Tinted Glass

AN: Hi, Smokers. If there are any mistakes that I didn't catch that's because I had to add some stuff and now I am too tired... if you see one, throw it out the window. Thanks. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Astrid put the gun inside the front pocket of his hoodie, grabbed the white phone from my hand, and headed toward the door.

But stopped at the threshold since he had to tell me: "You have five days until Kim Taehyung dies."

And I smiled.

Thinking: 'Well, if it's five days per person then I have ten because I really don't give a shit if that fucker dies.'

But the longer I was lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling thinking how the hell am I supposed to find this person at all, it dawned on me that with the state Jungkook was in, he wouldn't take Taehyung's death well.

At first, I ignored the thought. And pretty soon, it was all I could think about.

'Fuck. Shit. Fuck. Shit.'

I got up. Lifted the mattress and grabbed the gun from under it.

Hid it inside a backpack where I also stuffed some hoodies. Threw a jacket on, and headed for Martin's and Dwayne's room.

I knocked without thinking until a sleepy Jimin cracked the door at first and then opened it wide due to either surprise or confusion.

"It's not even... what time is it? Why are you awake?"

I pushed him aside and found my phone on the low table. Was about to walk out when Jimin took a hold of my arm.

"What's wrong?"

"Aaa, right. I said I'll let you know so... this is me letting you know that I'm leaving for a while, but I'll be back though."

That didn't seem to ease the serious expression he had on.

"Why? Where are you going?"

"You know when I made that friendship promise, that I've only promised to return and nothing else?"

"You're scaring me Namjoon."

"Look, all you need to know is to keep away from Astrid."

"Who?"

I sighed.

"He's like your height, way skinnier, he looks like he's twelve, I swear. Might wear green when you see him. He has a white big phone and is literally expressionless. Like he doesn't blink much, doesn't smile or anything. The guy has a white mask with two black holes in it for a face. You got that?"

"Why? Why do I need to get that?" He was close to shouting so I kept talking because the last thing I wanted was to get Jimin killed first.

"Just trust me and especially, keep him away from V. If you see him in five days and I am not back, run. And I mean," I grabbed a hold of his shoulders and shook him once, "Run. Trust me. Or he'll hurt him. Or you. Run and don't return. And take Jungkook with you." I let go and after some kind of pain arose, I went on before he got the chance to talk, "Actually, stalk Jungkook for me, please. Take him everywhere...don't let him out of your sight. Keep him away from Astrid especially."

"Namjoon... why is that guy going to hurt Taehyung and Jungkook?"

I sighed again.

"Because..."

I looked up at the ceiling and then at the sleeping two and yet, I couldn't find the one perfect lie.

"They're my punishment," I whispered, letting my shoulders drop as if the weight has finally weighed them down.

"They what?" Jimin inquired with furrowed brows.

"Take me with you."

I turned and saw, barely standing, dark circles under his eyes, V.

"How did you make no fucking sound?" I reproached a bit too loudly.

"Take me with you." He repeated.

"No. I am not doing shit. You go wherever the hell you came from and..."

"Take me with you."

"V, I will kill you myself," I assured him in a deadpan tone.

"I will get killed in five days anyways. Won't I?" He argued without much fear present.

I arched an eyebrow and crossed my arms.

"Did I say anyone will get killed? No. I did not. I said he'll hurt you. That's different."

"No... we need to change countries because he's only going to break our noses?"

Before I could respond to his blatant irony. He insisted again: "Take me with you."

I stepped out of the room and pushed him away from the threshold since one of the two was bound to wake up if we kept talking.

But not before I noticed Jimin's pale face and shaking body, stepping to the doorway, maybe to stop me but lacking the conviction to do so.

I stopped my pacing right by V's left ear, where I spat the words:

"Give me one good reason why I would ever consider taking you with me."

"First, I can get the entire police department to help."

"I can't get the police involved in this. Is your brain empty or did the lack of sleep burn the last gray cells you had?."

"Second, I need only forty minutes of sleep per day, which makes me a great watchdog."

"Who can't hurt a fly," I mumbled with boredom.

"Third, after the five days are up, the safest place to be in the whole world will be by your side."

