One month later...

An elevator dings to open at the large lavish penthouse, elegant furnishings and gold light adorned the expanse to give it a splendidly luxuriant aura as two men dressed in silk blazers and snake skin loafers strode over the lushly carpeted floor.

"The job is done, they handed the project to us" the silver-head spoke as they headed to take a seat by the huge glass wall showing a glimmering night view of the city. It was a time to relax away the days' grit and ache over a few glasses of serenity.

"I like the way the kid works, you should be proud of him Byun" the taller dark-haired man voiced as his eyebrows quirked up to tease the other "a little defiant, but useful". He spread his arms over the back pillow of the plush beige sofa and put his legs on the low table "I'm quite glad that he survived despite my orders that night".

His dark hairs fell in streaks over one side of his face as he lowered his head and suddenly turned grim "can't trust him yet, but I am in dire need of that rage that burns within him, just needs a bit of tempering" he grabbed the glass of whiskey the silver-head passed to him "dogs who cannot behave need to learn their position, and until then they need to be leashed and kept in fear".

The elevator dinged a second time and in walked a tall slender figure, his cobalt shirt had a few droplets of blood stains and it clung to his skin as he ruffled out of the heavy dark over coat letting it fall to the floor, he threw away the mask covering his face as he tramped up to where the two were enjoying their quiet time.

A file skidded across the table spewing out a bundle of papers in the process as the dark-haired young man threw it to the one on the big beige sofa, he was literally fuming with only a thin veil of restraint covering his enraged heart.

"How many more do you want to kill? I told you I will do it my way, why did you have to put snipers?" His fists pressed angrily to his sides as he fought against voicing the curses cascading from his brain to the tip of his tongue.

The man on the sofa calmly finished his glass before standing up to walk around the table to face his agitated enquirer. He straightened his blazer and let his burnt sienna eyes pierce into the other's intimidating glare.

"You said you wouldn't kill for me. I am only trying to be considerate of your wishes kid. All you do is take the blame" a smirk crept up his lips as he explained "You have got to earn the image to be one of us, V."

Jungkook's P. O. V.

"Yeah well it's not what I'd have wanted but at least things are working out" the car took a right turn as I swerved the steering wheel "if you can call this working things out". My mind scuttled across the patches of irritable memories from last month.

"You'll both be fine, just listen to what the officials say. I'm not worried about Hoseok, he's good at handling situations and new people. It's you I'm worried about, you can't keep being the dumb new kid Jeon! Things are gonna get more challenging I'd suggest you keep your eyes open."

Yes, things have changed a lot.

The arrest warrants were called off after the one we were protecting decided to take things in his own hands and had committed the unthinkable.

"I just wish he would have told us what he was planning to do, still I'm glad nobody got hurt. At least we got to live, got our dignity restored" Col. Wang chuckled but his voice was almost grieving. "How's Seokjin?" He asked trying to veer away from the topic.

"His finals start today, I'm going to pick him up. He's almost healed completely so he didn't want to skip his finals" it had been really difficult initially, things have been a bit better after Jimin came to live with him.

I was at my wits' end on how to console him when he woke up at the safe house and wouldn't stop asking about where Taehyung was and if something had happened to him. Within the next couple days the orders for our new stations had arrived mentioning about the transfers to various departments since the team had been broken down and revoked from being among the special forces.

True, that it has been a difficult and startling change all of a sudden. But Taehyung's little performance ensured our safety and blew away the possibility of that jail time we would have been made to serve.

It has been difficult for all of us, but Namjoon had it the worst. Taehyung had been someone too valuable to him and the Majors' single-handed decision to act on his own whims broke the stoic honorable Colonel's pride.

"Poor boy, I regret dragging him into all this shit" his heavy sigh was laced apology "take care of him, and good luck on your new work kid".

"Col. Wang?" The question had been burning b at the back of my head for weeks "do you think he did what he did because of his selfishness or selflessness?"

A grim pause echoed dangerously as my question hung in mid air. "I don't know, Taehyung has always been quite the mystery all along" there was a sudden tightening in his voice "I just hope he is content, wherever he is".

I carried the grocery bags up to the third floor, wore a smile as Jimin opened the door "I noticed the fridge was quite empty, so brought some stuff to stock it up". "Gosh you're such a darling Kookie!" He's a little too giggly for me to cope up with but I'm really grateful to him for coming all the way here, Jin really worries me these days.

I saw him plating breakfast as I entered the kitchen to put the stuff in the fridge. "Hey! What's the freaky Photography genius doing in the kitchen?" I scooted to his side to see him blankly making waffles, for the three hundred and thirty third time. "Ya-a-ay! Waffles! Again..?" All through last month he had only cooked waffles with sliced strawberries and whipped cream, unbothered if it's morning, noon or night!! 

