Bound to You

Chapter 23

The next day didn't start well for Jimin. He spent most of the morning in his father's office—he still couldn't think of it as his own—dealing with things that required his immediate attention and stoically ignoring the condescending and distrusting looks on his older employees' faces. It wasn't easy, considering the glaring fact that some things about the way the company was run didn't make much sense, which probably had a lot to do with the unofficial side of his father's business. That gave him a headache. Any investigation on his part could open up a whole can of worms Jimin wasn't sure he was equipped to handle right now.

Finally, sick and tired of all the intricate manoeuvring and hours of negotiations, Jimin left the company's office in late afternoon and headed for Jungkook's house again. Jungkook was supposed to arrive any minute now and Jimin wanted to be there when he did.

Jimin would have liked to say that he just couldn't wait to see Jungkook, but that wasn't true. Before committing himself to anything, he wanted to see Jungkook interact with Myung-seok. Because, no matter what he told himself, something about the whole thing made him uneasy. Contrary to Taehyung's opinion on him, Jimin wasn't a naive boy with his head in the clouds—not anymore. Yes, he still believed in the inherent goodness of people, and he would always be an optimist at heart, but after his fiasco of his last relationship, the man who had turned out to be married, he would be an idiot to trust so blindly again.

When Jimin got out of his car, he found Myung-seok sitting on the porch of Jungkook's house, with a cigarette between his lips.

"Hi," Jimin said, walking over to the boy.

Myung-seok stretched out his long legs in front of him, basically blocking the porch. Eyes looked at Jimin sharply. "Jungkook isn't home yet."

"I know," Jimin said, studying the boy. "But he should be back within the next half hour."

"He'll be exhausted after the long flight," Myung-seok said.

Jimin almost laughed. The kid's blatant dislike of him was kind of hilarious. And Myung-seok truly was a kid—he might be taller and broader in the shoulders than Jimin, but there was no way he was a day older than eighteen.

"I feel like I've killed your puppy or something," Jimin said mildly, smiling a little. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had disliked him so much. "What did I do to you?"

Myung-seok took a drag from his cigarette. "I don't like pretty-faced, rich dickheads who use Jungkook and lead him on. He deserves better."

Jimin frowned and cocked his head. "I'm not using him."

"Please," Myung-seok said, scoffing. "When I lived on the streets, I saw a lot of stuff, you know. I've learned to read people. I've seen the pictures of you with hyung. You never look like you're attracted to him, heck, you don't even look like you're fond of him. There's something jaded and calculating as fuck about the way you look at him. Obviously you can't be after his money." He eyed Jimin. "I can't figure out what you're after, but I don't trust you."

Jimin crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly uncomfortable. "I'm not using him," he repeated, though he was aware he no longer sounded so certain. It was true that he'd chosen Jungkook with his mind, not his heart, but was that such a bad thing? He was sick of getting his dreams crushed again and again. Clearly his heart had no clue what was good for him. And it wasn't like he had misled Jungkook at any point: he'd told Jungkook he would become his boyfriend only when he was absolutely sure that was what he wanted. Until then, they were just casually dating.

"Aren't you?" Myung-seok said, arching eyebrows. "Are you claiming you have, like, feelings for him? Please."

Jimin gave him a flat look. Who does this kid think he is? "No, I'm not saying I have any 'deep' feelings, but I really doubt he has deep feelings for me, either. We like each other, we've been dating for some time, but with the death of my father, we've barely had time to date properly and fall in love. That's not how adult relationships work, kid."

The boy huffed. "So you've never wanted anyone badly enough that you didn't care how long you'd known them?"

A weird sensation ran down his spine. Averting his eyes, Jimin rubbed the back of his neck. "Physical attraction and love aren't the same thing."

"Unless you're asexual, and I know you aren't—I just know. There can't be romantic love without physical attraction," Myung-seok countered. "And if you really wanted him, you wouldn't string him along for the time you have. Hyung is a catch." The kid looked offended on Jungkook's behalf. It was oddly adorable.

Before Jimin could say anything, there was the sound of a car pulling over.

Myung-seok's entire face lit up, his eyes sparkled—fucking sparkled. Jimin didn't have to guess who had just arrived.

"Hyungie!" Myung-seok sprang to his feet and ran toward the tall man who was getting out of the car. Myung-seok stumbled, his long legs endearingly clumsy, reminding Jimin of a baby giraffe.

Jungkook took his sunglasses off and grinned, opening his arms just as Myung-seok collided into him and hugged the older man enthusiastically.

"Okay, let me look at you," Jungkook said, pulling back to look at the boy. "Have you grown another inch in a week? At this rate, you'll be taller than me soon."

"I missed you!" Myung-seok announced, giving him another hug.

A soft smile curled Jungkook's sensual lips. He hugged back, dropping a kiss on top of the boy's head. "Me, too, kiddo," he said, his voice brimming with affection.

Jimin watched them with a tight feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. It wasn't jealousy, which Jimin wanted it to be. But it was realisation, instead.

Jungkook finally noticed Jimin and smiled at him over Myung-seok's shoulder. It was a different smile from the one he'd given Myung-seok. He was clearly pleased to see Jimin and appreciated what he was seeing—there was desire, definitely, but Jimin didn't see affection.

Jimin smiled back faintly. "Hi."

