"Tomorrow's the big day. How you feeling?"

Jungkook hesitated. Despite the fact that his first emotion was originally excitement when Jimin had announced, after three and a half months straight of training, that he was finally ready to approach Bangtan again. He hadn't exactly presented him with it; it took Jungkook constantly bugging him to make Jimin admit that he was up to scratch. But each time he did, Jimin's hesitance seemed to grow, meaning Jungkook had to reinterate he was ready. Over time, Jungkook had become so accustomed to reassuring the elder, that he had forgotten to consider his own thoughts.

But now it was catching up.

"Jungkook," Jimin sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder, when the younger didn't reply to his question.

Jungkook looked up.

"You don't have to do this," it seemed the elder sensed his hesitance, even if it wasn't that obvious. "You can walk away."

"Jimin," Jungkook shrugged off his hold, directing his anger and confusion at the eldest.

It was largely because he didn't know how to deal with it, but it really did boil down to the sudden lack of faith Jimin seem to have. Wasn't he the one who took him on? Believed in him? Showed him the way?

So what was he doing now?

"I'm ready. I've been ready from day one; they're were the ones who said I wasn't. Sure, I may have not had the skill set, but mentally, I came to terms with this months ago. I thought you knew that. I'm doing it."

Jimin backed up, raising his hands as he sensed the youngers anger.

"I'm not saying you're not. But it would be normally for you to take time out to consider-"

"I'm ready," Jungkook hissed. "I don't need another day."

Jimin raised an eyebrow, his eyes becoming cold again.

"Fair enough. Let's go now."

"What?"

"You're ready. Why wait another day? We're doing this now."

Without another word, he turned away from the younger, exiting the room and heading out. Jungkook cursed himself for losing it; after all, Jimin had done a lot for him. Still he exhaled, loosening up before following him out.

* * * *

Jimin didn't speak the whole journey there, and Jungkook could only follow in his silence. But as this continued, his nerves were beginning to set in. They hadn't discussed it; he had no idea how this was going down. Would Jimin want the others to know he'd been helping? What would happen when they found out?

But one glance at Jimin's rigid features told him that he couldn't ask.

Since Jungkook basically knew all their hideouts, he was sure he knew where he was going. But not this time. Jimin steered off course, walking straight into a small alley, whilst Jungkook followed, as they walked the path for a while. Time passed slowly in the silence, but neither broke it.

Finally, Jimin paused and glanced around, Jungkook mirrored his movements out of habit, becoming on guard. But it was dark and empty; no one was there. Jimin moved towards the left wall, leaving the younger baffled as he opened a door he was sure wasn't there before.

Glancing momentarily at Jungkook, before shaking his head, Jimin shoved the door open.

The instant rumbling of a base speaker broke the silence, and Jungkook looked around surprised. The door opened up to another, which was quickly opened by some guard to reveal a big smokey room full of people. He resisted the urge to cough at the smell of liquor and tobacco as he glanced around. It looked similar to some kind of bar party, only less well lit and a bit more shady. Jimin didn't seem phased as the door slammed behind them, pushing through the crowds quickly, Jungkook following. They escaped the crowd, only to be met by booths and seats, each occupied by unfamiliar faces. Jimin nodded at a few older guys, who shot Jungkook an uncertain look. Jungkook stared right back anyway, unsure whether it'd be worse to challenge their glares or look away like a frozen kid.

Just when Jungkook was sure he couldn't take the thudding base any more, the room opened out. They passed through double doors, and they were in the quiet again. The music was low now, and there were only a few people walking around. He scanned the room which looked like some kind of private club, a laid back vibe and several seats and tables.

As they walked through a short corridor, Jungkook finally laid his eyes on the five figures at the back of the room; they were surrounding a snooker table. The leader held a cue - though they didn't looked entirely focused as Suga lay across an arm chair, fidgeting with a knife and V faced a dart board; only, instead of a dart, he held a hand-gun.

...

The boys spotted Jimin coming as they neared, but not Jungkook - who was at this point a shadow behind hi - as they greeted him.

"Jimin," V hollered, waving his gun in greeting. "There you are!"

"Yah don't point that at me ginger; you'll hurt yourself."

The others jeered at V's expression.

"Hyung, it's brown," he sulked, scratching his forehead with the gun. "You're the one with orange hair now."

"Light red-brown," Jimin corrected, as Jhope snickered.

"Been a bit busy recently?" his mask was gone as he lounged on a couch holding a bottle, and Jungkook raised an eyebrow; he must feel safe if that's the case.

"We've barely seen you," Jin noted, as he took his shot in the ongoing snooker game.

"You could say that," Jimin nodded, greeting the others quickly, and shooting a look behind his back. "Busy."

Jimin stepped aside before the boys could react and before Jungkook knew what was happening.

The boys instantly straightened up instantly - only Suga remaining seated - their eyes widening. Jungkook scanned their faces, surprised; more than tiresome, they looked shocked and stunned.

"Who the is that?" Suga flicked his knife so it pointed towards Jungkook accusingly, whilst the younger digested his sentence.

They've forgotten me?

