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A chorus of “A-men” resounded throughout the sanctuary and Jimin joined in with his fellow parishioners. His head was bowed low and he clasped his hands together in prayer, hoping that he could commend his spirit unto the Father whom he so desperately believed in. He wished to leave his burdens on the altar and rest his mind as easy as he would dare.

But even in that act, Jimin was a sinner.

Character: Park “Crimson Claw” Jimin Fandom: BTS Fandom Work: “Make It Right” by Admin E of The Bias Rekkers TUMBLR | AO3 | WP

Way To You - 2

Plot: Knocked from his routine, Taehyung finds himself discovering [or is it remembering?] the reality of his situation. It’s especially disturbing since his Wife has been acting rather strange.

Rating: M // NSFW

Genre: dystopian! au/dystopian themes | angst |  smut | fluff if you squint

Pairing: Kim Taehyung x Female OC (Tempest Estrellado)

Warnings: Strong language, interracial relationship, mentions of drugs, blood, main character injury, implied smut 

Word Count: 1,488

AN: This hot mess has 3 parts. Please enjoy and thank you for loving all that we do © thebiasrekkers (Admin T). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

--

9 am

“Mr. Kim, you seem to be unwell.” Tempest frowned as she pressed the back of her hand against his forehead. “Have you eaten?” He felt himself leaning into the coolness of her palm. There was a brow arch as she watched him. “Mr. Kim? Did you eat?” 

Tae blinked sleepily as he straightened himself. The meeting happened earlier in order for him to retreat back to his office. “N-no. I wound up losing track of time. I had something small and coffee. I apologize for concerning you.” He let his chest expand on an inhale. “I’ll be alright, Ms. Estrellado.” 

She lowered her hands just as the door swung open.

“Taehyung!” The voice sounded upset, but April paused as Tempest and Taehyung turned toward her. What was that look just now? He tilted his head as April seemed to shift her demeanor. “I-I was concerned about you. It was apparent you hadn’t been home.” She moved over toward him as Tempest took a step back. 

There was a look that lingered too long for Tempest’s liking from the woman, who was obviously Taehyung’s wife. “I take it your Ms. Estrellado?” April spoke cooly as she let her fingers dance along his shoulder.

Tempest tilted her head politely. “I am. I was just asking Mr. Kim if he had eaten. I was going to suggest that he should go home to rest.” There was a darkness to April’s eyes as she watched the other woman. Tempest clasped her hands in front of her, nonplussed by the other woman’s focus. 

“I think that’s a good idea, Taehyung.” She turned to him placing a warm hand on his cheek. A wave of nausea hit that had him pulling away from April. 

“M’fine, I just need t-to..” He swayed. Tempest was under his arm before April realized he stumbled. 

“Mr. Kim, I’m afraid I’m going to have to order you to go home.” He tensed at the word order. The Medical personnel held more power than even the military. The Medical personnel was responsible for keeping balance. For keeping the maintenance of The System which allowed the Council power and prestige. 

If someone was called unwell by Medical staff? It was a dire situation. Life was too precious, too important to waste. April glared as Taehyung leaned too heavily on the other woman. She cleared her throat getting under Taehyung’s other arm. “I can take it from here.” She offered a tight smile as Taehyung’s weight transferred. 

“Of course, Mrs. Kim.” Tempest stepped aside. 

“Thank you, Tempest.” Taehyung murmured quietly as he gathered his things. April gave him a stern look that caused him to compose himself before stepping out of the office. Tempest gave a short nod before leaving before them.

11:17 am

“Do you know how embarrassing that was?” April’s voice cut the thick silence in the elevator. Taehyung said nothing as the bell rang to announce their floor. He was tired, his head hurt and all April could do? All she had been doing  - was bitching. 

He waved his keyfob in front of their door. 

“Taehyung, are you listening to me?” April followed him inside as he hung his jacket and bag. The shirt shrugged off his frame, causing her to tilt her head. Why hadn’t she noticed it before? It was as if he had somehow filled out? There was something enticing about him in this state. 

It was so close to that time before. When he was so lively and full of fight. April bit into her bottom lip as she admonished the train of thought. He ran his fingers through his hair as he opened the fridge. He guzzled a bottle of water turning to the hand outstretched next to him.

“You need to take your vitamins and rest, Taehyung. You know you get thrown off if you don’t keep up your regimen.” April held out a small pack of pills. And for the first time in years, he hesitated before taking them. 

“April, I’ll be fine. You have work to do.” He emptied the packet into his mouth followed by vigorous guzzling of water. “I assure you I can handle myself alone.” He arched a brow as April seemed pleased by his compliance. She sighed letting a hand settle against his cheek. 

“Rest. Eat. I’ll be home in the morning. Hopefully, before you leave.” A slight smile before she spun on her heel to leave. He waited for the door to click shut. He waited for the distant ring of the elevator bell. 

Then he turned to the kitchen sink and was violently sick. 

The pills, undigested, floating in bile and a swirl of water as he washed them down the drain.

1:30 pm

“Why is it so hot?” He’d been sweating profusely. His fingers dug into the hem of his t-shirt as he peeled it off. It landed on the floor with a wet plop as he made his way to the shower. The water squeaked on as he dropped the last of his work clothes to the floor. The cool water pelted his skin for much-needed relief. It was strange to think that he’d never really taken a long shower before this moment. He adjusted the heat to wash his hair. 

Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut as the lather slid down his face. 

“You should let me wash your back, querido.” 

A voice echoed in the bathroom - or was it in his head? His eyes popped open too quickly, blurring at the shampoo irritant filling his gaze. It was as if something flickered in front of him. He saw a body, a form  - a voice that sounded so familiar. But they were dreams, right? 

He felt fingers pushing the wet hair back from his face. A body pressed against his and those leonine eyes snagging his soul again. 

“What is it, mi amor?” She purred quietly, concern written across delicate features. He felt his hands on her body, so real. 

He suddenly felt a burn in the pit of his stomach at her proximity. His body knew hers, responded to hers, wanted her. But, that’s impossible? These urges were a thing of the past. It was against protocols. These emotions, these sensations had been done away with. Yet, here he was in the shower - with a woman, not his wife. And he was on fire. 

Taehyung spun in a circle shaking the soap from his eyes. He blinked rapidly as his fingers dug into pectoral space above his heart. He let the thundering of the shower pound against his head. Both hands were used to push wet strands of hair from his face. He reached behind his shoulder to make sure he was rinsed clean. 

“Huh..” He tilted his head as he felt a small scar in the middle of his back. 

He grabbed a towel as the handles squeaked into the off position. Taehyung frowned as he rubbed the condensation on his mirror. He turned to get a look at the scars. 

Scars? Scars?? How had he never remembered these?! How had he never looked at his body’s reflection? His eyes grew wide as he took in the scattered warzone of his back. His hands gripped the sink as he felt the weight of something pressing against the front of his skull.

I promise I’ll find you. Don’t die.  

He shook his head again, stumbling out of the bathroom. Taehyung didn’t understand the fatigue suddenly falling over him. He collapsed atop his bed, towel still wrapped around his waist, an arm across his forehead. 

Taehyung. 

He murmured something, half asleep. A voice that set his soul on fire. A voice that spread color through his world. A voice - that didn’t belong to April.

Taehyung sighed softly, nuzzling into the phantom fingers that caressed his face. 

“..I promised.” He murmured sleepily. “...kept my promise.” 

A body settled on the edge of his bed as he entered deep sleep. 

A pair of glossy leonine eyes watched him until he was finally resting comfortably.

“...And I kept my promise too, querido.” Tempest watched his chest rise and fall for a few minutes before she stood. “Just a little longer. You’re almost there.” She brushed her lips against his forehead. 

9:30 pm

It’s the first dreamless sleep he’s had in some months now. There was a scent in the room that had him reaching for his face. Did he get up and change clothes? He stared down at the sweats and t-shirt. 

He reached for the glass of water at his bedside, draining it quickly. The glass hung between his fingers as the heel of his palm pushed into his eye socket.

9:45 pm

“Taehyung, I’m home to check on you.” April’s voice echoed from the front of the house.

For some reason, for the first time that he can remember - the sound of her voice - causes him to frown.

Heaven’s Day 18+ || KNJ

Rating: NC-17+++ // NSFW

Genre: modern day || boyfriend!BTS

Pairing: Kim Namjoon x Female OC

Warnings: FOOD PLAY (god what is it with me and food play?); sensory deprivation; bondage?

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin L’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,084

AN: Look I have no excuses when it comes to this. Just absolute filth..... AGAIN. I might as well just do a food play BTS line at this rate.

© thebiasrekkers (Admin L). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft

“Sweetheart, are you comfortable?”

You could feel his breath tickling on your ear, stirring the stray hairs from your head around as you nodded. Your dark curls had fallen everywhere on the bed as you hadn’t bothered to tie it up before getting into that position for Namjoon. To be honest, he hadn’t given you much time to do anything since lumbering in--fresh from the plane and all riled up. 

In typical fashion, Namjoon hadn’t told you the specifics on when he would be back but only the date. The gentle giant had only smiled and deflected the question when you had asked, intent on having something ready for when he came over. Plus it only helped him when the rest of the members butted into the conversation before you two had to disconnect. That was how the evening was starting off with him surprising you, which had escalated to the bedroom. Now you were tied up with a sinful red colored satin ribbon and the sound of his deep chuckle in your ear. 

It wasn’t your idea to use the blindfold but after your dark eyes had successfully undressed him throughout dinner, Namjoon decided to give your eyes a rest while he undressed you. His hands had gently and slowly taken off your loose top, exposing your bare chest to the chill air. Now you were just in the ribbon and shorts while he rustled about the room for a couple of things. Your heart raced as you could hear what was going on, slowly becoming frustrated with how long he was taking. 

“I saw these on the way over here but instead of eating them after dinner, I wanted to eat these on you. You’ll have to tell me how they taste first…”

The mischievous tone to his voice was riling you up even more. He tutted when you started to frown, sitting down on the edge of the bed with the objects in question. You could almost see the arch of his eyebrow at your face, questioning whether or not he should smile. He, however, resumed to open the prizes he had brought over. It almost sounded like he had some sort of flimsy container that usually had fruit in there, the noisy objects that always made sounds when you were sneaking them late at night. 

“Sweetheart, open up.”

Something cold touched your lips, making your lips part ever so slightly. He pressed the cherry to your lips, encouraging you to bite into it. The sweet juice spilled out over your lips and into your mouth, leaving a tangy aftertaste to it--one that made you want to lick your lips afterwards. He pulled away the rest of the cherry, smearing some of the juices across your lips with his thumb. His rough pad over the skin had you leaning into the touch, asking for more of his touches. You heard a faint laugh from him at the action but he resisted pawing at your dark skin. No, he was more interested in drinking you in after so long. 

The next one was placed in his plump lips as he leaned over to give you a kiss. You could feel the smirk as he held the cherry to your own lips, the sticky liquid spreading out between the both of you. You leaned up into his kiss, taking the rest of the cherry that he had with a smirk of your own. There was a pause as if he didn’t realize that he had his half of the cherry stolen from him but when he grabbed the back of your neck, he forcefully tilted your head up and exposed your neck more to him. The small dose of dominance from him had you nearly gulping the cherry down before taking in a sharp breath. He moved his warm and sticky mouth from your lips and onto your jaw, nipping the sweet skin there. The peppering of kisses were a bit rough, drawing out a darker color to your skin as he moved down to the neck and over the swell of your breasts. 

You couldn’t help but squeeze your legs together, trying to create friction as he nibbled on different areas of your skin. A sudden slap to your upper thigh had you taking in another sharp gasp, stilling your movement. 

“Are you feeling a bit frustrated, love?” The frown appeared on your lips again and that time, it made him laugh as he leaned into you again. “Good.”

You felt him get up from the bed, a flush appearing on your skin from both frustration and arousal. He amused himself with opening another container while you laid there as you tried not to voice your frustrations to him. You knew that if you did, the touches and the time it took for him to fuck you would take so much longer. The bed sunk down again, his weight adding to the softness of the mattress. Your bare skin could feel that he had no shirt on this time, the warmth of his own dark skin radiating onto yours. 

A sudden cold shock blossomed on your skin as it made goosebumps appear in the vicinity. Namjoon placed little slices of pineapple across your chest, in particular near your nipples. He gave a soft hum of satisfaction when the buds rose from the contact. When he was ready, he dipped down and captured one of the slices in his mouth before moving to the adjacent nipple. His hand snuck behind you, arching your back in an embrace to meet his mouth while the other one dipped into your shorts. The swirl of his tongue combined with the texture of the pineapple had a soft moan escape your mouth, sighing and trying to get as close as you could to his mouth. 

His fingers danced underneath the fabric, toying with the edges before slipping in themselves. The satin strained under the tug of your arms when he slipped his fingers inside of you, trying to break free of the soft silk. In response, he added another finger as he pumped them in a slow rhythm. Namjoon was determined to touch and taste every part of you that night before actually giving into his own desires. A moment to commit to his memory for when he had to leave again, something to dream of when he missed you. 

“Namjoon….” Came the breathy plea from your lips, his name finally spilling from them as he nibbled another piece of pineapple from your chest. His fingers and his mouth were working you over, the little love bites and his soft murmurs into your skin were driving you crazy. And the bastard didn’t even have all of his clothes off yet!

“I know, baby but let me taste you just a little longer..Hmm?” 

He moved his body around, leaving your body a bit cold as he lifted you up to take off your shorts. Your body almost screamed for his touch again, that familiar burn threatening to launch you off the bed and into space. Soon, you could feel his hot breath between your legs as he continued to taste and bite into your soft skin. He placed your legs on his shoulders as he dipped down to lap at the juices that had started to pool down there. The taste had him almost growling in appreciation as he suckled at your core. 

The sweet taste of pineapple mixed with the aftertaste of cherry only enhanced your taste. Namjoon pulled your hips up, getting deeper and pulling the string tighter for you. Grasping at the silk that had you tied to the headboard, your gasps grew needy as he wound you up until finally snapping and shaking all over his face. 

He groaned at your response, nearly wanting to go at it again but instead--he grabbed another slice of pineapple and placed it between his lips. Namjoon climbed up your body and hovered over you to give you a sweet kiss, mixing both juices into it. You could feel his hardness pressed against your skin over the fabric that was still on his body. Lazily sliding a leg up his body, you decided to tease him a bit as revenge for his own torture. Namjoon growled in response, pulling your leg upwards and driving his own pelvis into your exposed body. 

His face buried into your neck, nipping again at the soft flesh--pressing his body as close to you as possible as he gathered you up in his arms. However, the tension from the silk made the ribbon come a bit loose but it was enough to get your hands free. You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer to you and carding your own fingers through his hair. The action made him growl even more, the deep reverb that was just as effective as a speaker. That was one thing that weakened him, other than your fascination with his thighs. You always loved to sit on one of them and slowly grind yourself to the edge before he finally took over. 

He soon lifted himself up enough to aggravatingly take off his belt and pants, the snap of the leather almost echoing in the room. Namjoon threw the clothing to the side and spread your legs wide enough for him to slip through, not that he needed to anyways. The sweet stretch as he inched his way into you, wanting to feel every part of you before he lost himself in the pleasure. Namjoon groaned, almost panting as you held onto him and as he was fully sheathed inside of you--he waited patiently until you gave him the approval he so desperately wanted. Despite his wants and needs, he always made sure you were happy first before losing himself in anything. 

Slowly at first, he rocked his hips and pressed you into the mattress with deep thrusts. The sound of skin slapping didn’t happen until a bit later when the sweet burn started to build and the two of you were clutching at each other. His pace quickened the longer he drilled into you, even placing a leg on his shoulder for better access. Your cries added to the sounds of the moment, Namjoon trying to commit it to memory but failing in his driven lust. 

His thrusts became harder the closer he came to his own end, leaving you with nothing but his shoulders to hold onto. The bed groaned itself under the force and weight of your two bodies crashing against each other. Your breasts bounced as you lifted up to him in that familiar rhythm that he drove inside of you. Time seemed to still as you panted and peeked at him from your eyelashes, his handsome face was now flushed with want like he had been on stage and performing for thousands of people. Right then, he was performing just for you in a way that nobody else was allowed to see or hear. 

Gasping, you moaned out his name over and over again as he pumped inside of you--building that tension again until you couldn’t take it anymore. Shaking, you shattered underneath him with a cry and grasped at him again like you would fall off the face of the earth had he not held you. Namjoon panted out a pretty whine when your walls clenched around him, trying to get as deep as he could before he finally stalled himself. His own orgasm had the veins in his neck nearly popping out from the force of it, his rhythm stuttering to a loving halt as he emptied himself into you. 

Namjoon kissed your face tenderly once he had regained his breath, sweeping some of your dark hair out of your face from where it had fallen during your escapade. He continued to leave sweet kisses across your body, mainly where he had raised the discoloration on your skin. The gentle giant was back, gathering you in his arms once he had pulled out of you with a sigh. The clean up would happen once he had the strength enough to stand but for the moment, the two of you enjoyed the warm enclosure that came with the aftermath. 

“Don’t fall asleep baby girl… we still have to get you cleaned up.” You murmured your response into his chest, nuzzling your face deeper into his neck. “I want to be able to have you again in the shower too.” 

Breathe: Hope In Isolation | PJM

For the @bangtanscenery​ - April Showers Bring May Flowers Project in celebration of the Spring Season!

Plot: For as long as Jimin can remember, the house is all he’s ever known. His only companion, a calico cat. Neither of them age as the house pulls them through time and space. He can neither interact with people nor stray far from the house. He is cursed to watch the world pass by every year and never be a part of it. But one day, someone not only is able to see the house, but they can finally see him as well.

Rating: PG-13 // SFW

Genre: time-slip!au | modern fantasy!au | angst | romance | drama

Pairing: Park Jimin x Female OC (Brianna Larkins)

Warnings: Strong language, extreme angst, anxiety, implication of curses/magic

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 11.4K

AN: This idea came from a mash-up song of Billie Eilish and BTS. Specifically the song "Serendipity". I have been told that this story is the epitome of what Serendipity stands for and to me, that is the greatest compliment I could ever hope to receive. In a time of isolation, like what we are experiencing now, it's always important to remember the things that matter the most to us. Which are often the things we take for granted. So for those of you who are feeling lonely, sad, or even a little anxious, this is for you. Remember that you are loved.

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Jimin’s grip tightened around the handle of the water pitcher as the house began to shake violently. The water sloshed from the pitcher, spilling onto the floor around his feet. The little calico cat that kept him company hopped onto the couch and curled itself into a ball of fluff. The few dishes he had trembled on top of the coffee table, all but threatening to fall to the floor. Craning his neck, he peeked out of the small kitchen window and sighed as the universe swirled in a kaleidoscope of colors and stars. The sheer curtains in the house fluttered with the speed of how fast everything was moving, causing his own blonde hair to fly back off his forehead.

Closing his eyes, Jimin held his breath and waited for the tremors to cease. He could never stare at the seemingly endless galaxies for too long. It always made him feel a little nauseous, even after all these years.

When the shaking finally ceased, he released the breath he held and opened his eyes when aggravated meows of protest reached his ears. Sighing, he turned to see the cat was now moving around on the couch in circles, kneading the cushions in determination before plopping its rump back down. The calico flicked its tail back and forth, patiently waiting for Jimin to open the window to let it roam about.

He poured the water into a glass, setting the pitcher down on the counter, and made his way over to the cat. Jimin stroked its head lovingly before leaning across the couch to unlatch the locks and pushed the window open. The cat wasted no time hopping outside to begin exploring. Shielding his eyes with his forearm, Jimin peered out to see where he’d landed this time.

When he’d landed this time.

The cat rolled happily in the bed of flowers, chasing after a butterfly. Wherever Jimin was, it was quiet and seemingly barren for as far as the eye could see. There were forests to one side and a rolling set of hills on the other. In the very center, separating both landmarks, was a wide open field of countless flowers in varying colors and breeds. A breeze pushed against his face and he smiled, savoring the smell and taste of the ocean winds. He was by the sea.

The weather was nice and calm. He wouldn’t need to dress warm, but he stripped out of his white t-shirt and slid on a long-sleeved one instead; also white. He kept his white linen trousers on and didn’t bother with shoes. It would be nice to feel the grass between his toes. His last location was a desert and sand got old very quickly, as did the heat. He rarely went outside during that year.

