CHAPTER 35

"Don't freak out," Jungkook begins, "but Jimin and I were neighbours once. When we were kids."Taehyung gasps and points a finger at him. "So you know Jimin!""Yeah," Jungkook holds his finger and puts it down slowly. "But he doesn't remember me, he was kidnapped when he was eight.""Yeah, I know he - how do you know he was kidnapped?!""Because I was there with him. They kidnapped him in September 1st 2003, we were in a park celebrating my sixth birthday."Taehyung bites his lower lip. "How do I know you're telling me the truth?""Not interrupting me and letting me explain everything is a good way to figure it out."Taehyung sighs but doesn't complain."Jimin was my best friend. Nobody believed me when I tried to explain what happened -""Why?""Our neighbourhood was the most peaceful in the vicinity, it never happened before---or at least as far as we know. Anyway, the police couldn't find him and they claimed him dead, but I knew he was alive. I wanted to believe he was alive. When I turned eighteen my taekwondo's mentor introduced me a few people who could help me find him, and they introduced me to Bang PD. I thought he was a good person, as I've heard his mafia protected other people. So why wouldn't I join? Back then I thought joining a mafia would be the best way to find Jimin. Who knows, maybe I could bring down the people that kept him all these years. All my plans turned upside down when I discovered his men are the ones that kidnapped Jimin. I did a lot of research on my own to find the proof I need to demonstrate Bang PD is the responsible of Jimin's horrible past -""No. What? No. He couldn't. He wouldn't.""He did this to him, Taehyung. He brought Jimin to this life, I know it must be hard for you to believe it now, but I can show you the proofs and you'll see I'm telling you the truth. The first reason I joined you is because I want to end him and all he does. Obviously, I didn't expect I would find Jimin here, that just made everything a little bit easier. I found Jimin, but I haven't killed Bang PD yet.""You - you want to kill Bang PD?"Jungkook nods."Does Yoongi know?""In much more detail, yeah. He wants to help me, he wants to do it for Jimin and for himself."Taehyung doesn't break out crying as Jungkook expected. The tissues stay awkwardly to a side while Taehyung stares at nothing in particular, his eyebrows narrowed."Where do you have the proof?""In my parents' house.""Um, okay.""Is there anything else you want to say, Taehyung?" Jungkook asks, noticing his discomfort."Why don't you explain everything to the others? My Chimmy?""I don't want Jimin to know who I am just yet, don't ask. I told you all this because we can't come back with Bang PD. After what he did to Jimin, after what he did and still does to those kids . . . We need to stop him, we need to kill him.""For my Chimmy?""Yeah.""Then I'm in. For him and for all these kids. Not for you though. I still don't care about you . . .""Perfect."They stay in an awkward silence for another minute."What are you going to tell the others?""What Bang PD does and what he did to Jimin. He deserves to know it, don't you think?"Taehyung nods, avoiding Jungkook's eyes."Let's go, the others are still waiting." Jungkook stands up first.He presses his hand against the knob—"Wait! Jungkook."He turns around. "Yeah?""Um, well, I . . ." Taehyung plays with his fingers, standing next to the bed. "Uh, nothing."They both go downstairs in silence. Taehyung's face looks pale compared to when they went upstairs, but Jungkook decides to keep it to himself. He didn't cry, but it must have shocked him. His own boss—their own boss—made Jimin went through all that, it mustn't be easy to digest."Taetae, how did it go?" Jimin wonders when he stops in front of him.The younger makes grabby hands, but instead of sitting on top of Jimin, he holds his hands and makes him stand up. Taehyung sits on the sofa and brings Jimin to his lap, hugging him as close as he can to his body.Taehyungs's aware Jimin isn't prepared to know the cruel reality of what had happened to him, but he also knows it's the right time for their team and he deserves to know it—as Jungkook said."They're both alive and Tiger didn't appear, that means the talk must have gone fine." Yoongi comments with a grin, but wins a cold stare from Jimin."Can somebody tell us what is the Bang PD's real face thing about? Is there something about him we don't know?" Seokjin bounces his feet, his eyes focused on Jungkook and Yoongi."Apparently there's a lot of things we don't know about him, cutie." Yoongi clenches his jaw."We can't join Bang PD again because I don't think you'll like what I'm about to tell you guys. Bang PD's not the person you believe he is.""Why are you so sure?" Namjoon tilts his head, resting his head on one hand."I did my own research because a few years ago I heard," he clears his throat, "rumours."Hoseok stops playing with Seokjin's hand. "Rumours?"Luck must be on Jungkook' side because no one notices Yoongi's smirk to the lame excuse."Yeah, rumours. I've heard there's this man who spends his free time recruiting kids. He puts them through hell for years and then he magically rescues them, or his allies rescue the now grown up kids, make them join their mafia and promise them a better future -""Stop." Seokjin interrupts. "Why would someone kidnap a kid, put them through hell, and then rescue them? Which I wouldn't consider a rescue as he's the responsible for what has happened to those kids. My goodness, what a freak. So, what does this have to do with Bang . . . No way. No way, seriously?"Hoseok blinks staring at him. "Uh, what?""Seriously?" Seokjin looks at Yoongi for confirmation."Yep.""Uh, guys—I don't get it." Hoseok looks around to catch someone's attention."Bang PD's the man who kidnaps those kids." Namjoon explains, both hands pressed on his face out of frustration. "I'm gonna kill him. God, why did we never notice?!""It's not our fault, Joonie." Seokjin reminds him."Guys, there's more.""More?!" Hoseok gasps."I didn't join you because they forced me to, I joined you to stay close to Bang PD. My mission since I joined is to kill him, for what he did to those kids. For what he does to those kids.""He didn't do it to you, right?" Hoseok keeps his voice soft."No, not to me.""You're all missing the point, guys." Yoongi raises his voice, making all of them shut up. Taehyung keeps his mouth shut for obvious reasons, but Jimin just keeps biting his lower lip with a lost sight. "Don't we know anyone with a familiar story?"They don't mutter a word, but all eyes land on Jimin's petite body hiding in Taehyung's embrace."No." Hoseok shakes his head multiple times. "No. Why?""Holy shit." Namjoon blurs out, cracking both sides of his neck."Your full name is Park Jimin, right?"Jimin doesn't say anything and Taehyung answers for him. "Yes.""Um, I don't know how you ended up here but . . . I saw your name on one of the lists . . . but if the information's right I can guess it.""Lists?" Seokjin moves to sit next to Jungkook. "What lists?""They've a list with the names of all the kids they've kidnapped. They also have archives of each one of the kids, explaining when and where they kidnaped them, plus other information. They also kept track of their behaviours while they held them captives.""Do you have it with you?""Yeah. Those are my proofs to keep my subconscious calm once I kill him. Bang PD deserves death, if you knew what he does to those poor kids . . ." Jungkook now wants to kill himself for not keeping his mouth shut right in front of Jimin.Everyone seems to notice Jimin's discomfort and Taehyung softens his grip."Bae, are you alright? Is it too much for you? We can stop here -"With a quick movement, Jimin sets himself free from Taehyung's arms and runs to the closest bathroom. The boys stay still, until Jimin starts throwing up. Taehyung and Yoongi run to the bathroom, while the others stay in the living room processing this new and unexpected information.