Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision.
━
The Art of War
Sun Tzu

≣

"Fuck, sweetheart. Keep doing that . . . It feels so good."

A smirk tugged at the corners of Jungkook's mouth as he worked his fingers deeper. "Yeah, you like that, Tae? It's not too rough?"

Taehyung - who sat in between Jungkook's legs, back against his chest - let out a pleasured moan as his head fell backward. "I can handle rough, Kookie."

Encouraged by that sentiment, Jungkook curled his fingers in just the right way, earning a muted whimper. But he wasn't satisfied with the soft sound; he wanted to hear more of the gorgeous noises he knew the elder could make. So with a playful pout set over his mouth, he lightly dragged his nails and flicked his wrists until a string of moans met his ears.

And to think he was only washing Taehyung's hair.

The two had been in the tub for about fifteen minutes, relaxing as the hot water worked to soothe their tired bodies. Jungkook let the elder attend to him first, humming gratefully as the results of their intimacy were cleansed from his body. After his hair had been properly soaped and rinsed out, he reversed their spots, nestling Taehyung between his legs as he started on his hair.

As soon as he started massaging shampoo into the boy's scalp, Jungkook learned just how sensitive his head was to touch. If he scratched along the base of Taehyung's neck, there was a soft sigh. If he dug his knuckles into the spot behind his ears, there was a gentle moan. And if he slightly pulled on the wet strands, his angel sung out the most heavenly praises.

Taehyung was so vocal and responsive that Jungkook questioned whether this was hair washing or foreplay.

Either way, Jungkook loved every second of it. And as he continued to lather soap into the elder's thick locks, his mind turned to something quite profound.

Sex.

Before today - before Taehyung - sex had never been anything besides, well, sex to Jungkook. All the years he slept around, he only saw the act as the temporary merging of bodies; it was a fleeting release, a momentary distraction, and nothing more.

It was purely physical.

But what he and Taehyung just experienced was so much more than just physical or sexual. It was the opening of minds; the chance to reveal the words only uttered in the safety of one's thoughts. It was the sharing of bodies; the constant desire to give and not caring one bit about the take. It was the colliding of hearts; that raw offering of one's love for another. And it was the fusing of souls; the creation of an invisible bond that would forever link Jungkook to Taehyung.

All of that needed a stronger word than just sex.

Because behind every single kiss, behind each sweeping touch and soft caress, there was meaning. Behind the pushes and pulls of the other's body, there was intent. Behind the tender words and the raw honesty of their eyes, there was love.

Love.

There was so much love because Jungkook was openly, intensely, and involuntarily falling in love with Kim Taehyung.

And while he had suspected falling for the elder would be an easy thing to do, he never expected the force of it all to hit him like a freight train. It felt like he was standing one moment, completely unassuming, and the next he was on the ground, heart out of his chest and secured in Taehyung's hands.

And maybe that was part of the reason why Jungkook never wanted to share his heart with another. Maybe from the very first second Taehyung's and Jungkook's souls bloomed into existence, their hearts belonged to each other. Maybe the connection they shared was destined since the very beginning.

Jungkook started to realize these things back at the bed and breakfast, but today was the day of reckoning. It began when Taehyung showed up at his door, risking backlash and the threat of danger for one final farewell. That action spoke volumes louder than words ever could, resulting in a blissful warmth that coursed through Jungkook's body.

That feeling continued to grow as the two caught up, revealing the deepest of truths about their wellbeing. They shared so many similar emotions, allowing them to empathize with the other's pain like no one else could. And when they started to get intimate, when they bared their minds, hearts, and souls, that feeling intensified until he finally knew.

Jungkook knew that not only was he falling in love with his beautiful Taehyung, but that same boy was falling in love with him, too.

And then they took a step further with each other and banished all remaining boundaries . . . And they made love.

Sex had become something Jungkook never knew it could be: an act of love.

It was profound, indeed.

And he was so zoned out while thinking about all of this, so consumed with this stunning realization, that he didn't initially hear the elder calling out his name.

"Kookie? Hello? You in there?" Taehyung asked with a giggle, the sound deeply rich and heartwarming.

Jungkook blinked his eyes repeatedly, coming out of his thoughts and returning to the present. He choked on a laugh as he observed the mountain of bubbles he had soaped into the elder's hair.

With a sheepish smile, he wiped off some of the excess shampoo. "Hi."

"Hi, yourself," Taehyung laughed openly, leaning his head further back to rest on Jungkook's shoulder. "What were you thinking about?"

"Do you want the filtered or unfiltered version?" Jungkook replied, hands cupping bathwater and carefully pouring it over the elder's head.

"Both."

"Alright. I was thinking about you."

Taehyung closed his eyes, humming contentedly as the soap was rinsed from his hair. "And the unfiltered version?"

A throaty chuckle pushed out of Jungkook's lips. "I was thinking about sex with you."

