With his sutures already removed four days later and his wound all healed and pain-free, Taehyung drove to the mansion early in the morning. 

A simmering urge had taken root in his gut to visit Jin Mo earlier, since he needed to question him about that recording in person, but Jin Mo was clear; the moment he would go to the mansion, he would get back to work. 

So he had sealed up that urge, barring it from possessing him until he could work again. 

He advanced straight to his office, nodding his head to the people he encountered, and waited merely five seconds before the door opened with a whoosh. 

At first glance, Jin Mo seemed to be in a good mood as a joyful grin sprawled over his lips that brightened his naturally sharp features. 

“Tae! I would so hug you right now if I were that type of guy,” he chirped as he sauntered towards the couch with a glass of whiskey in his hand. 

Taehyung snorted, rolling his eyes, and both took their seats across from each other. “It’s already creepy to see you smile like that. If you hugged me, I would seriously think there’s something wrong with you.” 

Jin Mo showed his teeth with another grin, an amused sort of chuckle tingling his throat and shaking his belly. “I’m just happy to see you after so long. Did you rest a lot?”

“Yes, I feel great. Maybe I’m a little weak and rusty, but it’s reasonable. I need to get back in shape.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t assign you anything difficult for now. But... you want to work, right? You’re ready?”

Taehyung nodded his affirmation. “Before you give me that binder”—he dipped his chin to the said item beside Jin Mo—“I need to tell you something.”

Still exuding his blithe condition, Jin Mo waited smilingly. 

“Jungkook went to your side hideout four days ago.”

“Ah, right!” Jin Mo exclaimed, chuckling. “Did he find enough to stop bothering you about me?” His outstretched lips gradually shrank at Taehyung’s stiffness and the gloom that tinged his eyes. 

Taehyung leaned his elbows on his thighs and interlocked his fingers. “Did you leave a gift for him?”

Jin Mo’s neck cowered in puzzlement, the skin beneath his chin bunching. Vertical lines etched between his brows as his eyes wandered in a circle of thought. “Gift? I don’t remember leaving him a gift.”

Jin Mo seemed genuinely confused at his question, but Taehyung pressed more to make sure he had no knowledge of the matter. “They found a wrapped-up hard drive. They had to break the code to open it. And it contained a recording file of the night Kang Ho died.” 

Jin Mo’s eyes narrowed to two little crescents at his vast puzzlement. “What? What are you talking about?”

“It was a recording file of Jungkook crying and screaming his hyung’s name. You have to be the one who did this. Why? Why did you have to mock him like that? Why did you have to torture him like that?”

“I didn’t do anything!” Jin Mo protested defensively. “What recording file? I have no idea what you’re talking about. I never had a recording of that.” 

Taehyung perused the hard lines of sincere unawareness on Jin Mo’s face, and his chest fell with a long sigh. “Remember the symbol on my cube? The same symbol was on the wrapping.” 

Jin Mo’s eyes tumbled to the floor as his features contracted with a new tension. He reached for his drink and sipped it, then reclined, forcibly driving the tautness from his muscles. “I don’t know what to tell you, Tae.”

Taehyung’s brows knitted for a fleeting moment as he scrutinized him. Why is his voice mannered? What is he hiding? “Are you sure you don’t know anything about it?”

“Yes,” he responded confidently. “I’ll look into it, though. Don’t worry.”

Taehyung could feel an undercurrent of stealthiness draggle in the enveloping air, though he wrote it off for now. “Okay. What about the mission?”

Only then Jin Mo’s body mellowed throughout and his little smile returned. “Joon Ha Eun, a drug dealer in Mapo. Just read his information for now and carefully monitor him for a few days. I’ll tell you when to meet him.”

Taehyung reached for the binder from Jin Mo’s hand. “Okay. Anything else?”

“No. You can leave.”

