Chapter Thirty-One . . .|
-i'll be waiting for that day, taehyung.
Taehyung's eyes were locked on the mafia leader, brows pulled together. He hid his apprehension, pushing his lips into a taut line.
The only thing that could be heard was the soft breathing from both of their noses, the calm sound taking over the silence.
"Well, Princess? I'm waiting, you were so manly seconds ago, what happened?" Questioned the elder, tilting his head like the cocky adult he was. "Shoot me, make it hurt! Make it painful! Kill me!" Jeongguk rose his voice at him, now his patience being cut into.
"Pew," Taehyung breathed out, jerking his wrist as if he actually pulled the trigger and it was the action of the gun cocking back, eyes locked on Jeongguk.
"Pussy." Jeongguk let out in a the smallest of whispers but it was caught by Taehyung's ears. "I knew you couldn't do it. You prove my point every single time." He strut over, yanking the gun from Taehyung who didn't fight back. "It was my good gun too; my favorite prized possession." He raddled it in Taehyung's face. "You see it? I can feel the tingle in my ball sack it's that sexy."
"I'm not ready to shoot you." The younger said, giving a nasty frown and a shrug, the frown smug with a hint of confidence.
"Really now? Want me to get you a plan book next time? A calendar?" Jeongguk checked the safety, pushing his pistol back into his waistband. "We can have a meeting for it. Any other request?"
Taehyung sensed the sarcasm dripping off of his vowels even though it didn't take a genius to catch on. "As long as it gets done, as long as you die, I'm fine." He let a weak smile spring over his handsome, god-like features.
He placed his hands on Jeongguk's chest gently, leaning close to his ear, his warm breath fanning his lobe. He let out a soft sound, hands running gently down his clothed pecks to his abdomen. "As long as you die in your own blood, helpless, alone . . . I couldn't care any less. We'll celebrate your demise." The former CEO's voice sounded so deep and breathy, shoving Jeongguk back and the smile he once wore fell into a flat line.
The mafia leader didn't speak, keeping a dull look that couldn't be read by Taehyung. He stabled himself, turning his back to Taehyung and walking towards the door. A bit of confusion filling Taehyung at his actions.
Jeongguk grabbed his crutch, pausing as he stood in front of the door, turning his head over his shoulder but not quite meeting Taehyung's glare.
"I'll be waiting for that day, Taehyung." Jeongguk's lips twitched at the corners, showing a smile.
After saying such, he took his leave, pulling the door behind him and locking it. Taehyung stood there alone, chest rising and falling.
To say he was surprised was an entire understatement. Jeongguk didn't dare hurt him; didn't even threaten him after Taehyung told him he craved for his death.
His mind traveled back to Jimin once more. Taehyung didn't want to believe he changed Jeongguk, he didn't care for him and this man had done too much damage to want to 'change his ways' now.
Jeongguk even said he committed murder, arson, robbery, and more — which Taehyung witnessed for the most part — and that was enough to determine his life wasn't valid anymore.
He doesn't get to take the life from innocent people and feel guilty about it, he doesn't get to act as if that's enough to justify their passings.
Jeongguk was mercurial; killed for a living and want to be punished for it right after. Utter bullshit. It was incredulous, just unfathomable.
Taehyung settled on one word to describe that behavior. Crazy.
Absolutely bonkers.
***
Jimin felt uneasy. This was a usual feeling of his since he typically worked with Jeongguk and all his plans sounded way too risky but he seriously didn't feel right.
He pushed up in his bed, feeling cold sweat gleam over his smooth skin. He brought his fingers through the soft strands of his hair, shutting his eyes for a second to disposition his mood, needing to regain himself.
Regardless, he couldn't shake his premonition. It shook him to the core, forcing him to stand.
Maybe he just needed a walk, he just needed to clear his mind.
He could walk the halls until he determined he was tired again. Until then, he would just wonder around like a ghost in the dark.
Jimin couldn't decipher his feelings correctly. He felt guilty, a feeling of something irritably wrong, and just sad.
He ultimately decided now wouldn't be the time to tell the difference on how he felt.
Jimin made his way down through the halls alone. He was coming to Jeongguk's door and came up with the idea of making sure the younger was in his room sleeping instead of forcing his leg to function properly.
He gently turned the knob, realizing Jeongguk no longer cared if his door was locked or not. He pushed his forearm to it, opening the door enough for him to stick his head inside and look around.
To his surprise, Jeongguk wasn't even in his bedroom.
"Hello? Jeon?" He scanned, maybe the younger was hiding but then Jimin realized this wasn't a game of Hide-and-Seek. Jeongguk was a mafia leader, not a toddler.
