(A/n:- The art is NOT mine. Credits to the beautiful artist who made it.)

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Do you know what a mother does when her kids fight with each other?

She puts them in the same room and locks the door from outside. After a couple of minutes of pulling hair and screaming at each other, they would resolve the fight.

Taehyung was a very obedient kid to his mother since he was young. And a single child above that. He didn't know the knack behind fights and building peace between the two parties. He never got the opportunity to experience such an aggressive moment with a sibling and resolve it the next moment.

So, our genius Taehyung dragged both their asses to a room and pushed them over the bed. He sat in the middle of them to prevent them from getting physical again.

"Now what was the fight all about?" Taehyung asked with crossed legs scooting back into the bed.

Yoongi huffed and turned to the opposite side. He didn't dare to look at Hoseok who almost choked him to death.

Hoseok, on the other hand, felt guilty for his behaviour. He isn't the person to get violent. It was just the shoes. He could have resolved the matter by telling the truth. His heart clenched every time Yoongi rubbed his hand over his neck to soothe the pain that built up there.

Truth is a big word.

It's not about the content. It's about the thought process behind it. The amount of time you put into rephrasing your sentences and the series of emotional torture you go through is the real barrier.

Speaking truth would be a flip of a paper cup if it was empty from the inside. But it isn't the case when it's filled with hot tea or coffee. Similarly, truths can't be put out easily without hammering your head multiple times with consequences you could face after putting them out.

Hoseok is also a human after all. He couldn't afford to put out the painful truth hidden in his heart for so long.

And the shoes were a part of his traumatic past.

How could he speak about it so openly in a hallway occupied by so many people?

It just struck the wrong chord in his body and ended up throttling Yoongi. It wasn't intentional. It was a protective reflex his body had produced.

He was guilty of his actions and wanted to ask for an apology. But Yoongi wasn't ready to turn around and face him.

And Taehyung sitting between them wasn't helping either.

"Yoongi, you better turn around and talk," Taehyung nudged the elder, but Yoongi shook his head and dropped his shoulders in defeat.

"It's...okay. I should be leaving," Hoseok mumbled to Taehyung and tried standing up.

"Wait!" Taehyung raised a tone.

"Huh?"

"Your shoelaces are untied. At least, tie them before you go," Taehyung spoke softly and kneeled before him to tie the laces.

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"Your shoelaces should always be tied, young man. I want you to stand up for yourself and others. And for that, you need to run around a lot. What happens when your laces are undone?"

"I will trip and fall...?" Hoseok answered it with doubt.

"And you will take down the hopes of the people who depend on you, too." The male explained to Hoseok with a soft smile and tied the laces tight.

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Taehyung felt a droplet fall over his hand as he tied his shoes. He furrowed his brows as he heard soft sniffles. He lifted his head to look at the male who stood there frozen with his hands trembling and tears falling over to the ground.

"Are you okay? What's the matter?" Taehyung got off the ground and held the male's cheeks.

Hoseok simply shook his head and bit his lip to stop himself from crying. Taehyung didn't want to ask further and trouble him. So, he guided Hoseok towards the bed and rubbed his back until he calmed down.

"We are just trying to do our duty, Hoseok. Our prime goal is to find the culprit and punish him accordingly and in the process of that, you might have to sacrifice a lot. It's a difficult job but it's our responsibility to keep people around us safe."

"I am sorry-" Hoseok hiccuped as he tried to stabilize his breathing.

"Yoongi might have been rude to you and I apologise for his behaviour. But we are analysts and it's the nature of our job to doubt people. We didn't order a warrant because that would mean harming an agent of our agency. We wanted to sort it out before we could take huge steps. Was that wrong, Hoseok?" Taehyung explained.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to do that to him either. I just felt overwhelmed, I couldn't hold myself back," Hoseok confessed with his head hung low.

"Would you let go of Jimin if I tell the truth?" Hoseok asked with insecurities filling the inside of his heart.

Yoongi isn't a person to hold grudges for a long time. The man is soft within with a tough outer coat. Taehyung knows him well and also the reason why he couldn't stay away from him. His ears perked up on hearing Hoseok. He immediately turned around and scooted in between Taehyung and Hoseok who were pushed on either side.

Taehyung glared at the man and Yoongi simply shrugged his shoulders, "Don't look at me like that! I am curious too."

"C...could you please hold my hand when I tell you everything? I...just want a confirmation that someone is listening to me and is beside me-" Hoseok croaked with tears slipping out of his eyes as the memories of the night flooded through his brains.

It was only moments when Taehyung took both of Hoseok's hands into his and started at Yoongi.

"He only has two hands and you are holding both of them. What do you expect from me?" Yoongi said.

"Well, you can place your hands over mine. Don't you think?" Taehyung gave him a sweet psychotic smile and dropped it immediately to glare at him.

Yoongi gulped at Tae's action and instantly placed his hands over Tae's. He didn't want to face Taehyung's wrath because the man tackles one with bone-crushing hugs and Yoongi hates hugs.

