Jungkook noted that baldy was nowhere in sight in the cabin with the other two hijackers and guessed he was probably in the cockpit, occupied with the pilot and the co-pilot. The two hijackers still had their guns trained on the passengers in case any of them tried to play smart.

The grip Jimin had on Jungkook's hand hadn't loosened ever since one of the passengers had been shot dead. Somewhere in the midst of all the chaos, the hijacker who'd sat beside them took off his cap revealing his blond hair that fell onto his forehead in bangs, hiding his eyes behind them.

Scar-face shared a few words with blondie in a language that sounded alien to Jungkook before he followed baldy's footsteps and disappeared from sight. There was silence in the cabin that followed soon after Scar-face left the cabin.

Blondie walked up the aisle to the first row and stayed there until Scar-face returned with a message. Blondie nodded as Scar-face filled him in the details Baldy shared.

The silence was broken by a wail from a toddler in the row after Jimin's. The mother, obviously panicked by the whole situation, bounced the child in her lap and spoke in a hushed tone, pleading the toddler to stay silent. However, the panicked edge in her voice did very little to soothe her toddler, who only wailed louder.

The hijackers ignored it and continued to speak amongst themselves.

Jungkook cast a glance behind and felt a pang of sympathy when he noticed the mother's tears rolling down her cheeks as he rocked the toddler. She was scared out of her wits and the baby crying in the flight did very little to relieve her nerves.

"Shhh, look there. Look t-there."

"She's scared," Jungkook whispered to Jimin, feeling his own eyes sting with tears at how desperate she sounded.

"I know," Jimin whispered back, "I know."

"The baby can sense her distress," said Jungkook, biting his lower lip.

"I know."

"They won't . . . they won't hurt them, will they?"

"I don't think they will . . . She's a baby. Babies cry. I don't think anyone can be that heartless to harm one," Jimin whispered back to assure his lover, however doubt dripped off his own words.

They wouldn't possibly harm a baby over crying in the aircraft.

Would they?

But the agitated expression over the hijackers faces made him rethink it almost immediately.

"Shut her up!" barked Blondie and the mother flinched violently in her seat, nodding vigorously.

Waves of nervousness seemed to roll off of her as Jimin felt himself reciprocating her emotions, fearing the safety of both, the mother and child.

"They won't do anything to them," Jimin whispered, to himself or Jungkook he wasn't sure, but he tried to make it seem as convincing as possible.

Seconds turned to minutes.

The baby was inconsolable, the mother utterly miserable, her body shaking with sobs that didn't do much to comfort the upset toddler.

Scar-face snapped.

"Fucking shut her up!"

"She's a baby. Please," the mother wept, "she'll cry herself to sleep eventually. Please."

"If you can't shut her up then we'll do it," growled blondie and Scar-face snatched the baby from her hands.

"No, no please. No," begged the mother and Jungkook's heart pounded in his chest.

They wouldn't harm the baby.

They wouldn't harm—

A click of the gun was heard as Scar-face brought the gun to the baby's head.

Two screams rang through the cabin simultaneously.

The mother's terrified scream begging him to stop as she battled with the buckle of her seatbelt.

And the other from Jimin as he shot up from his seat, hands raised in surrender, as he yelled, "I'll do it. I'll do it. Wait!"

The hijacker immediately trained the gun on him, alert.

Jungkook gripped Jimin by his shirt as he raised his other hand in surrender, wide eyes fixed on the hijacker, pleading him not to shoot.

Scar-face's eyes bore into Jimin's.

"I know how to calm the baby. I've worked at a daycare center for years and I can calm her down. Please. Just give the baby to me. I'll do it," Jimin blabbered shakily.

Scar-face exchanged a look with blondie and Jimin heard the mother let out a relieved sob when the hijacker extended his arm to give the wailing toddler to him.

"Keep her quiet or I'll kill you and her."

Jimin nodded vigorously as he shakily took his seat with the baby in his lap. He pulled off his headphones from where they rested on his neck and covered the baby's ears with them. Jungkook noticing the older's trembling hands quickly took his phone from him and surfed youtube for lullabies, tapping on the first one he found.

Jimin rocked the baby close to him, smiling softly down at the toddler. Within seconds, the baby's wails quieted down and her eyelids grew heavy.

Jungkook turned back and his eyes met the mother's bloodshot ones. Somehow it was enough to communicate to the mother that her baby was safe and she placed her hand over her heart, a silent thank you communicated back.

Jungkook gave her a slight nod and a small smile before he turned back, only to find silent tears running down Jimin's face.

"Baby," Jungkook whispered, thumb brushing the other's knee.

"They would have shown her no mercy. They would have shown no remorse. She's only a baby," Jimin brokenly whispered and Jungkook immediately guided the older's head to the comfort of his shoulder, where Jimin broke down into silent sobs, his tears soaking the fabric of Jungkook's shirt.

"Shh, we'll be okay. We're gonna be okay."

Was he sure of that?

No.

He wasn't.

But hope.

That was all they could do right then.

So Jungkook held on to it.

They would be alright.

——

First voter: BTSisLifeeeeeee

[To be continued. . .]
8 May, 2023