Namjoon went to get the younger and drove him home. They didn't say much since Jeongguk cried silently until the very moment they arrived outside of his house. He was outright scared about what would happen to him again, and he couldn't do anything about it.
He thanked Namjoon and then shuffled towards the door. "Seokjin hyung?" he questioned, surprised by his presence.
"Hey, Kook! It's been so—" Seokjin hushed up once he took a better look at his face. "What is this?"
Yoongi exploded out of his seat and scuttled closer. "What the fuck, Jeongguk?"
"Um, it's a really long story."
"Who the fuck did this to you?"
The three sat in the living room, and Jeongguk narrated everything that happened yesterday. About his father who went there and beat him up, about Taehyung who stopped him and beat his father, about Taehyung who helped him calm down and took care of him, and about staying at his house.
"Oh, Kookie," Seokjin said with a mournful expression and attempted to hug him, but he set a hand on his chest.
"My back is filled with, um, cuts and it hurts."
"Why the hell didn't you call me yesterday?" Yoongi asked with a furious scowl.
"You were sleeping, hyung. And Taehyung was there and took care of me. It's okay."
"I told you to call me no matter what!"
"Yoongi, don't yell at him," Seokjin uttered as he nudged his shoulder.
"I'm okay now. Taehyung... kept me safe. And he will keep me safe."
"I'm sorry, I'm just worried about you, Kook. Can you really trust him?"
"I can." He smiled as he thought about the moments they shared. "He cares about me. I know that for sure."
At that point, his phone started ringing, and he fumbled to get it out of his pocket. "Taehyung?" He jolted out of his seat and dashed to his bedroom.
"Hey, little bun."
"Where are you? Are you—are you okay?"
"Yes, he only talked to me. He didn't hurt me."
Jeongguk sighed instantly in relief. "So can I come to the club?"
"No, Kook. You have to rest, anyway. Please rest for today."
"Okay, Tae. Take care."
"You too, little bun."
Jeongguk inhaled a deep, shaky breath and blew out slowly. He's fine. He's fine. He couldn't help but smile as he returned to his hyungs.
"What was that all about?" Seokjin questioned with a curious look.
"Nothing."
"Who are you trying to fool? Look how you're smiling. Spill everything."
And Jeongguk talked about how Taehyung took care of him. Of course, he let out the kisses and hugs. They didn't have to know that.
"And we were like so close and he said he would do anything I wanted. All I had to do was ask. And it was the second time that happened, and I didn't know what to do because I didn't know what he meant!"
Seokjin gave the younger boy a knowing look. "Really? You don't know what he could possibly mean with that?"
"No."
There was a moment of silence as Jeongguk stared at the floor with a pout and Seokjin gazed at him in disbelief. "Jeongguk, hello! He wanted you to kiss him."
"What!?"
"Don't kiss him," Yoongi spat out.
"Why?" Seokjin asked.
"Because he's not even twenty-one yet and that Taehyung guy is twenty-five! He's too old for him."
"Oh, come on, Yoongi! Let the boy have some fun. Taehyung cares about him. Who cares if he's a few years older? It's not like he's fifty."
"Still! He's innocent and I know for sure that Taehyung guy is not! He'll ruin him."
"Okay, you are obviously overreacting now, and also think that Taehyung didn't just kiss him, even though he clearly wanted to do it, but he instead gave Jeongguk the choice to do whatever he wanted!"
"That doesn't mean anything at all. How do you know he's not doing that to earn his trust and then ruin him, huh? You can't know that and—"
"Guys, shut up, seriously!" Jeongguk exclaimed, frustrated. "This is a lot to take in and you yelling at each other doesn't help me at all."
"Okay, you're right. We're sorry." Seokjin sighed. "You can do whatever you want, though, don't listen to him." He subtly pointed at Yoongi with his head.
"Yah, don't tell him that!"
"Why? He's a big boy and he can do whatever—Jeongguk! Sorry, we'll shut up, come back here," Seokjin said once he saw the younger walk away.
"You guys are arguing with each other about me and you didn't even ask me what I want or how I feel!"
"You're right, you're absolutely right." Seokjin grabbed his hand and instructed him to sit next to him. "Tell us, what do you want? How do you feel about this?"
His pout returned as he mused over it and lowered his head when he didn't find any answers. "I don't know."
"It's okay, Kook. You can think about it, and we won't interfere at all, right Yoongi?"
Yoongi glared at him. "Right."
After that, they continued chatting about other things until late at night. When Seokjin left, the two boys said goodnight and went to their rooms.