As Taehyung bobbed his head in a goodbye and then trod out of the office, Jin Mo’s face darkened like stormy clouds. With a growing frustration in his gut, he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

  
Taehyung met his beloved friends and basked in their company, as it had been a while since they last hung out together. But only twenty minutes later, he received a text from Jungkook that yanked him off his seat in overwhelming nervousness. 

Jungkook: I’m going to Daegu. Do you still want to come with me?

“What’s wrong?” Yoongi asked. 

Taehyung’s disquiet eyes shifted to his friends. “Jungkook... Jungkook wants to go to Daegu today. He asked me if I still want to go with him.”

“Tae, it’s dangerous,” Jimin uttered with a worried sort of tautness. “You’ll be risking your life if you go. You both will.”

“I can’t let him go on his own. I’m going.” Taehyung nodded to himself in determination. 

Taehyung: Yes. When are we leaving?

Jimin rubbed his forehead and slicked his hair back, then dropped his hands on his thighs with a sigh. “Okay. If you’re going, activate the tracking program on your phone so I can find you at any moment.”

“My ring gives you my specific location when I press it. You don’t need to—”

“If you’re going,” Yoongi cut him off in a rather stern tone, “you will do what Jimin asks you, okay?”

Taehyung directed his eyes at his phone when it buzzed again. 

Jungkook: In an hour?

Taehyung: One hour and a half. I have to shower first

It was a lie; he needed to buy time so he could get home and prepare for the trip. The mansion was over an hour away from his apartment. 

Jungkook: I’ll pick you up from your apartment at 11:20.

Taehyung checked the time and saw he had exactly one and a half hour. After texting Jungkook an ‘okay’, he looked at his friends. “Fine. I’ll activate the program. What else?”

“You will keep me posted on what’s happening. After you’re done, you’ll text me when you leave Daegu and text me again when you arrive home safe and sound. Okay?”

“Yes, don’t worry. Get me a gun. Not a Kel-Tec one.”

“I’m on it,” Yoongi said and hurried out of the room. 

“You have your bracelet and ring, right?” Jimin asked as he took hold of his hand, making sure he indeed had them. “God, what if you lose them? What if they catch you and—” 

Taehyung squeezed his shoulders as he smiled softly. “We’ll be fine, Chim. I had a lot of free time the last days, so I sewed bracelets around the inside of the elastic band of my shocks. Just for backup.”

Jimin cracked a weak smile. “You’re crazy. But good job, Tae. Won’t they notice if they search you?”

“The bracelets are thin, so they feel like the elastic band of the socks. I’ll be fine.”

They turned their eyes to Yoongi, who entered the room with a Sig Sauer p320 pistol, a holster, and a small bag of ammunition. “I hope you won’t need to use it.”

Taehyung’s lips pressed into a gloomy smile as he took the things Yoongi brought him. “Me too.”

🥀

In the last four days, the investigation about Jeosun’s tragic death carried on fervently, but they had reached an impasse. 

In addition, the fingerprints they found in Jin Mo’s side hideout didn’t match to anyone, and the results of the DNA analysis from the clothes came back inconclusive. 

Jungkook was stuck at a deadlock again in every important case, and he was left wallowing in frustration. So he woke up with an unbending resolve that day; he would go to Daegu, no matter what his father would say. 

With that decision, Taehyung naturally popped up into his mind. Despite his hope the last time Taehyung came to his house, he didn’t manage to invent a decent excuse to meet him again. They texted each other, even talked on the phone, but neither proposed to meet. The absence of an excuse made both nervous about vocalizing their wish to see each other. 

Jungkook couldn’t even use the ‘he’s my informant’ card because his team didn’t get any other new case. And so, even though it was highly dangerous to take Taehyung to Daegu, he offered him the chance to come along, with his hidden longing to see him emboldening him. 

After Taehyung was on board, he prepared himself for the strenuous task of convincing his father to let him go. But to be honest, even if he objected, Jungkook would still go. 

