Warning: excessive violence and explicit depictions of death. This work is entirely fictional with absolutely no ties to the people who may share names with real life individuals. Read at own discretion.

"You always did go for the pretty ones." Jungkook's father said with a raised brow as his son approached him. The businessmen hugging his dad's sides gave a nod at the sight of Jungkook, eyeing each other as they left to give them space.

"You're 'hello's' are getting more creative." Jungkook said back. The wine in his dad's hand swished as he turned around, starting to weave through the crowd of gala-goers towards an office he held in the back. It was the one room here his dad never failed to pay for; the one place where the door closed and powerful people scrapped to talk with the politician.

His dad smiled at a couple CFOs and security men as they passed through the hall, putting a heavy hand on Jungkook's shoulder. Jungkook thought about shooting it. "I'm glad you came." His father said, his heavy brows furrowing and lips settling into a too-pleasant smile.

Jungkook eyed the faint scar above his dad's brow and under his eye, the way his shoulders were still tight and his knuckles still calloused. To Korea, he looked the rising star leading the country to a brighter future. To Jungkook, he looked like nothing but a mob-man masquerading as one. He couldn't imagine Jimin leveraging his scars to scrape an extra vote. It made him want to vomit.

"I came for business, not for you." Jungkook said, eyeing Soyeon as they passed. The Jade glanced at him as she spoke with Hwasa. Jungkook frowned, trying to find where Jimin was if not with The Park.

"Look at you, you sound like a proper Don. Your mom would be proud." His dad said and flicked his hand up so the reporter took a second photo at a different angle.

"Smile." His dad added as a reporter took a photo with the office door behind them.

"You don't get an opinion on that." Jungkook said through his teeth as a second reporter walked up to the them. "Or mention her, either."

"Smile." His dad said again before Jungkook could reach for the door. Jungkook turned around as different reporter held up a camera and took a photo of Jungkook with his dad's arm around his shoulders. They took another and then the reporter walked away. Jungkook rolled his eyes, walking into the office and closing the door behind him. The music and chatter of the gala hallowed out immediately.

"Jungkook. It's always so tense with you."

Jungkook chewed his cheek. He crossed his arms, leaning against the door. He was getting too old for this. "This is a transactional obligation between us. You get your photos, I get the cops to look the other way."

The Politician sighed. "One day you're going to understand why I left and forgive me." His dad said, walking around a wooden desk and taking a seat. He took a sip of his wine before setting it down. "But we can keep it transactional right now if that's what you need."

"I'll never understand that. I needed you." Jungkook said, fire burning up his spine. "I needed you and you were gone. You didn't just leave The Jeons, you left me. Yoongi and Seokjin were killing themselves trying to keep me and The Jeons together and you didn't bother to even call. So you don't get to turn around and tell me I'll understand someday."

"Where is Seokjin? You always bring that boy with you."

"Seriously? That's what you're focusing on right now?"

"Jungkook. I'm trying here."

"Are you?"

His dad put the wine down, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I loved her too, you know."

Jungkook stopped moving. They never mentioned his mom. Six years of these galas and not once did either of them bring her up. He can still hear the echo of the front door close when his dad got up and left, the smell of liquor and cigarettes pooling off his body like they were drowning him. He could feel the air pressure shift  when Yoongi's gun shoot after the door - after his dad - knowing the bullets wouldn't land but just so angry to watch him leave. Jungkook couldn't shake the feeling of Seokjin's hands off his shoulders trying to get him to stand up after that first year when he'd been entirely abandoned by his family, either. It took six years for him to come back from that, six years to joke and laugh and build a mob that felt light despite the violence and blood and crime. For him to find true family in Yoongi and Seokjin, and now Jimin too.

Jungkook had refused to let his dad drown The Jeons, refused to let his grief bleed into his gang, refused to let anyone feel an ounce of what his parents had made him feel. He was The Don now. He called the shots. If he decides he was going to be happy, then he very well fucking would be. His dad lost his right to have a say in any of that.

"You weren't the only one who took your mother's death hard." His dad added.

Thank fucking God Jungkook didn't have a gun on him.

