ᴄʜᴏᴋᴇʀ ☑

24 : Hoax or truth?

"Jimin!" Jungkook hollered as he opened the actor's bedroom door. "WHERE ARE YOU?" He screamed in agitation after he didn't find the man anywhere.

"Jimin?!" He called again with urgency, running down the stairs to come and check the guest rooms.

"I don't like anyone yelling inside my house," Jimin entered inside from the back door. "What has gotten into you?"

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you fucking tell me?" Jungkook asked, on the urge of tearing up, feeling like he was betrayed.

Jimin's face passed over with understanding, and he knew Jungkook's reaction was inevitably unavoidable. "Follow me to the office and talk."

Jungkook wanted to hold the actor's hand and shake him vigorously to show his dismay for hiding it all from him, but he needed to hear the whole story of the disaster that had befallen them, or specifically, Jimin while he was away, sipping on margaritas. He waited for Jimin to begin, but the man seemed like struggling to find the right words as he sat across from him. "Why didn't you tell me, Jimin?" The assistant asked again, but this time, in a softer tone.

"What did you tell Taehyung about me, Jungkook?" Jimin silenced the assistant now.

"What?" Jungkook asked timidly, his face crestfallen and his head spinning fast.

"Or most specifically, about 'Lost in a Masquerade?' You said you never asked him anything, but it seems that you have been talking around a lot."

"Jimin, I didn't-"

"Are you sure?" Jimin asked calmly, yet his gaze was blaming the younger male, seeing his nervous and apologetic face.

"I- I don't remember," Jungkook confessed shamefully. "I was drunk and I don't remember it. It's been months now since that incident."

Jimin sighed, padding his gaze away and leaning back on his chair. "What's done is done. There was nothing you could have done if you were here too. It's their words against a crippling alcoholic. No one is going to believe me anyway."

"Their word? Who else is in support of your wife?" Jungkook asked.

When he read a headline in a newspaper, he was in Japan. It said that Korean-based actor, Park Jimin, landed into big trouble after his current wife, Kim Rose, made rape allegations against him. He panicked and tried to contact Jimin to get to know what exactly was happening, but the actor was off the network.

With the same urgency, he booked the next flight back to Korea and landed here. On the way from the airport to Jimin's house, he could only trace back to the headlines from almost the same time he left for Kyla's wedding. He still had no idea how it all originated. The actor had been going through it all in silence, without worrying him for even one bit.

Jimin scoffed sourly, but the 22-year-old could sense the dejection and fear in the actor's eyes behind his tough shell. "Rose wasn't behind this at all, Jungkook. As far as I know, Namjoon was told that Taehyung was looking into the file, and he played his cards rights. He must have bribed Rose to make those allegations. I am not supposed to contact her anymore legally. Kim Suzi also joined her, making the same allegations against me."

"I need to talk to Taehyung-" Jungkook stood up, but Jimin reached over the table to grab his palm.

"Sit down. Namjoon has been doing interviews for weeks now. If you go to Taehyung, they can use your words for the benefit of their case."

"We can't just sit here and do nothing, Jimin!" Jungkook intoned while standing up and facing Jimin. "We have to talk to Jay to do something. Rose cheated on Namjoon with you. And Namjoon cheated on his wife with you too. This is sick, Jimin. Those people can't join forces to sideline you like this. You have to tell the world your truth."