on patrol | vol. ii ✓

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

"You alright?"

Mingyu jumps and then turns to find Jungkook standing behind him, a bottle of beer in one hand.

"It's getting to so damn hot out, was wondering if you passed out in the balcony or something," Jungkook continues, standing next to the man and leaning against the railing.

"Oh, I was just getting some fresh air and I guess I lost track of time," Mingyu answers, looking back out towards the city. The two stand around in comfortable silence until the taller man breaks it again. "Jeonghan was right," he continues, drawing Jungkook's attention. "This station really is different."

"What do you mean?"

"You guys are...really like a family here."

"Yeah. I guess we are. Not even sure how it happened, but here we are," Jungkook agrees with a fond grin. "And guess what, you're now a part of it too. It might not feel like it now, but before you know it..."

"That sounds good," Mingyu breathes out, trying his best to not think about the previous station. At the end of the day, he doesn't blame any of them. They may not have hesitated for a second before abandoning him, but really, what other choice did they have. Sure, it may have been ideal to have the support of the rest of his team but...he's not that naive. Still...to this day, he wished that at least one of them would've at least questioned why he was being relieved of his duty...

"I'm really glad you came, man," Jungkook says, effectively stopping Mingyu's train of thought.

"Me too," Mingyu answers sincerely, glad that he listened to the other cop. Perhaps this was what he needed. In a way he was facing his own fears, and it helps him break out of the paranoia that had plagued him for some time now. "And um..."

"....?"

"I...I was thinking..."

"What's up?"

"I don't...I mean, I'm not really sure about anything yet but...I was thinking that maybe...maybe I can look into what happened and...you know, maybe finally-"

"Say no more. We'll help."

"A-are you sure though? I mean, I don't want you guys to get into any trouble..."

"Hey, when you're ready, you let us know. Then we'll figure out where to go from there," Jungkook says in his officer voice, and Mingyu nods slowly. He's not sure when the time will come that he will actually be able to begin anything that resembles an investigation into the man who has ruined his life, because everything is still...fresh. Yet, a part of him inexplicable wants to believe that he may be able to do anything if the rest of the station is on his side.

Baby steps. But for now, people are calling out that it's cake blowing time, and both Mingyu and Jungkook grin at each other before returning to the living room.

 
-

"Kookie, why are you so nervous?"

Jungkook stops chewing his lower lip to glance at his boyfriend, who's watching him from the stove with a spatula in one hand.

"I don't know. Why am I so nervous?"

"You're so silly," Jimin says with a small laugh and then begins to hum a little tune to himself as he stirs the vegetables in the pan in front of him. Jungkook watches the small man from the dining table, having been banished from the kitchen after playing a mini drum solo with his boyfriend's ass. "How much time do we have?" Jimin asks a couple of minutes later, pulling out a plate to empty the content of the pan onto.