Seokjin was sitting in the living room of his house, contemplating.
There's something stuck in his mind, keep bothering him. Something he knew long ago but forgot.
Something about Taehyung, he felt he should know something about the boy, but what?
What is it about him? Why do I feel that I've known him before? Before he worked in this company? Why does he feel so familiar?
Seokjin nervously stood up, stepped in front of a white cupboard that was neatly displayed in his living room.
Actually, he had a feeling Taehyung had something to do with his past, a past he wanted to forget, because it was too painful to remember.
Memories of his husband...
Trembling, Seokjin opened the white dresser drawer, then took out a white box that he hadn't touched in two years.
Carefully he opened the box and took out its contents, a thick folder filled with files.
Seokjin sat down, took a deep breath and opened the folder, it contained clippings, snippets of news about the tragedy two years ago.
The tragedy of a series of accidents on the toll road that killed his husband.
At that time, in his grief, Seokjin collected all the news that contained about the tragedy, put them together in one big folder, put them in a box, and stored them. Stored them with all the pain he felt.
Now that he opened the box of pain again, his heart ached, his hands trembled as he flipped through the pages.
Until then he found what he was looking for.
The picture of the figure is exactly the same, even though it looks young, fragile and broken, it's the same Taehyung. In the picture of the article, he is looking down wearing all black clothes in the waiting room of a hospital.
ENTIRE FAMILY DIED IN A SERIES OF COLLISIONS
As the title of the article goes, it explains how Taehyung lost his parents and was left alone. Meanwhile, his fiancé, a lawyer named Jung Hoseok, lay in a coma unconscious.
Fiancé? Coma?
Seokjin read the article carefully, then looked at the hospital background in the picture of Taehyung's article.
He knew this hospital because he had field practice there several years ago.
Immediately he phoned the hospital, using his various connections in the medical profession to get info from doctors he knew. Seokjin searched as much information as he could, and finally found the truth.
A truth that will definitely touch the heart of anyone who hears it. Even his eyes were sparkling with emotion.
Seokjin suddenly remembered Namjoon's words when they had lunch together earlier, about the man's plan to teach Taehyung a lesson.
Tonight...Oh, God!
Immediately, as if awakened, Seokjin grabbed his wallet and car keys.
He had to prevent Namjoon from carrying out whatever his plan was to teach Taehyung a lesson.
Namjoon has misunderstood, and whatever that man will do, he will definitely regret it once he finds out the truth.
Seokjin must prevent it before it's too late!
──── ✧《✩》✧ ────
The important meeting Jungkook had just got finished, everything went according to his wish.
Jungkook ruffled his hair in annoyance. Then why didn't he feel relieved?
You know why, whispered his heart.
He knows why. Jungkook admits it.
Kim Taehyung.
Just one name that represents everything. A name that had been on his mind for a long time.
He was still mad at Taehyung, furious. But even though he was angry, he didn't want to make Taehyung sad with his anger.
How ironic.
Jungkook smirked, laughing at himself.
Unknowingly, Taehyung had become such a precious treasure for him.
Never had he been that worried for anyone, like he did for Taehyung last night.
Admit it Jungkook, you love him.
His inner voice pressed him again. And Jungkook didn't argue, he was too tired to argue.
Taehyung with his innocent, honest and childish nature had touched a side of his heart that no one was ever allowed to touch.
Ah yes, Taehyung must have been waiting for him in his room. This important client who came suddenly forced him to call Namjoon to wait in his room in case Taehyung came.
Imagining Taehyung waiting for him made Jungkook rush up the elevator to his private floor.
Calmly he opened the door of his room.
The sight in front of him was one he did not expect and one he did not like the most.
Namjoon was standing pressing Taehyung against the wall, hugging him tightly and kissing him, Taehyung's tiny body sinking into his arms.
When he realized the door was open, Namjoon raised his head, and looked at Jungkook who was nailed to the door, frozen like a stone.
