why was she noticing that? Don't ask. No one fucking knows.

Tae cleared his throat, as Carmela opened her mouth to answer the doctor.

"We're--" They both started at the exact same time.

"--COLLEAGUES."

"--FRIENDS"

They said together and Carmela snapped her head towards the boy. Colleague? AFTER-- after everything they've been through... COLLEAGUE?!

Her cheeks burned in anger but also in embaressment because she had said friend. Fuck Carmela. She glanced up and found Tae's eyes narrowed on her, and she put her chin up, turning away. Go to hell Taehyung.

The doctor checked her blood pressure before straightening up and smiling down at her.

"You're all set to go. Luckily your wounds weren't serious, and we patched you up nice and tight! You can change back to your clothes in here. Maybe your... colleague friend can stand at the door?"

The brunette woman turned to Tae and he quickly nodded.

"Perfect! Once your Aunt Kass is all done, you can go back home."

"Okay. Thanks so much for your help Doctor Nettle." Carmela said.

The doctor smiled widely again before walking away and exiting the room.

Tae shifted on his feet and put his hands in the pockets of his grey sweats.

"Uhm... why'd you, like... I mean... are we frie--"

"Stop. Get me my clothes." Carmela instructed, looking out the window on the other side of the bed. Tae jumped as she suddenly tore the blanket off her legs.

"Okay... but--"

"Tae. Shut up and get me my clothes."

"Sorry, okay."

He quickly walked over to the cabinet and pulled out her folded clothes. He held them out to her and she snatched them, glaring directly at his scared eyes.

"Uh, well I--"

"Get out."

"Alright! I just wanted to say--"

"Leave. Unless you want to see me naked."

He blinked in surprise at her words and looked away, scoffing and forcing a laugh.

"Ha! What the-- who'd want to-- HA! I'd rather DIE than see you n-naked."

"Great, then get out before I kill you."

"I'm getting out, I'm leaving, chill..." He muttered and turned out the room, closing the door behind him.

Carmela huffed in anger and wished she hadn't said fucking FRIEND. Friend? Him? Since fucking when? Literally, just because someone saves you from getting almost raped DOES NOT make you besties for fucks sakes!

She mentally slapped herself in the face as she changed into her yellow tube top and wide jeans. She slipped on her white shoes and tied her hair up with an elastic from her pocket. Brushing her bangs down to her eyebrows, she suddenly felt oddly empty... like something was missing... something important.

Her phone! Fuck! Her panicked mind raced as she looked all around the room. Then she walked over to the cupboard Tae had gotten her clothes from and her heart dropped to her feet as she peered inside.

Resting on the bottom shelf was her phone, cracked into splinters all along the screen. It was in her back pocket when that disgusting man had sat on top of her, crushing her hands under her and apparently her phone. How had she not noticed? Her precious phone was... smashed. Gone. Disappeared off the face of the planet. She felt tears sting her nose and she couldnt help the drops trickle down her cheeks as she held her broken baby in her fingers. She sniffled and blinked through her glossy eyes.

Just then, the door swung open and the six boys flew into the room smiling and cheering, carrying a bouquet of flowers together

"Carmela!"

"How are you?!"

"We were SO worried about you--"

"Yeah, we came as soon as we found out--"

"But Tae here, told us like ten seconds ago!"

"Yeah, sorry we're late! How are you? OH MY GOD ARE YOU CRYING?"

"Guys stop yelling! She's probably shaken up enough!"

"Ha, right and YOU'RE wayy quieter than the rest of us..."

"Shut up you two! We're here to see Carmela, not you guys fight!"

"Carmela! Carmela! How are you feeling? Do you need anything? How can I help you?"

"Are you here alone JK? Huh? Carmela, how can WE help you?"

Carmela's widened eyes blinked in confusion as she stood listening to their noisy shit. What the hell? Idiots. They all stop talking as she spoke.

"Guys, guys! I'm literally fine. Thanks so much for coming! We're gonna go home in a bit though, so I'm actually heading out right now."

The boys nodded as Namjoon handed her the small flower bouquet. They were so dumb. Was she having a baby or what? Thats the only time people bring flowers to the hospital dumbasses. Whatever. They're sweet though. And no matter what stupid Tae said, THEY were her friends.

"It's so good to see you guys though. I'm really glad you came."

She grinned at them as they laughed in joy. Jimin jumped closer, widening his arms for a hug, but Jin pulled him back roughly by the shoulder.

"Are you stupid Jimin? She's in pain! You'll kill her!" Jin whispered angrily.

Carmela giggled as Jimin dropped his face to the ground and slumped backwards to his spot.

"What the hell, are you kidding? Bring it in guys!" She said, as they laughed and rounded in on her, piling gently on top or her as they group hugged.

Carmela sighed. How did the boys make her feel this good? Without alcohol, without parties, without sex?

How?