"Then he kissed me in front of Taehyung."

"And what did Taehyung say about that?" Jin asked, wiping the surface of one of the tables. He was cleaning up the club for opening in three hours. Jimin was helping him move furniture.

Jimin shrugged. "Nothing. He just looked away. And when I told him Yoongi asked me out, he just shrugged and said if I liked him I should go out with him."

"Well, it seems like you have no problem then," Jin answered him.

Jungkook had seen his investment in Plush through. The club officially belonged to Namjoon. The investor had paid off the money and had added some more to it so Namjoon could restructure or redecorate the place to his liking.

Yes, I'm doing it for you, he remembered Jungkook saying. He had been rude and had told Jungkook not to waste his money but Jungkook had gone through with it because of Jin. Because he loved Jin and he couldn't stand to see the people that Jin loved suffer.

Namjoon was happy. Seeing him so happy made Jin happy. Namjoon meant so much to him and Jin owed that happiness to Jungkook, which was why he was willing to do anything for him. Bambam had asked him to meet that evening and he knew it was for Jungkook's sake.

He hoped that their meeting would help him figure out a way to help Jungkook out of this sticky situation. The pain in Jungkook's voice when they had spoken had broken his heart and he never wanted to hear that again, ever in his life.

"It seems that way, but Taehyung's been acting a bit distant since then. I couldn't give Yoongi an answer because I was afraid of hurting Taehyung's feelings."

"I mean, he told you that you could go on, didn't he?"

Jimin sighed. He looked disturbed by the issue. "Just because he said I could doesn't mean I should. He's my friend, and I have to be considerate of his feelings."

"I get you, but do you like Yoongi?" Jin asked, he gestured to a vase. "Help me lift that."

Jimin picked up the vase. "Yes. I'm not sure when I started falling for him but I have feelings for him."

"Understandable. So, you like Yoongi and Yoongi likes you and the only obstacle is your consideration for Taehyung?" Jin asked. "Do you realize you're the one creating your own dilemma?"

"It may seem that way."

Jin shook his head. "It doesn't seem that way. It is that way. Taehyung is fine with you. Maybe he's a little sad, but that isn't your problem. Give him time to get used to it. But it shouldn't stop you from being with the person you want to be with."

"That feels harsh."

"I didn't realize you were so kind," Jin said with sarcasm. "Do you honestly believe that if you or Taehyung had had an issue with my relationship with Jungkook that I would have given that up for your comfort? Be sensible."

"Says the one who eloped."

"That's why I said be sensible. Don't be like me."

"So, you do know that what you did was senseless?"

"I am aware," Jin said, rolling his eyes at his friend. "Leave me alone. I've had enough judgments from Namjoon. I don't need more."

"Has Hoseok forgiven you?"

"He has to talk about it to forgive it, right?" Hoseok was now speaking to him but he hadn't spoken about what had happened. He never mentioned it and just asked Jin to grab a bottle of water for him one evening when they were all watching TV.

No matter how much they spoke or circled the matter, Hoseok never touched it. It was as if he had decided to push it to the darkest part of his brain.

"Take your own advice," Jimin said. "Give him time."

"I'm not pushing anything. I did the wrong, now I'll have to wait as long as it takes for him to forgive me. It's my punishment," he said.

One of my punishments, he thought to himself. He dusted the last table and headed back to the bar to fix that place up. It was already organized but Namjoon had asked him to restock some items.

"It'll all blow over soon. You're not the first person to run away," Jimin said, encouragingly. "Everybody just has to chill the fuck out, including you. Everyone keeps acting like you committed a big crime like murder or something."

Jin chuckled. "Yeah. Tell that to Jungkook's parents," he said, but still appreciated the humor.

"Fuck Jungkook's parents."

He wished it were that easy.

"Anyways, you're going to be graduating with us, right?" Jimin asked. "After all, they did let you take your exams."

Jin had been shocked at that. When he returned, he'd gone to school to ask to take his exams. He'd been afraid that they would ask him to repeat the year, but the Head Master had placed a call to Mr. Jeon who gave them the go ahead to let him take his exams so he could graduate with his mates.

