A/N: The Cop From Busan will release after this book is finished! Probably by the end of the month.

If you like that gif, you should totally vote!

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚𝓝𝓸 𝓒𝓻𝓲𝓶𝓮 𝓗𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓘 𝓓𝓸𝓷𝓮 ˚｡➶˚┊

Taehyung didn't know what to feel.

As Y/n and Jungkook discussed the siege on the castle, Tae felt nothing. He felt empty. Jin wasn't by his side to joke about the weather, or make a stupid pun about oceans waving to each other. The house that had once been full of laughter was drained of love. It was drained of any color.

Taehyung used to step into his house and smell the alluring scent of pasta, often made from scratch like Jin had loved to do. He had tried to teach Tae how to make it, but he gave up due to Taehyung always overcooking everything. Jin had made pasta so much that even the carpets smelled of it thanks to the time he had dropped sauce on the floor. It took two weeks to clean every last bit up, and yet, Taehyung found himself searching for another stain.

They chose his house to have the debriefing. He didn't understand why. Shawman was there in the corner, but Jimin was nowhere to be found. It was only Tae, Jungkook, Y/n, and Shawman, all gathered around the living room coffee table as if it'd bring them answers.

Taehyung stared at his hands and picked at his nails. His fingers fiddled together and he nibbled on his lower lip. It bled. He didn't stop despite the copper, bitter taste hitting his dry tongue.

"We need to go around the City," Jungkook said. There was a makeshift map of New Theon laid out on the wooden table. Since the floors were made of the same material, the legs of the object shook and squeaked as Jungkook pressed his body against it.

"We don't want to draw attention to ourselves. We'll have a team on land and a team on water," Shawman said, using the tip of his knife to mark the spots. "One team will siege the castle's left side while the other sieges the right."

"The ones flanking by sea will take the left. It makes the most sense," Y/n added. Her eyes were narrowed and focused on the sight before her. Tae admired the way she could brush aside tragedy and keep moving. He wished he could do the same.

"What happens if the castle is too much? What then?" Jungkook asked.

"We die and New Theon is never free," Y/n replied.

Jungkook snorted. "You're quite the optimist."

"I'm being honest. We've been at war for far too long. If we don't succeed at the castle even after all the work we've done, then we're not going to win the war."

"What if we plant bombs?" Shawman suggested. "We can place them along the side of the wall and blow it open. No need to go through the courtyard."

"Jimin's brother is in the castle and we have no idea where."

"Then find out. Jimin is in the infirmary with Kastor. Go."

Y/n agreed and left them alone. Shawman and Jungkook continued to discuss the plan, Taehyung zoning out. He thought of Jin's smile. His windshield wiper laugh that filled the halls of their home. He couldn't hear it anymore. Taehyung would give anything if it meant he could hear Jin's laugh one last time.

"Want to go check on the other soldiers?" Jungkook said to Shawman, which caused Tae to snap back into focus. "Make sure they're ready for the mission and don't let them stop training. This is the most important mission in history. No stopping until the end, got it?"

"Sure thing, Jeon," Shawman replied. He said his goodbyes to Tae before departing the home. That left Jungkook and Taehyung, and Tae knew where this was going.

Jungkook sat next to him and placed his hand on Tae's shoulder. He stayed far enough so he wouldn't hit Tae's injured thigh. There were bandages wrapped around it underneath Tae's pants, but he doubted he'd be in perfect condition by the time the castle siege came around.

"I'm sorry," Jungkook said.

"There's nothing you could've done. There's nothing anyone could've done." Taehyung paused and averted his eyes to the table, where the map stayed. "All I've ever wanted to do was keep Jin safe, but I failed. My entire life's purpose was to keep him..."

Taehyung broke off as his voice quivered. He held back his sobs, but the second Jungkook wrapped his arm around him, Tae broke down. Wails wrenched themselves from his throat as he latched onto Jungkook and cried. Jin's face flashed in his mind over and over again until he drowned in a sea of madness.

"We'll avenge him, it's okay. Everything will be okay," Jungkook whispered, but nothing could stop Tae.

"What did he do to deserve this?" Tae asked no one in particular. "He did nothing wrong. He tried helping us, and Namjoon took him away. We finally got the City to listen to us and now this happens."

"I promise you, Jin did not die for nothing. He's a hero, and we're going to get Namjoon back."

"I want to kill him," Tae murmured.

"You're injured-"

"I don't care. Train me. Have Jimin train me."

"The siege is too soon. You won't learn the skills necessary by that time."

"I've always just cowered in the back!" Tae said, ripping himself away from Jungkook. "While you and the others are off on dangerous missions, I'm almost always sitting with Jin at home, protecting him and doing nothing. I can't do that again!"

"I know."

"No, you don't. You're always leading the charge. You're the one everyone listens to the most, so don't pull that 'I know' bullshit with me. You have no idea what it's like to sit here and watch as the people you care about do the things you want to do. I watch you fight for our home while I protect Jin, and I couldn't even do that right."

"And I can't lead right," Jungkook said. Tae went quiet. "You're saying everyone listens to me, but I keep letting them down. You may cower in the back, but the people who die? That's on me. It's my responsibility to keep them safe, and every time I've failed. Over and over again, I failed the people I care about most. So no, Tae. I don't just understand, I feel the same thing you're feeling. In case you're forgetting, Jin was my best friend too."

