Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Taehyung was prepared for a lot of things in life. Every possible scenario, he probably was prepared for it. The thing is, when you work as an agent, an undercover one at that, it is impossible for your work to not prepare you for the worst case and the best case. The way a mother raises their child, giving them an idea of how the world works, is the same way the company takes in young teenagers and makes them read scenes that cause irreversible damage to their young childlike mind. That is how most of Taehyung's life was spent. Preparing and planning.  

But now somehow standing in a line full of men larger and bigger than him, he can feel some sort of anxiety in the pits of his stomach. It is not that bad per se; it is just a bit of uneasiness. Having been prepared all his life for this exact moment, the pressure is a lot. He needs to pass this round; he needs to surpass all these men and make his way to the top. He stands up straighter when the man that is standing right in front of him matches his gaze for a second before looking away, his hands at his back.  

" Alright everyone, you all know what your purpose is for today, you just simply show your fighting skills, and then we proceed on from there." 

 Everyone knew this; thus, they came prepared. Taehyung felt as if he could not wait any more minutes. He needed to get this energy and stamina out of his system already. He was prepared and confident enough, thinking he can take out these men that have their builds the way that it is by steroids, down easily.  

Soon they were put in numbers and partnered up to fight inside the big ring that they were standing right beside.  

When Taehyung looked at the number 9 in his hands and glanced up to find who else was number 9, he saw a man twice his size. And not just the sheer weight difference, but also height. The guy could not be less than 2 meters, almost towering over everyone. He sighed, not even slightly surprised at what his luck brought to be his partner. The man saw him as well, and in a second, a smirk was plastered on his face. It was not even happiness shown through that smirk; it was arrogance. Arrogance that came from an ego taller than his height. Taehyung suppressed a smirk of his own, not feeling an ounce of fear or anxiety anymore because he knew while size made people fear, it was also one's own weakness. This man might have the strength of 3 people but because of his height he is most likely slow in his movements. Something Taehyung has mastered in years of training.  

" The ones who win will pass to the next stage. Which will be half of you." The guy says again.  

He has not said his name yet; he has just given them a fake name, Domin, to refer to him as. They have not gotten the privilege of real names yet. Seeing his face is already a big deal.  

" Number one, please get ready. It will start with you."  

Taehyung sees how everyone tenses up. It has finally started. The real show everyone's been waiting for.  

The two men that get in the ring box are similar in build. They are probably in their middle 30s, similar in height, and approximately similar hairstyles. Both are bald.  

" The rules are, fight however you can, kick, punch, slap, but to win you must have your partner on the ground in a chokehold for 45 seconds. You will have 4 minutes, if not able to do that in those 4 minutes, then both of you will be eliminated. Simple, right? Then get ready."  

If not able to do that in 4 minutes, then both are eliminated?  Quite harsh, but Taehyung also knows only the best are getting selected.  

He steps off the ring, stands by the side, and in 3 seconds he blows the whistle.  

For the first few seconds the two men circle each other up. No one attacks; they just are getting themselves ready.  

When one of them finally steps forward, the real fight starts. The punches come first. They are brutal and fast. Taehyung thinks both are quite similar in their fighting techniques, so they both might not get anywhere. As they keep on punching and kicking, the bleeding starts, though no one is down on the ground. The one with larger biceps is savage with his punches, but the one with larger thighs is fast to get away from the punches. 3 minutes in and both feel quite bland. Their fighting does not intrigue Taehyung; he can already guess that most of their time is spent in the gym and not truly fighting with another man to get good at it. They lack technique and mind games.  

So, when the timer hits 4 minutes, both men had not even gotten harsh yet. The deflation in their shoulders when the sound of the whistle comes would have made Taehyung feel bad, but quite literally Taehyung could not care any less. He just wishes they would take their sorry asses to training centers and train more before coming here.  

" The exit is that way." It seems like Domin also does not care enough to make them feel less bad about themselves.  

With the next few fights, Taehyung sees potential in like two people with the way they fight. They look slightly more trained; thus, they win their rounds. The other two that win, Taehyung feels like it was out of their luck that they got partnered with a weaker one. But overall, aside from the first two men, the rest seem to have their head straight as to how they want to fight. Their desire to get into this industry seems clearer.  

Taehyung can see that the box ring is getting dirty with every drop of blood. It is disgusting but there is still time before it is his turn with his partner. To imagine by the time he is up there, there might be more blood clinging into his body, making him repulsed. He does not like the sight of blood. He isn't scared of it. Just disgusted. Call him a clean freak, but he just likes it neater. But when he fights himself, he does not care how much blood someone is oozing, he will keep on going, like an absolute wild beast.  

" Numbers 9. Get in the ring." The sudden call pulls Taehyung out of his thoughts. So, he uncrosses his arms immediately and walks up towards the ring.  

The fight being protected by nothing and everything being just bare hands gives him some sort of thrill. He rolls his shoulders, as he watches his partner get in. The stupid smirk still presents on his face. He just does not understand how someone can have that much ego. Except for himself, of course. That is justified, Taehyung knows he can back up his ego with his skills, but can this man?  He is about to find out.  

" This guy is getting smashed, kind of feeling sorry. He does have handsome features." The whisper comes from his right, and Taehyung almost rolls his eyes, but he doesn't really care enough to do so. He is fine with their stupid beliefs because he is about to disprove them soon enough.  

" The rules are as you remember. try not to kill." The whistle blows.  

The giant immediately moves. He comes striding at Taehyung who is quick enough to move away from the punch that came immediately. 

 He internally smiles; this is going to be fun.  

The next few seconds continue as such; the giant keeps striking to hit Taehyung, to which Taehyung responds by moving out of the way immediately. By the fourth time that happens, Taehyung decides that it is getting boring, so when he tries to strike again, Taehyung moves to the right and immediately raises his hand in the air and strikes a breathtaking punch. Quite literally breath taking, as the man stumbles back holding his cheeks taking in deep breaths. He can hear a few gasps, but Taehyung just wants to tell them that this is the beginning. The man regains his composure, he comes forward again, almost runs, and Taehyung does the same trick to move out of the way quickly but this time he jumps a turn and kicks the man on his back as hard as he can leading the man to fall down to the floor. A few other rounds of gasps come around, almost making Taehyung chuckle. Taehyung doesn't let the man get up from the floor, he lets his body weight fall on top of him, while punching the man repeatedly on his head, not caring if it leads to concussions. He looks at the timer between his punches and sees the time being 2:30, feeling like the show is enough for everyone to see how quick it was for him than the rest. He wraps his arm around the man's throat and squeezes tight. He has him in his hold for almost thirty seconds, and he notices how the man's going blue much sooner than the rest. Domin must have noticed it too because he blew the whistle before it was 45 seconds and Taehyung let go. He stands up, wipes his hands on his sweatpants, and immediately goes back down. He does not care enough to look at people's reaction but can feel their stares. He then looks at the ring, Domin is checking on his partner who seems to not be conscious properly leading to his confusion because he hadn't even done much to the man, yet he was out quickly.  

