Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

When Taehyung was young, he always wondered how a hug would feel. The emotions you'd feel once a pair of arms grasp around you, safely tucking you into their chest. He waited every night for his parents to tuck him into his bed and then kiss his forehead; he never dreamed that they would sit down and tell him a story. That would be too much. He knew his parents did not love him enough to go that far, but he always wanted one hug. Just once.  

So now that he has his arms wrapped around Jungkook's shoulder, and he feels the guy's arms slide around his waist, a sense of warmth fills his senses. It makes him smile. He has always wanted to know what a hug feels like, and they had already hugged once before. At the time when he thought Jungkook was eliminated, going back to his normal life and felt immensely sad about it—which is ridiculous now that he thinks of it—that was when he hugged him. But this time it feels a bit different; they are both bare chested, and while it should feel weird, in the water, wearing nothing, it just doesn't. He feels more comfort from it, more at ease.  

He rests his head on the guy's shoulder, his cheek brushing against the warm skin. The water moves gently around them, rippling whenever either of them shifts, but neither seems to care. Jungkook's arms remain securely around his waist, his hold firm. 

" You are not scared of me anymore, right?" His voice is much quieter, muffled against his skin. Almost tickling Taehyung.  

He sounds unsure, a bit more younger than when he was talking in the basement, voice stable and assertive.  

Taehyung should feel grateful that Jungkook can change so much in front of him, showing him a vulnerable side that no one else sees. Yet somehow, at this moment, he feels a bit doubtful. About his own feelings towards the man. Theres a side of him that is still shaken about those men's death, yet there's another side of him that feels grateful. The sight of the younger brings him comfort. It makes him feel as if he himself is younger and has found a friend for the lonely kid that he once was. It makes him see Jungkook as a youthful man who is unsure about how to protect the ones he loves, does too much because there's an unsettling fear of losing—which Taehyung has noticed. Jungkook's eyes are wide enough to portray the whole story, of when he worries, or when he is scared. Just the same way he was in the evening when he saw Taehyung covered in bruises.  

So, Taehyung understands him, he realises that Jungkook just doesn't want to lose another loved one, the same way he lost his father. But again, it doesn't erase his own worries about the situation. He is an agent, someone who works for the good. Should bring good to the world, not more deaths caused by him being the very reason.  

He slowly moves away from Jungkook's body, and when the younger realises he tightens his hold against Taehyung's waist. Not letting him move back much far, just enough so that they are face to face.  

" No...I am not scared of you, but..." he sighs, overwhelmed with words that he cannot say.  

" But what?" Jungkook stares into his eyes.  

Taehyung watches the droplets fall from his hair into his face, looking so breathtaking.  

" But...i dont want you to be doing such things..." he states.  

" Such things?"  

" Killing. For me. i don't want you to do these things--"  

" Tae, you know its---"  

" Normal in your world? yes i know that. But you don't go around killing everyone that comes in front of you, right? This—i could have handled it. I just thought you were going to speak to them, or maybe worse, give them a few beatings. But to kill them cold blood, that's too much, even if you are doing it for me, i don't want you to do that. In fact, from now on, don't—don't concern yourself with matters that revolve around me..."  

He couldn't even finish his sentence when Jungkook's fingers tightened around his waist so much, it led him to hiss. He was pulled even closer, making him furrow his eyebrows.  

Jungkook first smirked, then he slowly laughed, throwing his head back. It was almost as if he did not take anything that Taehyung said seriously, offending him.  

" W-what...?" He asked, confused.  

But the younger continued laughing, right at his face, while his hands moved to hold the tile behind him, pushing him back until he rested his back on it.  

“You want me to ignore matters that concern… you?” Jungkook repeats, amusement curling through his voice. “Do you even believe that yourself?” 

Taehyung blinks at him. Jungkook's smile only grows. 

“How exactly am I supposed to do that, Tae?” 

“I don't know. You just—” 

“No.” Jungkook cuts him off, shaking his head as if Taehyung has suggested something completely absurd. “You don't get to tell me to stop caring about you after making yourself my problem.” 

“Your problem?” 

“Mm.” His eyes flicker over Taehyung's face. “A very troublesome one, actually.” 

Taehyung's eyebrows pull together. He wonders what he'd say when Taehyung actually makes himself the man's problem, when he has the man behind the bars and his money down in drain. But he doesn't say that, instead he is quiet for a second. Anger shooting in his spine.  

He places his hands on Jungkook's chest, ignoring the hardness beneath his hands, and pushes him back harshly. And there's finally space between them, but the man's laughter makes him even more angry. So, he turns around and starts swimming towards the edge of the pool in order to get out. Jungkook following him right after. He gets out of the water, soaking wet in his short panties, feeling naked under the man's gaze who is right behind him. He regrets not bringing his towel. Still, he picks up his shirt, putting it on even if sticks to his skin, he still feels a bit better about being covered in front of Jungkook's gaze.  

He doesn't want to say anything anymore to Jungkook, knowing that he isn't even listening to him. But the pent-up anger in him rises, so he turns around, standing right in front of the younger, crossing his arms.  

Jungkook raises an eyebrow.  

" If you say i am your friend, you need to start listening to what i am saying. You cannot change the topic when i say i want you to stop harming people just for me...you cannot laugh when i try to make such conversation--"  

He is once again not able to finish when Jungkook takes a step closer and stares at him right in the eyes whilst his expression takes a serious turn.  

" I think we need to have this conversation...when you are less...distracting." His eyes then move all over Taehyung's body, who almost flinches at the implication. He looks down at himself and sees his white shirt almost transparent because of the water. 

He furrows his eyebrows, "You need to be more respectful of your elders." He says and uncrosses his arms.  

But then he moves and starts walking towards his room, already having enough from the young man.  

" But whatever, good night. Remember the things we talked about." barely.  

But just like the night before, Jungkook still does not stop following him until they are in front of his room. Taehyung turns around once they reach.  

" Dont make this a habit." He says, and Jungkook just smiles at him.  

" Good night." He whispers, standing there until Taehyung shuts the door right at his face.  

Once Taehyung is finally alone in his room, the conversation refuses to leave his mind. He had expected Jungkook to at least consider what he had said, perhaps arguing for a while before eventually understanding why Taehyung was asking him to stop. Instead, the younger man had laughed directly in his face, as if Taehyung's concern was something ridiculous. Even now, Taehyung could hear that laughter in his head, irritating him all over again. Jungkook had not heard a single word. He had not tried to understand where Taehyung was coming from or why the sight of those bodies had shaken him so badly. He had simply stood on his ground, completely certain that what he had done was necessary. 

And perhaps that was what frustrated Taehyung the most. Jungkook genuinely did not believe he had done anything wrong. In his mind, those men had threatened Taehyung, and that alone had been enough to justify what happened to them. There had been no hesitation in him when he had decided to eliminate them, no second thought about whether Taehyung would approve. He had simply acted, because protecting Taehyung had mattered more to him than anything else in that moment. It was almost frightening how firm he was about it. Taehyung could tell that if the same situation happened again tomorrow, Jungkook would do exactly the same thing, perhaps even worse, regardless of how many times Taehyung told him not to. 

But Taehyung also unwantedly feels a sense of sympathy towards the man. He can understand where the fierceness is coming from. which direction the man intends to go in because of his father's death.  

