________________

FIVE MINUTES LATER*

The downpour of water over Jimin's face made his eyes fly open.

He propped himself to a sitting position, and immediately he saw his environment is still same, he began crying.

"Aww, poor thing" the girl said apathetically.

"You should go into the bathroom and clean up. Your blood is everywhere, baby" the guy added, but Jimin slowly hugged his pitiful self.

Is it really over? Will he die here? Or maybe he'll be sold and his organs will get harvested.

Is Jungkook dead?

How is everyone doing at home?

What about his parents?

Hoseok?

How exactly is Chaeryoung related to Lin and why are they doing this to him?

All the questions formed an opaque fog in his head, and he almost passed out for the second time.

"By the way, you can call me BJ" the black guy talked again, his voice deep.

The other girl just sat on the ground beside a pile of rag clothes, looking neutrally at them.

"And she's not always quiet like this" BJ pointed at her, and she rolled eyes at him.

"Who brought me here?" Jimin asked shakily.

"We didn't see who. It was one of the guards who carried you in" BJ shrugged, and Jimin held his head.

"No!!!!!!!" He let out a blood-curdling scream.

Despite his raspy voice, the scream travelled around the other cells like razor through the night, and everyone went silent, staring at his direction.

He slowly walked to the cell door and began banging his forehead on it.

"Yo, that's shitty" BJ said.

"He's crazy" The other girl muttered.

Jimin didn't stop hitting his head till blood erupted.

BJ quickly pulled him away from the door, but he went back and returned to hitting his head on the metal door.

The other captives began murmuring, and the murmurs turned to chatters, making the place so noisy.

A guard rushed in, and there was silence as he jogged to Jimin's cell.

"You better sit your arse down, else, you'll be the first person to get sold at the next selection!" He threatened.

"No" Jimin replied, slipping his hand into one of the cell holes.

She grabbed the guard and pulled him closer, hitting his head hard on the metal.

Everyone gasped as the guard slumped, and he took the key from his chest pocket before letting him go.

He fell heavily on the ground, and he opened the door, running out.

BJ and the other girl exchanged glances.

"He gon learn the hard way, innit?" BJ said.

"I was like this when I was new here too" the girl replied, crossing her arms.

They watched as Jimin ran towards the door at the end of the corridor, and the other captives watched interestingly too.

👥 he's a strong one, I bet.

👥ew ones are always like that.

👥 e's pretty though.

👥• Was about to say he's the prettiest bitch here.

👥 What were you expecting, he's obviously a fiesty omega.

Jimin got to the door and was about to open up when a giant dog appeared...a black doberman.

The furious growling of the dog made him step back, hot sweat dropping down his temples and backline.

Hee swallowed, and the dog's nose flared like a volcano as it growled again, but Jimin summoned courage nevertheless.

She stretched his hand forward slowly, but the moment he touched the doorknob, the dog jumped forward.

In the next minute, his arm is in the dog's mouth, and he fell on the ground as it bit him savagely.

"Ahhhh!!!!" His cry was anguished and raw as blood erupted again.

The dog didn't stop.

Some of the captives began laughing.

👥 I knew it!

👥 That dog has zero patience.

👥 Sorry newbie!

Four more guards marched in, and Jimin was hiccuping as they finally took his bleeding arm from the dog.

He was taken back to the cell and pushed in.

He almost fell, but BJ caught him.

"Told you, didn't I?" He said.

"The next time you try this, I'll blow your damn brains! you better keep it down" the guard told Jimin with obvious hostility

They took away the guard who passed out, and the door went locked again, then the others resumed their loud chats.

"Come here" the other girl took Jimin from BJ.

She took him into the small cube-like bathroom adjoined to their cell.

Every cell has it.

"You'll get used to it" she said as she washed Jimin's bleeding arm.

Jimin began cringing in pains.

"Get used to it? I don't want this life...if I get sold, then it's over" Jimin shook his head, and the girl sighed.

"I've been here for twenty years, and I never got sold. BJ has been here for a year, too" she said.