By the time the guards take down his partner, everyone is quieted up.  

Domin looks at him once more, just longer than a few seconds, before announcing the next and last partners.  

Taehyung looks at the next couple, and his eyes fall on the man that is standing on the right side. He has his hood up, that is hiding the half of his face, and Taehyung wonders how this man is going to fight if he isn't able to see his partner's moves. But before he can relent further, the man takes down his hood. And for a second, his breath slows. The guy standing is young. But not only that, he is handsome. Quite literally, model level-handsome. His black hair that has fallen over his eyes gives him a youthful look. Taehyung knows not to judge based on looks, but this guy truly looks youthful and innocent. It almost makes him curious about how he fights.  

The whistle blows, and Taehyungs eyes shift to this guy's partner. And he seems to be a decent looking man. In terms of weight and height, and overall durability, he seems like a man that would win the fight.  

They both seemed ready to attack at first. Neither of them wanted to give the other the advantage, so they moved at the same time. However, it was the older man who threw the first punch. The boy was quicker, easily moving out of the way before delivering a powerful punch straight to his opponent’s face. The impact was so forceful that the entire floor seemed to shake beneath them. The man stumbled before crashing down onto the ground, blood immediately beginning to seep from his injuries. Taehyung watched the scene unfold, his expression tightening as he grimaced at the sight.  

There's a moment of silence before the whistle blows. Domin makes his way up.  

" Wait but he didn't have him in a chokehold." Someone meddles in, all heads turn to him.  

Domin rolls his eyes, "he is already unconscious, do you want him dead?"  

Just from one punch? Taehyung wonders just what kind of strength training did this guy take to have a man down by just one punch.  

He stares at the guy, until their eyes meet and for a second both pause and gaze at each other. Just the two of them had not gotten a scratch throughout the night. The amount of work spent in his work to get the best at this game led to this result, but what about that man? Why did he train so hard? Did he also want to be a part of this badly?  

Then Taehyung broke eye contact when domin spoke up, while the guy put his hoodie back on.  

" Alright, now the remaining you all have levelled up. There is 9 of you in total. From now on, you will be provided with accommodation, food, and water. And by the end of the week, we will have decided who will be a part of the team, and who won't, but to warn you, it will only get harder from here so don't get too excited, there are chances of you losing any second. "  

Taehyung knew it was not going to be easy to be a part of this industry. He knew being a part of the Jeon team would mean that you would have to be the best of the best and if not then you are getting nowhere nearby. The 20 people from today were elected individually by the team themselves. Each one from somewhere different.  

Taehyung got elected because he was somewhere at the right time, in front of the right person. He showed his skills, and soon enough a call came through. 

It was all the planning beforehand that led to this position right now.  

“Follow me.”  

Domin led them up from the basement on the main first floor. The difference in structure was almost astonishing. The main floor had a reception, looking like one of the most expensive hotels in all of Seoul. From the outside everything looks normal, it looks just like a 5-star hotel. Only the people inside right now know what kind of people live in such a place.  

“There are apartments on each floor. You will be assigned to stay with partners until the end of assessments.” Domin said and went to the receptionist who gave him a box of keys plastered on it.  

“You will first pick a number from the box and whoever the number matches, you will stay with them. Then I will give you a key to the inside of your apartment.”  

The number Taehyung picked turned out to be 6, so he looked around to find his partner by holding up his number. Not seeing anyone with a number 6, he frowned until he felt a tap on his shoulder. When he turned around, he saw the guy with a hoodie. The hood is still up but this time it is not covering his eyes, instead it's his hair.  

He tilted his head, confused. Until he saw the guy show him his number.  

“Oh, we're roommates.” Taehyung nodded, not knowing what else to say under the guy’s pressuring gaze.  

“Kim Taehyung. My name.” He said after a few seconds of silence.  

“Jungkook.” The guy nodded back.  

And then they just stood in silence.  

Taehyung noticed how similar they were in build and height, wondering if they are similar in age too.  

“How old are you, by the way? Quite young to be on this path.” He asked. 

 Frankly, not knowing how to sound friendlier or just not awkward. It was kind of his nature to not speak much, and if he did, he would sound off or just bored.  

“25.”  

“Ahh…” not as young as Taehyung initially thought but still.  

“You?”  

“Hmm?” Taehyung turned again. 

“ How old are you?”  

“ oh, 27.”  

Just two years of difference. Quite nice.  

Domin stood in front of them, before handing them the keys. He gave them a nod.  

“ Both of you, well done for today. Best matches I've ever seen.” He gave them a real smile, kind and gentle.  

Taehyung bowed. Kind of in joy that he was noticed. Good chances that he will now actually get selected.  

“Apartment 27, 11th floor.”  

Getting in the elevator with some other contestants, the space was tight, but enough to not actually touch shoulders. And one by one people get off, until it is just him and Jungkook left to be in the elevator. Seems like the top floor is given to them. Taehyung does not know if he should make small talk with the man or just keep quiet. There is some sort of uncertainty hanging in the air that Taehyung cannot put a taste to.  

The elevator stops, and suddenly they are on their floor. The apartment is close to the elevator; Taehyung puts the key in and opens it. He pauses for a second when he sees what's in front of him. The apartment is beautiful. Luxurious and open, windows overlooking the city ahead of them. Very fancy.  

Taehyung lets out a breath, “they are going all out for us.” He speaks.  

Walks forward and takes in whatever else is in the apartment. He goes towards the kitchen and opens the fridge, sees how it's full which contents his heart because boy was he hungry.  

“Do you want food?” he asks Jungkook, who has been utterly quiet, turning to take a look at him. The man has his back turned to him while looking out the window. His hands are in his pockets and his hood still up. 

 “ Jungkook.” he calls out again because the man seems to be lost in his world.  

He turns around, “ I dont want anything.” He utters softly and walks towards one of the rooms on the left.  

Taehyung stares at his retreating back for a second before he shrugs and gets to cook himself a simple meal, enough to give him energy for tomorrow.  

 []

“I-i can't do this anymore—“Taehyung cried his eyes out. His feet feel like they are on fire from how long he has been standing. His arms tremble at his side. And soon he feels a sharp sting at the side of his cheek where he was slapped. His cry slowed down as he tried to muffle it.  