As his feet touched the grass, he was immediately filled with the fragrant smell of the flowers. He made sure not to inhale too much, or the aroma would overwhelm him. His little feline companion was long gone - seemingly off to explore and hunt whatever she wanted. Jimin didn’t mind. His friend always came back.

He walked around the entire radius of the house to get a good idea of his surroundings and tried to figure out the layout. Whatever time he was in, he couldn’t quite determine it. Not without notable landmarks and people to gauge their clothing or the latest technology of that era. Once he saw anything remotely familiar, he would figure out the rest. 

He’d lost count of how many times he’d moved through time and space like this.

Spinning on his heels, he spread his arms out and flopped into the bed of flowers. Petals fluttered in the air around him, some falling into his hair and on his face. He smiled widely and even laughed. How he’d missed the clean air and the feel of cool grass on his skin. Jimin made a note to savor every moment he had in this time before he was forced to leave it again.

The sun felt warm on his face, lulling him into a serene state until he felt his lids growing heavy. He would have drifted off to sleep had it not been for his furry companion feeling the need to hop onto his stomach at that moment. The cat purred as he laughed and stroked the cat’s back. 

“Did you find anything interesting?” he asked. The cat meowed in response, but not really giving him an answer. Jimin smiled, petting its head. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.” Sitting up, he gathered the cat into his arms and stood up from the ground. “Let’s do a bit more exploring, hm?”

The two of them wandered around where they could. An invisible wall prevented Jimin from going further than two hundred meters in any direction. As he pressed his hand against the barrier, he gave a dejected sigh before returning back to the house. On the outside, it looked like a Tudor cottage with natural brick and molding. Everything else was white or a soft yellow color for the trimming, the roof tiles a rich cobalt blue. It was the strangest house he’d ever seen and it was probably the reason he was drawn to it in the first place.

Truth be told, Jimin couldn’t recall how long he’d been in that house. He didn’t even remember how old he was supposed to be or what time period he hailed from originally. All the clothing, food, and other necessities were replenished on their own. If the climate he was transported to was cold, all of his clothing was suited for the temperature drop. If it was hot, humid or dry, his clothes changed to match it as well. The house provided it all. He stopped questioning how and why a long long time ago.

Everything he owned was white, save for the bedding, which was just a simple yellow blanket. The couch was slate in color. There were a few plants in the house but they were all green and simple to take care of. Namely the cactus that sat on his coffee table.

He set the cat down and opened the door, waiting for the calico to prance inside. The house had enough natural light streaming from outside that the lack of actual lighting fixtures made little difference to Jimin. If he needed a light source, he would always light a candle or burn some oil in the lantern.

It would be just another year for Jimin. One year of many.

After he finished showering, he changed into some fresh garments and began scrounging up something together for a modest meal. The scent of flowers overwhelmed him to the point where he needed to come inside and lay down for a few hours. After smelling the acrid air of the desert, it was a stark contrast but one that he knew wouldn’t take long for him to acclimate.

For the first time in a while, he was actually excited to discover more of his new environment.

The first few weeks were uneventful. They always were. 

Once he was used to the floral aroma that wafted in through his windows, he made it a point to gather up fresh flowers and placed them throughout the house. The interior in its entirety was white, so the bursts of color that the flowers provided were a welcome change. Jimin could hardly remember a time where he was able to be surrounded by nature in its colorful bountifulness. 

He’d been from place to place and from one time to the next. He jumped from the past where architecture was still done by hand to the future where machines did most of the heavy labor. Some skies were clear and blue, others were dark and overcast. Rain, sleet, snow, high winds and desert storms. Jimin was able to experience them all thanks to the power of the house that moved him in and out of existence through an ethereal portal he couldn’t begin to hope to understand.

Strangely enough, he didn’t age. He assumed it was from the power of the house. There was no other explanation. He stopped questioning it years ago because he forgot the reason he was in the house in the first place, or how he’d gotten there. 

Certain things were made clear from his travels through time, however, and it made coping with his isolation a little bit difficult. The invisible barrier was one. His inability to grow old was another. He couldn’t destroy the house either. He tried many years ago in a fit of anger and didn’t leave a scratch on the surface. He couldn’t even burn it down. He tried that too. 

Jimin only stayed in one place and time for a year. Then the house would jump through time. The house would never leave without him, because the house and he were connected. Even if Jimin was outside after the year was over, he would get pulled back inside for the journey. 

The one that struck him the hardest, however, was the fact that no one could see him or the house. This made interacting with people impossible. 

No matter how much he screamed, no one could hear him. No matter how hard he tried to touch someone, they could not feel him. His hand would pass straight through their bodies, as though he were little more than a ghost to them. But he wasn’t dead, of that he was most certain. 

He couldn’t recall, exactly, how far back it was he’d learned these things, but they were lessons that stuck with him for a very long time. Since then, he simply flitted in and out of existence, watching the world and the people in it pass him by. So far, the only being he could actually interact with was the calico cat that lived in the house with him and as far as Jimin could tell, the cat was always by his side.

The months rolled on in an even keel and there was still no sign of a single person in sight. The weather was getting warmer, breaching into summer. From what Jimin could gather, he arrived at the onset of spring. It wouldn’t be long before autumn was upon him and he would no longer be able to relish in the lovely landscape as things began to die. The thought of it caused a pained expression to form on his face. He didn’t like to witness things wilting before his eyes, but what choice did he have?

It rained for a few days straight, cooling the air and giving it a refresher of sorts. The rain always made Jimin sleepy and he often napped for hours at a time before getting up to feed himself, shower, and then return to bed. The cat enjoyed rainy days because it gave her an excuse to cuddle with Jimin as he spent the days lazily lying in bed.

The sound of laughter pulled Jimin from deep sleep, causing him to rouse from bed. Bleary eyed and a little groggy, he shuffled around from his room and out to the kitchen. The laughter was louder now and it was more than one set of tones from what he could gather. Pouring himself a glass of water, he drained it in a few gulps and then splashed some water on his face to fully rid himself of the sleepy haze still settled on the backs of his eyelids. 

Pulling back the sheer curtains, he peeked out of the kitchen window and blinked rapidly. He wasn’t sure what he was seeing, but he knew he wasn’t dreaming. There in the fields of flowers were several people; young men and women. They were sprawled out on a blanket, laughing and talking as a small radio sat at their side. Jazz peeled from the speakers and he could tell from the model that it was a mid to late 80s radio. There was a large picnic basket between them and one girl with red hair began pulling out things from inside of it. Two of the three boys scrambled off the blanket and started tossing a baseball between each other, the sound of the ball hitting the leather gloves like whip cracks to Jimin’s ears. 

The boy who remained was sitting with the two girls who were chatting it up while putting things on paper plates. Confident they couldn’t see him, Jimin poured himself another glass of water and stepped outside so he could hear them better. They were just within the two hundred meter barrier, but just barely.

“When’s Brianna comin’?” asked the boy with dirty blonde hair as bit into a sandwich.

The red-haired girl shrugged as she poured some orange juice into a cup and handed it to the blonde-haired girl beside her. “I dunno. She said she’d be here soon.”

The blonde scoffed as she leaned back on one hand. “She’s always late to these things. We only have a month and a half of summer vacation left before the new school year starts.”

The two boys tossing the ball back and forth looked at them. One of them had jet black hair that fell around his ears and the other was mousy and in a bowl cut. “Then we’ll officially be college students.”

The red-haired girl groaned, falling onto her side. “Ugh, don’t remind me. I’m dreading it already.”

The boy on the blanket chuckled. “Yeah right, Miss ‘I’m moving to New York to be a famous fashion designer’ Maxine.”

Maxine pouted, shifting to lay on her stomach. “Shut-up, Eddie. You all know how hard I worked to get that scholarship.”

“Aw, come on, Max,” teased the blonde, “you know he’s only teasing. Eddie’s just sad to see you leave our little circle of friendship.”

Eddie puffed out one of his cheeks and bit into the sandwich in annoyance. “Psh, whatever. No one asked you, Stephanie .”

The blonde, Stephanie, glared at him. “It’s Stevie. Call me Stephanie again and I’ll knock your fuckin’ block off.”

“Language, Stevie,” called the boy with black hair as he flashed her a grin.

“Oh, fuck you, James.” Stevie flipped her middle finger at him, which only caused him to dissolve into a small fit of laughter. 

The mousy-haired boy laughed as he tossed the ball to James. “You two should just get married already.”

James missed the ball, balking at his friend. “You’re out of your fuckin’ gourd, Marcus.”

Marcus rolled his eyes and motioned for James to toss the ball back to him. When he did, instead of it falling into his glove like it had been, it was caught in a bare hand. Jimin looked up to see a young girl with light brown skin and dark brown curls holding the ball. Dressed in a pair of distressed denim overall shorts, she wore a hunter green t-shirt underneath; a black and white flannel shirt tied around her waist. On her feet, instead of sandals, were a pair of combat boots. 

This ensemble had Jimin canting his head slightly. It wasn’t exactly a summer-type outfit, but what did he know about fashion? Everything he owned was white.

“Well look who finally decided to grace us with her presence,” called Max as she sat up on her elbows, “we were beginning to think you were gonna be a no-show.”

“Yeah, Bree,” said Stevie, “where’ve you been?”

“Got held up at work,” Bree said as she tossed the ball back to James. She took a few steps and paused, her eyes meeting Jimin’s. The action was so sudden that he nearly dropped the glass of water he was holding. She pointed a finger at him. “Who’s the new guy?”

“Huh?” Eddie looked in the direction she was pointing, blinked as Jimin looked back at him, then faced Bree again. “Who’re you talkin’ about?”

This time she extended her arm, still pointing at Jimin. He took a step back, unsure of what to make of this new development. He could feel the heat rising up his neck and creeping over his face. 

“Him. Who is he?” Bree looked at the others as she placed a hand on her hip. “And did you guys actually ask him if we could hang out in the front yard of his house?”

Stevie’s brows furrowed as she stood up from the blanket. “What the hell are you talkin’ about, girl?” She turned her head in either direction. “What house? What guy?”

Bree rolled her eyes. “I swear to God, if you guys are tryin’ to play some game with me, I’m going to make your lives hell for the next hour.” She looked back at Jimin and his lips parted in both surprise and fear. “Hey you! Are you in on this too?”

“Bree, have you been smokin’ again?” Marcus teased as he gently pushed her back. “Told you about tokin’ it up so much during vacay.”

For a moment, all she did was look at Jimin; seemingly boring holes through his own sockets. He licked his lips, contemplating on responding, but was soon pulled from his shock after James moved to pick Bree up and spun her around as he hefted her stomach-first onto his shoulder. She kicked and smacked his back, turning her away from Jimin so that she could no longer catch him in her line of sight.

But that didn’t keep her from shouting.

“Yo! I’m talkin’ to you! Hey!” 

Jimin didn’t answer. He didn’t know how to answer. Someone was actually looking at him and speaking to him. This was the first time it’d happened in all the years he’d moved in and out of time. As much as he wanted to respond to her, he knew that she would only look like a raving lunatic if he tried to speak or interact with her in any way. So Jimin did the only thing he could at that moment.

He ran back into the house, slamming the door closed behind him.

Hours passed and the people still remained. Even as the sun was setting, they showed no signs of vacating the premises. They’d spent so much time out there that James managed to change the batteries on the portable radio in the midst of all their fun and games. Jimin was both confused and entranced. He longed to sit beside them as they turned on their flashlights and shared stories about their school year.

The one called “Bree” kept Jimin from even entertaining the idea of getting closer.

After the initial chaos from her outburst died down, he secretly hoped that she would merely view both the house and him as mere figments of her imagination. Clearly she was the more rebellious one of the group, partaking in recreational drugs as well as managing a part-time job. But that also made her a bit skeptical, at least from Jimin’s perspective. For a while, he believed she’d forgotten about him, as well as the house. But every so often, when he would peek out the window to be part of their little world, she would cast her umber hues in his direction, forcing Jimin to retreat back into the safety of his home.

Why was he so afraid? Wasn’t this what he’d always wanted? What he’d yearned for?

Hiding like this seemed silly and pointless.

When will I be able to speak to someone again? 

The thought weighed on his heart like a heavy anvil, threatening to sink all the way down to the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t remember how many years he traveled through the universe. But he could remember the loneliness he felt during that time. What was it like to have a normal conversation with someone? To be able to laugh and share memories together, no matter how exciting or dull they might have been? To cherish the small moments like the people were outside?

When would another opportunity like this come again for Jimin?

He knew this to be true. There was no sense in denying it or even ignoring it. There was no other truth. But it couldn’t shake the fear that lurked in the darkest recesses of his own heart.

He feared rejection. He was afraid of being turned away from anyone who could see him. So detached and far from the realm of normal, Jimin knew that anyone would find his circumstances both unreasonable and unbelievable. 

Being invisible was better than being ignored.

“So, we callin’ it a night or what?” It was Marcus. 

The sound of a yawn being stifled was heard. “Yeah, I think so.” Now it was Stevie.

There was a distinct rustling noise of things being gathered. Jimin, while locked away in the house, hadn’t strayed too far from the window. He made sure to keep himself hidden in case Bree had any urges to look in his direction. But in those hours, he’d grown accustomed to whose voice belonged to which person and enjoyed being able to get to know them despite the lack of interaction. It made him sad to know that they would be leaving; even more so that he didn’t know when they would be back. If they would be back.

He took a chance to peek out the window and saw the group rolling up their things. They all laughed, chatted more, and promised to get together again later in the week when they were all free. Something about hitting the mall or maybe going to watch a movie. Jimin pressed his back to the wall as the sounds of their footsteps faded off in the distance.

A movie. Jimin tried hard to think back on when he last saw a movie. His earliest memory was so fuzzy and he couldn’t be sure if it was accurate.

The calico cat meowed as she rubbed her body in between each of his legs, bringing him out of his thoughts. Crouching down, he began to stroke the cat’s spine and tail before rubbing her head lovingly. She purred happily to the attention and he smiled. “You wanted to play with them too, huh? I’m sorry, but it was too risky to let you out.” The cat meowed again, as if understanding his words, and he gathered her up into his arms. “Maybe I’ll read a book tonight…”

Jimin managed to take a few steps into the main living area when the sound of the door knocking caused him to drop his friend. The cat landed softly on her paws and scampered away to the couch, leaving him seemingly frozen in time. He couldn’t ignore the cold sweat dripping from his neck or the heavy ache in his chest from how hard his heart was thudding against it.

Craning his neck, he peered at the door. 

Again, three knocks hit from the other side.

“Hello?” 

It had to be her. It couldn’t have been anyone else. But clearly she’d left with the others. What reason would she have to turn back?

“Hey, I know you’re in there.” In most cases, that phrase would have been threatening. But her voice belied something else. “Look, I just wanna talk, okay?”

This was it. This was the moment Jimin wanted. He wanted it more than anything he’d ever wanted in his entire life.

Yet all he could do was stare at the door. His body refused to move. He wanted to, but his feet were rooted in place. There was a lump forming in his throat and he wasn’t sure if he could swallow it down enough to speak. To tell this person to go away, even though he secretly yearned for them to stay.

“J-Just a minute,” came his weak response. 

He wasn’t sure if she’d heard him, but he took a moment to gather his courage before forcing himself to cross the short distance to the front door. It wasn’t locked. She could have just waltzed in if she pleased. Jimin was thankful she hadn’t, though. He wasn’t sure how he would have responded if she’d barged in unannounced.

When he opened the door, Jimin felt his heart skip a beat as he looked at Bree. He shouldn’t have been surprised. It wasn’t like this was the first time she was seeing him. But this time they were less than three feet from each other. She stood with her hands folded across her chest, giving him the once over with a glance. Jimin flushed, averting his gaze for half a second before moving back to her. 

She’s pretty, he thought suddenly, causing another rush of heat to stain his cheeks. It was unexpected but was also still his own opinion.

“Good evening.” 

It was the only thing Jimin could come up with that didn’t sound stupid.

“You too,” she said almost dismissively. It wasn’t offensive, but it was clear that Bree had her own priorities. “So what’s your deal?”

He nervously placed a hand on the back of his neck. “What do you mean?”

“You. This house.” Bree looked to her left, right, then back to him. “How come no one else can see it but I can?”

Biting his lower lip, he felt his brows knit in worry. He couldn’t very well lie to her. So he chose to tell her the truth. “I honestly don’t know.”

A single brow lifted on Bree’s face. “You don’t know or you won’t tell me?” 

Jimin shook his head. “I really don’t know.”

“Bullshit.”

He winced slightly. “I can’t tell you what I don’t know.”

Sighing, she brushed a hand through her dark curls. “Okay, well what do you know?”

“That you’re the first person who’s been able to see me and this house.” The cat meowed, moving between Jimin’s feet to rub her body against Bree’s leg. She looked down and blinked at the feline, then looked back at Jimin. “And the cat.”

The calico continued to weave in and out from between Bree’s legs until she finally relented, leaning down to pick up the cat. His companion seemed to appreciate being able to interact with someone other than him and he felt a little offended. Bree petted the cat for a moment, then held her hand out toward him. For a while, all he did was stare at her hand.

“I’m Brianna Larkins. Friends call me Bree.”

Slowly, he reached for her hand. But just as he was about to touch her, he hesitated. Part of him still couldn’t believe this was happening. Jimin was afraid that his hand would pass straight through hers like he were a mere apparition. 

Bree took the initiative, grabbing his hand with her own. It caused him to jump slightly, the sensation of touching another person a seemingly foreign concept to him. He’d well and truly forgotten what it was like to feel the skin of another human being. All he could do was watch, dumbfounded, as she shook their hands up and down.

“I’m Jimin.”

She canted her head slightly. “No last name?”

“I can’t remember it.”

She didn’t bother hiding her scoff as she let his hand go. Already he was mourning the absence of her touch. “Figures.” Bree lifted herself onto the balls of her feet to peek inside the house just over his shoulder. “So, can I come in or what?”

Again, another question he didn’t know the answer to. Surely if she could see both the house and him, as well as touch him, then she should have been able to cross the threshold into the house. But that was just a theory. One he’d never had the pleasure of putting into practice.

“S-Sure,” Jimin managed to stammer out as he stood to the side, giving her room to step through the entrance. 

And just like that, she stepped past the door frame and into his main living area like it was the most natural thing on earth. Jimin stood speechless while still holding the door open. Bree pulled off her combat boots, the calico still held delicately in her arms as she moved in and out of the space he alone occupied for so long. Well, him and his little furry friend. It was too strange and his mind was having a difficult time processing everything that was happening. 

If he could describe the sensation accurately, Jimin felt like he was walking through water that was a mile deep and he was on the verge of drowning.

“Little lacking in the interior decorating department, don’t you think?” she asked while slowly turning as she walked. 

Jimin rubbed at the back of his head. “That’s not something I can really control, unfortunately.” 

And it was true. Even if he could paint the walls, they would just turn white again after a matter of minutes. 

Bree shrugged as she turned to face him. “Better than some awful wallpaper or something.”

“Yeah,” was all he could say. 

Why was talking to another person so hard? It shouldn’t have been this difficult, should it?

He watched her head to the sitting area where only his gray sofa was, along with the coffee table. She flopped down on the cushions, the cat wriggling out of her arms to crawl onto the windowsill. Bree looked at Jimin expectantly and for a moment, he didn’t understand what was supposed to happen next. She suddenly patted the empty seat next to her. 

“Well?”

“Uh, right…” Jimin took a step, then stopped himself. “Oh, I didn’t even offer you anything to drink.” He turned to head back to the kitchen.

“It’s fine, seriously, dude.” When he looked back at Bree, he saw her smiling, clearly amused with his flustered behavior. “I said I wanted to talk and I meant it. So c’mere.”

Deciding to just go along with whatever was happening, Jimin crossed the short space and slowly sank onto the couch beside her. His heartbeat thundered like war drums in his ear and he started closing and opening his hands by his knees. This was unreal and he couldn’t figure out what he was supposed to do next.

“So,” she said while clapping her hands together, “let’s try to figure some shit out.”

He whipped his head to look at her, half his vision obscured by his blonde fringe. “H-Huh?”

Bree shrugged while raising her brows. “I mean, don’t you think it’s a little weird that I can see you and the house and no one else can?”

“Well, yeah…” Though Jimin wouldn’t have necessarily called it weird as he would uncircumstantial. 

