☂ Chapter 17 ☂

Not to be rude, but Javi was a bitch.

Jimin groaned as he held an ice pack against his injured cheek. As much as he had to act cool, calm, and collected in the moment, Javi's punch had hurt like a bitch. He was a giant man with a frame as wide as Jungkook's, which meant the punch had hit like one of Jungkook's. If Jimin were being honest, when he had gotten hit, he had seen stars, and not in the fun way. He was sure he'd have a bruise for at least a week.

Jimin and Y/n were standing in the interrogation room on the dark side meant for observation. Kasper was the one with Javi, though they weren't speaking much. It was more of a staring contest. Kasper sat at the desk with Javi and tapped his fingers on the table, and that soft sound was the only thing that reminded Jimin the two were still alive.

"I don't get it," Jimin whispered as Y/n inspected his bruise. "Why not just interrogate him already? We're running out of time."

"We are?"

"The longer it takes to find who's behind this, the more kids suffer. That ship was our only real lead, but it's amounted to nothing. Javi at least gives us some hope."

"And then we do more fetch quests," Y/n said with a sigh. "It's not looking good, is it?"

Jimin didn't need to answer. They both knew the truth. The child trafficking case had gone nowhere. It was beyond frustrating; it was infuriating. All Jimin wanted was to find the "mastermind" behind the trafficking and get to the bottom of it before any other kids were hurt. Jimin, above all else, needed to know where those kids were heading and why they were heading the way they-

Wait. That was it.

They had been so focused on gaining names that they hadn't put much thought into the actual location of where the kids were going. Why were they on that boat to begin with? Granted, Jimin hadn't been at most of the interrogations, so it was possible they had been through that question a million times, but they hadn't been through it with Javi. Not yet, anyway.

"What? What's your idea?" Y/n asked as if she could read his mind.

"What if we focus less on the who and more on the where? Think about it—this whole time, we've gotten smaller leads like Javi's name, but what about where the kids were going? Instead of asking why they were on that ship, ask where they were going. There's a chance the person or group behind this doesn't even live in New York."

"We've been asking that, but no one answers. At this point, I'll take any lead, whether it's a name, location... anything, really."

Jimin felt the same way. However, he had countless pressing matters on his mind. June was in the forefront. If not because Jimin missed him, then because the trafficking situation reminded him that June could be at risk. It wasn't like the boy had anyone looking out for him anymore.

Second was Jungkook. There was no telling how much longer Jungkook had to prove himself a worthy captain, and Jimin made it his personal responsibility to keep Jungkook in charge. Yes, Jimin and Jungkook had their differences, but Jimin considered them brothers. Watching Jungkook drown himself in depression caused powerlessness to seep through Jimin's veins. He wished he could bite his skin and tear the emotion out of him, but for the time being, he had to stay strong. For Jungkook.

Third was all the other crimes NYPD went through on a daily basis. Hoseok and Seulgi were buried under their paperwork since the department had given much of it to the basement crew. With more violent crimes happening recently, the basement crew had to deal with the small stuff while the big leagues dealt with, well, the big stuff. Holidays brought out more crimes, and as they approached the core of the holiday season (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas), Jimin knew they'd have an abundance of violence on their hands.

Lastly, Y/n. The woman next to him had a more compassionate gaze than he remembered. She stood far closer than she needed to. His mind couldn't forget what she had said at the restaurant about wanting to be in his bed. He couldn't tell if that was a joke or not, but if she meant it, he'd gladly put her back in that wheelchair-

Jimin, enough. Calm down.

He scolded himself and sulked in the corner over his rampant thoughts. There were too many voices in his head, and none of them got the attention they deserved. His feelings for Y/n was the only thing he could think of at that moment. Not because the others weren't important, but rather because she brushed her hand by his.

"How are you?" she asked. As if she got struck by a lightning bolt of boldness, she slipped her hand into his and kissed the back of it.

How in the living fuck could she just casually ask How are you and then do that? Was Jimin supposed to reply verbally, or was he supposed to kiss the shit out of her? Both sounded like fantastic options, though he decided to clear his throat and not make out in the interrogation room. That'd be a bit unprofessional. Just a bit.

"Not great. I can't believe I got punched in the face for nothing."

"It wasn't for nothing," she whispered, giving him a soft smile. "I got a kick out of it."

"I'm so glad you found my pain entertaining."

She chuckled and leaned on him while still holding his hand. The silence in the room created serenity, as did the warmth radiating off Y/n and onto him. Her hair fell on his shoulder, and he adored the way she looked all nuzzled up against him.