Jeongguk couldn't fall asleep since he was used to sleeping in the morning now, so he just stayed under the covers, thinking about what Seokjin said before. How could he be so blind? The touches, the kisses, the promises. Taehyung wanted him to kiss him, and he was so, so dense about it. Fuck, how much he wished he could see him at that moment. Not that he would do anything, but the bed felt rather empty without him there holding him.
🥀
A blaze of eagerness coiled in his gut the moment he woke up the next day. He couldn't wait to go to the club. He was so excited to see Taehyung, although with yesterday's realization, he was nervous too.
Once he was ready, he said goodbye to Yoongi, who was working from home that day, and bundled off, but he didn't manage to go far. A frighteningly familiar man stood outside of his house, leaning against his car.
"Hello, pretty."
With his heart thumping hard and his wobbly legs, he retreated in shock and terror, but the man's voice froze him to his place.
"I just want to talk, Jeonggukie. I won't do anything. Yet."
The man he feared the most now was right in front of him, signing him to get into his car. "I'm not—I'm not getting inside."
"Fine." Wang walked a bit closer to him. "I want to say sorry. I didn't know your father would react this way. It was... a bad call to bring him with me."
Jeongguk was beyond confused and staggered by now. He didn't know what the hell to say to him.
"You don't have to forgive me, and I don't really care about that. But I do want to warn you about V."
"What—what about him?"
"You shouldn't trust him so much, Jeonggukie. The man you think that cares about you and wants to protect you didn't even hesitate to betray you in order to save his ass."
As Jeongguk was lost for words, tears flooded his eyes. "What?"
"Listen to this, Jeonggukie." Wang fished his phone out of his pocket, and a few seconds later, Taehyung's voice was heard.
"What do you want?"
"You care so much for this boy, Taehyung."
"What do you want from me, Wang?"
"I want... Jeongguk. For only one night. The next person who'll see these pictures is Kang."
"I'll give anything."
"You'll really do that?"
"Yes. I will do anything. I don't care, anyway."
Wang stuffed his phone in his pocket and took out a photo. "I blackmailed him with this photo. And he didn't hesitate to say yes. You heard him. He doesn't care about you. You're nothing to him."
A river of tears streamed down Jeongguk's face the moment he heard his recorded voice. "No," he breathed out, his gaze unfocused, lost.
"You heard him. He only cares about himself. They were all lies, Jeongguk. You don't mean anything to him."
He gasped for air at that point as he stumbled back and ran to his house. He struggled to open the door as he shook uncontrollably and fell to his knees at last.
Yoongi heard the noise outside the door and rushed there. "What the—" He immediately picked up the younger and helped him sit on the couch. "Jeongguk, talk to me. What happened?" Only sobs erupted from him as he lay down and curled up into a ball. Yoongi lifted his head, placing it on his thigh, and caressed it, trying to calm him down. "It's okay. It's okay."
"He—he betrayed m-m-me," he choked out. "He doesn't care. He never d-did. Everything was—was a lie. He only c-cares about h-himself."
"Try to calm down, Kookie. Everything will be okay."
After quite a while, Jeongguk's sobs subsided and his tears dried out. He pulled away and sat straighter in his seat. "You were right," he murmured. "Taehyung played me." It was all he said before he disappeared towards his room and locked the door.
Of course, Yoongi followed him and pleaded him to let him in, but he received no answer.
There really wasn't anything that could describe what Jeongguk felt. The person he trusted so, so much in such a short period of time sold him without a second thought so he could save himself. After all the promises — after all the moments they shared. Taehyung betrayed him.
🥀
Taehyung went to the club at his usual hour and waited for Jeongguk to come, but he never did. He called him many times and texted him, but he didn't answer. Alarmed by his absence, when they finished the preparations, he told Namjoon he would go to his house.
And he did. He drove at a fast speed, unable to think about anything else than Jeongguk, his heart pounding hard by his anxiety.
He hurried to the door and knocked, tapping his foot against the ground on repeat.
"Who is it?"
"It's Taehyung. Is... Jeongguk okay? He didn't—"
Suddenly, the door was yanked open and a furious Yoongi grabbed him by his collar. "You motherfucker," he hissed as he glowered at him. "You really have the audacity to come here after what you did?"
Taehyung held his wrists but didn't push him away, confusion adorning his traits. "What are you talking about? What did I—"
"And you're lying about it too? You're that much of an asshole?" he snarled at him and raised his hand, ready to punch him.
