The persistent, shrill sound of ringing ladens Jimin's ears. He's stirred out of his stupor as he can feel himself being lifted up into the back of a vehicle. In his haze and as his head falls from the left to the right, softened hues of red and blue filter into his vision.
Suddenly there's pressure felt around his hand. He stares at the fingers woven securely between his own and slowly works his way up the arm with his eyes. Faintly, he can make out the worried complexion of his favourite policeman. Jimin doesn't have enough power to squeeze Jeongguk's hand and nor does he have the energy to lift the edges of his lips. And so simply, he stares at the brunette with a very faint glimmer of relief in his eyes.
"I'm right here," Jeongguk says.
Jimin can barely hear him. He swipes his tongue over his dried up lips and before the door of the ambulance closes, he can see a team of policemen rushing into Kai's home. The light in the back of the emergency vehicle dies down as he's secured within it's walls. He's injected with morphine to quell the pain in volcanic eruption surrounding every inch of his body. Jeongguk squeezes a little harder and soon the blond passes out.
-
The fluorescent hospital lights bleed into his vision the moment Jimin struggles to orient himself. His once settled face morphs into a grimace as he twists his head softly, letting out a subsued whimper.
His vision lingers to the left and as he grows more accustomed to the brightness of his hospital room, he spots Jeongguk sitting at his bedside. The man looks as though he hasn't gotten a single wink of sleep. His eyes are drained of all energy, encompassed by red rings spurred on by none other than what he could possibly assume to be crying. His brown hair is secured back with a black elastic, swept out of his face. This allows Jimin too see every tired aspect of his complexion and even though he's the one on the hospital bed, he feels bad.
"Jeongguk," he rasps.
Jeongguk finally notices that Jimin is awake. The policeman beams softly, reaching out to tuck some of the blond's hair behind his ear, out of his eyes. He looks as though he's ready to cry once again.
"Jimin, I'm so fucking sorry for everything. My baby, I promised I wouldn't leave your side and I did. I should have known better. I should have kept a closer eye on you. This is all my fault—"
"Koo," Jimin calls out once again, putting the man's regretful tangent to a stop. He reaches out and very weakly brushes his fingertips against Jeongguk's cheek. "It isn't your fault. None of this is your fault. I walked away. I let my mind win and listened to the voices. They dragged me away, okay? There was nothing you could have done," he soothes and watches as the brunette sinks into his palm.
Although Jeongguk is clearly struggling to swallow down the words, he nods his head and releases a shaky breath. Jimin's expression softens over and grows partially meek as the policeman stares into his eyes deeply. And then his gaze wanders to his cheek where he assumes it to be a deep blue or purple.
"...I wanted to walk in there and fucking chop his hands off of his arms myself. But I needed to call for backup. You were bleeding out and you were so pale - God... for a moment I really thought I'd lost you," Jeongguk explains quietly with some grittiness lining his words.
Jimin can feels his eyes blur. He swallows thickly, struggling to mitigate the need to cry. Jeongguk's fingers ghost so benignly against the surface of his cheek, it almost feels like a slow dance. He pulls on his bottom lip, biting back his tears. However he fails and they roll down the bridge of his nose and the side of his face.
The policeman curls his fingers, wiping them away gently. Jimin continues to look at him with an impossible amount of fondness, itching to be well again and free from this nightmare. He reaches his own hand out and grips Jeongguk's chin, sure that they're both reflecting ardent gazes.
Jimin then pulls the man closer and plants a kiss softly on his lips, whining in pure bliss. Hands soon feather into his blond hair and as they part for air, exchanging hot breaths, the teacher truly feels like he has won.
"...He tried to brainwash me again, Gguk... but he couldn't. I wouldn't let him. I just thought about you. Every single part of you. How your hands felt on my body each time he hit me. How gentle you are and how perfect you are," Jimin murmurs against his lips, digging his fingers into the man's uniform jacket.
Jeongguk is relatively at a loss for words, shaking his head softly. "Angel, I'm so far from perfect—"
"You're perfect for me, Jeongguk," Jimin interjects, now pulling away a good enough distance to examine the stars in his eyes. As if the brunette is staring back at his galaxy.
