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{ moodboard by Mar }  

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"How far are we?”

“We should arrive in ten minutes, hyung-nim.”

Jeongguk hums and settles back into the russet leather seats, deliberately ignoring the heavy stare on him as he plays with his lip ring and busies himself with looking out the window.

“Are you sure you want to join us, Gguk-ah? This is just a simple negotiation. We can handle it. You need to rest and —”

“Hyung, I already said I want to,” Turning away from the window, Jeongguk smirks knowingly at the man opposite him. “You know better than anyone that I don’t back out on my words.”

The man harrumphs. “That I do. Not like I have a scar or anything on my beautiful face to prove it.”

“Jeez, hyung, that was like eighteen years ago,” says the other red-haired male sitting before Jeongguk, a fond exasperation lacing his tone as those narrow eyes twinkle with mirth. “Don’t tell me this is another one of your ‘back in those days’ moments. You know, when you remind us just how old you are.”

“Yah, the disrespect! I shall have you know that back in those days…”

Jeongguk rolls his eyes and leaves the two to bicker amongst themselves while he reverts to looking out the window once more, drinking in all the sights he’s been deprived of for the last four years.

Life in the mafia was always a tumultuous ride, and if you can’t keep up with where the tide takes you, then you’re not fit for the game. That’s how Jeongguk had found himself leaving everything he knew back in Korea to shift to Tokyo at the young age of twenty-one and head the Japanese division of the Jeon mafia gang.

Hwa Yeong - Korea’s largest crime syndicate, run by the infamous Jeon gang. An organization that was once an underestimated small-scale gang, whose very name can now bring the strongest leaders to their knees.

But to Jeongguk, Hwa Yeong is something else.

It’s his father, Jeon Daewon’s blood, sweat and tears - literally. It’s a lesson of how vicious the world outside can be and what one has to do to or be like to remain as the last one standing. It’s an ugly reminder of the worst betrayal Jeongguk ever witnessed - a betrayal that reared its ugly head and revealed the true colours of omegas. A betrayal he will never forget or forgive.

Jeon Jeongguk absolutely despised omegas and if you didn't know that, then you were never part of the Jeon gang. That's the unspoken rule amongst all their men.

A tap on his thigh draws his attention back to the two omegas sitting opposite of him, eyes sharp and alert as their car pulls up into unfamiliar territory. “We’re here. You ready?”

Other than these two - Kim Seokjin and Kim Taehyung. They always have and always will be the only two omegas he shall trust, even with his own life. Every other omega is the embodiment of lies, deceit and broken hearts.

“What he means is," Seokjin starts with a tilt of his head, letting those lavender-purple locks fall onto his forehead gently. "Has the baby alpha gotten his big boy pants on? This is not Tokyo after all, it's the real shit.”

“Just because I stayed there for four years doesn't mean I forgot our ways, hyung, don't you worry," Jeongguk shits in his seat to cross one leg over the other and smirk. " And this alpha can kick your ass right into the Seo gang’s lap, so I'd watch what you say.”

“Oh please, like I would ever give you that satisfaction and give the Seo's that honour," Jin turns in his seat to smack his ass with a wink. "This ass is an acquired taste.”

Tying his thick raven locks into a ponytail, Jeongguk raises an amused eyebrow. “A taste I assume Taehyung has acquired by now?”

Taehyung instantly flushes a bright red, hard enough to match the shade of his hair, and throws Seokjin a withering glare. “I thought we agreed on not telling anybody yet.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault he badgered me for answers. Have you seen him?” Seokjin cries, pointing at Jeongguk accusingly. “Four years in Tokyo and he came back looking like every part of his body is designed to kill."

With a playful gasp, Taehyung shakes his head. "Hyung, are you scared of him? Your Jeonggukie?"

"It's called the desire to live, Taehyung-ah. Have you seen those arms? Like, no thank you, I'd really like for my head to remain attached to my body.”

Jeongguk snorts but stays silent and secretly preens at the praises thrown his way because hey, he did work his ass off for this physique and it's not every day that The Kim Seokjin compliments someone other than himself.

“Hyung-nim, we have arrived.”

Mood: Adrenaline - Aalia

In seconds, as though a switch flipped in the three men simultaneously, they nod sharply and sit back in their seats with their ‘game face’ on. It's all fun and games between the three of them but outside their little bubble, they're the Jeon gang's indispensable and vicious trio.

As their black Mercedes and the second SUV with the rest of their men roll up to the front of a rickety warehouse, Jeongguk has to stop himself from laughing at how cliché the Seo gang can get.

Rusty warehouse in the middle of nowhere; men dressed in retro-styled clothes; bling gold jewellery and over-gelled hair - it’s like he’s stepped right into a bad remake of some ’90s mafia film.

As they all step out, Jeongguk shares a bemused look with his two friends when the gang’s men pat them down lazily and declare them safe, blissfully unaware of the pistols tucked deep into every one of their suit's blazers.

“This way.” One of the men patting them down grumbles and Jeongguk and his men follow him inside the warehouse, heading right toward what looks like the goods area of the building. “They're here, boss.”

“Well, well, would you look at that, boys? Looks like Jeon’s precious mafia prince decided to come out from hiding after all!” A deep, hoarse voice cries and the series of robotic cackles that follow makes Jeongguk want to gag. "What happened, boy? Tired of hiding behind daddy's back all the time?"

"Well, daddy was certain his prince would be more than enough to deal with the likes of you,” Jeongguk says, dropping into a seat opposite the other man with an air of nonchalance, ensuring he sits cocky enough with his legs crossed and an arm draped behind the chair. "Don't you think so, Seo Kang Min-ssi?"

That does the trick. Only the top players of the game are allowed to address one another by their full names, so by doing just that, Jeongguk has effortlessly asserted his position.

The men around the Seo leader bristle angrily, clearly taking offence at a man younger than them offending them as such. However, just as they take a step forward with a hand on their guns, the pot-bellied man before him holds them back with a raise of his hand.

“Get on with it, boy,” The Seo leader takes a drag of his cigar and shoots him an unimpressed stare. “We don't have all day, unlike pretty boy here who seems to be on a little vacation."

It's clear what the Seo leader is trying to do, blatantly disregarding Jeongguk's position as Hwa Yeong's successor and addressing him as just another mundane commoner. With the way Taehyung and Seokjin stiffen from beside him, he knows they're barely holding back from shooting a bullet square into all those smug faces.

Jeongguk only chuckles. "Of course. I'll get to the point then. We've gotten intel that someone has been trying to tip off the police about the Jeon gang's drug exports. Which I should say is rather strange, because I don't remember Hwa Yeong ever dealing with drugs or anything of the sort."

"And? What does this have to with me?"

Uncrossing his legs, the young alpha leans forward with a quirked brow. "A little birdie tells me that that someone is one of your nosy lackeys."

Cigar paused mid-way into that filthy mouth, the Seo leader stares at him with a calculative gaze and Jeongguk can practically see the cogs turning in his head. It's funny how they thought they could hide for so long without being tracked down, like a prey doing all it can to stall its death.

But the fact of the matter is, Jeongguk is the predator here and the predator always wins.

"A load of bullshit is what it is. We know nothing of the sort," Kang-min dismisses, dropping the cigar and crushing it beneath his boot with a cough. "Now, run back to daddy and stop wasting our time, pretty boy."

Just as the Seo leader stands and turns around, Jeongguk's men pull out their pistols in the blink of an eye and hold every Seo man at gunpoint. "I wouldn't be too reckless right now, Kang Min-ssi," Jeongguk says with a little click of his tongue. "We wouldn't want any casualties now, would we?"

Pin drop silence settles over the room as the Seo gang stands frozen in their spot, surprisingly, and eyeing their boss who stays with his back facing Jeongguk.

But sometimes...

"And I wouldn't feel too confident, pretty boy," The Seo leader says, turning back to face Jeongguk and the young alpha sees a sudden glint of metal before he hears the gunshot pierce through the silence.

Sometimes, predators can lose.

"JK!!"

The shrill voice beside him is definitely worrying, but the numb ringing in his ears and the searing pain in his abdomen are a little more concerning right now. It doesn't take a fool to figure out what happened, though Jeongguk is sure the Seo gang as a whole is one big fool for thinking they will get away with this.

Getting shot at hurts like a bitch, he belatedly realises. Whoever said those in the mafia get used to the pain clearly hasn't been shot in the same place as another week old injury - Jeongguk speaks from experience.

All around him, gunfire erupts and he sees his men rush forward to chase the few lucky Seo's who manage to escape, scattering around the warehouse and fleeing for their lives. Seokjin and Taehyung have lunged forward as well, tackling a few men down but not straying too far from where Jeongguk sits. Or rather, slumps.

Trying to look past the blurry haze in his eyes, Jeongguk spots a pot-bellied figure slipping out through the back and he already knows who it is. But he's not the Jeon mafia heir for nothing if lets this man go without serving him a taste of his own medicine.

In one swift move, Jeongguk growls, letting his alpha leap out and exert every last bit of energy and every burning muscle to take one final shot.

And then the darkness hits him all at once.

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"Park seonsaengnim!"

Jimin whips his head to the right and sends a flashing glare at the intern who had just slammed the door open. The girl, although visibly panicked, bows apologetically and begins with a worried look in her eye. "We need you in the general ward. A particularly, uh, urgent case has come up."

Jimin nods and excuses himself from the patient's room with a gentle smile. Only after they step outside does he break into a brisk walk and addresses the intern. "It's Hyejin, right?"

"Yes, seonsaengnim."

"Rule number one of medical etiquette - never bring unnecessary alarm to your patients. What happens outside the patient's room, stays outside the patient's room. Understood?" She bows and apologises profusely, and as much as he'd like to lighten the blow of his stern words with a smile, now is not the time. "It's alright. Now, tell me about this urgent case."

"Right. Yes. Um, male, Korean, uh... seems to be in his twenties, gunshot wound to the abdomen —"

"Seems to be?"

"Well yes, I can't be too sure —"

"Hyejin-ssi, how can you not..."  Jimin sighs to himself and breaks into a jog when he sees a crowd flocking the general ward. "Fine, how much blood loss are we looking at?"

"I... I can't tell, seonsaengnim," Hyejin admits meekly, voice quivering as she immediately ducks her head.

On any other occasion, Jimin would have given her a sound scolding at the awful case summary but the sight before him explains all that he needs to know. In his five years as a certified doctor and two years at Saeroyi Medical Center - a small hospital on the outskirts of Seoul - Jimin has seen a lot of things. From politicians to the common man, from murders to miracles - almost everything.

Emphasis on the almost because a mafia gang... well, that's a first.

"How can there be no doctors available? Don't you fucking mess with me!" A man cries, clearly an alpha with his burly figure and peppery scent, and Jimin sees him gripping one of the newer interns by their white coat lapels and practically spitting on his face.

"Si- sir, I swear, we only have one doctor at the moment —"

"I heard you and I already said we don't want him," The gang member moves to grip the intern's shirt collar this time and yanks him close. "Bring anyone else right now or —"

"Get your hands off of him," Jimin says after finally cutting through the crowd and stepping forward. When the alpha sneers at him, he stands with his hands on his hips and stares the gangster down with a sharp glare. " Now. "

Taken aback, the man takes a second to glance back, leading Jimin's eyes to two figures sitting at the very back on the waiting chairs. A red-haired and purple-haired man, and a third man who draws all his attention, laying lumped in their arms and accurately matching Hyejin's case description.

The gunshot wound patient, Jimin thinks and his eyes already flicker across the frail figure to take a quick assessment of the man's condition. Severe blood loss. With the constant flow, the bullet must have passed through the body. Good, but gives me lesser time. New wound? No, it's too much blood for it to be a new wound.

"And who the fuck are you?" The man asks, shoving the intern back roughly and facing Jimin instead.

Jimin is this close to rolling his eyes. This alpha and his haughty alpha-pride are going to lead to that man's death if they waste more time.

"I'm Doctor Park and the man who can save your friend there. So, if you can all step aside —"

"Not a chance."

He narrows his eyes. "I'm sorry?"

"I said no . We already know who you are, so go get someone else. There's no chance I'm letting a random omega near our hyung-nim," The man says simply and Jimin is slightly offended by the way he emphasises the word 'omega'.

"Well, this random omega is your only chance at saving your bleeding friend," Jimin says as he points to his patient. Right when the alpha turns back for a split-second, Jimin takes his chance and side-steps him to stride forward.

It's almost satisfying to see a red flush splatter on the alpha's face as Jimin passes by but that's the least of his concern right now. In three long strides, Jimin is a foot away from the patient and he lets out a sigh of relief upon finally being able to treat this man —

"Stop."

Jimin freezes in his track and stares at the man. 

An alpha, if the red bleeding into his irises and the faint scent of sandalwood says anything. When he lifts his head with great difficulty, Jimin's breath hitches at the chiselled angles and defined features that blend into a raw form of beauty that can leave anyone speechless.

But what Jimin gets from such a handsome face is a harsh glare thrown his way. "I am not... going to be treated by a... a fucking omega." He says, the deep, velvety voice tainted with evident strain as he talks. "Get lost."

Jimin's eyebrows shoot up in surprise and his eyes flicker to the two omegas beside him who look just as helpless as Jimin. When the red-haired omega bends to whisper something in the alpha's ear, he growls lowly.  "No, Tae. He is not touching me." The alpha coughs and leans back as he waves a weak hand. "Boys... take him... away."

Mood: Dance With The Devil - The Striking Vipers

"Yes, hyung-nim!" Now, Jimin hardly holds back the scoff when two men walk up to him and hold him by each elbow. "Come on, doc. Just listen to us —"

Like hell he is.

"— and bring an alpha or beta to treat our hyung-nim."

Jimin sighs. He really didn't want to do this, and in the hospital at that, but alphas being alphas never leave him any choice, do they?

The man on Jimin's right moves a little closer to grip his elbow better. "Where was that last guy, huh? That baby alpha? He could be a better —"  Jimin lands a solid kick to the man's shin and sends him toppling forward face-first.

Before the other gangster could react, Jimin elbows him in the chest to push him far enough and lands a strong sidekick to his abdomen. Once the man staggers back with a cough and falls onto his ass, Jimin clears his throat, straightens his coat and proceeds to walk back toward 'The Boss' or whatever these gangsters called him.

"Right, where were we — oh!"

Jimin quickly steps back when another thug rushes at him, grabs and twists his arm before shoving him into his own group of men, who step aside instead, so the man ends up crashing into a medical cart and collapses on an empty bed.

"Let me make this clear," Jimin brushes his hair back with a sigh and resumes. "This is a place where patients are treated, so if you're not a patient I must ask you to leave." He hears a gangster beside him scoff in disbelief and charge at him, but Jimin is faster, turning sideways to let the man miss a punch and lands a kick on the thug's ass to send him flying forward. "Otherwise, I'll just have to make you a patient instead."

"I told you I don't get treated by omegas." The bleeding alpha growls behind him, albeit weakly given his condition.

Jimin spins on his heel and smiles sweetly. "And I don't take orders from my patients. What a shame, huh?"

"You —" The alpha breaks out into a violent cough and Jimin sees his pupils dilating dangerously.

He's running out of time.

However, these gangsters seem insistent on letting their boss die because two more men shove him forward and Jimin has to steady himself against the nurse station. "Don't think we're going to take it easy on you just 'cause you're an omega."

When one of the places a hand on his shoulder, Jimin grabs a hold of his arm, yanking him forward to knock the back of his head into the gangster's nose. Taking advantage of his dazed state, Jimin grabs the alpha's arms with both his hands and uses his entire body weight to hurl him over Jimin's shoulder and slam him on the other side of the nurses' station.

The second gangster who had also shoved him forward stares at his friend in shock and Jimin winces apologetically at the man groaning on the floor. "Ouch, must be embarrassing getting hit by an omega you weren't going easy on, huh?" He turns to face the second thug with a smile. "You want to try your luck?"

Thankfully, the thug moves aside, but in his place comes one last gangster huffing angrily and striding forward. "Jeez, you guys really can't take a hint." 

Effortlessly twisting the thug's arm behind his back, Jimin kicks the back of his knees to send him buckling onto the floor with immense force. Dusting his pants, he looks around briefly at the considerably lesser number of angry gangsters. "Those who can walk, please make yourselves scarce from here. Those who can't, my interns will be with you in a moment to treat your wounds."

Jimin thinks he hears a surprised chuckle from one of the omegas beside his patient, but he can't be too sure because the moment he spins back to face them, all his focus is on the alpha who's begun shivering in their hold. He hastens his pace and strides forward while simultaneously pulling out his penlight.

"You're losing blood quickly," Jimin says hurriedly as he flashes the light in the alpha's eyes, slowly worrying about the lagging pupil dilation. "We need to move you to the O.R otherwise —"  He stops mid-speech when a weak hand attempts to hold his wrist in a tight grip, right before he could hold the alpha.

"Don't... touch me."

Jimin scoffs. "Sorry sweetheart, but I already told you —"  He shakes the alpha's hand off his wrist and holds that toned jaw in a gentle grip. "I don't take orders from my patients. So I suggest you stop being a brat and let me save your sorry ass before we lose you."

The alpha's eyes flash red but he pauses mid-growl, eyes rolling back as he shudders and sags completely against the two omegas holding him in their arms. Immediately, the entire mob of gangsters begin to rush forward and Jimin's had just about enough.

"Get out. All of you!" When nobody moves, Jimin lets the alpha rest back in the omegas' arms and faces the gangsters furiously. "Do you want your hyung-nim to die? Because I don't! So let me do my job and save him, or I swear to God, I will take on every one of you if that's what it takes to get him to the O.R."

For a few seconds, the men falter and exchange looks with each other while Jimin stares them down, chest heaving with heavy breaths as pushes the anxiety down. Five minutes. If he doesn't get this alpha on the operating table in five minutes, he's failed his job as a doctor.

"Leave. All of you," A gentle voice speaks up from behind him and Jimin looks over his shoulder to see the purple-haired omega address the men. "We will handle this. Wait outside and get the rest of the boys, uh...  treated."

