'His touch,my ruin.' Chapter 6

Jungkook stood in Aespa's dingy hallway,one hand still gripping tightly on his black, leather jacket. 'Tonight is the night.' That's what it kept playing in his head. He had planned it perfectly. Movies. Dinner. Amusement park. Her place.

His eyes roamed around. Neat space,modern decoration, scented candles burning low,soft R&B playing from somewhere he couldn't pinpoint and who cared?It was supposed to feel warm and familiar and yet he felt as if he was underwater struggling to emerge.

Aespa's face tinted with a bright, teasing smile." Didn't expect you to agree to dessert here."

" You picked the right rollercoaster. I'm easy after adrenaline."he teased back, wiggling his brows.

" You're never easy Kook. That's the thrill. Most men would jump at the chance to take me to bed. But not you." She loomed up,her fingers slowly pushing his jacket off. Wasn't this the part his heart was supposed to jump from joy?

He let her. She cropped up her head,her lips pressed against his, soft and delicate and he kissed her too, in the same way.He tried, he really tried. He let her hold his hand and guide him to the couch. Let her straddle him, kissing deeper,her fingers tracing the hem of his shirt, pulling it out of his jeans.

" I missed you..this.." a whisper between gasped breaths. Her hand landed lower, between his thighs. He should have gotten hard at her touch, instead he froze. His body refused to cooperate. It was right but felt wrong..so fucken wrong.

" Wait.."

She paused,eyes searching for his, as if they held the answer." Kook baby? What's wrong?" 

" I just.. give me a sec." He hunched forward, elbows on his knees,head buried in his hands. Inhaling and exhaling in rhythm. Not panicking and remaining calm.

'Come on Look.Snap out of it. You want this to work. She's beautiful,sexy, and safe. So what's your fucken deal?'

" She's not..him..' the little, naughty devil picked his mind. That was his problem? Every time she kissed him it felt like it was peeling away something wrong. Because it wasn't rough or chaotic or wrapped in power plays, dirty talking and furious silence, building tension, escalating into a massive explosion.

It wasn't.. his body somehow knew it but dare not say it loud enough to reach his brain. He gazed at Aespa battling to come up with a reasonable or at least a believable excuse, without betraying his inner chaos. One more woman he couldn't satisfy,one more failure but this time was worse than any other.

" Guess the rollercoaster took more out of me than I thought." he unsuccessfully joked but she saw right through him.

" You don't have to joke about it,Kook."

He blinked." I'm not."

Aespa cut him off, gently." It's ok baby. Seriously, I'm not mad or anything. It happens. The work,the stress..it affects people."she paused, chewing her lower lip." I just..can I ask you something?"

Jungkook's guilt was written all over his face. She was too kind and he was an asshole. His own need to test himself and his capacity ended up in hurting her and he couldn't forgive himself. He gave her a tiny nod.

" Has this happened before or is it about..him? Your boss.."

" What?" 

" I noticed the tension when he's around. How you stop breathing when he looks at you like he owns you, like you belong to him and I'm in the way." 

Jungkook jeered but couldn't find the appropriate answer to fire back. What could he say when he didn't have one?

" You don't look at me like that Kook."

" Good! He's an asshole. He's nobody. Nothing and this isn't about him." he unwillingly muttered and her face laced with a sad half smile.

" Yeah? Then why is he all over your face right now?" 

Jungkook pressed his palms into his eyes, biting the inside of his cheek hard enough to taste blood, feeling her touch his arm gently.

" You don't owe me an explanation Kook. We can take it slow. See where it takes us."

" I'm not gay. I'm not interested in that bastard."he blew a huff." Can we stop talking about him?" 

" Perhaps not but whatever is happening with him.. it's not straight either. You need to find out. For you. For us."

Jungkook stood frozen and silent because despite his stubbornness and unwillingness to dig further, beyond the surface,her intuition was right. There was something there. Hate. Pure, undeniable hate for him,his smirk,his mocking voice,that unforgivable touch that still burnt him like lava. 

 He stood up slowly, pulled his shirt back down,tucked it in his jeans and darted his gaze.

" I should go."

" It seems you already did but " she held his wrist." I'm not sure I wanna let you go Kook."

Jungkook was still unable to reply let alone look at her so he scrooched down,kissed her palm and left without a word. Outside her apartment the air was crisp,biting at his flushed cheeks as Jungkook shoved his hands deeper in his bike jacket,walking towards his bike. His boots hit the pavement hard,on purpose like if he walked fast enough the shame he was feeling inside him wouldn't catch up.

The street was busy, people passed, laughing,drunk, holding hands but it was a blur to him. All he saw was her face,kind and undery, compassionate. And his..his perfect face haunted him when he was halfway undressing someone else.