Of course, Seung Heon opposed his wish to go to Daegu, and he was overly adamant about it. Saying over and over he would be extremely careful and on guard for any danger seemed to soften his firmness, mostly because Jungkook wouldn’t cave. And also telling him he wouldn’t be alone, but with a skillful assistant and friend, finally coerced him into compliance. 

His team members were against his decision as well, but since the chief allowed him to go, there was nothing they could do. They told him to text them often so they could know everything was okay, and Jungkook drove to his house to get ready. 

He didn’t pack much; one change of clothes in case it was needed, two small water bottles, his power bank, and lots of ammunition. His gun was already tucked into its holster at the waistband of his pants as he headed towards Taehyung’s apartment. 

He was there ten minutes early and texted him to inform him of his arrival. Although Taehyung didn’t reply, he saw him come out of the building just five minutes later, and an elated smile shone out on his face like a sudden beam of sunlight. 

Only at the sight of him, the realization of how much he had missed Taehyung truly settled in and sent gentle wavelets of a radiant eagerness through his chest to have him close, smell him, touch him. 

God, what was happening to him?

The ravishing man skittered towards him and flung the door open. He crouched to level his gaze at him and his face erupted into a grin that shrank his eyes to two little lines. “Hi, Kook.” Taehyung tossed his backpack onto the floor of the car and hurried to get inside. 

“Hi,” Jungkook breathed in a drawl as if Taehyung’s exuberant smile wreaked enthrallment on his senses, too powerful and blinding to focus on anything else. 

“How have you been?” Taehyung splayed his arms in a mute request for a hug, his boxy grin now diminished to a warm smile. 

Jungkook held still for a spell, lost in the epitome of prettiness that was Taehyung and the magical effect his simple presence had. His body tilted towards him without really being aware, as if Taehyung had bound a stealth, mesmeric cord around his form that reeled him into his embrace. 

Jungkook nestled his chin against Taehyung’s shoulder, his palms pressing him to his chest. Somewhere in the blur of trance that was his mind, Taehyung’s hanging question entered. “Good, I guess. You?”

“Me too.” Taehyung loosened his hold, though his brows flinched downwards when Jungkook didn’t withdraw. Maybe it was a confection of his brain since Jungkook retreated shortly after. Either way, he dismissed it and instead broke into another bright smile. “So we’re going to Daegu. Do you always make such important decisions so randomly?”

There was apparent taunt wrapped around his words, with that familiar lilt of his coloring his voice, and Jungkook reveled in it. He even missed his sarcastic tone. Something was definitely wrong with him that day.

A chuckle popped out of him in a soft vibration as he started the engine. “Sorry. It was sudden, wasn’t it?”

“Very. But at least I—Um, scratch that,” Taehyung murmured as a self-chiding frown seized his features, his chin digging into his chest. He wanted to rip his tongue out by the careless remark he almost spewed, but he settled for clamping his teeth on his lower lip.

Jungkook’s narrowed eyes crisscrossed between him and the road ahead. “What did you want to say?”

“Um, I mean...” His small, faltering voice punctuated his inability to conceal this one with lies or excuses. “At least I got to... see you.”

The revelation fell upon Jungkook’s shoulders like a blanket of both surprise and content. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who was hankering for an excuse to meet. Even if that “excuse” was a trip to a place where peril could be lurking anywhere. 

“You wanted to see me?”

Taehyung turned his eyes out the window. His craving to see him had been wedged into his chest achingly, and he could do nothing about it but exist with that gnawing itch because he was a coward. Just wanting to see him was a sheer understatement. He was near going crazy, and it had only been four days, for fuck’s sake. 

“Yeah, I mean, it’s fun hanging out with you.” Taehyung forced an indifferent element to his voice in a way to mask how much he genuinely missed him. 

“Well, I feel the same,” Jungkook uttered without much thought. 

A sudden melancholy pierced through Taehyung’s heart that drew his traits down. No, you don’t, he thought, clearly not referring to what they were talking about. He shook it off quickly before it could gain more mastery over him. He twisted to look at him as the tips of his mouth tipped up. “You wanted to see me too?”