"I should've known," Taehyung lamented, a wide smile lighting up his face. "My sweetheart has been known to be a horn dog."

"I didn't finish yet," Jungkook chided with a mock pout, running his fingers through the elder's wet hair. "I was thinking of how sex with you will never just be sex. Anytime we're together like that, no matter if it's gentle or rough, it's always going to be rooted in love."

At that, Taehyung's eyes opened, an intense and brilliant look seeping out from the depths of his soul. "That's because we made love, didn't we?"

Jungkook was so lost in the elder's gaze that he couldn't properly produce words, so he simply nodded his head in affirmation.

"You were my first, you know. The first person I've ever made love with," Taehyung murmured, his heartbeat so strong Jungkook could feel it through his back.

"You were my first, too," he whispered, leaning down to place a faint kiss against the elder's mouth. "And I never want to do that with anyone else. Just you."

"That sounds like a forever sort of thing."

And to Jungkook, that's precisely what it was. He couldn't even begin to imagine having that sort of intimacy with anyone besides his angel. He didn't want to imagine it. "Does that scare you?"

"No," Taehyung answered firmly, though his eyes slowly began to darken. "The idea of you and me . . . I want that so badly, Kook. So fucking badly. But . . ."

He didn't have to finish. It was easy enough to assume what he was thinking.

Their time together was running out.

Soon enough, these stolen moments would come to an end. Jungkook would watch Taehyung climb out of the tub, get dressed, and then reach for his car keys. And once again, they'd be separated from each other with no guarantee of a reunion.

And when that happened . . .

Jungkook was afraid of what he'd become. Prior to the elder's arrival today, he had turned into nothing more than an empty shell. A robot. He went through the motions but didn't process his surroundings. He existed but he didn't live.

That was just four days. What would four weeks, four months, or potentially four years do to him?

There would be no telling, no amount of preparation for what was to come. But Jungkook couldn't focus on that now; he would not let his impending despair detract from the time he still had left with Taehyung. So instead of falling apart, he chose to push aside that invisible countdown and only focus on what he had control over.

And what did he have control over? Making his remaining time with Taehyung as happy as possible.

"It doesn't scare me, either. You're worth waiting for, Tae, so that's exactly what I'll do," Jungkook added after a couple of moments, smiling fondly as he took in the elder's soapy head. "And until we're reunited, I'll have the memory of you to keep me company. And maybe I'll entertain myself by fantasizing about you a bit. Like how I'd blindfold you, tie you up -"

"I don't know if this fantasy of yours is about lovemaking or kidnapping," Taehyung retorted wryly, turning around in Jungkook's arms so they were face to face. "What's the distinction?"

"The distinction is that I'll have you naked in my bed, moaning out my name, and screaming in ecstasy," Jungkook smirked, tugging the elder closer until he was perched on his lap.

A soft scoff vibrated in Taehyung's throat as he wrapped his arms and legs around Jungkook's body. "Oh, I bet I know exactly how I'll sound in your fantasy then."

"Demonstrate. Please."

A wicked grin spread over the elder's mouth as he tilted back his head and yelled, "Oh, yeah, oh, yeah! Just like that, Jungkookie. Don't stop. Harder!"

Jungkook trailed one hand up and down the elder's back while the other wrapped around his waist. "You know, I can't even take you seriously right now. There's so much soap in your hair that it's sticking straight up."

"That's because someone here insisted on pouring half the shampoo bottle on my head. And then you didn't even have the decency to rinse it out," Taehyung said with an exaggerated frown, his eyebrows knitting together on his forehead.

"I got distracted by a certain someone just being so damn alluring," Jungkook argued weakly, eyes flitting all over the boy's face to memorize his cute expression. "Do you want to be a good boy and let me finish washing your hair now?"

"I am a good boy," Taehyung murmured, leaning in closer to Jungkook and pressing a soft kiss against his neck. "Sometimes."

Jungkook suppressed a whimper as the elder tongued one of his fresh marks, which was still deliciously tender. But that whimper escaped as he felt Taehyung's bare ass glide over his thighs. "I don't believe you. For an angel, you sure do veer towards the sinful side."

Taehyung winked playfully as he leaned back, his eyes bright with amusement. "Are you calling me a sinner?"

But before Jungkook could answer, the elder captured his mouth and kissed him, well, sinfully. He sucked on his lower lip before biting down, using the surprise of the action to slip his tongue inside of Jungkook's mouth. It didn't last too long, though both boys' hearts were pounding by the end of it.

"I'll be good now," Taehyung said as they broke apart. "But only because I want another scalp massage."

"As you wish, angel," Jungkook grinned, helping the boy settle back between his legs. "Just relax and let me take care of you."

As they finished their ministrations in the tub, Jungkook finally had the opportunity to share the stories behind his tattoos. He recalled his regret when he missed that chance before, and he didn't want to experience remorse again. So he slowly talked through their meanings and significance, loving how Taehyung reverently traced over the inky designs and expressed his admiration for them.

