JIMIN : how are you feeling? [ JIMIN hands SEOKJIN a cup of hot cocoa from the vending machine ]
[ the plastic bag with SEOKJIN'S wet grey hoodie and his black jeans rustles against contact; SEOKJIN takes the hot chocolate offered by JIMIN, smiling as he takes a cautious sip ]
SEOKJIN : i think i'm feeling okay. just a tad bit cold, but the change of clothes and the towel is helping. thanks for asking. [ he rubs his hair with the slightly damp towel again ]
JIMIN : no problem. sorry that you have to wear the 'mario kart' pullover... it was the only thing i could find that seemed wearable in my office. don't ask why i have it.
SEOKJIN : [ bites his lip in attempt to try to stop the embarrassed blush creep into his cheeks, his voice lowered to a whisper ] ...i like mario kart.
JIMIN : hm? what was that?
SEOKJIN : n-nothing. [ plays with the strings of the borrowed sweatpants out of awkwardness and his fidgety fingers ]
JIMIN : [ eyes SEOKJIN for a split second before carrying on ] so, anyways, continuing on... you're saying that a stalker caused this mess? pretending to be your friend yoongi and all? that's quite ugly. of course, it seems a little unbelievable, but with the alibi... man, that's crazy.
SEOKJIN : yes, he's told me about it... i should've done more than to give him some shitty advice, but... [ buries his head in his hands ] it's all my fault that he's gone and missing. i should've... i should've... i don't even know what i should've done. i just feel like everything is my fault, and i don't know why. i just feel like that there was something more that i could do. i feel like i didn't try my best, and i, i— [ breath catches in throat, his voice becoming hoarse and ragged ]
JIMIN : seokjin, seokjin. calm down. take a deep breath. in, out. in, out. that's it. that's good. [ he waits for SEOKJIN to regain his breath and composure ]
SEOKJIN : t-thank you. i... i get a few episodes like this once in a while. anti-depressants do help, but... i just can't help to have bad thoughts running through my head... thoughts that i know i shouldn't be having. i've hit a slump lately; i can't work, i can't concentrate, and all my relationships are falling apart... it's been three years, and i just can't really let go; he was my best friend of so many years, and for him to disappear like this... are they right? is he really... dead? is that why he's not... coming back? i just keep blaming myself, blaming myself for every little thing that goes wrong, and even when good things happen to me, i don't feel happy. i just don't, because i feel worthless; i can't even find my friend, for god's sake. i just feel like—
[ SEOKJIN catches himself rambling on and saying his thoughts out loud; he gasps slightly before clamping his mouth shut, wincing slightly at JIMIN'S expression, who seemed to be a little taken back and overwhelmed ]
SEOKJIN : s-sorry, i didn't mean to... i... fuck. i'm sorry. i didn't mean to come off like this when we are basically strangers... but i just feel like sometimes it's easier to say how you truly feel to strangers, and... i have no idea what i'm saying. i'm sorry.
JIMIN : no, don't apologize. seokjin, you did nothing wrong. and did i ever tell you why i became a police officer?
SEOKJIN : ...no.
JIMIN : i went through the police academy and all because of the incident that happened three years ago, due to... whoever was trying to imitate yoongi. i looked vulnerable, helpless, and just... scared. so, to rid myself of those feelings, i decided to wear the uniform—it's probably one of the best choices i've ever made. so, that being said... would you like to... embark on a journey with me? [ his eyes begin to form crescents from how cringe-worthy and cheesy the sentence sounded once it was said ]
SEOKJIN : [ a smile creeps onto his lips before blooming into a wide grin accompanied by soft chuckles ] embark? journey? jeez, jimin, you're so cheesy. but what for?
JIMIN : [ the playful look in his eyes vanish, instead hardening his gaze on SEOKJIN ] i'll reword it better. seokjin, would you like to find out what really happened to yoongi? it seems like there's really more to it than we know. i'll help you get there and to receive closure. that's a promise from me. an officer never goes back on his word. [ gives SEOKJIN a cheeky smile ]
SEOKJIN : [ he feels a rush of adrenaline and something he hasn't felt in a while—genuine happiness that had left him speechless ] y-you would do that for me?
JIMIN : [ he gives SEOKJIN a warm smile ] of course. i'm a police officer. i signed up for this job to help others... and myself.
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if only all police officers were an angel like jimin (((': anyways thanks you guys for reading and supporting this sequel whole-heartedly! <3 i love you all so very much !! it'll get into the actual interesting plot soon hahah (-: