Chapter Text
Till we drown
“Let's jump!”
“You can't be serious!” He tried to protest but the only reply he got was the sound of a high-pitched laughter and that of heavy steps getting quickly ahead.
“Taehyung! Wait, Taehyung!” The boy sighed, shaking his head but got into the forest and followed his friend nonetheless.
It was an unbearably hot day of June. They were supposed to be at school, being sweaty and sleepy over their desks, but Taehyung, like always, had one of his brilliant plans in mind and Jimin again, like always, got stuck into it. It wasn't like he was complaining, they had already passed their year with flying colors, there really was no need to follow till the last day of lessons, however when his best friend had suggested to play by the river, Jimin had thought that he meant to refresh their hands and maybe their feet. Not to jump in the cold water.
He kept running, trying to not lose track of Taehyung who was running through the trees and making his way towards the small cliff at the speed of the light. He felt the sweat slide down his nape and his lungs ached a bit for the effort of running with that weather but he couldn't help but feel excited, like every time it happened when he was together with Taehyung.
He found his best friend at the top of the cliff where the trees cleared out to leave space to grass and rocks. He was already slipping out of his shoes and getting out of his jeans like it was normal to strip outdoor.
Jimin rested his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. “C'mon, you can't be serious!” he sighed out, once again.
“Deadly serious,” Taehyung replied with a huge irritating smile painted over his stupid face.
He saw him get rid of his t-shirt and stay only in boxer, tossing all his clothes ungraciously over a rock.
“But it's like, it's super high from here!” Jimin protested.
“Nah, It's not even ten meters.”
“You are crazy! I refuse, I can't die at fourteen, I didn't even get my first kiss yet!”
“I can kiss you before drowning if that counts,” Jimin made a gagging sound that caused Taehyung to cackle.
“C'mon scaredy cat, you won't die. There aren't rocks below, I checked once, and the water is deep enough.”
“There's still the flow of the river, though,” Taehyung scowled at him as he was saying out loud “party pooper.”
Jimin sighed.
“Let me at least take my clothes off,” Taehyung jumped in excitement and he even went to help Jimin to get rid of his jeans, “ hey be careful where you touch, you beast!” Jimin shouted embarrassed causing another series of giggles.
“Ready?” Taehyung asked after a while when both their clothes were tossed in a corner and they were both standing by the cliff.
“I...guess,” but Jimin didn't make any move to get closer.
“Jimin, have I ever failed you?”
“Well, that was that time when you suggested to climb a tree and I fell on my butt and you laughed.”
“Didn't I piggyback you all the way to your house, though?” Taehyung retorted. Jimin smiled at the memory that was exactly what had happened. Taehyung was like the spirit of Spring personified. He was mischievous and unstoppable like the breeze that brings the good weather, but he was also warm and kind, ready to catch Jimin whenever he fell, always there to share laughs and tears with him.
“Let's go!” Taehyung stretched out his hand and Jimin took it and he heard himself say at the count of three and Taehyung nodded and then with his boisterous voice, his friend started to shout, one, two, and Jimin was getting ready for the three but before he could realize it, he was being dragged forward and unable to stop himself, he felt his body lean ahead and the force of gravity dragging him to jump down the cliff and into the cold water of the river, the laugh of Taehyung that echoed in his ears.
He felt the rush of adrenaline run through his veins and then the cold water welcoming him at the same time a sensation of euphoria exploded in his head. When he resurfaced, Taehyung was there, laughing like a maniac at him, black wet fringe stuck ridiculously to his forehead because he was spluttering water.
“You traitor!” Taehyung laughed harder and Jimin then took one big mouthful of water and sprayed it on his best friend face and then since the other hadn't stopped laughing, he launched himself over him and tried to drown him.
When Taehyung reemerged, he was spluttering water too and Jimin was the one laughing instead, pointing his finger at him, “you look like a wet chicken!”
“Shut up you cow hair!”
It was Taehyung turn then, to launch himself at him but Jimin had always been a better swimmer than him and he moved out of his way fast.
“You, come here! Jimin!” but Jimin kept getting further away despite Taehyung efforts and the latter could see his wet black head and hear his laughs but he couldn't reach him, no matter how hard he swam.
“Jimin, Jimin! Wait!” but Jimin kept swimming towards the shore.
“Jimin you dumbass, wait!”
“Jimin!”
