BLOOD MONEY || bts mafia au

forty four.

Jimin had been avoiding Jungkook.

Ever since Taehyung had blurted out the truth to him, Jimin couldn't stand to be near his boss without the urge to throw up. He barely looked at him and, when he did, it stung even more. He knew he felt betrayed and hurt, and it pained Jimin to know it was because of him.

He had been with Jungkook for years, yet, he never knew what really lay behind his boss's rivalry with Yoongi, which only made it worse. He'd betrayed Jungkook and didn't even know why it hurt him. Jimin had no defense because there was none. He'd done it because he'd wanted to, nothing else. Yoongi hadn't forced him, and he was of sound mind.

Jungkook had been in and out of sleep the past three days. It turned out that the journey had tired him more than he'd thought, but Jimin was glad to hear that his wounds were healing steadily. Jimin didn't ask how far the damage went because that was just another thing that was his fault. If he hadn't left him back there... none of this would've happened.

Hoseok had been the messenger between Jungkook, who remained in his room with Taehyung constantly keeping him company, and Jimin, who acted out Jungkook's wishes in silence.

Now, Jimin was sitting in his room, waiting for Hoseok to return with the latest message from Jungkook following Jimin's daily update. A tray on his desk contained his dinner, uneaten. He stared blankly at the wall ahead of him.

Hoseok slipped inside Jimin's room with a tired sigh. "Alright, I'm back." He ran his fingers through his hair as he came to stand in front of Jimin, who barely even glanced up at him. "I don't see why I have to run between you like some personal carrier pigeon when you're literally doors away from each other."

Jimin shook his head violently. "Hoseok, I can't. I-I don't think I can face him anymore. I've failed him. He probably never wants to see me again."

At that, Hoseok's expression softened. He sat down beside Jimin carefully. "That's not true. You know he could never hate you."

"He should," Jimin muttered. "You know what I did," he continued, even quieter. "Do you hate me?"

"Jimin, how could you say that?" Hoseok cried, throwing an arm around Jimin as the younger felt tears building up. "You are one of my best friends, and I will always think the best of you. I will support you no matter what because that's what friends do. Come to me anytime, okay? I promise not to judge."

Jimin held back, clutching Hoseok's arms and bringing them tighter around himself. He hadn't realized how lonely he was until he was being comforted. "Thanks, hyung."

Hoseok smiled and gently petted Jimin's hair. "Always, Min." He hesitated for a second, and Jimin could tell the question had been sitting in the back of his head when he finally asked it. "If you don't mind me asking... Do you miss him?"

Jimin knew who he was asking about but decided to play oblivious. "Who?"

"You know who."

Jimin let his gaze drift to the floor and allowed himself to think about it. Did he miss Yoongi? The last time he'd seen the other boss, Yoongi had been telling them Jungkook was alive, and Jimin had been sobbing in his arms.

Jimin still didn't know why Yoongi had done it. Why he'd told him that Jungkook was alive when Yoongi was the very one who tried to kill him in the first place. Jimin didn't understand why Yoongi had let him and Taehyung walk free back to their own den. Why no one had shown up at their den when they knew that Jungkook was back.

He couldn't stop thinking about what Taehyung had said to him after he found out: Jin told me that he thinks Yoongi is in love with you.

If that was really true...