“There’s got to be some kinda puzzle behind this.” He watched her bite into her lower lip as her brows furrowed in thought this time. Bree gave a low hum, as if she were trying to piece something together in her head. “You’re obviously not a ghost.” She reached out and poked his cheek for good measure, causing Jimin to lean back a bit as his eyes widened in shock. Again, sensations he wasn’t used to feeling. “You look human, but that doesn’t mean you’re not an alien.”

He pouted. “I’m not an alien.”

Bree blinked at him, then laughed at his reaction. “Okay, fine. You’re not an alien then.” She gave her head a slight tilt while placing a hand on her chin. “Are you some kind of angel?”

Jimin relaxed a little. Her teasing nature eased some of the tension that was weighing on his shoulders. “Why would you think that?”

“Well, as stupid as this might sound, it’s because you’re wearing all white.” She gestured to the rest of the house. “The entire house is white.”

“Not all of it.”

“No, you’re right.” Bree leaned back, folding her arms across her chest. “But I can’t think of anything else.”

He sighed a little. Jimin couldn’t help himself, but it happened anyway. “Why can’t I just be human?”

For a while, a small stretch of silence managed to lurk between them. Suddenly, Bree sat up straight and punched her fist into her hand. It startled Jimin, causing him to lean back slightly. Her eyes were shining brightly, like she’d just had an idea.

“That’s it!” 

Bree jumped from the couch and Jimin felt himself standing on impulse. He watched her scrambling to put on her shoes and as he was about to call out to her, she turned to face him. Whatever popped into her head suddenly, she was hellbent on leaving to figure it out. 

“Where are you going?” 

Jimin hadn’t meant to ask. It just slipped out. Part of him worried that if she left, he’d never see her again. This was his one opportunity to be able to actually interact with another person and he didn’t want it taken away from him. The moment felt far too short. 

“I need to get home.” She held up a finger, still smiling. “But don’t worry. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

And before he could ask her what she meant, the girl turned and ran out the door. There was a heaviness that sank over him as the latch clicked. While he didn’t doubt her words, Jimin couldn’t ignore the overwhelming sense of loneliness clinging to him in her absence.

In just a few short minutes, his house felt emptier.

Bree returned the next day.

And the day after that.

And the day after that. 

Until Summer slowly came to an end, yielding into Fall.

Every day that she left and returned, Jimin was both sad and elated. He understood the meaning behind the phrase “welcome back”, even though he never said it out loud. The power of “goodbye” was heavier than he could even begin to fathom. He knew the steps that it took to truly get to know someone, because knowing a person meant cherishing every single feeling and interaction that came with it.

Bree brought over tons of books. Some were reference texts and others were compilations of fairy tales. He didn’t understand the latter until she explained it. And what she managed to divulge actually made a lot of sense.

“See here,” she said, pointing to a paragraph in the tale of Beauty and the Beast, “the Beast wasn’t allowed to leave the castle. There was a spell cast on him, a curse, and the only way the curse would be broken is if a person could see past the beast on the outside and into the heart of the man on the inside.”

Jimin furrowed his brows. “But it says that he was cursed because of his arrogance.” He met Bree’s gaze. “He turned the old woman away who wanted shelter from the storm and that’s why she cursed him.”

“So?”

“So you think I’m cursed?”

Bree sat up straight. “Don’t you?”

He frowned. “What makes you think I’m cursed?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, I dunno. Maybe because no one can see this house or you, but you can see everyone else? Or maybe because you’ve been in isolation so long that that you lost your memories? Or maybe because you can’t go more than two hundred meters in any given direction?” Defiantly, she folded her arms across her chest. “Or maybe because you can’t age and your house is a literal fucking time machine that moves you back and forth from the past, to the present, to the future? Or MAYBE--”

Jimin held his hands up in defeat, not even realizing that he was smiling. “Okay, okay! I get it. Enough already.” He let his hands settle back into his lap. “Okay. Maybe you’re right.”

“Jesus, I wish you would listen to me,” she muttered while brushing her thick curls off her shoulders. Her attention returned to the book and she leaned forward, resting her elbows onto her knees as she scanned the pages again. Jimin came to learn of her sarcastic nature and was often on the receiving end of her tongue lashes. “All of it points to you being cursed, but it doesn’t help that you can’t even remember why you’re here or where you originally came from.” Chin still propped in her hands, she craned her neck to look up at him. “You sure you don’t remember anything?”

A pained expression formed and before he could hide it, Bree was already sitting up again. He could see the apologetic look on her face, and he felt guilty instantly. He hadn’t meant to be so expressive, but the more he interacted with her, the more free he was with his emotions. 

“I’m sorry, Jimin. I didn’t mean it that way--”

“I know,” he said softly, “it’s okay.”

She threaded her fingers through her hair, groaning in aggravation. “God, this is so frustrating!” Again, her attention returned to the book. “What are we missing?”

“A miracle,” Jimin said flatly, to which Bree cuffed him on the shoulder. He laughed from surprise more than actual pain. 

“I’m serious.” She pouted. “There’s gotta be something we’re not paying attention to.”

Jimin couldn’t figure out what the missing piece to the puzzle was. Part of him honestly didn’t care. He was enjoying the time he got to spend with Bree and there was no guarantee that he would be able to return to his original time. It was all just theories and hypothetical possibilities at this point. If it was one thing he learned during all of his travel through various eras in history, it was to value the present. The past and the future were inconsequential.

“Does it really matter?” 

He didn’t miss the look on Bree’s face at his question. But he wondered if it did, in fact, matter? He’d been living his life this way for so long. Interacting with Bree was a variable he hadn’t accounted for. He just wanted to focus on the here and now. 

She sat up a little straighter, then sighed. “Aren’t you tired of living like this?”

Yes, I’m tired of it.

But he knew the truth. She knew it too. When his year was up, Jimin was going to have to leave this place. He would leave it behind just like he did all the others; with no hope of ever returning. Regardless of what he may have wanted, the end result would always be the same.

A lump formed in his throat, making it impossible to respond. He parted his lips to speak, but then gave up. Averting his gaze, he stared at the open book on the table. His vision blurred momentarily as he fought back oncoming tears. A sad smile formed on his lips.

“...does it really matter?”

Jimin saw Bree less and less as the Fall season hit full force. School was back in session and she worked part-time. But she made a point to always come by on her off days or when she finished up with her classes. He was able to glean that she must have lived nearby. Was the area he was in a rural township of sorts? He thought about asking her to bring a magazine or newspaper the next time she decided to pay him a visit, but they were usually caught up with various other conversations and he only remembered long after she was gone.

Her absences weighed heavily on Jimin. They’d been so engrossed in fairy tales and folklore that he often compared himself to Rapunzel, trapped in isolation and waiting for his one true destined one to save him from his prison. It was safe, comfortable, and he wasn’t in chains, but it was a prison just the same. 

The leaves changed color and fell from the branches. Vibrant greens transformed into browns and beige. The flowers were long dead. Jimin could tell from the area that he was in that it would snow and while it was something he was looking forward to, he wondered if it would be safe for Bree to trek around the mountainous area in the dead of night. It wasn’t like he could walk her home like he wanted to. 

He was stuck.

The front door opened, pulling Jimin from his thoughts. He was wrapped up in a blanket on the couch with a book in his lap. The cat, now named Juno thanks to Bree, looked up from her perch on the armrest. Bree stopped knocking on the door months back and there was never a need to lock it. Jimin remembered winning an argument they had about his safety with keeping the door unlocked. There was really no point. No one else could see the house to break in and it wasn’t like he had a key he could give her.

Bree quickly unraveled the scarf from around her neck. She was carrying something in her arms and it smelled sweet. Untangling himself from the blanket, he made his way into the kitchen as Bree busied herself with the dishes. Peering out the window, he saw how dark it was and frowned. 

“It’s late.” 

She pulled out some chocolate chip cookies from the bag and plated them. “Yeah, I know. I got held up at work again.”

“It’s not safe for you to be wandering around up here by yourself so late at night.” He folded his arms across his chest. “You could have just come first thing in the morning.”

Jimin was reprimanding her, but it’d been several days since their last meeting. Secretly, he was happy she was there. 

“Can’t. I have class in the morning.” She handed the plate to him.

The worry lines on his brow deepened. “Then you definitely shouldn’t have come out here.”

Bree rolled her eyes. It was only then that he noticed her bookbag. “Psh, you’d go stir crazy if I didn’t show up today. Besides, I brought cookies as a bribe.”

He’d hardly call that a bribe, but he was happy for the present. 

She poured them both a glass of milk each. He carried the plate to the living room and they both flopped on the couch at the same time. Bree skillfully didn’t spill a single drop of milk before setting the glasses on the table.

“Don’t you have homework?” Jimin nibbled on a cookie as he cast a sideways glance at her.

Rifling through her book bag, she dropped a few notebooks and pencils on top. “I finished it during break at work.” 

He raised his brows as she pulled out extra clothes and set them on the floor by the couch. “Uh, what are you--”

“I’m sleeping over,” she interjected, reaching down to pick up Juno and cuddle her into her lap.

For a while, Jimin said nothing. All he did was stare as she pulled her thick curls back into a low ponytail. 

Finally, it registered.

“W-What?” He turned to fully face her. “You’re staying here?!”

She cut her gaze at him. “Did I stutter?” He was about to ask why, but instead a cookie was pushed into his open mouth. “Besides, I had an idea I wanted to run by you and it couldn’t wait another day.”

Attempting to swallow the cookie, he grabbed the glass of milk and washed most of it down. The awkwardness of her staying over was overshadowed by his curiosity. “What idea?”

Biting into a cookie, she quickly opened one of her notebooks up and showed it to him. “The conditions.” She pointed to a series of bullet markings. “All the folk legends and fairy tales state that certain conditions have to be met in order to break the curse.”

“Okay,” he said while nodding, “but those conditions all stem from knowing what the curse entails, doesn’t it?” Jimin sighed. “So we’re still back at square one.”

Bree set the notebook down suddenly, leaned into his space and soon her face was inches from his own. Blinking rapidly, his heart suddenly thundered heavily against his chest. Jimin’s eyes momentarily crossed when he felt the velvet texture of Bree’s lips brushing against his own. The contact was swift enough that he couldn’t savor it, but long enough for him to get a taste of her cherry lip balm. 

When she finally pulled back, Jimin just stared open-mouthed at Bree. He almost missed the rose tint on her cheeks. Her dark skin tone made it a little bit more difficult to notice it, but the moonlight outside seemed to illuminate her face radiantly. 

Reality sank down on Jimin’s chest as he remembered to breathe. “W-W-Wh-What was that for?!”

“Do you feel any different?” Bree leaned back a little more. “Did it work?”

The absurdity of the question helped Jimin to collect himself. “Does it look like I’m back in my own time?”

“Who says this time isn’t your time?” she countered.

He rolled his eyes. “I’m pretty sure it would be obvious if it actually worked.” Jimin pointed to a line in her notes. “Something phenomenal always happens soon after a curse is broken. That’s how you know.”

Bree snapped her fingers with a scoff. “Damn!”

Jimin couldn’t keep himself from laughing. “Next you’re gonna tell me to go slay some dragon.”

“If there was a dragon around, you bet your ass I would.” Jimin was thankful she turned away from him so he could focus on steadying his racing heartbeat. She bit her thumb in thought. “A kiss is usually a surefire way to break a curse. Since I’m the first person who’s seen the house and you, I figured that was the answer.”

Brushing his hair out of his eyes, he reached for another cookie. “There are probably more conditions that go along with that.”

Bree tilted her head slightly as she looked back at him. “So you think that I’m a variable in all of this?”

“It wouldn’t make sense for you not to be.” He furrowed his brows and looked back at her notes. “Everything points to you being a part of it. We just have to figure out how.”

Groaning, she flung herself against the couch and began kicking the heels of her feet on the floor in frustration. “This is annoying!” She covered her eyes with her forearm. “I don’t know how people in research and development go through all this trial and error nonsense.”

He flashed her a reassuring smile. “It’s kinda their job, Bree.” 

He watched her slip her arm off her face and flop down beside while she stared up at the ceiling. “Conditions need to be met…”

Jimin lightly poked her forehead to get her attention. “Hey, don’t beat yourself up too much. I’m just thankful for all the help and effort you’ve been putting in on my account.”

She gently moved his hand out the way before sitting up again. “I was so sure we were getting close.”

“We probably are. We just don’t know.” But that also brought up another curious thought. “Why are you so adamant about helping me anyway?”

“Huh?” Her expression clearly stated that she didn’t understand why Jimin would even ask such an obvious question. “I mean, don’t you want to go back to where your friends and family are? They’re probably freakin’ worried out of their heads, y’know?”

He smirked. “I doubt it.” 

There was no cynicism in his tone. Jimin believed that everything happened for a reason. 

He met Bree’s gaze and was surprised to see a tiny flicker of sadness in her umber hues. “I just want to get you home. That’s all.”

Kindness to a complete stranger. It was something archaic to Jimin because he wasn’t able to interact with people for quite some time. He knew that the people he cared about more than likely moved on with their lives after his disappearance. But Jimin also knew that if he miraculously wound up getting back to his original timeline, then it would settle all the other paradoxes surrounding his involvement. Things would go back to normal, in theory. Whoever placed this curse on him must have realized this, hence why he was unable to interact with people until now.

Leaning forward, he reached out to Bree and pulled her into his arms. He heard her gasp softly, his motions completely unexpected even to him. But he couldn’t think of any other way to express his gratitude. In the months he’d gotten to know her, he knew that Bree was rough around the edge but was genuinely a good person. Her determination to get him home, to the place where he belonged, more than evident in her actions. They weren’t just empty words. 

Jimin could perceive that now after having been denied human interaction for many years.

“Thank you…” 

When he pulled back, their noses were just barely touching. Then he leaned in to press his lips against hers. He tasted the sweetness of the cookies and her cherry lip balm all over again. Jimin slowly urged her lips apart with his tongue, silently asking for entrance. When she complied, he slid his tongue across her teeth and over her own pink muscle. 

The sigh mingled with the moan Bree managed to push out from her chest and he pulled her even closer so he would be able to hear her heartbeat. Bree’s hands slowly slid up his torso, resting her palms on his chest. Jimin took his time pulling and nipping at her full lips, enjoying the sweet taste of her mouth. Part of it was the cookie. Part of it was her lip balm. The rest was just simply how she tasted naturally.

As their lips parted, he smiled and bumped his forehead against her own. Even though his shadow covered half of her face, he could feel the warmth simmering along the surface of her skin. Jimin closed her notebook with one hand, still smiling as he stared into her face.

“I know as the host, I should be nice and offer you my bed while I take the couch. But would you be against us both using the bed?”

Bree blinked a few times, then flashed a devious grin. “I wouldn’t be against it, no.”

Jimin immediately scooped Bree into his arms, carrying her like a new bride. There wouldn’t be any mischief. At least, that wouldn’t be the plan. All he wanted was to savor this moment, the sound of Bree’s laughter as he carted her off to the bedroom, Juno hot on their heels. 

The house didn’t feel so big anymore and the joy Jimin felt was indescribable. 

Fall was fleeting and Winter swept in faster than Jimin could have anticipated. The house was warm as per the conditions it needed for him to remain comfortable. His clothes changed to suit the shift in temperature. He had to be thankful for all that the house was able to provide for him. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to handle actually having to do everything on his own outside of the normal things. 

As much as he fussed at Bree for wanting to continue to trek up the mountain to see him, Jimin relished in the closeness that blossomed even further between them. 

True to his word, they didn’t actually do anything that night. He had a sense of morals and a conscience, not wanting to seem like he was trying to take advantage of Bree’s kindness and affection toward him. Outside of kissing, they just cuddled and slept in the bed. He wouldn’t go further than that and Bree seemed to pick up on his need to not press things too far.

Jimin was just glad that Bree took everything surrounding his circumstances in stride. She was understanding, open-minded, and willing to help. He couldn’t imagine what it would have been like between them if she’d been a full-blown skeptic. 

They never put a label on what they were to each other. He didn’t know about her, but Jimin felt there wasn’t a need. In six months’ time, he would disappear from her life like a passing dream. Maybe she would come to forget him. She would move on as if nothing changed and continue to strive towards her own aspirations. Jimin would remain in his proverbial prison, clinging to the memories that he’d made with her; hoping to seek solace on the more lonely nights when he knew he would inevitably miss her.

It was getting even colder out. He didn’t want Juno going out and getting frostbite in the snow that was slowly starting to pile up outside. The cat made a fuss about it initially, but after walking around just by the window, she understood that her little paws weren’t going to like being wet and cold. 

Despite the biting chill of the air, Jimin admired how picturesque everything looked. The floral landscape was completely covered in a blanket of fresh powder. Even if he hadn’t met Bree, he was still lucky to be able to enjoy scenery like this. Traveling through time helped him to appreciate all forms of nature, but he couldn’t get enough of these images. 

He had a pot of coffee brewing and the aroma filtered throughout the house. He wasn’t big on coffee. Not usually. Jimin slept when he felt like it and was awake when he wanted to be. Having coffee seemed almost a little pointless. But ever since he met Bree, he’d indulged here and there. It was more for her sake than his own since it was apparent that she didn’t get much sleep. Even less since having met him.

His brows furrowed slightly, shaking off the guilt that tried to sit on the forefront of his mind. Jimin knew it was her own choice that kept her coming back. No one else’s. She would have smacked him for trying to shoulder the responsibility all on his own and it wasn’t fair for him to take it.

As he poured himself a cup of coffee, he noticed the small clock on the counter. It was a present from Bree. There was nothing fancy about it. Just a simple clock that only needed batteries changed out every so often. She left said batteries in a drawer. Jimin scoffed about not needing to know the time, his predicament making it obvious as to why. 

“Just because you never know where you wind up doesn’t mean you should ignore what time it is while you’re there.”

Jimin’s lips pulled into a small smile. She was right. This, and many things, were the small lessons that he was beginning to finally learn. As if it was Bree’s purpose to teach them to him. 

It would make leaving her that much harder. 

He entered the living room after checking the time, his free hand reaching out to unlatch the window. Despite the cold, Jimin still wanted to get a bit of fresh air circulating inside of the house. The sun had long since set and Bree would be battling through the cold to see him. He saw a few flurries starting to float from the sky, his brows furrowing at the thought of the snow falling heavier and further impeding Bree’s trek up the mountain.

I hope she takes it slow…

The worry didn’t start setting in until several hours passed by. Initially, he simply shrugged it off as nothing. It wasn’t unheard of for Bree to be late. She could’ve easily gotten caught up with her job or even hanging out with her friends from school. The group she came up there with seemed close. 

But as the night pushed onward with no sign of Bree in sight, Jimin began to get a little concerned.

Unlatching the window, he pushed it open and a rush of cold air whipped across his body. The chill shot down his spine, causing his skin to pepper out in goosebumps. The muscles in his shoulder grew taut as he fought back the urge to shiver. Juno meowed in protest to the cold, hopping down onto the couch to curl herself against one of the throw pillows. The full moon hung like a pearl in the sky, illuminating the world around him. 

In the distance, he heard several howls. Their cries filled the night air, indicating that they were gathering together. Possibly for a hunt. The prospect of food in the area seemed a little slim, but Jimin didn’t think it was impossible. Especially if they were making rounds in preparation to stalk their prey. 

Fear suddenly gripped at Jimin’s chest. Juno’s mewling snapped him out of his trance and he hopped out of the window. The cold nipped at his feet, but he didn’t care. He could barely feel it. The snow crunched under his feet as the wind continued to push around him, the flurries falling heavier than they had a few hours earlier. 

He cupped his hands around his mouth. “BREE!” His voice echoed over the wide expanse of the landscape. “WHERE ARE YOU?”

There was nothing. Nothing save for the sound of his voice bouncing back at him. 

And then he heard a scream.

Jimin trounced forward, wading through several feet of snow. Desperation pushed him forward, forcing him to start running. He pumped his legs into the ground as hard as he could until he slammed into the invisible wall. The force of impact knocked him back-first into the snow and the cold clung to every inch of his skin. Not wasting a single second, he scrambled back onto his feet and began kicking and punching the wall, clawing at the barrier with his bare hands. At some point he started to scream, but he couldn’t remember when. The burning sensation rippling down his throat kept him alert until something snapped inside of him.