Taehyung woke up abruptly, breath ragged and legs kicking his blanket. It took his mind several seconds to understand where he was and what was going on, that what he had just had, had been a dream. Even though it had felt so real, even though he had really felt the sensation of cold water touching his skin.
He groaned. What was that?
He blinked his eyes and only then he felt them strangely humid. Touching lazily his cheek with his right hand, he found wetness there and if he had some energy left, he would have laughed for the irony of his situation. Hadn't he shed too many tears during that horrible year? He sniffed, without being able to stop himself, he sniffed. Why the fuck was he crying now. He turned his head to the left, to the empty spot of his now too large and empty bed.
Enough, he said biting harshly on his bottom lip. He had to go to work he didn't have time to dwell on past memories and on lost friends. Sniffing one last time, he lazily got up to start his morning routine. He felt like he hadn't rest at all. All his body ached due to the long hours passed standing without rest, supervising fucking slot machines, cheating with cards and dealing with rude customers.
He didn't like having two jobs, not having a day of rest and above all to have to be in that shady casino but he had to. Even though his work as new lawyer intern paid decently, it wasn't enough. So he dragged himself every night to that horrible place, too flashy and too fake, to do his even more horrible and too much long shifts, for the sake of trying to gain some more cash even though he knew that event wasn't going to happen.
“You promised Taehyung, no more tears,” he said to the empty face that was staring at him from the mirror. His own reflection. He had to, he had to resist no matter what, even if it cost him so much, he still had to. It was his responsibility, his burden to bare. He shook his head.
No, it isn't a burden, you stupid moron, he scolded himself.
He could live other ten lives like that if it would have helped him achieve his purpose. He splashed his face with cold water to try and woke up properly. As he felt the drops of water slide down his face he couldn't help but think again of his dream, which hadn't been a dream at all. That was a memory.
How many years had passed? Seven, Ten? Since the last time he saw Jimin.
He had disappeared the summer of his fourteens and Taehyung remembered well how devastated he had felt back then. He had lost his childhood friend and no matter how many flyers with Jimin's stupid face he had hung all over their town to try and help the police to find him. Jimin had been never found. It had been hard for Taehyung to give up, he had never been good to let go, but that time he had to admit defeat and mourn his loss.
In some ways that first failure, the burning scar that had left over his heart was what made the man Taehyung was now, someone that would give his right arm before losing another person he loved. And this person, the one for whom he was willing to go that far, well he was the fucking love of his life, goddammit.
Get a grip of yourself Kim Taehyung, he whispered to himself. He tiredly dragged his feet towards his wardrobe to dress up. Since he started working at the law firm he had to follow a code dress, that included suit and tie. He remembered how he used to be so happy on his first days of work when he didn't have anything else to worry about aside from a demanding boss, but more than everything else when Hoseok was still there.
“Suits looks so good on you Taehyung,” the older had commented and the look he gave Taehyung, scanning him up and down, almost managed to convince him to undress again and jump back into Hoseok's arms.
“Stop it, hyung, I can't allow myself to get late,” he had whined. Hoseok had laughed then, coming out the blankets to embrace him from behind, their appearance reflected on the long mirror of the wardrobe.
“Let me help you with this tie, you’re doing a mess,” the older had whispered into his ear.
Taahyung hadn't arrived late just for a miracle that day. Hoseok had promised to make it up to him when the younger had whined in indignation but it wasn't like he had stopped the hand of his boyfriend to wander over his skin. Hoseok, sweet caring, and beautiful Hoseok.
I should have worshiped you every minute you were here, I should have listened to you more, being more gentle and I should have told you I loved you at every chance I had but I didn't. I didn't and now you are not here. And I'm so scared you won't be here anymore.
He bit the inside of his cheek. No, he couldn't afford to think like that.
So after taking a deep breath to calm down, he went to the kitchen to drink his black coffee and then hurriedly go to his workplace. To start another shitty day of his life.
Taehyung remembered it had been a day like any other, a boring day like any other. He had gone to his new workplace and finding a place to park his car had been a nightmare and he remembered having cursed once or twice. He still felt nervous, trying to adjust to the environment of a law firm hadn't been simple, but Hoseok had told to him to try his best and that it would be more than enough and even if Taehyung himself knew it, hearing his boyfriend saying those words managed to put his heart at ease. He remembered to have smiled at the memory of his lover, probably still asleep because his work as dance instructor didn't start till 10 am, before entering the building.
