Having heard the commotion, Jimin was desperately looking for any sign of survivors. He tried to look through the thick smoke but it was impossible.
"What the fuck was that?! Is everyone safe? Answer me, damn it!!"
Silence. He was about to go down there to check by himself when he saw something coming out of the dark. It seemed to be two people. He took his rifle and looked through the lens. He saw you and Taehyung and sighed in relief. You had one arm around Taehyung's shoulders as one of his supported your waist, helping you walk. Your bodies were covered in black soot, but it was not enough to cover the bleeding cuts on your faces, arms and legs. You were coughing really bad, trying to clean your lungs. You have inhaled a bit of smoke and it felt like it was burning you inside. You needed to find a spot with fresh air.
"Thank God! Are you fucking stupid? If I ask something, answer for fuck's sake!"
"Were you that worried, Jiminnie?" Taehyung mocked him.
"Shut the fuck up! Look at you. You're stupid as fuck."
"Kiss my ass!" He laughed.
"I'd shoot your ass."
"Stop bitching and come here. I'm tired..."
Taehyung's legs gave up on him as soon as you reached a safe spot. You both collapsed to the ground on your backs. Your chests were rising in sync as you both took in as much air as possible.
"You ok?" Taehyung looked at you.
"I'm fine. Thank you...I would've died there."
"Now you owe me." He smiled.
"Seems like it." You started laughing softly but it was soon replaced by strong coughs.
A few moments later another shadow came out of the smoke, dragging something after it. You looked at it as it slowly became clearer. His face was covered with some cloth but you could tell it was Hoseok and he was pulling the man he just shot along the road. He passed right by you when Taehyung spoke.
"Hyung, aren't you going to ask us if we're alright?"
"Seeing how you're both laughing, you're clearly not ok. You must've hit your heads really hard." His face showed no emotion. If anything, he looked pissed.
Taehyung chuckled. He watched as the oldest struggled to push that man's body into the trunk of the car. Hoseok looked back at him with a judging face.
"Are you going to just sit there?"
He got up and went to help Hoseok, leaving your side. You pushed yourself into a sitting position. Your every bone hurt. You stretched your arms in front of you and examined them. There were cuts and bruises here and there and dark streams of blood running down to your fingers. Your feet were in the same condition. All you could remember was how Taehyung ran to you and then you felt his grip around your wrist and your body just started moving on its own at a fast pace before the blast knocked you down. It all happened so fast. That could have been your last memory. It had been a close call.
"You've been roasted pretty well, I see." Jimin laughed.
"Oh well, just a bit smoked."
"Here, let me help you."
He gave you his hand and pulled you up, giving enough support to make it easier for you to walk. You got into the backseat of the car and waited for the rest of them to finish with what they were doing. As soon as they did, you all returned home. The boys said they have to deal with that man first and that you should go ahead and take a shower. It took you a good hour to get rid of the dirt and smell. When you were about to enter Taehyung's room, he was going out.
"Already done?"
"Yeah."
"Damn, you smell so good." He took a step closer.
"You don't. Go and take a bath, fast."
"Are you giving me orders? That's kinda sexy tho..."
"Do you want me to push you in?"
"Please do. I might close you in with me. Wanna give it a try?" He quirked an eyebrow.
"Just go."
After you were all done, you were called to Yoongi's office. This was not going to go well. After all, you came back empty-handed. Well, almost.
"What the fuck happened out there?"
"Seems like Namjoon prepared a fire party for us." Hoseok took the initiative.
"How bad was it?"
"Y/N was close but she's fine. Ten our guys are injured and 5 died on the spot." Taehyung continued.
"I take it you took care of the others."
"All dead. Managed to save one rat for some more fun. He's in the basement." Hoseok took a seat on one of the armchairs.
"Good." Yoongi seemed to be thinking something. "Y/N..."
"Yes?"
"How about you and Taehyung take over this one?"
"Do you think she'll handle it?" Taehyung looked a bit worried.
"She has to. It's what we do. What do you say, kiddo?"
"I'm in."
"See? She's a big girl. Not to say...since when do you actually care? I bet you've been waiting for this for a while now. Am I wrong?"
"No..."
"I was not expecting it anyway. Now. Back to Namjoon. We need a solid lead. That's your target. Find me a picture, a name, an address, a trail, anything. I bet he's doing this to gain Black Tiger's favors."
