The Seven Passengers (BTSxTitanic)

Chapter 28: Seokjin

So many things have gone wrong tonight. I worry for the boy, Jimin, but Namjoon's safety bothers me more. He is a good man immediately helping Yoongi, and that makes me admire him more, but I wish he were by my side. It feels unnatural without his calming presence.

Jungkook shivers as soon as he steps outside. He rushes forward, arms tightly locked at his sides. Uncertainty taints his tone. "What's going on?"

I don't have an answer for that. Not less than five minutes ago my biggest fear was losing Namjoon to the hands of Father, who was seconds away from strangling both our necks. Namjoon was the braver one of the two of us. He treated Father as if he were a chess player, calculating every move he made. And I sat there, the spectator.

Jungkook repeats himself and before he can take another step forward, Father shoves him to the wall.

I gasp. Jungkook's head knocks against the wall and I'm afraid the cracking sound is from his skull. Father tightens his grip around Jungkook's neck as he raises him off the floor. My heart drops to see Father holding Jungkook up with ease. He has never demonstrated how strong he could be. With every stinging word he has said, I assumed he wouldn't need the strength.

"Where is it? Where did you hide the jewelry?" Father scowls.

"What jewelry?" Jungkook chokes out.

There's a noticeable silence around us. Guests have ceased their chatter as they watch with peering eyes.

Father drops Jungkook as if he was no lighter than a feather. While he rubs his neck, Father twists Jungkook's arm into a painful position and lowers his voice. "We were robbed at the same time you disappeared. Maurice found the room just as you left it; torn to pieces, every last penny gone."

Jungkook goes still. He wants to fight, it's obvious from his stance, though he is more confused than angered.

"Admit it," Father says. "It was the perfect crime. You get away with the riches and land in New York with millions in your pockets. Perhaps take your lover with you on a stroll down the Hudson River, is that it?"

Lover? Jungkook never had a lover, none that I knew of anyway. The only person that comes to mind is that fellow with the black messy hair. But they have only spent a few days together at most. Although, speaking from experience, a few days is all it takes to fall for someone.

"This does not concern him!" Jungkook spits. Now I am certain of who he speaks of.

Father frowns, narrowing his eyes like slits. "Then do you care to explain how my cabin got ransacked?" Then he loosens his face, and it's somehow more terrifying to see him amused when there is nothing in this situation to be amused about. "Or perhaps your secret had some intentions of his own. I could understand why. A mere garden boy does not fit the standards even a third class boy would set."

Jungkook's eyes narrow. I half expect him to fight tooth and nail against Father, but what would be the point? His nature to fight back is pointless. Father has the upper hand, now that he knows what the boy, Taehyung, means to Jungkook. That will be the leverage he holds over Jungkook as long as he lives.

At least we are both in the same boat.

When Jungkook says nothing, Father smiles unpleasantly. "You have doubts of your own, I am certain." He slowly pulls Jungkook's arm up, which twists until it cannot bend anymore. Jungkook accidentally lets out a whimper as his face scrunches up. "I still need answers. If you have any idea how he could have stolen from us, tell me before I track him down myself."

Fear bubbles over me. I have never seen Jungkook in such pain before. Just watching him is horrifying. He must see my eyes widening because he tries to shake his head, as if this is a normal occurrence for him.

Then I wonder if it is.

"Father, please," my voice squeaks. I hate how small I sound. "Let him go."

I'm surprised he was able to hear me, and I'm even more surprised when Jungkook's arm goes free. I have to fight the urge to run when Father's eyes turn to me.

"What does it matter to you? He is nothing to us."

Nothing to us. The idea of Father acknowledging me on his side is what I have been raised to be, but the thought strikes me fast that I have no time to prepare myself.

Father catches my hesitation and straightens. His eyes scan the guests around us. None are obvious about it, but I know they are listening to every word. Father knows it too, though he is less eager to redeem his name than normally.

He turns to Jungkook. "I do not want to see your face again."

"Likewise."

The silence between them is as cold as the night air. I don't want to see them fight. It's bad enough with all the trouble Jungkook has been through with me. I regret ever raising a hand to him. If anything, I proved that I am more similar to Father than I knew.

A little girl screams, and I twirl around. Jungkook and Father do the same, each of us looking more surprised than the other.

The girl struggles against Maurice, who binds her arm tight and drags her along with him. She thrashes her head and kicks at his shins, but nothing she does overpowers old Maurice. To my surprise, she manages to use her teeth and bite at Maurice's ankles like a dog, but she isn't quick enough to avoid his backhand.

"What is the meaning of this?" Father says evenly, his tone lacking empathy.

"A little rat got too curious for her own good," Maurice reports. He digs into his pockets with his free arm and drops a pair of golden earrings into Father's hands. "Lady Eleanor was missing a pair, and this girl was sneaking out of the cabin when I found her."

Beside me, Jungkook goes still.

"You expect me to believe a child destroyed my cabin?" Father laughs.

I can't tell who is more angered: the girl or Maurice.

"Sir, she had the earrings in—"

"Ji-woo!"

Behind us, a face I recognize is running straight for the girl. Hoseok sprints so fast I can barely see his feet touching the ground. But Maurice is ready. He stands where the girl is blocked from Hoseok, who is met with Maurice's arm as a shield.

"That's my sister!" Hoseok shouts. His face has turned a bright red, and I am frozen in place. Jungkook, however, is right on Maurice's side like a leech, clawing and punching every inch of flesh he can get his hands on.

Ji-woo wails and that's when I snap back.

I scoop her up in my arms and cradle her tight. Ji-woo whimpers, and I tuck her small head down. She buries her face into my shoulder, crying loudly. I want to shift her on my hip, but I pause when something sharp pokes through her sock.

Ji-woo instantly stops crying. She looks up at me with guilty eyes, and suddenly my stomach drops. "What's that?"

She remains silent.

"Ji-woo?"

Her big brown eyes are tearing up again. She looks away, but lifts her sock up and digs inside her shoe until she pulls out a silver chain. On the end is a big blue diamond.

"Did you steal..."

Then I realize Father has been watching us.