"..."

He smiled at my silence and went on to inquire:

"Where are we going by the way?"

"I can't," I admitted with honesty. Covering my mouth after I did so.

"Why not?"

"I can't tell you, but I can't."

"Jimin and Jungkook are on the blacklist too, so if I'm not here, that guy, Adid will kill them instead. Right?"

"It's Astrid, you deaf fuck." I retorted and then mumbled more to myself than for him, but he was too close not to hear, "And I'm not sure of that."

"But you can't risk it, can you? Because you like them and you hate me."

'Was he always this smart? Was he always, always this fucking smart?' I wondered, squinting my eyes at him.

And sighed with exasperation.

"Fine. If I don't do it in four days, we'll get back here and try to take down Astrid. But if I fail, you'll get shot. How does that sound?"

"The best, worst plan I've ever heard." He told me and grinned his boxy grin. One that he dropped two seconds later like it took too much energy to maintain.

"That's one thing we agree on. Now, Bambi..."

He was still in the same spot, shaking and staring at us with two terrified eyes.

"Just..." I started harshly, but continued softly, "Can you two go like really far away or something? Like in four days, or three if we're not back? To be sure. Or take a plane at random? Something? And take Jungkook with you, please?"

His eyes went from V to me slowly and then with a resigned tone, said: "I'll do my best."

Walked up to him and hugged him.

He was stiff as a board but warm, so warm.

"Thank you, friend." I wanted to slap myself for how cheesy that sounded but I had to say something nice because if Taehyung wasn't going to be on the receiving end of the bullet then Jimin was next. That made too much sense, knowing Fred. As for the last target, it was too obvious.

"Jungkook. What do I tell him?" The pink-haired boy asked while he was still in my arms.

"Nothing."

Neither argued with me about it which was refreshing, to say the least. And as I was patting his head, he had more questions to ask:

"And where do I tell him you've gone? And with Taehyung too?"

"Home." Taehyung blurted out from behind us. "I went home because my father wanted to scold me about having insomnia again since that just means I don't pray with sincerity and I deserve it as a punishment from God. And Namjoon went with me to do something personal. Which is why he won't be answering his phone. Just like last time."

He looked at me for confirmation. I shrugged and bitterly admitted:

"I don't think he'll call me at all, but... sounds fine."

Ten minutes later, Taehyung was packing up as if we were going on a vacation while I was on a phone call, trying to convince Roxy to come to pick us up.

She wasn't concerned about the early hour as much as she was hung up on the way things were usually done.

"Why didn't Fred call me himself?"

"Why would he if I'd got your phone number? Besides, it's early. The old fart doesn't like to talk much this early."

"You know him better than I do Namjoon. Anyway, I'll be there in two to three hours."

"Hurry."

I hung up and lay down on the floor, wondering if I would be able to stare at the ceiling until she will arrive.

"When are we leaving?" V asked.

"Three hours tops."

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know yet." I replied, honestly.

"What is it that you have to do in five days?"

"Catch someone who's murdered someone else."

"No one saw anything? Or said anything?"

I shook my head.

"Cameras?"

"That didn't come up, but I am one hundred percent sure they've already checked them." I let him know.

"Fred?"

I turned my head towards him.

"What IQ do you have?" I asked and the brief pause that followed made me realize how stupid that question was. But I had to do something to fill the time or else I'd go to Jungkook and fuck him even if he'd hate me for it because I wasn't certain I was going to return. Or if Fred was so pissed as to kill Taehyung solely because I'd brought him along, which would probably be the end of our relationship even if I were to catch the culprit in ten days.

"Never took the test. My father doesn't believe in IQ. He only believes in how much faith one has in God."

"I guess he's never got his world shattered after encountering a religious criminal?"

"Oh, he did. But he told me that guy must be possessed by the Devil and that no matter how many crosses he owns, he was clearly lying about his faith."

I smiled and that seemed to make him crack a smile as well. After a while, I broke the silence. Whispering:

"I don't know why I said I'll let you tag along. I don't even know if I can tell you a damn thing."

"Did he give you any conditions as to how to solve this wonderful mystery that should be solved by professionals, by the way?"