The sound of glass shattering echoed in his head. It was loud, like an explosion. Before he’d realized what’d happened, he was taking off at a dead run toward the cluster of trees near the base of the mountain. The world was a blur around him as he sped off toward his destination, following the howls of the wolves as his need to find Bree overshadowed all other rational thoughts that made vain attempts to come to the surface.

Pain registered in the back of his mind as he ran. The dying branches from trees and bushes seemed to reach out in their need to snatch him in the darkness. Jimin used the moonlight to guide him as twigs snapped against his body and dying leaves crunched under his bare feet.

Predatory snarls loomed around him, spurning him forward. Bree’s scream tore through the night, signaling where her location was. Slipping on wet grass, he crashed to his knees and rolled through the snow. The momentum helped him to get back up, making a quick right through the forest as the barks of wolves became louder. 

Bursting through a thicket of trees, he entered a clearing and saw half a dozen wolves in a semicircle advancing toward their prey. They turned in sync with one another in his direction as they bared their fangs at him. Bree was on the ground and holding her ankle while trying to shuffle back as much as she could. Jimin’s eyes met hers for a split second and he saw her face was red, splotchy,  and slick with tears.

“J-Jimin!”

Rage flared across Jimin’s chest as he picked up a broken tree branch. One of the wolves launched forward, his jet claws and pearl fangs gleaming in the moonlight. Jimin roared and swung with all the strength he could muster, the branch striking true as he slammed into the side of the wolf’s head. A sharp cry of pain came from the wild animal as it fell into the snow. The other wolves raised their hackles and moved toward him, snarling heavily as the clouds from their breath puffed in front of their snouts. 

Jimin took a second to glance at the branch in his hands and quickly assessed that he would be able to get one or two more hits in before it completely snapped. Splinters were lodged into his palms, stinging along his skin. He pushed the pain back as far as he could manage, taking a step forward as his grip tightened around the branch. 

“Bree, are you alright?” he asked. He sighed quickly at her nod. When he saw her about to stand, Jimin held his hand out to her. “Stay there!”

The wolves took this as their opportunity to attack and two of them leaped at Jimin. He swung out and hit one of their forelegs, causing the animal to hop back on three legs as it whined. The other wolf went for Jimin’s calf, forcing him to lift his leg up and out of the snow. The injured wolf launched himself from the snow and snapped his jaws. Jimin barely had time to react, using the branch as a shield and watching with horror as it snapped between the wolf’s teeth. 

A sharp pain registered on Jimin’s shoulder and he fell forward as another wolf’s weight smacked into his back. Claws dug into his skin beneath his sweater and the white fabric instantly stained crimson as the wolf bit mercilessly down into the meat of his shoulder. Crying out, he struggled to move out of the way as more of the wolves advanced on him. 

Bree’s scream brought him out back from nearly drowning in his agony and he looked up in time to see her throwing rocks at the wolves. One of them hit the wolf that was biting him, forcing him to release his grip. They snarled, making their way toward her. Jimin pushed himself up and ran at the wolf closest to her, kicking up a spray of white powder in its face. Without wasting another second, he snatched Bree’s wrist in his bleeding hand and pulled her onto her feet.

They ran like their lives depended on it.

The wolves kicked up snow as they gave chase, barking and snapping their jaws menacingly. Jimin’s vision blurred every so often, but the ensuing stumble quickly brought him back into focus. He tried to maintain his speed while also being conscientious of Bree as he pulled her along. Jimin could just barely hear their heavy breathing over the pounding of his heart. 

Jimin believed it was instinct that led him back to the house. Or was it the house itself pulling him by an invisible string? He didn’t question his surroundings and continued to run, his only concern for Bree’s safety. He was ready to force her to leave him behind if necessary.

Bursting through the treeline, they continued to run from their pursuers. The wolves gave chase only so far, however, and stopped completely as they rushed in through the front door. Jimin crashed onto the floor and Bree hurriedly slammed it shut. His breathing was labored as he lay there, his vision coming in and out of focus as he tried to stabilize his racing heartbeat. 

“Jimin!”

He could only just barely hear Bree’s voice. It felt so far away. Why did it feel so far away from him?

Something warm touched his back and he instantly took comfort in it. And then his body began to turn over. The sounds of wolf howls echoed through the night, announcing their retreat. They would not indulge in a meal tonight, forced to make due with empty stomachs.

“Are you crazy?!” Bree’s hand swept over his brow, brushing his bangs off his forehead. He couldn’t tell what her expression was, only that it was a mixture of fear and anger. “What were you thinking?!”

Her voice cracked a few times. Jimin could tell she was fighting back against something. But what, he couldn’t be sure. She cupped his cheek with her palm, sending more warm sensations across his entire body.

A hand’s warmth. 

It was something that people so often took for granted. 

Reaching up, he grasped at Bree’s wrist. “I’m so glad…”

Her face came into focus and he could see the tears sliding down her cheeks. She blinked down at him in confusion. “W-What?”

Jimin smiled. “I’m so glad...I was able to keep your hands...from getting cold.”

Bree sobbed, pulling him closer to her chest while burying her face into the juncture of his neck. “No! Please stop talking! Just...please stop…”

Letting her hand go, he started to pet her wild, curly hair. Bree gasped, pulling back a measure so she could look at him. He was happy she did so. Now he could see her beautiful face.

A strange sensation tingled over his skin, all the way down to the tips of his toes. He shouldn’t have been able to feel anything near his feet. They were more than likely frostbitten by now. But he wiggled them just to be sure, and the tingling feeling continued to increase. 

His body started to feel light, the sensation moving around in his stomach, through his lungs, and swirled around the center of his chest. Blinking, he shifted his gaze toward the window and felt his lips part slowly as he watched an aurora paint itself over the darkness. 

What? Jimin thought, confusion settling over his heart, What is happening?

The aurora transformed into a pink and purple nebula, the stars swirling from the center until they fanned out in strange, ethereal tendrils. Jimin tried to sit up, but felt he had no control over his body. Only that it was getting lighter and lighter for some reason. 

Was the house preparing to jump again? But it was too soon! He still had several more months before it was time. 

“What’s going on?” Bree asked, and he looked down to see what she was talking about. Gasping, he could only stare in shock as her body was now visible through his own. “What’s happening?!”

“I...I don’t know.” 

Lifting his hands up to his face, he saw the tingling sensation now manifested into tiny glowing particles along his skin. With each passing second, his body grew lighter and more transparent, until he started to float off the ground. Bree tried to grab for him, but to her horror and his own, her hands passed right through him. Jimin moved to touch her, and while he could feel her body, the physical sensation was absent. 

Was the curse finally broken?

“No!” he yelled suddenly. The distance between them started to increase and they both attempted to reach for the other in vain, their hands dissolving into one another. “Not yet!”

Jimin’s body lifted higher off the ground and the glowing particles brightened. Bree quickly stood on her feet and he saw Juno appear in between her ankles. The cat meowed in protest as they seemed to get further and further away from him.

“Don’t go!” shouted Bree as she tried to jump and reach for him, but he was too far away.

Was this really the end?

“I love you!” Jimin yelled suddenly, causing Bree to stop her attempts to pull him back. 

She blinked up at him. “J-Jimin…”

A sad smile formed on his lips. This was inevitable. There was nothing they could do to stop this. He was going back to his own time now; to his own world.

“I love you so much…”

Bree gasped, covering her mouth. But when it seemed he would pass through the ceiling, she lowered her hands and flashed the same sad smile back up to him.

“...I love you too.”

And as though those were the magic words, everything quickly disappeared around him. The house, Bree, the cat. Everything was replaced with a swirling galaxy of stars and a colorful galaxy. A harsh wind pushed through his body, pulsing over the plane of his skin, and he felt his tears spilling from his eyes. Time slowed and sped up simultaneously and he curled himself into a ball, burying his face in his hands as he sobbed.

Jimin should have been elated. He was going back to his time. Things were going to finally fit themselves into the right place. All the pieces of the puzzle were found.

But at that moment, Jimin felt more alone than he had in all the years he’d spent in that house.

Because he’d loved and lost in what felt like a single snapshot of time.

His curse was lifted, but he felt emptier than he’d ever been.

To Jimin, his true curse was only just beginning.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Additional Warnings: Graphic depiction of torture, graphic physical violence, captured/kidnapping, major character death

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 5,133

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

AN: And it all goes downhill from here, Ladies...

Chapter 51: Begin

“I can’t stand you crying. I want to cry instead, although I can’t.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Seoul – Samseong; Gangnam District South Korea

9:45 AM

Jungkook was three steps from heading to the insane asylum.

One step represented each day that he hadn’t been able to track Eden down.

He barely heard the words of comfort that Jimin was giving him. He knew that it had something to do with it not being his fault, but how could it not have been? He hadn’t heard from his wife in three days, assuming she got wrapped up with family affairs and was too busy to check in on the first day. The second day had him concerned that she’d gotten hurt. By the third day, Jungkook was at his wit’s end.

Only to find out that she’d been snatched up before she ever got the chance to leave for Daegu. He shouldn’t have put her second to his job. He shouldn’t have let her leave their house to go to the train station alone.

He shouldn’t have let this happen.

The image of Eden’s beaten form in the video clip was branded across the forefront of his mind. Hoseok was angry, determined to track down the Jade Fang members who’d done this. Jungkook was angry that they were still part of the equation. They should have been eliminated years ago.

It wasn’t like they weren’t aware of what Im Changkyun was capable of. They’d seen the vicious things he’d done while they were Jade Fang members themselves. He didn’t think it was necessary to attend district meetings, feeling the rest of the bosses were beneath his standards of proper mafia leadership. Hoseok was his only equal and it appeared that he continued to see him as such.

Divine Intervention prevented Jungkook from leaving the house that night and storming the stronghold of the Jade Fangs alone. He would have burned every single one of their businesses down; he was determined to do so. Jimin escorted him home that night and there was a parcel waiting at home for Jungkook. His brother made him a drink and when Jungkook opened the package, he collapsed on the floor and cried until he could barely breathe.

It was a gift Eden prepared for him for his birthday – a handmade model of his dream car. Seated in the car were miniature figures of Eden and himself. He didn’t remember passing out. He didn’t remember Jimin tucking a blanket over him. He could only remember Eden’s face, smiling as they shared breakfast together the morning she was taken.

“Jungkook-ah,” called Jimin, pulling Jungkook out of his inner musings. There was concern painted over his brother’s face and he took a breath, waiting for him to continue. “I think we’ve covered everywhere here.”

Jungkook said nothing. Instead, he pulled out the small notebook he carried with him and scratched out Gangnam from the list. For two and a half days, they combed every single section of Gangnam they could. There was a part of him that knew that the Jade Fangs wouldn’t be so arrogant to hold her hostage in their former territory. But there was also a part of him that could reason Im Changkyun doing something so ridiculous as a form of “poetic justice” against them.

To him, the Golden Jackals never disbanded.

“What about the others?”

Jimin sighed, leaning against the driver’s side door of the car. “They’re hitting the other areas. Hoseok called in some favors from the other district bosses to let us through.”

All Jungkook did was nod. There was something off about this whole situation. Very off. There shouldn’t have been a single obstacle in the way of the other district heads when it came to taking over their territories. Yongsan and Gangnam were completely up for grabs; Hoseok said as much. Jungkook could only guess that Changkyun’s influence prevented them from stepping a single foot into their turf. He more than likely was determined to get Hoseok and the others back so they could do a mass district takeover.

“I don’t like that Tae Hyung went off by himself,” he suddenly said, meeting Jimin’s gaze.

“Yeah,” he replied softly, “I don’t either.”

Jungkook frowned. “He still hasn’t checked in yet?”

“No.”

He didn’t want to prod any further. Jimin was probably more worried about Taehyung than any of them. While it was unsurprising that he went off on his own, it was unlike him to not have checked in by now. Taehyung wasn’t a morning person, which was why they all knew that he hadn’t slept while he was on the hunt.

Then again, none of them were really sleeping.

A soft ache throbbed at Jungkook’s temple. He pressed a hand to his chest, taking a small amount of comfort in feeling his wedding band dangling from the necklace chain. He didn’t know how much longer he could handle not knowing what was happening with Eden.

“Hyung, I—”

“She’s fine, Jungkook-ah.” Jimin’s words sliced through his own, as if he’d already predicted what he was going to say. When he met his brother’s gaze, he saw the reassuring smile tinged with just a hint of worry. “If I know her, she’ll make them regret the day they decided to take her.”

“Not before I do.”

Suddenly, Jimin and Jungkook’s phones chimed simultaneously – indicating they received a message. Both looked at their phones immediately and Jungkook felt his heart rate escalate. It wasn’t a matter of him losing hope as seeing the message renewed his vigor.

It was from Taehyung.

Taehyung: I found her. She’s near Namyangju in Gyeonggi-do. Somewhere in the Industrial District. I’m heading back now.

Jungkook looked at Jimin the same time he did. Without uttering a word, they flung the doors open to the car and hopped in. Jimin fired up the engine and punched it, speeding out of Gangnam. Jungkook stared at his phone as more messages came through from the others. It didn’t take him long to figure out that they were closer to that location than everyone else. It was a half an hour drive, traffic willing.

They’d get there first.

10:17 AM

Namyangju – Gyeonggi Province South Korea

Jungkook felt like it took them a hundred years to get to their destination. With every mile marker they passed, it brought him one step closer to finding Eden. One step closer to bringing her home. He clung to the smallest shreds of his willpower not to scream at Jimin to drive faster. They didn’t need to get into any kind of accident before they reached her.

Jimin swung the car into an empty street, the desolate district eerie even in the morning light. Jungkook tumbled from the passenger side, all but tearing his seatbelt from his body in the process. Jimin called after him, but he paid him no mind. His legs ate up the ground as he ran headlong into the central area of the decrepit buildings.

No one lived in the abandoned sections of the province anymore, but the government hadn’t bothered with tearing it down. His hope began to dwindle, realizing just how expansive the district was. It would take them hours to find her at this rate.

Resisting the urge to scream, he slowed to a jogging pace before stopping altogether. Running around blindly without a single clue as to where to look would get him nowhere. They were just wasting time. There was even the chance that the group would up and relocate themselves before they could even have a chance at finding them.

Eden would be lost forever.

He heard Jimin run up behind him, clapping a hand to his shoulder. Jungkook did his best to tether his scattered thoughts, chasing away the worst possibilities from his mind. He needed to calm down and think.

“There were a few cars parked near the back,” he said after catching his breath, “we might need to go up top to get a better idea of where they might be.”

Jungkook nodded, pointing straight ahead. “I’ll head to that building down there. Text me if you find anything.”

Just as he was about to take off, Jimin grabbed him – halting his movements.

“No, we stick together.” Jungkook opened his mouth to protest, but Jimin’s glare quickly silenced him. “If something happens, we won’t be able to do anything alone. We’re stronger together.”

While he wanted to argue, he knew that his brother was right. Even if splitting up would help them cover more ground, there was a good chance that they wouldn’t have a way to defend themselves if they got caught in a sticky situation. Jungkook did his best to push down his mounting impulsivities. Charging in blindly was foolish and would most likely get them killed.

“Alright, Hyung,” Jungkook said, relenting, “let’s go together.”

Not wasting another moment, they tore off down the center of the district – eyes rapidly searching in every direction their necks would allow them to turn.

10:32 AM

Minutes crept by at a snail’s pace.

Jungkook did everything he could to keep his head together. There were too many horrifying images playing rapidly in his head, like a flipbook that ended in blood splatters. Jimin stayed at his side, matching his pace as well as his fervor. Every so often, they would stop to peek into various buildings. They climbed up to higher vantage points to get a better lay of the area, dipping off to resume their search.

Everything looked so dead from the inside out.

A scream tore through the vast emptiness, causing Jungkook to trip over his own feet and he came crashing to the ground. Jimin was immediately beside him, grabbing him by the arm and hoisting him back up. Jungkook’s heart pounded double-time in his chest; it hurt. A cold sweat broke out over his skin and he couldn’t stop his body from trembling, even though Jimin rubbed small circles on his back.

“E-Eden,” he barely managed to croak, his legs shaking to the point where it was difficult to stand. Jimin continued to hold him up. “That was her!”

The sound was close.

Jimin said nothing. He continued to guide them along the path, turning around corners until he heard his wife scream again. It was even closer. They were almost to her!

He felt his brother release the hold he had on him and Jungkook involuntarily sagged against the side of a building. He didn’t know where they were or how deep into the district they’d gone. Jimin’s expression was focused and if he was feeling any sort of turmoil, it never showed. Not once.

The building they were pressed against was yellowed from age and neglect. Numerous cracks ran along the sides and bits of paint were peeling back; some pieces flying away from even the slightest gust of wind. The window had a long crack running from an upward angle to the corner of the pane; dirty and smudged. Jimin wiped a hand across the bottom to get rid of the dirt so he could see inside. Jungkook sidled up beside him to peek in as well.

He could feel Jimin’s vice-like grip on his shoulder, pinning him in place. Jungkook’s vision blurred momentarily before regaining focus, zeroing in on the image of his wife strung up like some animal. There were a few lackeys around and appeared to be bored – as if they were waiting for something interesting to happen. Jungkook felt the muscle at his jaw throbbing viciously as he clenched his teeth, grinding them in anger.

He wanted a gun. He would have emptied a clip into every single one of them.

Jungkook tried to move, but Jimin wouldn’t let him go.

“Hyung!” came his harsh whisper, but Jimin shook his head roughly.

“Wait, Jungkook,” he hissed back, finally letting him go, “just wait.”

“I can’t, dammit!”

“You can and you will.” Jimin’s words were final. “We don’t even know what kind of weapons they have in there. If Changkyun’s willing to play dirty like this, there’s no guarantee that his men won’t fill us full of holes with guns they obtained illegally.”

Jungkook wanted to protest, but he knew that Jimin was right. They needed to assess the situation fully before making a move. If they ran in there blindly without understanding what they were up against, there was a chance that Eden would die in the crossfire.

“So what now?”

Jimin continued to look through the window and he could see the wheels in his head turning. Strategy was his strongest suit so Jungkook did his best to be as patient as possible. A handful of seconds passed before he turned to meet his gaze.

“I’m going to go in from the front.”

“What?!” Jungkook gave him an incredulous look. “That’s crazy. Are you crazy?!”

“Shut-up and listen to me.” Jimin turned to look back through the window. “I’m going to draw their attention to me. This window is loose so as soon as I get them to chase me, I want you to go in and grab Eden and then get the hell out of here.”

He didn’t like this plan.

“There’s ten of them, Hyung. Maybe more. You can’t outrun them all.”

Jimin grinned, still peering into the building. “I can try.”

Jungkook grabbed his shoulder. “Hyung!”

He felt his arm being yanked off abruptly, causing him to take a step back. Jimin cast an icy glare in his direction.

“Do what I say.”

He wanted to protest again. He wanted to tell him that this was suicide. They should wait for the others. Wouldn’t that have been the smart thing?

But if they waited too long, then they may miss their chance. The Jade Fangs could probably swarm them, call for more men, and then overtake them completely. Jungkook knew that the plan was the best option they had right now.

It didn’t mean he had to like it.

Without waiting for him to agree or even disagree, Jimin turned and ran down one side of the building. He rounded the corner and disappeared on the other side, leaving Jungkook alone to wait. There was a distinct feeling of dread sweeping over him, telling him that there was danger to watch out for. But wasn’t that obvious? Didn’t they understand that, knowingly showing up to this place?

This was unavoidable.

A loud bang rang out inside the large interior. Jungkook peered over the bottom of the window, craning his neck as best he could. Light flooded into the dark space as he watched Jimin’s shadow stretching along the floor. All the men inside turned around, grabbing what weapons they had near them to launch an assault. Jimin immediately dispatched one of the lackeys close to the door before turning to run away from the building. All but two gave chase.

Now!

Jungkook thrust the window open, causing it to break further from the force. He leaped in through the opening and charged forward. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction caused by his entrance, Jungkook barreled into the man closest to him – taking him down with a swift grappling throw. The man landed on his head; a distinct crack heard from his skull smacking into the concrete.