Mr. Jeon was one of the most considerate person Jin had ever met. He had always been nice to Jin, always praised his intelligence and made Jin feel welcome.

Jin just didn't understand why the man wasn't considerate to his son. Why he allowed his wife have so much power over his son's happiness and peace of mind.

"I should but I'm not sure I want to be a part of the ceremony. I'm not feeling very celebratory and—"

The door crashed open with a suddenness, startling Jin. His head snapped up and six men in black holding bats and guns barged in shoving anything in sight aside. "What is the problem?" Jin asked, making his way around the bar to come face to face with them.

"Stay quiet," one gritted, pointing his finger in Jin's face, while another smashed his bat against the chandelier, sending glass shreds everywhere.

"I don't want any trouble," he said.

He'd made a promise to Jungkook that he would stop fighting but this men didn't look like they were here to book a venue for a bachelor's party.

"Excuse me, Sir. You can't come in here and-" A hand meeting Jimin's face sent him crashing to the floor.

Jungkook would understand this time.

He threw his fist into the face of the man blocking his view and dashed towards the one that had his Jimin. He hopped on top the table and leaped off it, launching his clenched fist into the space in the middle of the man's chest. They both crashed to the ground with Jin on top of him.

His hand pounded against the man's face in several blows before he was being tugged off and shoved into a table. "Jin!" Jimin screamed. The back of his head smacked against the wooden edge of the table, turning his vision black momentarily. Jin groaned in pain but didn't dwell on it.

He scrambled to his feet, standing between Jimin and the attackers. "What the hell do you want?" He asked, his gaze sweeping from one man to the other.

Obviously, they hadn't come to have a conversation because the one that had blocked his path initially, let out a loud shout before lunging at him with his bat raised high. Jin jumped out of the way just as he struck towards him, smashing a wooden chair to pieces.

The others didn't intend to watch a fight between them because they headed towards him, bats swinging, missing and destroying equipments. He jumped from here to there, avoiding getting smashed in the head with a bat.

His heart raced and adrenaline bubbled through him. Why did they have to come at once? "6 against 1, how fair is that?" he asked. "If you're man enough, come at me one after the other."

He rolled over the floor, sweeping out his legs and sending one to the floor. His bat collided to the floor. Jin snatched it up quickly, but instantly felt an insurmountable amount of pain go through him when he got hit on the back. He collapsed to the ground, groaning and writhing in pain.

Despite the pain he felt, he flung his hand to the side, smacking the stick against the shin of one of the attackers. The man crumbled to the ground, screaming in agony. "I'll fucking kill you!"

"What the hell do you want?!" He asked, although he knew the answer. He stood to his feet, ready to smash someone's head when he felt a hand wrap around him from behind in a tight hold. Jin struggled against the restraint, pushing himself backwards and stumbling to the ground with his captor, but the hold on him didn't budge.

"Let me go!" He yelled, fighting against the man, lunging his elbows backwards to attack the man's ribs.

"Hurry!" The man holding him shouted out. "Do it now."

Jin watched in panic as the others rushed to the door to grab cans and started to pour the liquid all over the gas. "What are you doing?" He asked, heart racing. The smell hit him, the pungent smell of gasoline. "No. Don't. Stop!" He yelled, wriggling frantically. "Let me fucking go!"

Jimin rushed over to grab the can from one of them, but was shoved to the ground. He scurried away to the corner, fear masking his face. His lips quivered and his eyes looked traumatized. He was afraid.

Jin had never felt more helpless. How was this man able to overpower him like this? He had to get away from this restraint and stop this madness before it consumed everything.

He was still trying to fight himself out of the thug's when one of them walked up to him. He stared down at Jin, and said nothing. Jin stared back at him waiting for him to say something, do something but he didn't, he only looked at him like he was waiting for something.

The man behind him moved, and Jin looked back to see what he was doing but he had only shifted. When he returned his gaze to the other person, what he saw was his shoe, coming at his face.

**

His head throbbed.

Everything was black but maybe it was because his eyes were shut. But it felt different. It felt like his eyes were wide open and his was stumbling through a dark room.

He opened his mouth to speak but all that left his lips was a groan. Someone moved beside him. A hand touched his face. It was warm, kind. It felt like home. Jungkook? He wanted to speak but his throat felt tight.

