An onslaught of white buried the mountain and stained its greenery after the heavy snowfall throughout the night.

Gusts of wind sprang up erratically, rattling among the trees. An absentminded figure gazed at the dance of white frosted feathers spiral in the icy air and stream down the snow-coated undergrowth. 

The scenery aroused a tinge of melancholy within Taehyung. It pooled over his chest in an insupportable mass until it dispersed, rolling off his skin and pouring out of his eyes. The tips of his lips hung tamely as his head rested against the frame of the window, his crossed legs over the bed starting to ache by the protracted stillness. 

Two knocks on the door disrupted the absolute silence of the room and drew his dull eyes towards the source. After a moment of nothingness, Jimin’s head peeped out through the partly opening of the door. His lips twitched, almost stretching into a smile, but the wreath of wistfulness persisted. 

“Can we come in?”

Taehyung adjusted his posture, leaning with his back against the headboard. “Yeah.”

Jimin entered with Yoongi trailing behind him. The latter closed the door before they seated themselves on the bed. Taehyung’s sullen state emanated from his existence — they didn’t have to regard him to gather it. They could sense it just by their entry to the room. 

But it wasn’t unusual. Since they could remember, Taehyung was always gloomy on snowy days. 

“How long have you been here?” Yoongi asked. 

“About two hours, I think. It was too depressing to stay at home.” His gaze traveled out the window again, caching the fluttering of the trees. His chest deflated with a sigh like the snow that plummeted from the leaves. “But it’s not that different here either.”

Jimin gloomed at his whisper. “What’s wrong, Tae? You’re always down when it’s snowing, but I feel like it’s not just that this time.”

“I met Jungkook yesterday,” he uttered, keeping his eyes away, “and he apologized for what he said. But... I kinda screwed up.”

“Wait, how did you meet?” Yoongi asked. “Did you call him?”

“No. Soo Gun asked me to meet him at a bar, and Jungkook was there. Soo Gun groped me and basically forced himself on me. Jungkook—”

“Ugh, that fucker!” Jimin grumbled in sudden fury. 

“I know,” Taehyung sighed. “Jungkook saw what happened and pulled him away. He followed me home. I let him in because he didn’t have his coat with him. And we talked. But as I said, I think I screwed up at the end.”

“What did you do?” Yoongi questioned. 

“I kinda... asked him to have sex with me.”

“Taehyung,” Jimin said with a spark of disapproval. 

“I couldn’t help it, okay? I wanted some comfort. I wanted to get rid of the feeling of Soo Gun’s mouth on me. I remember how soothing it felt when I had sex with Jungkook. I just... wanted to feel it again.”

Jimin let out a sigh of understanding. “Okay. And he got mad?”

“I’m not sure. He just wanted to run away. I told him just a no was enough. But he said he didn’t want to say no. That was why he wanted to leave.”

Yoongi frowned. “So he wanted to have sex with you too, but he said no? I don’t understand.”

“Yeah, me neither. He said he couldn’t say yes. What bullshit is that? Why couldn’t he?”

“He must have his reasons,” Jimin put in. “And stop pushing him on this. You're not even allowed to seduce him. You have a mission. Don’t forget that.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Taehyung murmured, feeling an awful tightness in his chest at the remembrance of his mission. “Did you find anything about Sa Rang?”

Jimin shook his head. “No. But she turned off her phone for about an hour yesterday. I guess she met Chae Yeon.” 

“Why would Chae Yeon want to kill you, though?” Yoongi wondered. “And why just you? Why not your hyung too?”

Taehyung’s pensive gaze lowered to the floor. “I don’t know. That puzzles me too. I feel like my hyung knows something. I have to make him talk to me.”

“If he knows something,” Jimin started, “and he hasn’t told you anything for so many years, why would he do it now?”

“Because I never pressed him that much to do it. I didn’t demand to know. But I should, apparently.” Taehyung’s attention shifted to his phone, that beeped with the notification of a new message. He reached it from the nightstand and used his fingerprint to unlock it. 

Jin Mo: Come to my office. 

His rage about Jin Mo’s indifference hadn’t evaporated, though it had slightly abated. He couldn’t avoid him for long; their meeting was inevitable. 

“Jin Mo wants to see me. I’ll find you later.”

His two friends nodded, and together they walked out of the room. Jimin tipped closer to the other once Taehyung wandered away. “Whatever happens with Jungkook, it seems to affect him a little too much. Right?” 

“Yeah, I’ve noticed. If he feels guilty about lying to him... it means he’s starting to like him. I’m not sure in what way, though.”

“In a friendly way, of course,” Jimin said at once. “He won’t fall for a detective. He’s not that stupid.”

