The sirens of ambulances flooded the place as Jungkook ushered Taehyung inside. His repeated offer to help him walk down the stairs was peevishly dismissed and the level of his annoyance kept creeping up at the slow pace Taehyung was moving.

“You have three options. You’ll move faster, you’ll let me help you, or I’ll push you down the fucking stairs.”

Taehyung halted in his tracks at his crude remark and fixed him with a glare so sharp and blazing furious it could easily slash through an iceberg. “You arenʼt even worth my time to argue with you.” He clung to the railings again and continued descending one stair at a time, hissing and wincing all the while.

Suddenly, he lost the earth from beneath his feet and he was harshly brought against a bulky chest. “Yah!”

Jungkook, deaf to his expostulations, slid down the stairs with a swift gait. “Just shut up for ten seconds.”

Taehyung made a moue of sheer disdain mixed with displeasure, but obeyed nonetheless. His eyes unwillingly focused on his profile, absorbing his tight, gorgeous features. Why does he seem uncomfortable? And why is he so pretty?

Before he could search for answers in his chaotic brain, the grip around him abated, and he landed on his left leg. Am I supposed to thank him now? He’s responsible for my fucked up condition, though. 

“Move,” Jungkook ordered as he gave him a small push, but it was enough to force him to use his right leg to balance himself. The screechy, suffocated scream that rumbled in Taehyung’s throat triggered a sense of mild remorse for his action, though he disregarded it. 

Taehyung breathed through the surge of scorching pain as his fists trembled in his immense urge to bang them against his face. “You’re really the most insensitive person I’ve ever met.” 

“I just carried you down the stairs.”

“And then you pushed me, you jackass!” His previous urge consumed every sherd of his sanity, and he drove his fist into his biceps. 

“Yah.” Jungkook looked askance at him. “I have enough reasons to throw you in jail. Don’t give me more.”

Taehyung ignored him and instead turned his attention to the injured men scattered around the place and the paramedics helping them. His eyes swelled in worry as he located two of Sieun’s men on the ground, and he hopped on one leg to get closer faster. “Ki Jun-ah, Sung Mi-yah, are you okay?”

“We’ll live,” Ki Jun choked out, hugging his wounded right shoulder. “Seong Moo is dead. Some are on the way to the hospital and some in the vans.”

“Fuck. Hang in there,” Taehyung uttered as he bent to pat his head, but a yelp flew out of his mouth when he was yanked back. 

“Move,” Jungkook snarled and urged him forward, paying no mind to his injury. He detected Namjoon entering the building and beckoned him to come towards him. “Sieun?”

Namjoon opened his mouth to reply, but Taehyung’s presence stole his attention. “Taehyung? I thought you would be here, but it’s different to actually see you.” 

The said man didn’t utter a single word; he maintained his head curved forward, staring at the ground. 

“Focus. What about Sieun?”

“We got him. The guys here surrendered, and we were about to come find you when you told us about Sieun.”

“Fucking finally. What did you find?”

“A lot of bags with firearms and cash. They just collected them for evidence.”

“Okay. Take him and I’ll come find you.” Jungkook passed Taehyung to him with a surprisingly gentle nudge and took off. 

“What happened to your knee?”

“Your dear partner chased me and threw me to the ground again,” Taehyung murmured with blatant exasperation. 

“You shouldn’t have run, Taehyung. But don’t worry. We’ll request for a doctor to treat your injury before the interrogation.”

As they trod outside, Taehyung slowed to a stop, twisting to look at Namjoon. “Where’s Mi Jun?”

“Mi Jun? Who’s that?” 

Taehyung cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrowing on him in disapproval. “Why are you pretending that you don’t know? Sang Mi Jun. The guy who tipped you off.”

His awareness of that matter mystified Namjoon. “So you know.”

“You think I didn’t?” he scoffed. “Where is he?”

“Why? Are you going to lunge at him when you see him?”

“No. I want to make sure he’s okay.”

Namjoon blinked in surprise as a tiny smile bloomed on his lips. “Seriously? You’re not mad that he cooperated with the police? You got caught because of him.”

A subdued sigh emitted from Taehyung as he limped beside Namjoon, who resumed leading the way to the sprinter van. “My stupidity caused me to get caught,” he said, too quietly to be understood. “Why did I help him?”