And while Jungkook never needed or wanted anyone's approval, having Taehyung's meant a lot. It felt like the elder accepted yet another piece of the puzzle that made him him. And because of that, Jungkook fell in love with Taehyung just a little bit more.

Once both were thoroughly washed and the water had started to cool, a mutual quietness fell over the bathroom. Both boys knew little could be done to prolong their togetherness. They needed to dry off, find their clothes, and set the rest of their farewell into motion. But they were reluctant to move; neither wanted to be the one to start the official countdown.

And as Jungkook racked his brain for ways to stall their unavoidable fate, he recalled a topic he meant to bring up earlier. It wasn't one he particularly wanted to discuss during the limited time they had left, but he knew the conversation was necessary.

So he squeezed the elder's sides and broke their silence. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything," Taehyung replied, tongue running over his bottom lip and leaving a shiny path behind.

Jungkook idly traced his fingers over the boy's stomach as he pieced together his thoughts. "You mentioned something about your ex earlier . . . about how you suspected he cheated on you. What made you think that?"

A deep sigh pushed through Taehyung's lips, though he didn't evade the question. "I met Bogum at a party . . . A party he attended with someone else. He told me it wasn't anything serious, so we began to date after a while. But I knew a couple of things right away. One, I didn't have any feelings for him, and two, he clearly had feelings for another. My guess is that guy from the party."

Without judgment, Jungkook asked, "Why did you stay with him?"

"I attended all these functions with my dad, and I wanted to impress his influential business partners. I guess I just wanted to help him succeed. So I stayed with Bogum so I could learn to be like him. Any doubts I had about his fidelity were pushed aside."

Jungkook felt a little guilty about being so jealous over Bogum a few days back. But he didn't beat himself too much over it; when it came to Taehyung, he couldn't help but feel possessive.

"But anyway, I started to get more suspicious when he'd reference conversations or memories that we never had together," the elder continued, lazily stroking Jungkook's knee. "He'd also call me dimples on random occasions, which made no sense considering I have none. Whenever that happened, I'd question him on it, though he always deflected."

Dimples. Shit.

Based on that information, Jungkook could make a pretty confident guess as to whom Bogum had pined after.

But before he pressed the elder more on the topic, he kissed the boy's forehead. "I'm sorry, Tae. That must have been tough."

Taehyung shrugged his shoulders casually. "Honestly, I really didn't care. I was a lot different back then."

"A glamorous, rich socialite, right?" Jungkook teased as he shifted his hand on the elder's stomach, dipping a finger into his belly button. "Was my angel a snob?"

"A little bit," Taehyung admitted easily, the hint of a laugh coloring his voice. "I was a brat, just like you."

Jungkook was tempted to run his hand even lower, to show Taehyung just how much of a brat he could be, but decided against it. He wasn't stupid; he knew they didn't have time for a second round.

So, instead of provoking the elder, he kept his hands on more appropriate areas of his body and said, "No wonder why you love when I act like a brat. You miss the good old days."

Taehyung shook his head lightly. "I don't miss the person I used to be. I quite like this version of myself . . . I'm stronger and more capable. And besides, I wasn't a cute brat like you."

"Aw, you think I'm cute," Jungkook beamed, feeling his nose scrunch up high.

"Cute, yes. But I think you're even more beautiful."

That just seemed absurd to Jungkook. Taehyung - literally the most beautiful person in the entire world - was calling him beautiful? No way.

And almost like Taehyung could read his mind, he shook his head. "Don't question it, Kook. You are. Now, any more questions about my ex, or can I continue telling you how stunning you are?"

And while it would be too easy to remain just like this - soaking in the elder's presence and trading pretty praises - Jungkook reminded himself of his reasons for asking about Bogum in the first place. Not only did he want to learn more about Taehyung's past experiences, but he also wanted to figure out how Namjoon fit into the picture.

"As much as I'd love to hear how handsome you think I am, I am curious . . . What made you finally break up with Bogum?" Jungkook asked at last, hands lightly dancing over the elder's skin.

Taehyung grimaced as he turned introspective. "After months of dating, he became more volatile and unpredictable. He was drunk or high most the time, picking fights wherever he could. We rarely did anything besides fuck, though I'm pretty sure he imagined I was someone else. He never wanted to see my face, so . . . But the night I ended things, he tried to hit me with a vase."

Jungkook's grip tightened on Taehyung as he inhaled sharply. "He tried to hurt you?"

"He missed," Taehyung assured quickly, his gentle touch helping to calm Jungkook's growing fury. "But after that, I told him we were done. Surprisingly - or not - he didn't take that well. He became increasingly unhinged the weeks after our break up, stalking me and calling me at all hours of the night. I considered a restraining order, but then the first attack happened and I fled."