“This is your first mistake, Taehyung. Never let me hear you say you can't do it, because you have to do it. If you can’t, I will make you do it.”  

Taehyung’s eyes lifted up to stare at his parents that were standing on his left. His mother’s harsh gaze on him, while her arms were crossed. His father standing right beside her also watching him with hawk eyes, his hands in his pockets.  

Maybe that’s what shatters Taehyung’s heart more and makes his lips quiver. His parents watch him while he gets violated by a random man—his supposed care takers, and protectors, watching as he gets shouted at over and over again.  

“ You will stay here for 3 hours more. Your teacher is doing you a favour by staying overtime so repay him with your diligent work.” Han Seonho says.  

Taehyung tries to not lose his mind, this means 3 hours more fighting, more boxing and more standing up. But he does not say anything. He just stands there, nodding at the command because if he utters a single disagreement, he might not only get off with a slap. It might end with him going to the hospital.  

The first conscious memory that Taehyung had of himself was not something that most kids would have. Something happy or something that is actually worth remembering, what he remembers is cruel violence. Just absolute brutality that always left Taehyung bruised black and blue. Along with breaking his heart each time.  

Maybe that is why Taehyung is so adamant with completing this mission. The mission which had stopped being a mission a long time ago. That is now his lifelong ambition. The one goal which he has worked for all his life is now his reality which he will make sure to be his success. He had put his hard work, sweat and tears into making sure that he is worthy enough to be the chosen one until the end of completing this mission. The one mission that his agency, the government, the country has all failed to complete till now.  

To defeat the Jeon empire.  

The most powerful conglomerate in the country.  

To the public, Jeon Industries is a multibillion-dollar corporation with investments spanning construction, luxury hotels, shipping, logistics, finance, private security, and international trade.  

But only half of the nation knew the actual truth behind the industry. Jeon Industries was the perfect disguise for the world’s most powerful mafia syndicate. The one that controlled every underground decision—their business stretching from drugs to guns. Their success is getting in the way of legal businesses, making them slowly disappear.  

It was the country’s largest ally when it came to economic aid. That was until they stopped being an ally and became the ones pulling the strings. 

The government had unknowingly created a monster. While Jeon Industries expanded its legal empire, its criminal counterpart quietly infiltrated every corner of the nation.  

And that’s when they decided to step in and stop this criminal organization. Agents after agents were sent in to destroy the business, but only bodies were left behind by the Jeons. No one yet has been able to get a single decent hint from the inside of the family. Of whom truly controls the underworld, which members of the family actually own and are part of the unholy organization. No one knows it yet. The faces, the full names, the people, its all just one big mystery that the government has yet to solve.  

That is why they sent in Taehyung. Not only that—they trained him. They brought him up just for this one purpose, to destroy, not disappoint. His parents were agents as well, when they heard of this mission, they decided to have a child and no matter how the child was, female or male, they had to be the next agent taking down this empire.  

Taehyung doesn’t truly know why his parents are so invested, or why they are so passionate, specifically about this business. He can only guess that it is all just for their own selfish desire to be known as more than just the Kims, they want to be known as the legendary agents that took down an empire built by blood.  

He sighs as he puts down his fork. Thinking of his life while eating is one of his least favourite hobbies; the disheartening memories of his life kind of fill him up.  

He washes the dishes, but while he does so, he hears footsteps, so he turns and watches Jungkook enter the kitchen, his hood still up.  

It kind of annoys Taehyung, he doesn’t understand why. But the fact that he can't see his face or expressions properly enough to analyze his emotions might just be the answer as to why.  

“ Hey..” he says, and Jungkook looks up to match his gaze.  

“ Hi.” He then goes to the fridge and takes out an apple.  

“ If you are hungry, I have made too much food to finish so there's leftovers. I can heat it up for you.”  

“ no i—hmm—if you say so, alright.”  

Taehyung nods with a small content smile, he takes a portion out in a plate and puts it in the microwave for it to heat up. Then puts it in front of Jungkook, sitting right across him again.  

It wouldn’t be fair to not get to know the guy. While Taehyung is not one to get too curious about other people, in this environment, for a job like this, he is.  

Jungkook slowly eats his food, while Taehyung just stares at him. He knows it’s a bit unsettling, but he doesn’t really care.  

“ So Jungkook, how come you want this job?” He asks, looking at the guy patiently.  

Jungkook raises his eyes, and frowns.  

“ the reason that we all want it for...?”  

“ And what is that?”  

“Money.”  

Taehyung chokes a laugh, he nods. “That sounds about right.”  

There's a few seconds of silence.  

“ So why do you need money?” He asks again. Jungkook stares at him for a few seconds. “What? We might not see each other again, who knows who's passing tomorrow’s exams.”  

Jungkook rolls his eyes, “Fine then. We’ll ask each other questions. I need money for my family. Why do you need money?”  

“Because of my grandmother. She's hospitalized and we don't have anyone else to rely on for the cost. I need a good amount of money to afford her treatment.”  

What he said is kind of half-truth. They have arranged for a grandmother that can take part in his story while she is in a comma. It's just not his grandma. Though they have made his background as believable as possible. By putting some realness into it, no one would be able to guess otherwise.  

“Though you are young, Jungkook. Did you not go to university?” He asked.  

“ I did.”  

“Oh? What did you study?”  

“Business.”  

Taehyung’s eyebrows lifted. 

“Seriously?” 

Jungkook nodded once. 

“I don’t look like someone who studied business?” 

“You look like someone who’d major in…” Taehyung tilted his head, pretending to think hard. “Intimidation.” 

Jungkook looked up. 

“…That’s not a degree.” 

“It should be.” He shrugged. “ Just why do you always have your hood up? Who are you trying to intimidate?” There was a slight tease in his voice. And it seemed to do the work when Jungkook smiled a bit, scoffing. And when the corners of his mouth lifted, the youthful look appeared again. He looked better like this, seemed more content with his life–but again, if you are in this line of work then can you really be content with your life?  

“ No one…” he answered, taking another scoop of the food. Taehyung hummed, not believing him.  

“ So you just like to give off a mysterious vibe?”  

Jungkook smiled again, he shook his head. He was a shy lad from the little time Taehyung got to know him. His smile is sweet and gentle, the way he looks down, and the way he keeps himself has an adorable touch on it.  

“ I'm just teasing, dont worry. The hood up looks good on you.”  He sits back on his chair.  