"Oh! Hi Jungkook," Namjoon smiled, rubbing his slightly swollen lips from kissing roughly. "I bid your young man a few million, and he's willing to accompany me for a few hours, right?"
Taehyung, who was still in Namjoon's grip, turned pale when he heard Namjoon's cruel slander.
Jungkook won't believe Namjoon's words right? Jungkook wouldn't believe it would he?
But Jungkook's expression was so hard to read, the boy froze.
"And you know Jungkook, you really have nothing to lose," Namjoon continued, grinning contemptuously at Taehyung. "That kiss was pretty wow."
"No!" Taehyung finally managed to speak, trying to refute Namjoon's words.
"No! Oh my God! Jungkook!"
Taehyung's voice turned into a scream when with lightning speed unexpectedly, Jungkook lunged at Namjoon.
Pulling the boy roughly away from Taehyung, then threw a hard punch at Namjoon's jaw, then his stomach until Namjoon was bent over in pain.
But Jungkook was still not satisfied. He threw another heavy punch to all parts of Namjoon's body, without giving Namjoon a chance to fight back.
"Jungkook! Stop! Please! You can kill him!" Taehyung screamed in panic when Jungkook started beating Namjoon like crazy.
And kept on hitting him, relentlessly no matter that Namjoon was already dropped without putting up a fight. Killing aura that radiates from Jungkook's eyes was terrifying.
"Jeon Jungkook!" Taehyung screamed as hard as he could, trying to bring the man back to his senses.
This time it worked, Jungkook stopped. His eyes were wide open, his breath was ragged. Whereas Namjoon's condition was really pathetic, the man lay helpless, his face was full of blood, maybe his nose was broken. And it looks like he's unconscious.
"Good grief."
A choking sound coming from the door made Taehyung and Jungkook turn their heads together, Seokjin stood there, deathly pale.
As if woken up, Jungkook immediately stood up, approached Taehyung with a fire of anger that made Taehyung inch away.
The man didn't care, he roughly grabbed Taehyung's arm, half dragging him out of the room.
"Jungkook it hurts," Taehyung moaned because of Jungkook's rude treatment, but the man didn't care, as if he didn't hear what Taehyung was calling for.
Seokjin tried to stop Jungkook, "Jungkook, you have to listen to my explanation, all of this..."
"Shut up!" Jungkook's thunderous scream made Seokjin's voice swallowed again.
"You take care of that bastard over there before he bleeds to death! And as soon as he comes to his senses, tell him he's fired!"
Jungkook growled angrily as he dragged Taehyung up the elevator. Leaving Seokjin who still stood transfixed, confused.
──── ✧《✩》✧ ────
"Jungkook! Everything Namjoon said was a lie!" Taehyung tried to explain when they got to the apartment.
Taehyung's body was thrown very roughly onto the bed.
"He's lying Jungkook..." Taehyung panted, desperately trying to convince Jungkook.
"Namjoon never lies to me," Jungkook answered flatly, his hands moving to unbutton his shirt.
"He's lying. Believe me." Tears started to form in the corners of Taehyung's eyes.
"There's no point for him lying to me."
"There is!" screamed Taehyung, "He hates me, he wants to get rid of me..."
"Wah! You think you're worth that much? You're nothing more than a little slut with an innocent look. How much did he pay you for a kiss huh?! Ten million? Twenty million? You think you can profit from the two of us? Yeah?"
"Please Jungkook, you know he's lying...Please...Please...Trust me..." Taehyung started to panic when Jungkook took off his shirt,
"Wh... Why did you take off your clothes?"
Taehyung frantically squirmed on the bed trying to get as far away from Jungkook as possible.
"Well...I've told you before, right?" the man smiled viciously as he started to take off his belt, his eyes never left Taehyung who cowered in fear like a prey facing a cruel predator.
"A slut should be treated like a slut!" Jungkook hissed contemptuously.
