Trust me, no one wants this story updated more than I do. Like, seriously. I want this story to be finished since we are SO close to the end, and I'm just about done with it. So I understand why people want this story to be updated because I want it updated more than you. Police officer Park Jimin makes me so feral that I literally have an entire new police officer AU planned for him.

All of this is to say this story is still one of my top priorities, it's just been very difficult recently due to financial hardships this past month, my vacation in July giving me two weeks off, and my schedule just being chaotic in general.

I'll be finishing this story ASAP since it's not a long book, and as soon as I do, Nionna (a fantasy PJM x reader, forbidden love trope) will be released, as promised.

Hope you enjoy this update, and I will likely be posting all the final chapters of TCFB together. This will hopefully be the final individual update, and the next update will finish the book. There are 27 total chapters, so you'll get four chapters at once, hopefully.

Also, happy BTS anniversary to me. Seven years ago today, I found BTS. Yes, on Jungkook's birthday. I know, the stars aligned. He was my first real bias, too... that purple hair in Dope changed my life, okay???

☂ Chapter 23 ☂

Jimin had a bad feeling about this.

Okay, yes, that was a Star Wars reference to play into the bad guy's name also being a Star Wars reference, but it didn't change how true it was: the situation was out of control. Child trafficking was already a terrible enough situation, but to know they were inches away from the man behind the crime was beyond nerve-wracking. If anything, Jimin felt like he was about to piss his pants.

They were in Central Park with the sun shining. Seulgi, Hoseok, and other officers crowded the scene with their weapons held up and their handcuffs dangling by their sides. The man who had caused so much harm was there, right in their reach. He sat on a wooden bench overlooking the river. The gentle waves in the water reflected the gleaming ball of fire in the sky, blinding Jimin for a beat before he stepped through the crowd of police and pressed his boots on the grass that smelled like it had been cut ten minutes ago.

"Remember what happened the last time every officer focused on one mission?" Jimin asked the group of over a dozen men and women behind him. It was already silent enough, but his voice seemed to quiet everyone. Chirping birds came to a halt, as did the distant chatter from other park-goers. "Officer Kang, Officer Jung, Officer L/n, and I will handle this. Everyone else, go back on patrol and be ready for action. You think he's sitting there, waiting to get arrested, for no reason? Radio Captain Jeon and get him here. Otherwise, don't crowd the scene."

The officers hesitated, but they listened, dispersing to give Jimin space to work. He ran a hand through his messy blonde locks before turning to Seulgi, who was behind the nearest tree with her pistol out. Hoseok, for once, wasn't making heart eyes at her and instead focused on the man sitting not too far away. "Revan" was out of earshot, but Jimin could see the slicked back hair that matched the description Jungkook showed them.

"Why's he sitting there?" Jimin asked as him and Y/n approached the dynamic duo.

Trees surrounded the space, but down the small slope was a clearing for the bench to sit, undisturbed by the officers clamoring in the background. The Star Wars man didn't turn to glance at them. Jimin didn't know if that relieved him or not.

Seulgi nibbled on her lower lip before answering. "Not sure. We didn't approach him yet, just set a perimeter so he can't escape."

"Well, I doubt he's sitting in broad daylight because he wants to turn himself in. I'll talk to him. Y/n, take the left flank. Hobi, take the right. Seulgi, stay in the back and brief Jungkook when he gets here. If you see anything suspicious, shout."

The group agreed to Jimin's terms, and Jimin readied himself for what was to come. As soon as he did, he approached the bench and stopped by the man's side. Yeah, the picture was right: he had the slicked back, dark hair matched with a single strand hanging in front of his face. Though what the picture failed to capture was the bags under his eyes and the wrinkles weighing down his saggy cheeks. If Jimin weren't told the man was on the younger side, he'd assume he was a grandpa. All that was missing was the cane and the get off my lawn shirt.

Although there was space on the bench, Jimin chose to stand, his hand swaying by his pistol, but never unholstering it or making any threatening motions.

"Revan, right? The man who watches too much Star Wars?"

"Revan never appeared in live action, boy," the man said, his voice scratchy. Maybe even desperate. "But yes, that is me. You certainly took your time to find me."

"We've been busy rescuing the kids you kidnapped."

Revan chuckled. "Kidnapped... Sure, let's go with that."

