•••

"hey princess, happy birthday to you," hyunmin says with a warm smile, hugging his daughter close to his chest and pats her back, "every year my baby's growing up, and today you're twenty-one. be happy always, stay healthy and have everything you love. god bless you my little girl,"

"thank you, but i do expect a bigger gift than your pretty wishes for me," hayeon snickers, kissing her dad's cheek and hugs him again, "i already kinda have everything that you said dad, i am happy, and healthy and even have everything i love- i mean, i got the best dad in the world, the best boyfriend, a best friend," she glances at jimin who gasps and nods proudly in approval of her words, "-and i'm doing what i wanted to do, as in being a writer. so you see, i've got everything,"

"you deserve all of it," hyunmin emphasizes, cupping her cheek with his hand. then jimin clears his throat dramatically, stepping forward next to the father, holding a cake in his hands for hayeon.

the girl smiles at him, taking her birthday cake and whispers a soft 'thanks' to jimin, making him smile as well, as he wraps his arm around her shoulders, subtly hugging her from the side, "happy birthday, angel,"

hayeon glances up at his face before blowing off the candles and closes her eyes to wish something, but it's interrupted when a door clicks open at the end of the hallway and a lazy jungkook steps out, headphones hanging from his neck, bare chest and abs on for a display with the grey joggers hanging loosely on his torso, leaving the band of his kelvin clien underwear visible.

"hey...?" he husks out, pushing his hair back and licks his lips, "why is everyone up?"

"ah jungkook-ah, i didn't wake you up- you looked tired so," hyunmin says, "it's hayeon's birthday, i told you remember?"

"ah yes," jungkook nods, stopping near the three and looks at the birthday girl, his brows arching up at angle and so does his lips, curving into a half smile, "happy birthday park hayeon,"

"thank you jeon jungkook," she giggles, showing him the cake jimin and her father brought, "wanna join?"

"right now?" jungkook asks, glancing at hyunmin who shrugs his shoulders and pats his daughter's head.

"you kids can stay up if you want. i'm gonna sleep now. once again, happy birthday hayeonie, and don't bother the boys too much." he says before heading downstairs, leaving the young people alone to celebrate hayeon's birthday at midnight.

the girl smiles in excitement, entering the room followed by the two boys from which jimin glares at jungkook, walking ahead first to always keep jungkook away from hayeon. jungkook scoffs lightly at the attempt as he sits on the bed and puts his headphones down, "i totally forgot it was your birthday," he says.

"that's okay, it's not that big of a deal," hayeon shrugs and picks up the plastic knife as she settles the cake on the table and glances at the boys, cutting out a slice of the cake, holding it for jimin to eat first. he takes a small bite, smiling at her as he gets some icing on his finger and puts it on her cheek, making hayeon whine in annoyance, pulling her head back and shoves the rest of the cake in his mouth.

"it tastes good," jimin laughs, "you should try it,"

"obviously it's mine," she huffs, cutting another slice and feeds it to jungkook who eats half, then takes her hand, making her eat the rest of it while he licks the cream off his lips, watching her giggle as she likes the cake.

in the corner of his eyes, jungkook notices a hard glare from jimin who's visibly having difficulty restraining himself from punching jungkook right in the face. he smirks off more to jimin, but keeps his eyes on hayeon and stands up, "so what do you want for your birthday?" his voice still sounds raspy and low from it being midnight and he had fallen asleep midst of watching a movie.

"nothing," jimin growls, stepping forward and keeps his arm in front of hayeon, eyes shooting daggers at jungkook's face, "you don't have to bother yourself with anything when i'm here."

"c'mon dude, it's her birthday and i do need to give her something don't you think?" jungkook smirks glancing between jimin and hayeon, "what do you say, princess?"

"don't you dar-"

"jimin!" hayeon gasps, holding his arm and pulls him back before he threw a punch at jungkook and sighs deeply, "behave yourself, jimin! you can't just hit people like that, you're a police officer! you always tell me to be responsible and now you're acting like a kid."

jimin gives a look of disbelief, "why is he calling you that?"

"i don't know, he just... likes that nickname i guess?" hayeon shrugs, "you don't have to overreact it's just a nickname. you do call me by different names too,"

"that is different! we've known each other for a long time. this dude doesn't. so he has no right over you."

"he- leave it," hayeon looks down, "just please don't fight, it's my birthday. you said you wanna see me happy, then please don't fight. jungkook is a friend,"

jimin exhales through his mouth, nodding his head slowly and hugs hayeon, "i'm sorry," he mumbles before pulling away and glances at jungkook stares back with his head tilted at an angle and eyes gleaming in mischief.

"now hug!" hayeon pushes jimin forward and stares with anticipating eyes at the two males, hoping at least one of them would lean closer and initiate the hug. "c'mon do it," she groans. but when they still don't move- just keep glaring into each other's soul, hayeon feels annoyed and steps between them, hugging the two together and nods in half satisfaction, "this is okay too... at least you made some progress,"

jimin looks away from jungkook, glancing down at hayeon and forces up a weak smile for her, subtly pulling her away from jungkook. so subtle that she couldn't even tell.

