His eyes flutter open and he lets out a groggy groan. The floor is ice cold against his cheek. A moment of puzzle is wiped away almost immediately when the previous memories return like a bolt out of the blue.
His head snaps up and he immediately regrets it when pain radiates through his skull. He clutches it with a loud groan. He pushes himself to his feet, ignoring the ache in his limbs and staggers towards the couch. He grips his coat and shoves it on.
His Jimin is unsafe.
His Jimin is with Derek.
He clenches his hands into fists, teeth gritting in anger.
He rushes out of the beach house and waves down the first taxi he sees. He doesn't give a single fuck how crazy he looks, his hair a mess with a few traces of blood on the back of his shirt from a wound left behind by whatever was used to attack him.
He barks out the direction to the cab driver. He isn't sure how long he's been out but the rapid pounding of his heart is enough of an indication that he needs to get to the lab as soon as possible.
"Hurry!" he orders, and the driver, sensing the urgency in his voice, steps on the accelerator.
The driver swerves through the traffic on the streets. Jungkook's pretty sure his racing heartbeat would still win a race with the taxi, if it was involved in one. His throat seems to constrict with every passing minute, his chest growing heavier under the building anxiety.
After what seems like an agonizing hour, they're at the location. Jungkook shoves a wad of cash in the cab driver's palm and throws the door open, running out. He is stopped by security outside the building.
"Sir, I'm afraid you aren't permitted to enter the building," says the man, blocking his entry.
Jungkook acts on impulse, fueled by his anxiety and desperation to get to Jimin. He draws his fist back and lands a bone-crunching punch to the man's face. He shows no remorse when a pained cry leaves the man's lips or when his hands come together to cup his now bleeding nose.
Jungkook pushes past him and runs down the length of the passageway, frantically pressing the buttons on the elevator.
A ding.
The doors slide open.
Jungkook steps in and taps the number to the floor where the lab is located. Everything seems to move agonizingly slow and when the lift doors open, Jungkook rushes out, prepared to create chaos, prepared to fight, prepared to do whatever it takes to set his Jimin free.
"Derek," he yells aloud when he enters the lab, seeing Jimin strapped to a bed, seemingly out of it from the dazed, faraway look in his eyes.
Jungkook makes a move to get to Jimin but is pinned to the wall by security. A wave of weakness washes over him like it had when he watched the King whip Jimin in his previous book. He struggles but his efforts are fruitless.
Derek enters his line of vision and Jungkook throws the best glare he can muster. Derek's partner stands near Jimin's bed, fingers brushing the merman's skin and rage fills Jungkook.
"Don't fucking touch him!" He growls, a hint of strength as he struggles harder but the security is stronger.
"Derek, you-" Jungkook fumes but stops when he finally registers the irregular beeping of a machine and the rise and fall of Jimin's chest, "what did you do to him? Derek, what did you fucking do?"
The scientist nibbles on his lower lip as he glances over at his partner.
"The dose was too high," his partner replies with a straight face.
Jungkook feels his face drain of colour.
"What the fuck did you do?" He's screaming now, his voice enraged as he struggles fruitlessly against the security's grip.
"This is why we experiment, Jungkook. There's always room for errors-"
"Jimin isn't a lab rat."
At his name, Jimin's eyes peel open and his gaze lands on Jungkook. He sucks in a gulp of air and from the looks of it, Jungkook can tell the action is painful. It's like a stab delivered to Jungkook, seeing Jimin lying there in that state.
"Jimin," Jungkook sobs, all the fight leaving his body.
So helpless.
So powerless.
Held back again.
His body trembles, his vision blurring.
"Jimin," he cries, guilt heavy in his tone.
Somehow it's like he knows.
It's too late.
Jimin knows too.
Their eyes meet.
A small smile lights Jimin's face.
Assurance.
They'll meet again.
Another chance.
And then his eyes go blank, his body sags lifeless. The beeping rings loud and continuous as Jungkook's raw scream echoes aloud in the lab.
Gradually, the sounds fade away and Jungkook feels himself fall into the waiting arms of darkness.
——
1 July, 2023
Once again, a gentle reminder there is no major character death in this book.
Please also note that there's a change in my update schedule due to the hectic college schedule I have. Schedule is now changed to an update every saturday. So, stay tuned for new chapters every week. ♥️
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𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 • ᴊɪᴋᴏᴏᴋ
Fanfiction"Addiction is a family disease." Jungkook's life is taken over by his addiction to substances and Jimin tries to fix the cracks on their ship single-handedly; tries to keep them afloat. Bound by the chains of addiction, Jungkook is blind to the havo...