It had been a boring and normal day like any other, when he received the call he would never forget no matter how many years his pathetic existence would drag itself on.
He would never cease himself to wonder how, why, that day he hadn't run out of his office lead by a bad feeling in his gut that warned him that the one and only person that really matter, would have always mattered to him, was being in danger.
He had felt nothing instead. He had felt nothing. He was laughing with the other interns when Hoseok was being hit by a car in the middle of the street. And he had still felt nothing when the paramedics had tried to revive him.
Taehyung had felt nothing and he would never cease to wonder where was the justice in that. The hospital called Taehyung when Hoseok had just been put under surgery due to the severity of injuries. They had called him because Taehyung was the only family Hoseok had left (you are the family I always wanted to have,” Hoseok used to say kissing tenderly his temple) like Hoseok was the only family Taehyung wanted to remember.
Taehyung found himself, not even half an hour after the call, seated in the rusty chair of the waiting room of the emergency department of the hospital, whispering prayers under his breath and hoping for a miracle.
He only had half of it, though.
Hoseok had survived the operation, however, he never got out of his deep sleep, not after two days like he was supposed to do, not after a week and not after a month. He stayed asleep, suspended into his limbo of being alive and not being able to live his life, leaving Taehyung behind even if it had never been his intention.
Taehyung had come every day after work then, to attend his lover, to hold his hand so he knew he wasn't alone, to tell him how his day went, trying not to cry because if Hoseok was still there, and yes he was still in there, he didn't want for him to hear him cry, because Taehyung himself would have felt devastated if he had heard Hoseok without being able to do anything to comfort him. So he tried hard to keep his shit together, kissing his hand, brushing his hair that was starting to get long and keeping his anguish under control, reserving his tears only to the quietness of his lonely nights.
It was hard having him there and not having him at all, it was hard but Taehyung soon realized things were just starting to get hard.
Hoseok's state required treatments Taehyung couldn't afford. So he started by selling his car to pay for Hoseok recovery bill, but as Hoseok kept not waking up the situation soon got worse. His boyfriend needed to stay at the hospital or under the care of a professional 24/7, but he wasn't going to be able to afford that any longer, he couldn't even take him home because who would look after Hoseok if he worked? He couldn't afford to pay a nurse.
Neither he nor Hoseok had a family to rely on or anything of value they could sell. They never thought they would need it, they always had one another, since Hoseok's parents had died when he was young and Taehyung family had kicked him out.
He refused to let him go, though, no matter what the doctors said of Hoseok's slim chances to wake up and that would be better for him to finally rest in peace. Taehyung couldn't. He was willing to do whatever job just to keep that machine going, to hear the heart of his lover still beating. He was so desperate if Taehyung had once thought to know despair than he clearly hadn't fathom that, with bills after bills piling over his kitchen table and him unable to make front of any of them. If he continued like that he would soon run out of hot water. Yet he still had to maintain the appearance because his job at the law firm was his best shot and what had prevented him from going living under a bridge. He didn't know how long he would be able to avoid that, though.
In the pitch deep darkness of his desperation, an insane thought came to him. He didn't want to, he always thought it was a desperate method for desperate people, but wasn't he one of them? Heck, he would sell his kidney if that would make him have more money, but he had hepatitis when he was a kid and so his organs were useless.
Hoseok, my dear Hoseok, what would you have done in my stance, would you have let me go? Taehyung used to ask himself. He didn't' know what Hoseok would have done, probably fight like him, or find a more suitable solution. He did know what he himself did, though. No bank would want to give an intern with a minimum wage a loan. But banks weren't the only organizations that gave away loans.
That was how Taehyung found himself seated in the back room of a shady casino asking the boss of the establishment to lend him money. Taehyung wasn't stupid, he knew how that kind of transition worked. Wasn't the rumor in his hometown that Jimin's parents had made a deal like that that they couldn't fulfill and that was how they ended up losing their son?
So yeah Taehyung knew very well how those deals worked and ended. But he needed the money he so desperately needed the money and when the director of the casino had suggested for him to do some extra hours at the casino to start paying him back, he stupidly thought it couldn't be so bad. Of course, he had been dead wrong. With the money they lent to him, which had been unfortunately a lot, he managed to pay all his expenses and to take Hoseok out of the hospital and into a more specific clinic. The rest was put into a bank account under Hoseok's name to pay the clinic rent and the quote of life insurance Taehyung stipulated with his boyfriend as beneficiary.