"What are you going to do then?" You asked.
"Kill them...both." He smiled. "This is war now."
"Like it ever stopped." Hoseok scoffed.
"Ever?" You were confused.
"Something wrong there, Y/N?" Yoongi's eyes were fixed on you.
"I just- I keep hearing 'Black Tiger' but you never told me about him. Who is he?"
"Someone I swore to kill. I can see the confusion on your face. Should I tell you a little story? Maybe it'll answer some of your questions."
"Ok. I'm out." Hoseok left the room.
"Yes, please." You answered in a timid voice.
"I'll leave too." Jimind made his way to the door as well.
You looked at them leaving one by one and then eyed Taehyung. Was he going to leave too? You disliked that idea.
"I'll-" He stopped when he saw the look in your eyes. "Do you want me to stay?"
"Leave!" Yoongi spoke before you could even open your mouth.
Taehyung clenched his jaw, bowed to Yoongi, and gave you an apologetic smile before disappearing behind the closed doors.
"What do you want to know?"
"Who is Black Tiger?"
"Hmph...the bitch that killed my family. The bitch that wants to destroy me too."
"Oh- I'm sorry..."
"For? It's not like anything will change just because you are sorry. I don't need your pity. It's what makes people weak. I did not get this far by being weak. Remember that."
"Then, if you don't mind, would you please tell me what happened?"
"Take a seat." He pointed to one of the armchairs. "It will take a while."
After you did as he told you, he offered you a glass of the same drink he was having. You politely accepted it and watched as he turned to face the window, looking somewhere in the distance.
"My father used to run the biggest mafia organization in the city and he treasured loyalty the most. That's what kept his group on top. He was a great man and leader. He kept a lot of businesses on float when others threatened to destroy them and he was a great planner. He was feared and respected all over the area. He was the one who taught me a lot of things about leadership and sacrifice. I used to be so excited when he took me with him to jobs or parties. Black Tiger was the man he trusted the most. Father saved him when they were young and he was slowly impressed by how good Black Tiger was with almost everything. That's when he decided to take him as his right hand man. They worked together to make the perfect group and they succeeded. Those were the best years."
"Then what happened?"
"That bitch became greedy. From some point on he started to disagree with my father and they fought a lot. You see, he's the opposite of my father. He seeks power more than anything else, he gives no fucks about who needs to die in order for him to get where he wants. His men are just tools. I still wonder how he managed to get where he is with that mindset. He got into a serious fight with my dad and left the group. He should've killed him right then." The grip around his glass became tighter. "My father decided to just let him leave because he cared about him. He used to tell me to treat him like an uncle. If only I knew...Anyway, after he left a few of our people went after him. He started his own business and made promises that attracted new followers. And like that he stretched his tentacles slowly over one side of the city. I remember father telling his men to let him be, that he will not be a threat. Bullshit. My father met with him on a few occasions but he kept his calm. He still ruled the city. He could crash Black Tiger anytime, he just decided not to. I guess he pitied the guy. That was the end of him, my mom and my sister. Black Tiger's influence kept on growing and he became my father's equal after a few years. He wanted to make my father give up what was left of his kingdom. I think I was about 13 when my mom and sister were murdered for this. I can still see the remains of our house smoldering and remember the smell..."
"And your father just let it happen?"
"He was being tortured in some dark room at that time...There were some important documents Black Tiger needed in order to declare himself king of the city. My father endured so much to keep them safe. He was going to give them to me when I got older."
"But- I don't understand. How did he get himself caught? You said his men were loyal..."
"Hmph. Betrayal. It's common when the other party promises you a brighter future, right? People are disgusting. They can do everything for some money, power or fame."
"How did you get out alive?"
"I was out with some friends doing some stupid shit around the city. When I came back, all there was left were ashes. In just one night everything my father worked so hard to build went to dust. You see how simple it is? It's kinda scarry..."
"What happened to your father?"
"He killed himself after he saw what Black Tiger did."
"Couldn't he wait for help?"
"There was no escape. He could either tell them where the papers were and be killed by them, or take his life and his secret with it. "
"So he never got them..."
"He did. I sold them to him." He turned to face you. "Why are you so surprised?"
"I thought you would've protected them. Your father's treasure."
"No" He laughed softly. "They were just some contracts of buildings, businesses and deals. Nothing he wouldn't have taken back. We were his treasure. His only one. And he lost it."