All his life he wondered if he would ever have friends, someone he could keep close to and tell his struggles to. Explain the real him, his own desires and his own dreams. But having his parents write out his life before he was even born led to him not having one single friend all his life. His life was spent without anyone other than his parents and the agents. All of them only encapsulate him with this one mission. If he had a sibling, his loneliness might have gotten sorted out, but even that was a stretch when he asked his parents for one. They strictly forbade him from uttering the word friend or sibling. They also made sure to never actually give him a family bond to keep his act close to being real. The Kim Taehyung they wrote about, his mother had died at childbirth while his father was lost somewhere in the world. He did not have any other siblings and only his grandmother. Grew up poor and did not have education further than just high school. While the actual Kim Taehyung grew up in the most luxury one could have–though only with materials. The newest books, most high-quality foods, and expensive clothes. And most importantly, tutored by all highly wanted tutors. His education was full, in every topic. But all of that is just hidden. Even during all of those high-quality times in his life, he still was taught to live as though his fake life was his reality. That is why he wasn't given the comfort of family, nor friends.  

But now, sitting in front of Jungkook, a man that is close to his age. Just two years younger than him, a person that he is able to have a conversation with while not being under anyone’s gaze feels good. It makes him feel free but also elated that he is finally able to share a moment with a person similar to himself. Similar in age too.  

“Thank you for the food.” Jungkook shyly mutters, takes his plate and washes it up, then places it up in the cupboards.  

“ Do you have any guesses about what tomorrow's exam will be?” He asks, walking towards the sofa. 

“ Not really…”  

“ Well I think they are going to test our intelligence or gun abilities…I mean that seems to be the most common sense, right?” he says, wondering if his guesses are actually right.  

The agents before him have all failed in terrible ways, gotten exposed just within weeks, before they could report back the ways and the exams to the agency. So, there wasn’t any way in which the corporation could have prepared him specifically for the roles. Instead, they prepared him for everything imaginable. Whether it be gun practices or showcasing intelligence.  

“ You might be right…i dont really know.”  

Taehyung then got up, placed a hand over Jungkook's shoulder.  

“ If it is group work, dont worry I will have your back.” he smiles at him, feeling very much paternal over the overgrown guy. He just doesn't know why or how, but he just wants to take care of him. It would be good if they could get in the team together, but Taehyung is not sure how Jungkook would react to his actual purpose. So maybe, getting overly close is not the way, he might not enjoy his company once the truth is revealed, and that might lead to Taehyung’s heartbreak. He doesn’t want to lose Jungkook as a friend.  

Taehyung wipes his forehead, getting a headache.  

Getting this attached this early is not a good sign at all; I should maybe just slow myself down.  

“Anyways, I am going to sleep. So good night, Jungkookie.” He patted the guy’s shoulder again, going to his room.  

The night was about to be long, with him wondering what the next assessments would be or how he should act towards Jungkook so as not to get attached to him too much.  

Guess time will just be long enough to tell everything.  

[]

"Today's assessment will test three things." 

He paused. 

"Accuracy." 

A beat. 

"Decision-making." 

Another pause. 

"And teamwork." 

That last word immediately caught Taehyung's attention. 

He looked towards Jungkook with wide eyes and smiled at him. Placing a hand over his shoulder, “I got you.” He giggled at his own words. 

While Jungkook just nodded.  

“There will be two teams, each person will be given a gun. The game is to eliminate the other team, and to do so you just must shoot the other person. The guns won’t be real, and inside it will have paint colors.”  

Taehyung looked at Jungkook again with wide eyes, “No way i was right.” he giggled again, making Domin give him a look.  

“ So do we choose the teams ourselves?” Someone asked.  

And Domin nodded. “It's up to you. Whoever you want in your team. But bear in mind it will be disfigured, one team will have five members while the other will be 4.”  

Taehyung turned to Jungkook once again, “ We will be together so I can back you up. I don't want to eliminate you.” he whispered.  

“Confident enough.” Jungkook raised an eyebrow. And Taehyung nodded, a wide grin on his face.  

Soon two other people came close to them, and they decided to be a team together. Taehyung knew anything was possible, and he wasn’t about to trust his future in the hands of his team. He is going to take everything in his hands and make his team win. And he knows he can, because he has trained for this very thing.  

The place Domin brought them to is very big. Quite maze-like, but not in a lovely way–the colors being light or trees. They’re surrounded by darkness; the buildings being broken, and it smells like absolute trash. Make it all a tad bit scarier, but Taehyung wasn’t fazed at all. He has faced harsher situations to get himself trained for the worse.  

“ both teams will be on opposing sides. Remember, try to eliminate as many as you can in the span of 15 minutes. Good luck.” Domin slowly left.  

The outfits they were given were a bit heavy; there was a protection cover to not get hurt. There weren't bullets in the guns, but the shots might still be strong enough to injure or bruise parts of them. Taehyung turned to Jungkook.  

“Just be behind me at all times, Ok?”  

The conclusion Taehyung made before he slept last night was that it is fine that he feels this sort of protection over Jungkook. Maybe it's because he always wanted a younger sibling, or just a friend. Now with Jungkook he can take care of him as he would be with a friend. He just needs to keep his mind intact to understand that he is not going to be his forever friend. And that is alright, after he completes his mission, he will finally be free enough to make his own decisions, and then he will have many friends close to his heart.  

Soon there’s a loud whistle from the speakers and everyone takes their guard.  

Taehyung puts up his mask and takes his stance.  

Though something in him shifts, suddenly the smile and friendly personality is left behind and now it's all about focus. All that remains is the person he trained to become. There are sounds of footsteps, but Taehyung is focusing more on himself. They start walking forward, hiding behind the half-built walls.  

“ Stay close.” he whispers again, but before he could move, Jungkook held his arm.  

“ You’re really serious about protecting me.” he says, and Taehyung frowns.  

“ obviously.”  

"Even though we're competing against everyone here?" 

"Yes." 

Jungkook stared. 

Taehyung shrugged. 

"You are my teammate." 

A loud sound of shot cracked the moment. They both stiffened as they looked forward, and right there they could see the opposing team just shot–too bad, they missed.  

Taehyung immediately shifted so he could hide his whole body behind the wall, his members following him. He looked closely to see anyone, and when he saw how one of the members of the opposing team was moving forward, he immediately forwarded his gun to shoot. And when he did, the dart was placed right at the man’s heart.  

One down–4 more to go.  

The announcement echoed through the speakers, the eliminated player sensor flashing red as he cursed under his breath before stepping away from the battlefield. 

Taehyung did not waste another second looking at him. 

The moment someone was out, they became irrelevant. 

