He left when everyone was in the middle of eating, them complimenting Jin's cooking and praising him so much about how he had improved his skills. Namjoon pointed out how he likes all of Jin's recipes and how he should make a cook book so he could share his knowledge to others, and so that mothers and everyone who wanted to try it, could learn a new recipe or two. Jimin, of course, wanted to stay and listen to everyone sharing their stories and their favorite food, too, but he had to go and settle things with Mina.

Not bothering to finish his food, he silently escaped while everyone was preoccupied, and he went upstairs to grab his coat and his phone, exiting his house as he heard everyone laughing in his living room, Taehyung's voice booming, Hoseok's laughter echoing in his house.

Good thing he left without anyone stopping him, Jimin thought, as he heard his footsteps in the sidewalk, the sound of his steady breathing also reaching his ears. With his hands in his pockets, he let a smile crawl up his face, the thought of Mina giving him the letters filling his thoughts. It wasn't like he hated the letters, no, he liked them. He liked those letters so much that he'd reread them over and over again till he'd come to school the next day and receive another one. Weekends were hard due to the fact that he wouldn't go to school, so those letters that always make him smile would have to wait. In the back of his mind, Jimin wanted to know how long Mina would plan each letter because in all honesty, they were so sweet.

Thank you, Mina.

Jimin turned a corner and reached his school's gate, entering and going up the building he always goes to. He scanned the empty hallways, chuckling as he passed his classroom because right there, he'd get bullied. That's where he would hear those classmates of his laugh at him just because he wasn't good enough, and that's where he'd hear those rash comments and right there, he thought, that's where his teacher told him he'd been starving, not even bothering to talk to him in private. She just had to say it in front of everyone.

Of course, Jimin told himself. Of course his friends were there for him, and they've always been there for him, no doubt, but when you're depressed, there's no explanation why you just cry out of nowhere, or when you just feel sad all of a sudden, and no one understands. No one tries to understand you, and though they keep on saying that they'll always be there for you, you find out that it's just you who will try to make things work.

Jungkook's been there for him, Namjoon's been there for him. Yoongi and Taehyung have been there for him, just as Jin and Hoseok have, but everything's confusing, and these letters Jimin's been receiving mean so much to him, and for once, he wants to make this work. He wants to find out who this person is, and deep inside, he wanted to know if this was really Mina. His body, his mind, and his heart on top of all things, hope it's someone he knows, someone he trusts, someone he loves.

But I don't love Mina.

I barely know her.

He reached out to hold the door handle, twisting it, and when the sudden gush of wind hit his face, he prepared himself.

"Mina?" Jimin called out, looking from left to right, searching for that one person who asked him to be here this moment. He closed the door behind him and let go of the door handle, taking a few steps forward to find her - to find Mina. There was no sign of her, even when he reached the edge of the rooftop.

Taking a glance at what was down there, he took a few more steps to peek at nothing but the school's property, a few buildings aligned like soldiers, and something stopped him.

Jump, Jimin.

"Hey."

He turned around just to see a tall guy with a charming smile, a face so familiar that Jimin gasped in shock, clutching his chest.

"You scared me," Jimin let out a laugh, and in a second, he heard the guy laugh, too. He took in the image of the man with his dark hair, pale skin, and him wearing their school uniform was enough for Jimin to think he was in the same school as his. He's never seen him around before, but Jimin was definitely sure he's seen his face somewhere, though they don't take the same classes. His aura, his face, all those signs made Jimin ask him, "Have we met before?"

"I'm afraid we haven't," the man in front of him said with a small smile, stepping closer. Jimin made sure not to take a step back or else he'd slip and fall off the building. "Watch out!" he said, and Jimin had to catch himself with an embarrassed smile, beginning to think that he had lost his mind. Gathering all the courage he could find, Jimin walked over to him as the man continued, "I thought you'd fall! You scared me!" he said, worried.