I silently shared a glance with Jimin who simply shrugged in reply. I peered in closer to have him look at me "Jinnie, hey...go freshen up, we will finish this" I said as my hand inadvertently tucked behind his ear a lose lock away from his eyes. I want my blithe vibrant Jinnie back, I'm desperate to see him smile again.

We had breakfast silently until Jimin decided to break the ice "about the barista training course I was talking about, I think I'm gonna opt for it. I thought about what you said Jin, since I'm here I might as well use this opportunity". Jin smiled and spoke up "You should go for it Chim, you always talked about wanting to learn about it and I really think you will enjoy the course." My heart elated to see him like this again, this is the Jin I had missed, missed that voice too. He had been so quiet for the past few weeks.

I stood at the door waiting for Jin, watched him grab his bag and shove the newspaper in the trash and hurry out the door fuming. "Let's go I don't want to be late" he said heading for the stairs and I followed behind him.

"Are you okay?" I asked hating the silence Jin surrounded himself with these days. "I know it's been difficult but you need to break out of this and get on with your life, we're still here for you" I'm here for you, why won't you see me Jin?

"I know" his voice was devoid of any emotion, this is so torturous.

How easy it would be if only he could see me...see me care so much for him...see me get more and more obsessed with him...see me fighting so damn hard to keep my grip on my restraints. I don't want to put up these walls when I am with him, I want to be me...truly, bravely and unabashedly myself. If only he could see what I feel for him. Do you dare Jin? Do you dare to know what I feel for you?

I watched his hand dangle as we stepped down the steps, can I  hold you just a bit? Just to make sure your skin still feels the same? I let my palm softly wrap around his, let my mind feel the contentment it brought and softly tugged him to a halt. He turned to face me with his big brown eyes, how easy it would be to let myself free for your eyes.

"Good luck, I know you're gonna do just great" I just wanted to hold him little longer. I pulled him to me as I wrapped my arms around him "cheer up Jinnie, please" I spoke pressing my cheek to his head "It hurts me to see you like this".

"I'm trying" he said in a soft voice, I felt him hug me closer "I really didn't think he could do this. It makes me so angry" he grumbled but I could feel the sobs tearing through him "How could he give up so easily?!" I hugged him tighter as he cried on my shoulder, hoping to help him and wishing to take all the pain away if I could and hating the man who had been so cruel to hurt such a soul. Hating the man for whom Jin felt so ardently.

Seokjin's P. O. V.

I walked out of the building after the exam was done, siding by clusters of chattering students, some excited while some trying to feign excitement. I would have delightfully been one among the over-excited ones but something keeps pulling me back to the bog of left back moments.

Taehyung had left. Just like a breath melting into thin air. No explanations, no see you again, without any form of communication; not even a goodbye. And my silly brain is still living in its make believe world of hope!

I want to walk away as well, just turn away and forget like nothing ever mattered, not the way he looked at me, not the way he touched my heart and soul, and not even the sensations he left on my lips.

Was I the only one who felt those?

He left a second time, but it still hurts the same...maybe a bit more this time. I had tried to be a bit more brave this time and now I'm so angry. Although I am not sure if I'm angry with him or myself.

The dead auburn leaves crunched as I stepped my way away from the campus, the evening air had it's autumnal chill and I was debating whether to grab a cappuccino or not before I took the bus home. Kook's new job is almost an hour away from the city so I pressed him to concentrate on his work since I am quite healed and can definitely find my way back home. Walking a bit along the sidewalk I came face to face with a small cafe. It's as if the universe is telling me to get a coffee!

I sat at a corner seat, trying to ease the knots in my brain, ruffling those out to focus on the news flashing on the TV screen. My heart clenched the moment I read the big bold letters "Another death of a billionaire business tycoon funding a nuclear research program. That makes it to a total of five murders in the last month. Not-so-surprisingly all the projects and the assets have been usurped by Axel."

Why has the terrorist group been on such a killing spree suddenly? Just then a picture flashed on the screen and it felt like my heart just wanted to contract into a tiny emotionless dot.

It is a masked man, a dark heavy tailored overcoat draping his entire body, his unkempt dark locks roughly covered his forehead but it was those unforgettable eyes which peeped through his unruly hair that made my blood run cold.

Those were the same intimidating eyes I had stared into and felt a merry flutter in my heart, but somehow now they had a predators' gleam in them.

