"After David has finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirits with David. And he loved him as himself. From that day, Saul kept David with him and did not let him return him to his family. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself." - 1 Samuel 18:1-3

Jimin made a comeback, following the release of Taemin's debut under Oasis.

Woosung thought it was the best tactic to reaching Taemin because it'll get Jimin to be invited to the same places he will be present as well. However, they knew that Jimin didn't have a big fan base, so they had to release something that was like a smack across the face.

That even though he's Christian, he can still make music however he wants and still make an impact.

And that's when he released a full album followed the week after Taemin's single debut.

The title track song being 'Set Me Free Pt. 2'.

Jimin was hesitant on releasing that song because he does cuss on two occasions and the song really nudged on past habit that he hated looking back to. It's a song he wrote during those times and after he overcame it, so it showed a lot of his desperation to be free. But, As Woosung expressed it, Jimin needed to reveal a raw version of himself that he has kept inside so people can feel more connected with him.

The side of him that's not only angry, but not caring anymore about what others say about him and his religion.

It was a risky title song, but he released it regardless.

Along in the album, he does have duets with both Taehyung and Jungkook, in that way it'll be an excuse to have them there to wherever Jimin ends up being invited to.

The one with Jungkook is named 'Tattoo'.

The one with Taehyung was named 'Million Reasons.'

The album is still faithful to Jimin's faith, but definitely showing different colors of it, especially the one that was mainly accepting of his past sins yet begging to be free from them in his title track.

To which, was quite successful once it got released.

And it quickly stirred up tension.

It raised competition with Taemin's release, which is what the CEO of Angel Studios advised to do, in order to get his attention or as a demonstration that whatever Taemin does, his friends will be there too. The CEO clearly knows something that none of them know of, but they trust her. She cares about Taemin more than anyone here.

After all, she's his mother.

She hasn't expressed anything about Taemin and his departure, or even expressed any emotions, but doesn't mean she holds it back when she's alone.

It's not easy watching her son do this, but she trusts in God and in her son that he'll be okay.

Especially in that forsaken entertainment agency.

Today, Jimin performs his single at the music bank. Jungkook and Taehyung had offered to be his secret background dancers, but mixed in with everyone else - who's masked up to conceal their features as part of the plot of the song.

Anyways, not like they haven't done this before, the first show was quite successful.

What makes this performance special is that it finally aligned with Taemin's schedule.

And he's performing today his single.

Everyone is anticipating for it, the audience is packed than it usually is, which raised a lot of nerves for everyone.

Jungkook was nervous.

His leg kept bounce. His body kept fluttering in goosebumps. He's shaking and even feels nauseous. He doesn't even know why. Not even for his shows was he like this, but it's the fact that he's going to see Taemin again.

And he doesn't know just how much he's.... Still the same or not.

It's obvious to tell that Jimin is quite nervous too as his hair dresser pampers him up for his performance. He goes second after Taemin, so he's practically hyperventilating as they speak.

Taehyung is watching Taemin's performance from the television in the room, and he's nibbling his bottom lip with series of blinks here and there. He hasn't stopped staring at it, and even gulps thickly to the dark gaze in Taemin's eyes as he dances.

It's quiet, only silently observing.

They can all agree on one thing as they watch him perform, even the hair dresser for that matter - that is not their Taemin.

That's not him.

And the thought made Jungkook sick to his stomach.

Only left to imagine what they possibly did to him, or are doing....

Did he attend those after parties yet? The ones where Jungkook would get wasted and wouldn't even remember his name the next day? The same parties he tried cocaine for the first time?

Has he been forced to keep a reputation yet? He's getting a lot of focus for his beauty and charisma now, especially with this dark theme, are they making him do things for that sake?

To keep the image?

Jungkook can't even begin to think for himself anymore.

He needs to know that they didn't ruin him.

As the closing of the song start to approach, Jimin couldn't take it anymore being seated.

He shot up from his chair and stormed out the room. Jungkook and Taehyung didn't need much motivation to follow after him, and Jimin didn't stop. He shoved past a few staff members and a couple of other artists - who were quite shocked to see him - but he ignored it all, just as he made it near the stage.

