◇《 - ¤  B o n d  ¤ - 》◇

" Pure trust is something that takes times and hardship to earn "

Disclaimer : I am not very experience in real crimes. All that was said in this chapter, I learned it from k-dramas. So, don't expect it to actually happens in real life, crime scene. Also, warning, I might describe some gore but it's not that serious describing. Thank you so much for reading, on to the story.

The door opened, revealing Taehyung in thick clothes.

"I am done," he said, locking the door behind him.

"Let's go, then. It won't be far, just a few minutes walk," Namjoon said as he started to walk off with Taehyung following behind.

"That close?" Taehyung asked, unable to believe that something had happened so close by and he had had no idea about it until just now.

"Yes, I am quite surprised that you didn't realise," Namjoon replied. The snow crunched under their feet as they walked, leaving inch-deep footprints.

"I guess I must have had the volume up too high," Taehyung remarked and Namjoon nodded.

"Danger could be lurking in every corner. You must be aware of your surroundings. I suggest you turn your volume down a little next time," Namjoon advised Taehyung and he nodded in return.

"How long have you been working as an investigator?" Taehyung asked and Namjoon turned around, raising an eyebrow.

"I hope you don’t mind me asking," Taehyung added quickly and Namjoon shook his head.

"It's okay, Mr Kim. I don't mind the question, I was just caught off guard by your straightforwardness," Namjoon replied and Taehyung smiled in return.

"And to answer your question, it's been five years since I joined the field. I am quite an experienced investigator since a lot of crime came in when I had just started. Fortunately, I did quite well and now I’ve been brought here to solve the illegal hunting case," Namjoon recounted and Taehyung hummed.

"What sort of crimes have you dealt with?" Taehyung asked curiously. Namjoon didn't hesitate to reply.

"Serious cases, like homicide. Four to five times, including on my first day on the job."

"Woah! Homicide case on your first day? That's incredible!" Taehyung praised, but Namjoon shook his head in disagreement.

"Nah, it's not, especially on the first day. I was not ready and I failed. My case was taken by another investigator who was more experienced than me and I stuck to solving minor cases for five whole months," Namjoon recounted with a sigh. Taehyung pouted a little.

"That...sucks...." Taehyung said eventually and Namjoon chuckled.

"Oh, it's okay though, I don't really mind. Things need to progress slowly, and besides, you learn from mistakes. If you are expected to solve the hardest case first, you will fail immediately. That is what I learned that day. Stay on your level." Namjoon recalled and Taehyung nodded in agreement.

"I agree. My parents always told me to study well to become a doctor or a forensic scientist which would ensure a better future for myself, but I never liked it and it was above my capabilities," Taehyung said with a hint of sadness in his voice. Namjoon raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you were a forensics expert?" Namjoon chuckled.

"Yes, but through hard work and sleepless nights. I worked too hard to not disappoint my parents and it was just too overwhelming for me," Taehyung explained,looking down at his feet.

"Couldn't agree more. You sound like a good son," Namjoon said and smiled.

"Thank you, but I don't think I am anymore after disappointing my parents,” Taehyung said and sighed.

"What do you mean?" Namjoon asked. Taehyung sighed again.

"I disappointed them a few days ago. I told them that the person they want me to be isn't who I am. I told them I wanted to chase my own dream, not theirs, and my dad was furious. Mom cried and it really breaks my heart. Even so, I left the house that day to chase my real dream. But I’m starting to regret it now because I’ve hurt them." Namjoon listened in understanding while Taehyung shared his story. Suddenly, Namjoon patted his shoulder, making him flinch.

"Don't regret it but regret,” said Namjoon eventually.

Taehyung tilted his head in confusion

"Don't regret chasing your dream. Instead regret that, instead of sitting down and talking it out with your parents, you left the house," Namjoon explained and smiled a little.

