ᴄʜᴏᴋᴇʀ ☑

18 : The dark side of the industry

"Why did you leave, Jimin? This wouldn't reflect well on you. We have been in the news a lot lately, and not for the good reasons."

"Don't worry about that. And I told you it's not we, it's I and I alone. When will you understand this?"

"I'll understand that when you understand the concept of sharing and caring." Jungkook countered like a kid babbling.

"Would you be happiest if I were to give you a few million dollars today?" Jimin asked instead while holding onto the float on either side of Jungkook's legs.

"I would."

"How so?" Jimin looked intrigued now, and his fondness was visible towards Jungkook as he continuously kept staring at the brunette.

"Why did you ask me such a random question?"

"Just answer me, sweetheart," Jimin urged, exasperated, looking like he would flip the float and push the 22-year-old into the water if he didn't speak immediately.

Jungkook gulped and when Jimin arched his brows, indicating that he was waiting, he cleared his throat to speak. "I wouldn't have to work. I'll buy all the luxury and give everything to my children."

"Millions of dollars... Only made me miserable. I had everything, and I once thought that when I'll have millions of dollars, I'd live a perfect life in a big house. But if you don't have a loved one around you to share that happiness with, it's all an illusion. Most importantly, then everyone will be with you for your money, not giving two fucks about you as a person."

Jungkook wanted to say that he was there for him, but he didn't say anything. After all, he had once made up his mind to quit on the actor too.

"When I was thirteen, I was signed with an agency," Jimin began, looking up at Jungkook's face. The assistant didn't expect the actor to say anything, but he was in for a surprise tonight. "They starved me, sexualized me, gave me barbiturates, and got me addicted to drugs. I didn't even know what I was doing at that time, Jungkook. I was naive and I thought this was how a certain class lived their lives. In fact, I enjoyed it. Only if I had someone like you to get me through it. My uncle was making money off of me and he didn't care about my well-being."

"If you feel like sharing, what happened to your parents?"

"My mother ran away after giving birth to me. My father passed away when I was ten. I am technically an orphan," Jimin scoffed, managing to look as calm as ever.

"I am so sorry."

"Don't be," the man shook his head with a chuckle. "It's all God's plan. One door opens, one closes, isn't it?"

Jungkook nodded.

"When I grew up, I realized that my agents were getting a lot of commission from my parts. I honestly didn't care for money by that time, because I had made tons to last me a lifetime. But I am petty like me, so I sued them, and turned them to dust, including my uncle. He is now a homeless man living off people's leftovers." He paused to gauge Jungkook's reaction. "Scared of me?"

"I am never getting on your bad side." Jungkook joked and made the blue-haired man smile.

"You are already on my bad side, love. Already on the bad side."

Jungkook touched his burning ears and blushed while looking between his legs, seeing if his nether region was acting out, because of the way Jimin was smelling and how close they were in the water. It was the most serene setting the two had ever been in.

"Namjoon was the one to launch me as an adult as the main lead. He was the one to give me a big break as a grown-up. You'd wonder why I still want to do the same with him as I did with my uncle."