The money had run out fast and before he could even start to think how to pay it back he was already in debt. He started to work at the casino, slaving his nights and his weekend and at first it had been hard but it was bearable. The environment was horrible, the things that happened there beyond shady and Taehyung knew that if his firm ever found out what his second job was, they would fire him. However, despite everything, Taehyung though It could have been worse.
The "it could have been worse" of course came later.
The interest kept rising, kept getting impossibly high, to the point that his two jobs weren't enough and Taehyung started to skip meals because taking Hoseok out of the clinic was out of question. That was when the harassing had started, it started with some menace here and there, but when Taehyung failed to meet a deadline, that was when the beating started. One day after his night shift at the casino they dragged him into a dark alley and three men beaten the shit out of him. Taehyung thought that was the end, that he was going to die in that dirty alley and he was almost glad because if he wasn't' going to see Hoseok never again, he would still be sure that with his death Hoseok would still receive the cure till he would wakeup.
Things, however, went differently. The director of the casino discovered he had stipulated an insurance and forced him to change the final beneficiary with him. They then moved Hoseok into the luxurious clinic they ran, that way they tightened the loose around his neck. He couldn't die now because then the money would go to the boss and nothing to Hoseok while they instead could continue to squeeze the life out of him until they got bored of their game with him and they would, in the end, kill him. Taehyung hsd learned then that it had always been their final purpose.
So now he was trapped in a living nightmare. But of course they didn't stop to that, now that they had him, not even one month ago they coaxed him to sneak out information that could be useful to them from his office. When he refused they proceeded to beat him again.
“Remember to leave his pretty face out, we don't want his colleagues to find him suspicious,” the boss had said before giving his sidekicks the order to give him a lesson. That night he went to bed crawling, trying to not cry every time his muscles hurt. He had hugged Hoseok's pillow then, inhaling his scent that was starting to fade, trying to think of the times when he had been happy and Hoseok was still there.
So now he went to his daily job with the shame of being a lawyer that worked for the criminals, dying inside every time he passed a reserved dossier to the greasy hands of the casino director. He hatedthat man with all his might, he hated his stupid ugly face, he hated his disgusting smell of drugs on him, his insulting smirk when he witnessed his henchmen kicking and punching him. He hated him when he talked about Hoseok to remember his debt and he hated even more how much power he had over him.
Taehyung often fantasized about killing the man himself with his bare hands.
He used to be a peaceful person that wouldn't even hurt a fly but his hatred had grown as deep as his desperation and the only thought that kept making him go on, aside from the hope of seeing Hoseok's eyes open again, was the thought of killing the man. He knew he was running out of time and that he had very little options but he didn't stay still, he made arrangements for a delivery company to send documents to the the newspaper if he ended up dying so maybe he would not survive but hopefully he would manage to kill the man and take down the man's group and maybe, if the public knew about it they would have enough pity to not let Hoseok die and contribute to his well being.
So far that was the plan, but only if he managed to survive long enough to find a window time to put his plan into action. If he doesn't screw me before, he thought.
Of course, everything went to shit when that same day the monster had called him during his shift at the law firm and asked him to fraud the cause of a killer. Until then it had only been frauds, thief and drug dealers cases, not killers and above all not women and kids killers. Taehyung wasn't able to say anything by phone and had to go the toilet to try and collect himself.
He had to do it, he had to, but he knew that if he did it he would never be able to live with that guilt after.
So that evening after his work hours at his office and before starting his night shift, he went to visit Hoseok and he cried in his presence for the first time. Because even in the chance Hoseok would wake up and Taehyung was still alive, he didn't know what his lover would find. What had remained of himself after all that? Of the Taehyung his lover had fallen in love with that day in college, when he saw him sipping his orange juice seated on a bench, nothing was left.
He was a criminal, a soon to be an accomplice murderer. He had become a creature of hate and despair and he was o far from everything that Hoseok was that he was ashamed to share his same space.
“Forgive me, please forgive me,” Taehyung pleaded, his voice echoing in the silence of Hoseok's clinic room.