"No."

"Was it someone important to him?"

"Is the sun rising every morning important?" I pointed out with resentment.

"Then I don't think he'll care what you do as long as you get it done."

"Above average IQ for sure. But a real, real pain in the ass." I narrated to no one in particular and continued to stare at the ceiling with a faint smile.

"Right back at you."

I stood up after it was clear that he's finished packing and asked the question that I'd been trying to keep in the depths of my mind:

"Where's Jungkook?"

"You've noticed just now?

"No. I didn't want to know so I wouldn't go to him. But I've changed my mind."

"Then I won't tell you."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Fine! Then I will lay here for the next five days and watch you bleed to death."

"You can't. Jungkook and Jimin will never forgive you and Jimin already knows that if I die it has something to do with you in some way or another."

I muttered some swear words under my breath as I walked up to the window, and looked out to feel a little bit less trapped.

Since he might be the first to die before me, I took my chances and asked:

"Why did you pretend?"

"When?"

"Ever since we've done that... pact to scratch backs. You weren't going for Jimin, you were aiming for Jungkook, weren't you?"

"I wasn't pretending."

"Bullshit." I softly called him out.

He was leaning against his desk, but as if he decided that he shouldn't be standing up for this, he sat down and moved the chair so it was facing me. Hands-on his lap, and back straight, he confessed:

"You're right. I did at first, but then it was all natural. And I've told you I only want to be friends with Jimin a million times. You're the one who didn't believe me. "

I kept looking outside and continued to dig deeper with a voice that was too gentle for my taste but it came out like that nevertheless.

"Then why did you cross me?"

"I didn't. You two were broken up."

"That still doesn't make it fine."

"You're right, but if you would've liked someone, you would've done the same."

My eyes widened as I turned and stared at him. His hair and face were not glistening from the moonlight coming from the tall window that has fallen directly on him. They seemed darker somehow.

I put my back against the window and slid down to the floor. And when I reached the bottom, I told him;

"Jimin told me he doesn't think you'd ever care about someone as much as I do."

"Jimin is ..." He looked at the ceiling, tilted his head, and then went on, "probably right."

Then he looked down at his fingers. And acknowledged my existence only when he heard me inquiring:

"Then how come you like Jungkook?"

The fingers interlaced each other.

"That's the thing, Namjoon. It's not caring. It's...liking."

"How's that different?"

"Caring is taking care of someone. That's what Jimin does with everyone he considers worthy. But I, I like. You should know, you care way too much."

"How is that any fucking different?" I snapped.

"I like to do things for the person that I like. It can be talking, it can be pretending to be a friend because that's what they'd like me to be, or liking to screw them."

"Ha-ha." I wasn't trying to conceal the inauthenticity of the laugh, but it came out as two different words. A frown ensued naturally after.

V's face remained serious and attentive.

'You're a different person without drugs too.' I passively thought, noticing how cautious, yet thoughtful, he's been lately and now. But the words that came out of his mouth made me wonder why I wasn't mad at him right now.

"I don't think it matters how I feel though since I don't think he likes me more than you which makes it difficult. Trust me, I was surprised too." He put a hand up as if to contest, whatever doubts I had, "But see, um, you keep telling me Jungkook tells you everything but he didn't tell you I've helped him meet the twin of your dead girlfriend. Or did he?"

I shook my head, puzzled. And let him go on:

"But that was so long ago that I don't think he remembers it anymore. And that woman scared me with the stories she had about you, I swear. I don't want to say you were more of an ass when you were young, but I think that's fair to say. But Jungkook?! He just went right back to you. I don't think he's dumb, but...don't get me wrong! I understand he has his blond moments but that was genuinely shocking to me, but I was also impressed he was willing to risk his life to be with you."

'So, you were the research.' I concluded darkly but didn't find it in me to punch him when he seemed to finally come clean even if he knew it could go wrong for him.

Which is why, all I said was: "Don't get me wrong, the only reason I'm not killing you with my own two hands, it's because Astrid will do it in five days anyway."

"Aha! You did lie when you said he'll only hurt me. As expected." He leaned back and looked away, lost in thought again.