His eyes moved back towards the remaining members of the opposing team, scanning every possible location they could be hiding in. The abandoned structure was built to make people lose their sense of direction. Every corner looked the same, every hallway leading into another broken room, every shadow capable of hiding a person. 

The walls were damaged, leaving openings that allowed him to see through different areas. The broken windows gave away slight movements whenever someone passed by. The uneven floors meant footsteps could easily reveal where someone was coming from. 

He had trained in places far worse than this. 

This was almost comfortable. 

"Two on the right." 

Jungkook's voice came quietly from beside him. 

Taehyung immediately looked in the direction he mentioned. 

Nothing. 

He narrowed his eyes. 

Then he saw it. 

A small movement. 

The edge of someone's clothing disappears behind a wall. 

How did Jungkook even notice that? He didn’t let himself wonder more, because he took his stance. The second they moved again, he would shoot. And that’s what he did. Another one, right by his arm.  

“ Thanks for that.” he smiled at Jungkook.  

They started moving forward. There were 3 other people, and while one of them Taehyung could guess where he was, the other two, he had no idea. They were not making any sound, nor was he seeing anything.  

Suddenly as they were moving, a shot rang through, Taehyung stopped in his tracks, stiffened and looked back. When he saw that it wasn’t Jungkook who got shot, instead it was another guy in their team, he let out a relieved sigh.  

With his head low, he left their side after his name was announced.  

“ Fuck, now it’s 3-3.” he said, realizing that now its equal, which means there’s now an equal chance of them losing. He cursed.  

“ Get moving, they are coming close.” Jungkook hissed by his side, and Taehyung nodded. No need to mourn. They need to take out the other three. If one of them was able to shoot, then that means, he is just hiding behind one of the walls in front of them. Taehyung takes his stance again and slowly walks forward.  

Come on, show yourself.  

He kept his eyes wide to see anything that moved. But nothing was in front of him. He was annoyed, but only because he hated waiting–which is ironic because he has waited to complete one mission for 27 years, but right now the silence is making him weary and stiff. The silence stretched for too long, making every second feel heavier. The empty hallway in front of them looked almost suspiciously clear. No movement. No sound. No indication that anyone had been there at all. Which meant they were hiding well. Or preparing something. 

Taehyung lifted his hand slightly, signaling his teammates to stop.  

Everyone froze. 

He looked around. The broken walls are on either side. The open windows. The dark rooms that are connected to the hallway. Too many places. Too many possibilities. 

"They're not ahead," one of the teammates whispered. 

Taehyung didn't answer. Because he knew that wasn't true. He looked closely, and that's when he felt a sudden breeze to his right.  

But immediately he was harshly pushed against the wall, making him wince when his shoulder hit the wall hard. He looks up to see Jungkook standing in his place and shooting a shot to the man who just tried to shoot Taehyung. And not any later, another team of theirs came forward and before anyone could even comprehend what was happening, Jungkook shot again. It happened in an instinct. In approximately 30 seconds, Jungkook was able to shoot two men. Everyone was left stunned–no one could understand how a man was able to shoot as quickly as that. 

Taehyung frowned; he looked at Jungkook. 

How.. Just how is this possible? What kind of training did Jungkook have for him to be able to do this as quickly as this, and as smooth.   

But nonetheless 2 more men were down. Only one more was left.  

Jungkook came closer to him, “ I am sorry, pushed you way too hard..i just saw it and didn’t think twice…sorry.” His head was as low as possible. Seemingly very frustrated by his own actions.  

Taehyung stood up straight and placed a hand over Jungkook’s shoulder.  

“ Don't worry, you did good. I am fine.” he said quickly so that they can move on to their next target.  

But Jungkook held onto his arm making Taehyung turn, “ Are you sure?” He looked at him with his big Bambi eyes that made Taehyung melt. He ruffles the younger’s hair and smiles.  

“ yes silly…that did not hurt me!”  

“fucking focus both of you, will you?” the third guy with them, hisses. It makes Taehyung frown, because how dare he? Him and Jungkook have gotten them this forward, yet this guy has the nerve to chide in.  

But he does not say anything; he just rolls his eyes and focuses.  

They start moving forward, though thankfully the last kill does not come out to be hard. The guy makes the grave mistake of making too much noise while walking, so Taehyung just walks closely behind and finally finds him, and soon just shoots him from the back.  

The whistle blows, and quickly their success is spoken. He looks at the time and it’s 7 minutes in.  

Not bad.  

Domin comes forward, and they all stop in their tracks.  

“Congratulations. You 3 succeeded in this round.” he says with a straight face, seemingly not having an ounce of happiness.  

Taehyung turned to Jungkook and raised his hand for a high five, “we did amazing, Jungkookie.”  

“Anyways, follow me to go back to your apartments.” Domin turned around and started walking.  

Taehyung draped his arm around Jungkook’s shoulder, and they headed after the man.  

[]

Taehyung knew he had to keep his eyes wide open, forcing himself to memorize every twist, turn, landmark, and checkpoint they passed. He knew that every second mattered. Because one day he would have to recount it all to his team. One mistake, one forgotten corner or overlooked face, could mean the difference between bringing the empire down and walking straight into a trap. As he carried on the conversation with Jungkook, offering the occasional response or question to keep the interaction natural, the rest of his attention was elsewhere. Watching the journey from the abandoned building type of thing to back to their apartments.  

Once they left the building, they were sitting in the car just the same way they had come, but this time without giving much notice to everyone else in the car, he tried to move the blinds from the window in order to have a good look at everything. The streets rolled past one after another, and he committed each one to memory. He studied every turn the driver made, every intersection they crossed, every landmark that stood out from the rest. Because when the time came, he wanted to provide his team with every location where the workers were housed, every building they occupied, and every route they used. So that the Jeons would have nowhere to run. So that they would be found with the highest form of evidence. And Taehyung would make sure of that–he just needs to keep his focus.  

They stopped in front of the apartment building and made their way out, but before they could go their own ways, Domin stopped them again.  

“ Before you go to your rooms, I have something else prepared for you guys, so follow me.” and then he walked towards the basement area in which they had the boxing match at.  

Taehyung frowned, not sure as to what was expecting them. What could they have prepared? He wonders, and then turns to Jungkook, questioning him with just his eyes which Jungkook replied to with just a shrug.  

When they got to the bottom, Domin turned in another direction, opposite the place where the ring was at. And when he opens the door with a lock, a strange, almost not breathable stench comes out. Taehyung immediately blocks his nose, his insides turning upside down with the disgusting smell. The other guy in their team curses also blocking his nose.  

“ What the fuck is this?” he yells, but Domin just gestures to them to enter. And once they did, Taehyung could not comprehend what he was seeing.  