Jungkook let all of that soak in. He was absolutely fucking livid over Bogum's treatment of Taehyung, and completely confused regarding Namjoon's involvement.

"If I ever see him, I'm going to -"

"You'll do nothing," the elder cut him off. "Bogum isn't a person I want you anywhere near. So don't consider leaving your house and looking for him, okay?"

"I won't," Jungkook agreed. But if Bogum really did recognize him back at that club, maybe he wouldn't need to leave the house to meet the heir again.

Maybe Bogum would find Jungkook himself.

"Tae, do you remember what I told you about Joon and Bogum? About how I thought they knew each other?"

Taehyung nodded as he pursed his lips. "Yeah. That was a surprise, especially since I used to talk to Namjoon about Bogum. And he never mentioned anything."

That was definitely weird. It didn't make any sense at all, but Jungkook didn't have the ability to question his brother on it anymore. He couldn't ask a lot of questions he wanted answers to.

"I saw Bogum on the news a few days ago," Jungkook started, "and I finally remembered the time I met him. Four years ago, he came here to pick up Joon for a date. I could tell he liked my brother, though he never came around after that. Namjoon occasionally mentioned his name, but it didn't sound like they were dating. And he introduced me to Jin soon after, so I never questioned him further."

For one second, Taehyung was completely still except for the flitting around of his eyes. But then the next second he was moving, spinning around to face Jungkook. "Fuck. Dimples. Namjoon had dimples. So all those times I talked to him about my ex . . . I . . . Why wouldn't he tell me?"

Jungkook shook his head, unable to put the pieces together. "I don't know. Maybe he didn't think it was professional? Maybe . . . Maybe Bogum was hostile with him, too, and . . .? Fuck, I don't know."

And that was the truth; he had no additional insight here. Over the last few years, Namjoon didn't tell him half as much as he once did. His brother claimed it was for his safety, though the danger was never perceptible to Jungkook. But maybe there really was more going on. Maybe his brother knew Bogum was dangerous and wanted to distance him from the situation.

And at that thought, his mind went to a darker place. "Do you think Bogum is capable of murder?"

Taehyung's eyes widened and his jaw fell slack. "I . . . What makes you ask that?"

The more Jungkook thought about it, the more it all came together. "I never knew him, so I can't speak to his character. But it sounds like he was vengeful. So what if Namjoon chose Jin over him, and that was the reason he became violent with you? Then you broke up with him, and he didn't take that well, either. And then those attacks coincidentally started . . . What if he was behind it all?"

"It's not impossible," Taehyung conceded after a long moment. "I'll let Yoongi know once I'm back. They hired a private investigator to look into the Park family, so maybe this will be a helpful lead."

Jungkook nodded, taking hold of the elder's hand and intertwining their fingers. "Okay."

Knowing that people were actively investigating all of this helped to put Jungkook slightly more at ease, though that didn't eliminate any of his concern for the elder's safety. He hated that he had no power to protect Taehyung; there was nothing he could do besides hope and pray everything would turn out alright.

"I can tell something is on your mind," Taehyung appropriately pointed out. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"I just want you to be safe, Tae. I need to know that you won't put yourself in any unnecessary danger. That's the only way I'll get through all of this."

"I'm going to be as safe as humanly possible, Kook," Taehyung said quietly, pressing a series of kisses to Jungkook's knuckles. "I promise. But you need to promise me the same thing. This will all get figured out, and when it does, I want to find you in one piece."

"I promise," Jungkook whispered in return, a thickness weighing down his voice. He tried to swallow it down, to appear light and cheery, but failed.

The finality of their situation had finally set in.

And by that point, the bathwater lost all traces of its warmth. There would be no more delaying the inevitable - it was time to get up, get ready, and say goodbye.

The two helped each other dry off, running towels over their heads and bodies to wick away any dripping water. The domestic nature of the task provided both with comfort, even though it served as a reminder that this wouldn't happen again for a while.

Once they were back in the bedroom and fully dressed, Jungkook wordlessly started to pull out a collection of his clothing. He tossed shirts, pants, sleepwear, hats, and even sunglasses onto his bed, wanting to make sure the elder had a variety of items should he need them. And secretly, the idea of Taehyung wearing his clothes made him smile.

He found the backpack the elder brought with him - Jungkook's old backpack - and dumped the contents onto the floor. He let out a muffled laugh as he saw the rounds of ammo and guns, and carefully set those to the side. Besides a few pieces of clothing, he also came across some books he had taken from Namjoon's room in the Seoul house. With everything going on, he completely forgot about stowing these away.

There were three books in total, three titles his brother adored. The first two - Demian by Herman Hesse and Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - showed signs of wear. Their pages were folded and torn, and the covers had seen better days. The last book, however - The Art of War by Sun Tzu - was quite the opposite. The binding remained pristine and the pages were left unmarked. If Jungkook didn't know better, he would have assumed the book had never opened.