"Well, what else would it be?"

"Freedom."

The word pranced around the gap between them, and Jimin let his expression falter. His expression had been neutral before, but his lips curled into a scowl before falling into a frown. He didn't know which one to go with, so he alternated between the two for the next few seconds as he struggled to reply. When he gained the courage to, he filled his lungs with the fresh air, though it felt like it had been contaminated with the rest of the City's pollution.

"Those kids had bruises. You call that freedom? You're a fucking animal."

Jimin went to grab his handcuffs, but Revan clicked his tongue three times and peeked over at Jimin. That had Jimin halting, as if the man had paused Jimin in his tracks with a remote. It wasn't by choice; Jimin wanted to move and arrest the fucker, but his legs buried themselves six feet under.

"You think we gave them those bruises?" Revan asked, quirking one of his thin brows. "I think you should do your research before you throw out such baseless accusations."

Jimin fell quiet at that. The open spot on the bench called to him, and his legs resumed their motion just to fulfill the request. The wood creaked as he sat on it, staring out at the water with Revan.

Revan hummed when Jimin sat, and then the man turned to him. "You don't have kids, do you, officer?"

Jimin's jaw tightened, and once again, he found himself unable to move. No physical restrictions held him back, yet his chest didn't bother rising and falling with his shaky breaths, and his hands, the ones grabbing his trousers, didn't budge. They didn't go for the pistol or the handcuffs either.

"I... see," Revan said, leaning a hair closer. Jimin could smell the man's minty breath. "What would you do for your child, hm?"

"Anything." Jimin didn't mean to answer, let alone so fast, but he did without thinking. He cleared his throat. "But that doesn't matter anymore. He's gone."

Revan placed a hand on Jimin's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, officer. More than you realize, I understand. I would kill for my daughter. Every parent would kill for their child, and if they wouldn't, they're lying to themselves, or they're not true parents. I've done bad things, even broken the law, and I have no problem admitting that, but it was all for her." He trailed off and leaned back, his hand falling off Jimin's body. "But you're right. That doesn't matter anymore, does it? She's gone."

Jimin couldn't take his gaze off the water. The divine light shining off it swirled around his vision until he couldn't see straight, not that he ever could. At least, not since June.

"You admitted to breaking the law," Jimin said with trembling fingers that looped around his handcuffs. "You are under arrest for suspected child trafficking, illegal occupation of private property, and lord knows what else. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used-"

"I never hurt those kids, officer." Jimin went silent again, and when he did, Revan continued. "They're victims, like my daughter was. Hurt by others in ways you can't imagine. Ways no parent would want to imagine. Every kid I've ever 'trafficked' was a victim, and I was taking them to better homes, with families who cared. Families who would never hurt them. Families who... who loved them."

"That doesn't change that you took them."

"I didn't see CPS helping." Revan chuckled. There was no humor in it. "They were victims, officer. I freed them and gave them new homes they'll love. They'll grow up free from the trauma of their past. Free from the hands that hurt them. I gave them the voice, the justice, they deserve."

Jimin gripped his handcuffs but didn't pull them free. "You don't get to decide what justice is. You broke the law and stole kids from their homes."

"For good reason. And how dare you lecture me on justice. You officers wouldn't know the first thing about that." Revan waved his callused hand and clicked his tongue again. "Justice, like almost everything on this planet, is manmade. It's merely a concept we use to make ourselves feel better, but who gets justice, and why are the victims always the last ones to receive it? Tell me, my boy, have you ever heard of Anders Behring Breivik?"

Jimin hung his head. "Never."

"He planted a bomb in Oslo that killed countless, and then he went to Utoya Island to gun down over sixty people. Teenagers. Kids. The court appointed 174 lawyers to represent each of the victims, and each victim got a long tribute to them. They got their pictures shown, their stories shared, their aspirations explored... and yet, after killing over a hundred people, do you know how many years in prison he got? Twenty-one, the maximum under Norwegian law. A psychopath who murdered innocent children got so few years, but because the victims got their pictures shown, does that make it okay? Does that make it justice?"

"Stop," Jimin whispered, his voice dry as it fired out of his burning throat. "That's enough."

"But I don't think it is. Justice is a manmade concept not to give victims closure, but to stop them from seeking true justice: revenge. Give me one good reason that man should have lived after killing children?"