Jungkook let go of the boy in his arms and strode toward him. "Hey. I was planning to call you. Didn't expect you to meet me here." He leaned down to kiss Jimin, hands on his ass, "I missed you", he leaned down to kiss him again, but Jimin turned his head this time so the kiss landed on his cheek. Jungkook pulled back, frowning slightly. "All right?"

Jimin wrapped his arms around his own chest. "I...I don't think I want to be your boyfriend."

A crease formed between Jungkook's brows. "Can I ask why? Did I do something?"

Pushing his fringe out of his eyes, Jimin shrugged uncomfortably. "I just...I've had a share of bad relationships and boyfriends" He gave Jungkook a crooked smile. "And my father always had far more important things to do than to be a dad for me, mom left, never had a family for my own. You probably get the picture."

Jungkook's dark eyes were pensive. "You want a man completely committed to you," he said.

"I want a man who will listen and hear my thoughts, a man who will put me first in his life and we can take care of each other—be on equal terms when it comes to affection." Jimin said quietly, feeling a pang of guilt. "I really like you, Jungkook, but it looks like you aren't that man, either."

Jungkook glanced toward Myung-seok, who was watching them with badly hidden concern. "Is this about Myung-seokie? It's not what it looks like. He's just a child."

He shook his head. "And it doesn't matter, anyway. Even if it really isn't what it looks like—and yeah I trust you with that, but I understood one thing for sure that he's extremely important to you. And maybe it's selfish of me, but I'm sick of getting crumbs of someone's attention and affections. Been there, done that, got my memento. I think I deserve better. Everyone does. You, too." And I'm not sure I can give you that 'better'. Maybe Myung-seok was right, after all.

Jimin knew deep down that he was just making nonsensical excuses.

Jungkook studied him for a few moments before leaning down and kissing Jimin on the cheek, beside his mouth. "I really like you, darling. I mean it. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

Nodding, Jimin stepped away. "Thanks for everything, Kook," he said softly. "And sorry if I led you on. I didn't mean to. I really thought we could work—that I could fall in love with you. I wanted to fall in love with you" He gave Jungkook a lopsided smile, that was the truth. "You're kinda everything I've looked for in a man. But I'm starting to see it's not enough. So, yeah, sorry if I unintentionally led you on."

Jungkook chuckled, "Having the most gorgeous and sweetest guy in my arms wasn't exactly a hardship for me."

"Flatterer," Jimin said with a laugh, kissing him on the cheek. "I've gotta go before your Myung-seokie kills me for trying to steal his sugar daddy."

"Ha-ha, hilarious," Jungkook said with a sigh.

Jimin just grinned, waved at Myung-seok, and turned away. He headed to his car, his smile fading with every step he took.

Yeah. Just one more failed relationship.

-

He received the call the same evening.

"Mr Park," said an unfamiliar voice. "Because of your father's death, we generously gave you extra time, but our patience is running short."

Jimin's mouth went dry. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"We paid for a shipment of a hundred units and we expect it by Saturday."

"Units of what?"

"Don't play dumb with me, kid," the man said.

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

"Kidneys."

Jimin's stomach sank.

Illegal organ trade. My father had been involved in illegal organ trafficking...and fuck.

Jimin wasn't sure why he was even surprised anymore. "Look, whatever my father promised, I know nothing about it—"

"I don't care, kid," the guy said gruffly. "I have buyers lined up. I want my goods. If I don't get them or you go yapping to the police, I'll come after your own damn organs."

He hung up before Jimin could even ask who was speaking.

Twelve hours later, Jimin sat in his father's former office, his face buried in his hands, frustration, anger, and fear twisting his insides after going through his father's computer.

He was in over his head. He had hoped to put an end to Park Industries' shady side of business quickly and painlessly—he had no intention of following in his father's footsteps—but it was easier said than done. There were apparently obligations his father—and now him in his stead—must fulfil before Jimin could wash his hands of this shit, and he had no idea what to do. His father's inner circle had never taken Jimin seriously, and they all fucked off somewhere after his father's death, either lying low or moving on with their lives. Jimin wanted to do the latter too, but first he had to sort out this mess somehow without screwing up, getting himself killed or arrested.

He wished he could just go to the authorities, but he wasn't naive enough to think the police would be able to find and arrest every single one of his father's associates. He would be dead within weeks if he did that. Not to mention that he didn't want the company's name dragged through the mud, which would inevitably happen if people found out about his father's illegal dealings.

Angry tears sprang to his eyes, and he brushed them away briskly. He's never hated his father more. It wasn't enough that he had been a shitty person and shitty dad; he had to get himself killed and leave this mess after himself.

One hundred kidneys by Saturday.

A harsh laugh tore out of Jimin's throat. He was somehow supposed to get a hundred kidneys by Saturday or he would be dead—after what happened to his father, Jimin had little doubt that these people were throwing empty threats.

Jimin didn't know what to do.

-

His hands shaking, Jimin pulled out his phone. He brought up his contacts list and scrolled through until he came to the one he needed.

The phone rang four times before a woman answered. She asked for Jimin's name and contact information. She told him that she would pass it along to her boss, sounding like she didn't really believe her boss would call back. Jimin didn't really believe it, either.

His phone went off later that night.

Jimin stared at the screen of his phone for a long moment before taking a deep breath and answering.

"What do you want? I'm rather busy at the moment." Came the deep honeyed timbre from the speakers.

"I need your help."