"Now if you want me to grant you more than five days of life, you'd better tell me where Jungkook is."

His eyes found me in a millisecond as his words got more bitter with every second:

"Why? So, you'll fuck him and tell him all that you've buried in your twisted soul so you won't be so afraid of dying anymore? No, thank you. I'd rather keep you on your toes when my life is first to go."

"Who said my head is on the line too?"

He smirked.

"Um...isn't it? It's not like killing one's family hasn't been used as a threat for centuries. But since you're an orphan, it's the family you make and not the one you got by default."

I squinted my eyes at him and said:

"Do you pretend to be dumb sometimes or do you turn your mind off and on like a switch?" I wanted to sound mean but it came off as a curiosity.

He didn't react, but leaned forwards, untangling the fingers and holding onto the sides of the chair instead.

"I like Jungkook. But I like you too."

I shut my eyes and grinned. And then said, as if he had just told me the bad news: "That's the worst lie you've ever told me."

He leaned back with a smirk and joined his fingers again. Finding it necessary to explain for some odd reason:

"Only as a friend though. And to be honest, you are quite frustrating to watch so it's not like I want to like you either. You do so many irrational things and lash out, but I think deep down, you're not a bad guy. You might've been decent if Fred wouldn't have screwed you in the head for years." He nodded to himself as if he had just come to that fitting conclusion and just now, that answered the conundrum he's had within his mind.

"Thanks?"

"You're welcome."

We stood in silence for what felt like forever and when my eyes wandered towards Jungkook's stuff, V's already answered my question:

"Jungkook's in Malek's room. He uses his PC to play games at night. His insomnia is not as bad as mine, but his anxiety gets worse before he goes to sleep for some reason. And it turns out he gets sick from the alcohol from just a few glasses now so he plays games until he's too exhausted to keep his eyes open. I think it's his new obsession and I predict he's going to be wearing glasses before he's thirty."

I smiled a sad smile and said:

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"But I still don't trust a word that comes out of your fucking mouth." I let him know while I was getting up.

"I don't expect you to."

I nodded.

He nodded.

And then I left, phone in hand and the hole in my chest pulsating.

The dark hallways and the slight breeze. The silence and the full moon.

It would've been almost romantic unless every step I took didn't feel like a gunshot in every part of my body.

'Holes. Holes everywhere...'

I tried the handle because I knew Malek didn't, ever, lock the door. And I stood on the threshold and looked at Jungkook's back as he smashed the keyboard keys with two big, round red headphones on.

Malek and his roommate were already asleep in the beds that were on each side of the desk of the dark room.

The only light came off the screen and illuminated Jungkook.

'If I go in, I don't think I'll be able to leave. If I go in, I don't think... I'll be able to tell a lie that's good enough. If I go in... it'll make him worry or stress him out. But if I don't go in... I might not get to see him before he'll start hating me for getting one of his friends killed. But if I don't go in, I might not get to say goodbye before he or I will die. Yet, If I go in... I might lose myself entirely. If I go in... I wouldn't be able to hold back anymore. If I go in...Ah. I shouldn't go in.'

Malek popped open an eye, slightly lifted his head, and looked straight at me.

I brought a finger to my lips to indicate that he needs to keep quiet. And then pointed at Jungkook, and moved my finger from right to left.

'I was never here, Malek. I was never here.'

He shut his eyes and let his head fall back on the pillow.

And I left after closing the door with the patience of a saint.

With every step I took, I felt like I might lose my mind.

But I made it. I somehow mechanically put one leg in front of the other until we were in front of the entrance. Where V was complaining about the cold, and I repeated the same argument which was that I couldn't risk Jungkook going back to his dorm room and finding us there.

When Roxy's car pulled up, two hours later, I felt ready.

And I called shotgun and sat down, almost relaxed.

"Finally! Some warmth! I thought I was going to die out..." V exclaimed, and then whispered, "there.".

Roxy didn't react when the gun made contact with the side of her abdomen.

She peeked down as if it wouldn't be there if she didn't see it entirely and then lifted her head up slowly, to meet my gaze, only to urge a rigid grin, asking:

"What are you doing?"