"...And you're perfect for me, Jimin. I don't even know what I'd do if I hadn't met you. I've discovered parts of myself I never knew existed. Your soul is pure. You're kind and beautiful on the inside. But God, if you aren't just as pretty on the outside. You make my head spin," Jeongguk replies while running his thumb over Jimin's knuckles.
Jimin's bottom lip is jutted out, trembling in the fattest pout. Jeongguk chuckles and leans in to kiss it, pulling his sweet boy in for a gentle embrace.
"Kai is going to pay for everything he's done. You'll never have to see him again, Jimin," Jeongguk whispers into his ear.
Jimin sighs quietly in relief, his body acting that way of it's own volition. His body, his mind, his loved ones. All tired and eager to be free. He's burying his face deep into the policeman's shoulder when there's a knock at the door. After a moment of silence, the door pulls open and the blond's face twists instantly as he begins to cry.
Haechan is awake. He's sitting on a wheelchair and Taehyung is behind him, in control.
Jimin can't even process the fact that the teenage boy is okay. He lurches back onto Jeongguk and breaks down in his arms. He's sobbing, veering into an ungovernable state of woe as his emotions spill freely.
Haechan smiles and peers up at Taehyung. His hair is ruffled and he looks back at both the policeman and Jimin, wishing he could stand up and join them in their hug.
"...Haechan wanted to come and say hi, Jimin. He woke up two days ago," Taehyung fills in.
The blond finally pulls his face out of Jeongguk's clavicle, staring at the teenage boy. "I'm so glad you're okay, Hyuckie... if you'd... if you'd—"
"Shhh, don't think about that. It will only make you worse and you're trying to get better, Angel," Jeongguk cuts in, once again wiping daintily at the blond's wet cheeks.
Jimin nods his head, conceding. He's at thought, wondering where Namjoon could possibly be during their small reunion. However his internal question is answered the moment his figure appears behind both Haechan and Taehyung. However there's another teenage boy of faint familiarity beside him.
"You're okay, Jimin. That's good news. After Jeongguk broke the news we had everyone looking for you. Finding you earlier would have been ideal but at least it was only one day," Namjoon adds, resting his hand on the strange boy's shoulder.
Jimin listens to Namjoon's words attentively however his attention is still glued to the teenager. Suddenly their eyes meet and the boy curls his lips in shyly, not really sure what to say.
"Oh, um... this is Mark... the, uh... boy from my chem class," Haechan explains, rubbing at his nape.
Everyone finds themselves melting as they watch the sweet interaction between both teenage boys. Mark joins Haechan's side and intertwines their fingers as they smile sheepishly at one another.
"...Jimin, I know you've just woken up but Jeongguk and I need to discuss some things with you, if that's alright," Namjoon asks and although he calls out the blond's name, he's looking at Jeongguk as if seeking permission.
"...You can wait if you'd like, Angel. You need to get some rest—"
"About what?" Jimin asks.
"About Kai," Namjoon specifies.
Jimin inhales sharply and exhales slowly. He should probably be resting but he needs answers. "Let's talk," he agrees.
"Are you sure, Jimin? I promise it can
wait—"
Jimin cuts Jeongguk off by kissing him quickly on his lips. "It's okay... I promise I'll get some rest after," he murmurs.
Shortly after, Namjoon is ushering the rest of the bodies out of the hospital room. Jeongguk relocates to the free space beside Jimin's legs and Officer Kim stands at the foot of the bed with his arms crossed.
The blond's questioning gaze flits to and from both policemen. He's playing with his fingers, body now trembling unnoticeably with nerves as he awaits the first words to leave either of their mouths.
"...We managed to track down Kai's mother, Jimin. That's how we found out where you were being held captive," Namjoon speaks, breaking the silence.
Jimin peers up at the astute policeman at his feet. He can faintly remember his interactions with Kai's mother. She was really there for him during the man's gradual personality shift and encouraged him to leave, only it was too late.
"She told us how he used to be... how the both of you used to be when you were together," Jeongguk starts, looking into Jimin's eyes. "His personality shift was influenced by several reasons, Jimin. Firstly, although being deeply rooted and next to invisible, it all started when he was a child. His mother did admit that she didn't take the best care of him. She always felt that there was something wrong with him but as he grew older and as you two met, he began to change drastically."
