Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"TEACHER PARK" Jimin turns at the call of his name. 

Jimin smiles and gets on one knee to be at the same height as the caller. "yes, Jiwoo. you need something?" He says while holding Jiwoo's shoulders. 

"I can do the Triple Turns now!" Jiwoo says with a big smile. "I do it without losing my balance too." 

Jimin claps his hands in glory. "Good job, Jiwoo. I knew you could do it." 

"want me to show it to you, Teacher?"

Jimin hums, and rubs his chin with his thumb and index finger, pretending to think. "let it be in our class's time, it also will give you the chance to show it to the rest of your friends, okay?"

Jiwoo shouts happily. "okay." Jimin pats Jiwoo's head as Jiwoo runs back to his friends.

Jimin smiles while looking at Jiwoo's retrieving back. Since Jimin started taeching kids dancing at the Moonwave school, Jiwoo was his first challenge 'cause Jiwoo was such a shy kid. Always standing in the corner of the room, watching the lessons without participating. Till Jimin saw him one day after the class was over, dancing by himself in that spacious  classroom. Same movements that Jimin showed them earlier. Jimin saw himself in Jiwoo. So since that day, Jimin decided to get closer to Jiwoo, and make him know that he deserves to shine as the other kids, beacause he was indeed a dancer, but just needed a bit of guiding, and Jimin was all for it. 

Jimin was about to resume walking when another call of his name stopped him. turning back once again, Jimin sees the principal signing him to follow him to his office.

At the principal's office, Jimin senses that something is off. "Is everything alright, Mr.Lee?"

The principal looks at Jimin. "Tell me, Jimin, how long have you been teaching here?"

A bit thrown off by the question, but still thought about it and said "In two days it will be 4 years...If i may, why asking?"

The principle sighs. He takes off his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

Jimin sees his state and indeed something isn't right. "Mr.Lee, you started to worry me. Is everything okay??" He asks with a frown.

The principle looks at him and sign him to take a seat. Jimin sits on the chair that is in front of the desk, waiting for the other to speak.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Jimin, This might effect you too since you are part of this institution from a long time." The principle says with a serious tone.

Jimin's frown deepened. What does he mean by it might effect me?. He oppened his mouth to say something but the principle raise his hand as to stop him.

The principle says "I know what are you going to ask, Jimin. So let me just continue," He continues talking after a second when he sensed that Jimin was completely listening to him now, and won't interrupt. "I received an email yesterday from a higher source talking about that they will be shutting this place in 2 months."

Jimin's eyes widened. He can't believe what he's hearing. Shutting this place? Why? Everyone loves this school, they send their kids to this school with a smile on their faces every day, the kids themselves adore this place too. So why would anyone want to shut a successful place like this? aren't they supposed to let it bloom with how much money they get from it? then why-

The principle's voice cuts his train of thoughts. "I know its unblieveable thing due that this is a very known and respectful institution, also what we received of certificates of appreciation from the ministry of education throughout many centuries. I asked for the reason but they said the land where the school is on was bought by some rich small-minded man and now he wants to demolish this place." A bit of anger in his voice, but he tries to hide it by sighing and looking at the window behind him.

"Did Mr.Bae sell the land?! when and why??" Jimin stands up abruptly making the chair scraps against the floor. "He can't just distroy a place like that!!" Jimin was never the one to know how to control his anger, no matter who is in front of him, if something or someone is testing his patience, he just explodes right there and then. Not something to be proud of, but it is what it is.

Of couse Jimin's anger is known by the principle 'cause he's known Jimin since he was a little boy. He stands up and walks towards the younger while raising his hands to calm him down. "I understand your feelings but calm down, don't forget that there are children outside and they could hear you."

Jimin takes a deep breath as he learned to do if he felt like he was about to lose it. He turns to face the principle, and says while trying to contain his anger as much as possible. "Is there a way to avoid this?"

The other just shakes his head. So Jimin just looks around as if he was looking for the hidden cameras because there is no way this is for real.

"So you just want us to stay silent while witnessing a stupid, ignorant man with a lot of money that he doesn't know what to do with distroying our workplace??. Cuase i'm not going to let some daddy's spoiled child do so just bacuase he wants to!" Jimin huffs angerly after renting these words.

The principle just looks at him for a few seconds. "What do you suggest from me to do, huh? It's not like i can just ignore the evacuation, not with the 200 child that i have under my responsibility, if something happened to even one of them, its me who is going to be thrown under the bus." He sighs tiredly. "I'm really sorry, Jimin. I know how much this place means to you. but unfortunately, the money always wins."

Jimin just stands there in the middle of the room, head down, shaky fists being clenched. Thinking of how the place where all of his memories were originated is going to be nothing but dust in a few months. The place where his parents worked, fell in love, and where they even sent him to study as a kid. Not to forget where he met his true lov- No. Every other memory is worth being cherished but this memory. 

He looks up and sees that the principle is sitting down in his chair while looking at him silently. "When did you say they were going to shut it?" He asks with gritted teeth, and still clenching his sweaty fists, his nails are digging into his palms' skin.

"Two months," he hears the principle says. "but they will start the demolition in a year." Jimin just listens while trying to stop himself from outbursting.

Jimin humms and say "Anything else?" his voice shakes at the end of the question.

The principle just stares and then shakes his head "You may leave, you can also go home if you don't feel well, the school ends in an hour anyway."

Jimin nods, and bows his head quickly, then turns his body and walks towards the door to leave.

ᵜᵜ

Slamming the door shut behind him, Jimin walks inside his apartment and towards the living room. He throws his bag aside without looking, and it lands on the couch with a thump. 

"Shutting the place down he says! As if i will just walk away obediently without putting up a fight!" Jimin shouts at nothing while pacing back and forth in the middle of the living room.

He halts suddenly, then starts to look around for his bag, he grabs it and takes out his phone and unlocks it. After a few seconds, the sound of a ringing fills the apartment. 

Jimin yells when the ringing stops. "Hyung!, you won't fucking believe it."

Jin from the other side of the call. "Jesus, Jimin. My ears are very dear to me so please.."

"I'm sorry, Hyung, its just that i can't control myself right now.." Jimin takes a deep breath and sits on the middle of the couch, him leaning back, and his head resting on the headrest of the couch.

"I can tell. want us to come? We don't really have anything better to do anyways" Jin says, Jimin hears shuffling in the other line.

"Is Taehyung there with you?" Jimin asks and he hears humming from the other. "Good, come right now or you will see me on the news involved in a murder."

He hears laughs and then Jin saying they will be here in a half an hour. He hangs up and sighs loudly. "I guess i will just go take a shower." Jimin tells himself before standing up and walking towards the bathroom.

He spends almost 20 minutes under the cold shower, he closes the valve, then gets out. The bathroom is filled with the smell of flowers — his smell. Drying his hair after he drying his body, he looks up at the mirror and notices that the roots of his hair are starting to blacken. "Shit, i need to dye my hair again" He says. He's always loved dying his hair pink since he was a teenager. His mom used to call him 'My blossom'; due to his shiny pink hair, and because he always bloomed like a flower with his beautiful smile and his bright eyes that if you looked at them for long, you might see the milky way in them. Also, this nickname was there since his childhood - his scent has always been flowery and as refreshing as cherry blossoms; sweet, and intoxicatingly special.

Jimin smiles at the memory of his mother, and then shakes his head while heading to his room. He takes his suppressants, and spends a few seconds in front of his closet choosing what to wear, since he has a lot of clothes. He is shopaholic, and it's taehyung to blame. He settles on a baby-blue tee shirt that has a white teddy bear on it, with white shorts that reaches his knees.

He hears the door bell. "Just in time." He runs to the door, and opens it. "Guys~" He whines, and hugs both of Jin, and Taehyung around their necks, seeing that their hands are full.

Taehyung bites his shoulder softly. "Hugs are for later, now help us with these bags you whiny brat."

"Right right." He takes a bag from taehyung, and does the same with Jin. "Come on in." He turns and walks towards the kitchen, and puts the bags on the island, the others following him and doing the same.

After they got the snacks out of the bags, and displayed it all on the coffee table in the living room, then they sat down on the floor around it. After they got comfortable, The questions started to flood.

”So? Spill the tea.” Taehyung says after taking a bite of his dried squid.

Jimin takes a deep breath sensing his anger coming back. “They are shutting Moonwave.” He takes a sip of his beer. He had never in his life expected that one day he would be saying this nonsense.

A minute of silence, and then the chaos started. Taehyung with his full mouth shouting WH-questions, not noticing that he is spitting out squid everywhere on the table. Jin also started rapping questions at him as if Jimin had any answer, and not being as clueless as them.

“Guys!, i have no energy to deal with noise complaints from the neighbors. And i have no fucking clue why either.” Jimin huffs angrily and looks at the ceiling while fiddling with the can of beer on his lap.

Taehyung speaks after swallowing what was in his mouth. “What do you mean you have no clue?, how did you figure out that they are going to shut Moonwave?” He asks with puzzled expression.

”Mr.Lee called me into his office today, and he told me that the land was sold to some asshole that made a notice of evacuation to the school in two months, and will demolish it in a fucking year. Can you believe that bullshit?!” He says with clenched jaw, and drinks the rest of his beer before squeezing the can and throwing it aside.

Taehyung just looks down in disbelief. Jimin looks at Jin after realizing that the older didn’t speak a word in a while. Jin was looking at him with unreadable face. “Hyung?” Jimin calls the other which made Jin get out of whatever state he was at.

Both of Jimin and taehyung are looking at the older now, waiting for him to spit out whatever he has to say. “I knew something was off when i saw these weird men meeting up with Mr. Bae the other day.” Jin tells while looking around with his eyes as if he was trying to remember something.

At the mention of the landlord—ex landlord, Jimin sits properly and now paying his full attention to the other. “What men?”

Jin just looks between them before clearing his throat. "I'm not really sure if it related to selling the land, but a few days ago, i saw Mr.Bae at the coffee shop that i work at. He was sitting with i believe three men in suits with a single briefcase in the middle of the table. And some papers were in front of Mr.Bae, and he wrote something on them. it looked like he was signing them actually before handing it back." He says and then focuses his sight at Jimin.

Taehyung says slowly. "It must be the sales contract." He does the same and keeps looking at Jimin silently.

Jimin just squeezes his fists that are on the table. How could he just sell it without telling the people about it?!, The people who were on this land even before he inherited it. "Ain't no fucking way," He mumbles. He stands up bluffly, making the others look up at him. "has he lost his mind or something?! Or is it becuase he is getting old, so he starting to make irrational decisions!." His heartbeats could be heard in his ears, palms sweating but still clencing them, the room is very hot all of sudden that he feels like taking off his clothes.

"Jimin, Baby, calm down. Angering yourself won't lead you to anything. Maybe he has his reasons for selling the land, i'm sure he didn't just do it for nothing." Jin says while rising on his feet. He looks at Taehyung for support.

Taehyung standing up too, he walks to Jimin and puts his arm around the younger's shoulders. Leading him towards the couch to sit on it. "Hyung is right, i'm sure he has his reasons, and he will surely state them if you asked him to. After all, we all know how deeply attached you are with that place." 

Feeling slowly better with his friends around him, and with also their words making sense. Everyone in this area knows that Jimin is basically in love with Moonwave. He spent all of his life just going in it and coming from it. He woke up and saw the school from his window first thing in the morning, and also slept with it being the last thing to see at night. His parents had a big role with his obsession with Moonwave. They spoke day and night about it, making it the center of his life, and always part of his future.

He doesn't want to say it loudly, but that place also where he met his first love. A fucking piece of shit of a guy he was, but still,  Jimin learnt the taste of love with that person on the very land that made him learn everything else in life. How could he let it go just because some guy wants to destroy his past and present for him only to build God knows what instead of a future that is connected with Moonwave? Well, He won't just let go. 

"Jimin?" Jimin hears them calling his name after him being silent for a while. He inhales and exhales before looking up at them with determination in his eyes.

"I don't really like that look.." Taehyung says while putting some space between them in case Jimin wanted to turn into Hulk, as he usually does

"Me neither." Jin also states while crossing his arms.

"Thanks to you guys i know what to do now." Jimin stretch out his arm, and grabs a new can of beer and starts drinking it.

Jin and Taehyung look at each other while prying that whatever Jimin is going to do, won't let him go to prison for it.

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Knocking on the principle's door the next morning. "Come in." He hears from the inside, and opens the door. 

"Good morning, Mr.Lee" Jimin notices that the other looks very focused on his computer. He walks a few steps till he is standing in front of the office desk.

The principle looks up and smiles tightly at Jimin, before going back to whatever that is on that computer. "Needed Something, Jimin?" Still typing on his keyboard.

Jimin ahems. "I just wanted to take my leave early, Mr.Lee" His hands are behind his back. He made sure that nothing important will be missed for the kids if he left early today. Today he will confront Mr.Bae, and will know the reason behind that stupid resolution.

The principle halts his typing, and looks at Jimin once again, but this time he leans back on his chair with one raised eyebrow. "Leave early? What for? Is everything alright?"

Jimin exhales and decides not to tell the truth to save himself from a whole lecture, and a headache. Mr.Lee is a nice man, and jimin really likes and respects him. He stepped in and took the role of an uncle to Jimin after his parents passing. Not as if Jimin needed a guardian but i guess he will always see him as a kid no matter how old he is. But, he still wont understand. He knows jimin considers himself as an inseparable part of this institution. Yet, alas, he doesn't really comprehend that Jimin would rather fall apart with this place than watching it from a far being teared down. "Just.. not feeling good. I don't think i'm able to teach my kids today."

The principle just looks at him for a couple of seconds, then nods. "You were overworking yourself these days, of course you'll get sick." He shakes his head. "You may leave, Jimin. Take your time at healing, and take it as if it was a rehearsal too, 'cause when the time comes, we all will be sitting in our homes doing nothing."

Sometimes Jimin doesn't know how a person could lose all hopes that easy, it really makes him very upset, and angry by just thinking about it. He has chosen not to respond and just bow before leaving the office."

ᵜᵜ

"I shouldn't have worn black shirt today.." Jimin breathes deeply while fanning himself with his hand. It's 10am, and he has been waiting in front of Mr.Bae's house under the flaming sun for 3 straight hours. Still no sign for the other. He tried calling him for the hundredth time, but no answer however. 

"that old wrinkled man, i would have rathered teaching my kids with the time i've wasted on him." Jimin mumbles while drying the sweat off his forehead with his shirt hem.

Six more minutes had passed before Jimin noticing a white head appears walking at the Uphill road, and towards him—or towards the house behind him to be precise.

"Finally!" Jimin thinks before speed walking to the older. He stands in front of that person. "Good morning, Mr.Bae" Jimin says while forcing a small smile on his face.

Mr.Bae looks up due to being a bit shorter cuase of his old age. Something shifts in his face when he recognizes the younger, like he knows what the other is here for, so he sighs and looks down while continuing to walking. "Good morning to you too, Jimin." 