When Jungkook finally managed to come back, it was way past dinner time and that was why he was pissed. Ok, maybe he was also pissed because the last deal got almost screwed by the men of Kubarev who thought they could steal from them and be left unpunished. Jungkook had been so glad that he had been there to monitor the operation. The other clans were getting bolder as the weeks passed by and now even perfect nobodies, some dumb little local boss, who thought the Park clan was dying, believed they could come and take things like it was their own fucking storage. Jungkook and his men, of course, showed them it wasn't like that at all. To say the truth his men were perfectly capable of taking care of everything by themselves even if they weren't as skilled as him in the close combat, or as deathly as Yoongi with his gun aiming. But Jungkook had been pissed the whole week for a lot of reasons and so he might have dirtied his hands a bit and now his knuckles were aching a good aching.
Serve them right, those bastards.
He stepped out of his car still a bit fuming in anger, his scowl so deep that the rest of the guards didn't dare to greet him. He stepped down on the paved path that leads to the big villa, walking hastily toward the front door. He had to go to the boss office to report the happenings of the evening but firstly, he wanted to pass by Namjoon's office. He found the door of Namjoon's office slightly open and he could hear the deep voice of the young man talking with someone on the phone. There was only one person in their shitty world for whom Namjoon would be willing to talk without sounding his usual pretentious self and that someone it was his lover Seokjin. Namjoon never ceased to surprise Jungkook and he even envied him a bit, the older, in fact, was strong, smart and full of resources. He knocked on the door and Namjoon said a lazy come in before whispering something on the phone and as soon as Jungkook walked in, he sweetly hung up. Jungkook didn't' even bother to sit down in the chair in front his desk and that made Namjoon chuckle.
“I guess your easy business, didn't go so smoothly,” Namjoon commented with a smirk.
“Maybe. I took care of it, though,” Jungkook said with that tone of his that always gained him a slap from Yoongi.
“I believe you,” Namjoon replied tilting his head, “but I also guess you didn't come here to tell me this.”
“Well, you do have a reputation to be a genius for something hmm?” Namjoon raised an eyebrow and Jungkook knew he was just being a salty brat. Namjoon was a more than alright guy, he had one of the finest brains of Korea and probably of the whole Asia but the dude somehow instead of saving the world finding a new cure for a virus, or something equally important, he had decided to stay in the family. And Jungkook hadn't been more grateful for Namjoon's support when not even more than a year ago there was the matter of succession to resolve. Sometimes Jungkook thought that if hadn't been for Namjoon's strategic plan they wouldn't' have managed to come so far and in one piece.
“I'm sorry. I'm just a bit restless. I'm dying to finally come out in the light and kick some asses,” Jungkook said leaning on the wall. It had been hard, keeping down, scheme in the darkness and bare with the others families' abuse so they could maintain their apparent facade of weakness. Namjoon chuckled, a dimple appearing on his right cheek, “we are basically there, Jungkook. All the preparations are done, actually, we are only waiting for Yoongi to return from his business travel, and then well, it will be up to boss Park,” Namjoon said.
“You don't know how glad I am to hear that. I decided to stop here to have some news,” Jungkook said, relieved.
“Don't worry I have everything under control. Everything was settled.”
Jungkook nodded, straitening his back, finally more relaxed.
“Perfect, I'll go then.”
“Say hi to the boss for me.”
“You do know that he doesn't like we call him that.”
“ Yes but you know that I think formalities in the family had to be respected in order to maintain good relationships. I will still call him brat when we gather at Seokjin's for our usual monopoly tournament,” Jungkook laughed slightly. They had grown up in that vicious world but they played monopoly like they were a bunch of nerdy college kids. Well not exactly regular college kids, he was pretty sure they didn't play the game with actual cash.
“Good to know. I'll go, good night, say hi to Seokjin hyung too,” Namjoon smiled at the mention of his lover's name.
Jungkook then proceeded to go upstairs, where was located the office of the head of the family. There weren't guards in that floor because the boss had explicitly requested so no matter how much Jungkook had protested.
“The villa is surrounded and I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”
The statement corresponded to truth but Jungkook had been responsible for him since he had first set foot on the Park residence and he wished sometimes his boss would be less temperamental. He sighed. It was for shit like this that Jungkook could never stop to worry. If only the older weren't so stubborn. When he entered the office because Jungkook was the only one allowed to enter without having to knock, he found the older staring out of the large window of his office. Jungkook stopped a moment on the threshold.
