CHAPTER 56

The Bangtan Boys decided to make groups of three for the four days they had left. So far, they found an archive with the kids' profiles, but Jimin's wasn't there.

Hoseok, Jimin, and Seokjin went to Jungkook's house an hour ago. Namjoon still has hopes they'll find it, but Yoongi doesn't—they actually had to convince him not to go today because he went the other three days.

"Be careful, don't step over Jungkook's clothes." Seokjin warns them, taking unequal steps.

"Oh god, why he has so many things?" Jimin sighs, messing his hair with a hand. "If we don't find it today -"

"We're screwed." Hoseok cuts him, opening one of the wardrobes.

"Hobi, we already checked this one completely. Why don't you look in that box over there?" Seokjin sits down and grabs a pile of papers.

Taehyung started skimming through them yesterday, but couldn't finish.

"Just in case," Hoseok shrugs, "besides, didn't Jungkookie say there were only medals in that box?"

"Well, just in case." the elder mocks him.

"Woah, Seokjinnie, you still impress me."

Jimin puts down the folder with a loud sigh. "Guys, come on. We can't lose time."

The two boys immediately start their tasks and he comes back to his own.

Where did Jungkook put mine? He could've just let it with the others.

Just to think about what it may say on his profile gives Jimin goosebumps.

Should I read it when we find it? No, no, no. I should stay away from it.

Hoseok opens the small cabinet where Jungkook has some of his underwear. Saving Jimin's profile in there sounds kinky to him, but it's also a good way if he doesn't want anyone to find it. At the end of the day, out of them all, Hoseok's the only one who would dig through Jungkook's boxers to find it.

And he does.

He doesn't throw any on the floor, the messy room as it is right now already gives him a headache.

He doesn't find any papers, but he does touch something hard under some black clothes. He removes it quickly and finds a small frame. He stares at the back of it for a few seconds, contemplating if he should turn it around to see the picture or not.

He giggles, It must be one of his naked baby pictures.

With a playful smile, he grabs it.

His mouth hangs open, not because Jungkook's naked, but because he's posing with another boy. Both of them smile, his fingers raised in a V shape. He looks closely to the other boy—

"I FOUND IT! I FOUND IT! I FUCKING FOUND IT! Here it is guys, Jimin's profile. Oh my goodness, Taehyung's a genius." Seokjin jumps, his arms up in the air still holding the papers.

Jimin runs towards him, holding his breath.

His profile had more than one page, all of them neatly stapled. He lets out the air through his nose, thankfully there were only his name and the date he got kidnapped.

"Hoba, look, we found it!" Seokjin laughs in relief.

The redhead male turns around, with a frown. "Uh, Jimin, I - I think you should see this."

He doesn't walk towards them nor stretch his arm, he keeps his head down contemplating the picture.

Seokjin and Jimin share a look. The elder nods reassuringly, and the petite boy walks towards him trying not to bump into anything.

"What is it, Hobi?"

He hands him the picture and Jimin gasps immediately.

It couldn't be.

Kookie? Why does he have a picture of - impossible. He can't be, right? Jungkook . . . Jungkook is Kookie? My Kookie?

Jimin remembers the precise moment his mother took this picture, the last summer he spent with his family. Back then, none of their families went on vacation during the school break, so they spent most of their days in the park. Some days, when the weather was too hot and humid, they soaked themselves inside the fountain, playing with their water guns. He had another copy in the living room.

But how could be Jungkook his Kookie?

He reaches the picture closer to his eyes. It's him, it has to be him. Oh god, he has the same eyes. How I didn't recognise his eyes? How could I not recognise his eyes? Oh god. Oh god. Oh god.

Jimin's heart sinks into his chest as the memories he thought he had long forgotten appear vividly in his mind. Suddenly, it changes to the present moment. Jungkook's laugh, Jungkook's eyes, Jungkook's favourite colour.

His birthday.

Oh god, how could I not notice it? He knew it, he knew I talked about him. Why did he keep it to himself?

"Is that you, Jiminie?" Seokjin asks carefully, almost resting his chin on the younger's shoulder.

Hoseok swallows. "Did you already know each other? What's - what's this?"

Jimin's knuckles become white. "Let's go."

* * *

"YAH! JEON FUCKING JUNGKOOK!"

Jungkook jumps brining a hand to his chest, while the cup of banana milk slips from his fingers and breaks into pieces on the kitchen floor.

Namjoon closes his book and puts it on his side. Taehyung, who rested his head on his thighs, gets up, followed by the elder.

Namjoon approaches him, "Mini, what's wrong?"

Jimin takes shaky, unstable breaths and a shade of red paint his cheeks.

Jungkook avoids stepping into the mess and treads towards Jimin.

"What happened, Jimin? Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"

Jimin strides towards him. "SOMETHING WRONG?! SOMETHING WRONG?!" he crushes the frame in the younger's chest and it falls to the wooden floor.

Jungkook lowers his head and a small gasp comes out from his lips.

He swallows. How did he find it? Why has he found it? Holy moly. "I - I -"

Jimin clenches his fists and his jaw. Jungkook steps back thinking the blond-haired male may punch him. And he knows he won't punch him back if he does, he could never punch Jimin. Not him.

Jimin throws himself in his arms and hides his face in the crook of his neck, sobbing. He squeezes him to the point Jungkook can't properly breathe.

"What were you thinking? Why didn't you tell me? You - you - I thought I would never see you again. Oh god, you're here. You're actually here."

Jungkook hugs him back, his chin resting on his head. "I'm sorry. I - I thought - I'm sorry."

Jimin pulls away and cups his cheeks, looking at his face carefully, like he's trying to find something. "My baby Kookie. Oh god, you've grown up so much. But you've the same eyes. I should be the one apologizing. How could I not recognise you?"

Jungkook chuckles, his own eyes becoming starry. "It has been eighteen years, you know? People change and memories become vague, until you can't tell yourself if what you remember happened the way you believe it did or not.

For me, I tried my best to remember you," he keeps explaining, "but more than memories I remember your energy, how I felt when I was with you. I couldn't forget you, Jimin-ssi. Not until I found you," he pauses. "Dead or alive."

Jimin opens his mouth and closes it a few times, no words coming out.

So he hugs him again, "I missed you so much. There weren't any days I didn't think about you. You were my best friend."

"I know, but we're fine now." Jungkook rubs his hand through his back.

"But you still owe me a big explanation." Jimin pulls away, his hands on his shoulders. "What are you doing here? How you ended up working for a mafia?"

"It's a long story -"

"Yeah and we wouldn't mind also listening the story," Hoseok turns to Yoongi and narrows his eyebrows at the elder's gummy smile. "Why are you - Oh my god, you knew about this! Why I didn't know it? Am I the only one who doesn't know what's going on?!"

Yoongi lets out a silent chuckle. "Tae knows it, too."

Jimin gasps and turns to his best friend. "Tae bear! You knew about this and you didn't tell me?!"

Taehyung shrugs. "I promised I wouldn't, Chimmy. And Jungkook has his reasons, you two should talk about your things."

"I promise I'll tell you everything, Jimin-ssi. Oh, and I think you all also deserve it."

Jimin's eyes widen, but a laugh comes out right after. "Are you still refusing to call me hyung?!"

"I don't even address them as hyung, of course I won't."

Jimin laughs, covering his mouth.

Jungkook pulls Jimin closer by his waist and hugs him once more, tighter than the first time.

Because how couldn't he, if he finally got his Jimin-ssi back?