He remembers the way Jungkook spoke about his father, and how there was always something different in his voice whenever the subject came up. A wound that had never properly closed. Jungkook had already lost someone important once, and perhaps somewhere inside his mind, he had decided that he would never allow himself to experience that helplessness again. So now, whenever someone threatened the people he loved, he did everything within his power to make sure they survived. Even if that meant becoming the very thing Taehyung feared. 

Maybe this is really the way it is in Jungkook's world.  

Death.  

Murder.  

And maybe Taehyung should get used to it until he has everything under control.  

Until he has crushed Jungkook's world.  

[] 

The next morning, Taehyung arrives at breakfast expecting Jungkook to have completely forgotten about their argument from the previous night. He is almost certain the younger man will behave as though nothing happened, which, considering how easily he had laughed in his face, would not surprise him. Yet when Taehyung walks into the dining room, Jungkook is already seated at the table, casually eating his breakfast while scrolling through something on his phone. He looks entirely unaffected, almost annoyingly so.  

The rest are also seated around the table, and somehow the mood seems to have shifted in just three days. Even Seokjin is quiet, only conversing with his boyfriend Namjoon, which Taehyung is still getting used to their pda (them just kissing each pther on the cheek, or Namjoon wiping off something on the corner of Jin's mouth). Though everyone else is quiet. Jimin is still giving him the stinky eye, and Taehyung understands how hard it would be to get close to the guy–but seeing how fast things are moving, he doesn’t expect to make friends with all of them. Just having Jungkook’s trust is enough to get this mission done as quickly as possible.  

That was the plan anyway. His agents had warned him–anyone trying to do this mission should finish it as quickly as possible. It doesn’t matter how big the lead they get is, they should not give away their backgrounds or else it would be a disaster for all of them.  

By the time he makes Jimin trust him, he would probably be an old little mutt. It’s better to just focus on the people who seem easy.  

And when Jungkook utters his next words when Taehyung sits down at the table, it seems that he has already gained the trust of the person he needs the most.  

“You don't need to go to training today.” 

Taehyung pauses, his fork halfway to his mouth. He slowly looks at him. “What?” 

“You heard me.” Jungkook takes another sip of his coffee, completely casual about it. “You can work with me today.” 

Taehyung's eyebrows lift. “Work with you?” 

“I have a lot of paperwork to get through.” He gestures vaguely towards the stack of documents sitting beside him. “Contracts, reports, financial statements, shipment records. Things that make me want to throw myself out of a window.” His mouth twists into a small smile. “You can keep me company.” 

Taehyung stares at him for a moment, surprised by how quickly his mood changes. The thought of spending an entire day in Jungkook's office instead of being thrown into another exhausting training session is almost ridiculously appealing. More so because he is able to get more lead for his mission.  

He looks at the rest of the guys and this time they dont even seem shocked, but Taehyung can see the displeasure on Jimin’s face who glares at him as if Taehyung has specifically killed his dog. But that doesn’t matter at all, Jungkook has allowed him to stay with the paperwork all day. With him. It would almost be disrespectful if he refused in any way.  

“Am I actually allowed to skip?” He asks, trying not to sound too eager. 

Jungkook gives him an amused look. “I'm the boss. Who exactly is going to stop you?” 

Taehyung tries to hide his smile as he looks back down at his breakfast. “Fair enough.” 

Jungkook watches him for another second before adding, “Besides, I can see you've been training hard enough. You don't need to spend another day getting beaten up.”  

He is teasing Taehyung in a way that gets him irritated all over again.  

He is frustrated that he cannot show Jungkook his actual fighting skills, the way he can take down multiple men without one scratch on himself. But in order to play out his plan perfectly he cannot show that he has the strength and the training of a man that is capable of holding his ground. He could even have all these men on the table down on the floor, his training and his past has prepared him for the worst, too bad he can’t show it.  

He can’t please himself the way he wants to, show off to everyone with all his might. He just must get himself used to making Jungkook think he is less capable than he actually is.  

He ignores the comment, and keeps on eating his breakfast. There is no point in letting Jungkook know how much it annoys him. If anything, he should be grateful. A day away from training means a day without having to deliberately hold himself back, and more importantly, it means an entire day alone with Jungkook. That is far more useful to him than anything he could learn from another sparring session. He could finally observe the stuff Jungkook handles, the documents that cross his desk, and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the parts of Jeon Industries that he has been unable to reach so far. 

The thought alone makes him feel a little more at ease. 

Once breakfast is finished, everyone slowly begins getting up from their places. Plates are pushed aside, chairs scrape against the floor, and the quiet atmosphere of the morning finally begins to break. Taehyung looks towards the pile of dishes left on the table and, almost instinctively, starts gathering them together. 

“I'll do the dishes,” he says, picking up a couple of plates. 

He barely manages to take a step before a hand closes around his wrist. 

“No.” 

Taehyung turns around, finding Jungkook already standing beside him. 

“I can do it,” Taehyung says, slightly confused. 

“I know.” Jungkook reaches for the plates in his other hand and takes them from him before Taehyung can protest. “But you're busy.” 

" I can come once im finished, dont worry it wont take long.” 

“i dont care, you are coming now.” 

Taehyung stares at him. “ it wont take long?” 

Jungkook doesn't even bother answering properly. Instead, he catches Taehyung by both hands and starts pulling him towards the dining room exit. 

“Come on.” 

“Wait—Jungkook, I can at least—” 

“Nope.” 

“But the dishes—” 

“Someone else can do them.” 

Taehyung looks over his shoulder at the others, silently hoping someone will intervene, only to find all of them staring at the two of them as if they have just witnessed something completely incomprehensible. 

And once they are out of the kitchen, Jimin turns towards the rest, rolling his eyes.  

“ Jungkook is spoiling him so much that in no time that guy will think he is better than us.” He mutters, cleaning the dishes.  

Jin laughs a little, “ Come on…its just a few dishes. I wasn’t going to let him anyway. Didn’t you see the bruises all along his body?”  

“ Could’ve been worse.” Jimin says, and it has Yoongi choking a snark.  

“ Jungkook had me kill 3 of our men for those bruises, can’t imagine what he’d do if Taehyung got hurt even more.” Namjoon mutters, and Hoseok nods.  

“Still cannot believe he did that,” Hoseok says, shaking his head. “It was almost unsettling. I've seen Jungkook angry before, but that wasn't anger. He looked completely out of it.” 

“Yeah,” Yoongi mutters, setting another plate into the sink. “He didn't even hesitate.” 

Jimin scoffs, though his expression turns slightly more serious. “That's exactly my point. He's known Taehyung for three days. Three days. And suddenly he's killing our own men because the guy came back with a few bruises.” 

“A few?” Jin raises an eyebrow. “He could barely move his shoulder.” 

“He was alive.” 

Yoongi looks at him flatly. “That's your argument?” 

“I'm saying Jungkook is losing his mind.” 

“ That…i agree with. Whatever Taehyung did to him in the recruiting process must’ve done wonders because this is far from normal.” Seokjin says. “ Do you think he would’ve acted the same if one of us got hurt? Like for example Jimin, would he have acted the same way?”  

Jimin stiffens, then he rolls his eyes.  

“ Maybe…because when you mention one of us getting hurt during missions, he does lose a few screws, and becomes unbelievably angry.” Yoongi replies.  

Namjoon nods at the comment.  

“ He has known us for years. He has known Taehyung for less than a week. I dont think he would’ve killed three men for me just three days after he had met me.” Jimin replies, wiping off the table.  

“ Now that's also true.” Hoseok chims in. “Jungkook has always been protective of us, but this is different. He didn't even ask what happened properly. He saw Taehyung covered in bruises and immediately decided someone had to pay for it.”  

