Chapter Text
Jimin woke up to see strangers peeking down at him inside his car, which was pressed into a wall. He had blacked out for some time, but it seemed like it wasn't that long. He groaned in pain when his neck hurt. The murmur turned into a frantic bout of yelling as they realized he was up.
Starting the car, hoping it would at least take him to the place where he wanted to go, he backed away. His left arm slung to his right shoulder and he pressed on it to check the amount of damage while handling the steering with one hand.
He drove for a good thirty minutes. Although the pain started pinning his ass only after ten minutes, he continued.
When he located the Skoodle, a pediatric hospital, he pulled inside the building's parking and stepped out of the damaged vehicle.
A few of the working staff knew Jimin, so they bowed at him and greeted him as he made his way inside. Long queues in front of multiple specialties had Jimin wince to think just how many children were in pain. He followed the green boards with white signs until he found his way to the office he was looking for.
Knocking once, he barged in without waiting for the answer. Hoseok was walking, talking on the phone, and when he saw Jimin, he mumbled 'I'll call you back' before disconnecting the call and just staring at his friend. "Jimin...long time."
Jimin walked up to the desk, placed his hands on the edge, leaned down, and pulled the chair close to sit there. "Have a seat," he indicated at Hoseok, who did, his eyes squinting. "I am not going to keep you in suspense. I need Jungkook's home address."
"What?" Hoseok thought if he acted dumb, he'd buy some time to come up with a better excuse to tell Jimin.
"I know Taehyung has asked you not to, but I am asking you a favor. One friend to another. I'll owe you one."
Hoseok breathed in and exhaled softly, reached for the glass of water on the coaster, and had a sip. "Please, Hobi."
The man put the glass back down. "I am not sure what is it that you want?"
"I have to find him," Jimin answered honestly.
"Not that anyone could all these years. But I am curious. If you do... Then what?"
"I only need to know if he is doing fine and I won't even come in front of him. I just need to see for myself," Jimin offered, but Hoseok looked unperturbed. "Come on, Hobi! You know in your heart that it wasn't my mistake. Taehyung was too blind to see anything else. I am not blaming anyone who agreed with him and stopped being friends with me, but I am not a bad person."
Hoseok sighed again. "Taehyung will sever all ties with me if he knew I helped you."
"It won't happen. This will remain between us."
Hoseok's office phone rang and he picked it up without missing a beat, out of habit. He listened intently before flinching. His wide eyes looked at Jimin with disbelief. "You've had an accident?!" The receiver was down. Hoseok got up and skirted to check him for injuries himself. "They saw your car."
"I am fine," Jimin waved his hand in a half-motion. "Give me the address."
Hoseok pressed his lips together, his brows deep in a frown. "Fine," he mumbled so slowly that it didn't reach Jimin's ears all too well. Picking up a sticky note, he wrote down something and handed it to Jimin. "This is the golf course where Mr. Jeon goes every Wednesday. I don't know their home address either. But know that you'll be disappointed. You'll not get any answers."
Jimin snatched it like it was water and his hand was on fire. He had to cure this insurmountable guilt and fixation, and there was no way forward if he didn't step back to fix it.
"Thanks. I won't forget this."
**
As Jimin pulled over in front of a golf course, the guard stepped out of his security room. "Yes, sir?" He asked, looking at the serious condition of the car.
"I'd like to meet Mr. Jeon today." Jimin softened his coat, pointing inside.
"Let me check your name on the list of guests," the security guard turned, but Jimin got out and grabbed his forearm. The man suddenly went limp due to shock.
"I don't have a name on the list, but I need to enter. Is there a way we can work this out?"
"I-I am sorry, sir," the guard gulped. "You'd have to be a member to freely access the golf course."
"I'd like the membership then," Jimin declared immediately, impatiently.
"This way, sir," walking aside to open a bronze-colored smaller entry door, the guard led Jimin into an office.
There was music playing and a female was sitting behind the cubicle. Jimin nodded at the guard and unbuttoned his coat before sitting in an empty chair. The woman's head lifted and her eyes caught the man, suddenly flinching and flushing. "H-hello, sir." She beamed.
"I'd like a membership, and I'd like it quick, please."
"Certainly, sir," she began to click on the mouse. "Is it your first time with us?"
"Yes,"
"Would you also like to take our dine-in offers? You may avail of them all through the year. We have monthly, bi-annual, and annual memberships."
"Give me the annual one," Jimin stated, thinking he might actually utilize it someday to play golf.
With constant tapping of his feet, Jimin realized that he was anxious, looking at the men playing through the glass windows providing him with the view of the green and lush grounds.
