and Taehyung truly hates how soft, gentle and warm he sounds, for it's just making it harder for him to resist throwing himself into Jeongguk's arms.

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about..." Taehyung says, silently taking a deep breath before he turns towards Jeongguk. "It is what it is... I don't know you, Jeongguk-ssi." Taehyung adds, feeling his heart skip a beat when Jeongguk smiled, pushing a tongue on his cheek.

"You know, during a coma— although rare, I've read that sometimes it is still possible for the brain to pick up sounds despite the individual being unconscious... Judging from how guarded you looked like when you woke up earlier, +

I'm guessing that's what happened. I know you... Every damn bit of you. You can't lie to me Tae... That guy— he's been here, and you know it." Jeongguk says in a low voice, all while still putting emphasis on each of his words.

From there, Taehyung found his already unstable resolve crumbling. There's pain in Jeongguk's eyes, but there's also that unspeakable amount of need— longing, and it's starting to make Taehyung wonder if he could really keep on pretending.

Still scared and unsure, Taehyung decided to stay silent, looking away from Jeongguk, only for Jeongguk to gently hook his finger under his chin, turning him towards him again.

"Please... Tell me you remember me... Tell me you love me— that you still love me... Please, Tae... I just got you back. I'm going crazy here—mmph..." Jeongguk wasn't able to finish what he was about to say when Taehyung suddenly grabbed him by the collar of his shirt,+

smashing their lips together. Taken aback, Jeongguk took a few good seconds before he could react. From there, he then started kissing Taehyung back—

He's kissing him back, relieved of all the damn fear he'd felt for the past two months, when he thought Taehyung might never wake up. It was hell— and right now, Jeongguk can proudly say that he got out of it, because finally, his Taehyung is here, alive and doing well.

"F:uck... You scared the sh¡t out of me baby... You have no idea—.." Jeongguk was once again shushed when Taehyung pecked his lips.

"Not here... I still can't trust this place, so let's talk once I'm able to get out of here, alright?" Taehyung whispers in heavy takes of breath, brushing his fingers over Jeongguk's hair, while mentally scolding himself for caving in sooner than what he initially intended.

"Gotcha... Don't worry. I'll get you out of here— soon... But for now, you have to promise me that you'll do your best to recover quickly... Can you do that for me, baby?" Jeongguk asks, pulling Taehyung to a tight hug.  "Okay... That would be easy— I think."

"Good. That's my baby..." Jeongguk pauses as he kisses Taehyung's cheek. "After tonight, the next time you'll see me is when I'll be taking you out of this place. Don't worry about me, for I've been taking care of myself. +

I know that I need to be safe so I can keep you safe." Jeongguk adds, placing another kiss on top of Taehyung's hair this time.

"You better... Promise me too that you won't do anything while I'm still here. I'm telling you— if something bad happens to you, I won't survive it, Jeongguk." Taehyung says, pulling back slightly from the hug so he can look Jeongguk in the eyes.

"Ah... I know. I feel the same too, so yeah— I promise... I'll be waiting for you, so be well soon." Jeongguk says, now cupping Taehyung's face. "I know that you have a lot of other questions you want to ask me.+

I know that right now, you're still overwhelmed, confused— scared... But we'll get through this.” Jeongguk nods with a smile on his face, convincing Taehyung and also himself. +

“I'm not doing sh¡t without you... I'll be with you— fight with you. I love you... So please, trust me enough to do that too." Jeongguk adds, failing to stop himself from crying again as Taehyung, leans into his touch, slowly nodding his head in response.

"Okay... Okay... Let's do that. I love you too, Jeongguk... I can die, but I don’t think I’m capable of ever forgetting you." Taehyung says, lips curling up to a smile— a genuine one, something that he only shows to Jeongguk.

"Nope. No more dying. We'll live the crap out of this lifetime—you and I. Keep that in mind, yeah?" Jeongguk replies, and when Taehyung leans in to kiss him, he feels like the world has finally made sense again. This fight is far from done. It had only barely begun.

#taekookau 𝚃𝙸𝚃𝙻𝙴 : 𝟿𝟿% 𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝙸𝙸𝙸

T/W murder T/W graphic descriptions of violence T/W mentions of blood [SOMEONE's POV] Sh¡t. "Sh¡t. Sh¡t. Sh¡t. Fcking bullsh¡t!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, ruffling my hair, clearly irritated after realizing I'd been misled.

I've been tailing this blasted car for almost an hour, just to discover that I've been wasting my time by following a dumb fcking stranger, a measly bodyguard to be exact.

The guy pulled over near the subway station, and normally—if I were in a better mood, I would leave it alone and try again another day, but I am enraged right now. I'm so furious that I want to scream, because seriously? How dare he?

How fcking dare that Jeon Jeongguk play me? How dare he squander my time? How could he make a mockery of me when he was supposed to d¡e tonight?

[You can play this as you read.] Mount Everest youtu.be/kwrYDTHKxiE

Despite the risk, I gathered my stuff from the back seat of my car and parked in an area where I knew there would be no cameras. I wore my gloves, mask, and cap while keeping my gaze fixed on the guy making his way down to the subway.

With my thoughts filled with wrath, I took a deep breath and continued on my route, following the guy's tracks and sliding in between the massive crowd—I fcking hate crowds.

From there, I silently pursued him from behind, keeping my head down, holding my favorite pair of scissors under the sleeves of my jacket. +

This will undoubtedly create a buzz, but I am not one to be concerned with what happens afterwards. All I want to do now is get rid of this indignation— this insane rage that resulted from being mocked.

I crept closer to the guy, using the crowd I despise to hide my presence. I do not know him— no, no I don't, but still, I need him to make a statement. I need him to set up an example. I need him to give that fcker, Jeon Jeongguk a warning.

He is next. To hell with everything else, once I plunge the blades of my scissors, it will be buried straight down his neck. 1 2 3

I counted my steps as I casually put my arm over the guy's shoulders, allowing us both to fit in between the throngs. I felt him flinch at my touch, but I'll be damned if I give him enough time to react. +

So, without wasting another second, I stabbed him on the neck with my scissors, twisting and screwing the metal over his flesh, piercing him straight into his veins,+

before pulling it out, calmly removing my coat, wrapping it around the blood-soaked scissors so no mess was spilled on the ground as I walked along the sea of people.

I smirked from a safe distance when I heard a faint thud on the floor, followed by a series of gasps that grew into violent shrieks of these individuals,+

who then began to swarm around the man I just k¡lled—without them realizing they're standing near the one who's responsible for it, Me.

That's more like it. Ah— this is what true power and control really is, It is to inflict fear. To startle. To scare.

It is to take. Take. Take— without ever giving back. It is to hurt. It is to cause pain and despair. True power is to take someone's life, that— without ever getting punished for it. [END OF SOMEONE's POV]

*** Jeongguk is now in his new home in Cheongdamdong. He must give credit to Jin for choosing a place that perfectly meets his preferences. +

As he enters, he is greeted by pure white walls and tiles, with a few black and wood accents. Jeongguk hopes that Taehyung will enjoy it as well; after all, this isn't just Jeongguk's home; it's also for Taehyung. Yet for now, Jeongguk understands that he has to be alone.

Truth is, Jeongguk has no solid plan. However, he knows that if he is to plan anything, then he must do it without being under the enemy's surveillance.

Clearly, they're up against a formidable foe; the psychopath they're after is someone who knows exactly what he's doing while also mastering the art of getting away with it.

Jeongguk had surreptitiously spent the last two months researching the 'Seoul Slasher's' known cases. Park Jihye Chang Hanbin Moon Gae-young Kim Yejin Son Ji-hyun Kang Nari Lee Haru

All of the 'slasher's' victims appear to be connected to the J group of companies in some way. They're all public figures, models, singers and actors, but one thing that Jeongguk noticed is how the slasher doesn't really care about his victim's gender.

The slasher's victims include both men and women who are neither too young nor too old. The victims are all clearly attractive. +

Sure, there are a few similarities, but the longer Jeongguk studies the victims' profiles, the more he comes to realize that they really don't look alike, and that's making it hard for Jeongguk to determine the slasher's exact type.

Now, in terms of him and Taehyung, Jeongguk is still unsure of who would be the slasher's next victim. According to Jeongguk's assessment, both he and Taehyung have been receiving the same bouquet of flowers, +

which could be interpreted to a number of reasons, the most notable of which is that the slasher probably hates both him and Taehyung, +

or he likes one of them and the slasher hates seeing them together. However, it all boils down to one fact— and that is they're both in danger.

Rolling the sleeves of his white dress shirt up, Jeongguk then poured himself a glass of whiskey, taking a sip as he stood by the glass windows, looking intently at the dim flickering lights outside. +

He took a deep breath, keeping all of his senses awake and alert, and from there, Jeongguk's lips curled up into a smirk. Finally, Jeongguk feels truly alone. 'Wait for me baby... We'll be together again soon.' Jeongguk thinks as he takes a sip of his drink.

. . . *Ring... Ring...* "Hello?" Jeongguk answers his phone, and when he heard what one of his body guards said, the glass he's holding slipped into his hold, shattering all over the floor.

He was indeed getting tailed earlier, and although Jeongguk escaped unscathed, someone else died at the hands of that madman. "*Sigh* I see... Please send my condolences to Seo-an-si's family." Jeongguk says as he hangs up the phone, anxiously clutching his phone.

** "There's no use. The station's completely packed. I couldn't even identify the victim from this angle," Hobi groans as he leans back in his chair, ruffling his hair as he & Yoongi continue to play the CCTV tape of the most recent incident that occurred in Seoul station today.

"I know, but we have to keep on trying. I've already requested a copy of the additional security cameras that surround the station. It might take some time, but the guy can't possibly disappear without leaving a trail behind. +

If we fail to get anything out of this, then he had just successfully mocked the police department. We've already taken enough damage, Hobs," Yoongi explains, replaying the video before the victim collapses. Han Seo-an, age, 35, working as Jeon Jeongguk's personal bodyguard.

"Jeongguk's right, though. He was being followed— stalked, and by the looks of it, if he hadn't done what he did— if he hadn't blindly lured that sick psycho out using his bodyguards as decoys,+

then he's probably the one who's dead right now... I just don't get it though? What does that guy want from Jeongguk?" Hobi wonders, because no matter how hard he tries to think about it, he still wasn't able to come up with an answer.

"I'm not sure, but at this point, it seems like a sick personal vendetta or something. That guy is really messed up— I mean, why do you think he killed the bodyguard?+

Was it because he got pissed after being tricked into thinking he was following Jeongguk, or was it for another reason? I don't know, but before this, I really didn't take that psycho as someone who would kill in broad daylight." Yoongi asserts, while Hobi nods in accord.

"He threw a tantrum. He did something completely out of character— totally different from how we expected him to act and respond. +

He did it to warn Jeongguk that he's capable of pulling off such a stunt," Joon says, overhearing some of Hobi and Yoongi's conversation as he enters the latter's office here in the police station.

"Joon? Wow, I thought I'd never see you again, man!— Wait, are you done with your break? Are we back in action?" Hobi asks, +

welcoming Joon back to the workplace after the latter had essentially vanished from their sight for over two months following the incident at CC's.

"Not quite, but I'm planning on it. Taehyung's awake, by the way," Joon replies, causing the two cops to arise. "Really? Thank heavens!" screams Hobi, as Yoongi breathes a sigh of relief. "Finally. How is he? I'm guessing he's seen Jeongguk already?" Yoongi asks Joon.

"Well, yeah... Though, according to Park, Taehyung's been insisting that he doesn’t remember Jeongguk since he woke up this afternoon. None of us bought it of course, not even Jeongguk." Joon says, taking a seat in front of Yoongi and Hobi's desk.

"Huh? Why though?" Hobi asks again. "Guk told us he suspects Taehyung is up to something. Maybe he knows the psychopath has been visiting him while he's unconscious.+

I honestly have no idea what's going on inside their heads, but I know I can't leave them alone. They're both too smart— also too reckless for their own good.+

They're dangerous— and that applies to both the psychopath as well as Taehyung and Jeongguk." Joon says, sliding a folder on Yoongi's desk, with a rather firm expression on his face.

"What's this?" Yoongi asks as he curiously inspect the contents of the folder. "A case study constructed by a stubborn spiteful genius. *Sigh* Basically, that's a daily diary of Jeongguk's observations while Taehyung was unconscious. +

He's been trying to figure out a pattern based on the times he and Taehyung received those petunia flowers. He also wrote all of the names and most of the accessible information regarding the doctors and nurses assigned to do rounds in Taehyung's room, +

as well as all of the delivery guys that sent the flowers to his Hannam-Dong home. There, you'll find that whenever Taehyung gets those flowers, Jeongguk will receive one soon after, +

and that the slasher has most likely been disguised as either a nurse or a doctor in order to freely enter and exit Taehyung's room. As of now, we still don't know how he's been doing it, but since Taehyung is already up, +

we don't have time to just sit and observe. Jeongguk is making a move, and Taehyung will follow suit shortly— that, I'm sure." Joon says as Yoongi and Hobi thumb through the folder.

"Tch, Tae just woke up. He's been in a coma for two months... Seriously, what can he do when right now I guess he couldn't even stand?" Yoongi remarks, furrowing his brows when he notices something.+

"Wait? 6'2? How did Jeongguk reach the conclusion that the slasher's height is around 6'2?" he asks.

"Apparently by meeting with all of the nurses and doctors assigned to check on Taehyung, the tallest of whom stands around 5'11, and when Guk checked the security footages,+

he noticed that there has been someone who appears to be significantly taller than the others, and that he stays inside Taehyung's room for no more than 5 minutes every time he pays Tae a visit—also, +

that someone only comes between 11:00 p.m and 4:00 in the morning." Joon says, turning from Yoongi to Hobi this time.+

"Anyway, I'm just here to pass on Jeongguk's message. He's planning to do something— and he needs our help. If you're both up for it, that is." Joon adds.

