Third Wheel - Vminkook

23. Missing

Jimin woke up with a serious headache and a burning pain in his lower body. He opened his eyes to find himself in the dirty, messy cellar. Frightened and confused he tried to get up immediately, which made the suffering only worse. The taste of cum in his mouth and the massive pain in his butt made him think that what he'd thought to be a nightmare was actually real... He saw the crumpled tissues on the floor which Bang Chan had used to clean him up, took one and smelled it.

"Fucking bastards!" – he was furious. He felt he was going to get sick of disgust, soon feeling the urge to throw up. He frowned, clenching his teeth as he stood up dizzily to find an exit or at least a bathroom. He found two doors, one of them was locked, the other one opened to a dirty toilet. He leaned over the bowl and vomited, but it didn't help much... The disgust and the pain stubbornly sticked with him.

He washed his face at the tiny wash basin, and as he began to feel a little better, he walked back to the table where he remembered to see a piece of paper and a tote bag. He read the note, took a bottle of water out of the bag, and drank.

"You envious fucking coward!" – he chuckled bitterly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He found his bag on the floor near the locked door, but of course his phone wasn't in it anymore.

He searched the room and the bathroom for a window, a ventage or at least a pipe he could send up signals on, but the only contact with the outside world was a row of thick glass bricks under the ceiling that let some sunlight in. He lay down on the bed to think, when he noticed the light bulb hanging from the middle of the ceiling...

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- He hasn't even seen my messages yet – Jungkook frowned while having lunch with Taehyung in the canteen. I thought he'd join us for lunch, but the break is almost over.

Tae took his phone to call him, but Jimin's phone was switched off.

- Maybe his phone died. And he's not hungry.

They decided to go to the dancers' practice room after lunch, but it was locked.

- Where the hell are they? – Tae frowned.

- They're on the stage – a cleaning lady answered while mopping the floor.

The boys thanked the lady for the information and headed to the theater hall of the Academy. They opened the huge, decorative door and peeked in to see the dancers gathering on the stage. Jimin was nowhere to find, though it was his and Lisa's love scene they were about to rehearse.

- If anyone talks to Jimin, tell him that I'm gonna strangle him for not showing up to our first stage rehearsal! And that's without even saying a word... That's so unprofessional, messing with his fellow dancers' time and energy! – the instructor shouted angrily from the third row of the auditorium – Bang Chan, would you please fill in for him?

- Sure, I know his part by heart, sir!

- I know... - the instructor sighed.

Taehyung and Jungkook glanced at each other before quietly closing the door.

- Something's not okay. He would never miss out the first stage rehearsal – Jungkook said.

- Yeah, and if he did, he would tell the instructor or at least Hoseok or Lisa about it – Tae replied – Is it possible that he got upset because you and me... we left him out last night?

- That's impossible, he was so kind and understanding when you mentioned what you were up to.

- His true feelings may have come out later... He arrived home, realized how lonely he was, and he got mad...

Jungkook hummed, remembering how he had been feeling that certain night. He'd just wanted to disappear from the world... They decided to visit Jimin at his dorm after their evening classes.

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Tae knew which room was Jimin's. He knocked on the door multiple times, but there was no answer.

- Jiminah, please, open up, it's us! – he yelled for the 100th time.

- He's not here – a boy said, stepping out from the adjacent room – He hasn't showed up for days...

- He had to show up yesterday! He was going to spend last night here – Jungkook said, but the boy shook his head.

- He didn't. I wanted to invite him over for a beer at around 10 pm, but he wasn't here. And I didn't see him today in the morning either. We share a bathroom, I know he wasn't here.

- What the ff... - Taehyung frowned – Didn't he tell you where he was about to go?

- No. His toothbrush and other stuff is still here...

The two friends thanked the boy and left the dorm. They tried to reach Jimin by phone several times, but to no avail.

Later at night they were cuddling in Taehyung's bed, feeling anxious and worried.

- See how you made us feel that night when you disappeared? – Tae asked, playing with JK's hair.

- That was different. You knew my reasons.

- Still we worried our ass off. Where were you by the way?

Tears began to pool up in Jungkook's eyes, so he buried his face into the pillow. He imagined Jimin doing the same as he did that night... getting drunk, hooking up with someone in desperation...

- Kookie, tell me. Where were you?

- I went to the gym, and then I spent the night drinking at the Green Fairy... - he didn't talk about the rest.

- Till the morning? It closes at 2 am on weekdays as far as I know.

Jungkook sobbed into the pillow but didn't answer.

- Taetae, I'm so scared for Jimin! I know there's something wrong... I feel it!

- If he doesn't show up tomorrow, we'll call the police. Now try to sleep.

He held on JK's hand and they closed their eyes, but it took long hours till they could drift into sleep.