Happier - Marshmallow and Bastille (Stripped version)

^Highly recommend!!

(Ps, this is chapter is more based on the past, easing into the present just to avoid confusion)
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It's strange to think of a moment in Jimin's life where he was happy.

Well, in his case of minimal happiness due to his psychopathy, but a place where he didn't have to think too much or doubt.

Where he didn't have to manipulate or kill anyone because of a job, well more so didn't have that thought process in his head.

In a way...... He wanted to feel something more once upon a time.

He really did.

And that happened during a mission actually.

Four years ago, Jimin was ordered by his boss who he was working for during that time to kill someone. Not a surprise since that's his specialty. After sparing a few teeth from his men, Jimin considered it and was on a rooftop of a building with a sniper gun in hand that summer day.

Beautiful day out really, and Jimin believed this was going to be an easy kill by how simple this task is.

Looking through the lenses, going over the information in his head where his target would be, he waited while looking directly at the tattoo parlor the male would come out at any minute now.

Jimin memorized the picture of the said person and when he saw a male with a mess of blonde and purple hair by the glass door of the shop, he had his finger over the trigger and was just ready to finish off his task.

Yet..... He stopped.

He just....... Stopped.

His visioned focused on the male through the lenses, who's smiling brightly under the sun while turning to a friend he came out with from the shop, and Jimin couldn't find himself pulling the trigger.

Intrigued at first sight, that would definitely be an understatement.

The man is intriguing, and that smile was intriguing.

Jimin couldn't do it, instead that night he demanded from his boss to give him more information to what the guy did to be on a kill list.

The man, Lee Taemin, apparently asked for a loan from him and hasn't paid it back when the time arrived. He would say excuses, how he doesn't have enough money know but is trying to pay it through his paychecks.

That's not enough for Jongin, and he wants Jimin to terminate him.

With the little more clarity in this, Jimin only shrugged it off and pursued to do as he was told, but preferred doing this his own way.

So after spending weeks stalking the said Taemin, knowing where he lives and what route he takes by now, maybe sneaking inside his home a few times to set cameras or watch him sleep, Jimin decided to go to the tattoo shop he works in and get a piercing.

Just because he knew Taemin's job involved piercings.

He went inside that shop casually in a rainy day, a little dressed up like a normal person, and was lead to him for his appointment.

Being in front of his target, face to face, he felt as though the sun was glowing on his body because Taemin wouldn't stop smiling. Jimin didn't understood why Taemin would blush shyly out of no where or would stutter on his words when Jimin introduced himself to try to talk to him, but he got the job done right.

Meanwhile Jimin fluttered into basic questions of conversing, just to get a little gist of the man behind the name he has to carve on his skin soon.

Everything he said Jimin already knew of course, proving his honesty. He would giggle a few times and Jimin figured that sounded nice to listen to, so he made him giggle a little more before their session ended and Jimin left the shop.

I'll come back, he told himself.

And he did.

A week later.

His boss is growing impatient but Jimin lied saying that he hasn't caught a good opportunity. As a matter of fact, Jimin had many great opportunities but he was not about to tell Jongin that.

He most certainly was not about to tell him how the two exchanged numbers that day, and how they agreed to go out to an arcade to hang out.

It was a date, at least for Jimin.

The night of the date Jimin discovered Taemin was horrible at playing games that involved aiming so Jimin was quite the show off for that occasion, hearing that angelic giggle turn to flutters of laughter with those rosey cheeks brightening like the lights of the arcade, especially when Jimin won him a cute stuffed animal cat that they named MinMin.

Jimin wanted to kiss him when he dropped him off home, but maybe that would've been too soon and being affectionate with a target would be a little weird and off track.

While Jimin laid awake on his bed that night, he couldn't think of anything while twirling with his knife between his fingers.

Just of his name.

Taemin.

Suites him well actually.

A month passed and Jimin has been running out of excuses, but thankfully Jongin has been occupied with his other responsibilities to care about Taemin and only cared that Jimin gets it done soon.

During that time Taemin seemed to have gained a liking of Jimin's company. He would laugh more, show his more humorous side along with the more sentimental side too. One night while walking back home from the woods Jimin was planning on strangling him to death right then and there to finish his job, but Taemin began to have this emotional break down.

And that's when he began to slowly open up, about his struggles.

Jimin concluded based on the vague information Taemin through his sobs, he asked for a loan because it was going for his mother, who was dying of cancer in the hospital and he couldn't pay for the medical bills.

She recently died earlier that day.

So Jimin didn't strangle him, instead he made them stop walking and he held him as he cried. He wished at that moment that he could feel some sort of pity for him, be able to assure him that everything would be okay after a little time, but he couldn't.

He just.... Didn't feel anything.

But he still kissed his head, wiped the tears away with his thumbs and didn't say anything.

Taemin was easily to be around with really, he didn't ask Jimin for anything. He wouldn't ask him to feel anything, and if he couldn't say anything than he didn't peg him to do so.