Though the men hesitate, they eventually filter out of the room and Jimin nods at his team of students to go after them. When he turns back to touch the patient, the very same purple-haired man holds his wrist and holds Jimin's eyes in a piercing look. "You better do your best to save him. Understand? If anything happens to him, I promise you, this will be your last operation ever."

"And I promise to save your boss if it's the last thing I do," Jimin says and stands upright, holding the omega's stare with a confident gaze of his own. "Guess we'll have to see who keeps up their promise."

The purple-haired omega lets his hand go with a surprised look, clearly not having expected Jimin to react to his threat that way. But for Jimin, nothing is more frightening than battling with a patient's life so these empty words hold nothing against him.

"Get the stretcher and have the O.R ready!" Jimin steps back as the rubber gloves handed to him, snapping them before he says, "Let's get this operation started."

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Sunlight. Lots and lots of sunlight.

That's the first thing Jeongguk notices when he slowly flutters his eyes open. Which is funny, because his father always teases him for keeping his room like that of a vampire's, with the curtains drawn closed at all times.

And since when were his sheets so rough? And stuffy? And why is there a shirt on him? He never sleeps with a shirt on.

With a frustrated grumble, he tries to fling the sheets off of him, startled at how sluggish he feels, when a sudden excruciating pain shoots up from his abdomen and he shrinks back with a pained whine.

"Woah, woah, take it easy there, Boss-nim." A gentle voice pipes up from a far end of the room, but with his eyes screwed shut in pain, he can't tell who it is. "We don't want you ripping your stitches out, do we?"

The faint click-clack of shoes against the tiles grows louder and Jeongguk's body stiffens reflexively and readies itself for any kind of approaching danger, but much to his surprise, his alpha settles down quicker than usual at the comforting scent of honey and chamomile wafting towards him.

Deciding to keep his eyes shut a little longer, Jeongguk lays lax in the sheets and focuses on the handful of sounds around him - a steady dripping of fluid to his left, the silent hum of the air conditioning system and a rhythmic beeping of a monitor somewhere to his right.

Wait. Beeping?

And then everything hits him at once. The screwed-up negotiation with the Seo's, the unexpected gunshot wound, rushing to a hospital, an omega doctor —

Jeongguk gasps and his eyes fly open when he realises exactly who spoke to him a few seconds ago. 

Turning his head on the pillow, his eyes land on a figure standing beside his bed, too busy reading some papers on a clipboard to notice the patient glaring at him with all his might.

"You. " Jeongguk seethes.

"Yes, me," The man answers absent-mindedly, hardly sparing a glance at Jeongguk as his face scrunches up in deep thought.

"You. You're the one who —" He cuts himself short when the man raises a finger and writes something down on the clipboard.

"Sorry, give me one second." 

Jeongguk watches, utterly dumbfounded and offended at being silenced as such, while the doctor shuffles forward to adjust the monitor's settings, hums happily and proceeds to face Jeongguk with a bright smile. "Hi, sorry, and good morning to you , sir! How are you feeling?"

"You're an omega, aren't you?" Jeongguk repeats, still a little dazed as he recalls yesterday's events completely, but conscious enough to scowl at the omega before him. "That doctor."

"An omega, yes. But that doctor? What do you... oh," The man's eyes widen in understanding and he nods. "Right, yes, well I'm the doctor who treated you. - Doctor Park," He says, pointing to a name printed on his coat's breast pocket, before shrugging with a sheepish smile. "A-a-a-nd the one who beat your men up." 

When Jeongguk's eyes widen in anger, he's quick to correct himself. "Oh, don't worry about them though. They're as good as new. My interns took good care of them."

"You beat up my... and who took care of who now?!"

"Oh, is that not what you were worried about?"

"What the actual fuck is happening here? And why the fuck are you even —" Jeongguk's words die at the tip of his tongue when a finger is placed on his lips.

He goes cross-eyed, trying to glare incredulously at the childish gesture then snaps his eyes back up at the man who stares at Jeongguk like a parent with a handful child. "This is a hospital so I'd appreciate it if you kept your voice down, Boss-nim."

Who the fuck is Boss-nim?

"Now, when I remove my finger I want you to remain silent and listen to me. Alright?" Jeongguk tries to open his mouth in protest but the finger presses on his lips and holds them shut firmly. "Ah, ah, I said you have to be quiet. I'm not gonna move my finger until you nod."

Seeing as his arms are too weary to lift a muscle and his hands have a series of drip needles taped to them, any plans of slapping the man's hand away goes right out the window. Which means, he's left with no choice but to listen to this infuriating omega.

He's going to kill Taehyung and Seokjin for leaving him like this.

Once Jeongguk huffs and nods, the man removes his finger and stands upright. "Perfect. Now, to answer your question, you're in the VIP room right now. You came out of surgery around eight hours ago so don't try to move around much. That gunshot was quite the nasty one, re-opened some old wounds too," The man shoots him a quick wink. "Pun intended."

Jeongguk is absolutely floored. Is this man really that obtuse or just deliberately ignoring Jeongguk's blatant distaste for him? "Just what the fuck are you?!" 

"What am I?" The man throws his head back in laughter and stares at Jeongguk amusedly. "Well, I'm the doctor who just saved your life, Boss-nim," That goddamn nickname again. "In fact, a 'Thank You' would be much appreciated."

"I'd rather die than thank an omega ." Jeongguk sneers and for a single fleeting second, he sees a flash of hurt flicker in those honey-brown eyes, but it's gone so fast he could have easily imagined it.

"I see," Instead of words of anger or even a silent departure from the room, the last thing Jeongguk expected is for the omega to shrug indifferently. "Sadly, as much as I'd like to help you honour those words, killing people doesn't really mesh with what I do, so I'll have to decline the offer. Sorry."

At this point, Jeongguk's not sure if he wants to be infuriated, confused or just fall back to sleep and forget this nightmare he's landed himself in. The volatility of his emotions isn't working in his favour either, refusing to help him be the big, bad menacing mafia heir that he wants to be.

A sudden wave of dizziness strikes, the anaesthesia clearly still taking a toll on him, and Jeongguk collapses back onto his pillow with a weary sigh. "Can just you tell me what you want and get the fuck out?"

The room doors slide open. "Jimin-ah, you called for me?"

Jeongguk sighs mentally. Not one more doctor, please.

"Ah, yes, hyung. Would you be able to..."

He tunes out the short doctor's voice to take a moment and have a quick look at their new entree. Instant relief washes over him when he spots a tall male - alpha by his rich mahogany scent - dressed from head to toe in a plain, baby blue outfit and sporting an unexpected dimpled smile as he interacts with Jeongguk's omega doctor straight from hell.

What was it this new guy called his doctor? Jaewon? Jihyun?

"I got your back, Jimin, don't stress, okay?" Jimin. That's the one. "Let's see how he's doing first."

"Mm. So, Boss-nim," Jeongguk rolls his eyes at the annoying title this omega has taken to calling him. "Can you tell me how you're feeling right now? Any areas where you feel pain or discomfort?"

"Aren't you the one who administered all these anaesthetics? And isn't it, I don't know, your job to make sure no area should be in pain?"

"Perfect, so slight pain then."

In that moment, Jeongguk realises that he's never wanted to shut someone up more badly in his entire life. And as a mafia member, that's saying something.

He watches as the man - Jimin - scribbles a few things on a small notebook before he snaps his head up and seemingly scans Jeongguk from head to toe. "Then can you tell me how you're feeling in general?"

"Of course, I don't feel good." Jeongguk retorts with enough snark in his tone. 

He only becomes further and further annoyed at the smile that's growing on the omega's face. Is his misery or is an alpha in pain that enjoyable for him?

After a few minutes of silence and silent communications between his doctor and the other man, Jimin turns to face him with that infuriatingly happy smile. "Good news for you, Boss-nim. Based on your statements, the surgery is clearly a success, but —"

"How the fuck does me not feeling good mean the surgery's a success?"

Jimin pauses, tilting his head and letting those silky black locks shift onto his forehead, as he wiggles a finger at Jeongguk. "You're very curious about many things, aren't you? Reminds me of the little ones we have in the Paediatrics ward."

"What the —"

"You not feeling good means the anaesthesia is wearing off, which is what's supposed to happen once you gain consciousness," Jimin points to the saline drips on Jeongguk's right. "That's your pain-killer over there - morphine. If you weren't even in the slightest bit of pain, it means we would be overdosing you and that is a lawsuit on a silver platter."

The alpha to Jimin's left chuckles but Jeongguk is hardly amused and a little put off at the reasonable explanation to his vexed tantrums. Why does everything this man says have to be right?

The omega continues, oblivious to Jeongguk's misery, "However, considering the depth of your wound and the wound you got before that, you'll need to be under observation for around two weeks."

Now that gets his attention.

"Two weeks?! I need to be here for two goddamn weeks? "   

"Yup," Jimin says, emphatically popping the 'P' and smiling sympathetically. "Gunshot wounds are kind of like a clingy ex. Pretty hard to shake off," Snapping his notebook shut, the omega glances at the monitor once more, then back at Jeongguk. "Alright then, I'll leave you be. You can always press on that —" He points to a long call button on Jeongguk's right. "And a nurse will be right with you."

"That will be me," The other alpha in the room says with a gentle smile. Jeongguk simply nods.

"Him or me. Depends on whoever is nearby," Jimin finishes.

"I'll wait for the nurse instead."

Much to his chagrin, Jimin only laughs once more. "I like this side of you, Boss-nim. You were certainly boring while you were just sleeping here all day." Before Jeongguk can fling another harsh remark, the omega faces his colleague. "Observe him from time to time, hyung, and let Yoongi hyung know if there are any abnormalities so we can have an MRI scan taken."

"Will do, Jimin-ah."

Jimin smiles and turns back to him. "I'll have to run along now, but I'll be back to check up on you sometime later today."

"Whatever. Where are my men?"

"Ah, you mean those other two omegas who were with you?" Jimin asks, his tone far too innocent of matching the smug smile dancing on his lips. As though he has no clue of what he's trying to point out here.

Jeongguk hates it. He absolutely hates it. Hates him .

The mafia heir grits his teeth. "Yes, them. Where are they?"

"I had a feeling you were talking about them!" Jeongguk shoots him an icy glare but Jimin continues without a care, "I'll send them in. They've been waiting outside for a while."

The omega bows, albeit slightly for a simple formality, and spins on his heel to walk out with his colleague. Yet, just before leaving he stops where the door is held open and waves back blindly to cry, "Get some rest, Boss-nim!" before leaving after doing all the damage he needed to.

Jeongguk closes his eyes, fisting the blankets in his grip tightly and clenching his jaw, when the doors slide open once more and a mix of jasmine and cedarwood fills the room. He can practically feel the palpable mirth radiating off his two friends walking toward him and it only makes the situation worse.

"So..."

"Not a single word."

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ 

"Hyung-nim, are you okay?"

"Just let us get our hands on them and we'll kill those fucking Seo's for you, hyung-nim!"

"Ay, just get hyung-nim a bottle of soju, boys. It'll fix him up in no time."

Jeongguk chuckles and shakes his head to deny the offer when the boys begin chanting for him to drink soju. "Not now, boys. Don't want my doctor to pull the plug on me for bad behaviour, do we?"

"We'd kill him before he tries!" One of the younger ones in their group harrumphs.

"You sure about that? He kicked your ass flat in two seconds." Another maknae pipes up and raucous laughter erupts across the room. "No, but seriously, it was one man against like ten and we're freaking mafia members! He's crazy!"

"And hot." Someone quips from the back.

"And savage!" And the boys are unstoppable from there, breaking out into a heated discussion about the omega doctor and whatnot.

Jeongguk watches with fond exasperation, dragging his eyes across every male dressed in stylish black and his heart warms at the sight of his little family. These are the men he grew up with, trained with, fought back-to-back with and when they're not in their bubble of mafia life, these are the men who became his brothers from another mother in every part of his life.

"Feeling emotional, are we?"

"Hardly. Just wondering why my men are raving over a doctor of all things."

"You have to admit, he's pretty cool," Seokjin says as he hands Jeongguk a glass of orange juice. "Definitely more interesting than the usual, terrified faces we get wherever we go."

"He's an omega, hyung," Jeongguk takes a long sip and looks away. "I don't care about anything else."

"He's more than just an omega, Gguk," This time, it's Taehyung who speaks up from where he sits beside Jeongguk's bed. "Jin hyung and I should have proved that to you by now."

Jeongguk purses his lips and continues to drink his juice in silence.

From the corner of his eye, he sees Seokjin sit down next to Taehyung with a sigh and gives Jeongguk The Stare - the one that's enough to make Jeongguk crack and spill every little emotion bottled up inside him. A true mom of their group.

"How long, Gguk? How long are you going to keep hating omegas for something that happened years ago? Even your father has —"

"My father has a heart that's too nice for his own good," Jeongguk snaps brusquely. "That doesn't mean I have to forget what happened. I almost lost my father so I think that's enough reason to keep hating, even if it's ten years from now." When he hears another sad sigh, Jeongguk places his empty glass on the bedside table and faces his friends with a soft look. "Hyung, let's just not, okay? Just... just give me the update on the Seo's."

Taehyung nods in resignation and leans back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest as he explains, "They're on the run, fucking cowards, but you got Seo Kang-min good, Gguk. I saw it. So they can't have gone too far, we'll have them in no time."

Jeongguk nods as satisfaction blooms inside at having helped delay their escape, at least by a little. "And appa? Does he know what happened?"

"Not yet," Seokjin says but he stares at Jeongguk carefully. "Do you want us to let him know?"

"No. No one says a thing," He answers almost immediately. The last thing he wants is for his father to worry about him when his health is already troubling him as is. "Ask the boys to say nothing of it, too. Let the message pass that the three of us are in the outskirts scouting new locations for our weapons safehouse."

The two men nod and Jeongguk is about to check up on his father's state when the doors slide open and a pleasant smell of honey and chamomile permeates within the four walls. A comical silence blankets the room, until his men quickly shuffle out, still too embarrassed to stand before the man who whupped their ass in a simple fight, leaving only Jeongguk and his friends in the room.

Jimin walks toward them with his signature smile. "How are we feeling today, Boss-nim?" He asks, voice chirpy and annoying as it's been for the past two days.

"Don't you get bored asking me the same question?"

"Don't you get bored putting your life in danger all the time?" Jimin quips as he moves around to the foot of the bed.

He goes about his usual routine, checking the reports attached to the clipboard and ignoring Jeongguk's fuming looks. "Hm, although we'll have to keep an eye on this pesky little platelet count, I'd say your reports are looking good. " He looks up at Jeongguk with an amused smile. "Seems like your body is just as eager to get home as you are."

A few titters from beside him draw their attention to Taehyung and Seokjin sitting like two deer caught in headlights, and Jeongguk is considering punching them for betraying him like this.

Jimin's eyes light up in recognition. "Oh, you two! I believe we haven't been introduced yet."

"For good reason."

As usual, Jimin ignores him once more and walks to their side of the bed, extending one hand to both his friends. "I'm Doctor Park, in case you haven't heard from your men yet. But you can call me Jimin."

Jeongguk can see Taehyung biting back a smile as he shakes his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Jimin-ssi. I’m Taehyung."

The omega turns to Seokjin next and his smile grows into a cheeky one. "Looks like I kept my side of the promise after all. Your friend is right here, alive and well."

"That he is,” Seokjin says with a warm chuckle, smiling apologetically as he goes in for a firm handshake. “Thank you, Jimin-ssi, and I'm sorry for my words the other day. I’m Kim Seokjin, by the way."

Stepping back with an impressed look, Jimin glances at Jeongguk before staring at Seokjin with a pleased smile. "Well, aren't you a gentleman, Seokjin-ssi? Thanking and apologising to me in one sentence," He throws Jeongguk a meaningful look before facing his friends with a warm smile. "It's okay, I understand where you were coming from, and honestly, that wasn't the first time I received death threats from a patient's family, so no harm done."

A small frown grows on Jeongguk's lips at the mention of the omega receiving death threats. As much as he hates the man and his guts, no one should have to receive such threats for doing their job, and a damn good job at that, seeing how he's sitting here all stitched up and alive.

"So, which mafia gang are you all from?"

The three men blink in silence at the doctor who goes about checking the reports once more. At the sudden moment of silence, Jimin looks up at stares at them confusedly. "What's wrong?"

"Ma- mafia?" Seokjin clarifies hesitantly.

"Oh, not the mafia then? I thought I was right looking at the men in black, the threats and such, but I could be mistaken. A division of The Yakuza maybe?"

"Whatever we are is our business," Jeongguk retorts, staring Jimin down with narrowed eyes and trying to get a read on this impossible man. "Why should we tell you?"

Jimin winces at him in artificial pity. "Sorry to burst your bubble, Boss-nim, but it does happen to be my business too. You know, for me to fill all these boring forms out so you can sit here like a good boy and get your treatment done."

What am I, a fucking kid? He thinks, but when he takes a moment to consider what Jimin is doing for them, he has no choice but to keep his mouth shut. 

Jeongguk huffs and looks away momentarily before mumbling, "The Jeon gang."

"See? Was that so hard to say?"

The alpha rolls his eyes and stares at his hyungs helplessly, but to no avail, because they seem to be enjoying this situation way too much. Brats, the both of them.

"Alright, all done!" Jimin caps his pen, slipping it into his breast pocket before shoving his hands into the pockets of his white coat and smiling at Jeongguk once more. "Anything I can help you with before I take my leave?"

"Don't come back," He retorts petulantly.

Another gentle peal of laughter spills from the omega's lips and in a completely unexpected turn of events, Jeongguk sits frozen as the shorter male steps forward to ruffle Jeongguk's hair. "Can't help you with that, Boss-nim, but if there's anything else, you know how to call for me or Namjoon-ssi."

Stepping back as quick as he came, Jimin says his goodbyes to the two dumbfounded omegas in the room, bows curtly and takes his leave. Jeongguk stays just as Jimin left him, eyes blown wide open and lips parted dumbly, while the other two men in the room stare at each other and then back at the stupefied mafia heir repeatedly. 

"Did he break him?" Seokjin whispers.