“ Whatever it is, please keep Jungkook in mind. Just don't let him get hurt by anything…or anyone, and it will be fine.” Seokjin finalises the conversation, and no one says anything after that.  

[] 

Once back at the office, Taehyung is reminded of the first time he stepped inside of it. When Jungkook had turned around and shocked him with his identity, showing how Taehyung was actually the one who was played at first. Almost taunting thinking of it now.  

How would Jungkook feel when he gets to know about Taehyung’s actual identity? Would he be angry? A thousand percent. But would he be heartbroken? Shocked?  

He wonders which one of these actually describes what Jungkook would feel that day?  

A sense of sympathy enters his veins, because the man in front of him has been…kind. Something many people haven’t been to him. Kind and gentle, generous with his affection and love. Stuff that his parents, or the people around him had never actually thought he deserved.  

But the again this is all for good. It’s all for good people. For the better. For the people who did not deserve to die, but still are underground 6 feet deep, the sole reason for it being Jungkook.  

“stop standing there and sit on that desk i prepared for you.” Jungkook mentions, and when Taehyung looks up, he sees the desk and a seat prepared, reminding him of his school days.  

He rolls his eyes. “ couldn’t find another room for me?” He asks, but still moves towards the desk.  

“ Wanted you in front of my eyes.” The younger replies, managing to irritate Taehyung with his response.  

He huffs, “ Why? Thought i’d steal something?” Wouldn’t be too wrong if he actually thought so.  

“ Maybe…you have stolen something already.”  

Taehyung squints his eyes, “what?” He breaths out. Wondering what in the fuck this man was talking about.  

“ My heart.” Jungkook then places a hand over his chest, acting as if he has just been shot. 

Relief shoots through Taehyung who just rolls his eyes at the man, holding back a smile.  

“dork.” He mutters.  

“ come and get these papers, you can look over them and if you spot any mistakes, you can outline it in red.” 

“ just that?” He walks towards Jungkook’s desk to get the papers, and when he sees Jungkook point at the stack, he almost loses his footing. 

Jungkook laughs, “ what? Too much?” He asks, his eyebrows pulled up.  

Taehyung scoffs, “ as if.” He pulls the pile into his arms, almost taking him out. And goes back to his seat.  

“ you dont have to do it all, you can just do as much as you can for today. It’d be better if you rested well with me this week before going back to the training.” He says, pulling a file in front of himself.  

Taehyung doesn’t say anything, more than happy to comply already. He does not need any more fist training. He is good enough at that. He needs such opportunities that will allow him to gaze at files and find ones that are important for his mission.  

They both get to work, and silence fills between them.  

Time passes as Taehyung looks at the files closely, inspecting for mistakes but also looking for any hint that can put this organisation into danger.  

The first few files are almost disappointingly ordinary. Financial reports, employee records, invoices and contracts between companies Taehyung has never heard of. Nothing immediately catches his attention, but he reminds himself that he cannot rush. If he starts searching too eagerly, Jungkook might notice. So he takes his time, occasionally marking a grammatical mistake or an incorrect figure in red, exactly as he was instructed to do. 

Every now and then, he looks up. 

Jungkook is completely absorbed in his own work, glasses resting low on his nose as he reads through a document with a pen between his fingers. He looks different, and Taehyung realises how many times he has thought Jungkook looks different, but he just cant help it, the man is truly different every time he sees him.  

This time he looks professional, focused on what he is doing, eyebrows scrunched up while his tailored suit perfectly around his body. He looks good too, not a young guy in his tracksuit, the first time Taehyung met him, but a man that has the responsibility of a whole organisation on his shoulders. For a second he seems to lose the track of time, until Jungkook looks up, meeting his gaze.  

He coughs, averting his gaze and going back to his work. Does some more of the same stuff he has been doing for the past few hours and tries to keep his focus on it as much as he can, not to get distracted by Jungkook’s face again, until he is interrupted by that man’s voice.  

“ Tae…” he calls out, making him immediately look up. “ Take this to the file room.” he holds out a folder.  

Taehyung gets up, looking at the file in Jungkook’s hand, “ file room?” he asks, confused because he does not remember such a room.  

“ The one that Jimin told you no one enters except me.” He then holds out a key, and Taehyung immediately remembers what the man is talking about.  

Jimin did mention such a room, just at the end of the hall hidden away in the darkness. He had told him that no one enters there except Jungkook or Namjoon, otherwise it is always locked away with a key.  

He raises an eyebrow at Jungkook, “ You are trusting me that much?” he asks, somehow feeling uneasy at the guy’s actions.  

Jungkook, however, doesn't seem remotely concerned. He simply leans back in his chair, studying Taehyung with that frustratingly calm expression. 

“I trust you,” he says. “ I mean…why wouldn’t i?”  

“You're giving me access to a room nobody else is allowed into,” Taehyung says, glancing down at the key resting in his palm. “That's a lot of trust.”  

Jungkook’s smile has a slight tease to it, looks more like a smirk than anything else, “ Shows how I truly feel about you.” he says. And for some reason, those words affect Taehyung more than they should.  

But he just smiles and nods at the man before making his way out of the office.  

The walk to the file room feels longer than it should. Taehyung keeps the key tucked securely between his fingers, his mind running through every possibility of what might be waiting behind the door. He reaches the end of the hallway, where the lights become dimmer and the rest of the mansion-like office seems to disappear behind him.  

He slides the key into the lock and turns it. 

The click of the mechanism seems unusually loud in the silence. 

When he pushes the door open, Taehyung's eyes widen slightly. 

The room is far larger than he expected. 

Shelves stretch across almost every wall, packed tightly with folders and files. Some are neatly arranged into rows while others have been stacked on top of one another, as though they have been collected over years and never properly sorted. There are cabinets lining the far wall, several drawers labelled with dates, company names and locations. A large desk sits in the center of the room, covered with another collection of documents. 

Taehyung steps inside slowly. 

His eyes move from one shelf to another, taking everything in. 

This is it. 

There is no doubt that important information is kept here. 

He spots folders labelled with international locations, company names and financial departments. Others carry dates from years ago. A few have nothing written on the outside at all, which somehow makes them even more suspicious. He wants to reach for every single one of them, open them, memorise their contents and uncover whatever Jungkook has hidden behind this locked door. 

But he doesn't. Not yet. Taehyung knows better than to become greedy. 

Jungkook has trusted him enough to give him access to this room, but that trust can disappear just as quickly if Taehyung gives him a reason to question his behaviour. If he spends too long wandering around, touching files that have nothing to do with the folder he was asked to deliver, Jungkook might notice. And Taehyung refuses to let his curiosity ruin the opportunity. 

So he forces himself to focus. 

He walks towards the desk and places the folder Jungkook gave him on top of it. His eyes briefly wander over the papers already sitting there before he deliberately looks away. 

There are too many things here. 

He catches sight of another cabinet tucked into the corner, its drawers marked with numbers rather than names. His instincts immediately tell him that whatever is inside is probably more important than the ordinary financial reports he has been reviewing all morning. 

His fingers twitch with the urge to investigate. 

Instead, he steps back. Not today. 

He has to remember that the goal isn't to discover everything in one afternoon. The goal is to make Jungkook trust him enough that he can return to this room without raising suspicion. 

And now he has the key. That alone is more than he had yesterday. 

Taehyung takes one final glance around the room before turning towards the door. He carefully locks it behind himself, making sure everything looks exactly as it did when he entered. 