"It depends on his plan. Hobs and I narrowly avoided suspension due to our participation in CC's buy-bust operation, so if we screw up big time again, we might actually lose our badges," Yoongi states.

"Don't worry... This is something personal; we won't need anyone's authorization this time... It's no big deal... It's just that Jeongguk— is preparing to kidnap someone," Joon says before he proceeds to tell Yoongi and Hobi what Jeongguk has in mind.

*** [One Week Later] . . . Taehyung thinks that it's true, time really does pass by slowly when you're trying to rush. It's only been a week since he awoke and last saw Jeongguk, but Taehyung feels like it's been months.

He honestly cannot wait to get out of this damned hospital. Thankfully, the therapy has been going well. He can now stand and walk slowly, but to say he's back to normal would be a stretch because he's still a long way from it.+

His limbs and joints are still stiff and aching, so he needs to limit his movements, which causes Taehyung to lose more patience.

"There you go... Sleep, okay? I'll be back here first thing in the morning." Jimin says after tucking Taehyung in bed. Jimin has barely left his side this week,+

accompanying Taehyung to every check-up and therapy session, so Taehyung is beginning to wonder if Jimin is getting enough rest to stay healthy.

"You don't have to, Chim. I'll be okay here. You should catch up on sleep, you barely go home, and I wouldn't like it if you got sick because all you do is take care of me," Taehyung says as Jimin gives him a weak smile.

"I'm here because I want to. Sure, you've already rejected me as a prospective boyfriend, but you can't truly cut me off as your best friend. So if you want to repay me, please focus on your recovery, okay?" Jimin asks, tenderly stroking Taehyung's hair.

"Mhm— I'll do that, then... Take care on your way home, alright?" Taehyung replies. "Copy that... And uhm— I know you're still feeling anxious here in this room, but I can assure you, we've doubled your security... By the way, I'll be meeting Joon and Hobi at the reception. +

They said they have an urgent matter to discuss with me. I'm not sure if we can still see you later at this hour, but we'll be here for a bit longer, so you don't have to worry about that fcker... +

Good night, Tae." Jimin says as he kisses Taehyung on the forehead and walks out the door. Although Taehyung clearly hates admitting it, he felt frigid the instant he was left alone.

*** <You can play this as you read.> You should see me in a crown youtu.be/za8Ki4CCXgg

*** [SOMEONE's POV] "Come on, come on, come on... Just fcking leave already," I said, tapping on the steering wheel of my car as I waited for Park Jimin, the prosecutor, to leave the hospital.

I had a long, hard day, and it makes me want to visit my angel—my perfect muse—so I can at least try to sleep better tonight.

It's currently 10:58 p.m., which means visiting hours are over and Park Jimin should be leaving soon; once he's gone, I can go in. I can finally see my Taehyung even though he's probably still sleeping.

I hate that he's still not responding to me even after two months, but I have to admit that simply looking at his gorgeous sleeping face is growing on me.+

I could honestly stare at him all day. I'm wondering if I should just take him with me. Lock him up so that no one else can look at him except me. Maybe I should... Should I?

"Pfft... B-but I don't want him to die? No, no, it will be a shame if he dies... What if he's one of a kind— ah! Of course, he's one of a kind... What I mean is, what if I'll never find something similar? +

Tch... Seriously? What's taking that fcker so long to head out?" I said, clicking my tongue in annoyance, wondering if Park Jimin had taken the back entrance.

Done waiting, I was ready to get out of my car, when I noticed two familiar faces arriving at the hospital. If I'm not mistaken,+

the tall one is Kim Namjoon, whom I frequently see with Jeon Jeongguk, and the other is Jung Hoseok, whom I've previously seen with Taehyung—but what the fck are they doing here at this hour?

Hmm... Never mind. I know where my Taehyung is anyway. He can never get away from me— no, no... "He can't... I won't let him." I smiled as I glanced at the red blinking dot on my phone— something that's connecting me and my Taehyung— even if he leaves his hospital room.

. . . I've had enough. I have been sitting here for more than an hour, and I'm not really a man that has a lot of patience. I can't wait. I have to move. I have to see my Kim Taehyung.

I double-checked my phone to be sure the red dot hadn't moved before putting on my cap and mask, stepping out of my car, which was again parked in an area with poor surveillance.

Sneaking into the hospital is actually rather simple. Everyone here is either busy minding their own business or grieving.

Of course, I had to make an effort to change into something that didn't appear suspicious. It's fun, really. At times, I'm a doctor, then a nurse, sometimes a police officer. +

Yeah, it's been easy, especially considering I'm dealing with folks who like to think they have everything under control.

I sneaked inside the locker rooms in under five minutes, dressing myself as a nurse, making sure that my facemask was still on before nonchalantly heading towards Taehyung's private room. Just a bit more. Just a bit more.

I just need to take this damn elevator. *Ding...* The elevator door then swung open, allowing me to board.

I was ready to enter with the other medical staff who were waiting beside me when the guy pushing a patient in a wheelchair whose face was wrapped in gauze bumped into me as they exited the same lift.

"*cough* Oh, I'm sorry, sir," the guy in a cap and face mask muttered, lowering his head, and while I despise needless touch with strangers, I know this isn't the place for me to lose my temper.

"It's fine. Take care," I replied as I entered the lift, my attention fixed on the white hospital walls as the elevator door closed. [END OF SOMEONE'S POV]

*** . . Whenever the lights go off inside his room, Taehyung loses his sense of time. It's been a week and he hasn't gotten enough sleep, especially at night. If anything he prefers to sleep during the day because by then he can relax knowing that at least he'll be with Jimin.

Taehyung has no idea how long Jimin has been gone, whether it has been minutes or hours. He's closed his eyes, but his other senses are still on high alert. +

He can't explain it, but no matter how many times Jimin or Joon assure him that his room has been cleared of all surveillance or bugging devices, Taehyung still thinks—no,+

he can feel—that he's not really alone; that someone is watching him, knowing exactly where he is, and Taehyung doesn't like that feeling. It's making him terribly uncomfortable.

He'd been counting sheep in his head, trying to regulate his breath so he could relax—he was about to settle when he heard a subtle clicking sound from the doorknob.

It's definitely past visiting hours. His doctor has already made their rounds, so Taehyung has no idea who is paying him a visit now—or maybe he knows?

'Sh¡t.' Taehyung thinks when he hears another clicking sound. The door has just been locked.

. . . Fear. No, Taehyung understands that what he's experiencing right now isn't fear. He's not scared, nevertheless he feels helpless. He's aware that he has nothing on him that he can use to save himself, and that alone is enough to make him beyond frustrated.

The ticking of the wall clock now sounds like in those suspenseful films Taehyung used to watch before the villain appears on the screen, and it doesn't help that Taehyung can hear his uninvited guest breathing as he approaches him.

Taehyung remained motionless, ignoring the cold shivers that crawled all over him until he felt a subtle touch against his skin.

Someone is here— someone is definitely here, and he's touching him; on his face, lips, jaw, going all the way down to his neck, and Taehyung couldn't stand it.+

He knows it's risky and that he's still basically incapable of protecting himself, but he also knows that if he lets this go on, he'll be even more disgusted with himself.

Bracing himself for the worst, Taehyung took a deep breath and grabbed the man's wrist as he opened his eyes, "Y-you?" Taehyung asks, surprised to see someone he didn't expect to encounter tonight. —

It was said that stress is often caused by being 'here' but wanting to be 'there.' As the fog of dread lifted from Taehyung's head, he began to feel relief, thinking that right now— there's no place he'd rather be than here, staring at the man in front of him.

"You... I was starting to think you dumped me because being in a coma made me look rather unsightly," Taehyung confesses as Jeongguk helps him sit on the bed.

"Don't be ridiculous. You know that won't happen," Jeongguk says, softly kissing Taehyung's hair as he sits alongside him on the bed. "Did you miss me?" he asks, his gaze fixed on Taehyung despite his playful tone.

"What do you think?" Taehyung asks. "I did... I mean me— I missed you, every day, every second... Even now, I still miss you, Tae." Jeongguk says, tucking some of Taehyung's hair behind his ear.

"I might ask you to leave if you start crying... I'm not very fond of wailing babies," Taehyung says, stifling a smile as a faint flush of pink appears on his cheeks.

"Don't worry... Even if I wanted to, I don't have much time to cry... We're leaving, Tae... You and I," Jeongguk says, picking up his bag from the side of the bed where he had left it earlier and placing it in front of Taehyung.+

"I'm here to keep my promise; I tried waiting for a week, but I've run out of patience... I'm taking you with me," Jeongguk adds, opening his bag and pulling out the clothes he packed.

"Are you serious? I can't even walk on my own, Guk... Dr. Kang said I might need to stay here for another 3-4 weeks since I still have to undergo a few more tests, go to therapy, and—"

"And we'll do all of that... Just not here," Jeongguk says, softly cupping Taehyung's cheek. "Look at you. You look like you haven't slept in days. You haven't gained weight...+

I know you don't feel at ease here, Tae— I feel the same... That's why I'm here to take you away. You'll come with me, right? Do you trust me?" Jeongguk urges as Taehyung leans into his touch.

Taehyung then took a deep breath and shifted his gaze to Jeongguk's face. "Alright... Let's do that," Taehyung replies. He's still unsure, but he'd rather be anyplace else than here, where he keeps on feeling paranoid that somebody else is watching him.

"Good. Come now, we have to leave soon. I packed a few clothes for you. I'll help you change, yeah?" Jeongguk offers, sounding frantic as he pulls a shirt from the bag before he glances up,+

silently seeking Taehyung's permission to unbutton the latter's top. "We have to move fast—" "Why?" Taehyung asks, causing Jeongguk to pause, averting his gaze as he takes a quick deep breath.

"That guy... If my deductions—" "Deductions?" Taehyung asks, raising a brow, cutting Jeongguk off.

"*Sigh* Fine, assumptions. If my assumptions based from my observations in the past two months are correct, then that person—that madman will be here any minute now," Jeongguk says, heaving out a lungful of air before continuing to undo Taehyung's buttons. +

"Look, I'm not sure about anything, but there's this strange guy, around 6 foot or 6 foot 2 in height, who frequently comes here in your room between 1 and 4 a.m. I have no clear evidence yet to back up my claim, because every time I see him, he's dressed as a nurse, a doctor, +

sometimes he's even in a police officer's uniform—and he's always wearing a mask… But, even though I haven't seen his face yet, I'm pretty sure—no, my senses tell me that it's the same person," Jeongguk says, +

as he peels the shirt off Taehyung's shoulders. "Arms up, baby," he says, urging Taehyung to raise his arms so he can dress him up.

"W-wow... You've really done your research, huh?" Taehyung asks, unsure how to react because his head hurts and he's still having trouble digesting everything at once.

"I'll tell you more later... But now we have to go... I can't really function properly knowing you're awake and that he can come here whenever he wants... +

Don't get me wrong, but we both know that you and that lunatic are equally unpredictable; he's mentally unstable, and knowing you? Once you see him, you'll definitely fight him off even if you're aware+

that you're still not physically capable." Jeongguk says, done changing Taehyung's shirt, grunting as he slightly lifts Taehyung by the waist, moving the latter to the side of the bed so that he can change the latter's pants as well.

"Yeah? Well, I can't say that you're wrong," Taehyung says, averting his gaze from Jeongguk, feeling a little guilty because he can't deny that he was truly planning to confront that damn psychopath earlier.

"Of course, I'm not wrong. Can you lift your hips up, baby? You need to wear pants—thicker ones. It's cold outside." Jeongguk says, crouching down on the floor as he tugs Taehyung's pajama down.

From there, Jeongguk stills, clenching his jaws and closing his eyes for a brief moment, noting how much weight Taehyung has lost that even his legs have thinned to the point where it looks like they'll break if he puts the slightest weight to them.

"I-it looks bad, right? I— I'm working on it... I've been trying to eat more. It's just that Dr. Kang advises me not to rush it... I'm sorry—"

"Hush now... It's not that. I just— I'm sorry you had to go through all of that... I'm sorry I couldn't stop it even— even though I was just there... I was there, and I—"

"You did everything you could & more at the time; you don't have to apologize," Taehyung says, wincing slightly as he extends his stiff arm to stroke Jeongguk's hair lovingly. "Does it still hurt?" Jeongguk says, softly placing his hand around Taehyung's wrist, kissing his palm.

"Not anymore... Just like magic— you're here and I'm not in pain anymore." Taehyung murmurs, his gaze never leaving Jeongguk's face, prompting Jeongguk to hiss, +

slamming his palm hard on the mattress as he pulls himself up, cupping Taehyung's jaw, claiming the latter's lips because it feels wrong not to.

"I love you..." Jeongguk exhales heavily, raking his fingers through Taehyung's hair, pushing it back, and when his fingertips brushed over beneath Taehyung's ear— Jeongguk felt something. Something that doesn't seem to belong here.

"Why?" Taehyung asks, noticing Jeongguk's face hardens as he stares at him. "Come here... I need to check on something," Jeongguk says, drawing Taehyung's head closer, pressing the latter's face against his chest to inspect the area behind Taehyung's ear.

There, Jeongguk found a slight protrusion buried beneath Taehyung's thin skin; it's shaped like a thick needle, and when he peered closely, he noticed that the spot was still red, with a drying wound on top of it.+

"Fck..." Jeongguk mumbled under his breath, clutching the back of Taehyung's hair, anxious to discover what the 'thing' really is. "W-what is it... What—"

"Don't." Jeongguk says, stopping Taehyung from touching the back of his ear. "I'm not sure what this is, but I know you shouldn't have this... I'm going to remove it— it might hurt-.."

