The Witness ➳ Taegyu

39. The Intelligence System

A/N: This chapter may seem a bit complicated, but I promise it's not lol.

*The same day*

"There's not a more uncomfortable position I could possibly be in right now."

"Actually, there is. I could string you up from the ceiling if you would like. By your hands or feet. I doubt you would want something like that though."

Taehyun scoffed and slumped in the couch he was sat in with both of his hands uncomfortably cuffed around a pole right next to it. That meant he had to lean his body a little bit since both his arms were being pulled to the left. He tiredly rested his head on his sore arm and sighed.

"I haven't tried to get away at all. Why can't you uncuff me? Or at least let me sit normally but still have the handcuffs on? I've been in this position since last night and I'm starving!"

A simple precaution to take in case Taehyun wasn't an ally of the police like he said he was. Having Beomgyu's dad be paranoid and locking him in his basement was better than being in a cell. This way, he could gain the man's trust and use his help to defeat Black Reaper.

The feeling in his arms was a small, yet painful price to pay, he realized when the man released his hands from the pole and just cuffed them together. They fell into his lap anyways since he couldn't move them, and he groaned in pain.

"My leverage on you will be this," the chief spoke. "You should be thankful that I'm letting you stay here now instead of under the watch of police. Then, you wouldn't be able to carry out whatever this plan is of yours, if you even have one. If you seem like an ally of Black Reaper, I will officially arrest you. If you try to escape before I allow you to, and I can't find you, I'll tell everyone that Chief Kim in Seoul covered up your past, and he'll be punished. Those are both promises, not threats. Do you understand?"

Taehyun nodded. "Of course I do. Precautions are necessary. Hey... can I eat?"

He sighed and went to the stairs. "I'll order some takeout."

After telling him what he liked, Taehyun sat there as the man went upstairs. He's thought countless times about how bad Chief Kim has broken the law for him. If everyone found out, he would go to jail. If he were to later get out of jail, he would no longer have a job. Everything would fall apart.

Precautions.

Taehyun had ideas on how he could possibly convince this man that his backstory and his words on his morality were the truth, and they mainly concerned Beomgyu. He just hoped it would be enough for him to be trusted, or at least, believed.

*One week later*

"Have fun at work," Taeyong called out to Beomgyu from where he was sitting on the couch, working on his computer.

It was Beomgyu's first day back at the café since he took that fall over two weeks ago. His arm was still in a sling and his face was till healing from a few cuts and bruises, but he was told he should be able to still work efficiently now that the pain had settled for the most part.

"Thanks. Hey, I was wondering if I can talk to my mom today," Beomgyu looked at him while heading towards the door, waiting for his answer.

Taeyong said Beomgyu's mom would only get three days, but she's been in there for a week while they decide whether or not to press child abuse charges against her. Beomgyu was still torn over the whole situation, and all he wanted to do was talk to her. Taeyong wasn't allowing it though, and it's been making him lose his high respect for the cop.

"Oh, about your mom. She's being released today to go back home."

Beomgyu's eyes widened. "What?!"

Through their messages, Taehyun requested the Taeyong release Beomgyu's mom, saying it had something to do with earning his dad's respect. Taeyong already knew the night it happened that Taehyun had been apprehended, and would have said "no" to releasing the woman if it wasn't in exchange for Taehyun's freedom.