Beep

beep

beep

.....

The only sound cutting through the thick silence was either the beeping of the pulse checker or the shuffling of feet of the nurses strolling around the room, preparing injections and checking the flow rate of IVs. Otherwise, it was as quiet as the silence itself.

"Taehyungie..." In the hushed hospital ward, the silence was interrupted by a sudden feminine shriek, swiftly followed by a gasp. The woman barged into the room.

"Taehyungie, my child" She ran towards the bed placed on the right of the door.

Taehyung was lying there unconscious between the white bed covers. His face was bruised, left cheek holding a small cut open skin that was now bandaged. But the band-aid failed to cover the purple swollen skin around. His face seemed pale and there were dark circles under them. His shoulder was stitched and wrapped in white bandages with a support going around his neck holding his arm with the stabbed shoulder in its soft padded embrace. His hands held bruised skin too. The pulse checker capturing his index kept beeping.

"Oh God, what wrong did he do to end up like this? My poor son" The woman kept sobbing uncontrollably while the old man by her side was just peering down at his child's condition. The only person he cared about and held so dearly was lying on a hospital bed wrapped up in bandages and breathing with such labor.

His child was right in front of his eyes in a state he always feared to see him in. He always made sure that Taehyung is safe, he was an overprotective father no doubt. Providing a padded floor in his room when he started crawling and trying to walk taking baby steps might tell how much of an over-protective father he was. And the only reason he and his mother lived far from Taehyung was his safety. Keeping him close would have provided every enemy with a weakness to overpower the K.N.I.G.H.T.S.

And that's what Taehyung never understood because he was never told.

Never was told that his father is leading one of the most dangerous mafias around the continent.

Never was told that his father is away from him so that enemies couldn't grab the only weakness of this man.

Never was told that he was soon to be entering the same weakness, shattering his innocence to pieces.

Mr. Kim feared letting Taehyung enter the real war, he was worried if Taehyung could be a fighter or not because he saw how his child held the most delicate heart ever. Despite being good at gunning, probably the best in the K.N.I.G.H.T.S. he still wouldn't like using it on a living breathing human. Unless he is forced to sell his soul to the darkness like the rest and become heartless, killing any and everything in the way... just like her, the one who was behind his current condition.

Though Seokjin kept convincing the old man to let the boy face his truth and grow strong out of it. After all, he was the rightful heir and he has the right to know the world he belongs to, it was better to let him adapt to it slowly now rather than later in some critical conditions, but the latter never accepted the choice.

He knew that this is that version... that sickening version of darkness that consumes you from inside by torturing your soul, your consciousness, you. Like a prison cell, a trap of cold stone walls under a well, where the one being locked in always looks up to the opening of the well of death gazing at the light with hungry eyes, lying down and watching the changing colors of the sky, thinking of all the ways to crawl out of the pit hole, just a foot here, a hand there and crawl out, yearning for the fresh air outside, for the touch of cold rain outside, for the warm kiss of the sunset.... a false hope that is grown and bred inside him eventually leading him to imagine his freedom, a mere disguise, a beautiful dream but just a dream, driving him more and more insane by every passing hue of the sky, this is what prisons are meant for, this is what they do.

Turn him insane to hold accountable between the sane. Ripping his accused soul to shreds, and breeding a true demon, that's how villains are born. They live in a prison with a prison inside them and mental prisons have no escape door... or let's say no door at all.

Mr. Kim knew this very well from the experience he had over the years running in his prison screaming and yelling for help, but these four letters made up just a mere word.

Help.

This word was far stretched and out of the dictionary for the underworld. Down here was like a swamp, gulping down anything and everything stepping into it.

His train of thoughts broke when the doctor spoke. Mr. Kim didn't know when two fat tears broke from his lash and fell, crawling over his wrinkled face and far down. Was it his boy's suffering that made his heart ache or was it his own?

"..... He has a pair of broken ribs, and we are glad there is no internal bleeding, however, his shoulder is bad, and the wound was deep, He'd need time to recover, lots and lots of bed rest and nutrition, we were going to run tests every two days to make sure things are going okay, anything else required will be briefed"

"TAEHYUNG" The door to the room burst open, and a badly crying Jimin ran in.

"Oh God NO!" Jimin crashed on his knees by Taehyung's side grabbing his uninjured hand and embracing it to his heart, he wailed.