Jimin pulled the door shut, turning his head to Taehyung's door. Maybe he was in there with Taehyung which wouldn't be much of a shocker considering all of the things he did to get Taehyung back.
With those thoughts, he quietly move across the hall and unlocked the door with keys he miraculously carried with him. He applied his weight the same way he did on Jeon's door, looking inside.
His eyes traveled the interior of the room, catching a glimpse of a single figure on the ground. Jimin tip-toed over, leaning down to see who it was and luckily, it was indeed Taehyung who slept what looked to be peaceful.
For a second, Jimin was worried it was Jeongguk there and Taehyung had left but thankfully, it was just Taehyung sleeping.
With that, he left his room soon after, sure to shut and lock the door behind him.
Jimin was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend where on earth the mafia leader could be. He wasn't in his bedroom, wasn't in Taehyung's, Jimin could check his office but he didn't know what he could be doing at this hour in his office.
He sucked in a sharp breath, the worry locating itself in his gut only growing twice its size. Jimin didn't stop there, destined to find where his friend was at four in the morning when he should be in his room fast asleep.
A restless walk soon turned into a search for the missing young adult who never in his life was up at this particular hour.
Jeongguk was never, ever up this early, he would be awake at eight precise so this was unusual to say the least.
As he walked the halls, looking through every room he could get through now for Jeongguk and his appearance, he was just about to give up.
Jeongguk wasn't in his office or in any other room he would probably be in and Jimin was losing all hope, hoping he would show up soon enough.
As that thought ran through his head, he heard the clicking of a certain crutch hitting the hardwood. This caused a cock of brow from Jimin, turning around to where to saw Jeongguk walking, head down.
Like most, Jimin was confused at why Jeongguk suddenly decided to appear and from where the hell he came from. Jimin didn't know and didn't have a key to every room so some of the rooms he tried to go through were locked.
He turned fully around as sprinted down the hall to catch up to Jeongguk.
The aforementioned heard the speedy steps, cocking a brow and turning around, head now picked up at the pitter patter that rung in his ears. He flinched, Jimin hands gripping at his arm and damn near ripping him off of his feet but the elder made sure he wouldn't fall.
"What the fuck?" Jeongguk pulled back. "What are you doing?"
"No, sir, what are you doing?" Jimin returned the question. "Why aren't you in your room? Are you okay? What happened? Where the fuck did you appear from?" He bombarded him with many, many questions, Jeongguk already feeling the aching sensation spread over his head.
He huffed, holding his hand out so Jimin wouldn't get any closer to him. "I have things to do that don't concern you. Now, moving on, why are you up right now?"
"'I have things to do that don't concern you'," Jimin mocked, rolling his eyes. "Seriously, Jeon, what exactly were you doing?"
"Business, Park." Jeongguk said cooly. "So, now that you know, can you drop it, yeah?" He limped off, Jimin following immediately.
"Are you okay at least?" Jimin inquired.
Jeongguk huffed with annoyance. "I believe my mental health doesn't involve you or your pity. You should want me dead anyways." He blurted which caught the elder way off guard.
"What?" Jimin frowned, stopping the younger in his tracks and making him look back, hand resting on Jeongguk's thin wrist. "What are you talking about?" He asked.
"Kim held a gun at me. He didn't shoot — obviously — but he said he can't wait for the day I die and I can't either." Jeongguk commented monotonously, face dry of emotion. "I'm sure you can't, I'm sure everyone's waiting for the day I flatline and give my last breath."
It was only then when Jimin took a notice of the redness coating the mafia leader's eyes, dark bags circling his eyes to show exhaustion.
"Were you crying?"
"Huh?" Jeongguk frowned. "No? I'm just tired. I haven't slept just yet."
"Maybe you should then?"
"I got busy with things and I couldn't sleep, mind was clouded and I was stressed." He said finally but Jimin wasn't done however.
"Are . . . Are you suicidal?" He wondered, worry overcasting his emotions as he watched the young adult's facial expression, especially his eyes.
"What? Jimin, I wasn't crying." Jeongguk sputtered, taken back by the sudden question. "Crying doesn't mean you're suicidal."
"It's apart of it." Jimin quipped.
The black-haired adult frowned, rolling his eyes. "I'm pretty sure killing yourself is apart of it."
"That's the end goal." Jimin muttered.
Jeongguk let out a deep sigh, shaking his head. "I wasn't crying so please stop asking if I was. I'm tired, Park, only tired. I'm not suicidal, not depressed, not any of it, 'kay?"
And the two remained silent after that.
What neither of them knew was things were about to go down.
For once and for all.