Heartless || •OG• ✔️

Chapter 26 - Jimin

The hideout wasn't what he was expecting.

Instead of a clearing and occasional trees like Jimin thought it'd be, it was actually an old pub on the outskirts of the city. They could walk into the city if they so pleased. That was without mentioning how there were houses and small businesses neighboring what was supposed to be a safe house.

"Sometimes the best hideouts are in plain sight," the old man said as he approached. They parked in the back, the morning sky welcoming them to their new home. Jimin was sure they'd be staying there a while. Months, maybe. Maybe weeks. Maybe even years if they were unlucky.

The businesses and houses around them were no taller than the pub, and they had similar architecture. Dark color schemes, windows that were long squares, front and back doors, and a mini front yard. It was like living in one of those communities where the houses were near identical, except even the businesses like the bakeries were identical too.

"We're practically in public. If we peek through the windows, people might get suspicious," Jericho said. "What type of hideout is this?"

"A smart one," Ivan said, opening the back door to the withered pub. "For starters, there's alcohol inside."

Jimin and Jericho practically drooled at that. "Well shit, why didn't you lead with that?" Jericho asked, rushing past him to go in.

Jimin stayed put despite how badly he wanted to follow Jericho to the stash of alcohol. He took a moment to take in his surroundings. The smell of barbeque and liquor lingered on the black wood making up the two story pub. The roof was slanted with shingles peeled off here and there, boarded windows on the first floor, curtained windows on the second.

"This one's special," the old man said, pointing to the stone stairs that led up to the open door. "This pub's been in my family for over a hundred years, but I shut it down during my lifetime. Since it was a family business, we lived upstairs. 5 bedrooms, 2 full baths and 1 half. There's a kitchen with some supplies. I tried to take care of it even after it went out of business. Private property, so no one's allowed in. Trespassing if they do. Make yourselves at home and I'll bring you some clothes and your IDs as soon as I can."

"Are you sure it's a good idea to stay out in the open like this? Hell, people could have seen us driving up here," Jimin said, peeking around the corner of the rectangular building. The skyline of the city was in his sights, and he had to admit it was intimidating.

"Two things," he replied, turning to Jimin as the others went inside to explore. "One, you're overestimating how much people care. Two, you do know not everyone in the world is mafia, right? I'd be surprised if it's even a full percent of the New York population."

"The only way we survive is if we're paranoid and assume everyone's mafia. It's better to assume someone's mafia and be wrong then to assume they're not and pay the price, don't you think?"

"Sure, sure. I'm just saying you don't have to worry too much about people seeing your faces. You'll get disguises and IDs soon enough. I wouldn't suggest walking around Times Square, but going shopping shouldn't be a huge deal. If you wanted to live here for the rest of your lives, I'm sure that can be arranged. I can write you in my will as the successors of this property."

"You'd do that for us?" Jimin asked, shivering from the breeze. No more snow came, but he was sure it'd rain soon. It always rained in New York. It felt that way, anyway. There weren't many clouds in the sky, but that could change in a heartbeat.

"I'd do it for Ivan. That man never once bothered me about Underworld bullshit. He was always respectful and let me run my business the way I wanted to. I like to think I still got a few years before I kick the bucket, but if I don't..."

"Whether it's for Ivan or someone else, it doesn't matter to me. We appreciate what you're doing."

At that point, Ariel was the only other one outside. She was leaning against the doorway and watching Jimin and the old man interact. As she leaned against it, the entrance creaked. It sounded like it came straight out of a horror movie.

Jimin thought the pub looked a bit like a haunted house. It was rundown and messy like the man's RV. It didn't help that from the glimpse he got of the sidewalks in front of the pub, the concrete was cracked and stained with moss. The stone slabs making up the bottom of the building were covered with dirt and moss too. It made Jimin's stomach do a few flips, the acid building up in his throat.

He coughed it back, thanking the older gentleman one last time before stepping up to Ariel. She grinned and went in with him, the wooden floorboards making the same creak the door did. Speaking of, he shut it behind him and locked it. The old man gave the keys to Ivan, and Asa and Theo got two boxes of supplies. There wasn't much inside. Only snacks that Jimin thought came from the 80s.

