i. partner in crime | vkook

38. rain

"guys," hoseok finally demanded, even though he looked silly breaking up their fight in fuzzy slippers. "knock it off! i'm not letting either of you replace me because you both behave like straight up idiots. why are you even talking about all this?"

"do you think i just punched jungkook for fun that night at the christmas party? no, i punched him because it was supposed to be my name called as heir. you think he deserves it?"

"you left a nice mark on me while you were at it," jungkook mumbled sarcastically.

namjoon stood up and smirked darkly. "you really think he does? after abandoning his father's legacy, after trying to run away, after all of this stockholm syndrome bullshit?"

hoseok frowned while crossing his arms. "do you think jungkook's dad would be proud of either of you right now?"

hoseok felt panicked. "both of you need time to cool off and jungkook needs to leave ASAP. how about we settle this later?"

"fine then, if you want to be a lil bitch about it. jungkook, one week from now, there's a match at el royale fight club."

"so this is why you set me up, hoseok?" jungkook said, almost laughing. "so i can fist fight namjoon? fine, if that's how you want it, i'll have it that way, too. i'll see you there."

instead of saying goodbye, namjoon just nodded and left in typical hitman style. jungkook tightened his grip around taehyung's arm and practically hauled him outside.

-

taehyung's brown eyes watch the dark clouds float over the sky as jungkook starts yet another getaway car. it was one of hoseok's business ones.

he exhales as his hair falls in tufts around his forehead, glancing over at jungkook who's eyebrows are furrowed. gentle rain dribbles down the inky black exterior of the car as the radio comes on, playing a weather report.

"you're okay?" jungkook asks for the fiftieth time, taehyung just boredly nodding in response.

"are you?" a thunder clap nearly cuts off taehyung's words as he buckled his seatbelt and draws his legs up onto the seat.

"yeah," jungkook assures as they begin driving through the city streets.

taehyung doesn't want to ask, but he knows that he has to for his sanity. "do you think everything's going to be okay?"

"no, namjoon's not done with me yet, but he's done with you and that's. . . that's all that matters."

they make their way through the bustling seoul streets, full of people in rain jackets and umbrellas, busy malls and city buildings.

taehyung doesn't recognize any of this. the fluorescent neon signs, the buses, the underground clubs, the honking and police sirens in the near distant.

he didn't want to ask if the police sirens were after them, so he just slumped further back into his seat and watched the night life fade and lights glitter across the window.

the city felt tired and blue. taehyung was happy that they were travelling to the outskirts because he had had enough action in the past few hours.

they hadn't even said more than ten words to each other when jungkook stopped the car and when taehyung looked at him, he was smiling. when taehyung sat up, they were parked out of a motel six.

not classy, i know, jungkook thought.

"jung-kook," taehyung trailed out his words.

"before we get out," jungkook stopped taehyung from talking. "what were you thinking when you were locked away?"

"well i wrote you some letters in my head, but thats about it," taehyung said quietly, wrapping his arms under his legs.

"then read them to me," jungkook said smugly as he leaned over the wheel and waited attentively for taehyung's sure to be embarrassing reply.

"they were just about wanting more milkshakes," taehyung answered.

"really," jungkook said semi sarcastically and smirked.

"yeah," taehyung stammered. "and i thought about how i didn't get to say goodbye to you, but it wasn't goodbye."

"yeah. so am i a better kidnapper than namjoon or what?"

"i wouldn't give you that much credit," taehyung whispered as the headlights dimmed and the parking lot went dim around them.

that's when jungkook knew it for sure.

he was hopelessly in love with this boy.