"I'm sorry. You came out of nowhere - you scared me, too," Jimin said, and the young man had to look down, guilty, but still with that small smile of his. "I'm Park Jimin," he introduced himself, chuckling.

"Uhm...yeah, I kinda know who you are, actually," he mumbled. "Mina's my sis."

"No way! No wonder you two look alike! I thought I had seen you somewhere!" Jimin said in disbelief, continuing, "Were you that guy next to her in her family photos? At her house?"

"Our house," he corrected, laughing. "But yup, that's me."

"Haha I knew it. You two look similar in a way," Jimin smiled, walking his way to a corner of the school's rooftop, his back facing him. He wanted to find a spot which provided some shade and stay there till Mina would arrive. "So I guess your name is-"

"-I bet you weren't expecting me," his voice sounded deep, low, and if Jimin had heard it correctly, he sounded off. His footsteps were echoing in Jimin's ears as Jimin stopped in his tracks, sensing that the young man was a few feet behind him.

Without knowing it, Jimin swallowed the lump in his throat out of nervousness, or maybe out of fear as he forgot how to breathe. Out of all the times when his breath would hitch just by seeing Jungkook, how his heartbeat would increase tremendously just by having the younger one by his side, he knew this was different, and this wasn't the good kind of feeling he normally gets when he's with Jungkook.

His stomach flipped and inside, he knew he shouldn't have left home.

"You were expecting Mina, huh?"

Hiding the fear that would eventually be evident in his voice, Jimin laughed, his back still facing him, and he didn't want to look back.

He couldn't.

Looking back would scare him to death.

Death.

"I...I- Did Mina send you here?" he managed to ask, despite the painful ache he was starting to feel in his chest due to that abnormal beating of his heart. His legs were planted right there and even though he wanted to escape, he realized the nearest exit wasn't near at all.

So far.

"No, she's not here. I came here to see you," he replied. How deep his voice was, how close his presence was that Jimin felt goosebumps starting to form in his arms.

Instead of hearing himself breathing, his heartbeat reminded him that he needed to leave.

Now.

"Why?"

Jimin immediately took a few steps to his right, to try to escape, but he beat him to it, the taller man blocking his way with his arms spread out like a barricade, and Jimin was stuck. He couldn't escape like how he can't escape the maze he'd be stuck in whenever he gets lost in Jungkook's eyes and right now, it was over.

Hyung, he could hear Jungkook's voice in his head, and he was going crazy.

Why did you leave, hyung? the younger one reminded him in the back of his mind, and Jimin's head was starting to throb, throb like his chest, his heart, and it hurt so much that when he felt the man take hold of his arm, his grip so strong, Jimin didn't know which one hurt the most. Why did you leave?

"I gave you the letters."

Jimin should've put his guards up, should've been more careful, should've paid more attention to how the taller guy pushed him against a wall because his back was starting to hurt due to the impact. Jimin hissed as the man brought his hands to caress Jimin's face, but he tried to push him off as hard as he could, not liking the feeling of unwanted hands all over him, all over his body, and it was too much.

"Stop it!" Jimin screamed, tears starting to escape from the corners of his eyes as the man dragged him to the ground, and he took hold of Jimin's hair and threw his body on the hard floor, not caring if his body would bruise, would scar, would hurt. He didn't care at all. "I said sto-"

"-Stop screaming, you slut," he took hold of Jimin's face, preventing him from talking. "Just shut up!" Panic was written all over Jimin's face as his jacket was discarded and thrown to the side, and trying his best to escape, he kicked the man's stomach but all he heard was a grunt before the man got even more impatient. "STOP KICKING OR ELSE I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Jimin didn't listen to a word he was saying as he continued kicking his guts, his arms, and even when his arms were pinned on top of his head, the man's grip so strong and so tight, Jimin's cries could be heard from miles away.

"Stop crying!"