"Just take it off, Jeongguk... T-take it off..." Taehyung pleads. He's not sure why, but he's trembling right now, a thousand crazy thoughts racing through his mind. He's been unconscious for two months, and a cr¡minal has been frequenting his room all that time—+

who knows what that monster has done to him while he's still sleeping? Did he touch him? Kiss him? Did he feed him anything? Fck, Taehyung has no idea, but it causes him to feel dirty, tainted, and disgusting.+

He felt as if he had been exposed and exploited without being given the opportunity to say no and protect himself.

"Sshh... O-okay... Okay, I will," Jeongguk whispers, quivering as he carefully touches the damn thing behind Taehyung's ear, searching for the tip so he can pierce it out and completely remove it from Taehyung.+

"Bite me if it hurts," Jeongguk says, putting pressure on Taehyung's skin, holding his breath, chewing on his lower lip as he moves his thumb up, allowing the needle-like item to pop out of the same place it went into, +

pulling it out as Taehyung bites his shoulder hard, grunting in pain. "F-fuck.. F:UCK!" Jeongguk screams as he steps back from Taehyung, flinging the item on the bed, staining the white linen with a bit of Taehyung's blood, and from there, they both notice a dim flashing light.

Red. Taehyung then picks it up, noticing it resembles a PIT tag with a sharp tip—similar to an identification microchip affixed to family pets in case they get lost—but the wirings are different. +

It's not just an identification tag. Taehyung is sure since as part of his profession, he has seen a lot of these. It's a tracker—a customized tiny tracker inserted beneath his skin.

"J-Jeongguk... Please, please— get me away from here." Taehyung pleads, letting go of the item, feeling like he'll throw up at any second.

*** . . . Taehyung is now fully dressed, his face bandaged in gauze, when they heard a knock on the door.

"Guk... We're all set," Hobi says as Jeongguk opens the door, allowing him to push the wheelchair he and Joon stole—well, borrowed earlier from the hospital's storage room.

"Thank you, Hobs. Make sure no one knows we're leaving; I think it's better if everyone except us thinks Taehyung's missing right now," Jeongguk says, guiding Taehyung to the wheelchair, before he puts his face mask and cap on.

"Don't worry, Joon briefed us properly... Just— just take care, okay? Call us whenever you can," Hobi replies as he leads Jeongguk out to the corridor where Joon and Jimin are waiting. "Hyung..." says Jeongguk, looking at Joon.

"Take the lift and go directly to the back exit. Don't worry about the cameras... I managed to get into them, so you can leave undetected," Joon says as he turns to face Jimin, who is crouching down in front of Taehyung on the wheelchair.

"Come back soon, alright?" Jimin whispers, adjusting the gauze that's wrapped over Taehyung's head, concealing his face. "I'm sure you'll sleep better there—wherever you're going," he adds. "I think so too. Thank you, Chim." Taehyung says, feeling Jeongguk's hand on top of his.

"We'll get going now. Keep your eyes open after we leave. If that fcker is here, he certainly wouldn't like this," Jeongguk says firmly to the other three, before walking away, leading Taehyung to the nearby lift.

*** [You can play this as you read.] Edge or seventeen youtu.be/3oZunnY-Cbs

... Jeongguk would be lying if he said he isn't nervous right now. He's basically sneaking Taehyung out before he's officially discharged, but he'd rather go this route than endure another day without Taehyung by his side.

Even though he knows it's risky, Jeongguk thinks it's better for them to keep their every move a secret. Who knows if the psychopath is a guard or a member of the medical staff?+

If not then he's probably dressed as one, so Jeongguk decided to keep his plan known only by a few trusted individuals; Joon, Hobi, Jin, Jimin and Yoongi in particular.

With his heart beating fast, Jeongguk clutches the handles of Taehyung's wheelchair tightly, keeping a low profile until the lift reaches the ground floor. +

He was about to push Taehyung out when he accidentally bumped into someone. 'Sh¡t.' Jeongguk curses in his mind. "*cough* Oh, I'm sorry, sir," Jeongguk says, his eyes fixed on the floor as he and Taehyung exits the elevator.

"It's fine. Take care," The man who appears to be a nurse says, and Jeongguk only lets out a breath when the elevator door closes. He hastened his steps until they reached the back exit, where he parked his motorcycle.+

He quickly takes the gauze from Taehyung's head, making him wear his spare helmet, hoisting him up, and securing him on the bike before hopping on himself.

"I didn't know you own a motorcycle?" Taehyung says, wrapping his arms around Jeongguk's waist. "Oh, it's quite new... I went a little wild with my purchases after my license was restored," Jeongguk explains, also wearing his helmet. +

"Hold on tight, baby. We can't afford to take it slow," Jeongguk adds, his lips curling up into a smirk when he felt Taehyung tightening his grip on him as they fled the scene, feeling the cold breeze hit their skin.

*** [SOMEONE'S POV] 'Check the cameras— the patient was just here an hour ago!' I was walking through the corridors towards Taehyung's private room when I heard one of the doctors yell, +

and from there, I spotted a crowd gathering in front of Taehyung's door, including Hoseok and the two prosecutors, Jimin and Namjoon. What the fck is happening?

I checked my phone and saw that Taehyung's tracker was still active and functional, so he should just be in his room—but he isn't, and apparently that's what's causing all of this fuss. "What's going on?" I asked one of the nurses who is with Taehyung's doctor.

"I'm not sure, but from what I've heard, a patient is missing, and we don't know if he escaped or was taken away... Either way, this will be bad for us. +

That patient has been in a coma for two months—" The guy continues to blabber, but I can't afford to stay here. I balled my fists and began walking back to the lift. No, this cannot be happening right now.

*** . . . "F:UCK! F:UCK! F:UCK!!!!" I screamed, now in my house, thrashing my room because I can't contain my wrath. Taehyung is gone. He's gone missing—no, someone took him, and I know who it could be.

I kept striking my desk until my knuckles were stained red and a dent appeared on the surface, but it wasn't enough. No. No, it will never be enough until I get my Taehyung back.

"I'm gonna k¡ll you— f:uck... I'm gonna f:ucking k¡ll you..." I growled, crumpling the magazine I tore with Jeon Jeongguk's face on the cover. [END OF SOMEONE'S POV]

*** [You can play this as you read.] Love youtu.be/3-NTv0CdFCk

Taehyung held onto Jeongguk till they arrived in front of a nice big house in Cheongdamdong, surrounded by bricked walls and tall gates, that no one from the outside would be able to see the lovely estate.

"We're here," Jeongguk says, hopping off the motorcycle and removing his and Taehyung's helmets before helping the latter off as well.

"Wow... You're full of surprises tonight... Last time I checked, I was dating a rockstar. Now it feels like I'm with a business mogul or something— did you buy this?" Taehyung asks, leaning against the bike, still unable to stand for much.

"Mhm, yeah... Well, I've been in the biz for years, saved all my earnings, and now I'm able to purchase all of this... I'm looking for a sugar baby, by the way—+

by any chance would you be interested?" Jeongguk teases, nodding to his guards nearby to close the gates, then he turns towards Taehyung again. "Well, I'm currently jobless-" "On administrative leave... You're not jobless, Tae," Jeongguk clarifies.

"It's the same thing— at least for the time being... So yeah, you have bodyguards, a mansion, a Dyna Wide Glide Harley-Davidson bike, 2 cars—"

"Three. I have three cars, one of which is in the pound but still counts," Jeongguk says, smugly pushing his tongue on his cheek, playfully flicking Taehyung's chin.

"Right... You have three cars, not to mention you're young and also so devastatingly hot— I guess being your sugar baby doesn't sound that unpleasant," Taehyung says, looking behind them at the huge house.

"Good. Let's go in so we can talk about the perks and benefits of being my sugarbaby," Jeongguk says, scooping Taehyung into his arms and carrying him through the door bridal-style.

*** "Pfft... Stop— don't you dare drop me... Pfft..." Taehyung giggles as Jeongguk nuzzles his face against the crook of his neck while still carrying him.

"Pfft, as if I'd ever— so, uhm... Welcome home, Tae." Jeongguk says as he places Taehyung on the couch before turning on the lights, showing Taehyung the place they'll be calling home for the meantime.

"Oh... W-wow..." Taehyung is speechless as he scans the living room that extends to the kitchen counter, full glass walls that have a view of the back porch, +

neatly trimmed lawn, a swing, and even a little boat floating on the man-made lake that Taehyung assumes is also under Jeongguk's name.

"Tall gates up front, glass walls in the back. This place is mostly surrounded by water, so no one can easily sneak around... It's nice right? It's just the two of us here—sure, I hired a few guards outside, but—"

"It's perfect... I feel like I can finally breathe here," Taehyung says as Jeongguk kneels in front of him.

"I've been here for a week, but it's only now that I feel like this place is complete... I'm really glad you're finally here," Jeongguk adds, taking Taehyung's hand and kissing the back of the latter's palm.

"I'm happy to be here... With you, I mean." Taehyung says, reaching up to caress Jeongguk's face, smiling as the latter shuts his eyes and leans into his touch.

... They've returned to the couch after giving Taehyung a brief tour of the entire house—of course by being carried in Jeongguk's arms. Taehyung's head lies on Jeongguk's shoulder, and Jeongguk's arm is around Taehyung's waist, both of them staring blankly into space.

"So, mind telling me what you remember while you're asleep?" Jeongguk asks, using his free hand to stroke the long strands of Taehyung's hair.

"Not much... But it's exactly what you said. I'm pretty sure he went to visit me... I can't remember what he told me, but he was there... He was talking to me. I heard his voice. I-" Taehyung pauses, +

swinging his arms forward, feeling the need to hug himself as if he's still exposed. "A-at times- well, it could just be in my head, but... But sometimes, I can still feel him. His hands— touching me, k-kissing me... I feel so dirty," Taehyung says,+

burying his face against Jeongguk's chest, feeling Jeongguk's arms wrapping around him as well. "I'm sorry... I-I'm sorry..." That was all Jeongguk could say, feeling both enraged and ashamed.

"He even put a tracker on me, like I'm some kind of dog... Like he has all the rights to my body... And I hate it— I hate it so much because just the thought of it makes me feel so useless— completely unarmed...+

It makes me feel weak... And I hate being weak, Jeongguk." Taehyung says, gripping Jeongguk's shirt, biting his trembling lips, hoping to stop himself from crying.

"I know... It's over now... At least for now we can pretend that it's done. He won't be able to find us here. I won't let him." Jeongguk replies, tightening his grip on Taehyung, matching his stare when the latter tilted his face up, peering closely at his face.

"But it's not over... We can't just stay here while he's out there doing whatever the fck he wants... It's not over until we catch him." Taehyung says, a single tear escaping his eye.

"I know... I won't let us be his prisoner forever, Tae... For now, all I want is to keep you safe... Can you try to remember more? Tell me everything and I'll do the same." Jeongguk says, brushing his thumb over Taehyung's tears.

"Alright... But can I take a bath first? I meant it when I said I felt dirty; I can still smell the hospital on me—I can still feel 'him' on me," Taehyung says, licking his lips, averting Jeongguk's gaze, unable to explain why he feels so repulsed with himself.

"Okay— okay, I'll get the bath ready then. Just stay here." Jeongguk says, kissing Taehyung's forehead before he heads towards the bathroom to grant Taehyung's request.

*** [You can play this as you read.] Apocalypse youtu.be/sElE_BfQ67s

. . . 'Sh¡t. Sh¡t. Sh¡t... Calm down you piece of sh¡t.' Jeongguk thinks, scolding himself for he really felt like he was doing good until now that he's in the bath together with a naked Taehyung.

He knows they have a lot to talk about—a lot to discuss, but for now, Jeongguk couldn't think of anything else aside from stopping himself from getting so inappropriately hard under all the bubbles in this tub. +

It turns our that he had overestimated himself when he asked to assist Taehyung in taking a bath. He swore his intentions were pure, but for some reason now, his thoughts aren't anymore.

It has been two months, and Jeongguk is just a man who just got his lover back after a near death experience that none of them expected to happen. +

So seeing Taehyung— naked, after all the time he's spent missing him, almost believing he'll never be able to touch him again, is a tough problem for him. Still, Jeongguk knows that this isn't the time for whatever the fck he's thinking.

Jeongguk is shampooing Taehyung's hair right now, brushing his fingers through the soft strands. Taehyung is sitting still in front of him, his gaze locked on the suds, completely unaware of just about everything that's going on inside Jeongguk's head.

Taehyung is here, naked and drenched in front of him. His damp skin looks even better than the most lusciously thick honey: his cheeks are slightly flushed from the steam,+

and his hair has gotten so long that Jeongguk wonders how it will feel if he grabs a hold of it. 'Sh¡t...' Jeongguk hisses, closing his eyes, trying to distract his own dirty mind.

"Thank you," Taehyung says, breaking the odd silence between them as he lifts his face, looking Jeongguk straight in the eyes, which made the latter flush even more, awkwardly looking away from him.

"*cough! * No need to thank me, Tae. I love washing you— I love it... I-" Jeongguk pauses, realizing how much he is stuttering, cheeks burning up, unable to look at Taehyung as he rinses the shampoo from his hair.+

"*Sigh* Please don't mind me," Jeongguk says, feeling bad for having such filthy ideas despite the fact that Taehyung is still physically unfit for any 'strenuous' activities like what he is currently imagining.

"Pfft... Are you blushing?" Taehyung teases, seeing how Jeongguk's face is flushed all the way up to the tips of his ears. There, Taehyung grinned, suddenly thinking of doing something.

"D-don't..." Jeongguk caught Taehyung's wrist when the latter tried to touch him. "This is harder for me than sneaking you out of the hospital, Tae... I swear. It's just... Never mind. +

Just stay here, I'll get your towel—nngh... F:uck..." Jeongguk couldn't help but curse out loud. He was about to stand up when he felt Taehyung's palm over his crotch, causing his eyes to roll back.

