I'll Protect You, Maknae||TaeKook FF ✓

Chapter 14.

As the man up on the platform burned, Taehyung dropped to his knees, screaming as he buried his face into the dirt and cried. Jungkook also dropped to his knees and threw up before he started screaming too.

Stop. Make it Stop. Stop.

The master kicked Taehyung in the back of the head, making him fall completely forward. He winced in pain. Jungkook turned and looked up at the Master. "Go to hell, you bastard!" he screamed. Then he turned to Taehyung to see if he was okay.

The Master chuckled. "I'm sure Hell would be glad to have me."

All of the owners were cheering and hollering watching the man burn.

The two singers didn't understand how any of this was possible, or real. Had they been transferred to some kind of alternate reality? An alternate universe? Maybe they weren't even on earth? Maybe they had gotten hurt at the carnival, fell into comas, and they were both having the same bad dream?

The Master bent down and grabbed at their hair again, forcing their faces right back up, he pulled both of their heads close to his face. "You see what happens when you don't listen? That! That is what happens! Obey me, or you will both be next!"

He yanked them back to their feet and marched them back to his house. They could barely walk with how they had both been crying with their entire bodies. Coughing, sobbing, feeling the rivers stream down their faces.

They both were so desperate to go home.

They were thrown back into that locked room and fell to the floor beside eachother, their bodies too worn out to move.

"See you bright and early. I trust you'll be better workers now, correct?" The Master smiled. "You two have a lot of work to do tomorrow!"

Taehyung and Jungkook groaned. Jungkook finally found the strength to stand, and dragged Taehyung to the bed with him. They curled up and Jungkook lay his head on his hyungs chest, not caring that he was soaking Taehyung's shirt with his tears.

Taehyung caressed Jungkook's hair. They were both silent for a while. Taehyung had gone numb as he tried pushing the fear and agony out of himself. Better to feel nothing at all.

Jungkook was the opposite, feeling everything all at once, as he began to cry again.

"I will never understand," Jungkook finally spoke.

"Neither will I," Taehyung whispered back.

"He was just an innocent person..." Jungkook trailed off.

Taehyung rubbed Jungkook's back. "I know. Just...get some more sleep, Kookie." Taehyung closed his eyes. Ultimately, he just wanted this entire day to be over. He wanted that small escape of sleep again. Jungkook sighed and wrapped his arm around his hyung, trying to ignore the pain in his chest, and the sharp pains now shooting through his stomach as he realized how hungry he was. He realized they both hadn't eaten since that cotton candy, which was a lifetime ago now.

They were woken up with yelling the next morning. The Master was screaming at them to get up and get outside to finish the job of chopping wood they still had to complete. Jungkook asked if they could at least have new clothes or some food or water.

"No! Now get the hell to work!" The Master screamed as he grabbed them both and threw them outside.

They complained and groaned as they half heartedly began their task. It was much harder to do after yesterdays intense beating. Taehyung kept wincing and bending over in pain, with Jungkook running to check on him every time it happened.

While they were working the Master came out with his dog. They'd forgotten he even had one because they were always locked inside that bedroom while inside. He handed it's leash to Taehyung. "Watch him for a bit."

"How am I supposed to cut wood and watch the dog at the same time?" Taehyung asked annoyed. Couldn't this man watch his own damn dog?

The Master gave him a hard pat on the back and he doubled over in pain again. "I'm sure you'll figure it out."

The Master left. Taehyung and Jungkook did enjoy the dogs company, as it was a friendly little guy. A small yellow lab. They had no clue what his name was. Taehyung tried to figure out how to do both tasks at once when he came up with the idea to tie the dogs leash around his ankle while he chopped wood.

He highly regretted that idea when the dog started barking and broke free, running towards the woods.

"No!" Taehyung screamed. "Come back!" He started chasing the dog, trying to grab his leash as he ran.

Jungkook watched in terror as he realized the dog was running towards the woods, and Taehyung was blindly chasing after him.

No. The woods.

Jungkook dropped everything and started chasing Taehyung. "No! Tae! Taehyung! Stop! The woods! Stop chasing him!"

"I can't let him get away!" Taehyung screamed in response.

Jungkook ran after Taehyung faster. The adrenaline in him helping him gain speed. "Taehyung you can not run into the woods!" he screamed. "Stop! Just leave the damn dog!"

"And get beaten again?!" Taehyung screamed as he kept running.

"Better than killed! Taehyung stop! Hyungie! TAEHYUNG! STOP!" Jungkook caught up to Taehyung and jumped on him, sending them both tumbling to the ground right at the tree line.

Taehyung's chest filled with panic as he realized he didn't catch the dog, but was confused when he looked up and saw Jungkook smiling. Taehyung turned to see that Jungkook had caught the dogs leash just in time.

"Oh my God," Taehyung sighed in relief. He hugged Jungkook and kissed his face, being thankful as hell. Jungkook got up and helped Taehyung up, instantly scolding him for not paying attention and running straight for his death.

"You have to be smarter than that, hyung! What if I wasn't out here? Huh?! I would have just lost you!" Jungkook was a bit frustrated at Taehyung's oblivion.

"Sorry, okay? I panicked."

"Just...please be more careful," Jungkook said. Taehyung promised he would be as they quickly made their way back to the wood pile. The Master came back out to fetch his dog, and Taehyung and Jungkook held their breath wondering if he'd witnessed the fact that Taehyung almost just lost the creature.

They sighed in relief when the Master snatched the leash back without saying anything, and headed back inside.

Taehyung turned to Jungkook. "I owe you my life."

Jungkook smiled and teased his hyung. "I'll keep that in mind."

They got back to work and it was almost time for the sun to go down. Their bodies were screaming at them to stop and take a break, but they knew all too well now what that would mean for them if they did anything less than give their 100%. They fought through their hunger, thirst, and exhaustion the best they could.

The Master came out to drag them back to their room, claiming that he had work "for Jungkook to do."

The two singers panicked again.

Only Jungkook? Why only Jungkook?