Jimin discards off his fake smile, and walks side by side with the older. "well, Don't you have anything to say to me, Mr.Bae?" He tries to steady his tone, and not to lash his anger on the other. He knows that Mr.Bae isn't a greedy person, he won't sell the land where many of people live, and work just for a bit of money. The land doesn't only have the school above it, but also other workplaces, and houses. So the question is, what led him to do that?

The old man looks up at jimin and down again. "I might have an idea. Yes." He stops where there is a bench. He sits on it and gestures with his gnarled hand for Jimin to do the same. And the same Jimin does.

"Really? okay then, why would you do that, Mr.Bae?!," Jimin exclaims while adjusting his sitting position, so now he is facing the older. "Like you can't expect me to believe that you sold it, not to mention behind our backs  just becuase some rich asshole offered to pay you a lot of money for it!. You literally own plenty of lands, you don't need more money!. So no matter how much i tried to understand the reason behind your action, i come up with nothing at all!." Jimin pants heavily after all of that renting. He looks down and tries to regain his composure, and then he hears Mr.Bae speaks.

"Listen, Jimin. I get why you are mad, i assure you that i do, and i'm sorry, my boy." Jimin was about to open his mouth, but a hand lands on his, making him shut it, and keep on hearing the older out. "Do you think it was easy for me to sell away the land that my family had it for centuries? just for you know, it wasn't. But, i had to." Jimin just looks at him, waiting for him to continue, clearly about to lay something heavy off his chest. 

"My daughter. My Ari. You know her, she used to live here before moving away a few years ago to Busan with her husband and kids. umm.. She isn't doing very well," Mr.Bae says and there is a depressed tone all over his voice. Jimin remembers her. She was like an older sister to him, he also remembers that he cried when she decided to leave too as everyone else in his life. His focus is on the older once again, sensing there is something else. "My little girl is dying." He says the last part almost like a whisper.

Jimin just looking at him with the word shock written all over his face, mouth a bit open, eyes widened. Before he could say anything, Mr.Bae just carries on. "There is no hope for her. I would have sold everything i have if there was but.. Anyway, i put the land i own here in the market becuase i made up my mind about going to Busan, and spend with her the few weeks she has left in life. That's my duty as her father." He looks up to smile sadly at Jimin. 

Jimin just swallows the lump in his throat, it's not the right time nor the place. And it also seems that the older already has his fair share of sorrowness. "I..I'm sorry, Mr.Bae. I didn't know..really." Jimin declares while his head down, too ashamed to look at the other. How selfish he sounded and looked earlier? Uhh just kill him at this point.

The younger hears a soft chuckle and then a hand caressing his pink hair. "Don't be, Jimin. You are a good kid, and i know you didn't mean any harm." And then Mr.Bae hold Jimin's small hands with both of his own, making the younger look up, making an eye contact. "Don't worry, my boy. I didnt sell it to a bad guy."

"But.. he is going to demolish the school.." Jimin mutters in hurry, now that he remembers the real problem that he came here for. "That's a bad guy's doings for sure." Mr.Bae just pats the top of his hands. "To that i unfortunately couldn't convince him not to do it, i'm also sorry for that. Weirdly, he insisted on having all the rights of the Moonwave school. But since i was sure of him not being a bad person, i just gave it to him."

Jimin didn't get how much of a trust Mr.Bae has on that guy? so he had to ask. "How could you be that sure about some stranger? Just by hearing about him, i want to punch him." Jimin fights the urge to roll his eyes in front of the older. He sees Mr.Bae laughs and shakes his head. What did he say that is so funny? he just tiltes his head to the right in curiosity. 

"Well he isn't some stranger however." Jimin is more puzzled now, if he wasn't a stranger, who was he then?. As if the older read what was Jimin thinking about. He says. "I guess i forgot to tell you who he is, silly me. I'm sure you know him, since you grew up together haha." Something in Jimin was starting to get uneasy.  He doesn't understand why nevertheless. 

A heartbeat and then he hears. "It's Joen Jungkook." Mr.Bae smiles after saying these two words. 

Now he understands the reason behind his uneasiness. Fuck.

Chapter Text

Jimin just stares at Mr.Bae for what felt like an eternity with his shocked expression that soon turned into anger and disgust. He slips his hands out of the other's gentle grip and stands up abruptly, making the other flinch from the sudden movement. He just looks around for a few seconds before looking back at the older, who's still sitting down and looking at Jimin with bewilderment. "What did you just say..?" He says while forcing his voice to stay calm. 

Mr.Bae just looks at him before he starts speaking. "That i sold it to no stranger-" Jimin interrupts him while shaking his head. "No, no... after that.. the end of it." Jimin exclaims, clenching his fists, also clenching the small hope that he might have heard it wrong, even though there's no way.

The other just looks more confused. "... It's Jeon Jungkook?" He says it as if he isn't sure if that's what Jimin wanted to hear, not knowing that it’s the last thing that Jimin has ever wanted to hear.

And here it goes, the little hope he was holding onto. He closes his eyes so hard as if to wake himself up, wanting to believe that this is only a nightmare. But nothing changed. He wants to cry, wants to yell, wants to cuss, wants to hit, and mostly he wants to sit down. Suddenly Jimin feels a wave of dizziness wash over him; sensing as if the world were spinning, he stumbles a bit while trying to ground his feet. A hand appears and grabs his arm, making him sit down.  

"Jimin!" Mr.Bae sits him down, one arm around Jimin's lower back, and with his old unoccupied hand, he starts to slide it up and down on the younger's back, as if to comfort him. "Are you okay, Jimin?" His voice is full of concern.

Jimin, breathing harshly through his nose, takes a second to stomach this godforsaken information. Jungkook is back. Just why?! Never in a million years did he think he would be seeing him after what happened between them. 

He doesn't want to remember, but he never forgot to remember in the first place. All the misery he had been through because of that motherfucker. No. He won't let him break him again after all these years by just coming back for God knows what. It slipped from his mind, but according to Mr.Bae,  Jungkook is the one who bought the school? The older won't lie about that. But again, why? What business could he possibly have with Moonwave?

"Jimin?" Jimin stirs up from whatever that was, and he looks on his right to see Mr.Bae with a very concerned face, with his hand still on his back. "Talk to me, son." Jimin exhales slowly before nodding. He doesn't know what it is for, but he just can't form a sentence. Not right now. 

"You don't look very good. Want me to call someone?" Jimin's mind thinks of two people whose presences would make him sober up at least. He swallows — his throat is dry like a desert — he takes his phone out of his pocket and unlocks it, handing it to the Mr.Bae after pressing one of the three numbers that're saved in his emergency contacts. 

He looks down at his shoes, both hands shaking, so he puts them together and squeezes. The hand is still moving on his back, then he hears Mr.Bae speaking on the phone.

ᵜᵜ

Jimin opens his eyes with a whimper at the feeling of this horrendous pain in his lower abdomen. He is sweating, his hair and clothes are uncomfortably soaked, there is a burning sensation in his throat as if he were choking and it's all too familiar. He looks around with widened eyes and finds himself sitting on a bathroom floor, his back facing the wall. He shifts his eyes down and sees his trembling, bloody hands clutching his shirt, precisely on his lower part. The same place where the horrible discomfort was. 

Blood?? He was starting to panic, but then he noticed that the blood was increasing on the floor, apparently from under him, mixing with what seemed to be overflowed water from the overfull bathtub. "What the.. No no no no-" A sharp pain in his lower back makes him yelps — he can hear how abnormally fast his heartbeats are in his ears — and he then lets out a hair-raising scream. From the familiar pain and scene.

Of course Jimin remembers all that; this hell of a moment happened years ago, but he doesn't understand how he is living it all over again. So he just keeps on screaming while bending over in an attempt to ease the agony he feels; it's like he were being stabbed by thousands of tiny knives consistently, or is he? "Tae! Jin! Anybody!! Help me, please!!! I-" A jolt of pain shuts him up, making him screech and thrash violently. Jimin's echoes in the bathroom make him sound like he's dying, he might be, actually.

He opens his eyes; his vision is blurry, but he's able to make out that the blood that was coming from below him is not stopping. So reluctantly, he decides to do what he did when he lived through this misfortune before, when he even got nightmares about it for months. He decides to call out his name. 

Jimin swallows the lump in his throat and licks his dried lips. His forehead on the cold floor tiles, his body curled up. "J...Ju..Jungk-" He prepared to shout the name of the person who he swore to never even mouth it, but then..

A loud exhale fills the place. Jimin sits up quickly, a second passes, his eyes are roaming around to check his surroundings and then he looks down to see that instead of being immersed in blood, it's sweat. Drops of sweat bundled on his forehead all over to his neck. 

He lets out a shaky breath, his elbows on both of his thighs, and he buries his face in his palms. ”Not again.” he thinks. He really thought that he got over this phase; having nightmares that feel too real for his mind to handle, waking up drenched in sweat and tears on both of his cheeks and pillow. No. He can't do this again. He has been through hell just to heal from this whole ordeal. Also, the idea of troubling the people he loves again, he just can't.

"It's all his fault." Jimin whispers in the dark space of the room.

ᵜᵜ

"Come on, Jimin," Taehyung whines while grabbing the other's arm and wiggling it left and right. "Tell us already, please, please, please-"

Jimin, while stirring the soup. "Tae! I swear if you make me drop the pot, i will make you lick it off the floor." He says and then pulls his arm out of the other's tight hold. "And be quiet. You haven't shut up for how many hours now?" He asks, making the other roll his eyes.

"He is just curious, don't be too harsh on him," Jin says with a smile after taking a sip of his coffee, and Taehyung nods at his brother's words with a smug smile. This time Jimin is the one to roll his eyes and then refocuses on stirring. "And he's not the only one, you know."

"Well, too bad there is nothing to be told." Jimin intentionally didn't turn around to look at the older in the eyes — it'd be impossible to lie then — "Also, stop encouraging his childish behaviors just because you're his Hyung." He hears from behind a loud gasp (Which sounds very, very fake) and a chuckle with it too.

He smiles, picturing Taehyung's face behind him right now. "No can do, it's a full-time job for me." Jin utters, and laughs after Taehyung whines loudly, making it Jimin's turn to smile smugly.

A couple of seconds pass; after making sure that the soup is alright, he leaves it be for now, then turns and walks towards the kitchen island where the rest are sitting and drinking their drinks. 

After sitting comfortably on the stool. "The soup will be ready in a minute." He declares, but he notices that the brothers are looking at him, like really looking at him, as if they are children who have something to say but don't want to get scolded for bothering their parent. He sighs and shakes his head with a tiny smile. "Spit it out, you both. Come on." 

Taehyung and Jin just exchange a glance before the older begins to speak calmly but also with a determination. "Listen, Jimin, we just want to know what happened yesterday." Jimin knew this conversation would come sooner or later, but he just doesn't know what to say or how to say it loud. "You can't imagine how we reacted when Mr.Bae was the one who called us from your phone and said that there is something wrong with you, and now, you won't even speak up and say what it is."

Taehyung continues where Jin stopped. "We drove there as fast as we could, then we saw you looking so out of it. We are not even sure if you remember us being there with you," Jimin looks down at the Wooden table. He knows that he made them very worried, and he feels guilty for that. It's not the first time, but he really thought that it would never happen again. "The worst thing is that we know when do you act like that, but we can't understand why it happened this time because you won't talk to us. So please, Jimin, just talk to us."

Jimin stays silent for a moment, and then he stands up, walks towards the stove, and turns the flames off from under the pot. He looks at them. "Two words," And looks once again at the soup pot. "Jeon Jungkook." 

The name, which hasn't been said for many years, causes silence in the kitchen. Jimin just keeps on filling three bowls of soup, waiting for the name to settle in after years of trying to erase it from the memory.

"Did i just hear.. that name?" Taehyung was the first to cut the silence of the room, he whispered the end of his question. "Jimin?" He calls the other as if he is waiting for SIKE, but Jimin just keeps on filling. When he is done, he turns with a tray that has the bowls on it and puts it on the island's table. "Drink it while it's hot." He puts a heated bowl in front of each of them.

Jimin starts blowing on the hot liquid that's in his spoon and sipping it without looking up at his friends. He hears then. "Jimin.. he is back?" It's Jin this time and his question makes the other halt his hand movement. He has been avoiding thinking about that since yesterday, but denial can't be a forever thing. So he nods. 

"No fucking way!" Taehyung stands up abruptly from his stool, yelling. "That asshole is back? Now? What for?" Jimin still refuses to look up at them — he knows that he will break down if he does — they know everything that had happened with him and Jungkook. That's why he just continues quaffing his soup.

And here it goes, the calm, motherly voice. "Tae, calm down and sit." Jin has this tone that makes Jimin feel like home. He knows that it's weird to think that, but sometimes he feels like Jin is his godparent or something. "I said, sit and let me do the talking." Jin apprises when Taehyung reopens his mouth.

After Taehyung sat down with crossed arms, looking mad, his attention is still pointed at the younger. "Jimin, look at me," And look at him Jimin does. Once he looked up, he saw that the older's expression is a mix of flummox and fury. Jimin really feels like crying now. "How did you know that he was back?" Jimin can clearly see him balling his fists on the table. "Did you meet him?" Taehyung wheezes at the question and slams tha table, with both his palms making the soup stream from the bowls. "You met that motherfucker?" 

"Taehyung! I won't say it again, so be quiet and let him answer!" Jin exclaims sternly, leading the other to sit down once again with a silent swear. "Answer me, Jimin, did you meet him?" Jimin shakes his head right away. 

"Of course i didn't meet him," Jimin murmurs. He stretches his arm to reach the tissue box and starts wiping the spilled liquid. "And i was informed by Mr.Bae yesterday."

The brothers looking perplexed. "And how did he know?" Taehyung quers. Jimin stops his motion and clears his throat. He throws the wet tissues in the trash can behind him. Still not looking at them. "Well.. he is the new landlord, so.." He whispers under his breathe. 

"What? Raise your voice, Jimin." Taehyung voices, and Jin just waits for him patiently. Jimin coughs while uttering swiftly and loudly this time. "He is the new landlord," After spitting these words, he just looks at his fingers while playing with them, and when he hears no retort, he adds. "The new owner of Moonwave." And the chaos started.

"What the fuck did you just say?!"

"This can't be real."

"This isn't time for jokes, Jimin!"

"That son of a bit-",

"Jimin, look at me!"

As soon as he catches Jin's deafening demand, he instantly obeys. Jin takes a deep breath, trying to keep his calm facade. "Okay. So let me get this right. Jung- I mean him is the one who bought the land from Mr.Bae, and he's also the one who made the demolition order for the institution." Jimin nods at his words, and at the mention of the demolition, he grits his teeth.

"Fuck." Taehyung declares after Jimin's confirmation. "Fuck indeed." Jin agrees. Hearing the older cursing, knowing that he rarely does so, Jimin figures that Jin himself has no answeres either.