When he makes his way back to Jungkook’s office, he has to remind himself to act natural. There is no way he could give away how greedy he is upon discovering something this huge this early. And he also needs a phone. Staying by Jungkook’s side all the time might seem like he doesn’t need one in the younger’s eyes but he does. He needs to take pictures and keep a track of it. Only if  Domin had not taken away his belongings at the very beginning. 

 Maybe he can ask Jungkook if he can get it back.  

When he returns back to the office, he gives the key back to Jungkook with a smile and watches him place it in a drawer on his desk. He goes back to his own place, sitting down and continuing his work as usual.  

“ Tonight we are having a client meeting.” Jungkook says.  

“ Oh, as in dinner?” he asks.  

“ No, we are meeting at a club. A friend owns it.”  

Taehyung nods, “ Are you going alone?”  

“ we all are going. You too.” Jungkook returns his attention to the file in front of him. “It's an important client. I want everyone there.”  

“Do I need to wear something specific?” He asks. 

Jungkook looks up at him. His eyes travel briefly over Taehyung before returning to his face. 

“Something decent.” 

Taehyung scoffs. “That's helpful.” 

“You'll survive.” 

“ Whatever…as if i have many clothes to choose from.” he grumbles.  

Despite his circumstances of being an agent, Taehyung has always enjoyed dressing up. Even when his life had been restricted enough that he rarely had anywhere to go, there had always been something comforting about choosing what to wear. It was one of the few small decisions that had ever truly belonged to him. He could spend far too long standing in front of his wardrobe, deciding between colours, fixing the way a shirt sat against his shoulders, or changing an outfit simply because it did not feel right. He didn't need a party or an occasion to care about his appearance. Sometimes, dressing well was simply a way of making himself feel a little more like himself, especially during the years when almost everything else in his life had been decided for him.  

Now here, he started from the bottom again. There’s not much in his wardrobe, just some black shirts and pants. Not the stylish shirts or jeans that he preferred back then.  

Jungkook raises an eyebrow, “ Are you saying I have not provided for you enough clothes?” he asks, getting up from his place.  

Taehyung shrugs, “ Not with the stuff i truly like.”  

Jungkook comes closer, standing right by his desk. “ what do you like?”  

Taehyung leans back, looks at the ceiling, remembering his true style back at his usual life. Though he is supposed to be poor in Jungkook’s eyes, so he cannot really say what he used to wear to the man.  

“ colourful shirts and stylish pants. Like flared jeans and different types of button ups. All you have given me are black shirts and black trousers. I dont even like the colour black when it comes to clothing.”  

Jungkook's eyebrows rise higher with every word, as if Taehyung has just confessed to some great personal tragedy. 

“You don't like black?” 

“No.” 

“And yet you've been wearing it every day.” 

“Because that's all I have.” 

Jungkook looks genuinely offended by that answer. His gaze drops briefly towards Taehyung's clothes before returning to his face. 

“ By tonight you will have a new closet.” he finalises his words and walks back to his desk.  

Taehyung stares at him, feeling delighted at the news.  

So he smiles, “ Well, thank you.” his mood much better than how it had been.  

[] 

Taehyung decides to stretch after sitting in the same position for a long time, his shoulders hurt from being hunched over, and cramps are already settling in his legs. He should've taken Jungkook’s advice to take a break and not keep going on with the work, but he decided to sit down and finish the pack he was given in just one go. Jungkook looks at him when he sets his pen down, and leans back.  

“ Finished?” The clock was already nearly 8pm, whilst he had started before noon.  

“ Yes.” he replied back, his eyelids heavy with sleep.  

“ Go and get ready then… we’ll be out soon.” he says, and Taehyung nearly groans from exhaustion. But to no exception he got up from his place and made his way to his room.  

This is the opportunity for him to catch Jungkook in action; to see the places his acquaintances own and report it back to his agency.  

Back in his room, he decides to first go and take a shower. Sitting in the same place for hours kind of had him sweaty, and smelling good would be nice anyway.  

Once he is done, he walks to his closet, which is somewhat the size of the bathroom in his room. The room given to him is nearly like an apartment complex, it is spacious while also luxurious.  

When he opens the closet door, he notices the change already. 

For a second, Taehyung simply stands there, staring. 

The rows of black shirts and trousers that had occupied most of the space are no longer the only things hanging inside. There are shirts in deep blues, muted greens, soft creams and warmer shades he would have never expected to find in a wardrobe Jungkook had chosen for him. Several button-ups hang neatly beside one another, each slightly different from the last. Some are simple and fitted, others have wider collars or looser silhouettes. There are even a few pairs of jeans folded neatly below, including the flared styles he had mentioned so casually earlier. 

He blinks. 

Jungkook had actually listened. And complied with what he said.  

Not only had he remembered what Taehyung liked, but he had somehow managed to find different styles instead of simply replacing every black shirt with a different colour. There are pieces that look comfortable enough for everyday wear, others that are noticeably more stylish, and a few that Taehyung can already imagine himself wearing when he is back in his normal life. 

His fingers slowly move across the fabric of one of the shirts. Impossibly soft, probably expensive and now his.  

Taehyung's lips part slightly as he looks through the rest of them, picking out the differences between each piece. He finds a striped button-up, a loose patterned shirt, several fitted ones and even a couple of darker pieces that still somehow look completely different from the clothes he had been given before. Jungkook actually paid attention to the explanation Taehyung made on which ones he likes and prefers. He swallows, he had expected Jungkook to forget the conversation the moment they left the office. Maybe he had expected a few new shirts eventually, if Jungkook remembered at all. He certainly hadn't expected to return to his room after only a few hours and find an entire wardrobe waiting for him. 

A strange warmth spreads through his chest. 

And while it shouldn’t mean much because these are just clothes, but it does. It makes a lump in his throat, and an ineffable pain erupts his chest.  

“ no but I wanted that one!” His soft cries echoed in the empty room of an eight year old.  

He was sitting on his bed when his parents came to his room, just a few hours before midnight, before it stopped being his birthday to give him a gift they forgot to get.  

Taehyung is by no means a spoiled child, he takes whatever his parents give him with a happy smile, but when they were out a few days ago and he saw a figurine so beautiful and big just like the one he watched on TV, he pointed it out to his mom and explained how much he likes it and wants it. He didn’t say he wanted it for his birthday, he left that part thinking his parents would know enough to get him that figurine for his birthday, but when the day came and he happily waited for his parents to hand him his gift on his birthday, nothing came.  

Turns out they forgot, and if his tutor hadn’t mentioned it, they would’ve totally not noticed.  

“ But we got you this thinking you would like it. We went out of our way today to get you something, Tae.” His dad said, sitting at the edge of his bed.  

They had gotten him a car, nothing too expensive, just a simple toy car. It was pretty, but Taehyung did not want this. He was already cranky that they forgot about his birthday, and now they got him a gift they clearly know he does not like. Just on his last birthday he had mentioned he does not like cars, or want any more of it. And it seems like his parents forgot that too.  

“ But I told mom I wanted that figurine, not this!” his small voice trembled as he held the toy car.  

“ I dont know what you are talking about, Tae. You did not tell me such a thing.” his mom spoke, standing by his bed, her arms crossed as she looked down on him with her eyebrows pulled together.  

She looked scary, and it made Taehyung sniffle his cries.  

“ I told you when we were out three days ago.” he whispered, not even looking at her.  