"You're hard." Taehyung says, his voice dropping a few octaves lower than normal. "I'm sorry, T-Taehyung, please... I know, no— we both know we can't do this. At least not yet—"

"I can't, but you can..." Taehyung mumbled under his breath, silently reaching for the drain, pulling it to get rid of all the suds and water hiding both of their nakedness.

"Y-you can't even stand..."Jeongguk says, shutting his eyes, ashamed of how quickly Taehyung was able to stroke his c0ck to full hardness.

"I don't need to stand... You can help yourself, Guk... You can touch me," Taehyung says, freeing Jeongguk's shaft as the water continues to slowly go down the drain.+

"You can touch yourself too... I may not be able to do anything yet— but I can watch? I would love to watch." Taehyung says, losing himself in the notion of seeing Jeongguk, forgetting about everything else.

Truth be told, Taehyung thinks that no amount of washing can make him feel truly clean. He needs more. He wants more. He needs Jeongguk to replace the filth that the madman has left on him.

"Tae, can you even hear yourself? Y-you don't have to feel sorry for me; this is merely a natural reaction... I'll cool down after a few minutes in the cold shower—"

"You will, but I don't think I will. I want you to touch me, Guk... I want you to make me forget that his hands ever touched my skin. Can you do that for me?" Taehyung says, looking away, fearful of appearing desperate—but he is.

Right now, Taehyung really is desperate to get rid of all the damn thoughts that have been consuming him. "Tae-.."

"I— I know, I don't look the same... I've gone so thin, my skin looks dull and dry... I know I look bad, but can't you just close your eyes and touch me right now? I'll eat a lot—+

I'll be back to normal in no time- mmph..." Taehyung couldn't finish his rambling when Jeongguk pulled him closer, claiming his lips to shut him up.

"Stop. I won't let you talk bad about yourself— not when you clearly don't know what you're saying... Can't you see? You're already driving me crazy here— I'm seriously about to reach my limits." Jeongguk says, gritting his teeth as he speaks.

"Then do it... Please— just for tonight, I don't want to think," Taehyung says in heavy takes of breath, grabbing Jeongguk's shoulders, his nails leaving red scratches on the latter's skin.

"Sh¡t... You'll really be the death of me," Jeongguk sighs, leaning in for another kiss, laying all his inhibitions aside—because seriously? How can he possibly resist this? —

[You can play this as you read.] Watercolor eyes youtu.be/GBxs3W_Y8MU

NSFW MINORS DO NOT READ. YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE

Human needs. Every individual has basic human needs. When those needs are not met, our mental and at times even our physical health deteriorates as a result.

When we hear the term fundamental human needs, the firsts that often comes to mind are food, shelter and water, but surely, those three aren't enough to keep anyone satisfied, for those three only aids one's survival, it's not enough to guarantee a full and happy life.

Right now, Taehyung feels like he needs something else than food, shelter and water to survive tonight. He needs Jeongguk, for Jeongguk is the only person capable of distracting his mind.

With just a kiss, Jeongguk managed to thicken the air that Taehyung breathes. He scooped him in his arms, carried him out of the tub and into the bedroom, leaving puddles of water on the floor. +

He draped a bath towel over Taehyung's drenched frame, drying him a little before he sat him on the bed, and from there, they kissed again.

It's amazing how Jeongguk's tongue on his, got Taehyung's heartbeat revving in such a steady fashion, that Taehyung thinks it was able to lower his blood pressure by dilating his blood vessels enough for his blood to flow in a good solid manner, thus making him feel better.

Jeongguk's tongue roams inside his mouth, causing Taehyung to feel as if he's melting like a soft serve ice cream in his tongue. Jeongguk is kissing him like he's savoring his taste, taking his time, refusing to waste a single second.+

He nibbled Taehyung's lower lip, biting it slightly, tugging it between his teeth as he pulled back for a bit, only to once again dive deep, coating the insides of Taehyung's mouth with his own spit.

He laid Taehyung down on the mattress gently, as if he'll break like some fragile being; and although Taehyung detest the feeling of being weak, he doesn’t seem to mind it so long as Jeongguk is the one doing it.

Taehyung closes his eyes and moves his mouth enticingly, following Jeongguk's lead, and when Jeongguk leaves his lips, Taehyung feels as though he's missing it almost immediately. +

He bit his lower lip, felt Jeongguk's lips travel to his cheeks, up to his ear, then down to his neck, kissing him so delicately.

In his condition, Taehyung wonders if he could even get hard, but right now it is not about that. He is not aiming to c:um. He simply wants to be in Jeongguk's arms. He wants Jeongguk to touch him all over, leaving no part of his skin unexplored.

The mind really is a fickle thing. Taehyung once thought that it is the heart that is fickle, but surely it is not, for the heart's only job is to pump out blood. +

It is the mind that controls everything from the head down. That's why Taehyung figured that in order to alleviate the heavy feeling in his chest, he needed to dull the thoughts that had been consuming his head.

And right now, Jeongguk is doing an amazing job of helping him do exactly that. "Is this okay? Mhm?" Jeongguk asks, staring up at Taehyung as he gently brushes his thumb against the latter's nipple, circling the bud until it hardens under his touch.

"Nngh... G-go on. Don't stop." Taehyung murmurs, still with his eyes closed, squirming against the sheets, arms laid flat and pliant on his sides, his neck stretched back, exposing— revealing, surrendering everything in him.

Jeongguk then stills, taking a few moments to revel in the sight of Taehyung laying so acquiescently underneath him. Unsightly? Unpleasant? Bullsh¡t. Taehyung might've lost a lot of weight, but that surely did not affect his beauty.

In fact, Taehyung's appearance right now may have done something inexplicable to Jeongguk. His frail stature and delicate features appear to have sparked a fire within Jeongguk, rousing his desire to protect Taehyung from any danger.

Taehyung will probably kill him if Jeongguk tells him this up front, because as Taehyung told him earlier, Taehyung abhors appearing weak in front of others. But here’s the thing: even now, Jeongguk doesn't think Taehyung is weak; in fact, he's far from it.

Taehyung is still one of the strongest and most admirable men in Jeongguk's eyes, one who isn't afraid to accept that he has his own needs— needs, which Jeongguk is more than willing to meet.

"Hnngh... T-there... I like it there," Taehyung sighs as Jeongguk plays with his nipples, rubbing and slightly pinching them, taking one after the other, while Jeongguk maintained his gaze on Taehyung's face, +

watching as it contorted in pleasure, relaxing more as Jeongguk proceeded with his ministrations. "Is it just me, or you've gotten more sensitive now? You're feeling this aren't you, baby? You love being touched—"

"By you... I love being touched by you— just you," Taehyung says as his eyelids flutter open, meeting Jeongguk's dazed gaze, causing Jeongguk to pause yet again, as if all the oxygen in his lungs had been knocked out of his system.

"Ah... Yes, me too. I love touching you too... Just you— only you." Jeongguk absentmindedly says, keeping his eyes on Taehyung as he slowly leaned down, pressing a soft kiss over Taehyung's nipple.

With their eyes set on each other, Jeongguk flattened his tongue over the perked-up bud, wetting it with his spit, swirling around the crown before sucking on it, feeling his own c:ock twitch when he saw Taehyung clenching his jaw while staring at him.

"You're not lying, aren't you?" Taehyung asks, now softly caressing the back of Jeongguk's hair. "Why would I even lie—"

"A week ago, when I woke up... You were with that— nngh... woman," Taehyung says, suppressing his moans as Jeongguk tugs harder on his nipple before the latter pauses, pushing himself up, hovering over Taehyung's frame.

"Tae... T-that was nothing, okay? She's nothing." Jeongguk says with a firm look on his face.

"Akiko... That's her name, right? She was hosting in club FF before we first broke up. I know her... Yes I do— but I bet you also know exactly how I came to know her..." Taehyung says, his fingertips playing piano against Jeongguk's bare chest.

"Baby... I—" "Cool earrings... Thank you for your kind introduction. You adjusted our set, how kind of you... F:uck... Hmm, someone? I don't have anyone-.."

"Tae, s-stop... Wait, should we really talk about this right now? Trust me, baby, Akiko is the least of our concerns; she means nothing to me, I promise," Jeongguk says, a little panicked by the abrupt shift in the air.

Taehyung doesn't know why he's even bringing this up and that woman, but as soon as the thought of her crossed his mind, everything started pouring out like the damn curses inside Pandora's box.

"Rumor has it that you're a thing, in love and all that sh¡t... Hah, love? Bullsh¡t," Taehyung adds, recalling the 99 seconds he endured while watching Jeongguk f:uck the same woman he brought with him when he visited Taehyung in the hospital a week ago.

Akiko— the woman who's one of the main reasons of Jeongguk and Taehyung's break-up five years ago. "Oh god..." Jeongguk chokes on his own breath as he scoops Taehyung up by the nape, pulling him in his arms again. "Tae... I—"

"I'm not mad... I know that we don't have time to argue about something or someone so trivial, but I've been out for two months and the first time I see my lover again, he's with the same woman he cheated on me with. +

I'm not sure why I'm remembering this right now, but I swear, just a few moments ago, I wished for nothing more than to be held by you...Then I remember her face. She was touching you, and for some reason,+

it made me feel worse than the idea of that psychopath taking advantage of me while I was unconscious," Taehyung says, not sure what type of expression he has on his face, but his tone is cold and flat, as if he's gone completely numb.

"She's just a coworker now; I wouldn't even call her a friend because we haven't seen each other in years, but the company had asked her to work with B-side,+

and I have no control over that, Tae... I'm sorry— I'm really sorry," Jeongguk says, feeling his heart breaking more for Taehyung as he speaks.

"Why do I feel like sh¡t, Guk? Why am I like this? What have those two months done to me?" Taehyung laments, nuzzling his face into Jeongguk's neck, unable to understand himself.

"What— what do you want me to do? Tae, what should I do? Tell me... I'll do anything for you," Jeongguk pleads as he carefully lays Taehyung back on the bed, putting his weight over his elbow, hovering over the latter's face, his fingers softly brushing Taehyung's hair.

"I wish I could answer that... I love you, I miss you, I want to be with you, be held by you... Though I'm not sure what can really make me feel better. My head keeps moving from one problem to the next...+

That lunatic, that woman—us, my lanky legs and thin arms... God, I'm such a mess." Taehyung says, burying his face under his palms, afraid that he isn't really making any sense right now.+

"Maybe I'm really sick— mentally, that is. W-what if that bullet did something to my brain? What if I'm becoming like him? Would that be the reason why he's suddenly taking an interest in me?" Taehyung asks, +

removing his hands from his face, staring at the ceiling with his lost eyes that look like he's seeing a different space.

"No, baby— no, that's not it. No matter how hard we try to figure out those types of people, we'll never be able to decipher them completely. You're not the problem. There's nothing wrong with your head. +

It is only natural that you get overwhelmed... You've been through a lot, Tae... It's not you, so don't let him consume you." Jeongguk says, aware that his words are easier said than done, but still, it pains him to see Taehyung look like he's about to fall apart.

"But right now, I feel like I'm a mess— I am a mess. I'm thinking of a lot of things at once and it's f:ucking up my head, yet at the same time, I feel numb to everything else.+

Isn't that what a psychopath is? Someone who isn't capable of feeling anything?" Taehyung asks, turning to Jeongguk with those glossy eyes of his.

"Wrong. They do feel. Rage, want, lust— everything, what they lack is sadness, anxiety, fear and empathy. They can feel things and other emotions, it's just that they don't believe that others do. +

In their world, nothing else matters but themselves and their own desires that trigger their compulsions... You're not like that, Tae... No, not even one bit. +

Why? Because what they lack is everything you're feeling right now." Jeongguk says, pressing a kiss on Taehyung's forehead. "Surely, there's still something wrong with me... This isn't normal. I know—"

"You're overwhelmed, tired, scared— god, you just woke up from a coma, Tae. We don't need to rush... I'm here now— we're together now. So tell me— right at this moment, what do you want?" Jeongguk says, as he presses light and feathery kisses all over Taehyung's face, +

hoping that it will help distract Taehyung from his thoughts. "We can take things slow... There's still tomorrow, and the days after... You don't have to worry too much anymore." Jeongguk adds, whispering right against Taehyung's skin,+

feeling Taehyung's every breath, watching his chest dropping and rising again. "Touch me. Distract me. Consume me— before my demons get the best of me," Taehyung says, closing his eyes once again, allowing Jeongguk to do the rest.

. . . From there, things escalated without them needing to speak another word, while Jeongguk is doing all the work. He continued to caress and kiss Taehyung all over, letting his warmth seep through Taehyung's skin. +

He held him gently, taking his time particularly on Taehyung's chest, flicking and swirling his tongue around the latter's nipples, making them both appear swollen and somewhat red.

Then Jeongguk's mouth moved lower, kissing and licking Taehyung's stomach and sides, sliding his tongue into the dents of Taehyung's ribs, reminding himself to feed Taehyung properly so that the delicate structure of the latter's bones would soon be concealed.

He kisses Taehyung's hips, glancing at Taehyung's face. He runs his fingertips over Taehyung's waist, unable to stifle a hiss as he realizes how sinful it still is. At this point, Taehyung's c:ock is already lying heavily over his own stomach, +

which boosted Jeongguk's self-esteem, but then again, he knows that he still has to control himself, given Taehyung’s current state.

"You got hard, baby. Are you feeling good, mm?" Jeongguk asks, pressing a soft kiss over the wet tip of Taehyung's c0ck. "Am I making you feel good?" He asks again, now gently stroking Taehyung's shaft, lapping his tongue all over it, using his spit to ease the glide of his palm.