I had been seeing this same picture of him almost every day for the last thirty days, he was everywhere, on newspapers, in magazines and pamphlets, on every possible screen! This is so disturbing! They are calling him the new assassin Axel had acquired. It's as if even if I want to he won't let me get away, but it still hurts to know how he had turned on us.

"This man had been present in almost every footage we managed to gather of the gruesome murders. Apparently, this killer goes by the name of V." 

I was so engrossed in what was happening on the screen that I didn't notice someone walking up to me, it was when the person dragged the chair on the other side of the table and took a seat that I tried to see who it was.

"Hello Seokjin, how have you been?" I froze not knowing whether I'm imagining things or did he just step out of the screen to appear right in front of me?

He smiled. "I see the wound has healed, glad to see you up and about." He looked around the cafe "I've been waiting for you to get out of your home". I stared at him still stupefied, still not believing that he is sitting right across of me.

His dark eyes found their way back to me and I felt a shiver run through me. His gaze pierced into my skin and the little voice in my head went into a frenzy trying to decide whether I should run away or confront him.

"Won't you talk to me? I thought you'd have a lot of questions for me. I know you must be really upset with me, hmm?" He leaned forward "Won't you ask me how I've been? What have I been doing?" A smirk crept up his lips, "do you like watching the news these days?"

"What is wrong with you?" Was the only sentence my mouth could voice out. I cannot tell if he has gone crazy or is this the real him? Had he planned this all along? "Why? What is wrong with me?" His voice became deeper "You don't like this me?" He pushed his chin up as he leaned back to rest on the back rest of his seat.

"Do you know Namjoon gave up on his badge out of disappointment in you? Are you aware that Col. Wang has been sent away on border patrol duty? Hoseok and Jungkook mope every day about how much they hate their current office work!" My shock was replaced with an amplified bout of anger. I wanted to see him get hurt.

Why must I be the only one hurting?

"And you? Have I not hurt you?" I stared at him with disbelief in my eyes. What is he trying to do? What is he playing at?

"I need to get back, I don't have mood for this shit anymore" I pushed back my chair and hurried out of the cafe. How dare he? I let him see me beyond my vulnerability, let him know I care about him, let him feel that he is important to me and this is how he fiddles with my emotions.

I tried to hasten through the darkening street when I saw him block my way "do you know how hard it was to come see you?" I took a step away from him "I need to talk to you" he said edging closer, he is scaring me now.

I stared at him with fear in my eyes,  I should be afraid of him right? He's a murderer! But I am not fearful for myself, I am fearful of what Axel has been doing to him. Have they murdered the Taehyung I had come to adore?

He grabbed at my upper arm and began dragging me, "I will take you home". "No, I can take the bus. Let go-" I was almost considering to scream for help when he grabbed at my waist to carry me and shoved me inside a car. "This is ridiculous Taehyung! Be a murderer, terrorist or psychopath, whatever you wish! I'm done with you!" I yelled at him as he slid into his seat and I heard the engine start with a whirr.

"Good" he said not looking at me "I want you to be done with me". His words went straight through my heart and I watched him trying to understand what he meant "You need to really hate me ." "I hate you!" I said without a second's loss and his head jerked to stare at me. Isn't this what you wanted to hear?

"You just spat at all our efforts to help, you had us believe that you were innocent and that you needed us and then you just kicked us in the shin making us look like lambs who had been helping the tiger! You think we don't hate you?!" I threw it all back at him and saw his grip turn white on the steering.

"Can you forget me?" His voice suddenly sounded so wounded.

"It won't be a problem at all. I had done it once, I can do it again." Am I lying to him or myself? I am so stupid, ain't I?

"Good" a slight tremor in his voice made me look at him and I saw him chew on the inside of his cheek. He cleared his throat and spoke in a dull tone "You need to forget me".

The rest of the short ride was silent as he stiffly drove to my home, it was quite odd but I decided not to ask how he knew my address. Being beside him suddenly feels so nerve-racking, I'm not sure if it is due to the current status he had assumed or because of the the strangeness he is trying to impose in between us.

I took off my seat belt as we arrived at the portico of my apartment building and was about to step out when his dark stare suddenly made me feel uneasy.

"Seokjin" I felt his hand grab my shoulder "run away".

"What?" I am so confused right now.

"Run so far away that I can never ever find you again" his eyes were dead set to drive fear in me as he spoke with a steeled expression. "Make sure I never see you again, or the next headline could be the time of your death."

I gaped at him, my mind kept missing the mark he was trying to make.

He is asking me to run away and forget him, but why does it feel like he's begging me to save him from the things he has chained himself to...

[A/N] I can't express how overjoyed I am to see the story has more than 1K reads!!

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