from me to you. → kth | ✓

21.

chapter twenty-one: strike two

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taehyung

I RUN A hand through my hair as I flip through the documents I've been storing. I've been way too distracted these days, so now's the time to focus and get my head back in the game.

I have a meeting today. After that, I need to take Yuna to her prenatal appointment. I feel minimal stress and I like that. Aera's thing last time rocked the boat.

I do my usual. Rise at four in the morning, take a cold shower and get dressed. Never forget the documents. They need to be recorded, always. So I carry those along and pick up the keys to my Range Rover.

It's still dark and the moon's still out. The streets in our area are empty and peaceful. Lord knows why, it's supposed to be the busiest place.

I park at the back of the 'Librero' building and discreetly slip in. My attorney is seated in a single cubicle, waiting for me just as I requested.

"Do you remember how far we got last time?" I ask, sitting down and pulling out all the papers.

"Of course I did. We discussed what evidence can be used." He watches me focus on flipping through each document and places a hand on my arm. "How are you doing with the pregnancy?"

"We're not here to discuss that." I deadpan.

"You need to talk about it with someone at some point. That's the only way you'll have inner piece." He says.

"What are you, my therapist? What will grant me inner peace is landing this case with everything we've got. I need to win this."

"Alright then." He sighs, fixing his glasses. "Show me what you've got."

"I've got an address," I say, sliding the sheet over to him.

"Newhard Grove...Number 24...that's not too far away." He mutters to himself. "This guy someone we know?"

I pause. "Yes."

"How dangerous are they?" He asks, standing up and putting the loaded .370 magnum I slid over to him into his belt.

"I guess we're going to have to find out by ourselves."

We take his car that's under the Librero and leave as quickly and humanly possible. It's a job that shouldn't take too long as long as he does what he's asked to.

Within hours, we reach his residence. It takes three knocks to get him to open up.

"Kim." He smiles, leaning against the door frame.

He looks healthy, happy and overall- very much not dead.

"Mark." I smile back. "Do you mind letting my brother here and me in?"

"Not at all." I watch him dap up Jaebeom and step back to let us in.

His home is spacious, modern and very Mark. To any outsider, it'd be hard to tell his actual profession just by being in this building.

He leads us to his living room and offers us some drinks, to which we both refuse.

"Come on, you don't think I'll poison you, do you?" He smirks.

We say nothing, knowing the type of man he is based on our files. He laughs once and both of us a glass of water anyway, taking a sip out of either to prove himself innocent.

"That enough proof for you?"

"That's not what we came here for." I snap.

Jaebeom tries to calm me down and takes over. "We need to ask you some questions regarding the Kang family."

"That depends on what you need to know." He replies, shrugging.

"Well, for your information, this will be a recorded conversation," I say, showing him the device and my phone.

"No problemo. What do you need to know?"

"What's your knowledge of the trade? If I understand correctly, you were in a nice ranking position. In fact, your family was third on the way to negotiation."

"The thing is- Wait. This isn't going to the feds, is it?"

"Of course not," I reassure him.

"Yeah. My family was third. Fair and square, too."

"Okay? The trade?"

"You know, it's the usual. We take the cripples in, sell 'em off and get our money. Cash flow is great right now." He smiles fondly, silver tooth glinting in the light.

I wince. The job is disgusting but pleasurable for him to talk about. We were all born into it, but I'll let him off by saying he doesn't know better. That's evident in the way he treated Aera. He's a sick man and this confirms and sets the idea in stone for me.

We talk about the business some more in relation to what I came for and the time for us to leave comes quickly.

"Thanks for your help," Jaebeom says as we switch off all recording devices and shake his hand. It's warm and callused.

"No problem. Visit me more often, 'Kay? And say hi to my girl for me."

"Your girl?" I turn around to ask, despite my brother warning me not to. 'What, the one you beat up? Do you know how bad you've messed her up?"

"Taehyung, that's enough," Jaebeom says.

"Nah, let him speak." Mark smirks. "I beat her up, I admit it. I enjoyed every second. It's not my fault she was so incompetent and couldn't behave herself. Anytime she got out of line, I gave her a hit or two. So what? Look at your girl, Kim."

"My girl?"

"Isn't she pregnant for another man?" He says, hissing in mock pity.

Now Jaebeom physically has to hold me back from beating this man up. We walk out of his home and he follows, hands behind his back with a satisfied grin on his face.

"I've got eyes and ears everywhere, Kim, and you should know that. I know we've never actually met in person, but this is your first warning. Like I said, tell her I love her and tell her I said hi with this."

I'm about to ask what he means but get my answer when his fist makes contact with my face. It's a sharp pain that's followed up by a dull ache. I feel my upper lip get wet with blood dripping from my nose which hurts the most thanks to Aera throwing that dish at me.

I decide not to react and instead go home. Jaebeom has a flight to catch and returns to the Librero so we swap cars.

I don't expect Aera to be waiting for me in the living room, so I try to hide my face.

"What happened to your face?" She asks, pausing her movie and standing up.

"Nothing." I swallow and walk by her.

I know that being so close to her that day probably means I've gained her trust, but if keeping her safe means lying to her, so be it.

I lock my room door behind me and fish out my first aid kit from my cabinet. I deal with my wound and while I rest my ice pack on it, I find a card on my desk.



STRIKE TWO.