CHAPTER 9

Jungkook observes how the blue of the sky turns softer as the sun rises. He keeps glancing at Taehyung from time to time, as he's the only one he can talk to."Why Suga and Hoseok are taking hours in the bathroom?"Taehyung only shrugs. "They probably went to the cafeteria."Jungkook nods. "I think I'll go as well. Not with them, but I'm hungry.""Do whatever you want, Jungkook."Jungkook slowly walks to the cafeteria, ignoring Taehyung's daggers in his back. He would have never imagined seeing them so broken, so unthem, would worry him as much as it does. Turns out he has some humanity left.Jungkook can't spot Suga nor Hoseok, but he buys himself breakfast. He also brings with him a mini sandwich, the one he throws at Taehyung's lap before he sits next to him."If you don't sleep, at least eat."Jungkook blames his empathy for this, because he definitely doesn't care for him. Taehyung doesn't say anything, but he grabs it. Jungkook bites his lips to hide a smile, when the boy takes the first bite.* * *A man they didn't see before comes out the room."Seokjin's family?" He struggles to pronounce the name, but the boys understand him perfectly.Namjoon raises up at a speed of light, scaring the hell out Jungkook. The youngest thought Namjoon fell asleep with his eyes open, as he didn't move a single muscle for hours. Was he in shock the entire time or that was his own defence mechanism?"We're his friends." Namjoon's English impresses Jungkook. "How is his condition, doctor? Is he alright?"The doctor sighs. "We could remove the bullet from his shoulder, but he lost a lot of blood.""What—what does that mean? Is—is he dead?" Jimin holds on a sob.The doctor shakes his head. "You can't see him right now, we decided to keep him in the ICU. We're transferring blood to his body, he should be stable. As for now, I can't promise you anything. We need more time to see how his body reacts to the new blood and how his body keeps up with it. If he remains stable for the next twelve hours, we'll transfer him to another room and you'll be able to be with him.""Doctor, would you let me see him? Please, I need to see him. He matters so much to me, he wouldn't like to be alone. Please, five minutes is all I'm asking." Namjoon begs, his usual leader aura completely gone.The doctor studies Namjoon, and observes Taehyung and Jimin's hand intertwined. "Five minutes. Follow me.""Thank you. Thank you so much."They disappear behind the doors.Jungkook points behind him. "Don't you want to see him as well?"Jimin shakes his head, a small smile in his face. "We can wait, we can see him later.""But the doctor said—""Jin won't die." Taehyung cuts him. "Jiminie, let me buy you breakfast. Are you hungry?""I want water, but eating something will be good." Jimin turns to look at Jungkook. "Do you want to come with us?"Taehyung grabs his hand again and starts walking. "He's fine. He can wait for Hobi and Yoongi here.""But—""We don't need him, he already ate anyway."Taehyung and Jimin's conversation fade in the background. As if I care, I don't need them either.Jungkook walks towards the exit of the hospital and takes a deep breath, the morning fresh air filling his lungs.* * *Seokjin's face and pouty lips haven't recovered their full colour yet, but despite this and the different tubes attached to his body, he looks better. Namjoon makes himself believe he looks better because he can't lose him. He gently holds his hand, warming it as much as he can.All alone in the room, he lets himself break and shed all his tears. Seokjin doesn't deserve to die, he shouldn't be living this life to begin with. He should have become a normal detective, working in normal cases, not inside a mafia."I should have never let you stay with me, Jin. I shouldn't have been so selfish. I should have forced you to let go—to let go of me. Why did you stay? Am I really that worth it to you? Why did you decide to get attached to me, out of all the other boys in our university, hm? Why me, if there were plenty of boys more handsome than me, with a better future?"He waits, even if he knows Seokjin won't answer. He kisses him softly, keeping their mouths locked for long seconds. He whispers an 'I love you' against his lips.His boyfriends are the only energy he has left to leave the room.To leave his Jinnie.