He hadn't ever seen Jungkook's father except for that one time at the Uni, but he had only seen his back, surely it wouldn't be that difficult to recognize him, right? "What time does Mr. Jeon arrive? He comes here every Wednesday." Jimin casually mentioned.
"Oh, you know Mr. Jeon?" The woman looked up from the screen as she was typing Jimin's information.
"I came because he has referred me here."
"Why didn't you say so before?" She bellowed with excessive enthusiasm. "That accounts for a discount."
Jimin laughed a little, thinking how deep the connections ran in the world. The happy coincidence never brought such relief to him before knowing that Mr. Jeon was there. After fifteen minutes of back-to-back questions about his occupation, providing proof of his residence, a hefty fee, and whatnot, he was finally a member of the golf club.
"This way, Dr. Park," the woman ushered him towards the course. "Mr. Jeon is right there."
They walked on the course and taking out his black sunglasses, Jimin put them on. "Thank you," he nodded at the woman, indicating that he could walk from there.
Everyone else on the ground was wearing glasses in the bright sun, but only one man had a shiny club in his hand. When Jimin was determined earlier to come and talk, as he now witnessed the man's features, the sensitivity of the subject dawned on him. Jungkook's features have been derived from the man standing in front of him, six feet four inches of perfection and class.
Jungkook's memories halted in front of him, leaving a train wreck in its wake. The boy was shorter than him once, but as time passed, his height grew. Jimin wondered how tall was Jungkook now. Was he also the same height as his father? He had once mentioned that his relationship with his parents was agreeable, but was it still the same? Were they still close? Before his thoughts could turn pedantic, he decided to speak. "Mr. Jeon?" He stalked ahead, his tone inquiring, albeit knowing who the taller man was.
His head bowed a little as Mr. Jeon turned to him, standing straight, and nodded, taking a step towards him. "Who is asking? I am getting old, so please forgive my memory." He took off the glove from his right hand.
Old had nothing on him. Jimin was actually stunned for a moment to see him so fit and muscular. "Maybe we can talk separately for a moment, please? It's about Jungkook." Jimin's head was pounding as much as his heart was.
Mr. Jeon's smile faded and a frown marred his expression. "Who are you?" He asked again, sternly this time.
"Park Jimin."
Jimin watched how quickly Mr. Jeon's entire face quivered with ferocity, his hold on the club tightened, but he still trodded away from the other men who were in earshot. "I am not sure if you know me, but I am looking for Jungkook."
"May I ask the reason why?" He asked, looking down at Jimin. His earlier friendly stance was nowhere to be sensed.
"I am afraid I can't say that to anyone except Jungkook. I was hoping you'd be able to connect me with him."
"The only way you can relay your information to him is by telling me." The man said very calmly.
Jimin was impressed with the way how he hadn't lost his composure. As opposed to what he safely chose to omit on the confirmation of knowing or not knowing him, Jimin was sure his name was enough to boggle the older man. "Like I said," he spoke empathetically, "it's information of a sensitive nature. I'll be grateful if you'd point me in the direction so I can directly relay it to Jungkook."
Mr. Jeon sighed, his eyes closing and opening lazily as he exhaled softly. Shifting his gaze to the ground before looking up, he stepped closer. One step, two, three. He put his hand on Jimin's shoulder. His grip was firm and unmistakably threatening. "Never think about that name. Ever. Again."
"But-"
"Over. We are done here." He squeezed the muscles hard before letting go.
The anxiety attack Jimin had a few weeks ago returned with full force. The hatred and hostility were like an anvil on his chest, getting hammered with a hot iron. If Jungkook's father loathed him this much, he couldn't fathom how much Jungkook wouldn't want to breathe in his direction. It also meant that the man knew exactly who he was.
His vision turned blurry. He wasn't crying actively, but tears rolled down at full speed. He held onto a net behind him and tried to breathe through his mouth.
Mr. Jeon walked back, joining the men again, but Jimin remained cemented. The sense of deliberate misdeed he had always associated himself with now joined hands. The build of years and years of ignoring that little pin-prick delved deeper, shifting into a katana with sharp teeth. He bled and screamed inside, falling all over the floor, but on the outside, he looked poised, standing with a hand in his pocket, glasses hiding the running tears behind them.
How could he return home and pretend that nothing affected him? How could he look into his wife's eyes and hide that he was thinking about someone he wasn't supposed to? And more importantly, how could he make it right with Jungkook? Where was he? And what had he told his father and Taehyung about him to warrant so much hate from them?
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13 Mar, 2022