Song Recommendation: "Control" by Halsey

Taehyung's POV

Where is he? Didn't receive my calls or answered any texts!

That's quite weird! He never does that. It's 6 in the evening. 49 hours since the last contact. I hope he is okay.

Breath escaping him in a frustrated huff, Taehyung's fingers furiously typed out another message to Jimin. His steps echoed against the walls of the seemingly deserted alleyway, but he couldn't recall how he had even arrived here. As he continued his aimless wandering, the quietness of the surroundings sent a chill down his spine.
Pink Mochi:

Jimin? Where are you? Can you tell me the address of your new apartment? I'll come to you instead.

Hey! I miss you, buddy

Three missed calls

Jimin? Ring me back when you see this.

I let out an exasperated sigh as I typed yet another message to Jimin, my eyes scanning the empty alleyway as I walked. I had lost track of how I had even ended up here, my mind consumed by the excitement of spending the day with Seokjin Hyung. It was a surreal experience, having him give me his undivided attention like he used to when we were younger. And now, he promised to stay in touch and meet up with me more often. I couldn't contain my happiness at the thought of finally having my brother back.

But amidst my euphoria, I couldn't help but wonder where Jimin was. I had even told him about Seokjin Hyung's visit and how we spent the whole day together. I had so much to share with him, but he was nowhere to be found. It was times like these when I missed his presence the most.

Taehyung let out a frustrated sigh and hastily locked his phone, stuffing it into his pocket. As he looked up, he caught sight of a figure standing in the corner, trying to hide from him. His brows furrowed in confusion as he tried to make sense of the situation, but ultimately shrugged it off and continued on his way. He stuffed his hands deep into his pockets, his thoughts consumed with the events of the day, as he walked deeper into the alleyway.

Taehyung sauntered lazily down the deserted alleyway, lost in his own thoughts until the sound of footsteps behind him jolted him out of his reverie. Frowning in confusion, he turned his head to find a figure cloaked in a black hoodie tailing him. A sudden feeling of unease crept over Taehyung, but he tried to shake it off and continued walking without looking back. However, the footsteps persisted, following him relentlessly.

With a growing sense of dread, Taehyung finally turned his head around to see that the figure was now dangerously close. In a bid to escape, he quickened his pace and took long strides, but it was a futile attempt as the figure matched his speed step for step. His entire focus was now fixed on the shadowy figure trailing him, and a sense of impending danger gripped him.

Without a moment's hesitation, Taehyung broke into a run, hoping to put some distance between himself and his pursuer. But the figure, seeing his prey escaping, broke into a run too, hot on his heels. Taehyung's heart pounded with fear as he glanced back to see the black-hooded figure closing in on him. With a gasp of horror, his legs wobbled beneath him, and he knew he had to keep running if he hoped to make it out alive.

"No, n-no please leave me alone, I have nothing of your use except this, here take this and leave me alone"

With a sudden, aggressive motion, he thrust his hands deep into his pockets, fumbling around until he extracted a cell phone, car keys, and a wallet. Without a moment's hesitation, he carelessly flung them behind him, the objects clattering onto the pavement and landing squarely on the feet of an unsuspecting bystander. The man's weight descended upon them with a resounding crunch, but he didn't bother to look back or apologize. Instead, his gaze was fixed intently on Taehyung, whom he pursued with relentless determination. Taehyung could feel the weight of the man's gaze upon him, sending shivers down his spine as his very soul seemed to depart from his body.

"Spare me please-"

"Cease your steps at once" the aggressor spat out, his voice modulated and muffled as if a gadget resided under the mask he wore on his face, it was laced with venomous malice. "For if you choose to ignore my warning, I will shoot your pretty little ass and lodge a bullet past it"

Taehyung's heart leaped to his throat as he glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of the glint of a gun pointed directly at him. His legs quaked beneath him, and he stumbled and fell to the ground, his body rolling and scraping against the pavement as he struggled to stop himself.

Before he could even begin to rise, the imposing figure strode over to him, seizing him by both shoulders and hauling him upright with almost inhuman strength. Taehyung cried out in pain as his back was slammed forcefully into the rough brick wall, the impact rattling his bones and leaving him momentarily stunned. His clothing strained and threatened to tear under the force of the man's grip as he shook him roughly, like a rag doll, against the graffiti-covered surface.

"Please l-let me go, I have nothing-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP KIM TAEHYUNG"

Taehyung's eyes grew impossibly wide as he stared up at the imposing figure before him, his lips quivering in fear and disbelief. Tears threatened to spill over the brim of his eyelids as he struggled to find his voice, his entire body shaking with a primal fear that seemed to grip him like a vise.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks: the man knew his name. How was that possible? Taehyung's mind raced with a thousand different possibilities, but he couldn't quite make sense of any of them. All he knew for certain was that he was in grave danger and that this man posed an undeniable threat to his safety and well-being.

