Click the star if you want a bear hug from Jimin.

☂ Chapter 15 ☂

Weeks went by.

Jimin's arm became usable again. The shooting in Times Square stayed on the news and left a stain on NYPD's reputation. Jungkook had gotten reprimanded and was given one last chance to turn the department around. Jimin hadn't known how to help, which led to him taking more jobs than usual with his bestie Kasper. Not that it mattered. Unlike Busan, NYC was swarming with crime. One completed case meant nothing. For every one case done, a dozen more piled up until they swam in their own failures.

"You're brooding," Jungkook said, which snapped Jimin out of his thoughts.

The chatter from fellow restaurant patrons nibbled on his ears. Waitresses dressed in over-the-top cowgirl outfits zoomed by. Their sneakers creaked on the wooden floors and their obnoxious hats bounced on their heads. All of them carried trays of beer over to the men who hooted and hollered whenever a woman so much as breathed in their direction. Jimin found it sickening, but apparently the restaurant was Jungkook's favorite place.

In a way, Jimin could see why, and not just because it was right down the street from the station. There was a jukebox that suffered from interference almost every song it played, the bar had horseshoe stools, and there were more horse paintings than menus. Speaking of which, the menu was simplistic but featured many southern dishes Jungkook had taken a liking to. Ever since Jungkook had arrived in NYC, he had discovered his love for cornbread and mac and cheese. Jimin preferred Panda Express, but who was he to judge?

"Just thinking," Jimin said before taking a sip of his Miller Lite. It was disgusting. Jimin saw it as a cheap excuse for beer. Quite literally, it was watered down alcohol pretending to possess a taste.

Jimin's chair was more like a rocking chair from the way it squeaked every time he made the smallest of moves. The table was no better. Why did the restaurant feel the need to make everything wooden? Jimin couldn't stand the constant creaks, and it didn't help that the people were irritating and ate with their mouths open.

There was one redeeming quality: the smell. Nothing beat the scent of melting cheese as waitresses brought mountains of mac out from the kitchen. Of course, the kitchen was hidden behind swinging saloon doors. There was a cowboy hat hung above the entrance, and some of the men made it a challenge to see who was tall enough to poke it. Not many could, not even Jungkook.

"You've been putting off our conversation for weeks now," Jimin said as he leaned forward. Jungkook sipped from his chilled glass but didn't take his eyes off his menu. "Hello? Earth to Jungkook?"

Jungkook hesitated. "What if I promoted you to detective?"

Country music blasted from the jukebox, burping men laughed and banged their fists on their tables whenever someone told a joke, and waitresses clapped their hands to keep the energy in the restaurant up, yet after Jungkook fired out those words, Jimin felt as though New York City went quiet.

Jimin had to chug the rest of his beer to find the strength to reply. "Excuse me?"

"NYPD is sinking," Jungkook said as he set the menu down, revealing his walkie-talkie on the table right in front of him. "The trafficking case is colder than Buffalo, and the shooting in Times Square certainly didn't help. If I'm getting fired, I'm making damn sure I give you what you deserve before I go."

"I deserve it?"

"You were at the center of the trafficking case, you helped solve the shooting while injured, you've been picking up more cases than half of the damn department. If anything, it's insulting I haven't given it to you yet." Jungkook paused to take a sip of his drink. Foam got on his upper lip, and he licked it up with a sigh. "I promoted Y/n to officer."

"Shit, already?"

"Just like you, she's earned it. I'll make her your partner again once I promote you." Jungkook stopped and glanced around Jimin's face. His eyes darted from one end to the other as if Jimin was a science project. "What happened between you and her?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb. Not too long ago, you two couldn't be in the same room together. What happened to that?"

They were interrupted by a woman strolling over to them with her hips thrusting from side to side and her checkered red and white shirt barely hiding her chest. Jimin did a mental gag before concealing himself behind the menu.

"Hi there," she said in a ridiculous southern accent. Although Jimin was far from a native English speaker, much less an American, he knew the accent was fake. "Y'all ready to order?"

"My usual, please," Jungkook said. When Jimin didn't say anything, Jungkook smacked Jimin's menu with his own. Jimin grunted and set the item down before turning to the woman with a tight smile.

She was the stereotypical blue eyed blonde haired beauty with waves in her hair that shaped her face and showed off her sharp cheekbones. Her lips were smeared in pink gloss, and she smelled of a mixture of beer and mac and cheese.

"Chicken and dumplings."

She didn't need a notepad for them. After snatching their menus, she left as fast as she came, and Jimin slumped back in his seat and kicked at the ground when it made a creaky sound.