"You left, dad. Where she had - she died. There's a difference in that. Yours was a choice. Do you not understand that? What, was your grief really so much more important than raising me? And now you want to - what. Reconnect? We talk business here. Nothing else. I want nothing else out of you."

His dad swallowed, staring at Jungkook for a long while. Jungkook didn't back his gaze down. "Alright." Jungkook's dad said after a moment, but there was a hint of disappointment in his old eyes. "Alright then. We just do business. So what's this drug The Jades were telling me about? You're spreading Busan's drugs into our city? It's careless. If you're getting anything less than a seventy percent split, then you shouldn't have taken them up on it. Where are you manufacturing it? Are you manufacturing it? You know that if the drug starts killing people, you'll take the fall if it happens in Seoul, not - what are they called? The Kims?"

Jungkook frowned. "We're not doing this again." He said. Each gala ended in a fight between the two of them. His dad always had something to criticize about Jungkook when he had no fucking clue what happens in The Jeons. He knew nothing about Jungkook, either. "This whole dad/son, father/mentor, thing you keep trying has to stop. You're the one who chose to cut ties with me, not the other way around."

"Jungkook." Jungkook's dad's eyes softened, and he leaned forward on the desk. He stared at his son for a long moment before sighing. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Jungkook blinked. He was expecting some push-back. He gave his dad a strange look, but his father only met him with a sad one.

"I've got to go." Jungkook said and waited, almost like he expected for his dad to ask him to stay, but the older man just settled into a nod grabbing his wine. "Keep the police off The Jeons. I took your photos, keep up your end of the bargain or this deal ends."

His dad nodded, tapping the side of his wine glass with his thumb. "Of course. If you're ever ready for it, I'd like to try and be a dad to you again, Jungkook. Maybe today isn't the right time but I'd like to rebuild us someday."

Jungkook clenched his jaw, deciding to unpack the complicated feeling in his chest later. He left his father sitting in his office, staring at the closed door his son walked out of, desperate to find Jimin and leave. The old Don put his head in his hands when his son left - and drank. 

* * *

Jimin was leaning against the bathroom counter clutching his ribs as he splashed water on his face. He washed off the blood on his cheek, luckily not having to smudge any of the makeup he'd put on. His chest was a different story, the mesh shirt was a great choice when he was trying to be sexy but a terrible one to cover up the bruises forming there. He did his best to hide them with some color corrector and foundation he'd swiped from some bags on his way back inside. They did the job for the most part.

Jimin walked out of the bathroom and leaned against the wall, trying to find Jungkook through the swarm of people. The guests were livelier than before making it harder to find the mafia leader. Jimin frowned, looking at them all now he wasn't sure lively was the right word. People were swaying, holding onto the wall or furniture to keep themselves up, each with a dumb smile on their face. Most of them were talking, but none to each other. Some were just rambling, and others were talking to blank spaces in the room. One woman cried, looking at something in the distance before collapsing on the ground.

Jimin stood up straight, racing through each room of The Gala searching for a storm of black hair and a sleeve of tattoos. "Jungkook!" He yelled, pushing past more of the dewy eyed guests. Another person fell to the ground, their eyes rolling in the back of their head and their body started to seize. Empty wine glasses littered the place, the waiters nowhere to be seen. He pushed past more people, panicking now. The pain in his ribs was barely on his mind as he ran through each door until he landed on an office where the door was half open.

Jimin saw Jungkook's wide shoulders, running towards him and hissing through the pain of lifting his hand to turn Jungkook around face him. He did a quick sweep, checking that Jungkook's eyes weren't glossy like the rest of the guests, that his pupils hadn't dilated, that he didn't have sweat on the back of his neck or look disoriented. When it was just Jungkook's doe-eyes softening when he saw him instead, Jimin sighed in relief and kissed him.

"What-" Jungkook said as Jimin pulled away, having to lean against the wall and clutch his side as he caught his breath. Jungkook's entire face crumbled in worry. His hand gently came to the edge of Jimin's shirt, lifting it up and a look of straight murder flashed across his face at the bruises. "What happened? Who did this to you? Was it Hwasa? I'll kill her."

"Hoseok was here." Jimin explained.