The long corridor stretched endlessly before them, lined on either side with rows of cells. Thick steel bars replaced solid walls, turning each room into a cage rather than a living space. They looked less like bedrooms and more like prison cells, or enclosures built to contain dangerous animals.  

Taehyung released a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He stepped forward a bit, unknowingly placing himself in front of Jungkook. He felt as though something was wrong, as if something heavy was about to come their way.  

Was this another test? But they just had one. Not knowing the reason made him feel uneasy and uncomfortable.  

Domin keeps walking, and they watch every room with wide eyes. Nothing was inside, just an empty-looking place, but still, the darkness surrounding it made its silence very loud.  

When Domin came to a halt in front of a door at the end of the corridor, he took out another key to open the door. Then he stepped inside, Taehyung following right after him, keeping Jungkook right behind himself.  

He froze at the sight in front of him–what the fuck.  

There was a man tied to a chair, his wrists and ankles bound so tightly the ropes had cut into his skin. A strip of thick tape was pressed firmly over his mouth, muffling the weak sounds that escaped him. His face was barely recognizable beneath the damage. One eye had swollen completely shut, while the other was bloodshot and glazed with pain. Fresh blood trickled from a split brow, drying in dark streaks down his temple and across his cheek. Cuts and gashes covered his arms, chest, and neck; some still bleed while others had already begun to clot. His clothes hung from him in torn, blood-soaked strips, and every shallow breath caused his battered body to tremble, as though even the simple act of breathing had become agonizing. Taehyung stared at what was barely left of a man. He didn’t really know what was the appropriate way to react. The sounds from the man in front of him to the sight of him was all way too troubling. He looked at Domin who gazed at the man with barely any expressions, looking like someone who’s too used to sights like this.  

“ what the fuck is this?” the third man in their group hissed. Sounding angry, or more so afraid. Taehyung didn’t know either.  

“ Your next assessment.” Domin smiled–kind of unsettling if you asked Taehyung. This was the last place in which one should smile.  

“ What do you mean?” Jungkook asked.  

“ So,” Domin breathed out, “ this man here, was a previous colleague of ours. He used to work very closely with us, with me…turns out he is a bitch. A lowlife that isn’t worthy of a penny. In short, he gave out important information to the enemies, kind of setting us back with some stuff. You must remember that one thing the boss doesn’t take kindly is betrayal. Or liars. If you lie to him, he will make sure to first make your life a living hell, kill all your loved ones, then chop you up by his own hands. We found out that this guy betrayed us yesterday, so we decided to make him your test subject.” he moved forward to stand behind the guy and clap him on his shoulder, making the man flinch harshly and quiver out a whimper.  

“ your last and final exam.” Domin looked up at them and smiled.  

“ W-what do you want us to do?” The third guy speaks up. He seems to be the most shakened one in between all.  

When Taehyung looked at Jungkook to see how he was holding up at the sight, he only noticed a blank look on his face. His arms crossed and did not show much emotion. Seems like he isn’t fazed much at the horrifying sight in front of him.  

While Taehyung, he can’t say he is affected much. When he looks at the guy in front of him, it just brings back memories of himself. Of when he made a big mistake in his life and ended up in an exact position like that. Roughed and bloody. It took a month and a half for him to heal up. Of course, for his wounds to heal up. The damage it did to his brain and heart–Taehyung shakes his head. He doesn’t want to remember it.  

“ It’s simple, really. I will hand you a gun, this time a real one, and whoever finishes him first wins. I just need to see your cruelty and desire to get this job.” He finishes his sentence off as if he just complimented someone.  

There's silence for a few seconds.  

Taehyung understands this exam. They are doing it to see who is fit to handle killing and beating, who is cold hearted enough for such a sight to not be fazed by it much.  

Though he hadn't expected them to choose only one person from the entire group. He had assumed they would accept several recruits, but apparently, they were incredibly selective about who they allowed into their ranks. Maybe that was the reason every operation against the Jeons had ended in failure. They kept their inner circle so tightly guarded that infiltrating it was nearly impossible.   

But Taehyung will–he needs to. He needs to take the gun from Domin’s hands and point it straight at the already half dead guy’s heart. Though his heart kind of shivers at the thought,  

This will be his first kill.  

He gulps.  

Domin comes towards them, and the gun is stretched forward. Though no one moves forward to grab it.  

“ D-dude this is fucking crazy!” the guy next to him says, he looks at the gun, “ Y-you can’t expect us just to kill someone!”  

Domin scoffs, “What did you think you were signing up for? This is your job. Killing. To protect this empire, the boss, the corporation– you must kill. Unalive. Butcher.”  

Taehyung looked at Domin, and then he looked at the man crying in front of him. He let out soft whimpers and cries. It might be better to kill him than let him suffer this way. Because when it was Taehyung, he would have preferred that someone had shot him right then and there. It would have finished his suffering.  

“ B-but y-you get trained and shi–that’s how you start killing–you can’t expect us to just–”  

Their voices muffled when Taehyung saw the liquid fall down the man’s pants, before the smell got to his nose.  

He just peed himself.  

Before he could stop himself, he snatched the gun from Domin’s hand and pointed it straight at the man. He didn’t count how many seconds he just stood there pointing the gun at the man or realized how everyone froze and looked at him.  

What he saw was the man’s already paralyzed state–and the way he just peed himself.  

So, he pressed the trigger, and a shot rang through the room. Sounding louder than usual, leading to the ringing in Taehyung’s ears. His head was spinning, but he just stood there, still pointing.  

When the haze in his eyes cleared, he saw the blood oozing out the man’s mouth as he choked. And the clear wound on his chest. Right at his heart.  

His arm fell to his side, and he turned to Domin.  

They stared at each other for a second, “ So?” Taehyung let out.  

Then domin smiled, a full-blown wide smile before coming forward and clapping Taehyung’s shoulder.  

“ Well done. You’re in.”  

You’re in.  

The sound repeated.  

Taehyung breathed out.  

Did he do it? 

Was he in?  

Domin took the gun from him. “ The rest, you are free to go home.” With that he turned to leave; Taehyung and others followed. He did not turn back to take a last look at the man. He did not want to see what he just did. His heartbeat was still not at a normal pace, nor was his mind. He kept his hands in his pocket so that no one else could see how badly it was shaking.  

When they got to the first floor, and finally weren’t surrounded by darkness, Taehyung realized what his action just caused.  

He turned to Jungkook immediately, acknowledging him again.  

Fuck, this meant it was time for them to part their ways.  

