Bad At Love . KTH [Completed]

XXI

"Ah, busboy," Taehyung says in recognition. 

"Busboy?" I questioned, not sure how that had anything to do with Daniel. Daniel hadn't been employed for a while now. I wasn't sure how Taehyung would've known him back when he was a teenager. 

"It's kinda his thing. During our operations, he normally pretends to be the busboy who will move our product or target without being seen suspicious," Taehyung explains, "It's a very uncommon form of moving product. Instead of concealing our product, we put it in plain sight, right in the dishes. Everyone overlooks the obvious, jumping to pockets and purses first." Wow. I knew Taehyung was a gang lord and anything, but I never really listened to how he does stuff, or what 'product' even means. I'm not even sure what his gang does. 

"Hey Tae, what does Nightingale even do?" I asked out of the blue. Taehyung thinks for a while before answering. 

"Mmm, a lot of things. We mostly focus on government issues and keeping ourselves safe from other gangs. Power means everything," he said. 

"But, if you're running all this just to protect yourselves, why don't you just opt-out? Then you wouldn't have to keep looking over your shoulder anymore," I reasoned, but Taehyung shakes his head. 

"It's not that easy. There are a lot more people affected by Nightingale than just you and I. My underdogs and followers, it won't be easy for them to just 'opt-out.' They're already in too deep. Plus, most of them sought out Nightingale because they needed protection. The generation before us were the ones who really went in a fight for power. We're just the kids who are trying to struggle through the vendettas they caused," Taehyung said with a shrug. "As for our operations, we typically just do negotiations, nothing big. Sometimes we move products for money or create a group to take down someone in power who is abusing their position." 

"So is 'product' like drugs, or guns or something?" At this, Taehyung laughs.

"No, that's such 80's stuff. Our kind of product is important entities, such as biochemicals, certain formulas, information etcetera, although I think I've pulled off a jewelry heist before. That was a long time ago." I stayed silent, in awe about everything he just told me. 

"But why continue to get information and all that stuff when you can just live quietly?" Again, Taehyung chuckles and pats my head. 

"I was born into this. People like me can't survive in the real world. We wouldn't be anything. Prejudices against us as having fathers in criminal positions would land us in cells for life. We need all this information to protect us against the government and law, so we can create our own government and laws. That's the only way we know to survive. I don't know how to be normal, a lot of us don't and can't be. We have too many connections that tie us down to this world." 

"So, you don't go on mass killings? Or deal drugs? Or run sex rings and stuff?" Taehyung shakes his head, amused. "Then... Who are those people in the basement?" I ask, barely a whisper. 

"Those... Those people are our opposers. My father made a lot of enemies because of his different way of thinking. He wished to create an organization that would do necessary actions using illegal means to benefit the world at large since law binds normal people to a strict path. Those people have either attempted to infiltrate us, have confidential information or betrayed us, and everything in between," he explains, "But nonetheless, they're all people that won't be missed." 

"Mmm," I hummed, lost in thought. Then, a particular thought lingered longer on my mind. "Then, does that mean Daniel is down there?" Taehyung's lips press into a thin line when I mentioned this.

"Yes, but he is in a better-conditioned part, as to hold up my end of the deal." 

"Okay," I said. I lay back into the covers, one of Taehyung's hands coming to rest under my neck, playing with a piece of my hair. I tried to go back to sleep, but there was still one question on my mind, one that I was apprehensive to ask, for fear of bringing back that Taehyung I met in the past. "Tae," I start again. 

"Yes Beauty?" 

"C-can I see Daniel?" Pause. Taehyung did not show any sign he heard me, but his hand beside my ear had stopped moving. 

"Sure, let's go tomorrow." 

The next morning, I woke up super early, right at the crack of dawn. 4:54 AM. I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't. The thought of seeing Daniel after so long kept a steady grip on my thoughts. So much had changed since that day. A mixture of excitement was felt, but also anxiety, not sure how he would react. I wasn't even sure how I would react once I see him. Would I be glad? Or would things be awkward between us? After all, I was married now, to his captor for goodness' sake. 

"What's so captivating on my face that you've been staring at it unblinking?" Taehyung's deep morning voice suddenly cut off my train of thought. 

"Hm? I-I," I couldn't say anything, embarrassed that I had been mindlessly staring off into space. I checked the time. 5:40 AM?! I had been thinking for that long? Seeing my shocked expression, Taehyung chuckles and gives me a light kiss on the lips. 

"Morning to you too, love," he says with a small smile. 

"Good morning," I said back shyly, still not used to the intimacy (though I loved it). "What's the itinerary for today?" 

"Well, after breakfast, I have a meeting which will take to the afternoon, but after that, I'm free the whole day. We can visit your little friend then maybe go out on a date?" he said, with hopeful eyes. I smiled as well and gave him a little kiss. 

"Sounds great." 

- 

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