Chapter Text
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“Hands up in the air,” Jeongguk’s gun is now face to face with Jimin’s horrified expressions.
“What are you doing here”
“I won’t tell you again!” Jeongguk stepped towards Jimin making him step back now being visible to the people at the construction area out of the shadow of the building, Jimin glanced to his left and right in horror of getting caught. It’s a double attack then. Jeongguk was getting impatient. He shouted warning “Hands up in—“
“No shh!” Jimin pounced forward lowering the gun equipped hand and pinned him to the wall with his right palm over Jeongguk’s mouth, his elbow extending further to the right. Jimin pinned Jeongguk onto the wall and had to lean onto Jeongguk’s left side chest in the hurry so he wasn’t visible past the building wall, Jeongguk stared at him with slightly widened eyes, the similar vanilla and rose scent surrounding his nostrils, Jimin’s jaw lightly brushing against Jeongguk’s left shoulder when Jimin returned to position after peeping back out to see if anyone noticed they were there—or at least just Jimin, considering the state he was almost put in by Jeongguk. Making sure the surroundings are clear and nobody heard or noticed anything Jimin turned his face towards Jeongguk frowning prominently. Their faces inches away, Jimin glaring at him through his furrowing eyebrows. Jeongguk looked down at him with Jimin’s palm still covering his mouth tightly.
“What are you doing here?!” Jimin asked him again in a whispering scold, Jeongguk shifted his eyes up and down pointing to Jimin’s hand from his eyes. “Do. Not. Shout,” a slow nod made Jimin slowly take his hand off of Jeongguk’s mouth.
“You’re a part of this, what’s going on here?” Jeongguk whispered back.
“What the fuck, I’m not a part of these assholes businesses”
“Then what are you doing here?”
“Spying on them!” He shouted in a whisper. “What do you think, moron”
“What do you me—“
“Yah! Who are you?” One worker screamed in their direction, grabbing both their attention as their heads snapped towards him.
“Well shit,” Jimin said then he quickly moved forward towards the men, cocking his arms he dodged a punch towards him circling around the other’s arm and punched his stomach, two others charged at him but in a quick load Jeongguk managed to shoot one off while Jimin flew in the air and kicked the other away. As another came towards Jeongguk he used his gun to hit the man in the head and stomach and kicked him off, Jimin a few feet behind him blocked the attacking punches from his opponent then kicked his knees making him fall kneeling as he threw in another punch towards his jaw. They both fought side by side against the men. As of now the men were on the ground groaning in utter pain with blood dripping from their noses and mouths. Just as they thought they were done, Jimin watched in horror as more men appeared from behind more containers. While Jeongguk was too busy looking at all the men they beat up Jimin hit Jeongguk on his chest from the back of his hand a few couple times even after getting his attention.
“Yah! Yah! Run,” Jeongguk snapped his head to the front while the men closed up and this time there were too many at once. Jimin took a running start as Jeongguk followed and from the construction area Skender and his friend turned around to the commotion, as Jimin also looked that way he locked his eyes on Skender while he spotted Jimin at the same time. They hurriedly ran towards the gate and quickly got in Jeongguk’s car as he unlocked it. Jeongguk got into the drivers seat, Jimin got into the passengers seat and shouted,
“drive, drive!” Jeongguk pulled his car out and drove off quickly, increasing speed from behind two other cars with the men following.
At high speed he switched to different lanes on the road going in between cars not wanting to hurt any civilian. Jimin looked to his side mirror and then the rear view mirror to see the cars still managing to follow them. He lightly groaned as he charged his gun. “Keep driving,” he said as he turned his head towards Jeongguk who quickly nodded, unsure what exactly he was about to do.
Jimin punched the sunroof button with his finger and stood up with one foot on the middle counsel and the other on his seat, he aimed at one of the cars and shot a few times at the windshield and then hit the front two tires sending it off the road, some men grunting in pain in the car as the bullets slashed their way against their skin. The other car still kept coming, whilst one kept driving forward catching up with Jimin and Jeongguk’s speed the other popped his upper body out of the window and shot a few bullets at their car, Jimin quickly ducked in, hissing in pain taking quick short breaths,
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah just keep going,” he said, clicking the gun back and quickly shooting in the direction as soon as he popped out. He managed to puncture one of the wheels and shoot the gun out of the man’s hand which went flying on the road, then shot the windshield again that made the bullet go through the driver's arm. Then Jimin slowly dipped back in and sank in his seat and he closed the sun roof and watched the car disappear on the side mirror.