He saw movement out of the corner of his eye, a flash of silver, and he dodged at the last second. Whirling his body around, he jumped back with his arms extended out as another man tried to hit him with a metal bat. Jungkook bobbed and weaved out of the way, moving just out of reach at the last possible moment. Pivoting on his back leg, he waited for the man to try to swing at him again before catching the bat in his hand and pulling it toward him. The man slid on his heels, the distance closing rapidly. Jungkook aimed a kick straight for his stomach and sent him flying.

He brought the bat down over the man’s head for good measure.

With the two men unconscious, Jungkook swerved around and ran toward Eden. He did his best to avoid looking at her injuries, not wanting to distract himself from the most important task he had: freeing her. As he looked at her restraints, he did his best to concentrate on her face. She was semi-conscious, the noise bringing her out of whatever fugue state she was in.

“J-Jungkook-ah?” She coughed. “Y-You shouldn’t be here…”

“Shh,” he admonished, his eyes flicking over her bindings, “save your strength.”

His hands moved with lightning speed, fidgeting over the ropes and chains binding her as she hung from a large hook attached to the ceiling. When he finally managed to loosen the ropes, he lifted her up by her waist so he could untether her from the hook. Her arms dangled limply around his neck; the chains clamped around her wrists jingling together with the sudden movement.

Her body lacked the strength to keep herself upright and she nearly collapsed to the ground. Jungkook held fast to her, moving her arms over his head so he could undo the chains around her wrists. He could tell she’d lost weight and she seemed almost a shell of who he knew her to be. He focused on getting her to safety – choosing to smother his fury into the pit of his stomach.

“Go,” she whispered as he held onto her, “get out of here.” She coughed again. “Leave me.”

“Not a chance in hell,” he snapped, draping her arm over his shoulder as he held onto her waist, “now come on.”

Jungkook wouldn’t hear anymore of this nonsense, even if it was coming from the woman he loved. She was barefoot, but there wasn’t any glass on the ground. If she didn’t think she’d be able to walk, he’d carry her on his back and dare her to say otherwise.

Shuffling toward the entrance, he could hear men yelling in the distance. But it sounded like it was getting closer. Jimin was circling back, probably to make sure that they’d gotten out. If they could hold out a little longer, the others would come and then they could cause a big enough scene to get the hell out.

Just as he reached the entryway, he turned to make sure the two men he’d dealt with were still on the ground. Satisfied that they weren’t going to be getting up anytime soon, he turned back toward the exit.

A shadow moved from the corner. Eden saw it before he did. Jungkook shuffled to the left. He was half a step short.

The pain didn’t register at first. All he could focus on was Yoo Kihyun who was now directly in his path to freedom. It wasn’t until he saw the older man take a step forward that Jungkook took a step back. But not of his own freewill. He was forced to step back.

The knife in his gut pushed him to move.

Eden screamed but he barely heard it. Jungkook nearly dropped her, but his stubbornness wouldn’t allow her to fall. Not in front of him; her captor. A chilling smile painted over Kihyun’s face as he tilted his head, peering into Jungkook’s eyes. It was like he was asking him what his next move would be without having to say it out loud. For a split second, Jungkook’s vision blurred.

Releasing the hold he had on Eden’s arm, he grabbed a hold of the knife and pushed back – pulling the blade slowly from his gut. Kihyun blinked in surprise at him, watching as he drew the older man’s arm away from his body while still holding his wife fast to him. Again, Eden screamed, but this time she moved with whatever strength was left in her body – arms reaching out in a feral manner.

She scratched her nails across Kihyun’s face, forcing him to reach up and cover his cheek. Jungkook stepped forward, pulling the knife completely from his stomach, before spinning it in his blood-soaked fingers to grasp the blade’s handle. Kihyun stumbled backward a step and Jungkook quickly closed the distance, plunging the knife directly into his shoulder and aiming a kick to his knee. He waited for him to hit the dirt before pulling Eden quickly behind him.

He didn’t have to express the need for urgency.

They both disappeared into a nearby cluster of reeds.

10:45 AM

Blood wept from the side of Jimin’s head as he rounded the corner of a building. He held onto a rusty metal pipe, clutching it at his side. He knew one of his ribs were broken, if not two, and there was a good chance he very nearly sprained his ankle hopping over a broken-down car to avoid being clobbered with a length of chain. He quickly did a tally in his head, making a note that he was able to knock down four of the eight that were chasing him. Two of them he tripped up along their pursuit and the rest were now trying to comb the nearby streets in search of him.

Hearing Eden’s scream forced him to double back toward the building where he’d left Jungkook. It wasn’t the sound of agony. It was of outrage. Something must have happened. He needed to get back to them and quickly.

Jimin wiped some of the sweat and blood from his head, spitting at the ground. Once his heart calmed down, he tried to ascertain his whereabouts. Just two buildings over and he’d be right back where he’d started.

Come on, Park Jimin. Calm down and focus.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he fished it out, eyeing the screen. It was from Yoongi.

Yoongi: We’re almost there! Where are you guys? Give us a landmark!

Taking a moment to breathe, he turned his head in every direction to try and gauge a decent landmark for the others to follow. There was a cluster of blue barrels far away from the abandoned buildings, just toward the edge where a large field of reeds were. He quickly texted him back, letting him know the location.

He slid the phone back into his pocket, gripping the metal pipe in both hands. Now he just needed to get back to Jungkook who, he hoped, had Eden in tow.

His phone buzzed again; this time in succession. Someone was calling him.

Dipping into a nearby building, he hunkered down in a shadowed corner to look at the phone. It was Jungkook. He answered.

“Jungkook-ah?”

“H-Hyung…”

Jimin could tell something was wrong.

“Where are you?”

“T-The…the reeds…”

He had to refrain from cursing. There were reeds in every direction. He took a breath to calm his nerves.

“What else do you see around you?”

There was a pregnant pause and he wondered if something was happening with the call.

Jimin-ah?”

It was Eden. His heart practically jumped into his throat.

“Oh, thank God he got you out. Are you alright?”

“Never mind that. Jungkook’s hurt.”

He could hear the frantic tone in her voice. Jimin tried to smooth his voice out in a way that would help take the edge off for her.

“Okay, just breathe. Can you tell me where you guys are right now?”

“I can’t really see anything. The reeds are so thick.”

“Can you see any barrels around you?”

“Hold on.”

It was only a few seconds, but Jimin felt like he was losing years off his life as he waited for her to answer.

“I can see some blue ones. But they’re far away.”

He resisted the urge to smile. They weren’t that far from his current location.

“How far?”

“Several yards. They’re across that dirt path.”

“Okay, good.” His side screamed at him from the position he was in, but he ignored it. “I want you to meet me there, okay?”

It sounded like she was about to sob which unnerved him.

“Can’t you just come here? Jungkook’s hurt badly and I don’t have the strength to carry him.”

Jimin hissed quietly to himself. I told him to be careful… He took a breath. “Alright, I’ll come to you. I’ll be there soon.”

“Hurry!”

Ending the call, Jimin slipped out the back of the building and made his way around the next bend. Part of him wanted to throw the pipe off in a different direction, hoping the noise would distract others away from his path. But if they got flanked, he’d need a way to defend Eden, Jungkook, and himself. Especially if Jungkook was as hurt as Eden claimed he was.

This isn’t good, he thought, tearing through the back alleyway and heading up the side of the street to disappear into the thicket of reeds.

10:57 AM

Even though he knew he’d only traveled a few blocks, it felt like he’d been moving for miles. Each turn he made, Jimin thought he was getting more and more lost. Every so often, he’d turn his head to look over his shoulder and spy out the buildings – making sure that he was still on a straight path to the others. He heard some of the other men shouting at each other, trying to figure out where they’d gone, and each of these times, Jimin would pause so that he didn’t give away his position.

Just as he was about to resume his search, he heard a distinct shuffling sound off to his right. It was close.

“J-Jimin-ah? Is that you?”

It was Eden. She sounded exhausted and halfway to the underworld, but it was her. Jimin quickly darted in the direction of her voice, parting the reeds in front of him as he went.

A lump of ice dropped in his stomach at what he saw.

There, cradled in her arms, was Jungkook. A large blood stain blossomed from his shirt and he saw Eden pressing his jacket to his stomach and putting pressure on the injury. She was crying, doing her best to keep her sobs nonexistent so they didn’t alert the others of where they were. She looked up, relief and despair battling for dominance over her features. Jimin dropped the pipe in his hands, his legs slowly carrying him toward Jungkook just as he spit up blood from his mouth.

“J-Jungkook-ah,” he stammered, collapsing to his knees.

Despite the obvious pain he was in, Jungkook flashed him a smile full of blood-stained teeth. “H-Hyung,” he managed to get out, albeit garbled from a mouthful of blood, “what took you so long?”

Jimin didn’t have the energy to snap back. He felt like part of his soul just left him completely. His eyes roved over Jungkook’s body, trying to figure out the cause of his brother’s current state. He lifted his gaze to meet Eden’s.

“What happened?”

“It was Kihyun,” she said weakly while brushing some of the fringe off of Jungkook’s forehead, “he came out of nowhere and—”

“That doesn’t matter,” Jungkook interjected, causing them both to focus on him, “Hyung, get her out of here.”

Another piece of his soul was pulled away.

“W-What?”

Eden shifted him in her arms, clinging to him in desperation. “I’m not leaving you!”

“Yes, you are.” Jungkook reached up to his neck, grabbing the necklace and popping it off in one quick motion. He smeared blood over his skin and clothes, holding it up for Eden. “Take it and go.”

She emphatically shook her head and Jimin could tell that even doing this was zapping her of what strength she had left.

“You bastard,” she muttered, curling her fingers into the fabric of his jacket, “how can you expect me to leave you? Huh?” Eden lowered herself, pulling him against her body to hug him close. “Till death do us part, remember?”

Jungkook did his best to wrap an arm around her, coughing more blood out and staining her shirt. “…and this…is where…we part.”

Eden shot back, looking down at Jungkook as tears streamed down her face, dripping onto his cheeks.

“J-Jungkook,” she stammered, her bottom lip trembling as her voice shook.

Again, he smiled up at her. “I love you, Eden.” He grabbed her hand and placed the necklace inside her palm, closing her fingers over it. “If…if I’m reborn, let me love you in the next life too, okay?”

Jimin could hear his own heart shattering in his chest.

“Hyung…take her and go.”

“But Jungkook-ah—”

“Please.”

Tears leaked out of Jimin’s eyes. It took everything he had, but he stood up and crossed over to where Eden was. She continued to hold onto her husband, refusing to let go even as Jimin tried to pull her up and onto her feet. She fought him but even she knew that she didn’t have the strength to keep it up. Jimin held her against him and they both gazed at the satisfied and peaceful expression on Jungkook’s face. He nodded to them, mouthing for them to go.

Jimin turned, hauling Eden with him as she wailed silently into the crook of his shoulder.

I’ll come back for you, Jungkook. I won’t leave you alone out here...

11:05 AM

He knew that it was only a few minutes since he watched Eden and his brother leave. In those few minutes, Jungkook believed it was several lifetimes. In those few minutes, he thought back to everything that led to this very moment. All the choices he’d made, the road he’d traveled, and the people he’d traveled on that road with along the way.

He regretted nothing up until that moment.

The only thing he knew he would have to repent for would be leaving his beautiful wife behind alone. They’d had a few chapters written in their life together, but they were pages filled with hopes and dreams for an uncertain future. Life never gave guarantees. The only certainty for life was death. It was the same for everyone.

The sun was reaching its peak over the skies. There were very little clouds littering the pale blue blanket above him and he wasn’t sure if it was the bright light that was making it difficult to see or something else. Jungkook lost feeling to the lower half of his body nearly two minutes earlier.

Again, he coughed and more blood sprayed from his mouth. Tears brimmed his eyes, slipping from the corners to seep into his ears.

My brothers…

Jungkook could feel his eyelids growing a little heavier with each passing second, but he forced them to stay open.

Eden…

But the darkness began to creep around the corners of his vision, blurring out the light until it was a faint glow in his line of sight.

He wanted to keep feeling the warmth of the sun on his face until the very end.

…until we meet again.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Additional Warnings: Graphic depiction of physical violence, captured/kidnapping, major character death

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,525

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

AN: I know I’ve been gone. I know people have been waiting. I apologize for my absence. I just needed a moment to collect myself again and write and really get everything out that I needed in the course of these last few months. Thank you for being patient. Thank you to all the new followers and old alike. Thank you for being fans of this work. Forgive me for all the tears you are going to shed, but just know that I shed them with you.

Chapter 52: Promise

“Even if you feel that you are alone, don’t throw yourself away.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

11:11AM

Jimin felt like stones were in his boots and pockets, but he continued to pull Eden alongside him. She’d stopped crying shortly after they parted from Jungkook. He could only guess that she understood the urgency of their situation, keeping herself as silent as possible. Jimin held her hand tightly in his, giving it a few reassuring squeezes every handful of seconds. He didn’t know how far into the reeds they were heading, but he knew he needed to circle around a few times to make sure the Jade Fang posse didn’t try to flank them at any given moment.

The image of Jungkook’s bloody smile, urging him to go, made his feet fall heavier against the grass. Not paying attention, his ankle nearly rolled in a small pothole, causing him to stumble forward half a step. Eden followed suit, but her ability to recover on short notice was nonexistent, and she tumbled to the ground on her knees. He quickly knelt beside her, checking to see if she’d hurt anything major.

It was the first time he was able to get a good look at her.

Bruises and welts littered her arms and legs. A few of the angry red lines bubbled crimson, threatening to spill out across her olive skin. Her jeans were now cut-offs, having been ripped away from the abuse she’d endured over the past six days. She had no shoes. The vibrant raven curls were matted with blood and neglect, tangled around her shoulders with a collection of dirt nesting in the strands. Lips that were often pressed over a cigarette or curled into a playful smile were now cracked and dry from dehydration. There was a large bloodstain across the front of her shirt where Jungkook embraced her, still slick and soaked into the fabric.

Her eyes, however, broke Jimin’s heart further. They appeared soulless; empty. It was as if all the fight he knew existed inside of her was gone; knocked completely out of her system.

“You’re hurt.”

Jimin recoiled, the sound of her voice so close giving him a start. She’d been staring at the ground earlier, but now she turned those empty eyes toward him. Her hand went to his face, to the side where his injury was still weeping blood. He caught her hand by the wrist moments before her fingers could press to his skin. She blinked and he smiled warmly toward her while massaging the inside of her palm with his thumb.

“I’m fine,” he whispered.

He didn’t want to see any more blood on her. Not even his.

Releasing her hand, his own went to massage her bare feet. She tried to pull away from him, but he held fast to her ankles to keep them in place. They were swollen and bruised. He urged her to pull her legs up so that her knees were upright, and he pressed soothing circles along the tops of her feet. Every so often he felt her jump under his ministrations, a soft hiss escaping through her teeth.

Jimin was thankful that Eden let him work in silence. Neither of them could say anything; the heaviness weighing on both of their hearts so paramount that it rendered them speechless. He focused on alleviating the stress on her feet; nothing else. He couldn’t allow himself to think about too much else. They were still in imminent danger and there was always the chance that they could be overtaken at any given moment. His senses were on high alert, refusing to be distracted by any sounds not immediately in his range of focus.

“You shouldn’t have come,” Eden croaked weakly. His hands paused but he didn’t look at her. “You both should never have come for me.”

“Noona,” he said softly, resuming his movements, “stop.”

Jimin felt her legs tremble underneath his hands.

“If you’d just left me there, then Jungkook wouldn’t be…”

“Please stop.”

Eden covered her face with her hands, attempting to smother out the sob that threatened to come out.

“…you should have just let me die.”

“Jesu-ssi,” seethed Jimin.

His hands ceased moving and he cut his eyes toward Eden as she slowly lowered her hands down from her face. The honorific must have shaken her as this was the first time he’d used it. He couldn’t formally call her his sister-in-law since Jungkook was hell-bent on keeping their marriage a secret for the time being. The title gave her pause, long enough for her to cease her shaking – her hands moving to cling at the grass around them.

“Don’t dishonor his sacrifice. My brother, your husband, wouldn’t want to hear you talking like that.” His icy expression melted, easing into the face that he knew he could always show her. The face he always did show her. “And I don’t want to either.”

Eden appeared to regain her senses, her expression hardening with determination. She nodded and he smiled, waiting for her to catch her breath before he continued to massage her legs and feet.

He finished up, rolling back on his heels as he moved into a crouched position. Eden gathered herself up, resting her knees on the grass. Jimin erased his breath, hyper-focusing on the area around them.

…it’s too quiet.

He hadn’t heard any movements, save for their own, for quite some time now. This didn’t sit easy with him, but he swallowed his mounting nerves for Eden’s sake. She was already rattled from so much trauma and he didn’t want to add to it by revealing his own unease. Instead, he remained reticent and alert.

Jimin’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he held Eden’s hand when he saw her nearly jump to her feet from the sudden noise. Holding a finger up to his lips, he pulled out his phone to check the screen. It was another message from Yoongi.

Yoongi: We’ll be there in ten minutes!

Smiling, he didn’t bother responding. There wasn’t much time and Jimin knew he had to get them to the blue barrels. Judging from the distance and all the zigzagging they’d done, they were further from their destination than they’d been earlier. He slowly rose to his feet, pulling Eden up with him. There seemed to be a little bit more life in her eyes this time which gave him some relief.

“Who was it?”

“Yoongi Hyung.” He felt her squeezing his hand. “He and the others are on their way.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

Lacing his fingers through hers, Jimin pulled her along gently. He didn’t want to risk giving her a piggyback ride as that would put her head above the reeds. The lower they stayed, the safer they were.

11:17AM

Every so often, he would stop so Eden could take a rest. Jimin mentally cursed himself for running them deeper into the thicket instead of closer to the meeting spot. As problematic as Eden’s injuries were, they didn’t have the luxury to stop. They had to keep going.

“Do you remember when we first met?” he asked suddenly, his voice quiet as they moved.

“Who could forget?” Eden said softly. He could hear the smile in her voice. “You saw me shootin’ dice with those homeless guys.”

He bit back a laugh. Jimin mistook her for a homeless person because of all the grease and oil smudges on her clothes and face. Her clothes were frumpy and her hair was pulled back into one of her infamous work-buns with a bandana wrapped around it. The cigarette she smoked was a little beat up, but she smiled mischievously as she collected her winnings. It was a paltry amount, but she didn’t even keep it. Instead, she threw some of her own cash into the pile, making the men promise to use it on food and not booze.

“I can’t believe you thought I was some street bum,” she muttered.

“You looked terrible and I assumed.” Jimin pushed out a path for them, noting the terrain. They would need to circle around one more time to get back on their desired route. “What else was I supposed to think?”

“Apparently you thought I needed saving.”

He did. Jimin offered to bring her to his church. He didn’t know she was a Christian herself. He remembered her thanking him since, apparently, she’d been searching for a church to attend to for some time. Jimin recalled how hard she cuffed him when he told her she needed to stop gambling in order to get right with God.

“’Jesus loves me just the way I am’ is what you said.”

“No,” she countered, “’Jesus loves me just the way I am, and you should too’ is what I said.”

“And I do.”

He felt a tug at his arm from Eden stopping suddenly. Jimin turned to look at her and saw a confused look on her face. His expression softened, feeling an overwhelming sense of longing washing over him. He wouldn’t elaborate on the meaning of his words, however, despite knowing that the look she gave was asking for just that: elaboration. It wasn’t the time and it wasn’t the place. He didn’t think it ever would be.

Instead, he gave her his usual smile – the smile he knew she could trust and believe in; rely on.

I love you.

A twig snapped and Jimin’s body reacted. Lowering himself, he dashed to the right – yanking Eden along with him. Their position was compromised and they needed to hurry before getting overtaken. Jimin assessed their location as he pulled Eden down beside him, crouching low to cover themselves in the shadows of the reeds. Footsteps rushed nearby, the owners pausing every so often to look around and search the area. They quieted their breathing and he frowned when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket again. The others were close, if not already there.

Jimin couldn’t worry about his brothers. They would be smart and stay out of sight.

“Let’s go,” he whispered to Eden, “we’re going to make a run for it.”

She nodded, gripping onto his hand harder.

“On the count of three, okay? One…two…three!”

They bolted from their crouched positions, barreling through the reeds as fast as they could. Jimin forced himself to steady his pacing, knowing that Eden’s strength was all but gone. Pushing her this hard would hurt, but he prayed that her stubborn nature would ignore her injuries long enough to get to safety. Even as the reeds cut and grabbed at them, Jimin pressed on. Eden’s labored breathing became more and more evident, and he apologized to her internally. They couldn’t stop. They had to keep going. Her freedom, her escape from this place, took precedence over everything else in Jimin’s mind.