Taehyung coughed; he did not know how to face the guy after what he just did. He did not know how to act normally when his hands were just painted in blood.  

“ i…I guess it's time?” He said. Unsure.  

“ Yeah..” Jungkook replied.  

“ Uhm…don’t worry, I am sure you will be able to find a job..” he says, and it sounds awkward. 

Immediately, Taehyung wanted to hit himself. 

A job? 

That was the best he could come up with? 

After everything they had just witnessed? 

Jungkook stared at him for a second, almost like he was trying to understand whether Taehyung was being serious or not. 

Then, surprisingly, the corner of his lips lifted. 

“Yeah. I’m sure.” 

The silence that followed was strange. Not uncomfortable exactly. 

They had only known each other for a few hours, yet somehow Taehyung had gotten used to having Jungkook beside him. Having someone else there while he walked through unfamiliar hallways. Someone else to talk to, even if their conversations were mostly simple and boring.  

Now they were just supposed to leave. 

Like they had never met. Like they hadn’t both stood in that room and seen what they were expected to become. 

Taehyung looked away first. 

His eyes landed on the floor, on anything except Jungkook. 

Because if he looked at him, he was scared he would see it. 

The judgement. The disgust. The realization of what Taehyung had done. 

But Jungkook didn't look at him like that. 

If anything, he looked… curious. 

“You’re shaking.” 

Taehyung froze. 

“What?” 

Jungkook’s eyes dropped briefly to his hands, hidden inside his pockets. 

“You’ve been doing that since we left.” 

Taehyung immediately tightened his hands into fists. 

“I’m fine.” 

A lie. 

A terrible one. 

Jungkook didn’t call him out on it. 

He simply nodded. 

“Sure.” 

That somehow bothered Taehyung more. He expected questions. 

He expected someone to ask why he hesitated. Why did he look like he was about to fall apart despite being the one who pulled the trigger. 

But Jungkook didn’t. 

He just stood there. 

Quiet. 

The same way he had been since they first met. 

“Take care, I guess,” Taehyung finally said. 

The words felt strange coming out of his mouth. 

Take care. 

As if they were normal people. 

As if they weren’t standing outside an organization that recruited people by forcing them to prove they could kill. 

Jungkook looked at him. 

Then he gave a small nod. 

“You too.” 

And that was it. 

That was supposed to be it. 

Taehyung turned away, ready to walk in the opposite direction. 

But after a few steps, he stopped. He turned and walked back to Jungkook.  

“ You can always find me if you ever need something. I will be there. You can get a good job, Jungkook. You are young, you have your degree, I am sure you can find a path in life that is more fulfilling. But if things get hard, dont forget to reach out. I can help you, money or anything else. I will always be a friend to you. You are like my younger brother, so-so don’t be shy to reach out to me.” he kept his words precise and expressions bland, but then he enclosed his arms around Jungkook’s shoulder, giving him a hug.  

He had never hugged anyone in his life, so maybe it was a bit more awkward than expected, but surprisingly, Jungkook’s arms slowly moved and wrapped around his waist. Not too tight, just enough to feel its presence.  

It didn’t last long. Taehyung moved back, and ruffled Jungkook’s hair one last time, before he slowly backed away.  

Jungkook raised a hand, a small smile on his lips as Domin ushered them outside. And slowly he was out of view.  

Domin came back inside the building.  

“ Kim Taehyung, congratulations. You are truly one deserving man for this position. I have been watching you from the beginning and your execution of every assessment was perfect. No mistakes, and solid takes. Today too, your aim is of a trained person. But i have read your background check, and you did not seem to have any training..” his voice wasn’t suspicious from what Taehyung gathered, he just sounded very in awe.  

“ I trained very hard in the military camp.” Taehyung responded. His heartbeat sounded a bit crazier.  

Domin smirked, “ Every man at today’s game had trained hard at the military camp..but if you say so.” he shrugged and moved forward.  

“ Tonight you can sleep in the apartment provided for you. Tomorrow I will explain everything more in detail and take you to the place you will be staying at. You will meet most of the people, and also your guide. But tonight, you can just rest.”  

“ Alright then I will take my leave.” Taehyung immediately turned around to leave. He was exhausted; he just needed some space.  

When he entered his apartment and the door clicked shut, he noticed how for the first time he was alone. Truly alone.  

He stood there for a moment, his hand still resting on the door handle, as if his mind had not caught up with what had just happened. 

He was in. 

He actually made it in. 

The thought repeated itself, almost as loudly as Domin’s voice had earlier. 

You’re in. 

He walked forward, dropped himself on the couch.  

The first part of his mission is done. He has gotten himself in, and somewhat it still doesn’t feel real. He almost thinks he is hallucinating, until he remembers the horrors and the shaking after killing someone–for sure someone wouldn’t have reacted like that if they were hallucinating.  

He got himself in, by killing someone. By killing a human being.  

His parents made him for this mission. Birthed him just for this one purpose, and now he has the first part completed.  

As though something in him shifts, the thought of his parents disgusts him. Just thinking about them fills him with rage.  

Just for their ugly purpose, he was made a doll. A robot. To complete their dreams, their hopes. 

Killing people, fighting people, looking at blood, feeling bloody. All of it. Because of them.  

Once this mission is done, he knows his relationship with his parents will be done. Their time would end.  

That night, Taehyung couldn't sleep. Not even for a second. Every time he closed his eyes, he went back there. Back in that room. The cold walls. The metal bars. The sound of that man's muffled cries. And then him. The gun in his hand. The look in the man's eyes. It replayed over and over again, like his mind was punishing him for what he had done. The worst part was that his memory didn't show him the moment clearly. It showed him everything. Every detail he wished he could erase. The man's bruised face. The blood running down his skin. The way his body trembled in fear. The way his eyes begged for something—anything—to make it stop. Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut, but it only made it worse. The darkness behind his eyelids transformed into the same scene. The man was there again. Staring at him. Accusing him. And no matter how many times Taehyung tried to remind himself that it was necessary, that it was part of the mission, that this was what he had trained for his entire life... his mind didn't care. All it remembered was that he was the reason the man's suffering ended.  

His breathing became uneven as he sat up, his heart racing against his chest. The room was silent. Too silent. But all Taehyung could hear was the echo of that moment. The sound of the gunshot. The silence afterwards. He looked down at his hands. They were clean. There was no blood. No evidence. Nothing that proved what he had done. Yet he could still feel it. Like the blood had seeped beneath his skin and stained him somewhere, nobody could wash away. 

 For the first time in years, Taehyung wondered if maybe his training hadn't prepared him for this. Maybe they had taught him how to kill. But they never taught him how to live with it afterwards.  

