Caged (Jimin BTS)

XXVI = Split Up

"That's the plan. Anymore questions?" Namjoon asks around the table. None of them said anything, but the grim determination in their eyes confirmed their resolution.

"Meet up back on Monday," Namjoon glanced at his wrist watch, "10 PM. Move out now."

They all walked out except for Seokjin and Taehyung. Namjoon sank into a chair and sighed into his arm. "Let's just hope this will work out."

"It will. We spent a week perfecting it. You're the one planning it, and we helped make it foolproof. It will work." Seokjin grasped his shoulder, and the younger brother smiled gratefully at him.

Taehyung, in the other hand, has sauntered over to the other adjoining room, where Namcheol was sitting at his working table, looking distraught. He looked nothing like the calm doctor he knew from his childhood. "Doctor Kim, you feel like you're useless now, didn't you?"

"Excuse me?" Taehyung took the opportunity to sit in front of the doctor and leaned forward in his seat.

"I mean, you let Naomi be caught by the police. All because you knew about Jimin and didn't warn her beforehand-"

"C-Can you not... call him Jimin." Namcheol cut in, massaging his temple with his fingers.

"Why?" Taehyung asks, his face a mask of innocence. "Is it wrong? Naomi named him Jimin, and he is a human being..." His words trailed off, when Taehyung's eyes widen. "His real name is Jimin."

The doctor winced as if he had been poked with a fire poker. Seokjin and Namjoon popped his head into the room to call for Taehyung. "Tae. We're leaving for Yoongi's. C'mon."

"Wait." He smiled at his brothers, and set Namcheol down with a cold glare. "There's more to the secret of Jimin's life, isn't it? What are you keeping from us?"

"There would be no use to hide anything else now." Namjoon has stepped into the room and now glaring down at his father. "Tell us everything."

Namcheol gulped and stared at his palm. The hand that has saved many lives, lighten many pains, ease so many burdens.

Yet failed to save his friends.

And so Namcheol unwind the rope binding his chest, opening the secrets of his dark life.

---

"Sir, your son has disappeared!" One of Jungkook's bodyguard slammed Mayor Jeon's office door open. He spare the mountainous man a glance and set his tea down.

"Did he leave anything?" The bodyguard nodded, handing the mayor a simple piece of paper.

'I'm leaving, like Junghwa-hyung. Find me if you can.'

'It's not that hard, son.' "Start a search party for him. Tell the police that he's been kidnapped, and spread the word around that Min Yoongi did it. Now go."

The bodyguard nodded, before hurrying out of the office, not even questioning the mayor's order. A certain black-haired male sniffed and coughed into his sleeve. "T-Rex ate the bait. Trojan, proceed to dispatch Seagull out of Wonderland."

"Copy that." Hoseok patted Jungkook's shoulder and escorted him onto the train. "Let's have a little tour around Agust D's place, whaddaya say?"

"Will it work?" Jungkook's worried eyes scanned the entrance and exit of the cubicle from time to time, anxiety keeping him on the edge.

With his thumb and forefinger, Hoseok gripped Jungkook's chin and turned the boy to face him. Leaning down on his face, he smirked and whispered, "Everyone thinks we're a couple, so we have to act like it hun. And your nervousness is letting us away."

"I-"

"We need to check the cubicle for a missing person." An Omelas policeman shouted at the entrance, and Jungkook's body froze in terror. He damned the vast communication technology for being able to send messages far too quick for his liking.

Each step they took towards him made Jungkook fidget in his seat. When the policeman was only a seat away, Hoseok put a hand on his forehead and faked a worried frown. "Baby, you're scorching hot! I told you we should stall our departure a day."

He's starting already? Jungkook grumbled, but played along.

"But..." Jungkook looked down when his brother changed the mask to one of a regret.

"I'm sorry, it's just that... I'm worried that your fever might get worse-"

"Please show us your ID and tickets, please- Is something the matter?" Inquired the policeman politely, seeing the way the girl is leaning against the boy's shoulder and gasping slightly. He gripped hers and smiled politely at the policeman.

"I'm sorry officer, my girlfriend, she's in a high fever. I told her we should've stayed a day longer but she's worried about her mother alone back in her house." Jungkook coughed violently for added effects, and Hoseok held him closer. "Shush now, everything's going to be okay."

"I'm sorry for disturbing you two. Take care of your girlfriend, okay?" And then they were left alone. Hoseok hid a triumphant smirk and leaned into Jungkook's ear. "Told you we'll lose 'em."

"I don't think I'll take up a girl's disguise again after this." With a sigh from the she-Jungkook, the train departed from the station.

---

"Hands where I can see 'em." The storekeeper froze when he saw Min Yoongi walking into his shop. He quickly raised his hands into the air when he saw his gun.

After taking a few spools of transparent fishing line and hunting knives, Yoongi fled the store. The frozen storekeeper was finally out of his shock enough to call the police.

The Doctor Kim's, Baker Kim's and the Jung's farmhouse were raided to arrest the people linked to Min Yoongi but neither of his friends are home. So the police concluded that Yoongi has back-ups in the case of kidnapping Jeon Jungkook.

"Sorry, hyung, for tainting your name like this." Namjoon grasped Yoongi's shoulder in regret as they stood in front of the TV. The other just shrugged.

"It's really comforting to know that Omelas didn't take police forces from outside. Makes it easier for us." He glanced at Taehyung who was breathing heavily. "How's the kid?"

"Just got back from a bookstore. People will think Jungkook is still in town." Hoseok twirled the brush in is hand, smiling smugly. "I knew that online makeup class will be worth it."

"Okay." Namjoon motioned for the five of them to gather around. "Now Phase Two."