There were canned Hi-C's that had expiration dates that already passed a few months ago, and Jimin was impressed the old man was able to find canned Hi-C's. He thought production for those halted by the mid-80s. Other than that, there were boxes of cookies, bags of Doritos, fruit snacks packed in rectangular boxes, yogurt that expired in a week's time. There were also canned soups and fresh bread, but there was so little of the bread that he was sure it'd be gone in a day if they didn't ration.

Charlotte grimaced as she snatched a can from Kayden. "I hope you guys like canned beans," she said, placing it on the bar top that was caked in dust bunnies. Asa went into attack mode and cleaned it, scowling and grumbling curses to himself when his fingers didn't work. Jimin couldn't stop himself from chortling at him.

"What's that?" Ariel asked, pointing to the corner of the interior. It was a vast pub split into two sections. One side was the bar, and the other was the dining area. Oval tables were overturned, napkins on the floors, a wall extending halfway down the inside to separate the two areas. It went up in an archway that allowed for an easy passing between the two sides, Jimin leaning against the arch and staring at what Ariel was going toward.

"That's a dart board," he said, noting how the item still had darts left.

"Shit, no way!" Kayden said, going over to the board and observing it. "I used to kick Jericho's ass at this game all the time."

Jericho flipped him off, barely paying attention since he was too busy behind the bar. Jericho went through each row of alcohol. Not every slot was filled, but enough had bottles on them that Jimin knew this place was the one for them. It brought joy to his core, and it was an unfamiliar feeling. Finally, something had gone right.

"Stairs are here," Theo said, going to where the double doors were. Like the dart board, the doors were in the corner of the room. Jimin guessed they led to the kitchen. The stairs were right by it, Theo stepping up on one while holding his injured shoulder. "I'm gonna check for medical supplies. The old man gave us a basic first aid kit, but no drugs."

"Shit, when you find some, let me know," Ariel said, Jimin glaring at her. She threw up her hands in defeat, Theo chuckling before going upstairs. Asa was quick to follow. Ivan was in the dining area, admiring the tables and how filthy the place was. He stuck near the front door, the hinges to it practically falling off.

"I'll barricade the front. We should barricade the back too. Charlotte, get ready to make a plan to go to the museum. We don't want to wait on a good lead," Ivan said.

"Works for me. Jericho, please don't drink all our alcohol already."

He snorted. "No promises."

Charlotte adjusted the stools until the bar became more lively. Kayden was practicing his dart skills, and he was doing a great job. Made sense. He was a good shot. Jimin though? Not so much. If he didn't like guns, the odds were he wouldn't like throwing darts either. He chose to stay away, going over to the bar to have Jericho pour him a shot of whatever didn't look disgusting.

Jericho read his mind and cleaned a shot glass off with a rag that was as old as Asa. The sink behind the bar worked, but Jericho conveniently forgot about that as he placed the glass down with a liquor in it Jimin didn't recognize. Jimin didn't even care about how sanitary it was. He downed it in one go and grunted after it was over.

"Hey old man," Ariel said, him raising a brow. "Can you sing? I'd love to hear your voice. It might calm you down a bit."

Jimin laughed it off. "Never." Luckily, he was saved from speaking any longer since Charlotte spoke up.

"The fridge needs to be plugged in, but electricity works," Charlotte said as she ducked behind the machine to turn it on. "Put all our dairy in, Kayden."

"We have like two packs of cheese, a stick of butter, and some chocolate milk," he replied.

"Well that's better than nothing. Put it in the fridge. Let's restore this place. There's a kitchen here, so there has to be cleaning supplies. Jericho, go find those supplies," she said.

"Fuck you."

"Such promises. Jimin, organize our alcohol since lord knows we'll need it. If you drink it, I'm slapping you."

Jimin snickered. "Aim for the ass. Big target."

Charlotte rolled her eyes and went back to inspecting the place, Jimin bringing his gaze to Jericho. He was frowning as he watched Charlotte, not yet noticing Jimin's stare. There was nothing more to say. All that was left was restoring the pub as best they could with the limited supplies they were given.