Taehyung hung his head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We're all stressed. It's the end of the war, and Jin..." Jungkook trailed off to let out a shaky sigh. "We'll find a way to turn the tide. New Theon is on the verge of being ours. This castle siege will secure it."

"Which is why you should train me."

"Tae..."

"I need to strike the killing blow. He took my friend. I'm taking him in return."

"Namjoon is too powerful," Jungkook tried, but Taehyung shook him off.

"Then teach me to be better. We'll take him out. You and Jimin train me, and we'll destroy Namjoon. I promise."

Jungkook stared at him with an unreadable expression. His eyes were steady and his mouth teetered between open and closed. The answer that followed had Taehyung's heart energizing with adrenaline he never thought he'd get again.

"Okay."

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚˚｡➶˚┊

"Fuck!"

Taehyung groaned as he hit the ground. Jimin stood above him with a sword in his hands and a tank top covering his torso. His arms had gotten slimmer due to his time with the Emperor. Although Taehyung had been a decent swordsman, Jimin and Jungkook were on another level Taehyung doubted he'd get to.

It had been a day since Jungkook and Tae had the conversation about training him. However, Taehyung almost immediately regretted his decision the second he sparred Jimin. Within less than a minute, he had the wind knocked out of him. It had been five hours since then, and Taehyung was yet to last more than thirty seconds against the man.

"Maybe we should switch? Jimin's better than me," Jungkook said, placing a hand on Jimin's shoulder. The old commander was still flinching whenever someone touched him, and Jungkook whispered an apology as he brushed by.

"Pitying me?" Tae asked, spitting out blood.

They were in the training arena. It was beautiful as most of Mount Moros was. It had bouncy floors that made it easy when Tae got knocked down. There were countless swords to choose from, and seeing as Tae didn't have a sword, he blamed the lack of a proper weapon on his terrible skills.

"A little," Jungkook replied as he helped Tae up.

"I'm rusty."

"We've been at this for hours."

"Be like Jimin: shut up."

Jimin smiled, but it didn't meet his eyes. He hadn't done much smiling since the City. He had done even less talking. Although he had made progress, it wasn't enough. As much as they wanted him to go on the castle siege, bringing him sounded foolish. Shawman insisted, but Y/n had already fought him about keeping Jimin at home where it was safe.

Taehyung didn't know how he felt about it. They could use Jimin and his skills, but not at the cost of his life. Not at the cost of potential triggers harming him. It was up to Jimin and Shawman, but Y/n was doing her best to ensure Jimin got benched for the castle, even if it meant Jimin didn't get to kill the Emperor.

"You're too stiff. You're fast and strong, you should use that to your advantage. Instead of pounding against our swords, try moving faster," Jungkook said.

"That'll deplete my stamina faster."

"Then it's a good thing you're used to running."

"That doesn't change that it'll deplete my stamina," Taehyung said. Then, he pointed to Jimin. "Is Jungkook right?"

"Well, he's not wrong," Jimin replied in a meek voice.

"Shit," Tae muttered as he held up his sword once more. It didn't help that he was injured and could barely walk. The arrow wound he had didn't magically disappear, and he knew training would only make it worse. He could either not train and be well enough for the mission, or train and have a bum leg. He didn't know which was worse.

Jungkook charged him, but Taehyung could tell he was going easy on him. Jungkook was the easier of the two. Whenever they had sparred, Taehyung had managed to last several minutes. He rarely won, but at least he had a chance. Not with Jimin.

With Jungkook having one hand instead of two, that made him a better target. Still, his raw talent made him a force to be reckoned with. And as Tae hit the floor for the millionth time that day, he realized he was better off as a diplomat.

"How do people do this?" Tae asked to no one in particular as sweat dripped down the side of his face.

"On the bright side, you're getting better. Jimin used to wipe the floor with you in one move, now it takes two."

"Gee, thanks," Tae said as he got up.

"Let's take a break-"

"Again."

"Tae, we need water," Jungkook said, but Taehyung ignored the comment and got back in a ready position. "Your leg is-"

"Not a problem. Training is more important. I don't have much time, I need to be ready to fight Namjoon."

"I trained Namjoon," Jimin said, his voice cracking. "Beating him is impossible."

"But he took my best friend from me. I have to avenge him. Please let me be useful for once. Don't let me sit in the shadows and cower away. Don't make me do it again."

"No one's making you, but there are things we simply cannot do," Jungkook said, coming over and taking Tae's sword out of his hands. "You aren't ready to fight Namjoon. None of us are. It doesn't make you weak. We'll get the Emperor, take control of the castle, and free New Theon. Don't worry, everything will be okay. Jin will be avenged."

Taehyung wanted to believe Jungkook's words, but he couldn't. Namjoon had destroyed the last thing Tae had hope for. Jin was his savior; his best friend. Taehyung couldn't give up. Defeating Namjoon became his sole purpose in life, and he didn't care what he had to do to accomplish his goal.

He didn't care if he had to lose himself to do it.

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚𝓝𝓸 𝓒𝓻𝓲𝓶𝓮 𝓗𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓘 𝓓𝓸𝓷𝓮 ˚｡➶˚┊

A/N: If you like that gif, you should totally vote if you haven't already!!!

Don't let this Taehyung POV distract you from the fact that there are only 12 chapters left...

Also, I am in the process of releasing my first big original story. It's called Obsidian and it is an enemies to lovers demon x angel story with lots of angst, worldbuilding, and lovable characters. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I have no official release date yet, but I am working hard to release it soon.