He arrived just on time as the dancers were leaving the stage. Taemin was bowing and waving to the crowd with this harden expression on his features, right before turning around and walking towards the back stage.

Once he was away from the curtains, he sighs heavily as his staff began to attack him wiping off his sweat and adjusting his make up. Up until he suddenly looks up.

He froze.

Jungkook stood behind Jimin, glancing between him and Taemin before really looking at Taemin.

And he couldn't stop looking at him.

That bright light that was once glowing behind Taemin's eyes are long gone. There's this faint freezing darknessthat now lingered behind those orbs as he looks between them as though he's seeing a ghost.

A ghost he immediately retreated from reaching, that much shows when he took a step back.

"Taemin," Jimin whispers, stepping towards him, "I.... H-How....."

Clearly Jimin is fighting a battle with himself right now.

He doesn't even know where to begin.

This is the first time in a whole month since he has seen Taemin.

The last time Jimin saw him, they were together at his apartment, reading the book of Samuel together. They stayed and talked all night before finally going to sleep when the sun rose up, and yet when Jimin woke up, Taemin was gone.

That Taemin is not this Taemin.

This Taemin stared at him as though he was some kind of foreign object, not even a person. He eyed Jimin with those blazed eyes, and he steps back more.

"I have to go."

Taehyung could see Jimin's heart shattering to pieces the second Taemin said those words, he frowns deeply, "We're just confused. You were fine with us and then -"

Jungkook placed a hand on Taehyung's shoulder, stopping him and looks at Taemin with a deep frown, "Cute debut, but you honestly think you'll ever be better?" Jungkook taunts, making Jimin snap his eyes to him in shock, "How does it feel to be under those dark clothes and embracing your inner demon, hm?"

Taehyung glares brutally at Jungkook, but Jungkook kept his focus on Taemin.

And just like that, Taemin went from being numb with that gaze to suddenly shifting to the mask.

A mask he was trying to keep in place in front of their face, but was failing to cling onto.

Jungkook knows it well, and he's saving his ass.

"Don't patronize me. This is only the beginning," Taemin responds bitterly, "Cute support to your friends, looks like that's all you're ever going to be."

Jungkook narrows his eyes with a slight head twitch, "And it's enough."

Taemin held his gaze and gulps slowly but his expression still remains firm, just as his name was called from somewhere down the hall. He just barely looks at any of them before walking away.

Immediately leaving Jungkook to face a slap on his head by Jimin's hand, "Are you stupid? Why did you tell him that!?"

"Right?!" Taehyung coax as well, arms crossed, "That was such an asshole thing to say."

Jungkook grimaces and looks around them, "We're not alone remember?" And he leans towards them, his expression grim, "Want to help Taemin? Don't trigger him out of his persona in public, entertain his mask. He's under contract, he has to show a face. For his safety, let's avoid mentioning the past until we know we're somewhere secured."

Jimin perks a slow eyebrow and barely looks around, "And when would that moment ever even happen?!"

"I...... Don't know, but..... It'll come," Jungkook says firmly, "I believe it."

Soon enough it was their time to perform, but clearly Jimin's energy was off while he was performing. That interaction with Taemin really nudged him the wrong way, and he can't shrug it off. Well, he still followed through and did everything well, but everyone could tell that he was angry or bothered by something.

Seems like he used that energy to his advantage because he was unstoppable, but it was just not like Jimin.

Even during one part of the performance, where Jimin says 'shut up, fuck off," usually that part is censored, but building up to that, Jungkook tried to be discreet and tug his arm as a signal to cool it down. He made it seem as though it was part of the performance, but when Jimin snapped his raging dark eyes to him, he said those lyrics with his whole chest in such an aggressive and rough tone before pushing him back.

There's no getting to him now, not until the performance ends.

Jungkook played it cool and continued performing, and Jimin was clearly fired up - thus making it the best performance he has ever done.