'What the hell is wrong with me? '

Aespa was amazing and willing to give him herself. Soft and sweet, didn't play with him like a chew toy and yet he couldn't do it. Couldn't get hard. He wanted to want her.Needed to want her. Sleep with her. He sighed, swirling his head around to get rid of the stiffness in his muscles.

As he reached a crosswalk,he halted. The red light bled across his skin resembling a warning. Why couldn't he get it up? Why was that fucker in his head? Of all people..why the hell him? That self-centred, egotistic, manipulative asshole..Why did he live rent-free in his stupid head for the past month? What changed in that period?

It wasn't the flirting because it was lewd and sinful. It was the way he looked at him. Like he already knew what Jungkook tasted. He had turned sheer hate into some kind of deviant undressing game with words and willpower. And Jungkook hated how alive he made him feel.

He kicked a stray can down the sidewalk,hard enough to hit a trash bin with metallic clang.

'Screw this! I'm not doing this. I'm not going there. No.No.'

It wasn't real. Simply tension,mind games coming from his need to finally fuck someone. He didn't want Kim! 

He drew to a stand outside a convenient store, weighing upon the cold, brick wall and dragged a hand through his shiny hair. His reflection stared back from the dark window. Messy hair,lips swollen from the kiss he couldn't return,heart aching from a war he was unable to admit and was happening inside him.

For a brief moment he kept the thought in.'What if I'm broken? What if I never want anyone again unless they look at me like they want to ruin me? What if..?'

The disturbing thought caused his chest to throb and pang so he pushed it away,kept walking till he reached his bike,put on his helmet and drove off into the night.

When he stepped inside the apartment and quietly shut the door,with slow, heavy moves as if the air from outside had been dragging him backwards the entire way. He rested his forehead against the iron and exhaled. He hoped,no prayed,the living room lights would be off. That Jimin would be asleep and the universe would grant him a shred of peace tonight. 

But no such luck!

" You look awful! Rough night, buddy?"

Jungkook didn't blench, only blinked in slow motion, cursing his fucken luck and turned his head towards the couch where Jimin was sitting with a big bowl of cereal and legs tucked under him as if it was morning and not midnight." Don't you sleep?" Jungkook murmured, toiling his feet to the kitchen.

" Not when my bestie is out trying to exorcise his demons with a girl who has the emotional range of Anabelle !" 

Jungkook opened the fridge,stared at the contents without seeing any of them and grabbed a bottle of water just to have something to hold." Don't talk ill about her. She's wonderful. I don't get why you don't like her." he blurted out flatly, twisting the cap.

" Oh now you're defending her honour! How noble of you!" Jimin grinned from ear to ear, dropping his spoon on the bowl with dramatic flair." Must have gone really well, huh? You two finally light the fireworks or what? Did you score?"

You could hear a pin drop in the room. Jungkook took a sip of his ice water,his throat was dry,avoided eye contact, leaned on the counter and exhaled through his nose.

Jimin squinted then smirked. From the look on his friend's face he hadn't even touched first base." Oh no! Don't tell me little Jungkookie couldn't rise to the occasion?"

" Fuck you shorty! Don't make me pour this over your stupid head!"

" I will gladly drown in your heterosexual shame!" Jimin stood up and padded over, plucking the bottle out of Jungkook 's hand."Come on. Seriously,what happened? She touched your little winnie and you saw Kim's face on the ceiling?" 

Jungkook's jaw flexed." Hell no! Not in the mood to talk about it." 

" That obvious,huh?" Jimin gulped down a sip of water and cropped up his head." So..It's not about being gay. It's about him." he concluded, pleased with his intuition and shaking his head.

" I'm not gay! It's not about him!Do I have to spell it out for you?" Jungkook protested, hissing and rubbing a hand down his face."Why is everyone trying to label this? Turn it into some goddamn American coming-of-age movie?"

Jimin shrugged." Because you're acting like a closeted male lead in one for weeks. Brooding. Staring dramatically across the smoky club rooms. Almost throwing punches then sulking in the bathroom,cursing. You're basically a walking Tumbler post." 

" Shut the fuck up!"

" You shut up! Or better yet open up." Jimin's tone mellowed." Look Kook, I'm not trying to force you. I get that you're confused. I see how he gets under your skin but you can't keep pretending this isn't eating you alive. It hurts to see you so broken. We've always shared our troubles."

Jungkook's eyes were tired, lifeless,no glow,no sparkle. His gaze wandered on his hands, fidgeting." I wanted to want her." he whispered." So badly. She's sweet, funny and sexy. She tries so hard to..she's normal.

" But she's not..him. Right?"

Jungkook's shoulders stiffened." I hate him,Jimin." he bellowed out, irritated by his persistence." He's manipulative,corrupt and always steps ahead lime some fucking chest board and I'm his pawn. I can't think straight around him. I wanna punch his face half the time."