Their quietness carried on. Jimin wouldn't complain; he got the chance to hold a beautiful woman who cared about him. What man in his right mind would ever complain about that?

Jimin took a risk and kissed the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her to pull her up against his chest. She jumped at the contact, but she didn't back away. If anything, she came closer, and soon enough, their eyes locked. Her hand slipped out of his and instead pressed against his cheek. Not the bruised one, though Jimin wouldn't mind if she did.

At that moment, Jimin let the ice pack drop. It clattered on the floor. Jimin didn't care if it shattered or not. Somehow, Y/n didn't bother with flinching, and she focused on him. Her irises sparkled and danced under the dim light of the interrogation room. They were filled with color, like the flashing lights of Times Square at midnight. Though if Jimin were to compare, he'd say Y/n's eyes were far more pleasant to stare at.

"Dinner," he said before he could stop himself, and he panicked when he realized he said it out loud.

He opened and closed his mouth over and over, but Y/n stayed quiet and waited for him to clarify what he meant. He had a feeling she already knew, she just liked seeing him suffer. That meant he had to speak, otherwise it'd be awkward. And the last thing he wanted was for her to move away from him and deprive him of her warmth.

Jimin cleared his throat. "Go to dinner with me."

"Is that a request or a demand?" she asked with amusement, poking at his chest.

He huffed like a toddler. "Please? I'll pay-"

"I'll go," she interrupted with a fast nod. "Free food? Sign. Me. Up."

Jimin stomped his little foot and went to retaliate, but a win was a win, so he shut up and accepted the victory. Although he couldn't tell if the only reason she was going was because of free food or not, at least he got a chance to prove himself worthy of her attention-

"Hey, and..." She paused to give him a light nudge. "Maybe I want to go to dinner with you too."

Fuck yes.

Jimin bounced despite himself and had to cough to cover up his oopsie daisy moment. She laughed at him, but he couldn't be angry about it. Her cute little laugh made his heart go boom boom, and it was what he needed after a long day of being a therapist for Jungkook and fighting criminals.

And not eating. That too. Jimin still hadn't had a meal, and it was late evening. He had begun his day during lunchtime with Jungkook, then it descended into the Javi situation, with Kasper being the same bitch as always. However, all Jimin had to do was stand there with Y/n and oversee the interrogation. Jimin and Y/n had been vital to the arrest of Javi, so they had been told to stick around for some of the interrogation. Once that was over, he could eat.

"Do you recognize any of these photos?" Kasper's voice said. Finally, after waiting for ages, the interrogation had begun. Jimin had a feeling no new information would arise, and part of him hoped he could leave the scene early.

Jimin ignored Kasper's interrogation and whipped his head around to Y/n. "Do you have any nice dresses? Dark ones, preferably."

"I grew up in the hood. What do you think?"

Alright, that was fair. Jimin was an idiot for even asking. However, he had a plan in mind. His salary wasn't the best, but he had plenty of savings both from his days in Busan and from his time in NYC. That led to him having enough to treat her well. And that night, he would.

Jimin dug into his coat and fished out his wallet. Upon grabbing the leather item, he whipped out his credit card and shoved it in her hands.

"Pin is 0613. Buy something nice. I'll text you where to meet me."

Y/n's eyes bulged. "You're... giving me your credit card?"

"Temporarily. Just to buy a nice dress. You'll need it for tonight, where I'm taking you has a dress code."

She snickered and took the card, then she came closer. Kasper's voice kept going on and on in the background, but Javi never once replied, which meant they were as screwed as they were when they had begun. However, Jimin couldn't bring himself to worry about it. Not when he was A) starving and B) face-to-face with the woman he was falling for.

"You know," she said with a smile. "I'd be happy if we just went to Wendy's and shared a frosty."

He blew a raspberry and mimicked her actions from earlier: he kissed the back of her hand. "I know, but I want to treat you like a queen tonight."

"Just tonight? Not every other night?"

He sighed and shook his head. "I'm trying to be romantic."

"Please, keep going." She giggled and waggled her brows. "I'm enjoying the show."

It was heartwarming to see her having fun. Her entire life had been spent in misery, and if Jimin could bring her joy, he would cherish it. He would do everything in his power to keep her safe and happy. When she had gotten shot all that time ago, he had never felt so much fear. Even Irene's worsening condition hadn't given him the same turmoil Y/n's near-death experience had. That was what had Jimin making up his mind: he'd protect her.

No matter what it took.

☂☂☂

Jimin had gotten dolled up.