"What's up with you?" Jungkook asked, quirking a brow. Jimin averted his eyes, but he could feel Jungkook's smirk. "Uh oh, are other women not appealing to you anymore? Our waitress is pretty hot, Jimin."

"Not my type."

"You like ass. She has ass."

Jimin huffed. "I wasn't looking. She has enough attention, she doesn't need mine too."

"Right. I'm sure this has nothing to do with your feelings for a certain someone," Jungkook said in a high-pitched, lovey-dovey tone. When Jimin peeked back at Jungkook, he saw the Captain was batting his eyelashes and making a kissy face.

"Ew, stop, you're disgusting. And it's not like that. Y/n and I are just friends."

Jungkook's smirk only grew. "When did I mention Y/n?"

Jimin kicked him under the table and didn't care how much it hurt. Not knowing what else to do, Jimin took Jungkook's glass and downed it since he had already chugged his own beer. The empty container hit the table. Jimin lapped up every last drop off his lips and made an 'ah' noise when he was done.

"So," Jungkook said, smiling. "You and Y/n celebrated Chuseok together?"

"We did."

"At your apartment?"

Jimin poked his tongue against his cheek. That gave Jungkook his answer.

"It's about time you tried for a relationship. You had, what, one back in Busan?" Jungkook asked with a chuckle.

"Two. My high school sweetheart counts."

"Didn't you break up after a week?"

Jimin crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. He didn't care if it made him look like a baby. A giggle left Jungkook's mouth. It was hard to hear over the noisy atmosphere, but Jimin appreciated it. Seeing Jungkook enjoy himself was a rare treat Jimin feasted on every chance he could.

"Hey," Jimin said, leaning across the table to nudge Jungkook's shoulder. "Enough about me. What's going on, bud?"

Jungkook's eye bags had doubled since the last time Jimin and him had a one-on-one conversation. Shirts began to sag on Jungkook, and there were wrinkles near the bottom half of everything he wore. His police uniform had its badge pinned upside down.

Jungkook clicked his tongue. "I'm hungry all the time."

"Why?"

"I keep forgetting to bring lunch to work." Jungkook lifted his arms and motioned to the restaurant. "This is my solution, but my shitty captain salary isn't great at funding daily lunch breaks."

"Why didn't you tell me? I'll bring you lunch."

Jungkook picked at his thumb's nail. "You care enough to do that?"

"Kook, of course I do. We may not agree on everything, but you're like my brother. If you need a daily lunch, I'll gladly make you one."

Jungkook peeped up with his doe-like eyes. "Will you make me cornbread?"

"Alright, don't push it," Jimin said, and after, they laughed.

Their waitress came back with refills for their beers, though it was questionable that either of them were drinking. Jimin had the day off, but Jungkook was a captain. Jungkook technically never had off. Being a police officer meant drinking was limited at best. Abstinence was the way to go for most officers; however, Jimin would rather saw off his hand with a two-hundred year old sword than give up drinking.

Jungkook's radio went off, and he groaned before grabbing it. "What seems to be the problem? Over."

"Captain, I heard you went out for lunch with my partner. Over," Kasper's voice said, and Jimin sunk in his chair and made a rapid shaking head motion to Jungkook.

"Sorry, I can't lie," Jungkook whispered before shifting his attention to his device. "I have him with me, yes. Why? Over."

"He needs to come back to the station, I found something. Over."

"It's my day off," Jimin said in a whine. He stomped on the ground like a baby throwing a temper tantrum. "Can't he show Seulgi or Hoseok instead?"

Jungkook clicked on his radio. "Why does it need to be Jimin? Over."

"I figured he'd want to know. It's about the trafficking case. Over."

Just like that, Jimin downed his drink, grabbed his jacket, and launched up. He shimmied his way into his trench coat and shoved his hands into his fluffy black gloves. His all-black outfit made him appear more emo than normal, but winter in New York was brutal. NYC wasn't as bad as upstate New York, but the temperatures were far from pleasant.

"You coming with?" Jimin asked as he buttoned his coat.

"I'd rather be locked in a room with Kasper for an hour than miss my cornbread." Jungkook grinned. For once, it looked genuine. "Go ahead, it sounds important. Maybe it'll save my job."

Jimin slowed his motions and watched Jungkook rub his fingers around the side of his glass. Silence hovered above them. Jimin stepped forward and placed his hand on Jungkook's shoulder to massage it. Much to his awe, Jungkook leaned into it.

"It's okay, Captain. We'll take care of you. I'll take care of you," Jimin murmured, giving Jungkook a quick squeeze. "I promise."