Namjoon managed to pick up on the few last words he said. “Help? Who did you help?”

Taehyung cleared his throat. “Never mind.”

With a shrug, Namjoon aided him in stepping into the van where Mi Jun and two other guys were.

“Yah. Are you okay?” Taehyung asked as he scooted closer to Mi Jun. 

“Yeah. What happened to your knee?”

“It’s nothing, don’t worry.”

“I’m sorry, Tae. You got caught because—”

“Shh,” Taehyung shushed him right away as he glanced at the other guys in the van. They were Mu Shin’s men — the other dealer’s men — and if they found out that he snitched to the police, they could even kill him. “I got caught because I let my feelings get in the way. It’s no one else’s fault.”

“Feelings?” Mi Jun muttered as he eyed him quizzically.

“You know. My human feelings and shit.”

Although Mi Jun was still confused about what he meant, he let it slide and instead sighed as he reclined in his seat.

  
“Kook,” Namjoon called when he located him coming outside. “About half of the guys are injured, so they’ll go to the hospital first. We only have to take seven people.” 

“Okay.” Jungkook tapped his shoulder and walked away, but halted abruptly. “Ah. Something weird happened during the gunfight. Can you request for a forensic analysis of every bullet?”

“Yeah, but what happened?”

“Someone was about to shoot me, but he got shot from my right. You guys were behind me and on my left.”

Namjoon’s eyes moved in a circle of thought as his brows furrowed. “You think someone else shot him?”

“It has to be the only explanation. Anyway, let’s go back. We have a lot of questioning to do and a lot of paperwork.”

“Yeah. It’s going to be a long day.”

“Do we really have to work until late on new year’s eve, though?” Seung Ho put in as he approached them. “Can’t we just lock them up and go home?”

Jungkook didn’t respond, though the hard glare he shot him spoke volumes before his departure towards the van. 

Namjoon cracked a smile. “There’s a process we can’t overlook just because of the day, Seung Ho-yah. The team two will help us, so we’ll finish faster.” He took a look around the place, spotting the last ambulance leaving. “Are we all ready?”

A few officers responded with a sonorous ‘yes’ and they all got into the sprinter vans. It was a bit more crowded with the people they caught, but they still managed to make it work. Jungkook’s team rode in the same van with Sieun and two more guys, but no one spoke a word the whole ride.

 
The officers escorted the handcuffed men to different interrogation rooms as Jungkook and Jang Hyuk went to the chief’s office to report what happened. Seung Heon seemed pleased with the outcome and relieved that no one from them got injured. 

“Well done. You all worked hard today. Begin with the interrogations now so you can finish early. I don’t want to keep you here until late. You should be with your families.”

“Thank you, chief,” Jang Hyuk said as he bowed and then exited the room.

Jungkook dipped his head as well and swiveled around. 

“Jungkook,” Seung Heon called and rose to his feet. A thin smile sprawled over his lips as he shuffled around the desk and stood in front of him. “I’m proud of you.” He hesitantly stretched his arms, asking for permission to hug him. 

Jungkook cast a quick look at him, a hard crease etched between his brows. He leaned an inch towards him and instantly felt two strong arms enclose him into a warm embrace. His forehead smoothed out seconds later with the tranquil expression his face wore, and his hand lifted at a glacial pace, halting at the level of his back. 

“Thank you for coming back to me alive.”

Jungkook squeezed his hand into a fist as the sound of these words, although startlingly soothing, also brought him a cascade of aching gloom spiking throughout his chest. He unfolded his fingers little by little and gently set his hand on Seung Heon’s back, giving him two slow-paced, small taps. 

“Give me the memory card of your video recorder. I want to watch everything.”

Jungkook cleared his throat as he withdrew, his gaze wandering around the floor. “It got smashed because I chased someone and we fell.” 

That was a lie. He just couldn’t give this to him. The incident with Sieun was there, everything he said with Taehyung was there, Jungkook carrying him down the stairs was there. No, there was no way he would give this memory card to the chief. 

“Oh. It’s okay then. Will you come home tonight? I don’t want you to be alone on a day like this.”

