NEVER LET GO (TAEKOOK)

28 - Guess who ?

The engagement was officially underway, and the room was buzzing with energy. People were laughing, eating, and drinking. It was everything you'd expect from a grand event like this. Jungkook stepped outside for a smoke, needing a break from the chaos. He never thought he'd become a smoker—he used to despise it when he was younger. His father had been a chain smoker, and Jungkook hated the smell, the addiction. Now here he was, lighting up the same way, repeating history.

With a sigh, he inhaled last puff from the cigarette, watching the smoke escape into the night air. "I need to stop," he muttered, turning to head back inside.

But before he could take a step, he felt a sharp pinch on his ear. Startled, Jungkook dropped his cigarette and turned to see Suga standing behind him. No words were exchanged, but the message was clear—Suga disapproved of Jungkook’s smoking. Jungkook rubbed his ear, giving Suga a look of irritation, but Suga merely raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to get back inside.

Without another word, Suga turned and walked back into the party, leaving Jungkook to stand in the cool night air for a moment longer. He watched people moving in and out of the venue, the sounds of music and chatter faintly reaching him.

Just as Jungkook was about to follow Suga, he felt a sharp bump against his shoulder.

His eyes flashed with annoyance, he just turned around to see, whoever had slammed into him. His gaze locked onto the figure walking away—Taeil.

Taeil smirked over his shoulder, his eyes glinting with mischief before he bolted toward the parking lot. Without hesitation, Jungkook sprinted after him, his blood boiling.

In the dimly lit parking lot, the two clashed. Jungkook threw the first punch, his fist connecting with Taeil's jaw. Taeil staggered back but recovered quickly, throwing a counterpunch that landed squarely on Jungkook’s ribs. The force of it only fueled Jungkook’s anger, adrenaline surging through him.

"You're dead!" Jungkook growled, grabbing Taeil by the collar and slamming him against a nearby car.

Taeil sneered in response, struggling to break free, but Jungkook’s grip tightened.

"You think you can just show up here?" Jungkook hissed, his voice low and dangerous.

He was ready to deliver another blow when suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his back. Someone had struck him from behind.

Jungkook cried out, releasing Taeil as he staggered forward, his back throbbing with pain. Taeil used the opportunity to make a run for it, disappearing into the shadows as the second assailant grabbed Jungkook’s arm and twisted it cruelly. Jungkook gasped, his body writhing in agony.

Just as he was about to collapse, the second attacker was knocked back by a swift, powerful kick. Jungkook’s vision blurred for a moment, but when he looked up, he saw Jimin standing there, his face twisted with rage.

Jimin didn’t waste a second. He lunged at the assailant, delivering a brutal punch to the face that sent the man sprawling to the ground, unconscious.

Jungkook collapsed onto his knees, clutching his arm and gasping for breath. "It hurts... it hurts so much," he whispered through clenched teeth, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

Jimin knelt beside him, pulling out his phone and quickly dialing for help. "Stay with me, Jungkook" he muttered,

His voice barely concealing his panic.

---

Inside the Venue – Refreshing Room

Taehyung and Jaehyun sat in silence, the tension between them thick and heavy. Taehyung’s mind was racing, unable to shake the strange feeling that something was wrong.

Jaehyun broke the silence. "I think it's fine for now. We're still ahead of them, and mostly, they just want to scare us," he said, trying to sound reassuring, but Taehyung could feel the unease creeping in.

"Hey, Taehyung," Jaehyun said, his voice softer now. "Don’t get too worked up. We should head back. They'll be looking for us."

Taehyung exhaled slowly, rubbing his face. "What about him?" he asked quietly, not meeting Jaehyun’s gaze.

Jaehyun sighed. "I'll talk to Jackson. But not now. Let's go back, okay?"

Taehyung nodded, though the heaviness in his chest didn’t lift. They stood and began walking back toward the main hall, Jaehyun glancing at Taehyung as they walked. "You okay?"

Taehyung forced a nod. "Yeah... it's nothing."

-------

As they returned to the main hall, Jackson spotted them immediately. His face was a mixture of worry and frustration. "Where the hell were you two?" he demanded, eyes narrowing.

Taehyung, already on edge, shot him a sharp look. "Stop it, hyung. It’s your engagement day."

Jackson, sensing Taehyung’s annoyance, bit back his response, something Taehyung noticed but chose to ignore.

Jaehyun, glancing around the room, frowned. "Where is everyone else?"

That’s when Taehyung’s heart skipped a beat. His eyes scanned the room, his pulse quickening. "Where’s Jungkook?"

At that moment, Irene approached, phone in hand, her expression tense.

"Everything’s okay," she said quickly. "They’ve taken him to the observation room. J-Hope's with them—don’t worry." Her eyes flicked to Taehyung as she spoke, but Taehyung wasn't waiting for more details.

He stood abruptly, panic flashing across his face. "Where is Jungkook?" he demanded, his voice shaking with fear.

Jackson reached for him, his tone firm but calm. "Tae, sit down. People are starting to notice."

But Taehyung wasn’t listening. He ignored Jackson and stormed out, his steps quick and determined. Jaehyun followed closely behind, the air around them thick with dread.