I grabbed the back of her head and slammed her face into the wheel. Once, twice and I had to stop at three in fear she'll faint.

"Wow, wow! Monster, we ah, we're still in front of uni. And wasn't she supposed to be our ride or something?" V kept jumping in his seat, looking out both windows in a hurry.

Roxy was trembling in my grasp. Blood flowed down her nose and busted lip.

"Why are you doing this to me, Namjoon?!" She cried out.

"Mona. Who killed Mona?"

She dug her nails into the wheel and then turned towards me again, looking shocked.

"Mona's... dead?"

I grabbed her throat and squeezed.

"...I don't think that's how you should make people speak!" V shouted.

She clawed at my hands, turning blue, looking at the roof of the car unconsciously until I let go of her neck and pointed the gun at her head instead.

She didn't cough. She was too scared to. The air came in and out through her mouth in long wheezing sounds.

Roxy kept her two quivering hands by her face as tears were flowing without her will.

"I didn't do it. I didn't do it. I swear I didn't do it! I swear on my life. I swear on my mother's life. I swear on...."

"Namjoon, I don't think she did it." V expressionlessly pointed out.

"You are the only one besides me who knew her address!" I screamed in her face.

"That's right, but..."

I slowly reached for her neck, which had her screaming: "WAIT! I'LL TELL YOU; I'LL TELL YOU!"

Kept one hand in midair and the gun steady with the other.

"Or she might've done it..." Taehyung mumbled from the back seat. Rubbing his chin.

"Faster!" I yelled.

"Ok! Let me think!"

"THINK?! THINK ABOUT A LIE?!"

"Fucks sake, Namjoon, yell a little quieter..." V told me, checking the outside of the car once again.

When her eyes kept shifting from right to left, I glued the barrel of the gun to her head and screamed louder than before:

"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU BITCH! SPEAK IN FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO..."

"MICHAEL!" She screeched.

"Who that?" V asked so casually that I wanted to smack him. And I would've if only I had a third arm.

"You've told Michael her address?" I asked, fuming.

"Yes."

"Why the hell would you do that?"

"Because he needed a place to live and it just slipped." She shrugged with her arms up, as if that had been out of control at the time. And when my expression didn't soften one bit, she went on, "Like, I solely said there's this nice neighborhood and when he asked how I've heard of it, before I knew it, I've already said that Fred's sister lives around there and it's known to be safe and stuff. Ok? That's all I said. That's it. Please! Please, Namjoon... don't kill me."

The words stopped making sense the more she begged, clasping her hands in prayer while blood and tears were mixing as they kept flowing down her face.

"Why would he kill you when you've literally conffe..." V started narrating, but then stopped the moment my hand made contact with her face. Covering all of it besides her forehead.

I leaned in and barked the words at her with all the self-control I could gather:

"You're taking me to Michael right now. And if you can't find him or your stories don't match, I'll pull out every single tooth before I'll shove this gun up your throat and shoot your brains out. Understand?"

She nodded, squeezing more tears out when she shut her eyes.

And I let go.

"Now drive!"

She immediately started the car only to hear V going:'ummm.' from the backseat.

I took this chance to glare at him and mimicked his annoying sound with a lifted finger: "Ummm, Dora the Explorer, keep your mouth shut unless asked from now on or you'll lose a tooth too."

"I mean no disrespect Mr. Monster, but if the police will drive by and see her face, btw, hi, I'm Taehyung. Nice to meet you."

V waved with a tired smile, but Roxy didn't wave back.

I frowned.

He continued: "Not only will they pull us over, but they will arrest you for gun possession and assault. And me for basically not calling them to denounce you. So how about she wipes the blood off her face and then starts driving us around?"

I let my back hit the door of the car, keeping the gun pointed at Roxy while I opened the glove compartment from the dashboard to look for wet wipes, but what greeted me was a knife and some lipstick.

I threw the blade in the backseat.

"What the fuck?!" Taehyung screamed at the sight of it.

"Take it. Hide it. Use it if you must." I told him and then grabbed the tissues with a sigh when his response was:

"Hide it where? I am not wearing any underwear and the pockets of my jacket are too small. Like where am I supposed to hide this?"

