“Yah, Kim Taehyung! Hand over the remote!” 

There was a thump and the brief sound of struggling before Jimin’s high-pitched squeal of victory made its way through the dorm.

“No, you’re just going to watch some stupid workout video,” Taehyung immediately began whining. “It’s my turn, I won rock-paper-scissors!”

“I’m not sitting through one of your lame alien movies,” Jimin retorted, focusing his attention on the black remote control, only for it to be ripped out of his hands unceremoniously by an unamused Namjoon.

“We’re watching the news,” he quipped and immediately the level of whining increased, the other members jumping in to aid the ‘95 line’s cause. 

“Yah, it’s important to watch the news once in a while,” the leader’s philosophical voice switched on and they all knew where this lecture was headed.

“Let’s just watch the news, pabo,” Taehyung sunk lower into the couch. “It’s better than listening to whatever is going to come out of his mouth next.”

“Yeah,” Jimin mumbled.

The weather forecast and the reports on oil usage and national issues passed by rather monotonously and Hoseok was about to press the power off button when the breaking news flashed across the screen and made everyone freeze in place.

“Good evening to all,” a handsome anchor was now the center of attention, an expression of concern painted across his face.

“This is just in from one of our reporters on the sight of an alleged kidnapping,” he continued. “19-year-old (Y/N) has been missing for a total of 5 days, prompting her family and boyfriend to start a frantic search.”

A picture of your smiling face popped onto the screen and Jimin let out a strangled gasp, sliding from the couch onto the floor.

Hoseok dropped the remote in shock, the sound of it hitting the floor resounding with a distinct clang.

Blurry footage of an interview replaced your picture, and Jimin watched with a mixture of disgust and anger as your boyfriend appeared on screen, sobbing.

“The last time I saw her was almost a week ago,” he sniffed, his eyes flooding with tears. “She told me she was going out to buy some groceries but she never came back. I started to get really worried after a few hours so I tried calling her phone, but it led directly to voicemail.”

“Did you send in a report to the police at that point in time?” the interviewer questioned.

“I did, but it took them a while to file the request,” the boyfriend nodded. He held up a selca of the two of you and pressed it towards the camera. “Please, if anyone has seen this woman, please help her come back home.”

The interview ended with your boyfriend bent-over and weeping, your smiling face staring through the screen and piercing through Jimin’s heart. 

He kept scrutinizing your face, wondering why your smile wasn’t fully reaching your eyes, and why it seemed almost forced. 

What was going on?

“If you have seen this woman anywhere, please report directly to the police station,” the news anchor reappeared, his face grim and dejected. “The case is still fresh with police unable to pinpoint a suspect. Again, if you have seen her anywhere, please contact administrative authorities at once. Good night, and stay safe.”

The screen out but the members remained frozen in their places, all too shocked to process the recent happenings.

You were Jimin’s best friend, and BTS had welcomed you into their family with open arms. Although the fact that you were missing was hitting Jimin the hardest, all the members were worried and concerned over you. 

“That bastard,” Jimin spat, standing up so quickly that he knocked the coffee table over. “Can’t even trust him to keep an eye on her!”

“Jimin, calm down!” Taehyung stood up, trying to placate him. He was shoved off violently, landing on the ground.

“What a son of a b*tch!” Jimin screamed, running his hands through his hair in agony. “I knew he was bad news, I knew he was going to pull something like this, I-”

He stumbled towards the door, pulling on a pair of random shoes and sticking his arms through a spare jacket.

“Jimin,” Namjoon trailed after him. “Jimin, you can’t leave right now. You can’t go look for her right now.”

The leader grabbed onto the younger’s arm, only to be met with flails and struggling.

“Hyung, let go of me!” Jimin cried, tears freely flowing down his cheeks. “I have to go look for her, I have to find her, I can’t just sit around and wait-”

“Park Jimin, you can’t right now. We have too many things going on. We have a schedule, Jimin, we can’t disappoint ARMY’s. After our schedule, we’ll look, I promise,” Namjoon felt horrible saying these things but it was his duty as the leader.

“I can’t-” Jimin began heaving hysterically.

The members watched as he dropped onto the floor and curled up into a fetal position. 

“(Y/N)-ah, please be safe. (Y/N)-ah, (Y/N)-ah, (Y/N)-ah…” he mumbled.

“Please come back home.”

*~* 

After a fan-signing event, Jimin was the first to disappear backstage. When the other members arrived at the dressing room, they found Jimin kneeling on his knees with tears streaming down his face.

“Please, you have to let me go find her.”

The members all sighed, having grown accustomed to this. Taehyung and Jungkook bent down to sling their arms under Jimin’s, dragging him onto his feet. 

“Jimin-ah, we’re all concerned for her,” one of the managers explained for the nth time, “but you know we can’t just let you ditch your members and your schedule and your fans.”

Jimin sighed, his fists clenching in frustration. “But if you just let me-”

“No, this isn’t up for discussion. Jimin-ah, try not to worry too much, otherwise the fans will notice and things will get out of hand, okay? Don’t worry because the police will find her soon.”

The manager walked out and Jimin collapsed into a heap, sobs wracking through his body. He might’ve believed that a few days ago, but another week had passed and he was well aware that you had been missing for two weeks now. 

“Jimin-ah,” Jin murmured, wrapping his arms around the younger male. “She’s going to be fine.”

One by one, the members all converged around Jimin, surrounding him in a pile of limbs. 

“We’re here for you.”

“But I need to be there for her,” Jimin whispered.

*~*

Despite the company keeping a strict eye on Jimin at all times, he still managed to sneak out and tried to call your phone several times, only to reach your voicemail every single time. 

It was beyond frustrating, this routine that had slowly begun to take over his life. 

He’d wake up, if he were to get any sleep that is, and reach for his phone. During meals, he sent out at least ten messages, all to no avail. 

This cycle continued on for a few weeks and it was no secret that Jimin had become a mess. The fans began to notice that something was wrong, from the way Jimin had lost weight, from the way makeup could not conceal his dark circles, from the way he was often distracted and would not deliver his best. 

“Jimin-ah, you need to get your act together,” the managers were constantly scolding and disciplining him, but it was like it would go in one ear and out the other. 

The only thing that mattered was making sure you were safe.

*~*

Dance practice had just ended and tension hung in the air. Jimin sat in the corner, secluded from the rest of s, aware that all the members were irritated with his less than perfect participation tonight. He had missed all of his entrances and had repeatedly messed up, combination after combination. 

Not even Taehyung had been able to approach him, he had completely shut himself out.

“Park Jimin, who do you think you are?” Taehyung finally broke the silence, tears streaming down his face. “You have no right to be treating us like strangers when we’re trying to help you!”

Something in Jimin snapped and he met Taehyung’s tear-filled gaze with an anguished look of his own. “(Y/N)-ah is my best friend and to know that she’s not home, safe under her covers at night…it kills me, okay? So cut me some slack, you guys don’t understand-”

“But we do understand!” Jungkook retorted, his body trembling in anger. “We understand because the same thing that’s happening to you with (Y/N)-ah is happening to us…but with you instead.”

“So don’t even try playing that card,” Hoseok joined in. “You’ve lost the right to, a