He would shield her when the time came.

A sharp whistling sound cut through their breaths. Jimin grabbed Eden, pulling her hard to the left. His eyes darted to the side – noting that some kind of projectile was fired. But it wasn’t a bullet. He hadn’t heard a gun fire and even a silencer had a distinct tone when suppressing the sound of a bullet being discharged.

Horrifying realization squeezed against his lungs.

It’s a crossbow!

The shiff of another projectile resounded and Jimin jumped, slamming his shoulder into Eden’s. They both fell to the ground right as he saw the bolt fly by – just barely clipping Eden’s ear. He blanketed her entire body with his own, his hand resting on the back of her head to keep her face down to the grass. Their bodies moved in time with their breathing, heavy and rushed.

“Dammit,” he muttered, glaring over his shoulder, “we’re close.”

Eden whined. He felt her shoulders trembling and he knew that she was very aware of their current predicament. The sound of feet pounding into the grass and reeds breaking cut through the panic threatening to suffocate him.

“Noona, listen to me,” he said into the shell of Eden’s ear, “when I tell you, I want you to run straight in that direction.” Eden lifted her head as he pointed to the East of them. “Don’t even think about stopping, no matter what you hear. Yoongi Hyung and the others will be waiting for you.”

Something passed over her face and her eyes widened. “What about you?”

“They’re shooting at us, so I’m going to draw their fire.”

“Are you crazy?!”

“You sound like Jungkook right now.” Jimin smiled while shaking his head. “I’ll be fine. It’s faster for you to get to them first. I’m right behind you.”

“How can you be right behind me when you’re going to draw them away from me?”

“Stop being stubborn and just do what I say. I’m faster than you right now.”

Eden seemed to process what he was saying and she sighed angrily, tugging and ripping at the grass within her reach. He knew she couldn’t argue with him. Jimin left no room for her to.

Jimin took a breath, held it, then released it slowly. Then, he rolled from her body completely.

“Go!”

Like a track runner, Eden bolted from the ground and tore through the reeds – disappearing from his sight in a matter of seconds. He smiled ruefully to himself before rolling onto his side to stand. His eyes noted the fresh splatters of blood on the ground and he quickly checked his body for any injuries he may have missed. As he followed the trail, he saw that it led in the direction Eden was heading.

Her injuries worsened and she was bleeding out.

“Shit,” he said, doubling back and heading after her.

His mind was rattled with his need to chase Eden. How could he have put that pressure on her knowing what state her body was in? If he ran full-speed, Jimin knew that he would be able to close the distance she’d put between them easily.

He didn’t hear the crunch of grass behind him until the last second. He didn’t note the danger until it was too late. Pain exploded across his shoulder blade, the force of the impact knocking him off kilter. Jimin grit his teeth, whirling his body around and keeping it upright. He reached behind his shoulder, grasping at the bolt protruding from his back. His nerves screamed in protest to the amount of pressure he was forcing in his attempt to pull the bolt out of him.

The harsh whistle of another arrow flying at him caused Jimin to throw his body backward, the force of him hitting the ground breaking the bolt in half. He could feel what remained of the arrow burying itself further into his shoulder blade and he opened his mouth to silently scream.

Jimin’s vision blurred instantly. The pain he felt was immeasurable. More reeds broke as he heard the many approaching footsteps to his spot. He dragged his elbows along the grass, attempting to shuffle into a nearby thicket to hide himself. But as he moved, he saw the tell-tale trail of blood smeared near his legs. Even if he hid, they’d be able to find him without much effort.

Deciding to stay where he was, he waited for his assailants to reveal themselves. In seconds, he watched the reeds part as two Jade Fang members appeared with Sohn Shownu right behind them. Propped on his shoulder was a crossbow gun. It didn’t take Jimin long to see that another bolt was prepped in the chamber.

“You know, I’ve never been a fan of these things.” Shownu shrugged the shoulder the gun rested on. “But I have to admit, they’re pretty useful.”

Jimin scoffed. “A little unfair, don’t you think?”

Shownu lowered the gun, cradling it in his arms as he pointed the end of the bolt directly at Jimin. “I’m afraid this isn’t about being fair, Jimin-ah.” He squeezed the trigger to release the bolt directly into Jimin’s leg. The pain was expected, albeit sudden, and Jimin yelled in outrage. “It’s about making a point.”

A coppery tang registered in Jimin’s mind. He’d bitten his tongue.

“And what point would that be?” he growled through his teeth.

Smirking, Shownu reloaded another bolt into the gun. “That this isn’t personal. Any last words?”

Jimin said nothing. He only glared up at the man he’d once called “Hyung” years ago.

Shownu aimed the gun a little higher, the point of the bolt glinting off the morning sunlight. “You should take comfort in knowing that you and Taehyung are leaving this world the same way.”

For a moment, clarity sank in the pit of Jimin’s stomach. If Taehyung was dead, then the person who messaged them about Eden was preparing this trap. It was all a setup!

“Goodbye, Park Jimin.”

11:27AM

It was cold.

His body felt so cold.

He’d been alone for about five minutes now. Maybe six. His math might have been wrong.

Jimin’s fingers curled around the crossbow bolt that was lodged in his stomach. He felt the sticky trail of his blood leaking from his mouth beginning its descent along his neck. His body forced him to cough involuntarily, the pain around his stomach and back now a phantom ache humming along his skin.

Where his body lacked the ability to move, his mind raced – a rapid succession of flash frames. Jimin could only laugh weakly, more blood bubbling from his mouth and raining down on the ground. His body protested against the movements, but he shifted one hand from around the bolt to dig into the pocket of his jeans. Pulling out his phone, he scrolled through his contacts until he found the name he was looking for.

The phone rang twice before going to voicemail.

“Yo, this is Kim Taehyung! I’m probably busy, y’know, out livin’ the good life, but leave a message and I’ll think about hittin’ you back up. Later!”

“Ya, Kim Taehyung,” Jimin croaked, spitting up more blood as he chuckled, “you son of a bitch. How could you just take off for the gates of the Underworld alone? Huh?” Tears formed in his eyes as he stared listlessly into the sky. “Don’t even think about stirring up a bunch of shit without me. Jungkook and I will be there soon.”

With what strength he had left, Jimin hung up the call. His arm dropped limply at his side, the phone sliding from his fingers to rest in the grass. He blinked hot tears to clear his vision.

Huh , he thought as the tears continued to fall, strange. I don’t feel cold anymore.

As his vision began to focus, he saw the large expanse of sky above him. Jimin tilted his head, as though he were looking at it for the first time in his life. There was a sense of wonderment that lingered in his mind, the feeling in his body numbing slowly from his feet up.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”

Forgive me, my brothers...

And then he felt it. Warmth. He could feel the warmth of the sun on not just his face, but his entire body. Jimin smiled, closing his eyes slowly so that he could bask in it fully. The thought of Eden making it to safety passed through his mind as a soft breeze brushed against him.

...we will meet again, I promise.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Additional Warnings: Graphic depiction of physical violence, captured/kidnapping, major character death

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,882

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

AN: We’re almost at the finished line and I’m going to hurt your feelings all over again. Trust me...I’m hurting pretty bad. Anyway, just know that I love you all. Please feel free to critique, review, and like! 

Chapter 53: First Love

“Don’t let go of my hand forever, I won’t let go of you again either.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

11:22 AM

Providence kept Min Yoongi from behind the wheel. There was a good chance that he would have killed both Seokjin and himself in the process. Instead, he focused all his attention on his cell phone. There was an ever-mounting feeling of dread as they sped their way toward Namyangju. Jungkook and Jimin were closer when it came to distance so he knew that they would arrive there first. It was his own fault for being so stubborn. Yoongi insisted that Changkyun wouldn’t have been stupid enough to keep Eden so close to Seoul. But he also wasn’t dumb enough to put her on a plane and fly her off to another country when there were CCTV cameras all over the place.

Taehyung tracked Changkyun all the way to Jeju Island, persistent in wanting to keep his ear to the ground and figure out any clues. Again, Yoongi believed it to be a fruitless endeavor. The Jade Fangs were too smart for that. They wouldn’t give anything away.

Call him a fool when they all received the text from Taehyung with the location of Eden’s whereabouts. Of course, as luck would have it, Yoongi and Seokjin were a full hour away from Gyeonggi Province. Namjoon and Hoseok were an hour and fifteen. Even if they broke all traffic laws, they’d still get there late. Every hour and every minute counted.

She’d already suffered for six days.

Yoongi wasn’t a religious man, but he clasped his hands together – phone pressed between palms – and prayed that they would reach them in time. He prayed that the boys got to her first and they were already meeting them at their agreed location. What patience and willpower he had, he used it to keep himself from shouting at Seokjin to drive faster.

Sensing his urgency, he felt Seokjin push the car even faster. They were almost there, but it worried him that neither Jimin nor Jungkook replied to his texts. Additionally, why hadn’t Taehyung said anything? It was only an hour flight from Jeju back to Seoul. He should have at least landed at the airport by now. Unless there was something else happening that was preventing him from getting to his phone.

The minute they arrived at the abandoned Industrial District, Yoongi burst from the car and took off in a dead run. His eyes quickly scanned the area for the landmark that Jimin told him about earlier. He was thankful that his younger brother had the wherewithal to take a photo, otherwise they would have been running around for ages; a literal needle in a haystack of bullshit.

Seokjin paused near the edge of the road leading to the heart of the industrial district. Yoongi ran past him, pausing long enough to see that his eyes were trained to the ground. He slowed his run until he came to a complete stop.

“Hyung, what is it?”

He watched as Seokjin knelt on one knee to inspect the ground. “…there’s tire tread here.” He touched it. “It’s warm.”

Yoongi frowned. “Maybe it was the boys?” His heart hammered in his chest. “Maybe they got Eden out.”

Seokjin stood while shaking his head. He pointed further down the road. “Jimin’s car is there. They took a different route than us and parked as far out of sight as they could.”

“Then where the hell are they?” He growled out the question, even though he knew Seokjin didn’t have an answer.

Again, Yoongi pulled out his phone and jogged around various streets to locate the blue barrels by the reeds that Jimin mentioned. He was able to take a full five steps before a scream tore through the silence. Yoongi felt his heart plummet to his gut before it shot back up and into his throat. He glanced over his shoulder to his older brother, seeing the look of fear clouding over Seokjin’s face.

“J-Jimin-ah,” murmured Yoongi.

His legs felt frozen solid. He couldn’t move. Seokjin moved instead, tearing through the street and disappearing into the reeds.

What was happening?

What the hell was even happening right now?

11:26 AM

He tripped.

He tripped and fell into the grass.

That was how Seokjin found Jungkook’s body.

When he managed to recover from the fall, he had to rub his eyes furiously to make sure that what he was seeing was, in fact, reality. Jungkook’s body lay lifeless, but there was a peaceful expression on his face. He was smiling, despite the blood smears coated around his mouth and chin. Seokjin could see where stains of tears were dried around his cheeks and eyes.

His gaze lowered to the gash in his stomach. He could surmise that this was what caused his end. His jacket was bunched near his hip, presumably where he was trying to stop the flow of blood. Jungkook’s eyes were still open, as if staring into the sky and greeting someone before being pulled from life.

Seokjin crawled slowly toward his little brother, his hands shaking violently. He hadn’t even realized he’d begun crying until he pulled Jungkook into his arms, cradling him like a child. Seokjin slowly brushed his brother’s hair out of his eyes before smoothing his fingers down and over his eyelids, closing them. If not for the blood around his mouth, Jungkook would have appeared to be asleep.

He wrapped his arms around him, pulling his bloodied body against his chest. Seokjin felt a sound bubbling around his chest, a sound he’d been suppressing for several seconds. But as he held his brother’s cold, dead body, he knew he couldn’t hold it in anymore.

Seokjin lifted his head to the sky, releasing a sorrowful wail.

He screamed until his throat hurt.

And then he screamed again.

He cried until he felt like his soul was weeping inside of himself.

But he knew it would not be heard by any deity.

Because they’d already reclaimed what was theirs.

But that didn’t mean that it was fair.

11:28 AM

“Seokjin Hyung!”

Yoongi stumbled as he walked around, holding his phone as he continued to try to find the barrels near the reeds. He forced himself to remain focused, ignoring the painful cry that he heard coming from the inner sanctum of the reeds. Yoongi refused to follow, maintaining his current course. Jimin was reliable and he would never let them down. He was the steadfast rock; always present and always ready to have anyone’s back should they trip and fall.

“HYUNG!”

He heard Seokjin in the distance as he continued to cry. With every step Yoongi took, he felt what strength he had seeping out of him and soaking into the ground. For a moment, his vision watered and he quickly shook his head to regain focus. His hearing was muffled under the heavy thrum of his heart battering against his chest.

This was a nightmare.

This wasn’t real.

“HYUUUUNG!”

Yoongi could barely hear his own voice. He tripped over his feet and tumbled to the ground, catching the concrete under his palms. He didn’t care that he probably had cuts under his fingers. All he could do was curl one hand into a fist and pound it into his chest over and over. He tried to quiet his heart; to keep it from telling him the one truth that he had absolutely no desire to hear.

Something snapped in the brush, causing Yoongi to jerk his head in the direction of the sound. He reached toward his leg, retrieving his boot knife, preparing to strike anyone who dared to come at him in hostility. But as the reeds swayed back and forth, he heard desperate and labored breathing pulsing from within. Seconds later, Eden burst through the thicket – looking like the very image of one who was being chased by the devil.

She didn’t seem to notice him, her eyes darting in every direction before she started running across and away from him. Yoongi’s ability to speak was momentarily absent, his eyes moving along the path she was half running, half stumbling toward.

The blue barrels were several yards away.

Scrambling to his feet, Yoongi dropped his knife and sprinted toward Eden. It wasn’t hard to close the distance between them and he didn’t have to look at her long to see the state she was in. Her eyes were wild – practically manic. She had one thing on her mind and one thing only. No one would stop her, but he had to try.

Yoongi slammed into Eden, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. She immediately screamed, flailing her arms and legs in every direction. Sweat ran in rivulets along her face and neck, mixing in with the dirt and blood that coated her body. Yoongi leaned back just as she swung to hit his face, to scratch and maim and perform every act possible to obtain her freedom; like a wild beast.

“Eden!”

She screamed harder, crying. She hadn’t heard him.

“Eden, it’s me!”

Eden ceased her attack for a handful of seconds, her body shaking as he watched the adrenaline wash over her. She craned her neck to look at Yoongi. The fear and anxiety that seemed to cloud over her eyes visibly lifted. Her dry lips parted, as though she were about to say something, but then tears formed, and she began to cry instead.

“Y-Yoongi-ah,” she hiccupped, curling her fingers into his shoulders, “Y-Yoongi…”

Yoongi felt Eden’s weight collapsing against him and with as frayed as his own nerves were, he couldn’t maintain standing for very long. His legs gave out, but he continued to hold Eden close as they both hit the ground together. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he held Eden in his lap – cradling her as she continued to cry into his chest.

He couldn’t say anything to comfort her. What could he say to ease her sorrow? Yoongi thought of something to say, but it all sounded so contrived in his head. So he simply held her, cradling the back of her head with one hand as he rocked back and forth on the ground.

His eyes focused on the frayed bits of fabric around her shoulder where bruises and welts remained. She trembled in increments versus constantly which, in a way, worried Yoongi. As she continued to weep into his jacket, his gaze shifted to the place she’d come from. There was a trail of blood that followed her - scattered between shaking footprints and droplets. He furrowed his brows, his eyeline moving back to her beaten and battered form in his lap.

What he believed to have been her tears soaking his clothing was actually her blood. He gasped, pulling Eden away to get a better look at her. Trails of crimson seeped along her legs and arms and as he pulled his hand away, he saw it smeared with blood that wept from her back. 

“Eden! Hey!”

Yoongi shook her gingerly and her head rolled back along her shoulder. He didn’t think it was possible, but her olive complexion appeared slightly discolored. Her mouth opened and closed, as if attempting to obtain moisture from somewhere. Yoongi had no water to give her and the weight of that guilt caused tears to brim around his eyes. 

The sound of another vehicle approaching barely registered to him. The tires squealed and two pairs of doors slammed and desperately thudding feet grew closer. He didn’t have to look to know that it was Hoseok and Namjoon. 

“Eden-ssi!” he heard Namjoon say as he skidded down to one knee beside them. Yoongi brushed some of her hair from her forehead. “Yoongi Hyung, is she--”

“I don’t know,” he said quietly, “Jin Hyung is somewhere in the reeds. I don’t know where Jungkook and Jimin are.”

“We’ll find them,” Hoseok reassured.

Yoongi barely heard them running off in the direction of where he’d heard Seokjin’s screams. They wouldn’t be greeted with anything pleasant. It would break them.

No. They were already broken.

“Y-Yoongi-ah…”

Eden’s voice, frail and raspy, sounded like a gong in his head - rattling through his entire body. He slowly turned to look down at her, blinking at the weak smile she gave him. Canting his head slightly, Yoongi found himself momentarily amazed at the look she was giving him. He couldn’t remember a time when she appeared so gentle - so unguarded.

She slowly reached into her pocket and dug around for something. He wanted to stop her, but her calm expression prevented him from doing so. Pulling her hand from her pocket, she held her fist out to him. Using the hand that wasn’t holding her upright, he moved to situate his palm under where her hand was as she opened it. 

In his hand was a bloody necklace chain, a single band looped through it. He didn’t understand the meaning behind what she was holding until he saw Eden’s hand move to her own neck. She pulled at the pendant dangling from the chain, breaking it, and then placed the item into his hand alongside the other one. It was a ring.

It was a pair of rings.

Absolute certainty crashed through Yoongi’s heart, shattering what remained. Her fingers curled into his palm and over the two rings; he could feel her arm shaking from the strength it took to perform such a simple action. His vision continued to blur with the onset of tears, watching her hand move from his to lift and reach for his face.

He didn’t have the mind to reach back.

“I...forgive you, Yoongi-ah,” she whispered gently, “I’m...sorry...I didn’t sooner.”

Yoongi coughed out the sob he’d been pushing down into his stomach. His tears fell in succession, the ache in his heart shifting fully to the front and twisting in his chest. He didn’t have to be told what was about to happen. But that didn’t mean he had to be accepting of it. 

“No,” he said, his voice barely audible over the sound of his heart jack hammering into his ribs, “Nononono...NO! You can’t!” 

Yoongi succumbed to the selfishness in his heart, pulling Eden hard against him as he resumed rocking her back and forth in his arms. Something akin to a death knell reverberated through his chest as he cried, burying his face into the crown of her head. The childish part of him, the part that drew up a sliver of hope as though from an empty well, believed if he clung to her hard enough that she couldn’t be whisked away. 

That she wouldn’t leave him to drown in the suffering that was sure to come.

He could hear Namjoon and Hoseok calling for their brothers. Seokjin didn’t call back, but something inside of Yoongi knew this was the end. This was the end for the brothers he lost in the reeds. What Hoseok and Namjoon would find would only result in the same sorrowful cry he heard coming from Seokjin earlier.

The same sound erupting from him as he practically crushed Eden into his chest.

“Eden, you can’t…” His voice was muffled in the matted mess of her curls. “...you can’t do this.” As tears continued to fall, he could feel oncoming sobs wracking through him while rocking Eden like a sleeping child. “You can’t forgive me for all the wrongs I’ve done against you. You can’t deny me the opportunity to make up for all the things I’ve neglected to do for you...to make it up to you.”

His hand slowly stroked along the back of her head, pressing his fingers along the nape of her neck. Even though he knew she was gone, Yoongi still spoke as if she could still hear him; that her spirit had not yet departed from this world.

Somewhere in the distance, he heard the anguished sounds of his brothers. They must have found their other brother. Yoongi shifted his body so that he could rest his knees on the ground. He refused to remove Eden from him, instead maneuvering his body so that he could lift her in his arms like a groom carrying his blushing bride from the festivities of friends and family as they left the chapel.

He carried her in the way he’d longed to carry her, but knew that the opportunity was granted to someone else. To his youngest brother that he knew was gone.