"Well, he certainly isn't moving," Taehyung whispers back and taps Jeongguk's shoulder gently. "Gguk, are you —"

"Why isn’t he afraid of me?" Jeongguk blurts, the words already flying out of his mouth before he can stop them.

"What do you mean?"

Jeongguk waves his hands about to point to where Jimin walked out. "Him! He keeps treating me like... like some child ! Why isn't he scared of me?"

The red-haired omega takes a few steps back to give Jeongguk a once-over and quirks one brow. He waves a hand at the alpha's general attire - a pale pink hospital gown and his usually styled hair brushed down, flat onto his forehead.  "You don't exactly look... threatening, you know?"

Looking down at his outfit, Jeongguk groans and flops back onto his bed. "Screw this. What about the tattoos, huh? Or my piercings?"

"He has the power over your life, Jeongguk. Literally," Seokjin deadpans and he shrugs before moving to stand next to Taehyung. "I don't see why he has any reason to be afraid of you."

“I’m a big, large alpha who is the heir of a freaking mafia gang.” He deadpans. “Isn’t that reason enough?”

Seokjin clicks his tongue disapprovingly. “You may be large but in this hospital, he’s the one in charge.”

“You guys are the worst,” Jeongguk groans and pulls the covers over his face. “Please get lost."

"Gladly!" Seokjin chirps and drags Taehyung out of the room.

For a while, the alpha just lies there on his bed, left to his own thoughts for company, for God knows how long. Until finally... Jeongguk takes a decision. The Decision.

He's going to prove Seokjin wrong. He's going to make this omega fear him, or at the very least, respect him as he should. Jeon Jeongguk, the mafia heir of Hwa Yeong, will settle for nothing less.

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ 

Turns out, his little mission is easier said than done. 

It's been four days since Jeongguk's been bedridden and stuck inside these four walls, and if that isn't frustrating enough, he hasn't gained even a single bit of progress with regards to breaking Jimin's happy, fearless facade.

While Jimin had become a little busier and is visiting him less frequently (not that Jeongguk is keeping count or anything!), the few times that he does come in to check up on Jeongguk have only been a series of failed attempts from Jeongguk's side to piss him off, and a streak of victories for Jimin who keeps smiling and ruffling his hair at least once before leaving.

The room doors slide open for the first time today and all the gangsters lounging in the room stand upright with a bright smile. "Good morning, Doctor Park!" They cry simultaneously.

"Omo!" The doctor cries and jumps back in surprise, only to relax his posture when he sees the smiling thugs and greets them with a playful pout. "Yah, don't do that to me. I really don't want to accidentally punch any of you."

Cacophonous laughter breaks across the mob and a few of his men yell:

"We know you won't!"

"Will you treat us if that happens?"

"Doctor Park, let's spar a little!"

And this latest improvement in the dynamic between Jimin and his men only rubs salt onto his wounds.

The omega's gotten all of Jeongguk's gang wrapped around his finger, chatting them up for a while whenever he visits his room and teasing them with the prospect of genuinely sparring with them sometime soon.

"Okay, okay, let me check up on Boss-nim first so why don't you all step out for a break? Must be tiring taking care of your hyung-nim all the time," Jimin teases and promptly bursts into small giggles when the men gasp and shake their heads fervently in denial, but soon filter out of the room nonetheless.

Only then does he make his way toward Jeongguk and his heart does not stop briefly at the blinding smile flashed his way. "Good morning, Boss-him! How are you —"

"How am I feeling today? Just as I did yesterday - sore and in pain. Do I feel pain in any new places? Not today. Have I been eating my meals on time? Of course, I am," Jeongguk faces the omega with a bored look and sighs. "Is there any other question you’d like to bore me with?"

"Nope. Just want to know when Boss-nim is getting his medical license."

".... what?"

Jimin flashes him a proud smile. "You know, 'cause you seem to be an expert at all this stuff already. Might I suggest a change of career? I'm sure the mafia and medical field can't be all that different, since we both deal with knives after all."

Jimin - 6

Jeongguk - 0

"You... you're so…” When Jimin continues to stare at him innocently, the alpha groans and flops onto his pillow. “Screw it. Just get on with this already," He grumbles and laying still to let Jimin do his thing.

After having spent all his life winning, Jeongguk is entirely out of his element when Jimin constantly beats him at his own game and leaves Jeongguk feeling like a fool. And he can’t, for the life of him, figure out why he’s never able to counter back. 

So instead, he lets himself watch with unfamiliar fascination as the shorter male touches and prods at Jeongguk without a care in the world. Like Jeongguk isn't constantly trying to remind him of his hate for omegas. Like the hands he holds so gently aren't tainted with the blood of hundreds of men.

It makes him feel funny. A kind of fluttery, nauseous feeling that bursts in his gut every time Jimin walks in and goes about treating him like just another ordinary patient in this hospital.

Not as JK, the ruthless mafia prince of the underworld. Not as Jeon Jeongguk, the heir of Hwa Yeong.

Just 'Boss-nim', aka the real Jeongguk - a simple twenty-five-year-old man who’s beginning to lose his resolve of disliking the omega that’s breaking down his walls.

"... so it would be helpful to have someone next to you when you try this the next time."

Jeongguk blinks back to reality and flushes in embarrassment when he realises the omega had been talking to him. "Uh, yes. Fine, whatever."

Pausing from where he's leaned over to check Jeongguk's heartbeat, the doctor smirks and stands upright with a knowing smile. "Really? So you're okay with letting me undress you to dress your wounds today?"

"What the fuck?" Jeongguk recoils back as much as his injury allows him to and covers his chest. "Of course not! When did I — who said anything about — no, wait, since when did doctors even..." He trails off, half-confused and half-mortified when Jimin throws his head back to burst into a fit of giggles.

"You're reactions are priceless, Boss-nim. You're so cute when you're all flustered." Jimin wipes a stray tear from the corner of his eye and turns back to rearrange the equipment on the medical cart.

Cute. Jimin just called him... cute.

In his twenty-five years on Earth, Jeongguk has been called described as many things - bold, dominant, vicious, ruthless, intimidating, and the list is possibly endless.

But never in his whole life has he been called cute . No one ever had the guts to do so, not even his hyungs. Why would they when he’s never even moderately showed a side of himself that’s cute?

And yet, he never showed such a side to Jimin either, but here he is, being called cute whilst dressed in an unflattering pink hospital gown and hooked up to machines and drips. 

"Anyways, what I was really asking you is if you're up for trying to walk a little today," Jimin says, oblivious to how he upturned Jeongguk's world with a single world as he walks over to the other side of the bed. Fidgeting with the morphine drip hanging from the IV stand, he continues, "Seeing as there have been no signs of pain or physical discomfort for a few days now, we might as well give it a shot."

When he turns to face Jeongguk directly this time, the alpha realises just how much closer Jimin is than before and that funny feeling is back in his stomach. Goddammit, is this omega making him fall sick instead?

Unbeknownst to Jeongguk's dilemma, Jimin leans forward in a sudden move and with a gentle smile, he asks, "What do you say? You ready to give it a go?"

"I, uh, okay... I guess?" Jeongguk twists his features into a confused look, doing his utmost best to ignore their close proximity. "Why would you ask me? Shouldn't you be calling the shots here?"

"Of course, I would ask you. As a doctor, your consent and opinions are the most important thing to me to help treat you better, so if you'd not like to walk today, I won't force you," Jimin stands with his hands in his pockets and steps back, a clear sign of letting Jeongguk make the decision at his own will. "What do you want to do?"

Your opinions are the most important.

I won't force you.

What do you want to do?

Those three sentences ricochet over and over again in Jeongguk's head as he stares at the omega in disbelief. A choice. His choice. It's something he's never had the luxury of having. With the title of the Jeon gang's heir came a million responsibilities and the pressure of doing something because he has to.

But here is this omega, crashing into Jeongguk's life out of nowhere and offering him a luxury no amount of money or violence could ever get him.

"I want to try." Jeongguk's eyes widen in surprise at the words that slipped out so suddenly.

"That's the spirit! Now, where are your two friends, Seokjin-ssi and Taehyung-ssi? We'll need one of them to help you with this."

Well, shit.

"They aren't here today," He says, head slightly dizzy at the prospect of their only solution left. "It's... it's just me."

Jimin blinks rapidly. "Oh."

The two men stare at each other in silence and quickly look away, clearly contemplating the pros and cons of the situation they've gotten themselves in. But when Jeongguk takes a second to look back at the doctor, he's surprised to find the tips of Jimin's ear burning a bright shade of pink.

Huh.

"Well," The omega clears his throat and looks at the sliding doors, "I can call one of your men and see if —"

"Why can't you just help me?" Jeongguk finds himself asking and immediately gives himself a mental smack. What am I doing?

"Wha- what?"

There's something about the way Jimin visibly falters for the first time since he met him that has Jeongguk hooked. He wants to see more of this Jimin - shocked, vulnerable... real.

"Why? Are you afraid, Jimin-ssi?" Jeongguk taunts, his lips tilting up into a smirk as he pushes further. "Does standing so close to the big, bad alpha frighten you?"

The omega's eyes narrow instantly and he's hit with a stronger wave of a honeyed scent. "I literally beat your men up to operate on you and you think I'm afraid to hold you?" When Jeongguk shrugs teasingly, he stands upright with a puffed chest. "Fine. Let's do it."

It’s a small struggle from there as Jeongguk moves to swing his legs off the bed and the immediate burn in his muscles has him contemplating this reckless decision once more. If it wasn’t for his alpha pride, Jeongguk would have given up by now and resorted to lying down for a few more days. 

Jimin, who had been standing beside him silently, finally moves forward and offers his arm. “Shall we?”

“What is this, prom?” 

The omega snorts. “If that’s what makes this situation better, then yes, this is prom. Apologies for leaving your corsage at home.”

And for the very first time in Jimin’s presence, the alpha finds himself barking out an amused laugh. It’s the drugs, he convinces himself, it’s just the drugs messing with my head. 

Having always been too competitive for his own good, Jeongguk hardly bats an eye when he willingly grabs the omega’s arm and gently hoists himself onto his feet, determined to see this walk through till the end. 

“We’ll take it slow, okay?” Jimin whispers, the words whispered onto Jeongguk’s neck due to their height difference and the alpha shivers. It’s just the air conditioning. 

He nods and, clutching the IV stand in a firm grip, takes slow, cautious steps forward. Considering how this is the first movement of any sort in the span of four days, Jeongguk can feel the dizziness hitting him in sporadic intervals. 

“Are you feeling okay?” Jimin whispers and Jeongguk thinks he feels a gentle hand placed on the small of his back. “Do you want to stop?” 

“I’m fine,” He grits and continues to take small steps forward. 

Small rivulets of sweat begin to roll down his forehead but Jeongguk ignores it all and wills every screaming muscle to take more steps forward. They’re only halfway across the room but as his mind finally registers the magnitude of his weak and fragile state, Jeongguk feels a surge of frustration and anger bubble under his skin.

Jimin seems to have felt him stiffen up because he stops briefly and looks him in the eye. “It’s okay. I know this seems frustrating, but this is amazing progress, okay?” 

But it’s not okay! He wants to scream. 

Jeon Jeongguk is the embodiment of vicious strength and bold guts. Not this man standing in his place who’s fumbling over the place like a freaking baby giraffe. 

“Hey, it’s —”

“Stop. Just stop, ” Jeongguk snaps. “I don’t need your pity. I can do this.”

In an irrational moment of rage, he attempts to take a longer, faster step and his knees buckle dangerously. But before he can crumble to the ground, a sturdy arm holds him by the waist and keeps him upright. 

“I’m here. I’m right here,” Jimin says in hushed tones, rubbing a soothing hand down his sides. “You’re alright.”

Jeongguk bites back a choked sob and closes his eyes, so lost with all these random bursts of emotions that completely overrule his rational judgement. His head is spinning, breathing shallow, and it’s almost as if he’s drowning underwater. 

He just wants to rest. He wants to go home and forget this ever happened. He wants to —

 A sudden wave of honey and chamomile wash over him and Jeongguk exhales shakily, breathing the calming scent in gulps and it’s as though someone has finally pulled him to the surface. His muscles relax instantly, and he finds himself inhaling deeper breaths to taste that scent on his tongue just a little longer. 

Apart from his father, Taehyung and Seokjin, he has never allowed himself to take comfort in any other scent. So having Jimin this close to him, his scent glands at a breath’s reach from Jeongguk, leave his inner alpha bristling with the need to duck down and tuck himself into the crook of the shorter male’s neck forever. 

“Just a little more to go.” The omega whispers and Jeongguk feels himself being pulled closer to the omega’s side. For once, he can’t seem to care. 

That’s how they continue to move for the remaining part of the walk, with the omega holding Jeongguk firmly to his side and the alpha leaning on him completely to take slow, baby steps forwards. 

Focusing solely on Jimin’s arm constantly moving up and down his sides, and the steady wafts of that honeyed scent, Jeongguk tunes out everything else and lets his mind occupy itself with one and only one thing.

Jimin. Jimin. Jimin.  

Before he knows it, they’re standing at the other end of the room and the omega is quickly helping him down into one of the cushioned chairs. Jeongguk sits down with a shuddering sigh, his hand immediately releasing its grip on the IV stand and he keeps his eyes screwed shut, feeling the wound throb painfully. 

All of a sudden, he feels cool hands cupping his face and gently wiping the sweat away from his temples. “I need you to tell me how you’re feeling, Boss-nim,” Jimin whispers. 

Fluttering his eyes open, Jeongguk’s breath hitches in his chest when he comes face-to-face with honey-brown eyes that stare at him with a warm look, and if he’s being a little crazy, maybe even a little proud. 

“I… well, it hurts a little but I’m…” Jeongguk licks his lips and watches the omega’s eyes flicker down at the action before meeting his eyes once more. “I’m fine,” He whispers hoarsely. 

Jimin nods and this time, there’s no mistaking the pride glinting in his eyes as his eyes rake over Jeongguk’s features, fingers trailing across his face gently and moving a few sweaty strands off his forehead. 

Such gentle gestures are foreign territory to him and Jeongguk should feel terrified at how much he likes it. He should feel ashamed at how he’s betraying his father and letting himself so close to another omega. He should stay as far away as possible. 

But when Jimin cups his face, he can do nothing but lean into that touch once more. 

“Guess what?” A soft voice whispers. 

“What?” 

Jimin looks behind him and cocks his head to gesture behind his shoulder with a smile. “You just walked a whole twelve feet stretch. You did it, Boss-nim.”

A small smile plays on his lips at the nickname that’s inevitably grown on him. Looking back at the stretch he just walked, Jeongguk inhales deep and long, drinking in his first success after a long time. 

“I did it,” Jeongguk whispers weakly and he feels the darkness creep around the corners of his drooping eyelids once more. “I… did… it.”

Right before he succumbs to the fatigue, Jeongguk hears a soft voice stroke his hair and whisper, ‘I got you.’ 

He falls to the darkness once more, but this time, with the comfort of just three simple words. 

I got you.

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ 

Jimin is late today. Extremely late. 

It shouldn't be such a big deal but lying on his bed like he has been for five days now leaves plenty of room for Jeongguk to weave the most absurd situations and panic briefly. This time, however, the panic is real. 

The fact that ever since that situation was yesterday, where Jeongguk let himself be utterly vulnerable before the omega, Jimin has not come back to see him is no consolation. 

Sure, it could be a silly coincidence but the timing is too good to not be planned. 

Jeongguk huffs quietly and shifts on the bed to check the digital clock on the bedside table. It’s two hours now and the omega is still missing. This shouldn’t bother him so much, but it does. 

Maybe it has something to do with Jimin showing his trust in Jeongguk’s decision. Maybe it’s when Jeongguk decided to place his trust in the omega after his very first success since stepping foot in this hospital. Or maybe, it’s when Jeongguk came to terms with the fact that he took comfort in an omega’s scent and touch after eighteen long years. 

Whatever it was, Jeongguk knows something changed yesterday and he needs Jimin to be here before he loses his mind figuring this out on his own. 

A sudden commotion outside his room has Jeongguk flinching in bed and he quickly tries to get a glimpse of the issue. To top things off, Taehyung and Seokjin are downstairs with the boys so it’s just him - unguarded and exposed to any threat.

However, when two figures move into Jeongguk’s line of sight through the square windows on his room doors, his eyes widen in surprise. 

“Jimin?”

He attempts to sit up a little further and spots the omega caught in a heated argument with another doctor he’s never seen before. 

It’s evidently not a friendly fight because the other man is practically towering over the omega and trying to assert his dominance, and something about this man trying to posture Jimin has Jeongguk’s alpha bristling angrily. 

However, Jimin is standing his ground confidently, tilting his head enough to glare at the man right in the eye and talk back. The omega’s certainly angry if that vein popping on his neck means anything, but he maintains his composure throughout. 

After two minutes of arguing before his door, Jeongguk watches the other man shake his head and storm away furiously. When Jimin sighs and turns toward his door, Jeongguk scrambles back into his original position and lays on the bed, staring at the ceiling innocently. 

The doors slide open, parallelly picking up his heart rate, as the omega walks in with an acidic tinge tainting his honeyed scent. Oh, he’s mad alright. 

“Morning, Jeongguk-ssi,” He says and goes for the Jeongguk’s medical reports without another word. 

The alpha’s blood runs cold. 

Jeongguk. He’d called him Jeongguk. No ‘Boss-nim’ or his chirpy ‘Good morning!’ or even the smile that somehow became a tiny highlight of his day. 

Nothing but a suffocating silence fills the room as he can only watch the omega move around the room without a single word and check the drip levels and the monitor. When he walks toward Jeongguuk, a little bit of hope blooms inside of him, only to be crushed when Jimin proceeds to check his heart rate and blood pressure in silence, hardly meeting Jeongguk’s eye or making small talk about Jeongguk’s progress.

“I’ll have Namjoon-ssi come by later to draw some blood for a few tests.” Jeongguk’s heart stops, then beats two times faster at finally hearing the omega’s voice. 

His alpha though is not pleased. The cold, unattached voice Jimin talks in unsettles something deep inside him and Jeongguk feels helpless, unsure, and entirely lost about what to do. 

