Infirmitas

Chapter 3: Tiger Flower and his leverage

Taehyung's POV

"Was it you? Tiger Flower, what did you do?"

Jimin has just arrived but he's already annoying me.

"What did I tell you about doing anything rash? You've gone rouge again. The Grim Reaper will take one of us in retaliation."

"The fucker is hunting us no matter what we do. Might as well enjoy our journey to hell."

"You did that for your enjoyment? You had fun doing that? You barely made a damage."

He rolled his eyes. I don't get what this little sugarboo wants. Is he setting me straight? Or he's disappointed because he thought what I did was mediocre?

"I did it to send a message." I proudly told him.

"What message?" He raised his eyebrow at me.

I held the flyer up.

"Piss your pants motherfucker. We know where your weakness is."

He sighed. "But we're not certain yet."

"Does that matter? There's a reason why he and his dwarf goes there..."

He shot me a sharp look. Oops. Pushed a button. Am I not allowed to call your ex-lover a dwarf?

"...his brother could be anyone of the two. Crane Flower is sure."

"And if he's none of them?"

It's my turn to raise an eyebrow.

"What, you don't want innocent people to die? Since when do you fucking care? Nobody cares about that. Look at what that motherfucking fuck did to Bogum's son and wife."

My face heated. The memory of his severed head, sent in a box tied with a red lace ribbon, still makes my blood boil. And his family...I swear once I find his brother, I'm going to let the motherfucker watch as I behead him. I won't send him his head. I will throw it out in the ocean for the fishes and crabs to feed on it.

"I'm sorry about Wolf's bane. He was dear to you." Jimin said quietly.

"I won't be fine until I take someone who's dear to that motherfucking Grim Reaper too."

My eyes landed on my right hand. Fuck. Fucking fuck. How many more should I lose to that fucking shit? I already lost my pride and my middle finger to him. The fuck. Remembering it makes my skin crawl.

I met the motherfucker on a one on one duel five years ago. I snuck into his room and caught him off-guard. He has just come out of the shower. My overconfident ass thought that I can handle him on my own. In my defense, I was a little drunk that night. And my god, he is beautiful. He's a real motherfucker. But a motherfucker with a beautiful face. I admit, I was fucking stupid. And I've only realized it when the asshole was already strangling me with his towel. I resigned myself and got ready to meet the king of the underworld. But he took a good look at my face and faltered when he saw something. I'm not sure of what he saw. Tears? Fuck no. I don't cry. Beauty? Okay. I'll settle with beauty.

Leave. I won't take your life today. Keep it. Live it far away from all these.

I was stunned. But instead of being grateful, I felt offended. His mercy insulted me. There were only two ends I was ready to accept. It's either I kill him or he kills me. But none of it happened when he started to walk away from me. So I attacked him again. Interestingly, the motherfucker avoided seriously injuring me. Later on when I told him what happened, Jimin assumed that I might resemble his missing brother. At some point, I only aimed for him to kill me. It's extremely fuckingly painful to say it, but the legend is true. He is a master in combat. The reputation is well deserved.

They say that he is called The Grim Reaper because you will absolutely meet death when you come face to face with him. I was the exception. I evaded death. He didn't take me. I was the only living person who lost to the Grim Reaper. And for so long, what he didn't do became my bane. I became a laughing stock. Especially since the motherfucker cut the middle finger off my right hand as a remembrance. Why that middle finger? Because I told him that I will shove it in his ass the next time I see him. He got offended. I realized with the way the fucker slowly cut my finger with a Swiss knife. Now, I can only express half of my disdain because I can only show one dirty finger. What a bummer.

"Remember, we cannot tell them anything yet." Jimin muttered.

"Why can't we? If the boss knows, we'll be able to find his weakness faster."

"We still have to make sure and..." He dropped his gaze to the ground.

"Don't fucking tell me that you still don't trust them?"

"Why should I? Look at what they did to Bogum. They left him to die. They could do the same to us." He hissed.

"They were just protecting themselves."

"Exactly. They let him die in his hands and saved themselves. In my book that's already a betrayal. Is it justified to do that? Would you do the same to me?"

"I would." I joked.

"Fuck you."

"No thanks. I am saving myself for the one."

He glared at me, disgusted.

"I can't trust them yet. I can't just give them what I worked hard for."

I squinted my eyes. "You're still up for the trade you have in mind?"

He nodded. "They can rule all they want. I don't care anymore. It doesn't seem like they're giving back the position anyway. But the money. Dad's money. That's mine. I will take it, leave and start living somewhere else."

He heaved a deep sigh. He's tired. And lonely. I don't have the right to say anything but I don't think he felt the satisfaction he should have felt when he gunned the fucker who killed his father. Because it was in the expense of his heart. Hell yes. He has one. Doesn't seem like it but he has it, somewhere in his little body. He didn't plan it and tried avoiding it but unfortunately, he loved him. Truly. But his vengeance is who Jimin is. And on the other hand, his loyalty to the Grim Reaper is the essence of the Pale Man.

"Then let's finish this quick." I suggested. "I'll go there myself. Then I'll bring his brother back so you can take your money and go."

My little bean finally smiled. "Really?"

I ruffled his hair. "Stay put here and hide away. I've been incognito since he took my finger, he won't see me coming. I only ask for one thing."

"What is it?"

"A seat in the council." I winked at him. "Include it in your terms."

"Are you sure you're staying with them? You don't want to come with me?"

I shook my head. "I'm afraid we have to part. I think this is the life I am meant to live. I am fittingly soulless and heartless for this."

He pressed his lips into a tight smile and nodded. "If that's what you want."

"It's an honor to serve the boss we never had." I flashed him a boxy smile.

He heartily chuckled. "It's an honor to know you, my friend."

I marched to the council room after Jimin left. It was not as grand as the one we had at the mansion that was now a rubble. But I know that we'll have something grander. Especially after we take everything the Bang Mafia have. I slowly paced, sliding my fingers along the glass of the table. I plopped on one of the leather swivel chairs, put my feet up and whistled a tune. I pulled the flyer off my pocket and stared at it. My leverage, daddy is coming.