He just..... Embraced him the way he was, and didn't find anything wrong with it.

When they got to Taemin's home after that walk, he invited Jimin inside and who was Jimin to decline? From there he thought this will be an easy access to kill Taemin, where no one was around.

However as the night went on Jimin found himself talking about his life instead. He doesn't do that often, but whatever. It's not like Taemin will be alive in the near future for Jimin to worry about it. He left out the specific details of his activities of course, can't scare him away now, and that night Jimin for once had a peaceful sleep in Taemin's arms.

The thought of killing Taemin was growing harder as the days passed, especially because Jimin began to see just how alive Taemin is. Despite the news of his mother, the smile wouldn't fade whenever he's around Jimin and the glitter in his eyes would still be bright like the stars of the night sky.

He just glowed are Jimin, and Jimin liked to see that.

Jimin didn't know the length of this curiosity for his target until he saw someone talking to Taemin, more so flirting when Jimin arrived for their appointment on another ear piercing.

The guy, Leedo, was found dead the next day.

Of course Jimin covered his tracks easily and would rub Taemin's back when he saw the news the next day. That day Jimin figured out that he didn't like the thought of anyone associating themselves with Taemin, in a romantic way at least. So whenever anyone tried to get close to him, they would be missing or found dead just a day later.

Jimin just began to realize this obsession he has for the other man. It's been three months, Jongin is growing impatient now. So Jimin decided to destroy his heart the best way he could to make it easier.

He told him the truth, that one night they were sitting by a river stream, which happens to be Taemin's favorite place really.

The more Jimin told him, the more Taemin's face broke and broke and fell apart. It didn't seem like a good idea in Jimin's head to continue, but he did; The stalking, the whole reason he's here, the deaths, everything.

Taemin was hurt, of course he was, and he cried. He cried a lot. Jimin didn't like the way he cried or was muttering at himself to how stupid he was.

Because he already fell in love with Jimin, and it broke him so horribly that this is his reality.

The lying, the murdering, just the fact that Jimin was someone he did not expect to be.

The agenda wasn't to make Taemin love him, but Jimin didn't want him to feel any different now than he already does.

So Jimin kissed him.

Stupid of course, got a slap out of it too, but he did it again. He didn't want to hear Taemin crying anymore and his lips have been calling out to him since the day his eyes laid on him.

Taemin being the vulnerable human that he is, feeling empathy and love for the other, melted like gold on Jimin's hands.

And Jimin made sure what happened next was consented from both side, since that's the least he could do for him.

Not like he would force Taemin either way.

That night they made love under the stars, and Jimin officially concluded to himself he didn't want to kill him.

So he had to come up with something.

Taemin didn't speak to him for weeks after that night, but after Jimin arriving to his home with a banquet of flowers and giving the pity excuse that he won't kill him and that they have to construct a plan to escape, Taemin wasn't swayed so easily.

Then Jimin became more honest.

And he told him he just wants to see Taemin happy, like he always is, but more. With or without him by his side.

Taemin couldn't hide his affections, conflicted clearly, but he just wished to live a normal life.

Something Jimin promised him, whatever that meant, but he'll learn with him eventually.

As long as Taemin keeps smiling.

So the day Jimin and Taemin decided would be the day they would escape, Taemin goes missing.

Jimin went into a havoc mess.

He tore the place apart to find anything, nearly the tattoo parlor as well, and checked the hidden cameras he placed in his apartment to see Taemin was in fact kidnapped while he was packing his things

Jongin's men.

Jimin's heart slowed when he realized this, and his mind began to wonder to the possibilities of how he's going to torture Jongin before his eyes. This calmness felt almost exhilarating for Jimin, maybe anticipation as he finds himself back to his boss's location to find Taemin.

This is Jimin's form of anger, being calm.

Others would be thrashing and grow impulsive, meanwhile Jimin is well calculated and knows damn well what he's doing.

He's going to burn this building down.

Kill everyone faster than anticipated really.

When he got to the lobby, he killed everyone in sight no matter who it was with his guns. It felt like a reliever really, as though Jimin is being injected with a relaxation toxin in his body.

He enjoys feeling like this really but he has an objective. So he moved to go to the basement, where he knows that's where Taemin is located and luckily he finds him.

Tied up, not a bruise in sight for everyone's sake.

Taemin was crying, but Jimin has never seen such relieving eyes before like the way Taemin was looking at him when he saw him come in.

Jimin kissed him a very times, assuring him that he's safe now and unties him, ready to leave to escape the world.

However, someone was also in the room, and that person being Jongin.

He calculated this of course, expecting Jimin to come here for Taemin, so he has a gun pointed to Jimin's head, ready to pull the trigger.

By now Taemin is begging for mercy, but Jimin only looks emotionlessly at the gun. Jongin goes off, saying if only Jimin did his job than they wouldn't be here now.

If only he wasn't stupid, he wouldn't have to die.

Leaving Taemin for Jongin to do whatever the fuck he wanted with him, and Jimin wouldn't be able to do anything about that.