Yoongi walked away from the reeds, his legs heavy with guilt and not from the weight of the woman he loved in his arms. His first love; his last love. 

Jungkook-ah, he thought, eyes staring listlessly ahead as he moved, you decided to take her with you, huh? Yoongi’s eyes moved to stare at Eden’s face; her eyes closed and peaceful, as if she was sleeping. It wasn’t fair but he knew he didn’t have a right to complain. I guess I can’t blame you. Forgive your Hyung for not being able to see you off.

Just as he made it to the car, he paused to look up at the sky - the sunlight blinding him to the point where he was left with no choice but to close his eyes.

...until we meet again in the next life.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,498

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​

AN: I have nothing. Nothing except for...I’m sorry... T_T

Chapter 58: Killer

“I’m not Buddha but I’m a butcher. I’ll cut away your skin like a...”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Namjoon slowly slid the black cotton mask from his mouth and nose, waiting in the shadows of an alcove outside of the building. The small group of men he had with him, former Golden Jackals, huddled in the darkness. They were able to overtake the side entrance hours ago, before the crack of dawn. He made sure that no one of merit within the Jade Fangs would approach the designated area. Even if they did, Namjoon would have made it a point to subdue them completely. He would leave their bodies for the crows out in the muddy fields if he had his way.

But no, this was the moment where they would turn the tides. This was the beginning of the end.

We finish this today…

Lifting a cigarette to his lips, the orange glow of the flame licked at the end of the stick as a light crackling sound emitted itself from the contact. A few hushed conversations were going on beside him, to which he vaguely tuned in. They were out to prove themselves to the fallen brothers and sisters still imprisoned in the world they were forced to live in when adventuring into the light. But it was a life they deserved; a life they fought so hard for. Whether they lived or died after today, it would all be relevant to their future.

Pulling out his watch, Namjoon immediately flipped open the latch that covered the face. He was old-fashioned, so to speak, and a bit of a sentimentalist. Jimin teased him once about still carrying a pocket watch in this day and age, but how could he let it go?

It was a graduation gift Jungkook bought for him just before he moved to attend University in Seoul.

Time seemingly crawled; all of them were prepared to launch their first assault against the Jade Fangs. Namjoon already planned to be the first to cause the strike. He would need to ensure that the blast counted for something, otherwise it was all just going to get mucked up in the end. He would not have any screw-ups. Not while he was in charge of the first wave. Their offense was cut in half with Jungkook and Jimin pulled from the equation.

Pulling his ball cap down further on his head, he slipped the watch back into his pocket. Namjoon took one final drag of his cigarette, the smoke cloud billowing in his face and partially clouding his vision. However, in the shadows it seemed as if he were a dragon on the verge of breathing out a tremendous vortex of flame. One of the men approached him, nodding quickly. Namjoon grinned, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The gas line had successfully been cut.

“It’s time,” he said, his voice deep and commanding.

In sync, all of them slipped their masks over their faces. The cigarette fell to his feet and sparked with the faint light of its embers before finally dying out altogether. They could hear the approaching footsteps growing in time and Namjoon pulled out his hunting knives. As soon as they were in the right position, he disappeared and then reappeared at the front of the room which was in full view of the four different ways that many of the others could enter what was now to be viewed as their battlefield.

Now he had to wait for the show to truly begin.

Yoongi and his team were situated near the back of the factory, hiding in the thick brushes and reeds that were in desperate need of attention and care. Changkyun felt it wasn’t time to tidy up the landscape and that allowed for the perfect amount of camouflage. Namjoon already texted him earlier, telling him that he was in position with his team. Taehyung and his group were hidden within the factory, away from prying eyes. Once all the pieces were lined up, it would be his job to tip the first domino.

He couldn’t fucking wait.

Yoongi felt a dark smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth. To think they’d spent the better part of three days planning this out. It almost seemed far fetched and he would never have gone along with something like this. Not until Namjoon convinced him just how solid this counterattack would be. Because they were using Changkyun’s ego against him. He may have broken them by taking their brothers from them and left them feeling demoralized from how thoroughly they’d been ruined. But what Changkyun failed to see was the very thing Hoseok kept hidden away from the Jade Fangs all these years. The thing that he made sure they all kept hidden from them.

Their very own malicious nature.

He felt a buzzing in his pocket and he pulled out his phone, eyeballing the screen. It was time for him to make his move. Slipping out from his hiding spot, he made a point to make as much noise as possible. He wanted to be found. He wanted his path impeded.

His men would remain hidden.

The shuffling of feet reached Yoongi and he was soon surrounded in a semi-circle by Jade Fang lackeys. Pushing his way through the small throng was Kihyun, a curious expression painted over his features. Yoongi pulled out a cigarette and lit the end, slipping the lighter into his pocket. He watched Kihyun place himself in front of him, his back to the window of the factory.

“You should really quit while you’re ahead, Yoongi-ah,” said Kihyun, a baseball bat draped over his shoulder, “those things’ll kill you.”

“My smoking habits should be the least of your concerns,” he replied, cigarette poking out from between his lips.

Kihyun laughed, shaking his dark chestnut bangs out of his eyes. “I thought the meeting agreement was for Hoseok to come. Why are you here?”

Yoongi scoffed. “Did you really think, after everything you guys have done, that we’d trust Hoseok to come here alone with just one of us?”

“And let me guess…” He watched Kihyun as he took a step forward. “…you’re watching the back in case we try to do something underhanded?”

“Nope.”

He tried not to relish in the frown that Kihyun gave him. The heavy thudding of his heartbeat only elevated the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Every square inch of him felt as cold as ice. But he could feel the fire pouring from his eyes.

Yoongi looked at Kihyun, his eyes shifting ever so slightly to the left. He saw the window slowly opening – silent. He would thank Taehyung later for oiling all the windows and doors on every side of the warehouse except for the front.

He pulled the cigarette from his lips, blowing smoke at Kihyun. Flashing his gummy smile, his eyes narrowed as he tilted his head back slightly.

“I’m in the back so I can blow it up.”

And with a quick flick of his wrist, Yoongi threw the cigarette through the open window.

The explosion that soon followed knocked them all back.

Taehyung’s back hurt.

He’d been perched in the rafters for hours – having arrived at the factory long before anyone else appeared. There was an almost methodical madness to how carefully he oiled all the door hinges and window panes that didn’t come from the front of the warehouse. He was wired from both adrenaline and caffeine, knowing full well that today would be the day that everything would end. He knew his brothers were on edge, both from the planning and from the unpredictable nature that he exuded constantly.

But he had to be. Taehyung knew that if they knew what truly ticked around in his mind, they would do everything in their power to keep him from coming along. They would have left him behind.

And he’d be damned if that happened.

There was a single skylight in the factory situated dead in the center of the roof. Taehyung’s team already made short work of the lackeys that tried to come to the roof earlier that morning. No upper tiered members of the Jade Fangs were on rooftop duty. Taehyung already made a mental note of where everyone else was.

Hyungwon and Jooheon were patrolling the left side of the building; the side where Namjoon and his team were. One of Taehyung’s team was already deep inside of the factory, following the blueprint that Namjoon gave him, taking him straight to where the main gas line was. Once he finished cutting the line, he was to head to the boiler room.

Kihyun and Minhyuk supervised the back side of the factory, in case they were flanked. Yoongi was there with his group. He was the “gunshot” that would start the race. He was the only one who would be able to catch them off guard. Besides, he knew that Yoongi was also a bit of a pyromaniac and wouldn’t have been satisfied if he wasn’t the one to set off the explosion.

Which left Shownu, Wonho and Changkyun on the inside. Hoseok and Seokjin were sent in not as bait, but as a distraction. Then it would be time to bring the entire building down on top of their heads. Blood would be spilt. Lives would be lost.

Taehyung would eviscerate them all.

The building shook violently, causing Taehyung to grip onto the metal rafters. He leaned forward; one knee pressed into the beam beneath him. Shouts of confusion were heard from below him and he flashed a manic grin where no one could have the pleasure to see. Screams of pain resounded as glass shattered from below, his eyes searching for Seokjin. He was already making his way around a set of crates, having swiftly dispatched several Jade Fang members during all the chaos.

More glass broke and metal doors were slammed wide open. Dozens of Golden Jackal members flooded the factory, tangling themselves in a fight. The glass covering from the skylight also shattered, raining down into the factory. Several ropes dropped from the ceiling and Taehyung stood to his full height as his team descended from the open hatch. Some dropped to the ground while others swung from their ropes, landing on top of unsuspecting lackeys. Blood spewed as knives plunged into bodies from both sides.

Taehyung ran, jumping out as far as he could and stretching his arms out. He grasped onto a rope, swinging around until his leather gloved hands allowed him to slide down. He shoved his body around, changing his trajectory in mid-air so he was heading straight for the manager’s office.

His legs extended out as he watched Shownu scrambling to his feet. Taehyung crashed his heels directly into Shownu’s chest, knocking him back. As he straddled the older man’s hips, he quickly unsheathed the large hunting knife from his back – aiming it straight for Shownu’s chest.

He grunted when Shownu used his arms to block the blow – their forearms crashing into one another. Taehyung’s arms shook violently as he tried to force them down, watching the blade getting closer and closer to Shownu’s throat. He could feel the capillaries in his eyes exploding, his vision blurring momentarily, before a scream erupted from his lungs.

Releasing one hand from the hilt of the knife, Taehyung punched furiously at Shownu’s rib cage. The older man attempted a counterattack, using his knee to slam into Taehyung’s back. The force of the blow caused him to fall forward and he felt Shownu’s fingers closing in around his throat. Taehyung continued to punch him even as he felt the air being choked from him.

He punched him one more time, using his fingers to dig into Shownu’s side. He buried them, like he was digging through mud for shells. He twisted his fingers and pulled, tearing through the fabric of the other man’s shirt.

Turning his head and leaning forward, Taehyung snapped his teeth into Shownu’s knuckles. He bit through the skin, blood spraying into his mouth. The older man screamed but he could barely hear it over the noise of battle being waged all around them. He pulled his hand from Shownu’s side, gripped his other hand, and put all his weight down.

The blade slowly buried itself into Shownu’s chest.

Hoseok’s knee crashed into the ground as Changkyun struggled to maintain his own footing. The two men glared at each other just as the noises from outside became more and more prevalent. Hoseok smirked as he saw Changkyun race to the window, peering out to the factory floor below. He managed to get back onto his feet just as the Jade Fang’s leader turned to glance over his shoulder at him. Hoseok took pleasure in seeing the snarl forming on the man’s face.

“You,” he snapped, turning around to face him again.

Hoseok dusted off the backs of his pants, his arms going up into a defensive stance as his hands curled into fists. “Yes. Me.”

Changkyun quickly raced to the other side of the room, his hand sliding under the table. Hoseok narrowed his eyes when he next turned around, a knife held in his hand. He scoffed. Maybe he would have been surprised if Taehyung hadn’t already told him what was hidden there.

“So, you expected me to come unarmed, but then have a knife hidden away?” Hoseok shook his head. “I’m so fuckin’ disappointed in you right now.”

“Shut-up!”

Changkyun ran at him, his arm striking out to slash at Hoseok’s neck. But he was faster because he was thinking clearly. He wasn’t about to let anyone stop him from accomplishing what he wanted to do on this day.

He dodged, side-stepping Changkyun at the last second. Reaching up to his lips, Hoseok pulled out the small razor he had hidden in his mouth. Ducking the next blow, he slung his arm upward and slashed over where Changkyun’s right eye was. A stream of blood sprayed and Changkyun moved to cover one hand over his eye as a trail of crimson leaked from beneath his palm.

Dropping the razor, he closed the distance between them as Changkyun attempted another assault. But with his depth-perception thrown off, he swung blindly. Hoseok slammed his elbow into his chest, aiming a backfist to his throat, and used his other hand to quickly disarm him. Before the knife could fall to the floor, Hoseok was already snatching it out of the air.

Spinning around on his back heel, he roughly slammed his back into Changkyun’s chest – forcing his body to bang against the door. Hoseok pulled his arms forward, then swung them back. A sickening squelch noise followed as he plunged the knife directly into Changkyun’s gut. He felt the younger man struggling against him, but he put all his weight backward – his shoulder blades pressing into his chest so that Changkyun wouldn’t be able to wriggle himself free.

“H-Hyung,” he heard Changkyun choke out, his hand reaching out to grasp onto Hoseok’s shoulder, “don’t do this. We…we can help each other…”

Taking a step back, Hoseok buried the knife further into Changkyun’s stomach – watching the blood forming a small puddle by his feet.

“…you can fucking die is what you can do.”

Seokjin swore under his breath, eyeballing the small cut on his leg. He hadn’t meant to get caught off guard, but there was so much happening around him. Things got less hairy when Namjoon’s team managed to make it inside. Even in the middle of all the craziness, Seokjin was glad they weren’t having to deal with guns. This would have ended bloodier than it needed to.

His eyes darted in every direction and he barked orders when he needed to as Taehyung’s team swept down from the ceiling. Namjoon was in the thick of it with his people and some of Yoongi’s squad managed to make it inside. There was a hint of worry when he hadn’t been able to locate Yoongi, but he knew he had to trust his brothers to be able to take care of themselves.

If he couldn’t at least do that, then what good was their bond?

The door to the manager’s office flew open, the loud bang rattling throughout all the noise of the fighting. Seokjin’s eyes followed the sound and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Hoseok stumbling out of the door. He nearly tripped on something, seeing Taehyung catching Hoseok at the last second before he could fall. The two of them exchanged words before Taehyung jumped from the catwalk, his arms grabbing for the ropes so he could swing down to the main floor to join the fight. From what Seokjin could tell, Hoseok hadn’t sustained any injuries.

There was movement in Hoseok’s blind spot. Seokjin wasn’t sure if it was one of their people or a Jade Fang member. Not until the very last second.

“HOSEOK-AH!”

Their eyes locked momentarily, but there wasn’t any time. Running from his hiding spot, Seokjin scooped up a discarded knife. He slid to the center of the bottom floor and flung his arm out and upward. Hoseok jumped out of the way just as the knife buried itself in Changkyun’s throat. They watched the Jade Fang’s leader fall backward, presuming that he would not be getting up a second time.

A grateful smile passed over Hoseok’s lips, but soon snapped to surprise as he looked back at Seokjin.

“HYUNG!”

Suddenly, Seokjin felt his body flung to the side. His head hit the ground and the rest of him followed suit. The pain erupted seconds afterwards, his hand reaching up to grasp at the area where his nerves were screaming at him. Fingers caressed something cold and slender. When he pulled, his pain receptors went off like alarms and he screamed, looking around at who was responsible for the assault. As he craned his neck around to see, he spied the rod-like object poking out from his side. Something dribbled from his mouth and he didn’t have to guess to know that it was his own blood.

When he searched around in desperation, his eyes locked with Minhyuk who was holding a crossbow – watching him already reloading the next bolt.

Bodies moved around him in a blur – all of them screaming and fighting for their own lives. They were distracted. None of them realized what was happening.

No one except Hoseok.

Seokjin grinned, crawling to his knees. He could hear Hoseok’s feet thudding along the metal stairs, but he knew he wouldn’t make it in time. He was ready to face this head on. However, what he hadn’t expected was Minhyuk to shift his aim.

To Hoseok.

Eyes wide, Seokjin quickly scrambled to his feet and lunged forward in Hoseok’s direction. He knew his brother wasn’t paying attention to what was going on around him. He was too focused on getting to Seokjin. But by doing so, he was putting himself in danger.

Seokjin knew he had to block his path.

It was like he could sense it. He jumped up and out to the left. Pain blossomed over his back and all feeling from his legs down seemed to disappear. He collapsed into the ground, dirt filling his nostrils, and he cried out in agony as he dug his fingers into the concrete. Soon, he could feel the texture of his own blood mixed with the dirt under his fingernails.

“HYUNG!”

Seokjin couldn’t see, but he knew it was Taehyung’s voice. He blindly reached out, grabbing for what he assumed was Taehyung’s ankle. “H-Hoseok-ah,” he choked out between coughing up blood, “…get him out of here.”

“B-But Hyung—”

“DO IT!”

He felt the ankle leaving his grasp and Seokjin prayed that Taehyung would listen to him. Hoseok had to get out of there. They all had to go. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe that he was going to make it. Not now; not when he was coughing up blood. Something was internally damaged. He was most likely hemorrhaging already.

Curling onto his side, he grasped at the bolt protruding from him and gripped onto it as hard as he could. As he pulled, visions of Anastasia flashed through his mind, giving him pause. For a moment, he forgot about the pain; he forgot about the world around him.

All he could see was the woman he loved standing in the far corner of the factory as she held their beautiful son. He stretched his arm out, reaching for them as if he could touch them. Tears leaked from his eyes as he smiled – the world blurring and getting just a little bit darker.

…I’m sorry, Ana, he thought, the weight of his arm starting to get heavier, …I’m not going to be able to keep this promise…I love you… He felt his elbow hit the concrete, followed by his head.

I’m going to see my brothers now. Forgive me…

Everything grew quiet around him.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,058

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​

AN: Just one more...

Chapter 61: The Most Beautiful Moment In Life

“I’m asking myself again, am I happy right now? The answer is already there, I’m happy.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Five Years Later

Hwaseong – Gyeonggi Province South Korea

Yoongi sighed softly as he lit the ends of three incense sticks. As they slowly burned a soft amber, he shook the match to extinguish it and placed each one into the brass basins. Three porcelain urns glistened brightly against the morning light – the smiling faces of each urn’s owner looking back at him from behind the glass framing their portraits. He placed his hands together, closing his eyes and saying a small, silent prayer. After a few minutes, he sighed again and sat on the silk cushion he was offered from Jimin’s family.

“Even after all this time, it still doesn’t get any easier,” he said softly, a tiny smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “I figured it would.”

He managed a small laugh, shaking his head as he brushed his fingers through his now auburn hair. His earrings dangled from the rays of light that peeled in through the small room, capturing all the precious things that each of them had in their lives before leaving the world. Small pieces of memories that would continue to remain in the world long after their passing.

They served as reminders for Yoongi that things could still be good.

On the wall to the right was a painting of a blue and black spotted butterfly flying through golden reeds and a beautiful clear blue sky. It was the last thing Jungkook painted before leaving Hwaseong to come join them all in Seoul – ultimately leaving his dream of attending art school behind. Hanging on the opposite wall was the rosary and silver crucifix that Jimin always carried with him. He only left it behind once and that was the day that he went with Jungkook to retrieve Eden from her kidnappers.

He looked at Eden’s portrait, centered between Jungkook and Jimin’s. The wedding rings she and Jungkook exchanged with one another were placed on a small, satin pillow. He always made sure they were well-polished, even after all these years.

“I hope you three are happy.” He sighed, folding his hands in his lap. “It’s quieter without you here.”

His vision grew slightly hazy and Yoongi quickly wiped at the backs of his eyes with his wrist. Two sets of feet thundered through the yard, kicking shoes off their feet and barreling into his back. Yoongi smiled as two children, a boy and a girl, roughly grabbed at his shoulders and hugged his neck. He wrapped his arms around them, pulling the girl into his lap and tickling her as the boy clung to his neck and hugged him from behind.

“Okay, maybe I lied,” he said loudly over the high-pitched squeals and giggles, “it hasn’t gotten any quieter.”

The little girl with curly hair smiled up at him, pulling on the collar of his shirt. “Appa,” she said, her laughter subsiding, “are you done talking with Jageun Appa, Sookbu and Sookmo?”

“Yeah,” said the little boy, rubbing his nose into Yoongi’s temple, “are you done yet?”

“I wasn’t,” he patiently replied, reaching his hand up to ruffle the boy’s hair, “but I can see you two are ready to go. Weren’t you making rice cakes with your grandparents?”

The little girl nodded. “Yeah, but we got bored. They told us to go outside and play.”

He lifted a brow. “They did?”

“That’s ‘cause Eden kept eating them as they were being made.”

The little boy stuck his tongue out.

“Nuh-uh! Jungmin spilled flour all over the floor!”

She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

Yoongi sucked in air sharply through his teeth, clicking his tongue to the roof of his mouth. They quickly got quiet, knowing that that was his way of telling them to behave. After a moment, he sighed and stood up – Jungmin still clinging to his neck as Eden straightened out her blue sundress. He hopped slightly, wrapping one arm around Jungmin’s leg so he could secure him on his back a little better while using his other free hand to grab a hold of his daughter’s.