Yoongi snorted. “Love is stupid in its own way. I know I joke about Taehyung catching feelings for him, but I’m afraid it has already happened. Why would he care so much about what Jungkook thinks? Why would he feel guilty? He likes him.”

“If that’s true, it’s not good,” Jimin muttered, a frown of concern painting over his features. “The moment Jungkook finds out that Taehyung is working for Jin Mo, he’ll throw him away. If Taehyung gets closer to him, he’ll be a wreck when that happens. It’s already an ill-fated relationship.” The worry on his face deepened as he set his eyes on him. “So I really hope you’re wrong.”

Taehyung stepped into the lavish office, mute, and took his seat across from a calm-faced Jin Mo. As usual, a glass of whiskey was in his hand, and his eyes were trained on it. Only the soft tinkle of ice chucking against the glass resounded in the atmosphere as Jin Mo listlessly stirred the liquid. 

“Why did you ignore my request to see you yesterday?” 

Jin Mo’s voice was as poised as his face, contrary to what Taehyung expected. His unruffled manner, though, didn’t lessen his confidence. “Because I was mad. And I still am.”

“Taehyung.” He fixed him with a raw look. “You know how the job is. You knew it from the beginning. You chose it. You chose this position,” he punctuated several words in his lecture. 

“I didn’t choose to become your best. You have nine more seducers. Train them better. Because I won’t be around forever.”

A cloud of puzzlement overlaid Jin Mo’s countenance. “You mean... you want to quit?”

“No, not exactly,” Taehyung breathed out as he glanced down. “I want to focus on me more and on finding the answers I’m looking for. I worked so hard for you because it was fun. I like the danger this job has. But it’s not that fun anymore. I don’t know why I feel this way. Maybe I just need a break.”

Jin Mo meditated on his words with genuine concern. He sipped his drink and set the glass on the table. “Okay. I get it. You gave your all the past seven years. And I appreciate it more than you think. I’ll assign the next mission to someone else. Finish the missions you have with Soo Gun and Jungkook. Then, you can take a break.”

His quick concession formed creases of confusion between Taehyung’s brows, his eyes anatomizing his expression in search of even a glint of mendacity, but found none. “Thank you. Do you need something else?”

“No. But you’re wearing a high-necked shirt. That’s unlike you.”

Taehyung maintained his silence. “Well, it’s cold today.” He rose to his feet, though he didn’t manage to go far since Jin Mo’s low voice stopped him. 

“What are you hiding under that shirt, Tae?”

His shoulders drooped, curving forward in an abrupt sense of dejection. “Something I really want to forget. So don’t ask about it.” He advanced towards the door, which opened for him a few seconds after Jin Mo’s subdued sigh rang in his ears. 

🥀

Jungkook scrolled down the report of their new case for a final inspection, his elbow pinned to his desk, his palm cradling his chin. Words entered his brain about the attempted murder, but he couldn’t concentrate on them; they were steamrolled by gnawing thoughts and flaring flashbacks of the previous night with Taehyung. 

God, he almost relented. His self-possession almost shattered. His oppressed desires almost bulldozed their way from the depths of their internment and tore through his shield. 

But somehow, he held out on the pale vestiges of his once cast-iron constraint. 

Surrendering to his longings didn’t feel like it would be just a usual one-night stand. It would unleash something much more profound and fiercer within Jungkook that he knew he couldn’t manage.

Just being squeezed against him was intoxicating. Just having his mouth caressing his neck was mind-expanding. A repetition of that night would destroy him, burn him to the ground.

In what way, he wasn’t sure, but it would. Definitely. And he couldn’t allow that. 

“It’s so obvious he’s not reading the report,” Seung Ho whispered to his partner. 

They chortled, leaning towards each other, and palmed their mouths to silence themselves. Hoseok was the first to descry Namjoon’s judgemental look, and he reclined in his seat, his lips pulling inwards. 

“Stop mocking your leader,” Namjoon rebuked quietly. “Maybe he’s distracted today, but at least he’s not yelling at anyone.”

“Apparently, these two want to get yelled at,” Jungkook piped up in a colorless tone of deadpan. 

“Oh. He heard,” Seung Ho mumbled. 

“I hear everything, even when you think I don’t pay attention. Now, get back to work.”

“Guys,” Seokjin’s tense voice sounded from a short distance as he scuttled towards them. “I found the detective who was in charge around the time Taehyung’s parents were murdered.”

“Finally!” Jungkook exclaimed in a burst of relief and eagerness. “Did you talk to him?”

“No. His registered number doesn’t exist anymore. We have to go to Daegu to see if his address is valid.”

“We have to discuss this with the chief,” Namjoon said. “Let’s go now?”

With Jungkook’s nod, the violent crimes unit one trod towards the chief’s office, with Seokjin following him. Jungkook explained the situation thoroughly once they met him, and Seung Heon stayed mute for a while, contemplating what they should do. 