The moment Jimin heard his clothes being ripped and scattered on the floor right next to his body, his heart was about to burst and he swore this would be the end of him. His torso felt so cold as the wind continued to blow, and when he felt like he was too bare, he looked down just to see that his button was undone and his zipper was open when he noticed that his pants were halfway down his thighs. He wanted to escape. He regretted coming here in the first place.

"I came to see you. Mina didn't write any of those letters," he whispered in Jimin's ears, his breath reaching Jimin's neck and he cried, those lips on his ear, kissing him so sinfully made him sick to the core. "I always see you open your locker door and pull out the letters," he continued, and even when Jimin was struggling to break free, struggling to escape, Jimin's breath hitched when the man started bringing one of his hands to palm him, and Jimin screamed somemore.

"Don't fucking touch me! I said stop!!! What do you want?!" He managed to kick him in the guts again, but the man just yelled and slammed his head on the hard ground.

"Just stop crying, princess. Just let me enjoy you," he gave an ugly smile before he palmed Jimin again, his hand just over Jimin's boxers and when the weak boy screamed, he couldn't think anymore. All he could do was scream for people to come and help him. He wasn't even aware he was screaming someone's name, for them to come and find him.

"Jungkook!"

"Jungkook? You think Jungkook's going to find you?" the man's uniform was ripped due to the fact that Jimin's been kicking him and scratching his face and arms and now his uniform was just torn, but tearing Jimin apart was what he wanted. "That kid's not going to find you here, slut. You're gonna scream my name and not his, understand?" Jimin didn't even nod even when his face was slapped, the burning sensation stinging him. He spread Jimin's legs wide and Jimin was fighting it off, not wanting to be violated and touched like this, not wanting to be on the floor, bare and bruised and he couldn't help but tell himself 'Jimin, you're filthy. You're ugly, you're weak.'

You're miserable.

He didn't even know how the man knew Jungkook, but the next few words that came out of his mouth answered Jimin's questions.

"Jungkook's the one who always waits for you at your locker, but you're always late so he stays till you come," the man's grip on Jimin's hands just over his head was still strong, but his vacant hand moved from Jimin's thighs to his waist, and Jimin squirmed underneath him. "And you should see how he smiles when he sees you. It's nice, actually. Someone cares about you, but guess what?" he whispered in Jimin's ears, trying to tug his pants off. "He's not here right now."

"Stop this! I don't want this!" Jimin sobbed, feeling miserable that he was facing this situation and feeling worse because Jungkook wasn't here, out of all the people he expected would come and find him, and his heart just broke and he didn't know how to breathe.

"He even stays and scans the hallways if you've arrived. Jungkook. He fucking waits for you. I guess he's tired waiting for you because now he's not here. You're the one waiting for him," feeling the man's chest touching his made Jimin feel so dirty and just so miserable. "Have you seen him placing those letters inside your locker? I have."

Jimin's ears perked up and became even more sensitive as he pushed the man's chest away and anything that had to do with him because he couldn't deal with any of this, nor could he deal with the man mentioning Jungkook because he didn't want to believe anything that was happening that moment.

He was confused.

For a moment, Jimin could see someone hiding behind a wall, peeking with those wide eyes. That dark hair, that petite figure, that face - he knew who it was. He should have known she'd just gasp, with tears in her eyes, and run away.

He should have known Mina would just run away.

Mina.

When the man was about to pull Jimin's boxers down, even with Jimin squirming and crying and pushing him off with all his might, they heard someone break the door and when a loud slam was heard, Jimin whipped his head to where the sound was coming from, only to meet Jungkook's furious eyes.

Before he knew it, the man who was on top of him was thrown to the side, and now it was Jungkook's turn to get on top of him, only to throw a punch right at his face, and Jimin panicked, still crying as he tried to gather his clothes and cover himself as much as possible, despite the painful ache in his arms, legs and back. Seeing Jungkook raging, his other hand on the man's collar and his right hand landing on his face, blood coming out of his nose, Jimin's eyes were wide since this was his first time seeing Jungkook this mad, and terror was written all over the man's face, as he was still on the floor, trying to push Jungkook off of him, but to no avail. Jungkook was stronger.