"It's never too late, you can always apologise to your parents and move back home. No one loves you more than your family. They are the ones who shaped you into who you are today, so you can't blame them for being overcaring. They just want a good future for you. It’s because they love you so much that they want the best for you. When you looked at it from a different perspective you can see their love for you," Namjoon continued, leaving Taehyung's mouth hanging open and his eyes glowing.

"Woah...Officer Kim...you are so cool," Taehyung said, eyes shining, looking up at Namjoon with a bright smile.

"I get that a lot," Namjoon said proudly and chuckled.

"You must be close with your parents," Taehyung said. Namjoon smiled sadly.

"Yeah, we were very close," Namjoon said and Taehyung frowned.

"Were?" Taehyung asked.

"They passed away two years ago in a car accident. A car sped ahead and they crashed. No one survived even my parents," Namjoon explained and his smile dropped. Taehyung looked up at him sadly and patted his shoulder.

"It's okay, I am sure they are fine up there. They must be happy to see their successful son," Taehyung said in an attempt to comfort Namjoon.

"Thank you, Mr Kim, that is very much appreciated." Namjoon smiled warmly at Taehyung.

"You know, I feel like we could be good friends," Taehyung said with confidence. Namjoon looked up at him with wide eyes but then laughed.

"Drop the formalities then, call me Namjoon," he said and Taehyung smiled.

"Call me Taehyung then. Wait, I am 22, are you my hyung?" Taehyung asked and Namjoon nodded.

"Yup, I am 24, two years older," Namjoon replied.

"Ah, hyung!" Taehyung said and his boxy smile made an appearance. Namjoon smiled along. Then low murmurs reached their ears.

"We are here," Namjoon said, face turning grave. Anxiety kicked in again. Taehyung hoped that it was not what he thought it was.

A few police officers were standing at the crime scene, some holding files. Taehyung craned to see, but they were blocking his view.

"Hey, Namjoon!" one called, waving at him.

"Jackson," Namjoon replied nonchalantly as they walked up to the guy.

"Where did you go? You’ve been gone for half an hour," Jackson complained and Namjoon scoffed.

"You kept count?" he chuckled.

"No I didn’t! Just explain where you went! Oh, and who is this guy?" Jackson asked, noticing Taehyung.

"Ah, allow me to introduce you two. This is Taehyung. Taehyung, meet Jackson. We work together," Namjoon said and Taehyung bowed.

"I am Kim Taehyung, it's nice to meet you, Mr Jackson," Taehyung said, shaking hands with Jackson.

"Nice to meet you too," he replied in slight confusion.

"I was walking around the area to find more clues and came across his cabin, so I decided to ask some questions," Namjoon explained to Jackson.

"But why is he here? You know we can't simply–"

"I know, but he said he could help. Forensic scientist,” Namjoon said as he gestured towards Taehyung. Jackson raised his eyebrows at Taehyung who nodded.

"I can help, really. Just trust me," Taehyung said with confidence. Jackson thought for a while before agreeing with a sigh.

"Fine, hope you don't mind bloody things. Oh, and please don't touch the evidence or vomit on it," he added.

"Jackson, don't tease the kid," Namjoon said, shaking his head. Jackson simply shrugged and turned around, giving the other officers a sign to let them in.

Now Taehyung could see the full crime scene. Black bags covering the bodies. A gun on the ground. Dried blood on the snow.

Pawprints and footprints.  People dressed in all white were taking pictures of the crime scene. Yellow labels marked the evidence. Taehyung looked around and a big body came into vision.

"No..." Taehyung balled his fist as he walked closer to the big body covered in a black bag. He knelt down, reaching out to touch it, but someone stopped him.

"Kid, what did I say?" Jackson said warningly.

"Sorry, but I need to see it, so I can help," Taehyung replied and Jackson gave Namjoon a look. Namjoon nodded and Jackson huffed.

"Fine. Here, gloves," Jackson said, throwing a pair of gloves in Taehyung’s direction. He caught them and put them on.