Jungkook sniffled and nodded. "You're a good man, Jimin."

"So are you, sir."

Jungkook swiveled toward him and snickered. "You'd be even better if you grew a pair and asked Y/n out."

"Oh come on, we were having a moment," Jimin said in a cry, but that resulted in Jungkook snickering more. Jimin decided to leave before it got worse. On the way out, Jimin heard Jungkook's amusement. That made going out to lunch with him worth it.

The drive back to 1PP was serene to say the least. There were no gunshots, no screaming women crying about their purses being stolen, no punk ass kids throwing snowballs at Jimin's cruiser. It was as if the God Jimin didn't believe in was giving him a break.

When Jimin parked in the garage, he noticed there were few officers around. A slow day in New York City was a rarity. It was as rare as Yoongi starting a conversation with Jimin. Wait, shit. Jimin still owed Yoongi tangerines. Dammit.

1PP welcomed Jimin as he entered it. As always, it smelled like donuts and coffee with the occasional scent of chili and cheese hotdogs floating around. New York street food was an officer's best friend. Not only did they often get free food from the vendors, but they got to peek at the newspapers the stands had. All of them were inaccurate when it came to crime. Granted, the writers couldn't possibly know that seeing as they weren't police officers, but Jimin found it funny nonetheless. Whenever crime occurred, the department concealed information from the press. Sometimes complete honesty was a bad thing.

Jimin went to the basement and greeted any officers that walked within what Jimin considered the greeting distance (ten feet away from him). As soon as he was there, he spotted Hoseok, no Seulgi. He was click-clacking away on his computer. Half of his ass was in the air since he leaned so close to the screen it looked as though he was about to fall off his chair.

Jimin cleared his throat and kept his voice low as to not startle him. "Hobi, where's Kasper?"

"Jimin?" Hoseok asked, whipping his head around. "Isn't it your day off?"

"Tell me about it. Kasper said something about needing to see me. It's about the trafficking case."

"Oh, then he's probably in interrogation." As soon as Hobi finished speaking, he nibbled on his nails and went back to peering at his screen.

Jimin trotted his way over and stood behind him. Nothing appeared on the computer screen. The NYPD logo gazed back at Jimin. No files, no paperwork, no updates—nothing.

"Hoseok, you know you aren't getting paid to stare at your wallpaper, right?"

Hobi jumped and threw a hand over his chest. "Jesus, I thought you left."

"That would make your life too easy, but come on, you're not getting out of this. What's wrong?"

"Well..." Hoseok slumped back in his chair and gnawed on his lower lip. "My sister's in town."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Yeah, of course," Hoseok said before sighing and continuing to gnaw on his lip. "It's just... she's pregnant, Jimin."

Jimin's eyes almost burst from his head. "Oh shit, you're gonna be an uncle! Congratulations, man!"

Jimin clapped the back of Hoseok's shoulder, but the man didn't seem to share Jimin's joy. If anything, that made Hobi lower his head more.

The basement's musty atmosphere pressed on Jimin's chest. Seeing Hoseok in any type of despair broke the entire basement team of 1PP. Hoseok was the sunshine who could smile through a gunshot wound, yet there he was, clasping his hands together as if praying and sinking so far in his seat that he could disappear if he went any farther.

"In all the time I've been an officer, I don't think I've dealt with a case this fucked up," Hoseok whispered, and the use of the curse made Jimin stiffen. "We've seen our fair share of child abuse, sure, but nothing on this scale. With my sister being pregnant, I... I don't know..." Hoseok sucked in a breath through his nose. He sounded congested. "I'm scared. More scared than I ever was. I thought being an officer would make me fearless, but here I am, just as terrified as always."

Comforting others was Jimin's specialty. One bear hug from him would cure their sadness. Sometimes they even smiled by the time Jimin was done. However, in Hoseok's case, Jimin couldn't think of a method to help. Hoseok being drained of light was unfathomable. Of course the department, and Hoseok, had been through rough times, but Jimin had never seen Hoseok so hopeless.

"What if she gets hurt? What if we can't stop the bad guys and save the day like all those movies say we can?" Hoseok asked. His voice dipped and turned more and more with each word. "I'm sorry, I'm supposed to be the optimist."

"Hobi, you're allowed to feel this way. You're allowed to have rough days. That's what we're here for, okay? We're here to help. Seulgi, Y/n, and me. Without the sun, Earth would die." Jimin paused to smile. "So we need to take care of it, right?"

Hoseok laughed. "Yeah, you're right."

"I always am," Jimin said with a wink. He patted Hobi on the back before stepping away. "I'll be back soon. Don't get too lonely without me."

