[AN]
Heyo!
I have some drama prepared for today's update hehehe
I know I'm late but if there are any Stays in the crowd; SKZ new song, Slump, is literally one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. Thank you for coming to my ted-talk :)
Hope you enjoy the chapter!
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(Previously)
"Isn't it obvious, Taehyung? You and Jeongguk will be going undercover into one of Songmin's lesser gangs."
"You expect me to work with and trust the son of the very man who ruined my life? I don't care what you want Namjoon, we can take down Songmin and get Kai back another way. But Taehyung does not step foot within my mafia! All he would do is cause more trouble than he's worth. Drop it!"
The door slammed harshly behind the ravenette as he left, fuming.
Taehyung in a moment of sheer anger, rose, patting Jimin on the shoulder reassuringly when he made to stand too, and followed Jeongguk out into the hallway.
~・✧・~
The second the door slammed behind Taehyung, Jimin rounded on Namjoon, small fists clenched tightly as his eyes burned with a special type of malice. Even Jin shook his head disapprovingly at Namjoon.
"You can't possibly be serious, Joon? Throwing that poor child into Junseo's mafia? That's asking an awful lot, even if Jeongguk goes along." Jin said, tone hesitant and waning on disappointed.
Namjoon grimaced. "I know it isn't ideal but simply having Taehyung relay the information isn't enough. He needs to be there, personally seeking out anything Songmin wishes to keep under the rug."
Jin winced at the same time Jimin threw his hands up, miffed. "You're throwing him into the lion's den! Junseo's men already hate Guk. How do you think they're going to feel when he drags in an inexperienced new recruit?"
Hoseok rubbed Jimin's knee soothingly. "It'll be ok, Jimin. Jeongguk will protect him."
Jimin glared harshly, Hoseok's words merely bouncing off him, not holding any weight. He glanced back at Namjoon, stare icy and menacing.
He pointed a shaking finger. "If anything happens to him" Jimin paused, voice failing him as it trembled. "I'm holding you responsible."
And then Jimin whirled, overcome with emotion as he ran towards the hallway in search of his best friend.
~・✧・~
Jeongguk was several strides down the dim hallway by the time Taehyung managed to catch up to him, breath falling choppily as he tried to reign in what little of his boiling anger he could.
"What the hell is your problem! Can't you go for more than five minutes without picking a fight?" Taehyung yelled, voice strained and piercing in the silence of the hallway.
Jeongguk didn't turn. He barely offered Taehyung a glance, only scoffed and continued on his way, hands shoved deeply into his pockets and shoulders pulled up to his ears. Taehyung scrunched his nose, fury lapping at his tongue.
"Do you think I want to go into this other mafia with you to comply with my father's crooked rules? No! I'm going because I want to save that little boy" Jeongguk stopped, as a ripple ran the length of his body, muscles tightening as he stood stock still, his harsh breathing audible.
"And I would think, someone even as arrogant as the famous Jeon Jeongguk would have enough of a heart to do the same-"
Taehyung didn't get to finish.
Jeongguk had already reached him, lumbering body towering over the brunette as his chest heaved in ragged breaths, eyes impossibly dark. He lurched forward, grasping Taehyung tightly by the shoulders, and shoving forward until the younger male bounced harshly against the wall behind him. Jeongguk loomed over Taehyung, face centimeters from his own as the ravenette's eyes practically shone a bright crimson.
"Don't." Jeongguk spat, voice an octave lower than normal and drenched in venom. "You don't get to lecture me on Kai or any other aspect of my life, Kim Taehyung. Your father took everything from me! And if you think, I would ever place my trust in the child of that monster, you are surely mistaken" Jeongguk hissed, warm breath fanning Taehyung's cheeks as his grip on the brunette became painful.
"I am not my father." Taehyung seethed, voice dropping in pitch and mirroring the bitterness in Jeongguk's tone.
Jeongguk sneered, throwing his head back as he huffed one short, mocking laugh. "No?" He jeered, moving to catch Taehyung's chin between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. "Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and a pampered child like you could never understand."