“Call your men and tell them to get these people, they’re gonna be fine. I used rubber bullets,” he said breathless, his left palm gripping his right upper arm. Jeongguk quickly contacted the station as he slowed down on the road and reported the address and situation through his two way radio. He quickly sneaked a peek at Jimin holding onto his arm with blood drips on his palm and arm as he kept on driving towards Jimin’s location.
The long car ride back was silent, the air was thick. A cop and a criminal sitting inside one car side by side. He turned the stirring wheel pulling into the road that went through two sets of groves on either side. As soon as the car came to a stop on the side of the road, Jimin opened the door not even facing Jeongguk and got down, shutting it close. Jeongguk watched him until he quickly opened his door and got down himself,
“Wait,” he called out, making Jimin stop in place and slowly look back at him still clutching onto his arm. “Let me treat that,” he nodded towards his wound in his upper arm which was a cut from a bullet that was shot really close to his arm and missed with just a mere wound. Jimin had a blank face as he replied,
“No thanks,”
“You’re hurt and I wanna help you now,” Jeongguk said with hope moving a little forward. Jimin hesitated, he looked to the opposite side and down on the road letting out a sigh and looked back at him. Jeongguk in the meantime went to the cars back seat and got a first aid kit from the floor of it, bringing it out and placing it on the car hood.
Jimin broke into a laugh with a small snort, “You have a first aid kit but not a tool box?” However, he went dead silent when he realized what he had just said. His expression changed to a slight annoyance and worry but Jeongguk just smiled lightly while shuffling through the contents in the box.
“So it was you,” he said, voice low but enough for Jimin to hear.
“I’ll take care of this,” Jimin said awkwardly, lifting his arm, wanting to leave this place. He turned back around about to walk away when Jeongguk called out again,
“It’s okay, just come here,” Jimin was still unsure about this. He looked back at Jeongguk staring into his eyes that shimmered to the moonlight, a sight he would’ve seen if Jeongguk hadn’t been sleeping that night. Jimin still stood there staring at Jeongguk, making a decision in his head.
“Don’t worry I don’t have cuffs in here,” Jeongguk snickered, Jimin rolled his eyes and slowly took a few steps towards the car, just so he could get it over with and leave. He stood at one of the headlights far enough from Jeongguk who stood near the other. He extended his arm towards Jeongguk’s as he kept his head turned away from Jeongguk with his other hand in his pocket. Jeongguk grabbed some rubbing alcohol and went to clean the wound and its surrounding. Realizing he was too far he grabbed Jimin’s wrist and pulled him closer towards him so it would be easier to clean the wound and blow in it when it burns. Jimin looked in a snap with a frown but was surprised when he saw Jeongguk’s face closer. Jeongguk’s presence so close to him made his body run warm, because of the hatred he had for policemen. He quickly looked in the opposite direction.
Jeongguk slowly rubbed the cotton on his wound and blew on it as soon as he did so it stopped burning and didn’t hurt much, while Jimin on the other hand had no reaction. An unamused expression plastered on his face. Then he grabbed the medicine, took a glop onto his finger and applied it.
“Thanks for saving me back there.. glad I didn’t die on my birthday,” he said continuing with his little care session. Jimin’s sweet scent of vanilla and roses lingering in his nose bringing him the comfort he found from the jacket making the same print in the air inside his car.
“Happy birthday,” Jimin replied, still not facing Jeongguk. Finally Jeongguk finished wrapping the wound in a piece of gauze and tie a small knot on top.
“Thanks, you’re the first stranger to wish me. Wait here,” Jimin stared at him as he finished and went to the back side of his car and then stared down at his now treated wound, his lips lightly curving upwards, Jeongguk closed the door of the back seat again and walked up to Jimin and stretched his hands out giving him his jacket which was nicely folded with the wrench resting on top of it. Jimin quietly reached out and took it.