“ Enough Taehyung. You are being a spoiled little brat! We got you this car, went out of our way to buy something for you and you are still complaining. Either you keep it or throw it away, it doesn’t matter. But you need to learn how to be thankful, young man!” his father’s voice raised higher, as he stood up from the place he was sitting.  

Taehyung flinched, he let go of the toy and hugged his bear plushie close to his chest.  

“ Tomorrow we need you to wake up at 7am, so sleep now and stop being childish.”  

They both made their way out of the room, turning the light off as they closed his door.  

Once they left, Taehyung’s tears did not stop. He cried even harder, whilst trying to be quiet so as to not make too much sound.  

He started doubting himself. Maybe his parents were right, maybe he was being selfish and a brat. They did get him a gift at the end of the day. It shouldn’t be such a big deal.  

Maybe he would not have reacted as strongly if his parents had remembered his birthday, or had gotten him his gift a few days ago. But not remembering such a day and getting him something he has expressed his dislike for, just set him off the edge.  

From then on Taehyung started disliking his birthday. He started to not have any expectations of people listening to what he likes when he explains to them.  

And maybe that's why he feels emotional thinking Jungkook listened and fulfilled his wish in such a short amount of time.  

His feelings towards Jungkook have been becoming increasingly complicated lately, and this does nothing to make them easier. There is something dangerously close to adoration beginning to settle inside him, something he knows he should keep under control. Every thoughtful gesture makes the wall he has built between his mission and his emotions a little thinner. 

And he hates that he likes it. 

He likes that Jungkook notices things. 

He likes that Jungkook remembers. 

He likes that, for once, someone seems to care about what Taehyung wants rather than simply telling him what he should have. 

He lets out a quiet breath, running his fingers over the fabric once more. 

“Thank you,” he murmurs to an empty room. 

Even if Jungkook is horrible to the rest of the world, he still is a good friend to Taehyung.  

And slowly it seems like that’s what matters to Taehyung now.  

[] 

" When the fuck is he gonna come?" Jimin grumbled, his patience wearing thin.   

" He said a few more minutes." Hoseok replied.   

" How does it feel to be the one waiting, Jimin?" Yoongi chuckles.   

Jimin rolls his eyes. It is true that he used to be the one always being last to get ready, but it doesn't seem to be the case anymore.   

" We are double fucked now. We already had Jimin making us always late, now Taehyung is also added."   

Jungkook chuckles at Hoseok's words.   

It is kind of true. They all are ready to head out to the club except Taehyung who had said he would be ready almost half an hour ago and is still not.   

“ I used to take long, but not this long!” Jimin grumbles, mad at them for comparing him with Taehyung.  

Hoseok laughs, leaning back against the wall. “You say that now, but I distinctly remember waiting forty-five minutes for you once.” 

“That was one time.” 

“Three times,” Namjoon corrects from beside him. 

Jimin turns his head sharply. “Whose side are you on?” 

“The side of facts.” 

Yoongi snorts, crossing his arms as he glances toward the hallway. “Maybe he fell asleep.” 

“He better not have,” Jimin mutters. “Jungkook gave him half an hour.” 

Jungkook, who has been unusually quiet throughout their complaining, checks the time on his phone again. His eyebrows furrow slightly. Taehyung had said he would be ready soon. Yet somehow, soon had turned into almost forty minutes. 

“He’s probably still deciding what to wear,” Hoseok says casually. 

Jimin scoffs. “What is there to decide? He has, like, five shirts.” 

Jungkook's lips twitch. 

“Not anymore.” 

The room goes quiet. 

Jimin slowly turns toward him. “What?” 

Jungkook shrugs, looking far too pleased with himself. “I bought him some clothes.” 

“You what?” Jimin asks. 

“I bought him clothes.” 

“How many?” 

Jungkook pauses for a moment, as if genuinely considering the answer. “Enough.” 

Yoongi raises an eyebrow. “That doesn't sound concerning at all.” 

Hoseok starts laughing. “You went shopping for him?” 

“He said he didn't like his clothes.” 

“And naturally,” Jimin mutters, “you decided to replace his entire wardrobe.” 

Jungkook doesn't even bother denying it. 

“He needed better clothes.” 

Jimin stares at him for a few seconds before shaking his head. “You're spoiling him.” 

“He deserves it.” 

There's a few seconds of silence between all of them while Jimin keeps on staring at Jungkook with an unreadable expression on his face. The younger doesn’t know if his Hyung is judging him or he’s just simply staring, but whatever it is, he does not care. When Taehyung had told him about his taste, he should not have been surprised. Someone with a face like that would definitely like more stylish clothes, he blames himself for not noticing earlier, or asking Taehyung about what he likes the day he came.  

He realised he had been making decisions for Taehyung until now, so from now on, he was going to let Taehyung himself decide what he wanted. He could be the one to provide it, of course, but the choice would always be Taehyung's.  

“ Ok stop talking shit behind my back because I am here.”  

Jungkook looks up to see Taehyung finally coming down the stairs and before he could process what he is seeing, his mouth falls open.  

He is wearing a deep red button-up shirt, the rich colour standing out against his skin. The shirt is left open almost all the way down his chest, revealing just enough skin to make the long gold necklace resting against it impossible to miss. The necklace hangs loosely around his neck, catching the light with every step he takes. 

Over it, he wears a burgundy-red blazer that fits perfectly across his shoulders, making him look effortlessly expensive without even trying. His black trousers are oversized, falling loosely around his legs and creating a sharp contrast against the fitted blazer. The combination somehow makes him look both elegant and dangerously attractive. 

His hair is completely different too. It has been gelled back and styled neatly, leaving his face completely visible and making his features look even sharper. His cheekbones, jawline, and eyes seem more prominent without his usual messy hair falling over his forehead. 

Taehyung reaches the bottom of the stairs and looks between all of them, seemingly unaware of the silence he has caused. 

“What?” he asks, glancing down at himself. “Why is everyone staring?” 

He isn’t even wearing anything too much, just casual clothes with a more popping colour because he still is in his workplace. But even this seems to be too much for the rest of the guys. 

But now that he is staring at the rest, he can see why they are so taken aback by him. They all are simply wearing black suits. Simple suits that do not stand out. Jimin, who is slightly different, is just wearing a black shirt and black pants.  

Slowly he fixes his own clothes, suddenly feeling self conscious. Maybe he should not have worn the colour red, even if it is one of his favourites, he should’ve probably toned it down.  

“ Sorry…is it too much?” he asks, looking at Jungkook, waiting for him to answer.  

But even he is just staring. His mouth wide open, not saying anything.  

Jimin rolls his eyes, “ whatever, lets go because we are already late.” he turns around and starts walking out of the mansion.  

Hoseok goes closer to Taehyung, places his arm over his shoulder, pulling him closer.  

“ Not trying to glaze, but dude, you are gorgeous!” he exclaims and Taehyung shyly smiles.  

“ Thank you.”  

“ No, actually Tae, you look so beautiful!” Jin comes closer to them as well.  

Taehyung thanks him too, before looking at Jungkook who is still staring at him.  

“ What do you think? You got me all these..” he asks, suddenly feeling more timid.  

Jungkook clears his throat, and shakes his head. “ you look…” he trails off.  

Taehyung raises an eyebrow, “ Good?” he asks and Jungkook nods.  

“ Y-yeah. You look good.”  

Taehyung smiles, “ Thank you.”  

With that, they start walking out of the mansion as well.  

Once outside, Taehyung watches all the cars lined up behind each other.  