Taehyung shuddered as tears filled his eyes but along with it, a stronger wave of anger. He shoved Jeongguk's hands from his face, leaning up on his tiptoes to even their gazes, Taehyung's alight with sizzling embers.
"You aren't the only one who's lost everything!" Taehyung yelled, ramming his fist into the hard expanse of Jeongguk's chest. The ravanette didn't back down from their heated stare but the danger in his eyes dimmed.
"I've spent the last 19 years of my life locked up in my room, only able to leave if I sneak out!" Another punch to the chest as Taehyung barked with laughter. "And I'll be damned if my brother or father would visit for anything other than to replace the locks!
Taehyung choked on his next sentence, still not able to drag the words from his throat but he didn't stop. There were tears running the slope of his cheeks as he landed a rain of desperate and anguished punches on Jeongguk.
Taehyung slumped after a moment, unable to throw anymore punches, thoroughly worn out as his limbs began to fill with jelly and his head was assaulted by thousands of tiny knives. Yet, he still latched onto enough energy to look Jeongguk in the eyes, gaze watery and hard.
"Jimin was all I had left. And you just about took him from me too."
The room dropped into a deafening silence as the two males stared at one another, barely breathing, hardly moving. Jeongguk's eyes roamed over Taehyung's form, taking in his shaking shoulders and teary eyes. A muscle twitched in his jaw.
Slowly, the ravenette released Taehyung, body melting away as his shoulders sagged, curling in towards his body. He dropped his gaze, stepping away, leaving Taehyung braced against the wall, legs quivering with fervor.
Jeongguk sighed, anger seeming to seep out of his body. His dark orbs glinted with something akin to regret. His arm raised in a half-attempt at consolation before it flopped awkwardly back to his side. Jeongguk took another tiny step backwards, unable to meet Taehyung's eyes.
Finally, the older turned, unable to handle the stifling silence. His shoulders were still droopy and he scuffed his feet along the floor as he moved a few paces into the depths of the shadows swallowing the hallway.
Just before his murky figure disappeared, Jeongguk stopped once more, whispering inaudibly to himself as he turned back around, body swathed in darkness. Taehyung watched him, unsure how to process everything that had just happened.
At that moment, the door to Namjoon's study flew open as Jimin scurried out, a blur of orange. He eyes locked on Taehyung immediately and he practically flung himself in the younger's direction, instantly noticing the tears and slouched posture. He wrapped his arms tightly around Taehyung's waist, arms shaking just as much as the brunette's entire body, suddenly overcome with a fear of loosing his best friend a second time, only now it would be to another gang. Jimin buried his face in Taehyung's neck, only just realizing the tense silence which had settled over the hallway.
Carefully, he lifted his head, gaze snagging immediately on Jeongguk's rigid form.
Pain shimmered in the ravenette's dark eyes as he took in the two males huddled together, watched as Taehyung allowed Jimin to support his tired body and rest his head on the tuft of orange hair.
Jeongguk winced.
Finally, "Tomorrow." Jeongguk breathed out, voice quiet and mingling with the darkness. "Don't be late, we start training at dawn."
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[AN]
Whew, there's that chapter! I wanted to keep this chapter strictly between Jeongguk and Tae's fight but I had trouble with the length so I added the part with Jimin and I thought him coming out to comfort Tae, made for a good ending so I hope it turned out ok!
This chapter is meant to serve that JK too has demons in his life which adds to why he is so mean and arrogant sometimes but there is a hint of care there that you will see growing as the story progresses-he's fighting it here but this chapter also serves as a marking point when Tae and JK start to understand one another as well. It also goes to show just how deep Jimin and Tae's relationship runs and how much they depend on one another :)
I hope you all enjoyed! I'm curious what you think will happen next! Lemme know in the comments!
And please remember that no matter what you are going through, big or small, that you will get through it. You have the strength, power, voice, and mind to push through and fight for yourself. To reach the light at the end of the tunnel. And also, you are enough. You are you and that is all you ever need to be. Do not abide by the mold someone else has set for you and fight always for what is right. <3
I absolutely love the jackets Tae drew on, they show off his creativity and are beautiful
Until the next update!
I purple you!
- Megan<3
[June 1, 2020]