When Jimin leans back, hanging the stethoscope around his neck and placing the clipboard aside, Jeongguk knows he’s about to leave. 

But he doesn’t want him to. Not yet. 

Right as the omega bows quickly and turns to walk out, Jeongguk speaks up. “Did something happen?” 

The alpha watches with bated breath as Jimin stops and turns to face him slowly, surprise written all over his features. It’s endearing in a way, how he stares at Jeongguk with raised eyebrows and parted lips. 

“Me?” Jimin asks, pointing to himself for good measure. “You’re asking me?”

Yes, tell me what happened, he wants to say but what comes out instead is, “Do you see anyone else in the room?”

Shit. That is definitely not how he wanted things to go. 

The omega stares at him a little longer and Jeongguk begins to worry if he’s offended him, but finally… finally Jimin cracks a small smile and he walks toward Jeongguk again. 

“So now you want me to talk, huh?” Jimin stops before him but maintains a polite distance. Something he’s never done before. “Not gonna try and cut me off or make me shut up?”

Jeongguk’s scent sours a little and he hates the slight hurt in Jimin’s voice. He knows he was nothing short of an asshole ever since he came, but after yesterday, he’d already decided to give Jimin a chance and apologise via his actions.  

“I still do want you to stop talking so much,” Jeongguk says, but for once, his tone is soft, teasing. “But sure, why not? What could be better than venting out to a stranger who you’re probably not going to see again?”

“That is true,” Jimin nods seriously and lets out a solemn sigh. “Guess doctors do have that privilege after all.”

Jeongguk cracks a small smile. There he is. This is the Jimin he’s used to - witty, sharp-tongued and jumping at any chance to tease him back. 

“So? Wanna tell me what that was about?” When Jimin’s brows scrunch up in confusion, the alpha sighs and gestures toward the door with a tilt of his head. “Outside. The fight.”

“It’s stupid, really,” The omega blows out a long breath and runs a tired hand through his black locks. “That dude you saw there? Lee Sungwoon - son of this hospital’s founder and one of the few surgeons here,” Jimin rolls his eyes as he says, “He’s always trying to pick fights with me just because he can’t stand an omega being on the same level as him.”

 A small laugh bubbles out of him when he thinks about what happened the last time his men tried to pick a fight with Jimin just because he’s an omega. “Well, he should know better than to pick a fight with you. Maybe you can land a kick or two next time so he gets a hands-on experience.”

Jimin stares at him hard and long, evidently baffled as he scans Jeongguk up and down suspiciously. “Are we overdosing you or something? Because I swear I just heard you defend me . ”

Biting back a smile, Jeogguk shrugs indifferently. “Who knows? Maybe you’re the one hallucinating here.”

When the omega’s face breaks into a wide smile, the one that bunches up his cheeks and pushes his eyes into little curves, Jeongguk is assured all is right in the world again. 

“Anyways, that’s what happened. Like I said, it’s nothing —”

“What was today’s argument about?” Jeongguk blurts out, a tad desperate because he still doesn’t want Jimin leaving just yet. Just a little longer. 

“Oh. He, uh…” The shorter male hesitates briefly but eventually shrugs. “Might as well tell you, I guess. He was trying to make me shift you to a different hospital.”

What?

Jeongguk blinks rapidly, racking his brain as to what he could have done to offend this unknown man for him to move Jeongguk out. “But why?”

“Because apparently having the mafia in your hospital and having a bunch of gangsters standing outside of one room is a black mark on your name,” Jimin huffs angrily, seemingly getting worked up once more. “I mean, why should any of this matter? Why should the fact that you’re part of the mafia make you any different from anyone else? When you’re here, you’re here as a patient.”

Ignoring that familiar fluttery feeling churning in his gut, Jeongguk dares to ask, “So what did you say?”

“Well, I obviously called him out on his bullshit.” Jeongguk inhales sharply when the omega steps closer and ruffles his hair gently. “You, Boss-nim, are my patient. Like hell am I gonna leave you on the streets to just up and go find another hospital just ‘cause he’s a wuss.” A cheeky smile spreads across the omega’s face as he steps back and says, “So yeah, I politely told him to fuck off and take it up with the board if he dares. Honestly, I don’t think…” 

Though Jimin goes on talking, everything falls deaf on Jeongguk’s ears as he just stares at the omega with his heart slamming against his chest. 

Four days. Jimin has known him for a whole of just four days and despite Jeongguk’s piss-poor behaviour, nasty attitude and knowing what he does for a living, Jimin has continued to take care of him without a care, stayed by his side and helped him walk, and now….

Now, he’s even taken Jeongguk’s side against his peer, knowing it can lead to severe consequences for himself. 

He can feel his hands tremble slightly under the blanket, breathing becoming erratic and heart near-to-God pounding against his rib cage as he lets himself really look at Jimin for the first time. At this selfless person who’s done more for Jeongguk than anyone apart from his family ever has and for a second, he’s reminded of Taehyung’s words all those days ago. 

He's more than just an omega, Gguk.

Jeongguk was a blind fool to brush those words away because he sees it now. He knows now that Jimin, in all his pure good and selfless glory, is a man who deserves better than anything he has to go through for being an omega. 

And Jeongguk is going to make sure he makes up for all that he’s done, even if it’s the last thing he does. 

“... so let’s see if he dares,” Jimin finishes with a smirk until his pager starts beeping all of a sudden. “Shit, okay, I have to run, Boss-nim. Be good for me, okay?” And with that, he dashes out of the room in seconds.

Staring at the empty spot where Jimin was standing a few moments ago, a chuckle slips out of Jeongguk’s mouth, and before he knows it, he’s breaking out into full-blown laughter - the kind that has you trembling and leaking tears out of your eyes.

Park Jimin is an absolute force to be reckoned with, he decides, and yet somehow, Jeongguk only finds himself eager for their days together to come.

Later that day… 

“I don’t understand, why is hyung-nim sending us home?” One of the boys whine while the rest begin to get into their vehicles with a pout. “And why do you only you two get to stay?”

Taehyung smirks proudly. “One, because everyone knows we are his favourites —”

“It’s debatable now,” Seokjin pipes in. 

“Can’t argue there,” The red-haired omega says, already accepting his impending fate, before he turns back to the pouting… gangsters? “And two, because you guys are gathering too much attention.”

“But it’s never bothered him before. Hyung-nim’s always liked having us around!” Another young gangster shouts, and Taehyung and Seokjin immediately share a knowing look.

“Well… your hyung-nim is starting to like someone a little more.”

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ 

“Uh… where are all the boys?” Jimin asks the moment he walks inside, eyeing the room suspiciously and taking cautious steps forward. 

“Sent them home.” 

When Jimin literally snaps his head in Jeongguk’s direction with a bewildered look, the alpha has to resist the urge to burst out laughing. This reaction is definitely worth all the whines he had to hear from his men when he sent them home. 

“Why? I thought you said you had to have them around at all times.”

Jeongguk shrugs and leans back against the inclined bedrest. “I didn’t want you to get into a another argument with that Sungwoon dude again because of me.” The omega freezes from where he stands by the monitor and raises one eyebrow. “Oh, Taehyung and Seokjin hyung will still be here though, so —”

“No, wait, wait. Let’s back it up a little,” Jimin immediately shuffles forward to stand directly before Jeongguk. “You sent your men home?”

“Yup, as I said.”

“So that I don’t get in trouble again?”

“Mhm.”

“You did that for me?” 

Jeongguk stifles a laugh and narrows his eyes at his doctor. “Nothing’s really processing in your head right now, huh?”

Jimin only stands there, opening and closing his mouth a few times, the words never quite making their way out of his mouth. He ultimately gives up, shaking his head and smiling in disbelief as he comes back to go about his usual routine. 

Except this time, things are a little different. 

“Alright, we’re on Day 7. How are you feeling today?” Jimin asks, the clipboard in hand and his eyes focused on the reports. 

“I think it’s just the mild throbbing at the wound whenever I exert myself too much, otherwise nothing different than yesterday.” He answers, obediently.

Jimin eyes his sceptically once more but nods and goes toward the monitor. “We’ll have an MRI scan taken for that then. How about when you walk?”

“Hmm, the dizziness has reduced a lot but I’m still not able to walk at my usual pace just yet,” 

“...”

“What’s wrong?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Jimin says with an adorably confused pout and huffs in defeat. “Fine, uh… your meals? Medication?”

Jeongguk nods and shakes the empty glass in which Namjoon brought his pills. “All empty, and my meals are okay. Although I would love to have something with a little spice.”

“Okay, that’s it!” The omega slams the clipboard on the bed and approaches Jeongguk, wiggling a threatening finger. “What did you do, huh? Did you pull some stitches and not tell me? Are you just throwing your pills in the dustbin? What is it?”

“I haven’t done anything.” The alpha shrugs innocently, thoroughly enjoying Jimin’s reactions on the inside. 

“Then why are you doing this?!” 

“Doing what?”

“Cooperating with me!” Jimin cries, and he sounds so vexed about it that Jeongguk is on the verge of breaking down into a fit of laughter. 

“So you don’t want me to listen to you then?”

“I — well, of course I do. But you never listen.”

“Well, now I am.” The alpha sticks his left arm as a show of obedience and smiles like he hadn’t just been messing with the poor doctor. “Blood pressure?”

The doctor’s eyes stare at his outstretched arm, up at Jeongguk’s face then back at his arm. “I swear, you’re doing this just to mess with me now,” Jimin mumbles and grabs the sphygmomanometer. 

Their game of cat and mouse continues and Jeongguk relishes in every second that Jimin flushes red when he listens to the omega’s instructions and answers dutifully. Their daily 20-minute routine passes by too quick for his liking and it’s already time for Jimin to go. 

“Okay, that’s it for today then,” Jimin rolls the medical cart in place and spins on his heel to glare at Jeongguk. “And you better bring my Boss-nim back. This Jeongguk-person is weird.”

If his heart begins somersaulting in his chest at the omega calling him his Boss-nim, then it’s a secret that will go down with Jeongguk only, until his deathbed. 

“Is this some kind of mafia kink, Jimin-ssi? Should I be worried?”

The corners of Jimin’s lips curl up into a smirk. “If I had a mafia kink, which I’m not saying I do, I would have done something ages ago, Jeongguk-ssi.”

Jeongguk immediately flushes at the implications behind his words and clears his throat, praying to any God out there that his heart doesn’t start beating like a madman and make the monitor beep faster. 

Snickering to himself, Jimin bows and turns to head out of the room, but stops halfway and spins around to face him once more. “Oh, and for the record, Sungwoon is not going to have a problem with your stay here anymore.”

The alpha’s brows shoot up behind his bangs. “How so?”

“I may have taken your advice,” Jimin confesses with an impish shrug.

“You actually beat him up?!”

The omega sighs gravely. “Not literally, unfortunately, but I did beat his ass verbally in a public seminar before the board members so now he’s too embarrassed to face me.”

“That’s my savage doc,” Jeongguk grins, but quickly clears his throat and crosses his arms across his chest, nodding seriously as he says, “ Now you’re qualified to be my doctor.”

“Is that so?” Jimin shifts his weight to lean back slightly on one leg and cock his head up with a smirk. “In that case, do tell - what qualification do I get for beating your men in a fight?”

“Being my friend.” 

Silence engulfs the room as the two men stare at each other, one in anticipation and the other in pure, unadulterated shock. 

The longer the silence extends, the higher up Jeongguk’s blush grows, creeping from his neck and trailing upward. Looking away quickly, he’s just about to backtrack upon his words when —

“Does this mean I get to see your guns?” 

Out of all the things he expected Jimin to answer with, Jeongguk can hardly comprehend the response he’s hearing instead. 

“Sorry?” 

A coy smile creeps onto Jimin’s lips as he rocks back and forth on his heels. “Does being your friend come with the perks of seeing your mafia playthings? Otherwise, I don’t accept.”

Then again, when has Jimin ever been one to stick to orthodox ways of going about things? Jeongguk would probably have an aneurysm if the omega didn’t do at least one thing out of the ordinary in a day. 

“Deal.” An involuntary chuckle slips through his lips as he narrows his eyes to say, “As long as you don’t use it against me.”

“Don’t knock it till you try it.” Jimin quips with a wink. Jeongguk rolls his eyes playfully and holds his breath when those tinkling giggles fill the room once more. “Alright, see you tomorrow then, Jeongguk-ssi. Hope you don’t go back on your offer.”

“Wouldn’t dare of it.” He watches with a fond smile as Jimin titters quietly and reaches for the doors when the words are flying out of his mouth.

“And thank you, Jimin-ssi.”

The omega freezes up and turns on his heels slowly, surprise plastered across his beautiful features. “Come again?”

“I said, thank you. ”

He hears the shorter male inhales sharply, eyes wide as Jeongguk’s past words hang heavy in the air.  I'd rather die than thank an omega.

“What for?” Jimin whispers, eyes unblinking as they flicker across Jeongguk’s face in uncertainty and a smidgen of hope.

“For everything,” He whispers back with a smile that he can only hope speaks all the words he could never say. “... and also for not pulling the plug on me whenever I pissed you off.”

A choked laugh bursts out of the omega’s lips and in that moment, Jeongguk wishes he can take a snapshot of this moment - Jimin’s flushed face glowing in the golden streaks streaming into the room and his eyes sparkling as they stare at the alpha. 

 “Can’t say I didn’t think about it,” Jimin teases, but the emotion hangs thick in the ticking second passed between them. Backing towards the door slowly, a shy smile blooms on the omega’s face. “But you’re welcome.”

Jeongguk holds back the utterly goofy grin threatening to spread on his face, and he only watches as Jimin walks out the door. Just as they slide close he cries, “Have a good day, Jimin-ssi!”

A few seconds pass and he thinks he missed the timing when the omega’s head pops back in with a radiant smile. “Hyung.”

“Hm?”

“If you really meant the part about being friends, then you can start by calling me hyung.”

The alpha bites his lip but his body betrays him and curls his lips into a soft grin. “Have a good day… hyung.”

And that’s how an unconventional friendship began between the ruthless mafia heir and white-collared doctor began.

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

Being friends with Jimin, he discovers, is an entire action-packed movie all on its own. It was something new every day and Jeongguk seems to just be here for the ride. 

The day after his proposal, Jeongguk fretted over whether their dynamic is to be ruined and replaced with awkward moments, but trust Jimin to come barging into his room on a lazy afternoon and yell: 

“Where are the guns?”

Jeongguk sighs. “Good morning to you too, hyung.”

“Yes, yes, good morning. Now, where are the guns I was promised?”

“Well, excuse me for not being able to smuggle in weapons into a goddamn hospital when I can barely walk.” 

Jimin giggles and walks up to him to ruffle his hair, ignoring Jeongguk’s whines. “Ay, you know I was teasing.”

“I’m sorry but what the fuck is happening? Help a man out here.”Taehyung blurts out, utterly flummoxed as he sits upright on the couch and stares expectantly. 

From where he lies on Taehyung’s lap, Seokjin clicks his tongue. “Wrong question, baby. What you should be asking is - Jeongguk-ah, when did we miss the wedding and why were we not invited?”

An hour of explanation followed from there, with Jeongguk explicitly clarifying that he’s just friends with the doctor, while Jimin goes on to ignore him and strikes an immediate rapport with the two other omegas. 

It’s been four days since and from monotonous days of laying in bed and counting the number of seconds he can hold his breath, Jeongguk’s days have taken a complete 180-degree turn. 

Sometimes, it would just be Jimin coming in to check up on him and indulge in some small-talk-cum-teasing. Sometimes, it would be Jimin walking in during his breaks or in the late evenings, plopping onto the couch with Taehyung and Seokjin and indulging all of them in some hilarious anecdotes or outrageous patient stories.

On a few occasions, it would be Jimin forcing him into a wheelchair and taking him to the garden downstairs, hardly bothered about the weird looks thrown their way at the tatted, beefed up man and gentle doctor strolling in the park. 

“Ignore them, Gguk-ah.”

“Hyung, but you work here. They’re going to keep judging you and it’s not going to stop, so let’s just —”

“Hey,” Jimin stops the wheelchair and comes forward to sit on his haunches beside Jeongguk. “Do you trust me?”

“I do.” Jeongguk hardly hesitates to answer because it’s the truth. “I trust you.”

“Good. Then trust me when I say this - I don’t care about them. I care about you,” The omega lifts one hand to cup his cheek and stroke his skin gently with one thumb. “Just focus on me.”

And that was all it took for Jeongguk to throw all inhibitions aside and let himself enjoy moments in their own little bubble - where it’s just the two men learning the smallest of things about each other for no reason other than wanting to get to know one another and spend more time with each other.

In fact, he’s learnt a lot about the omega lately, and to say he’s quite proud of himself is downgrading that feeling. 

Like the way Jimin is a lover of any furry animal, or how he absolutely despises mango with all his heart. Things like his ardent passion for dancing to more intimate things like his type in men - tall, a little muscle packer here and there, funny, and ready to tolerate his busy schedule. 

And if Jeongguk secretly stores that information away and puffs his chest proudly whenever he met any of those conditions, then it’s between him and his late-night thoughts only.

It also came as a shock to see the number of things they had in common and yet how they stand on such different paths in life now. Both from Busan, brought up with a single parent, no siblings of their own and how they have their found families in the areas they work - it felt like a match made in heaven.

But you didn’t hear that from him.

Most of all, never in his entire life did Jeongguk imagine such days filled with just idle talk, wholesome memories and hours and hours of laughter. It felt like a fever dream, a universe pulled straight out of his deepest desires, but the alpha never spends too long dwelling on whether this is real or not. 

He would rather use those moments to build more memories with Jimin and his friends. 

“Hey Jeonggukie,” A soft voice sounds from the entry of his room. 

This was another improvement that his alpha is loving far too much - the myriad of nicknames. The original one, Boss-nim, never went away but instead came along with Jeonggukie, Ggukie, Bunny and occasionally, cutie - all of which never failed to leave Jeongguk into a stuttering mess.

