LOST STARS

Chapter. 14

Every box, dish, envelope, and anything else Jimin and Taehyung could find was searched. Certain wons and pennies were stashed away and gathered. Knowing it was pointless as they counted, the solution was right in front of them. It was barely 600 Wons all together.

Heart-hammering, Taehyung paced up and down outside the house. "Someone has to be able to support you. He spent so much time working for the estate; surely they can assist? Shall we ask?" Twenty-five minutes later, Jimin proposed.

When Taehyung realised what Jimin had said, his eyes lit up. Grabbing Jimin into a hug and asking him to write it down on paper so he could explain it to the other members of the household, he hopped on his bike and headed as quickly as he could to Jeon Estate. The rhythmic crunch of the gravel under his shoes matched the beat of his heart. He thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and then pushed the gate open. That's thirty years of service, which had to mean something.

He got to the door. Holding the cold, heavy brass knocker in his hand, he knocked once or twice, making a noise that was too loud in the quiet. He kept going over arguments and pleas in his head, all of which were written in the silent language of desperation.

Kang stood there, stern and without a smile when the door opened. Taehyung met his gaze and noticed the dismissal already glinting there. But he got his balance back by putting his feet firmly on the Jeon welcome mat, which felt like a bitter irony at the moment.

"I—" Taehyung began to stutter badly. His throat was tight, and the words were hard to come out because he was scared. He put the paper out to Kang.

Kang put up a hand to silence him. The action said many things, and none of them were nice. But Taehyung kept going. His hands were moving purposefully, making signs in the air that showed how bad things were for Sunghun and how urgently he needed surgery and help. He looked at Kang's face and tried to find a hint of kindness or a change in the harsh lines around his eyes.
But the estate owner's face stayed the same as if it were carved from the same stone as the pillars that supported the grand Jeon house, even as he led Taehyung outside while holding his arm.
Finally, the door slammed, and Taehyung could hear it in his ears. He stood there stunned, the pain of being turned down still fresh on his face.

He walked towards the gate with his shoulders dropped and his spirit broken. He had no hope left in the world. The cool air stung his skin as he walked through the iron gate. This was in contrast to the hot flush of anger and shame that was going through Taehyung.

Then a glint caught his attention. A known figure stood high up in the quiet of a bedroom window. Jungkook. When their eyes met, time seemed to stop. It was a moment of connection in a sea of disconnection all around them.

It was something Taehyung had seen before. Taehyung could always see the depth in Jungkook's eyes, and today that spirit told Taehyung that the other one knew how much pain Taehyung was in. Taehyung was calm and in control. But the moment was over as quickly as it began. He kept his eyes on Jungkook, and something in his mind was working. Jungkook was pulling on the skin of his collarbone as Taehyung waved a small, cute hello.

Jungkook replied with a little disjointed wave that was typical of Jungkook. As Taehyung walked away, he gave himself a nod. He didn't go home, though. Instead, he knocked on Jimin's door.

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"Do you even understand what you are saying, Aehyun?" This was his closest friend, Jimin, who was panicking. If only he could smack Taehyung senseless, he would.
"There is no other way; please help me," Taehyung begged in gestures. Soon they were sitting on the roadside, a vial and handkerchief in hand. Sitting there staring at the chloroform vial, Jimin murmured, "I don't even know why I let you drag me with your stupid plans. Now what?"

Though he was vaguely aware of chloroform from movies, Taehyung had no idea how long it would take or how long the effects would last. All of a sudden, he had the ideal tryout partner. Jimin was falling on the pavement before he could react because he saw the chemical-soaked cloth coming to him a little too late. Nevertheless, Taehyung was watching out not to let him hit his head on the pavement, it was still funny. Not to Jimin, not immediately, maybe.

Four hours later, Jimin woke up and was prepared to talk about the plan after Taehyung apologized profusely, with a soup and a bowl of ramen. For Jimin and Taehyung, at least, the next phase was quite clear. With a stack of newspapers from the previous month piled in Taehyung's home, they sat all night. Carefully cutting each necessary letter from the paper, they produced the ideal ransom note.

"Your son is here with us. Come to the post office tomorrow at 11 p.m. with 7,000 won. Leave the package on the large letter bosk if you want to see him again safe and sound. Your son will be dropped off at home. "

Every word was sliced from the newspaper headlines and was a different size and colour. He only had to knock Jungkook out now, leave the note there, and wait till the next day. Only if life were that easy.

Taehyung slipped through the Jeon Mansion's dew-covered grass, his figure hidden by the ideal cover that night provided. His eyes were determined and afraid at the same time, and his face covered by a monkey cap.

He moved in, barely raising a murmur, and up to the first floor. The couple of servants the family retained were sound asleep. With shaky hands, Taehyung took out the tiny vial and handkerchief in that tiny corridor lit only by moonlight. With each drop of the chemical he soaked the cloth, and he promised to get his father well and back home.

Taehyung stepped over the threshold with shallow, hurried breaths as the door opened with a very light push. Here, moonlight kept him company and he advanced to the pile of pillows and blankets that Jungkook would be soundly sleeping under.

With one hand, he reached for the blanket corner, the other for the chemical-stained cloth, and Taehyung was prepared to seal the deal. But Taehyung exhaled a startled gasp as soon as the cloth touched the pillow. Just cold cloth, no body, no resistance. The pit of his stomach gathered tension as reality set in and plans fell apart.
He looked about the room wide-eyed, a scream of disbelief resonating in his head. His only goal at the moment was to get away. But he had no time to think, for the sound of rushing footsteps instantly snapped him back to reality. Without a doubt more than two, incredibly fast and rhythmic, his heart hammering in his ears.

Thinking quickly, he assumed the demeanor of a domestic helper. He stood stuck, like a lizard, against the wall, the monkey cap serving to conceal his identity.

The crowd pushed in, and the door, which had been partially open, now swung fully open. In came KIM SEOKJIN, and Eunkyung, two cops in tow. Why, God? Why? Taehyung was mentally facepalming himself.

He knew IF Seokjin saw him, he wouldn't even get a chance to explain, so his chest tightened instantly. And what plausible justification will he offer even if they do? The reality biting at him increased the more he allowed his mind to spin out. He arrived to kidnap Jungkook, but he was not the reason Jungkook was missing. He panicked at the giggle that came out of his mouth.

"You knew he was missing, how?" In the room rang the voice of Seokjin. Their movements were all rhythmically urgent. Nobody looked at Taehyung as he stood there, praying.

"Take him along and check the backyard wall for any signs of a car or an escape route." Talking about Taehyung, Seokjin gestured at the constable. At last, the false identity he was assuming became his unexpected ally. He nodded in agreement, his heart thumping against his chest.

As the constable trailed out of the room, Taehyung led. Their breath was tinged with cold as the estate opened out in front of them. Walking, he was at a loss for what to do next. He moved his hands around and felt the chemical-soaked cloth. At last, the chloroform could do its job. There was some garden furniture closer to the little gate that opened on the road as they arrived at the backyard.

Quickly, Taehyung positioned the cloth over the constable's mouth and held it there with an iron grip. With every second that went by, the gasp was muffled and the scuffle grew weaker. He had the constable sit in a chair as soon as his body went limp, then he scampered out and fled. Most hurried as he had ever been.