Jimin couldn't.

"Exactly," Revan said, leaning back on the bench. It squeaked under his touch. "That is why I took those children, officer. They never got a chance at justice, but I gave it to them. I took them away and punished their families for daring to harm them. My daughter never got that chance, and I have to live with that for the rest of my life. I have to live with my decision to trust my brother to take care of her, but he..." Revan coughed. It was wet and ended with blood coming out. Revan wiped it away without hesitation. "I didn't do what it took to protect her. I won't make that mistake again, not for any of the children I've freed from their abusers."

"I don't know how to answer that."

"I don't expect you to, but I believe this is where our time together comes to an end. I'm a dying man, and that's why I'm here. Even if you put me on trial, I'll never see bars. I'll be gone before we even go to court." Revan fished a note out of his jacket's pocket, handing it to Jimin. "If you want to stop this once and for all, do it. Those are the coordinates to the main warehouse, but be warned, my men will shoot to kill. They're parents. And what did we agree all parents would do for their children?"

Jimin didn't answer.

Revan left the note on Jimin's leg before getting up. Hoseok and Y/n, who monitored the situation from the trees not too far away, pulled their weapons as soon as the man moved. Without giving himself time to think, Jimin raised his hands to signal Y/n and Hoseok to stop. They did, but both of them knitted their brows together. They weren't in earshot, meaning they heard none of that conversation.

"You're under arrest for-"

"Do you really want to do that?" Revan asked, and Jimin had to admit the man had a point. "I'm tired, officer. Arresting me won't change what I've done, and it won't change that I'll die before court. Do you want to arrest me? I won't resist if you do, but is that what you want?"

No.

The response rested on his tongue, but it didn't come out. He took the note Revan gave him and glanced at it, confirming there were coordinates there. He motioned to his girl, and Y/n came over, looking at the note with him while Revan was there.

"Plug these coordinates in and tell me where they lead. Our buddy here says it's a warehouse. The one that'll stop this once and for all."

Although puzzled, Y/n agreed, pulling out her phone to search for the coordinates. As soon as she did, her device confirmed the coordinates led to where Revan said they did.

"My men will put up a fight, and they know you're coming, but I'm out. I'm done. We're tired of running. Let's end this, before more people die."

Revan held out his wrists for Jimin to take, but Jimin couldn't do it. In front of him wasn't Revan; it was June. Jimin saw June's tired gaze and quivering lower lip. It was the same expression from when he had dropped the kid off at that orphanage. The same exact expression. And that led to Jimin backing away, releasing his handcuffs and turning his attention to Y/n.

"Let's go, we have a warehouse to raid."

Y/n went to interrupt, but Jimin walked away and went to the lip of the grass, where Seulgi and Captain Jeon were. Hoseok rushed over to join. Jimin didn't give any of them a chance to question what happened.

"Captain Jeon, we got a location for the warehouse that's holding all the kids." I assume, anyway was the part Jimin didn't add. "We'll end this case once and for all. You won't lose your job."

"I don't care about that," Captain Jeon said, peeking at the retreating Revan, who strolled through the grass. "The kids are who matter now. And what about him? Where's he going? Why is he not in handcuffs?"

"Yes, the kids matter, so instead of wasting time asking questions, we need to go and assemble a squad to raid the warehouse. They know we're coming, so we need all hands on deck-"

"Jimin." Jungkook took a step closer. Despite their small height difference, it felt like Jungkook casted a shadow on Jimin's ant-like figure. "Why is that man not in handcuffs?"

Jimin set his jaw. That time, he didn't hesitate. "He's not our guy."

"He matches the description," Hoseok said, but Jimin shook that off.

"Wrong guy. He's just an informant, nothing more. No point arresting someone so helpful. Maybe he'll find some new info for us in the future."

Jungkook narrowed his eyes, but all of them knew they had no time to waste if they were going to save the kids. Jungkook stepped back. That didn't stop his intense gaze. "Are you sure?"

The answer should be no; Jimin should be screaming that Revan committed crimes and admitted to them. The body cam footage would show that, and Jimin knew it, but, for some reason, that didn't change anything. That didn't change how he couldn't bring himself to say anything other than what his heart wanted.

"I'm sure."

☂☂☂