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[I've created...I've created a monster.]

{This isn't your fault...you didn't mean for it to end up like this...}

[But it did! It DID END UP LIKE THIS! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do to make this right again.]

"Yes, there is something you could do, dumbass. Bribe the man with money to get him under your shoe again. Stop playing the victim, Big Nose. Knock some sense into your partner! Pathetic!"

The boy munches on his popcorn, kicking his feet up onto a dinged up ottoman in his room while he shakes his head in disappointment. Two overdramatic, worried faces flicker on the TV screen, commanding his attention even if he doesn't want them to. As the scene transitions, the boy tosses a large handful of buttery popcorn at his lips, missing half of the pieces. With a free hand, he turns up the volume by smashing down on the remote at his hip, ignoring the snacks spilled across his lap. 

{You have to tell him. You have to. They're counting on you to fess up about this. You can't just run away from your problems.}

[Yes I can-]

"Yes he can-"

[There's something called anonymity you know. I can set up a false account or...or I can tell them that he ran away and I can't find him. Or...]

{No. Own up to your mistake. You coerced him into screwing over all those people! Don't be like this.}

[Be like what? Wouldn't YOU want to protect YOURSELF in this situation?]

"Exactly!" The boy huffs into his popcorn. He absentmindedly scratches the side of his stubbly face, leaving an oily smear in his finger's wake. "There are a thousand ways to get away with this. Why would you give up now?"

{You're going against the law, you know.}

"Laws are meant to be broken." The boy hurls a piece of popcorn at the character's face.

[You know what? I don't care anymore. I'd rather take my chances. It's not like people don't do this kind of stuff every day anyway!]

A knowing grin splits across the boy's face. 

He cranes his neck to glance at the open laptop on the kitchen table that's connected with lengthy wires to four other blinking devices simultaneously. On the TV screen, the characters have a mute stare down between lawlessness and justice. The boy's foot jitters expectantly. He knows from the spoilers that this character thwarts the police in the end by using an alias to cover up his past actions. That's why he decided to watch this show in the first place.

{I can't believe you! Why am I even your friend?}

[Promise you'll keep it a secret. Promise me. If you care about me at all! Promise!]

{Don't do this to me. You know I'll get in trouble if they find out I knew something and didn't say anything...}

[Please. You're a great actor. You know how to keep secrets. Please. If it comes to that, I'll tell them I pressured you into keeping silent. You know I'd protect you over myself in a heartbeat. Please.]

"Pfft. Yeah right. Friends never pull through for each other if money is involved." The boy tugs out his phone, already bored with the whiny dialogue. "Secrets aren't meant to be kept by two people."

While the characters bicker a little longer, he dials a memorized chain of digits into his phone and presses the call button. After toggling the settings with a few button pushes, he pauses the show and places the phone receiver by his mouth.

It rings. He taps his foot, waiting. He was originally going to plan out his words to avoid slipping up info, but winging it gives him more adrenaline.

The person on the other end answers. He straightens up, biting his lip to stifle a chuckle.

"HELLO, PARK JIMIN!" He shouts into his phone, eyeing the collection of technology on the table as a father would stare lovingly at a child. "I'm pleased that you answered. You've made my day..."

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He can't get off the plane fast enough for his liking.

"Jungkook." Naomi's voice. "Cool down. You'll hurt yourself if you move too hastily."

"Yeah, yeah." Jungkook nudges his legs to life, brushing the bangs off his forehead. He steps into the aisle, teetering from side to side. "I'll be fine. I just have to see him. I know my limits."

Naomi gives him a wary look.

"This way." An English-speaking attendant motions for him and Naomi to exit the first class section of the plane. Outside the gate, a blond-haired attendant glances at Jungkook with mild surprise, as if she didn't expect to see the CEO touching down so early after the incident.

Eleven hours he spent listening to podcasts about hackers, the rise of cryptocurrency, and the digital world of scamming. Eleven hours he spent awake, pinching himself to stay conscious in case any new information came in about Pluto Rooms' hacker. In total, he's been awake nearly 35 hours, relying upon a few extra coffees and his nerves to keep him going.