Namjoon knelt down too, pulling the black covering off revealing the white blood-stained fur. A nasty smell crept up, causing Namjoon and Jackson to cover their noses, but Taehyung held his cool.

He looked calm and serious. Namjoon and Jackson exchanged looks, surprised that Taehyung was not in the least disturbed. Taehyung stared at the bear, hoping it was not what he thought. He pulled up the bear's eyelid, revealing the black emotionless orb inside. Taehyung sighed in relief.

"What? What is it?" Namjoon asked and both him and Jackson moved closer, curious to know what Taehyung knew.

"Shit! Now what am I gonna say? Just checking the eye colour? Hell no," Taehyung thought to himself before he decided to answer them. He laughed awkwardly.

"A gunshot. This bear was shot," he simply said as he continued to check the body for more injuries.

"Yes, we know, that explains why the gun is here. We are very sure that it belongs to the man over there,” Jackson said, pointing at the limp body a few feet away.

"Can I see it?" Taehyung asked and both Namjoon and Jackson nodded.

"If you are not scared of gore," Jackson said and Namjoon shook his head.

"I bet I have seen much worse than this," Taehyung said nonchalantly.

Namjoon raised his eyebrow. "How?" he asked.

"Oh, well, my uncle is a forensic scientist. I once snuck into his car and went to the crime site. I saw a beheaded man. Who had drowned for weeks." Taehyung shrugged. Namjoon's face scrunched up in disgust.

They walked closer to the body and crouched down. Namjoon pulled off the bag and a horrible decaying smell hit them square in the face. Once again, Taehyung was not fazed. He ran his eyes over the body, stopping at the bloodied shoulder.

Teeth marks, deep ones. The wound was getting infected, attracting many flies.

"That is one hell of a bite on his shoulder. If it was on his neck, his head might have been ripped off," Namjoon remarked, and Taehyung nodded.

"Yes, he must have been bitten by a large carnivore," Taehyung replied as he stared at the man’s terror-filled eyes. He closed them gently.

"That's better," he muttered.

"Must have been a shock for him," Namjoon said and sighed. "So, what do you think, Jackson?" Namjoon asked.

"I think that this guy was just wandering in the forest and came across this bear. Maybe the bear was hungry. To protect himself, he shot the bear but before he killed it the bear took a munch on his shoulder. Then both of them died," Jackson visualised, but Namjoon shook his head.

"You could have done better. See this gun, it's specially made for hunting and it's well known for hunters. This guy must be a hunter. This forest isn't supposed to be a hunting ground. So he was doing this illegally," Namjoon countered.

“What do you think, Taehyung?”

"The bear is a female and she has a baby," Taehyung stated, causing Namjoon and Jackson's eyes to widen.

"How do you know that?" they asked.

"Well if you look at the bear's–"

"OK, we get what you meant," Namjoon said and sighed.

"So you mean this bear had a cub and she was just trying to defend it?" Jackson asked.

"Yes, but I don't think that the bear is the one who attacked him," Taehyung added.

"Why is that?" Namjoon asked.

"The blood on the bear is dryer than this man's wounds. Not to mention the infection is worse, which means the bear was killed before the man was," Taehyung explained and both Namjoon and Jackson nodded.

"But the bear can’t have killed the man on time," Namjoon voiced his thoughts.

"Look at the wounds. The bite is much bigger than anything that bear could have created. The man must have been bitten by something else," Taehyung explained.

"Also, look at the pawprints. These larger pawprints came from way over there, while these pawprints, the cub's paw prints and the man's footprints, came from the same direction. That means that the man was chasing them when another carnivore arrived, killing the man,” he finished, looking up. Jackson looked shocked while Namjoon looked proud.

"Uh...did I say something wrong?" Taehyung asked, scratching his head.

"No, you've done a good job, Taehyung." Namjoon patted Taehyung’s shoulder, who was smiling brightly. 