“Sending a whole team there would attract too much attention. Since they still want to kill another member of that family, that automatically makes this case dangerous for our men’s safety. Sending only one officer is better. Don’t discuss this with anyone. No one can know about this.”

“Who will you send, sir?” Namjoon questioned. 

“Min Jeosun. He’ll do an excellent job.”

“Are you sure he can handle it?” Jungkook seemed skeptical, nearly worried. “Is he skilled enough to avoid danger?”

“Yes. He’ll be promoted soon. He deserves it. I’ll call him.”

Jeosun was at the office only a minute later, and Seung Heon informed him of his task. His willingness to help despite the danger was exactly what the chief expected, and he praised him for his determination and courage. He would depart tomorrow morning as it was already after nine and he had to prepare a couple of things first. 

They returned to their desks soon after conversing some more about the operation. Being even a fraction closer to unraveling the mystery of the murder of Taehyung’s parents was oddly satisfying for Jungkook. As if a notion of relief seized him. 

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and studied the new message. 

Taehyung: Need to talk to you. Come to our spot after work. 

It was only fifteen minutes before his shift would end — not that he had a regular working schedule. He was basically there all day, even if he didn’t have to. But he couldn’t leave earlier than ten o’clock. 

He said goodnight to his team a while later and drove to the park in his car. His curiosity about what Taehyung wanted to tell him rose as he shuffled towards their usual spot.

But Taehyung’s absence baffled him. 

Jungkook called him. His phone was out of service, and he tried again in vain. “He just texted me thirty-five minutes ago. Where the hell is he?” he murmured to himself as he sank down onto the bench. 

Vexation grew inside him as he waited. Is he playing me? Mocking me? Getting back at me because I refused to have sex with him? 

A rumbling sigh pushed out of him at his thoughts as he called him again. The same recorded message sounded. Then, another speculation came to him that alarmed him. What if something happened to him? 

His patience ran out merely ten minutes later. He jolted from his seat and scurried back to his car. 

He pulled over in front of Taehyung’s apartment building and walked to the entrance. He pressed his name. The detestable feeling that took root in his core festered at every second that passed and it flared violently when he got no answer. 

He continued to ring the bell as he called Seokjin. 

“Kook?”

“Are you still at the station?”

“Yeah. I have a few more things to do before leaving. What’s up?”

“Can you track Taehyung’s location?”

“Why?” 

“He texted me to meet him and now he disappeared. His phone is off and he’s not at home.”

“Shit, okay. I’ll track the last location his phone was on. And I’ll check the CCTV in his neighborhood.”

“Thanks,” Jungkook sighed, returning to his car. 

Seokjin found the CCTV footage and reviewed it as the search of Taehyung’s location carried on. “I see him leave his apartment at 9:50 pm.” He clicked to switch to the footage of another camera. “He seems to head to Hangang park.” When Taehyung slid out of his vision, he checked the rest of the footage from the neighborhood, but his brows bumped together. “He... disappeared. There are some blind spots. I can’t track where he went.”

“Fuck,” Jungkook grumbled, his grip around the wheel tightening. “What about his location?”

“It doesn’t give me any results. I think he has a program that prevents tracking it.”

“And what the hell am I supposed to do now?” Jungkook suddenly exclaimed. “How do I find him?”

“You can’t, Kook. I’m sorry.” 

Jungkook recognized that detestable, familiar feeling as helplessness and held back a cry of frustration. He asked Seokjin to tell him Taehyung’s exact last location from the CCTV and got out of the car, heading there. Taehyung must have taken the side road from that spot, he concluded. 

He trawled the neighborhood for any clue, but found nothing. Seokjin urged him to go home since there was nothing else he could do. And, defeated, he did after about an hour of searching. 

Taehyung had vanished. And he could only wait for him to come back to him. 

Two hours ago

Taehyung was restless when he returned to his apartment. His head rampaged with a flurry of thoughts that were centered on Jungkook. Were things between them awkward now? Would Jungkook avoid him after his sudden vocalization of his wish to have sex with him again? Would he return to his old self and snap at him for no reason? 

He had to get some answers. 

Five minutes after he texted him, he was on his way to the park. He turned right into the side road as normal. The noise of an approaching vehicle tumbled into his ears, but he brushed it off. Its lights closed in on him. 

Everything must have happened in seconds. The car halted next to him, its door flung open, and a stinging discomfort bloomed around Taehyung’s neck. His hand came to feel the cause of that sting. He was barely able to realize he was shot with a dart — probably a strong sedative — before a rush of weakness rippled through his body. 