"Y-yes... Nngh... That feels good, Jeongguk... Nngh... I like it so much." Taehyung says, feeling like he's floating, head in the clouds, while all his other thoughts bubble up like smoke, disappearing in thin air.+

With his eyes all dazed, Taehyung peered down, brushing his finger over Jeongguk's hair. "Put me in your mouth... I want to f:uck your smart mouth." Taehyung says, which made Jeongguk's lips curl up to a smirk, doing that sexy habit of his, pushing a tongue on his cheek.

"Geez, language baby... I don't advise you to talk dirty to me right now... Told you I'm so close to reaching my limits." Jeongguk says, once again pressing his plump lips over Taehyung's tip, swirling his tongue around it, keeping his eyes on Taehyung as he slowly sucks him in.

"Nngh, f:uck... Ugh... F:uck your mouth... Nngh… Your mouth feels so fu:cking good... Ahhh, sh¡t... Nnngh... J-Jeongguk. Jeongguk... Ahh, Jeongguk—" Well, f:uck.

This might be the first time Jeongguk is hearing a series of unfiltered curses coming out of Taehyung's mouth, and surely, no amount of self control can make him deny that he finds it absolutely hot.

With a muffled moan, Jeongguk took Taehyung's c:ock deeper inside his mouth, hollowing his cheeks, bobbing his head back and forth, not even gagging even if Taehyung's tip continued to ram against the back of his throat.

Taehyung's legs are spread apart, he's arching his back, clumsily thrusting his hips up, and as much as Jeongguk is enjoying himself, he certainly cannot allow Taehyung to move too much. +

So with an audible pop, Jeongguk released Taehyung's c:ock from his mouth. "Easy there, baby... I'll let you finish. Just leave it to me, okay?" Jeongguk says as he brings his hand up to Taehyung's face. +

"Can you suck this for me? Let's make you feel even better." He adds, while Taehyung just gave him a small nod before bringing Jeongguk's fingers inside his mouth.

"Yes, that's it.. Ahh, you're doing good, love. Mhm.. So good." Jeongguk murmurs, unable to stop himself from stroking his own hard c0ck as Taehyung continues to suck on his fingers, humming seductively with his eyes closed, as if he's completely submitting to his carnal desires.

Once his fingers are fully coated with Taehyung's spit, Jeongguk pulled it out of the latter's mouth, bringing his hand in between Taehyung's parted legs, sliding it further down Taehyung's perineum until he reached his hole.+

"Just one... Can you take one, baby? Want me to finger you, hmm? I'll be gentle... Bet you'll feel even more good." Jeongguk says, rubbing the pads of his wet fingers around Taehyung's rim, enjoying the view of Taehyung, squirming impatiently over the sheets.

"F:uck yes, yes, yes... Nnngh... Give it to me… Please…" Taehyung moans, feeling Jeongguk's middle finger, poking past his rim, going in and out— in and out, making Taehyung's c:ock twitch excitedly.

"Nngh... Yes... Ahh, look at you— you're just sucking me in... Ahh, your insides feel so good, baby... So soft— so tight..." Jeongguk says, stroking his own c:ock faster while he continued to finger Taehyung.

"O-oh god—f:uck... M-mouth... Nngh... Put me in your mouth, p-please, please... Jeongguk, I need your mouth." Taehyung grunts, clasping the sheets in his tight fists, feeling Jeongguk's finger sliding even deeper inside of him,

Jeongguk is basically about to go feral right now, swearing he can actually come from just the view of Taehyung alone. It's just so sinful and hot— and f:uck, it's everything that Jeongguk wants. +

Without saying another word, Jeongguk then leaned forward, taking Taehyung's shaft deep inside his mouth. He bobbed his head up and down, swirling his tongue, swallowing each drop of Taehyung's thick prec:um, all while fingering Taehyung and stroking his own co:ck.

Taehyung’s already screaming, his voice breaking into one high pitched moan after another at being pleasured both from his back and front, not to mention how in this angle, he can see the way Jeongguk's flicking his wrist, +

strong hands wrapped around his thick, hard and already leaking d¡ck, with its tip brushing against Taehyung's thigh, wetting his damp honey skin. "F-fuck... Fuck.... Arghhh... I— nngh... Coming... Coming... Ahhhh..." Taehyung moaned out loud,+

coming undone inside Jeongguk's mouth, causing Jeongguk to slightly gag without pulling back, still eagerly sucking Taehyung's c:ock, swallowing the latter's c:um— up to the very. Last. Drop.

"*gasp!*S-sh¡t, baby... That was a lot... Nngh..." Jeongguk grunts as he sits up, his finger still sliding in and out of Taehyung's tight entrance, flicking his wrists faster, stroking his c:ock harder,+

eyes fixed on Taehyung, watching as the latter slowly comes down from his high, face flushed, lips swollen, whimpering softly from being overstimulated by Jeongguk's eager finger.

"F:ucking pretty... God— you're still so f:ucking pretty, you're driving me crazy... Yes, yes... Nngh... Mine. You're f:ucking mine, Tae... Tell me... Tell me you're still mine." Jeongguk grunts in heavy takes of breath,+

finally pulling his finger out of Taehyung as he collapses beside the latter on the bed, moaning against Taehyung's lips, while Taehyung turns to his side and faces him.+

"Yours... I'm yours, Jeongguk. Only yours." Taehyung says, cupping the sides of Jeongguk's face, breathing laboriously with the latter, keeping his eyes open,+

watching as Jeongguk's face contorts in pure unadulterated pleasure, spilling his cu:m on his own palm, some of it shooting and landing over Taehyung's stomach.

There, they gazed into each other's eyes, their hearts pounding so loudly that they swore they could actually hear it. "I— I love you... I love you so much, Taehyung," Jeongguk muttered under his breath, closing his eyes as Taehyung moved in and softly claimed his lips.

"If you only know how madly in love I am with you— you might run for your life, Jeongguk; I love you so much, it's starting to scare me too," Taehyung confesses, and Jeongguk thinks it's the silliest thing Taehyung has ever said.

"As if I'd ever run... Your love doesn't scare me, Taehyung, but losing you does. Keep that in mind, okay?" Jeongguk replies, heaving out a lungful of air as he kisses Taehyung again.

*** [SOMEONE’S POV] <*Beeping sound… Line Busy…*> “F:uck.F:uck.F:uck. F:uck! " I threw my phone to the wall. I've been calling Jeon Jeongguk's number for about an hour now and have gotten no answer.

“Fine. You go hide, and I'll come seek. Let's play this damn game till we meet," I said, swearing I'd get Taehyung back even if it meant burning in damn hell.

A person might become evil for a myriad of reasons. . . . Psychopaths, are they made or are they born?

A psychopath is often depicted as a cold, cruel, and inhuman being. Now, if we go by the book, psychopathy is distinguished by diagnostic features such as exterior charm, repartee, poor judgment, failure to learn from experience,+

pathological egocentricity, incapacity for love, lack of remorse or shame, impulsivity, grandiose sense of self-worth, pathological lying,+

manipulative behavior, poor self-control, promiscuous sexual behavior, juvenile delinquency, and criminal versatility, among others.

One common misconception about psychopaths is that they are this robotic-type of being who doesn't feel anything or have any negative emotions, which isn't that accurate.+

If anything, what makes such people even more terrifying is that they're shockingly human. They know what's right and wrong. They can experience the same range of emotions as normal individuals,+

but in different combinations of capacity and amount—and their ability to appear or act normal may be their most effective camouflage.

... [You can play this as you read.] Everything I wanted (slowed & reverb) youtu.be/bXKXfX5-rNY

* "I don't know. I've been trying to remember it— his voice, but I can't. There are bits that I do remember though? Like, I know that he loves what he's doing, but he hates his job. He's seen how his mother d¡ed, and now he's living with his dad.+

Of course, I'm not sure if these are true or if my memory has just been warped due to me being unconscious." Taehyung tells Jeongguk. It's now morning and they're having breakfast here on the back porch.

"It's okay... You don't have to force yourself to remember. We still have time— I mean, while we're here working on your recovery, we won't need to confront him any time soon." Jeongguk says+

as he slices the meat he cooked into tiny bite-sized pieces for Taehyung. "Here, it's soft, but chew it carefully, okay?" he adds as he lays the plate in front of Taehyung.

"Pfft, alright daddy," Taehyung chuckles, resting his chin on his palm, smiling cheekily at Jeongguk, who appears to be very serious about taking care of him.

"W-what? I— god, Tae... Don't call me that," Jeongguk blushes, clearing his throat, choking out a lungful of air, feeling his heart skip a beat after hearing what Taehyung had said.

"Why? You don't like it?" Taehyung continues to tease, loving the sight of Jeongguk's flushed cheeks. "I do— so much! But you know what those pet names do to me, Tae... I don't want to be chastised by your doctor for-." "Doctor? Do I have a doctor? Here?" Taehyung asks.

"Well, it's not Dr. Kang, but he's just as good. I had to get someone who wasn't from around here just to be careful. He'll be here in a few hours and he'll be staying with us until you heal completely," Jeongguk explains, now pouring Taehyung a glass of juice.

"I see— I mean, wow... How much money do you really have?" Taehyung couldn't help but wonder, knowing Jeongguk to be a frugal man.

"Mhm, I don't know? A lot? I wasn't checking my bank account that much before I felt the need to— before I had to." Jeongguk says, and it's true. B-side, his band has made enough of a name for themselves that the company has been paying for their living expenses, +

allowing Jeongguk to keep the most of his earnings for himself. He had also previously produced and composed a few songs for other artists, +

so he had made a lot from those as well, not to mention that he isn't a huge spender, so when he felt the need to spend, it turns out that he has a lot to spare.

"Should I just quit my job? I mean, becoming a rich man's lover doesn't sound so awful," Taehyung says, earning a playful roll of the eyes from Jeongguk.

"Well, if you want to, I'm not going to stop you; I did the math, and I believe we'll be able to live comfortably even if we both stop working now."

"Tch, I was just kidding, as if I'd ever resign..." Taehyung says, pausing when another thought strikes him. "Wait. Jimin told me that Hyun-Jung has been missing since what happened in CC's; do we have any news about him?" He asks.

"*Sigh* None. It's as if he disappeared from the face of the earth." "He shot me... I saw him. He didn't need to run away because of that, though? I mean, it was definitely an accident. It's not like I'm going to press charges." Taehyung shrugs. +

He did see Hyun-Jung pull the trigger because he was in his line of sight at the time, but he also knew that they were in a critical situation where anyone could make an oversight.

"You won't, but I might." Jeongguk says, looking up at Taehyung with a serious expression on his face. "To be honest, it was a shock for us when we discovered that the bullet that grazed your head came from his gun.+

Yoongi and Hobi couldn't believe it, so they tried contacting him for days, and when they went to visit his apartment, he was no longer there. Turns out he left the morning after the incident."

"What do you mean? He deliberately shot me?" Taehyung asks, dropping his chopsticks on the table as he meets Jeongguk's stern gaze.

"I haven't told this to anyone, especially to Hobi and Yoongi hyung because they both knew Hyun-Jung from the academy, but looking back, there wasn't anyone to shoot in that basement, +

at least from his angle, except for us—you in particular," Jeongguk admits, unsure how Taehyung will respond. "I don't get it. Guk, Hyun-Jung has no reason to do that. He's been a good officer—"

"Listen, Tae... I did a lot of thinking while you were in a coma... Sure, this all came from my head, and I have no evidence to back it up, but can you guess who else was at CC's that night?" Jeongguk stops as he takes another deep breath.+

"Four people were k¡lled in the encounter, not by gunfire, but by stab wounds to the neck. He was there, that psychopath was there. It will make sense once you see the autopsy results on those four and compare it to his previous victims.+

Their carotid arteries were specifically targeted," Jeongguk says, further perplexing Taehyung. "W-wait... I don't understand. We're just talking about Hyun-Jung—"

"Have you ever wondered why the 'slasher' is still unapprehended despite the fact that most of his victims are high-profiled individuals? Why, for some reason, security camera footage is always distorted,+

deleted, or lost in areas where he could've been caught doing what he does? All previous investigations have worked conveniently in his favor—until recently, when he killed someone again in broad daylight at the train station. +

Sure, it was crowded, and his face wasn't seen on the tapes, but it's the first time in years that we haven't had a cut or damage on the surveillance cameras...+

It's his first kill since CC's—also, his first kill since Hyun-Jung disappeared," Jeongguk says, as Taehyung furrows his brows in disbelief.

"A-are you insinuating that it's Hyun-Jung? The psychopath?" Taehyung asks, feeling his stomach turning after hearing all this new information.

"No. It's not him, but my intuition tells me he could be an accomplice.—I mean, it just makes sense... Think about it. Even in the case of Kang Nari, despite the Kang family's influence, you haven't made any progress in catching the culprit, right?+

Why? I don't know, but I doubt such a feat could be accomplished solely by coincidence. That madman must have had someone on his side—someone whose job is to hide his tracks." Jeongguk says as he reaches out and holds Taehyung's hand.+

"I know this is a lot of information to process all at once, and as I've said, I have no evidence to prove this, I could be wrong as well, but I never liked that guy— Hyun-Jung, I mean.+

It's like, he has some kind of eerie air around him. *Sigh* I can't explain it, Tae. I'm sorry..." Jeongguk says, clutching Taehyung's hand tighter as he looks at him apologetically.

He's aware that Taehyung's emotions are still all over the place. It's difficult to wake up and realize you've basically lost two months of your life. He understands that right now, Taehyung wants to catch up+

and get involved with everything he left behind before falling into a coma, but his condition hinders him from doing so—and on top of that, Jeongguk knows how Taehyung isn't regarded as a patient man.

"No, no... Explain it to me. We're talking about a police officer here, and he's been with my friends Yoongi and Hobi since the academy, so are they involved as well? Who can we even trust at this point? Who the fck is that psychopath, and why the fck is he doing this—"

"Shh... Calm down, baby... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Jeongguk then pulled Taehyung into his arms, rubbing soothing circles on the latter's back, sensing Taehyung's frustrations and fears building up.

