BLOOD MONEY || bts mafia au

forty four.

And, yet, it made so much sense. He'd given up a third of his territory for Jimin. He'd set his sworn rivalry aside, his pride. He'd told him the truth about Jungkook. He'd shown him kindness Jimin hadn't received from someone else in a very long time.

Hoseok had pulled back and was looking at Jimin with such deep empathy that he felt the need to look away.

"I-I don't know," Jimin stuttered, but he knew the truth, and he was sure Hoseok knew too.

"You're falling for him, aren't you?"

Jimin didn't know why he started crying again. He shook his head again, just as desperately as before. "No! No, I'm not. I could never do that to Jungkook. I-I don't feel anything for him!"

But Hoseok kept looking at him with that same knowing expression. "Sometimes," he started gently, "we can't help the way we feel about people, despite what we think we should feel."

Jimin lowered his head. "He doesn't feel anything for me in return, don't worry."

Hoseok pulled a crumpled note from his pocket and pressed it into Jimin's hand. "I don't know about that."

Jimin held his breath as he shakily opened the piece of paper and read the scrawled handwriting.

Meet me at midnight. The place where we first met. I'll be waiting.

Hoseok arched an eyebrow while Jimin stared blankly at the note. "That doesn't sound like something someone would send if they didn't have feelings for you."

"I don't..." Jimin couldn't finish the thought because he didn't know what he was thinking anymore. He ignored the slight tremor in his voice. "I mean, I couldn't possibly-"

"Jimin. Just go. I'll cover for you."

"Hyung, you really don't have to-"

Hoseok silenced him with a look. "I want you to be happy, Jimin. You're clearly miserable sitting here every night waiting for me to tell you whatever Jungkook's orders are. You eat alone if you eat at all. And I know I haven't been back for very long, but I don't think I've seen you smile. If you want to meet him, meet him. If nothing else, then to have closure."

Jimin slid the note into his pocket. "Thank you," he whispered. "But you don't think... that I shouldn't?"

"If you're asking if I think Jungkook wouldn't like it, then I have no answer. I know just as much about what happened between them as you do. But I know he would want you to be happy too. If Yoongi makes you happy, then who cares?"

Jimin said nothing, so Hoseok set a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I know you're fighting with Taehyung, but he would say the exact same thing if he were here right now."

"I don't know about that..." Jimin trailed off sadly.

"Then just trust me." Hoseok gave him one more smile before getting to his feet again. "Oh, and Jungkook says to go ahead with your earlier plan. He said that you've improved very much."

Jimin looked up at that, a confused but relieved mix of emotions swirling in his chest.

Hoseok dropped one of his eyes into a wink as he shut the door behind him. "I'll make sure no one notices you're gone tonight."

• • •

The darkness seemed to swallow every tentative footstep Jimin took, silencing every shaky breath he exhaled, but he adjusted the hood of his dark jacket over his silver hair and crept down the alleys.

It had been years since he'd first crossed paths with Yoongi, but Jimin had known exactly what the older had in mind when he'd sent that message.

Jimin had been new to Jungkook's gang, just a soldier and not his infamous right hand. It had been the first real mission Jimin had been allowed to participate in once Jungkook had finally deemed the initial phases of his training over. The mission had been to make a show of patrolling their territory, to renew their protection policies with the businesses on their territory and running into the Cobras had been a coincidence.