"Ho..how is that possible?" Jimin sniffled.

"The organ hunters only come twice a year, and whenever they come, the guards assemble us in a straight line, so they pick their choices. I've never been picked, and so is BJ. Since you're in our cell, you might share the same luck, and maybe one day someone will save us" the girl said and stood.

"You should have your bath, and since there's no bandage for your wound, you can use the tissue. BJ will treat your wound" she said.

Jimin nodded as she started leaving the sorry excuse of a bathroom, but she suddenly turned.

"Beautiful necklace by the way...I like it" she said and finally left.

Jimin touched the sunstone necklace pendant, and a tear slipped out of his eyes again.

Hee sat on the ground, backing the wall while reminiscing about their picnic date where Jungkook gave it to him.

"Please... please don't die... I promise I don't deserve you at all but please... just don't die... Please stay alive for me... please Tuzi" he buried his face in his knees, crying out his guts and shaking feverishly.

*

TWO WEEKS LATER, JEJU~ ALIVE HOSPITAL*

Nurse Layla's smile gleamed like polished diamonds as she came out of her new office to the mini reception.

"Did you attend to the girl who needs a colostomy?" She asked the two nurses on seat.

"Yes miss, she's resting in his ward right now" one of them replied respectfully.

"Good" Layla smiled again, leaving them.

Saving Jungkook's life made the hospital management promote her to the Chief Nurse, and she's allowed to attend every surgery to learn more.

She's holding three books as she walked the hallway cheerfully, getting greeted by almost all the nurses passing by.

She's not tall, so she's always on heels like now, and her stature is small too. Her hair is in a ponytail, but she tied it to a bun when she got to the changing room.

She changed to the sterile visiting uniform and cap, then she entered Jungkook's private ward.

She's in charge of him totally, and nothing gives her joy than seeing her first patient alive.

She's even more optimistic than his family and friends because she's planning a party whenever he wakes.

"How're you doing today, Mr. Jeon Jungkook" she smiled, sitting on a tall stool beside his bed.

Jungkook is still unconscious in bed, but his skin improved, and his vitals are balanced.

She comes like this everyday to read him books, and she enjoys it so much.

She set down the three books and picked one, then she opened it and sighed.

"I know you can't hear me, but at least... your subconscious should connect with me. I finished reading Harry Potter to you yesterday, and today, it's a book about flowers, titled... BEAUTIES" She said, glancing at him.

She stretched her right hand to him and held his right hand with it, rubbing it softly.

"Mr. Jeon Jungkook, do you know daisies are my favorite flowers? Shall we talk about them first?" She said.

She continued rubbing his hand with her thumb as she began reading about to him.

By the glass wall, uncle Yoon and Kara are watching with faint smiles on their faces.

"She's trying" Kara said.

"I'm glad we have her" uncle Yoon smiled wider.

"I can't wait for his comeback" Kara added.

"We can't" Yoon said, and they both chuckled.

*

NEW KING MANSION*

Lisa dropped the small spoon from the hot cup of coffee and settled it on a tray, then she sighed, adjusting her hair band before carrying the tray out of the kitchen.

Her father truly got dethroned to satisfy the people, all because of her.

They moved out of the palace to this mansion, and though it's still as gigantic as the palace, she can't help but feel guilty.

She dislikes her father, but not to the point of making him get dethroned, and it's even worse cos he has been sick since then.

She looks sullen and dull as she climbed the stairs and took the coffee to his room.

King (Taehyung) is on the bed, sick and miserable with Rosé beside him.

Rosé took the cup of coffee from Lisa and swirled it, allowing it to cold down a little bit more...

Lisa was more than shocked when she stayed after the dethronement.

She has always seen her as a golddigger according to Namjoon, but the fact that she stayed is still baffling, and she's starting to think maybe Namjoon was wrong about her.

"King, you should take the herbal coffee when it's still warm" Rosé said, placing a pillow behind him to support his posture.

King Taehyung sat up with difficulty, resting on the pillow wool before drinking gently from the cup.

