The interrogations had started long before Jungkook returned to the station, and it promised to be an exacting night.

With the privilege of being a detective, he stayed by Taehyung’s side as the doctors examined him and treated him. His bleeding wasn’t severe enough to undergo surgery, but they dictated to him absolute rest and minimal movement, at least for the next twenty-four hours, since Taehyung hated the idea of staying in a hospital bed for longer. The doctor said he would have to undergo regular checkups since they had to observe his condition, but Taehyung still wanted to go home. 

Stubborn, was the only thing Jungkook could think of as he listened to his adamant voice. He was the one who convinced him to stay at least for a day in the hospital with the promise of visiting him and spending time with him. 

After he ensured Taehyung’s health was out of danger, he parted from him, saying he had to check Jin Mo’s condition and then return to the station.

The separation was bitter. There were so many unspoken things that haunted them and burdened their chests. But Taehyung needed rest, and both had to untangle their convoluted feelings first. So Jungkook left after drawing a delicate kiss on his forehead.

He was informed that Jin Mo was in surgery because a tendon in his thigh was torn, and he went back to the station, along with Hoseok and Seung Ho. 

   
Jin Mo’s men occupied the whole station and every interrogation room. Even some of their sprinter vans. 

Jimin helped them by giving them information about whoever refused to cooperate. He knew most of them, but the file with everyone’s information he had was a great assistance. 

They mostly needed to confirm their role in Jin Mo’s organization, and the rest were up to the prosecution. But with about three hundred and fifty people, it was a long process that hadn’t ended even at seven in the morning. 

With the last round of interrogations in process, Jungkook asked his partner to take over his assigned man to interview, saying he had to discuss something with the chief. 

He headed straight to his office after he was informed that the chief was getting ready to depart. He knocked on the door and cracked it open, peeking inside. 

Seung Heon’s movement of wearing his coat slowed at the sight of his son. “Hey. Don’t you have one more interrogation?”

Jungkook stepped inside and shut the door. “Yes. I asked Namjoon to take over because I want to tell you something.” His reddened, sleep-deprived eyes cast Seung Heon hesitant glimpses as he neared him. 

“What is it?”

Jungkook cleared his throat. “I know what I’m about to ask is crazy.”

Bafflement wandered into Seung Heon’s gaze as his vision narrowed on him. “I’m listening.”

“It’s about... three of Jin Mo’s men. You know Jimin. He helped us the most. He gave us access to the mansion and guided us while risking his life. And... And Yoongi. He saved my life. He shot one of their people for me. And Taehyung. Taehyung... is really just a victim in all this. Jin Mo asked him to trap me so he can kill me, but Taehyung refused to do it. That’s why they beat him and locked him up.”

Seung Heon reflected on his faltering speech in silence, with hard creases embellishing his forehead. “I hope you’re not asking what I think you’re asking.”

Jungkook wetted his dry lips and swallowed the bitter feeling of discouragement. “I know you want to do everything by the book. But I really don’t want them to go through imprisonment and trials. Especially Taehyung... He needs rest. Can you please consider this?”

A long, nasal sigh slipped off Seung Heon as his lips tightened into a thin line. “So you want to just free them? Like they weren’t there? What if they have killed people?”

“They haven’t, I promise,” Jungkook hastened to say with an edge of anxiety. “Of course, I’ll question them too. But I know they haven’t killed anyone. That wasn’t their job.”

The reproachful frown on Seung Heon’s weathered face mellowed slightly. “I don’t feel okay about this.”

“Dad,” he uttered. “They helped us. They gave up on everything to help us. They risked their lives. Can we please help them back?”

Seung Heon retired into a longer silence this time. He massaged his forehead with his fingers as he closed his drained eyes. “I’m too tired to make a decision right now. And I’m only considering this because the man Yoongi shot is alive and out of danger. If he had died, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. Go home for now. You have Jin Mo to interrogate later.”

A warm wavelet of hope trickled down Jungkook’s chest that lifted the corners of his lips into a grateful smile. “Thank you, dad.”

“Don’t thank me. I haven’t agreed to your request yet.”

“Deep down, you know it’s the right thing to do, even if it goes against the regulations. And it’s enough for me.” Jungkook curled his arms around him and tapped his back. 

Seung Heon snorted gently as he caressed his back. He withdrew and held his shoulders. “Well done, son. Go rest.”

“You too.”

With a squeeze on each of his shoulders, Seung Heon released him, and Jungkook walked out of the office. 