'In your mouth.' I thought.

"Make a hole in the jacket." I suggested.

"This? No... I like this jacket."

"V, I swear to God..." I mumbled.

"Can I pull over?" Roxy asked with a shaky voice and I simply nodded.

She used the water from a bottle and the napkins to wash the blood off her face, shaking the entire time.

When it was obvious that I wasn't going to comfort her, V scooted to the edge of the backseat and rested a hand on her shoulder, saying:

"It's alright. If you've said the truth, he won't do anything to you. I assure you."

'How do you know?' I thought to myself, holding my head up with a fist while my elbow rested on the dashboard.

"I am telling the truth." She stared directly at me when she said that, sounding too confident despite the way she kept trembling.

"Then you have nothing to be afraid of, do you?" He smiled to make her lighten up.

Yet, she started shaking harder.

"What chances do I have that Michael didn't leave if he's the one who's killed Fred's sister? And that he's actually told someone where he went. Like, tell me, from zero to one hundred. What chances do I...!"

She raised her voice at the end but then locked eyes with me while I was scratching the top of my head, thinking about it.

Her voice was a faint cry when she finished with: "... have."

"If he's not there, all you have to do is find where he's gone. Right, Namjoon?" V asked me, still beaming despite his fatigued self.

"One." I responded.

"...?"

"One in a hundred." I clarified.

V frowned and scolded me with two judgmental eyes.

"Please..." She placed both her hands on my knees that were facing in her direction, wetting them with her tears as she cried out. "I'll find him! No matter what I'll have to do, Namjoon. I'll kill him myself if you want... but please... don't..."

I lifted the gun to her head as she sobbed harder.

And I enunciated every word and the more I spoke, the more V scooted back in his seat and away from us.

"I don't care if you cry or slit your wrists to show me how honest you are. I don't believe you didn't have something to do with it until I get proof otherwise. Do you hear me?! DRIVE AND STOP FUCKING WASTING TIME!"

She was wailing loudly as she turned around and with unsure hands, started the car while I kept the gun pointed at the stomach so no one else but the three of us could see it.

One hour later, however, she was still crying. Albeit, in low tones.

I was in the same position as one hour ago and V had been silent for a while I could've sworn he's dozed off for a solid thirty minutes before both eyes shot open as if he's heard a loud noise.

"Namjoon? Namjoon..." He babbled.

"Hmm?"

"I'm hungry."

Against my better judgment, I let my head fall forwards.

"No. You're not." I told him softly.

"The last thing I ate was a bag of chips, yesterday around ten PM. You know those chips that taste like pickles and dill, and if you eat them with a side of sour cream, it's like you're actually eating pickles and sour cream? Only that it's better."

"No...." I quietly let out this word, then lifted my head to let him see how angry I was, so I didn't have to shout so loudly, "You do know that you're going to die if we don't find the one who did it?! How can you be thinking about food right now?!"

"You know people die from starvation too, don't you?!" He shouted back, beaming. Seeming entertained by his drowsiness, or by our constant bickering.

"You won't die from starvation V, you had chips and shit at ten PM yesterday. You're far from..."

He moved to the edge of the couch and placed his hands on Roxy's chair, head right next to hers. As he inquired: "Can you make a stop at a gas station or something?"

"No. She can't stop at all. Do you want to give her the opportunity to escape or kill us? Cause she can do both. She might look like that, but she's a murderer too."

"Really?" He sounded intrigued and I was so done with him.

'Why did I bring him along again?' I asked myself and found no answer.

"I am not." Roxy whispered.

V pointed at her and then at me, saying, too innocently:

"Umm, Namjoon, she says you're lying."

I sighed at the stupidity of this moment.

"I saw her press the trigger and shoot, V. I don't care what she's saying."

"I told you that I can shoot a gun accurately because I've been trained in case one of the corpses I have to clean is not a corpse and decides to attack for no reason. But that doesn't automatically mean I've killed before."

She spat those words and I felt my hold on the gun loosening for a moment.