“Um, I don’t know what time I’ll finish. I’ll text you.” Jungkook sent him a fleeting glance as a question repeatedly buzzed in his head, itching him to voice it out. Will you and mom be okay alone on a day like this? 

New year’s eve was always the day they enjoyed the most as a family and the memories they had were truly overwhelming. Too much to bear alone, too much to spend this day alone, too much to change the year alone.

It was the first new year’s eve after his hyung’s death that Jungkook had that thought in his head. He only talked to his mother on the phone the past three years and used the usual excuse that he was busy and couldn't visit them. But now... Why was he suddenly caring about him, his father? They were like strangers for the past three years. What changed now? 

“I have to go,” Jungkook murmured instead and trudged past him. 

Seung Heon’s chest fluttered to a fall with the long sigh that escaped him once the door clicked shut. “As long as you’re okay... I’m okay too.”

 
The first round of interrogations had already started when Jungkook went back to his team. Namjoon was interviewing Sieun, but he refused to talk to anyone else except the team leader, Jeon Jungkook. 

And only when he entered the room, Sieun lifted his head and smirked. “Finally.”

Jungkook maintained an indifferent countenance as he sat next to Namjoon. “Finally what?”

“He only wants to talk to you,” Namjoon informed. 

Jungkook leaned back in his seat, inspecting him with an idle gaze. “Why? You’re still going to jail, no matter who you talk to.”

“I just want to ask you something.” Sieun’s smirk only deepened as he propped his hands on the desk. “Who was the snitch?”

“There was no snitch.”

“Come on,” he chuckled. “It has to be Mi Jun. You caught him, remember? Did you offer him a deal? It can’t be Taehyung. Just tell me it wasn’t Taehyung.”

Jungkook noted the change in his voice towards the end — it grew serious and a tad anxious. “Why it can’t be him?”

“Because he’s my man!” he unexpectedly exclaimed as he pounded his fists against the desk. 

“Yah. Calm down,” Namjoon warned. 

Sieun’s breathing sped up, his hands twitching uncontrollably. “He’s my man, my man, he wouldn’t do that,” he uttered in a deranged murmur, as if he didn’t hear Namjoon.

Jungkook’s mind flowed back to the second floor of that building where Sieun had called Taehyung ‘baby’ and the way he had groped him. “What... does that mean?”

“He’s mine. We’re in love.”

Jungkook flickered an eyelid in surprise, his muscles contracting by an unanticipated jab of aggravation. “What the fuck are you saying? How long do you even know him?”

“That doesn’t matter! Just tell me it wasn’t him. Hmm?”

Namjoon’s gaze drifted to Jungkook, reviewing the suppressed rowdy look on his face. “It wasn’t him. And it wasn’t Mi Jun. We got a tip from the other side. Of course, we can’t tell you more.”

Sieun let out a sigh of relief as he shook his head. “It’s okay. As long as it wasn’t Taehyung, it’s okay.”

“Yah, you—” Jungkook pitched forward, but a forceful tug by Namjoon held him back. 

“Can we move on with the questioning now?” Namjoon asked. 

“Yes. I’ll tell you whatever you want. There’s no getting out of this, anyway.”

“Wise choice.”

With Namjoon’s remark, the interrogation finally started, and Jungkook pushed back his previous vexation, forcibly focusing on the process. 

Two hours of an easygoing interrogation later, they had his confession about everything they needed, and they put him in jail until the prosecution would come and take him. 

Namjoon peeped at his partner on repeat as they sauntered towards the interrogation room where Taehyung was, finding a harshness decorating his features. “You know what he said isn’t true, right?”

Jungkook gave him a sidelong glance. “What?”

“That Taehyung is in love with him.”

“I don’t care,” he argued at once, a contrived huff spilling from his mouth. “Why would I care?” 

“Yeah, why do you care?” Namjoon slowed to a stop as they were about to reach their destination. 

“I don’t. It’s just absurd. He told us he knows him for like eighteen days. How can Sieun love him in eighteen days? Just because he fucked him? Of course Taehyung isn’t in love with him. He would let anyone fuck him.”

“Yah.” Namjoon raised his voice to a cautionary snarl. “You’re in no position to judge him. And you shouldn’t. What people do in their personal life is their business and no one else’s.”

