{Two Years Later}
—-Park Jimin's POV—-
"Have you traced who sent them?" I asked Suga hyung as he entered my office.
"Jimin..."
"Hyung..." I whispered breathlessly. "Have you?"
"It's been two years," he said as he sat in front of me. "Let it go."
I looked at him in disbelief, "They are my fiancee's paren—"
"Ex-fiancee, Jimin."
"Hyung!" I irritatedly said.
"Park Jimin," he rolled his eyes at me. "Y/N is d—"
"She's not."
"She is!"
"Ya..."
We turned our heads to the door. I cleared my throat and fixed my tie.
"Stop bickering at each other. Jimin-ah, I know you still can't accept it but it has been two years already. Jungkook's aunt had given up searching for him, according to our spy. You should give up too."
"Suga hyung," J-Hope hyung looked at him. "Don't rub it on his face that she's gone. Come on, cheer him up."
He closed the door and walked away.
I froze on my chair hearing his words. J-Hope hyung really never fails to cheer me up.
He really is our hope and sunshine.
Suga hyung tapped my table, "Here, I have something else for you, but I will work on what you are asking me to do."
He stood up and went out of my office. I ruffled my hair in frustration as I sighed heavily.
I opened the folder, seeing a familiar paper that Suga hyung and I had been searching for...
The code...
"What?" I whispered.
—-Someone's POV—-
"Have you sent the folder to him?" I asked the man who I ordered to give a message to Park Jimin, the leader of Bangtan.
"Yes, Boss."
"Is there any news or information about the explosion? or remains of any person at least?"
He shook his head, "We are trying our best, Boss. Jeon Hyorin has stopped. Only Park Jimin and you have been searching."
{Flashback}
"Why did you do that?!" I exclaimed angrily at my sister. "She is my daughter. She is supposed to stay by my side! She needs--"
"She is ours now," she smiled lightly at me.
"We can take care of him very well, Minhyuk. You can take care of Animalia."
"She is my daughter!"
"I made you choose, didn't I?" she chuckled bitterly. "I told you to transfer the leadership of Animalia to me and my husband."
"But your husband is ineligible as fuck!" I angrily said.
"Now, watch as you lose your only heir, Cho Minhyuk."
I froze on my spot as I saw my sister point a gun to my daughter. As my initial response, I grabbed the gun from my pocket and shot her on her hand.
{End of Flashback}
(Flashback)
"Boss, all of the pieces of evidence point out that you are the killer."
I exhaled loudly as I looked at the men in front of me.
"I would never ever kill my own sister!"
"But Boss..."
"We need to leave."
"How about Animalia?"
"I do not know."
"But Boss, you must clean your name! You are not guilty of anything!"
"I will, but not now."
{End of Flashback)
(Flashback}
"Boss, it was Jeon Hyorin who hid them."
"Who is she?" I asked my men. Jeon Hyorin is a new name for me.
"We are not sure but she is one of the mafia leaders in South Korea."
"As long as she won't touch my daughter, I am fine."
"But she has your sister and brother-in-law..."
"They deserve to be taken care of by someone else."
{End of Flashback}
{Flashback}
"Boss," one of my men approached me. "Someone is plotting the downfall of Park Mafia where your daughter currently is."
I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a message on it for Park Jimin. I placed it inside a black folder.
"Search for my daughter's contact details. I will send her the warning," I extended my hand to give my man the black folder. "Ensure that Park Jimin will be able to read this."
{End of Flashback}
{Flashback}
(Chapter 15)
"I know the traitor."
[Who is it?]
"Park Jimin and you know her."
[Her?]
"Lioness, never let your guard down."
Call Ended.
{End of Flashback}
{Flashback}
(Chapter 17)
[Hello?]
"Lioness, I sent you the evidence..."
[I will check on it.]
"Be careful."
[I will.]
"Ask help from Park Jimin."
[I'd ask him.]
"Please take care. Thank you for your time."
[Thank you and you're also welcome.]
{End of Flashback}
{Flashback}
(Chapter 18)
[We should meet.]
"When and where?"
[I'll send you the date and place.]
"Are you sure?"
[Yes.]
"Will Park Jimin know already?"
[No.]
"Ensure that no one would know then."
[I'd ensure that.]
"Okay then."
[Bye.]
Call Ended.
{End of Flashback}
{Flashback}
"Boss, your daughter is getting married. Jeon Jungkook is still missing," a member of my group said as he bowed his head down. "Lioness sent you an invitation."
"Hmm..."
"Shall we send men?"
I looked at him and then back at the invitation.
"Yes."
{End of Flashback}
{Flashback}
"Boss!"
"Lioness is missing."
"She isn't in the venue."
"She isn't at home too."
"Park Jimin has been freaking out."
"Rumors said that it was Jeon Jungkook a.k.a. Park Jungyuk who kidnapped her."
I froze on my seat as I heard those words. What sent shivers down my spine was when my men mentioned Jeon Jungkook with a different name.
"Park Jungyuk?"
"Yes. According to our research team, he is the half brother of Park Jimin and the nephew of Jeon Hyorin."
"What the hell?" I whispered to myself. "Have you sent men to find my daughter?"
"Yes, Boss. We already did."
{End of Flashback}
but I never knew that I won't see her again... I never knew that that was the last time that everyone will see her...
"Boss?"
I came back to my senses after my group member called me.
"What is it?"