He wended his way to the secluded meeting room where Jimin and Yoongi were and soon entered. 

He noted Jimin’s struggle to stay awake in his seat. They had given him a laptop so he could monitor each interrogation room and impart his knowledge of the people under questioning through a wireless earpiece. 

His eyes took in Yoongi, who was slumped over the desk with his arms folded and the side of his head resting on them as he slept. 

“Jimin?”

Only at the call of his name Jimin averted his half-open eyes from the screen. “Oh, Jungkook. Is it our time?”

Jungkook shook his head softly. “Shut off the laptop. You can leave.”

Jimin blinked at him as his forehead puckered. “What?”

Jungkook wordlessly approached Yoongi and nudged his shoulder to wake him up. “Yoongi? Yoongi.” 

The said man groaned as he smacked the hand that was disturbing his delightful sleep away. 

Jimin huffed a laugh at his expected demeanor. “Yoon, wake up.” He poked his side, causing Yoongi to jerk upright. 

“What?” he spewed in an angered, whiny tone.

“You can leave,” Jungkook said. “Do you have a place to stay?”

Confusion quickly reigned over the vexed scowl on Yoongi’s countenance. He tossed his head in Jimin’s direction. “Chim, what the fuck is he saying?”

“I have no idea.”

Jungkook rolled his eyes. “I asked the chief to let you go, okay? He’ll decide later. For now, you can leave.”

Both stared at the detective in complete amazement. “Did you really... do this for us?” Jimin asked in a breathy murmur. 

“Nothing is certain yet. But I tried because I owe everything to you.”

“Wow. Thank you, Jungkook,” Yoongi said, still lost in surprise at his actions. 

“Thank you. You saved me. Now, do you have a place to stay?”

“No,” Jimin replied. “We’re both orphans, and we worked from the mansion most of the time, so we didn’t look for an apartment or something. We can stay at a hotel, though.”

“Come on, I’ll drive you. I would let you stay at my house, but you’d be sleeping on the couch.”

“It’s okay.” Jimin gave him a smile. “Thanks for offering.”

“Do you have any money?”

Yoongi snorted. “Don’t worry about that. We’re probably richer than you.”

A light chuckle emitted from Jungkook. “Okay then. My mother can help you find a place today, even.”

Jimin nodded his gratitude this time. “What about our stuff? Can we go get them later?”

“You have to wait a few days for the police to collect all the evidence. It’s better if no one sees you.”

With another nod from both, they rose to their feet and headed to the exit all together. 

🥀

Fluffy little clouds like white rose petals dotted the sky early in the afternoon when Jungkook drove to the hospital. It was finally the time to get the answers he was gasping for.

But first, he visited Taehyung, only to find him sleeping. He gazed at him for a while with a tiny smile on his lips, constricting a need to caress his head or kiss his cheek, since he didn’t want to disturb his sleep. 

Then, he sought Taehyung’s nurse to update him about his condition and soon located her exiting a room from afar. He neared her and dipped his head in a greeting once she bowed. “Hello. Do you have a minute?”

“Yes, detective Jeon.”

“How’s Taehyung?”

“He’s stable and already doing better than yesterday. It’s because his condition was treated on time. He falls in and out of sleep often, but it’s reasonable. He just needs rest. And he’s bored, as he so many times has said.”

The image of a sulky Taehyung complaining with his cute pouty lips raised a fond smile from Jungkook. “When he wakes up, tell him I stopped by and I’ll come again once I finish talking to Jin Mo.”

“Of course.” She gave another bow and shuffled off, as Jungkook trod towards Jin Mo’s room.

He greeted the three officers outside of his room with a nod, and one of them opened the door instantly. 

“Detective Jeon.” The two officers inside arose and made a ninety-degree bow. 

“Hello. Wait outside.” Jungkook placed a chair across from Jin Mo’s bed, as the officers scurried out of the room. 

“What took you so long, detective Jeon?” Jin Mo questioned, the tip of his lips slanted into a persistent smirk. “I thought you’d come talk to me first thing in the morning.”

Muscles along his jaw flexing with distaste, Jungkook pierced him with a vicious glare as he sat. “Interrogating your hundreds of men took a while, you know.”

“Why did you interrogate them? You should have just thrown them in jail.”

