"What do you mean you're quitting?"

The loud blaring music from the party hall downstairs sounded muffled, but Jimin could still sense the vibration of the bass speakers beneath his feet. There was a time he used to enjoy parties like this, but it was only repulsive these days.

"Exactly what I said. I quit."

Eunji laughed deliriously. "You're mad." She shook her head, one hand raking her free hair styled to cascade around her oval-shaped face in soft waves. "It's because of him, isn't it? That boy you love."

Jimin quirked a brow. "I don't understand why it should be a concern. My two-year contract with you ends today and I'm here to tell you that I don't intend to extend it."

He received the extension of his work contract a week ago with added benefits —handsome increment with a decent annual bonus. But it didn't faze him. He could only remember the tear-streaked face of the youngest begging in his tiny voice to not leave him. Jimin shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"That boy is ruining you," Eunji hissed. "Do you even realize what you're throwing away?" She closed the distance, glaring at Jimin who stood his ground.

Jimin tilted his head, meeting her with his unwavering gaze. He wasn't afraid of her. If she tried to intimidate him with that look, it wasn't working on him. His decision was made and no matter what he will stick to it. Jimin was a man of his words. He never went back on his word.

"I'm this close to land a huge contract," she said bringing her thumb and index finger close. "Do you know what that means? Money, fame..." she continued with the same look on her face. "I could finally become what I want. We could leave and never look back."

We? Jimin's brows furrowed.

"We can go to Paris, Italy, London...hell, settle wherever we want to."

Jimin lifted a hand stopping her. "We?" he voiced out, "I'm just an assistant who handles your shit. There is no we. And why the hell would I want to leave this place? This is my home."

Why would he ever want to leave his home? His friends were here. Jungkook was here.

Eunji laughed again as if he wasn't getting her point, then folded her hands across her chest. Her eyes softened and shoulders relaxed as she spoke softly, "You have so much potential, Jimin. A bright future ahead. Why do you want to ruin it like this? That boy... he is a nobody. Why are you so hung up on him?"

Jimin hadn't realized when he had reached for her. His vision had lost its focus for a moment and then when he came around, Eunji was struggling in his stronghold, his hand gripped around her throat. When he realized what he had done, he shoved her away from him with a scrunch of his nose.

A nobody? He's is my fucking world.

"Don't dare bring him into this," he growled, his chest heaving. Jimin didn't remember the last time he felt his angry. "You don't deserve to say his name."

"Jimin..."

"No." He lifted a finger stopping her again. Jimin forced a breath, closing his eyes to compose his thoughts. When he opened his eyes, he looked at her with pity. "Have you ever been in love, Eunji?"

She blinked. He stopped her again before she could answer.

"No. So, how would you know what it feels like to love someone?"

"He's a boy. Love is when a man loves a woman and vice versa." Her anger was back. She squared her shoulders as her face twisted in disgust.

Jimin crossed his hands across his chest. It wasn't the first time he was facing hatred. He grew up hearing all sorts of words meant to bring him down. It wasn't his mistake he likes men. Eunji was just another one in the bunch. "Then you know nothing about love at all." He unfolded his hands and pushed them into his pockets. "I'm outta here."

"So you're throwing all this away just for him?"

He paused. "What's the point of succeeding in life if I don't have him in it?" Jimin threw a glance over his shoulder and soon he was out of her room.

Jimin shot up from his bed, the scene playing repeatedly in his head. It took a few moments to collect his thoughts and come back to the present. His head felt like it would explode and his breathing was ragged. He looked around realizing he was in someone's bedroom. His head hurt. It felt real. He still sensed the remnants of anger clinging in his heart. It was real. He knew Eunji. They argued.

With a racing heart, he kicked off the bedsheet and threw his legs off the bed. The world had gone dark outside the window. A soft glow from the lamp on the bedside table enveloped the room. Photos lined the lavender walls of the room, the majority of them belonged to Jungkook and Taehyung. There were a few photo frames on the table that included the three of them.

