𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍༊‧₊°𝐓𝐊

𝐎𝟗 | 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐃?

The door closed with a heavy thud. The echo of his footsteps faded down the corridor as Taehyung stood frozen, grappling with the gravity of the situation. The air felt thick and suffocating, each breath a reminder of the ultimatum he had just received.

His heart is racing as he secretly repeats to himself the words of Jungkook, turning them into a litany like this---Marry me. The words echo in his mind, an absurdity that looks almost ridiculous and sounds so painfully real. And could he actually accept the proposal? The possibility of being tied to Jungkook even by a thread disgusted him in itself, but the fact that he must save his father cast a shadow over everything else.

He paced nervously up and down in that small room, playing with his hair by his fingers. The smell of the hospital was bitterness around him---the steady beeping of machines, muffled cries of other families echoing in the distance, and white walls that seemed more like a prison than a haven.

Two hours, he thought, running his mind back to the time. He had two hours in which to decide his father's fate and own life. He felt almost crushed underneath the weight of that decision. He felt the tears welling up into the corners of his eyes, but he forced them back and would not let himself break under the despair.

He had to think rationally, weigh his options. Now, he sank into the chair beside his father's bed - the fragile figure lying unconscious beneath the sheets. Only the steady hum of machines broke the silence in the room, an unexpected respite from the chaos raging inside his mind.

"Dad," he whispered, holding his father's hand tight. "I'm gonna do everything I could save you." The warmth of his father's palm reminded him of the life still flickering in him. Taehyung's resolve was set; he would not let his father go with his life left between his fingers.

But what kind of fight? At the thought of marrying Jungkook, he shivered. He had seen the darkness that lay behind the handsome face. Taehyung could already imagine the kind of life he would lead-one filled with manipulation, control, and torment.

However, what did he have to choose? That moment can decide his father's life; even thinking about that would upset his stomach. He could submit to Jungkook's threat or lose everything he ever loved.

As Jungkook stepped into the hallway, he could still feel the burning cut of Taehyung's stare in his back. He leaned onto the coolness of the wall, a stark contrast to the mini-tornado building inside his head and the sterile ambiance of the hospital surrounding him.

He pulled out his phone and glanced at the time. Two hours. There he was, sitting there, having to endure it, suffering under the weight of his father's life suspended over him like a guillotine. It was deliciously wicked; he felt he had all the control, something that flowed from every snapped smile and every sarcastic comment.

Outside the hospital, the night air was fresh and rejuvenating. Jungkook breathed in deeply, filling his lungs with coolness, then let out a slow breath, cherishing the moment. He knew now that he'd crossed the line; there was no going back. Still, the thrill of having power over Taehyung and the ability to have control over his destiny is intoxicating.

He walked to his car, the sleek vehicle glistening under the streetlights, slipped inside and then felt the leather seats hug him tight like a second skin. As he sat there, he recounted all the earlier encounter, a cornered smile plumping upon his lips. Taehyung's anger, his desperation, all were music to Jungkook ears. He had always felt the thrill of the chase; however, this was something more than mere thrill-sport, this was personal, and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

He flicked his wrist and turned the ignition, and the motor hummed quietly as he reversed out of the parking lot. He had a plan, and it was time to set it in motion with the precision he had perfected for the task. His mind began racing through the possibilities as he navigated the streets, crafting the next steps in his elaborate scheme.