"Then why did he make such a big deal out of them?"
"He didn't, Black Tiger did. It was a matter of pride for him."
"And he just bought them from you?"
"Yeah."
"How come?"
"I told you. He wanted them and I was offering."
"What did you get in return?"
"Money and a small house."
"I still don't get it. How come he didn't kill you. You were a kid."
"Exactly. A kid he treated like his own. A kid left with nothing, who refused to join his group, who only asked for something to keep him alive. Would you consider him a threat?"
"No..."
"See. Neither did he. We both got what we wanted. But there was one thing he did not know. After my dad died, most of his men went to Black Tiger. There were some that didn't though. Among them was a man my father trusted deeply. He was the one who helped me get to where I am now. I laid low for a few years and when I got the plan and resources, I started this group. We used to be just 30 of us. That was when I met Hoseok. Mr. Lee, the man I told you about, raised him since he was little and trained him. People who remembered my father started to join and soon I was under Black Tiger's radar. And from there on the war started. He's been quite calm lately. Seems like he lets Namjoon play more."
"Do you think he'll attack soon?"
"Black Tiger? Nah, I don't think so. I haven't made any big moves yet."
"But you said he is greedy. Then why would he let you develop your organization to this point?"
"I also said he treated me like his own son. He wants a fair fight."
"Do you think we can win?"
"Someone's made herself comfortable." He laughed.
"What do you mean?"
"Now you care for the future of my group too, calling it 'our'. You added Black Tiger's name on the list as well." He smirked.
"Oh- that..." You giggled softly.
"You seem to like it here. I saw you've moved into Tae's room too."
"Uhm, yeah, about that..."
"I don't need an explanation. I was going to give you a room on this floor anyways, but it was not ready yet. It belonged to someone whom I used to trust but turned out to be a rat. I needed to get his stuff out. It's almost ready if you want to move in there."
"That sounds so nice."
"But you want to stay with Tae. It's fine if that's the case, don't worry. I just need you in shape for the missions, I don't care about the rest."
"Why do you trust me so much? Why do you help me? After all you've been through..."
"Because I know how it is to want revenge and because I have the means to help you get it."
"What if I betray you too?" You looked at him in anticipation.
"You wouldn't."
"How do you know?"
"I know."
"How?"
"Because you have no one behind you. You have nothing to bring me down with."
"What if I'm a rat and I made you believe that?"
"That would be funny but I know you aren't." He was smiling widely.
"What makes you so sure? I could be lying about everything. I could even have faked that car accident." You crossed your arms and quirked an eyebrow.
"Nah. I've seen the hate in your eyes when I told you about the accident, the way they light up every time you hear someone complimenting you on your work or the way you search for Taehyung every time you feel fear. Not to say you sucked at everything when you first started training. I know how to tell when someone is new to this world. You can't fool me, kiddo."
"At least I tried. And I made you smile, I'm pleased with that."
"What?" He was surprised but the tone in his voice was low and warm.
"I never saw you smiling. The sorrow that you buried in your heart, the fear of betrayal, the need of being cared for, the hate. You're not the only one who notices things, you know. I wanted to bring you out of the pain for a bit. It sad that it couldn't last longer."
"You're really something else." The corners of his lips were curved again.
"Always here when you need me, sir!" You mimicked the military salute.
"You can go now. I bet Taehyung is boiling inside wondering what we could be talking about."
"One more thing. Taehyung can wait. The rat you were talking about, was he one of Black Tiger's men?"
"Yeah, but he was under Namjoon. That's how I found out about him in the first place."
"How did you find out he was a traitor?"
"We were on a mission and he kinda let himself be discovered. He tried to warn us that men were coming after half of mine were already dead."
"He was hesitating..." You murmured to yourself. "Did you kill him?"
"Almost. He somehow managed to stay alive. He even found himself a girl and lived happily together. Took me a while to figure it out and find him. Tortured him a bit and got the name of his leader."
"Did you free him after?"
"Do you think I would? He escaped."
"And he just stood silent?"
"Yeah."
"When did this happen?"
"Not a long time ago."
"Then where is he? Did he go into hiding?"
"I have no idea. He could be dead. Who knows."
"Do you think Namjoon killed him?"
"I'm not sure, but he let himself be caught by me and leaked some information. I'm sure he punished him for that at least."
"If he's alive..."