"I hate this... That man—in my room... Although I don't remember much, I know he talked to me like we're friends and that idea just disgusts the sh¡t out of me... He even put a tracker—a fcking tracker inside my body! He was in CC's, had a killing spree, +

and now there's a chance that he had eyes within the police department? J-just... Just who the fck is he?!" Taehyung cries—yes, even though he doesn't weep easily, he's crying right now. +

He's irritated and enraged. He has no idea what to do or where to begin in order to capture the madman as quickly as possible.

"What. Why. Who. We still have a long way to go before we can expose that psychopath, and in order to do so, we need to know the answers to those three questions. We already know what he does—he murders people, so we're down to the next...+

Why? Why did he kill them? Why did he pick them? Why did he kill them in such a manner? Only when we've determined that will we be able to figure out who he is... If we're lucky, that is." Jeongguk says as Taehyung slowly pulls back from him.

Taehyung then stills as he tries to remember more of the voice he heard while he was sleeping. "Tae?" Jeongguk asks, concerned because Taehyung is clearly straining himself right now.

"B-beautiful." Taehyung murmurs, pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling as if his head is ready to explode as he tries to recall more. His ears began to ring, his head pounded; everything's clouded and muffled, but still Taehyung managed to remember hearing the word beautiful.+

"H-he said his victims were beautiful... He wanted them— he wanted them because he thinks they're beautiful," Taehyung says, pressing his palms down the table, his legs trembling as he stands up, while Jeongguk holds him in worry and panic.

"Tae, it's okay... Calm down—" "No, no, listen... I woke up— when I woke up, I don't know why but I got this sense that I wanted to protect you from him..." Taehyung rambles, his head spinning and throbbing, the images twisting into a jumbled mess. +

"Y-you're beautiful... Between the two of us— you're the beautiful one... What if he wants you? He only kills those who fall under his type... M-maybe he came to me because he despised that we're together— that he wanted you all to himself...+

We can't let that happen Guk-.." Taehyung pauses as Jeongguk pulls him closer, cupping his face, making him meet his gaze.

"Tae, hey... Do you remember what that guy Ki-Joon said before? I don't think it's me that he wants— if he does, then surely it isn't only me... Ki-Joon said that you're that psycho's—"

"No, no... I know what I heard... He wants you... He wants to take you away from me. I won't let him— I won't let him, Guk... You're mine. You're just mine, mine, mine..." Taehyung says, repeating the word 'mine' over and over again,+

tears streaming down his cheeks, gritting his teeth as he speaks, clasping Jeongguk's arms tight when the latter went ahead and hugged him.

"It doesn't matter." Jeongguk says, placing a hand protectively at the back of Taehyung's head. "It doesn't matter who he wants— either way, we won't let him get what he wants... Listen to me," Jeongguk paused as he pulled back and cupped Taehyung's face. +

"You will get better— stronger. Then we'll get him. We'll put an end to this. We'll catch him and make him pay for all his sins... No one— not even that damn psychopath can break us apart, I promise." Jeongguk says,+

swearing to god that he'll wage war even against hell just for him to make sure that he would never see Taehyung break like this again.

*** T/W: mentions of attempted suicide *Gasp!* Hyun-Jung then jolted out of his bed, after dreaming about Taehyung again. This has been happening since he left. He kept seeing red in his head.

The sound of the gun when he pulled the trigger has been tormenting him in his sleep, rendering him unable to rest.

He's been here in Suwon for two months, renting a cramped room , going out only twice a week to buy food and alcohol. It's strange because, even though he knows no one will find him here, +

he still gets anxious every time he shuts his eyes at night, fearing he won't wake up again in the morning. He couldn't even turn on the lights without feeling like there were eyes on him, and when he turns them off, he sees shadows approaching him.

Hyun-Jung can't even remember the last time he bathed, he's grown a beard, and his room stinks of vomit, soju, and beer, but he's become immune to it. He grunted as he rolled down the couch,+

reaching for the bottle of soju he couldn't finish when he crashed last night. He gulped it down and turned on the television so it wouldn't be too quiet now that he's up.

For a few minutes, Hyun-Jung stared blankly into space, opening his second bottle of soju for the day. There, he wonders how long he will be able to live like this before passing away.

It's not like he hasn't attempted to put an end to his pain. He was so consumed by his own anguish and guilt that he had even attempted to kill himself, just to back out at the last minute like the coward that he is. It won’t end. Hyun-Jung believes that it will never end.

No amount of alcohol he consumes in an attempt to forget will ever change the fact that he has wasted years of his life chasing someone who is incapable of loving him back. For that man, he had killed someone. He k¡lled Kim Taehyung, but in the end, he still got none.

He was drowning himself in soju when he choked, hearing the news on television addressing what happened in CC's two months ago, as well as the ongoing investigations. It's been awhile, but they're only naming the victims now; +

four civillians that belongs to high society has been brutally murdered on the scene, together with the twenty eight others that worked under Yoo Jae-Sung.

"*cough* T-that's it? That's it?" Hyun-Jung exclaims, crawling towards the television and banging his palms on the screen as if the news anchors will hear him. "H-hey! HEY!!! N-no, no... That couldn't be it... What about him? +

He died too... H-he died too... I shot him... I shot him! I shot him in the head goddammit!" he screamed, perplexed as to why he did not hear Taehyung's name on the list of casualties.

"T-this is mad... I k-killed him... He couldn't have survived that... He couldn't... I-mppossible... I—" Hyun-Jung then froze as all the possibilities flooded his mind.

[You can play this as you read.] Tony Montana youtu.be/mYkbRrsDzpM

Then, he picked himself up, his knees trembling as he walked towards the full-body mirror, staring at his own reflection.

**'You. Mean. Nothing. To. Me— so stop deluding yourself and fcking d¡e already... You hurt him. You hurt him... WHY THE FCK DID YOU HURT HIM?!*' **DIE. DIE. DIE. DIE!!!** As that man's voice and sharp cruel words echo in Hyun-Jung's head, he continues to stare at himself.

"I-if he's alive... If he's alive, then what the fck am I still doing here in this place? If he's alive— if Taehyung's alive, then maybe... M-maybe I wouldn't have to die?" He says, talking to himself. "No, no... He'll kill me as soon as he sees me... He'll kill me—"

"No." Hyun-Jung pauses as his lips twitches up before he begins laughing like a madman, feeling his own rage rush through his veins as if frying all the nerves inside his head.

"He won't be able to kill me— not if I beat him to it. He won't be able to kill me, once he's behind bars for all the things that he did..." Hyun-Jung muttered under his breath, deciding to stop hiding just so he can make sure that Taehyung's still breathing.

Then he'll be able to exact his revenge—not on Taehyung, but on the man who cursed him and turned him into the man he is today. Oh, heaven has no rage like love turned to hatred.

*** [TIME SKIP— one month later.] . . . Days turned to weeks, weeks into a month and now Jeongguk is heading towards the gym in the basement after he woke up again in an empty bed.

"Mhm... Although I don't really mind seeing this view everyday, I would still appreciate it if you would at least kiss me good morning." Jeongguk says, smirking, pushing a tongue on his cheek as he leaned against the door frame.

"I did, but okay— come here and get your morning kiss then, sleepyhead," Taehyung says, dumping the weights he's lifting on the floor, wiping a bit of sweat from his brow as he smiles and turns towards Jeongguk. —

They say that time can heal even the deepest of wounds. Well, that seems applicable if we're going to talk about Taehyung's physical condition— but what about everything else underneath?

It's been a month and a week since Taehyung woke up from a coma. He can walk now and do some exercises— hell! He can even lift a few light weights, and he's also able to gain back his normal weight. He looks— Fine,

Like nothing happened—on the outside, at least, but what about his mind? What about the nightmares that continue to torment him whenever he sleeps at night— nightmares that morph into traumatic flashbacks every time he wakes up?

Healing is good; it's good if it's not used as an excuse to make you forget about the pain you've gone through just because it's considered the righteous thing to do—+

as if you're the one who needs to forgive and forget, the one who's required to apologize and act as the bigger person even though you're the one who's been hurt, the one who's been scarred, the one who was wronged.

That kind of healing sounds like bullsh¡t to Taehyung. True healing for him isn't just something that he can tell himself. Healing for him will only come right after justice. If only justice isn't just another form of bullsh¡t.

. . . "There." Jeongguk smiles as he finishes tying Taehyung necktie. "You look— good. So good that I don't wanna let you leave-.."

"You're not letting me leave; you're coming with me, remember?" Taehyung says, brushing the nonexistent dust off Jeongguk's shoulder, while Jeongguk sighs, still clearly troubled.

"I know. Of course I'll be with you.. But are you sure you wanna do this now? Dr. Lee said that you still need to take it easy, and it's not like 'that' guy will be going anywhere... It's done. Yoo Jae-Sung is detained—+

and quite literally deranged, so why not just stay here a bit more? Maybe another week? A few days? I—.." "I've wanted to see that man since I woke up, Jeongguk. I think I've waited long enough," Taehyung says, taking Jeongguk's hand in his.+

"Besides, didn't Jin hyung say you couldn't delay the release of your album any longer? It's about time, Guk... You know we can't play house here forever," he adds as Jeongguk takes a step back. "I didn’t say that I want us to stay here forever..."

Lies. Jeongguk lied just now, because if anything, that's what he truly wants. He wants to keep on staying with Taehyung here away from everyone, away from the world— away from any hint of danger, +

but he also knows that this day is bound to come. The moment Taehyung was able to walk again without any trouble, Jeongguk knew that Taehyung's been itching to return to their normal lives.

He knows that Taehyung wanted to meet Yoo Jae-Sung in the psychiatric ward and he also wants to get involved again in the ongoing investigation against the psychopath.+

Still, Jeongguk wants to be selfish a little bit more— keep Taehyung all to himself a little longer.

"I just want you safe— and healthy, and well... Sorry... I'm sorry if a part of me still wants to keep you all to myself." Jeongguk admits, making Taehyung hold his hand tighter this time.

"You already have me, but I also want something for myself. I want to meet Yoo Jae-Sung, maybe try to get closure for whatever happened to my father, and I also want to catch that psychopath. I want to feel safe, Jeongguk.+

I want to feel safe without us needing to hide like we're the guilty rats." Taehyung says, pausing to cup Jeongguk's face. "I want our lives back," He adds, and Jeongguk doesn't have the heart to still argue with him about that.

"R-right... Okay, let's do this then— just like we planned," Jeongguk finally concedes, smiling at Taehyung defeatedly. "Yes... Just like we planned," Taehyung says, leaning close and pressing his forehead to Jeongguk's own.

"Just promise me one thing, Tae... Promise me that I won't lose you again." "Alright... I promise." Taehyung replies, placing a chaste kiss on Jeongguk's lips before they leave.

*** "Finally." Jimin ran to hug Taehyung as soon as he saw him with Jeongguk enter the psych ward where Yoo Jae-Sung is. "I missed you, Tae." Jimin adds, still not letting go of Taehyung.

"*Cough*" Jimin rolled his eyes when Jeongguk cleared his throat, slinging an arm over Taehyung's shoulder, pulling him away from Jimin's hold.

"I'm sure you did." Jeongguk says, which made Jimin scoff, clearly offended by Jeongguk's tone. "You know I can't stand you—"

"Chim, Guk..." Taehyung warns, making the other two fling their sharp glares away from each other. "*Sigh* So, where is he?" Taehyung asks Jimin.

"Follow me," Jimin says as they proceed along the corridors, wrapping his hand around Taehyung's wrist, Jeongguk was about to protest when Taehyung stopped him by holding his hand instead. +

"Chill," Taehyung says, compelling Jeongguk to force a smile that immediately disappeared from his face, the moment Taehyung looked away.

* Jimin, Taehyung and Jeongguk stood in front of the visitation room where Yoo Jae-Sung is, and from here, Taehyung suddenly felt as if his stomach was churning. "You don't have to do this if you're not ready, Tae," Jimin says, handing Taehyung a folder as Taehyung looks away.

"This is one of the main reasons why I pursued law. Do you honestly believe that I'm not ready?" Taehyung asks, thumbing through the contents of the folder Jimin just handed him, +

noting his father's case profile. He flicked it shut and was ready to open the door when he felt Jeongguk's touch on his shoulder.

"I'll be here. If you feel that being around him is too much, just get out and— come to me. I'll take you away from here." Jeongguk whispers to Taehyung's ear before he leaned forward and turned the knob,+

opening the door for Taehyung, thinking that it will be better for them if they get over this sooner. "Thanks," Taehyung says, taking a deep breath before entering the room, letting the door swing close, leaving him and Yoo Jae-Sung alone.

[You can play this as you read.] Got you (inst.) youtu.be/tAJqK6FS9E8

. . . Taehyung is pretty sure it's all in his head, but the moment he saw the man in a wheelchair with handcuffs on, he swore he smelt something putrid in the air.

Yoo Jae-Sung's head is hanging low. He now only has one leg because the other has been amputated as a result of the injuries he sustained during the encounter three months ago. He looks old, weak and vulnerable. Right now, Yoo Jae-Sung, doesn't look like someone who has power.

Taehyung then pulled out a chair and sat there by the table in front of Yoo Jae-Sung. The air is thick, but oddly, Taehyung can still breathe, looking at the metal cuffs around Jae-Sung's wrists.

Taehyung has been waiting for this day to confront this man—this man who has led him to lose his only family—but now that he's here? Taehyung is at a loss for words and he doesn't know where to begin.

"H-how are you feeling?" Taehyung balled his fists, wanting to slap himself for starting a conversation this way with the man he claims to hate. Yoo Jae-Sung didn't respond, but he did raise his head to meet Taehyung's hard stare.

