𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 || 𝐕𝐊𝐎𝐎𝐊

이십

The guards moved swiftly, dragging the battered bodies of Yoongi and Bogum down the dimly lit hallways of the mansion. Their faces showed no emotion as they marched the captives to a large, windowless room reinforced with iron bars and heavy locks. The space was cold and oppressive, with walls painted a dull gray and chains hanging loosely from the ceiling, giving it an eerie atmosphere.

Yoongi winced as he was shoved into the room, his breath ragged. Bogum stumbled beside him, trying to stay upright despite the throbbing pain in his limbs. The door slammed shut behind them with a resounding echo, sealing them in. Guards stationed themselves outside, their faces unreadable and their postures rigid, ready for any sign of defiance.

Back in the room where the violence had begun, Taehyung sat on the edge of the bed, his body shivering despite the blanket he clutched to cover himself. Jungkook stood by the window, one hand resting on the sill as he looked out into the night, the faint moonlight casting a silver glow on his sharp features. The silence between them was a living thing, pressing against Taehyung’s chest until he could barely breathe.

“Jungkook,” Taehyung’s voice broke through the silence, raw and desperate. “Please, let them go. They’re no threat to you. They’re only here because they care about me.”

Jungkook didn’t turn around immediately. When he did, the look in his eyes made Taehyung’s blood run cold. It wasn’t rage or frustration—it was an eerie, detached calm that promised nothing but cruelty. He walked toward Taehyung with slow, measured steps, the silence stretching unbearably as he approached.

“They care about you,” Jungkook repeated, voice soft but laced with a dark edge. “And that’s exactly the problem.” He leaned down, face close enough that Taehyung could see the shadow of a smile playing on his lips. “They thought they could take you from me. And you thought you could convince me otherwise?”

Taehyung flinched, the icy grip of fear tightening around his heart. He met Jungkook’s eyes, tears brimming and spilling down his cheeks. “I just... I can’t bear seeing them hurt. I’ll do whatever you want, Jungkook. Just let them go.”

Jungkook’s eyes narrowed, and his hand shot out, grasping Taehyung’s jaw firmly but not enough to bruise—yet. “Whatever I want?” he whispered, tilting his head as if considering the offer. The hint of amusement in his tone was chilling. “You think you’re in a position to bargain with me? After what they did?”

“They didn’t come to fight you. They came for me. This isn’t their fault!” Taehyung’s words came out in a rush, frantic as he tried to plead with the man who held their lives in his hands.

Jungkook’s grip tightened, a warning, and Taehyung winced. “It’s too late for that,” Jungkook said, letting go of Taehyung’s jaw and stepping back. The brief moment of contact left a lingering coldness that seeped into Taehyung’s bones. “They’ll pay for their interference. And you…” His eyes darkened, glancing over Taehyung’s trembling form. “You’ll learn that pleading only makes it worse.”

Taehyung’s heart sank, the realization of how deep his captivity truly ran making him shiver. He reached out instinctively, fingers clutching the edge of Jungkook’s sleeve as a last attempt to break through the coldness. “Please, Jungkook…”

Jungkook stilled, looking at Taehyung’s hand on his sleeve. For a moment, silence fell over the room like a suffocating blanket. Then, with deliberate slowness, he pulled his arm away, eyes locking onto Taehyung’s with a stare so intense it was as if he could see straight into his soul. “Your loyalty to them will only hurt you, Taehyung. Remember that.”

He leaned in, their faces inches apart. “There is no world where I let them go without making sure they understand the cost of trying to steal what’s mine.”

Taehyung’s eyes filled with tears, and he swallowed hard, unable to break the stare. The air between them grew colder, as if the room itself absorbed Jungkook’s twisted resolve.

Before Taehyung could speak again, Jungkook whispered, his voice soft but menacing, “If you think this is cruel, you haven’t seen anything yet.”