Jeongguk strays out of his thoughts with a reflexive smile, turning to look at the omega walking in. “Hey, hyu….” He trails off quickly, a frown growing on his lips as his eyes register Jimin’s weary eyes and fatigued state. “Jimin hyung, what happened?”

“Huh?” The omega blinks rapidly, looking slightly disoriented before he shakes his head. “Nothing, Ggukie. Just tired, it’s been a long day.”

The alpha says nothing as Jimin walks over to the foot of his bed and checks his reports, but instead of his typical happy hums, Jeongguk sees him pinch his eyes and forehead repeatedly. 

“Hyung, you’re clearly not okay,” He starts when the omega walks toward him, stethoscope in hand. “Do you want to sit down for a while?”

“Can’t. I need to get your tests done —”

“Screw the tests, hyung!” He cries, a tad desperate because he’s never seen Jimin look so drained out. The lifeless look in his eye churns an ugly feeling in his gut, a feeling he hasn’t felt since that one incident eighteen years ago. “You can always come back after you rest,” Jeongguk tries again, a little softer this time.

Jimin only shakes his head with a tired smile. “I’m fine, bunny. Really.”

Uncertain of what else to do, Jeongguk simply sighs and leans back to let the omega go about pressing the chest piece of the stethoscope against his torso. He catches the doctor swaying slightly from time to time when he leans over, but Jeongguk doesn’t say anything. At least, not yet. 

After finishing his check-up, Jimin begins to stand upright. “Okay… so, um, nothing to worry abou — woah, ” He wobbles over and nearly loses his footing but Jeongguk catches him before he could and steadies the shorter male. “Shit, sorry Gguk.”

“Don’t apologise, for fuck’s sake! Just… Jimin, please. Just sit down for a little bit.” 

The omega just keeps shaking his head. “No. No, I can’t. I need to finish up here, and… and do my rounds… and then that thing in the… um,” Jeongguk watches with worried eyes as Jimin’s words start to slur. “Out… outpatient ward, and…”

When he begins to inhale shuddery breaths, Jeongguk tightens his grip on the doctor’s arm. “Hey, are you oka —” His heart slams to a stop when Jimin’s eyes roll back and he collapses into Jeongguk’s chest. “Hyung! Jimin hyung!”  

He taps the omega’s face lightly, feeling the panic seize his heart painfully and suffocate his lungs when Jimin continues to lay unresponsive in his arms. Jeongguk’s breath becomes erratic, every breath burning in his lungs, as he clicks on the nurse-call button aggressively. 

No, no, no. Not again. Please. I can’t… I can’t lose him like Dad. Please. 

Right then, the familiar voices of Taehyung and Seokjin coming back from their coffee break feels like a god-sent miracle. 

Jeongguk almost sobs as he yells out, “TAEHYUNG! JIN HYUNG!” 

In seconds, the two omegas dash inside and gasp when they see the doctor laying limp in Jeongguk’s arms, not wasting any time in rushing to their friends. 

“What happen —”

“I don’t- I don’t know ! He was standing here and then - he just - he was talking to me and I - he… he fell so suddenly and I couldn’t - fuck, he’s not waking up, hyung!” Jeongguk cries, hyperventilating as he holds Jimin’s limp form in his arms. “Why is he not waking up? How do I - what do I do? He - he’s not —”

“Hey, hey, Jeongguk, listen to me,” Seokjin says and holds the alpha’s face between his palms. “He’s going to be alright, okay?”

In the meantime, Taehyung tries to take Jimin into his arms but Jeongguk pulls the omega impossibly close and growls, eyes flashing red as his alpha takes over. 

“Gguk, I need to take him —”

“NO! No, you can’t, he’s… he’s mine. Don’t touch him,” He growls. 

Taehyung stands back with a helpless look, his omega instincts taking over to make him stay away as a strong, stinging scent of burning sandalwood spreads in the air. Seokjin is no better, wincing as he’s forced to step back the stronger Jeongguk’s scent grows.

His head throbs and all Jeongguk can think of in that moment is, Jimin. Mine. He’s mine. My omega. 

Right then, a rich mahogany scent seeps into the room and Jeongguk growls low in his chest as Namjoon approaches them quickly. Everything feels like a threat to him and his omega at this point. 

As the male nurse begins to reach for Jimin, Jeongguk is quick to growl once more but the alpha growls back, clearly more dominant than the mafia heir’s alpha. “Don’t growl at me, pup,” When he starts to take Jimin into his arms, the younger alpha whimpers but Namjoon is quick to release calming pheromones of his own. “I’ll bring him back to you. I’ll bring your omega back to you safe and sound. But you need to let me take him so I can help him.”

Help him. He can help our omega. Alpha is safe. 

Hesitantly, Jeongguk releases his grip on the omega’s body and watches in helpless despair as the nurse carries him bridal-style and rushes out of the room. 

“Jimin…” He whimpers and when Seokjin and Taehyung approach him once more, carefully scenting Jeongguk to calm him down, he breaks down in their arms. 

Just like he did eighteen years ago.

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

Jeongguk whimpers and shifts in his sleep, face contorted terribly as memories flash vividly before his eyes. 

“Appa? What’s happening?”

“Run! Run, Jeonnguk, go!” A garbled voice yells. 

He scrambles back and runs until he’s hiding inside a rickety cupboard - his secret hiding place whenever they play hide-and-seek.

Through the small crack, he watches as his father and the other uncles he plays with clutch their throats and drop to the ground one by one. A lot of strangers keep running in, breaking things as they go and setting his house on fire, but his eyes focus on a tall lady slowly walking up to his dad. 

“This is how we end, darling,” She says as she removes her mask, and Jeongguk immediately slaps a hand over his mouth to stop the gasp. 

It’s her. The kind omega lady who’s been coming over to play for a few months now. The one who he sees his dad kissing all the time. Jeongguk’s ‘soon-to-be new mom’, his dad had told him.

“Chae-won, you won’t… get away… with this.” His father coughs and tries to growl as the lady grips his hair. 

“Try surviving first, honey.” She says and lets his father’s head back forcefully, making his dad fall back and continue coughing. 

“We can’t find the boy!” A man yells and Jeongguk shrinks further into the cupboard. 

“Leave the boy, not like he can make it out anyways,” The lady says, looking back at Jeongguk’s family and laughing. “What a pathetic end to the great Hwa Yeong. Ha.”

Jeongguk waits and waits until everyone leaves his house, and once thee last man latches the main door close, he bursts out of his closet and runs to his dad and uncles. 

“Woonie samchon! Samchon, wake up!” Jeongguk sobs and runs to his uncles on the other side. “Hyunie samchon, Beomie samchon!Wake up, please!” When nobody responds, he runs over and drops beside his dad, shaking him continuously. “Appa! Appa, please, wake up! Let’s go, appa, there’s fire everywhere!”

Suddenly, his father opens his eyes with a gasp, coughing as he grabs Jeongguk’s wrist. “Gguk-ah…” 

“Gguk-ah, wake up,” A soft voice calls out, shaking him gently, and Jeongguk jolts awake with a loud gasp. “Hey, it’s me. It’s just me, you’re fine.”

The alpha looks up and finds Jimin sitting beside him, stroking his cheek with a cool touch of his palm and he relaxes onto his pillow with a shuddering sigh. 

“Are you okay?” Jimin whispers and starts to move his hand away, but Jeongguk holds it in place immediately and forces it back on his cheek. “I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.”

Heart still racing at the horrible nightmare, which is basically his past, Jeongguk distracts himself by staring at the pools of warmth in those honey-brown eyes. Nothing like the dull, lifeless look he had seen when Jimin had… 

“Jimin.” He gasps and surges up to pull the omega into a tight hug. “You’re here. Oh god, you’re okay.”

Jimin, although surprised at the sudden gesture, rubs a soothing arm on his back and nods against Jeongguk’s shoulder. “Yeah, I’m here. I’m okay.” 

The alpha inside him refuses to believe it just yet, making him tighten his grip around Jimin’s shoulders as he buries his face into Jimin’s neck. He doesn’t mean to but a small whiff of the omega’s - his omega’s - honeyed scent has Jeongguk immediately going in to rub his nose against Jimin’s scent gland. 

He can feel Jimin stiffen in his arms, but a few seconds pass and the omega relaxes in his arms, even tilting his neck a little for Jeongguk to access the entirety of his scent glands. 

And the alpha covers every inch of it, making sure it’s covered in sandalwood and citrus. Making sure Jimin smells like him. 

When he finally pulls back, the sight before him leaves him breathless. Jimin’s face is flushed the most beautiful shade of red, a healthy glow on his features, and for some reason, his lips look much more red than usual leaving everything to Jeongguk’s imagination. 

If he just leans a little closer, just enough to close that gap, he can —

“How are you feeling?” Jimin whispers, sending an involuntary shiver down Jeongguk’s spine as warm puffs of air wrap around his lips. 

“How am I feeling? How are you feeling?” Immediately, Jeongguk pulls back with a deep frown and scans the omega head-to-toe. “What happened to you?”

Jimin ducks his head, an embarrassed laugh slipping out of him as he avoids Jeongguk’s eye. “I… I was dehydrated.”

“What?!”

“And my body was kind of overworked.”

“Hyung…”

“And I was running on an empty stomach.”

“Hyung!” Jeongguk groans and slaps Jimin on the arm slightly. “Why would you do that to yourself?”

“Hey, in my defence, it wasn’t an active choice,” Jimin shifts a little where he sits beside the alpha on the bed and when Jeongguk’s arm wraps around his waist, he barely flinches. “I just didn’t have time.” 

“I’m sorry, can we just clarify who’s supposed to be the patient here?”

“Yah!” 

Jeongguk laughs softly when a soft punch lands on his chest and his hands shoot up to hold Jimin’s fist in his palm. The doctor’s breath hitches and he looks up from their joined hands to the alpha’s eyes, and Jeongguk has decided that he can stare at the stars dancing in those eyes for the rest of his life. 

Gently stroking the inside of the omega’s wrist, Jeongguk whispers, “Never do that to yourself again. Please. I… I can’t see you like that again.”

A guilty look passes over Jimin’s face as he nods. “I know, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you like that.”

“I know you didn’t, I just…” Jeongguk looks away and gulps slowly, “It reminded me of some bad memories.”

“It’s something to do with your dad, isn’t it?” 

Whipping his head in Jimin’s direction, he looks at the omega confusedly. “How did you…”

“You’ve always avoided talking about your… well, general dislike for omegas and also your dad so I put two-and-two together.”

Jeongguk smiles and pinches the omega’s waist playfully. “Always too smart for your own good, huh?”

The doctor puffs out his chest proudly. “Well, I have to be if I’m the Jeon mafia heir’s friend, don’t I?”

“You don’t have to be anything for me other than yourself,” He whispers, leaning in ever-so-slightly and this time, there’s no mistaking the way Jimin’s eyes flicker down to his lips and linger. 

When he finds Jimin leaning in, his heart can barely contain itself, beating so loud as though it wants Jimin to hear it. His eyes flutter shut when the omega’s nose brushes against his, and he waits for the gentle pressure on his lips. 

But in a split second, he feels Jimin shifting to bend forward and rest his forehead on Jeongguk’s. 

“Will you tell me about that incident with your father?” Jimin whispers, his voice so quiet Jeongguk could easily mistake it for his imagination. “Only if you want to,” He adds.

“I do. I want to tell you,” Jeongguk mumbles, sighing when a hand strokes his jaw softly. Taking a deep breath, he leans back and pats the space beside him. “Will you… will you sit next to me? Just for a while?”

Jimin is already nodding. “Of course.” 

They take a second to shift positions so Jimin can slip off his shoes and slide under the covers beside Jeongguk, wiggling until he’s practically plastered to the alpha’s side. When he slides an arm around Jimin’s waist and holds him in place, a feeling of wholeness and contentment washes over him and he can only think of one thing. 

This feels so right. 

When Jimin leans against his shoulder, he takes that as his cue and starts. He tells Jimin everything . 

About how that omega, Kim Cha-won came into his life when he was just seven years old and Hwa Yeong was just gaining a name. How she enamoured everyone in the Jeon household, including Jeongguk. How she so effortlessly gained everyone’s trust and made a thousand empty promises of staying by their side. 

How she used it all to her one advantage, secretly poisoning all their men and bringing double the number of men to wreak havoc on the Jeon household, on the day it was Jeongguk’s birth mother’s death anniversary - a day when everyone was most vulnerable. 

“Luckily, my dad hadn’t consumed enough of the poison so we were able to slip out of the fire and that’s where we had to begin building everything again from scratch.” Jeongguk finishes, taking comfort in the gentle squeezes Jimin leaves on his arm. “Hwa Yeong wouldn’t be what it is today without my dad. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my dad.” He whispers, feeling a stray tear leak out of his eye. 

“I’m so sorry that happened to you, Ggukie,” Jimin sits upright and gasps softly, reaching out to wipe the tear away. “You and you’re dad are so strong, and I don’t know if it means anything, but I’m so proud of how far you guys have made it.”

Jeongguk lets a teary smile splay on his face as he knocks his forehead against Jimin’s lightly. “It means a lot. Thank you.”

“Is that why you got so worried when I fainted?”

His body instinctively stiffens at the reminder and he holds Jimin’s waist tighter. “Yeah. So don’t you dare do that to me again.”

The omega pauses for a while, refusing to answer for a while until he nods sincerely. “I won’t.”

“And you’re eating your meals with me from tomorrow,” Jeongguk places a finger on the omega’s lips when he opens his mouth to protest. The sense of deja-vu makes the two of them smile as he says, “I'm not gonna move my finger until you nod.”

It takes every fibre in his being to stop himself from replacing that finger with his own lips, and the fact that he can feel the plushness right under his skin drives him crazy. If this is what it feels like underneath his finger, imagine if Jeongguk could just bite down and suck on the —

“Ow!” He retracts his finger, clutching it to his chest where it throbs from where Jimin had bitten him. “You’re a menace, Park.”

“Takes one to know one, Boss-nim — ah!” Jimin yelps where the alpha lands another pinch to his waist. “See? A menace is what you are, ever since the beginning.”

Jeongguk harrumphs and narrows his eyes at the omega. “Don’t change the topic, Jimin-ssi. You’re eating your meals with me from tomorrow and that’s final.”

“You’re only here for another five days at best, Boss-nim. What will you do after that, hm?” 

Although Jimin hadn’t meant to spoil the mood, the sudden reminder of the numbered days he has left with the omega leaves Jeongguk feeling a painful desperation in his chest. A kind of longing that squeezes at his heart and makes him choke up at the very thought of not seeing Jimin any longer. 

Will he ever be able to go about his days without thinking about honey-dripping laughs and crescent-eyed smiles? Can he ever truly move on from the little haven he’s made for himself in the comfort of these arms? Is Jeongguk ever going to be the same?

He can think of only one answer.

Impossible. 

Entirely unaware of his words, Jimin nudges Jeongguk’s shoulder with his own. “Yah, what’s wrong?”

Quickly shaking his head, Jeongguk simply stares at those honey-brown eyes that hold his entire world. In a move fuelled purely by the swell of fierce longing in his chest, he lifts Jimin’s hand and places a kiss on his knuckles. 

“Guess I’ll have to make the most of my time then.”

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

“Here, add some more kimchi and eat it like this.”

“Oh my god, Jeongguk stop feeding - mmfh !” Jimin huffs and rolls his eyes while chewing on the bite of pork, lettuce and kimchi stuffed into his mouth. 

Although tempted to grab his phone and snap a picture at how cute the omega looks, Jeongguk’s hands are slightly greased up from feeding Jimin and himself simultaneously. He looks at the doctor expectantly after he’s done chewing, thriving on even the smallest bit of appreciation thrown his way. 

“... it’s good,” Jimin mumbles and the alpha whoops happily. “Are you seriously that happy seeing me eat?”

Jeongguk nods and hums around the food in his mouth, swallowing quickly to say, “Can’t have a sick doctor treating me now, can we?”

“Yah!” The alpha giggles and goes on to wrap up another bite of kimchi, pork and boiled eggs inside a piece of lettuce. 

They’ve been at this new addition to their daily routine for three days now. Staying true to his word, Jeongguk made Jimin join him for at least two out of his three meals, and while the omega tried to avoid it first, he eventually gave in when Jeongguk refused to eat unless he did.

It started off with a respectable amount of distance between them, with Jimin sitting on the couches with Taehyung and Seokjin. But over time, he moved to sitting beside Jeongguk’s bed and ultimately sitting on the bed with Jeongguk and sharing the same tray on the food trolley.

“Eat.”He holds out the next bite for Jimin, leaning a bit closer this time. 

“Who’s the patient and who’s the doctor,” Jimin grumbles but dutifully leans forward to accept the bite of food. 

He’s about to lean back when Jeongguk holds his chin and wipes a bit of red bean paste from the corner of his lip with his thumb. The omega freezes in place, staring as Jeongguk lifts that very thumb to his mouth and sucks the paste away, all while maintaining eye contact with Jimin. 

“Oh god, I can’t take this anymore,” Taehyung huffs, tucking his phone into his pocket and standing up from the couch. “Babe, let’s go. I think I’m going to barf up all the bibimpap we just ate.”

Seokjin is quick to agree and grabs Taehyung’s hand to leave the room, but not without yelling, “Use protection, kids!”

Mood: FU In My Head - Cloudy June

The two men hardly bat an eye, staring at each other with hooded eyes as the tension builds in the air and leaves an electrifying buzz underneath their skin. It’s a challenge now, to see who is going to break first and give in to the temptation they’ve avoided for so long. 

Jimin moves first, placing his chopsticks aside in a deliberate move and staring at Jeongguk with a hungry look in his eye as he quickly wraps up some kimchi, pork and lettuce with his bare hand and holds it up for Jeongguk. 

He raises one eyebrow, as though saying Do it if you dare. 

Too bad Jeongguk is one who loves a good challenge. 

Wrapping his fingers around Jimin’s wrist, he smirks when there’s a sharp inhale from the omega as he guides the bite towards his mouth and finally eats it from Jimin’s hand. He makes sure to swipe his tongue out and lick his lips, while Jimin pulls his hand back in a daze with his eyes never leaving the alpha’s lips. 

