Chapter 38

"Hey, man." Yungmin called as he crept up to Jimin's side. Jimin was smoking, feeling tense since he hadn't received any texts from Taemin; the sudden silence between them made him nervous.

"What's up?" Jimin asked, releasing the smoke in the other direction.

"I-I don't know how to say this, man." Yungmin lowered his head, then looked up at him again. "Take care of Yoongi for me, hm? I know you've seen us fighting like hell all the time, but I care for him." He put a hand on Jimin's shoulder. "I know you'll give him the love that he deserves. The love that me and my parents can't show."

Jimin looked at Yungmin, surprised by his words. "Yungmin... I promise I will. I love him more than anything."

Yungmin nodded, a small smile forming on his lips. "I know you do. Just... don't let him go, okay? He's been through a lot, and he needs someone who truly cares about him."

Jimin's eyes softened, and he put out his cigarette. "I won't let him go. I'll make sure he knows how much he's loved, every day."

Yungmin patted his shoulder. "Good. That's all I needed to hear."

****

Later that evening, all the friends gathered at Namjoon's place. Jin as usual was busy in the kitchen, preparing snacks, while the others lounged around the living room, chatting and laughing.

Namjoon leaned over to Jin, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Hey, remember the other day? When we heard those loud moans coming from Yoongi's room?"

Jin smirked, nodding. "Oh, I remember. How could I forget?"

Taehyung, overhearing their conversation, joined in. "Wait, wait, wait! Are you talking about Jimin and Yoongi? Those moans were so loud, I thought someone was watching a horror movie!"

Namjoon chuckled. "Yeah, except it wasn’t a horror movie."

As the laughter grew louder, Jimin walked into the room, curious about what was so funny. Jimin noticed the amused looks on their faces and raised an eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Jimin asked, sensing he was the butt of the joke.

Namjoon couldn't hold back his laughter. "We were just talking about those... uh, interesting sounds we heard from your room the other day."

Jimin's eyes widened in shock. "Seriously, guys? You're talking about that?"

Jin grinned. "Well, you two weren't exactly quiet. I think half the neighborhood heard you."

Jungkook chimed in, barely containing his laughter. "Yeah, I thought we were under attack or something."

Jennie giggled, leaning over to Yungmin. "So, did Jimin live up to his reputation?"

Yungmin rolled his eyes playfully. "Oh, come on, Jennie. That's enough."

Hoseok, always the one to escalate the teasing, added, "Jimin, you're like a beast! Yoongi must be having the time of his life."

Jimin crossed his arms and shook his head. "You guys are the worst. We have private lives, you know."

Namjoon grinned. "Oh, come on, Jimin. It's all in good fun. Besides, it's nice to see you two so happy together."

Taehyung nodded. "Yeah, we're just happy for you guys. Even if you are a bit... loud."

The room erupted in laughter again, and Jimin couldn't help but smile despite his embarrassment. "Alright, alright. Enough about us. What have you guys been up to?"

Jin, finally bringing in the snacks, placed them on the table. "Well, besides being traumatized by your love life, not much. Just the usual."

Jungkook clapped his hands together. "Alright, new rule. If you two are going to have fun, at least warn us so we can vacate the premises."

Jimin laughed, shaking his head. "Fine, deal. Now, can we please change the subject?"

Namjoon raised his glass. "To Jimin and Yoongi, the loudest couple in the neighborhood!"

Everyone joined in the toast, and the room filled with laughter and cheers. Despite the teasing, Jimin felt a warmth in his chest, knowing he was surrounded by friends who cared deeply for him and Yoongi.

As the night went deep and everyone continued to chat, Jimin found himself wondering where Yoongi was. He had been busy playing games with Taehyung and Jungkook, but now that the conversation had turned back to him, he couldn't help but notice Yoongi's absence.

"Hey, Namjoon," Jimin called, catching his friend's attention. "Have you heard from Yoongi? He said he was coming, but I haven't seen him yet."

Namjoon pulled out his phone and checked his messages. "Yeah, I sent him a text earlier. He replied that he was on his way, but that was over an hour ago."

Jimin frowned, a sense of worry creeping in. "That's strange. He should have been here by now."

Jungkook, overhearing their conversation, paused the game and looked over. "Did you try calling him?"

Jimin shook his head. "Not yet. I'll try now." He pulled out his phone and dialed Yoongi's number. The phone rang, but there was no answer. He tried again, but still, there was no response.

Taehyung, sensing the growing concern, joined the conversation. "Maybe his phone died?"

Jin, bringing in more snacks, looked at Jimin with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry too much. I'm sure he's fine. But just in case, should we try to contact him another way?"

Jennie suggested, "Does anyone know if he was meeting someone before coming here? Maybe we can check with them?"