"Excuse me, Sir-" The doctor was cut in the middle by Seokjin who signaled him not to interfere and walk out with him to enlighten him truly with the details of Taehyung's condition. Seokjin walked out followed by the doctor, turning around the corner not knowing the person in the black jacket passing by him might be someone he should be concerned about, after all, those doe eyes were solely directed forth to the room where Taehyung was kept.

Looking through the glass window, Jungkook halted in the way seeing Mr. Kim, he quickly stepped back and stuck his back to the wall peeking in secretly. A sobbing old woman probably Taehyung's mother, Mr. Kim whom he knew too well, an unconscious Taehyung, and lastly that one face with tears and pain written all over it that made Jungkook leap forth instantly. A badly crying Jimin. Jungkook's heart ached badly, he wanted to barge in and hide his boyfriend in his embrace and comfort him. But how helpless he felt at the time, What should he do? Expose his identity or comfort his love? He was having a war of his own outside the glass wall of the room.

As Jungkook began to lose hope of having a moment with his boyfriend to comfort him, the elderly couple departed the room to let the two friends have some time. Observing from the disguise of the shadows, Jungkook discreetly watched as the couple moved down the corridor, unaware that the person passing by them could be someone who held a significant role in Taehyung's current condition and was once again walking in close proximity to him.

"Jimin" Jungkook walked straight forth to his boyfriend barging in through the door and opening his arms offering a strong embrace that Jimin knew will always assure him safety and security and will always be there for him.

"Guk~" Jimin ran and jumped into his arms clutching onto his torso like his life depended on it.

"Hush! I'm here, I'm right here by your side" With tender affection, Jungkook gently pressed his lips against Jimin's forehead, showering him with kisses, while his soothing touch continued to caress his back. It was a gesture that always comforted the elder.

"He- Guk, he's aching~" In the depths of anguish, Jimin's tears flowed unrestrained his words distorted on a track of non-stop hiccups. Despite being a student of medicine himself, watching his beloved soulmate on the hospital bed tore at his very core. It was a heart-wrenching experience that left him shattered, his emotions overwhelming and raw.

"My-" He shook with sobs racking through his body.

"Hush love, he will be okay"

"Guk, he is- he is hurting, see" Jungkook tightly held onto Jimin as he attempted to break away, preventing him from gesturing toward Taehyung. Jungkook understood that the more Jimin saw, the more it would cause him pain.

"Jimin-ah, hush, he'll be all right I promise okay, he'll be fine" Jungkook pulled Jimin more into him, he exactly knew what Jimin needs now.

"Why- Just why would anyone h-hurt him, Guk" Jungkook placed a hand on the back of Jimin's head and pulled him back into his embrace.

"I hate- who so ever did that, I hate them so much and I will never- forgive them" Those words tugged hard at his very core and Jungkook felt like he won't be able to meet eyes with Jimin ever again. He couldn't see Jimin cry like that.... More like he couldn't face him being the reason behind it. Jungkook couldn't see how this might affect Jimin. He was too trapped in his love for Venom that he stomped on the rose of his garden. Hurting and breaking its petals off. And now.

He was regretting it, or was he not? Jungkook didn't know himself.

For a quarter of an hour, Jimin remained in Jungkook's arms, his breaths shallow and unsteady. Throughout that time, Jungkook's embrace never faltered, holding Jimin securely. Jimin's eyes had become swollen and red, a witness to the tears that had flowed, but at that moment, such physical distress seemed petty.

Who cares when it's his heart that's burning the most?

Who cares when he can imagine the cries and whimpers of his brother being beaten up that viciously?

Who cares when his mind and soul were burning with every glance he took at Taehyung?

And then there stood Jeon Jungkook with his heavy heart thumping behind his warm chest, with every thump he just felt heavier. Realizing what his actions brought Jimin up to, the guilt kept piling up. He wanted to run away and he wanted to stay. What type of situation is this?

Not being able to stay and neither leave. Jungkook now dreaded one thing. What if Jimin ever got to know, he is one of those behind Taehyung's suffering? Only the mere thought of this idea sucked his soul, and Jungkook breathed deeply trying to thin down the suffocation but though the air was filling up his lungs he couldn't feel it. He still felt his breath stifled.

The door to the room opened and in entered someone alerting Jungkook whose guards rose high. It felt as if the cold from the white tiles crawled up his feet and froze his blood throughout his body at the spot. Thinking he might be encountering Mr. Kim, Jungkook broke the hug, his back still facing the person who entered, he looked into the eyes of a confused Jimin.