Sandalwood and chamomile wafts all around them, blending with each other and leaving the two men dizzy in the powerful aroma of their combined scents. The two of them are standing at the edge of a precipice, and one move is enough to send them falling heads first without giving a fuck about the consequences. 

This time, instead of just guiding the wrap towards Jimin’s mouth, Jeongguk grabs his chin in a rough grip and relishes the small gasp that slips out of Jimin’s lips. However, the omega ups his game and holds Jeongguk’s hand in place to wrap his lips around Jeongguk’s fingertips as well, giving it a kittenish lick before he finally pulls away and wipes his own lips. 

Jeongguk’s breath turns heavy, every breath ragged as he extends his hand forward to place a thumb on the omega’s bottom lip and pull it down gently, staring at the way it bounces back up and remains slightly parted from the upper one. 

His self-control is slipping out of his hand faster than grains of sand and Jeongguk doesn’t know how long he can hold himself back from lunging forward and ravishing Jimin’s lips. 

“Fuck this.”

Jeongguk snaps his eyes in time to see the dark, hooded look in the omega’s eye.

And Jeongguk knows. This is it. 

In one swift move, he pushes the food trolley away right in time for Jimin to slide forward on the sheets and crash his lips onto Jeongguk’s. 

There’s nothing even remotely delicate or polite about the kiss - just a messy clash of lips battling for dominance as they try to devour each other. Every place Jimin drags his hand across his skin leaves a scorching trail in its wake, from his chest up to his neck and moving to cup his jaw firmly. 

Jeongguk already knows he’s so far gone for this omega when he lets Jimin do what he wants, tilting the alpha’s head at his own will and controlling the pace of their kiss. Leaning up, he swipes his tongue across Jimin’s lip and feels the spicy aftertaste of the kimchi and red bean paste combined with Jimin’s own honeyed scent swirling so thick in the air around them. 

The taste of Jimin’s lips is addicting, stronger than any aphrodisiac out there, and he just can’t get enough. He can never have enough. 

When Jimin's lips move to place kisses along his jaw, he moans and wraps both his arms around the omega’s waist. “Hyung, I… mm - if we do this, I can’t —” He’s silenced once more when Jimin’s lips crash onto his lips fiercely. 

Pulling back slightly, Jimin's lips hovering over his, the shorter male whispers, “Do you want this?”

“Yes,” He breathes out, not ashamed to voice just how desperate he is. “Fuck, I want this so much.”

Jimin presses a soft kiss to his lips, then two, then three and hums. “Then shut up and kiss me, Boss-nim.”

And that’s all the permission he needs. 

Growling low in his chest, Jeongguk pulls the omega onto his lap and lets Jimin straddle him comfortably before he tilts his head up to crash their lips together once more. His blood feels like molten lava under his skin as he chases after the lips he’s waited to kiss for days now, and the feeling of Jimin responding just as eagerly makes his alpha howl in joy. 

With a little difficulty, he pushes the white coat off of Jimin’s shoulders and lets his hands run all over the thin dress shirt underneath, loving the feeling of those perfect curves arching under his touch. He feels Jimin curl a hand around his nape and pull him closer and the alpha goes willingly, sighing into the kiss and wishing to stay here for the rest of his —

“Jimin-ah, have you seen — oh shit! ”

Jeongguk almost goes feral when the omega rips himself away quickly, and the two men stare with heaving chests as Namjoon stands by their door, equal parts embarrassed and mortified. “Fuck, I’m so sorry!”

“Joon hyung —” 

“I - I can come back later, I swear!” Namjoon bows and slides the door shut with a slam, his crocs slapping loudly against the tiles as he rushes away. 

“Shit .” 

The mafia heir turns to find Jimin quickly fixing his hair in a hurry and grabbing a tissue to wipe the grease off his fingers. “Hyung, we —”

“Not now, Jeongguk,” The doctor says curtly and reaches for his coat, throwing it on hastily and backing away with an indecipherable look in his eye. “I’ll - I’ll come back, okay? Just… give me some time.”

The omega disappears out of the room in seconds and Jeongguk sits just as Jimin left him, chest heaving as he tries to come to terms with the fact that Jimin just kissed him and then ran away just as quickly. 

He tries to stop the ugly vines of old trauma and hate crawl up his spine, but the tendrils are faster, wrapping around his heart and slowly closing the doors to his heart once more. 

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

Jimin dashes through the hallways, rambling apologies to patients and families as he runs through without a stop. 

He finally got time on his hands today after back-to-back surgeries at the O.R but when he headed to the alpha’s ( his alpha’s ) room, he finally understood the meaning of one’s blood running cold. 

Jeongguk was nowhere to be found - not in the bathroom or the balcony - so now he’s off to find his only refuge. 

When he spots two bright-haired omegas sitting at the cafe, he sighs in relief and rushes inside. “Taehyung! Jin hyung!”

“Hey, Jimin-ah! What’s —”

“I can’t find Jeongguk.”

The cafe chairs screech loudly as the omegas jump to their feet. “What?!”

Jimin runs trembling fingers through his hair. “I checked everywhere - the room, bathroom, balcony, even the corridor to his room. He’s not there.”

“Follow me,” Taehyung says simply and the three men dash out of the room, heading for the elevators. Once they step in, Taehyung clicks for the top-most floor. “Wherever he is, he can’t have gone too far,” Jimin nods and bites his lip to hold back the tears as the red-haired omega continues, “Jin hyung, you check the terrace and I’ll check around the…”

Everything goes mute around the omega as his eyes look out the glass elevator and spot a lone figure sitting in the gardens. In their place - Jimin and Jeongguk’s place - right under the oldest pine tree.

When the elevator doors happen to stop at one of the lower levels, Jimin dashes out without a word and barrels his way through the emergency exit, taking the stairs two at a time to reach the ground floor. 

He can hear the blood roaring in his ears and muscles screaming at him to take a break but he runs on and on until he’s stepping outside and into the cobblestone pathways of the garden. The closer he jogs, the stronger he can smell Jeongguk’s sandalwood scent and after having been drenched in that scent yesterday, it sends his omega into overdrive once more.

Coming to a slow stop right before the alpha, Jimin sighs in relief. “Jeongguk-ah…” 

He sees the alpha startle and then sits up stiffly, refusing to turn back and look Jimin in the eye. The way his comforting sandalwood scent begins to smell like burnt wood has his omega clawing inside his chest to do something, anything, so their alpha isn’t sad anymore. 

“Why weren’t you in your room?” He takes slow steps to walk around and stand before the alpha, who promptly turns away from him. “Jeongguk —”

“Are there any tests left for the day, Doctor Park?” The alpha finally speaks, and the hoarse edge to his voice does things to Jimin. “Anything for you to check?”

“No, nothing.”

Jeongguk hums. “Then you can move on to your other patients, Jimin-ssi. I’d like to be alone for some time.”

“And I’d like to stay here,” He retorts, doing his best to keep up his strong facade even though this distance between them kills him on the inside. 

“Oh, so now you want to stay, huh?” Jeongguk chuckles bitterly and the sound breaks Jimin’s heart. “Funny isn’t it, because I remember asking you to do the same yesterday.”

The omega immediately drops down to sit on his haunches before Jeongguk. “I told you I was going to come back,” He whispers.

“You couldn’t have spared just two minutes to talk about it?” Jeongguk snaps, finally turning to face Jimin with fire raging in those doe eyes. “You had enough time on your hands when you had your tongue down my throat.”

“Jeongguk!” He shoots up to his feet, hardly masking his hurt as he searches for anything in the alpha’s face as to why he’s being so cold. “What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong , Jimin-ssi, is that the omega I’ve been longing for kissed me yesterday and then ran away like it was a mistake,” Jeongguk turns away and swallows harshly. “Like we were a mistake.”

Jimin’s just about to explain himself when he pauses, heart slamming to a stop as he registers Jeongguk’s words. The omega I’ve been longing for.  

“You know, I get it, though,” Jeongguk continues, laughing sourly as he points to himself, “I mean, who in their right mind would ever want to be with someone from the mafia? Someone who fucking kills for a living —”

“Stop that! You know Hwa Yeong is much more than that,” Jimin cuts in, unable to hear this slander against his alpha any longer. “You know you are better than that.”

“Yeah?” The alpha stares at him silently, jaw clenched as he shrugs with a wave of nonchalance. “Well, I also know I’m just a reckless mistake, so there’s that —”

He feels the alpha go completely rigid as Jimin presses his lips onto his, holding Jeongguk’s face to hold him into the kiss as he tilts his head and pushes his lips more firmly against the alpha’s soft ones. 

Come on, alpha. Kiss me back. Please.

Jimin almost pulls back when he gets no response but then fingers splay across his face and Jeongguk surges up to meet him halfway into the next kiss. He whimpers, slowly seating himself on the alpha’s lap and closing his eyes, losing himself in the feeling of Jeongguk’s lips on his, hands holding Jimin far too gentle to be called the hands of the mafia. 

This is nothing like their messy kiss back in the room. No, this is the complete opposite. Just a slow but desperate press of lips again and again as they try to convey the million words and apologies they couldn’t get across. 

After a while, Jimin sighs and pulls back, hands still on Jeongguk’s face to keep his eyes on Jimin. “You are not a mistake, Jeon Jeongguk. Never. You are the best thing that’s happened to me in a very long time.”

The alpha’s eyes flutter shut as he seems to absorb Jimin’s words entirely. “Then why…”

“I left quickly because I needed to explain some things to Namjoon,” Jimin bumps his nose against Jeongguk’s with a soft laugh. “Contrary to popular belief, doctor-patient relationships aren’t exactly allowed, you know?” When the alpha opens his eyes to stare at Jimin once more, he bites his lip and smiles. “Of course, sexual roleplay is a different story altogether but —”

“Oh my god,” Jeongguk throws his head back and lets out an airy laugh, and Jimin’s omega sings in joy. 

Stroking the apple of Jeongguk’s cheeks gently, Jimin knocks their foreheads together and sighs. “I’m sorry for leaving like that. I just didn’t want any more trouble for you during your last few days here.” 

He hears Jeongguk inhale sharply and pull away slightly, turning to avoid meeting Jimin’s eye silently. But Jimin is nothing if not determined, especially when it comes to doe-eyed alphas. 

“Jeongguk-ah,” When he gets no response, Jimin places a soft kiss on his left cheek. “Ggukie,” Another kiss on his right cheek. “Bunny,” A kiss to his forehead this time and now he can see Jeongguk pursing his lips to keep from smiling. “Boss-nim,” He whispers and places a tender kiss on the tip of his nose. 

The alpha finally chuckles softly and turns his head just as Jimin is leaning in to meet him halfway in a tender kiss on the mouth. When they pull back again, Jeongguk sighs and runs a hand up and down Jimin’s back. “I’m sorry, too. I just… I trust you, I really do. I know you won’t hurt me the way she did with appa, but I just…”

“Can’t help but worry,” Jimin finishes for him with a sad smile and the alpha nods. 

Staring into his alpha’s eyes, the world blurs around him and gives him the pleasure of focusing only on the way Jeongguk smiles, eyes flickering down to his lips as he leans in once more. He feels a smile growing on his face as he leans in too, just enough to —

“Jeon Jeongguk!” A voice cries from the far end of the garden. 

Jeongguk groans and lets his head fall against Jimin’s shoulder as the omega laughs softly and presses a chaste kiss into his hair. However, the moment he tries to move off of the alpha’s lap, Jeongguk’s fingers clamp around his waist tightly and pull him back down. 

“Jeo - Jeongguk, let me go!” He hisses, hearing footsteps approaching them quickly. “They’re here, Gguk, I need to —”

“Let them see,” Jeongguk says and Jimin squeaks when a sturdy arm wraps around his waist and shifts his position so he’s sitting sideways on the alpha’s lap. “Let them see my omega sitting on my lap and dare to say anything.”

Jimin’s wolf keels over at the possessive tone and he flushes a bright red, burying his face into his palms when two angry omegas walk their way. 

“I can’t believe the two of you,” Taehyung cries, waving an angry finger in their direction. “You’re sitting here and sucking faces while the two of us were searching for this idiotic alpha!”

Peeking through his fingers, Jimin gives them a sheepish smile. “Sorry?”

“At least say it like you meant it, Park,” Seokjin says with an amused sigh. “Jesus, when did we become the third-wheelers, babe? That was always Jeongguk’s role.”

“The day he got his whupped by an omega called Park Jimin,” Taehyung deadpanned. 

Jimin throws his head back and laughs with tears in his eyes while the alpha huffs and cries, “I did not!”

“Verbal ass-whupping counts.”

“Jesus, so what now? Do we just — should we just leave and let you two canoodle here?” Seokjin asks, wiggling a finger at the two men. 

“No, we’ll —”

“Definitely leave us here,” Jeongguk answers in a heartbeat and the omega buries his face into his alpha’s shoulder in embarrassment. 

The two omegas grumble in faux -annoyance and say something along the lines of Annoying lovebirds’ as they leave, but the two men cuddling in the gardens could hardly care. They sit that way for a while, with Jeongguk’s arms wrapped around his frame and Jimin leaning his head on one shoulder as he enjoys the feeling of his alpha swaying him in his arms. 

After what feels like an hour, but quite possibly only fifteen minutes, the hospital’s main clock sounds a rhythmic beat to mark the end of the evening and alert the patients to head back to their rooms. 

That’s when an idea strikes him. 

Pressing a kiss to Jeongguk’s neck, he removes himself from Jeonguk’s lap with great difficulty and laughs when the alpha whines with a big pout. “Come on, you big baby, I want to show you something,” He says, taking both of Jeongguk’s hands in his and tugging on them slightly. 

Jeongguk lets him haul him to his feet and they move to make their way out of the gardens, hiding their flushed faces in the darkness of the evening as their hands find each other’s and fingers intertwine instinctively. 

The omega pulls them in and out of different corridors of the hospital, avoiding places where the other doctors go on rounds and they burst out giggling when they finally enter the elevator.

“Where are you taking me?” Jeongguk whispers as he stands with an arm around Jimin’s waist and holding him close. 

He taps the alpha’s nose with a grin. “You’ll see.”

The taller male puts up a great fight, trying to pull the answers out of Jimin with his puppy-eyed looks and adorable pouts, but Jimin manages to hold his ground and leads them to the top-most floor of the premises. 

“Why are we going to the terrace?” Jimin hushes him promptly and uses his employee ID to swipe across the scanner and unlock the heavy metal doors. “Jimin hyung, seriously, I don’t think we should —”

“Jeez, when did you become so boring, Boss-nim? Just let loose will you.” The alpha huffs but obliges nonetheless. 

With an excited giggle, Jimin navigates their way through the dark until he reaches an open part of the terrace that isn’t filled with pipes and air conditioning vents. When he finds the perfect place, Jimin moves to sit on the floor and pat the space beside him. “Come on, sit down.”

Without a moment of hesitation, Jeongguk does drop to the floor but instead of sitting beside him, he lays his head on Jimin’s lap with a proud smile. “Will your surprise work if I lay down?”

Jimin falters, brain short-circuiting at the sight before him - Jeongguk’s black locks splayed around him and his doe-eyes filled with the twinkling stars above and it’s almost as if he holds the entire universe in his eyes. 

“Did I lose you, Jimin-ssi?” The alpha teases. 

The omega gulps and shakes his head with quick breaths. “N- no, I’m here.”

Jeongguk hums and snuggles closer, turning his head slightly to place a feather-light kiss on Jimin’s stomach and the omega’s hand automatically finds its way into those wavy locks, carding his fingers through them and smiling as the alpha moans in bliss. 

They continue to bask in the blissful silence, content with just enjoying the other’s presence beside them until Jimin is finally able to tear his eyes off Jeongguk and look up at the sky. 

With a small gasp, he smiles brightly and taps Jeongguk on the shoulder. “Gguk-ah, look up.”

“Don’t wanna,” He whines and buries his face into Jimin’s stomach. 

With an endeared laugh, Jimin leans forward to grab his face, press a quick kiss to his lips and whisper, “Look up, baby.”

He watches with bated breath as the alpha turns on Jimin’s lap and gasps when his eyes fall on the sight above him. With no clouds veiling the sight like back in Seoul, every inch of the midnight sky is studded with millions of twinkling stars, some huddled closer to each other and covering the vast expanse of black in a thousand different shapes. 

For Jimin, however, he sees the entire starry sky in the wide doe-eyes transfixed above and lets his eyes rake over the way the silver moonlight beams kiss the alpha’s features and douse him in an ethereal glow. 

He wonders how he’s lived so long without this sight in his life. 

I want this every day, he thinks, I want to see him every day, kiss him every single day, stay in his arms for the rest of my life. 

“You know, back in Seoul, I always tried to go out on clear sky days but I’ve never seen these many stars. Ever,” The alpha breathes out, entirely fascinated but his full-blown bunny grin reduces into a small smile as he sighs. “I’m going to miss all of this when I go back.”

But I can’t have him. Hwa Yeong needs him more than I do.

Letting a lone tear leak out of his eye silently, Jimin thanks the stars for distracting Jeongguk long enough for him to wipe it away and smile when the alpha looks at him once more. 

“I’m sure you will,” he whispers, stroking Jeongguk’s cheek softly and praying that the smile on his face doesn’t betray him. “Too bad though, because I’m gatekeeping this sight for myself.”

Jeongguk chuckles and grabs his wrist to place a kiss on his knuckles. “The sight being the one above or below you?”

“Above.” The alpha glares and tugs on his arm to pull him into a kiss as ‘punishment’, blissfully unaware of the true answer in Jimin’s head. 

Below me. Always the one below me.

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

Love. 

It’s a feeling Jeongguk has never really understood. Never really grasped the idea of that magical feeling where your world blurs around you, ears ringing loud, and head filled only with thoughts of your significant other when you’re with them. 

He doesn’t think it applies to Jimin as well. Because how could it?

Every second he spends with the omega, the world doesn’t blur around him, his world becomes Jimin and Jimin only. He still sees everything else, but not without seeing Jimin in it too. 