“And thank you again for saving me that night as well even though you technically put me in trouble that night” Jimin shot a quick glance at him and pulled away from the car hood and walked away,
“you didn’t do it, right?” Jimin’s eyebrows furrowed as he twisted his head back.
“What do you mean?”
“Kim Taehyung, the victim who was killed on November 20th. The killer isn’t—you is it”
“What makes you think that?” Jimin’s signature smirk returned to his face.
“Knife ownership but no blood identification, were you the killer or not?” But something shifted in Jimin suddenly.
“Now do you realize? How incompetent you cops are, wrongly accusing an innocent of doing something they didn’t do”
“That’s why I asked if it was you.”
“What about the gun? That didn’t have any finger prints. Oh let me take a few seconds to just think how could the knife have fingerprints but not the gun? Hmm, Maybe, because the actual murderer was wearing fucking gloves.”
“You aren’t answering my question, and you know who the killer is. I know you didn’t do it, so let’s work together to find the real killer and clear your name.”
Jimin scoffed, “work together? You all were the ones who framed me first, remember? What makes you think I will work with you?”
“You can trust me, I did more research than them, this is proof”
“Just stay out of it. I’ll take care of the killer on my own. I don’t need any help from idiots like you. Don’t step into conclusions. I may have actually done it”
“I’m certain you didn’t do it,” Jeongguk replied immediately, surely.
“Oh yeah?” Jimin took a few steps towards Jeongguk, immediately placing his gun on his forehead. “What if I kill you right here right now?”
“You won’t—“
“I so definitely will! What makes you so sure! Huh?” Jimin demanded red eyed. He hesitated, and took the gun off Jeongguk’s head and tucked it in his waistband. “Stay away from me and my business. Don’t follow me. Oh and, I will never, ever, trust lousy cops– like you!” Jimin took a dismissive turn and walked up the road in long steps. Jeongguk let out a deep sigh and turned around taking the first aid box with him, he tucked it under the back seat and drove off back home.
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Back at the construction site.
“Was that him?” Skender asked still gazing at the entrance direction.
“How did he get here?”
“Who’s the other one?”
“Not sure, I couldn’t see his face properly, but I’m sure they’ll become a threat later on”
“If that happens I’ll take care of them like I took care of his little friend and many other allies of ours… It isn’t that hard” Skender patted his friend's shoulder while walking past him, going back to supervising the work.
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A couple of days later, in the evening Jimin gets ready and goes out to the city. Nothing special, just a casual walk at his favorite time of the day. He gets on his bike and rides his way to the city park. He parks the bike and makes his way through the grassy land and sits down under a tree where not many people are present but can be seen in the distance. He leaned onto the tree and watched his surroundings, a small boy running around his parents who sat on a picnic blanket, their combined laughters streaming out. Jimin broke open a can of peach juice and sipped from it as he looked at the sky.
“So we cool now?” The familiar low yet soft voice spoke from behind him as he lowered his drink from his lips and turned around. What was once a curious emotion he had switched to an expression that screamed, ‘fuck off please’. Jeongguk stood next to him looking down at Jimin who returned the same look upward.
“I should have sent a bullet through your head that night”
“I get why it’s hard to trust me but tell me a way I can prove myself” Jimin stood up from the ground swiftly,
“Listen, I saved you once and you thanked me by treating my wound. But that doesn’t mean we are friends or even will try to be. I am certain I made it very fucking clear that I hate you and every other cop. Good try though” Jimin shot a fake smile and brushed past Jeongguk walking towards his bike, Jeongguk turned around right then and followed him with his hands buried in his pockets.
“Maybe you can give me a chance to prove?” Jimin came to an abrupt stop and Jeongguk flinched backward preventing a bump onto Jimin. He turned to face Jeongguk, eyebrows furrowed, eyes sharp.
“I told you to fuck off.” He turned back around.
“Would you have given a chance if I weren’t a cop?”
“Yes. But since it’s you. No.”
“Woah what did I do to you?”