But he did know better; he knew Namjoon.

This particular book was so much more than text on pages to his brother. Even though it was a gift from their mother - a person Namjoon wasn't exactly fond of - it had been by his side for years, offering up guidance and solace in times of trouble. The adages penned by Sun Tzu became Namjoon's most valid philosophy, the only source of wisdom he accepted. And this book, so meticulously preserved, never left his side.

Jungkook set the first two books on his desk, though he returned The Art of War to the backpack. He found it only fair for Taehyung to have one of his former bodyguard's treasured possessions, to have one last piece of Namjoon.

In his bones, he knew it was the right thing to do.

Shortly after, Jungkook finished packing the bag much to his regret. He no longer had anything actionable to prolong their separation. Time had run out.

This was it.

Moving on stiff legs, Jungkook approached the elder and pulled him into his arms. "How angry will Yoongi be?"

"Depends," Taehyung chuckled unconvincingly, tucking his head into Jungkook's neck. "It depends on whether or not he knew I left in the first place, and if Jimin successfully distracted him."

A taut silence filled the space between them as they gripped each other tighter. Jungkook lacked the eloquence needed to explain the range of emotions pulsing through his veins. He lacked the composure as well; tears stung at his eyes and a lump burned the back of his throat as he embraced Taehyung for the final time.

This was it.

"I don't know where I'll be," Taehyung finally whispered, voice rough and ragged, "but I'll try to write to you."

"Won't that be dangerous?" Jungkook hated even bringing up the question, though he knew it needed to be asked.

The elder leaned back, eyes shining with unshed tears. "I won't include a return address. And I could send them to Hoseok's place. And . . . And maybe we could use code names."

Moisture pricked at Jungkook's own eyes as he attempted to smile, but it felt too stiff. "Code names?"

"Yeah, to keep things a bit more anonymous. I'll call myself Vante," Taehyung offered, trying rather unsuccessfully to smile back. "What should I call you?"

Jungkook had a hard time being creative considering his foggy mind, though he scrambled to come up with something passable. "How about . . . Justin Seagull?"

"Perfect."

"Perfect," he repeated, but it wasn't perfect at all.

Jungkook had to bite down on his lip to prevent it from trembling, though it was no use - it wobbled pitifully anyway. He kept telling himself that he needed to keep it together, that this wasn't the last memory he wanted to have with Taehyung. He wanted to prove how strong, positive, and confident he could be.

But right now, he wasn't any of those things.

Fuck. Piece by piece, he began to unravel, with thoughts of loneliness and isolation filling his mind. All of his insecurities came to the forefront - fear and dread clouded out his rationality - all because of one impending goodbye.

Goodbye . . .

Jungkook wanted to throw up just thinking about it.

And even if this goodbye was supposedly temporary, why did it feel so final? Why did it feel like the door between Jungkook and Taehyung was swinging shut, never to open again? Why did it feel like their story had reached its end, with no promise of a sequel?

And why did it feel like Jungkook's airways were being squeezed shut by an iron fist?

Oh, right. He was fully sobbing now.

"Sweetheart, please don't cry," Taehyung said brokenly, tears leaving shimmering paths on his own cheeks. "Please, I promise -"

"Promises aren't guarantees, Tae," Jungkook let out, his breathing uneven as he fought to steady his voice. "We don't know what's going on. We don't know what will happen today or tomorrow, let alone in months or years. And Tae . . . What if it is years? What if . . . What if we never see each other again? What if this is it for us?"

Taehyung shook his head sharply, hands moving to cup Jungkook's face. "This is not the end, Kook. I know this for a fact."

"You can't know," Jungkook argued as he slowly started to spiral, lowering his gaze as his vision blurred over. "You can't know."

"I do know. Hey . . . Look at me, sweetheart."

Jungkook did as was asked and sucked in a sharp breath. Even though Taehyung's eyes were puffy and his cheeks were flushed, he was still absolutely stunning. A tangible hope radiated out through every one of his pores, shining brightly just for Jungkook to see.

"Jeon Jungkook," Taehyung started, speaking quietly but not without feeling, "I want you to remember that my heart is yours. I am falling in love with you. Distance and time can't change that. Uncertainty and doubt won't diminish the depth of my feelings for you. No matter what, I will continue to think of you every day; my soul will continue to reach out towards yours. And you and I will find our way back to each other, Kook. We will be together again. And that's a promise."

"Tae -"

Taehyung kissed him hard, their lips salty and wet from their mutual tears. It was desperate and passionate, a plea and a prayer. And even though the taste of the elder's mouth helped to ground Jungkook, more moisture leaked from his eyes. He couldn't help it; he already missed Taehyung so much.

"Angel," he whispered in the middle of their kiss, half sigh and half sob. "I . . . I . . ."

The elder disconnected their mouths, leaning their foreheads together. "I'm going to miss your mouth. The things it says, the -"

"The things it does?" Jungkook said in a half-hearted joke.