Naomi was right to warn him not to answer crank calls. He had to power his phone off only 30 minutes into the plane ride, at five dozen calls. By the time the nose of the plane touched down in San Francisco, Jungkook had over three hundred missed calls.

He moves through the airport faster than usual, ducking his head to avoid the camera flashes and digging eyes. The urgent, squeaky voices of reporters filter through to his ears, making his feet stutter unintentionally.

"Jeon Jungkook! Over here!"

"How do you feel about the recent hack into Pluto Rooms? What does this mean for the company?"

"How will you repay back all those people whose information was stolen?"

"Why didn't Park Jimin travel with you? Where is he?"

"How could you allow this to happen?"

The voices tempt him to act out, but he bites down his snarky comments and keeps his head low. His bodyguards do the same. Naomi urges him through the airport to his designated SUV parked alongside the airport's curb. Outside, the air is thick with heat despite the late hour, and the roads are clogged with traffic. Once inside the safety of a closed and tinted vehicle, he releases a drawn out groan and puts his head into his hands.

"To the hospital." Naomi leans forward to tell the driver the exact address. Out the window, Jungkook watches the curious faces of several media outlet representatives as they pass him by. 

Tonight, they didn't get any more answers from him than he had himself. Mystery surrounded every aspect of their situation, not to mention his world-renowned technology team couldn't even pinpoint the source of the problem. 

If only they could discover the motive of the person responsible...the true reason behind the hacker's move to screw over an entire gaming company.

Jungkook mulls this over as the SUV crawls through traffic. If the individual who created this mess admired Pluto Rooms, then why would they try to destroy it? Jungkook's teeth nibble at his nails anxiously. Did it have to do with jealousy, perhaps? Was the person trying to prove something? Get revenge?

"No, no. Not revenge." Jungkook whispers to himself. No one from his or Jimin's past was out to get revenge. Yoon Gyuri was a figment of the past, a distant, untouchable monster from long ago.

A monster buried in the ground.

"We're here." The driver announces gruffly. He parks the car and steps into the night to open Jungkook's door for him. The CEO numbly exits the vehicle, clutching a bright yellow suitcase to his body. The spunky optimism of his bag is misplaced amongst the dire situation.

"You go and visit him." Naomi nods once to him. "I'll make arrangements for the hotel. I'm guessing you want to-"

"I'm staying the night at the hospital." Jungkook states. "With him."

"I thought so. Well, I'll see you in the morning, then. Tell Jimin I'm thinking of him." Naomi gives Jungkook a sympathetic expression and tilts her head at the driver. "Take me to the Club Donatello, please."

Jungkook watches the SUV take off into the distance. He grips his suitcase halfheartedly, studying the hazy lights of an incoming ambulance as it careens past to the hospital's emergency entrance. Most of the building's windows are dark at this hour, evidence of the sleeping patient base. Visitor hours are long since over, but given the high profile of the patient and the status of his husband, Jungkook is certain they'll let it slide.

The elevator is occupied when he enters the lobby after checking in as a guest. Despite his leg predicament, he opts for taking the stairs. Mental images of Jimin encourage him onward. After pushing through several flights, Jungkook is breathless and slightly dizzy. The unpleasant hallway scents of cleaner and anxiety remind him of Perilation. He grits his teeth imagining the hospital level of Perilation, where players had to stab dirty needles into hundreds of pale arms.

"Hello." A night-shift nurse strides past without sparing him a second glance. The nurse turns a corner and disappears with her clipboard.

Jungkook scratches his cheek and moves on. He's grateful that not everyone recognizes him around here; now is definitely not the best time in his career to be recognized.

Two minutes pass. He ambles over to the correct door and counts down in his head out of habit. He hasn't seen Jimin in over a week, other than in video chat calls. He misses the older like crazy, but is almost afraid to find out how the Pluto Rooms news has affected him.  Will he be wired and awake? Staring blankly at the TV screen, overly saddened by the company's failure? Stressing himself to no end?

"Suffice." 

Jungkook whispers to nobody. He opens the door gently.

Creamy hallway light pours into the room, revealing the silhouette of a large hospital bed shaded by a yellow curtain. All lights in the room are off save for a purple night light that Jungkook recognizes from their New York penthouse. Jungkook breathes a sigh of relief when he spots a figure lying pronate on the bed, arms tucked underneath a rising and falling stomach.

