The Trials and Tribulations of Pathos - Jikook

Chapter 11

The plane finally touches down at Jeju International Airport after what seems like ages. Jimin stands up once it's safe to unclick his seatbelt, stretching his arms up above him and jostling his leg back awake, pins of pain prickling his limb as the appendage comes back to life.

The ash-haired male nudges Yoongi awake, cooing slightly at the elder's sleepy expression. The pair gather their overhead luggage and walk off the airplane, blinking into the sunlight as they step onto Jeju Island. They bustle their way through the airport, making sure to keep a quick pace to get to Ms. Hwan's cafe as soon as possible. Every second they spend lollygagging is more time lost and more distance their targets are able to cross. Every second spent stalling leads to a colder trail.

The pair rush through baggage claim, easily spotting their brightly colored luggage and heading out of the crowded area. Jimin breathes a sigh of relief as they exit the highly populated airport, lungs finally seeming to inhale oxygen again as his person-related claustrophobia fades away. He and large crowds don't mix, the feeling of being seen an assassin's worst nightmare; staying in the shadows is definitely more up his alley.

Jimin and Yoongi take a shuttle to a car rental place, popping in and renting a white Subaru Forester of the newest model. Jimin had made sure to call Hyunjin, another member of the KOABH and one of Jimin's only sort-of-friends, to use a spare key he left him and drive his Tesla back to his house. Jimin would have asked Hyunjin to drive him and Yoongi to the airport, but decided against it in favor of letting the man sleep and feeling more comfortable with as few human interactions as possible.

The drive to Yong's cafe is a short one, as it's located just a few miles from the car rental. The white Subaru pulls up to the curb, Jimin and Yoongi hopping out of the now parked vehicle, locking the doors behind them as they gaze out toward the small cafe. It looks inviting and cozy, all worn brick exterior with an aesthetic cloud-shaped sign that reads Topped Off in a scrolling cursive font adding to the homey feel of the coffee shop.

Yoongi gestures for Jimin to follow him, and the mint-haired male walks up to the front door, stepping into the cafe with Jimin at his heels.

As soon as Jimin steps into the dimly lit building, the smell of fresh pastries and coffee invades his nose. He takes in the greenery scattered throughout the shop, eyes roaming around the quaint room before settling on the older lady standing behind the counter taking a customer's order.

Jimin did some research before coming, finding out that the silver-haired woman has run this cafe for the past forty years. The lady herself is in her early seventies, long silver hair weaved into a loose braid at the nape of her neck, winding over her shoulder and coming to a stop just above her waist. Her apron is spotted with coffee stains, dark blue fabric contrasting prettily with the white embroidered cafe logo sewed into the material.

Jimin starts evaluating her trustability and honesty, weighing whether or not her words can be confided in or if she has any weaknesses that would make her twist the truth. Judging from small details like the smile lines wrinkling at the corner of her eyes and the large grin donning her face as she enthusiastically chats up her customer, a genuine sparkle in her eyes as she gestures animatedly with her hands, Hwan Yong is a sweet soul who enjoys her time in her cafe: her pride and joy and greatest accomplishment.

This evaluation checks out with the research Jimin did on her, Yong's background check consisting of praise from customers and friends for her hospitality and reports of kind hearted deeds done purely out of genuine care and concern.

Jimin leads the way to the counter after the customer bids Ms. Hwan a farewell, he and Yoongi coming to rest in front of the elderly shop owner, Jimin propping his head up with his elbow on the wooden surface in front of him.

"Hello dears, what can I get for you?" Yong asks as she lifts her head to meet Jimin's gaze.

"Information on two young men that came by this cafe the night before last. You filed a police report on them?" Jimin drawls, finger swooping down to trace the rim of a cup filled with straws boredly. "And why would you two be interested in their affairs?" Ms. Hwan shoots back, an eyebrow raising in precaution as Jimin sees her shoulders tense slightly.

"Let's just say we have some private business with them," Yoongi says, icy eyes coming up to meet Yong's. She gulps slightly under the mint-haired male's intimidating gaze, but holds her ground nonetheless. Jimin decides he likes her, amused at her resilience and defiance. "Then you can talk to them personally. If it doesn't concern me, don't get me involved."

Jimin's grin grows slightly, enjoying the fight she puts up. "I'll let you in on a little advice," he murmurs, hand snaking down to his jeans and pulling out a thin, short knife hidden in the seams. "Don't fight back- it's admirable and sweet, but we're not the people you want to withhold information from. Now, tell us what you know about those two men and every detail you can remember about them. I'd tell us of your own free will if I were you. We'll get it out of you eventually, so don't waste our time or yours. I don't like hurting my elders, but I'll do what's necessary."

Yong gulps again as her wide eyes take in Jimin's blade, hazel irises shaking in fear as she looks back up to the ash-haired male whose face is split into a slightly maddened grin.

Jimin forgets this side of himself sometimes, especially under recent events since he didn't have this kind of adrenaline during his time at the orphanage. In all honesty, he's wary to lay a finger on a non-formidable opponent, somewhat pitying their uselessness and inability to defend themselves. He just has to get them to cooperate by using their weaknesses, their fear. That way he doesn't have to waste his time with people who try to defy him.

"So, willing to work with us instead of against us now?" Jimin questions, running a digit across his blade and drawing a cut across the pad of his middle finger, causing a drop of blood to drip out of the surface. It's not like Jimin feels the pain of the sharp blade anyway, eyes following the drop of blood as it slips down the curve of his finger in a trance. At this point, it's less for show and more just him being enthralled with the drop of red, curiously watching it fall onto the counter and soak into the wood.

He feels a tap on his shoulder, Yoongi's gaze trained on his finger before darting back up to a shivering Yong pointedly. Jimin snaps himself out of his daze, looking up at the elderly shop owner to catch her nodding her head vigorously. Jimin sighs quietly, kind of disappointed that she didn't put up more of a fight but mostly glad they can get this over with.

"Good answer. Do you have a back room we can go to to avoid prying eyes or eavesdropping ears?" Jimin asks, a malicious grin returning to his face as he adds "If not, I can just slice off their ears and gouge out their eyes. Problem solved." Jimin lives for the shiver that runs through Yong's body at his words paired with the fierce shaking of her head as she stutters out, "Th-there's a b-back room, please- please don't- you d-don't have to-" before just cowering slightly and leading them out of the main room.

It's not like Jimin would actually do that- or at least he doesn't think he would. He definitely has it in him, he thinks, but as he said earlier he doesn't have the drive. Gouge out their eyes, but then what? Where would he put the eyes? It would be a messy ordeal, and too much work and effort. He honestly doesn't care enough to carry through with that deed.

Most of the time, he keeps this part of him locked up in the far corner of his mind, suppressing his faint thirst for the hunt in favor of letting himself believe he isn't that much of a sociopath- there isn't anything majorly fucked up in his mind, he likes to think; it's something normal, a part of the mind that everyone has.

His mind whirs in doubt as he stares at the now bloodier cut on his finger, thoughts lingering on the psychotic parts of his brain as he follows Yong and Yoongi down a short hallway in search of a secluded room.