Jimin watches her put on her shirt, the girl sighing as she does so. "I don't know what's going on with you lately, but this isn't helping," he says. 

She shakes him off as she adjusts her uniform. "Getting an extra shift never hurt anyone. More money, right?" 

"Problem is I have to come with you," he says with a huff. 

"Tae could." 

"He could, but he deserves a break. He's been doing most of the hard work, it's my turn to let him relax."

She shrugs and makes sure her pants are buttoned and zipped before slipping into her work shoes. Jimin stands, going over and grabbing her elbow before she can start for the door. She sighs, reluctantly turning to face him. His deep, caring eyes bore right into hers. 

"Talk to me. I'm not your bodyguard right now, Y/n. I'm your friend." 

She softly smiles, but he can see the pain hiding behind it. "Probably my best one," she whispers.

He guides her to the bed, the two sitting side-by-side. Jimin's quick to take both her hands and hold them on his lap. "What's going on?" he asks. 

She keeps her gaze on their entwined hands. "I don't know what's going on either." 

"Is it the trial? We don't have a date, no one's contacted Tae or me yet. We're still safe." 

"Are we?" she asks, glancing up at him, "does that really mean we're safe?"

Jimin slumps his shoulders,. "No, I guess it doesn't." 

There's a moment of silence. "I was twelve," she whispers, "twelve when my parents had a nice family dinner. It was the first time in a long time that I felt accepted by them. Like we were actually a family and not strangers living under the same roof. Then one of their prisoners escaped from the basement and ran in not knowing we were there. They just... shot him. Right in the head, and right in front of me. No hesitation, no remorse. Only a second later my dad called a guy to get the body cleaned and went back to eating. The day after that, I started working toward getting away.

"And now I'm finally away, finally here, ready to take them down for good, but at the end of it all I'm still not sure what the fuck to do. I was so worried about getting here that what comes after never concerned me. I'm so fucking lost, Jimin. I don't know who I am. My whole personality and life was built off of taking them down. Do I even like anything? Do I dislike anything? How would I know? I didn't watch movies or listen to music, I didn't even draw or paint or write. My job was just a distraction. Hell, I didn't even like anything science or math-related. All I wanted was to bring them down. Who I was didn't matter. It never did."

Jimin slips one hand out of hers to instead brush a strand of hair behind her ear. When he's done, he rests his hand on her cheek. "You don't need to know. We have time for you to figure that out. You don't have to have insane interests or hobbies to be interesting, Y/n. You're interesting enough to me."

"How?" she asks, searching his irises for answers.

"Because you're you, and that's enough to keep me hooked, L/n. It really, truly is. I don't care if we've known each other a week or two years, all I care about is who you are."

Without uttering another word, she embraces him. He chuckles, hugging her back as softly as humanly possible. He finds himself closing his eyes into it. She's so warm. A warmth that Jimin didn't know he needed until now. 

When she parts, he goes back to holding both her hands on his lap. It's almost like the very thought of her leaving terrifies him. He's not sure why. He feels naturally protective over her, he wishes he knew why. At this point, it has to be more than a job. Maybe this girl could be his best friend for life. Who knows.

"One of the first days we were here," she starts, meeting his eyes, "you told me you understood what I was going through, more than I even realized. What did you mean? We're in private now, and we know each other a little better, but if you don't want to talk about it..." 

"I should," he says, "it's nothing really bad, it's mostly how the world is. It's the reason why I joined the witness protection program." She raises a brow, and Jimin sighs. "I was in it."

She scoots closer, staring at him with pursed lips. "You were in the program?" 

"It wasn't as complicated as this, I just got 24/7 surveillance at my house, but yeah. I was. When I was a teen, I walked to the same gas station every day. Same exact place, same exact way, same exact time. Imagine my surprise when one day I walked by the alley I always do and saw a drug trade going on. Except it wasn't just a drug trade. It was a front to lure someone in: to kill them. The dealer apparently betrayed the ones he worked for, so they shot him. I hid and watched the whole thing. Hell, I even recorded what I could on my phone. Then... they saw me."

Jimin cuts himself off, sniffling. He finally meets her eyes again. "I barely got away with my life." He pulls up his shirt, revealing the scar near his left hip. A scar only a gunshot can produce. "I had to drag myself into the gas station. The cashier, Jae, he's the reason why I'm alive. He saved me when I thought for sure those people would come and finish the job." She places her hand over the scar, tracing across the pale skin.

"Wow, Jimin. I... I don't know what to say," she whispers. 

He places his hand over hers and keeps staring into her eyes. "I almost died that day. Right after, I got placed into the program and they took my statement and evidence. It took two months until a trial came about, and that case was nothing like this. It might take a while, but we will keep you safe. You'll always be safe. And while we're here for lord knows how many months, let's figure out what you'll do hm?"

She embraces him again, squeezing tightly. He finds himself smiling and pulling her closer. "You're safe with me, L/n," he says, stroking her locks. "I'll make sure you are. No matter what I have to do. Even if I have to take a bullet for you." 

She sniffs and pulls on his shirt. "Please don't." He chuckles and shushes her soft cries, rocking her back and forth as best he can.

"I'll do whatever I have to do to keep you safe," Jimin says, squeezing her tighter. "I promise."

~~~

Jungkook sets his helmet down on the seat of his bike, running a hand through his now-exposed black hair. Normally he doesn't like to use his helmet when riding. He prefers to feel the wind rushing through his hair. Regardless, this time he wore a helmet. He's not sure why. It's instinct when his mind is in disarray.

He glances over his house, staring at the car in the driveway. A sports car in Seoul. Yeah right. Jungkook huffs and heads down the sidewalk, approaching the stairs to his home. Seconds later,  Yuri comes scrambling out, shutting the door behind her. 

"Yuri," he says in a stern tone. A warning tone. 

She ignores him. "You should go. I don't think they want to see you right now." 

"Do they ever?" he asks with raised brows. 

"Kook..."

With a clenched jaw, he storms inside, Yuri sighing and entering behind him. He trots across the carpet of the living room, his eyes scanning the area. 

She places a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to do this, you know." 

"I've had to do it every year for all twenty-four years of my life. What difference does it make now?" he asks, not expecting to get an answer.

Yuri stomps around him, stopping directly in front of him and placing both her hands on his shoulders this time. "You and me? We get through everything together. Through thick and thin. Got it?" she says. He takes a moment before nodding. She holds up her pinky. "Don't break it." 

He smiles despite it all, hooking his pinky onto her much shorter one before pressing the pad of his thumb against hers like a stamp.

Although he really doesn't want to, he goes toward the kitchen. Yuri follows right next to him, guiding him into the next room. It almost feels like he's walking to his execution. An execution that's long awaited, to be honest. He said it himself: he's had to do this every year for all twenty-four years of his life. Next year won't be any different. Nothing ever changes.

When he finally saunters into the room, the air seems to go cold, the area around him going still for a brief moment. The two figures standing there waiting for him don't speak first. They never do. Jungkook sets his jaw, standing in front of Yuri on instinct. Then, he opens his mouth. 

"Mom, dad. Welcome back to Korea..."