“I’m not judging him. I’m just reflecting on my stupid actions.”

“What actions?”

“I shouldn’t have stopped him that night when he wanted to leave. I shouldn’t have flirted with him. I shouldn’t have slept with him. Every choice I made that night was so, so wrong. If I knew... If I knew I would keep seeing him...”

“But you didn’t, Kook. You didn’t know that. You didn’t know who he was. There’s no point regretting what happened.”

“I still don’t know who he is. Because he’s been lying to me every fucking time I meet him.”

Namjoon drew in a slow breath and expelled it at the same dragging rhythm. “Let’s get him to say the truth today, okay? We have the opportunity to question him about everything we’ve discovered until now. You’re going to interrogate Taehyung, a suspect. Not the guy you had a one-night stand with.”

Jungkook brought a hand to his face, rubbing it with calming pressure, as he sighed. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Namjoon gave him a fortifying squeeze on his shoulder and opened the door, but his face screwed into a frown upon catching Taehyung hopping on one foot and then dropping onto his chair in haste. “What—” 

“You finally came. I’ve been waiting for like four hours,” Taehyung blurted out, a thread of awkwardness coating his voice, as he avoided eye contact. "At least the doctor treated my knee."

Jungkook leveled an investigatory stare at him as he shut the door. “Did you hear us?”

Taehyung perked his head up, pasting a hollow, sweet smile on his lips. “Hear what? You basically calling me a slut again and saying that you regret sleeping with me? No, I didn’t hear a thing.” He wasn’t planning to run his mouth like that, but his impulsiveness tangled with an unreasonable rush of vexation reigned over him and it was too powerful to restrain. 

Jungkook froze up, as if he got cleaved to his spot, when he was about to pull the chair back so he could sit. He stayed mute and seemingly unfazed by his jeering tone, clinging onto his disinterested facade with a vengeance. “Let’s not go there ever again.” He tugged on the chair and seated himself across from him. 

“Of course. Why would we, right? I don’t want you to be reminded of the horrible night you had with me.”

Jungkook sucked in a hissing breath as his eyes flitted to him like deadly darts. “Just shut up about it.”

“You’re not denying it,” Taehyung stated with no twinkle of irony this time. “Was it really horrible for you?”

Jungkook’s fist crushed against the table in a thunderous bang, startling both Taehyung and Namjoon. “Joon, shut him up.”

“Taehyung. We’re here today to talk about—”

“Why can’t you just say it if it was?” Taehyung spoke up again with a sudden unsteadiness affecting his voice. 

Namjoon glanced at his partner, recognizing in an instant his efforts to contain himself, and leaned closer. “Maybe... you should talk it out for a few minutes. He won’t stop otherwise.”

Jungkook loathed that idea with all his heart. But unfortunately, he knew his partner was right. “Why do you even care about what I think?” He detected with the corner of his eye Namjoon sliding off his chair. “Namjoon, just stay.”

“Namjoon, leave,” Taehyung said. 

“He’ll go to the observation room, anyway,” Jungkook muttered and heard an offended gasp from Namjoon. 

“No, I won’t,” he said and released a series of awkward huffs. 

“Yeah, right.” Jungkook directed a critical glare at him before fixing his gaze on Taehyung. “Just ignore him and answer my question so we can get this over with.”

“Because. It’s awful to say to someone that your night with him was horrible.” 

“You said that. Not me.”

“And you didn’t deny it.”

“Seriously, what do you want to hear?” Jungkook’s voice traveled across the room with an edge of exasperation. “That it was the best one-night stand I ever had? Or that I fell in love with you or something? Because you won’t hear either of these things.” 

“That you don’t regret it! That’s what I want to hear.”

Jungkook let the silence cage them as he contemplated the angered look on his countenance. “Regretting my choices is my business, Taehyung. If I regret sleeping with you, I just regret it. You can’t tell me not to.”

“Why? I need to hear the reason.”

“Maybe because you turned out to be involved in some deep illegal shit? Maybe because you’re lying to me every fucking time we meet? Because my life has been an even bigger mess since I met you? Pick a fucking reason. Or should I say more?”

No response dangled on the tip of his tongue as usual; instead he felt a lump in his throat constrict his airway that made his eyes glitter with tears. 