" And the other half?"

" Don't know." He spouted."Kill him?"

Jimin observed him cautiously. The truth already laid bare in front of him but his brother refused to acknowledge it yet. He had spent his entire life having the impression and belief he was interested in women and who was gonna tell him it was exactly the opposite and it was bloody time to board the dude train?

" Anyway,what are you gonna do?"

The younger bobbled his shoulders, sucking in deep breaths and when he eventually spoke,he sounded almost brittle." Quit this game. No more stupid flirting. No more rage. No more anything. He's not getting any reaction from me." He pushed off the counter,wriggled and walked towards his room. Jimin didn't stop him this time. He simply called out the moment Jungkook's hand touched the doorknob.

" Hey!"

Jungkook paused.

" Do as you please. But if ignoring him was the answer, you'd have been free months ago."

The younger didn't look back,he shit the door thinking that somehow he could keep the chaos outside.

_______

Jungkook's room was drumming with deafening silence.Just the low hum of the heater and the occasional whoosh of a car outside. Seoul kept moving even when all Jungkook wanted, was for the world to freeze,to stand still.

He plopped on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees, his phone abandoned somewhere on the floor,next to his backpack.The light was off ,he didn't need it. The shadows were better,more honest, they didn't demand answers he couldn't give and above all no snarky best friend needling him.

His jaw clenched and he felt like crying but his damn pride was standing in the way.He couldn't remember the last time tears had brimmed down his face, probably only as a baby. Not even when Minhun disappeared as if he was never real to begin with.

That was grief.That..?He had no name for it.He rubbed his jaw with his stiff fingers.His stomach still hurt, faint traces of nausea twisting in slow, woeful circles.

He hated that he always backslided to this. That when his brain couldn't cope with stress,when feelings got too unbearable to handle,reality became a burden,,his body would just shut down,search for an escape and ultimately force him to vomit it out like venom.

' You're fine. Fine.You're tired. Just tired. From work .You don't feel anything for him except hate. For his power,his control. His wicked dynamic where he pushes and you push back on reflex.'

He abruptly stood up and started pacing like an animal in captivity,like movement would somehow clog out the thoughts scrabbling inside his head.

' You're not gay. Never wanted a man. You've had plenty of girlfriends and today you wanted Aespa. You simply couldn't get hard because of your problem,not him. You think about sex because you want to fuck someone..a woman.'

His breath hitched,as he made an effort to think about beautiful Aespa. The taste of her cherry lip gloss. The way she moaned for him. How she whispered his name, soft and unsure, when he pulled away due to his inability not because of his damn face!

 But it all, somehow, came down to the way Taehyung looked at him in the club. That stern, entertained, possessive gaze when he caught them outside in the alley, kissing.The vein popping out in his neck. The willful jaw clenching when his mouth curled into that familiar smirk.Like Jungkook belonged to him. Like he'd already claimed him without his permission only because he wanted him.

'Of course I don't want him.That's absurd. I won't let him screw my mind. I've got a good thing going on here.

He had other more significant things to focus on. A mission. Minhun.

The name echoed in his fuzzy head like a ghost. Their childhood friend,brother. He had moved to Seoul despite Jungkook's warnings and effort to persuade him ,so that he could pursue an acting career and ended up working in that club. Then one day he was gone. 

No note or phone call. Not Even so much as a warning and no trace as if he never existed.

Jungkook sat back on the bed lazily, feeling the memories too heavy on his shoulders.His voice cracked into the darkness.

" We came to Seoul for him. Not for that asshole. We put our lives on hold to find out what happened and I refuse to give up.'

He laid back, arm spread over his eyes, and breathed out through his nose.. He had to discover the truth and he wouldn't let anyone get in the way of that.Distract him from his purpose.

________

 Taehyung stood shirtless in the dim light, a half-empty bottle of bourbon in one hand, his other hand tousled in his hair as he stared blankly at his reflection in the glass. The window was wide open, allowing the cool,night wind in but it couldn't extinguish the burning lava inside him.Behind him, a few feet away, the soft rustling of sulky sheets. The boy,he foolishly picked up outside the club,was still in his bed,barely twenty, avid and passionate, reaching out his hand for him again with a lazy, seductive grin.

"Come back," the boy purred. "You didn't finish what you started. You have barely touched me since we came."

Taehyung's jaw tightened as he slowly shut his eyes to his own reflection. " Most likely because I didn't want to."

The boy sulked. "You did fifteen minutes ago."

"That was before your mouth started feeling like his," he snapped, shifting and grabbing the nearest glass from the bar, flinging it back with fury.

The boy sat up, brows knitted. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

" Get out."

"You serious?"

" I said get the fuck out!"His voice was a low growl, the kind that could make anyone shit his pants.The boy flinched but scrambled up, grabbing his pile of clothes from the floor but before slipping out of the guest room he said.