The haughtiness he spoke with fueled Jungkook’s distaste. “All of them? Taehyung too?” he challenged, raising a scornful brow. The sight of Jin Mo’s smirk faltering until it vanished brought a victorious smile to his face. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. And who goes to jail is up to the judge to decide, not us.” He took out a notebook and his phone and trained his eyes on him. “Let’s begin. Our talk will be recorded, so if you have something to say off the record, do it now.”

“How is Taehyung?” 

Jungkook was a tad surprised at his immediate question, though he didn’t project it. “He’ll be fine. He needs rest.”

“And Ah In?”

“All I know is he’s alive and out of danger. I’ll start recording now.” After receiving a nod from him, Jungkook tapped the record button on his phone. “What’s your full name?”

“Joo Jin Mo.”

“Age?”

“Forty-seven years old.”

“Family?”

“Never had one.”

“Tell me how you became the boss of a crime organization.”

“With hard work,” Jin Mo quipped, his voice carrying apparent traces of derision with it, as his crooked smirk reemerged. 

Jungkook’s grave, sharp expression pointed his reproach. “This isn’t a game. Be serious.”

Jin Mo let his head fall back against his pillow as a guttural chuckle dripped from his lips. “Why are you asking me such secondary things? You’re dying to ask about Kang Ho. I can even feel it.”

The grip on his notebook firmed up, his gaze darkening dangerously. “Why aren’t you bragging about your sick accomplishments? You’re dying to do that, aren’t you?”

“Of course. But I’m dying to see your reaction more.”

Jungkook inhaled nasally and vacated his lungs with a long, subdued sigh. He could feel his rage creep up, but he forced it down because that was what Jin Mo wanted. To rile him up. “Fine. Surprise me.”

Jin Mo snorted. “Can you promise me of full protection first? They will try to kill me. It’s a matter of time now.”

“Yes. I will put only trusted men next to you.”

“Okay then.” Jin Mo’s face lacked its usual amusement as a cloud of something somber veiled it. But then, he erupted into bitter chuckles at the absurdity of the situation. “I can’t believe I’m about to talk about them.”

Jungkook’s forehead bunched as he squinted his vision on him. “Them?”

A drawn-out hum emitted from Jin Mo. “First, I’m not the boss of the organization. I’m in charge of everything, but I take orders.”

“Who’s the boss?”

“I don’t know. No one has ever seen them. No one has ever talked to them over the phone. It could be anyone, and we have no idea.”

“And how do you communicate?”

“There’s an app we use. Only the boss has the link to download it to your phone. They made it themselves. When you send a text, it disappears the moment the receiver reads it. And if the receiver doesn’t read it within a minute, the message disappears.”

“Does that app have a name?”

“No. It has a distinctive symbol, though.”

The deep frown on Jungkook’s forehead persisted. “What kind of symbol?”

“That represents their existence.”

“Okay, let’s start from the beginning,” Jungkook uttered, clearing his mind with a faint shake of his head. “Do they have a name?”

“Yes. They’re called Umbra.”

Jungkook jotted down the name, but his movements stalled as his eyes grew unnaturally with restlessness. UMB. Umbra. It’s what Kang Ho hyung had tried to write. “You—You mentioned it before you tried to kill me.” He riveted his gaze on him, which was swirling in a gyre of anxiety and confusion. “How is the Umbra connected to my hyung?”

Jin Mo allowed a brief silence to crawl between them as he stared back at him with slightly raised brows and his representative smirk, though in its diminished form. “Because the Umbra killed your hyung.”

“Why?” he spewed right away, his pulse thrumming fiercely. 

“I don’t know that.”

“And how do you know it was them?” It truly took everything Jungkook had to keep his aching, overwhelming emotions under control. 

“One day, they texted me, telling me not to leave the mansion for a while. I asked why, and they said they would use my name to kill someone with power. And the next day, I found out that Jeon Kang Ho was dead. I texted the Umbra asking, ‘A detective? Really?’ And they replied with a smiley face. A fucking smiley face.” His chest vibrated with a snicker as he shook his head. “I bet they’re crazier than me.”

The suffocating emotions threatened to drown him the more he processed Jin Mo’s words. How could that Umbra mock his hyung like that? How could they kill him so brutally? Why? 

“I think I surprised you enough,” Jin Mo said, his smirk regaining its complete amusement. 

Jungkook’s cruel eyes slashed through him. “Shut up.”

Jin Mo chortled. “Alright, don’t get all worked up. You know what Umbra means?”

“No.”