* * *Took them long enough.Suga and Hoseok approach a lonely Jungkook."Where are the others?" Hoseok asks, looking around. "Do you have news?""The doctor said we've to wait twelve hours. If he's still stable after that, everything will be fine."Yoongi nods. "Where are they, though?""Jimin and Taehyung in the cafeteria. The doctor let Namjoon visit Seokjin for five minutes, he also went there after that.""That's somehow a relief." Hoseok sighs."What took you so long? I went to the cafeteria a few hours ago and you weren't there. Did you get stuck in the bathroom?" Jungkook voice comes out calm, without any sign of judgment in it."That's not your business." Yoongi clears his throat. "Anyway, thanks for staying. . . and for letting us use your phone before.""That's the least I could do. I'm not a—well, I'm not wishing death to every human being. Just a few." He shrugs."Good. Oh, we've to get rid of your phone.""Wait—why?""Someone could track your location. Come with us, we need to talk."* * *"We should contact Bang PD. He must be aware of what happened and he's probably waiting for us to call him." Hoseok proposes to the team."Sounds good. Meanwhile, where do we stay? Do we have enough clothes with us to stay here?" Yoongi asks. "Those people could come and find us. Jungkook, we need to get rid of your phone before they track it down."Jungkook shakes his head. "What if we need it again? It literally saved Seokjin's life.""That's true." Jimin says. "Do they know him, though? If they don't know Jeon Jungkook's with us, they can't track his phone, right?"Yoongi caresses his chin. "Still dangerous, but we do need a phone. Okay, let's keep it.""I'll fill up Blacky today. We don't want to run out of gasoline.""I'll come with you." Hoseok mutters. "Joon, what do you think we should do?""Nobody has ever attacked you?" Jungkook's eyes widen. "I thought you lost count of all your enemies.""A lot of people out there wants to see us dead, but they never could attack us personally. We're protected by our company." Yoongi lets out a bitter laugh. "The same one that sent us here. We only fight against the malicious organisations. Sometimes they're our enemies, sometimes they aren't""Taehyung and Hope, go and prepare Blacky. Yoongi, try to contact Bang PD. Let's focus on what we can control right now." Namjoon speaks up, his voice coming out more tired than he wants to."Namjoon, you need to take a break. Why don't you go and sleep for a bit in the van?" Jimin says."No, I need to stay here. Jungkook, you should go rest along with Taehyung. You haven't slept yet, you must be tired. I can wait a few more hours—until they move Jin out of the ICU.""There're ten hours to go. Moni. . ." Jimin doesn't dare to fight him. No when his boyfriend sends him a warning glare. In any case, he knows they won't be able to change his mind, even if they want to.Taehyung, Hoseok and Jungkook leave the hospital for a few hours. The two younger boys stay a few more hours taking a nap inside the van. Jimin stays with Hoseok in the familiar hospital chairs, while the red hair keeps pampering him. Hoseok doesn't waste any second when Jungkook isn't around.Namjoon and Yoongi stay in the cafeteria. The leader calls Bang PD using Jungkook's phone, while Yoongi keeps revising his emails and sending more to their company. It takes them a few hours, but Bang PD finally returns the call.* * *In the evening, the boys reunite in the cafeteria. Yoongi and Taehyung wait in the chairs they claimed as their own. They don't have any news about Seokjin, but they guess that's good."We'll stay in Hawaii until we catch those bastards." Namjoon explains. "We searched a few hotels with Yoongi, but we haven't decided yet. You can take a look, we'll vote after that.""Do we have enough money?" Jungkook wonders, playing with a napkin."Bang PD refilled our shared black card. As a leader, I'm in charge of it. You can always tell me what you want, and I'll buy it for you. We only use it when we leave the country, it's been a few years since the last time I used this baby."Hoseok lets out his famous laugh. "If Bang PD wasn't our boss, he would be a perfect sugar daddy."Some of them chuckle at the joke, lightening the mood for the first time in almost twenty four hours."I didn't know you were into guys." Jungkook mutters, blankly."I'm not." Hoseok lies.An awkward silence fills the thick hospital air, and the boys avoid doing eye contact.Namjoon claps his hands together. "Let's review the hotels, shall we?"