And as the hours passed, with sleep refusing to come, one thought kept repeating in his mind.  

He was inside. He succeeded.  

But the victory felt nothing like he imagined. Because to enter the Jeon empire, he had to become someone he was afraid of. 

[] 

“change of plans. I am taking you to meet the boss.” Domin explained to him once he got in the car, in the passenger seat.  

But Taehyung paused. His hands stilled for a second. He looked at Domin again, thinking he did not hear him right.  

“ Sorry?”  

“ You are meeting the boss, so better prepare yourself.”  

“ The boss…you mean..” 

“ Yes, the big man himself. Mr Jeon. The person that handles the entirety of the empire.” Domin sighed.  

Fuck. Was it going to be this easy? 

Taehyung thought as he sat back in his seat. Just how quickly will he finish this mission? He thought meeting the boss would at least take him some months–but for him to immediately meet the man…he did not expect it.  

He will finally see the man. He will finally see the person who has been the cause of making his life a living hell. He is finally able to make a face of a man that has the whole country controlled with just his pinky. He smiled. Feeling giddy.  

As the drive continued, he noticed how they were going out of the city. How slowly buildings stretched into trees. He did not know where he was meeting the boss but he knew to keep his gaze focused as to where they were moving in order to be able to recount it all, road by road. But soon when it was 1 hour into their journey, Taehyung noticed the lack of signs, and the lack of street names.  

“ Where are we?” he asked Domin.  

“ We are in his area, it doesn’t really have a name. We just call it Jeon territory.” he answered.  

Fuck..this is going to be hard. How the fuck is the government allowing this? Streets not named. Area’s not named.  

After some more driving through the woods, they finally came towards the gates.  

And Taehyung, he was breathless for a second.  

The gates were tall. And not just normal tall, they were ginormous. Stretching so far high, surpassing the forest trees. Along the gate, there were walls as tall, going all around. He did not know where it stopped. But once in through security, which Taehyung noticed was through fingerprints (ridiculous). The car did not stop anytime soon after they got in through the gates.  

The annoying maze-like road stretched so far ahead that Taehyung almost lost count.  

But they were approximately 45 minutes inside the gates when Taehyung finally saw what was almost like a castle-like mansion in front of them. There was another pair of gates, but nothing like the first one, that separated the beautiful, elongated mansion from what was like a maze. They went through security a second time, this time through a picture, and Domin explained to the security who Taehyung was and why he was here.  

While he did that, Taehyung took in the number of bodyguards. Ungodly amounts were standing all around the mansion. Each in pairs of two and all of them in all areas of the garden.  

How the fuck were his agents supposed to get through this and take this down?  

Soon, after all the fuss, they were inside. First, he noticed the bodyguards again, but second, fuck…the design and structure of the mansion was almost made to make people hypnotized. The beauty of it left Taehyung in awe. The way everything was luxurious and expensive, Taehyung could not comprehend.  

“ He is waiting for you in his study…” Domin said, leading him through the wide stairs.  

“ Is this his house?” he asked. And Domin nodded.  

“ one of his many…his main is here. It is the Jeon family house, but his siblings prefer to reside in their own places.”  

“ Why did he ask for me..?”  

Throughout the ride, there was a nagging feeling that something was wrong. Did they figure it out? Is that why he is already here?  

There were so many questions that made Taehyung’s anxiety rise.  

“ Don’t worry, he just wants to get to know you. He is inside that room. You go in. I will be downstairs.” He says, and heads back down.  

While Taehyung, feeling his heart shake, lifts his light weighted hand and knocks on the door.  

He feels really lightheaded. His body is a bit rigid, but other than that, he can’t seem to focus on anything else.  

A soft voice comes from the inside, and Taehyung slowly presses on the doorknob in order to enter.  

He steps inside, and the first thing he notices is the calming scent. Of hazel and caramel, almost made to intentionally relax someone’s nerves.  

But then his eyes catch the man. The very person that his nerves are up because.  

He has his back turned to him, looking out of his lux wide windows.  

“Good morning,” he says, thankful that his voice does not shake.  

And slowly, the man turns around. Mr Jeon. the person every single media outlet, government, agencies, corporations are dying to know who is. And Taehyung is finally going to meet him in just about a second.  

When he finally turns around, and they are face to face–Taehyung can’t really say anything.  

Maybe because he is dumbfounded. Or maybe because he is simply just too shaken to say anything else. But what comes out is a question, a name.  

“ Jungkook?”  

For a second, the world seems to freeze. Or at least that’s what Taehyung feels like happens.  

Because why is Jungkook standing in front of him, so familiar but also so different. This time in a full-blown suit, instead of the tracksuit. His hair gelled up, showing his full face. And a wide smile plastered on his face.  

He looks exactly like Taehyung saw him last night, but also the complete opposite. Because this is not the 25-year-old that Taehyung saw as a little baby brother.   

This–this is a man.  

“Surprise?” Jungkook said, opening his arms a little bit.  

“ W-what is happening?” He asks, unsure. Is this a prank?  

Jungkook then rounds the desk and starts coming forward. Taehyung, not knowing what else to do, starts taking steps backward, until his back hits the door, standing face to face with Jungkook.  

“ Don’t you understand? It’s me, Jungkook. Jeon Jungkook. Your friend from last night, and your boss from now on.” His smile is not the same shy smile that Taehyung adored so much. It is–maniac. Almost crazy. It freaks him out a little bit.  

“ Why….” he whispers, not completing his sentence.  

“ Why did I lie? Nothing crazy, just wanted to see the contestants myself.” he doesn’t look away from Taehyung’s eyes. They stare at each other for what feels like eternity in Taehyung’s head, because the latter doesn’t know what to do nor what to say.  

“ Don’t be so surprised…you should be happy. It’s me. I am your boss, and because of that, I am promoting you. From now on, you will work directly under me. You do whatever I do and never leave my side. You said so, we are friends no matter what happens, so here it is, me promoting my friend to be by my side.” Jungkook tilts his head slightly, that menacing smile on his face still as he looks all over Taehyung’s face making the other man uncomfortable.  

He does not know whether he should be happy that now he is way ahead with his mission, or terrified that the person he had started to trust was someone he was supposed to bring down.  

He gulped down his dry mouth.  

He didn’t know what it was, but something about this felt terrifying. He couldn’t explain it, couldn’t place it, yet every instinct he had was telling him that something wasn’t right.  

And for the first time in his life, Taehyung felt frightened when he thought of completing this mission. Because he knew at the end of it would be a broken trust between him and the man, he thought to be his first ever friend.  

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