It's better to listen to him than have the punishment swinging back and forth over his head.

"I was a victim of Agent Juliet's last mission..."

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Jungkook stood in front of the dark cell that held Jimin in capture. His fingers gripped the key to the cell. It was past midnight and Jimin would
undergo final interrogation tomorrow.

He wasn't supposed to be here.

He was ordered to make sure things go smoothly.

Why was he standing in front of a supposedly criminal that would be convicted tomorrow?

Is he an accomplice?

Or, does the man have alternative thoughts over Jimin's actions?

Irrespective of the consequences of 'harm' overweighing his safety, he twisted the key into the door.

It was a crazy move.

It was impractical for others who viewed it from their perspective.

Jungkook's instincts were stronger than all the doubts combined.

He stepped into the cell and locked it behind him. He slid the key out of the cell. He wasn't confident about himself. He might go weak before the man and let him out.

It's best to lock himself with the man he once loved oh so dearly till the dusk.

Jungkook looked at the small figure that slept uncomfortably over the small bed. He made his way towards Jimin and slowly sat over the edge of the bed without letting a sound escape past his shoes.

Jimin shifted his position to face Jungkook and stared at him with an unexplainable expression.

"I... didn't know you were awake," Jungkook stuttered as he scooted further away from Jimin but was stopped by a hand over his elbow.

"Come closer," Jimin mumbled with his lashes softly fluttering to take a better look at the person before.

"I...can't," Jungkook pulled his lower lip between his teeth to curb the nervousness.

"Okay," Jimin whispered and turned to the other side with his back facing Jungkook.

It was silent.

Jungkook had no clue why he was here. Or what should he do next? However, his thoughts were cut when Jimin decided to speak.

"Do you still trust me?" Jimin asked with a low tone.

"Do you think I would be here if I didn't?"

"Why?" Jimin asked again with curiosity hitting his chest.

"I don't know Jimin. I am confused but at the same time, I have confirmation. I want to deny all the evidence against you, as a man but my duty as an agent prevents me from doing so-"

"So, did you come here to get your clarification?" Jimin asked in a dull raspy voice. He was too tired from the interrogation.

"I didn't want you to be alone."

"Huh?" Jimin perked a question and turned back to face the male.

"It's raining outside and it's too dark here. I remember how you reacted that night. It still hurts me. I couldn't afford to let you stay alone," Jungkook answered and smiled softly. His fingers flicked the small strands of hair over Jimin's forehead to look at him completely.

"You shouldn't be so sweet after what I did to you," Jimin answered with eyebrows furrowed.

"You trusted me back then. When the entire world was against me, you saved me. It's my turn to return the favour. I love you Jimin. I still do! And my heart permits me to trust you. I want to trust you Jimin," Jungkook leaned over to run a hand over Jimin's head and his nose almost touching the other's.

"I am a bad guy, Jungkook! Learn it before it's too late," Jimin mumbled and shut his eyes taking in the scent of the male leaning closer to touch their foreheads.

"You are a man that has saved hundreds of victims in his lifetime. You stayed up late at night to find their families and safely escorted them to their homes; to their loved ones. You can't betray your team nor can you break their trust. It's my guts that's speaking but your eyes confirmed it," Jungkook spoke against Jimin's lips, laying over the small bed beside him.

Jimin inhaled deeply and opened his eyes slowly to take a look at his man, "What kind of confirmation was hidden in my eyes?"

Jungkook scooted closer and wrapped his arm around Jimin's waist to pull him closer, "Your eyes asked me to wait for you to return to me. They also murmured a soft apology for leaving me behind for so long. They want me to stay by your side irrespective of the charges put against you," Jungkook paused to look at the tears forming in Jimin's eyes, "Your heart wants me to wait for you, Mimi."

Jimin broke into soft sobs with his jaw trembling to put out words. Jungkook picked the hint and pulled the man under his embrace. Jimin broke into loud cries against Jungkook's chest.

He kissed Jimin's temple and murmured soft soothing words until he calmed down. Hiccups escaped out of Jimin's lips as he tried to hold back his cries. His hands clutched onto the back of Jungkook's shirt and buried himself into Jungkook's chest.

"I love you, Kook," Jimin whispered and placed a small kiss over Jungkook's collarbone and drifted to sleep.

A/n:- THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER I CAN WRITE!

A lot of you asked me about Jungkook's character. Yes, I agree it feels shallow. It feels like the man isn't sticking upto his duties and crossing lines to be with Jimin and love the man.

Well, I purposely made Jungkook's character to look shallow. Your doubts will be answered soon when I put the past they share together.

Okay! Questions!

What do Hoseok's shoes signify?

What was the talk about Jimin saving Jungkook? When clearly Jungkook was the one who saved Jimin from dungeon.

Do you guys wanna know Hoseok's side of story first or Jimin's story?

Do tell me the comments.

Love you guys

Maddie🙂❤️.