"...Kai was always insecure, is what his mother said. He was bullied in school and believed he never really had a purpose. But you gave him his purpose and introduced him to his value. But unfortunately, things took a turn," Namjoon adds on.
Jimin is sitting still, stunned. He was with Kai for close to three years and he never knew how badly his life was before they'd met. He never really opened up but the blond supposes he never really needed to pry. He seemed happy for the most part.
"Unfortunately during his preteens to young adulthood, Kai had developed multiple disorders leading to his outbreak. With being mistreated during childhood, he'd without awareness been diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder. His mother had been willing enough to get him a doctor's appointment and he had been prescribed medication but after you started teaching and seeing other men platonically, he stopped taking them," Jeongguk proceeds.
"Not only that but with R-E-D comes borderline personality disorder. His vision of life and love became so twisted after you left him. While no separate medical or psychological classification exists for obsessive love disorder, either, the doctors believe he developed it near the end of your relationship and it only got worse over time. O-L-D is a very rare condition, Jimin, but with everything else that went on during his childhood and early twenties, there's no doubt in anyone's mind that that's the case. He has the symptoms and not only that but because he has two other underlying disorders, it only increased his chances of diagnosis."
Jimin can't help the stinging sensation felt prickling at his eyes. After everything that's happened to him - after everything that Kai has done - he shouldn't feel bad and yet a small portion of his heart hurts for him.
"...How do you guys know all of this?" he asks quietly.
Namjoon exhales quietly and pulls up a chair at the side of Jimin's hospital bed, straddling it. "We got most of this information from Kai's mother, Jimin. Not only did she have her word but she had medical records, Jimin. It's real and it's fucked up. He's fucked up and so was his childhood. You got sucked into a relationship that was bound to collapse from the very moment both of you said
hi—"
"Hey," Jeongguk cuts in sternly. "Cool it, will you?" he says curtly while looking at Namjoon.
Namjoon simply looks at Jeongguk and back to the blond sniffling quietly on the hospital bed. "Kai was collateral damage the moment he hit middle school. There was nothing you could have done to help him. All you could do was leave and that's exactly what you did."
"...Where is he now? You guys got him, right?" Jimin asks quietly.
"...We got him, baby. Firstly he's being treated for his wounds and then being sent to a psychiatric hospital. He'll still be facing charges and after discharged, he'll be incarcerated," Jeongguk says, still holding the blond's hand tightly.
Jimin is breathing quietly, staring at his wrapped leg. He doesn't know what to think as he listens to their explanations attentively. He hates that he can feel some guilt swimming in chest. But he's also angry, upset and relieved.
Kai has been caught.
(A/N): Yes, Kai has three disorders.
The first one mentioned is Reactive Attachment Disorder. R-E-D is developed during childhood, stemming from negative experiences with parents or adult caregivers. Specifically, it makes you feel stressed and causes problems getting along with other people.
Secondly, Borderline Personality Disorder. B-P-D is probably the easiest to comprehend and probably the one that is most frequently talked about. People with B-P-D tend to be extremely sensitive. The smallest of things can trigger intense reactions leading to impulsive and reckless behavior which can then lead to unhinged relationships. The attitude shifts are quick however don't last very long, typically lasting a few minutes up to a few hours. This isn't to be confused with bipolar disorder. With bipolar disorder, there's a period of stability between episodes that isn't seen in B-P-D.
Thirdly, Obsessive Love Disorder. O-L-D, in my personal opinion is kind of complicated. The symptoms vary. In this case, it's the need to control someone as if they are a possession. Other symptoms include low self-esteem, extreme jealousy, obsessive thoughts and overwhelming attraction. As I did research, I found that there's no single cause for O-L-D and that it's mostly linked to other disorders. And not only that, but it's extremely rare, mostly seen in women.
Of course there's so much more involved with these three disorders but with the research I've done, I've simplified them so that they're easier to understand. Mental health is real and isn't only seen in women. There's this stigma that men should hide their feelings because it isn't seen as manly, but that isn't the case. Everyone struggles. Everyone. I haven't struggled personally but someone else in my family has. It was painful to watch and I felt like I had almost lost them completely. It isn't a joke. It isn't to be taken lightly.
I hope this chapter was okay and made sense. I think there will be one more chapter after this and an epilogue to follow. 💜