──── ✧《✩》✧ ────
"It hurts," Namjoon winces when Seokjin wipes the wound on his lips with cotton.
"You deserve it," Seokjin muttered without feeling, even more rough rubbing the wound.
They had just returned from the hospital, Namjoon's nose was broken, and three of his ribs were fractured so he had to be held in bandages. Not to mention the bruises on his body and face. Namjoon's eyes were starting to turn blue. The punches that Jungkook gave were really brutal.
"I'm just helping Jungkook by showing him that the man he cares for is just a little slut," Namjoon seemed to have difficulty speaking, but he still defended himself.
"Don't call him a slut! You're probably dirtier than him!" interrupted Seokjin angrily, throwing the alcohol-soaked cotton aside.
"You have acted cruelly and rashly to Taehyung. Gosh! You will regret it once you know everything!"
"Know what?" this time Namjoon was getting worried. Seokjin looked so angry and so sad at the same time. In all the years he'd known Seokjin, Seokjin had never looked so overcome with emotion. Except at his husband's funeral...
"I'm starting to get scared," Namjoon muttered when Seokjin didn't say anything, "Know what, Seokjin?"
"The truth about Taehyung," Seokjin answered softly then sighed as if he couldn't continue his explanation. "Maybe you should see this first."
Seokjin took the bundle of articles from his white box, opened them and placed them on Namjoon's lap.
As soon as he saw the photo accompanying the article, Namjoon gasped, and when he read the title of the article which was written in big letters, cold sweat flowed down his forehead.
And as soon as he finished reading the entire article, his face was completely white.
"My god..." finally Namjoon was able to speak, his voice weak and filled with deep shock.
"Ah yes, my gosh." Seokjin muttered mockingly, "Now you understand why I defended Taehyung so much?"
Namjoon closed his eyes, wincing at the pain in his eyes. His nose hurts, his lips hurt, his whole body hurts.
But what hurt the most was his heart. The regret came hitting him mercilessly so that all Namjoon could do was stay silent and endure the tightness in his chest.
He deserves this!
"So Taehyung did all this because of that..." Namjoon's voice was coloured with pain, then he looked at Seokjin hopefully, hoping that this article was wrong. Because if this article is true, whatever Namjoon did earlier is truly unforgivable, "Have you confirmed the truth of this article?"
Seokjin glared at Namjoon, seemingly satisfied with Namjoon's regret.
"I've made sure to go to the hospital. His fiancé, Jung Hoseok is still lying in a coma there and hasn't been conscious since two years ago. Yesterday Hoseok had kidney surgery - which I know is very expensive, almost 500 million - and it was successful . The operation was successful, but the man is still unconscious," Seokjin looked away. His eyes looked glassy with emotion.
"I asked about Taehyung to the doctors at the hospital, and apparently the story of Taehyung and Hoseok seemed to become a legend in itself there. The story of a young man who waited for his fiancé to wake up without giving up for years..."
So because of that. The truth hit Namjoon hard. So that's why Taehyung sold himself. So that's why Taehyung has so much debt in the company
Namjoon stared at Seokjin blankly, then turned his gaze again to the article in front of him, he frowned,
Jung Hoseok...
A direct truth hit him once again, very hard and unmitigated.
"I know Jung Hoseok," Namjoon muttered as if in pain.
Seokjin looked at Namjoon sharply.
"You know him?"
Namjoon nodded, limp.
"He... he's a reliable and successful lawyer from a famous law firm, has a good reputation, is very honest and rarely loses. I don't know him that well, only met him in court a few times, handled different cases, but he's known as the brightest young prospect lawyer between us. I heard he was going to get married, until then he just disappeared after the accident. There was quite a bit of confusing news after that, some said he had an accident and then became disabled and then moved abroad, even a lot of gossip said he had died as a result of the accident. I...I never thought he'd still be alive, in a coma," Namjoon squeezed his hair like a defeated soldier, then looked at Seokjin.
"You said when was Hoseok's surgery?"
