Forbidden Love ➸ Taekook ✓

- Forty-second -

Taehyung wasn't in a very good mood. He wanted to take advantage of this time alone at home to do a bit of work, but he had to admit that since Jungkook had left, he hadn't been at his best. From what he'd heard of the conversation between his fiancé and Jin, Hyeri seemed to have something to tell him. Something that seemed to particularly upset her. Taehyung didn't like it. This woman had been conspiring against them for many years now, so the slightest action on her part naturally aroused suspicion in him.

He dropped heavily into his chair, looking away from his computer, on which the email he was writing had hardly changed in the last ten minutes. He couldn't help worrying. Because he was such a strong character, everyone thought Jungkook was a bit 'bulletproof'. So when they had a few things to say to him, they weren't afraid of being hurtful, thinking that the teenager wouldn't mind. That was wrong. Terribly wrong. Jungkook was a very sensitive and fragile person, and that was what worried Taehyung. He wouldn't be there to protect him from his mother.

"Stop being so dramatic..." he sighed, rubbing his face nervously. "You know Jin's with him, he's safe..."

His attention returned to his computer, but the idea of going back to work didn't convince him, so he decided to go and make himself a cup of coffee instead, to recharge his batteries. He slipped his phone into the back pocket of his trousers and left his office, striding down the stairs, almost dragging himself to the kitchen.

He waited in front of the coffee pot, looking thoughtful as he watched the blackish liquid fill the cup. He was so deep in thought that he almost didn't hear his mobile ring. It was only a few seconds later that he realised the sound was real and not a figment of his imagination. He quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket, and frowned when he saw the contact.

Jin? Isn't he supposed to be with Kook? Why is he calling me?

He had a bad feeling about this. Why was Jin calling him if he was with Jungkook? Why wasn't the teenager doing it himself? Did that mean... he couldn't? It was worrying. Taehyung didn't want to panic, but he wasn't far from it. Where Jungkook was concerned, he simply couldn't be rational.

He picked up the phone and brought it to his ear.

"Jin?"

"Tae! Jungkook! He... He's gone... Contract... Wedding... They took him away!"

Jin was clearly having a panic attack, making his speech completely incomprehensible. He was certainly crying, and choking on every word he said. But Taehyung got the gist of it.

Something had happened to Jungkook.

His blood ran cold as his whole body froze. It was as if, for a brief moment, his heart had stopped beating, as if he had died. It took him several seconds to come back to life again, but the sensation was still there. A deep distress, coupled with a kind of total disconnection from reality. He heard without hearing. Felt without feeling. He just had the feeling that a part of himself had been savagely ripped away from him and that he was bleeding to death on the white tiles of his kitchen.

And in his ear, Jin was still panicking.

"I'm coming." he cut him off coldly, before immediately hanging up, without waiting for any response from him.

Taehyung didn't waste a moment, not even bothering to put on a jacket, even though night was already beginning to fall, making the air cooler. He almost jumped into his car, and drove so fast that it took him half the normal time to get to the Jeon house, and he risked his life countless times. But it didn't matter. He was perfectly incapable of thinking about his own well-being at the moment.

He could only think of Jungkook.

When he finally arrived, he threw himself at the front door and didn't even bother knocking; he opened it so hard he could have sworn he'd broken it. The first things he heard were screams and cries, and it wasn't long before he recognised Jin's voice, which was screaming as if his insides had been ripped out. However, when Taehyung stepped into the living room, the voices fell silent and all heads turned in his direction.

Taehyung's gaze immediately fell on Hyeri's crying face. The woman looked honestly devastated. Jin was not far from her, his face red with anger and tears, and he looked ready to pounce on his mother; his father had placed himself between them to protect her. Jongsu was a little further back, his face pale.

Jungkook wasn't there.

When Jin saw him, he threw himself into his arms, his crying starting again.

"Taehyung! Oh my God, Jungkook! He- what are we going to do?! We've got to get him out of here!"

The man resumed his incomprehensible speech. But Taehyung had got the gist of it. That Jungkook wasn't there. And that this wasn't right.

He grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing Jin to calm down, and plunged his icy gaze into his. The elder Jeon had never seen him in such a state, he had never seen Taehyung so cold, so empty, but he suspected that it hid immeasurable anger and distress. Strangely enough, it helped him to come to his senses.

"Jin, what happened?" asked the man in a deep, frighteningly calm voice.

"Those bastards..." Jin murmured, pointing a trembling finger at his parents. "They sold Jungkook to John's father. His men took him away, and there was nothing I could do..."

Taehyung's whole body stiffened. The situation was far worse than he had ever imagined. It was a nightmare.

"My baby..." he muttered. "They took my baby...?"

Jin knew he wasn't really asking, but he nodded softly anyway. Taehyung's grip on his shoulders tightened before loosening completely, and the man turned slowly to Hyeri, his eyes empty and wide. The woman looked at them curiously, confused and tearful.

She had no right to cry.

"What have you done to my Jungkook?" he asked, his voice suddenly threatening.

"What are you saying, Taehyung...?" Hyeri murmured.

The man took a step towards her and she instinctively stepped back. Everything about him exuded danger. Imminent, mortal danger.

"You're making me look like a monster!" she suddenly snapped, pointing at the two men. "But I did it for the sake of my children! Jungkook will be much happier with John!"

She didn't even have time to see it coming. Taehyung lunged at her, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her against the wall a few metres behind with such force that she let out a cry of pain.

"He won't touch him!" Taehyung shouted. "Jungkook is mine and nobody else's!"

"W-What?"

Hyeri couldn't believe her ears. Did he mean that...

"He'll wear no ring but mine, and no name but mine! When I find him, I'll make sure I destroy you all, one by one! You'll only be remembered as the family destroyed and humiliated by the one and only Kim Taehyung!"

He tightened his fingers around her throat, watching her choke as the air ran out of her lungs, then suddenly released her, letting her crash to the floor.

"But first, I've got to fix your shit."

He turned and stormed out of the room, like a predator in search of its prey. Jin took one last look at his family, which was a real mess, before following him, his heart heavy.

~🍁~

Tae is angry now (and hot)! What will he do?👀