"I hope that Jungkook is worth it. Because you're missing out on a great ass."

" FUCK OFF!"

The moment the door shut, Taehyung realised that when his lips touched the boy's Jungkook's name came out as a moan. His queue to stop. He flung the next empty glass,he got his hands on, at the far wall, letting it shatter with a satisfying crash, echoing like the scream he was suppressing for too long.

'That damn brat is everywhere. In my bed,in my mind,in my goddamn skin!'

Jungkook walked around the club tonight like he didn't exist.Didn't even flinch or showed his disgust when a couple was making out on the couch in his room or at the playroom full of people fucking. He didn't spare him a glance. His eyes were still and lifeless.

Taehyung stormed into the bathroom of his own bedroom,he had a rule,no strangers in his bed,tore off the rest of his clothes, and cranked the water to scalding as he stood under the shower spray, fists balled at his sides as it poured over him, chest throbbing,cock aching with need.

He could feel it.The memory of Jungkook's breath hitching when he'd grabbed his wrist in the elevator. The defiance in his eyes, a mixture of fire and fear and fury, all wrapped in one. That intoxicating scent that stirred his soul.

The same mouth that now laughed against her neck. That curled around words soaked in sarcasm and cold indifference when they bumped in the corridor.

Taehyung pressed his forehead against the tiles.

"Fuck you Jungkook. Fuck you for burning me.For making me hard. For wanting to.."

He didn't finish the sentence.

When he finally stepped out, soaked and breathless,hard as a rock he didn't bother drying off. Just flounced straight into the living room naked, grabbed a bottle of vodka this time from the bar, and took another swig, then lit a cigarette with trembling fingers.

Jungkook's face flashed in his mind,lips parted in a provocative grin, eyes glazed under the dim lights and Taehyung's knuckles turned white around the bottle, attempting to pull himself together and keep calm.

'You think you can ignore me and it will end there? You think it's a phase? That I'll forget? I'll burn the world down and everyone in it before I let you slip away. I'll make you mine Jeon one way or another.'

He threw the lighter,he forgot he had,across the room, watched it rattle against the marble with a dull clang.

The rage was ugly, molten and it coiled around his ribs like barbed wire, every memory of Jungkook's voice, the way he winced when touched, even his scent, were feeding the ache in him.

He dropped onto the sofa, brushing a hand from his wet hair to his face, eyes starving raw. He drove him insane and he still fucking wanted him. More than before.

________

The room reeked of smoke, whiskey, and desire.Taehyung laid back against the silky,black sheets, still drenched from the shower, his hand pressed against his own chest like he was trying to calm his raging heart that had no intention of listening to reason.

He was exhausted,furious and hard. Rock hard like never before.

It wasn't supposed to be like this,lying in bed aching for someone who wouldn't even look at him,who resisted him like he was the devil and treated him like he had the plaque.Someone who walked past him like they hadn't breathed the same air.

He closed his eyes, dragged his hand down his stomach, fisted his cock and moaned.He could no longer fight the desire because Jungkook was there,in the deepest corners of his messed up brain.

Jungkook with his dark eyes and sassy mouth. With that grin,that cocky expression that made him wanna punch a wall and kiss him till he forgot his fucken name and passed out from the lack of oxygen.

A strangled moan escaped his lips, hand gripping tighter at his cock and his hips shifted up against it. No one else could get him like this. Not his boys, not his women, not even the regulars he trusted to dominate the night with.

Jungkook. Always Jungkook.

' Naughty, little brat.You're the fucken reason I can't sleep,think,breathe. Can't fuck anyone.'

He imagined the elevator scene again. Jungkook pressed against the mirror, eyes wide, breathing fast, lips trembling from anger and panic. That sharp tongue stilled for once, vulnerable, fragile.

Taehyung growled loud in his throat,a roaring plea. His hand tugging his twitching, drenched in precum cock, forcefully pulling the foreskin,his other hand squeezing his balls till the pain became too much to bare 

And then.."Taehyung…"

His name,soft as a whisper,shaky from need,almost pleading.

It echoed like a hallucination in the darkness, but he swore he heard it. Swore it came from just behind his ear. Swore he sniffed his alluring vanilla scent.

He snapped his eyes open in an empty room.He cursed through gritted teeth,still pumping his cock with ferocity and violence.His back arched like a bow,toes curled, skin flushed, sweat trickling down his temple,knees bent while jerking off. Fantasizing Jungkook knelt between his thighs,his cock buried in his mouth, gagging and choking him. Pupils dilated and that silver ring on his rosy lips, scratching his length.

He bit his own lip hard enough to taste copper.

"FUCK! FUCK THAT MOUTH ..SUCK ME..FUCKEN CHOKE ON MY COCK! CHOKE ON IT!" The sound came out raw, broken from the desperate need to dominate him,ruin him,break him.

