'Til We Meet Again | Taekook AU

Chapter 10

[ Unedited ]

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Taehyung stopped in front of an old building with the board 'Everest Apartments' on it.

Jungkook squinted, trying to make out if there was anyone behind the reception desk, but they were too far to see much. He only knew that Taehyung had entered the building and had collected something from the desk.

Was this where he lived? Or was this a temporary accommodation? Jungkook couldn't imagine Taehyung being a local in this place, in Russia to be more specific. How should he say it...Taehyung didn't have the air around him – yes, he didn't have the presence of someone who had lived and grown up on these streets. And seeing him enter the building, Jungkook wondered whether he had rented it.

"Where are you going?" A hand stopped him from stepping into the light and following Taehyung into the building.

"What? I'm going inside."

"It's too risky Mr. Jeon." The bodyguard reasoned. "Let me go first."

"No way. I didn't come this far for you to snatch my limelight." Jungkook said, and when the bodyguard gave him a confused look, he sighed and pointed at the building.

"I'm going in no matter what. I want to know what that guy is up to. If you want to come along, then be my guest. But I'm going in there-" again he jabbed his thumb in the direction of the building and glared at the bodyguard, letting him know he was serious about it. "I'm going in whether you come or not."

"Let me lead the way." The bodyguard said, and Jungkook silently appreciated the change of tactics.

Maybe, Jimin had warned his bodyguard of how stubborn Jungkook could be.

It was good that both knew Jungkook wouldn't back down, when he was this close to solving the mystery...?

The thought faltered and came to a stop in his mind. Was it really a mystery? Was Taehyung truly hiding something vicious that no one knew anything about? He didn't seem the type, Jungkook's heart argued. But what about the things Jimin had said? His best friend couldn't have come up with such an elaborate hallucination even when he was drunk. There had to be some truth in his words right?

Before Jungkook could wrap his head around the rising doubts, the bodyguard entered the building.

Jungkook followed closed behind him.

"Hmm...that's odd." The bodyguard muttered and Jungkook frowned at the sight in front of them.

There was no one at the desk. It seemed like Taehyung had simply collected a parcel and headed for his apartment.

"What is his apartment number?"

The bodyguard shook his head as his eyes scanned the slightly dusty register kept at the side of the reception desk. "There is not much in here."

Jungkook's eyes wandered to the display of keys behind the desk, each with the apartment number written on the keychain. Usually, the receptionist kept a copy of keys with them, but in case the tenant forgot the keys, they had have to handover the spare key.

He found three missing slots, and wondered if one of these keys led to Taehyung's apartment.

They had been too far to see what exactly the object was that Taehyung had collected from the receptionist desk. It was highly possible it was one of these three keys.

"Let's search the apartments for these three keys."

"But, we aren't even sure the guy owns one of these apartments."

Jungkook shrugged and made his way to the stairs. "Let's just say I have a hunch. He's behind one of the three doors."

The bodyguard moved ahead of him, like before, and led the way upstairs.

They reached the first landing, and headed for door number one-one-two, which was the first in the three key slots. Jungkook tried the door and found it locked, not surprising though, considering Taehyung might have just entered it and locked himself inside.

Jungkook leaned in and listened for any sounds from the inside. The body guard followed his action, and he too plastered his ears to the door. In silence they listened to the voices inside.

He could make out two people and there was TV playing in the background. One of them was a girl, and the other sounded like a man, but it wasn't Taehyung's voice. Jungkook recalled, the guy's voice took on a deep tone that wasn't this man.

"Let's check the other apartments." He said and the bodyguard nodded.

They climbed onto the next lading. Both the remaining apartment numbers belonged to this floor – two-one-three and two-two-zero.

The overhead lamps gave off a shady yellow beam of light, which didn't help much with Jungkook's eyesight. He could make out the apartment number two-one-three, but the other one was far down the hallway, in an area that wasn't highlighted by the yellow gleam.

The bodyguard took a step towards the first apartment, but before they could do anything else, another apartment door to the left of two-one-three opened, and they both scrambled to hide themselves. Jungkook took two stairs at a time, reaching the third landing and pushed himself against the wall, hoping the person won't notice. HIs bodyguard meanwhile, had slipped into the shadows casted around the apartment number two-two-zero.

That was a good move – the random thought popped in his head, while he held his breath against whoever was making his way downstairs.

He had taken shelter seconds before the person made an appearance, and missed the chance to take a glimpse at his face.

Once the sounds of footsteps disappeared to the landing below them, Jungkook let out the breath he was holding and took a hesitant step towards the second landing.

"Mr. Jeon?" The whisper of his bodyguard confirmed the coast was clear, and Jungkook took the flight of stairs to the second landing, meeting his bodyguard halfway.

"That guy we were following-" his bodyguard started and Jungkook's interest perked up. "It was him."

"What?"

"The person who went downstairs, was the same guy."

"Oh. Did you see which apartment he came out of?" Jungkook asked.

"Yes. It was two-one-four."

"So my guess was wrong. He wasn't behind one of those three doors." Jungkook muttered, slightly disappointed that his hunch was a wrong one.

But now they had a great opportunity in hand.

"Let's check his apartment, while he is out." Jungkook said and couldn't contain the excitement in his voice.

"But Mr. Jeon ..." The hesitance was back in the bodyguard's voice and body language. "This is not right."

Jungkook groaned and rubbed his temple, a slight headache forming between his eyebrows. "You don't have to come inside with me." He said.

"But -"

"No buts. Just stand guard and let me know when he comes back." Jungkook said and glared at the bodyguard, waiting for him to challenge Jungkook again.

But the bodyguard just let out a defeated sigh and gave a slow nod.

"Great!" Jungkook gave him a brief smile and made his way to the apartment number two-one-four, rubbing his hands with glee.

He was so close...so close to finding out the truth of Kim Taehyung.

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[ Finally! We're close to discovering the big secrets of Kim Taehyung. I'm just as excited as Jungkook to let you in on them :) ! Are you enjoying it so far? Let me know in your comments! ]