Crimson Redemption {K.TH} | BTS Mafia AU/FF {On Hold}

Chapter 4

Chapter 4
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Exhaling a deep breath from my lungs, a whirlwind of dust arose from the boxes crowding the corner of my room. Coughing lightly, I swatted the flying dust bunnies away and opened up the cradles of memories waiting to be seen again. All of Taehyung’s belongings were stowed away in these boxes, and I haven’t touched any of it until now. Previously, I haven’t had the heart to be snooping through his things, it didn’t feel like the right thing to do while he was absent. Until now, I haven’t had a reason to rummage through his clothes or personal items. However, now that a new, confounding detail regarding his whereabouts has arisen, this was something that must be done. Letting anyone else do it would only lead to more trouble, I had to do this. 

Blinking through the building tears, I rummaged through a box full of his clothes. Almost immediately, a strong wave of his cologne hit me and more salty tears streamed down my cheeks. Even though it had been so long, his cologne stuck around and reminded me that he needed to be found. It would only be a matter of time before this fragrance faded away, that in itself felt like a clock running out of time. Picking up one of his baggy sweatshirts, I pulled it over myself and pushed my arms through the sleeves. For the first time in months, I could finally out a breath of relief. I didn’t mean to, but I wiped my tears on the sleeves and sniffled. 

Continuing my search, I finally made it into the box holding Taehyung’s personal items. Sitting right on top was a plain black scrapbook, which immediately caught my attention. Upon grabbing it, I was shocked at the fact that it was heavy to the touch; with curiosity, I flipped it open and paused with a rapid heartbeat. Lining the plastic-covered pages were hundreds of photos of the boys all throughout the years of the mafia’s existence. Just glancing at the photos was enough to see how much everyone has grown since the beginning of this generation. I continued to flip through the scrapbook until I hit some more recent looking photos. 

Gently digging into the plastic sleeve, I pulled out a polaroid that I recognized. A sad smile tugged on my lips as I delicately traced the white edges. The polaroid captured a snapshot of my first date with Taehyung at the amusement park. In the picture, the skies were already hosting a beautiful sunset as we sat at the top of a Ferris wheel. Both Taehyung and I were comfortable in each other’s presence, wide smiles and happy expressions on our faces. Taehyung had his arm wrapped tightly around my shoulders, pulling me into his chest to create a more intimate moment. That was one of the best days of my life and I was so happy to share it with the man I love. 

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I shoved the photo back into the plastic sleeve and pushed the scrapbook aside. As much as I wished I could stop and look at old memories, I couldn’t, there was still the matter of tracking Taehyung down. No matter how painful it was, I needed to stay focused and not allow myself to be sidetracked and distracted from the mission at hand. Sighing painfully, I tucked everything back into their boxes and placed them back into their corner. If I felt more up to it, then I would go through the boxes and set them up accordingly in my room. However, the mood evaded my mind. Without wanting to move, I remained in my spot on the floor and stared out the window. 

A chain of steady knocks caught my attention and I looked towards the open entryway. Hoseok stood in the door frame, staring at me with an unreadable expression. His arms were crossed over his chest while he leaned against the frame. 

“Munchkin, it’s time for dinner,” he announced.
“I’m coming.” 

Though I told him I would be heading down soon, I remained in my spot on the floor and turned to gaze out the window. Whenever dinner time came around in the mansion, the boys grew unbearably rowdy and I found it difficult to enjoy my meal in peace. In all honesty, the only one who can eat in peace is Chopa! Even though I have been here for almost a week and a half, I was already sick of this place. From behind me, I had a feeling that Hoseok read my posture; he shut the door behind him and soon after I felt his arms wrap around me from behind. 

Succumbing to the feeling of loneliness in my heart, I leaned back into him and allowed him to pull me into his lap. At that moment, I knew that Hoseok would be the best person to talk to right now- my Unnies weren’t at the mansion, I didn’t feel too close to the other boys, and Namjoon was obviously out of the question. As Hoseok embraced me, it reminded me of the days when we were younger, when the duties of the mafia couldn’t touch us. During those days, we could run around outside without worrying about being shot, and talk about our favorite cartoons and shows was abundant. Innocence followed us, but now that our hands are covered in blood, that feeling walked away. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked, gently rocking me back and forth. “And don’t say it’s ‘nothing’ because you and I both know it’s not ‘nothing.’”
Grumbling underneath my breath, I earned a gentle cheek pinch from Hoseok. 
“It’s Taehyung, isn’t it?” he asked, where I was sure he noticed the sweater I was wearing. 
Hobie was deemed as highly perceptive by the mafia, he proved to be useful when interrogating suspects. Countless times, I admired his abilities, and I myself wished I had such perception. When it came to my own problems, he often hit the nail right on the head.
“Listen, I had a feeling you were looking for him. I would have been surprised if you weren’t looking for him.” 

Hoseok’s arms tightened around me, and I tucked myself into him. Ever so gently, he began to stroke my head, remembering that it comforted me in my toughest moments. At this point, the tears I was trying to hold in were streaming down my reddened cheeks and Hoseok effortlessly turned me around to face him. The next thing I knew, he pushed my face into his shoulder as I began to cry harder. It wasn’t often that I cried until I passed out, in fact, it was very rare that it happened. Even during rough times, I try my best to remain strong and focus on working a solution. However this time was different, unlike all the other times, there was no obvious solution- what else could I do other than to go through constant trial and error? The unrealized pent up frustration was too much for me and this was the only way to let it out. 

In one moment, I sat in Hoseok’s lap as he held me. The next, I was being placed on the bed and underneath the blankets, unable to keep my eyes open for any longer.