With a finger resting on his chin. V, tapped that spot, and then annoyingly wanted me to finish his sentence:

"That sounds like..."

But Roxy did instead: "I've killed for you Namjoon. Because your boyfriend's fucked up."

"Umm...what does Jungkook have to do with this?" V asked me way too excited. And I looked away.

I nearly asked her for a reason, but I already knew the answer. V, however, did not.

"And why would you kill for him in the first place? And who did you guys kill together?"

"V. Sit down and shut up," I requested, absently.

"I told you I'm hungry!"

"And I told you that....!"

Roxy cut me off.

"There's a gas station in four kilometers."

I frowned at her newfound courage, but I did find it hard to believe that she's killed before since I saw her hesitation in the forest. I saw her feeling guilty afterward, so I let it go.

"Sweet! I'll go in. Do you murders want anything?"

I sighed loudly on purpose to let him know how tiring he was. But when he started humming, I had to bring him down a notch.

"You don't seem awfully surprised, Taehyung."

It was almost saddening to see how fast his mood plummeted.

"That's because I already knew."

"Hmm…how did you figure that out? " I inquired, dispassionately. Rubbing the spot between my eyes.

"The rumors. And when you've threatened to kill me because Jungkook's kissed me."

I couldn't tell if I'd imagined it, but I thought I saw Roxy smiling ever so faintly. But it was gone with the first blink.

"That's bull, I've done that once before," I argued.

"True. But that time, you looked like you were going to do it at any minute unless something was holding you back. And I honestly think the only reason I'm still alive is that Jungkook and I are in the same dorm room."

When nothing but silence happened, "Am I wrong?" V insisted to get clarification and turned to look at me with reproach written all over his face when I refused to answer.

Tilted my head to the right and then to the left, pursed my lips, and confessed: "Yeah. Maybe."

Neither said another word until Roxy pulled over by the gas station and after I'd tied her ankles together with one of V's clothes that he'd packed. Since this unnecessary stop was his fault. I was counting the minutes, but V seemed to have all the time in the world to ask:

"Roxy, how about a shake?"

She nodded to get rid of him. Or that was the feeling I got anyway.

"I know what you like." He told me and then tapped on the back of my seat twice before heading out.

If the silence was uncomfortable before, now, it was making me aware of how many ways this could go wrong. Hence, while she looked ahead apprehensively, I tried to get as much information out of her in case I or someone else will shut her mouth forever.

"Why did he need to know about a safe neighborhood?"

I didn't have to say his name. She didn't waste a second to reply, but I wasn't going to take that as a sign that it was the truth, considering she's had a lot of time now to make up a convincing story.

"He wanted to move to a better place and that was the nicest place I've been to. The only...fenced neighborhood that I know of to this day."

"Aha. And Fred didn't mention that you should, under no circumstances talk about her location?"

"Of course he did." She smiled with sadness. "That's why I've told you that before I realized what I was saying, I've already said it."

"And what happened after that?"

"I helped him move."

"Why?"

"Because I owed him, Namjoon." She snapped and turned to look at me with something akin to anger.

And for some reason, it didn't make me mad. It made me scoff with amusement instead.

"You're not going to ask about it?" She went on.

"I thought it was obvious that you were going to tell me."

The corners of Roxy's mouth made dimples on her cheeks as she smiled weakly, and wiped the edges of her lips as if there was something there that was bothering her.

"My mom. She's not well. She can't work. She hasn't for years. She's eating herself to death."

"Save the tearjerker story and get straight to the point."

"No one wanted to operate on her because they thought she'd die from the anesthesia. Since she has other illnesses besides obesity. And Michael..."

I finished for her: "Got you a doctor that would've done it for the right price."

She lowered her head and nodded.

"And you think that still doesn't make you a dumb bitch?" I honestly wanted to know.

She swiftly faced me, infuriated.

"She would've died Namjoon. Whether it was on the operating table or not, she would've died. Thanks to Michael, she now has a second chance at life."

"Does she?" I mocked. "You better should start telling me how her favorite foods right now are kale and fucking tomatoes for breakfast."

"No. Nothing's changed..." She admitted with her eyes glued to the floor of the car and lips in a straight line.