“Are you seriously... Are you about to—to cry?” Jungkook stammered in pure shock. 

Playing the hurt, fragile boy was always one of Taehyung’s favorite and well-performed roles, but this time... something felt different. This time, he sensed a wavelet of sincerity nudge the words out of him. As though Jungkook’s answers truly affected him. And the fake tears he forced to fill his eyes came faster and easier than expected. As though... it truly hurt.

Taehyung sniffed and swallowed dryly. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. It is only your business to regret whatever you want. Sorry for messing up your life more. It wasn’t my intention. I won’t mention that again.”

Jungkook stared at the little smile on his face in stupefaction. What sudden change was that? How can he look so calm now? 

An uneasy cough jumped out of Namjoon as he shifted in his seat. “Don’t take what he said to heart, Taehyung.”

“No, it’s okay. I don’t mind.” 

“Why the fucking change?” Jungkook spat out. “You suddenly don’t care anymore?”

“Yes. That’s how fast feelings change. Why would I care about what you think?”

“But just a moment ago—” 

“Jungkook. What are you doing?” Namjoon whispered. “He stopped talking about it. You should stop now too and get started with the interrogation.”

“But he—”

“Shh. That conversation ends here. We have a lot more to talk about.” Namjoon aimed a smile at Taehyung, who copied it as he nodded. 

And Jungkook was left fighting the convoluted chaos in his head all alone. 

“So Taehyung, you lied to us the last time.”

“Yes, I did. Sorry,” he said with a quiet chuckle.

“From what we understand, you’re working with Sieun.”

“No, I don’t work for him.”

“Stop lying,” Jungkook said in a harsh undertone. “We know everything. Mi Jun told us everything.”

“Yeah, yeah, you think I don’t know he’s a snitch?” 

Jungkook’s vision narrowed on him. “You know?”

“Can you please take my handcuffs off? They’re too tight.”

“Oh, yes.” Namjoon did as he was asked, despite the disapproving look he received from his partner. 

“Thank you. And yes, I know. He was being suspicious. The others thought it was because he was a newbie, but I could read him like an open book. So I put someone to hack his phone, and I knew about that text the moment he sent it to you.” 

“Then why didn’t you tell Sieun?” Namjoon asked. 

“Because I don’t work for Sieun. I’m gathering information about him.”

“Why? Who do you work for?”

“I don’t work for anyone. For a long time, at least. I work for random dealers because I’m looking for something. And to make money, of course.”

“Yah. Talk specifically,” Jungkook commanded. “What are you looking for?”

“Can I keep that at least to myself? It has nothing to do with you.”

“No—”

“Kook,” Namjoon interjected. “He doesn’t have to tell us if it’s irrelevant to the case.”

“Exactly! Thank you, Namjoon. I assure you, it has absolutely nothing to do with the case.”

“How can we trust you, huh?” Jungkook gritted out. “After all your lies. I don’t trust you.”

“I’m telling the truth!” Taehyung objected, peevish. 

“Okay,” Namjoon cut in with a calming voice. “You knew we would be at the deal. Weren’t you scared that you’ll get caught?”

“No. I knew I could escape one way or another. But detective Jeon here had to run off alone to catch Sieun, and I had to step in so he wouldn’t get killed.”

“He wouldn’t have killed a detective,” Jungkook declared. “And I could handle the situation myself. I’m a professional, you know.”

Taehyung broke into chuckles as he slanted forward, almost folding in half. “He wouldn’t have killed a detective?” Any trace of mirth from his face and tone disappeared at once. “He’s a fucking lunatic. Of course he would have killed you. And if you were such~ a professional, you wouldn’t have been in that situation. You made a mistake. And I’m here because of that.”

“Then it turned out great, right? We caught you, at least. And we can finally throw you in jail, you lying shit.” Jungkook sprang up from his seat and marched off to the door. 

“Yah, wait!” Taehyung held onto the desk to pull himself off his seat too, but he didn’t make another move. “We can make a deal. Let’s make a deal, hmm? I—”

“No.” 

“Why? Just listen. I—” 

“I said no,” Jungkook growled as he spun around to train a vicious glare on him. “I don’t trust you.”

“Just—” 

“No, I don’t—” 

“I can be your informant!” Taehyung’s booming voice reverberated through the room, which plunged into silence just after. 