He was yanked into the car and pressed against the seat with his face down. He lost control over his body. His vision blackened. Was it because he fainted? No, something was put over his head. He could feel himself blink, even though he couldn’t see. He could feel the bruising grip of gruff hands that held him immobile. 

He screamed, but only a murmur managed to seep through. He thrashed about, but it was just a faint twitch. His consciousness wore off, in spite of his efforts to keep his eyes open.

And eventually it left him at the mercy of unknown, harsh hands. 

That consciousness surged back to him on its own. It stirred him awake. He lurched to a sitting position, his breath rushing in and out of his lungs, as his vision adjusted to the dusky room.

He wasn’t tied up. He wasn’t hurt. He puffed out his obvious relief, but his muscles iced up at the gruesome snicker that echoed from behind him. 

“My little slut is finally awake. I’ve been looking for you all day, Taehyungie.”

His eyes bulged with alarm. He didn’t dare to glance back. That loathsome presence, though, peeked from the side of his vision and took its seat on the single armchair near him. “Soo Gun-ssi.”

“It’s exciting to finally see you scared of me. It turns me on.”

The disgusting smirk on his face matched his revolting words, Taehyung thought. “We can talk it out. Don’t act rashly.”

“I really liked you, Taehyung,” he said, ignoring him. “You’re a perfect slut for me. But why do you have to be so disobedient? I don’t like disobedient sluts. You know what I do with them?” Soo Gun reached for something from behind the chair and arose. He held his hands behind him as he walked towards him, each step heavy and purposefully slow, almost teasing. He crouched in front of him and presented the item he was holding. He delighted in the flinch of Taehyung’s body and the widening of his eyes as they landed on the knife in his grip. He traced his neck with its sharp point, sliding it down his chest. “I play with them with this beautiful thing.” A sinister grin sprawled on his face with a hint of lunacy as he admired his weapon. 

“We can talk this out, Soo Gun-ssi.” Taehyung remained poised, despite the turmoil of dread blustering in his gut. He hid his slightly quaky hands behind his back and pressed the button on his bracelet. Once he got hold of the needle, he brought his hands to his sides again. 

“No, Taehyungie. You had your chance. Now, I’ll have my fun in every way I want.” 

A ruthless grasp on his hair wrenched him to his feet. Taehyung discerned him jerk his hand back and then push it forward. Frantically, he gripped his wrist to diminish some of the force, but the sharp edge of the knife pierced through his stomach in a shallow stab. His eyes popped at the shooting pain. His brain momentarily stopped working.

With an abrupt pull back to the current situation, Taehyung slammed the needle into the side of his neck and pressed its base to release the substance that would make him dizzy in scarcely a minute.

The knife dug deeper into his stomach by Soo Gun’s forceful spasm. His mouth parted around a tacit scream. His body trembled at the shocks of pain that pumped through it. 

Soo Gun stumbled back only seconds later. It felt like his body numbed, and his knees buckled, causing him to fall in a heap onto the floor. 

Why did it work so fast? Is he on drugs? Taehyung thought as his heart raced in panic. Soo Gun’s body began convulsing then, confirming his suspicions.

He yanked Soo Gun’s gun out of its holster and quickly searched for his phone, but didn't find it. He bolted for the door, staggering by the spikes of ache in his stomach, and the moment he stormed outside, Soo Gun’s guard jolted and reached for his gun. 

“Stop. Don’t make me shoot you,” Taehyung warned as he pointed his gun at him. “If you don’t want your boss to die, call an ambulance right now.”

The guard drew out his gun either way, and Taehyung instantly shot at his thigh. Then, he sprinted out of there. He realized he was in Soo Gun’s house midway and continued to run towards the exit. He dumped the gun once he saw there wasn’t anyone outside and slowed down his speed by an overwhelming feeling of feebleness that consumed him. 

He pushed through the dizziness and glanced right and left, considering through the haze where he should go. I won’t make it home. At least not alive. 

He knew where he was. He knew that district inside and out. His legs moved on their own in a staggering, rushed gait towards the right. He pressed down on his wound to lessen the bleeding as shallow pants spewed from his lungs. 

Drops of blood marked his path towards the only place he could think of. Towards the safe place that was closer and embodied the person he craved to see the most. 

With the dizziness now creating black spots all around his vision and his fractional strength, he swayed towards the familiar house until he reached the door and keeled over it to steady himself. He felt the wall for the bell as his eyes refused to open. He was too out of it to perceive if he found it or not. 

The door slid open nonetheless. He managed to balance himself for barely a second before he collapsed into the embrace of those robust, comforting arms. 

“Taehyung!” 

Jungkook’s frantic voice echoed in a muffled, distorted mumble in his ears. It soothed his soul. He realized; he was safe now. And that dopey recognition allowed his sentience to abandon him.

───⭒───༺🌑༻───⭒───