"STOP WANDERING IN THE STREETS LIKE THIS! YOU WANNA GET KILLED SO SOON HUH!?"

Taehyung's mind was a jumbled mess of confusion, his thoughts whirling in a dizzying array of possibilities. The man before him was a stranger, and yet there was something undeniably familiar about him that sent a small frown creasing the space between Taehyung's brows.

Despite his fear and uncertainty, Taehyung looked almost painfully innocent and vulnerable, his tear-streaked face and reddened nose tugging at the heartstrings of anyone who happened to bear witness to his distress. He seemed almost too fragile, too delicate as if the slightest misstep could shatter him into a million tiny pieces.

"Who are you?"

In response, the gun was pressed to his right temple.

"Stay indoors. Do not step out, and do not meet anyone, especially your friends, this is not a threat, it's your first and last warning, do not meet Jimin anymore, Do you understand!?"

"Who are you, how'd you know Jimin-"

"DO YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND WHAT I SAID!?" Through clenched teeth, the imposing figure spoke, his voice strained with an undercurrent of barely suppressed rage.

How does he know my name and Jimin's too?

Why must he know and why must he warn me?

Is he perhaps going to hurt Jimin? Should I report this? What if he hurts Jimin because of me, NO! I can't let that happen.

"ANSWER ME DAMMIT"

Taehyung's head bobbed up and down in a frenzied nod as he continued to tremble in fear. He dared not avert his gaze from the man's piercing grey eyes, which seemed to bore into his very soul, even as the stranger's face remained obscured behind a black mask emblazoned with white prints that resembled the visage of a grinning skeleton.

"WORDS SLUT! USE YOUR DAMN WORDS" The gun pressed more firmly against the side of Taehyung's head, the cool metal chilling his skin and sending shivers down his spine. The figure seemed intent on hammering home the severity of the situation, making sure to etch his words into Taehyung's consciousness with a burning intensity.

"Y-yes"

At the sound of Taehyung's terrified agreement, the figure slowly withdrew the gun and released his grip on the trembling boy's shoulders. Though his hands fell away from Taehyung's quaking form, his intense gaze lingered, seeming to slice through the boy's very being with razor-sharp precision.

"If I see you around and especially near Park Jimin, I will slice your throat with my own hands before she can" The warning sent a whistle to ring past his ears leaving him deaf to the mention of a little dirty secret being spilled.

"Get out! And remember my words well or I will come looking for you, you understand me" Despite the removal of his gun and the release of his hold on Taehyung, the figure's modulated voice retained its rigid, emotionless tone. Even as he spoke from behind his mask, his words seemed to carry an unspoken threat, hanging heavy in the air like a storm cloud ready to burst.

Taehyung's head bobbed in quick agreement, and with trembling legs, he darted away from the imposing figure, almost stumbling in his haste. His heart thundered in his chest, its pounding rhythm drowning out all other sounds save for the frantic rustle of his own footsteps. Looking over his shoulder, he glimpsed the figure still standing there, his dark form silhouetted against the alley's grime-covered walls, the glint of his gun barely visible in the faint light. Taehyung's pace quickened, his feet pounding against the pavement until he was far enough away that he no longer felt the weight of the stranger's gaze upon him. Little did he know that the figure remained rooted to the spot, his tongue prodding at his inner cheek as his doe eyes followed Taehyung's retreating form until it vanished from sight down the murky alleyway.

Devil's Eye Headquarters

Four figures sat on the soft fur couches placed in the room it looked like a small private office room situated within the whole wide structure of the headquarters, brown wood polished furniture, fur couches, carpeted floor, a set of wide screens hanging on the front wall, dark slide away curtains hanging in glass windows that were like a wall's size high and wide.

"We're trapped in an endless maze," the weary voice lamented. "Each lead we follow, each victim we find, only serves to muddle the waters further. It's like wading through a swamp - the harder you struggle to break free, the more it drags you down into its murky depths" Venom stayed silent tapping her fingers on the sofa's arm.

"There is something wrong about it"

"We didn't even find any clear evidence"

"It's just bits and crumbs, vague clues without a rigid end that we got so far"

"We don't even know if it's actually KNIGHTS doing or not" Venom arched an eyebrow and locked eyes with Yoongi, studying him intently.

"What I'm trying to impose is that it's a complete divergence, all the leads we caught seem to point different directions in the void"

"...Yeah, Hyung's right, it's like they know nothing or they are forbidden to tell" Mumbled Jungkook adding to what Yoongi stated.

"Could it be a distraction, a trap, or something, I don't know" Yoongi rested his head back on the couch's head closing his eyes tired from running in the circular never-ending paths.

Jungkook nodded in agreement, concealing the underlying excitement that he felt about their recent success. "I agree, it appears that our findings are rather trivial and puzzling" he stated, deliberately downplaying the significance of their discovery. But in reality, Jungkook's primary objective was to safeguard the safety of his beloved boyfriend, even if it meant sacrificing their major breakthrough.