"Love I need to make a call, stay here I'll be back soon okay" he leaned in peppering the former's face with a soothing pack of kisses. Sensing the person has walked towards the bedside Jungkook turned to his other side so the person won't see his face and walked towards the door pulling the P-cap low enough to hide his face.

Jimin looked confused as to what just happened but seeing Seokjin forth he brushed off the thoughts. Meanwhile, Seokjin took a glance at the dark figure looming around the door making an exit, and peered at Jimin questionably.

"That's my boyfriend, Taehyung and him have met, he came to see him but got some urgent duty call"

"I see"

The two exchanged a word while Taehyung remained in the bed with his orbs moving under his lids pulling him back to consciousness by now. The worst kind of pain is watching your loved ones suffer and that's what the K.N.I.G.H.T.S and Jimin were going through.

But were they the only ones feeling this?

Within the midst of the metal surroundings, a delicate heart began to beat, causing her entire being to become restless. Between the clutter, she unleashed her frustration upon a punching bag, throwing relentless fists and exhaling sharply. The blood-soaked bandage on her hand slipped off exposing the split skin on her knuckles blue with blood oozing out yet it remained unable to overwhelm her, for the ache within her heart surpassed any other pain.

---------

As the onslaught of blows intensified, the left side of the punching bag became increasingly stained with blood, mirroring the growing intensity of her strikes. Sweat soaked her body with muscles growing sore, yet she never stopped, her mind persistently drifting back to the lighthouse.

He is innocent? Is he? How could he be? He was supposed to be the heir of KNIGHTS, But...

He always came out clean, didn't he? There is no such name as Kim Taehyung in the underworld.

So, does this mean... He is not the heir to KNIGHTS but Kim Seokjin?

No! That can't be, Father won't give me his name in the records if he wasn't involved in this shit.

She hissed as the ache in her head intensified. A rush of these tormenting thoughts relentlessly gnawed at the fragile edges of her sanity. Amidst her suffering, she became aware of a faint whimper echoing from the depths of her mind, as if someone else shared her torment in a distant corner of her consciousness. She remembered.

Flashback~

Taehyung lay curled up on the floor, his body contorted in agony, blood spurting from his nose and mouth in a distressing display.

"I FUCKING HATE LIARS" Yoongi relentlessly unleashed a barrage of kicks and punches upon the already battered boy, who whimpered in pain and uttered a single word, a name, repeatedly, as if seeking solace or protection.

"J-Jiahn"

Flashback end~

Overwhelmed by the throbbing ache that intensified within her skull, Venom let out a groan and desperately clutched the sides of her head. The weight of the late hour, with the clock striking 3 in the depths of the night, held no significance as her mind descended into chaos, disregarding the passage of time. She wanted to escape this dreadful never-ending night in her mind.

But was there any escape?

What happened Venom?

Frustrated?

Annoyed?

Hurt? You knew you couldn't hurt your little toy boy hm~ grown some attachment I see there!

"Shut the fuck up!"

Frustration consumed the girl with Hazel orbs, causing her to spin around abruptly, carelessly striking the uncapped water bottle left from earlier. As her hand collided with it, the bottle toppled over, coming to rest on its side with its open end facing the corner of the table. Unleashing a cascade, water spilled out, hitting the floor below.

Water, a lot of it, drowning waters.

Flashback~

A loud splash reverberated through the air as if something struck the water's surface from a height. Taehyung was pushed off of the lighthouse and hurled into the vast blue waters. Although the sound gradually faded in the realm, within her mind, it persistently echoed, relentlessly colliding with the walls of her thoughts and shaking the very foundation of her existence.

How painful those sounds had become now. Haunting her every minute.

Flashback end~

Why the fuck is he stuck in my mind?

Just why- Goddamn it!

Why did I even save his ass? I should have just let him-

Why didn't I just let him die? Why am I bothered so much? I do not fuckin' care about him. No, I don't... I don't care about anyone.

"I DO NOT" A scream erupted from her lips as she hurled her stash of guns onto the floor, their weight and significance crashing down with them.

Her anger, her frustration collided, shattering the walls she had built around herself. At that moment, a realization dawned upon her, piercing through the haze of apathy that had clouded her existence. The reason he haunted her thoughts, the reason she saved him, lay not in duty, but in something far more profound. Beneath her hardened exterior, buried deep within her soul, there was a flicker of concern, a glimmer of humanity that refused to be dowsed. Or could be something much more intense?

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