✔ || Save Me [[SEQUEL to DISTRACT ME]]

Chapter 20

"Where the hell were you?" Seokjin demanded, his arms crossed stiffly over his chest.

Taehyung and Jeongguk sat on the couch, too much space between them for the maknae's liking, as their hyungs berated them. The second Jimin had shouted his announcement, Seokjin and Yoongi had come barreling down the hall, wrapping their arms around Taehyung and Jeongguk in embraces that felt like they were fighting the urge to strangle the two dongsaengs. Jimin was crying, Seokjin was yelling, and Yoongi was rapid-fire texting the group chat to tell Hoseok and Namjoon to get home now.

The oldest hyungs had then marched with the two maknaes in tow to the living room the second they were done trying to choke them both out and made them sit and wait silently (silently, kid, or I swear to god...) until the others got back (from looking for you two disrespectful idiots).

Apparently Taehyung's half-assed story hadn't worked at all.

Still, the boy muttered, "We were with my parents in Daegu. You knew that."

The room froze. Yoongi was sitting in the arm chair, leaning over his knees as he studied the two maknaes, but the rest of the hyungs were standing with their arms crossed in poorly-contained fury. Even Jimin was glaring at them. Namjoon, the gentle leader who never seemed to get mad until this moment, finally growled, "You better cut that shit right now."

"You know how close we were to getting the public involved?" Hoseok said darkly. "You guys have been gone for ten days!"

"Eleven," Yoongi corrected.

Jimin gripped his hair - it was black now, which meant that preparations for their comeback were still underway on top of everything else - biting back angry tears. "You guys left your phones here! Everything! You really think we'd believe you went on a little family get-away?!"

"The only reason we didn't call the police is because BigHit hired private investigators," Namjoon added, seething.

Jeongguk retreated into himself, dropping his head. Seokjin suddenly grabbed a fistful of the maknae's hair, jerking him back up. Jeongguk whined in pain, but Seokjin didn't let go as he snarled, "You don't get to shut down, Kook. Where were you?"

"You wouldn't believe us," Taehyung mumbled.

Seokjin thankfully released Jeongguk, crossing his arms. "Try me."

Jeongguk looked at Jimin hopelessly. "Hyung, remember the...the thing you found out?"

Jimin's eyebrows furrowed and Jeongguk pressed, "Do you know enough about the rules to know what we were doing?"

He prayed Jimin would figure it out. Yoongi suddenly said in a scarily calm voice, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Taehyung seemed to understand where Jeongguk was going with this and joined in. "Jiminie, come on. Think, I know you have to know something."

It took a long, quiet moment for Jimin's face to finally flicker with recognition. The rest of the hyungs were watching agitatedly for him to respond, still not understanding what was happening, until finally, he murmured, "Because you said 'yes,' right? When I asked what you were? You said yes, which was an exact answer, not a roundabout one."

Jeongguk and Taehyung melted in relief. The elder nodded, "Yes."

Seokjin threw up his arms in irritation, "What are you three talking about? Can we get back to -"

"Hyungnim," Jimin said softly, all anger now replaced with concern. Seokjin turned to him, his mouth still hanging open, as he mumbled, "Just listen to them for a minute."