Venom tilted her head, studying Jungkook with a single raised eyebrow. Though neither of them had breathed a word of what Haechan had said to the others, they both knew the significance of their latest catch.

So why was Jungkook denying its importance? The question gnawed at her, stirring up her curiosity.

"I don't think so"

With a monotone voice, she rose from her seat and made her way to the small bar, her movements deliberate and calculated. Carefully, she poured a measure of alcohol into the glass, adding a large ice cube before swirling it around. The liquid reflected the light and her pink-tinted lips parted slightly as she took a sip. The other three agents exchanged knowing glances; they were all too familiar with the tell-tale signs of her troubled mind.

"I don't think so we are bare-handed" She spoke in a monotone, her gaze shifting as beads of sweat trickled down the side of the large ice cube in her glass of alcohol.

"And How is that?" Yoongi questioned.

Venom took a deep swig of her drink, then set her glass down on the counter with a resounding clink. She strolled with a purpose to the far wall, where a bullseye hung. With deft movements, she plucked the darts from their holder and stepped back a few paces. Finally, she turned to face her brothers, a fierce glint in her eyes.

Venom's voice was firm and resolute as she spoke, her eyes blazing with determination. "I will not yield, not now, not ever," she declared, her words dripping with unwavering resolve. "Even if it means resorting to extreme measures, I will not rest until I have achieved my goal. Doesn't matter if I have to capture more or rip out corpses from their graves. I will do whatever it takes" Her gaze shifted to the bull's eye affixed to the wall, her hand smoothly gripping a dart from its slot. With fluid precision, she hurled it toward the target, the sharp tip penetrating the center with a resounding thud.

"Second, my father and your boss, the owner of the Eye handed me over all this information. Not in a million years I would doubt his words to be untrue. KNIGHTS are my culprit, so if our father says it I believe it"

She fixated her gaze on the bull's eye that hung on the wall, her fingers deftly plucking a dart from its slot. Her movements were smooth and calculated, her arm shooting forward in one swift motion as she released the dart toward its intended target. Shoot! A satisfying thud reverberated through the room as the sharp point pierced the center of the bull's eye.

"Third, we got a name" Venom's sharp eyes flickered toward Jungkook, sensing the tension that emanated from him. Though he tried to remain composed, his apprehension was palpable. Venom remained silent, observing him intently. Jungkook leaned back, his gaze shifting to his brothers as if trying to distract himself from her penetrating scrutiny.

"Kim Seokjin" He told them.

"I see..." Yoongi closed his eyes trying to pinpoint where they have heard the particular name.

"I am not sure if I have heard with or not, but that's the point Venom, we got many names before too, and they did no shit" He voiced yet something deep in his conscious itched and tried to reach out to him but it was vague. Too vague to recognize.

"Maybe Namjoon could let us in on this person, Namjoon knows many of the existing hidden names"

"No, not him, I don't like it when he pokes his nose in my business following me like a stalker everywhere, besides, it's better if Father doesn't know of how deep I have my hands in this, he might ask us to back out plus even if he knows the name, he wouldn't know the face, Masquerade handshakes are faceless remember?"

"This Kim Seokjin, suppose he is an actual entity, then I don't think so it's someone in the lower region of control or I would have known, we don't even know about his rank and stuff or if this really is someone, what if Haechan lied to us" Jungkook persisted on the idea of this whole plan to be fruitless.

"Yeah, never saw or found this name on our radar though" Yoongi spoke lazily resting back with his eyes closed.

"If that's the case, we won't be able to reach him" Jungkook spoke again. Venom couldn't help but feel a nagging doubt about Jungkook. His repeated attempts to restrain their progress only fueled her suspicion. However, for the time being, she had bigger concerns to attend to. But she'll surely ask his brother about his worries later.

"Then what do we do now? How do we find any information"

Silence enveloped the room as everyone stood motionless, their thoughts entangled in a web of contemplation. Jungkook's eyes met Venom's, and his expression fell at the sight of her smirk. As he followed her gaze to the observation wall, a collage of images and scribbled notes caught his attention. Among them was a photograph of the same boy, his face adorned with a familiar, toothy smile.

"I exactly know where to look for that" Venom voiced.

With a flick of her wrist, Venom sent the third dart whizzing through the air toward the observance board. The sharp tip struck the center of the photograph, piercing through the glossy paper and embedding itself firmly in the soft foam backing. The sound of the impact echoed through the silent room, the tension thickening with each passing moment.

"How bout we pay a special visit to my little lover boy!?" A snort escaped into the thick void of the room as she stared at the photograph with a penetrating hard glare.

"So finally Kim Taehyung, time to face your truth"

ℑ𝔶𝔞𝔫𝔨𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔳𝔬𝔱𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔪𝔢𝔫𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞𝔡𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔰.
𝔜𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔟𝔢𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔡 𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔯

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