The loud shot of the gunshot echoes across the empty area. Jimin sees too much in front of him to even comprehend what is happening but one detail registers in his mind.

It is the lifeless body of the boss lying on the ground in a pool of blood. The same man who had stood in front of Jimin, the images of him in front of Jimin, the cold smile on his face as he had grabbed Jimin’s hand, the sweet voice in which he had spoken all seem like a distant memory for Jimin like it’s from another time altogether. 

It’s almost as if time had stopped still as well and as much as Jimin wants to look away his eyes are fixed on the dead man on the ground and the pool of blood that seems to be just increasing. When Jimin does finally look away he sees Jungkook.

His, Jungkook whose eyes are on the dead man on the ground, his hands are wrapped around a gun that is still pointed and Jimin notices his hands shaking when he realizes what happened.

“Jungkook,” a strangled cry escapes Jimin’s throat. He is running towards Jungkook and watches Jungkook finally drop the gun down on the ground which makes a small thud sound as he slowly crumples on the floor.

“Jungkook,” Jimin calls out again now kneeling down next to him.

Jungkook doesn’t react however as Jimin wraps his hand around his shoulders.

“Jungkook, look at me,” he says his voice firm and watches Jungkook turn his face around a bit, his eyes glazed, far too gone and Jimin notices his lower lip trembling.

“Jimin,” he says his voice slow and on the edge. “I…I just…just killed a man”

They are driving now. Jimin only sees rows of trees zooming by as Yoongi drives really fast while Taehyung is sitting on the front seat with him looking at him and Jungkook who is sat on the far end of the seat looking out of the window.

Jimin wants to comfort him but he feels his empty words of consolation will not help Jungkook, not after what has happened.

“Yoongi hyung,” Jungkook says after a little while. “Can you…please stop the car?”

Yoongi nods and stops the car. Jungkook practically skids out of the car and Jimin almost follows in concern until he sees Jungkook bending down against the side of the road. He is puking his guts out. Jimin’s eyes meet Taehyung’s and he is biting down on his lip.

Jungkook returns after five minutes, getting in the car and closing the door. He just nods looking at Yoongi.

Yoongi starts driving again while Jimin stares at the endless rows of trees that keep passing by.

When the car stops in front of Jimin’s house, it takes him a while to register that he is home. Everything seems different as if he hadn’t been here for years.

Jimin takes a deep sigh as he looks at Yoongi and Taehyung. 

“Thank you for everything,” he says to Yoongi and Taehyung. “Thank you for helping me”

Taehyung actually presses his lips into a smile.

“Please take care of yourself,” he says. “And if you need anything then please tell us”

“I will have men here outside your house…you know just in case,” Yoongi says. “You don’t have to worry about anything”

Jimin nods.

“Thank you,” he says.

He now looks at Jungkook. He wants to say a lot but he figures he can save it for later so he just hugs Jungkook.

“Thank you,” he says against his ear.

Jungkook doesn’t hug him back. Jimin quickly moves away hastily wiping a tear that has formed as he opens the car door and steps out.

He walks out when he hears the sound of a car door opening again. Jimin looks back to see Jungkook has come out of the car and is now walking towards him.

He doesn’t say anything neither does Jimin as they walk to the house together. The car drives by. Jimin didn’t expect Jungkook to come with him but he feels a lot better knowing that he won’t be alone tonight but with Jungkook after a long time.

The house feels as if it has been empty for a long time. There are books that cover every inch of the coffee table, a soda can lying on the floor, dishes to be done in the sink, an unwashed pile of laundry that Jimin had meant to do after getting back home…

It’s a daunting task and Jimin sighs a little as he bends down to pick up the books. Jungkook joins him.

“It’s okay I can do it,” Jimin says immediately.

“Let me help,” Jungkook says so Jimin doesn’t protest. Jungkook picks up the trash that litters the floor and then heads to the kitchen where he washes the dishes, and only the sound of the plates and the flowing water fill the deadly silence of the room.

Jimin does the laundry. Doing something almost distracts him from everything that has happened and gives him a sense of normalcy like it’s just another night of him cleaning the house, that nothing has happened…

Jimin puts the clothes in the drier and goes to the kitchen where Jungkook is wiping the counter.

“You hungry?” he asks Jungkook.

Jungkook shakes his head no and continues to wipe the counter. Jimin, on the other hand, feels famished. He hasn’t eaten in a long time. Jimin sets a kettle of water to boil and takes out one of his last cup noodles. Most food in the fridge has gone bad.

He pours the water in the noodles and takes it out to the living room. Jungkook too is sat on the couch and has the TV. He is staring at the screen but doesn’t seem to realize the TV is on mute.

Jimin sits down next to him mixing his noodles. He takes a bite and feels satisfied finally when he realizes Jungkook’s eyes are on him.

“Do you want some?” he asks Jungkook.

Jungkook shakes his head no and Jimin slowly realizes that Jungkook is looking at his hand, the one with the missing finger. Jimin sets down the cup and tries to hide his hand when Jungkook takes his hand in his.

“I’m sorry,” he says his voice sounding like a hushed whisper.

“It’s not your fault,” Jimin says.

“But it is,” Jungkook said. “I ed everything up for us…for everyone”

“Listen,” Jimin says cupping Jungkook’s face in his hands. “Nothing that happened is because of you…it just happened…and we can’t change it and I don’t want you to take the blame for any of it”

Jungkook doesn’t say anything but just buries his head into Jimin’s chest.

Jimin was sleeping until he hears a loud noise.

He opens his eyes and sees Jungkook sitting up his head in his hand. Jimin sits up.

“Jungkook are you okay?”  He asks.

Jimin notices Jungkook is practically trembling.

“Jungkook,” Jimin says. “What happened?”

“I saw him…,” Jungkook says.

“Hey it’s okay,” Jimin hugs him. “It’s not real”

“There was so much blood and he was in pain…,” Jungkook goes on before he pauses. “I don’t know what to do”

“It’s okay,” Jimin says rubbing circles on Jungkook’s back. “You should go back to sleep”

“I don’t want to…see him again,”

“You won’t,” Jimin says firmly. “Trust me”

Jungkook just nods as they slowly lie down and Jungkook gets closer to Jimin resting his head on Jimin’s chest.

“I am scared,” he says his voice barely a whisper.

“I am here for you,” Jimin says.

They fall asleep together.

The days are hard to go by. They are painfully slow yet at the same time, they pass like a breeze t