He squeezed his eyes shut, his head was throbbing again. Jimin didn't recognize the bedroom he was in. The last thing he remembered was holding the rings. The rings.

Jimin patted his pockets as his gaze swept the room, a sudden relief flooding his body when he noticed the small box sitting on the bedside table. He stumbled on his feet, grabbing the box and opened it swiftly, his heart thundering the entire time. Once again, unclear memories flooded him at the sight of the silver bands.

He traced the rings.

"Don't leave me, hyung."

Jungkook had looked at him with such pain that Jimin felt his heart tearing apart. How could he make him believe? How? The words he said weren't enough. It wasn't enough to stop the tears.

"I know I'm clingy. I know I'm not enough. But give me a chance, hyung. I can be better. I can change."

Why did he ever think he had to change?

"Stop saying that Jungkook-ah. You're enough." Jimin tried...Oh, God he had tried the entire night before Jungkook's birthday to assure that he was all Jimin needed in his life.

"Please...Tell me you'll never leave me. Tell me...hyung..."

"I'll never leave you." He had kissed Jungkook's head. But that wasn't enough. Jungkook was a tactile person. The words weren't enough, so Jimin had shut the boy with a passionate kiss, hoping Jungkook would let go of his insecurities. That night he'd made sweet love to the love of his life, murmuring soft words and promises of future. Jungkook was so beautiful, staring at him with those beautiful doe-eyes with so much hope and love that Jimin knew his decision to marry the boy was right. But he had made it memorable for Jungkook.

Jimin knew what he had to do to make Jungkook believe. He will lose his job. But he can always look for another job. However, Jungkook...he was irreplaceable. The only reason he accepted this work offer was that at that time it paid well and he believed it would help him to achieve their dreams.

But the moment it realized what it was doing to Jungkook, their love, Jimin knew he had to act or risk losing the only boy he loved more than his own life. "Give me some time, okay? I'm gonna fix this," he had murmured to Jungkook, but the boy was already asleep, passed out from the exhaustion of their lovemaking and crying. "Sleep, baby. After tomorrow, you'll never have to live with a fear of losing me."

Sobs raked Jimin's body as he hugged the rings to his chest. He had loved Jungkook so much that it hurt. Even the memory hurt as it made his heart clench. He had to see Jungkook. He needed him. Without further thought, he dashed out of the room, stumbling to a halt when he saw his friends huddled together in the living room. They were in Taehyung's apartment, he realized. He had been here twice before.

"I don't think Jimin would cheat," he heard Katy say. "It's all just bullshit to me. I know how I sound, but I've known him enough to know he wouldn't do that. It's just not in his blood."

"Yeah, he's straight forward and brutally honest. He doesn't sugarcoat," Alvie added. "If he wasn't happy with Jungkook, he'd have broken it off before going with that bitch."

"Don't forget the ring," Portia piped in. "The shop owner told us everything. Jimin ordered that rings six years ago and was supposed to pick it up. But he never made it."

Jimin froze with a frown tugging at his lips. Even in his distraught state, he was glad that his friends understood him. It didn't make sense—the photos.

"Because some bastard tried to kill him," Katy hissed. "Why would Jimin cheat on Jungkook if he had planned to make a lifelong commitment? It proves my theory all along," she continued in a high-pitched tone that she used only when she was furious.

"Exactly my point," Portia pitched in. "That bitch surely got something to do with this shit. You get her and you'll have the truth."

"Do you know where she lives? I just wanna go there and wring her neck," Alvie spat.

"It's not that easy," Taehyung said, his voice exhausted. "She's popular now and has security tailing her round the clock."

Jimin inched closer so he could now see them clearer. Taehyung was slouched on his bean bag while the trio occupied the three-seater couch. Hobi hyung and Yoongi hyung were here too. Both of them occupied the single-seater, but were deep in thought.