So that was what they did.

~~~

The plate in his hands was hardly fancy. In the old days, Jimin had meals that were cooked by the finest chefs. The restaurants he went to were quite exquisite, and he got steak, veal, and pork all the time to satisfy his love of meats. But the meal he had was a bowl of tomato soup on a plate for support. What was even more insulting was that it wasn't for him.

The narrow passageway that made up the second floor had rooms on either side of the halls. There were several doors, and he almost forgot which one was hers. It was the fourth one down, the door crusted and filled with scratches. The kid carved an 'A' into the wood using her knife, the chocolate shaded doorknob calling out to him. He decided to be nice by knocking.

After he heard a muffled answer, he went inside. Ariel was sitting at her desk and peeking out the window. Her room was on the backside of the house, so all she saw were the trees that bordered them. She seemed like she didn't care about that. She kept staring, the desk barely able to hold her elbows up.

He didn't bother closing the door. It wasn't like he'd be there long. "Dinner's served," he said, his shoes hitting the oval-shaped carpet resting on the floor. The bed covered half of it. They gave her the smallest bedroom since it fit her best. A full-sized bed, gray covers and white sheets, pale walls that had stains on them, the ceiling the same way with a boxy cover surrounding a single light that wasn't turned on.

Her room didn't have its own bathroom like the master bedroom did. The bedroom that Jericho and Charlotte fought over, but Asa and Theo ended up sneaking in and taking it together. There were too many people and not enough bedrooms. Ariel was one of two who got her own room. Jericho and Charlotte sucked it up and decided to room together, Jimin and Ivan staying in one room too. Kayden got his own room. Jericho refused to stay with him, and Jimin refused to stay with anyone other than his best friend. If June actually decided to come help them, he'd have to share that room with Kayden.

The plate landed on her desk, the four legs holding it up squeaking from the new weight. Ariel picked her head up and turned her eyes to the dish. Right away, she froze. He bit back the urge to laugh at her sudden shift in attitude.

"Not the extravagant stuff you're used to?" he asked.

"Tomato soup?" she said instead of answering his question.

"Yeah, we don't have much else. Mostly canned stuff. Get used to soup and beans." She curled her lips up and made a noise that sounded like a huff. Jimin backed away, but Ariel was still staring at the food. She didn't even pick up the spoon. "You know the food's not gonna eat itself, right?"

He expected a smartass comment. A curse word. An insult. Anything other than what actually happened.

Ariel pressed her hands against the side of the desk and didn't bother glancing back at him. Those conflicted eyes of hers remained on the broth in front of her. It was steaming, fresh off the stove, the spoon cleaned thanks to Jericho finding cleaning supplies. Despite how it was the first hot meal any of them had in days, she hesitated. Jimin scolded himself for caring about why she was hesitating.

"I was seven," she said, her voice quieter than Jimin had ever heard it go. "My mom made homemade tomato soup with grilled cheeses on the side. Dad made the grilled cheese while she stirred the soup and I watched. For an hour, just an hour, I felt like I had a home. A family. We ate and laughed and talked. It's the best memory I have - all over stupid soup and grilled cheese."

He kept himself still, watching the side of her face as she processed her own words. The soup begged to be eaten, but she still ignored it. There were no movements. There weren't even sounds other than Jimin's soft breathing and the birds chirping outside. The only thing that made him aware that this was real and not a dream was the distinct smell of tomato resting in his nostrils, his tongue tasting the scent.

"And I don't know how to feel about that," she said after another pause. "Now all I ever do is eat alone."

Several seconds snapped by. There were a million reactions he could have had to her. Millions of ways he could have worded what he wanted to say in the right way. Instead, he said it in the way he warned himself not to. The way he deeply regretted.

"It might get cold if you wait too long," was his only answer before he strolled out. He didn't even fully close the door behind him.

Grilled cheese and tomato soup. It wasn't a meal he was too familiar with. Jimin had it in the past, but he never made it for Aria. He had a fear of stringy cheese and choking. Another element of his paranoia, huh?

His feet dragged him down the stairs and to the kitchen before he could stop himself. No one was there. Jimin offered to take Ariel's dish to her while the others cleaned. He had been gone long enough that Ivan already finished up. The kitchen wasn't giant, so cleaning it couldn't have taken more than a few minutes.

The floors were swept with a broom and dustpan Jericho found. The tiles were visible again. Not pristine, but they were a cream color that reminded Jimin of the walls in Ariel's room. Several stoves, fryers, ovens, and more resided around the room. Counters for food prep were there too, and that was where Jimin's plate of soup was waiting.

He went over and grabbed it. Then, he stopped. The fridge was humming behind him. It was tempting him. Shouting at him. Although he knew it was a terrible idea, he let go of his dish and opened the fridge. In a minute's time, the cheese was out. So was the bread. The stove was lit and a pan was there. He spread butter on the bread, plopping it down and using a spoon to flip the sides since he couldn't find a spatula.

In ten minutes, his soup now had a grilled cheese to compliment it. Next to his plate was another with no soup, but one grilled cheese. Without a single word or noise louder than a sharp breath, Jimin went back upstairs.

The door was closed. This time, he didn't bother knocking. He placed his meal down and opened the entrance, picking the soup and sandwich back up and using his shoulder to push through.

Ariel whipped around, her spoon still resting on the plate. The soup was untouched, no more steam radiating from it. He didn't let that deter him. Jimin stepped inside and kicked the door shut behind him, the girl's face going from confusion to shock, then finally to awe.

Both plates got placed on the desk, Jimin going on one knee as a makeshift seat. Their eyes locked, and Ariel's mouth fell open. It took several tries until she managed to find the right words to say.

"I thought you said we only have canned food," she said, her voice the same quiet tone it had been before.

It took all his strength, but he gave her a smile that reached his eyes. His eyes slimmed, little dots of blackness filling his sight. Through it all, he still saw her returning his expression albeit much slower. His hands rested on the desk that he swore was a splinter hazard, and he brought himself a bit closer to her.

"We're supposed to ration the fresh stuff. Don't tell on me?" he asked, picking up his sandwich. Their plates were identical, Ariel snatching her grilled cheese and dipping it in the soup. Right before she stuffed her face in the food, she gave him the softest expression he had seen in 5 years.

"I won't tell a soul."

