𝐍𝐎 𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 ᵏᵗʰ

12 ┃ 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

━ ⭒─⭑━

The darkness of the closet was stifling, an uncomfortable silence stretching between you and Taehyung until a sudden flicker of light cut through the pitch black, causing you to squint against the sudden brightness.

Taehyung stood in front of you, his hand on the string of the bare bulb overhead, his face set in a frown that seemed to deepen the shadows around his eyes.

For a moment, neither of you spoke, the silence stretching awkwardly until you couldn't bear it any longer and coughed, breaking the tension as you averted your gaze.

"Aren't you going to explain yourself?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm, eyebrow raised in expectation.

Clearing your throat, you mumbled a feeble, "I was gonna..." before taking a deep breath to gather your thoughts and face him properly. "Look, I know this must look bad, but I have a genuine reason," you began, your voice steadier now as you met his gaze.

You told him about the hoodie being a treasured gift from your brother and how you lost it, hoping he would understand the depth of your attachment to what might seem like just a piece of clothing to others.

Taehyung's expression shifted from skepticism to confusion, then to disbelief as he processed your story. "You were under our table? You know that could be a charge, right?" His voice held a mix of incredulity and caution.

"I thought it was my friend, and I wanted to play a joke, okay!" you retorted, frustration creeping into your voice making it come out more forcefully than you intended,

It was then that Taehyung's demeanor shifted, a flicker of recognition crossing his face, his brows knitting together in concentration. "Wait," he interrupted, the skepticism in his voice softening into curiosity. "Weren't you the one from the club the other night? The one who...?" His voice trailed off, leaving the accusation hanging in the air, thick with implication.

Your heart skipped a beat. He remembered you, not just as a random intruder but as the person involved in that fiasco at the club.

"Yes, that was me," you admitted, feeling a mix of embarrassment and relief. "But that's not why I'm here. I swear, it's all about the hoodie." You hurried to explain, hoping to steer the conversation back to the matter at hand before it could spiral into a discussion about the club incident. 

Taehyung let out a humorless laugh, his gaze raking over you as if seeing you in a new light. "Look at you, just racking up charges," he sarcastically remarked, the irony not lost on him. From unintentionally assaulting him at a club to now holding him hostage—all over a hoodie.

You felt a mix of frustration and desperation welling up inside you. Here you were, trying to reclaim a piece of your brother's memory, and it seemed like the universe was conspiring to turn every step of the journey into a potential legal minefield.

Before either of you could say more, a loud knock on the closet door behind you interrupted, followed by a stern voice that sent a shiver down your spine. "The door is surrounded, and if Taehyung-nim isn't released, force will be used," one of the guards announced from the other side, his tone brooking no argument.

Taehyung's smirk widened as he leaned back slightly, the harsh light from the bulb above casting long shadows across the floor and his features, making him appear almost villainous. "You really have backed yourself into a corner, haven't you?" His voice was casual, almost conversational, but every word was a calculated blow, aiming to underline the severity of your situation.