"What's this?" Taehyung asked, large hands squeezing his waist. "Are you an aspiring comedian or something?"

"I've always been funny and you know it," Jungkook defended as he pulled back. "Admit it."

"No, you've always been my brat."

Jungkook reached out, brushing his knuckles over the elder's cheekbones. "And you've always been my bodyguard."

They remained like that for a few seconds, though to Jungkook, it felt like time had stopped completely. Staring into Taehyung's red-lined eyes, he remembered the most significant moments of their time together. From their fated meeting to their first kiss, the revelations of their identities to their first separation, and from their lovemaking to this goodbye . . . he saw it all.

Taehyung had single-handedly become the most important person in his life, the tether to his restless heart. He was the first person who Jungkook had the privilege of falling in love with.

And he would have been the first person Jungkook ever loved.

But this was it.

For now.

Taehyung seemed to realize this as well as he squeezed Jungkook's waist. "I have to go."

A rising panic threatened to suffocate Jungkook, but he pushed it down. "I know."

"You'll be safest here," Taehyung murmured, almost like he was trying to convince himself that that was the truth.

Jungkook nodded, but he didn't entirely believe that. Physically, sure, he'd be safest here. But mentally and spiritually . . .

"You know, even when we were on the run, I always felt safe when we were together," he reflected as he traced over the elder's face. "You've become my safe place, Tae. The place I can be myself without fear of judgment. The place that comforts me and provides me with warmth and love. And I think - no, I know - that I -"

Jungkook was cut off by the slamming of a door.

In an instant, Jungkook found himself on the floor beside Taehyung, who had a tight grip around his wrist. His heart beat wildly in his chest, so loud he was convinced it could be heard in the silence of the room. He had to concentrate heavily to control his breathing, to emit as few sounds as possible.

But he had trouble keeping calm. All he could think of was the imminent danger towards Taehyung. No one could know he was here.

Jungkook fully understood the consequences if that were to happen.

After a couple of more seconds internally panicking, Jungkook felt a tug on his wrist. The elder nodded towards the bedroom closet, signaling that they should hide there. So they crawled in that direction, with Taehyung picking up his overstuffed backpack along the way.

Once they reached the closet, Jungkook carefully opened the sliding door and ushered Taehyung inside. He attempted to hide his body with a blanket, though the elder swatted his hands away. And just as Jungkook was about to argue, footsteps sounded right outside the door.

In an instant, Jungkook had the closet door shut and his back pressed against it. He didn't know what he was doing . . . All he knew was that Taehyung's safety meant more to him than his own.

In a weird twist of fate - or maybe it was just dumb luck - no one attempted to come inside of Jungkook's room. The footsteps were still audible, but they were now right across the hall.

In Namjoon's room.

A muted click sounded right behind Jungkook, and he knew Taehyung removed the safety from one of his guns. And while he had no idea whatsoever on how to operate the weapon, he wished it was in his hands instead.

Especially as he rose to a standing position, preparing to confront whoever the hell was in his house.

"Kook," Taehyung whispered, a clear warning in his voice.

Anything else the elder prepared to say died on his tongue as a creaking floorboard sounded right outside of Jungkook's bedroom door. The handle turned almost imperceptibly . . . The door started to swing open . . .

And Jungkook was presented with a very familiar face.

He wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or terrified.

"Jin?"

"Jungkook?" Jin barged into the room, pulling him into a hug. "Where the hell have you been? Do you know how worried you made me?"

Jungkook tried his best not to appear awkward as he hugged his brother-in-law back, though he most likely failed. He didn't know what to make of Jin's presence here; he didn't know if he could be trusted anymore.

And with Taehyung's life at stake, he wasn't going to take any chances.

"I'm sorry," he said after a few seconds. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"You didn't mean to make me worry? Then why did you send a cryptic text and then not answer any of my calls?" Jin retorted as he stepped back, a cross between irritation and concern written on his face.

"I thought I did the right thing by letting you know I left." And at the time, he really had.

But Jin didn't appear to think so. "I told you not to leave that house, Kook, but you did. Then you left me no way to contact you. What were you thinking?"

His brother-in-law continued rambling for a few minutes more, but Jungkook was struck by something else. That whole first morning with Taehyung, maybe up until eleven or twelve, Jin never tried to call. If he was genuinely distraught, wouldn't he have tried to call right away?

"You must not have been that concerned," he cut him off, shrugging his shoulders casually. "I had my phone on me that whole morning. I never got any calls."

"Something happened at work that required my attention," the elder said blandly, not providing any details about the ambush. "By the time it was resolved, it was early afternoon."

"It's a good thing I left, then," Jungkook responded with a hint of his cocky attitude. "I probably would've waited for you all day."

A harsh exhale sounded from Jin. "Where did you go? And don't try and say you were here. As soon as I couldn't find you, I drove all the way from Seoul."