Park Jimin had always been a sight to admire. He looked so innocent, his face was so endearing with his beautiful dark brown eyes, his button nose and those plump lips Jungkook loved so much. Yet the latter had seen the older's face get into a hard mask, he had seen his tiny cute hands break bones with the same efficiency he had when it came to stealing their true monopoly money or the one he had when he so skilfully and gracefully managed took him to orgasm.
Jimin turned towards him, a slight smile painted on his lips.
“How was it?” Jimin asked arching a brow when he noticed Jungkook's tense shoulders. Jungkook sighed as he went to sit on the chair.
“Less smoothly than I expected. The men of Kubarev had tried to steal our supplies, they weren't expecting us though and I had to deal with the situation. Now everything is fine, our load is safe, but I'm afraid they will deduce we are pretty much more organized that the impression we worked so hard to give this last year.” He saw Jimin turning to face him completely, but he didn't look worried or pissed.
“It's fine really. Honestly, Namjoon today told me everything is set and with Yoongi' return I think there's no more reason to hold back any longer,” Jimin said looking straight into his eyes. Jungkook held his gaze suddenly adrenaline and excitement pumping through his veins at the mention of those words he had been waiting for since forever.
“I'm ready.”
“Yes I guess you are,” Jimin said chuckling. “Now come here,” Jungkook didn't let the older repeat himself twice, he stood up and in two fast steps he had reduced the distance and he was taking Jimin into his arms. He hugged him as tightly as he liked and he knew Jimin also enjoyed being held like that. He felt Jimin relax completely in his hug and he too let himself take a break and just enjoy the sensation of Jimin' s body so close to him.
“It's almost time,” Jimin whispered in his shirt, going then to nose the skin of his neck. Jungkook let him, squeezing him harder and hand going possessively to intertwine his fingers in the older's hair.
When the previous old boss had died over a year ago, there was big uproar into the Park family, Jimin hadn't been the only suitable successor, there were some people who didn't look well at having someone so young and so not bloody related with the family, but Jimin had served them for years with great loyalty and the majority of the family members and affiliates respected him. However, the minority tried to take the power with violence nonetheless and even though the fight ended with Jimin's side winning, it still ended in blood. Furthermore, the family gave an impression of weakness and the other clans didn't waste any time to attack them during such a delicate time. That was when Namjoon's brain had a determinant role. They were strong but not strong enough to be taken seriously by the rest since their ordeal had downsized the Park clan.
So they stayed quiet, accepting unfavorable deals and deciding to not protest too heavily, enough to show that they were a clan but not too strongly to give the impression of power. During that period they consolidated their clan, maneuvering in the back trying to get more connections and funds and finishing training the new recruits. With Yoongi last successful deal with one of the richest families in China, they were more than ready to took their place as the most powerful family once again.
And Jungkook wanted nothing but see Jimin proudly stand over his enemies, finally able to deal his business without having to stand humiliation.
“Stay with me tonight,” Jimin whispered.
“Always,” Jungkook said.
He remembered a young fourteen years old Jimin, scared to death as they were waiting in some forgotten room on the ground floor of that same huge villa.
“How old are you?”
“Twelve,” had replied Jungkook shyly. Jimin despite being a trembling mess himself and looking deadly pale, suddenly looked determined.
“I'll watch your back if you watch mine,” he whispered and Jungkook had never felt so grateful to a complete stranger than he had felt that night.
“Promise?” He asked.
“Promised.”
This is it, Taehyung thought as he was thrown on his back by the force of a punch on his jaw. He was going to die there, in that shitty warehouse that reeked of chemicals and who knew whatever venom. They have always been careful to not punch him in visible places so he could continue working at law firm but this time Kubarev had nodded and one of his vicious henchmen came to him and threw a punch on his face while the other minions laughed at his pain.
He had refused. That evening he had asked forgiveness to Hoseok and then after having given him a last soft kiss on his dry lips, he didn't go for his casino shift and just went to face Kubarev. If he could bare the thought of dirtying his hands with that monster's blood he couldn't bare the sole idea to have the blood of other innocent people on him. If he did that than nothing of him would have remained for Hosek to love and nothing for himself to respect. He had only one final chance then, to die and to try to bring that fucker down with him even if it was impossible.
He tried to avoid the punches and to have his momentum even though he knew that even if he managed to get rid of this attacker, he had more than a dozen that could terminate him at any moment without Kubarev having to lift even a finger.
But he had to try.