He came with a shudder, hand gripped around the sheets, chest pumping up and down in short, uneven pants, moaning and screaming in ecstasy,fingers damp from his huge load.But instead of satisfaction, he felt unfulfilled,aching for more, for the real thing.

Jungkook under him,legs spread open, trembling from bliss,on all fours like a horny bitch in heat, moaning his name, tied in bed,his hole stuffed with dildos, choking on Taehyung's thick cock,mouthfucking him, drinking his cum..the cum meant only for him.

He sat up quickly, shoving the sheets away, his breath coming out in clogs and realized his hands were shaking.

He arose from bed, bare and furious, stumbling his way into the bathroom again and turning the shower back on, hotter this time, until the steam blurred the mirrors and burnthis skin.

He stood under the spray hoping the water would wash away his hardness and maddening need to dominate Jungkook,the ghost of his touch, the phantom sounds of his moans echoing in his head.

It didn't.Even as the water showered him, even as he pressed his palms against the cold marble tiles,he saw him,heard him,felt him. He gave up! What was the point of denying his need? He turned around, back facing the tiles,hand hooked around his cock,mouth half opened, groans spouting out along with a name.

"Jungkook.. Jungkook.."

________

The luxurious penthouse was cloaked in a heavy, suffocating kind of silence. The curtains were drawn, casting the room in soft shadows, and the lingering scent of cigarettes and cum clung to the air like bad memories.

Taehyung sat on the edge of the leather couch in a dark, blue silk robe, hair tousled, jaw unshaven, staring at nothing with a bourbon glass in hand,untouched. He hadn't shaved in four days. Hadn't left the penthouse. Hadn't looked at his phone, unless it was to check the cameras at the club, for a glimpse.

Jungkook hadn't looked at the cameras once. Working nonstop, chatting with Jimin, laughing with customers, Aespa visiting the club flirting and touching him. It made his blood boil in wrath and jealousy.

The knock came twice,steady,then Seojoon let himself in.

"Jesus, Tae."

Taehyung kept his gaze focused on the floor. "Don't start."

"I'm not here to start. I'm here because the company's on fire ,the clients are asking for you and you've been hiding here,not picking up my calls."His eyes squinted,taking a closer look." What is that on your face?"

" Beard. Never seen one before?"

" Not on you."Seojoon dropped two thick folders onto the marble coffee table and plopped onto the beige Scandinavian armchair across from his friend.

Taehyung's eyes flicked toward the folders, then away again. "How bad?"

Seojoon hunched forward, elbows resting on knees. "Worse than bad and it's been going on for years,under everyone's noses. We've got clear signs of laundering at the club. Through the private bookings system, not the main registers. Someone's been feeding large amounts into untraceable accounts through VIP room transactions."

Taehyung's veins popped up in his neck, eyes narrowed, mouth cracked. The first sign of life in his otherwise statuesque stillness.

"Who knows?" he asked,sternly.

"You,me and Bae. He's looking into it discreetly. But we need to be extremely cautious.If you snoop around too openly, whoever's behind it will bury the trail or worse..you."

Taehyung eventually gulped down the bourbon that set his throat ablaze,stirred his empty stomach but didn't take the edge off.

Seojoon studied him closely."You look like hell, by the way."

"Thanks."

"It wasn't a compliment, asshole. I'm serious. You look like you barely survived a tsunami.What the hell is going on? Is this still about that pretty bartender boy, or something deeper?"

Taehyung's eyes flashed at him, sharp like daggers and Seojoon raised his hands in surrender. "Fine.Off limits."

The silence between them lasted for a while then Taehyung spoke, voice gritted like it was coming out by force."I can't stop thinking about him. It's killing my patience. It's like I'm fighting a war I can't win.And he hates me."

Seojoon tilted his head. "You want him to hate you?"

"No."

"Then stop acting like a villain in a noir film."

"I am a villain Seojoon" Taehyung sneered, then paused."But there are worse ones. And I think they're running my club."

Seojoon nodded because he knew exactly what his friend meant.

Taehyung set the glass down slowly. " You know he's always in my head..stuck there. I can't move forward,I can't turn back time."

"Jungkook?"

"No," Taehyung responded, his voice pouring in bitterness and memories. "My nephew."

"You think they're connected?" he asked softly."Taehyn and the club."

"I know they are." Taehyung sighed, throwing his head back." The last place he was seen was that fucken club. In the alley behind it. Then he vanished without a trace. No cameras and no witnesses to help." He swore under his breath.

"I didn't buy that club for the power or the fucken orgies or because I had money to waste." Taehyung said, his fingers tightening on the armrest. "I bought my way in because I suspected there was something rotten beneath the surface and now it's crawling up."