"Yesterday night," Seokjin glanced at his watch, it was already three in the morning, "Or can you say it was the day before yesterday?"
"Oh my god!" Namjoon covered his face with his hands.
Oh god!...What else could he say? That's why that night Taehyung disappeared without a word and couldn't be found anywhere. That young man must be waiting for his fiancé's surgery! And what did he say that night to Taehyung?
"You should probably learn to be more responsible princess!" Words that were arrogant and full of accusations that he now knew, he did not deserve to say to Taehyung.
"You really are the most stupid and reckless man I've ever known," snorted Seokjin, still angry over Namjoon's actions earlier. "If you haven't been battered by Jungkook, I will definitely slap you many times."
Namjoon frowned at Seokjin's threat, "But you can't just blame me, one day Jungkook contacted me to arrange a contract to buy and sell Taehyung's body worth 500 million. What do you think I can think besides Taehyung being a slut?"
"Don't mention the word slut again Namjoon!" Seokjin cut in sharply.
Namjoon stays silent and shrugs.
"I really made a big mistake, but who doesn't think so? Jungkook is very rich, and that young man has a reputation for big debts in his company. Of course as a lawyer, I judged that there was a malicious intent from Taehyung's side," Namjoon tried to defend himself again because he saw Seokjin still glaring at him sharply.
"As a lawyer you should conduct an investigation," Seokjin muttered sarcastically.
Namjoon took a deep breath and nodded.
"That's right, I was too rash to take action. Actually I was determined not to interfere with Jungkook and Taehyung's relationship, but that night, when Taehyung disappeared without a word, Jungkook looked for him like crazy. Almost losing his mind because he was worried about Taehyung. Jungkook has changed because of the him, he's so emotional. Not so level-headed and calm anymore," Namjoon took a deep breath.
"I was afraid that Taehyung would be more and more a bad influence on Jungkook. So I decided to separate them as soon as possible."
"What did you do earlier that made Jungkook beat you so brutally?"
Namjoon's face turned red in embarrassment.
"I kissed him by force, harassing Taehyung and making sure Jungkook saw it all," he muttered under his breath.
Seokjin glared angrily at that.
"What?"
Namjoon looked away, unable to bear Seokjin's glare.
"And I..." the words seemed to have a hard time coming out of Namjoon's mouth, "And I...slandered him. I said Taehyung wanted me to pay him to make out with me for a few hours..."
"Oh my God, Kim Namjoon!". Seokjin groaned in disbelief at Namjoon's treatment towards Taehyung.
"No wonder Jungkook beat you out, if I was there at that time, I would definitely encourage him to beat you harder."
Namjoon nodded his head, "I...I deserved it..." the man took a deep breath, "But Seokjin, after I learned all this truth, and saw the look in Jungkook's eyes when he dragged Taehyung home earlier. I'm somehow...worried."
Seokjin's face suddenly turned white.
"Gosh! I almost forgot, Jungkook always believes your words! What if Jungkook thinks that Taehyung really sold himself to you? Seeing how possessive Jungkook is with Taehyung, I can't imagine how angry Jungkook is! We have to explain everything to Jungkook before he does something he'll regret later," Seokjin immediately grabbed his phone and dialed Jungkook's number.
He tried for a long time without success, finally took a deep breath and gave up.
"All the numbers are off, we also can't just storm into his apartment because it's already early morning." Seokjin resignedly put down the phone.
"We have to wait until tomorrow morning, and if...and if it turns out to be too late..." Seokjin cast a sharp glare at Namjoon who looked back at him guiltily.
"I will make sure you pay for all the mess you made Kim Namjoon."
──── ✧《✩》✧ ────
As always, let me know what you think! Thank you so much for reading and I'll see you guys in next chapter! <3 Oh, and next chapter is going to be a ROLLERCOASTER. Can't wait for you guys to read it!!
Here's a daily reminder that each and every one of you are beautiful and amazing! Sending y'all lots of love <3