Eyeliner sat on his lids along with a glittery lip gloss that made his plump lips appear smoother than they already were. A touch of black eyeshadow decorated him, and he had his hair slicked back. The blonde dye was almost nonexistent and seemed more like highlights than a recolor. He would redye his precious locks at some point that week, but he was happy with how he looked.

He sat in his cruiser and observed himself in the rearview mirror. He had a blazer on that matched his makeup, and he wore suspenders over his white button down. His dress pants tied the whole outfit together, and his shoes were pointy and had two-inch heels that would click clack the second he stepped outside.

The restaurant he had chosen was called Daniel, and it was a fine dining French restaurant almost half an hour away from 1PP. No, not Daniel's, just Daniel. It was a Michelin 2-star place, and Jimin had trouble getting reservations until he pulled the I'm a cop card. He had to send a picture of ID and everything. Although he didn't like using his status as an officer to cut in line, yes he absolutely did. He worked his ass off to be an officer, and if it got him rewards like reservations at elegant restaurants, you bet your left ass cheek he was gonna use it.

It was so fancy that weddings were hosted there multiple times per month. That night, the restaurant would be packed. Luckily, rich people weren't too loud and had that type of laugh that screamed I have money, so hopefully he wouldn't have any trouble hearing Y/n's sweet voice.

After double-checking his appearance, Jimin departed his vehicle and received a few glances from the patrons entering the building wearing fancier attire than Jimin had ever seen in his life. The women had their hair in crazy updos while the men had fake mustaches that almost passed as real, though Jimin's police training had taught him to be as observant as possible. More observant than the average person.

Jimin made his way to the glass doors and spotted Y/n waiting outside for him. He stiffened, and his jaw slacked. With her elbow-length dark gloves, she pulled at the edges of her A-line gown that was a sparkly black, and she had a gorgeous silver necklace and rings to match. Quite literally, she was glowing in the moonlight. A purse dangled on her elbow, and her dress had a sweetheart neckline that showed off her neck.

Right away, Jimin took off his jacket and rushed up to her, resting it on her shoulders. It was fall, and New York was known for being chilly around that time of year. As soon as the fabric exited his body, a gust of wind brushed by his skin, which caused goosebumps to form on his arms. They were covered by his long sleeves. At least that meant she wouldn't feel bad about it.

"Park Jimin being a gentleman?" she asked with wide eyes. "Jimin, it's a two step walk inside, I think I'll live."

He pouted and gave her puppy eyes. "Can't you let me do anything nice?"

She didn't even hesitate. "No."

With a grumble, Jimin entwined his arm with hers and led her inside the fancy establishment. Inside was the dining room with more chandeliers than Jimin could count. The tables were round with white tablecloths. All of them had extravagant flower-themed centerpieces with little fake candles interwoven between the various petals. The tables were large enough for eight to twelve people, though Jimin had reserved a table for two in the corner so there was less chance of them being disturbed.

"Wow," she said while glancing around the high ceiling that was pure white, but in the dim light the chandeliers provided, it was almost a mix between white and beige. "This looks like a stereotypical rich place."

Jimin couldn't disagree, though his wallet was hurting just looking at it. It had been his decision to take her to Daniel, so he didn't regret it. Mostly, anyway-

She did a small bounce and tugged on his arm. "I love it!"

Scratch that, he didn't regret it at all. Seeing her giggle and smile sent his heart into a spiral, and it jumped between his heels to his throat to his stomach. It didn't stop until they were led to their seats by staff. Jimin pulled out Y/n's chair for her, and she snorted at his mannerisms before accepting the gesture. Jimin plopped down across from her and had trouble viewing her over the giant flower centerpiece.

They both laughed at the absurdity of it all. They weren't rich; if anything, they were out of place with or without the fancy clothes. But it was fun. More fun than Jimin had in quite some time.

"So, what are we gonna get? I'm thinking a cheeseburger with fries," she said with a grin.

He snickered. "It's a four-course meal. I think you'd get kicked out if you asked for a cheeseburger."

"I'd love to see them try."

Their waiter brought them water and moved the centerpiece out of the way so Jimin and Y/n could interact easier. Stupidly, Jimin ordered the most expensive champagne for them. Jimin's bank account would have a word with him later, but he didn't care. He hadn't spent much money over the past few years. He lived in a shitty apartment and didn't travel, and even in Korea he hadn't done much outside of taking care of June. That meant he had enough saved for one splurge dinner. But just one.

"Can you afford this?" she asked.

"If you give me back my credit card, yeah."

She cursed and grabbed it from out of her purse. With a sheepish smile, she handed it back to him. "Thank you for letting me borrow it. You really didn't have to."