He forgets about his fatigue as he quietly approaches the bed. Joy spills into his cheeks, into a wide grin. Jimin's head is facing away from him, so that all Jungkook can see is a swath of black hair coating the edge of a plumped pillow. He's too selfish to tiptoe now, too eager to leave Jimin sleeping soundly upon the hospital bed. He aches to wake the other and talk with him, hold him, be with him.

"Hey. Hey Jimin." Jungkook pulls back the cloth curtain with a tug of his arm. "Jimin?"

For a few seconds, the figure does nothing. Then, the covers rustle, and a head shifts left to right. A few mouth smacks and a groan taper into the hospital room. Hazy eyes squint at him through the dark.

"Mmm. Hi." Jimin's voice is croaky and half-asleep. "Mmm Jungkook. Join me." Jimin loosely motions for his partner to come closer before shutting his eyes and zonking out again against the pillow. Steady breathing reveal the elder is fast asleep once more.

Jungkook purses his lips in amusement, silently watching Jimin sleep for a few minutes. Even if the whole world is falling apart around him, he has a rock to lean on when things get tough. Jimin is that support system for him, constantly uplifting him even on the worst of days.

"Mmmm..."

Jimin's leg twitches in his sleep, kicking the covers to the side to reveal purple silk pajamas that hug his body. Without a second thought, Jungkook kicks off his shoes and climbs into bed next to Jimin, shaking the covers and mattress. At this, Jimin gets startled awake, rising on his elbows and gasping at the intruder in the bed next to him.

Jungkook holds up a hand. "Relax, Melonboy. It's me."

Jimin tiredly studies his face, blinking a few times in confusion. "Wait." Jimin reaches out to touch Jungkook's body. "Oh? Oh...you're really here." Jimin's body automatically flocks closer to his husband's, curling against Jungkook's chest with the grace of a bird. His voice holds appreciation and a touch of melancholy. "I was just dreaming about you. You...actually came into my hospital room during my dream, and-"

"That was real life, not a dream." Jungkook wraps his arms around Jimin's back, nuzzling his face into Jimin's hair. "I got here a few minutes ago."

"I was wondering when you would come." Jimin squeezes Jungkook closer to him, his voice taking on a lighter tone. "Keeping the nurses company hasn't been the easiest. They don't laugh at my pacemaker puns, and they refuse to give me extra scoops of sugar in my oatmeal. They say it's bad for me, but I told them that I've consumed much worse, like layers of sugar on top of sugar, and yet here I am today. They weren't super happy with me. One of them suggested I find myself a dentist before 'your teeth all rot down to nubs.'"

"God, I missed you." Jungkook whispers hoarsely. "So much."

In Jimin's embrace, he finds himself growing emotional, nearly choking up. He threads his hand through Jimin's black hair, trying to hold it in. He's been so stressed about the PR hack that he's been neglecting his health, hardly sleeping, and straining his legs more than they're used to.

"Let it out." Jimin picks up on his sadness, rubbing his lower back in gentle circles. "You can cry, Kook. I know how hard it's been for you. Have you slept at all since the hack? Have you allowed your legs proper rest? The paparazzi were menaces on the way here, I'm sure. You've been through war and back. You can cry."

Jungkook nods, allowing his tears to spill over onto his cheeks. He feels the metered thrumming of Jimin's heart against his own, sensing the impressive warmth radiating off Jimin's body. Despite the omnipresent hospital scents of cleaner and plastics, Jimin smells of warm cinnamon and fabric softener. It's felt like years since he last held Jimin against his body, and the thought makes him cry harder.

"Just...sorry...I'm not usually...like this." Jungkook sniffles.

"I'm not usually in a hospital bed while my company is getting pillaged by some maniac." Jimin's thumbs come up to wipe his tears away. "But every day brings something new. That's what life is, battling strife. Learnin' to keep pace with enemies tryin' to win the race."

Jungkook can't help it--he releases a chuckle. "You're...a rapper now? Did this operation turn you into MelonChains? Snoop Melon? DaMelonBaby?"

Jimin presses a chaste kiss against his cheek. "I prefer to think of myself as a philosophic comedian who happens to speak in complex verse."