"And why is he here?" Namjoon demanded, his expression suddenly stoic, in contrast with the relaxed one he had seconds prior.

V stayed silent, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the younger...

"... Kid?" he narrowed his eyes, apparently the only one who managed to decipher this.

"What?" Jin squited, propping the snooker cue up.

"Really kid?! I thought you'd given up!" V's eyes were wide as they stared at his. Jungkook on the other hand was relaxed, as he scanned the boys appearance; seemed he'd finally dyed his hair - that or it had gone back to brown. The others had changed too, and Jungkook wondered why.

The boys looked back from V to him, shocked as they understood.

"No way," Jhope seemed too shocked to be concerned.

"Nahh," Suga had finally looked up as he scanned the boy.

"It's him," Jimin finally nodded, kicking back and leaning against the wall.

"Did you grow?" Suga gave the younger a look, standing now.

"He got big," Jin nodded.

"GUYS THIS IS SERIOUS," V stomped, raking his hands through his hair. "If Daehyun finds out about this-"

"He won't," Namjoon finally spoke up. "We'll make sure."

"Really?" V gave him a judging look. "He's here hyung. He found this place. , hyung's gonna kill us all."

"He's seen my face," Jhope seemed to finally remember he was exposed, and his glare went to Jungkook.

"We should've killed him," Suga announced.

"He's a kid," Jin murmured, unsure as he watched the scene unfold.

"Suga's right," Jhope shot. "He knows too much. Even about this place."

"I'm not risking my brother being outed."

Jungkook listened attentively, tensed and ready to make a move, his eyes going from member to member. But upon the last comment, his eyes froze on V.

Brother...?

"," V cursed, realising what he had just done as the group groaned.

"Well..." Namjoon shrugged, seeing no other option, and they saw it as a go ahead.

"That settles it," Suga laughed bitterly, stretching. "You should've stayed away kid."

"Everyone shut the hell up."

His voice resonated as he eyed each of the members in turn, pushing up from the wall.

"Jimin?" Namjoon even looked surprised as he observed the younger block Suga's path.

"He didn't find it," he stepped up to Suga's glare. "I brought him here."

Silence.

"Maann, I'm ed," V seemed to finally lose it, kicking the chair across the room, slamming it into the wall. No one even flinched.

"You did what?" Namjoon hissed, as the others looked at him in shock. "You brought a kid-"

"I'm not a kid," Jungkook spoke up for the first time since arriving, causing everyone to turn to him - even Jimin - in surprise. He didn't flinch under Namjoon's deadly gaze, only standing taller.

"He's not," Jimin added finally. "I brought him cause he's ready."

"Ready?"

"The past few months everyone wondered where he went; he's been training," he ignored the mutters that surfaced. "All he's done is train. He's trained, and he's good."

Jin seemed to pick up on something, as he cocked his head to the side.

"And how are you so sure?"

Jungkook shot a look to Jimin, urging him to back out. After all, all Jungkook had riding on this was an acceptance or another rejection; Jimin could lose everything.

"Cause he learnt from the best."

Silence fell over them, as understanding dawned. Jungkook watched the different reactions; Suga rolled his eyes, collapsing in the chair again, Jhope and Jin watched silently, and Namjoon stared dead at Jimin. Jungkook's scanned their expressions, only to look right into V's watchful gaze. His expression had changed; from anxious and angry to thoughtful, as he stared at Jungkook openly.

"Well," V broke the silence. "Hyung must've seen something in him."

Jimin shot him a grin at the boys quickly seem to recover; Jimin was valued and respected. His opinion said something about the younger; definitely in V's view.

"The question is what?" Namjoon eyed Jungkook again.

"Come on Namjoon," Jimin appealed, only half serious as he rolled his eyes. "Stop being an . You said yourself he had potential. I just aided him. He can already hold his own, and he'd be useful in a fight; more reflexes than you any way."

The guys barked in laughter at Namjoon's offended features, but the leader quickly wiped the emotion off his face, staying stoic for the benefit of Jungkook.

"What about you," he stared at him. "Your apparent teacher is singing your praises, don't you have anything else to say?"

"You told me to come back when I'd grown up," Jungkook spoke up again, instantly. "Here I am. I'm ready for this."

Namjoon nodded curtly at his short response, turning to Jimin again.

"He's not the same hyung. His aim isn't to be questioned and his defense is strong - he's probably faster than most of us-"

"Kid," Before Jungkook could even fully digest the words and where they were coming from, his gaze zeroed in on the approaching steel; heading straight first for his forehead. Jungkook's mind stayed empty as he ducked, just in time, his pulse thudding in his ears. He paused, hearing the thud of the object hitting wall, before standing quickly, turning around to see the damage.

A hunting knife with a wooden handle and gold fixtures stuck about two inches in the wall, directly in line with where Jungkook stood not five seconds ago. He turned to come face to face with a familiar face.

"Fast," Suga acknowledged, pulling his knife out of the wall without so much as a glance in his potential victims way. "Jimin wasn't kidding."

Silence.

"Suga, what the ?" Jimin asked simply, watching the relaxed figure take a seat as though he didn't just attempt murder.

Even V stood ope