When they reached back stage, Jimin immediately stormed into the dressing room - shrugging off anyone who tried to touch him or attend to his appearance, but Taehyung and Jungkook were his guard as they made sure he was completely alone as they locked themselves in the dressing room.

And Jimin had enough.

He screamed, threw things across the room, gripped his hair and yanked the jacket off his body. He flipped a table and scratched his skin in utter rage.

A rage that was accompanied by tears.

A feverish anger that forced hiccups of pain to flutter out of his lips.

It's true what they say, just like a positive influence is infectious, so is negative.

And Taemin's negative energy was like a contagious parasite to Jimin's warm heart, in a matter of seconds.

"How dare he - How can - I can't - WHY DID HE LOOK AT ME IN THE EYE AND ACTED AS THOUGH HE DIDN'T KNOW ME!"

Jimin grips his hair, sobs escaping his throat through his growls of aggravation. Jungkook twitches a frown, knowing and feeling the deep scar that the moment he saw Taemin caused to him.

Jungkook doesn't know much about the relationship they had, but if it can compared, it's like that relationship Jimin read to him from the Bible, between king David and Jonathan.

They loved each other deeply. Well, in whatever form was meant to be expressed in the Bible, Bible they had so much depth in their friendship. They made sacrifices for each other, was able to express themselves emotionally, and Jonathan even gave up his garment and armor to David because he knew he would one day be king. Jonathan was ready and willing to die for David, and he had a love so deep for him as his own soul and no doubt that's the relationship between Taemin and Jimin.

Their souls were practically knitted and intertwined together since the second they met, and now Jimin can't even comprehend what is actually going on right now.

Jungkook feels pity for him, but now isn't the time to get emotional.

Just like Jonathan was strong for David while he was being hunted by Saul, so will Jimin with Taemin against the industry.

That's why Jungkook approached Jimin and yanks him to his feet, "Get your shit together! We will get no where with you getting all emotional!"

Jimin hiccups as he sobs, shaking his head to himself as he looks on the ground, "Y-You don't understand. It hurt-"

"I know and it sucks, I get it because I was in his shoes too, and I had to say shit that hurt others too," Jungkook didn't want to glance to Taehyung, but they both knew that was for him, "But he's still there. We will get him back. If he's doing this, we must trust that it's for a purpose! It's not for nothing because Taemin isn't fucking stupid! He needs us to be strong now and trust him! So calm down!"

Jimin fights back a sob, looking at Jungkook in the eye with wobbling lips, "Why....... Why did he have to leave? We were okay. Look! Even you and Taehyung got free from your contract. It doesn't make sense why he'd go back to the same place where the signs are clear that it's hell!"

Jungkook tries to understand it to, but he couldn't.

There's nothing in head that makes or formulates any clear reason as to why Taemin would make such an abrupt decision like that, without even telling anyone about it too.

It'd feel like a betrayal to go to the place for fame to where he preached it's a danger zone, like a hypocrite, but that's just not Taemin.

That's not Taemin.

"But that's just how people are sometimes, isn't it?" Taehyung suddenly chimes in, sitting on the couch with a dazed look in his eyes, "The signs are clearly there when something isn't good for us, and yet..... We still do it. Taemin is no different."

Jimin rolls his eyes, huffing under his breath, "Yeah, he's no different, but he's not stupid either. He knows better than anyone about that agency. Him leaving like that and now acting like this doesn't match up."

"Maybe he's always been curious?"

Jimin's face coils and he looks between Jungkook and Taehyung, teeth now gritted, "I'm not going to have this conversation with either of you. Not like you'd understand."

Jungkook immediately took offense to that and grabbed Jimin's arm when he went to walk away, "Woah royal purity, we're saying this because we perfect understand the situation."

Jimin's eyes blazed, and he glares down to Jungkook's hand on his arm and back to his face. Jungkook reluctantly lets him go, and Jimin frowns, "You may understand the situation, but you clearly don't understand Taemin that way I do," And with that he storms out of the room without looking back.

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A/N:
Oof, we have a little conflict going on.

What do you guys think?

Next chapter is about to be a little..... Wild.

Buckle up!

I PURPLE YOU! <33