“You’re annoying. Why aren’t you even making efforts to just throw me in jail?”
“Cause you’re not the killer?” Jimin turned back to face him repeating the same flinch in Jeongguk not wanting to bump together.
“For theft? A million hundred times?”
“But you can catch the real killer,” without a response Jimin got on his bike, put his drink in a holder and accelerated out of the park. Jeongguk let his head drop in frustration.
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“Pow and you’re done” Jimin playfully said as he kicked the security guard unconscious. “That might hurt even more tomorrow, sorry” he fixed his hat on him as he slouched on the wall is his station. He grabbed the entrance keys and made his way inside the gallery.
…
A few hours later, early in the morning a frantic call directed to the police station, and Jeongguk arrived at the gallery quick. Upon entering with calm composure he saw the owner walking around worriedly but reassured once Jeongguk was in the view.
“Officer! Thank goodness you came fast.” Jeongguk stared at the paintings, one was turned upside down, the other side ways, one even had a cloth over it with a cat print sticky note pasted on it. He reached up and grabbed the note. ‘Did all of you a favor’ written in the middle, as it seemed he had wrote it against the textured wall, each letter picking up a pattern.
“That’s not the worse part. Look here, he took-he took the Aetherion. It values so much, and it’s supposed to be packed and transferred to Switzerland!” Jeongguk listened as he stared at the empty container.
“And you didn’t have any security up for these artifacts?”
“I did! For some reason it had malfunctioned”
“Show me the security footage”
Jeongguk’s jaw dropped to the floor, in the footage a figure jumped around the gallery carelessly, same jacket, same eyes, same aura, moving from one painting to another flipping them around and placing them back haphazardly. He then walked up to the Artherion displayed in the middle of the building. Digging into a pocket of his jacket he took out and placed on a small device on the glass door, seconds later the lock clicked open. He slipped his hand inside and took the gem out and tucked it in one of his pockets and ditched the device he used before. Next second he locked his eyes with the camera blowing a kiss with his hand right at the camera and then left the gallery, outside cam recorded him dropping the keys back at the security station and leave.
“Hold off the transfer, as of now he is on observation because of his calculated tactics. If I don’t study him properly I won’t be able to catch him. Nothing to worry, I will make sure to capture him and bring back that gem to you.” The owner shot an obvious beaten expression as Jeongguk tried to comfort her.
As he walked out of the gates and directed to his car, the similar kind of sticky note was pasted on his car hood catching his attention before he could hop in. He grabbed it and read the content on it.
‘I think I know why you don’t arrest me. I’m too fast.’ He could already imagine the smug look on Jimin’s face.
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In the following week another theft occurred, this time not Jimin but Jeongguk was assigned to it, Jimin made his way to that crime scene before Jeongguk and the crime investigation team could and messed with the evidence and traces of the thief without getting himself included.
“Nothing?” Jeongguk questioned the investigators.
“The finger prints were messed with, as though someone came here right after the crime and smudged the finger prints available, he was a sloppy thief too leaving finger prints and many hints around but all of them were messed with so we couldn’t find any matches or any active evidence. However, we did find this.” He handed him a sticky note that made Jeongguk throw his head back in annoyance.
‘You all should have a pep in your step.’
…
Days later Jimin appeared at the station with the criminal from the previous theft. He crouched down beside the concrete staircase railing holding onto the criminal in front of him.
“Just like we practiced, okay? Otherwise you already know what’ll happen, right?” His hands were tied behind his back along with his feet just enough to walk, and in a second Jimin made him stand up and kicked him making him visible to the front guards of the station.
“Go on,” Jimin waved his hand while his gun was in the other making the criminal quiver.
“I surrender! Please take me! Otherwise he’ll kill me, I have the money and jewelry in my pockets, from last week!” He used his body to express the gestures to ‘last week’.
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He panted on the ground with the three men surrounding him, blood seeping from his mouth as he felt his vision blur each second with each breath. Coughing out blood with each kick onto his stomach. The three men themselves had a bunch of bruises and bleeding spots.
“You’ve been a little problem to our boss”
“We only came to give you a little warning”
“Do you want an extreme one so you won’t even think of disturbing him again?”
