Jin ran out the door after Jungkook. "I said no! Stop!" When he was out into the hall his maknae was already out of sight. He knew exactly what he was trying to do and it sent a reign of terror straight through his body. He knew the members could handle Shik on their own, but if Jungkook got in there he had no idea what that man might try to do to him, because he knew the man was definitely angry considering they could hear the police sirens outside at this point. He internally yelled at himself for letting his maknae get away. You had one job, Jin! One damn job!

"Jungkook!" He screamed. He ran as fast as he could around the corner and caught sight of his maknae running towards the dance studio. "I am telling you to stop!"

"No! I have to save them!" Jungkook screamed back at his hyung. To both their surprise, the rush of adrenaline that shot through Jin sent him into hyper speed and he caught up to Jungkook and grabbed the back of his shirt.

"Let go of me!" Jungkook screamed and tried to pry Jin's hand off of his shirt. They were so close to the practice room.

"No!" Jin screamed back.

When Jungkook tried running again, Jin did the only thing he could think of to stop Jungkook from possibly running straight to his death. He tackled Jungkook straight to the ground and they both fell with a loud thud.

"Ow!" Jungkook yelled, clutching the stitches on his stomach.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to hurt you but you have to stay away from him! At least until he's in handcuffs and can't hurt you!"

"Get off of me!" Jungkook screamed while trying to wiggle his way out from under Jin. "You expect to just sit here and let him hurt hyungs in the meantime?!"

"He won't!"

"You don't know that, Jin!"

Jin's heart sank even more. If he was being honest with himself, he realized Jungkook was right, he didn't really know. But he knew the five of them were together and there to protect each other if Shik tried anything so he reassured himself that they had to be okay.

"Please," Jungkook cried, "let me up."

Jin hesitated. "They aren't going to get hurt. I just know it, okay? I'll only let you up if you promise me you won't run again. Just come back to the conference room and wait."

"Fine."

Jin stood up and helped his maknae to his feet. He noticed Jungkook clutching his stitches again.

"I'm sorry, are you okay? I didn't rip them did I?" his hyung asked.

Jungkook lifted his shirt to check. "No, I'm okay." He was a bit sore but Jin hadn't done any damage.

"Good," Jin said. He went to grab Jungkook's hand to guide him back to the conference room, and before his hand caught Jungkook's, the maknae immediately booked it down the hall again just escaping his hyungs reach.

Jin was furious. "JUNGKOOOK!" he screamed as he ran after him again. He rounded another corner and felt the fear course through his chest again when he saw Jungkook fling the door open to the practice studio and throw himself inside. He sped in after him.

"SHIK STOP! STOP STOP! PLEASE!" Jungkook screamed. He stopped and was a bit confused when he saw Shik sitting on the floor next to his hyungs.

"Jungkook get out!" Jin screamed from behind him as he stumbled in through the door.

The members all froze and then turned to Jin.

"Why is he in here?! Get him out!" Yoongi screamed.

"I'm trying!" Jin screamed back.

Taehyung immediately switched into protective mode and ran to Jungkook trying to push him back out the door.

Jungkook fought his way past Taehyung and ran to Shik, who had now managed to stand back up.

"Please don't hurt them, please leave them alone." Jungkook's eyes released rivers of tears. "Do whatever you want with me but please don't hurt them!"

Namjoon pulled Jungkook back away from Shik.

Shik stared at him, the maknae could see the evil behind his eyes. "You!" he snarled at Jungkook. "What the hell have you done you piece of shit?!"

"I'm sorry!" Jungkook screamed back.

"Fuck off Shik! It's over!" Hobi screamed.

Jimin and Yoongi both stood between their maknae and their manager to block them from each other. Shik ran straight at Hobi and grabbed him by the throat and slammed him onto the floor. The rapper started coughing violently as he gasped for air.

"NO!" Jungkook screamed. He and Yoongi both ran at Shik while the others ran to help Hobi up. Thankfully he was okay, just winded.

Shik darted from their path and ran up behind Taehyung and punched him in the back of the head, sending him diving to the floor too.

"Taehyung!" Jungkook screamed.