Taehyung began to tremble for some reason, not because of fear, but out of the rage that was suddenly boiling inside him. As Yoo Jae-Sung continued to stare at him blankly, Taehyung felt a sudden urge to stick out two of his fingers and claw the man's eyes out completely. +

Thankfully, he managed to contain himself, knowing that it's unnecessary for him to get his hands dirty just because of a man who clearly isn't worth it. Yoo Jae-Sung looks miserable, but he's alive while Kim Taejoo— Taehyung's father is not.

Yoo Jae-Sung is here, but Kim Taejoo is not. "I don't feel bad for you, so don't expect me to pretend that I do. Let's cut to the chase now shall we?" Taehyung pauses as he opens the folder containing his father's old case profile and lays it in front of Jae-Sung. +

"Do you remember this man?" Taehyung asks, pointing to a photo of his late father. "Kim. Tae. Joo," he adds, emphasizing each syllable of his father's name, as Yoo Jae-Sung's eyes drop down to the photo.

"Tell me," Taehyung says, recalling his father's trial; how his father cried on the stand, begging everyone to believe that he's an innocent man.+

"Why him?" Taehyung continues to ask, knowing that he may never get the answer he seeks, while Yoo Jae-Sung raises his attention to him.

"Out of all the people in the world— why did you put the blame on him? Did you even know him? Or was he just unfortunate because he was the most convenient choice for you at the time to clear your name?" Taehyung asks again,+

unable to stop himself from shedding a tear, refusing to blink, but when he did, he saw his father's face staring back at him.

It's not real. Taehyung knows that the image he’s seeing now is not real; his father has long been dead, but for some reason he’s here again, standing behind Yoo Jae-Sung with a relieved expression on his face.

From there, Taehyung realized that he'd been a fool to even doubt his father's innocence. For years, he had convinced himself that in order to be a good lawyer, he should not be biased and should constantly keep an open mind— bullsh¡t. Kim Taejoo has always been innocent.

"H-hah..." Taehyung's breath rattles as he chokes out a bitter chuckle, turning his face up to keep his tears from falling, for he refuses to display any signs of weakness in front of this man. "You're not going to answer, are you?" he asks, receiving only silence in response.

"Just so you know... This man— Kim Taejoo, has a son. His son only had a father, and you took that away from him just so you could extend your freedom for a few more years... Still— you ended up like this. It's funny, isn't it? +

You were so desperate to keep the power you thought you'd always have, but look at you now? Pfft..." Taehyung scoffs again, locking eyes with Yoo Jae-Sung. "Pathetic," he continues, noting Jae-Sung's hardening expression, which just made Taehyung laugh.

"I don't care if you're truly insane or just pretending to be... It won't change the fact that you'll be stuck here— till the day you die, you'll be here," Taehyung says, still staring intently at Yoo Jae-Sung, standing up, ready to depart.

"You little piece of sh¡t." Taehyung then pauses when he hears Jae-Sung speak. "I won't be here much longer—"

"So I'm right? You're just pretending to be insane so they'll give you a lighter sentence... What for? Don't tell me you still have hopes of getting out?— Pfft... Look, even if you manage to get out of here, what difference would it make? +

All your money can't make you grow a leg— pfft... You can't ever grow a cock as well." Taehyung cuts Jae-Sung off as he turns to face him again. +

"Your money can never buy back the things you've lost, just as your arrest can never bring back my father... We're even now, Yoo Jae-Sung-ssi. I won't let your existence burden me. You can live, die, or rot— I won't care anymore," Taehyung continues, +

grabbing the folder he left on the table, lightly tapping it on Jae-Sung's face, smirking when the latter tried to spit at him, only for him to evade it, making the filth land on the desk. "Nice try—"

"Ahh... Kim. Tae. Joo... I remember that guy— that p:ussy, begging; please, please believe me, I've got nothing to do with it! I'm innocent... Please... I have a son... Please... Please your honor, believe me..." Yoo Jae-Sung says, +

mimicking how he remembered Taehyung's father pleaded innocent. "That, your old man? Pfft... I could tell you looked familiar. You're the spitting image of that miserable pathetic man," Jae-Sung smirks, infuriating Taehyung even more.

"I can reopen your case, you know? I can seize whatever's left of your remaining comfort, so I'll watch my mouth, if I were you," Taehyung says as he squeezes Yoo Jae-Sung's face so hard as if he's aiming for it to break.

"G-go ahead kid... P-pfft... Try it. Your words, not mine— what difference would it make?" Jae-Sung says, struggling to speak as Taehyung tightens the grip he has on his jaw.

"Lunatics like you think you can dominate the world, but all it takes is a bad lawyer and a good prosecutor to cause your downfall." Taehyung says, his gaze never leaving Jae-Sung as he drills his remarks into the latter's head. +

"Kim-Tae-hyung... That's my name, remember it well; I'm the one who'll make sure you never get to leave this place," Taehyung says as he harshly lets go, turning away from Jae-Sung.

"Kim Taehyung? Hahahaha! Kim Taehyung???" Jae-Sung chuckles as if it's the most absurd thing he's ever heard, causing Taehyung to pause again, but this time without turning back. +

"Pfft... Listen here kid, I don't need to get out of here to make you pay for what you and your friends did to me... From what I heard, the devil already has his eyes on you—+

poor old me, doesn't really have to do anything," Jae-sung says, and strangely Taehyung has an idea what he meant. "So you know him, huh?" Taehyung asks, referring to the infamous psychopath dubbed 'slasher' these days.

"My, my... The devil's indeed one of my most loyal customers... Don't even try to ask me who he is; as you can see, I am not sane enough to aid the authorities." Jae-Sung continues to taunt, but Taehyung refuses to give a sh¡t anymore.

"Ah, I know. Don't worry, I have no need for the likes of you. I'll find him— and once I do, I'll have you locked up in the same cell as him. Who knows? Maybe he'll make you his last victim." Taehyung says, reaching for the door handle as Jae-Sung breaks into a laugh again.

"Hahahahaha! You'll never find him— he'll find you. Pfft… He’ll find you, do you hear me? That f:ucking boogeyman will be coming after all of you!" Jae-Sung exclaims as Taehyung steps out of the room with a dark expression on his face.

. . . "Tae—" Jimin couldn't complete his sentence as Taehyung went past him and Jeongguk as if he hadn't noticed them standing outside Jae-Sung's room.

"Taehyung, wait!" Jimin was about to pursue Taehyung when he was stopped by Jeongguk. "I'll take it from here, midget, you've done enough for today," Jeongguk says before following Taehyung outside the facility, leaving Jimin standing there.

*** Taehyung just let out the breath he had been holding when he stepped outside the building. He's breathing, but he still feels like he's choking. He was bent down against Jeongguk's motorcycle, unable to stand straight as if he's about to faint,+

when Jeongguk grabbed him by the arm and supported his weight. "H-hey..." Jeongguk murmurs, placing his hands on the sides of Taehyung's waist, gently stroking the back of the latter's hair.

"I— I know I said I'm ready... B-but does your previous offer still stand? C-can we still go back and do this some other time?" Taehyung asks, hugging Jeongguk back, gripping onto the latter's jacket as if scared for his life, +

prompting Jeongguk to immediately pull out his phone and dial Seokjin's number. 'Jeongguk? What time are you coming—..' "Cancel my schedule for today, hyung... Tell them I have other priorities," Jeongguk says, hanging up before Jin nags him again. +

Then he gently drew back from Taehyung, allowing him to cup the latter's face. "Let's go home now, baby... The world and everything else can wait." Jeongguk smiles, kissing Taehyung on the forehead before he puts on Taehyung's helmet, then lifts him onto the motorcycle.

*** [You can play this as you read.] Once upon a dream youtu.be/8waJ7W3QcJc

Dirty. Taehyung cannot count how many times he stood here under this same shower and feel like he's still so goddamn dirty. He can't even tell exactly when it started— did it begin when he woke up, when he started walking again or was he always this filthy?

The more Taehyung's strength improves, the louder the voices in his head become, and what's terrifying about those voices is that he cannot determine who's voice it was— was it his or the psychopath's?

T/W : mentions of murder Hallucinations The lines you're about to read might be disturbing for some, do note that these are meant to portray the thoughts that came from a psychopathic cr¡minal.

'He pissed me off so much...' 'I told him to shut up but he kept on wailing and wailing like a damn broken siren... So I stabbed him.' 'It was so satisfying...'

'The silence that followed those vexing screams sounded like music to my ears.' 'Don't do this— don't do that... Who does he think he is to tell me what to do? I hate being told what to do.'

'People are just like cattle, don't you think?— Arrogant but actually spineless cattle. They act so big and tough, yet they cower at the slightest sight of a blade, crying in fear of spilling a drop of their disgusting blood.'

'They fear death, unaware that the real monsters exist mostly when they're still alive and well.' ‘I hate them. I hate them. I hate them.’ 'So I k¡lled. K¡lled. K¡lled. K¡lled— I k¡lled all of them.'

Taehyung felt his stomach turn as the distorted eerie voices continued to echo in his ears, making his head spin, prompting him to cover his own mouth, still under the hot shower. +

He bit his lower lip to keep his guts from spilling, but everything else kept spinning, the water kept running—dropping, swirling down the drain in shades of red in Taehyung's aching head.

He thought that seeing Yoo Jae-Sung miserable would make him feel better, but it only made him feel worse—it made him realize he'd made no progress at all.

Something has changed and Taehyung doubts that it's for the better, for he no longer feels like the same person he was before. It's as if he turned into a b:omb filled with negative emotions, threatening to explode.

He's scared and mad, and he doesn’t know what to do with himself anymore. With a gasp, Taehyung turned off the shower and walked towards the sink, now staring at himself in the mirror.

Fear really is just another form of poison, for unsettled fear has the potential to turn into frustration and anger, and anger left unmanaged can grow and grow— and grow, until it fully consumes a person, gobbling up one's soul like one starving monster.

Even though he's still drenched from the shower, Taehyung still splashed his face with water—god, right now, he's desperate for any distraction.

*** Jeongguk is sitting on the edge of the bed, anxiously awaiting Taehyung, who is still in the shower. Don't get him wrong: he's relieved that Taehyung is nearly back to normal.+

Taehyung is now able to walk—hell! He can even jog and do some light workouts, but Jeongguk still feels that something is wrong—that something has changed. Something doesn't feel right with Taehyung.

Jeongguk has been wondering if he's just imagining things for the past month, but Taehyung seems to be becoming darker— the way he speaks and his thoughts uttered out loud sometimes make Jeongguk feel like he's talking to an entirely different person.

Most often than not, Taehyung would wake up in cold sweat in the middle of the night, looking so damn terrified. His temper has gotten worse and Jeongguk had also noticed Taehyung washing his hands more than usual, taking longer showers.+

He'd come out of the bath with his skin flushed red not from the steam but from too much scrubbing— it's odd and Jeongguk is honestly worried, but every time he asks Taehyung about it, the latter refuses to tell him what's happening.

When the bathroom door slammed shut, Jeongguk raised his gaze from the floor to find Taehyung leaning against the wall, in nothing but his damp bathrobe. "Hi," Taehyung says, sultry voice sounding like a whisper.

"H-hi... Uhm, are you done? Are you hungry? Should I cook or should we just order something?" Jeongguk asks, watching as Taehyung slowly walks towards him, positioning himself between Jeongguk's parted legs, while Jeongguk remains seated on the bed.

"W-why?" Jeongguk asks, putting his hands on Taehyung's waist , stuttering, mesmerized by Taehyung's sensual gaze.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Taehyung asks, softly raking his fingers through Jeongguk's hair, drunk sexy eyes peering down at Jeongguk, who’s staring at him like a puppy being petted by its owner.

"B-been a while since— since what? W-what do you want, baby?" Jeongguk asks, as if he has no idea what Taehyung is on about. +

It's been a long time since he and Taehyung had any time to be intimate with each other, especially since Taehyung is still getting physical therapy and Jeongguk had to be considerate of his condition.

Taehyung is doing well on the outside, but Jeongguk isn't sure whether it's truly okay for them to do this because he has no idea what exactly Taehyung is thinking right now.

What does he want? What does he need? Will them being intimate really help him? 'Sh¡t... How can I think straight when you're staring at me like this? 'Jeongguk thinks, drowning in Taehyung's deep gaze, completely smitten by the latter's gorgeous face.

"Mhm... We're about to leave this place soon. I believe you already know what I want— but if you still need to hear me say it, then I want you fck me— fck me like there's an apocalypse coming. +

Fck me like it's our last... Hard, rough and raw. Fck me like there'll be no tomorrow." Taehyung says, grabbing a fistful of Jeongguk's hair, tugging the latter's head back, making Jeongguk grunt in response. "Can you do that? Can you save me?—

Because right now, I feel like if you don't hold me, I'm really about to go batsh¡t crazy..." Taehyung muttered under his breath, his face revealing how deeply he meant every word he had just said. And what else can Jeongguk really do? Say no?— Hah, impossible.

T/W : implied murder T/W : scenes portraying the thoughts of a psychopathic murderer Dead dove, do not eat

"Su-jin-ah! Come here and have your breakfast first! I cooked your favorite." "Really? Okay... I'll just set this up, appa!" "Tch, you've been working so hard on those decorations; take a break, no one's coming in yet."

"Oh, appa. We just have to wait... Our first set of customers are undoubtedly on their way," Su-jin, a loving son, assures his father after finishing hanging up the sign for their newly opened coffeeshop. —Purple cafe.

*** [SOMEONE's POV] Canceled? I was so looking forward to this day—I even dressed up in one of my nicest shirts—only to hear this damn manager declare that the schedule for today has been canceled? Why? Why? Why?