"What? The Kims were here?" Jungkook said. "And they hurt you? Where the fuck did they go?"

"Not just Hoseok, it was a full family reunion. It's a whole mess but Jungkook I think there's something worse going on. We need to leave. Now."

Jungkook's eyes danced over Jimin, trying to figure out just how badly Jimin was hurt. Gently, Jungkook reached a hand up and cupped Jimin's cheek, his thumb brushing it. His expression was so warm, his eyes tender, before hardening into an intense focus. He dropped his hand, walking out the hall and into the room Jimin and him had danced in. Right where Hwasa of The Parks sat in the violinists chair, one leg crossed over the other.

Jimin ran after him. Both men paused at what they saw surrounding Hwasa. Dozens of bodies were on the floor. Half of them were convulsing, a quarter trying to crawl, and the rest were completely expressionless leaning against the walls. They were clawing at the stone, their nails bleeding as the scratching slowed and they started to join the others on the floor. At the center of all of it was Hwasa. The beautiful violinist was laying at her feet with her eyes rolled a back. The performer's diamond necklace now hanging around Hwasa's neck.

"What's happening to them? What did you do?" Jungkook yelled. Hwasa only grinned.

"Jungkook. The wine." Jimin said.

"My dad." He said, rushing back to the office as Hwasa tilted her head back and laughed. Jungkook found his dad mumbling in an office chair, his eyes staring to glaze over just like the rest of them. When Jungkook made it back, he charged towards Hwasa who had finally stood up, stretching her arms like she welcomed Jungkook's attack. His hands wrapped around her throat, dark hair brushing over his eyes, and Jimin watched her smile through it before a new figure intercepted.

"You." Jungkook spat in the face of Kim Namjoon of The Jades as he pulled him off of Hwasa by his shoulders. Jungkook's expression was one of murder but Namjoon's was thoughtful. His hand lingered on Jungkook's shoulder. Jimin caught the hesitation in letting it go. "What is this?" Jungkook yelled, veins popping in his hands as he gestured to the people scattered around them. "What did you do to my dad?"

"The end of the Jeons, sweetheart." Hwasa said, rubbing her throat. Jungkook shoved Namjoon off of him. "Might be hard for your daddy to keep the cops off of you after you murder him and all these people."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

Hwasa only grinned.

Jimin stayed close the wall. Hoseok's gun felt hot in the jacket of his suit. He could shoot either The Park or The Jade, but he was missing something. Why wasn't Namjoon attacking? Or Hwasa?

"This is ridiculous." Jungkook said. He looked over to Jimin, frowning. Jimin could tell Jungkook felt bare without Seokjin and Yoongi by his side. Jimin held Jungkook's stare, trying his best to communicate all the warmth he possibly could with just that one look. They were going to get out of this - no matter the amount of blood that would be needed to be spilled. Jimin wasn't going to leave him.

"Tell us where the warehouse is and we'll call an ambulance to help these people, saving you from a lifetime in prison." Said the seductive voice of the second Jade sibling, Soyeon, as she waltzed into the room. Her heels clicked under her, and she twirled a phone in her hand. "It's your drug they took, you know. All that Drive packed into their silly little wines. Easy to spin a story that The Jeons were the ones who drugged them."

"Hand over the production of Drive, Jeon." Hwasa said. "All of it. And we call the medics to keep them from dying. Spin it as the one percent going too hard at a party instead of a mafia moss massacring them in a rage over his daddy leaving him."

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Jungkook said.

Jimin flicked his brows at Jungkook. "Looks like we found our missing crate of Drive." The gang leaders looked in Jimin's direction for the first time when he spoke, like they had only just noticed he was there. Namjoon's eyes lingered the longest where Soyeon immediately disregarded him and looked back at Hwasa to roll her eyes.

Jungkook frowned and then his eyes widened in the way Jimin has grown to adore, opening like a deer caught in headlights. Jungkook looked over at Hwasa, rage causing the veins in his forearms and neck to pop. "You packed an entire crate worth of drugs into the wine? That's why you stole it in the first place?" He looked at Namjoon then. "And you helped? Call a fucking ambulance! You're going to kill a hundred people for absolutely no reason! These people have no ties to the mafia, half of them actually help your businesses stay alive!"