It seemed like every time he turned another one of his hyungs was getting hurt. He knew Shik was a strong man but didn't realize just how strong until actually seeing him fight off his hyungs. Jin ran to Taehyung and helped him back up. All of them were in tears. They wondered what was taking the cops so damn long, they knew they only needed to last until they were inside.

Jungkook ran up to Shik and to his own surprise, punched him in the face. "Leave them alone you bastard! Don't touch my hyungs! Fuck you! Go to Hell!"

Shik grabbed his wrist and pulled him in to him, then wrapping his arm around his throat and making him face his hyungs. He had Jungkook in a tight chokehold.

"Let go of him or so help me God!" Jin screamed.

Everyone ran towards their maknae. Shik backed up, choking him harder. He placed his other hand firmly against Jungkook's head. "If any of you come any closer, I will snap his fucking neck in half and you can say goodnight to your stupid little maknae! Do you understand me? I will not hesitate to kill him if you take one more goddamn step!"

All of the members completely froze in place. Taehyung let out the loudest sob out of all of them. "Please let him go. Please. He doesn't deserve this!"

They all watched as Jungkook tried gasping for air but couldn't. He was trying to claw away at Shik's arm but it was no use. Jungkook's heart was beating so hard in his chest he was sure it was going to beat right out of his body. As scared as he was, the only thought going through his head was that this was how it was supposed to be, better him than any of them.

Shik took his hand off Jungkook's head and lowered it. He started lifting Jungkook's shirt and immediately started pulling at his stitches. Even through his choking, the ear piercing scream that left his body echoed through the studio and rattled his hyungs ears.

"You're dead!" Screamed Jin.

Now that Shik wasn't in a position to snap their maknae's neck, all the members ran at them.

Taehyung and Jimin grabbed Jungkook and fell to the ground while the other members tackled Shik and used their body weight to keep him pinned to the floor.

"You're fucking done Shik! Burn in hell!" Yoongi spat right into Shik's face. The manager tried to wiggle his way free but couldn't.

Jimin and Taehyung were checking on Jungkook who was a complete disaster on the floor. He was clutching his stomach and crying in pain.

"Let hyung see. Did he rip them out?" Taehyung asked frantically. He lifted Jungkook's shirt and thankfully Shik hadn't had the chance to rip the stitches out. He'd just pinched them so hard causing them to bleed a little.

"Alright, you're okay. You're okay." Jimin picked him up into his lap and held him tightly. He could feel his maknae trembling with fear.

The cops finally ran in.

"Took you long enough!" Hobi screamed at them. "He tried to kill him!"

The police apologized and said they got stuck behind assholes who wouldn't clear a path for them. They bent down and cuffed Shik, the members finally got off of him.

No time was wasted, Shik was quickly dragged away as he spat profanities at all of them. "You better watch your fuckin backs! I'll be back for you! You hear me Jungkook?! I'm coming back for you, you motherfucker!" With that, he was gone.

Everyone turned their attention to Jungkook who was curled up, trembling and sobbing in Jimin's arms. They surrounded him on the floor.

Taehyung took his hand. "Bunny it's over. He's gone. It's over."

The maknae looked up at his hyungs. "It will never be over! He'll come back and he'll kill us! He's going to get out and kill you, kill me. Kill all of us!" He turned to Namjoon and screamed at him through his tears, "You lied! You lied to me! You promised me you wouldn't tell him you knew!"

Namjoon's heart sank but before he could reply Yoongi interjected. "He didn't lie. He didn't tell Shik anything. But the rest of us never promised you anything, so I'm the one who called the police."

"It was implied that nobody was supposed to say anything!" Jungkook spat.

"And just let him kill you?!" Hobi yelled back.

"If that's what it takes to protect you. Sure! He hurt you and Taehyungie hyung!" Jungkook dropped his face into Jimin's neck. He was heartbroken over having seen Shik hurt both his hyungs even though they were both okay.

Jin rubbed his back. "Hey, it doesn't matter now does it? We did what we needed to do to keep you safe. And look around, maknae. You're safe now. He's gone. And I can promise you he isn't coming back to hurt any of us. He's going away for a very very long time."