"No no no, hyung!" Jeongguk emerged from the back in haste, tears already stinging his eyes. Although Yoongi's hand stopped midair, he gripped it and lowered it. "Don't hurt him."
"Are you kidding? He played you!"
"Hyung, please." He got between them and pushed Yoongi back gently.
"Jeongguk, what is going on? Please—"
"You shut up." He spun around and scowled at him. "How could you do this to me?"
Taehyung's heart ached at the sight of the boy’s body shaking with his suppressed sobs. He had no idea what was going on, and hearing him so broken brought tears to his eyes. "What did I do, little bun?"
"You know what you did! Wang c-came here and—and told me e-everything."
"Wang? Did he touch you?"
"Shut up! You don't care. You never did!"
"Jeongguk, please. Tell me what happened. I don't know what you're talking about," he said in a quiet tone filled with desperation as he closed the door behind him and inched closer.
"I heard you," Jeongguk said as he dropped his head. "You didn't hesitate to say yes in order to save yourself. Wang told you he wants me for—for one night, and you said you'll give anything."
"What?" Yoongi gritted out. "Who's Wang and what the hell does that mean?"
"Jeongguk," Taehyung whispered, tears running down his face. "This—this never happened. I didn't... I would never—"
"I heard you!" he bellowed, his voice coming out muffled. "He recorded your conversation."
"I never said that!" Taehyung yelled back at him in panic. "He came and talked to me yesterday, but I never said that he can have you, fuck!"
"But—but then... what was—"
Taehyung wiped his tears with his sleeve and neared him with one decisive stride to hold his face. He swiped his thumbs over his cheeks, collecting his tears while he felt fresh ones trickle down his face. "He took pictures of us that day in the club. And I asked him what he wanted and he said he wants you for one night just like you already said. But I said there's no way this is happening."
Taehyung brushed off his wet cheeks once more and pulled back a tad. "We'll explain everything in a moment." He glanced at Yoongi, who was fixedly scowling at the two. Then, he grabbed Jeongguk's hand, leading him to the couch, and they sat next to each other as Yoongi sat into the armchair.
"After that, he blackmailed me. He said I don't have a choice and that the next person who will see these pictures is Kang. And I said I don't care and that the only way this is going to happen is over my dead body. I told him I won't let him touch you again and I meant it. I mean it." He took hold of his hand and squeezed it, his gaze anchored on his tearful, round eyes.
"I told him I'll give anything except you. I even told him I can give him cocaine for free for as long as he wants, and he still said no!"
"Did you just say cocaine?" Yoongi asked with a shocked expression.
"Hyung! Not now."
"Sorry about that," he mumbled and bit his lower lip. "I told him I only care about keeping you safe. And I asked him to let you be, but he said he only wants you and I leave him no choice. He said I should be ready to visit Kang once again. But it'll be the last time since I won't be walking out of there alive."
Agitation seized his entire existence at everything he just heard. "How did he do that? I only heard what he wanted me to hear."
"He could easily edit it however he wanted to. This man is capable of anything."
Jeongguk lowered his head and wiped the last tears that flowed down his cheeks. He felt bad and so guilty for believing Wang, but how could he not believe him? He even had an edited recording of their conversation.
"Jeongguk." He brought his hand to his mouth and placed a delicate kiss on the back of his hand. "I would never give you up. I will never give you up. Even if Kang ends up beating me until I can't breathe anymore, I will never—"
"No, don't say that, please," he said in a rush as he set his hands on each side of his neck, staring through worried eyes at his saddened ones. "You can't do that for me. You can't—you can't risk your life for me."
Taehyung enfolded him into his embrace, and the other laced his arms around him in desperation. "I was scared today. You didn't come to the club and I thought... fuck, I was scared, Jeongguk," he whispered to his ear and drew a gentle kiss on the side of his head.
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you saying sorry? It's not your fault."
"I'm sorry because I believed him. I believed Wang over you. I'm so stupid."
"No," Taehyung said in a strict tone as he withdrew and cupped his face. "You're not stupid. That fucking guy even edited a recording. You heard what he wanted you to hear. Everyone would believe it, Kook. You did nothing wrong." He pressed a long kiss on his forehead and gave him a comforting smile.
"Okay, this is getting out of hand so you gray-haired just shoo." Yoongi loomed over them and flicked a hand in front of Taehyung, gesturing him to move away.
Reluctantly, he scooted over with a sigh, and Yoongi took the opportunity to sit between them. "Care to explain now?"
⚜✳⚜