[AN]
Hello cuties!
I hope you all are doing well and living happily and healthy and are ready for a new update!!
This one will probably be short but hopefully it will still be alright - we're in a transition period right now so as soon as I'm done with that, the real fun can begin ;) - this should be the last chapter of said transition too
THANK YOU for 24k+ by the way!! It really means the world and I really hope you all continue to love the story <3
Enjoy the chapter!
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Taehyung watched curiously as the scenery outside blew by in a blurry stream. The flow of greens, yellows, and browns bleeding into stark blacks highlighted by sudden neons and harsh streetlights as Jeongguk and Taehyung left the country and entered the city.
The now blue-haired male had been surprised to realize how close to the city the Bangtan household had been - perhaps only about 15 minutes, no more than 3 miles.
If Taehyung had been so inclined, it would have been so easy to make it to the city and call for help in the last several weeks. The only difficulty, really, would have been making it out of the house.
But, Taehyung was again met with the slightly surprising culmination that he wouldn't have left even if the opportunity had been presented to him. It was easy to grow attached when you were being constantly showered with the attention and love you'd been depraved of for such a long time, Taehyung supposed.
Even now, in the car with Jeongguk, driving into a world Taehyung had only read about while anxiety threatened to grasp his throat in its unforgiving cinch, the only home he could picture returning to, was the one he'd found with Bangtan.
His birth home was too large and much too empty. His father almost never visited, in fact, it had probably been several years since Taehyung had actually last seen him. And his brother, Tae-woo, wasn't much better, though his visits were more frequent. The elder was five years older than the blue-haired male and it seemed as the boys aged and his brother took on more responsibilities within their father's mafia, the less time Tae-woo had to spend with his younger brother.
Taehyung doubt they even knew he was gone.
His brother had visited a few days before Taehyung had been kidnapped, returning once again to an array of broken locks and busted hinges, only to routinely replace them - each with a sturdier reinforcement and fond smack to the back of Taehyung's head.
It would be another month before anyone realized the Kim mansion was down a Kim.
"Alright, let's go over it one more time, V."
Taehyung jumped, shaking his head, as Jeongguk's rough baritone broke him out of his inner stupor.
He glanced over, raking his eyes along the elder male's side profile, reveling in the way his jaw was clenched and how his grip on the steering wheel had slowly tightened the closer the two got to Junseo's mafia.
They were currently white-knuckled, the only testament to Jeongguk's inner turmoil, no other emotions to be found on his passive and nearly bored features. The ravenette was watching him through the rearview mirror, Taehyung could feel his burning gaze, so he nodded, offering a single, tight-lipped smile.
"When we go in, don't talk to anybody unless spoken to first. They'll probably be curious but trust me when I say it's better if we get through the main room as quick as possible. No chatting would be ideal. What else?" Jeongguk chanced a glance out of his peripheral at Taehyung, one eyebrow raised in challenge.
"Stay away from the far right corner of the commons area: that's where the higher members of the gang reside and they hate you, so they're automatically going to hate me too. And-" Taehyung paused, shooting Jeongguk with a wry stare. "What did you do anyways? Is it like a "Jeongguk thing" to piss off those around you or are gangs really just high-school clicks with more knives?"
Jeongguk opened his mouth, then stopped, closed it again, and hummed. "A little of both, I suppose." He said, a small chortle passing his lips. "A big-shot fifteen year old comes in to steal the spotlight and they decide he isn't worth much of their time: most of these guys dislike me."
Taehyung nodded, understanding prominent in his and Jeongguk's shared silence.
It was quiet for a while after that, both men simply residing in their thoughts and Taehyung's attention was once again captured by the blur of the city.
When Jeongguk shifted the car into park no more than thirty minutes later, it was to a heavy sigh and a sudden turn in his seat so that he could stare Taehyung head on. The inky black fringe of his hair fell unforgivingly into his eyes as he examined the younger: starting from the bright blue mop atop his head before trailing down into his slightly oversized fir green sweatshirt before ending at the black skinny jeans adorned with a thigh-guard, where a pretty, black bladed knife resided.
Taehyung gazed past him, out into the street where the sun had dipped low on the horizon, steadily disappearing from view and bathing the city in a murky glow.