"What is your job?" Jackson asked, still shocked.

“I’m an author," Taehyung replied.

"What?!" Jackson exclaimed, even more shock.

“Don't judge a book by its cover, Jackson," Namjoon said as he stood up.

"But Namjoon–"

"His theory makes the most sense, Jackson. We will stick to it for now," Namjoon said and patted Jackson's shoulder. Jackson sighed in defeat.

"Okay," he replied and Namjoon smiled.

"Great, Taehyung, our job is done here. Let me escort you home. Jackson, you take care of these," Namjoon ordered as he gestured towards the bodies.

"Yeah, sure, no problem. Bye!" he said, waving.

"Come on, Taehyung." Namjoon walked ahead with Taehyung following behind. When he turned around to glance at the crime scene one last time, something caught his eye. He stopped his tracks.

"What's wrong?" Namjoon asked.

"I thought I saw..." Taehyung trailed off and Namjoon shook his head.

"You are getting paranoid. Don't worry, you will be fine later," Namjoon comforted the boy before turning around again and guiding him home.

• • • • • • •

She concealed herself behind the thick bushes and trees so the humans would not see her. Only one guy she recognised.

"Hm...that dumb human," she thought to herself. She wanted to check on the bodies but it was too late for her. The humans had beaten her to it. She turned around and walked away.

After a few minutes walk, she started hearing footsteps, like something or someone was following her. She thought she was just paranoid but soon enough she realised it was real. She walked calmly, trying not to react, so that whoever it was didn’t know she had heard them. When the footsteps got closer she immediately pounced and growled.

Then she stopped growling and frowned. "What are you doing here?" she asked the cub who had his paws up to defend himself.

"I...uh...you see, I saw you leave this morning...so..." He trailed off, unable to continue. "So you decided to follow me?" She finished for him. Jeongin was silent.

"I guess that is true then," she said and started walking again. Jeongin followed her.

“Oh, come on, noona, I can't just sit in the cave all day!" Jeongin whined.

"No, you can and you should have stayed," she snapped back. "You could have–nevermind." She sighed and Jeongin looked up at her, tilting his head.

"So, what do you think of my sneaking skills?" Jeongin asked expectantly.

"Bad," she said and Jeongin was taken aback.

"Come on! It wasn't that bad! I followed you for quite a long time and you didn't even realise," Jeongin whined and she huffed.

"Well I caught you in the end and that's all that matters. You are not supposed to get caught. Especially when you are hunting for food. What you have just displayed are beginner’s skills. There is a long way to go yet," she stated, not bothering to look at him. Jeongin pouted.

"So, how am I gonna improve?" he asked.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Well, from what you said, you sound more experienced and–oh! Maybe you can teach me!" Jeongin said, jumping up excitedly.

"No.”

"Noona! Come on! Just some lessons! It's not that hard! I promise I won't mess around! Pretty please!" Jeongin begged as he looked up at her with cute pleading eyes.

Her mistake was to look. She sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I will, but if you mess around it's the end of class," she warned and Jeongin cheered happily.

"Yes! Thank you so much!" he yelled, running ahead.

"Hey! Don't go off on your own!" she complained and Jeongin turned around to look at her.

"I won't! Don't worry!" he shouted from afar, still running.

"Aish! Cubs these days." She groaned and began to walk faster to keep up with the naughty cub.

"Noona, I am hungry, let's go hunt some food! You can start my first class," Jeongin said excitedly.

"Better keep your voice low when I am hunting or we might starve until dinner," she warned again.

"Yes, ma'am!" Jeongin said obediently and slowed down. She looked at him as he trotted ahead. For the first time in years, she felt warmth in her heart.

《▪ ▪♡ ▪ ▪》

Hey guys! So, a double update today! Hope you like today's chapter! Please don't forget to vote if you like it and lots of love from me!!😙💖💜

7