Jungkook shifted in his seat subtly, readjusting his grip on the wheel. “Yeah... It’s fun. You know. To hang out.”

Taehyung’s smile grew at his brief pauses as he spoke. He found that tinge of shyness in his voice rather cute. “Can I be honest?”

Jungkook risked a glance his way, but upon detecting his smiling face, the oncoming tension abated. “Of course.”

“I wanted to see you. A lot. Like, a lot. I just couldn’t bring myself to tell you to meet. I was afraid you would ask me why. And I didn’t have an answer to that.”

His honesty about that matter was the last thing Jungkook expected, but he admired it. Him. Taehyung had the guts to vocalize his thoughts, and he got envious. Why couldn’t he vocalize what was on his mind, too? 

The silence that wafted between them stretched more and more, and Taehyung lowered his head, smiling sadly to himself. “It was too straightforward, wasn’t it?” 

The chain of Jungkook’s envious thoughts snapped, and he cast another ephemeral peek at him. “No. I mean, yes, but it’s okay. I just... wish I had the balls to be that straightforward.”

“You don’t seem like the type that doesn’t have the courage to speak his mind.”

“I’m not that type.” He kept his gaze ahead, allowing a brief hush to engulf them. “Except when it comes to you, apparently.”

Taehyung’s brows arched idly. “What’s different about me?”

“I don’t know.” He delved into his brain for an answer, but he was met with emptiness. “Wow, I really don’t know.”

Taehyung breathed a subdued giggle. “Is it because you’re cautious about how I’ll react?” 

Jungkook gave his speculation a thought as he nipped at the inside of his mouth. “Maybe, I guess.”

“Or you might not be entirely comfortable with me and—”

“No. That’s really not it,” he dissented at once. “I think... I don’t want to accidentally make things awkward between us again. I’ve done it a bunch of times already.”

Taehyung strangled an urge to reach out and caress the tight muscles of his face. He attempted to mollify them with his words instead. “It takes two for that. Don’t blame yourself. You can tell me anything. I promise I won’t let things get awkward.”

“Really? So I can just speak freely?”

“Of course, Kook. We’ll spend this whole day together. Let’s make the most of it. We’ll learn how to speak our minds without letting things get awkward.”

Jungkook snorted and glimpsed at him, finding comfort in his blithesome persona. “That sounds fun.”

“So, anything you wanted to tell me but held it back?” 

Jungkook didn’t have to think about it; the answer was already hanging on the tip of his tongue. But he didn’t speak for a while as the said tongue lay like a rock in his mouth. It was just three words, which, to be fair, he hadn’t said to anyone before. He felt these three words to the core for him. It was his chance, though, to speak his mind, as Taehyung said. And so, with a slow-paced exhalation, he banished his nervousness. “I missed you.” 

Along with these three words came a slight pulsation in the surrounding air, like the quiver of a lake when the breeze scraped it. 

“Fuck, it feels weird to say it,” Jungkook blurted out in a murmur, impeding that pulsation from igniting awkwardness between them. “But it’s what I thought the moment I saw you.”

As surprised and fucking joyous as he was, Taehyung forced himself to not overthink this. Things would only get awkward if he did, and no awkwardness was allowed that day. “It’s okay if it feels weird. It’s normal since you share thoughts you never imagined you’d share. For me, it feels nice.” He sucked his bottom lip inwards as a timid smile bloomed on his face. “It feels nice to know you missed me. And I missed you too.”

Taehyung’s casualness composed a similar ease within Jungkook that disintegrated any scintilla of previous discomfort he experienced when he admitted that he missed him. “Okay, now it doesn’t feel so weird. I guess you were right. I am cautious about how you’ll react to what I say and it feels comfortable to see you so chill.”

“Well, I’m a bit overdramatic sometimes and a big overthinker. But I won’t be today, so don’t worry.”