"You don't know that hyungie! He could end up a free man and come right back. Or or or he could break out of jail and come for us!"

"Kookie this is just your anxiety talking," Jimin told him. "He can't break out and he isn't going to hurt anyone anymore."

"He could," Jungkook worried.

The members tried convincing him that it wasn't going to happen but the maknae wasn't convinced. After they had all calmed down they scooped Jungkook up and headed home.

Jungkook got a call that he'd be mailed a bunch of paperwork he'd need to fill out.

At home, Jin had Jungkook lay on the couch while he cleaned his stitches so they wouldn't get infected. He put his medicine on and covered it with a bandage. Thankfully the bleeding had stopped. He brought his maknae ice packs for his neck, it was really sore after being choked and to everyone's heartbreak both him and Hobi had significant bruising around their necks.

Jungkook was terrified to be left alone even in his own house so everyone stayed with him in the living room. He had Namjoon and Taehyung make sure every single window was shut and locked as well as their door. He couldn't get over the fear that Shik would break out and come for them.

For the next few hours the members sat around discussing what to do now. Jungkook was finally asleep on the couch after Jimin had given him some medicine to help him calm down. Yoongi was sitting on the couch with his maknae's head in his lap. He was on standby incase the nightmares started. He played with the youngest's hair.

"I'm really sorry," Jin finally started, "It's my fault he got in. I should have kept a better eye on him. He tricked me and escaped twice. I should have known better."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. No sense in dwelling on it," Namjoon replied.

"I can't believe..." Hobi got teary eyed, "That that's what the past few months has been like for him. All that he's been through. It all makes sense now, why he was so terrified all the time. Shik is so damn scary. Our poor Jungkookie." Hobi wiped the tears that fell.

The members were silent. They all felt so terrible. Jimin figured since they were already in a bad mood anyway, he might as well lay it all on the table at once. "Well now what? Now we don't have a manager. We need one..."

The members looked around at each other. Taehyung turned to Namjoon. "Can't you just do it?"

"What? Me? Tae I can't be the leader and member of this band and be our own manager. That's too much. And I don't know the first thing about being one."

"But we can't trust anyone else," Jin frowned. "I will never trust anyone else."

"Aish..." Namjoon groaned. He realized he'd never trust anyone else either.

"So what do we do?" Jimin asked.

"I don't know," was Namjoon's only response.
--
A week and a half had gone by. Jungkook's paranoia had gotten the best of him most days and he found himself repeatedly checking the locks. He couldn't be alone at all. He needed a hyung everywhere at all times. Even when he showered he needed a hyung to be in the bathroom.

Yoongi slept in his bed with him every night and was constantly helping his maknae through his night terrors as they were frequent. Shik hadn't been convicted yet, he was still on trial. Jungkook had filled out endless amounts of paperwork and they had a court date soon.

No matter how many times his hyungs tried to tell him Shik wasn't going to escape or be set free to come murder them all, the maknae wasn't convinced. While at work he insisted everyone stick together the entire time. They had to take all their studio equipment and move it into one big room for the time being. The maknae's paranoia was exhausting but the hyungs were doing the best they could.

Namjoon told Jungkook he needed to retry therapy as soon as possible . The maknae was horrified by the idea, but Namjoon called Jungkook's doctor and they did a group call to discuss options.

They informed the doctor of what happened and he gave them a great big "I told you so!"

They were able to set sessions up with a woman who could come to their house and Namjoon promised to sit in with him until he was comfortable doing it alone. Although hesitant, the maknae had finally agreed.

Namjoon took on the managerial duties for the past week and a half but it had become way too hard way too fast. He couldn't keep up and quite simply didn't want to do it anymore. One day at work, he finally admitted it to his members.

"We need to start looking for a new manager. I can't do this forever."

"But hyung..." Jungkook pouted.

"I know we are all scared and won't trust anyone but we have to realize not everybody is out to hurt us. And it will be different this time. We will make it more professional. More strict."

The members agreed that although they were scared, they knew their leader couldn't do it forever. Namjoon went to the company and had them post the job listing.