~~~

The wall endured another kick. Then another. What was once a smooth surface became dented and cracked from the torture he was giving it. His hands held him steady as he gave it yet another kick.

"God dammit!"

He was grateful the walls were thick, but he was sure his shout was loud enough to gain the attention of his neighbors. Ivan wasn't there currently. After they all ate, Ivan decided to go down and organize a game of darts Jimin sat out of. His emotions were reaching a high he hadn't expected. Aria's face was circling around his vision. There was another face too. The face of Ariel. The one he had eaten with only a few minutes ago.

Jimin ended his rampage against the poor wall and went to his bed, plopping down. There was no punching bag for him to let his wrath out on. No exercise room for him to workout until he passed out to forget the pain. There were no distractions. Not even a tiny one.

The bed was queen-sized, meant for an adult. Jimin sure as hell didn't feel like one. It showed in the way the room was as empty as him. No art hung up, the closet shut and void of clothes, his nightstand not even having an alarm clock on it. The desk that was near identical to Ariel's was just as barren as the rest of the vicinity. It made Jimin's throat tighten, his eyes burning with liquid.

Before he could descend into the chaos known as his mind, there was a knock on the door. Not a single part of him wanted to answer it, but he knew he had to. "Come in," he said.

A creak sounded off. Without looking, he knew who it was. The footsteps were graceful and light. The weight added to the other side of the bed was one of the two weights lighter than Jimin's. It didn't help that she smelled fresh. Like she had just taken a shower. Her scent was intoxicating, and it brought consolation to his shattering spine.

Charlotte didn't speak. Jimin waited. Nothing. It occurred to him that she didn't come to talk or argue, or anything like that. She was awaiting the true answer to the question she asked not long ago. The question about Ariel.

Every cell inside him craved to repeat what he said before. No. He couldn't do it. There was no strength left inside him. Only there was, he just didn't know it was there. It was a raging fire inside him, and he thought it was his fury. That whole time, it had actually been his love.

"I'll do it," he whispered.

As soon as the words left his lips, Charlotte stood. Her response was to leave. She was gone as quickly as she came, and Jimin lurched from the realization of what he said. The realization of what it meant for him, and what his life could become because of it. Pain was what he was opening himself to. However, that pain wasn't what was on his mind. It was his heart.

For the first time in 5 years, his heart started beating again.