Jungkook shot a smile his way, small but bright, then focused his gaze on the road ahead. “When was the last time you went to Daegu?”

A mist of cogitation hovered around Taehyung as only then he truly registered where they were heading. They were on their way to Taehyung’s hometown, to the place his parents were brutally murdered, to the place his happiness dilapidated. He was so obsessed with the thought of seeing Jungkook he unconsciously brushed aside their destination. 

A new, flaring tension swept through him when he also realized that by going there, his real identity could be exposed. If they managed to find that detective, his family’s surname would be revealed. But at least by tagging along with Jungkook, he could monitor the situation and maybe have a bit of control over it. 

“I haven’t gone back there since my parents were murdered.”

Jungkook picked up on the gloom in his quiet voice and a somber look washed over his face. “How do you feel about it?”

“I just realized we’re going there. And I think... I’m okay. Maybe a little sad. But I’m okay.”

“You still have time to change your mind,” Jungkook said gently. 

“No. It’ll be nice to recall some of our memories as a family. And I’m too worried about you to let you go alone.”

“Don’t be worried about me. I won’t let anything happen to me. And to you.”

Taehyung’s lips twitched in a warm sort of smile as he observed his profile. He felt the safest with Jungkook, for some reason, and he delighted in that cozy feeling. 

The rest of the ride was filled with occasional chatter and laughter or comfortable silence. It seemed like a normal road trip of two normal people, and both savored every moment until they reached their destination. 

The clouds hung above the city like blobs of white cotton candy and the pale rays of sunlight could barely seep through when they passed over the sun faster than usual by the angered wind. 

They grabbed something to eat before they resumed their drive to the police station where Ju Hyun, the detective in pursuit, used to work at. 

A turbulent, crispy breeze burst onto their forms once they got off the car that had Taehyung hissing and curling to himself. “Shit, should have brought my scarf.”

Jungkook shut the door and eyed him with a trace of worry. “We’ll stop later at a store to buy a scarf.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll live.” He pushed the neck of his coat closer to his skin as he slightly jiggled his body in a weak attempt to warm himself. 

Jungkook admired the cute sight as he neared him. “You don’t have a gun with you, right?”

“I do.”

“Leave it in the car.”

“Why?”

The sneering rise of Jungkook’s brows betrayed the quip he was about to spew. “Do you have a handgun license?”

“Yes!”

“Is it a legal one?”

Taehyung averted his eyes as a little pout dragged the corners of his mouth down. “No.”

Jungkook snorted. “That’s what I thought. Leave your gun just to be safe—” The ringing of Taehyung’s phone silenced him, and he watched as he took it out. 

“It’s my friend. You know what, go ahead. I’ll talk to Jimin for a bit, leave my gun, and come find you.”

Jungkook nodded, passing the keys to him. “Don’t forget to lock the car.”

“Okay.” Taehyung answered the call as Jungkook left. “Chim, it hasn’t even been three hours since we saw each other.”

“That’s not why I called. Jin Mo is looking for you.”

“Why?” 

“He wants to give you additional information about the mission he assigned to you. Did you block his number? He said he can’t get a hold of you.”

“Um, yeah. And good thing I did, apparently. I can’t have him calling me when I’m with Jungkook. Tell him I’m dealing with Jungkook today and I’ll see him tomorrow.”

“Can’t you just talk to him now? He’ll fire me with questions again.”

Taehyung heaved a frustrated sigh as he glanced towards the entrance of the station. His brows pulled together as he spectated the guard beside the door to take his phone out of his pocket as soon as Jungkook stepped inside. Jungkook had parked to the side, away from the entrance, so the guard seemed unaware of his stare. The guard focused on his phone for merely three seconds before pocketing it again, Taehyung observed. He shook his head to clear his exaggerated, suspicious thoughts. “Fine.”