"Jin," a distant voice called. It sounded like an echo in a big, empty room.

He tried to move his body but it weighed a ton, like a huge rock had fallen on top of him. Like he was trapped. He felt tears burn the back of his eyes and a whimper escaped the back of his throat.

A hand massaged his scalp soothingly, like one would do when applying oil to the head of a new born baby. With such delicateness, like they didn't want to hurt him. "Jin," the voice called again.

This time, his answer came from within. It was a hum, maybe audible, maybe not.

"Can you hear me?" He could, but who was asking. He fluttered his eyes but they fell shut instantly. "Jin?"

"Let him rest, babe," another voice said. It also sounded distant.

"It's my fault," the first voice said. "He's like this because of me. What would I have done? If they'd killed him, what would I have done?"

"It's not your fault, my love."

"I was meant to protect him. He's my baby. My brother. He needed me and I wasn't there for him. I should have been easier on him. I should have made him trust me. I was too hard on him so he left. If he had trusted me, he would have come to me and this wouldn't have happened." Hoseok? No.

"He trusted you, baby. He's a teenager and teenagers do questionable things. You can't take the blame for this."

"It's my fault," he insisted, his fingers still massaging into Jin's scalp. "It's my fault." Jin felt something hit his face, and then it trickled down the side. Whatever it was tickled his face, giving him the final boost to open his eyes, however difficult it was. "Jin."

He blinked, adjusting his vision to the dim light of the room. He groaned, turning his head to the side to meet Hoseok worried gaze on him. His eyes were red and puffy. "Hyung," he called raspily.

"Lazarus wakes," Namjoon said from behind Hoseok.

"How are you feeling?" Hoseok asked, brushing his thumb against Jin's forehead.

"Good."

"Liar," Hoseok said.

Jin chuckled, painfully. He winced.

"You received quite a beating, Jin," Namjoon said. "Why did you fight them?"

As opposed to standing by and watching them destroy Namjoon's business. "The club," he said.

"It's not worth your life," Namjoon said. "I love that club but it's just a club. It can be rebuilt anywhere, but you only get one body. One very battered, bloodied body."

"Stop scaring him," Hoseok said.

"He can take it," Namjoon said, rolling his eyes. But he looked down at Jin with a small smile. "Thank you, but don't ever do that again. Ever."

Slowly, Jin nodded. "Is Jimin okay?"

"He's fine. He left an hour ago, after Hoseok forced him to. He didn't want to leave until you woke up but I promised to call him as soon as you do, which I should now," Namjoon said, fetching his phone from his pocket and stepping to the side to call Jimin.

Jin released a deep breath. He was just happy everyone was okay. "Is he mad at me?" He asked Hoseok, swallowing thickly.

"Namjoon?" Hoseok asked, confused. "About what?"

"This happened because of me. The club was destroyed because of me. Because I angered Jungkook's parents, and now they're taking revenge on those that I love. He has to be mad at me. Hate me even a little. I'll understand because I deserve it."

"Do you not know Namjoon? He'd have burned down that club with his own hands if that was the key to your happiness. He's hurt, yes, as expected. But no, he's not angry at you. He doesn't hate you either," he answered. The he continued, "I'm not angry at you either."

"But you were."

"Yes. But not anymore, and I don't blame you for this."

"But you still want me to stay away from Jungkook."

"What I want is for you to stay away from anything that would put your life in danger," Hoseok said. "I don't want to lose you, not for Jungkook or anybody else. I know you love him but you have think about yourself. Are you willing to die for him?"

"I love him," he said, his voice breaking.

Hoseok shut his eyes. He let out a sigh, leaned down and pressed his lips to Jin's forehead before standing to his feet and leaving the room. Jin's heart broke as he watched Hoseok go.

Was it always this hard loving someone?

His felt a vibration by his side and reached for it, grabbing his phone. Bambam's name flashed across it. Hesitantly, he answered. "Bambam," he started. "I can't meet you today, I'm not in good-"

"Do you truly want to save Jungkook?"

He shut his eyes tight.

"Do you?"

"Yes. I do."

"This is the only way. Meet me in 10 minutes. I'll send the address."