Jimin got up slowly feeling heavily dizzy his hair falling onto his forehead.
“Open sesame,” they forcefully put some popping candy into his mouth and held his mouth closed while it all popped in his mouth. They made him kneel on the ground powerless as the contents of the candy took control over Jimin’s body. A loud thud on the ground grabbed the attention of two of them as Jeongguk pounced on the third, punching his face a few couple of times and getting attacked by the other.
Jeongguk pushed the man hard from his shoulder and kicked his abdomen while the man who fed Jimin left Jimin to fall back and lean on the wall having a hard time to breathe. Jeongguk kicked one’s knees making him fall on the floor with a loud groan. The third who was knocked out for a bit got up and attacked again with a piece of wood and made Jeongguk slump onto the ground but he turned around swiftly and kicked the man away. And took the wooden stick and slammed it at the other. Then knocked out the one he kicked off with a strong punch into his head. He threw the stick away and ran his hands through his hair breathing heavily. A small whimper of pain stirred his attention towards him. Jeongguk wide eyed quickly bent down near Jimin as he whined in agony feeling spirals in his head.
“Jimin, Jimin. It’s me. Not who you want to see for sure but get up.” Opening his eyes clearing his blurred vision he suddenly backed up to the wall feared.
“No! No! Stop!” Jimin flinched off of Jeongguk’s hold, his hands shivered and his mind was roaming everywhere, anxiety crippling in,
“Stop what?, Jimin what’s going on” Jimin’s breath quickened as he looked at Jeongguk in absolute terror but his eyes slowly got heavy, as he was about to fall side ways. Before he did Jeongguk immediately caught him.
“Jimin… Jimin” Jeongguk pulled him a little closer. He saw a small wrapper with contents spill out on the ground next to Jimin. He picked the packaging up and put it in his pocket. He pulled Jimin’s hood on and picked him up from the ground horizontally and walked out of the alleyway with his head leaned onto him hiding his face. He went to the passenger seat side and opened the door after struggling for a bit with Jimin still in his arms. He put him down on the seat and leaned forward to lower the seat and put on the seatbelt. He closed the door and walked back over to the drivers seat, getting in and drove off.
“Control, officer Jeon reporting in. I’ve got three suspects in the north eastern alleyway, street 1012, they’re restrained but I’m moving out to assist an injured civilian. Send a unit to pick them up immediately. Over.” He quickly said to his two way radio in the car.
…
Waking up he felt an unfamiliar scent running around his atmosphere. He woke up in a darker room than his usual dark grey concrete finished room. The curtains drawn blocking out the sun from entering into the room, a bowl of water on the night stand next to him along with a thermometer. An IV drip connected to his left hand with saline passing through into his body. He looked at everything in confusion and panic.
Realizing his clothes weren’t even his he lifted the blanket up to reveal his whole body covered in bandaids and gauze. But that small quick motion was enough to make him disorient a bit as he laid back again closing his eyes. A faint headache making its way. He slowly turned to the other side and tried to fall asleep again, but not even a minute later he felt nauseous so he got up and let his feet touch the ground still sitting on bed. His whole body felt weak but he needed to get to the bathroom, he stood up— and fell to the floor.
“Ow” he held onto the bed stand and got up again, removing the IV drip needle he started walking along the frame reaching to the door, holding onto the walls with his life he opened a door next to the room, but only found a study room, next to it he opened the door next to it and finally cheered finding the bathroom. He knelt in front of the toilet and gagged but nothing happened and yet he felt sick to his stomach. He flushed the toilet even though there wasn’t anything in it and walked out of the bathroom still holding onto the walls of the apartment and walked into the dining and living room area and saw photos standing on a beam In front of the mid high windows.
He looked at Jeongguk’s framed photos realizing he was at his apartment. He smirked looking into his study. With steady steps he made his way towards the room and opened the door wide open. Stepping inside he saw a few case folders on his desk. He had a sneaky look on his face as he opened two files, he swapped the evidence prints with each others and proceeded to get the other two files.
He opened the file ‘case no. 0472’ ready to mess the documents up. His sneaky face immediately vanished. He took a seat feeling unsteady and looked at the documents again.