“It’s Latin for shadow. Specifically, it’s the deepest and darkest part of a shadow, where any kind of light is throughout blocked and can't reach it. Someone within the Umbra experiences an absolute eclipse.”

Jungkook hummed a contemplative sound. “Why would they choose this name?” 

“Isn’t it clear enough? Either they’re the Umbra themselves, which means we can’t reach them in the slightest, or they’re hiding in the Umbra, which means we can’t see them. Maybe both.” 

“Or maybe the Umbra is a metaphor for an extremely good veil they use as their coverage,” he murmured, mostly to himself.

“You think they’re close by? Watching everything we do?”

Jungkook slipped out of his thoughts at his question, which he eventually dismissed. “So the Umbra is the boss. What if they are forced to appear? How would you know it’s the Umbra?”

“Smart question, as expected,” Jin Mo snickered. “There’s a phrase the Umbra must say. And then show a card with a sketch of the symbol of their existence, that also has the signs of all the previous Umbras.”

“How would you know it’s the original one? Can’t someone copy it?” 

“We’ve seen pictures of that card, so we know what it looks like. It’s a card passed on from boss to boss. As you can understand, it’s one of a kind. Over the years, some smartasses tried to claim that they’re the Umbra, presenting a fake card, but they were killed just hours later. They stopped trying to claim leadership for years now. So we know when someone appears, says the phrase and shows the card, they will be the real Umbra.”

“What’s the phrase?” 

“The fallen angel rules within the Umbra. And it will continue to do so. Because all of you who made it reveal itself will die a brutal death.”

Jungkook’s face contorted and his lips curled mildly outwards with discontent. “That’s long. And creepy.”

“Everything about the Umbra is creepy. And as you can guess, whoever saw them isn’t alive today to tell us about them.”

“What about the symbol? Do you have the picture of that card?” 

“No. We only saw it once.” 

“Can you describe it, then? Or draw it?”

“Of course.”

His intense willingness to help him baffled Jungkook, and he reclined in his seat, tilting his head to the side a notch. “Why are you helping me so much?”

“You think this is help?” Jin Mo scoffed. “You just know about their existence now. That doesn’t mean you’ll ever catch them. And you would come to know, anyway, because they won’t stop. The business will continue to run. Blood will continue to spill. But it’ll get uglier because you just caught their right hand. I brought millions to the business. And you deprived them of that. Are you ready to face the wrath of the Umbra?”

“But you’re just a pawn. They can easily replace you.”

“True.” He lifted a shoulder in an idle shrug. “And they will. It infuriates me, you know? I’ve done so much for the Umbra, and they asked me to give up on everything and get caught instead of helping me out. If I can’t be the king anymore, I’ll take everyone down with me.”

Jungkook looked at him incredulously. “If you’re hoping for a reduced sentence—” 

Jin Mo’s amused cackle ceased his remark. “I know what crimes I’ve committed. I’m not stupid. I was just blinded by money and power. I still am. I regret nothing. It was fun.”

Something crackled within Jungkook’s gut, that showed on his face in a vicious scowl. “Fun? Seriously? You tortured so many people. You killed innocent people! You destroyed their lives. How can you say that?” 

“Ah, don’t be so soft, detective Jeon,” Jin Mo said in a sweetish tone. “I thought you were cold-blooded like me.” 

“I’m nothing like you. You even beat the people who worked for you. Even Taehyung, who was your best.”

The unyielding smirk on Jin Mo’s countenance didn’t match the spikes of gloom that cut through his chest. “Are you so worked up because of Taehyung? Do you care so much about him?”

“It doesn’t concern you.”

“You even ignored the fact that he played you. Of course you care about him, right?”

“Don’t talk about him,” he snarled. 

“Relax, detective Jeon. I care about Taehyung too. Like the son I never had.” 

The urge to leap from his seat and smash his fist against his face was so consuming he almost gave in under its intensity. He settled on clutching the notebook in his hand instead. “How can you say that after everything you put him through?” 

“I only took care of him.” His voice was void of his signature lilt of mirth, and something grim, wistful even, took its place. “He’s the only one I took care of so much and overprotected. The Umbra ordered me to beat him and lock him up until I kill you. It was the first time I didn’t want to follow their orders. But I would die if I disobeyed them. So I told Ah In not to endanger his life at least. Why did he end up in a hospital bed?”

Jungkook noted the sincerity in his voice and observed him in silence, finding the same element inscribed in his traits. “His body couldn’t take it because of his previous injuries. Now”—he arose and gave him his notebook along with his pen—“draw the symbol.”