"I miss you already, Park."

Jimin chuckled as he left the room and made his way to the interrogation sector. It was all the way on the other side of 1PP. Walking didn't bother Jimin. After seeing Y/n in a wheelchair, it made him appreciate his ability to use his legs. Y/n wasn't in one anymore and had started physical therapy last week, but that didn't change Jimin's feelings. He knew to never take walking for granted ever again.

The interrogation sector was dark and smelled like rotting garbage. Cigarette butts littered the floor and the ceiling lights flickered as Jimin strolled by. He kept his hands in his pockets as he went to the nearest door, which was the primary interrogation room. Inside was the classic one-way window that peered into the blank room beyond that had a metal table and two chairs, one for the interrogator, and one for the unlucky soul receiving the questions.

Kasper was there, leaning against the window. Jimin kicked the door shut and approached in time to see a man sitting in the room attached to the one Kasper and Jimin stayed in.

"He cracked," Kasper said. He had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth despite 1PP being a smoke-free building. "Gave us a location to investigate. A name, too. Javier. No last name."

Jimin came over and plucked the drug out of Kasper's mouth. It fell to the ground, and Jimin stomped on it to put it out. He held up his hand before Kasper could say anything and peeked through the window. The man sitting there had his knees tucked against his chest and his rattling eyes on the table. His knees made his face look all puffed up like a pufferfish, and his dark hair was frizzy and covering his entire forehead.

"How'd you get him to talk?"

"I made him an offer he couldn't refuse," Kasper said with a cough. "That was my last cigarette."

"That doesn't answer my question."

Kasper pushed Jimin back. "I said, that was my last cigarette."

"Tell me how you got him to talk and I'll buy you a pack."

Kasper narrowed his eyes, then nodded. "His lawyer and I made a protection plan to keep him safe. Armed escorts, always being put near cameras, never left alone for too long, the whole nine yards. None of the suspects are talkin' since they think they'll be killed, so we offer them protection..."

"They speak," Jimin finished, making an 'ah' noise when he realized it. "We should tell Hoseok and Seulgi. The more these suspects talk, the closer we are to finding who's behind this mess."

"Whatever. We're going to investigate the name he gave me, and on the way, you're buying me that pack."

Jimin smiled and patted Kasper's shoulder. "I lied, and I'm not going anywhere with you."

Jimin stalked on by and went to the door, but Kasper clearing his throat caused Jimin to freeze. As much as he wanted to ignore Kasper and go back to the restaurant, he knew he couldn't storm away, not when development had been made on the trafficking case. Days off meant little to Jimin anymore. Even when he was curled up in bed, he was thinking about all the children getting hurt by the shadow figure or figures pulling all the strings.

"Fine, but we bring Y/n."

"Is she cleared for active duty?" Kasper asked.

"Light duty, but yes. She wouldn't want to miss this."

It was a strategic decision. Kasper and Jimin weren't exactly best buds. On a case as important as the trafficking one, Jimin knew he needed a peacemaker there. Well, Y/n was a bit... violent. Her methods were extreme and she put the job before anything else. For Christ's sake, the last time she was on active duty she got herself shot by following more gunmen than any lone officer could take. It was brave. Stupid, but brave. Jimin would give her credit: she was ambitious.

Kasper made a sound that resembled a grunt. "Let's go."

The old man left the room before Jimin could utter another word. He didn't bother closing the door behind him. Jimin watched him go. If Kasper wanted to be a grumpy old man, Jimin had no issue with that. After all, their partnership was temporary. Jimin's partner would be Y/n soon enough. The very thought brought warmth and tingles to his skin. He relished in it and found himself grinning, and once it crinkled his eyes, he forced himself to go back to a neutral expression, though it was more of a horrified one.

What the fuck was wrong with him?

☂☂☂

Road to 1k followers! Thank you guys so much for all your support, I really appreciate it. I hope to reach 1k by the end of February!

I'm still working on stories, and I hope to release a new one around the time I reach 1k to celebrate the massive milestone! Here are two of the stories I'm currently working on:

A Demon's Sin: Incubus Jimin x reader. Toxic relationship that makes Jimin x Y/n in Like Crazy look like a Disney couple. Yeah, I don't think I really need to explain lmao.

Arrogance: A complete overhaul/remake of my first major BTS fanfic (not available on Wattpad). It's a Jungkook x reader story. Storyline will be different, characters will be different, themes will be different, etc.

Let's keep going strong! Almost at 1k, this is so unreal. Thank you to everyone who has been sharing my profile and going above and beyond to help me get to 1k followers, I really appreciate you!