It looks beautiful and expensive. They get closer but before Hoseok can pull Taehyung into a car with himself, Jungkook takes a hold of his elbow and pulls Taehyung closer to himself making the elder's back hit his chest, letting out a yelp.  

“ He is coming with me.” With that he starts pulling him to the car at the very front, and pulls the door open for Taehyung before going to his side to sit.  

Taehyung stares at him for a second, still slightly startled by how quickly Jungkook had pulled him away from Hoseok. 

“Could've just asked,” he mutters, climbing into the car. 

Jungkook just shrugs, and settles on the seat next to him.  

The drive itself is not long, but getting out of the mansion grounds takes up most of the journey.  

The road stretches through the property, surrounded by tall trees and carefully maintained gardens, before eventually reaching the large gates at the edge of the grounds. The other cars follow behind them in a line, their headlights illuminating the road as they make their way towards the exit. 

Taehyung looks out through the window, watching the mansion slowly disappear behind them. For some reason, being outside of the compound feels different. He watches as they finally get surrounded by the usual roads of the city, the Seoul nightlife coming into view and he feels a sense of belonging finally settle in him. He hadn’t realised how long it had been that he had not seen the outside world, and how much he had missed it. Yet somehow, having Jungkook beside him makes the feeling even better, making this small taste of freedom feel far more satisfying than it probably should.  

“ You miss this?” Jungkook suddenly asks, and Taehyung looks at him.  

“ Huh?” He raises an eyebrow.  

“ You are looking outside with those wide eyes like you haven’t seen them in years..” he explains, “ Got me curious.”  

Taehyung chuckles, and then nods. “ yeah…i have.”  

Jungkook nods at his words, “ Once you settle into your new routine, you will be able to go out even more.”  

Taehyung looks at him for a second, the words feeling heavier than they should.  

Jungkook is probably thinking about a future where Taehyung is going to continue being in a world where he is ruling. Be his man, by his side, always fighting for him–a world where there aren't any holes. Where both of them are on the same side, not against each other. Not knowing that this routine wouldn’t last long. Not longer than it should anyway. So now looking at Jungkook, seeing him casually say stuff unaware of what Taehyung is brewing under all the front he has put up, makes him feel guilty.  

Something he should not feel.  

He is an agent. He came here with a purpose. He knew from the beginning that getting close to Jungkook would be part of the job, that earning his trust would make the mission easier. He knew there would come a time when he would have to use that trust against him. 

So why did it suddenly feel so wrong? 

Taehyung looks away, watching the city pass by through the window. 

He reminds himself that Jungkook is still the head of a criminal organisation. That there are people who have suffered because of the world Jungkook controls. People who have lost their lives because of decisions made by men like him. 

That is why Taehyung is here. 

That is what he needs to remember. 

The club that they arrive at seems lavish. At least the backgate in which their cars enter from is luxurious enough that leaves Taehyung’s mouth agape. He watches how beautiful the exterior of the place is and doesn’t feel overdressed anymore. In fact, the rest of the guys are underdressed for such a place, even if they are here for work.  

When they get inside, Taehyung is taken aback seeing the amount of people.  

It is not even late enough for this amount of people to already be present. Jungkook takes a hold of his hand, leading him through the crowd, and when Taehyung gulps at the action, he doesn’t think too deeply of it. There are too many people around for Taehyung to not lose sight of Jungkook and the rest, that's why the younger actually took a hold of his hand. 

Eventually, they reach the VIP section. 

Two bodyguards standing outside immediately straighten when they see Jungkook approaching. One of them opens the door, stepping aside to let them through. 

Taehyung follows Jungkook inside and immediately understands why this section is separated from the rest of the club. 

The room is enormous, with a large black leather booth stretching along the back wall. Soft LED lights run along the edges of the ceiling and underneath the seating, casting the entire room in a dim, expensive glow. A few low tables sit in front of the booth, already covered with bottles and glasses, while the music from the main club is muffled enough that conversation can actually be heard. 

And sitting in the middle of the booth is a man who looks like he owns the place. 

He is dressed in an expensive black suit, one arm casually resting along the back of the leather couch. Two women sit on either side of him, both dressed elegantly, occasionally leaning towards him as they speak. The man barely acknowledges them, his attention fixed on the entrance the moment Jungkook walks through. 

Behind the booth, several bodyguards are positioned around the room. 

The moment they see Jungkook, they stand. 

The man in the centre smiles. 

He stands up and welcomes Jungkook with open arms, who just shakes his hand in return, also giving him a smile.  

“ What's up my friend?” he exclaims, seemingly excited to see Jungkook.  

The latter chuckles, offering a nod as he sits down.  

“ Good. How about yourself, Sunho?”  

Taehyung mentally takes a note of that name.  

“ Amazing! Having you at my new club is making me happy!” Sunho says, dropping back onto the leather couch. The women beside him shift slightly to make room, while his bodyguards remain standing behind the booth, their attention constantly moving around the room. 

Jungkook smiles. “It's a nice place.” 

“Nice?” Sunho scoffs, looking around proudly. “I spent months making this place perfect. You can't just call it nice.” 

Jungkook laughs. “Alright. It's impressive.” 

“That's better.” 

Taehyung stands in his place, before leaning onto the wall behind him. Jimin takes a seat next to Jungkook, while the rest also doing the same, except Yoongi who comes to stand beside him, quite closer than Taehyung expected.  

“You brought everyone with you?” Sunho asks, finally noticing the rest of the group. 

“It's a business meeting,” Jungkook replies. “Figured I'd bring the people I trust.” 

Sunho nods, his eyes moving across each of them before eventually landing on Taehyung. 

“And you?” 

Taehyung meets his gaze. 

Sunho studies him for a few seconds, his eyebrows lifting slightly. 

“I don't think I've seen you before.”  

Taehyung stands up properly, but before he could introduce himself Jungkook beat him to it.  

“ Taehyung, he is new. “ he explains.  

Though when Taehyung notices the weird smirk that is placed on Sunho’s face, it makes him shift in his place uncomfortably.  

“ Taehyung…i like it. Seems like Jungkook likes you too for you to be here this soon.”  

Without knowing what else to do, Taehyung nods with a small smile.  

“ I am grateful.” he says, awkward under the unnerving gaze of the man.  

“So,” he says, reaching for the glass sitting on the table in front of him. “You said you wanted to discuss business.” 

Jungkook nods, leaning back against the leather couch. 

“I did.” 

The casual atmosphere in the room changes almost immediately. 

The women beside Sunho exchange a glance before standing up. One of the bodyguards opens the door for them, allowing them to leave the room. Once the door closes behind them, Sunho places his glass down and looks towards Jungkook. 

“I've got space here,” he says. “The club is bigger than I expected, and there are areas outside that hold pretty deep stuff once you dig. If you need somewhere to keep some of your things temporarily, I can arrange it.” 

Taehyung's attention sharpens. 

Some of your things. 

He doesn't know exactly what Sunho means, but judging by the way Jungkook's expression changes, it is something important. 

“That's what I wanted to talk about,” Jungkook says. “I need somewhere outside the usual locations. Somewhere secure.” 

Sunho nods slowly. 

“You can use the ground area in the back. My staff won't go near them unless I tell them to. Your people can come and go without making it obvious.” 

Jungkook glances towards Namjoon before continuing. 

“Some of the shipments will be passing through here. Nothing stays for long. My men will handle everything.” 

Sunho gives a small nod. “Fine by me. But you know what I want in return…” he smirks.  

Jungkook nods, “ figured. Dont worry you will be getting enough supply.”  