"You think the laundering and his disappearance are somehow connected? How? What did he discover that made him vanish or.." he didn't want to say it.

The man ruffled his hair with both hands."I think this entire fucken city is a facade, and the club is the crack in the mask." Taehyung leaned back, eyes heavy with something like pain and rage tangled into one.

Seojoon slouched to his side, "Tae… whatever it is, you're not going to face it alone."

Taehyung smiled faintly but somehow it didn't reach his eyes. "I always face it alone."

"You don't have to. I'm here for you. We all loved Taehyn."

"I know but I can't drag you with me.." He stood up slowly, shrugging off the robe, revealing lean muscle and an exhausted body beneath. "If I'm gonna burn, I'll do it my way."

Seojoon sighed, watching him with quiet worry and knowing damn well how this whole situation had affected his life. It shattered him. Killed the shreds of goodness he had inside him. Left him a broken man."Just… promise me when you dig deeper, you'll be smart about it. I won't lose you too."

Taehyung paused at that, hand on the doorframe as he stared out toward the sky."I'll be smart."but he didn't sound convinced.

Because in his confused mind, all he could see was Jungkook,working behind the bar like nothing had happened. Like he hadn't been in Taehyung's arms,like his lips hadn't parted with a sound that haunted his nights.

And somewhere, in the dark, mysterious shadows of that same club,his nephew's ghost was waiting for justice.A justice that depended on Taehyung to be served.

_________

The club looked quite different after midnight on Thursdays.Stripped of its neon pulse and bustling crowd noise, only the VIP rooms filled with moans and whimpers of people engaging in all sorts of twisted fantasy games, made it lively.

Taehyung slipped through the back door like a ghost, hoodie up, face shadowed,eyes deadly dangerous.His steps were soundless on the marble floor of the employee corridor, the scent of smoke and spilled liquor lingering strongly in the air.

He didn't look towards the bar, simply because he couldn't. Not now.

Jungkook would be there, maybe laughing with Jimin, maybe looking stormy and irresistible, and Taehyung couldn't afford to see any of it. He wasn't here for Jungkook. Not anymore.

He had a mission that required his undivided attention and distractions would be fatal.

He tiptoed carefully through the corridors, stopping only once to enter the old security office.The one the owners before them had used, now half-abandoned. Fortunately it wasn't locked.Most of the club's current system ran on digital servers, but Taehyung knew better. There were always leftovers. Secrets, hidden where no one thought to look. And for what reason? 

Flicking on the dim light, he scanned the room. Dust. The awful smell of mold.Old files. Boxes of unlabeled paperwork. Floppy drives. A battered hard disk so he started snooping around, searching without stopping.

Thirty minutes passed in silence, fingers digging through files, checking timestamps, trying to find any record of a cash transfer or booking that didn't match the system. His phone beeped once, probably Seojoon checking in but he dismissed it. He had no time for it. His friend had to wait.

His mind pondered back to his nephew, as it always did in these moments. The sweet, generous,smart boy with a mischievous grin and a mind too curious for his own good. The kid who used to beg Taehyung to stay with him,to give him the attention he longed for after his parent's death. And yet he was too busy,too absorbed in becoming rich, powerful, determined to dominate the business world.

He gritted his teeth, shaking the memory loose as he heard voices approaching.He froze,the files in his hands,dusty and smelly with mold.

One of them was Jungkook's. Brief, clear. And then laughter,most likely Jimin.

Taehyung didn't let his body react, he finished copying what he needed from the USB drive and hurriedly tucked it into his black coat.

He would be gone before the sun rose.

And no matter what his body screamed for,no matter how his mind kept drifting to parted,rosy lips, flushed, fluffy cheeks, the curve of Jungkook's throat he would not give in.Not until he found out the truth.

He sneaked like a shadow out of the room, checking all directions before slipping down the corridor, unnoticed.

Except…

From the second floor balcony, leaning with a towel thrown over his shoulder, carrying a crate of beer,Jungkook's eyes caught a faint glimpse of strange movement below.

Jungkook thought he saw a silhouette. He thought he saw him. It was strange because Taehyung hadn't visited the club in days. 

But the man was already gone.

Later at the bar Jungkook rammed on the counter, a towel gripped between his fingers as he stared at the back hallway again. For the fifth time in ten minutes.

Jimin raised a brow, huffing ."You're gonna burn a hole in that wall,Kook. What are you staring at? Waiting for someone?"

"I saw someone."

Jimin blinked. "It's a club, Kook. We see people all the time. They come and go."

"No,no. Downstairs. By the old security room."

Jimin narrowed his brows in disbelief."You think?"

Jungkook didn't reply, he threw the towel away,grabbed a coke can from under the bar and popped it open with one sharp twist. His lips pursed, a muscle ticking in his cheek.