He took advantage of his attacker distraction who was laughing at him rolling in pain on the concrete in fatal position, to sneak quickly a hand inside his sock where he had a razor blade hidden that had been hurting him his flesh at every step but who cared, he wasn't going to survive that night. He raised one knee trying to catch some breath, and when the man like a coward came to take advantaged of his weakness and terminate him, with the last strength Taehyung possessed, he launched himself at him aiming for his throat. He was lucky. The man had been so surprised by his reaction that didn't have the time to defend himself and before he could realize he had fallen on the floor, a hand trying to swab the wound even though it was useless.
The smirks on the others' face were swept away and already one of them was taking out his gun and Taehyung was internally screaming because that way he would never reach Kubarev, even if he tried, when suddenly the sound of the fire guns cut the quietness of the night.
But it hadn't been the sound of the bullet aimed at him.
The men of Kubarev started to fall down one after another. Taehyung by instinct launched himself behind some abandoned boxes, covering his head and knowing too well that was poor defense against a bullet. He felt shouting and more gun firing, so loud his ears were protesting and then the sound of bodies falling and screams of death.
Then a dead silence followed, and the whimper of someone wounded that was pleading for his life. Scared but too curious because that voice was so similar to the one of whom he had dreamed to annihilate, Taehyung dared to peak over the box and there, in the center of warehouse, there was Kubarev, wounded on his shoulder and on his knees with half a dozen of men surrounding him, one of them had his gun pointed at his head. Even though he was in the middle of a massacre, Taehyung had never been so viciously satisfied to see a man pleading for his life. Kubarev though wasn't looking at the man who was pointing the gun, he was looking somewhere further but Taehyung couldn't see it because the figure was standing on the part of the warehouse not illuminated.
Then he felt the boxes being tossed aside. He closed his eyes. So he did was going to die for real this time. He opened his eyes once again then, looking firmly at the gun that was going end his life.
Hoseok, I tried to my very best but I failed. Please remember that any of this is your fault, that you were the best thing that could have ever happened to me and I would do it all over again if was the only way to keep your heart beating. Please Hoseok, wake up, have a good life, fall in love again and be happy. I love you, I love you so much.
But the bullet didn't come. He heard instead a “no,” it wasn't even loud, it was said in a conversational tone but the man in front of him lowered his gun, huge black eyes scanning him like he was searching an answer on his face. Taehyung didn't have any.
Taehyung dared to look back and he realized this man looked too damn young and still he looked like a death machine, his eyes cold and he hands firm. The adrenaline rush stopped flowing in his veins and he felt his body tremble, however, he forced himself to not break down in that place between strangers. He didn't want to be as pathetic as Kubarev, never.
The young man motioned for him to stand up and Taehyung tried to do it even though his legs were shaking heavily. He saw Kubarev with the corner of the eye trying to attack the man that was pointing at him the gun and without even thinking Taehyung shouted but his warning hadn't been necessary. A bullet came from the darkness planting directly in his temple. Kubarev fell down, face on the floor in a lake of blood. Taehyung kept staring at his body like he couldn't believe it. He couldn't say he was sad, the contrary. Maybe even upset he didn't have the chance to take him down by himself.
However, even if that threat had stopped to exist he was still surrounded by armed men and so he knew he was still in deep shit.
“What do we do about this one,” the young man that was beside him asked.“Take him with us Jungkook,” the young man, Jungkook, nodded and proceeded into dragging him by the arm towards the main entrance. Taehyung didn't even try to oppose. He knew they could kill him at any moment and there was nothing he could do. So he followed this Jungkook and the other men outside the warehouse, staring down to the floor, afraid of those men who were his saviors but that had killed everyone even when inferior in terms of numbers.
The cold air of the night hit his face but it felt like a balsam on Taehyung's skin. He was breathing, he was till breathing and as long as he could do it, he was going to keep fighting. The surrounding weren't well illuminated and there was only the light of the moon that could help Taehyung take out the details oft his whereabouts. He dared to look up but when he did so, his gaze locked with one of the armed men. He looked equally young but he knew he had been the one that had spared his life and killed Kubarev.
His breath got caught in his throat. He was hallucinating, it couldn't be. It was the trick of his sick mind that was playing bad jokes due to the shock.
He can't be.
Yet in front of him, older and colder than Taehyung remembered him looking in his memories, there stood his childhood friend.
Jimin.
However, before he could pronounce his name, someone put a sack over his face and then he felt an excruciating pain on his nape. Soon after the world turned pitched black.