"So..." Jungkook nudges their noses together. "You're a politician?"

"Try CEO."

"You're a CEO?" Jungkook sighs against Jimin's lips. "Looks like we're on the same boat."

"Mhm. We're on a boat that a canon ball has just been shot into."

Jungkook snorts. "Someone aboard our ship is trying to commit mutiny. Trying to push us off the plank."

"Into the water, never to be seen again."

"Eaten by sharks."

"Eaten by sharks." Jimin repeats, shifting his body so that his legs wrap around Jungkook's waist.

"A shark has nothing on you." Jungkook melts as Jimin's hands freely roam his torso, crawling up his body, gracing his sides with eager fingertips. "A shark doesn't bite nearly as hard as you."

"Good." Jimin works Jungkook's shirt off, tossing it to the side. "Because this shark is going to bite a lot tonight."

"You switched from philosophic comedian to sultry tempter in under thirty seconds." Jungkook notes. "I think that's a new high score."

"You were gone for over a week. I haven't seen this body in eons. This is the least I can get."

Jungkook laughs, catching Jimin's thick lips between his own as they're offered to him. Jimin straddles Jungkook, lowering himself in his silken pajamas so that he's flush against Jungkook's body. After a few heated kisses, Jimin's lips slowly lower down Jungkook's neck to trace the younger's collar bones. Streaks of saliva coat the younger's chest as Jimin gets to work, pressing his lips against warm skin.

"Hey, Jimin?" Jungkook asks as the elder's hands begin to creep further south. "Whatever happens to Pluto Rooms..."

"Shh. I can't hear you."

"I just wanted to say that even if we lose everything, including our jobs-"

"Do you hear that? It sounds like a Debby Downer is mumbling nearby." Jimin hmphs, returning to his important work under Jungkook's waistband.

"We still have each other." Jungkook finishes his sentence, laughing as Jimin's fingers get jammed under his belt buckle. "You need help with that MelonKlutz? Wait...we shouldn't be doing this so soon after your surgery, should we?"

"This is a new high score." Jimin smacks his lips together, shaking his head in disappointment. "The quickest you've ever declined a blow job."

"I didn't decline anything, I just don't want your heart to explode. You're like, fifty percent robot now, with that pacemaker in your chest. You know that, right?"

Jimin tugs Jungkook's pants off harshly, almost too harshly. "You would have been half robot too, if you got bionic legs. Remember that, Udon."

Jungkook's breath comes out raspy and strained as Jimin slides lower down his body. "You didn't tell me if it's okay for you to be doing this. I don't want my beautiful Melonboy to hurt himself. Or piss off the nurses."

"Fuck the nurses." Jimin glares at the door as if trying to shoot lasers at an imaginary nurse waiting to enter. "They barely did anything to me, by the way. Just a tune up and a few medical tests. The usual. Also, the doctor said I was fine to be discharged today if I wanted, but I didn't feel like it after hearing the news about Pluto Rooms. So...here I am. And...here you are."

"I see." Jungkook studies the decreasing space between Jimin's lips and his groin. One of his hands unconsciously feathers through Jimin's hair. "I see..."

Jimin pauses suddenly, as if remembering something. "Oh, and Jungkook?"

"Hmm?"

A firm hand grips Jungkook's shaft, making the younger shiver. "We aren't going to lose the company nor our jobs. I've already decided." Jimin seems to stare straight through Jungkook, his face unreadable. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to bring the criminal to justice and save Pluto Rooms. I refuse to lose. Not this time."

Jimin doesn't elaborate on what he means by this time, but Jungkook knows. He remembers. Everything. Which gives him an idea.

"Let's call Mr. Bland in the morning."

Jimin's lips hover over Jungkook's dignity, pausing at the name. "Mr. Bland?" He processes the information, then brightens dramatically. "Ah! Aha! Yes. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Guess you needed some dick to inspire you."

"Can't disagree with that. But...you just unintentionally called yourself a dick."

"Touché. But...it takes a dick to know a dick." Jungkook smirks, then winks. "We're like two dicks in a pod."

Jimin bites his lip, rolls his eyes, and, to Jungkook's liking, descends upon his goal with ease.

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