They'd stopped in a cluster of seemingly abandoned buildings, a mass of chipped paint, boarded windows, and crumbling brick. In the center lay the open mouth of an alleyway, the interior completely swathed in darkness that seemed to spill out onto the sidewalk, sucking up any light that dared enter its midst.
Taehyung grimaced, a certain fear flaring in his chest.
There was a guard standing in the middle of the alleyway; despite the penetrating darkness, the man's eyes shone, latching onto Taehyung and Jeongguk. And the gun, just peeking out of it's holster reflected off a nearby streetlamp whenever the man shifted his weight just right.
Taehyung gulped, glancing at Jeongguk who had yet to take his eyes off the younger. "This is it, isn't it?" The blue-haired male asked, a sudden longing for Bangtan's well-kept and inviting home surging. At least they went for subtly; this screamed danger.
Jeongguk shared his apprehensive gaze. "It is. Are you ready? No turning back now."
Taehyung didn't answer, merely followed Jeongguk's lead as the elder got out of the car, squared his shoulders, and walked directly up to the man hiding in the shadows(though if he used the ravanette as a slight human shield and gripped the back of his jacket, nobody had to know).
The guard was a bald man who towered over both Taehyung and Jeongguk. He came into view slowly, the shadows seeming to cling to his height, but he still offered Jeongguk a close-mouthed smile, recognition dawning on his face. There was a large scar stretching from the man's forehead down to the swell of his cheek, however, his smile and bright eyes made up for the rather daunting first appearance.
"Jeongguk." The man said, his rather smooth voice a stark contrast to his appearance. "Long time, no see." Taehyung would like to say he didn't squeak when the tall guard leaned around Jeongguk, one brow raised as he observed Taehyung, but it was futile. "Who's the kid?"
"New recruit." Jeongguk responded, following when the guard marched to a door on the side of the alley wall. It was painted to blend in with the brick - the only notion it was a door being the dark, russet red handle.
Taehyung steeled his shoulders, knowing he had to pull himself together. Already, Jeongguk's voice had dropped into the clipped and brusque tone Taehyung had first ever become acquainted with. It would almost be humorous to marvel in the difference between this Jeongguk and the whiny, warm tone the ravenette used in the Bangtan household, if Taehyung wasn't aware this voice was, in part, a survival technique.
The guard nodded and in one fluid movement, he'd flung the door open.
Immediately, the dull thrum of music filtered out into the alleyway, reverberating into Taehyung's bones as he peered into what would be his home for the foreseeable future.
As far as he could see, it was rowdy; rambunctious and loud voices mixed with the bass of the music currently streaming into the open. But there wasn't much else to see aside from an interior hallway, marked with velvet flooring and golden trim; quite the opposite from the dingy exterior.
Jeongguk glanced at Taehyung one last time, offering a subtle, comforting squeeze to his arm.
And with one last look to the outside world, to the guard who had returned to his stance, and the neon lights of the city, Taehyung and Jeongguk entered the lion's den.
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[AN]
Yay! Chapter is done! I know it's probably not very interesting but I've had a rough couple days and it's been effecting my writing, but I really really wanted to get something out to you guys. I tried my best so I hope it's ok. Lemme know what you thought in the comments!
This is a very transitional period of the book so the next chapter should be far more interesting now that Taehyung and JK have actually entered Junseo's mafia. We should be meeting many new characters soon and begin uncovering some secrets hehe ;) I hope you all are as excited as me - there's a lottttt.
Also JK and Tae's relationship will probably speed up from this point on, seeing as they will largely only have themselves to rely on and maybe cause they have a lot more in common than they may have originally thought. Hmmm o.o
All that said! Let's all just take a deep breath. I know it's easy to feel like you're alone in your struggles or just alone in general. But I want to make sure that you all know you aren't alone. There will always be someone in your corner, someone who loves to see you laugh and smile, and who wants you too feel better and live happily. You are strong and you have people who will support you. So please, stay you, stay strong, I believe in you, others believe in you, and you have the power, strength, and mind to push through whatever life throws your way. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and you will reach it. Everything will be ok. <3
He's so cute.
Until the next update!
- Megan<3