Mama I am in love With a criminal (TK)

chapter 7

Morning sunlight spilled across his pale, soft skin, making his nose scrunch at the sudden brightness on his face. He hugged himself tighter, the cold wind brushing against him, sending strands of his hair flying from his forehead.

His lips curved into a pout, clearly uncomfortable in his position, with his back leaning against the seat and his head pressed against the half-open window.

Irritated by the unwanted light, his eyes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the world around him. When he finally opened his large, doe-like eyes, they seemed to bless the earth with their clarity.

He blinked as the trees and houses whizzed past him, realizing he was moving forward at speed. "Interesting... I see," he murmured to himself, momentarily convinced he was still dreaming.

Feeling the numbness in his body from staying in one position too long, he groaned in pain as he tried to sit up straight. That’s when the disjointed memories of the night before began flooding back to him.

“Where am I—AHHH!” He screamed when his gaze fell on the person driving. Jungkook's eyes darted around in confusion, and slowly, the fog in his mind started to clear.

"Don't shout. You're safe with me," a rough voice interrupted his panic, snapping his attention back to the driver. This wasn't his prince charming, but someone far more dangerous—a kidnapper.

"You're not my prince? You kidnapped me!" Jungkook’s voice wobbled, betrayal stinging his heart as reality settled in.

"I’m not," the man replied, finally stopping the car in a remote, desolate area, "but it’s true that I freed you from that cage."

“I don’t care. I want to go to my mom. Let me out, I’ll go myself!” Jungkook fumbled with the door handle, but his hands were quickly restrained.

“You can’t leave. I didn’t go through all this trouble just for you to run away,” the man said, holding him firmly as Jungkook thrashed violently in his seat.

“No! I want my mom! Let me go!” Jungkook screamed, his desperation growing.

His captor remained stoic, and in a surge of defiance, Jungkook bit down hard on the man’s gloved hand. He used all the force he could muster, but the fabric didn’t tear, nor did the man show any signs of pain. There was no reaction—no expression on the kidnapper’s blank face.

"LEAVE ME! LEAVE ME—" Jungkook's cries grew louder until the man interrupted him, his voice sharp.

“Stay still. Don’t you want to meet your fath—”

The man didn’t finish, as Jungkook lunged forward, sinking his teeth into the exposed skin of his neck, cheeks, chin, and ears. It was as if a wild, desperate ghost had taken over him, relentless in its attack.

“STOP IT! DON’T YOU WANT TO MEET YOUR FATHER OR WHAT? DAMN IT!”

To the man’s surprise, Jungkook froze. His confusion was palpable, his wide eyes brimming with uncertainty. For a brief moment, Taehyung—the man—felt a flicker of hesitation. Was he scared? Of course not. He was a ruthless gangster; fear wasn’t something he was familiar with.

“You’re lying,” Jungkook muttered, his lips jutting out in a stubborn pout.

“I’m not. Here, talk to him.” Taehyung pulled out his phone with one hand, still keeping a firm grip on Jungkook’s wrists with the other.

On the screen, an older man’s voice came through, “Boss, he wants to talk to you.”

“Really? Give him the phone. Kookie bub.”

Jungkook's breath hitched as he glanced sideways at the phone. The moment he caught a glimpse of the man on the screen, he snatched the device from Taehyung’s hand. But words wouldn’t come. His lips trembled as he fought back sobs, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Memories of the past flooded his mind—watching old videos of his father when he was just a toddler. A video where his father wandered through a garden with Jungkook on his shoulders.

both giggling in shared joy. Another where his father painted his face with colors, making a mess, as his mother scolded them from the background. Or the one where they rode in a car together, shaking their heads to a pop song.

Jungkook had cried countless times watching those videos, longing for the father he barely remembered. And now, seeing him again on the screen, he couldn’t stop the tears from spilling over. Taehyung, recognizing that Jungkook was too overwhelmed to speak, quietly ended the call.

“Taehyung, son, please bring my bun to me as soon as possible. I can’t wait,” his father’s voice shook before the screen went black.

Taehyung released Jungkook’s hands, and the boy immediately began wiping away his tears, though they continued to fall uncontrollably.

"Don’t cry. You’re going to see him soon," Taehyung said, clearly unsure how to comfort someone. Instead, he awkwardly handed Jungkook a box of tissues.

Jungkook took it, wiping his nose and face, though his tears kept coming. His sobs echoed through the car, a steady river of grief and longing.

"Are you feeling better now?" Taehyung asked, his tone tentative.

“Do I LOOK like I’m okay?” Jungkook snapped, throwing another tantrum, his tear-streaked face a mix of frustration and sadness. Taehyung merely rolled his eyes, letting the boy calm down on his own. Sometimes, crying was all you could do.

“You’ll take me to my dad, right?” Jungkook asked, his voice thick with emotion as he sniffled.

Taehyung looked at him, noticing his red, puffy eyes and flushed cheeks. “Of course. That’s why I kidnapped you.”

“What about my mom?” Jungkook's voice softened, looking down. He missed her too, but his heart ached for the father he had dreamed of seeing again. He wasn’t selfish for wanting this, was he?

“You can ask your father when you meet him,” Taehyung replied before starting the car again.

Jungkook, still sniffling, glanced at him. "Are your teeth real?" he suddenly asked, breaking the tension.

“Huh? What?”

“Your teeth. Are they real?”

“They’re my real teeth. Though they fell out when I was younger, they grew back.”

“You talk too much.”

“Why? Are you afraid I’ll bite you again?” Jungkook challenged, his lips curled into a defiant pout.

Taehyung glared at him. “It’s not polite to bite people.”

“Kidnapping a kid isn’t polite either,” Jungkook shot back.

“You’re a little kid?”

“No! I’m almost 18. I’m older than you.”

Taehyung nearly laughed but held it back. “Do you even know how old I am?”

“How old?”

“Twenty-five.”

“Ah, then you’re an ajusshi!” Jungkook exclaimed, slapping a hand over his mouth in mock surprise. Taehyung frowned.

“I’m not an old man! Don’t call me ajusshi.”

“Mama says to call people much older than you ‘ajusshi.’”

“Well, then I’ll call you a kid.”

“I’m not a kid!” Jungkook huffed, rummaging around the car.

“What are you looking for?” Taehyung asked.

“Bun Bun.”

“What?”

“My rabbit plushie. My Bun Bun. Where is he?”

“Oh, that? I tossed it somewhere in your room,” Taehyung said nonchalantly.

Jungkook’s eyes widened in shock. "You threw it somewhere?!"