ᵜᵜ

The next day, Jimin walks into the school with a smile on his face. He waves at the children happily. Making his way towards the teachers room. "Good morning, everybody." He chirps, but the joy in his voice dies as soon as he lays his eyes on the empty desks. Jimin looks around more when he steps into the room; he notices that only four out of twenty desks are utilized. "What.." He drops his bag on his own desk and heads out to the principal's office. 

Jimin opens the door without knocking on it. "Care to explain?" His sudden entry startles Mr.Lee, leading him to knock over his cup of coffee on his pants. "Jesus, Jimin!" 

He remains motionless till the other gives his focus to him. After trying to clean his pants for a few seconds, he gives up. "What is it, Jimin?" He asks wearily.

"Why are there so many empty desks in the teachers' room? Also, i noticed how vacant the school was, but i thought it was only because it's still early." Jimin spits out in one breath.

Mr. Lee just keeps on looking at him with his palms joined together on the desk. "Don't just keep staring at me! Say something!" Mr.Lee backs his body and crosses his legs. "I think you already know why, Jimin." Jimin sits down after the other gestures him to. "They resigned after they were acquainted about the demolition news. And frankly, i don't blame them." 

Jimin sighs, he lowers his head into his hands. "This is really happening, Huh?" he thinks. He knows that he also should resign and look for a new job somewhere else like a normal person, but he won't. He just can't, even if he wants to, even now that he knows who is behind all of this. "You know the new buyer, don't you." His question comes out as a statement. 

He looks up and sees the other nodes. "I discovered yesterday," He ahemms. "I only knew the name of the company, but it was easy to figure out who was behind it." He looks at his lap, as if to not make any eye contact with the younger. "Uncle.. it's him, right?" He says while trying to even his voice. The older glances at Jimin and then nods once again. 

Jimin scoffs and leans back, the back of his head on the chair's headrest. "Before you ask how did i know, Mr.Bae told me, and no, i didn't meet him. You would have known if i met him. After all, you are the one i'm going to call when i'm being held by the police and charged with castrating an Alpha before murdering him." He hears a chuckle, and then it goes quiet. "What's the name of the company?"

"Why?" Mr.Lee asks with confusion. "Just asking." Jimin replies and waits for the older to answer. "JJK," He says. "It's NO.1 in importation and exportation and other businesses all over the world in the past couple of years. You don't know that?" 

Jimin just shakes his head with no particular purpose. "I don't really keep up with anything that's happening in the business world, and you know it." Mr.Lee hums in understanding. "Well.. have a lot of kids withdrawn from the school?" Mr.Lee, with a gloomy expression, nods. 

Jimin is really angry right now, but the helplessness is making him feel sad, which overshadows any other feelings. "I got it." He stands up with a deep exhale. He turns to leave, but the older's voice appears again. "Where are you going?" Jimin halts his feet for a second and then utters without turning. "I'm taking a sick leave for the time being." Then keeps on walking away.

ᵜᵜ

After his encounter with the principal, Jimin gets back to the teachers' room, takes his bag and leaves. Instead of going back to his apartment, he decides to go somewhere else. "I forgot to ask where the company is located?" Jimin huffs and opens his phone to check through the map app. 

He takes some time to figure out which branch of the company is the nearest — he guesses that the main company is for sure in the center of Seoul — "Why are there so many subsidiaries?" He grunts after the map shows many results under his search of 'JJK company' with more than one label. He then cusses and lowers his phone. "Ain't no way i'm going to all of them." He declares loudly to no one specifically.

Jimin really doesn't know what he is doing; he knows he might be rushing things. Like, what will happen when he finds the right company that is responsible for the demolition decision? Is he going to protest in front of it? Send a group of people to destroy the place? (as if he has the money), or bursts into the manager's office and breaks his nose? too many options to pick from. His phone rings, bringing him back to the real world, away from his criminally, delusional mind.

"What is it, Tata?" He answers the phone while putting his legs for some walking. He just decides to go home for now.

"Umm, Jimin-ah.. Do you remember our talk yesterday?" Jimin frowns at the other's nervous tone. "By the talk, do you mean that wacko raucous babble that ended up with me having a headache and stomach problem from how much wine we drank and ice cream we ate? If that's so, then yes, i do remember. Why asking?" He kicks a can on the road.

"... Well, Jin and i, but mostly me, to be fair.." Taehyung goes silent again like he was in the beginning. "Tata, hurry up and-" Jimin gets cut off by the other racing words. "We are in front of that asshole's company!" Tae fastly shouts, making Jimin's ear hurt. He would hiss, but he doesn't. By the 'asshole's company'.. did he mean Jun- "I know, i know that we don't have the right, but actually we do! And surely, you don't just expect us to sit down while watching your whole life get ruined again by that lun-" This time, Taehyung is the one who gets interrupted.

"Send me the location. Now, Tae." Jimin hangs up.

Chapter Text

He should stop.

He should just turn around and forget everything.

He should just look for a new job.

There are a lot of things that he should be doing now, but here he is. Facing this huge building that says 'JJK Company For construction and Contracting'. "What am i doing?" He thinks. Jimin came all the way here with one task in his mind, which is slapping the shit out of the other and making him draw off the demolition order. But, he is ashamed to admit that the confidence that led him here has vanished and has been replaced by uncertainty and something else, but he doesn't have the time to figure it out. 

"Jiminah, here!" He hears his friend's shouting, he sighs as to get rid of these useless thoughts. He turns and sees both Jin and Tae speeding towards him. He walks a few steps to meet them halfway. "You are really doing this, huh?" Jin says in a steady voice with his calm expression, unlike Tae, whose eyes are threatening to pop out of his head. It seems like he didn't really think that the younger would actually come. 

"Yeah.." Jimin hated how small his voice was. Looking at the building. It's big and fancy like any other company. People with suits and skirts are coming in and out of it. Jimin's never been interested in these kinds of environments. He felt suffocated just by imagining working from 9 to 5 in places like these. He was born to dance. With every movement he performs, it is like a captivating story unfolds before his eyes, showing him every secret this world holds. He couldn't make him understand this feeling, and the other didn't try to. He shakes his head lightly with a sigh. 

The three of them stood in silence for a couple of seconds before starting to head towards the entrance. After they entered through the wide glass door, they took a look around. It was really crowded, and Jimin hates crowded places — each different scent from each person here mixed together, creating a strong unpleasant feeling for the omega and making it too much for him. He takes a deep breath through his mouth and prays for this to end as quickly as possible. They moved together till they reached the front office desk, where a receptionist with dark skin and curly blond hair smiled at them. "Good morning, how can i help you?" She asks in her robotic voice.  

Jimin stayed quiet. Jin and Tae just looked at him and then shared a look together before Jin took the lead. "Good morning." He flashed a polite smile. "I would like to know if we could meet with the manager of this place." She stares at him a bit, with the same fake smile, and says, "Do you mean executive director Mr.Jeon Jungkook?"

Jimin takes a sharp breath at the mention of his name. He hasn't said or heard this name for years now, and hearing this name makes him recall a lot of memories that paint his face red. No, he is not blushing. His blood is boiling, his sweaty clenched fists are shaking at his sides, his body tenses, and the weird tingling sensation is once again bothering him everywhere. He can hear the blood flowing in his ears and feels his heartbeats behind his eyes; he hates this feeling, never got used to it, it's making him lose his mind. He wants to hit something — or a specific person. He pictured this moment many times in his head. If he ever crossed paths with that piece of shit, he would beat him with anything that was in his sight. Jimin hates Jeon Fucking Jungkook. If it were up to Jimin, he would have kicked him out of Seoul — or Korea as a whole.

"Yes, him." Jin looks behind him at Jimin before looking back at her. "Do you have an appointment?" She asks while writing something on her computer. Jin shakes his head and utters no. "Well, unfortunately, sir, i can't let you meet him without an arranged appointment first. What is the purpose of the meeting?" Still not looking at them and keeps on writing something. The clicking sounds that are coming from the computer, her long nails scratching the surface of the keyboard, the annoyingly strong muddled pheromones around him that make him feel like he is being suffocated. Jimin has had enough with this bullshit.

He pushes Jin aside a bit harshly and speaks with whatever politeness is left in him, grinding his teeth together. "Listen here, sweetheart," His aggressive-ish tone catches her attention, making her look up from her computer at him. "We don't have an appointment, and we don't want to waste our time arranging one in this fucking moment. You asked what the purpose of the meeting is, right? Well, you should ask this question to your amazing, dickhead, asshole, son of a bitch, piece of shit of a fucking boss who wants to destroy a goddamn school that has been here since forever to build some stupid mall or something fucking instead!!" His grip tightens on the desk's edge. He didn't notice that his yelling was the only thing that was filling the quiet place. 

The next thing they knew was them being kicked out by the security guards. "Get off me!" Tae exclaims to that one security "I could sue you all, you know that?!" All eyes were on them. "Wow, Jimin. Every time i tell myself that you can't do anything to surprise me anymore, you shockingly do. What a gift you have." Jin states and sighs before walking towards a bench and sitting on it with a grunt.

"Oh now it's my fault?!" Jimin shouts unbelievably with his anger still radiating from him. Tae comes near him and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Of course not, Jimin. We all know who to blame here," Jimin nods and declares at the same time as the other two.

"The security." 

"Jimin." 

"Jungk- Wait what?!" He looks between them offbeat. "Hyung! What do you mean by that?" addressing the older and ignoring Tae's answer completely. Jin just stares at him and then signals to them to come and sit beside him. Jin starts speaking with his confident voice after they took a seat. "I'm not saying that this whole situation is your doing. I meant the part of us getting kicked out. Couldn't you've just waited till i'm done with her? Maybe i could have gotten us a damned appointment."

Jimin didn't say anything back; he knows that the older is right, but the thing is, his irritation took control over his mind and body, making him lash out on that poor woman. He's just grateful that he didn't cross any line or break anything. "Yeah.. I know," He looks down and starts to pick the skin around his nails. "I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to trouble you both with me again. I guess i can't help it." He shows a small smile, even though they can't see it.

"Jimin..." He hears Taehyung whisper his name. "Come on, don't say that. If we can't be with you when you need us the most, then when will we be?" Jin rubs his back up and down. Jin is for sure his godparent, he chuckles insidely. "Don't ever think like that again. Do you hear me? I love you, and i will always take care of you both. Like seriously, you are my other stupid younger brother who needs his hyung all the time." He listens to Taehyung whining and saying, "Hey!" and slaps Jin's shoulder. Jimin laughs and puts his head on the other's wide shoulder. "I love you, guys."

ᵜᵜ

Jimin sips his bubble tea before asking, "How did you find the address of the company anyways?" The three of them are sitting at a table inside a cafe. They tried to sneak inside the company one more time after the moment they shared; they got kicked out once again, and the security guard kept on watching them with hawk eyes after that. They decided to leave for now.

Taehyung speaks with his mouth full of his tuna sandwich, which leads to creating a mess. "We went to Mr.Bae and asked him if he could tell us the address." He smiles smugly, waiting for the other to bow as a thank you. His facial expression, though, quickly changes into a pained one; Jin smacks his head. "Swallow first. Disgusting." 

Jimin leans back — his back pressed on the chair's back. "Oh, yeah, i forgot about Mr.Bae," He puts his head on the chair's rail with a groan. "My brain is about to fucking explode." Jimin mutters. 

Jin puts his latte down and sighs, "Jiminie, just know that we are here with you, and we will always be. So it doesn't matter what crazy stuff you will be doing or getting involved in, we are there too." Jin smiles, and Taehyung just nods firmly. "But of course, don't go too crazy. We are too young to go to jail." 

Jimin giggles, he pulls himself up from his resting position, putting his elbows on the table and placing his chin on his joined hands. "You make me sound like i'm some psychopath," he exhales. "I just want him to withdraw that stupid destruction order of his, and then i will never have to see him again." Jimin doesn't look up at them, instead, he busies himself with his own drink, playing with the straw. He knows that they aren't only talking about the demolition thing. To be honest, he's not even sure how to solve that; like, is he going to storm into Jungkook's office and just tell him, "Cancel the demolition contract!" and the other would do such a thing immediately? Yeah, sure.

He wishes it was that easy, really. Jimin knows Jungkook. That alpha is as stubborn as a mule, if not more. When he puts his mind into something — it doesn't matter if it's stupid or crazy, he would never back down from it, not even for anyone. But, the alpha used to recede for only one person — an omega. Which is Jimin. Jimin remembers when he would find the other planning on something entirely dumb and risky in their college years. He would scold the older and, at the end, kiss him to wipe out his pout when he finally agrees on not doing the hell he was planning on. 

Jimin pinches the inside of his upper arm when he catches himself recalling the past. "Don't, Jimin." He tells himself. There is no point in reminiscing about the past; it became a past for a reason. However, he can't help but ask himself, when did everything fall apart?. He doesn't know when and how exactly, but he just knows that Jungkook was the one who threw everything in the trash when he decided to betray Jimin. Because of him, Jimin lost a huge part of his soul, the glowy moon of his dark nights, the sunshine of his gloomy days. His baby- "Jiminie?" Jimin looks up from his drink with a tiny flinch.

"Are you okay?" Taehyung asks him with a concerned face, Jin shares the same expression. Jimin frowns and tilts his head a bit in confusion. "Yes? Why?" Jin raises an eyebrow at his question and then nods towards Jimin's drink. When he looks down, he gasps because the drink is all over the wooden table and rapidly softens his grip around the poor cup. "Shit, shit, shit." He mumbles and grabs a bunch of the napkins that were on the side of the table and starts to clean the mess he caused. Stupid, stupid Jimin.

After sort of expunging the spilled liquid, he grabs his bag and runs out of the cafe. Ignoring his friend's callings of his name. It's too much, way too much for him. Luckily, the cafe was near his apartment, so he continues to run and run till he reaches it, not caring about the weird looks the people are giving him. After what felt like an eternity, he's finally standing in front of his door and trying to open it with shaky hands. Too much. Too much. Too much. 

The keys fall out of hands on the floor. "Fuck!" He kicks his door a few times while cursing in low grunts. After a couple of seconds that felt like hours of not being able to breathe, with his back pressed to the door, he slides down till he is sitting with both of his knees bent and feet planted on the floor. He puts both of his elbows on his knees and buries his red, sweaty face in the palms of his hands. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. The old calming technique he used to do years ago. He really thought he was doing better now and he wouldn't need it anymore. It seems that he thought wrong.

ᵜᵜ

Jimin opens his eyes. When did he fall asleep? He was still sitting on the cold floor in front of his closed door. His neck is killing him from the awkward sleep position earlier; he stretches it right and left till he hears a crack sound, and he moans. "What time is it?" He loudly utters to no one in particular, then retrieves his phone from his bag and sees that it is 7 PM. He had slept for a long time now. There are dozens of messages and missed calls from Taehyung and Jin. Shit.

He decides to not respond in the moment and try to get up instead. His legs are wobbly and numb, so he places his hand on the wall to steady himself. "Great, Jimin." He picks up the key from the ground with a grunt and then finally, succeeds in opening the door. Grabbing his bag and getting inside, he walks immediately towards the bathroom after sitting his bag on his bed. After making sure the bathtub water is warm, he undresses himself and gets in. Lying comfortably with his head on the edge of the tub. And the thoughts start flooding.