Jimin shook his head, still feeling uneasy. "No, he was supposed to come straight here after finishing up some work."

He grabbed his phone from his pocket and dialed a number, his friends looking at him curiously. Taehyung, on Namjoon's balcony, was also calling someone.

"Where's Yoongi?" Jimin said into the phone, his friends leaning towards him, trying to catch snippets of the conversation.

"J-Jimin, we lost him. Fuck, we've been searching for him all over. Ethan and I just looked at each other for a second then boom, he was gone!" the voice on the other end stammered, panic clear in their tone.

"I told you to keep an eye on him, Simone! What the hell?! Call Bangchan and track his device. That motherfuckers really are looking for war."

His friends, overhearing the conversation, started pacing nervously. "That's freaking crazy, Jimin. What the hell is going on?" Hoseok said, shock evident in his voice.

"There's no time to explain, Hoseok. Taehyung! Call Jeongin and Jonghyun to guard them. We can't afford to lose one of our friends, Tae," Jimin said, approaching Taehyung, who nodded in agreement while he dialed another number.

Jennie and Jin, cuddling on the couch, looked bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

Namjoon, Hoseok, Jungkook, and Yungmin gathered around Jimin, their faces filled with concern and confusion. "Jimin, what's happening? Who's after Yoongi?" Namjoon asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

Jimin ignored the questions, focusing on coordinating with Taehyung. Within minutes, two boys arrived at Namjoon's place—Jeongin and Jonghyun. They were armed and had a no-nonsense demeanor, instantly taking charge of securing the area and ensuring everyone's safety.

"Listen up," Jeongin addressed the group, "we're here to make sure nothing happens to any of you. Stay inside, and if anything seems off, alert us immediately."

The friends exchanged bewildered glances, the reality of the situation sinking in. "Jimin, seriously, what the hell is going on?" Yungmin demanded, frustration mixing with his worry.

"We don't have time for questions right now," Jimin replied curtly. "Stay here, and let Jeongin and Jonghyun do their job."

With that, Jimin and Taehyung prepared to leave. Taehyung's presence alongside Jimin raised even more eyebrows. "Wait, Taehyung knows about all this?" Jungkook asked, shocked.

Taehyung gave a tight-lipped smile. "There's a lot you guys don't know, and it's better that way. We'll explain everything when this is over."

With a final glance at their friends, Jimin and Taehyung headed out, leaving Namjoon's place under the protection of Jeongin and Jonghyun. The room was left in stunned silence, the gravity of the situation sinking in as they realized the extent of the danger they were all in.

*****

Yoongi struggled to open his eyes, blinking against the darkness that surrounded him. The faint smell of mildew filled his nostrils, and the cold, damp floor beneath him sent shivers through his body. His hands were tightly bound behind his back, and duct tape covered his mouth, making it hard to breathe.

Footsteps echoed through the room, growing louder as they approached. Yoongi's heart raced, fear gripping him as the figure stepped into the dim light cast by a single, flickering bulb overhead.

"Well, well, well," the man sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "Look who's awake."

Yoongi's eyes darted around, trying to make out any details about his surroundings or his captor. The man crouched down in front of him, grabbing Yoongi's chin roughly and forcing him to meet his gaze. His eyes were cold and unforgiving, filled with a sinister glint.

"You must be wondering why you're here," the man said, his grip tightening. "Don't worry, we'll get to that."

He let go of Yoongi's chin, causing his head to jerk back. The man stood up, pacing back and forth as he continued his tirade.

"You know, it's funny," the man began, his tone mocking. "All this time, you've been living your life without a care in the world. But people like me? We notice everything."

Yoongi's heart pounded in his chest, his breathing growing more labored as the man pulled out a knife, its blade glinting menacingly in the dim light.

"You think you can just live happily ever after with your precious Jimin?" the man spat, his voice laced with contempt. "People like you don't get happy endings. You get pain."

He stopped pacing and turned to face Yoongi again, his expression darkening. "But first, let's have a little chat."

The man crouched down in front of Yoongi once more, the knife now held dangerously close to his face. "Tell me, Yoongi, how does it feel? How does it feel knowing that everything you care about can be taken away in an instant?"

Yoongi shook his head, his eyes pleading. The man scoffed, clearly not interested in his silent protest.

"Don't bother trying to talk your way out of this," the man hissed. "I've already made up my mind. You see, I've been watching you. Watching and waiting. And now, it's time for you to pay."

With that, he slashed the knife across Yoongi's cheek, the pain searing and immediate. Yoongi's muffled scream filled the room as blood trickled down his face.

"You like that?" the man taunted, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. "That's just the beginning."