His ears don’t dare to ring out loud because he makes sure he absorbs every word out of the omega’s mouth and cherishes it as one would do for a prayer. 

If his head was ever filled with thoughts of Jimin while they spent time together, he would never forgive himself because he would rather use that empty space in his brain to live in the moment and fill that space with many newer memories with the omega. He doesn’t forget the old ones either, he could never, but when it comes to Jimin, he craves to store it all.

So no, maybe this isn’t love but instead, something much more special than a simple four-letter word. It’s a feeling that’s reserved only for the two of them in his whole world. 

What was it Jimin called? Gatekeeping. 

Yeah, he’s gatekeeping this feeling for himself. 

When he hears Jimin’s chirpy voice echoing in the hospital corridor as he greets the interns and other patients a good night, he can’t stop the ‘whipped, heart-eyed smile’ as his friends like to call it, from growing on his lips. 

In the past three days, Jeongguk has realised the true meaning of paradise. 

His day’s routine hasn’t changed much. Jimin still walks in through the door with a smile and goes about his doctorly duties. He still joins Jeongguk for a few meals together and spares at least an hour to head down to the gardens with the alpha or slip in during quiet evenings. 

But now, every part of his routine is interspersed with a flurry of kisses, an unhealthy amount of cuddling and so much domesticity that an outsider might just gag. 

Every time the omega walks in, it’s to run into Jeongguk’s arms and kiss him silly before pulling back with a flushed face and going about his routine, sometimes leaving small kisses as he listens to Jeongguk’s heartbeat and stealing a kiss every time he moves to either side of the bed.

When he comes in for meals, he makes himself comfortable right beside Jeongguk and feeds him happily as they chat with the omega couple at the other end of the room. And on days when he can’t take Jeongguk to the gardens and exchange lazy kisses, he makes up for it by taking them to the terrace and cuddling underneath the stars. 

“May I come in, Boss-nim?”

Jeongguk smiles as the omega walks in quietly, looking as radiant as ever in his white coat, dress shirt and slacks, and his hair mussed up adorably from running around the hospital. 

“Hi, hyung - oh.” He chuckles when Jimin goes right in for a tight hug without a single word, and he’s quick to reciprocate, immediately wrapping his arms around the omega. 

Jimin has been increasingly affectionate in the past three days, never missing a chance to have his hands on Jeongguk in some way or the other, and honestly, Jeongguk isn’t complaining. 

Tomorrow will be the day he gets discharged, and as much as he wants to sulk and lament about it, he’ll save that for later. 

He doesn’t want to waste even a single precious moment he gets to spare with Jimin. 

“How was your day?” He whispers, stroking the back of Jimin’s head as the omega turns to rest his head on Jeongguk’s collarbones. 

“T’was fine.” 

“You didn’t join me for dinner.”

“Busy with rounds.”

Jeongguk frowns. “Did you manage to slip in a meal?”

“Mm.”

“Hey,” He cups the doctor’s face and makes Jimin lift his head to face him. “What’s wrong?”

The omega’s honey-brown search his, brows furrowed slightly as he bites down on his lip and just stares at Jeongguk. He stares like the answers to his unspoken worries can be found on Jeongguk’s face. He stares as though blinking for a second can make Jeongguk vanish into thin air. 

“Jimin-ah…”

“Can we lie down together?” Jimin blurts out and the alpha jerks back at the sudden request. “Please?”

“Sure,” His body is already moving before he can say it. “Whatever you want. Come here,” he says, extending his arms thinking Jimin just wanted to cuddle. 

The omega shakes his head and manoeuvres Jeongguk until he’s lying down on his bed completely with one arm stretched out and before he can ask what he’s doing, Jeongguk watches, surprised, as Jimin toes his shoes off and slides under the covers to lie down next to him and rest his head on Jeongguk’s arm.

Jeongguk finds himself frozen in place, completely lost on what he has to do now because Jimin has never asked to lie down like this. 

Even when Jeongguk made a teasing request before, Jimin only flushed red and diverted the topic. So to have the omega willingly sleep by his side sends his alpha wild, yearning to pull his omega flush against him and keep him close forever. 

“Is this okay?” Jimin whispers.

Smacking his lips together, the alpha nods. “More than okay.”

With a small hum, Jimin simply lies there without another word, and Jeongguk is almost convinced he’s dozed off when the omega is snuggling in closer, pressing himself up against Jeongguk completely and tucking his head into the crook of Jeongguk’s neck. 

“Did… did something happen? That Sungwoon asshole say anything to you?” Jimin shakes his head. “Did Taehyung beat you in arm-wrestling again?”

The omega laughs softly, a little choked up, as he shakes his head once more. “Just missed you is all,” he whispers and presses a kiss onto the dip of  Jeongguk’s collarbones. 

“Yahh, can we please call the Jimin of last week to come and have a chat with you?” Jeongguk teases.

Jimin huffs, letting his warm breath tickle Jeongguk’s skin as he quips,“That Jimin will come if you bring the bratty Boss-nim along with him.”

“Deal. What shall we do when they come? Lock them in a closet till they kiss and make-up?”

Jimin giggles louder this time. “What is this, 7 minutes of heaven? Are we in high school?”

“Hey, you’re the one who took me to prom already,” The alpha clicks his tongue disapprovingly and goes on to say, “Although you were a horrible date, forgetting my corsage and all.”

His heart swells proudly in his chest when the shorter male slaps him on the chest lightly and snuggles close, but Jeongguk pulls him even closer, placing his other arm on Jimin’s waist to hold him there. 

They lay together in silence, at ease with listening to each other’s steady breathing and feeling the gentle beating of hearts under their chests. 

“What are you going to do once you’re back in Seoul?” Jimin whispers all of a sudden. 

Rubbing his hand along Jimin’s side absent-mindedly, Jeongguk sighs. “Probably start off with getting my revenge on the fuckers who landed me in the hospital in the first place.”

“Are you going to kill them?” 

Jeongguk’s hand freezes. “I… I might have to. I- it’s complicated.”

The shorter male simply hums and presses another kiss to his neck. “It’s okay, I’m not judging you. I was just wondering.”

Relief floods him once more and Jeongguk nods against the omega’s hair. A few more moments pass with the steady beeping of the monitor until the silence is broken once more. 

“Will you…” The alpha waits patiently as Jimin sucks in a sharp breath, exhaling slowly before whispering. “Will you be able to see me again?”

He lets a moment pass, trying to think of the right thing to say because nothing in his life is ever set in stone. He still doesn’t know if he wants to drag Jimin into a life like his — a life spent waiting anxiously to hear if his lover is alive or not. 

“I want to,” He whispers instead because that’s the most truth he can offer at the moment. 

Jimin seems to hear the unspoken buts in those three words because he inhales shakily and fists Jeongguk’s hospital gown in a tight grip. The usually calming scent of honey and chamomile turns much stronger -a sickly kind of sweet with smoky undertones that sting Jeongguk’s nose and his alpha can feel their omega growing upset. 

“Hyung,” He rasps and his heart breaks when a small tear splashes on his bare skin. 

“I’m sorry,” Jimin sobs softly, clutching Jeongguk’s neckline tighter. “I’m sorry, I just — I don’t know what to do , Jeongguk-ah.” It’s like a hand squeezes Jeongguk’s heart as Jimin continues to cry in hushed tones. “I know you have to go back. God, I know all too well that Hwa Yeong needs you so - so much. But I… I think I need you too, and I can’t - I can’t ask that of you.”

“You can,” Jeongguk says, silencing the voice trying to make him see reality as he desperately holds his tears in. “Just ask me —”

“No. I won’t put you in a position to ever make that choice.”

“Hyung, please. ”

When Jimin lifts his head to look him in the eye, there’s nothing even remotely close to the heart-wrenching pain that erupts inside him at the tears in his omega’s eyes. Not even a stab or gunshot can compare. 

“I’m sorry I did this. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my distance from y —”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Jimin,” He growls, a sudden panic seizing his insides at the thought of his omega regretting what happened between them. “If not you, I would have kissed you soon enough myself, so don’t you dare regret what happened.”

“I don’t. I don’t regret it at all,” Jimin corrects quickly, a tear leaking out of his eye as he screws them shut. “I just wish this could end differently,” he whispers. 

“I do too,” Jeongguk mumbles, leaning forward to rest his forehead on Jimin’s. “I do too, baby.”

But Hwa Yeong’s rules were set since Jeongguk’s grandfathers’ times and would never allow their story to have a happy ending. Those in the mafia had no choice but to marry for power because that was the only way gangs could grow and survive. 

Love is just a foolish myth in his world. 

Another sob slips out of Jimin’s lips as he surges forward to wrap his arms around Jeongguk’s neck and hug him impossibly tight, and the alpha is no better, nearly crushing the figure in his arms as he burns the feeling of Jimin in his arms, vowing to never forget it for the rest of his life. 

“Scent me, Jeongguk,” The omega gasps suddenly, holding onto Jeongguk tighter. “Please. Scent me, Gguk. I want to feel you on me,” Jeongguk buries his face in Jimin’s neck, barely holding back until Jimin bares his neck and says, “Scent me, alpha.”

That is Jeongguk’s breaking point. 

Curling a hand around Jimin’s nape, he presses his nose into the omega’s scent glands, growling when a burst of honey and chamomile wafts into his nose. Jimin gasps and shivers against him, but never moves back even a single inch. With every sharp inhale, Jeongguk dips down to press one, two, three kisses on every inch of the smooth skin before him, leaving a harsh suck at the very end and licking at it gently. 

As he goes, his alpha releases bursts of his own scent again and again until Jeongguk can smell nothing but sandalwood and small traces of honey on Jimin’s skin. He doesn’t stop until there are light pink bruises scattered across those glands, every one of them releasing the scent of honey intertwined with sandalwood and absolutely nothing else. 

“Scent me, Jimin,” He rasps, ignoring the howls of his alpha as he pulls back to keep Jimin’s eyes on him. “I want only your scent on me, baby.”

Jimin’s hands tremble as he reaches to trail his fingers over Jeongguk’s neck in uncertainty, but his alpha is having none of that. He lifts his hand up to press Jimin’s fingers hard onto his neck, hardly bothered if they bruise, and looks Jimin right in the eye. 

“Scent your alpha, hyung. I’m all yours.”

Those honey-brown eyes flash a deep, azure blue and that’s the only warning Jeongguk gets before the omega dives forward, nosing at Jeongguk’s neck firmly and rubbing his scent of the alpha until he’s satisfied. Unlike Jeongguk, he takes his time pressing deep, hard kisses on Jeongguk’s neck and moving upwards, even growling when the alpha tries to move back.

When the two of them finally pull back, the electricity in the air sizzling out, Jeongguk pulls the shorter male further onto his pillow and presses soft, reverent kisses to the omega’s lips, letting himself imprint every second of this day into his memory. 

No one will ever compare to Jimin and Jeongguk is more than ready to use these two weeks as the definition of love for the rest of his life. 

“I’m going to miss you, hyung,” He whispers, right before they give in to the tiredness.“I’m going to miss you so, so much.”

Jimin lifts his head to drop a soft kiss on the mole on his bottom lip and settles back onto the pillow with a sad smile, “I’ll miss you too, Jeon Jeongguk.” 

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

“So, we will have to scout different locations and ensure the goods are stored safely. It’s important that the other boys….” 

Jeongguk stares at the handgun in his hands, spinning the bullet cylinder with his thumb absent-mindedly as it brings back memories of hazy, golden afternoons and the comfort of a raven-haired omega.

“Does this mean I get to see your guns?” 

Crescent-eyed smiles that always precede his cheeky grin. 

“Does being your friend come with the perks of seeing your mafia playthings? Otherwise, I don’t accept.”

A beautiful twinkle in those honey-brown eyes when they’re ready to challenge Jeongguk. 

“Don’t knock it till you try it.”

“... and that’s the final plan. So, do you want to join Taehyung and Seokjin, son?” 

The young alpha snaps his head up and blinks thrice, immediately flushing when his father stares at him with a raised brow. “Ye- yes, appa. I’ll get on with it right away.”

Jeon Daewon sits back in his cream-white leather chair, crossing his legs as he stares at the young alpha with an amused twinkle in his eye. “Mm. And what is it that you’re getting on with?”

“The, uh… new weapons?”  Yup, he’s just dug his own grave. 

His father chuckles, pushing the laptop aside so he can rest his elbows on the table and rest his chin on intertwined fingers. “Son, talk to me. What happened to you, hm? Ever since you came back from the mission with your friends, you’ve been out of it.” 

The mission. Right. His father doesn’t know about Jimin. 

Jimin. 

He hadn’t seen the omega for about a week now and at the rate he’s going, Jeongguk’s going to lose his mind in a few more days. 

The day of his departure had Jimin occupied in the O.R for two back-to-back surgeries and Jeongguk had to walk out of the hospital doors without even a glimpse of his omega. All he could do was stop right as he got into the car, turn to look up at his room wistfully, before entering his vehicle and driving away from the only other person who he can call… 

Home. 

“Appa, I want to ask you something.” The elder man blinks at the sudden request, but nods and prompts him to continue. “The rules of Hwa Yeong - the ones set by my grandfather - have they ever been… broken?”

Daewon narrows his eyes. “Elaborate on what you mean by broken. ”

Jeongguk rests the gun on his lap and links his fingers together tightly, fighting with his mind to get the words out. “As in, have any of the members ever gone against the rules? But only those rules that bring no harm to our gang!” He clarifies quickly. 

A stagnant pause passes between the two men and Jeongguk fears he might have just offended his father, but all of a sudden, the elder man starts chuckling loudly and… 

Well, Jeongguk’s just as confused. 

“Appa?”

“Sorry,” Clearing his throat, Daewon chuckles a little more and exhales deeply. “This is just giving me déjà vu. Oh, to be young,” When Jeongguk keeps staring at him, utterly baffled, the man smiles. “To answer your question - yes. One man has broken one of the oldest rules.”

“O- oh,” The alpha licks his lips, feeling his heart beat twice as fast in anticipation. “Um, which rule?”

“The one you’re indirectly asking me about.”

Well, shit.

“Out with it, Gguk-ah. You’ve never been good with secrets, especially matters of the heart,” Daewon says and leans back in his seat, arms crossed like he’s prepared to head an epic tale. 

Which is not a lie because, by Jeongguk’s standards, his and Jimin’s story is a damn epic one. 

“You sure you can handle it, appa?” Jeongguk teases, far more relaxed when his dad showed no signs of anger. “It’s one hell of a story.”

“Hit me.”

So Jeongguk does. He tells his dad everything down to a tee, from his injury to the way he parted ways with his omega - he narrates everything . 

Daewon only listens silently, showing no emotions - good or bad - on his face and when Jeongguk concludes his story and waits for a response, he sits with his hands crossed over his lips. Jeongguk never knew silence could be this unnerving and the glint in his father’s eye does nothing to ease his worries. 

“Do you know, son,” Daewon starts after a pregnant pause. “Your mother was a teacher. A kindergarten teacher, to be precise.”

What.

“Omma… wasn’t part of a gang?” Jeongguk whispers, afraid that if he speaks any louder, he might just shatter this illusion. 

The elder man shakes his head and a nostalgic smile plays on his lips. “She would have been a handful if she was ever part of a gang. Gave me the chase of my life, making me run behind her for nearly three months before she gave me a chance.”

The young alpha laughs, a breathy sound raw with emotion, as he listens to his father come to life talking about Jeongguk’s mother. “So how did you do it?”

“Persuade your grandfather? Make your mother say yes?” Jeongguk nods to both with his heart in his throat. The elder man simply smirks and leans forward, staring at the young alpha with a suggestive look. 

“Let’s just say your grandfather had a son who was pretty adamant when he wanted something, never taking no for an answer, no matter how impossible it may be.” 

The young alpha bites the lip that’s curling up into a smirk as his father continues, “And that was more than enough to give his partner the faith she needed to stay by his side. His grandfather had no choice left because that son was an asset to the gang, so he had nothing else to say except his approval.”

With his heart threatening to rip through his skin and fly out his chest, Jeongguk dares to ask one last question. “And if you are ever to be in grandfather’s situation?”

Jeon Daewon sits back in his chair with a smirk, crossing one leg over the other and says, “Well, let’s hope I have a son who’s just as adamant as I am.”

And in that moment, Jeongguk knew exactly what he had to do. 

Later that day…

“You want me to do what now?” 

“Fight me,” Jeongguk says simply, placing his gun and watch aside and cracking his knuckles. “And you better fight me seriously.”

Taehyung sputters and turns to his boyfriend for help, but Seokjin simply shrugs and continues to sip on his cocktail. 

Groaning to himself, Taehyung spins back to face the deranged alpha. “I’m not going to fight you, Jeongguk. Do you want me to die by your father’s hands?”

“We spar all the time, Tae.”

“Yeah, but not to intentionally get you all bloodied and bruised!”

Deciding that his boyfriend is going to be unhelpful in this scenario, the purple-haired omega places his glass aside with a sigh, dusts his pants off and walks toward them while rotating one arm.

“Hey, Jeongguk?”

“Hm?”

Seokjin's fist connects with the alpha's face with a sickening crunch.

* * *

“Jimin-ah, wait!” 

The omega pauses halfway out the hospital doors, dressed in just his slacks and wrinkled white dress shirt. He was just about ready to go home and cry his eyes out with another re-run of The Fault In Our Stars. 

Ironic, how the title fits his own love story so well.

“Are you clocking out?” Namjoon asks, dressed casually as well as he walks up to the doctor, holding something behind his back.

“Yup, I’m off the night shift today, hyung.” 

The alpha brings out Jimin’s white coat and a thin case file from behind his back and hands it out to the omega. “Can you take just one more case?” 

“Hyung…”

“Just one, I promise! You don’t have to do much, just clean a few bruises and do some simple patching up.”

Jimin narrows his eyes as he takes the coat and file from the nurse’s hand. “And you can’t do it because…”

Namjoon ruffles his hair. “Because I have a date with my boyfriend!”

“Wha — hyung!” Jimin cries incredulously as the alpha winks and dashes out the hospital doors, waving to Jimin as he rounds a corner and disappears out of sight.