"You know...there are times when people should die," I told her with a shrug.

She looked up with two big eyes. Outraged but also refusing to believe what she had just heard.

"She's my mom."

"I get that. But that woman, eating your money for a few more years will be the death of you, and not only you, the guy who just went to buy you a shake, Jungkook, another guy, and the ten to twenty people that Fred's already butchered. Not to mention, Mona and her roommate. What am I saying? You've fucked her more than food ever did. You'll die and she'll have no one, and she has not been on her own feet for years. Didn't you think about that? With your job? Making her depend on you is the worst thing you could have ever done to her. Not to mention, and I'm just saying! Everything would've been avoided...."

I leaned forward and spat in her sweating face: "If you would've accepted that your mom cares more about eating than she cares about you and that's the price of her actions. So, you should've let her pay, and maybe, she would've had a shot in hell. She might've even recovered if she had to! Sure, get her the surgery so you're not a piece of shit, but you're still supporting her after she didn't change at all? After she's almost died? Are you retarded?"

"We don't know if Michael's the one who did it! He's just the one who also knows where she lived. That's it! Someone else might've..."

"Even if he's sold that information to someone else, he simply passed the gun to that person instead of doing it himself! Don't you understand?! You've killed like twenty-something people so your mother could fucking eat some more!"

She scoffed and leaned back, with a smirk.

"That's grand coming from you, Kim Namjoon. Someone who has killed eight people because his boyfriend wanted a hit."

"They were torturing people to death for fun! I think I've saved at least fifty people by killing those eight. You've done the complete opposite!" I argued a bit too loudly.

"That still doesn't change the reason why you did it in the first place." She righteously informed me.

"Guys?"

V's voice was faint as he opened the door. Looking a bit hesitant to get in.

"Shut the door," I demanded.

"You two don't need five more minutes to..."

"Shut the door!" She shouted and he complied. All consideration was gone when he started munching on chips while Roxy and I were staring into each other's eyes.

"I've fucked up Namjoon. I know and I'm sorry. But we can end Fred's killing spree if..."

"You think that if I don't kill you, you think....you're getting out scot-free? Don't make me laugh."

"Why? Why is she not getting out alive?" V asked from the back seat like he was watching a movie and he wanted to know more about it since he's missed the beginning. "By the way, I got you a chocolate shake, but I didn't know if you liked that so I also got a strawberry, and..."

We both ignored him.

"You know he won't let you live after he finds out. And I don't have to tell him. One day, he'll wake up and realize that you're the one who drove me to her place. He probably already has...and that's why he made me find the… Fuck! That's why I am..."

And it all fell on me like a million burning bricks.

'I was a pawn from the start. He didn't tell me what to do because there's only one way to do it. And I was the chosen one because he knew that Roxy is the one who outright knew the location or at least, the only one we knew of, and because she had a thing for me, it was more likely that she'll talk. And because he knew if he had someone breathing Jungkook's beating heart, I'd do pretty much anything... FUCK!'

I started hitting the side of the car until my fist was hurting enough to make me stop.

"Are you finished thinking about your creator, Fred's Monster?" Roxy asked from under heavy eyelids.

"You are dead meat." I bit back with a grin.

"You're a puppet on strings. And from where I stand, I'll be freer in my next life than you'll ever be in this one." She whispered with such a wide grin and white teeth, that before I'd realized it, her neck was in my grasp and her hands were helplessly trying to tear my hands away.

"Stop it. We're in public, anyone can...hey...!"

V kept tapping me on the shoulder while I stared dead into her eyes. Knowing she was right. Knowing and making myself believe that if she would've died right here and now, her words would be less true. But because I was aware that wouldn't be the case, I let the caramel neck go. And picked up the gun on the way down, letting the back of my head hit the window of the door.

She was still coughing when I demanded, lifeless:

"Drive."

She angrily pointed at the cloth that was wrapped around her ankles, and her lips parted to retort something. but closed when a strawberry milkshake replaced the view of my face.

"Have some first. Namjoon, what would you like? Vanilla or chocolate?"

I sighed for the one-hundredth time, and replied: "Vanilla."