Unfortunately the post brought to light that something had clearly happened with their old manager and everyone in the world wanted to know what. Jungkook was frustrated and embarrassed. He didn't want the world knowing what had happened but he knew as soon as he was seen going to court with his members that it'd quickly get out. There wasn't much he could do about it.

A few days later Namjoon came to the members and told them the company found a very qualified and likely candidate who Namjoon himself was already ready to hire. Jungkook trembled and Jin pulled him into a hug.

"Who is it?" Taehyung asked.

"Do you trust me?" Namjoon asked.

"Of course, Joon-ah. But who is it? Just because I trust you doesn't mean I trust them. Who is it? Anyone we know?"

"No, nobody we know. However I think you'll be amazed at their qualifications and I want to keep it a surprise," Namjoon smiled.

"I don't like surprises anymore," Hobi replied.

Namjoon walked over and placed his hand on Hobi's shoulder. "You have to trust me."

"Yeah and what if this new manager starts beating our maknae?" Jimin pouted.

"They won't," Namjoon reassured his group.

"You don't know that," Yoongi said sternly.

"Will you all please just trust me?! They won't hurt anyone and if they do I'll take care of it myself! But they won't!"

The members groaned and rolled their eyes. "So is there going to be an interview? I at least want to interview them first," Jin told them.

"Actually I already sat in on an interview," Namjoon said hesitantly.

"What?! Hyung that's not fair! I'm the one that was abused I should at least get a say in who we hire!" Jungkook cried.

"It will be fine, okay?" Namjoon insisted.

Jungkook crossed his arms and pouted. Namjoon told them that the decision was currently being considered and they would know tomorrow. And if the man was hired, the members would be meeting him tomorrow as well.

That night Jungkook couldn't sleep at all. He was curled up with Yoongi in his bed. "I'm scared hyung. I trust Joonie hyungie but what if it happens again?"

"To be fair, how often would something like this happen twice?" Yoongi reassured.

"The chance isn't zero."

"I guess that is also fair. But we saved you once, we can do it again. Just this time, if anyone ever hits you or even speaks to you in any kind of threatening way, you come straight to hyungs immediately."

Jungkook curled up closer to Yoongi and told him he promised he would speak up if it happens again. That night he had an extremely terrifying nightmare that not only did Shik escape, but that Shik teamed up with a new manager and they both targeted him. It had become him against two.

He woke up screaming so badly that it had woken Taehyung up. Jungkook's anxiety was so bad that it began to seep through Taehyung too. He was getting just as nervous for what was to come. He really really wished Namjoon could have pulled off just being their manager but he knew that was wishing the impossible.

The next morning Namjoon got a call from the company.

"It's official," he told his members, "We have someone. So get dressed because we have to be there in an hour."

Everyone looked at Jungkook. The maknae started shaking. "I don't want to go. What if this is a trap? What if it's Shik all over again?"

"Maknae, I don't think the company, or Namjoonie, would do that to you," Yoongi reassured.

"What if its a trap?" Jungkook asked again. What if we sit there and Shik walks right back through that door?"

"Kookie its not a trap," Namjoon replied. He couldn't wait for Jungkook to start therapy. His paranoia had become extremely scary to witness.

The members convinced their maknae to get dressed and go. They promised to stay by his side no matter what and that no matter what happened, they wouldn't let him get hurt again. Jin told him that if he felt a single bad vibe from the new manager he would overrule Namjoon's and the companies decision.

Once they got to the building they were gathered around a table in a large conference room. Jungkook's leg was shaking uncontrollably and unfortunately he had started scratching at his stomach again. Taehyung snatched his hand and held it. He was nervous too.

Jungkook had flashbacks of sitting in this same room and meeting Shik for the first time, the flashbacks made him want to vomit. He held his breath when the door opened and the man that was going to be their new manager walked in.

"No...Namjoon..." Jungkook cried and looked at his leader in complete shock. He stared at the man. All of the members froze for a second and then Jungkook completely burst into tears. He shot up from his seat and started running.

Running right into his new managers arms. Or more like his old manager's arms.

"Manager Kip hyungie?!"