This was where Jungkook knew he'd get himself into trouble. Lying - either creatively or convincingly - wasn't exactly his forte. "I just drove around for a while. I didn't want to be anywhere that reminded me of Joon."

"I stayed at this house for two days hoping you'd come back, Kook. You expect me to believe you drove around for that long?"

"I don't get why you're doubting me," Jungkook countered, trying to appear relaxed as he leaned against his desk.

Jin threw him an indistinguishable glance before glancing around the room. He seemed to be looking for something, but what that was Jungkook couldn't tell.

"You can trust me, you know," his brother-in-law said as he neared where Jungkook stood. "If something happened, I want you to know that you can tell me."

"Nothing happened. And anyway, why are you here?" Jungkook asked in an effort to take the focus off of him.

Jin's eyes flitted all over the desk. "I've been looking for one of Namjoon's belongings. I could have sworn it was at the Seoul house, though I couldn't find it there."

Jungkook nodded along, like he was interested but not entirely invested in an answer. "What's so important that you'd drive from Seoul to get?"

An intense stare met Jungkook's eyes, one he wasn't used to seeing. Throughout all the years of knowing Jin, the elder had always been kind and cheerful. But an unmistakable severity resided in his gaze now. Maybe it could be attributed to grief. Maybe it could be attributed to something else entirely.

"All of Namjoon's belongings are important to me," Jin spoke calmly, finally breaking his eye contact to resume his search. He took a step closer to the closet.

"What are you searching for? I can help you look," Jungkook added as alarm bells rang in his head. He had to get Jin away from Taehyung's hiding place.

"Nothing," Jin sighed, thankfully turning away from the closet. He started to walk towards the door but paused by the nightstand. He reached out, fingers gliding against the surface, as he lifted something up and away. "Pretty. Where's this?"

It was the postcard Taehyung brought with him, the one of Hoseok's bed and breakfast.

"Oh, it's just some bed and breakfast," Jungkook said neutrally, trying not to put too much emphasis on the topic.

"I can see that," his brother-in-law replied sardonically. "Is this where you were?"

"I can't afford to stay at a bed and breakfast, Jin," Jungkook said with a forced laugh. "You know better than anyone that I'm broke."

"Then why do you have a postcard with your own address on it?"

"Jin, I'm really not in the mood for an interrogation. I'm sorry I didn't let you know where I went, but I can take care of myself. You don't have to know my every move."

Jungkook couldn't honestly answer any of Jin's questions, but he knew he couldn't evade them for forever. So his only option was to try and buy both him and Taehyung some time.

But he should know better. Time hadn't exactly been on their side.

Jin cocked his head to the side as he came even closer. His pointer finger lifted, reaching out to trace over Jungkook's cheek. To trace over his still healing knife wound.

"It's my responsibility to keep you safe now, Kook. You're my family. You know that, right?" Jin pressed as he dropped his hand. "I just want to look after you. So if something happened, you can tell me."

Years of gratitude and trust warred with newly added skepticism and paranoia. He wanted to believe his brother-in-law had the purest intentions, that his words were true. But Jungkook was not willing to take any risks, not now.

And certainly not with Taehyung's life.

So he grasped the elder's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "I was grieving, Jin. And . . . I drank. That . . . That ruined me for a couple of days, and I just needed to be by myself."

Jin's eyebrows remained narrowed as he maneuvered out of Jungkook's hold. It wasn't clear whether or not he believed the lie.

"There's more you're not telling me, Kook. I've known you for years and I'm not stupid," his brother-in-law declared with a sigh. "But I don't have time for this right now. I have to get back to work, but you and I are going to discuss everything later."

Jungkook didn't miss how his brother-in-law tucked the postcard into his pocket. He also didn't miss how his shirt lifted just so, revealing a stocky object tucked into his waistband.

A gun.

Jungkook had never seen Jin with a gun before.

"Okay," Jungkook answered softly, heart slamming against his ribcage as he fought to control his breathing. "I . . . Okay. Um, but . . . You never told me. What do you do at that oil company?"

That earned a confused look from Jin, though he responded anyway. "I work in the finance department."

Jungkook doubted that severely, but he nodded like that made perfect sense.

"Stay here," Jin ordered, eyes traveling around the room a final time. They paused on the bed before meeting Jungkook's gaze again. "Actually, give me your car keys."

Shit. Jungkook couldn't tell him he sold his car to throw off attackers, and the Chief of Security wouldn't give him a replacement car yet.

"My dad took my car instead of the bus today."

"Your father may be a drunk, but he isn't an idiot. He knows he can't drive after getting shit faced." The elder offered a solid argument; Jungkook's dad always boasted over his intelligence when it came to drinking and driving.

"Well, you're welcome to look around, but I don't have the keys," Jungkook said confidently before tracing the cut on his face for added effect. "My dad . . . He was in a mood this morning."