He was coming. We were told that Jeon fcking Jeongguk is finally returning today after seemingly disappearing without a trace for a month, and I know— I know that if Jeon Jeongguk returns, he'll be bringing Taehyung with him. So, why is he bailing now?

"I'm sorry. Jeongguk— well, we all know he's going through something, but he promised to come back soon. I'll talk to him. I'm really sorry again," Seokjin, Jeongguk's manager, says,+

apologizing to us and the other employees whose day is ruined because Jeongguk changed his mind about doing what was arranged for today.

"*Sigh* What's with that guy? He's not even answering any of our calls! It's been a month now and he's making it seem like he doesn't exist anymore...+

I know Taehyung is still missing, but he doesn't really need to disappear with him?" Jaehyong, B-side's drummer, tells Seokjin, and to be honest, if I wasn't in public, I would laugh out loud.

Taehyung? Missing? What nonsense—only an idiot would not realize that Jeon Jeongguk was the one who took him.

"Y-yeah... I know. I'll talk to him, Jae... He's having a hard time right now, you know that, right?" Seokjin replies, but I'm not in the mood to hear such poor excuses. I can feel it—rage. I feel like I've been duped yet again.

Does that dirtbag know who I am? Is he doing this on purpose? No, no, he doesn't know, nobody does except Hyun-Jung, who is all but as good as gone at this point. So, for now at least, I believe that my identity is absolutely safe.

However, that doesn't change the fact that I'm out of patience right now. It's been a month, and I'm sick of waiting and chasing. If they don't want to come out, I'll have to make them.

"Excuse me, Jin-ssi?" I asked as I walked up to Seokjin. "I guess I'll have to leave early today... I haven't been feeling well since this morning; the schedule's canceled anyway, right?" I said, subtly cracking my knuckles out of habit.

"Oh—I see. Yeah, yeah, of course you can go home. I'm really sorry to have wasted your time. Let's just reschedule. I'll call you, okay?" Jin says, bowing his head politely to me again.

"Alright, thank you," I replied, bowing to the guy as well before informing the rest of my colleagues that I'd be going early today. Why? Because I can't stay here—at least not while in this state of mind.

[You can play this as you read.] The secret history youtu.be/ClC2YUBtVvI

... Looking for a temporary fix to my troubles should be simple if that dirty geezer, Yoo Jae-Sung, hasn't been caught— he always provides a good selection. Sigh, I guess I'll just have to go back to my old ways. It's bothersome, but I really need to vent right now.

CC is no longer in business, thus I must look elsewhere. It's not that hard, especially considering I'm familiar with the area.

I parked my car somewhere along Itaewon's bustling streets. If I had more time, I wouldn't necessarily have this location as my first option, but this is where there are a lot of people—at least a lot worthy of my attention.

What am I looking for exactly? Well, since this isn't for anything deep, it could be anyone as long as I can get them readily. There are cameras everywhere, and if there's one thing that makes me miss Hyun-Jung, it'll be his ability and resources to clean up after me.+

Then again, I know the area, I know where to look, where to stay— where to hunt. I know where people can do whatever they want without anyone giving a fck.

The sun is close to set, and my remaining patience is running out. I'm staying in my car with my windows rolled down. I'm looking for someone who is alone, whether a man or a woman, but they have to be trusting— willing and naive. +

After all, an easy prey should not require much effort to capture. I've been tapping my index finger on the steering wheel, my gaze fixated on the side mirror, watching whoever's approaching. Then it came.

"Oh, sh¡t..." the guy who just dropped the stack of flyers he's carrying hisses, hurrying to pick up the papers that are now flying everywhere, one of which fell in front of my feet as soon as I got out of my car to assist him.

"Purple cafe? Well, this does look inviting," I said as I knelt down and handed the flier back to him. "Huh? O-oh... Thank you," he said, lowering his head to express his gratitude. He's polite, that's nice.

"Ah, you're welcome. You seem like you're having some trouble here... Do you need any help?" I inquired, scanning the area carefully to see whether the person I chose was with someone. None. Good.

"Oh no... I'm good, sir. I'm just passing out some flyers for my dad's cafe down the street. Uhm— here. We just opened this morning," he says, handing me the same sheet I just returned to him.+

I took it and pretended that I gave a shit. Purple cafe—at least judging by the advertisement, the place appears decent, as does the sheepish smile on this guy's face. He looks clean— maybe not perfect, but he looks innocent at least.

"I see. This looks nice? Hmm... I'm actually meeting with a few friends in a bit, I'll invite them to come by at your café," I smiled, trying to think of ways to prolong our conversation. "Really? Thank you very much, sir! I really appreciate it—."

"You know what? Why don't you come with me? I'm actually on my way to the company where I work to go fetch my buddies. You can pass out more of your flyers to the other employees there.+

They're all a fiend for snacks and coffee," I offered, wondering if this guy would take the bait. Oh, he will. Based on the way his eyes suddenly sparkled bright, I know that he will.

"I'd love to, sir! People around here are so snobbish. They grab the flyers and toss them away the next second. These papers cost money, too, y'know? If they don't want it, they could just refuse it instead of wasting it," he said with a rather dejected look on his face.

"I know, right? Don't worry, coffee's like a drug for us working busy bodies. Let's go? Let's bring your dad more customers," I replied, smiling wider as I led the unsuspecting guy to the car, finally feeling a little better.

"Wow, you have a great car, sir," the man replies, admiring the interior of my vehicle. Materialistic? Tch, what a shame, but it's okay, I already have my Taehyung, so this man doesn't have to be perfect anyway.

"Thanks. It's not mine though... It's my dad's.— Ah, what's your name by the way?" I asked as I started the car. "Chang Su-Jin, sir." "Precious and rare?" I said, knowing the meaning behind the syllables used in Su-jin's name.

"Yes! Pfft... My dad gave it to me, saying that because it took them 20 years to have me, I'm precious and rare to them." Su-jin smiles, gazing at fliers for his father's cafe— +

ugh, I want to wipe that smile off his cheeky face. It's just too bright, too happy—too obnoxious for my taste. But I know how to wait. Good boys know how to wait.

"You must be so loved by your parents, Su-jin-ssi... So loved," I muttered under my breath as I began to drive away, that familiar rush coursing through my veins. "Huh? —Oh, well... I'm really lucky to have them both, sir." "Mhm... Lucky you, indeed." [END OF SOMEONE'S POV]

*** NSFW Hints/ signs of (BDD) body dysmorphic disorder Signs of experiencing lucid intervals Few of the following scenes might be disturbing for some NO MINORS ALLOWED HERE

*** —Like there's no tomorrow... "You don't want to?" Taehyung asks, letting go of Jeongguk's hair as the latter stays silent after being given a few seconds to respond.

"Not that I don't want to—of course I do... But can you tell me what's going on, Tae? What's bothering you these days?" Jeongguk says, his hands on Taehyung's waist.

Taehyung maintained his gaze fixed on Jeongguk, as though delaying his response to the latter's query. Taehyung isn't stupid, and he knows Jeongguk isn't either. He's aware that Jeongguk has noticed something wrong with him;+

in fact, Jeongguk has asked him about it several times already, but it's not easy for Taehyung to spill everything, especially when he himself does not really understand it.

[Please play this as you read.] Dark Paradise youtu.be/dvSZQ4oMHGM

"Those nightmares..." Taehyung begins, tipping his head back, oddly ashamed to meet Jeongguk's concerned gaze. "They keep following me even when I'm awake, I've been hearing voices in my head, Jeongguk, +

sometimes they sound like me, sometimes they sound like one ravenous monster," Taehyung says, his lips twisting up into a pained smile as he stares down at Jeongguk again. +

"I've been telling them to stop— but they wouldn't... I just want them to stop..." Taehyung confesses, turning away and biting his bottom lip, refusing to weep. "Tae... I think we should see someone... Y'know— someone who can help-.."

"Are you kidding me? I'm not insane, Jeongguk. Don't f:uck with me!" Taehyung isn't sure why he's snapping right now, but he is. "If you don't want to sleep with me, then don't... But don't you dare insinuate that I'm broken." Taehyung continues,+

pointing a finger at Jeongguk, gritting his teeth as he speaks, turning around which then prompts Jeongguk to get on his feet.

"Tae! You know that's not what I meant! I didn’t say that you're broken— I'm worried about you... God! You and I both know that you don't have to be actually insane to seek professional help-.."

"For my head? Why? Are you scared? Are you scared of the possibility of me becoming a murderous lunatic?! If so, then fine— I'll leave! You don't have to put up with me—" Taehyung was about to walk away when Jeongguk grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a tight embrace,+

placing his palm flat at the back of Taehyung's head, burying the latter's face against the crook of his neck. There, Jeongguk releases a rather shaky breath.+

"Shh... It's not like that. I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry— please don't get upset with me," Jeongguk says, his tone soft and calm as he flicks his gaze upward, not wanting Taehyung to see that he's now crying. "I just wanted— I just wanted to get-.."

"You want me to hold you?" Jeongguk pulled back a bit and cupped Taehyung's face. "Want me to distract you, mhm? That's all my baby needs, right? A little break? A little distraction?" Jeongguk asks,+

stroking his fingers softly across Taehyung's cheek before pressing a kiss on the latter's forehead, sighing when Taehyung slowly nods his head. "Yes... Was it too much to ask?" Taehyung says, still clearly upset.

"No," Jeongguk says, kissing Taehyung on the cheek again. "No." — Then a kiss on Taehyung's eye, followed by another on his nose. "No, you can never be too much for me, Tae... +

Please trust me enough to believe that I'll stay. You're not alone. Broken or not, I'm with you all the way," Jeongguk says before eventually closing the gap between their lips, and when they break the kiss, Taehyung has a softer look on his face.+

"I'm not the enemy here... I'm not your enemy, baby. So let's not fight, okay? Remember that I love you, that's why I'm worried about you," Jeongguk says, feeling Taehyung clutch onto his shirt, then letting his head rest on Jeongguk's chest. +

"I'm sorry... I don't know what has gotten into me. -- Way to kill the mood, right?" Taehyung says, nuzzling his face against Jeongguk's chest as the latter rubs soothing circles across his back.

"Not even close... You know, I'm always in the mood when it comes to you," Jeongguk says, bringing Taehyung with him as he sits back on the bed, his hands again on Taehyung's waist, the latter standing in between his parted legs.

"Really? Then why haven't you touched me since the last time we did it when we got here? I kept waiting till I started thinking you don't like me anymore... Understable— I mean, who would want to f:uck someone who's practically as thin as a skelleton-.."

"Hush... Please don't say that. Don't talk about yourself like that, Tae... It was never about your weight or your appearance. I was holding back because I want you to recover fast... Sex— look, even if we try, we've never been a fan of just plain vanilla. +

I just didn't want to overdo it. I was scared— I didn't want to hurt you so I abstained." Jeongguk admits, keeping his gaze on Taehyung as he gently tugs the tie of the latter's robe, sighing deeply as the damp cloth unravels, hanging open and loose over Taehyung's frame.+

"Controlling myself around you must be the toughest thing I've ever done in my life— apart from when I first lost you," Jeongguk adds as he slid his hands through Taehyung's robe, huffing out a lungful of air again when he got to touch the skin of Taehyung's bare waist.

"Quit flattering me—" "I'll take that as you not getting a good look at yourself in the mirror," Jeongguk says as he begins to rub his palms up and down Taehyung's sides, +

then placing them on his hips, unable to stop himself from biting his lips because of the tempting beauty in front of him. "Look at you... It's as if god sculpted you himself— and he most surely took his sweet time in doing so." Jeongguk continues,

his words coming out in feverish whispers as he leans in, pressing his lips on Taehyung's tummy, feeling the way Taehyung's inhaling deeply from what he's doing.

"You have no idea how you affect me Tae... You have no idea what you're doing to me," Jeongguk says, dragging his lips across Taehyung's honey skin as he pushes more wet kisses over it, tracing an invisible map towards Taehyung's hip.

"Tell me... I want to hear you say it," Taehyung says, combing his fingers through Jeongguk's hair as the latter continues to kiss and lick him, making his c0ck throb harder and harder with each passing second from Jeongguk's sensual ministrations.

"You're driving me crazy... Every time I look at you, I want to pounce on you... I want to chain you up the bed, f:uck you senseless until we both can't... +

God— you have really no idea how hard it was for me to hold back... I'm still holding back," Jeongguk admits, closing his eyes and hissing as he tightly grips Taehyung's hips.

"Then don't. Don't hold back... I've been itching for you to fill me up," Taehyung replies, throwing his head back and shutting his eyes as he felt Jeongguk's lips graze over the tip of his now fully hard c0ck.

"Ah... Is that so? Can you take me, though? It's been so long, I wonder whether I can still fit in your pretty little hole," Jeongguk says, his hands gripping Taehyung's a:ss, causing Taehyung to part his mouth.

"T-try me..." Taehyung says with that sultry deep voice of his, pulling back a bit from Jeongguk so he can bend forward and claim the latter's lips as Jeongguk pulls him down, making him straddle his lap.

Taehyung then eagerly parted Jeongguk's mouth with his tongue, slithering it past Jeongguk's lips and tasting each corner of the latter's wet heat. +

They kept kissing, breathing through their noses and groaning as Jeongguk pulled Taehyung closer to him. At this point, one side of Taehyung's robe had dropped down his shoulder, exposing more of his chest, +

bringing Jeongguk's attention to Taehyung's nipples. Jeongguk breaks the kiss, tugging Taehyung's lower lip between his teeth, then latching his mouth on Taehyung's neck, sucking red and purple bruises on his skin.+

He licked and bit Taehyung's prominent collarbone before lowering his mouth and flattening his tongue on one of Taehyung's nipples. "Nngh... Fck, yes," Taehyung says, his hand clutching the back of Jeongguk's hair as if guiding him as Jeongguk sucks his chest.