"anyway, you didn't tell me what you want," jungkook asks again and hayeon thinks for moment, but fails and shrugs her shoulders, "okay, since you don't know. i'll get something as per my wish."

"you don't have to," she says with a smile, "jimin and dad are here to shower me with gifts, even my boyfriend is coming in the morning. so you don't have to bother yourself, jungkook,"

"but i want to," jungkook says, "when you go back to seoul and carry on with your life, you gotta remember me through something, not just a guy who your dad rented for a while."

"well then, okay if you insist,"

"great!" jungkook smiles and ruffles her hair, "i should get going now, happy birthday again."

"thanks," hayeon smiles, "good night jeo- jungkook,"

jungkook notices the slip of her tongue, smirking at the little mistake and shakes his head, walking out the door without creating anything unnecessary for jimin to worry about. hayeon turns to jimin, shrugging her shoulders as her eyes land on the cake again and picks up the knife, "wanna eat more?"

"uh no, i'm good. you can have it," he sighs softly, "i'll go too, get some sleep."

"yeah," hayeon nods, having a bite and sits on the bed, keeping her eyes on the cake while her voice is softly directed to jimin, "officer park, please don't be mad. i'm sorry i don't listen to you that often even though you're here for me all the time, just because of taehyung. i'm sorry if i ever hold you back sometimes,"

jimin stops on his tracks, not turning around but smiles at the words, shaking his head subtly, "good night, sweetheart,"

hayeon looks up this time, staring at his back as he exits the room quietly and closes the door without glancing at her again. hayeon smiles to herself, focusing back on her cake, taking another bite.

•••

"so kim taehyung is coming tomorrow?"

jimin stops at the voice, finding jungkook leaning by the door of jimin's room, his arms crossed on his chest and eyes moving up from the floor to meet jimin's eyes, "how great isn't it? i don't have to go after his ass, when he's getting it here himself,"

"shut up," jimin rolls his eyes and jungkook chuckles darkly, removing his support from the door so that he's standing straight.

"just think about it, i steal his girl right in front of his eyes and he won't be able to do anything. it's gonna be so fun-"

"you wouldn't dare!" jimin growls, slamming the male against the wall harshly, "i really didn't want to see you again jungkook and i've realised this now. you're the reason tae lost his family, you lost uour dad and mom too, and you, jeon jungkook, are the reason so many people lost their lives! now get this in your fucking head- i won't let you use hayeon now,"

jungkook's gaze fluctuates, from the previous carefree glint, it turns into a furious glare snapping at jimin as he pushes the latter back, having his hand slamming on to grasp his neck, "i killed them, yeah. but you and taehyung were the heroes weren't you? why didn't you save them? why didn't you fucking save those innocent people if you care so much?!"

jimin tries to free himself but jungkook's grip on his throat just tightens, making jimin mad beyond belief. he kicks the younger on his knee, throwing a swift punch right on his nose and finds a harsh grip on jungkook's throat like he did to jimin a few seconds ago. "don't make me kill you right here, jungkook," he growls, clenching his fingers around jungkook's neck.

"go on," jungkook looks at him, "but know that i didn't do anything,"

"stop lying all the time- your whole existence, your life itself is a lie,"

"who's responsible for it?" jungkook holds the hand on his neck, gradually unclenching the clasp and takes a deep breath while his other hand works behind him to open the door and pushes jimin inside, entering right after he closes the door. "listen jimin, i really need you to know this. there's no other pers-"

"i don't care! i'm done dealing with your shit! y'know i regret it every fucking day that i let you alive that day- i didn't shoot you dead right there and... and let all of this happen..." jimin's voice trails off as he looks down, scoffing in disappointment with himself, "jungkook please, i'm serious go away. run away. just go somewhere far away where i won't see you. where no one knows you... please,"

jungkook looks away, heaving out a shaky breath as he groans lightly, "y'all made me a monster," he breathes out, grabbing his hair in frustration, "do you know the last words mom told me? 'get away, you're not my son', it's been more than five years since i last saw her..."

"you're lying again," jimin says, turning to jungkook and rubs his eyes, "you saw her two months ago."

"i did," jungkook admits with a subtle nod as he leans back, "she looked like... like she was sick? i don't know, i saw her from a distance. why don't you go to her?"

"i can't..." jimin shakes his head, glancing at jungkook, "i never contacted her after you got arrested. it was five years ago, that's it."

"why?" jungkook frowns, "are you crazy? she hates me i get that, i can't go to her- but why you? why are you doing this?"

"i don't think it's important for you to know," jimin's jaw ticks again, "get out,"

"no, you-"

"get out jungkook, i've had enough."

"fine, i know taehyung's more important to you than me. but mom too?"

"just get. out." jimin glares at him.

jungkook glares back, standing and up and fishes out a small white paper from his pocket, placing it on the desk, "you can visit if you want," he mutters, before leaving the room and jimin leans forward to pick up the paper.

it's an address which makes jimin's insides crumble as his fists clench in uncertainty and throws the paper away.

______

a/n- after a long time 😓