Since today's plan to meet Jungkook had failed, and miserably too, tomorrow he will go to the company again — but this time, by himself. However, after getting inside, what will happen next? Jimin really doesn't know, or he just doesn't want to think about it. He can't help but think, has the alpha changed? He didn't look him up even though he knows the alpha's latest news would pop out right away, and Jimin doesn't really want to know anything about the other's life. He stopped watching news solely for that reason.

Does Jungkook still have feelings for him? Jimin shakes his little head. There's no way. He is sure that the older has a mate by now. A beautiful, rich, well-educated omega that shares the same interests as him — he might even have mated with that person? Jimin scoffs, it won't be a surprise, actually, if Jungkook did. After all, Jungkook chose that person when they themselves were together, so of course they would be together by now. Hell, who is he kidding? They might have mated as soon as he and the alpha broke up.

Jimin stares at the ceiling for a couple of seconds, then asks himself that one dreadful question. Is he a father now? Did his mate give him the family he had always wanted? Jimin closes his eyes at that idea, and unconsciously, he rubs his wet middle with his shaky hands. It feels so empty, as if there was never a child — his child — existed inside of him. He imagines a colorful house; inside of it, there is a happy family. Happy parents with big smiles on their blurry faces and a child hugging their legs while letting out a beautiful loud giggle that fills the warm place. The child's drawings are on the walls, hanging side by side with their family pictures. Jimin knows every detail in this overwhelming fantasy like the back of his hand, it's not his first time picturing it. It was meant to be their future, after all. 

At the burning sensation behind his eyelids, feeling something wet stemming from his shut eyes and rolling down his rosy cheeks, Jimin slides his whole body down the cold water — he lost track of time while thinking about this meaningless stuff once again — sinking himself completely. He can't breathe. Good. He hopes the water fills his brain; this way, he wouldn't be able to lose himself to his mind, or to the past, or to him again.

ᵜᵜ

"I told you, i was just asleep," Jimin states for the 10th time with a tired voice. He's been on the phone with the others for about an hour now; it was the first thing he did after he woke up, and he has been trying to soothe their worried questions since then too. "and no, Tata, i'm not going there today." A lie. Of course it's a lie. He's going after the call ends, and alone too. 

After that complex, long, cold bath from yesterday, Jimin decided to meet the alpha first by himself. He loves Jin and Tae, and he is sure that they have his back and would defend him against anything — and with 'anything', he means Jungkook. But he needs to do this on his own. He will stay calm and collected. He won't give the older the satisfaction of seeing him worked up about something that is related to him, 'cause that would mean that Jimin still cares enough for him to show any type of emotion, which Jimin absolutely does not.

He hears the other assert, "Pinky promise?" Shit, Jimin would have to buy a hundred pieces of Bungeoppang later for the beta as an apology for breaking one of their sacred promises. "Pinky promise, Tata." He answers while crossing his fingers. "I gotta go now, need to get ready for school and all." He lies again — he didn't tell them that he took a little break from school. He will just buy two hundred pieces of Bungeoppang. And technically, he is getting ready, but not for school, so it's not a full lie.

Ending the call, Jimin pulls himself off the bed and stretches his body with a sough. He heads to the bathroom, brushes his teeth, and then takes a quick shower, getting out after a couple of minutes; he showered a few hours ago, so there's not much to wash. He dries his body thoroughly with his pink fluffy towel, throwing it in the laundry basket as he walks nudely towards his room to fetch an outfit to wear for this troubled-to-be day. His eyes drop on his suppressants, he considers taking his usual pill but remembers that he emptied the bottle yesterday and forgot to buy more. "Shit." He curses and sets on putting on a retardant patch — even though the feeling of it on his skin irritates him, but he has no other opition; it's either this or walking out to the public with fully emitting his scent. Which ain't no way. 

Putting the patch on his nape after wearing his black Calvin Klein boxer briefs, he picks a tight blue jeans that hug his lower body, a white t-shirt with the word 'Sunshine' on it, and his favorite Chelsea boots that Taehyung gifted him on his last birthday. He lets his slightly wet, pink bangs fall on his forehead and doesn't put much effort into styling it; where he is going isn't worth it anyways. 

He gathers his phone and wallet and shoves them in his bag before walking out of the apartment. He orders a cab and waits till it arrives, and while waiting, he sinks in his consuming thoughts once more. Will Jungkook even agree to meet him? What will his reaction be when he comes face to face with him? Will he pretend as if he were a nobody and just disregard him? It's been 5 years since they met, 60 months, 260 weeks, 1825 days, 43800 hours, and 2628000 minutes to be exact since he broke it off with the other in their dark, cold apartment that they once shared.

It took them no time to fall in love, as they took to fall out of it. One moment led to sparkle their love story, unlike the many mistakes that turned their love into hatred. God fucking knows that Jimin tried to make this — them — work, but the other just kept on slipping away more and more and more till he completely became nothing but a ghost in Jimin's world. And Jimin had enough of that bullshit. It took him a big chunk of his soul, and for his heart to forever be bleeding in agony, to finally understand that the idea of them was, and is, a mistake, and will forever be a mistake. 

"Fucking asshole." Jimin blurts loudly between his clenched teeth. Calm down, calm down, calm dow- "Are you Park Jimin?" He gets himself out of his mind at the sound of the caller and then takes a second to finally nod at the cab driver before he gestures at him to get in, and get in, Jimin does.

Jimin was able to shut his mind off for the whole ride (he wouldn't have wanted to "accidentally" punch the driver's face) he arrived in half an hour, which he kind of wishes it'd taken a bit longer than that. He gets off right in front of the company's huge glass door and pays the driver before he takes off. "Okay, get inside, ask for an appointment nicely, wait, and that's it." He keeps on repeating these steps till he stands once again before the receptionist — a different one, which thank God for that — the man still looking down. "Good morning, how can i help you?" Jimin brushes off the rude attitude and speaks respectfully. "Good morning, i wanted to arrange an appointment, please." He smiles his usual polite smile that he shows to his students' parents. 

The receptionist looks up, and his factitious expression drops for a minute before he smiles again, and this time, it appears to be a real one, and more.. flirtatious. "Hello there, sir." His full attention is on Jimin now, and Jimin won't be Jimin if he doesn't take this chance. "Hi, i would like to meet with Jeon Jungkook, please, mister." His sultry smile is pulled up on his face, a faint smell of sweet, sensual, blossomy flowers, with a vanillic undertone in the air; there is a reason he doesn't wear patches that often. They don't work that well on him. 

The man — whose name tag says Gam Siwoo — from how his nostrils are flaring as if to desperately take a whiff of something vague and forbidden, Jimin's really starting to rethink this strategy. "So? Are you able to help me, or you would rather wound my omega? Huh, Siwoon-shi?" He flutters his eyelashes while leaning further on the desk. Disgusting. That's what he would say if anybody asked him how he is feeling right now. Stupid Alphas, he thinks while rolling his eyes in his mind. 

"Yes. Yes, i totally can!" He exclaims, then calms his pathetic self down while looking around and fixing his tie. "Good. I knew i could count on you, Siwoo-shi." Jimin smiles. He waits on his feet for the other to arrange that godforsaken meeting. In a couple of minutes, the man speaks again with an excited tone, "Your meeting with Mr. Jeon Jungkook will be in forty minutes." Jimin shows a small smile and says with a voice devoid of any kind of emotion, unlike before, simply polite. "Thank you, Mr.Gam, i appreciate your hard work." Before turning on his heel and walking towards the waiting room.

While waiting, he tries to look as nonchalant as he can, but he has this feeling that he's failing with every minute that passes. Snubbing someone's stares on the back of his head, he unlocks his phone and checks some of the unread messages. He goes through most of them and skips the others, his finger stops after opening a chat under the name 'Minju' She used to teach at Moonwave with him before she resigned after her ass of a husband asked her to do so. It took a lot for Jimin to not go to her husband's workplace and kick his ass. 

He smiles and starts reading her messages. God, he misses her. The smile fell through him reading her texts, though.

Minju

Hey, Jimin, i know it has been months since we talked, and i'm sorry for that.

I just wanted you to know that i got divorced. I caught him cheating on me with a coworker of his.

I can't believe him. After everything i have done for him, he just goes and cheats on me just like that. 

I'm going back to teaching. You were right, Jimin, he doesn't deserve me nor my Jihae. 

∅This message was deleted

I haven't told you, have i?? I gave birth to my beautiful girl Jihae two months ago. Oh, Jimin, she's such a beauty! Look!!

PHOTO

We need to meet soon. I can't wait for you to see her, Jimin. You will absolutely adore her. 

Talk to you later, my baby is crying for me haha.

Jimin stares at the last message for a bit too long, then looks at the photo that she sent; an infant with a pink onesie that has blue flowers on it and a blue headband on its — hers — head, looking at the camera with her toothless smile and rosy cheeks. She was indeed a beauty. He goes back to the last message, and before he could catch himself, he deliberates. "My baby should have been crying for me too." Jimin jerks his head lightly not to make a scene, he won't be thinking of these pathetic thoughts, like how their situation is so alike, especially not minutes before meeting up with the devil himself.

He locks his phone with a sigh and takes a mental note to reply to her later. He was about to put it in his pocket when he heard shuffling, and the people who were sitting around him started to stand up. He's not that stupid to not get what was going on — he looks towards the door where he entered from. He is here. Jimin opted to stay seated, watching men and women in boring black and blue suits coming in to form two lines in front of the big glassy door. "What a snobby asshole." He thinks

He couldn't completely see what was happening, first, because he was sitting down, and second, people here were freakishly huge and tall. "AlPhAs." Jimin mocks in his head. The place was filled with greetings in mere seconds. 

"Good morning, Mr.Jeon."

"Nice to see you today, Mr.Jeon."

"How are you today, Mr.Jeon?"

"I hope you've had a great morning so far, Mr.Jeon." 

Jimin rolls his eyes. "Asskissers." He mumbles. He was about to look the other way when dark locks caught his attention. There he goes, with his 3-piece suit in the color of black (that looks more expensive than his whole ass apartment) and shiny black shoes that, if he stared at them for long, he would turn blind from how fucking lustrous they are. He still couldn't see his full face. Jimin's heartbeats were speeding, palms sweating, and leg bouncing. 

Jimin came here for a reason, and he won't leave till he sits down with him and gets over this humorless situation. He stands up and grasps tightly on the bag's strap on his shoulder, and everything is vivid now.

The once long and fluffy hair is now an undercut mullet that's slicked back, making his features clearer and showing his bold piercings that are located on both his ears. His doe-like eyes are somehow sharper, but still the same boba eyes he used to spend his whole day staring at. His perfect, neat brows with a piercing on the right one, his honed button nose, his pink, thin lips that are decorated with another piercing — Jimin can still feel those lips on his — and his strong jaw as always. Jimin really doesn't want to admit it, but Jungkook was still as attractive as before, even more so.

"Oh, come the fuck on, Jimin!" Jimin's hands tremble as the memories start flowing in his mind as strong as ever. "You really think i went and fucked some other omega?!" The alpha once shouted. "I could say the same for you, Jimin."  A dark chuckle fills the empty space they were in. "Did you beg for his cock, you little slut?" 

Jimin gets out of his little dim flashback and refocuses on the guy that is inches away from him. He is not the same naive Jimin that he used to be, and he won't allow himself to be in that state again. He would rather kill himself. He looks at the mini crowd that's still in front of the door, clenching his free hand into a fist, tightening his grip more around that poor strap with the other, and just waits.

He notices the alpha's nose twitching, and suddenly his eyes are everywhere. Looking in every direction like a madman, while ignoring the 'What's going on?'s from the people around him. And that's when it happened. They locked eyes. 

Jimin will never allow it.

Chapter Text

Jimin doesn't know how many seconds have passed of them just staring at each other. It certainly felt like an eternity. Being at the receiving end of Jungkook's gaze used to be the sole purpose of the omega's existence; he thrived in it and perished for it. But God, how much he wants to be anywhere else but here at the moment.

The idea of meeting Jungkook again one day scared the shit out of Jimin; he was afraid that his heart might betray him and fall for the alpha all over again or, worse, forgive him. But remarkably, he feels nothing but resentment and grudge while maintaining eye contact with that fucker right now. He really does hate the older. So with much effort, he puts on a blank expression — yes, his furrowed brows are part of it — he breaks their staring contest and sits back down, letting the mini crowd engulf his small figure away from that pair of hunting eyes. 

Tuning out the loud voices of people worrying over their glorious CEO (annoying suckups) and why did he suddenly stop. He hears a familiar deep, smooth voice saying something but he didn't catch what it was, and the footsteps are back, and the herd is walking away; following their master.

He then smells it instantly. That scent. His scent. The strong smell of espresso mixed with the musky odor of sandalwood. He forgot how much he loved that scent, but Jimin notices that there is something else buried under it — It's a strong feeling, but he can't quite figure it out — Jimin was once able to identify each and every emotion the alpha felt by only his pheromones; guess he also forgot how to do that. 

He keeps on waiting while mentally rehearsing what to say when he comes face-to-face again with the older. "Okay, Jimin, first, enter the office, second, punch him in the face, then make him withdraw that stupid order, and voilà, everything goes back to the way it was and you won't have to see him ever again." He nods slowly with a determined smile, and if anybody is seeing him speaking to himself, no, they don't. 

"Park Jimin?" He stills after hearing his name, looking up he finds a woman eyeing the waiting area. "Yes." Her eyes land on him after hearing a response; she stares for a bit and then says with a weird tone. "You will see the boss in a minute." And she vanishes before he gets the chance to say anything. Bizarre.

Jimin lowers his head and gazes at his hands, he was about to pick the skin around his nails when his scraped-off nail polish catches his attention. He should've gone to the salon first. "Uhh.. Why is it bothering me?" He tucks his hands in his pockets nonchalantly — as if he didn't do such a thing to hide his hideous nails — and while doing so, he notices his wobbly legs. "They must have their AC's temp on very low; otherwise, why can't his legs stop shaking?" He naively debates.

"Park Jimin, follow me, please." The woman appears once again, standing with her black pencil skirt, waiting for the younger with the same odd expression, but this time, she's wearing a smile on her face — which he's having trouble sensing the motif behind it — Jimin stands and tightens his grip around the bag's strap for dear life.

"Here goes nothing." He takes a deep breath before marching behind her.

ᵜᵜ

Jimin finds himself in a humongous elevator after following that woman — ostensibly, Kim Duri, as it's written on her name tag — noticing that she's an omega from the first sight and the faint scent of sweet apples. She presses the 13th button — the topmost level — then stands as still as a statue, and the smooth Jazz is the only thing filling the awkward silence. 

3 floors up. Jimin decides to break the silence (which he regreted doing), so he clears his throat and looks in her direction. "So many floors, haha." He smiles while waving around with one hand. No reply. Not even a bat of an eye at him. Anyone would think that he would shut up after that; well, think again.