‘Seo Min-Jeong’ he bit on his trembling bottom lip as he flipped through the pages one by one. One of the few memories he didn’t want to revisit, silent tears began to fall as he looked at his mother’s case, a night he was too young to do anything.
“I’m sorry about what happened to your mom” Jimin quickly wiped his tears off seeing Jeongguk standing in the door way.
“What’s done is done I guess” he closed the file and got up. “Where’s my bike? And keys.”
“You need to rest”
“Don’t tell me what to do. I don’t like you”
“Right. Keys are on the little dish near the door, bikes in the garage, ground floor” Jimin walked out of the study past Jeongguk and through the living area, he still had aches here and there but he ignored it and kept going. He put his shoes on at the door and grabbed the keys from the dish and stared at the door lock.
“0109!” Jeongguk said out loud from his study, he quickly punched in the code and closed the door once he got out. Taking in and letting a deep breath out he walked upto the elevator and tapped the button. He got to the ground floor and looked for his bike, finally he found it parked next to Jeongguk’s Mercedes. He slowly rode on the roads going amongst the other vehicles, his breath quickening time to time.
A few meters away Jeongguk followed closely yet far enough. Went upto the road that seperated from the main road, he chose to watch Jimin go in through the two groves and turned around to leave.
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There was this unfamiliar scent of worn leather with a hint of rain-soaked wood like surrounded Jimin. He sniffed on the t-shirt he was wearing; sleeves almost reached his elbows, broad shoulders that dropped down his own. His face scrunched into a frown and almost immediately he took it off and threw it in his laundry bin, he grabbed a t-shirt from his closet and pulled it onto his body, then he changed his pants into a new pair throwing the previous sweats the same way. Not a single braincell of his tried to figure out or remember that he was wearing a more fitted pant with a beige shirt.
Previous night
Jeongguk dropped Jimin onto his bed with a slight thump almost losing his balance and falling over him. He leaned a palm into Jimin’s forehead to feel if he was getting warm. He was awake but definitely not in his right conscious. Jimin only saw through a fogged window from his eyes. Who was there, where he was, what he ate, what happened, everything was a blur to him. He felt a pinching pain on his left arm but couldn’t put a pin on it what it exactly was, just for a split second he felt it was difficult to breathe.
“Why are you helping a criminal?” Jeongguk stayed silent. He knew he was doing the right thing, or was this just a mistake,
“Please let’s keep this between us.” The doctor just silently agreed. He was Jeongguk’s family doctor, understanding and doesn’t like to pry on other people’s business, simply doing his job and taking care of his patients. When the doctor left, Jeongguk took on the task of patching up Jimin’s smaller injuries. Applying ointment, cleaning up the wounds and covering them in gauze.
In the midst of the night Jeongguk checked on him every hour or so, wiping his face and arms with a damp cloth. Changing his blood and dirt covered clothes to a pair of his own. ‘Im not a pervert I swear’ he told to Jimin’s sleeping self before he switched his blood and mud patched clothes. Checking his temperature every time he felt his skin warm up, the many times he would wake up to Jimin’s loud suffocated gags reaching over Jeongguk’s bed, almost falling into the very mess he created. Jeongguk would wipe his face with a cloth and help him sip some water and go back to sleep, then he would get to work with cleaning up and going back to sleep on the couch himself.
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Jimin sat on his couch with one leg bent below him. His fingers caressing his lips as he searched for information. He still felt sickly, as though he was still being fed something disgusting. He let out a deep breath and leaned back with his head back, when he closed his eyes he could feel the similar touches as he did the previous night. Someone was caring for him, he felt his hands and face freshening.
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Deep grunts left his mouth while chasing the man in a deep brown jacket, dressed in casual clothing looking like a mere citizen. The man ran pushing past other civilians as Jeongguk followed. The man went flying into the pavement on his hands—a foot stuck out to trip him— face inches away from smashing against the blocked floor. Jeongguk came to a halt right behind the man on the floor and looked back.
“One chance. But the second you fuck up,” he took a pause closing towards Jeongguk in his mask. “I will kill you.”
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