"If you can't get to her then make her come to us." It was Alvie, her gaze narrowing dangerously and he noticed the muscle twitching in her jaw.

"Isn't she trying to get him back?" Portia asked. "Why can't we use Jimin to lure her?"

"So you're basically suggesting that we abduct her?" Hoseok asked with a lift of his brow. "That's illegal. Do you realize that?"

"And what makes you think that she will just give you the truth?" Yoongi who was silent all this time spoke. "Taehyung here said he confronted her once. Did it work? We don't even know what exactly happened that night. What you guys are doing is assuming things based on the rings. It isn't enough to suspect Eunji, let alone question her intention."

"So are we just gonna watch and do nothing?" Katy was at it again, feet tapping nervously on the floor as she gritted her teeth. "Watch until this nameless person tries to kill Jiminie again?"

Kill? Jimin froze. His thoughts were still jumbled, he had just woken from another episode of a panic attack for god sake. He forced himself to breathe.

"I'll never let anything happen to him again. Namjoon hyung has people watching Jimin. No one will ever hurt him again."

What the—

"What's going on?" Jimin stepped into the threshold making his presence known. "Who's trying to kill me?"

Everyone's head whipped to meet Jimin. Taehyung jumped to his feet. "You're awake."

"Taehyungie...what are you not telling me?" Jimin glanced at them, realizing there was so much more going on behind his back. They all knew something he didn't.

Taehyung cast a nervous glance at them as he worried his lip. "Minnie... come sit." He took his hand and led them to the seat Yoongi just vacated. "We didn't realize you're awake." The others shifted in their seats but said nothing. "How are you feeling now?"

Jimin forced his shoulders to relax. "My head hurts but... I'm fine. Tell me, Tae. Don't keep me in the dark." He clutched his hand, locking his gaze expectantly with Taehyung's.

Taehyung nodded, various emotions flashing in his features. The room grew silent as he told him about his findings and how they think his accidents weren't actually an accident. Jimin slowly processed his mind and heart racing. When Tae finished, Jimin's hands were shaking, then he was engulfed in a warm embrace and Tae's comforting scent blanketed him.

"It's okay, Minnie. I got you." He was rubbing his back, rocking them back and forth as he knelt in front of him. "You're not alone this time. We won't let anything happen to you."

"Ju-Jungkook..."

"He knows," Tae whispered as he slowly released him enough so he could meet his gaze. "He doesn't know about Eunji yet. I didn't tell him."

Jimin nodded shakily. "I...I remembered something TaeTae. I didn't cheat." His tears were falling freely. "That day...I went to her party because I was going to quit. I...I...told her that I didn't want to extend the contract. I promised Jungkookie that I was going to fix everything. That...that..."

"Shh..." Taehyung was hugging him again. "I trust you, Minnie. I'm sorry I wasn't being a good friend before."

Jimin's hands fisted his shirt. "I need him now, TaeTae. I want to see him." His voice was muffled into Taehyung's shoulder.

"Okay." Taehyung cupped the side of his face, brushing away his tears. "Why don't you wash your face? Hmm? I'll take you to see him right away."

Jimin nodded. He was glad to have his friends around, but...but he needed Jungkook the most. The person he unintentionally hurt. The one person he dearly loved. He wanted to run into his arms and tell him how much he loved him, how much he meant to him.

"D-don't tell him yet."

Taehyung bit his lip thoughtfully as he tugged Jimin's hand to make him stand. "He needs to know, Minnie."

"I know." Jimin looked away. "But I want to be sure. I only remember that I quit. I don't know whatever happened after that. I want to know why I did what I did that day before I tell him."

Taehyung was silent for a long moment then his shoulders slumped and he nodded. Jimin briefly met the others, who were silently watching him, giving him space. He nodded at them before turning and going to Tae's room. 

Until we meet again...💜💜💜