  
Jungkook bowed his head and flashed his badge at the guard standing beside the entrance. “I’m Jeon Jungkook. I’m here to ask a few things about a detective who used to work here.”

With a fixed smile, the guard silently gestured him to enter. When Jungkook advanced, he slipped his phone out of his pocket. 

Jungkook frowned as he walked inside. Wasn’t he supposed to tell me where to go? He scanned the spacious station, finding most of the officers busy interviewing criminals or typing away on their keyboards. 

A few seconds later, an officer sprang up in front of him, cutting his way. He scrutinized the imperceptibly affable smile on his young-looking, angular face. 

“How may I help you?”

His voice was muscular and deep in contrast to his petite body and baby face, Jungkook thought. “I want to ask a few things about a detective who used to work here.”

“Please, come with me.” He held a hand out, pointing towards his desk, which was at the back of the room, and led the way.

Once they were both seated, Jungkook let his eyes roam around the place until they landed on the officer across from him. “I’m detective Jeon Jungkook.” He showed his badge. 

“I’m officer Park Jin Hae.”

“I’m looking for detective Seo Ju Hyun. He quit twelve years ago.”

Jin Hae released a thoughtful hum as he typed the detective’s name to his computer. “He still lives in Daegu, as I can see. He moved to Dong-gu in 2016. Do you want to try calling him?” 

“Yes.” Jungkook waited until the officer wrote the number on a note and passed it over. He typed the number on his phone and called, but a recorded message sounded, saying that the number didn’t exist. “He must have changed his number too,” Jungkook uttered, sighing. 

“I can give you his address if that’d be helpful.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The officer did as he said and slid the note to him, still smiling mildly. 

“Another officer had come here from Seoul. His name was Min Jeosun. Did he talk to you?”

“No. But I heard what happened. It’s so sad.”

Jungkook inspected his downcast eyes and the tinge of sadness adorning his face, but he soon perceived it didn’t match his stony voice. “Can you find out who talked to him?”

“Most of the officers are on patrol, but you can leave me your number and I’ll call you when I find out.”

“Okay.” Jungkook fished a card out of his wallet with his number, name, and profession. “Thank you for your time.”

“You’re welcome.” Jin Hae tilted his head in a bow and his smile dropped from his face like a curtain when Jungkook trod away. He got hold of his phone and unlocked it, then tapped on his messages. 

Jin Hae: New target, Jeon Jungkook, asked about Ju Hyun. I gave him the address I had given to Jeosun. He’s on his way

Anon: Good job

  
Jungkook wended his way back to the car, only to find Taehyung still talking on the phone. He caught his hardened features mellowing once their gazes entangled and heard his rather forced chuckle seconds later. 

“Okay, okay, Chim. I promise I’ll keep you updated. I gotta go. Bye.” Taehyung ended the call at once. “What happened? Are you done already?”

“Ten minutes to take his address is enough, I think.” 

“Sorry I didn’t join you. Jimin—”

“You don’t have to explain,” Jungkook interrupted quickly. His voice was sharper than he wanted, and he expelled a sigh when he conceived it. ‘I don’t want you to lie to me, so don’t say anything, please,’ was what he wanted to say, but he said, “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it,” instead. 

A saddened tightness seized Taehyung’s figure as he regarded Jungkook walk to the driver’s seat, and he slipped into the car a few moments later, too. “What happened? Did you get his address?”

“Yes. I got the address. To a trap.”

Confusion ripped across Taehyung’s countenance. “What?”

“The officer I talked to was clearly lying. If he managed to find Ju Hyun’s new address from his file, why didn’t we?”

Taehyung’s mind traveled back to what he witnessed before Jin Mo nagged him for ten minutes straight about his behavior, saying he couldn’t do whatever he wanted and he had to discuss his decision to handle Jungkook today with him first. And fuck, he would have continued if Jungkook didn’t appear, but thankfully, he did. 

“I don’t know if it means something, but when you went inside, the guard took his phone out for like three seconds. He seemed to send a text, but I can’t be sure.”