"Namjoon will try to use him to bring me down."
"That's a bit dangerous. He even knows about this place..."
"Don't worry, I have a card up my sleeve. Who knows what'll happen when I use it. "
"If you use it, will Namjoon fall too?"
"Probably. Why? What are you thinking about?" He examined your face.
You stood there for a few seconds without saying anything, thinking about what Yoongi could do. That would make everything easier. You did not know what it was but it did not matter. You trusted him.
"Use it."
"Not so fast. We still don't know if he's alive or not."
"Hmm, true. Sorry, I got taken away for a second." You chuckled.
"Don't worry, kiddo, you'll get your revenge. And I'll get mine. For now, focus on what I tell you to do."
"You're right."
"I know I am."
"I'll go now. Thank you for telling me all this."
You got up and smiled at him. He was surprisingly warm and comfortable to be around this time. It felt good talking to him.
"You earned it."
When you went out of his office you looked down the hallway, on your right. There was one room at the end of it that was not introduced to you by Taehyung. He took his time showing you which one was Yoongi and Hoseok's bedrooms and their shared bathroom on the right side of the big hallway but this one was on the left, next to the room that served as a bar and kitchen, although it was hardly used. So that was the traitor's room. You checked again to see if anyone was coming and went straight to the door. You cracked it open slowly. The morning sun was creeping through the closed curtains. You took a step in, trying to look around but it was still too dark. The only thing you could notice was the emptiness of it. Yoongi was right, he took care of all of his stuff. There was hardly anything left except for the bed, a wardrobe, a TV, some shelves and a desk. But it looked good. You almost wanted to go back to Yoongi and tell him you take the room. It gave you a nice feeling. There was still a faint scent that tickled your nose. It smelled a bit familiar. Maybe it was Taehyung's? You noticed a picture frame on the desk next to you. You picked it up and brought it closer to your eyes, trying to see who was in there. You barely recognized the faces in the low light. Yoongi standing proudly in the middle with Hoseok's arm resting on his shoulder, you then caught the face of Taehyung grinning like a child next to them, in between Jimin and someone else whose face was harder to distinguish. He was the owner of the room, that you knew for sure. You brought the frame even closer, squinting your eyes.
"What are you doing here?"
The irritated voice of Taehyung caught you by surprise, making you throw the picture back on the desk and turn around as fast as you could.
"Nothing. I was just looking around."
"I remember telling you not to go into this room." His brows were furrowed.
"You never said why."
"So what, you got curious? If I said don't enter, you won't enter."
"No, if Yoongi says not to enter, then I won't. And he clearly said that he was preparing this room for me. And yes, I got curious. I don't see why you're so pissed. Is there something here that I shouldn't be seeing?"
You turned and tried to look around once again but he cupped your face with his wide hands and brought it closer to his.
"There's nothing here."
"Oh, really? 'Cuz you make it seem like there is."
"I said there's nothing." Judging by the tone of his voice, he was getting angrier.
"So you're just ordering me around now?"
"What's going on there?" Yoongi's voice resonated across the hallway. The sound of his steps soon followed. "Are we having a problem?"
"No, everything's fine." You replied after Taehyung released you.
"I see you already checked the room." He threw a glimpse through the half open door and saw the frame.
"Yes, I just wanted to see what it looks like."
"How is it? Do you like it?"
"Yes, it seems very cozy."
"I see that there are still some of his things in here."
Yoongi went inside and grabbed the photo frame and some old books from the shelves and threw them into the garbage, taking it out with him. Taehyung's eyes popped into Yoongi's direction. As he got out, he grabbed his arm and whispered. You were watching them confused by their actions.
"Did you tell her about...him?!"
"I did." Yoongi replied in a normal tone. "I told her about the spy Namjoon planted into our house. Is there a problem?" He quirked a brow.
The younger's grip loosened before he took a step back. So he told you about him, but only what you needed to hear. His shoulders relaxed in relief. You did not know who he was, what his name was or how he looked like.
"No, sir. I'm sorry."
"Control yourself. Y/N, do you want to move here? I can arrange for it to be ready by tonight."
You were clearly not in the mood to sleep next to Taehyung now. The fact that he got so worked up over something so small kept bothering you. You looked back inside and it gave you a sense of calm. The thing you needed most. Your eyes moved back to Yoongi before locking with Taehyung's. Your answer was short and sharp.
"I do."