A flash of anger went through Jin's eyes, though it was impossible to discern the root cause. Was it the insinuation of Jungkook's father hurting him? Was it his blatant lies?

Jungkook couldn't tell.

But luckily, he didn't have to worry for much longer. Jin ran his hands over his face and headed for the door.

"I'll see you later, Kook. I have some business downtown to attend to, and then we're going to have a nice, long chat about what you've been up to this last week. You got it?"

"Yes," Jungkook breathed.

Jin gave him one last look before stalking out of the room. From the hallway, he yelled, "Come lock the door."

Jungkook's legs shook as he followed after his brother-in-law, eyes trained on his back, trained right on the spot where the gun was hidden.

Opening the door, Jin turned back to face him with an unreadable glint to his eyes. "I'd put the condom packet and lube away before your father gets home. Might prompt some interesting questions."

Jungkook didn't have time to form a response before Jin walked outside, heading directly to a sleek parked car. And after a couple of moments of getting settled, his brother-in-law sped away.

"Fuck."

Jungkook closed and locked the door, heart pounding and muscles quivering and breathing erratic. He repositioned himself at the window, afraid to take his eyes off the street less Jin return and catch them by surprise. Again.

"Angel," Jungkook called out, his voice heavy with alarm.

Within moments, Taehyung was by his side, arms wrapped around his waist.

"You're okay, it's okay," the elder murmured, his own voice shaky. "You did well, Kook. It's okay."

But it wasn't okay. "Jin . . . Jin has a gun. He took the postcard with the bed and breakfast's address. Fuck. And he saw condoms and lube in my room, Tae. He's got to know. Or if he doesn't know he's guessing. He's . . . He's the one behind this, isn't he?"

"We don't know that, Kook. But we have to move quickly. If he's heading to Hoseok's . . ." Taehyung didn't have to finish.

"Shit. Tae, he had a gun," Jungkook trembled, teeth biting sharply into his lip.

"Do you remember Hoseok's phone number? Or Jimin's? We need to warn them. I need to get in touch with Yoongi."

"I don't have a phone," Jungkook responded, wishing he pushed the Chief more to give him one. "I don't know their numbers and I don't have a phone. I don't know anything, I don't -"

"Sweetheart, breathe," the elder interrupted, taking hold of his shoulders. "I have a phone. I just need a number. Do you have a computer or -?"

"I have Yoongi's number," Jungkook suddenly remembered, hand shoving into his pocket and finding the paper.

Taehyung took it before running back to the bedroom, re-emerging with his backpack a few seconds later. He swiftly pulled an old phone out of a side pocket, dialing the number on the paper. And then he pressed the device to his ear, eyes wide as he waited for the call to go through.

Jungkook reached out for his hand, needing to concentrate on the physical contact rather than the war in his mind. And Taehyung's touch stabilized him like no other, it offered both comfort and control.

Taehyung intertwined their fingers and pulled Jungkook closer, that way they could both hear the phone call.

And after three rings, a familiar - and highly irritated - voice finally greeted them on the other line.

"Where the fuck is he?" Yoongi growled, probably thinking he spoke directly to Jungkook.

Taehyung paused for just a moment, eyes quickly finding Jungkook's. And in his gaze, there was something unmistakable.

Love.

"Yoongi," the elder responded, tone determined and unrelenting.

"Where the fuck -?"

"You need to get out of there now. Jin might be coming and it's not safe. He's armed."

Jungkook kept quiet. He knew Taehyung would handle this conversation much more efficiently than him.

Yoongi cursed under his breath. "Kim Seokjin? Okay. I'll take care of it. But you need to leave Busan now. Do you have somewhere to go?"

The elder nodded, probably more for Jungkook's sake than anything else. "Yes."

"Leave. Now. And keep the phone on you for the time being," the Chief ordered tersely. There was some chatter in the background, and the voices of Hoseok and Jimin were slightly picked up.

Jungkook waited for the elder to agree, but it was quiet. "Tae, you have to go -"

"It's not just me anymore, Yoongi," Taehyung spoke into the phone, eyebrows set and jaw locked.

Confusion flashed through Jungkook's mind at that, though he didn't dare interrupt to question the elder on it. There wasn't time.

But thankfully, Taehyung decided to clarify anyway, looking sharply at him as his voice spoke resolutely.

"I'm taking Jungkook with me."

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

》 V A L E N W R I T I N G 《

And so the second arc of No Going Back begins. How are we feeling?!

I wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone for all of your love and support this past week! Essentially, stress from my work life seeped into my personal life, and I had a very difficult time separating the two. I'm in a better spot now, thankfully, and feel a lot more relaxed. But seriously, I can't say how much I value each and every one of you. I love you all so much!

And I'm bringing back the theories section for this one, because we learned some interesting bits of information in this chapter! Let me know if you have any down below, I love reading them.

T H E O R I E S ↴