The Symbol Of Darkness

⑳Can You Stop Running Away?

 
Sparkling snowflakes descended gently and evaporated as they landed on the ground. It was expected to snow heavily later at night, so Jungkook had already changed the tires of his car with the help of a professional. 

He stood outside of the bar Merlina and peeked through the window in search of Min Heo. He called him two more times before eventually visiting him. Something just didn’t seem right.

A few minutes later, he emerged from the back of the bar with a cloth in his hands. And Jungkook swept inside at once. “Min Heo-ssi.”

The said man flinched at the call of his name. He didn’t even glance at him before starting to wipe the tables. 

“Min Heo-ssi?” Jungkook called again as he approached him. “Why are you avoiding me? What happened?”

Min Heo threw a discreet look towards the bar, finding one manager staring at them as he had expected. He straightened his back and fixated his gaze on Jungkook. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, meant for only him to hear. Then, he plastered a scowl on his face. “Can you stop bothering me? I have nothing to say to you. Don’t call me and don’t come here ever again. Leave now. Leave!” He neared him to jostle him, using it as a coverage to slip a note into his pocket. Pushing a detective could get him in trouble, but he had to risk it. There was no other way to explain why he acted like this. 

Jungkook was seasoned enough to comprehend that there was a reason for his pretended aggressive behavior. And he also perceived it when Min Heo slid something into his pocket. So he played along. “I wasted my precious time coming here. You’re useless. You don’t know anything. As for pushing me, I’ll let it slide because I’m too busy to deal with you too.” He stormed off then, heading to his car. 

Once he got in, he took the item out of his pocket; it was a handwritten note. 

I don’t know if I’ll have the chance to give you this. I’m sorry. They found out that we talked the last time and threatened me. Jong Hoon’s men can protect me, but I’m the only one who can protect my people. I can’t put them in danger. They monitor my phone too. That’s why I couldn’t even text you. I won’t be able to help you. I hope you understand. 

A sigh tumbled out of Jungkook. There’s a snitch working at the bar. I’m sure that’s how they found out. Fuck. We’re back to zero, then. 

He folded the note, placed it back in his pocket, and drove off. A drear oppression had settled over his chest since he woke up that day and it only worsened with the results of his visit to Merlina. 

Something just bothered him. Like a persistent itch he couldn’t get rid of. That unknown feeling festered every time Taehyung wandered in his mind, causing him to think it had something to do with him.

But that thought was absurd. 

He was the one who called off their deal. He was the one who told him he couldn’t stand seeing him anymore. Why was he thinking about him, then?

“Just shut up,” Jungkook murmured to himself. “You told him he was just your informant. You stopped talking to a bunch of informants and you didn’t mind. It’s no different.” He nodded reassuringly, but it didn’t make him feel any better. “You won’t call him. You won’t go see him. It’s that simple. It’d be like you never met him.”

God, if someone saw Jungkook at that moment, they’d definitely think he was deranged. He didn’t remember talking to himself out loud before. Was he actually losing his mind because of a mere informant?

He returned to the station and worked for a few more hours in silence. Even when someone talked to him, he replied shortly and focused on his current task. Or at least, he pretended to focus as his mind was unwittingly traveling far afield.