Jin Mo did as he was told; he drew a half circle, like a moon, with a colored dot in the center. Then, he made a straight, vertical line downwards and a smaller horizontal one — some could identify it as an upside-down cross.

Jungkook, standing beside him, rucked his brows in mystification as the symbol started to seem familiar.

Jin Mo suddenly halted and twisted his gaze to him. “Ah. Taehyung had said that someone left you a present in my side hideout. Remember the symbol on the wrapping? That’s the one.”

Shock filled his eyes instantly, turning them into two big circles of haziness. His body went rigid with the numbing realization. The symbol of darkness... is the symbol that represents the Umbra’s existence? 

“Why do you look so shocked, detective?”

His eyes regained focus, though agitation kept eddying in them. “You said... You said they have to show a card, right? Not a cube. Right?”

“Cube?” Jin Mo echoed, and his brows flinched upwards in comprehension soon enough. “Oh, you mean Taehyung’s cube? His father used it as his gang’s symbol. He wanted a symbol that would match the name of the gang. I was surprised at first too. But there’s no connection between that cube and the Umbra, as far as I know.”

Right. Taehyung had said the same. “Okay.” Jungkook took his notebook and pen and returned to his seat. “How did you start working for the Umbra?”

"I did everything on my own at first. My father was murdered by a rival gang when I was young. The moment I came of age, I started my organization. Over the years, I became the best. One day, I got a request on my phone if I wanted to install an app. I pressed no and changed my phone. The next day, one of my men found a box outside of my hideout. There was the head of a deer in there and a note that read, “Your head will be next if you don’t install that app.” And when I got the request again, I pressed yes.

“They claimed to be the Umbra. I had heard about them from my father. They sent me a picture of the card with the symbol, with the news playing on the TV in the background so I can know it’s legit. They said they wanted me to work for them and that my earnings would double that way. I said yes. But they wanted an act of loyalty first, which would also show I had what it takes. They asked me to kill at least ten people and get caught on camera. I did it because I was no coward, of course.”

Jungkook huffed a disdainful sound. “That’s why you had killed those people back then.”

“Yes. And that’s when the police found out about my organization.”

“So the Umbra wanted you to take the blame for everything. That’s why they asked you to get caught on camera. So we would go after you and never know about their existence.” 

“Probably.” Jin Mo shrugged. “The Umbra helped me reinforce my mansion after I accepted to work for them. I was already the best in the business, but they made me untouchable.”

Jungkook let out a nasal sigh as he squared an ankle over his knee. “Okay. Tell me your story now.”

With newfound excitement shimmering in Jin Mo’s gaze, he fabled about his journey, bragged about his crimes, and showed no remorse whatsoever. By the time he finished, the night hung like a black curtain over the city in its deepest of hues. 

 
Jungkook sauntered towards Taehyung’s room, his head buzzing with the prolonged conversation with Jin Mo. He slid the door open and peeked inside, but his brows pulled together instantly upon finding the room empty. 

With panic smoldering in his gut, he dashed to the nurse station down the hallway. He skidded to a halt when he arrived, his breath coming in short puffs. “Taehyung. Kim Taehyung. Where is he?”

The woman’s startle by his frantic behavior evaporated, and she broke into a kind smile. “He requested to be discharged. His two friends will make sure he goes home safe. Don’t worry.”

“Oh,” Jungkook breathed out as his gaze cartwheeled to the counter. Maybe I should let them hang out alone. They have so much to discuss. But... so do we, he thought, a soft sigh slipping past his lips. The remembrance that he wasn’t alone seeped through his trance, and he lifted his eyes to the woman behind the counter. “When did he leave?” 

“About an hour ago.”

“Thanks.” Jungkook trudged to the exit, shoulders mildly hunched, and continued his way to his motorcycle. He wore his helmet and gloves, then hopped on, but didn’t drive away. 

Why didn’t he wait for me? This thought circled in his head, along with a myriad of things he wanted to say and ask Taehyung. He couldn’t wait a second longer. 

He had to claim his man.

He turned on the engine and sped away. The fairly short ride felt like the longest he had ever done. His yearning to be with that man made time crawl. And only if he was by Taehyung’s side time could flow again. 

He parked outside of his apartment building. After removing his helmet and gloves, he trod to the entrance. He pressed Taehyung’s name, and only seconds later, he was buzzed in. He hurried upstairs and soon reached Taehyung’s door, which was already open. 