"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH HIM!" Jungkook growled, only for the man to spit out blood, and when he tried to reach for Jungkook's face to throw a punch, his bloody hands just managed to reach his cheeks and his jaw but he never landed a punch, due to Jungkook's anger, the sound of his fist meeting the man's face the only sound Jimin could hear from the rooftop.

"Jungkook!" Jimin screamed, still terrified and still clutching onto the clothes that were loosely placed over his body since he didn't have time to cover himself up. Hearing Jimin's voice made Jungkook realize what he was doing, and in a second, he faced Jimin who was on the floor, sobbing and holding onto his clothes for dear life. Seeing Jimin break like that made Jungkook run to him, leaving the man on the floor, grunting as he placed a hand onto his stomach and bleeding face.

"Get on my back," Jungkook said, rushing, careful not to hurt Jimin even more, seeing that he was already having a hard time moving. Jimin did as he was told, Jungkook carrying him as he held onto his clothes so he wouldn't be too bare. The wind blew as Jungkook ran, giving Jimin a piggyback ride as they left the rooftop, leaving the man on the ground, still in pain.

They passed the dark hallways, and hearing Jimin sniff, shivering due to the cold, Jungkook had to follow the light at the end of the hallway. That was the only light that guided them before the younger one turned in a corner and pushed the bathroom door open just for him to go to an empty cubicle, setting Jimin down on the floor after he locked the door.

"Jimin- Hyung- what were you even thinking?" Jungkook broke, panting, due to the fact that he's been running the whole time, coming here just to find Jimin, and running away from the man who just touched his hyung. Jimin was sobbing again, his eyes so red, and even when he used his hands to wipe his tears away, to wipe his nose and his face, he still felt so dirty, so miserable, and he just felt so sick that he was sure he'd vomit again. "I've been looking all over for you. Why did you even come here, hyung? You almost got-"

"-I know, Jungkook! I know!" He yelled, frustrated, and all the anger that was inside of him got bottled up and now he exploded, unable to take it all in. "I didn't know what to do! I came here to meet Mina, but she..." Jimin stopped.

"Mina?" Jungkook's voice was barely above a whisper as he tried to meet Jimin's eyes, but Jimin diverting his attention to the bathroom floor and his bruised legs and aching arms wasn't helpful as Jungkook pleaded, "Jimin, look at me." When the older one didn't look up, his eyes still red from all the crying, Jungkook's voice broke. "Hyung...look at me."

Those gentle hands on his face made Jimin cry even more because he felt the blood from Jungkook's hands touch his cheeks, and it was because of him that Jungkook had to do that. It was because of him Jungkook had to shed blood. It was because of him Jungkook was now crying.

It was because of him Jungkook was hurting, and when he looked up, his heart shattered, seeing Jungkook's cheeks decorated with those bloody hand prints, blood not from him but from another person, and Jimin forgot how to breathe.

Unexpectedly, Jungkook smiled, even when the blood was still there, even when his knuckles were hurting, even when Jimin was feeling sorry for him, he still smiled.

Jimin didn't know what to feel as he saw the younger one smiling at him like that, but his heart aching in a good way told him that he was happy he was here, safe and alive.

"I thought I'd lose you," Jungkook pushed the previous topic away, as he brought Jimin in his arms and hugged him so tight. He was careful not to make it too tight as he was aware that Jimin was still aching everywhere. Though it still hurt, even a bit, Jimin cried as he embraced Jungkook, too, and hearing the younger one crying, soaking his ripped shirt, Jimin brought him closer to him to hug him even tighter. "I'm so sorry for coming so late. I feel so bad, I'm so stupid, hyung- I-"

"-You're fine," Jimin managed to let out a weak laugh, bringing his hands and resting them on Jungkook's toned back. He still looked so drained and filthy as he was on the floor, but Jungkook's arms around him made him feel like he was worth it and special. Feeling Jungkook's strong arms around his waist, Jimin closed his eyes as he said, "You saved me, Jungkook. Again."