Namjoon takes a folder out of his bag and puts it on the table along with a pen.  

Sunho takes a look at the contract, and smiles at Jungkook before scribbling his sign, Jungkook does the same next.  

“ done.” Sunho claps his hand, a grin still plastered on his face, seemingly beaming at whatever that just happened.  

Taehyung watches the two men for a moment, his eyes briefly dropping to the contract before returning to Sunho. He would have to ask Jungkook later exactly what he was supplying the man with, and what he was planning to hide on Sunho’s property. Whatever the arrangement was, it was clearly worth a lot. And if Taehyung could get even a small piece of information about it, it could be useful to the agency. 

Just as Jungkook reaches for his drink, Sunho suddenly leans back against the booth, looking far too pleased with himself. 

“But you aren't leaving yet.” 

Jungkook raises an eyebrow. “We aren't?” 

Sunho shakes his head, laughing. “Of course not. The business is done. Now the fun begins.” 

He snaps his fingers towards one of the staff members standing near the entrance. Within moments, bottles and glasses begin arriving at the booth, placed neatly across the low table in front of them. Sunho picks up his glass and raises it slightly. 

“To good business,” he says, glancing around the booth. “And even better company.” 

Jungkook gives a small laugh, picking up his own drink. “You haven't changed.” 

“Why would I?” Sunho grins. “I've got a new club, good friends, and plenty of reasons to celebrate.” 

The music outside grows louder as another wave of people enters the club. A few minutes later, the door to their private booth opens again. 

This time, several women walk in. 

They are dressed for the nightlife, immediately making themselves comfortable around the booth as Sunho gestures for them to join. One sits beside him while another takes the empty space further down, chatting casually with the others as more drinks are poured. 

So this was what Sunho meant by fun. 

Jungkook seems completely unfazed, leaning back against the booth with his drink in hand as Sunho starts talking again, this time about anything but business. 

The women round the table to sit beside Jungkook too but the man pays them no mind as he sips from his drink.  

“ Let your men have fun too now that they are here. Go on Namjoon, take your man downstairs if you want.” he smirks and motions at him. But Namjoon just takes a hold of Seokjin’s hand before they stand at the far corner of the booth with drinks in their hand as they converse.  

Hoseok moves towards Jimin, “ Come on lets go dance.” he tries to pull the man, who immediately shuts him down, and before he could even make a move towards Yoongi, he too immediately shuts him down.  

“ I can go dance with you.” Taehyung chimes in, he smiles at Hoseok who immediately and happily takes a hold of his arm and starts pulling him out of the booth.  

Taehyung looks at Jungkook one last time, and sees the man staring back at him with an unreadable look on his face.  

One thing Taehyung can recognise is that Jungkook does not look too happy with his decision.  

Maybe he is unsettled? Or worried about Taehyung? 

Whatever it is, Taehyung does not wonder a lot about it.  

Because Taehyung is actually happy to dance. He loves music, always has, but dancing was never something he got to do often. His life had always been filled with training, missions, rules, and responsibilities, leaving very little room for things as simple as going out and enjoying himself. Somewhere in his twenties, he had always imagined himself doing exactly this—going to a club with friends, listening to loud music, laughing, dancing until his feet hurt, and simply enjoying being young. It was a small wish, nothing extraordinary, yet somehow it had always remained just out of reach. So as Hoseok pulls him towards the dance floor, Taehyung can't help the smile that spreads across his face.  

They both hold hands as they dance to the music in the background, going crazier as the sound gets even more hyped up. It makes him feel as though he is on top of the world, happiness finding him as he giggles when Hoseok spins him around. At some point he feels the blazer sticking too close to his skin, so he pulls it off and shakes it around his head, before throwing it somewhere across the floor. He probably shouldn’t have done that but adrenaline gets the best of him.  

They dance even more, going around each other, singing to each other, making faces. Almost as if no one else is present in the room. But Taehyung does not care, for once he wants to live for himself without caring too much about anyone else.  

Before he notices, a woman takes a hold of his hand and pulls him towards himself. It startles him but when he looks at Hoseok the man encourages him to just keep on going. So he wraps his arms around the woman’s waist before dancing with her in the same way,  

He gets in a daze with her, until he feels a pair of arms sneak around his waist. For a second he is confused, but then he feels breath tickling his neck, he cranes to look at who it is and he only sees another stranger. This time it is a man.  

“ You look beautiful, baby.” Before he could protest against the man, the woman presses herself even closer to him seemingly not even caring that there’s another man right behind Taehyung.  

He gets squished between the two, and he slows his movements down because suddenly taking a breath is hard.  

Suddenly he is aware that there’s too many people around. Too many bodies. Everyone is sweating. There’s two bodies pressed tightly against him, not even letting him move freely. Hoseok is nowhere to be found and he feels stiflingly oppressed.  

He starts breathing heavily, trying to actually have air pass through his mouth. His arms became weak enough to not push away the two bodies dancing against him. His protests feel short, as his breathing slows.  

“ L-let go of me..” it comes out as a whisper, not loud enough for anyone to hear through the music.  

He starts struggling even more against the grip of the man on his waist, while the woman snakes her arms around his neck. He shakes his head, trying to pull himself away.  

But both of them dont listen as they start kissing his neck. While the woman’s lips press against his chest, the man’s is on his neck. He licks his nape before slowly nipping at the side of it.  

Disgust coils in his stomach, acid pulls in his mouth. He is going to throw up if these two people dont pull away from him.  

Before he can raise his voice to protest again, he watches as the woman gets yanked by her hair back, a sharp loud yelp leaving her mouth, before he is pulled away from the man by a tight grip on his arm. He hisses because of the pain, and watches the man that had just been kissing his neck fall to the floor for being punched.  

“ J-Jungkook!” he yells, taking a hold of his arm and pulling him back enough so that he doesn’t get on top of the guy to start punching him even more.  

Jungkook turns around, grabs his arm and pulls him out of the crowd (who have been disturbed by the sudden scene) and takes him outside, away from everyone’s gaze and into the fresh air.  

Taehyung takes deep breaths, the acid in his mouth slowly disappearing.  

He feels the headache slowly disappear as he takes in a few more deep breaths, the airways finally opening, away from the disgusting stench of the people.  

He rests his back against the wall.  

“ Are you okay?” Jungkook asks him after a few minutes of silence.  

He comes closer, but still gives enough space for Taehyung to not feel overwhelmed again.  

“ Good…alright. Much better. Adrenaline took the best of me.” he laughs at himself.  

He danced way too much, and let adrenaline take over him to the point where he felt faint.  

Jungkook doesn’t say anything after, and when Taehyung finally feels well enough again, he stands up properly and looks at the younger.  

“ How are you?” he asks in return.  

Jungkook looks at him, before he shrugs. Then there’s a few seconds of silence again.  

“ Why did you do that, Jungkook? Why did you punch him?”  

Jungkook looks at him for a few seconds, his jaw tightening slightly as he looks away.  

“ Because you looked uncomfortable…and that son of a bitch was not letting go of you.”  

He said, the anger is his voice barely containable.  

Taehyung rolls his eyes, “ and you decided to resort to violence again?”  

“ He deserved it.”  

“He was just dancing,” Taehyung says quietly, although even he knows that wasn't exactly true. “I mean… it got a little too much, but you didn't have to—” 

“He wasn't just dancing.” 

Jungkook's voice is calm, but there is something underneath it. Something sharp. 

“He had his hands all over you. You were trying to get away from him.” 

