Hustlers || Taekook

Chapter 1

Jungkook hadn't meant to get addicted.

Well, then again he hadn't meant to even step foot into a casino, let alone be encouraged to sit down for a round, which turned into two, which turned into more.

He always thought gambling was something he was too smart to spiral down into insanity for.

It started out just as fun and games, as it always did. Jungkook didn't like to be a cliché but here he was. Every poor addict had roughly the same fate, getting dragged down to their ears in debt, making worse and worse decisions to try make money to play and win it all back, and eventually dying a horrible gruesome death at the hands of some underground lord they owed money to.

Jungkook's situation had been a little different. But he still ended up like this.

When Jimin dragged him into BigHit excitedly, saying how Jungkook had to experience it once in his boring lifetime, and how no harm could come out of trying his hand once and it'll be fun, come on!, Jungkook hadn't meant to lose nine million.

He certainly hadn't meant to lose his kidney.

And he hadn't meant to meet Kim Taehyung.

~

Jungkook always thought there was something a little off about a lot of his father's deals and business partners, but he didn't care enough about his father or his business to really pry or look into it. His father, CEO of one of Korea's largest and most influential technology enterprises, spoke to Jungkook around five times a year, twice of which would usually be clipped, terse conversations over the phone, and Jungkook only saw him in person when he'd have to bring Jungkook along to some important dinner party for formality and appearances' sake, or when he'd peek in on those decidedly shady looking deals held in his father's office.

The point was, Jungkook wasn't close with his father. His father didn't make an effort to be close, Jungkook didn't make an effort to be close, everyone got along fine all these years. Of course, up until he was old enough to realise that by rights, he was the sole heir of his father's wealth and business, yet he hadn't been given any position or hold whatsoever in the company. He'd never even come close to catching a glimpse of business details, stocks and manufacturing processes, and he certainly wasn't a shareholder. Sure, it didn't really affect his financial status and personal bank account; he still had more money than he knew what to do with, but it led to questions, the inevitable why does my father hate me thoughts, and what do I need to do to secure my inheritance and future thoughts, and even if my father hates me I'm his only son, who else could he be planning on leaving his wealth for? Does he not recognise me as his son?

So, Jungkook had a few daddy issues.

Jungkook had tried everything out of the book, acting up and rebelling against society norms, trashing up whatever he felt like whenever he felt like, going out to clubs and coming home smashed and wreaking havoc in efforts to gain a little attention from his father - to settling down to study and work hard, getting top grades and barely ever setting foot outside aside from going to school to prove that he had the brains, drive and right to inherit the business. He'd even gotten into a highly regarded university, slaving away at desks everyday and completing assignments and papers as soon as he got them.

He got the usual cold shoulder for his efforts.

Maybe that's why, when Jimin, one of his only close friends, and the only person he ever really saw nowadays, suggested to go to a casino, Jungkook was swayed with ease, picking up bundles of cash and skipping out the door, as foolish and naive as they come.

Jimin taught him how to play cards out of the blue one day.

"Jungkookie!" Jimin sang as he waltzed into Jungkook's room, plonking himself down on the bed in the centre, beckoning him over. Jungkook hadn't known he was coming, and he hadn't heard Jimin arrive at his house, but he shouldn't be surprised at this point. Jimin came over so often he was pretty much a resident of the mansion. Jungkook raised an eyebrow but joined him, climbing up on the soft blankets with a certain degree of apprehension at the gleam brightening Jimin's eyes.