Flipping through a Scrapbook

In the memory flooding back to Jimin, he jumped as the door slammed behind him - locking him in the SADA basement. Jimin then heard the cock of a gun causing his entire spine to straighten.

"Jimin." Jungkook called out from his chair before the silver masked man next to him swung his fist causing blood to pool in Jungkook's mouth. Jimin screamed, launching to run for him but Seokjin was too fast, pointing the gun at Jimin's head causing him to freeze in his spot.

"You have two lives to choose from." Seokjin explain as calmly as if he were explaining a ballet combination.

"You're fucking psychotic." Jimin said, shaking. "Like actually crazy. Movie-villain fucking level."

Seokjin smiled as if Jimin said something kind to him.

"We'll treat you so well here, Jimin. You'll be a star. You'll be something that the world has never seen before. Your talent is raw and I will be the one to shape it.. You don't see it now but you'll be grateful to have joined me."

"Again. Crazy. Actually crazy."

"Jimin, please. Just do as he says." Taehyung begged from his chair, bracing himself for a hit for speaking. His own face was bloody and Jimin noticed how his chest was filled with older bruises.

Jimin's heart broke. He'd get them all out of there. He'd find a way and then they'd all go to the cops and get Seokjin behind bars before he could hurt anyone else.

Seokjin handed Jimin the gun. "Choose your life. There's no third option for you, Jimin. You're going to kill someone tonight and tie yourself to that life forever. Kill Taehyung and become the criminal that you so want to be. Or kill Jungkook, a criminal no one will miss and build your life with us instead."

Jimin turned the gun to Seokjin and felt a separate barrel hit his back. Another masked SADA member was apparently prepared for that outcome. Jimin noted how the boy's hand shook causing the gun to shiver between his shoulders - how old was the kid?

"If you shoot me or yourself, everyone in the room will die." Seokjin said, leaning into Jimin's ear and kissing the soft spot of his skin under his ear with a smile. Jimin's stomach curled and he could feel vomit stuck in his throat.

He thought of his mom then, sitting in her room and crying when Jimin told her he'd become a dancer. The world will be so cruel to you, Jimin. She had said. He thought of his dad so hopeful despite his hesitation and his little brother that used to cling to his legs telling him he'd watch all his shows.

Jimin looked over to Jungkook who's eyes were wide and full of love. They've couldn't say the words, but Jimin understood the them laying in his gaze. The acceptance and the forgiveness already set in those golden streaked eyes. He looked over to his best friend who was sobbing, shaking in his chair and Jimin could barely think as he thought of the first days of college where the two of them had beat mario kart wii. Something so normal and small and felt like a whole world away.

Jimin turned the gun on himself and Seokjin tsked.

"Remember Jimin, if you pull that trigger on yourself or me the whole room dies."

"Why are you making me do this?" Jimin sobbed and Seokjin stared at him, confused.

"I'm not making you do anything, Jimin. You have free will here. I'm nudging you to make a choice."

Jimin shook and he could feel Jungkook's heavy stare on him, not to beg for his life but to help make the choice for Jimin. That was a criminal on that chair there, Jimin realized fully for the first time. Jungkook had probably killed before - or his family definitely had. A gang, he was in. But there was no life for Jimin in SADA. So he'd have to leave his family, his loving, hopeful family, behind.

A choice. Seokjin was forcing an impossible choice. One day, one day he'd kill him for it.

"I'm sorry." Jimin said, aiming the gun and fired.

Jimin fell to his kneels and the gun fell to the ground as he heard the boy across the room cough and cry out.

Jimin felt Seokjin suck in an annoyed breath and suddenly his hands were in his hair, pulling his head back to look up at him.

"I'm a man of my word." Seokjin said, kicking the gun out of reach. "Take your whore and leave, Jimin. Live your life as nothing, as no one." Seokjin brushed his fingers intimately down Jimin's neck. "Go, have your little life with that little friend of yours, you're free to go. But one day, Park Jimin, you'll kneel in front of me again."