Jungkook scrutinized him as he crept closer. “What? I told you I don’t trust you.”

“I’m serious. I know everyone in the business. I can help you, really.”

Jungkook sank into his seat again, his eyes still combing through Taehyung’s expression in search of any scintilla of insincerity or deception. “Do you know Jin Mo?”

“Of course,” Taehyung replied confidently. “I know everything about his organization.”

“How?”

“I won't tell you my whole life story, but I know a lot about pretty much everything illegal.”

“Did you learn all that when you were living in the streets?”

Surprise tugged at Taehyung's features and glazed over his gaze, leaving him dumbfounded. “How...” 

“Doesn’t matter,” Jungkook said, his tone growing softer unexpectedly, as he gave two gentle shakes of his head. 

Did they find out about the shelter? There’s no other explanation. Why didn't Eun Hae tell me anything? “Yes. We trained with my hyung to survive. And although at first we weren’t involved in anything, we heard and found out a lot about dealers and crime organizations and pretty much everything.”

“But you have to be working for someone. Who do you work for?”

“I told you, I don’t work for anyone. I meet random dealers and work for them for a bit, and then I stop. I’m doing it to make money, and when I have enough, I stop until I run out. And I’m looking... Fuck, do I really have to say this so you can believe me?” he murmured to himself at last as he tucked his chin into his chest. “I’m looking for answers, okay? For the reason my parents were murdered nineteen years ago.”

The new information surged into Jungkook’s brain violently, leaving it in a daze for a stretch. “What? Why isn’t this in your file?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t live in Seoul back then.”

“When we interrogated you the last time, you said your parents live in Seoul,” Namjoon pointed out. 

“Obviously it was a lie. I didn’t want you to suspect anything.”

“Good. Keep adding reasons for me to lock you up,” Jungkook said, a low rumble vibrating in his voice. 

“Yah! What about the deal we were talking about, hmm?”

“I don’t think it will happen. The more I talk to you, the more I don’t trust you.”

“Yeah, but I’m being honest now! I’m telling you all these things so you can believe me. Do you think I want to share my whole damn life story with the police?”

Jungkook found a solid reasoning in his speech and he could only accept it with a sigh. “Anyway. You said you don’t work for anyone for long. But you’re in a gang, aren’t you?” 

Taehyung’s head twitched backwards, as if he were appalled at the inquiry. “Gang? No, I’m not.” 

“And what about that precious cube of yours? It has the symbol of a gang on it.”

“Oh? You found that out? I’m impressed,” he snickered in amusement. 

“Yah! Focus.” 

“Fine~” He sighed. “That’s... the only thing I have from my father. The only thing I had because you lost it,” he said through clenched teeth as his eyes flayed him with a disgruntled scowl. 

“They stole it from me,” Jungkook said in the same way, stressing on every word, and he toned down his incremental irritation with a deep exhalation. “We know he was the boss of the Odum gang, but there’s no more information about him. What’s his name?” 

“Seon Ji Sun.” 

“So if we run that name in our databases, we’ll find his file?”

“I don’t know. Your databases seem to lack information.” There was a derisive hue in his voice that earned him a warning glance from Jungkook.

“What about his gang?”

“I don’t know what happened to the gang. After they killed our parents, my hyung and I were on the run.”

“Why?” 

Taehyung rolled his eyes as the continuous questions started to tick him off. “Because they wanted to kill all of us. But my hyung and I managed to escape.”

“And you don’t know who did it or why?”

“No. That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

“Do you want closure or... is there another reason too?”

Taehyung allowed quietness to engulf them as his face registered a placid, unreadable expression. “What other reason would I have?” 

“I don’t know. They wanted to kill all of you, but you and your hyung escaped. And since you were on the run, it means they kept trying to kill you. Did they stop now?”

Taehyung sniffed as he averted his gaze elsewhere. “Why are you asking me that? It’s irrelevant.”

Jungkook didn’t need a verbal confirmation; Taehyung’s abrupt change of demeanor, expression, and mood was loud enough. “Fine. So why don’t you work for anyone for long?” 

“Because I don’t like this job. I don’t want to do it. And it’s dangerous if I work every day. The chances I’ll get caught are higher.”