Lisa sat on his other side, and when he looked her way, she could still see that disappointment in his eyes, and it hurts.

"Do you need anything else, father?" She asked, and he mildly shook his head.

She smiled slightly as he lay back in bed.

"You can go, I'll help him sleep" Rosé said, and Lisa stood

"Thank you" she muttered before leaving the room.

She went back downstairs and pulled her phone out of her bum shorts pocket, dialling Namjoon's line.

Their final exams ended last week, and Namjoon didn't even wait for results before flying out of the country with Bangchan and Hyunjin.

According to them, they're going to explore the business world and acquire more connections before coming back, but is that enough reason to not pick her calls?

She misses him already, and it's unhealthy.

He didn't pick again as usual, so she dropped the phone and bit her lip softly before going upstairs to dress up.

She'll just go to Seji's place.

*

SEJI'S PLACE*

After washing the car Sabrina took out last night, Seji collapsed on the bare ground beside the garage, staring at the cerulean morning sky.

Final results are out, and she came out with what she expected...

A second class.

The next important thing right now will be to start looking for job to cater for herself so she'd leave this hell of a house.

The series of events that happened throughout the last few weeks really took a big toll on her, and it's obvious she lost weight, same with Lisa.

"And why are you lying uselessly down there when the car is not clean enough?" Sabrina's witchy voice interrupted her thoughts.

Well, well.... talk of the devil.

Seji stood with a sigh, facing her.

"And where exactly is not clean in the car?" She confronted.

"You enjoy talking back at me these days, don't you?" Sabrina smirked.

"You can just wash it yourself if you feel it's not clean enough" another voice interrupted, and Nina smiled when she saw Lisa coming in.

"Oh... it's the overbearing princess. My bad, I forgot you're not a princess anymore" Sabrina said in plain mockery, her voice as sharp as a whip.

"Is that all? I'm going out with Nina" Lisa said, grabbing Seji's arm and deciding to overlook Sabrina's lampooning.

"She needs to rewash my car!" Sabrina barked.

"And I said I'm going out with her" Lisa insisted.

"Wait..." A snarl lifted Sabrina's lips.

"Are you like this because Namjoon isn't picking your calls? Guess what...we did a video call last night, and it lasted for an hour" Sabrina taunted, and Lisa secretly pinched herself.

"Let's go, Seji" she said.

Sabrina started laughing as Seji left the house with Lisa.

They got to the car, and Lisa hit the steering angrily.

"Don't mind her, she's just being annoying" Seji said.

"Tie her to her door!" Lisa seethed, and Seji laughed.

"Namjoon still not picking your calls?" Seji asked.

Lisa sighed, resting back on her seat.

"I hate him for making me feel this way. I tried to kill my feelings yunno .... He's my stepbrother, and he's not even interested in me romantically. I get mad when he calls me his baby sis but...this is not right" Lisa replied.

"Does this mean you're finally accepting Rosé?" Seji asked.

"She's not bad, at all" Lisa replied candidly, and Seji nodded.

"You'll get over it, I promise" Seji patted her, and she nodded.

She drove them to the hospital where they met Felix waiting in front of.

"Look who's here, Hyunjin's boy" Seji teased.

"Is Hyunjin picking your calls?" Felix asked, worry lacing his soft voice.

"He's not picking your calls?" Lisa asked.

"Yeah....since they left" Felix said worriedly.

"Namjoon isn't picking Lisa's calls too" Seji said.

"I tried Bangchan's but it's same with him" Felix said.

"Are they playing with us?" Lisa smirked.

"Their agents said they're busy though" Seji said.

"Busy to the point of ignoring calls? They're all crazy" Lisa rolled eyes dramatically and entered the hospital.

Seji and Felix grinned before following her behind.

They went straight to nurse Layla's office.

Getting close to her was a piece of cake since she's so lovable and kind.

"Guys!" She spranged up from her desk immediately they entered.

"Chief Nurse!" Lisa hailed, and she smiled brightly, hugging Lisa and Seji at once.