Jungkook looked at him in the eye, worried as he said, "He didn't touch you- Did he? Hyung, I'm so- I wouldn't forgive myself if he-" he panicked, his hands automatically going down just to see Jimin's ripped clothes over his legs, covering him up, and when his hands were on Jimin's thighs, Jimin cut him off.

"He didn't," Jimin smiled a little, taking hold of Jungkook's hands which were on his legs. "I mean, his hands were all over me, but he didn't get to..." he was shushed when Jungkook didn't let him continue, his lips on Jimin's and it suddenly felt so warm that Jimin responded to it without hesitation. His hands were on either sides of Jungkook's face, his cheeks, and the younger one held onto his hands so tight as he whispered.

"You scared me," Jungkook said, Jimin's face an inch from his, and Jungkook's eyes were watery and he was sure he was going to cry again. How could he not when Jimin's hurt like this, when Jimin was fragile and in pain that when Jimin leaned in and let their lips touch once again, he didn't complain. He let Jimin do it. "No one's allowed to touch you like that."

"Thank you, Jungkook," Jimin whispered back, the tears in his eyes threatening to fall once again. His eyes landed on Jungkook's lips when the younger spoke.

"Let's go home, shall we?" Jungkook asked, his voice gentle. When Jimin's eyes went wide as he shook his head, saying they shouldn't go to his house because the others would know, Jungkook replied. "You don't want the others to know?"

"No...not now, at least," he frowned. "We can tell them soon...but not now. I'm not ready."

"I understand," Jungkook kissed Jimin's forehead, holding his hands tighter. Jimin was thankful Jungkook's always been by his side, supporting him, backing him up, protecting him, and he couldn't ask for more. "Let's go to my place then?"

When Jimin nodded with a smile, Jungkook felt his chest tighten. Jimin deserved all the love in the world, he just didn't know why this happened to him, why Jimin had to be a victim, and he just stared at the older one, also with a smile on his face, thinking if Jimin felt down, he should be Jimin's strength. Jimin used the hem of his shirt to wipe the blood stains on Jungkook's cheeks, his neck, and his hands, and when he placed his hand down, Jungkook kissed him somemore, leaning in a bit more to taste the pain in Jimin's kisses, the hurt, the sadness, and he just wanted Jimin to forget everything and not to think about anything.

Even when Jimin's back touched the wall with Jungkook settled in between his legs, giving him warmth, the younger one pecked Jimin's lips once more before Jimin held Jungkook's face, to keep him in place.

What came the next second was something Jungkook didn't expect, considering the fact that it came from Jimin, himself.

"Jungkook, I love you."

Jungkook was speechless.

He didn't know what to say as he searched Jimin's eyes for answers, as he stared at Jimin's chocolate brown eyes and Jungkook's heart ached and fluttered once again. He had so much to say to Jimin, he just didn't know where to start. He had so much to say that he didn't know if Jimin would actually hear him out and listen to him.

Feeling Jimin's plump lips on his, Jungkook grinned after the older one let go.

"I'm happy."

He helped Jimin up and gave him another piggyback ride as they went out of the school building, avoiding all the areas they suspected had cameras since Jimin was still in his ripped clothes. Jungkook just had to take his jacket off so that Jimin's body couldn't be seen.

"Hyung, cover your head with this," he adjusted the jacket he let Jimin wear, using his hoodie so Jimin's face couldn't be seen in case there were cameras.

When they weren't on school grounds anymore, Jimin smiled as he whispered in Jungkook's ear.

"Let's go home."