NEVER LET GO |TAEKOOK| [Discontinued]

29 - Mark

The hallway was so quiet. Jimin and Suga sat outside, exhaustion etched across their faces. They had rushed Jungkook to J-Hope's hospital late  night, and the image of Jungkook writhing in pain still haunted Jimin’s mind. He had called Suga in a panic, and within minutes, Suga and J-Hope were there, whisking Jungkook into emergency care.

Thankfully, the news had been better than expected. Jungkook hadn’t fractured anything—just a sprained arm and a torn ligament. But the memory of his agonized screams lingered, making them both restless.

Jimin sighed, leaning back against the wall. “I thought he fractured his hands.”

Suga nodded, his eyes distant. "Me too. That Mark guy... he didn’t hold back. But it’s handled now, Bae family’s subordinates took care of him.”

Before Jimin could respond, the doors to the hospital burst open. Taehyung stormed down the hallway, his face a mask of worry, with Jaehyun closely behind. Jimin and Suga both let out a breath they hadn’t realized they were holding. They knew Taehyung must have been worried sick.

Without a word, Taehyung rushed past them, disappearing into Jungkook's room. Jaehyun slowed down beside Jimin and Suga, his expression serious.

Jaehyun : “Guys, we need to talk.”

---

Next Morning: At the Kim Mansion

The sound of silverware clinking echoed softly in the dining room. Mr. Kim sat at the head of the table, his brow furrowed as he cut into his food. Jackson, however, seemed far away, staring down at his engagement band, lost in thought.

Mr. Kim glanced at him : “When is Jungkook being discharged?”

Jackson didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the ring. His mind was swimming with too many thoughts—his recent engagement, Jungkook’s injury, and the ever-present threat of the Parks.

“Jackson?” Mr. Kim called again, his voice more tired.

Jackson snapped out of his reverie, blinking. “Ah… Jungkook should be out in a few hours. No fractures, thankfully.”

Mr. Kim nodded but didn’t seem any more relaxed, “We can’t let our guard down. The Parks are more cunning than we’ve given them credit for.”

Jackson’s jaw tightened as he nodded, his hand unconsciously moving over the ring once again.

---

At the Hospital

Jungkook blinked his eyes open slowly, wincing as the dull ache in his arm made itself known. His entire body felt heavy, but the pain had subsided, replaced by a groggy feeling from the sedatives. He turned his head slightly and saw Taehyung sitting beside him, arms crossed, looking at him with a mix of frustration and worry.

“Seriously, Jungkook,” Taehyung muttered, “you got yourself in this state because of Mark?”

Jungkook groaned, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, say that after he jumps you from behind, the bastard.”

He paused for a moment, taking in Taehyung’s appearance. Same clothes as yesterday. “Wait… did you spend the night here?”

Taehyung huffed, standing up. “Why would I? Jimin and Suga stayed with you. They called me early this morning.”

Before Jungkook could respond, the door to his room swung open, interrupting them. J-Hope entered, still in his doctor’s coat, his expression bright as ever.

“Wow,” Jungkook grumbled, “you’re really a doctor?”

J-Hope rolled his eyes, rolling eyes. “Shut up, idiot. You were literally crying and hugging me yesterday. You think I forgot?”

Taehyung snorted from the corner, amused despite himself. “Hyung, what happened to Mark?”

J-Hope’s expression shifted slightly. “Oh, don’t worry about him. He’s under our observation. We’ll interrogate him when the time’s right.”

With that, he turned to leave but paused at the doorway, throwing them a smirk over his shoulder. “And by the way, I know you two are head over heels for each other, but Taehyung, you really shouldn’t stay out all night in your… condition.”

Jungkook’s lips curved into a smirk, his eyes narrowing at taehyung playfully. “Oh, really?”

At the Kim Mansion

The tension in the air was thick as they all sat in the large hall, the soft hum of clock  the only sound breaking the silence. Jaehyun leaned forward, his expression serious as he addressed the group.

"Since we’ve got Mark, we can make him spill all the details," Jaehyun said, his voice steady but laced with anticipation.

Jimin, sitting across from him, furrowed his brows. "Yeah, but where is he locked up exactly?"

Jackson, who had been staring at the floor in deep thought, looked up. "Jin said he's at their warehouse. We should go and confront him face to face."

Suga, sitting off to the side, rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "If he’s still alive by the time we get there."

Jimin shot him a warning look, silently telling him to knock it off, but there was an unspoken agreement among them. Mark wasn't going to last long if he didn’t start talking.

Just then, Jungkook entered the room with Taehyung by his side, his right arm in a cast. His steps were slightly hesitant, but his gaze was sharp, full of determination. He wasn’t going to sit this one out, not after what had happened.

"I’m coming too," Jungkook said firmly, his voice carrying a hardened edge. "I want to see that motherfucker's face when we interrogate him."

Suga shook his head, standing up. "No, Jungkook. You need to rest. We’ll handle this. You’ve already done enough."

Jungkook’s eyes flared with frustration. "I’m not just going to sit here while you guys—"

Before he could finish, Jackson interjected. "No, Jungkook." His voice was calm but firm. "Me, Taehyung, and Jaehyun will visit him. You and the others focus on the rest of the plan. We need you ready for what's next."

Jungkook clenched his jaw but didn’t argue further. The weight of the situation hung in the air, and despite his frustration, he knew they were right.