A Diamond Castle

Sitting in a lush pink velvet seat behind a marble desk was one of the most beautiful men Jimin had ever seen. It was almost dangerous, the way his soft features contrasted his shaped muscles. Unrelenting eyes turned up in a smile against a smooth face. He wore a pink dusted suit, one which scratched some memory in Jimin's mind of a much younger version of both the suit and the man within it from freshman year of college.

Kim Seokjin pulled back a wide smile, bright teeth flashing as he watched Jimin enter into his office of deep gold marble. Seokjin's dark gaze felt both hollow and inviting, like looking up into the blackest night sky and feeling it look right back. SeokJin tapped a finger against his lips, leaning slightly on the isolated desk on top of a platform half a foot off the marble floor.

Jimin shuddered. He shuffled, glancing back at Taehyung who had positioned himself a step away from Jimin with his hands clasped behind his back. Taehyung stood tall, eyes ahead looking neither at Jimin nor directly at Seokjin. Like a soldier awaiting orders. Jimin furrowed his brows, feeling an ache as he fixated on Taehyung's right shoulder without knowing why before turning back to face SADA's President.

"Um." Jimin started, clearing his throat as he felt the hexagonal walls and the tall ceiling of the office stretch with his own breath. "I'm Jimin. If you remember. Park Jimin. Hello. We met a couple years ago, I'm pretty sure. Taehyung said you'd uh - have some answers for me. See I - well I don't actually remember much about how but I hit my head but I did hit it and a lot of the most recent years of memory have just been wiped from my brain. You know. As it does. So...basically I'm hoping you can help me out."

Jimin clasped his hands in front of him and rocked on his feet suddenly feeling very unsure about what he'd gotten himself into.

SeokJin tapped an elegant finger again against the slight smile on his lips. His eyes shone like stars, brighter with each word Jimin spoke.

"Yes." SeokJin said, his voice soft and traveled against the stone walls. "I know very well who you are, Park Jimin."

"Oh." Jimin replied, again looking back at his stone faced friend for support before swallowing. Strangely, he missed Jungkook's stable presence. That focused, almost guarding stance of the wide shouldered grown man he'd thought he'd known. Despite Jungkook's lies, Jimin almost longed for that physical reassurance.

"Right. Um. So, I know everyone graduated from college." Jimin explained. "So I'm not sure what I'm doing back at SADA? I thought this was only a college organization. Unless does it operate outside colleges though too? Is that why you're still prez? Are you still prez? I think I've read too much of Cursed Princess Club Webtoon if I'm calling you Prez-"

Seokjin's black eyes narrowed, trailing very slowly up and down Jimin causing his skin to crawl and making him shut up. That smile that was still painted across Jin's lips was too porcelain, too perfect, as his face softened.

Seokjin dismissed Taehyung to stand near the door with a single wave of his hand as he stood up and walked towards Jimin. Jimin bit his cheek, remembering faintly how Seokjin had done something similar after Jimin performed his SADA audition freshman year. How he'd looked over him with those same possessive eyes. How could he have forgotten that?

"Get on your knees, Jimin."

"Haha I'm sorry - what?"

"Your knees. Now."

Jimin looked back at Taehyung who gave him an apathetic look before turning back to see Seokjin standing closer in front of him. He smelled like flowers and honey and it made Jimin feel nauseous. But he slowly did as he was told and slid down to the floor, kneeling in front of the looming man before him.

If Jungkook told me to get on my knees, I'd tell him to go fuck himself. Jimin thought and for some odd reason the thought made him snort.

Seokjin's finger traced Jimin's face from his temple down to his lips, lingering there before lifting Jimin's chin to force him to look the President in the eyes. SeokJin paused, holding onto Jimin's chin and tilting his head as if assessing a freshly done painting. His eyes gleamed, relishing in the sight. "You do this for no one. You kneel for no one. Listen to no one. Take orders from no one. But me. There is no one here above you but me. Obey me and I will help you."

Seokjin released Jimin's chin and jerked his head towards Taehyung who stepped forward, his hands still clasped behind his back. Seeing him so close, Jimin could tell Taehyung was shaking. From the clenched jaw and vein popping by his temple, it looked like he was shaking with rage.

"You will dance again, Jimin. I will make you the star you were supposed to be all those years ago. You will share your art, your body, your soul, with the world and I will teach you how. I will elevate you through our organization until your world is nothing but music. And Taehyung, as I promised him in exchange for bringing you back home, will reintegrate you into life here. SADA has culture, we have a heircachy, law, and rules that must be obeyed for there to be peace. I will teach you dance, Taehyung will teach you the rest."

"And if I say no?" Jimin said, surprised his voice was so quiet.

"Why would you want to?" Seokjin asked, genuinely confused by the question. "With that jailor fiancé of yours you'd gain nothing. What would you have to go back to? The family that thinks you're dead? The monster who lied to you? Jungkook must have told you Taehyung was dead." Jimin flinched and SeokJin nodded. "Do you want to go back to a life of manipulation or a family you can explain nothing to? If that is what you want, then today you're free to leave. We won't follow you. You're free to go."

Taehyung gaped and SeokJin held Jimin's stare.

"Who knows what worse he might gaslight you into." Seokjin said softly. "Here, Jimin, here you have a chance that the outside world has robbed from you. I have tapes. Videos of your life from your time with us that I promise to show you once you join our family in full. I have the promise of your memories, what happened in those years your mind erased, no lies, and the promise of your future. What does the outside world have?"

The room was silent for a moment, though it felt like hours had passed as Jimin's mind raced through each of his options. Jungkook? He didn't trust. Go back to Busan? What would he tell his family? He couldn't explain anything without his memories. Here was a real chance to understand what happened to him.

"I'll stay."

Seokjin gave another nod as he started to walk back to his desk, leaving Jimin kneeling on the floor.

"Your orientation is in a month. Be a good boy and we will show you the tapes then. Dismissed."

Suddenly Taehyung's hand was on his forearm pulling him out of that office.

"Oh." Seokjin's voice echoed before the doors closed. "And welcome home, Jimin."

* * *

"Was he telling the truth?" Jimin asked Taehyung, his voice shaking slightly as he walked through the halls. He didn't know how to feel, Jungkook had at least never held his memories for bargain like that.

Taehyung gave Jimin a surprised look then set his jaw. He kept his eyes forward as he pulled Jimin through the halls to what Jimin presumed was his room. When they reached the door, Jimin was surprised to find a practice room instead of a bed.

Taehyung gave Jimin another short glance. "You have a lot to catch up on, Jimin. So start rehearsing if you know what's best for you."

"Can you stay? Help me?" Jimin asked, his face softening and he tried to keep the desperation from his voice. What was he doing here? What did he get himself into?

Taehyung's eyes turned cold and he took a step back from Jimin. "Your room is down the hall. Be here tomorrow by five am."

"Taehyung. Please. I'm - I'm scared."

Taehyung swallowed and his brows twitched down the slightest bit before his jaw went tight again. Jimin noticed the right shoulder of his roll back and Taehyung winced when he saw Jimin catch the movement.

"Jimin, let's get one thing straight. We're not friends."

A different set of words echoed in Jimin's mind as he Taehyung spoke. I chose you too, Jimin. As a friend, I chose you.

Jimin's chest tightened.

"Practice." Was all Taehyung said before he left the rehearsal room for Jimin, who hadn't danced in years.

___________
A/N
BTS' festa...I know it's what is best for them. They deserve this break more than anything in the world and I support them no matter what, but I'll miss their group music while they explore their individual styles 😭
- Vio