"You think it was him, don't you?" Jimin teased him but his eyes were sharp." Are you imagining things now?"

"I don't think or imagine anything,shorty," Jungkook snapped, a deep sigh escaping him. "He's been gone for days.Now suddenly he's slipping in through the back like he's avoiding something."

"Or someone."Jimin bellowed out, pursing his plump lips.

Jungkook grossed out like it would frighten Jimin who merely just giggled. "You've been tense as hell. Don't think I didn't notice you snapping at the Red Bull cans first thing in the morning."

"He's not my problem," Jungkook muttered, then took a long sip of his coke. "I've got other things to care about."

"Sure," Jimin exclaimed. "Like the girlfriend you can't sleep with,your Jungkookie that can't get up and the boss you can't stop fantasizing about."

Jungkook blew a huff, poking his tongue as Jimin raised both hands like he was innocent. "Just calling it like I see it."

" Didn't ask for your opinion."

" You started it. If you wanted me to keep my big mouth shut,you should have done the same."

" Fuck you,shorty."

" I am.. Maybe you should try it. It does wonders with bad attitude, cranky behaviour and hormones having a field trip." he drawled mischievously.

________

Seojoon stood by the window, dawdling as the rain blurred the cloudy sky while Taehyung was transferring files from the USB to his laptop. The penthouse was dingy, swathed in grey daylight and cigarette haze.

"You got something?" Seojoon asked,rather impatient, chewing on his lips.

Taehyung clicked a few windows open. "Yeah. I found an old log from a VIP room booking paid in cash, marked under a fake name, no camera footage but cross-referenced with staff check-ins and service records? That room was used the night Taehyn disappeared."

Seojoon shifted in an abrupt way."Shit."

"And that's not all. There's more."Taehyung pulled up another file. "Multiple bookings like it. Same MO. Quiet nights, minimal staff, no digital records except timestamped room locks and ghost bookings."

"Who would have the access to pull that off without triggering the main system?"

"Someone on the inside. Chang? His previous partner?" Taehyung said, coldly. "Or someone protected by them."

Seojoon stepped back from the glass. "Tae… if you push further, you're going to draw fire. Are you ready for that?"

"I've been ready for years."

Seojoon looked at him closely. "What about the boy?"

Taehyung's eyes flickered. "I can't let him get in the way."

"You're already bleeding for him."

"I'm bleeding for more than that," Taehyung muttered, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

And in the corners of his bleary mind, the memory of Jungkook's lips, rebellious,parted, furious,rushed in again like an echo he couldn't shake, disturbing thoughts and past memories of happy times overwhelming his mind.

Flashback.

The living room was a mess of crayons, paints and opened snack bags spread on the thick, expensive carpet.The sun filtered in through half-closed blinds, catching the glitter on a finger-painted canvas taped to the wall.

"Hyung, look!" Taehyun, all of seven years old and bright-eyed mischief, held up a paper crown covered in crooked,dragon stickers and purple glitter glue. It was lopsided and peeling at the edges.

Taehyung, still in his shirt and slacks from a half-day at work, dropped to one knee with exaggerated awe. "Your Majesty," he said solemnly, "you honor me with your presence."

Taehyun giggled and ran to him, launching into his arms. "You're the dragon! You have to roar!"

"Roar?" Taehyung gave him a look, trying to keep the laughter behind his lips."Don't you mean grrrr?"

"No!" Taehyun held up a plastic spoon like a scepter. "Only real dragons roar!"

Taehyung growled playfully, lifting the boy into the air. Taehyun squealed, legs swinging, crown tumbling to the floor. "Okay! Okay! You win!"

They collapsed onto the couch, Taehyun curled into his side like a little furnace.

Taehyung brushed back the kid's messy bangs. "You're getting taller."

"I wanna be as tall as you,hyung." Taehyun said, yawning.

"Then no more candy after dinner."

Taehyun frowned. "Never mind. I'll be short."

Taehyung laughed, soft and warm, resting his chin on the boy's head. His fingers absently stroked through his hair. "You know I'm always here, right?"

Taehyun blinked up at him. "Even when you're busy?"

"Even then." Taehyung smiled. "Always."

The boy curled in closer. "Okay. Then I'm not scared of anything.

End of flashback.

That same boy's face only lived in Taehyung's dreams now and in the ache piercing his body and soul.

He would burn down the world to find out what happened to him.

__________

The alley was humid and foggy,the city's noise muffled behind brick walls and black shadows. Jungkook filed against the grey-covered wall, one boot resting on a crate, the faint glow of his cigarette illuminating the sharp lines of his face. His white shirt clung to his skin, still moist from the heat of the bar. He exhaled a curl of smoke, letting it settle into his bones.

It had been a long week of dodging glances, ignoring touches, pretending Taehyung didn't exist.