"So, how long have you been working here?" Jimin asks while tilting his head, trying to make eye contact with her. There isn't that much of a height difference between them, but her wearing heels sort of gives her the upper hand. 

7 floors up. "I'm Jimin, by the way. I'm sure you already know that, considering you're the one who called for me and all. I came here for a humanitarian purpose, and-" He gets interrupted by a small snort. Looking at the woman — Ms. Duri — with a raised eyebrow, Jimin asks. "Something funny?" The woman finally spares him a glance, and Jimin could have sworn that she rolled her eyes at the end of it. "Not exactly, Mr. Park—" Jimin cuts her off. "Call me Jimin. I'm too young to be called Mr. Park." 

She sighs as if she were talking to a toddler and side-eyes him while shaking her head with that damned smug grin. Jimin is extremely bewildered. "Okay, lady, what is your—" The ding sound chips in, notifying him that they reached the solicited floor. The doors slide open. "Saved by the fucking bell." Jimin mumbles while getting out behind her. 

Step by step, it's slowly getting into him. He is really doing it. He's really meeting up with Jeon Jungkook. Feeling as if he were about to greet the devil, he hugs his belly, just to bring himself some comfort. Breathe in. Breathe out. Jimin keeps on doing just that after sensing his hands twitching and a pile forming in his throat. 

All of a sudden, they come to a stop; the woman turning her full body at him — looking at him with the same annoying, unreadable face — "What?" It comes out more aggressive than he meant it to be. She opens her mouth, and here it comes. "You're not on suppressants." It's more of a statement than a question.

"Yes, i am!" Jimin's unsure why he got so defensive all of a sudden. Blame that uncanny stare the woman's been giving him; it's like she's accusing him of something. "And even if i'm not, what is it to you?!" He doesn't know which part of what she's said earlier worked him up that much; it just sounded wrong to his ears. 

A couple of seconds pass by, and she, once again, sighs. Going through her own jacket's inner pocket, she pulls out a single strip of pills, which he recognizes as one of the many brands of suppressants he uses. She gets one out and hands it to him. "You reek of distress." Oh. He softly stretches an arm off from around his middle and opens his palm for her to place the pink pill in the center of it. "It takes a whole minute for it to kick off, so wait here till it does. Mr. Jeon isn't fond of strong scents," She silences herself for a second, then continues. "Especially the smell of wilted flowers." 

Quietly, Jimin pulls a bottle of water out of his bag, deciding to not acknowledge what she said. Of course he knows how sensitive the older's nose is. It's not like he could forget how the other used to cling to him all day, saying "God, i love your scent." and drop kisses all over his scent gland, or how he used to grimace at the smallest whiff of any other being he's not familiar with. Alphas in particular. 

"Thanks." He mumbles after wiping his mouth of any excess water. She nods leisurely and just stands there, waiting. Putting back the bottle in his bag, it's already been a minute, and he feels a little better, knowing that Jungkook would no longer be able to smell any of his pheromones, thankfully. 

They resume walking in silence, and the younger's still trying to think about anything but the fact that he's facing the other in mere seconds. Seeing the woman stopping, Jimin also stopped, leaning to the side to take a better look. A huge black door was planted in front of them. He wasn't paying attention earlier, but looking around now, it's really empty.

There is only a big desk across from them, located near the huge door's left side, with the chair's back fronting the wall. But still, no sign that anybody is using it, though, from the way the desk is shining clean, like there wasn't even a brush of a finger laid on it, and the surface having no personal objects. It's eerily tranquil.

Eyeing the place, Jimin flinches from the sudden knocking sound. He looks in Ms. Duri's direction, only to find her disappearing inside whatever was behind that door. "Okay, everything will be fine, Jimin. Don't let him get into your head. You're here for a purpose and one purpose only." He pep talks himself when he catches Ms. Duri retreating form. 

"Mr. Jeon is waiting for you." She declares before walking past him, but not before throwing a look at him over her shoulder. Jimin just keeps on eyeing her moving back with a raised eyebrow. "What the fuck is her problem?" He thinks. 

When she vanishes completely, Jimin is left alone with the semi-open door, outing the scent of faint espresso and that damn smell of sandalwood. God, this will be a long day.

Holding his bag's strap tighter than ever, recklessly, Jimin takes his first step back into the past, unaware that his lifetime was forever sentenced to go back to the beginning, because that's where his future lies.

ᵜᵜ

Getting inside, the first thing Jimin notices is how vast the room is. Like, it's literally the size of his apartment as a whole. On his far right, there is a long, black mahogany conference table that is surrounded by many sleek, leather chairs with the same color — except for the middle one, which has a large 'JJ' etched on the backrest — and floor-to-ceiling windows on the side of the table, with some potted plants attached to its jambs.

Looking on his left, there is a seating area with a central black leather sofa that looks like it costs a kidney with its back glued to the white wall and a black bean bag chair on the left of it, along with a shiny, black leather lounge chair on the right. A low glass coffee table with a partially empty cup of something; assuming it's coffee from the shade of it, as well as some discarded papers. Tilting his pink head down, there is a huge TV placed on a black console tabletop. 

While taking in the paintings on the walls, the bookshelves, and everything around him, that scent — his scent — hits him once again, weakly now that he has taken a suppressant. Slowly, he turns his head in the direction he has been ignoring since he entered, the desk area.

In the very heart of the space, there is a large, black wooden desk; on it, there's a computer on the side and an open laptop in the center, emitting a dull, square radiance. Jimin, unable to register anything else due to the blackness that's present on that side of the room. But it's not significant if he's visionless in the moment. His presence is way too stout to be blocked by something as mere as light. He's there. And he's looking.

Near the desk, on the right, there's a big, black figure that nobody would have noticed with the lack of illumination, but Jimin isn't just a nobody. He can feel those pair of eyes gawking at him. Studying him. As if he were a wolf studying its prey. They just keep on staring at each other — more like Jimin staring at the shadows — till it came. That profound, irritatedly serene voice that he used to wake and sleep by in his ears since he knew what life was. 

"Why are you here?" Jungkook queries. Albeit sensing the other trying to muster it up, there is another lilt hidden under. It's almost as if there was a different question on his tongue.

"Oh, believe me, i wouldn't have come here if it wasn't fucking urgent." Jimin hears himself speaking with much confidence and venom in his words. To tell the truth, he was worried that he might not be able to confront the Alpha after all these years; that he might crumble or suffocate with all the gushing memories of their past once he's seen Jungkook's face —technically, he still hasn't seen his face, but still— so he keeps on scowling at the shadowy silhouette. 

A dry chuckle could be heard from the older. "I see you haven't changed. The same trashy mouth." He snarks. 

Trashy mouth?! Fuck no! Before Jimin could show him how it is to be truly trashy, the other steps out of the dimness. And now Jimin sort of wishes he could just have continued talking —spatting— to a faceless Jungkook, 'cause that's not safe. 

Walking into the light, a black, silky button shirt — his suit jacket long gone and ditched somewhere — rolled up sleeves; revealing a share of his fully tattooed arm, which is new news for the younger, making him curse his whole existence internally. Forcing his eyes to avert to something else; a broad, clothed shoulders and these huge biceps that Jimin deems he could hang on and it won't affect the older—not like he's talking from experience. Sculpted chest with noticeable pecs that are being hugged by the fabric tightly, leading to his narrow waist. Along with formal pants that are the same color as his shirt, flexing his strong thighs, and shiny, polished Oxford shoes.

Jimin takes all that in silently before balling his hands into fists on both sides of his thighs. Before forming one more nasty thought, his eyes fly up as soon as the other's figure is completely unveiled. For the second time this day, he locks eyes with Jungkook; his hair seems a bit disheveled —like it has been gone through by a hand multiple times— still looking annoyingly beautiful — dark, acute eyes being fixated on him under those relaxed eyebrows and a grin visible on his thin lips, but by taking a glance at that clenched jaw, it's only a mask that the Alpha is wearing. Too bad for him, Jimin knows him too well. 

Silence settled in the office; only the ticking sound from the clock could be heard alongside their inner voices interacting with one another after many separated nights. Jimin immediately shuts his Omega down after it starts wailing for its mate. What a fucking joke.

Yes. He might have once believed with all his heart that the guy he's standing in front of was his destined Alpha. But that was when he was being driven by his naiveness and stupidity. He isn't anymore, and his Omega will understand this. One way or another.

Jimin's chain of thoughts gets slashed by the older's words. "I'm asking again, why are you here, Park?" His tone is stern, both hands stuffed inside of his pants' pockets.

And Jimin is reminded of everything that motherfucker has caused and will cause. "I'm pretty sure you know why, Jeon." Mocking the use of his last name. Jimin thinks he's unlocked a new type of frowning with how much he's pulling his eyebrows together. 

Eying Jungkook as he walks towards him unhurriedly while looking down, shaking his head as if he's finding something amusing with the same fucking grin. "The same guessing game, huh?" He stills, and he's in front of the younger, fiery eyes looking down at Jimin. "How many times do i have to tell you to go straight to the point?" His grin grew, making his face more punchable to Jimin.  

Reluctantly, the Omega cocks his head up to meet the other's eyes —that tall freak. However, Jimin can't help but notice that Jungkook is big, like covering-his-whole-body kind of big. He's always been big, but somehow he got even bigger. Also, with how close they are now, his scent is more apparent. Jimin really needs to get this over with and get the fuck out. "One word. Moonwave." He snarls through clenched teeth. 

The silences between them stretched and thickened like a viscous liquid. Noticing no change of expression on the older's face tells him everything. "So? Care to fucking explain why you are targeting my school?!" He shouts while putting some space between them, not wanting to do something like kicking the Alpha's ass. Yet. 

Jungkook, looking entertained, hums. Still standing unaffectedly in the same spot, eyeing the indignant being in front of him with one raised brow. "Mm, not really." 

Jimin is staring at him with a murderous look on his face, the urge to punch that arrogant bastard is killing the younger. He feels himself losing it; sweaty hands twitching on his sides, craving friction with some skin —most likely Jungkook's cheek— the godforsaken headache is back and is hammering the back of his eyelids, the rapid heartbeats in his ears, and he's gritting his teeth harshly, even though Jin called him out for it many times, saying it can damage his whole teeth; the squeaking sound that reaches his ear pulls him out of it a bit. 

He turns, his back facing the older, not wanting him to witness this weak side of him. In. Out. In. Out. He's not worthy of being worked up for; attacking him could lead to prison, and he's not really in the mood for any of Jin's parent-like lectures and Taehyung's playful giggles.

Oblivious to the movements behind him, he gives himself a minute to calm down; when he finally senses that he could carry on with this god-awful conversation, he turns once again, but he's met with an empty spot. Jimin's confused. Did he take off, leaving Jimin by himself? The Omega was about to kick a large urn that was located on the floor next to him just for some release —and as a payback— when he hears a coughing sound.

The younger jerks, peering behind his shoulder at the source, he catch sight of Jungkook, seated with his legs crossed at the head of the conference table, on that customised chair. The same shit-eating grin featuring his face, as if he were having the time of his life.

"Is he enjoying this?" Jimin thinks. Just by having this idea foraying his mind, it makes him an inch closer to beating the shit out of the older to teach him what the real enjoyment feels like —but Jimin doubts it would bring any pleasure except to him—

"What's so amusing? Enlighten me, please." Jimin speaks with a feigning sweet tone, tilting his head a little while showing a bogus smile. 

Jungkook eyes him before swaying his hand in front of him. "Everything," He chuckles while resting his head on the headrest, making the motion of his Adam's apple clearer to the Omega, who refuses to pay attention to it, so he keeps his eyes glued on Jungkook's face. "But the one who needs enlightening here is me, Park." His voice comes as austere at the end. Still looking at the ceiling of his office. 

"You? About what?! I already told you what i am here for, and what did i get from you? Nothing! Aside from inflating my desire to kill you even more." He huffs, taking a step closer. 

A snort could be heard from the older before he looks down at Jimin. "And what was that you told me again?" He voices with a raised brow.

"Moonwave! Are you even listening?!" Another step was taken.

"And what about it?" Jungkook speaks with indifference, leading to the twitch in Jimin's left eye. 

"Oh my fucking god! Why did you issue the demolition order upon the school, Jungkook?!" He cries, overlooking the fact that he got close enough to be facing the chair the older is slumped on. 

Not receiving any response from the man he's standing in front of, he continues laying off what's on his chest. "What the fuck were you thinking? Were you even thinking at the time? How could you do such a thing to Mr. Lee. To the kids. Hell, to m—" Jimin trails off with a harsh exhale. What was he about to say? It must be the heat of the moment. 

Jungkook keeps on looking up at him, an unreadable expression all over his face. But Jimin wasn't done. "Honestly, i'm not surprised," He titters bleakly while looking into Jungkook's dark brown eyes. "Knowing someone like you, you wouldn't hesitate to sell everyone out for your own fucking sake, you selfish piece of shit—" Jimin stumbles back from the startling figure that stood abruptly ahead of him. 

Now that the Alpha is standing right in front of him —not sitting down, not standing a few steps away, but actually here, in Jimin's space and barely a foot range between them— the younger can't really say that he's 100% unfazed at the minute. Hot, rigid breath hitting his upper face belonging to the older, who's staring into Jimin's eyes undauntedly. His eyes are grisly and look dark even under the gleam light. His gigantic build is swallowing Jimin's own; his scent is even richer like this. Jimin's in a dangerous territory.  

"Listen here, Park, just because i let you run your little mouth the second you got in here—which was an act of kindness from me, it doesn't mean you can forget yourself and disrespect me in my own office." He stays silent for less than a second as if to state something —Jimin could swear that he caught him glimpsing at his lips in it—  before pursuing. "I owe you no explanation. What i do with my business is up to me, so know your place, Omega." He then walks past Jimin and towards his desk. 

Jimin stills for a bit. Being called by his secondary gender like this feels so degrading and distasteful. Know my place? His hands tremble as the parts of the memories they shared began to come to the surface. "Just let it go, huh? I swear you don't know when to fucking stop.", "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO ASK ME THIS, OMEGA!", "I love you, Jimin, but sometimes, i wish you'd use that brian of yours for once." No. No. No. Stop it. He locked all of that in the farthest part of his mind. He can't let himself be back in that state he was in. He simply can't.

He swallows the pile in his throat, then slowly turns his body around. He's not done with him yet, so from his place, he voices loud enough for the older to hear. "I know my place. I know my place because not a single moment in my life i haven't spent it there. It's a place where my parents built their lives together, brought me into the world, and made me fall in love with the same place where they found each other in it. It's a place where i taught—and still teach hundreds of kids how to express their freedom through listening to the beats of their hearts before the music and dance to them. I know my place. And it's Moonwave, Alpha."

The silence engulfed the room, and the traces of Jimin's words fed it. With his chin high, he steps nearer the desk, where Jungkook is sitting on its chair, his face shadowed by the lack of light as before, but Jimin just keeps walking into the darkness —it's not like he's not familiar with its touch, he used to be one with it— the click-clack sounds that are coming from under Jimin's feet are filling the scene.