“Why don’t you just get another job? You know, a legal one.”

“I’m not made for anything else than dealing with scumbags. This world is filled with them. And I’m one of them too.”

Jungkook held back an objection at his murmuring remark. He was about to say something else instead, but Taehyung spoke up again. 

“And I won’t be able to find anything about my parents’ death otherwise.”

Jungkook retired into his thoughts for a while, his gaze zoomed in on him. “Are you being real right now? Why can’t I read you?”

A delicate, saddened smile framed Taehyung’s mouth as his eyes glided down. “You’re too biased, detective Jeon. I’ve lied to you before. I’ve said some not so nice things to you. I just cursed the shit out of you when you caught me. So it’s reasonable to hate me. I know you do. And it’s not that you can’t read me, you just don’t trust me. There will always be a hint of doubt inside you about me. Even if you feel like I’m being honest, that hint of doubt will hold you back from believing me.”

Jungkook sank deeper into a blur of contemplation and befuddled thoughts this time, something that seemed to happen more often the more he talked with him. “So you’ll be my informant?”

“If you want me to be.”

“In exchange of?”

“Of not going to jail, of course.” Taehyung observed his plain expression tinted with a semblance of hesitation and reticence, and he jolted forward, leaning against the desk. “Why? Do you have another proposal? I’m all in to hear it. Your proposals are very, very intriguing, as I remember.”

“Shut up,” he retorted, but Taehyung’s little teasing smile only intensified. 

“Should I dare ask what are you talking about?” Namjoon voiced out as he glanced between a smirking Taehyung and a seemingly uncomfortable Jungkook. 

Jungkook noticed Taehyung was about to unfold his mouth and beat him to it. “No. And you said you wouldn’t mention that again.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t tease when I get the chance, though.”

Jungkook strangled a string of curses with a sigh. “Whatever. Okay, deal. You’ll be my informant for not going to jail. But if you lie to me again, you’re done.”

“I won’t. Really.”

Jungkook folded his arms over his chest, tilting his head to the side. “Have you killed anyone before?”

“No.”

“If you had killed anyone, would you tell me?”

“No,” he said, a mischievous smile budding on his lips. 

Jungkook snorted. “Yeah, I thought so.”

“I’m kidding, Kookie. I haven’t—”

“Yah,” Jungkook let out in a chilling undertone as his features hardened, roaring with more menaces than his mouth could ever spew. “Don’t call me that.”

“Fine, fine.” He rolled his head back with a growling noise of frustration. “I haven’t killed anyone, though. I can swear that on my hyung. I’ve shot my gun only in emergencies and I always aimed at their legs. I don’t want blood on my hands.”

They continued interrogating him about the deal Sieun had planned and also confirmed with him that Sieun was responsible for the previous shooting. Although they already had Sieun’s confession, confirming the course of the incidents was something they had to do. 

“Okay,” Jungkook released, sighing. “You can leave.”

“Oh, I can leave, but I can’t walk,” he quipped, his tone a cross between taunt and hostility, as the way he attacked him before rang in his head, awakening spikes of vexation. 

“We’ll put someone to drive you home.”

“No thank you,” he breathed out as he heaved himself to his feet. “I can’t be seen being escorted by the police. I’ll call a taxi.”

“Suit yourself.” Jungkook shrugged and slipped his phone out of his pocket. 

Taehyung huffed silently and limped his way to the door. What he didn’t know was that Jungkook’s eyes zoned in on him the moment he wasn’t looking anymore, and they followed him until he was out of their sight. 

Before Namjoon could even comment on his behavior, Seokjin burst into the room. “Kook, the forensic results of the bullets are out. You were right. The bullet that got lodged in that guy’s leg wasn’t from our guns. It was from the guns Sieun’s men used today.”

The revelation was like a typhoon destroying everything on its passage and leaving everything in ruins, windswept, and haywire — just like Jungkook’s mind was at that moment. The only explanation he could conceive perplexed him, stunned him, rendered him a helpless mess of mangled questions that burned for answers. 

And he was suddenly standing, as though someone yanked him from his seat, and he was suddenly rushing — no, running through the hallways and towards the exit with an inexplicable hope, wish, need to find Taehyung still there. 

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