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alice, dear where have you been? so near, so far, so in-between
. . .
"Jimin, will you stop walking around? You're making me nervous!" Jungkook stood from his chair, just beside the Chief Deputy's office. He took a glass of water and gave it to Jimin who has been worrying about the investigation ever since it was re-opened.
"How'd you know where his blades are anyway? Did you do it?!" Taehyung asked calmly. He wasn't forcing him to answer but there was a tiny sense of conviction between his words.
"Why would you accuse me?! You don't know anything about us!" Jimin walked straight to him, grabbing the collars of his shirt. They came face-to-face with each other. His fist was lifted mid-air, ready to punch, when a deep voice ceased the raging blood of the boys.
"Hey! Jimin, you're first!" That was Chief Deputy Yugyeom. He was specifically chosen to be in charge of the investigation for he was Jin's only relative. His only cousin.
Jimin dropped Taehyung and rolled his eyes at him. What happened? They were thought to be close? Taehyung paid no mind, glancing to straight off to Jungkook who didn't do anything but watch Jimin almost beat him up.
"Take a seat, Jimin," Yugyeom ordered in which Jimin obediently followed. He looked around, inspecting the room where there was a CCTV camera and a huge glass window.
Someone must be watching us, he thought.
"Jimin, you were the one who found his body, you were the one who found this bit of evidence." He brought out the box of blades wrapped in plastic. Jimin stared at it for a while, not knowing what to do.
Yugyeom leaned closer to him, their faces only a few inches apart.
"What else have you found out?" His breath was drawing closer to Jimin's face.
"What else do you know?"
. . . [Three months ago]
"Jimin! Why are you being so dramatic? The boys are having fun inside the dorm!" Jin was chewing on the meat while holding the rest of barbecue in his hand.
He may have noticed someone was missing from the pack. He was the oldest member. He was the Alpha.
"Nothing. Leave me alone. I want to be alone," Jimin spoke faintly. He was sitting on the grass, embracing his knees, while he played with the toads on the pond.
"Jimin, I can't do that. You know you can always—" Jin wasn't able to utter another word.
"Leave me alone!" the younger raised his voice at him.
But he was his friend. Why the sudden change of attitude?
Jin felt something crumble inside his chest. He understood Jimin more than anyone, but why is he pushing him away? There was something about the way he acts that he couldn't fathom. It was dark. It was wrong. It was something evil. But would he end up doing what's right?
Jin just couldn't let go of what's bothering him. His 'older brother' instinct forces him to comfort the younger ones. After the party was over, he stood with him under the sea of stars. He noticed he was crying, and it worried him more. He looked at him, examining his sadness.
"It hurts to see them, hyung," he confessed, and then Jin knew what he was sulking about.
There was a secret they both shared, it was a painful story. A tragic one. It was something buried deep inside Jimin's heart, it was the string that keeps them together.
"Why don't you just tell them the truth? I'm sure they'll understand?"
"I wish it was that easy."
"Come on, let me show you something!" Jin grabbed his hand and he had no choice but to follow. Jin took him into his room and showed him a tea set. Only it was a toy.
"Let's drink tea, and hope you'll feel better." Jin took the kettle and imaginarily served hot tea to him.
Jimin grew scared although he knew his hyung had schizophrenia. There were times where he would play tea party with himself, or talk to an imaginary friend. He couldn't distinguish reality, and it was frightening.
"Hyung? Are you with me?" Jimin asked. His voice was shaking, his breathing was fast.
"Am I doing it again? Are you my only guest?" There was panic in his eyes. He could see things his friends would never understand.
"Kill me, Jimin, please." He was looking straight into his eyes, begging and screaming for help, but what could Jimin do?
Jin understood him very well, but the younger barely knew what was going on in his hyung's mind.
"Oh please, do it! They're getting mad at me!" Jin could see his guests drawing closer to him. He laid on his back with his hands wagging on air, pushing them away. All Jimin could see was Jin, weirdly quivering on the ground.
He swallowed his fear and shook him up. "Hyung! Hyung!" he called.
Jin took a deep breath and cried. He wept on his chest while telling him how he couldn't control himself anymore, and that it scares him more than anyone. He so desperately wanted to die.
"Kill me. Promise me that next time I do it, you will kill me."
. . .
"So? Did you do it?!" Yugyeom was more determined to make the lad answer, he was sure he did it. Now, he only needs his confession.
"Why would I? I admit I was scared but I won't—" Jimin tried to justify himself.
"But did he do it again? Did he invite you in for another tea party?"
"Yes," Jimin was calmer this time.
"Did he—Did his guests attack him again?"
"Yes."
"Did you keep your promise and killed him?"
His answer surprised the Chief Deputy. He was sure he did it. But criminals don't easily confess to their crimes, they like to have fun.