He pushed it wide open and entered. All three were sitting on the couch, but his eyes immediately locked on Taehyung. His Taehyung. His Kim Taehyung. 

Taehyung gazed back at him, doe-eyed. He slid to the edge of his seat gradually, wanting nothing more than to run into his arms. 

Yoongi glanced between the two and cleared his throat. “Um, Chim, we should go.”

“Why? We don’t have anything to do.”

Yoongi shot him a disapproving look. “Take the hint,” he muttered between clenched teeth. 

A frown swept across Jimin’s features as he eyed Jungkook and Taehyung, who were still staring at each other. “Oh. Yes, yes, we should leave.” He tittered. “We’ll visit you again, Tae.” He gave him a brief hug and rose to his feet. 

Yoongi copied Jimin’s moves. “Have fun,” he whispered into his ear with a smirk.

Taehyung’s focus broke from the man standing in front of the door. “Shut up,” he replied in the same way as he drew back. 

The two dipped their head to Jungkook in a goodbye and snorted since their farewell passed completely unnoticed. 

“Whipped as hell,” Jimin murmured as they exited the apartment, and Yoongi could only chuckle and agree with a nod. 

Wordlessly, Jungkook shuffled closer, with Taehyung’s eyes trailing his every move, and sank down next to him. “Are you okay?”

Jungkook’s presence so close to him was soul-soothing and satisfied a part of his need to muffle him into his hug, since he didn’t have the courage to do so. Taehyung nodded slowly in response. “I’m feeling a lot better. Probably because I slept the whole day. I feel a bit dizzy from the medication. But it’s fine.”

“Why don’t you lie down?”

Taehyung’s gaze jumped away from him. He tucked his lower lip between his teeth, accumulating every ounce of courage and telling himself it would be okay if Jungkook denied his suggestion — wish. “Will you lie down with me?”

Recognizing the hesitation waltzing around his timid expression, the softest of smiles budded on Jungkook’s lips. His hand crept nearer to his face, and he set his knuckles beneath his chin to make him meet his eyes. “Of course, Tae.” He stroked his cheek with his palm and allowed his hand to slide to his nape, then his back. He looped his other arm under his knees and heaved him off his seat, bringing him against his chest. 

Taehyung curled into him, twining his arms around his nape. His contented, fond smile carved its shape against the side of his neck as Jungkook’s warmth, which he so much had missed, suffused his form in its entirety, cocooning even his deepest, cruelest of scars. “I... I missed you, Kook.”

Jungkook filled his lungs with a dragging inhalation, soaking in his freshly showered scent. “I missed you too,” he released in a whisper. “Why didn’t you wait for me?”

“I didn’t know how long you’ll take to finish. I wanted to take a shower finally and just... just come home.”

Jungkook placed him on the bed and stood straighter. “I came to visit as I promised. You were sleeping.” He shed his coat and shoes and slipped into the bed.

Taehyung rolled to his side to face him. “I know,” he pouted. “You should have woken me up.”

A gentle snort pushed out of Jungkook with the warm smile that painted over his traits. “I wanted you to rest. It’s okay. We’re here now. Together.” He flipped his hand, which was positioned between their bodies, silently asking for Taehyung to hold it. 

Taehyung instantly pressed his palm against his and intertwined their fingers, reciprocating the smile with the same fondness. “Finally.”

A stretch of silence rose between them as their eyes remained at a standstill on each other. The pent-up, unspoken things seemed like a massive mountain that they didn’t know how to start climbing it. Both wanted to rush headlong to the mountain peak, but soon realized they had to take little, careful steps and build their passage. 

“How did it go with Jin Mo?” Taehyung questioned. “Did he confess?”

“Yes. That’s why it took so long, mostly. Because he had countless of disgusting things to brag about.”

Taehyung shook his head in discontent. “He was waiting for this moment. I bet he was excited, wasn’t he?”

Jungkook huffed a contemptuous sound. “You have no idea. But at first, he said some helpful things, I guess. Did you know he’s not the real boss?”

“No. But I figured it out when he called me to his office to give me the mission to trap you. He seemed to talk to someone through texts. That’s how I realized it wasn’t his order to beat me and lock me up.”

“So the Umbra really ordered it.”

A moderate twist etched between Taehyung’s brows at his murmur. “Umbra? What is that? I remember you asking Jin Mo about it.”