Jungkook pored over the additional information. “So the guard and Jin Hae might be working together.” 

“I don’t know. What are we gonna do?”

Jungkook drummed his fingers on the wheel as his squinted eyes gazed into the distance. “We’re going.” He typed the address to the GPS, secured his phone in the holder, and cranked the engine. 

A foreboding bloomed in Taehyung’s gut and its roots, menacing and suffocatingly bone-crushing, girdled his form. “Are you sure you want to risk your life for this?”

“Yes. Knowing it’s a trap, we’re more prepared for any danger. Whoever is waiting for us at that address will lead us to the one behind this shit.” There was a cast-iron determination crackling like electricity in his eyes that oozed out of his low, steady voice. “You can still back out.”

“No. I’m not leaving you alone.” Taehyung matched his strong-willed expression. 

They shared a look that spoke of grit and mutual keenness to unravel this mystery more than words could ever, and Jungkook accelerated, with adrenaline mounding inside him higher the closer they got to their destination. 

A braising quietness had settled in the car as both were occupied by thoughts, wandering like the smoke of a lit cigarette. The passing cars lessened as they seemed to drive to isolation, and Jungkook grew more cautious of any looming peril. The stormy wind bristled outside, bending the branches of the trees and convulsing the greenery, but the clouds thinned out, allowing the sun to peek out longer. 

With no unpleasant surprises on the way, Jungkook slowed to a stop when he reached the single gravel road that would lead them to the wanted location. He could discern a house at the end of the road, with two other high, unfinished buildings accompanying it left and right. 

Jungkook approached the house at a slow speed, scanning the place thoroughly. Withered grass embraced each side of the gravel road, and when they stopped in front of the house, they saw it was just an enormous land with only the three buildings and dotted trees behind them. It was complete solitude. 

“Are you ready?”

Taehyung gave a firm nod. He reached for his bag and took out the ammunition, then pocket it. 

“Always stay behind me,” Jungkook said as he copied his moves. 

“Don’t feel the need to protect me. I’ll be fine.” Taehyung wished he could explain why he didn’t have to protect him, why he would be fine, why he was so sure about himself. The answer was simple; because he was Kim Taehyung, Jin Mo’s best, and exceptionally well trained. But he swallowed the urge, and it left a bitter taste on his tongue. 

Jungkook didn’t reply, although his disapproving look was answer enough. He exited the car, with Taehyung following him, and both edged closer to the door. “The house is weathered, so it’s probably abandoned,” he noted and headed to the window to take a look inside. “Why are the curtains open?” He inspected the wide living room with classy, but shabby furniture, finding it empty of any presence. 

Taehyung set his palm on the wooden door as there was no handle and gently pushed it. It creaked open, and his gaze snapped to Jungkook. “Let’s go inside.”

Jungkook marched to him and tugged him back. “I told you to stay behind me,” he scolded quietly, then drew out his gun and slid the door open. 

Stepping inside, Jungkook could feel dampness and sullenness fume from the dark walls of the old house. They had an eerie, macabre secretiveness that imposed on him a sense of aversion. 

He noted the windows on the right and left of the house that matched the ones at the front side, frowning deeply as all the curtains were drawn to the side. 

“Let’s split,” Taehyung whispered. “We’ll finish searching faster.”

“No,” Jungkook gritted out as he advanced to the left. 

“Worry about yourself, please, and leave me alone.” Taehyung rotated in the opposite direction and trod towards a closed door, but a grip on his coat yanked him back. 

“Either you’ll listen to me or I’ll lock you in the fucking car.”

Taehyung rolled his eyes, shaking his hold off him. “Fine.” He soaked in Jungkook’s berating, furious gaze submissively. 

They proceeded together, completely unaware of the lurking, hidden presence who watched them from the second floor of the adjacent building through his sniper scope, his gloved finger hovering over the trigger. 

───⭒───༺🌑༻───⭒───