Taehyung's right shoulder started to bloom with blood and the last look Jimin would see before rushing to untie Jungkook and run out of there was one full of betrayal. Taehyung's entire face controlled with pain as he kneeled over, the rope being the only thing keeping him sitting upright.

"I'm so sorry." Jimin cried again and he felt Jungkook's hands on his waist pulling him out of the basement.

Jimin sucked in a breath. Jungkook hadn't lied when he thought Taehyung had died that night. They both were sure of it, but apparently Seokjin stitched the boy up that night. Jimin, who had never held a gun before, shot Taehyung's shoulder, missing any major arteries. Taehyung had survived and Jimin - Jimin hadn't killed anyone.

He remembered how the sobs in his chest were tore him apart. Jimin could barely see, wanting to run and put pressure on the gun wound, find a way to save his best friend, but Jungkook was pulling him to leave before Seokjin shot them both.

And so he had left Taehyung there. Under Seokjin's organization. To die. It all made sense now, why Taehyung was so cold to him. Why he didn't accept Jimin's apology. Why he couldn't stand to be in a room with him. Because Jimin had fucking shot him. Had chosen Jungkook over him and shot him.

After that night Jimin dropped out of college and Jungkook's family took him in. His mom cooked for them and gave Jimin a spare room though he stayed in Jungkook's room most nights anyway. Sleeping next to him, with him, made the tragedy of that night lesson if only for a moment. The Jeons put Jimin to use too, using his dancer skills to go and eaves cope without being noticed by influential people within Seoul to later sell to the highest bidder. He hadn't seen his family since - out of necessity to protect them in case Seokjin got any ideas, if a gang rival found out, and mostly out of the crushing guilt.

Soon enough Jungkook grew into the leadership position well enough that his family passed it onto him and Jimin and Jungkook bought their first apartment in Seoul. They lived together for nearly five years when one night the two of them were walking down the beach town street Jungkook had taken Jimin to regain his memories at. The sun was just setting and there wasn't a single person in sight. After six long years Jimin finally felt happy again.

That was all thanks to Jungkook. Jungkook who stayed by his side, who gave him purpose and love and unconditional support. Jimin would do anything for Jungkook. He'd be repaying him for the rest of his life and he would die doing it to thank him for piecing Jimin back together. The one person in the universe that made Jimin feel warm and good and safe.

That night on the beach was when Jungkook dropped down to one knee and proposed. The next day was when the two of them ran into a masked Kim Taehyung -  who in the process of trying to outrun - Taehyung had hit Jimin over the head just fright and struck him with amnesia.

Jimin blinked, floating back down into himself and the SADA ballroom. He realizing there was still music playing and that there were tears pooling down his eyes. The tears caused large streaks to pave their way down his skin and dry like crystals cracking on top of it.

He'd been dancing on the SADA stage the entire time his memories flooded back. The room was frozen in awe and Jimin realized that his cheeks were stained with tears.  Whatever Jimin had just done had been the most raw, most pure version of self expression he'd ever experienced. The dance had torn his soul open and laid it bare. People were still too stunned to clap. To even breathe.

Finally Seokjin got up and clapped and Jimin jumped as if he'd heard a gun shot. The room burst soon after and started screaming, the applause booming loud enough to shake the mansion to the ground.

But Jimin understood everything now. Where he was, who he was, who he had been. Every single thing he remembered and a part of him, like Jungkook's soul was a magnate to his own, signaled that somehow he was here. He couldn't explain it, and maybe he was wrong, but his soul was singing that it's twin was close.

So Jimin bowed. He had lived through enough. The trauma of SADA, fucking shooting his best friend, dropping out of college, leaving his family behind. Got engaged. Then forgot it all.

He could get through tonight and play the part Seokjin wanted if it meant he find a way to contact Jungkook and then they could burn this place down to the ground. Together. As they were always meant to be.

__________
A/N
Seokjin is simply a lover of fine arts 🫡
- Vio