Footsteps crunched behind him.

"Rough night?" a deep ,kind of creepy,voice asked.

Jungkook turned his head slightly, eyeing the stranger. Mid-thirties maybe, clean-cut in a designer blazer that undoubtedly screamed money. He lit his own cigarette with a flick and leaned beside him like they were old buddies.

"I've seen you around," the man said. "You work here, don't you?"

Jungkook nodded once, not interested.

"You've got that look," the man added, voice dropping. "The kind that draws attention."

Jungkook tensed but kept his mouth shut. The guy was most likely a customer and it wouldn't look good for him or the club if he told him to take a hike.

" You don't like talking?" 

" Not when I'm smoking." Jungkook snapped in detachment.

"Too bad. I'm a great talker."

" I'm on a break. Gotta go." he launched the cigarette butt with a snap of his fingers.

"I could make your night so much better," the stranger muttered, stepping closer. "You just have to say the word..yes."

Jungkook revolted with a jolt. "Back off."

But the man didn't listen. He reached out, fingers grazing Jungkook's arm, then went straight for his face, grabbed his jaw,attempting to kiss him.

Jungkook spit on him and shoved him hard. "Are you fucking kidding me? Get your fucken hands off of me!"

But just then.."HEY!"

Taehyung's voice rang out like thunder making Jungkook's blood turn to ice. He was standing in the mouth of the alley, dressed in all black, his coat sweeping behind him like a shadow. He stalked forward, and before the stranger could utter a word, Taehyung's fist connected with his jaw in a sickening crack, as the stranger staggered, holding his chin. "What the hell!"He wiped the drops of blood from his mouth." Have you lost it man?"

"Get lost," Taehyung growled, his voice low and lethal."Get lost before I snap your throat."

The man stumbled off, cursing under his breath, but Jungkook didn't even move. Taehyung turned on him, eyes wild,air dragging harsly through his lungs.

"You little two-faced bastard."

Jungkook blinked, stunned. "What the hell are you talking about.."

"You act like you're too good for me, preach your straight-boy morality, hang off your girlfriend's arm like some saint," Taehyung hissed. "But then I catch you making out with some random guy in the alley?" 

"I wasn't!"

" Really? What were you doing exactly? Fighting with your tongues? He was all over you! Where you gonna let him fuck you while you play hard to get when it comes to me?"

Rage detonated inside him like a grenade, splintering through muscle and bone, sending his vision into a haze of red." Fuck you! Don't owe you an explanation. You wouldn't believe a word I'd say so go ahead think whatever the hell you like. See if I care!"

" Is this how desperate you are? Letting a guy fuck you in the back of a sleazy alley?"he exploded with visceral fury." Like a fucken whore? You talk about morals but it didn't take long for you to cheat on your girlfriend!"

" HE ATTACKED ME! HE TRIED TO KISS ME! IF YOU WEREN'T SUCH AN ASS YOU'D SEE THAT!" he wallowed in mordant wrath,each heartbeat pumping acid in his veins, each breath feeding the inferno inside him.

"Spare me," Taehyung snapped,big strides bringing him closer to the younger. The fury within him wasn't a blaze but a slow, ruinous rot devouring his guts till only the hollow shell of a man remained. "You've been playing games since day one.Pushing. Teasing Smirking. Resisting.You want this just as much as I do Jeon!"

"I said no," Jungkook growled. "And if you weren't so fucking full of yourself, you'd see.."

But before he could finish, Taehyung grabbed him by the collar and pinned him against the wall.And then he kissed him.It wasn't gentle,wasn't sweet, more of a bloodthirsty war.

Taehyung's mouth crashed against his with all the rage and heat he'd been holding in for months,biting, slurping, hungry, breathless. His hand fisted in Jungkook's shirt as if to pin him down, hold him there. 

His lips moved like fire,irked, wet, possessive and Jungkook fought back with equal fury. He kissed him back, gasping, grabbing Taehyung's waist, dragging him closer, trapping the man's hips in his leg,pushing into it like it was the only way to shut them both up.

Their teeth clashed. Jungkook bit his lip as Taehyung groaned low, animalistic, tugging his hair. The kiss turned desperate, addictive, blatantly aggressive, their mouths moving with reckless need,tongues twirling around,battling for dominance.

Suddenly Jungkook snapped, realising what he was doing. It felt like ice water drenched him from head to toe.

He shoved Taehyung off with both hands and punched him square across the jaw.Taehyung stumbled back, breathless, astouned blood blooming on his ripped,lower lip.

Jungkook's chest rose and fell like a storm. "Don't you ever do that again. Don't you ever..kiss me again."

And without another word, he wheeled around barging into the club, heart rousing, lips red and swollen, pulse snarling. He had to leave as far as possible..from himself but mostly from him.

Kim fucken Taehyung!