"You girls shouldn't even start, I missed you both" she said.

"We came here yesterday, duhh" Seji rolled eyes.

"Even though" Layla replied, breaking the hug to peck them both.

"Hey, girly boy" she gave Felix a side hug.

"How's Jeon doing today?" He asked.

"He improved a lot, and his waking up shouldn't take time. He's fighting hard" Layla replied radiantly.

She might be 25 like Jeon, but she still looks young, just like him too.

"We should go check on him together, then we all can go for brunch" she said.

"Sounds irresistible" Felix said.

They all left the office, and as she led them, Lisa and Seji viewed her from behind.

"Am I the only one who wants to grab her arse?" Seji said.

"Me too, that curve" Lisa replied.

"I heard that" Layla said from the front.

Seji and Lisa began laughing.

"I doubt if you girls are straight" Felix said.

"One hundred percent, but we just like curvy girlies" Seji replied, and Felix's mood changed.

He got what Seji meant immediately.

Jimin.

It's been three weeks since his death.

RIP, Park Jimin.

*

GRAND CASINO*

Master Kang is in his private room, the one he uses alone in the casino.

It's at the far back, and he's currently sitting in bed, staring into space and sighing from time to time, his face a canvas of sorrow.

He suddenly stood, getting a remote from his drawer.

He clicked red, opening a secret door on the wall.

He walked into the door and stepped into a different room, full of wrapped birthday items.

The gifts he has been buying since Jungkook's first birthday, but he never gave it to him.

Ranging from transformer toys, house of cards, hockey toys, several balls, designer wears,... There are several car keys too and land documents, there's even a private jet key, all in Jungkook's name.

He gritted his jaws, folding his arms behind as he watched with empty eyes, his expression sagging in despair.

*

PARK'S MANSION*

Jin is the only one at home.

No idea where Angelina went, but she left the house since daybreak without telling him her destination.

He's alone in the house, sitting at the living room and crying bitterly alone.

His eyes are red with grief, and they're staring at the laptop in front of him.

Park enterprises is plummeting so hard.

It has been going down since Jimin's death because he lost focus completely, and staffs are resigning on their own.

Another resignation letter appeared on the screen, and he clicked accept before standing.

His legs were shaking on the ground as he carried himself to the kitchen.

He opened the freezer and got himself a bottle of water.

He was about to leave the kitchen when his eyes caught the pipe connecting water to the kitchen.

He stared for long, his hand tightening around the bottle, then he walked out eventually.

*

SEOUL, 5PM*

Searching for Lin has never been an easy task, and it will never be.

Angelina has been in Seoul since noon, doing her search by tracking the number Lin called her with, but no matter the cranny she entered, she hasn't caught a glimpse of him.

It's a cold evening, so she's wearing a really long black skirt and sweater, wrapping a muffler around her thin neck to keep cold away.

She looks wretched, and her appearance isn't appealing at all like a mourning widow.

She entered the next suspicious place she found out, but as usual, the people she met told her they've never met Lin.

She left the place, and as she walked away, Chaeryoung, Lee and Romeo appeared by the window.

"She's working really hard" Lee grinned.

"Just look at her, wind might just blow her away" Romeo laughed.

"Everything would have been perfect if Jeon died. Why did that strong-headed guy survive?" Chaeryoung wondered aloud.

"Shouldn't we be worried about his comeback? He saw our faces" Lee said.

"Dad will cover everything" Chaeryoung assured.

*

6PM

Angelina came out of the twentieth house without success, and she was already feeling itchy in the throat and tired at the same time.

She decided to rest in front of the house before going across the road to get some water.

She sat on the bench, placing her bag on her laps.

"Aren't you trying too hard?" Lin's croaky voice said beside her, and her eyes widened as she spranged up to see him standing by the door.

He's wearing a black suit, hands in pockets and a smug smile on his ghastly face.

"You animal!!!" Angelina lunged forward to him, but he moved out of the way, so she fell weakly.

Fred tsked loudly..