"A hundred most important people in Seoul." Soyeon tsked, kicking a man in the side who was starting to foam at the mouth. "The drug's a beauty, really. All of Seoul is already addicted to it, most of the people here would sell a kidney just for a taste. Hand the production over. The Jades are going to take complete control over both the production and distribution, or we let everyone here die and it gets framed on you for selling the drug in the first place. We planted witnesses who will testify they saw you tampering with the wine before the event. Since your dear dad orchestrated your leniency deal with the police, the police already know you're a mafia leader, not some doe-eyed CEO so you'll be the first on their suspect list. 'Heartbroken son tries to poison loving father in retaliation for leaving him.' Oh! I can already see the news title."

"You mean we're taking control of the drug. Together." Hwasa said. Soyeon rolled her eyes.

"Yea yea of course. I misspoke."

"It's Ruby Noir though. That's how you got it here, it was packed into the bottles of wine The Jades make." Jimin said. The Kim Don drank so much of the stuff he knew it by smell alone. "You think The Jades won't get tied into this at all?"

Soyeon grinned. Namjoon was looking around the room, entirely disinterested in his sister and seemingly distracted during her big villain monologue. "Oh they never suspect the woman. It's what the patriarchy can do for you, Jimin. Little dainty old me? If anything I can blame this on my brother and he'll go to to jail along with you while I take care of The Jades on my own."

Namjoon snorted. "Love you too." He said, searching through cabinets that were in the shelves decorating the room. Soyeon frowned at him.

"If you try anything then my brother here will shoot you and your pretty friend." Soyeon said to Jungkook. She waited and Namjoon didn't seem to hear her. "Namjoon!" Soyeon whined under her breath when Namjoon didn't move. "Point the gun! Come on, we talked about this."

Namjoon seemed to find the right cabinet, smiling to himself. He reached in and pulled out a gun, pointing it at Jimin. When their eyes met, Jimin was again struck by Namjoon's calm. It wasn't malicious, but patient.

"Refuse to give up control over Drive and we'll wait till everyone here dies." Soyeon resumed, starring daggers into her brother's back for ruining her flow. "And the media picks up that The Jeon drug killed a hundred rich people. Which, as we all know, is the only type of people prosecution cares about. Even your senator daddy can't protect you from that, Jungkook. You'll be thrown in jail for life and The Jeons will be over. I'd say everyone here has what, maybe an hour left before they die? Don't you think so Namjoon? That's about how long it took the Park boys to die when we tested it out on them."

"You what?" Hwasa roared, her smugness washing off of her.

"Those kids were louder than these idiots when we were trying to figure out the correct dose." Soyeon said, waving her hand at the guests who were starting to seize. "Weaker immune systems. They died screaming. Incredibly easy to kidnap too. Your search parties these past couple weeks have been cute to watch though. Sometimes we picked another one off just for fun."

Hwasa yelled a sound that tore out of her throat like it was screaming from Hell itself. She took a wine glass, smashed it, and clutched the shard as she lunged at Soyeon who ducked out of the way. Soyeon turned on her heel, grabbing the glass shard out of Hwasa's hands, and stabbing it in her neck. Hwasa screamed, clutching at it and Jimin jumped in front of Jungkook right in case she turned her attack on him.

"Thanks for the crate." Soyeon said to Hwasa. "And the bodies, they really did help so very much. Wouldn't be right to test an overdose out on one of our own. You understand."

Hwasa clawed at Soyeon, her nails digging deep into the skin of Soyeon's shoulder and pulling violent red lines down as her body began to slump. She wasn't about to go without a fight, grabbing the glass from her neck and stabbing it into Soyeon's leg before her eyes rolled back. With a last shudder, her body went limp, and blood began to pool around her. Soyeon scowled, tearing the glass out of her leg and throwing it on the ground.

Jimin forgot about Namjoon. He forgot about The Kim Don, about his beating, about all of it. All he could see as Hwasa bled on the floor was the image of Jungkook doing the same, and he saw red. Jungkook similarity had enough behind him, shuddering as his dad was starting to choke while people were dying from drug he had helped spread in Seoul.