"I insist. I need to make it up to you. It wasn't like I was the best person to you when we first met."

"And now."

"I- hey!"

Y/n laughed at his expense, and he crossed his arms over his chest. Before he could rebuttal her claim, the waiter came back with the champagne, and Jimin had to admit it looked incredible. The waiter poured the bubbly liquid into their glasses. It was a sweet champagne as opposed to a dry one. Jimin had always preferred sweet over dry, and he hoped Y/n was the same way, but considering she didn't have money growing up, he doubted she did enough drinking to know what the difference was.

The waiter left as soon as he came and allowed Y/n and Jimin to enjoy their drinks. He waited and watched Y/n take her first sip. When she did, she recoiled and sniffed it three times in a row. Then, she took another sip. Then another. Another.

"Like it?" he asked with a teasing smile.

She shot him a glare but ended up downing hers in less than a minute. Champagne wasn't meant to be chugged, yet she did it anyway as if she were drinking beer at a college party. That led to him taking a sample of his, pretending he didn't like it, and handing it off to her.

She took it, but not without giving him a head tilt. "What are you doing?"

"I don't like it, but I don't want that money to go to waste, so..."

"You're lying."

He narrowed his eyes. "Like hell I am, I love alcohol, why would I lie about it?"

"Your nose scrunches when you lie."

On instinct, he went to feel his nose and see if any scrunching was going on. There wasn't, and horror filled his expression when he realized he had been played. No wonder why Y/n became a cop.

She handed the drink back to him. "I appreciate you spoiling me, but this is your day too. Enjoy yourself."

He already was. Sitting across from her was both a privilege and a blessing. It had been so long since he had any romantic feelings for anyone, and having her agree to a date with him was beyond euphoric. Irene had been the last person he had ever considered romance with, but even then, Irene wasn't his type and he never would have pursued anything with her. It was more of a circumstantial thing than an actual love. He loved her as a mentor and a friend, and he had been raising her kid, so that was where his feelings sparked from. Y/n, though? She was fun, innocent, and determined. All traits he had come to adore about her.

"Or maybe spoiling you brings me enjoyment and you should take the drink," he said, handing it back over. "I insist."

She glanced at the drink, then at him, then back to the drink. "Only if you let me spoil you later."

"I won't say no to that."

That convinced her to snatch the glass, only that time she drank it far slower. She didn't take her gaze off him as she sipped from it and made soft mmm noises. He shifted in his chair and folded his legs together, and he had to peek around the room instead of looking at her.

Okay, shut up, Jimin was still a man. And when an attractive woman was all dressed up and making moaning noises across from him, it was hard for his mind to stay pure, but for her sake, he did his best.

"This is so good," Y/n said in a dragged out voice, and when he peered at her, she gave him an innocent expression and even batted her eyelashes. "It tastes warm and sticky-"

"Ew. Are you fucking it or drinking it?"

She smirked and finished the champagne off, then licked her lips and leaned back in her chair. His jacket was still wrapped around her shoulders, and she snuggled into it. Seeing the way it framed her had his heart spiraling again. That time, he managed to hold it at bay long enough to keep speaking.

"Now that you're done doing... that, do you have any theories on the case?"

She chuckled. "Officer Park, are you asking about the job while we're on a date? How romantic."

So much for holding his heart at bay. As soon as the word date slipped by her tongue, Jimin stalled, and his sweaty hands pressed against the tablecloth. Stains of moisture were left there, but he didn't care enough to attempt to clean it up.

"You consider this a date?"

"You don't?" she asked back with a quirked brow. "Then why'd you ask me to dinner?"

"I... I mean, I like you." Jimin slapped a hand over his mouth, then, he grunted and rubbed his fingers against the side of his temple. "I haven't had a relationship in a long time, but maybe I want to try something with you. Slowly. I-If you're okay with that-"

"Jimin," she interrupted with a giggle. "I'd like to try us too. Slowly. I'm not used to this either, so we can figure it out together. How does that sound?"

All at once, gushy feelings of high school love flowed inside him. He wished he could get up and dance. Although there would be some troubles down the line with him having romantic feelings for his future partner, he didn't worry about that. Instead, he focused on her. Her beautiful smile and glittering irises. That caused him to laugh and open his mouth to reply.

"Okay."

☂☂☂

A/N: Remember to vote if you haven't already!

Reminder that I'm on break due to real life circumstances. I am trying my best to get updates out at a consistent pace. I want to finish this story soon so I can focus on A Demon's Sin, but as I am in finals season, it may be hard. I'll keep you updated.

Thanks for reading!