"Are you eating well? You look pitiful" he said, and Angelina spranged up vengefully again, picking a gun from her bag.

Before she could fire at him, Chaeryoung and the guys appeared, snatching it from her easily.

She grabbed Chaeryoung, and Chaeryoung scoffed.

"Let go of me old woman!"

She pushed her, and Angelina fell again.

Chaeryoung left with the gun, and the guys followed her.

"What did I do to you, Lin? Why!!! They were two...two boys...they did nothing wrong!!!" Angelina cried heart-wrenchingly.

Lin lowered himself sinisterly.

"Hoseok did nothing wrong, he was just unfortunate. My adopted daughter wanted his life as a compensation for his dead mother's life, and I couldn't say no." He shrugged.

Angelina cried harder.

"And as for Jimin...I think we both know his sin is being your husband's son" he said, turning serious.

"You're telling me you killed my son because of what you heard Jin saying about your infertility?" Angelina said.

"No" Lin replied, and Angelina spranged up.

"Then why? Why!!!" She yelled breathlessly.

"Jin himself is the cause of my infertility!" Lin yelled back, and Angelina gasped, going silent.

"I found out Jin poisoned the water I used in my house. I dunno what he injected into my water pipes but that thing rendered me infertile! He knew how serious our father always took childbirth, and that was the only way to make him step me down as the CEO. I became infertile because of Jin, and I got stepped down for him! Jin ruined my life because of the family company! I can't have a child of my own so tell me why his own child should be alive!!!" Lin yelled.

Angelina stumbled through tears.

"No, no you're not... you're not in...

She fell back on the bench before she could finish the words, and her tears started in full.

*

UNDERGROUND MARKET, DAEJEON 7:30PM*

BJ just finished treating Jimin's arm, and he's currently wrapping a piece of cloth on it, serving as bandage.

Getting used to this place even after three weeks is an impossible task.

All Jimin does is cry, and he can't stop.

Even right now, he has tears in her eyes.

"You should really stop the habit of crying everytime, baby" BJ told him.

Jimin sniffled like a baby, his gown stinking to him so much.

The guard in charge of food dropped their food bowl for the night at the door, and the ash-eyed girl went for it immediately.

She came back with the bowl containing two packs of chips, then a red apple.

"Are they kidding? Y'all expect me to eat this for dinner? If you're gonna sell me then feed me well man!" BJ shouted menacingly.

"Take what you see and shut the fuck up, black monkey!" One of the guards shouted back.

"Your mama didn't teach you manners? Screw you! I'm black and I'm damn proud of it!" BJ yelled angrily, and the guard came back.

BJ was dragged out of the cell, and Jimin spranged up, watching as they took him away.

He was stripped naked, made to lay on his chest, and the bunch of guards started whipping him with belts, but he still didn't stop cursing.

• BJ loves trouble.

• Dude should learn to shut up.

• I like him though

"Do something!" Jimin told the second girl who's just sitting neutrally.

"Something? That's not his first time getting beaten. He's stubborn, and he'll still do it tomorrow" the girl replied, and Jimin slowly sat back.

"Where's he from?" He asked, wiping the tears on his red sick face.

BJ's curses and screams could still be heard, resonating through the cells.

"His late father is from Africa, and his late mother is an American. He was kidnapped from a slum in America" the girl replied.

"What about you? You haven't even told me your name" Jimin said.

"You wanna know my name?"

"Yeah, it's been three weeks and I still don't know" Jimin softly said.

"No one knows that, not even BJ, and that's why he calls me Parrot" she replied.

"But you rarely talk" Jimin said, and she smiled slightly.

"That's because I'm not used to you. The moment you stop crying everytime, we'll click. I really hate tears" the girl replied, sounding a little cold.

Jimin wiped his tears again, and she nodded.

"Good"

Jimin sniffled.

"Keep my name a secret though" the girl said, shifting closer.

"I promise" Jimin faced her.

"My father owns a casino in Jeju, and my mother is Chinese... My name is Jaerim, Jeon Jaerim"

.

.

TBC.