Taehyung falls silent. 

He hadn't realised Jungkook had noticed that. 

For a moment, neither of them say anything. The muffled music from inside the club reaches them through the walls, distant enough now that Taehyung can finally breathe without feeling overwhelmed. 

“I could've handled it,” Taehyung eventually says. 

Jungkook stares at him before nodding.  

“ I know you could.”  

Taehyung smiles. 

“ What were you doing downstairs anyway?” he asks then, throwing an arm over Jungkook’s shoulder.  

“ Wanted to come see you and Hobi Hyung.”  

“ Why? Didn’t you find anyone your type from the women Sunho showed?” Taehyung asks again.  

Jungkook lets out a quiet scoff, shaking his head as he looks towards the entrance of the club. 

“Not really.” 

Taehyung raises an eyebrow, amused. “None of them?” 

“No.” 

“Seriously?” 

Jungkook finally looks at him, a faint smirk appearing on his lips. “What? You think I should've gone back inside and picked one?” 

Taehyung shrugs, trying to hide the curiosity in his expression. “I mean, that's usually what people do in clubs like this.” 

“Maybe other people.” 

“ So genuinely there wasn’t anyone your type? Maybe from other people in the club? Someone you liked?” he presses more.  

Jungkook glances at him, the corner of his lips lifting into a small, knowing smirk. 

“My type?” 

“Yeah.” Taehyung nods, completely unaware of where the conversation is going. “Surely there was at least one you liked.” 

Jungkook hums, taking another sip of his drink. 

“There was.” 

Taehyung's eyebrows lift. “There was?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Then why didn't you go for her?” 

Jungkook turns his head towards him, his eyes slowly scanning Taehyung from head to toe before settling back on his face. 

“Because she wasn't really my type.” 

Taehyung frowns. “You just said she was.” 

“I said there was someone I liked.” 

“Isn't that the same thing?” 

Jungkook chuckles under his breath. 

“Not exactly.” 

Taehyung stares at him, clearly confused. 

“Then what is your type?” 

Jungkook pauses for a moment, looking far too amused by the question. 

“Someone who doesn't realise they're my type.” 

Taehyung's eyebrows knit together. 

“What the hell does that mean?” 

Jungkook simply shrugs, taking another sip of his drink. 

“You'll figure it out.” 

Taehyung stares at him for a few seconds, completely lost. 

“...You're weird.” 

Jungkook laughs quietly. 

“Maybe.” 

“ Whatever. You are rich enough to find anyone at any time, doesn’t have to be today. Lets go back inside, left Hobi Hyung alone.”  

Before Taehyung could move, Jungkook blocked his way.  

“ they will find their way back, dont worry. Lets go home.” he says.  

“ just us two?” he asks, and Jungkook nods.  

“ Yeah…lets go home.”  

On the way home, the ride was quieter, a simple conversation and nothing else.  

They lingered a bit more in the mansion to drink something before going to sleep, and finally Jungkook let go of him to go to his own room to sleep.  

Taehyung knew that he had to wait long enough in order to be able to go inside the folder room. There is a chance of Jungkook being awake and catching him off guard like the way he has been doing it in the past few days, so this time he is not letting anything for chance.  

He waits long, even when his eyes try to flutter shut because of sleep, he doesn’t. The rest of the guys are still not home even when it is nearly morning.  He wonders if they are going to come home at all. Maybe they all have found partners for the night.  He looks at the clock again, and decides it has been enough wait.  So he slowly and quietly makes his way towards Jungkook’s office, once inside he goes to find the drawer that he saw Jungkook put the lock in. When he finds it and sees it, relief pulls in him because even until now he was not sure that Jungkook left such an important thing unattended. When with the key he makes his way towards the folder room, he hopes for nothing but only for no one to come home now.  

When he opens the room, he closes it behind himself and flicks open the lights.  

Slowly he goes through each section of the folders.  Taehyung pulls out one folder after another, scanning through the documents as quickly as he can without missing anything important. Then he sees a familiar name. One of Jungkook's brothers. 

Taehyung's eyes narrow as he opens the folder and begins going through the papers inside. Financial records. Company reports. 

His eyes widen slightly as he reads through the documents, finding records that clearly show money being moved around and accounts being manipulated. There are reports that had been altered, transactions that had been hidden, and evidence suggesting that the company had been covering up losses for years. 

Taehyung pulls out another folder. 

Then another. 

More of Jungkook's siblings' companies appear. Different businesses, different names, but the same pattern. Faulty companies being kept afloat through hidden transactions and false financial reports. Some of the companies are far worse than others, but all of them have something buried beneath the surface. 

This alone could cause an enormous scandal.  

He takes these files and tucks them under his arm, planning on taking it to his room and hide it under his bed.  

He moves towards another section and he finally finds folders that show the business that Jungkook owns. There are documents concerning illegal goods being moved through different locations, records of payments made between people whose names Taehyung has seen before when his tutors taught him, when he studied about them and how they all are involved in illegal businesses, and details of businesses that exist only to disguise where the money is actually coming from.  

Taehyung takes a slow breath, his fingers tightening around the edge of the folder. 

This is everything the agency wanted. 

Everything he had been sent here to find. 

A sudden lump is placed in his throat and he feels the same faintness that he felt in the club.  This is everything that could send Jungkook prison for life. For eternity.  A man just in his 20s could be sent to prison for the rest of his life because of these files.  He places them back down and holds his head as headache starts to form in his head again. 

Jungkook is too young…how–how can i let him go through this. How can i make him go to prison when he hasn’t even experienced much of life yet? He is like a friend…a younger brother. Someone who has loved me, thought of me, more than my own parents, how can i do something like this to him?  
 
 

The same thoughts circle around his head.  

Taehyung stares down at the files once more, his chest tightening at the thought of what would happen if he handed everything over. He knows Jungkook deserves consequences for the things he has done, but he cannot bring himself to believe that this young man, who had been thrown into a life of crime before he was ready for it, deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars.  

He cannot…he cannot do such a thing. He can make Jungkook suffer in other ways. He can take down Jungkook’s empire..but he cannot send him to prison. Somewhere which can only be dangerous for someone like Jungkook, a young man thrown inside a cage filled with wolves. He could get murdered, harmed, tortured. There isn’t any guarantee that he could make his way out safe. Or alive.  

How can he lead Jungkook to his death when the man has been sweeter and kinder than most people he has met in his life?  

He gulps.  

Deciding his mind.  

He can make Jungkook lose his status, his power. Can make him suffer by finally making him a normal guy with nothing to hold him. He doesn’t have to lead the man to his death.  So he picks up the papers about Jungkook’s siblings, and some more to show evidence of shell companies connected to Jeon Industries, allowing the agency to expose and freeze their assets.  

Jungkook will for sure try to get his siblings out of jail, and the bail money would be nothing short of all of Jeon’s empire.  

Yeah..this is it. I can make him suffer this way. I cannot let him go to jail. No.  

As he takes these folders, and watches the hallways to be clear of any person and then runs towards the office to leave the key.  Finally he makes his way back to his own room, immediately hides the files that he got and sits on his bed, blood rushing through all his body.  He sits down, taking a few breaths in, trying to calm himself down again.  He knows it isn't what an agent is supposed to do, and he knows that if the agency ever finds out, there will be consequences.  

But for the first time since taking this mission, Taehyung isn't thinking like an agent. He's thinking about Jungkook. And that scares him.  

But he doesn’t know that this is just the beginning of his fear.