The man spoke, "Boss, I said... we are trying our best, Sir. Jeon Hyorin has stopped. Only Park Jimin and you have been searching."
"I see," I nodded as I sighed loudly.
"Lioness' parents are buried already," he said again. I nodded again, not knowing what to answer. "Will you remain silent, Boss?"
"I do not know what to say," I honestly said as I looked at him.
He's one of my trusted men. He would never let me down so I know that he would also never break my trust.
"Do you want to see their graves?" he asked.
"Maybe next time. I still haven't forgiven them," I said as I motioned for him to sit down. "You were with me since the beginning... right?"
"Yes, Boss. Why?"
"Tell me... why did my sister and her husband fake their deaths and blame me?"
He sighed and smiled lightly at me, "Remember when Cho Yong-pil made you as his heir?"
I nodded slowly.
"Your sister wanted to be the heir... alongside her husband, but her husband is not that capable compared to you. When you had a child with Cynthia, your father's choice for you, your sister was so mad. Cynthia died after giving birth to Y/N and your sister took it as an advantage. They took Lioness from you... Such action brought chaos from Cynthia's bloodline so they decided to fake their death. They blamed you for their death to silence Cynthia's bloodline. Good thing Lioness grew up well. They sought help from an unknown mafia leader."
"How did you know all of them?"
"You decided to hide and use the coding system of Animalia. I sought for the truth."
"Weren't you scared?"
"Why would I be?" he smiled at me as he stood up and walked by my side. "I am Soomin. I served your father. I will serve his heir too just as I promised."
"He has a new heir... Lioness..."
"I serve you and Lioness," he patted my shoulder and chuckled. "I am just ten years older than you anyway."
"You're still older than me, Grandpa" I chuckled lightly.
"Don't call me grandpa you dumbass," he lightly hit my head. "Stop adding honorifics... I do not want you to call me one."
"I already have a daughter don't treat me like a kid," I scratched my head lightly.
We were cut when someone knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's Jaeyun, Boss."
Hmm... he's back already?
"Is Jaeyun the one you sent to report back on you?"
I nodded.
"Come in!"
The door opened revealing Jaeyun who was carrying folders. He bowed his head down and placed the folders on top of my table. He bowed his head again and left the room.
Soomin cleared his throat before sitting on the chair in front of me.
"Boss," he called me out. "When are you going to meet Park Jimin?"
I shifted my gaze towards the huge window. I sighed heavily, not knowing when to meet him too.
"He will find me. That is for sure."
"How about Animalia? Who will take care of it now that Lioness isn't found yet?"
"Park Jimin... I trust him, anyway."
"You trust him too much, Boss."
A sad smile escaped my lips, "Why wouldn't I trust my son-in-law?"
---Min Yoongi's POV---
Jimin was standing in the garden where Y/N was last seen. A sad smile escaped my lips, seeing how sad Jimin was.
I had been loyal to him since we met. He earned my trust and respect. He's one of a kind leader that Bangtan has.
Seeing him this devastated, especially during the first year of Jungkook and Y/N's loss, brought devastation to all of us too.
He treated Jungkook as his brother for the past years. He just had known him as his younger brother... but he lost him too soon.
I would sometimes miss how we all bicker at each other. I would sometimes miss how we all eat at the table together. I miss how we laugh and cry.
Now that Bangtan is left with only six members feel like it isn't Bangtan.
Jimin is still hoping that Jungkook and Y/N are alive, but I lost already hope.
Maybe it was just the little hope that Jimin was holding onto.
"Why are you standing there? It's cold. Get inside."
I turned around only to see J-Hope smiling brightly at me.
Despite the events that happened, he never lost his cheerful side which also cheers us up.
"Jimin is outside too. I am afraid he would do something stupid," I said with a heavy sigh.
"Jimin won't. He wants to see Y/N...alive..."
"But Y/N is d--"
"Don't say that hyung," J-Hope placed his index finger on my lips. "We have more things to do than being negative."
I looked at him, a little irritated and baffled at his words.
"I know... it may sound impossible that Y/N and Jungkook are still alive... but please let's just not rub into Jimin's face that they already passed away. He lost his brother and his lover... his soon-to-be-wife... his child... It is not that easy, hyung."
"I know, but the more we support him, the more he becomes delusional."
J-Hope shook his head, "It is not letting him become delusional. It is letting him realize little by little thing that he must already move on from what happened and accept the bitter reality."
I sighed in defeat, "Fine."
"Thank you, hyung," he smiled at me.
A small smile appeared on my lips, "Do not thank me. You are just great in convincing."
"Hyung, admit it. Among all the Bangtan boys, I am your favorite."
"You aren't."
"Yes, I am."
"No."
"Shut up. Don't deny it. Yes, I am."
"No."
"SoPe is real."
"Do you want me to serve you a soap for breakfast?"
"Calm down, hyung. I was just joking."
"Go inside. Do not bother me."
"I love you too, hyung!"
I shot my eyes at him and he started running away from me.
When his figure disappeared, I shook my head and chuckled lightly.
Maybe in an alternate universe, we are meant to be.
---Jung Hoseok's POV---
Maybe in a parallel universe, we are a couple.
"Like... why would I think about that?" I slightly slapped my face. "Wake up, Hobi. Wake up."
I sighed as I took a glance from my window towards him.
"But what if... we are?"
---End of Chapter 25---