Laughing to himself, Jimin drops his bag at the nurse station and jogs to slip into the elevators. Once the doors close, he pauses to check the case file for his patient’s room, but one look at the number makes his blood run cold.

Room 412. 

VIP Room.

Pressing the button for the top fourth floor in a daze, he slumps against the wall as his mind races back to that one day when he lost a part of himself for good. 

Jimin races past the gardens frantically, heart sinking when he passes by the vacant spot under the old pine tree. It’s a blur as he dashes past the rooms, mind focused on one thing - his alpha. 

He’s panting heavily as his feet lead him to the VIP room and he prays and prays that he’s not too late. That he can kiss his alpha one last time before he lets him go for good. 

Upon reaching, he slams the door open. “JEON… gguk.”  

All he’s met with is a single bedlamp illuminating the neatly folded sheets and a freshly sprayed citrus room freshener that wafts around the room.

Everything was different from how Jeongguk had left. 

Every trace of his alpha’s scent was gone. 

He was too late.

The first of many tears splash onto his cheeks when his feet take him to the hospital bed and he collapses onto it, running a trembling hand over the soft sheets. Every second in this room flashes a hundred different memories to the front of his mind -  of doe-eyes, of bunny smiles and of warm kisses and sweet nothings pressed onto his lips. 

Slipping his shoes off, Jimin lays on the bed tentatively and closes his eyes, whispering, “Alpha…”

The elevator doors open with a ding and Jimin steps out, walking towards the room he’s avoided like the plague for a week now. He used to be okay with the silence surrounding this corridor, but now, with every step he takes towards the VIP room, his mind is filled with memories of silly banter and noisy laughter. Of the three men who crashed into his life and effortlessly weaselled their way into his heart. 

Of the alpha who proved Jimin wrong and turned out to be the most beautiful human Jimin has ever met - inside and out. 

Standing outside the room, Jimin’s hands hover over the handle and he wonders if this pain will ever go away. If he can ever move on, knowing that Jeongguk will eventually find someone else.

Taking a deep breath, he holds the cool metal handle and slides the door open while putting on his most practiced smile, the greeting ready on the tip of his tongue.

Except he’s greeted with something else.

“Jeo - Jeongguk?” He whispers, feeling insane to even utter that name as he inhales shuddery breaths and steps forward. 

His eyes trace over the muscular figure sitting on the hospital bed, looking so out of place dressed in one of their baby pink gowns, all tatted and pierced, as he faces the window. It would be a pretty comical sight if it wasn’t for the fact that…

Jimin knows those tattoos, traced every single one of them. He’s freaking kissed all of those piercings.

When the man turns his head and smiles, nose scrunching up despite the nasty red bruise on it, Jimin nearly faints right there. “Oh my god, Jeongguk!”

“Hey, Doctor Park.” 

“Don’t you fucking ‘Hey’ me!” He rushes forward, case file forgotten on the floor as his eyes register the amount of damage his alpha’s face sustained. 

There were small scratches and scars littered all over the alpha’s face, some deeper than the others and Jimin gasps at a deep red cut on the apple of his cheek. His hands tremble looking at the alpha’s nasty looking bruise above his right eyebrow - purple and red splotches blending together - and the god-awful patchwork on that very bruise makes Jimin’s blood boil. 

Who the fuck uses flimsy butterfly bandages for a wound like this? 

“What on Earth happened to you?” Jimin immediately reaches for the medical tray and pours some saline onto cotton and uses the tweezers to dab at the cut on Jeongguk’s cheek. “Who did this?” 

The alpha, however, seems absolutely unbothered with his state as his glassy, doe-eyes stare at Jimin in awe, like he can’t quite believe the omega is standing right before him. 

“Jeongguk!” The alpha blinks rapidly and hums nonchalantly, and Jimin is this close to slapping him for trying to maintain his suave persona right now. “For God’s sake, tell me who did this!”

“Jin hyung.”

That’s it. I don’t care if that’s Jeongguk’s friend. He hurt my alpha, I’m going to kill him. 

“Why?” Jimin growls, hands trembling in rage, but he freezes when Jeongguk’s fingers wrap around his hand and bring it closer to press a soft kiss to the inside of his wrist. 

Jeongguk smiles, a small dimple popping onto his cheek as he asks, “How else can I come to see my doctor?”

“How else can you…” The doctor inhales short, ragged breaths as he registers exactly what Jeongguk is saying. “You made your hyung beat you up… so you can come to see me?”

“It’s a good plan, right — OW! Hyung, what the — OW! Oh my god, stop hittin - AH! Hyung!” 

Jimin groans furiously and continues slapping and punching the alpha’s biceps with all his might, feeling dizzy as the relief and realisation wash over him. 

His alpha came back. For him. 

“You — couldn’t — come — see me — like a normal — person?!” He cries, punctuating his words with a punch to the alpha’s chest. 

Jeongguk coughs with a smile for each punch, momentarily grabbing his wrists to grin like a kid who pulled off the biggest prank of his life. “I didn’t know if the hospital will let me back in again, especially if I had no good reason. So here I am, as a patient. They had no choice but to hide me away in this room once more.”

Jimin doesn’t know if he wants to sob, laugh or lunge forward and kiss his crazy alpha senseless for such a stupid decision. 

“Although, exchanging phone numbers might be a little easier next time,” Jeongguk teases. 

Struggling out of his grip, Jimin sobs and lunges forward to wrap his arms around the alpha’s neck, shivering as he feels those muscular arms around his waist once more. At this point, he’s half-convinced he’s passed out in the elevators and this is all just a cruel dream. 

“I missed you,” Jeongguk whispers, placing soft kisses on Jimin’s temple and rocking them back and forth. 

“I missed you too, you crazy alpha.” Just about to pull back, Jimin leans in to get a whiff of the scent he thought was ripped away from him forever…

But it never comes. 

“Why can’t I smell you?” Jimin whines and pulls back completely with a frown, although it doesn’t come off as angry as he intends to because he’s still sniffling in between. 

“I had one of those scent-suppressing pills so I could come in here and surprise you.” Jimin stares at him, blinking a few times as the alpha stares back with an innocent look. “Oh, don’t worry. It will be back in an hour or so… I think.”

God, he... he fucking loves this fool. 

“You are the weirdest romantic I have ever seen.”

Jeongguk chuckles and brushes their nose in an Eskimo kiss. “As long as I’m your weird, romantic alpha, I don’t mind.”

“How… how are you even back here?” He moves back, but not too far because Jeongguk clamps his hands around Jimin’s waist and lifts him to place him firmly on Jeongguk’s lap. “Show off,” He mumbles but his omega preens at being so close to his alpha once more. “I thought you said you were going to be busy chasing those, uh… those…”

“Seo’s.” Jeongguk offers, smiling with an amused twinkle in his eye. “Yeah, I was. I mean, I am. But some things are more important than others.”

“What —”

“I have a confession to make”

The omega freezes in his lap, eyes unmoving from those warm doe-eyes as his heart does a whole trapeze routine in his chest. Inhaling slowly, Jimin nods and clutches the fabric of Jeongguk’s gown tightly. “Okay… what do you —” 

“I don’t love you, Jimin hyung.” 

And there flies his happy ending right out the window.

“Oh.” Those words have always been one to plague his nightmares but to actually hear them from his alpha’s mouth hurts so much more. “Right. Okay. I- I’ll just…” He moves to get off the alpha’s lap before the tears can spill down his cheeks. 

But the alpha only pulls him closer. Is this some cruel sort of mafia torture? To take revenge on him?

Mood: Angel Baby - Troye Sivan

“What I mean is, I won't say those words to you, hyung, because I think what we have is something much more special than that,” Jeongguk whispers, his thumb stroking Jimin’s hip gently. “Something much better than a three-word phrase that’s so overused, slightly overrated, and basically a Disney product at this point.”

“Aren’t you a romantic one?” Jimin whispers with a teary smile, ignoring the terrifyingly loud beating of his heart because he needs to hear every word coming out of his alpha’s mouth.

Jeongguk laughs airily. “Well, it’s true. Because I will never be satisfied in just saying ‘I love you’ and hope that you understand all that you make me feel.”

Inhaling sharply, the omega places a hand on Jeongguk’s cheek. “And… what is it that I make you feel?”

Jeongguk opens his mouth, but hesitates for a while and blows out a long breath. “If you’re expecting something poetic, then I’ll see my way out right now.”

The laughter is already spilling out of his lips as he throws himself against Jeongguk and revels in this newfound bliss that warms his insides and makes him feel like no younger than a lovesick teenager. 

“I would be highly disappointed if you went about spouting Shakespeare to me right now,” Jimin finally says, cupping the alpha’s face to press a sweet, lingering kiss onto his lips. “I just want to know what you’re feeling right now, alpha. Tell me anything.”

“I’m thinking…” Jeongguk stares at him, eyes searching Jimin’s as he says, “I’m thinking that when shit goes down and everything in the world feels wrong, you’re the only one I want by my side to kick my ass and tell me to get back on my feet.”

The omega giggles softly, horribly endeared by the way Jeongguk is going about his confession, and nods. “That sounds doable.”

“And when I act like I don’t need anyone, acting like a fool and saying I’ve always gone through my darkest times alone,” Jeongguk lifts his hand and places it on his own cheek. “I want you to slap the sense into me and remind me that I’ve got you from now on, no matter what.”

Jimin winces playfully. “I think there’s a little too much domestic abuse in this relationship, don’t you think?”

For a few seconds, Jeongguk purses his lips in deep thought before he pops his lips and nods. “Okay, yeah, let’s change that last one to kissing me the way you did in the gardens to knock some sense into me.”

“Much better,” Jimin sighs and the alpha snickers, placing a kiss to the inside of his palm. “What else?”

“Hm… and on days when you’re done with work or had a really long, shitty day, I want to be the one to pick you up and take you for a ride. Or hold your hand like this,” Jeongguk intertwines their fingers and presses a tender kiss to every knuckle. “And sneak you back into the hospital after curfew to kiss you senseless under the stars.”

His breath hitches and for a lack of a better word, all he can say is —

 “Oh.” 

“I’m not going to be the kind of man who’s going to treat you with cliché gentlemanly gestures - like waiting with an umbrella when it rains or giving you a tissue when you cry - because I don’t see the love in that,” Jeongguk leans in to press a drop two soft, reverent kisses on his cheeks. “I’ll just be me, your crazy, reckless alpha, who will stand in that downpour with you and dance till the rain stops.” A tender kiss to the tip of his nose. “I’ll make you laugh instead and replace those tears with happy ones.”

Jimin nearly whimpers when the alpha tilts his head down and places a gentle kiss between his brows. “I will be the man who will treat you the way someone as magnificent as you deserves - not ordinary, nothing typical - but in a way that will make you feel loved and cherished every fucking day.”

 “Jeongguk-ah…”

“What we have… I want it to be understood by nobody except you and me,” Jeongguk says, voice a little hoarse as he stares into Jimin’s eyes and whispers, “Because that’s all that matters to me. You are all that matters to me and no one can change that.”

“And you said you can’t be poetic,” Jimin whines, more like a whisper with the way his feelings are coiled so tight around his throat, he can hardly breathe. 

How did he find someone who understands him just the way Jimin wants him to? 

“I want all my lasts to be with you, Park Jimin,” Leaning forward, the alpha rests his forehead on Jimin’s and closes his eyes. “Because that is what love is for me.”

How did he get such a perfect, perfect man? 

Holding back his sobs, Jimin whispers, “Then let me spend your very first ‘last’ with you.” 

When Jeongguk pulls back to stare at him with innocent curiosity, he dips down to cover his alpha’s lips with his and smiles into the kiss. Once he breaks away, he cups Jeongguk’s face and breathes softly, “Today shall be your last day as the big, bad alpha without his lover. ”

“Yeah?” Jeongguk leans in with a coy smile. “How so?”

“Because you’re mine now, Jeon Jeongguk” He leans forward as well, mouth hovering over Jeongguk’s as breathes the words onto the alpha’s lips. “And you know exactly what happens when someone takes what’s mine.”

When their lips finally meet in a toe-curling kiss, Jimin’s mind races back to how they began and how far they’ve come - from ‘my patient’ to ‘my Boss-nim’ and finally to ‘my alpha’ - he grins and kisses the alpha harder. 

Guess, he really did fight for what’s his.

Feeling a little bolder, Jimin takes Jeongguk’s bottom lip in his and gives it a bruising suck, licking over the lip piercing and smirks when the alpha sucks a harsh breath. After a few minutes of playful nipping and lazy kisses, Jimin leans back with a hesitant smile. 

“Gguk, I want this. Whatever this is with you, whatever you want to call this - I want it all. Because I don’t think I can survive another day without you in my life.” 

The smile lighting up his alpha’s face is the most precious sight he’s ever witnessed, but he needs to get this tension off his chest before it can ruin anything for them later on. They’ve tortured themselves enough by staying away for a week, his insecurities should not get a chance to ruin anything further. 

“How do we make this work, alpha? The gang, your father…” He trails off, looking down to play with the Jeongguk’s fingers. 

“If it’s anyone who can make it work, it’s us, baby,” A gentle touch on his chin guides his face up to look into the warmth of those doe-eyes once more. “My men absolutely love you and my father loves me enough to not deny me of my omega.”

“I - okay, I get that, but I don’t fit in your life, Gguk. How —” 

“Then I will do anything, even turn my life upside-down if I need to, so you can fit right into it,” Jeongguk answers so simply, as though the solution really is as simple as that. 

As though, loving Jimin is the only solution he needs.

“I- I can’t be the partner your world will expect of you,” Jimin mumbles, while his omega gnaws at his insides for coming up with reasons to separate them from his alpha. 

Jeongguk pulls him closer in the blink of an eye with a fond laugh. “The mafia was never my world, hyung. It's a world that was handed to me, no questions asked." Leaning forward, the alpha presses a kiss below his ear and whispers, "You are my real world, Park Jimin. You are the world I found for myself."

If Jimin thought he can't love this man more than this, boy he was so wrong.

“I —”

“Hyung, are you trying to find reasons to make me leave you?” The alpha huffs playfully, but Jimin only gives smiles weakly, just a tad unsure. Seeing the look on his face, Jeongguk tsks and strokes his cheek tenderly. “Jimin, you can come up with a thousand problems, but I will have a solution to all of them.”

Not a romantic, my foot.

Biting his lip with glossy eyes, Jimin teases, "And if I am the problem itself?"

The endeared chuckle that follows gives Jimin a fleeting second to prepare himself for the lips crashing onto his, holding him in for a deep, bruising kiss. And when he pulls back - omega puffing its chest at the wrecked look and flushed look on his alpha because of him - he sees the words in those starry eyes first before he hears them. 

“Then I will become your only solution.”

Yeah, screw 'I love you's', Jimin would rather hear words like this instead - for every single day of his life.

An hour later…

“Okay, I can’t do this with you!” Jimin cries, pushing the alpha away from his lips in an instant.

“Wha - why? Hyung, what did I do?” 

Pointing at him aggressively, the omega pouts. “You can’t be this perfect romantic and not let me say ‘I love you’!” Jeongguk bursts out laughing and he smacks him on the chest. “I’m serious! Now take responsibility and do something about it.”

“Okay, okay, how about I say this instead - you are my favourite… pain in the ass.” Jeongguk winks. “And I mean that both ways.”

“You did not just say that instead of ‘I love you’.”

“No? Alright, what about - I’ll be good for you,”When Jimin stares at him, unimpressed, the alpha tries to explain excitedly. “You know, cause I’m the mafia and all, so being good for you means I love you.” 

The omega almost agrees, thinking it’s not too bad, when Jeongguk grins and adds, “Or we can keep that for when we have sex. Anything works.”

“... I’m beginning to regret this relationship.”

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ🖤ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

“Explain to me why my men say they saw you beat up my son three days ago?”

“Hyung-nim, it was —”

“I was not speaking to you, Taehyung-ah.” Jeon Daewon interrupts and faces the other omega once more. “Speak, Seokjin-ah. I want to hear it from you.”

The purple-haired omega sighs, reminding himself to make sure Jeongguk owes him big time for this, as he holds his head up before the Jeon leader. 

“It was his request, hyung-nim.” 

“Is that so?” Jeon Daewon drawls as he walks closer to Seokjin and stares at him, cold and unforgiving. “And why should I believe that my son would be stupid enough to not fight back? Because I don’t see a single scratch on your pretty face.”

“I —”

“He made that stupid decision for me.” The three men turn their heads to find a raven-haired male standing at the doorway of the Hwa Yeong’s main base. “So now, it’s my turn to make a reckless decision for him.”

Moving away from the purple-haired omega, Daewon pauses for a moment before walking up to the intruder in three long strides. The two men never break eye contact, and for a second, the elder Jeon wonders how this man isn’t already quivering on his knees. 

He pulls a gun on the shorter male and asks, “And who might you be?”

“Park Jimin.”

Daewon raises a brow in surprise as the man - no, omega - walks closer so the gun’s barrel touches his forehead. “Your son’s, or rather, Hwa Yeong’s mafia heir - Jeon Jeongguk’s omega.”

The gun is retracted in seconds and Daewon stares, dumbfounded, as the man extends a hand out towards him. A handshake. To the most feared gang leader in the underworld. To a man who people don’t dare to meet eyes with, let alone touch him.

Behind them, Taehyung’s jaw nearly drops to the floor and Seokjin lets out a short whistle under his breath as they watch Daewon shake the omega’s hand with an impressed smirk. “Pleasure to meet you, Daewon-ssi.” Jimin says. 

The doors on the other end of the room open and the young mafia heir comes walking in, eyes focused on the phone in hand. “Appa, I need to head out for —”

“Yah, look up!” Taehyung hisses.

“Hm? What happe…” The alpha’s eyes nearly pop out of his sockets as the phone slips to the ground. “Jimin?!” 

The elder Jeon chuckles under his breath, moving aside to gesture inside the luxurious room and Jimin steps foot into the base of Korea’s largest crime syndicate with a proud smile. 

Wrapping an arm around Jimin’s shoulder, Daewon turns to face his son. 

“Jeon Jeongguk, I think you have some explaining to do.”