━CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX━
tachyung sighed deeply as he pinched his nose bridge between his index finger and thumb, brows furrowed and eyes shut as he tried to make sense of the situation.
jimin sat opposite of him, sipping on the whiskey cup in his hands as he observed the behaviour of his friend.
"so, where is he now?" the corrupted cop asks, setting down his glass and crossing his arms across the table, fingers drumming against the wood. "jeongguk, where'd you put him?"
taehyung groaned and reached out for his own glass, then tilted his head back as the cool burning sensation cascaded down his throat. he almost slammed the glass back down on the table, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he slowly let it intoxicate him.
"he's back home. locked him in his room and told him to study." the younger of the two stated, re-filling his glass with alcohol. Jimin's eyes narrowed down onto taehyung's glass, then back up onto the face of his friend.
"you should slow down." jimin blankly states, knowing the other would never listen to him.
"old habits die hard, chim." taehyung smiles with a hint of melancholy.
"just because your parents were alcoholics doesn't make you one." jimin tries to reason.
"my parents were also neglecting and abusive pricks, and wow lookie here, so am i." the rumble of laughter that bounced from taehyung's chest was heavy.
jimin frowned. he hated seeing taehyung's vunerable side, it was always so strange since it was quite rare to ever see it in the first place.
"i wouldn't go that far, jungkook seems to like you despite your..." jimin scrunched up his brows and looked up as he tried to figure a word that described taehyung's behaviour. his face then morphed back into a neutral look with a small playful smile dancing on his lips. "...unique ways."
taehyung scoffed.
"sure, it isn't like the kid is on his knees for me one second and then yelling at me the next." the taller rolled his eyes. "obviously, he just seems to love me oh-so-much." taehyung mumbled sarcastically.
the cop huffed and then dragged one of his smooth hands through his silky strands, revealing his forehead that's usually hidden by his growing fringe.
"c'mon tae. the boy needs you, you saw what he did today." jimin pushes back the memory of the crispy mutilated body he had to witness at the crime scene earlier today. "he's out of control, and he can't get a hold of his own reigns himself."
taehyung cocked up an eyebrow at his friend's words, wondering what the smaller was suggesting.
"what are you trying to say?"
jimin smirks, leaning forward on the table with dark glimmering eyes.
"jeongguk is a lost little teenager." the older tilts his head to the side. "he needs guidance, tae. he needs you."
"you need to control him."
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taehyung unlocks the door to his apartment, stepping inside and then flicking the lights on.
his eyes blow up wide when he feels two strong arms suddenly throwing themselves around his torso, squeezing him tight as a face buried itself into his chest.
"what the–" but the older bit back his tongue once he saw jeongguk's small frame shaking as he clung onto him. "jeongguk? cupcake, what's wrong?" his brows immediately crash down together as he pulls away from the boy, palms coming up to cup jeongguk's wet cheeks that were streaked with tears.
"i-i heard po-police sire-sirens and tho-thought th-that–" the younger didn't have to finish his trembling sentence because taehyung tucked the boy's head into his shoulder before balancing his own chin on top of the raven tuffs of hair, placing small pecks into the ebony strands.
"hey, hey.... shhh... i got you." taehyung whispered into his hair, letting the teen soak his expensive fabric as he sobbed into his neck.
"hy-hyung... don't leave me... pro-promise." jeongguk cracked out, small fists clutching onto taehyung's sleek suit jacket. "don't ever leave me."
taehyung's facial expression grows a little concerned about how dark jeongguk's voice sounds, but he still holds the boy tight.
"i won't ever leave you, baby." he promised, realising that he needs the teen just as much as the teen needs him. "i swear."
the edge of jeongguk's lips curl upwards, eyes burning with fiery embers. he holds onto taehyung as the droplets continue to fall.
he highbred his gaze, eyes catching his reflection in the mirror behind them. taehyung's broad back on display with jeongguk's small body covered entirely. but there was something still visible to him.
apart from his eyes, jeongguk's orbs caught onto the familiar smile plastered across his mouth.
that same lunatic smile that jeongguk used to despise on taehyung so much, was now reflected perfectly on his own set of rosy lips.
taehyung was staying with him. forever.
end of 26
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jimin isn't necessarily the bad guy lol. he's just vibin tbh
apologies for any errors, ive got shit to study bye