And Jungkook related everything Jin Mo told him about the Umbra and that they were responsible for his hyung’s death. He noted the constant mixture of shock and sorrow that glittered in his eyes throughout his narration, and he let out a deep sigh at the end. 

“Also...” Jungkook said quietly, “the symbol that represents their existence is the same as the one on your cube. The symbol of darkness.”

“What?” Taehyung breathed out, appalled once again.

“Do you think it has a connection to your father or his gang?”

“I... I really don’t know. I told you what my father had said when I asked him about it. He said he chose it because it matched his gang’s name. And from what you said, probably no one knows about the Umbra’s existence. So my father wouldn’t know if someone was using that symbol already.”

“You’re right. But anyway. I can’t think about it anymore. The important thing is that Jin Mo will go to jail, you’re safe now, and you don’t work for a criminal. How will you make a living now?”

Taehyung cracked a small smile, squeezing his hand. “I’m good for at least ten years, even if I spend a lot of money every day.”

“Wow. Where the hell do you keep all this money?” 

“Somewhere around here,” he said in a kittenish tone as he wiggled his brows, pulling a low chuckle from him. 

There was a shift in the surrounding air at the delicate hush that ensued. Jungkook disconnected their hands, only to brush his hair back and caress his velvet cheek with his thumb. “Tae,” he released on a breath. “Kim Taehyung.”

The little joyous smile on Taehyung’s face froze, but he observed, through now gloomy eyes, that Jungkook’s didn’t. 

“Tell me again you weren’t ordered to sleep with me. Tell me you didn’t pretend when we were together.” His eyes fell closed as a tornado of anxiety blustered in his stomach. “The past two days, I’ve been telling myself you didn’t pretend when we were together and that you care about me too, but... it feels like it’s all in my head. Like I’m lying to myself that you care about me because I’ll go crazy otherwise.”

An oppression clasped Taehyung’s heart as he listened to his quivery voice, saddening his being. He laid his hand over Jungkook’s that was still cradling his cheek. His eyes opened at the touch, and that oppression crushed Taehyung’s heart upon noticing a shimmering wetness in them. 

Taehyung swallowed around the burning constriction in his throat. “I was given the mission a day before we met. My mission hadn’t started yet. I was still going through the file he gave me with your information. I was supposed to meet you for the first time when they brought me and my friends in for prostitution. We were caught on purpose because I had to make us meet somehow. That was all planned. But having sex with you wasn’t.”

“Why did you sleep with me?”

Taehyung tore his gaze away at the sudden question. “I knew it was wrong. It was against the rules. But I couldn’t... I couldn’t say no.” 

“Why?”

“I couldn’t resist you,” he admitted silently. “I tried walking away twice. I lied when I said that I wanted to see how much you wanted to fuck me and tease you a bit. I wanted you to stop tempting me because if I slept with you then, it could fuck up the mission. And it did. In so many ways.”

“Like?”

“I said my real name to you. I dropped my cube. You exposed my coverage when I came to the police station. And mostly... I was left yearning for your touch after that night.” Taehyung paused. He sucked in a strengthening breath, steeling himself to disclose the deepest secrets and longings of his existence. 

“I never yearned for such a thing, Jungkook. To feel the same touch over and over. As much as I denied it, I didn’t want anyone to touch me anymore if it wasn’t you. And every time it happened, I felt an urge to puke. I hated myself. I pitied myself. I felt disgusted by the way they treated me. I wasn’t feeling that way before your touch. I didn’t care. 

“I was a whore in some ways. But I wanted to be one only for you after that night. Even if I denied it. Even if we fought. Even if I played you. Even if I hated you at some point. I wanted your touch again. The touch that burned me alive each time and embraced my wounds. The touch that took my breath away but made me breathe easier at the same time. The touch that... destroyed me and sewed my pieces together again.”

“Tae.” He firmed up his hold on his cheek, feeling him do the same on his hand as if Taehyung wanted to relish his touch — that touch he described in such a way that stirred his heart and even his entire being. “You’re not a whore. And I don’t want you to be one, not even for me. I... I used you too. Kind of,” he whispered as he broke eye contact. 

“I knew the truth when I came to your apartment the night my mom was here. I didn’t say anything because I was planning on following you to see if you’ll lead me to Jin Mo. And I did, but I lost you. Hearing you say all these things... It breaks me as much as it makes my stomach tighten and my heart pound. This touch...” He skimmed the crown of his cheek with his knuckles and passed his fingers through his hair before embracing his cheek again. “Doesn’t it feel different now? Now that all lies are out there? Now that only remorse remains?”