"So no. It's not only up to you, 'cause the second you decided to mess with my whole world, it no longer became an 'I' matter, it involves me now. And i would go down with that school before i watch it fall apart on your hands." He whispers these words while leaning down onto the desk before turning on the LED lamp that's set on the left edge of the wooden desk.

His eyes find Jungkook's, but it seems that the older was already meeting his gaze even before the lamp's light shimmered on their faces. Jimin's upper body is slightly over the desk, making him feel ridiculous. He keeps still though, dissenting to back away first—he must maintain this staring contest. 

As Jungkook opens his mouth, there are knocks on the door. Putting an end to whatever that was happening a second ago. Jimin takes a step back whilst adjusting himself—anything to distract him from the pair of eyes that are still following him.

"Enter." Jungkook voices loudly, spinning his chair slightly to the right so he could be facing the door. 

The door opens and a tall guy walks in, eyeing down the load of papers that he's holding in his arms. "Jungkook-ah, you won't believe what Yoongi hyung heard at the—" He stops in his tracks once he lifts his head. "Jimin."

At the call of his name, he spins his upper body to the left. Eyes widening. "Namjoon Hyung." He states in a small voice. 

Jimin didn't expect seeing another person from the past today, and Namjoon in that matter, which is stupid. Of course Namjoon would be here too; he's Jungkook's cousin after all. This day keeps on getting better and better. 

"Long time no see," Namjoon pronounces in a surprised but honest tone, while slowly putting down what's in hand on the desk. "Jungkook-ah, you didn't mention anything about this.."

The man in question just shrugs and stretches his arm to take the top document of the many that are placed in front of him and a pen in the other hand. 

Jimin, just standing there, watching the Alpha signing form after form, and with Namjoon next to him, just nodding at the younger each time they make eye contact. 

"Didn't i say to cancel this project? Why are you handing me shit about it then?" Jungkook exclaims before tearing the paper up and throwing it in Jimin's direction. The younger tries not to think about grabbing the same torn sheet that lies next to his feet and shoving it in Jungkook's mouth. He doesn't have time for this. 

"I see you are busy. I will come another time." He says and was about to turn when the other speaks. 

"I would stop if i were you—i'm not changing my mind." A head down and a never stop-moving hand. "It will be a waste of time for both of us, especially me."

Jimin scoffs. "In that case, i will come tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after till i make sure you have no time left to waste. I will keep making appointments for absolutely no fucking reason and long ones if i can. If you were in a meeting, i would barge in on every single one of them and make a scene. I will protest in front of your precious company, and i will spread nasty rumors about you—but i doubt the need for me to make stuff up, at the end of the day, your true self is way worse." Smirking at the fact that Jungkook's no longer paying attention to his work that's between his hands, but instead, his grip tightens around the poor pen and he stares with sharp, angry eyes at the Omega. "And i don't work for you, so don't fucking tell me what to do." 

And with that, he twirls around and leaves with his head high. So what if today was a failure? He still has plenty of time to find a way for the older to cancel that stupid call of his. But till then, he'll guarantee making the other suffer.

ᵜᵜ

"Come again. What did you do?!" Tae cries after rising from the couch without any warnings, making the empty beer can that was set near the wooden leg hit the floor with a soft crash sound. 

Jimin told them everything that night, on the same day. They were drinking and snacking while watching some comedy movie when he decided to blurt, "I went to the company and met Jungkook today." In the middle of a chasing scene. And he kind of wishes he could take it back. Too late, though. 

The Omega stays silent, looking at his lap and fiddling with the hem of his pyjama shorts that reach the middle of his thighs. 

"Jimin!" Tae shouts his name, making him flinch. He's going to get complaints from the neighbors, that's for sure. 

Overwhelmed by the yelling, he repeats himself again. "I MET JUNGKOOK." He too yowls. Eyes down still—not having the balls to look at either of them. 

"Fucking hell, Jimin!" Tae groans and tosses himself at his previous spot on the couch next to Jimin. Doesn't say anything after, just curses in a low voice. 

Finding it strange that the older hasn't said a word to him since his confession. Jimin throws a glance at Jin, only to find him already digging holes at him with his calm stare. The movie is long forgotten, Jimin calls with a soft, virtually nil tone. "Hyung.."

Jin keeps on staring, and Jimin can practically see the gears working behind those eyes. "So, how was it?" The hyung asks with an uncannily composed voice.

"Pointless! Jungkook, that stubborn fucker, kept saying stuff like 'That's only up to me' and 'Know your fucking place' and shit like that!" Jimin exploded. He has been quiet since he left the company, and it felt nice to talk about it —in his case, shout about it— to anybody. "And also, he kicked me out since he was so busy, Mr. Fucking important." Jimin knows he wasn't kicked out, but it felt like it, and so what? Nobody will question it, anyways. 

"What?! He said, know your place?!" Tae exclaims incredulously, eyes wide, mouth open. "And he kicked you out?! What the actual fuck?! He's still fucking mental, i see!" Taehyung focuses on Jin. "Hyung! Can you believe that asshole?!"

Eyeing Jin, Jimin finds him still staring, but his face is pulling on an angry expression—from what he heard. Then here comes the concerned tone. "Are you okay, Jimin-ah?" A resentful timbre being subdued by Jin himself. 

The younger stays voiceless. He is okay, isn't he? He hasn't broken down (yet, he guesses), he hasn't lost his temper during his "talk" with the other—he almost did, but yes— and he's with his most favorite people in the whole world in the moment, not locking himself away in his dark room, living through every memory over and over again. So yes, he would say he's okay.. for now, at least.

"Yes, Hyung. I'm fine, don't worry." He offers a small, genuine smile at Jin. When the older was about to nod, Jimin felt a smack. "Ow!" He glares at Taehyung while rubbing the back of his head. "What was that for?!"

Tae slaps his bare thigh once; ignoring the Omega's cries, he spits. "Didn't we agree on going there together?! Why in hell did you lie to us and decide to go there by yourself?!" Another slap on his reddened skin. 

"Stop it! Ouch! I'm sorry, okay!" The other finally stops torturing his poor thighs; he and Jin just keep watching him with faces that scream, 'Go on'. "I'm really sorry. It's not that i didn't want you guys with me there—it's just that.. i needed to do this on my own." He brushes his rosy thighs as he eyes them. "I won't lie and say it was a piece of cake and all, 'cause it wasn't. I was nervous as fuck, sweating as if i had run 50 miles, and was actually about to flee when.. when i saw him." 

The two remain unspeaking; one with his arms crossed, and the other just sits there with his back towards the inside arm of the sofa. Jimin continues. "God, everything came back to me, guys. The good and the bad.. but i-i don't get how the good ones hurt me more." He chuckled dismally, glancing at both of them.

The Kim brothers, without wasting any seconds, pull him into a tight hug. No one spoke after that—not to acknowledge the angry knocks on the door, not to acknowledge the movie coming to an end, and definitely not to acknowledge the tears that were spilled.  

ᵜᵜ

Jimin never lies. Well, to be more accurate, he never backs down from something that's related to causing bothersome to Jungkook. So if he says that he would waste the Alpha's time and vexes the shit out of him, then he meant every single word. And that's what he's doing right now. 

Utilizing his sick leave very wisely. He has been going to the Alpha's company for a whole week now. At first, he was able to make appointments but never came face-to-face with Jungkook since the last meeting between them. It's like the moment the older is being told who's behind all these useless rendezvous, he just won't show up. He even goes to the point where he tells the employees that are in charge at the front desk to stop booking appointments for him. Leaving Jimin making a scene when he first found out that he's no longer able to.

That didn't stop him, though. The younger has a very convenient schedule that he follows; he arrives at the company at 6 A.M. sharp and leaves 12 A.M., never skipping a day in that week. Everyone knew who he was; he was the weird, aggravating Omega that roams around the place, that sings loudly while wearing headphones —attracting furious side-eyes from the people around him— that buys every single item from the vending machine and munches on them loudly, too, that sometimes sits with the clients that have to wait in the waiting room and starts chatting with them—drawing a smile on each face he interacts with. 

But even after all that, the security haven't done anything to him, not even the workers—they only keep throwing disapproving looks at him, but that's it. Jimin is certain that Jungkook is the one who ordered them to not pay him any piece of mind, making all of his efforts to irritate him meaningless. 

Jin was against this idea, of course, voicing unpleasantly, "This is a really bad idea, not to mention STUPID, Jimin-ah!" Unlike Taehyung, who was on board to go with the younger till he bailed out when he learned that he has to wake up at six in the morning. He was out of it as fast as the Flash. That dang hibernator. 

So here he is. Lounging on the same leather sofa he had taken over for the past days. Today marks the start of a new week, and he's getting bored. He had tried everything he could think of in an attempt to provoke anyone—and that one dickhead who's never here— still no success. 

Thumbing his phone screen up and down, giggling. "Enjoying yourself?" A deep, sudden voice comes from the top of his resting head, causing him to recoil so hard he falls from the couch on his side with a wince. His phone!

Getting up on his feet, he swiftly grabs his phone that is lying on the white tile floor. "Ah, thank God." The screen wasn't broken, so after checking the most important thing, he peers at the previous voice's way. "What the hell—" The angered question dies out on his tongue. Oh. He's finally here. 

"I hope your stay here was great." Jungkook mocks. His face is stone cold. "Don't you think it's time to, i don't know, check out?" 

Jimin, as quick as always. "It was okay. Have seen better customer service, though." Putting his body weight on one leg. "And i think not. I have made myself clear before, haven't i? Or age is finally catching up with you, huh? Forgetting stuff already." 

Jungkook just stares down at him. Damn Alpha genes. If Jimin didn't know any better, he would say that the other is analyzing him. Then one side of Jungkook's mouth lifts. That can't be good. "You have. And for that, meet me in my office in 10 minutes, Mr. Park." He turns and leaves with the same unsettling smirk, both hands in his pockets. Jimin is left behind completely, feeling uneasy. 

8:32 A.M.

8:33 A.M.

8:34 A.M.

8:35 A.M.

8:36 A.M.

8:37 A.M.

8:38 A.M.

8:39 A.M.

8:40 A.M.

8:41 A.M.

These few minutes took forever and ever to pass, earning every nerve in Jimin's body to tingle relentlessly. What is he planning to do? Did he call the police, so the second he steps into the office, they will jump on him and arrest him? Or he has some vengeance card, hiding it somewhere under his sleeve. Even after all these years, he's still confusing as fuck! 

Roving through the same path onto the older's office as he did a week ago, and every once in a while, he casts an eye at the long, black-haired guy next to him, accompanying the Omega with each step. Min Yoonji, as he has been told by him, himself. 

He was about to break the silence with the other when the familiar black door finally appeared, and they stopped right in front of it. "Aren't you coming in?" Jimin asks the man—Mr. Min, noticing the other stepping back. 

"The boss requisitioned just you." Mr. Min recites with a calming voice. Jimin can sense the sweet scent of tangerines coming from the other. It's nice. 

"Alright then. Thanks for escorting me all the way here." Offering him a genuine smile before he turns and knocks on the door twice, entering without waiting for an answer from the inside, totally missing the gentle look that was on the Alpha behind him. 

Stepping inside, Jimin's eyes fall on the older right away, who's sitting a few meters away with crossed legs, both elbows on the chair's arms while intertwining his hands on his lap. Shifting his gaze from the singular piece of paper that's situated on the desk in front of him to the encroacher who just walked in. 

"I didn't say you could come in." Jungkook utters with an impassive tone and a stony face. 

Walking closer towards the desk, he looks around, searching for the hidden officers. "Good thing i don't care."

He hears Jungkook scoff. "You will."

He sits on the chair that is in front of the desk, facing the Alpha. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Ignoring the younger's question, Jungkook asks instead. "How has your little game been going? I heard you befriended Mrs. Binna from the cafeteria."

That asshole. "Yes. She's sweet and makes great food. And gotta fill my time with something."

"What a plenty of time you have doing nothing. A good practice, i suppose." He smiles at the end. That fake, hateful smile he used to wear whenever he decided to hurt someone without making a scene while doing so. He'd done it many times in front of the Omega, but it was always meant for somebody else—not Jimin himself. Nothing stays the same.

"How about you cut the bullshit and spill the reason why i am here? I still have to go and spray-paint the word 'Dickhead' on both sides of the company." Jimin voices so normally.

"Wow. Funny that you're asking me this question while admitting a crime—vandalizing my property, right in my face." He shakes his head. "You should be grateful i haven't called—"

"Grateful? Do you even know what that word means? For me to be grateful to you, you need to get your head out of your ass and actually start listening to me when i tell you to leave my school alone! In a month, Moonwave will be closed for good, and not only that, but destroyed too! And it's all on you, you fucking son of—"

Cutting off Jimin's shouts. "And that's why i called you here." His face is calm, the same as his timbre. "I have an offer for you."

Staying quiet for a minute —catching his breath from his outburst earlier— when Jungkook's words started to register. An offer? What could he possibly have to offer? Jimin swears if the other tries to sneak some money into his pocket in exchange for letting all of this go and leaving, he'll grab his beautiful, neat, slicked-back hair and crush his skull by smacking him on the edge of his polished, expensive desk. He gets up from his seat for it to be easier to walk to Jungkook's side and does as he thought. 

"Offer? What kind of offer?" Jimin voices suspiciously.

Jungkook eyes the other, then leans a bit forward and taps on the same paper he was looking at when the younger got in, inclining back to his previous position. Still watching Jimin's every move.

Jimin frowns in bewilderment; picking up the paper, he starts reading it. He should've known that something was off by the first three words.

Employee Registration Form

"Work for me, Jimin." Jungkook grins, enjoying a little too much the changes of the Omega's expressions—especially the realization one. "And i'll let Moonwave off."

Chapter Text

Jimin isn't sure how many times he blinked absurdly between the words that are written in front of him and the other, who's just keeping on grinning snobbishly. This must be a joke; it fucking has to be. So when he finally comprehended what the older had just said, he went ape.

"I beg your fucking pardon! Work for who?! You?!" Slapping the damned 'Employee Registration Form' on the expensive Parnian desk harshly, in front of the Alpha. "You've truly lost it, huh?"

Noticing the bulging nerve on Jungkook's forehead pulsing—someone is holding back. Unfortunate for him, Jimin hasn't even started. "No, seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you?! You think i'm here to play or something? Or are you pitying me? Oh, poor Jimin, losing the only job he knew because of my selfishness, let me toy with him some more! Is that what you were thinking?!" 

Straightening his bent body, Jimin gets a whiff of something ashy and bitter: the thick smell of burnt espresso, layered with the acute waft of sandalwood. Anger. Jungkook's piercing eyes are locked on Jimin. Sitting with his right hand laid on the left one, or should he say firmly gripping it so that his knuckles look as white as that bloody sheet he pulled out of nowhere a minute ago. 

His eyebrows are knotted, and he's glaring at Jimin with his lips pulled together to repress a snarl, the younger supposes—acting like he wasn't the one who came up with that stupid, insane proposal to begin with. 