Taemin began to feel guilty, that they're now here because of him. If only he didn't get a loan than Jimin wouldn't be having a gun pointed to his head with seconds away from meeting his death.

Truth is, even if Jimin is a psychopath, Taemin has seen before his eyes that Jimin can be a better person if he tries. He's capable of having a normal life, a family, a stable job even with this condition.

Hope isn't lost, even if he lacks emotions, but it's not impossible to have the good things in life.

There's hope for him.

So when Jimin snaps the gun off Jongin's hands, the two fought hard. Taemin was shaking, so hard in anxiety as he watched with not knowing what to do. Jongin was stronger and he easily would pin Jimin to the ground, hurting his face and body so brutally with his bare hands.

He was going to kill him.

He's going to kill Jimin for protecting Taemin.

And now..... Taemin is going to repay his debt.

With tears in Taemin's eyes, taking a long stare at Jimin's bloody face as he lays limp on the floor but fighting to get up to keep fighting, Taemin grabs the gun on the floor and points it to his own temple.

His time was up a long time ago either way.

And he can't shoot Jongin because he had Jimin at gun point.

At this moment Jimin couldn't hear anything at the moment he saw what Taemin is doing, but he did see Taemin's face crying while he carried a strong expression on with wobbling lips.

Trying to be brave.

"There's hope for you," Taemin would shutter through his trembling lips, weakly, "You will be okay but that means I will have to go."

It took seconds for Jimin to get to his feet, running towards him.

"I love you Jimin."

And a gun shot never sounded so loud before, not until when Jimin caught Taemin's limp body in his arms before he falls to his knees on the ground.

Sacrificing his life for Jimin.

Under the dim ceiling lamp, Taemin still looked like an angel. The side of his head is bleeding, but he looks peaceful.

So peaceful as the soul escapes his body.

But he's not smiling anymore.

Jimin couldn't feel his heart beating against his fingertips anymore like before and his vision grew blurred. So blurred.

A tear slid down his eyes but that heaviness didn't settle in his chest.

He wanted to feel the pain of Taemin's death.

The anger to how fucked up life is to the innocent.

Jimin wanted to..... Feel.

But all that's there is loneliness.

No matter how tight he held onto Taemin against his chest, rubbing the side of his face and caressing his hair with emotionless tears gliding down his cheeks against their own will, he still didn't feel heavy.

However what did feel heavy was the gun when he raised it up and aims to Jongin, pulling the trigger and killing him instantly.

And that felt satisfying to do.

Jimin didn't want to let go of Taemin just yet, so he held onto him a bit longer despite how cold his body was getting. He still didn't know why he was crying, even if he can't feel anything, but he rocked his body back and forth as he held tightly to Taemin in his arms, burying his face against his hair to still smell the scent of the strawberry shampoo he uses.

Well, used.

And it still smells sweet.

Later that night Jimin buried his body at the same place of their first kiss and the first time they made love, never visiting that place again after years passed by.

Not being able to.

Life became a cycle from there. Whenever Jimin was hired for a job, he completed it but killed his boss every single time. Not for personal reasons, but he didn't trust in their loyalty anymore.

And he didn't think of Taemin again.

At times when Jimin would look at the sky during his free time, Taemin's smile would pop up in his head, but on rare occasions.

Jimin is always working, so there's no time to think.

Now he's staring at the stars outside of the circus tent, letting Jungkook take care of the Woosung's body inside, and he thought of Taemin's smile again.

His final words.

"There's hope for you,"

"You will be okay but that means I'll have to go."

"I love you Jimin."

No one had really taken their life for him just so he wouldn't have to die before. Just to give him the hope that he can do better. To not face the consequences of Jongin's wrath and finish the job as it started.

To remove him from existence.

Jimin didn't realize he was rubbing a hand over his chest, where his heart is, where Taemin's name is carved there despite the fact he didn't kill him.

Taemin was wrong.

There's no hope for him.

He won't be okay.

But one thing Jimin can't deny is that he wanted to feel at that point in time. He wanted to feel the absence of Taemin's affections but all he feels is emptiness.

That's all he can ever feel.

But Taemin did love him, that's something Jimin wasn't blinded to.

He may not feel, but he isn't stupid to emotions of other people.

In a way he's glad he doesn't feel, because knowing other normal emotions, this would completely destroy him.

No matter how much time passed.

"Alright, the body is where you wanted it to be," Jungkook's voice suddenly reaches Jimin's ears, making him drop his hand instantly from his chest, "We should get going and discuss for tomorrow."

Jimin slowly turns to Jungkook, being his favorite boss lately for his obedient he is, mustering a small smile, "Of course."

After all, tomorrow they have a big day for sure.

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A/N:
So here's a little on Jimin's background. This scene was actually inspired by the song above, and I wanted to write a scene with Jimin on a more different context for you guys to see more of his character.

Let's see if he accomplishes his agenda with Jungkook!!

I PURPLE YOU! <33