He helped them put their shoes on, slipping into his own, and made his way around to the front of the house. Jimin’s parents gave Yoongi a box wrapped in bright green cloth – food to take home with him. Eden happily took the parcel from them, bowing in appreciation. Jungmin nodded his head as Yoongi bowed as well, promising to return next week. They always insisted that he didn’t have to, but he would always make time to come and check on the Park family at every opportunity.

Children ran and played in the streets and there were festive sounds coming from the heart of the square. An entertainment troupe was in town to perform on the streets and sell their wares. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and petals rained over the small town like snow in spring. Eden and Jungmin looked longingly at the festival and he smiled, promising to take them back into town after they put everything away back home.

“Daddy?”

Yoongi hummed as he looked down at Eden. “What is it?”

“When are we going to visit Uncle Tae again?”

He paused slightly, a minor hesitation in his steps before resuming his steady pace. Shortly after Taehyung was sentenced to prison for voluntary manslaughter, Yoongi fell into an unhealthy drinking habit. He frequently went on benders until Namjoon saved him from throwing himself off a building in a drunken haze. He attended a drug rehabilitation facility and after being discharged, he was given the opportunity to make something of himself. Eden’s co-worker, Minki, offered to sell Eden’s shop to Yoongi on the condition that he opened an auto-mechanic shop in Hwaseong. Four months later, he established a list of loyal clientele and decided to find a better purpose.

Yoongi adopted two children that same year. Infants at the time, they were now two very rambunctious four-year-old’s: Min Eden and Min Jungmin.

They were his reason for getting up in the morning. They were his reason for discovering meaning to his life.

His children were his most precious treasures.

Smiling, he shook the hand holding his daughter’s. “Soon. We’ll see him again soon.”

“Is he going to be away from us forever?” Jungmin quietly asked.

Yoongi shook his head. “He won’t, Jungmin-ah. He’ll be able to come out and play with you when you’re both a little older.”

In five more years, to be exact.

“Until then, we just have to keep supporting him. We have to tell him ‘fighting’ every time we see him, okay?”

“Okay!” they said in unison, pumping their fists into the air.

He laughed, doing his best to ignore the soft ache in his chest. Things were getting better. Time would heal all wounds. Even his.

Someday it wouldn’t hurt to think about his brothers and the woman he loved. Until then, all Yoongi could do was look forward to tomorrow – a day that he would never take for granted again.

“Gidae-ah,” called Anastasia as she stepped out onto the back porch, “not so rough!”

Namjoon smiled as Gidae barreled into him, knocking him onto his back. They shared a loud laugh and he began mercilessly tickling the young boy’s side. The two of them rolled around in the grass until he was fully pinned down by the boy. They laughed again, pausing long enough to look up at Anastasia as she set a tray of refreshments down on the table in the front lawn.

Gidae immediately scrambled off Namjoon, beelining for his mother and hugging her around the waist as she poured iced tea into three glasses. She lovingly ran her fingers through his dark hair, ruffling the fringe around his eyes.

“You’re going to need a haircut soon, young man,” she said with a smile.

Namjoon dusted off the backs of his pants, crossing over to them. “I’ll take him tomorrow,” he said, taking the offered glass of tea.

He planted a gentle kiss on her cheek and she flushed slightly, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. He watched her sigh as Gidae slid into one of the chairs and began nibbling on some fruit.

“Are you sure?” she asked, brows furrowing with concern, “won’t you and Hoseok be busy with those foreign investment bankers?”

“It’ll be fine. I can do it during my break.”

Anastasia sighed again. He knew she always worried about him and how he could easily run himself into the ground with work. But Namjoon made a promise to always put his family first, no matter how busy he may have been. It was the very least he could do for his now departed older brother.

For three years, he watched Anastasia struggling with being a single mother. Seokjin’s parents readily accepted her as a member of their family and she took his last name as if it were her own. Soon they weren’t just the grandparents of her son, but her own mother and father. They doted and fussed over her at every given moment, but knew that she couldn’t dwell in the past forever. She was encouraged to go on blind dates and, for a time, she did.

Gidae was still young and didn’t fully understand the loss of his own father due to having father-figures in his life constantly. When Namjoon wasn’t present, Hoseok was around and after Yoongi was discharged from rehab, he was there to support Anastasia with whatever she needed – even bringing his own adopted children to play with her son. But even so, not having a father would eventually start to chip away at Gidae emotionally and he would begin to question things about the world and about himself.

Two years ago, Namjoon decided to take a chance.

It would be a lie to say that he didn’t have affection for Anastasia. In the beginning, he believed it was out of loyalty to Seokjin that he remained close. Over time, however, his loyalty blossomed into actual love for both Anastasia and Gidae. He no longer saw him as his nephew, but as his own son.

After bringing Anastasia home from dinner one night, Gidae accidentally called Namjoon “Dad”, much to their shock. He asked if he was going to be leaving his mother and him alone again.

Months passed and he felt confident enough to say that Anastasia also grew to care for him.

A year later, Namjoon visited Seokjin’s grave. He sat in front of the large mound of grass and stared at the marble headstone from dawn until dusk. Three empty bottles of soju sat beside him and somewhere in those hours, Namjoon laughed as he reminisced over the good and bad times. He spoke about how big Seokjin’s son was growing and how smart he was becoming. And then he cried as he talked about how much he now loved the woman his older brother unwillingly left behind. Namjoon wanted to protect her, cherish her, and help raise his brother’s son as if he were his own.

He then visited Seokjin’s family and asked for their blessing, to which they readily gave. After he informed his own family, Namjoon went to her home that afternoon and asked her to marry him. He was confident that she would say yes, but the elation that swept through him brought on a new sense of purpose and fueled him with determination.

Now, for the past year, the three of them lived together as a true family.

“Wasn’t Raelyn coming by with Mirae today?” he asked suddenly.

Anastasia nodded as she peeled an apple and fed it to Gidae’s waiting mouth. “She and Hoseok were planning to see Taehyung first.”

Namjoon sank into the chair across from her, reaching out to ruffle Gidae’s hair lovingly. “I’m sure they’ll call when they’re on their way. Yoongi Hyung will never let me hear the end of it if we all don’t make it to the festival today. The kids have been talking about it every chance they can get.”

“Fireworks!” Gidae cried while throwing his hands into the air, “I can’t wait to see the fireworks!”

“Me too,” Anastasia said while laughing, “it’s my favorite part.”

A warm feeling washed over Namjoon as he reached across the table to hold his wife’s hand. Their wedding bands glinted in the sunlight and she squeezed his fingers gently. After all the chaos in their lives, they could finally cherish these precious moments. They could try to put the past behind them, but would never forget.

It was a promise they made to each other; one they never intended to break.

Gwacheon – Gyeonggi Province Korea Correctional Service South Korea

After the routine frisking and checking ended, they were allowed access to the foggy plastic window that mirrored Taehyung to them. The blue jumpsuit seemed to fit him, reminding Hoseok of the time Taehyung used to work the fields of his family’s orchards. Both Hoseok and Raelyn sat down in visitor chairs and Mirae sat in her mother’s lap. Taehyung flashed them his trademark boxy smile and he gave a playful finger wave at Mirae. She giggled and mimicked his gesture, doing her best to stifle a soft yawn with her other hand.

He could hear Taehyung’s breath through the small holes penetrating the plexiglass. For a while, no one said anything to each other. Hoseok couldn’t imagine what sort of expression he had, but it managed to elicit a smile from his younger brother. The gesture was warm, yet it reflected his exhaustion from years of being behind bars.

“Hey, Hyung.” His voice was deep, the words rumbling in his throat.

“Hey,” Hoseok replied, drumming his fingers against his thigh.

Taehyung turned his head to look at Raelyn. “How’re you doing, Hyungsoo-nim?”

“I’m fine, Doryeon-nim.” She paused, pulling Mirae a little closer. “We’re fine.”

Their gazes lingered on each other a moment longer before Taehyung’s face brightened as he peered at Mirae. “And how’s my favorite niece?”

Hoseok’s brows furrowed as he saw Mirae giggling while waving her arms around playfully. “I’m great, Uncle Tae Tae! We’re going to the festival with Uncle Namjoon and Uncle Yoongi’s families when we go back home.”

“Oh? The festival, huh?” Taehyung smiled as he leaned back in his chair. “I miss food from the festival. The fireworks too.”

“You’ll be able to come when you’re released,” Hoseok offered gently, a reassuring expression painting over his features, “you know it’s a Hwaseong tradition.”

Taehyung averted his gaze momentarily, lacing his fingers together in his lap. “Yeah…”

Raelyn suddenly stood, setting Mirae down so she could stand as well. Turning to Hoseok, she smiled. “I’ll wait for you outside.” Her eyes shifted back to Taehyung. “It was good to see you, Doryeon-nim. Please take care of yourself.”

“You too, Hyungsoo-nim,” he said softly. His gaze lingered over her for a moment before moving to look at Mirae. He beamed at her. “You be good and listen to your parents, Mirae-ah. And stay out of trouble.”

“Kay!” she said, waving back to him happily before leaving the visitor room with her mother.

Hoseok remained seated, peering back at Taehyung for a long moment. Why did it have to be this way? Why had it come down to this? Even after all these years, Hoseok still couldn’t truly accept it in his heart, despite the resolute expression that continued to remain on Taehyung’s face.

“Thank you, Hyung,” he said, causing Hoseok’s shoulders to tense slightly, “Mirae’s so cute.”

“She’s trouble,” Hoseok said while smiling, “just like you.”

Taehyung chuckled. “Let’s hope not.”

“I agree. I’ll see you around, Taehyung-ah. Be healthy.”

Hoseok moved to stand and he saw his younger brother mirror his movements. The two men stood apart from each other, separated by a clear wall. He wanted nothing more than to pull his brother into his arms and hold him – to let him cry and vent his frustrations out. But until he was finally released from prison, he knew that it wouldn’t be possible.

When the time came, he’d be waiting with a block of tofu to shove into his mouth. They would all be waiting.

“Hyung?”

“Yeah?”

“…can I still see her when I get out of this place?” Taehyung’s brows furrowed. “Will you let me do that?”

Hoseok smiled through the onset of tears, a broken laugh all he was able to manage for that second. After he cleared his throat, he reached out and pressed his hand to the glass. Taehyung did the same.

“Of course. We’re family.”

The two brothers shared a glance, tears brimming their eyes, before the guard came and escorted Taehyung out of the visitor’s station. He watched his brother disappear behind the white doors, the sound resembling that of a mausoleum’s doors shutting. After a bit of prodding from a security guard, Hoseok was brought back to the main lobby where Raelyn and Mirae were waiting.

“Daddy!” Mirae said, running toward him and grabbing his hand. She tugged at it, urging him to hurry. “Let’s go, Daddy! We’re going to miss the festival!”

Hoseok laughed, shaking his head a little as Raelyn reached out to wipe at the tears that threatened to fall. She pressed a kiss to his lips, the two of them smiling as Mirae made an “ew” sound below them. They each grabbed ahold of their daughter’s hands, swinging her arms back and forth as they reached the parking lot.

“I love you, Hoseok-ah,” Raelyn said as she met his gaze.

He let go of Mirae’s hand to pull his wife closer to him. He kissed her temple gently, his lips brushing across the shell of her ear. “I love you too, Choseungdal,” he whispered, “I love you both.”

As they parted, they laughed happily as Mirae fussed over them being gross. Their daughter ran and they gave chase, taking a moment to bask in the joy that followed the aftermath of their stormy lives. It was a hard road they’d traveled. But now there would only be wonderful days ahead. In time, they would be able to look at the past and learn from the good and bad moments.

But right now, this was the most beautiful moment in life.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 Epilogue

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 1,882

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​

AN: This is it. This is the end. It's been a long journey and I'm happy to have taken it with you all. Thank you for all the love, support, and energy everyone has given me throughout the course of this series. You guys are amazing and I look forward to seeing you in the next story!

Epilogue: Definition of a Father

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Five Years Later

"Okay, I think that's a wrap guys."

Taehyung slid the headphones off his head, smiling as he waved a drumstick at the mixers and producers in the booth. The other members of the indie band he was currently working for, The Cataclysm, let their headphones rest around their necks while pulling off their instruments to set them on their respective stands. They were all complaining about having been stuck in the studio for the past six days, sometimes sleeping in the recording booth for half an hour at best. It was about time they got to call it quits.

Pulling out his cell, he saw that he had a few missed calls from Yoongi, Namjoon, Hoseok and Anastasia. Yoongi reassured him that the call was nothing important, just checking in. Namjoon was calling to confirm dinner plans for the evening at the house and Anastasia was doing the same. Hoseok left a voicemail saying that he was going to be a little late that evening working on a project but that he'd be getting Mirae from Yoongi's to take her to Namjoon's house once they finished up at the skatepark. 

Noting that it hadn't been that long since Hoseok called, he dialed his brother back and waited for him to answer - a soft smile gracing his lips as he waved goodbye to his other bandmates. "Hey, you haven't made it to Namjoon Hyung's yet, have you?" Hearing the negative, he slid his drumsticks into his bag, zipping the pack up and slinging one of the straps across his shoulder. "You can bring Mirae to the studio if you want before heading back to work. She can hang out with me for a bit until we all head to the house."

He heard the slightly hesitant response from Hoseok. After reassuring him that he was done with studio work for the night, Taehyung smiled at Mirae's voice on the other line saying she wanted to go to Namjoon and Anastasia’s with her Uncle Tae Tae. There was some banter between the two, all in good fun, before Hoseok hung up saying that he would drop her off. All Taehyung had to do now was wait.

Once he'd gathered up his remaining things, he made his way to the lobby just as the door to the studio swung open and Mirae ran inside with her backpack and skateboard. She spotted Taehyung and waved her hand erratically - her smile growing steadily larger.

He still couldn’t wrap his head around it being ten years since she was born.

Taehyung smiled, kneeling down as the young girl all but flew into his arms. He held his “niece” warmly in his arms, cradling the back of her head. "Hey there, Agassi!" Pulling her away so he could look into the young girl's face, he chuckled. "You have fun at the skate park with your Papa and Uncle Yoongi?"

Mirae gave a swift nod. "Yeah! Uncle does some of the coolest tricks ever! He says when I get bigger, he'll teach me everything he knows."

"Oh yeah?" Taehyung held his hand out so he could take Mirae's into his own. 

The two of them chatted about random things as they headed out of the studio. They spoke about what their plans were for summer vacation - to hit the beaches in Busan and see all of the sights and then some. Maybe even a trip to the States or Japan when the time permitted it. Hoseok was playing catch up behind Namjoon and fervently working on a few projects when he could. Summer was a time to reflect, but also a time to bask in the joys of the present.

There was so much time he had to make up for. Time he would continue to make up for.

Hailing for a cab, Taehyung ushered Mirae to clamber inside so they could head to Namjoon and Anastasia’s house. It was strange, really, that he was no longer living in a house with all the others like he had been when they resided in Seoul. After everything that transpired, after so much loss and suffering, time really did manage to heal old wounds. The loss of Seokjin, Jimin, Jungkook and Eden didn’t hurt as badly as it once did so many years ago. Even Taehyung’s time spent in incarceration felt like little more than a blur. He was older, wiser, and far more humble than he’d ever been in his entire life. Everyone had their own families and were doing their best to pick up the pieces of their broken lives. 

The hardest part for Taehyung these days was forcing himself to see Mirae as his niece and not his daughter. 

While Mirae didn’t mention anything aloud, Taehyung and Hoseok both sensed a certain level of apprehension from her a few days prior. The aura may have ebbed some since his visit to Jimin's home, but there was always a bit of hesitation here and there. Taehyung decided to let her work out her own dreads and if he needed to help her through them, he would do so without question. Mirae became his world and, as such, he would do anything for the child. There were many things that she didn't understand and while he may not have had all the answers, he would do his best to give her what answers he could.

Soon they arrived at Namjoon’s home and Taehyung paid the cabby. Letting Mirae get out first, they waited for the cab to leave before making their way up the winding pathway to the house. Anastasia was preparing a huge Parents’ Day feast for the important people in her life (who hadn't made previous plans already with their own families) and Taehyung could never turn down a home cooked meal from his sister-in-law. Raelyn was already there to help with whatever she could in the kitchen. 

Just before they were about to make their way up the steps, Mirae stopped and grabbed onto the hem of Taehyung's shirt. Pausing before taking another step, he looked down at her and saw her eyes were downcast.

He turned, squatting down in front of Mirae as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's up, Agassi?"

Mirae bit her lower lip, not sure if she wanted to continue or just ignore the feeling eating at her and go inside. Taehyung remained silent, knowing that she would divulge her thoughts when she was ready. It didn't take long, as he'd predicted. 

"Today is Parents’ Day and I made you a card." Watching her fish into her bag, Mirae pulled out the soft yellow envelope, handing it to Taehyung and the older man took it with a smile - the large letters of his name scrawled across the front in a charming adolescent flourish. Looking up at Mirae, he was about to thank her when he saw that his niece was still fighting with something. "Uncle Yoongi told me that Parents’ Day isn't just for fathers and mothers, but for men and women that we look up to, respect and care about. It’s about the people who are important to us...and stuff. And I know I didn't get you anything last year for Parents’ Day, but a lot of stuff was going on and--"

"Mirae-ah, it's okay. I know what was happening then and it's fine. I promise."

Mirae nodded, blowing air out of her mouth as she had a look that clearly screamed she was trying to think of what she wanted to say next. Or how she should word it. Her face was like an open book, it was almost funny sometimes. 

"...well, I know that you're really important to me and this dumb kid, Chansoo, said you can't be like a dad because I already have a dad and since you’re my uncle, you can't ever be my dad but Uncle Yoongi said that kinda thing doesn't define a father so I can have as many dads as I want and...and..."

Taehyung reached out, pulling Mirae into a hug because he knew the girl's tears were probably threatening to spill out at any given moment. She trembled slightly in his arms and he held tighter onto her, cradling the back of her head as he felt Mirae’s smaller hands grasping at his shoulder blades. But, truth be told, Taehyung was doing this to hold his own emotions in check. He’d honestly been concerned that Mirae, while a good and compassionate kid who always showed him affection, did not wish to fully open up to him because of this same conflict. It was a subject that he feared would always bring his daughter heartache and so he always left it alone - believing that Hoseok and Raelyn would remedy the hesitation in their daughter's heart.

Because Taehyung could never tell her that she was, in fact, his daughter.

Once the girl's trembling ceased, Taehyung pulled Mirae away from him for a moment and smiled while wiping his thumb across her cheek to get rid of the stray tear that managed to escape. Mirae sniffled, rubbing a fist into her other eye as she looked back at Taehyung. 

"Even if you never called me like that, I've always considered myself one of your dads. You're Hoseok Hyung’s daughter and so that makes you like my daughter. Got it?" The young girl nodded again and Taehyung chuckled, shaking his head as he pulled Mirae into another hug, patting her back in a soothing fashion. "So whenever you're ready, you can call me what you want or just keep calling me Uncle Tae Tae. It won't change how I feel about you and how you'll always be both my niece and my daughter."

Leaning back a bit, he watched as Mirae seemed almost torn between emotions. But relief soon visibly swept through her and she smiled brightly. Taehyung stood, rubbing his palms across the thighs of his jeans and the two of them made their way up the steps of the verandah. 

Just as they rang the doorbell, Mirae pulled on Taehyung's sleeve to get his attention once more. "Say...Uncle Tae Tae?" Taehyung quipped a brow and looked at the young girl, smirking - a silent nudge for her to continue. "Has Papa said anything to you about me getting married? Because I don't think I'm ready for that kinda thing. He said he's picked out my groom and everything."

Taehyung blinked for a moment, words and thoughts completely knocked out of his mouth and head, before he realized what she was referring to. Sputtering for a moment, he then laughed outright and shook his head, placing his hand atop Mirae's head and ruffling her hair some. "I wouldn't really worry about that kind of talk just yet, Agassi. Your Papa  likes to jump the gun...a lot."

The girl nodded in understanding, or at least that's what Taehyung assumed. But the older man knew that Mirae didn't have any idea just what lay in store for her in the coming years. She had no idea at all, but that was what made the future worth looking forward to. 

Surely there would be plenty of happy days like this to come.

Because now he had the time.

F I N