"What? A cat caught your tongue?" Jimin asks mockingly. "Did you really think i would accept that offer—which was ass, by the way— and thank you afterwards? Happy to inform you that you thought wrong, Mr—" Jimin shuts up and takes a step back. Jungkook, standing up now, is walking around the desk, making his way towards the Omega, and not to forget mentioning that bloodthirsty face that he's wearing. 

"I believe that's enough with insulting me around, Mr. Park." Stopping at the front of the desk, he lounges his backside on the edge of the table, crossing his arms, revealing the veins on his untattooed arm. Don't look. Don't look.

"Look me in the eyes when i'm talking to you." Jungkook's tone is cruel, just like his whole posture. He noticed the younger looking on the floor before saying so. 

Jimin's eyes flew up at the other's inflection—which he doesn't like at all. "What—" Before even finishing what he had to say, the Alpha continues, voice as rough as before. "I will be doing the talking from now on, so shut it and listen." His eyes are narrowed on Jimin's offended face. "The speculations you'd spouted about why i made that offer to you earlier—you were correct about one thing. I do pity you." He spits out steadfastly with his implicit voice.

Not giving the younger a chance to absorb what he's just said. "I take one look at you, and i think of how pathetic you are." He scuffs. Jimin thinks he just heard a shattering sound coming from the inside of him—the middle of his chest, to be exact.

"However, besides feeling sorry for you, half of my memories are based in that place, so i wanted to give it a chance through you. It's not like losing that whole transaction would do me any harm, whether it got demolished or not. But you, on the other hand.." He nonchalantly declares, throwing a disdainful simper at the end. "I can't say the same for you." 

Jimin feels muzzled. His tongue is tangled, losing its ability to respond to anything. Jimin can sense his right hand shaking—not from anger, but it's something that every time it comes crashing on him, Jimin's body sees fit as a haunted house for that one ghost that is called panic attack— Jimin hates it. Hates how familiar this feels. The humiliation. The stabbing words. All of it. 

Gathering the dumped pieces of his dignity off the floor, he holds his head up, crossing his arms as he straightens his back and spits out with such hurt covered by wrath and apathy after swallowing the stack of thorns in his throat. "I see, people really don't change." He keeps watching Jungkook, so the flutter in the Alpha's grin didn't go unnoticed. But he composes himself right away and goes right back to the same stupid expression. "They don't." He replies.

Jimin shakes his head lightly. "Well, surely, you know where to shove that offer of yours," He smiles while stepping back bit by bit while saying so. "But just in case, the answer is far up your ass, Jeon." And with that, Jimin turns and leaves the office and the whole company behind him. No coming back this time. 

ᵜᵜ

It's been an entire week since Jimin was offered to work for that asshole by the asshole himself. And speaking about durations, in three fucking weeks, Moonwave will be gone. Three! And Jimin is losing his fucking mind thinking of any way to save his world, but for a week now, there's been absolutely zero solution. 

So with all the frustration, anger, sadness, and every complex emotion the younger is having, he's decided to go and try out that new place that's called 'The Stars Gym' everyone has been talking about. And here is Jimin, punching the complete shit out of the punching bag in front of him. 

He pities me, he said. A PUNCH.

Looking down on me! A PUNCH.

Who the fuck is he to look down on me?! A PUNCH.

That Picasso-painting-looking motherfucker! A PUNCH. 

"That poor punching bag must have done a serious crime towards you." A deep voice comes from behind him, making the Omega jolt and lift both his boxing-gloved hands, which led him to hit himself in the face. "AH." 

"Crap." The same deep voice bolts, and Jimin feels two warm hands on his naked shoulders, moving him around. "Sit here. Shit. I'm sorry for scaring you like that, Mr. Park." The vague man speaks while holding Jimin's head gently and tilting it a bit down after sitting him down. A nosebleed? Great. Wait. Did that guy just call him Mr. Park? 

Jimin pries his eyes open and stirs his upper body away from the other. Looking up confused and highly wary. "Don't touch—Oh," Jimin relaxes when he lays his eyes on the man that's right in front of him. Jimin's face lights up with a big smile, unaware of the blood trailing on his upper lip and making him appear as a menace. "Mr. Min!" The Omega voices heatedly. 

The Alpha sighs lightly and then smiles warmly. "Yes. I would say what a pleasant surprise meeting you here, but causing you to bleed doesn't really sound that pleasant." Mr. Min pulls out a handkerchief—which is a white cloth with the letters 'M. Y.' knitted on it. 

"Ohh, fancy." Jimin couldn't help but tease, like, don't these kinds of things only exist in movies? He then hears a soft chuckle; he looks up from his seated position, only to catch the gentle mien that the Alpha is casting towards him.

"What can i say? I'm old-fashioned. Allow me, please." He says while signaling the napkin near the younger's bloody nose. So after nodding to the other, Jimin fixes his eyes on the wall that's behind the other —his head had been lifted a bit up by the same warm hands, and Jimin can't really hold eye contact with the other while their faces are being very, very close to one another, so the wall is pretty damn mesmerizing to him in the moment— and by locking eyes somewhere else, Jimin completely misses the intense way Yoongi is eyeing his face and especially his bloody-ish lips. 

The alpha wipes the trail of blood gently and slowly, so slowly that it led Jimin to wonder how much he fucking bled. The younger apprehends the touches of the Alpha's pinky on his lower lip, but he doesn't say anything; it's not like the other is doing it on purpose anyways. 

After what felt like an eternity, a voice declares with a slightly rough tone after it coughs. "All done." He folds the bloody handkerchief and puts it back in his pocket. 

"Oh no, please, give it to me, and i will wash it for you. It's my blood after all." Jimin utters, standing upright now in front of the other with his neck inclined thanks to the height difference between them—how he despises the Alphas' freakishly tall genes—

Yoongi shakes his head with the same gentle smile being sent to the Omega. "I was the one who caused it, no need to worry your pretty head about it." 

A silence takes over the place for a few seconds, and only the sounds of clanking weights and treadmill footsteps can be heard. Jimin's brain is glitching. Did Mr. Min just flirt with him? No, no way. Jimin knows when people flirt with him, but right now, he's mystified. In that week where he kept showing up in the company, he'd crossed paths with the Alpha many times, but they never spoke to each other except for that time when he walked him to Jungkook's office. Yeah, it's definitely nothing. 

"S-so, you come here often?" Changing the subject is always the best way. Jimin high-fives himself internally. 

Yoongi tilts his head to the side fairly, as if he were contemplating something that made him beam. "Not really. I come here when i have the time to, as my job doesn't include that much free rein." He scoffs at the end inoffensively. 

Jimin, though, gets defensive at the mention of the job that has a prick for a boss. So he's an evil CEO, again, Jimin had every right to walk away from that man's offering. He treats his close employees poorly; why on earth would he treat Jimin any better? If anything, he'd abuse the younger even more at every second he gets.

"Yeah, not surprised to hear that." Jimin scorns after crossing his arms. "It must be exhausting working for someone like him; hell, i know it is." The Omega shakes his head and begins impulsively to ramble. "A childish Alpha like him, of course he would mistreat his staff. If i were working for him—which God forbid!— i would've gathered the other victims like me and started a riot with me as the leader only to be the one who looks him in the eyes while kneeing his balls—" 

"Mr. Park." Yoongi's decisive voice comes interrupting Jimin's maunder. 

Oh shit. Jimin completely forgot who he was talking with. Is he going to yell at him in Jungkook's advocacy? He really should learn when to stop. Jimin looks on the floor while scratching his neck uncomfortably. 

"What you just said about Mr. Jeon," Here it comes. Where is the closest exit to run away from— "Are incredibly well-thought-out." Jimin hears him say before laughing softly. What's happening? Jimin raises his head, meeting the Alpha's fiery eyes that are looking deeply into his own. "Jungkook is my friend before being my boss, but i can't deny that he has the qualities of a literal 7-year-old." The Alpha smiles at the end of the sentence. 

"But to be fair, he's a good manager that cares deeply for his people." Which he's not one of them. That was the first thought that crossed the Omega's mind. Why does he care anyways? Whatever. "You talk like you know him. How come?" Yoongi asks.

Because i knew him. "We just went to the same school. The one he's planning on wrecking the shit out of in three weeks, by the way." Jimin fakes a smile, and Yoongi notices. 

"Oh. Moonwave?" The Alpha receives a nod from the Omega. "That explains a lot actually." 

"How does that explain anything?" Jimin questions with a raised brow. 

"Well," It's Yoongi's turn now to scratch his neck, not out of discomfort, however, but something close to shyness. "In the week you continued popping up in the company, the people there would say stuff like you're the hidden mate of Jungkook—"

"I'm not." Jimin, with a serious tone, declares. 

"Yeah, of course, Kook doesn't keep secrets from me and... i would have known if you were." Yoongi whispers-like the last words.

"What do you mean?" Jimin is as curious as a cat sometimes—all the time—what else can he say?

The Alpha just eyes him for a moment with the tenderest look ever. The sugary smell of tangerine is wrapping around them. "I would know if i've seen that beautiful face before." His shy smile barely lifted the corners of his mouth.

Jimin stills, so he was flirting with him after all. That's... something.

"I overstepped my bounds, didn't i? I apologize, Mr. Park. It's just that..' The Alpha looks everywhere but in the direction of the younger, fiddling with his hands. Jimin couldn't help but smile fondly. "It's just that—"

"Call me Jimin." Jimin extends a hand. "Hmm?" He's smiling a bit too much, but he can't help it. The other reminds him so much of Taehyung somehow. Shocking. Yes. But in some ways, they do act the same. 

The Alpha's face turns from flustered to dumbstruck to vivacious in a split second. He takes Jimin's hand in his warm one and shakes it a few times. "I will only do so if you call me Yoongi Hyung." 

Interesting.

ᵜᵜ

"Use him, then." Taehyung states with his chillest tone while painting his nails neon green. 

"What— No! No way!" Jimin cries as he shifts his body to face the other, getting nudged in the arm by Jin, who's sitting beside him with their legs mingled, for causing him to smudge his pastel pink nail polish by his sudden movement. "Sorry, Hyung." Jimin adds sheepishly. 

"You heard me, Jimin-ah. You said he likes you, right? Use that for your own advantage." Tae speaking after blowing on his fresh-painted nails.

"Oh yeah? And how will i do that? Pray tell, please, Socrates." Jimin's voice is mock-serious. 

They're currently lying down on Jimin's bed, watching—or were watching—How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and listening to Jimin's ranting about Jungkook, which has turned into a daily thing these days, and mentioning his encounter with Mr. Min—or should he say Yoongi Hyung—in the gym earlier today.

"Well, he works for Jungkook, doesn't he? And he told you they're like besties or whatever, so in that case, Jungkook surely trusts him with every big and small." Taehyung falls silent, reaching with his arm for the bag of chips and throwing a piece in his mouth.

"And?!" Jimin demanded. The world would be much at ease if Taehyung just spat whatever he has to say at once! It's really infuriating. 

And the other has the audacity to sigh. "Use that with the fact that he wants to dick you down, and make him sabotage whichever classified document that's related to Moonwave and the whole thing. Piece of cake." And the Beta smiles gloriously before chomping another chip. 

For a whole minute, nothing could be heard but the munching sounds that were coming from Taehyung and Matthew McConaughey speaking in the background. "I'm going to pretend i didn't just hear whatever the fuck that was," The younger huffs and places the ice cream pot on the bed. "And i didn't say he likes me; i just said that he called me beautiful.. sort of. Yeah." 

"Exactly." Taehyung rolls his eyes.

"Okay, i don't want to hear a single word from you till the movie ends! And you!" He eyes the other Omega, who has been dead-silent during the whole matter. "Why are you being quiet? I very much prefer you talking than this airhead next to me." Jimin dodges Taehyung's dope slap. 

Jin lifts his head as he caps the nail polish's lid back on. "And say what, Jimin-ah?" He puts the bottle on the nightstand by the bed. 

Something is off. "Anything?" Jimin says skeptically. 

"Anything?.. Okay. I passed by Moonwave today, and do you wanna know what i saw? Nothing. Just a sad, empty place. Unless, of course, you want to include the lively demolition vehicles that are circling the area. And the big trucks that hold the letters 'JJK'—can't forget to mention that too."

"Hyung, that's enough—" Taehyung remarked before getting interrupted by a hollering Jin. "What?! He told me to say anything, didn't he?!" Jin stands up from the bed, looking and sounding angry as a volcano. "And the most irritating part is that you, Jimin, had the opportunity to prevent all of that—it was literally given to you on a silver plate, but no, you fucking stepped on it!" 

"I'm sorry, are you faulting me right now?" Jimin hissed with a pinch of salt. "So what are you saying, Hyung? That me choosing to put my self-respect first over being humiliated by working for him—Joen fucking Jungkook—makes me selfish? Are you fucking kidding me, Hyung?!" He, too, gets up on his feet.

"Okay, guys, calm down—" Poor Tae, who's risen from his seat too, tries to mediate between the two only to be talked over by the same two. 

"I'm just stating facts here, Jimin! Jungkook's offer could have stopped this mess. Yes. His offer could've had some ulterior motive, but the least you could've done before turning it down is to think about those unfortunate kids that would have to drop their dreams of becoming dancers—since Moonwave was the only school that has been teaching all kinds of dances in this district—and being torn apart from each other." Jin, heavily breathing now, takes one look at Jimin, whose eyes are completely red with unshed tears. The older just cusses and walks by the bed to sit on its edge. "Come here, Jimin." 

Jimin doesn't move from his place. "Come on, Jiminie, come here." Jin repeated, but his tone was much softer now. The younger Omega stalled for a bit until Taehyung's hands wrapped around his shoulders and kissed his head. "Come on." The Beta uttered so gently and moved the both of them till Jimin had taken a place on the bed, right next to Jin, and Tae did the same. 

"Don't you dare let the echoes of your thoughts trick you." Jin sighed while unclasping Jimin's tight fist and soothing his nails' marks on his palm. "Me voicing the wrongs of your decision doesn't mean i'm wronging you as a whole. Because i'll be damned if i ever do that, but Jimin, my sweet sweet boy, not everything has to be about you." The older keeps on caressing Jimin's palm in a rhythmic way, and the Beta if just hugging Jimin's torso while putting his head on his shoulder.

That's when Jimin's tears decided to fall down—like everything else in his life—and he didn't bother wiping them off; they won't stop any time soon anyways. Parting his wet lips to speak his mind, he lets out a sob with it. "I'm s-sorry, Hyung; i just couldn't accept it. Not after everything he's done and said to me." 

"I understand you, Jimin-ah, i really do, but when you find yourself in desperate times like this one, where you're not alone in the face of circumstances, it stops being a 'what i want' problem and becomes more of a 'what's the best for everyone' kind of problem." Lifting Jimin's chin so he could look him straight in the eyes. "That's the hiccup of being the first of the line." 

Jimin, with a tear streaming down his face and into his mouth, blubbers. "So you want me to take the job." 

