𝙼𝚢 𝙲𝚛𝚞𝚎𝚕 𝙱𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 ٭ 𝚃𝚊𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚎 ٭

٭𝟼𝟶٭

Jennie and Taehyung made their way downstairs. The atmosphere in the dining room was light, with everyone chatting and teasing Hoseok. He tried to join in but sulked when he realized he couldn’t chase after the boys due to his injured leg. Laughter echoed around the table, but Mingyu sat quietly, his face tense, and didn't join in the fun. Taehyung noticed but said nothing at first, opting to sit down at the table and start eating.

The maids served the food, and everyone began to dig in. Everyone except Mingyu, who stared at his plate without touching anything. Seokjin nudged Taehyung, motioning toward Mingyu with a concerned look. Taehyung sighed, putting down his utensils.

“Mingyu, eat your food before it gets cold,” Taehyung said firmly.

“I’m not hungry,” Mingyu mumbled, pushing the plate slightly away.

Lisa, noticing the tension, gently asked, "Mingyu, please eat something. You haven't had anything all day."

But instead of responding, Mingyu abruptly stood up from the table and walked out of the room. Mina, concerned for her brother, was about to follow him, but Jennie gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Let him be for a little while, Mina. He’s just upset. He’ll be okay," Jennie assured her.

Taehyung exhaled deeply, excusing himself from the table. "I'll talk to him," he muttered, already heading upstairs. He found Mingyu sitting on the floor of his room, hands clenched tightly around the fabric of his shorts, clearly frustrated.

Taehyung leaned against the doorframe, folding his arms. "What’s wrong, Mingyu?"

Mingyu didn't look up but his voice was sharp. "I don’t like being treated like a kid. I can handle a mission. I’m ready for it."

Taehyung sighed, walking further into the room. "You’re not ready. You don’t understand how dangerous this life is."

"I'm not a child!" Mingyu snapped, finally looking up at Taehyung. "I’m sixteen! I’m not a little kid. You all treat me like I’m helpless!"

"You are a kid," Taehyung said, his voice growing stern. "Sixteen is still a child in this world. You're not like us, Mingyu. You didn’t grow up in this mess. You’re not part of the mafia. You're not a killer."

Mingyu clenched his fists, standing up to face Taehyung, his face red with frustration. "You started when you were my age! Why can't I?!"

That hit a nerve.

Taehyung’s expression darkened instantly, and his voice became icy. "You have no idea what you’re asking for." He took a step closer, towering over Mingyu. "You're lucky to be ordinary, Mingyu. Don’t throw that away."

Taehyung walked out of the room into the hallway. Mingyu got up going after him.

Mingyu teared up, but stubbornly held his ground. "I can do it. I'm not weak."

Taehyung exploded, his voice rising in anger. "You don’t know what I went through! You have no idea what it's like to carry the weight of this life! If I had the chance to live a normal childhood, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. You want to be in this life? You don’t know what that means. You think you can handle it? Well You can't. Go to your room. Now."

Mingyu’s eyes welled up with tears, the harshness of Taehyung’s words cutting deep. He stormed back into his room and slammed the door behind him. The slam echoed through the house.

Downstairs, the sudden loud noise made everyone freeze. Mina, who had been sitting quietly, burst into tears, clearly scared and confused. "Why are they fighting?"