== Chapter 5 ==

                                                                                                       The Norm                                                                                                      

== Jungkook

He felt awful. Having not slept even a wink during the whole night had undoubtedly its consequences.

“What happened to you?” One of the guys questioned, as he scanned Jungkooks face carefully with a somewhat mixture of concern and curiosity.

“This place” was Jungkook straight reply, not wanting to go into detail, as the other sneered, plopping down next to him on the bench, - his hands in his pockets, and legs crossed.

“You’ll get used to it a bit, - after a while” the guy said, as if to console Jungkook, which Jungkook found a very poor attempt at it.

“At least you learn how to sleep with one eye open in this place. One night you’re there sleeping, the next morning…khh” he made a noise, following a gesture of his thumb being dragged against his neck in a straight line, - indicating the obvious, “And they’re dragging your limp body out. You learn what you need to survive out here as you go, so don’t worry kid” he laughed, before spotting some of his ‘friends’ in the distance, as he raised a hand to acknowledge them, “See ya later kid” he mumbled, not even looking at Jungkook, before jogging off.

“What a ty place” Jungkook said under his breath, as he watched the other leave. It hadn’t even occurred to him that someone would even dare to lay a finger on him here, more so, that Jimin could attempt to kill him at night, whiles he slept.

His train of thoughts was cut short, seeing Jimin led away by a bunch of guys, ones that at closer look he recognised all too well, - ones that he himself has hired.

He stood up instantly, walking in a steady pace to catch up, but not enough to catch their attention just yet, as he observed them carefully.

Soon Jimin and guys had turned a corner behind the building, and he fastened his pace, just to come to a quick halt, as he turned the corner of the building, and shot a step back to hide. They were beating him up, and it wasn’t much of a surprise really, when it was Jungkook himself who had ordered such thing, but it was a unique experience having to witness it himself happening before him.

The sound of jeering and mocking laughs, the sound of fists meeting the others body and the sound of occasional silenced cry of pain, but not a single plea from the other to stop, and he found himself peaking at the sight again.

Jimin was on the floor, blood dripping from his lip, and his hands tightly gripping at his stomach, as he sat there on his knees with the guys surrounding him.

It wasn’t a sight that Jungkook was used to seeing, but he didn’t feel scared or surprised by it, what caught his attention instead was that smug grin that Jimin had. As if nothing they did could possibly wipe it off his face, as if he couldn’t care less about any of this.

He watched. He watched as the beating continued, and not once did Jimin try to defend himself through the whole time. At some point he felt like his and Jimins eyes had met, but the other hadn’t even bothered making an attempt to get his help. Not a single word.

-

“Why didn’t he defend?”

It felt like a mixture of emotions raging through him. The others response to it all bugged and annoyed him. He felt like he was being mocked by the other.

“He never does” came a reply, almost too impassive, as if what this man had done a mere 15 minutes ago to someone else, didn’t even really happen.

“What do you mean, he never defends?” He felt the sternness in his own voice, and it felt hard to control his expression, as he impatiently waited for a reply.

“Just doesn’t” came just as same tone of reply, “Don’t know really” he shook his head, “Just never did to begin with. We don’t care, makes it easier for us”

Of course they didn’t care. If they did, Jungkook would have been aware of this ty situation from the beginning. Instead they didn’t mention a word. Loyalty? Bull. Jungkook didn’t believe any of that . Money was what they were after, money which he had supplied to them on regular basis, under the pretence of his thankfulness towards their help.

Had he known that none of these beatings had worked for the past year, he would have cut all of the money supply, and just paid it to someone desperate to do one job, - one job to end it all.

-

It was too late to turn back the time, and so the question remained…

Why would Jimin not defend himself?

The thought lingered in his head, why let yourself to get beaten up to this degree, without even making an attempt of any sort-

Wait.

Hammer.

Why?

That time in the room, with those dirty bastards, Jimin seemed as if it was a life or death situation, he looked as if it was only normal to defend himself.

Maybe he understood when too many was too many, and there was no chance, so fighting back was useless?

But 4 vs 1, or 5 vs 1, didn’t seem much of a difference, and the question remained in his head, why?

== Jimin

He knew that these beatings weren’t just random ones, where a bunch of prisoners picked on that one unlucky bastard. He was far too smart not to notice, and he could only be ignorant of the fact to a certain degree.

Getting beaten up, was something he could take, and he had guessed more or less of a reason behind these beatings, and he felt as if it was only right to take as much as was given, after all, it only left bruises on his body.

Those sick dirty bastards that made attempts at his body were different. He felt that once he would give in to them, it would be a losing game. He would be broken mentally, and the scars would be those that wouldn’t just simply heal and fade with time, as those that he would get from the beatings.

He couldn’t lose his sanity to anyone in this place, because there was still someone out there who needed him, - someone Jimin has been protecting for so long, and forever will.

                                                                                   AUTHOR's NOTES                                                                                 

Sorry it took so long to post this chapter! I will try to post the next one way sooner!

Thank you!