"I can't and i won't force you to, but so far, this is the only way, Jimin-ah." Jin whispers with a mournful expression, still holding the other's face.

"And don't worry, Jiminie, if you decide not to take the job offering, we won't blame you. We'll just call it life." The Beta informed as he tightened his arms around the Omega. 

Jimin thinks about it for an entire five minutes. All the scenarios are racing in his mind; what if it's too late? What if Jungkook refused Jimin's comeback? What if he agreed to Jimin's comeback? He doesn't know which is worse. There is no doubt that the Alpha will make the Omega's life a living hell just for the sake of it. A whole ass year on top of that, too.

But they are right. Jimin needs to stop being a selfish prick that's consumed by the past and actually start thinking about the people who need him—the kids that greet him every morning with a bright smile, the people who have been working with him and knew him all his life, Uncle Lee, and Jiwoo.. Thinking about those people. His people. His future. 

If groveling to the older and literally serving him could help get his world—his family—back together, then so be it. He will do it with a smile on his face. 

ᵜᵜ

With a smile on his face, he said. Jimin might have underestimated the level of grudge that they have. Like, really, really underestimated it.

Here he is, sitting in the waiting room... waiting (which weirdly feels like a deja vu), and everyone's customary gazes are on him—they're considered acquaintances by now— An hour ago, Jimin arrived at the company after a week of not showing up, trying to book an appointment, but he forgot that Jungkook told them before to not take the younger's attempts at scheduling a meeting seriously, which sucks big time because he's 100% in need of a real meeting with that asshole today. An actual one. 

Uncrossing his legs, Jimin checks the clock on the wall to see it's 3:38 PM. That's getting ridiculous. The Omega could bet with all of his life savings that Jungkook knows that he is here and what he's for, but he's just making him wait for his own sick entertainment. Sadly, Jimin is not planning on taking any of the other's bullshit... at least not before agreeing to that deal and shaking hands on it, too (he's not touching the older even if it was the only chance to save humanity).

Jimin stands up and stretches his arms over his head before walking towards the receptionist—the same woman from the first time he came here with Jin and Tae—hoping she doesn't remember him. "Hello, can you call Mr. Jeon and tell him that if he doesn't let me in in a span of three minutes, i will go and scratch the side of his car with my key?" Ending the sentence with him showing his gritted teeth while mimicking a smile.

The woman glances up at him, then looks down again at her computer—the same attitude, if not worse— "As i said before, Mr. Park, he's busy, and he's not able to meet you in the moment, so—" 

Jimin cuts her off, irritated. "Wait patiently in the lobby, yeah yeah. How many times have you said that already?" He huffs before walking back to his previous spot: the couch. 

Jimin can do a lot of things, and being patient isn't exactly one of them. And that's what backed his next idea, which was sneaking in. 

So after scanning his surroundings, he hastily but subtly started moving towards the hallway that leads to the elevator after grabbing his bag—big thanks for the years he spent dancing as weightless as a feather—Jimin doesn't look behind him, not wanting to draw any needless attention by looking like a stressed criminal—he's only stressed. 

After what felt like a Mission Impossible movie, he made it to the elevator without anybody noticing him (helloing the cleaner and tasting Mrs. Binna's new dish DO NOT COUNT), he presses the top floor—the 13th—where he knows Jungkook's office is located. Plus, that's his birthday date, so it's sort of easy to remember. What are the odds, huh? 

With the soft notes being played through the whole lift, Jimin drifts away by his thoughts once again. The younger settled on putting aside any hard feelings he has for the older for now and focusing on what truly matters: Moonwave. He'll accept that godforsaken offering and to hell with anything, and if Jungkook's decided to waste time and say that the offer is no longer on the table, Jimin will clean the aforementioned table with the Alpha's face. 

9 floors up. When Jimin breaks into the other's office—yes, breaking—he better be there, 'cause if he was indeed busy, Jimin would have to prepare himself to be embarrassed for crashing into whatever meeting he has with whoever. Jimin prays he's alone: he annoys the older better when they're alone. 

The sound of reaching the requisite floor brings him out of his notions. This is really happening. Jimin's really going to work for that good-for-nothing Alpha for an entire year. With a life like his, surely, he's cursed. 

Stepping out, Jimin strides down the same corridors, stopping when the black, precedent door comes in sight. The desk that's next to the door to the left looks the same, spotless and unused. Will that be his desk? Where is the current secretary? After a second thought, he's never gone to the other side of the floor, but weirdly, there's only one desk in the whole left section of the 13th floor—right in front of the Alpha's office—Did Jungkook become a killer, and this is his way of killing people in secrecy? 

All of a sudden, Jimin hears a suppressed laugh coming from the office. A woman's laugh. Busy, huh? Without any delay, the Omega grabs the door's handle and storms inside with the loud clomping noises coming from his gaits echoing the place. 

Two heads turn his way, Jungkook with the remnant hint of a smile, rooted in his chair, and next to him—or better to say, in front of him—a woman, who's half seated on the desk, wearing the same face as the Alpha, and the younger recognizes her. It's that mean lady from before, Ms. Duri. The place stinks of snugness, and it bothers the male Omega in some way.

"What is the meaning of this?" Jungkook's demand is stinging, the semi-smile from earlier is no longer there. Instead, there's that stone face. 

Jimin, leaning on one leg right in front of the desk. "Oh, i'm sorry, am i interrupting something?" Putting a hand on his heart. "I wouldn't have bothered you, you lovebirds, if you took the bloody time to actually do your job." Jimin, folding his arms, spouts with passive-aggressive sarcasm.

Unbelievable. So bottling Jimin for hours like a goddamn pickle, making him waste his precious time for a meeting—which God knows how long he would have had to wait for if he hadn't James Boned his way inside—was for a stupid office romance?! Jungkook with his.. secretary? What is this? A lousy Kdrama?!

They keep staring at him till Jungkook exhales, scowling, and says with an awfully affectionate voice (truly a nightmare) to the woman—Ms. Duri. "Will talk to you later, okay." The older simply tells her. She offers him a smile and lightly squeezes his shoulder and leaves, but not before leering at Jimin, who leers at her right back. No, he will not be the bigger person. 

After hearing the door closing, the Alpha doesn't dawdle and starts seething right away. "Look, Park. Just because i tolerated that behavior of yours a couple of times before, it doesn't mean that you can keep on acting like..." He trails off, searching for the proper word to describe the other. 

"Like what? Say it." Jimin intoned.

Jungkook eyes him. "Like yourself."

"Gee, i guess you'd just have to get used to it. I'm not changing for you." The younger mentioned.

"What?" A look of confusion crossed the older's face. "What do you mean by that?" Leaning his upper body forward.

Shifting from one foot to the other, Jimin wasn't feeling so optimistic about the whole thing anymore. "You heard me. I, uh.. Iacceptyourofffer." Jimin babbled while looking on the floor.

"You expect me to understand that? Speak slowly—"

"I accept your stupid offer! Here, i said it." Jimin is sweating. Why is he sweating? Did he die out of dispiritedness? Is he in hell? Jungkook is going to mock him now, telling him, "I knew you'd come crawling back." or "Finally, knowing your place." But what if he told Jimin to fuck off? He is not going to beg that mother—

"Huh." Jungkook sounds so... knowing. God, Jimin doesn't want to look at him; he already knows what expression the other would be wearing. He hears a short inhale; here it comes. "Alright."

"In your dreams! I won't beg—huh?" Jimin fires away but halts after fathoming the other's response. "What?"

"Alright," Jungkook repeats. The same irritating grin is lighting his stupid, handsome face. "I said, alright." He sounds over the moon. Why does he sound over the moon?

Jimin is at a loss for words, and his face must be betraying him because the Alpha's mouth stretches farther to form a complete smile. He didn't expect him to agree in the first place, let alone that easily. There's definitely a catch. 

"Okay, what's the catch?" Jimin grumbles while grimacing, his hands moving with him as he speaks.

"Catch? What catch? There is no catch." Jungkook replies, but it's very hard to believe him when he's wearing his pleased mask. 

"Cut the bullshit, Jungkook. I know there is something for you in return, otherwise, you wouldn't just 'alright' me. So, spit it out." Jimin argued. 

Shaking his head, the Alpha reaches out his hand towards the desk's drawer, pulling out a paper, one that he's seen before. The familiar three words are staring at him.

"Don't overthink this, Park. I've already told you that i'm doing this for the sake of my Moonwave's days. You can sign while being at ease, unless," Jungkook slides the sheet in front of the Omega, voice dropping. "Unless you don't trust me."

Jimin, eyeing the 'Employee Registration Form', he takes a second to rethink all this. He's really, really doing it. He's signing himself off to be under Jungkook's mercy for a year. A year. To Jungkook. The gods must be having a blast watching. 

Noticing the Omega's gear working as he thinks, Jungkook huffs a breath. "If you're not going to sign, just get out. I'm busy." He voices boredly while backing in his chair.

Sweet Jesus, how is he going to deal with that for 365 days?! What crimes had he committed in his past life to deserve this? Suddenly, the faces of his students—his kids—emerge in his brain. He's doing this for them—so if working for that brute was the only resolution to see them dancing happily again in front of his eyes, then let it be.

Aiming for the pens' holder, Jimin takes a blue-colored pen and starts filling the sheet with its fundamentals, starting with lettering Park Jimin.

The younger can smell the chuffed pheromones in the air—an Alpha's chuffed pheromones. Also, sensing a pair of eyes digging a hole on the top of his head while he's stooping forward, writing down his information.

A few seconds later, he was done. Lifting his head, he meets up with two dark orbs gawking at him. A lazy grin was painted on the older's face. "What are you looking at?" Jimin rolls his eyes before hissing to the other. 

"I'm looking at my new secretary, who should be more respectful towards his boss." Jungkook expresses with much glee; one would think that he's won the lottery. And maybe he has. 

"Yeah, when pigs fly, Jungkook." Jimin says with gritted teeth. He's hating this already, and it hasn't been a goddamn minute yet.

"Mr. Jeon." Jungkook utters with a stern tone. "It's Mr. Jeon for you." Sliding the form back to him, he scans it and then tosses it into the same drawer he pulled it out from. "You're starting the day after tomorrow, so you better come in time—actually, after a second thought, i need you here early, say... an hour earlier. To start ahead at organizing everything, you know, as the executive assistant." 

Jimin ogles the Alpha for a bit—he's not surprised by that nasty move, but still, what the fuck? He made his first torturous move way faster than Jimin anticipated. 

"Well, i believe we are finished here. All the details will be sent to your email—the one that you wrote down. And if you have any questions, don't ask me." Jungkook articulates. "Yes, and before i forget, wear suitable clothing." Not looking up at the younger from whatever file he's reading—Jimin supposes he'll have to pay attention to that from now on. Great.

"I already do wear suitable clothing." Jimin commented. Say whatever you want about him, but the Omega knows how to dress himself. He's not an amateur. 

That made Jungkook hoist his head and drag his eyes over the other, which made the younger feel a tiny bit of anxiousness. He was wearing a white shirt with a small giraffe print on the left side of his chest and blue jeans, combined with his red Converse shoes that matched one of the many colors that were on the giraffe. He's wearing one of his favorite earrings, the silver circle knot ones, and he went lightly with the jewelry today, not wanting to be called 'too dolled up' by anyone—and by anyone, he means Taehyung.

After scanning the Omega's outfit, Jungkook, once again, makes eye contact with him before raising his brow—his whole poise screaming, 'Are you sure about that?'— Someone needs to punch him. 

"Fine, whatever. I will wear boring suits like you guys. Happy?" Jimin complains. 

"Very." Jungkook answers, grinning like a kid who has been given candy. "We are done here, right? You may leave. See you Wednesday."

Jimin, who was dying to roll his eyes at the older—he knew better than to do it in front of him, so he will do it behind the other later—and before throwing a witty response. The Alpha speaks once again, reminding the younger of how much of a dickhead he is. 

"And keep in mind, an hour earlier. 7 o'clock sharp." Jungkook verbalized as he waved his hand off at the other, signaling him to leave—as if he were some dog—without even glancing at the Omega.

The younger doesn't waste another second in the presence of that demon; he twirls and exits the demon's den. 

ᵜᵜ

It's Wednesday. 

It's two days since Jimin signed his freedom away. And it's bloody Wednesday. 

Jimin has told Jin and Tae about what had happened with Jungkook when he came back. They got drunk and stayed all night trying to make a voodoo doll of the Alpha with dried shredded squid. Needless to say, it was rather futile. 

So, here he is, Jimin, walking out of the elevator at 7 o'clock "sharp"—as the other said—in a fabulous grey suit. If he must dress 'boring', then the least he could do is add his own touch. He's not wearing a tie, and he kept the first few buttons open. He's wearing his usual accessories, and his black Converse shoes are on. His pink hair is slicked back, displaying his forehead and making the slight touch of makeup on his lids, cheeks, and lips evident. They asked for suitable; Jimin will give them suitable, but not without being elegant with it. 

"What does he want me to do that early? Clean his office?" Jimin mumbles as he makes his way towards the empty desk that he's always seen in front of the Alpha's office. Yesterday, he got an email that included all the information he needed to know, and where his desk is located was one of these many, many info. 

Putting his bag on the soon-to-be-filled desk, Jimin throws himself on the chair—which was, annoyingly, way more comfortable than his chair back in school—and sighs. He has zero idea of what he has to do right now. 

Yawning, Jimin regrets not sleeping earlier, but again, James McAvoy is totally worth it. He'll just shut his eyes for a minute, and a minute only. What possibly could happen in that minute?

Well, it appears that a lot could happen. The minute that Jimin planned on only shutting his eyes in, it evolved into an hour and a half. And by saying a lot had happened, Jungkook happened. 

"Park Jimin!" A shout of his name pushes Jimin awake off his chair. 

"What? What's going on?" Jimin jolts up, tensed as he looks around. Eyeing the foreign surroundings around him till he comes face-to-face with the person who shouted—Jungkook. "What's it?" He asks unknowingly.

"You tell me." The Alpha utters with the same ugly scowl. "What the hell are you doing?" 

"Nothing!" Jimin exclaims justifiably, as if he were accused of something. "I haven't done anything—i didn't even move from my place." 

Jungkook looks at him furiously. "Exactly. I brought you here to work, not to drool over yourself while sleeping!" The older presses his lips together after blurting out. "Forget it. I better not see you sleeping around no more." 

"Well, that's something entirely out of your concerns, Mr. Jeon." Jimin quips and stifles a chuckle when he sees Jungkook's outraged, galled face. That's fun. 

Jimin observes the older shaking his head and walking away towards his own office.

After confirming that he was in the clear, the Omega settles down with a snicker. Why let Jungkook have all the fun of fucking with Jimin's life when two can play this game? Hm.

"Jimin!" The Alpha yells his name from the inside, sounding annoyed, and it's such music to Jimin's ears. After further thought, this isn't too bad.

"Jimin!" 

"Coming!" the younger chimed, standing up as he adjusts his suit, the same mischievous smile tagging on his lips.