Jimin and Jungkook looked at each other and Jimin nodded before they broke apart.

Jungkook went for Namjoon, landing a blow right in his jaw causing the Jade to stumble back and for the gun to drop from his hand. Jimin kicked it across the room before lunging for Soyeon. But Soyeon was a dancer. He could see it in her eyes, she wouldn't fight like a brute. She flowed like the dying violinist convulsing on the ground was still playing. Jimin cursed Hoseok for the pain in his ribs, the beating slowed him down. Jimin could shoot Soyeon, but he had to figure out what Namjoon was up to first and killing his sister would definitely complicate that.

Jungkook roared another fist and Namjoon ducked out of the way as the two began to trade blows. Jungkook was a violent storm, his fists fast as lightning and his body moved like it was going the motions were tattooed into his muscles. Jimin took a second to appreciate it, it was rare for him to see this side of Jungkook. The mafia leader and not the kid who had to grow up too fast.

"Namjoon. The gun." Soyeon spat as Jimin managed to turn in time for her to step too close and he got her in his grip with her back in his chest. Jimin took out the gun and cocked it, pressing it into her side. She clawed at his forearm around her throat while her eyes stayed sharp on her brother.

Namjoon ducked, reaching under the chair where his gun had slid, stopping Jungkook's movements as he pointed it not at Jungkook, but at Jimin. This time Namjoon's eyes were pleading.

The Jades were smart, that's what The Jeons always said. That they did their research.

Don't Interfere. Jimin thought about the note, staring at Namjoon who kept his finger on the side of the trigger of a gun instead of looped on it. Why? Why drug everyone? Why kill a hundred people? Why frame The Jeons?

Slowly, Jimin let go of Soyeon and she tore herself from his grip. Namjoon dropped the gun and used the moment of hesitation from Soyeon to throw the gun at Jungkook who caught it, shock clear on his face. "Run." Namjoon said. "There's still time to save them."

Jungkook looked like the very last thing he wanted to do was leave either Jade in that room alive. Jimin grabbed his arm and tugged him. Jungkook raised the gun and pointed it at The Jade siblings anyway. His face was steel, his eyes filled with a void of murder and rage so strong it thickened the air around him. His dad was choking in his office. The sound echoed in the room.

"Run! Find Seokjin and please, just tell him that I love him, and that I'm sorry. I tried." Namjoon said as Soyeon reached for another glass shard, attacking her brother, screaming at him for betraying her. Jungkook stood there, watching, his gun still pointed at them. Namjoon turned to Jungkook. "I stashed some antidotes in the cabinets but there isn't enough for everyone. Call for help once you leave then get out of here! They have the phones downstairs."

Jimin put his hand in Jungkook's free one, holding it just as he had that night with The Park runners. They had to leave. The cops would come with the ambulances, they couldn't be on the scene when it happened.

Jungkook stood still, gun pointed at the siblings. Jimin walked over to the cabinet Namjoon had opened and saw about twenty thin needles with a clear liquid in them. Twenty antidotes. Jimin picked on up and walked up to Jungkook, holding him by the wrist and giving it a squeeze.

It was up to Jungkook whether or not to kill The Jades, even if one of them might have just saved everyone in the room. Jimin wasn't about to take that decision away from Jungkook. Jimin walked into the office where Jungkook's dad was shaking, his head on the desk. He found a vein and slid the needle into Jungkook's father's skin, pushing the contents inside. Within minutes the shaking stopped, and color was starting to return to his father's face. Jimin placed the rest of the needles in front of him, knowing the ex-mafia boss could put two and two together on how to help the rest.

Jimin walked out of the room and Jungkook clenched his jaw, tilting his head at the perfect shot right through Soyeon's heart, then thought better of it and put the gun into his suit jacket instead. He grabbed Jimin's hand, pulling it with him as they left the siblings trying to murder each other inside, the party goers foaming at the mouths, and Hwasa's dead body covering the golden marble in blood.

Jimin didn't question his Don as he followed him out of The Gala. They called for medical help off an anonymous number, getting the people inside the aid they needed, before they did what Namjoon had told them to: they ran.