Taehyung cupped his hand, fingers lightly hooking around it. “No, it doesn’t. It feels even warmer. Even more soothing. As if I need it even more. Maybe you didn’t say anything when you found out the truth because you wanted to use me in some way, but... was it just that? Was it just you being an intelligent, proficient detective who pulled out all the stops to catch someone? If yes, your touch may feel a little colder. But I’ll continue to yearn for it either way.”

“No. It was hard to pretend around you. You were pushing me away, but I kept trying to stay close to you. At first I said to myself it was because you could lead me to Jin Mo. But I just couldn’t stay away. It was hard.”

A wistful smile tugged at the tip of Taehyung’s lips. “And now?”

“Now... it’s still hard.”

“Why?”

“Because I have a person I keep wanting to see. To talk to. To hug. To take care of. And I don’t know what to do about it.”

Taehyung’s eyes swelled into two circles of astonishment. “Me? Really?”

A honeyed chuckle passed through Jungkook’s mouth. “Of course you, Tae.”

Taehyung exhaled a trembling breath. “I really... I don’t want to play a role with you anymore. I don’t want to lie to you ever again. I don’t want to deceive you or hurt you in any way ever again.”

“And what do you want?” 

“I want us not to be detective Jeon Jungkook and Kim Taehyung of Selene. I want us to be... just two people burning for each other. Thirsting for each other. In need of each other. Two souls becoming one. Two damaged hearts embracing each other, merging. At least one more time. At least for tonight.” Taehyung scooted closer, leaving just a tiny space between them, and held his cheek in a loving grip as well. 

“And tomorrow?”

“Who knows...” Taehyung angled his head to bring their faces a breath away. “Maybe I’ll share every broken piece of me with you, then. Maybe I’ll keep you close to me and won’t let you go to work. Maybe I’ll never leave you. Maybe I’ll be in love with you. But... maybe I already am.” 

Their lips hovered inches apart, breaths mixing together. Pervasive goosebumps broke out all over their skin at the first, gentle stroke of their mouths. The echoes of longing buzzed in the atmosphere in a slow pulsation that inebriated their senses and numbed them to everything else than them. 

Palms still embracing each other’s cheeks, their heavy-lidded eyes merged in a bewitched gaze, and Jungkook could swear his breath got trapped somewhere in his body. 

Taehyung’s eyes often seemed to flicker with many secrets before, and Jungkook couldn’t even touch the surface of who he really was, no matter how much and deep he gazed at him. But at that very moment, each one of Taehyung’s emotions gushed out, like the first night they met, and gave him the rawest, most distinct view of the depths of his heart. 

“You’re in love with me.”

It wasn’t a question or a statement that needed verbal confirmation. Although Sa Rang had told him and Taehyung indirectly confessed it, it was written in his eyes in the clearest of ways within the mixture of his desperation and yearning for him. 

Taehyung was in love with him. He needed him as much as Jungkook did. He cared about him as much as Jungkook did. And not even a million words could override that raw look. 

“I’m so in love with you,” Taehyung drawled. He slithered his arm over his waist and brought their chests together. He traced his lower lip with his mouth, feeling each one of his heartbeats rampage harder, and gave him a delicate, slow peck. 

“Why aren’t you asking me?” Jungkook whispered and sweetly sucked on his lip. His hand alternated between holding his cheek, brushing his hair back, and caressing his nape. 

“I’m too scared of your answer. If you aren’t, it’ll break me. If you are, I’ll be terrified of losing you again.”

Jungkook smiled just barely as he pressed another soft kiss on those luscious lips. “Let’s be terrified together, baby. Because I’m so in love with you too.”

The clash of their mouths was sweet and gentle, like the caress of a feather. No urgency ushered their movements as their lips glided together. No crazed want reigned over them as they rolled their bodies to feel as much as possible from the other. Even with the blazing touch of their tongues, their adoration for one another dominated. 

Because this kiss wasn’t just lips merging and tongues fighting. It was a declaration of mutual affection and chaste passion. It was hearts breaking free of all their poignancy and opening like a flower for the other. 

This kiss was a promise of love. 

───⭒───༺🌑༻───⭒───

So many things happened in this 7k words chapter... I hope you enjoyed this taekook moment — it's one of my favorites in this book💜