He delivered a brutal punch to Yoongi's stomach, sending waves of pain coursing through his body. Yoongi gasped for air, the duct tape muffling his cries of agony.

The man leaned in close, his breath hot against Yoongi's ear. "Remember this, Yoongi. Every moment of happiness you've ever felt is because I allowed it. And now, I'm taking it all away."

Another punch, this time to Yoongi's ribs, left him struggling to breathe. The man stood up, looking down at Yoongi with a twisted smile.

"You think you're tough? You think you can protect Jimin? You're nothing," he spat, kicking Yoongi in the side.

Yoongi's vision blurred as he teetered on the edge of consciousness. The man's cruel laughter echoed in his ears, a haunting reminder of the nightmare he was trapped in.

The man crouched down again, his face inches from Yoongi's. "No one is coming to save you. And when I'm done with you, I'll make sure Jimin knows what it's like to lose everything."

With that, he stood up, delivering a final, brutal kick to Yoongi's head. The world went dark as Yoongi's body crumpled to the floor, his mind consumed by pain and fear.

Flashback

Taemin sat alone in his room, clutching a crumpled certificate in his hands. The sounds of celebration from downstairs were faint but unmistakable. His parents were throwing a party for his cousin Jimin, who had once again won first place in a regional piano competition. Taemin's certificate, which bore the words "Participation Award," seemed to mock him in the dim light of his room.

"Taemin, come down here!" his mother's voice called out sharply from the bottom of the stairs. "Don't be rude to our guests."

Taemin sighed and stood up, dreading the inevitable comparisons that awaited him. He made his way downstairs, where the living room was filled with friends and family, all gathered to congratulate Jimin.

"There's our little champion!" his father boomed, ruffling Jimin's hair affectionately. "Isn't he just the best?"

Taemin forced a smile as he joined the crowd, his eyes meeting Jimin's for a brief moment. Jimin smiled back, unaware of the resentment brewing inside Taemin.

Let's just say, Jimin's parents weren't always there for him since they had to work 3 jobs just to support their needs. His sister, Minji was also living with her dad's sibling. Meanwhile, Jimin was living in his mom's sibling, Mrs. Lee.

"Taemin, why don't you show everyone your certificate?" his mother suggested, her tone sugary but with an edge of disappointment.

Reluctantly, Taemin held up his participation award. The room fell silent for a moment before someone awkwardly cleared their throat.

"Well, it's great that you participated, Taemin," an aunt said, trying to sound encouraging. "But maybe next time you'll do better."

Taemin's father sighed and shook his head. "You need to work harder, Taemin. Look at Jimin. He's always practicing, always pushing himself. You should be more like him."

Taemin's fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. It was always the same. No matter what he did, he was never good enough. Not compared to Jimin.

The years went by, and the comparisons never ceased. Every time Jimin won a competition, Taemin's parents would remind him of his shortcomings.

"Jimin got another gold medal," his mother would say, her voice dripping with pride for Jimin and disappointment for Taemin. "What are you doing with your time, Taemin?"

"Why can't you be more like Jimin?" his father would echo, shaking his head. "He's always so focused, so driven."

Taemin's resentment grew with each passing year, festering like an untreated wound. He worked hard, pushing himself to his limits, but it was never enough. Jimin always seemed to be one step ahead, effortlessly winning the admiration and love that Taemin craved.

One night, after another family gathering where Jimin had been the center of attention, Taemin couldn't hold back his anger any longer.

"Why is it always about Jimin?" he shouted, his voice shaking with fury. "Why can't you see anything good in me?"

His parents exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of surprise and frustration.

"Taemin, we're just trying to motivate you," his mother said, her tone attempting to be soothing but failing. "We want you to succeed."

"You want me to be Jimin," Taemin snapped. "But I'm not him. I'll never be him."

His father sighed, rubbing his temples. "No one is asking you to be Jimin. We just want you to apply yourself."

Taemin stormed out of the house, the cold night air stinging his face. He walked aimlessly, his mind racing with thoughts of revenge and anger. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he would never escape Jimin's shadow.

As they grew older, Jimin's success only seemed to increase. He went modelling, earned money, Jimin's dad used that money to create his business. Now, he was always the star, always the one everyone admired. And Taemin? Taemin was always second best, always overlooked.

The bitterness festered, turning into something darker, something more dangerous. Taemin's envy and resentment towards Jimin became an all-consuming obsession. He started plotting, thinking of ways to make Jimin feel the same pain and inadequacy that had haunted him for years.

Present Day

Taemin stood over Yoongi, the memories of his childhood flashing through his mind. "You see, Yoongi," he said, his voice low and filled with malice. "Jimin's always had everything handed to him. But now? Now I'm taking it all away. Starting with you."