red ; bts

forty three

NCT HQ.

"Lee Taeyong,"

"Don," Taeyong widens his eyes at the voice he's never heard directly before. A voice no other Seoul Grid unit member—except a few of His own network—have ever heard with their own ears. "Sir,"

"Let's skip the surprise. I don't have time to waste."

"I understand." Taeyong nods, "We expect Bangtan here later today." He cuts right to the chase, trying to sound as professional as he can with all the confusion piling on top of him. No one told him he'd be hearing from the Capo. He doesn't know if he should be careful with his words or not. Banho keeps his eyes intimidatingly fixated on him.

"Perfect. Let's hope the infamous 'Song Yuri' finally joins them this time. I trust you and your men know what to do."

"We do, sir." Taeyong answers confidently, knowing people like Capo hate doubt or weakness. They don't tolerate any trace of it. "We have it more than clear."

Jeon J. Bank - SEOUL, S.K.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Jungkook asks into his cellphone, pausing his routine paperwork-look-over to incredulously furrow his brows. You were finishing up the meeting with Jyeogan while he's on the phone with Taehyung, both of you getting ready to leave back to headquarters soon. "She was really in the Garden?" He follows up quickly, not even giving Taehyung time to breathe, "What did she—? Why the fuck did you—? Hold on,"

"Why the fuck do you sound like you're scolding me right now? What's so bad about it?" Taehyung asks, already knowing the answer but finding it easier to pretend like he doesn't. "Look, I don't know why I went, okay?" He starts his explanation, "I really don't, but I did."

"Yeah, and you shouldn't have—"

"Okay, okay. Enough." Taehyung's voice cuts him off through the small speakers, "I'm not about to get nagged by a ninety-seven-liner over a visit to my own fucking backyard." He continues, "I just wanted to know if you'd noticed anything off about her today."

"Off?" Jungkook questions, raising an eyebrow even if Taehyung can't see him, "Gee, I don't know. Besides an entire different person who's not a person—y'know, more like a character made out to be most convenient to RM—trapped in her brain? Nah, man. Nothing."

"Ha. So funny." Taehyung responds sarcastically, clearly quite unamused. "Really. You're hilarious. As if I hadn't noticed that tiny detail already."

"Oh, no. I'd say you noticed. You've 'noticed' more than any of us. For sure." Jungkook says, looking over at the only picture frame sitting on his neat desk. It does its best to fit in with the rest of his expensive items, even if it never will. It's the one you'd given him about a month ago—the one with a candid photo of him, Taehyung, Jimin, and Namjoon all laughing in one of the lounge rooms. As soon as Jungkook sees it, he exhales a heavy sigh. "But I guess I can't blame you for taking it so hard. I'm not having that easy of a time either."

"You know," Taehyung speaks into the small silence that follows, not even the sound of fingertips hitting a keyboard floating in the air, "we—we could still pull this off if we really wanted to."

"Hell no." Jungkook shuts him down quickly, even though part of him also wants to know how. "Damn, are you insane? Absolutely not. You've had your fair share of dumbass ideas that literally blew up in your face."

"Kook, liste—"

"No, V. Just.. just let it go."

Another brief silence.

"Fine." Taehyung nods, exhaling a semi-defeated sigh as he realizes Jungkook is right. The idea is stupid and self-destructive. Still, it can't leave his mind, even though it should. "I'll leave it alone."