His Darkest Desire ||Taekook||

chapter four

Just a few hours ago...

Mina burst into the Kwon family living room, energy buzzing through her every step. Her eyes darted around the room, a bright smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she spotted her parents lounging casually on the sofa. Mrs. Kwon was absorbed in a book, while Mr. Kwon scrolled through his phone. Mina's sudden shriek made them both look up, startled — their beloved daughter standing there, eyes shining with excitement.

"Mom! Dad!" she exclaimed. Confused, they exchanged glances, unsure why Mina seemed so thrilled. Then, when they noticed the object clutched in her hands, their faces tightened with worry.

"Yes, sweetheart?" her mother asked gently, her heart sinking as Mina placed the box carefully on the table and walked over.

"Where's Taehyung? I'm going to surprise him — I bought a cake for his birthday!" Mina beamed, scanning the room eagerly for her older brother. But no answer came.

The house was unusually silent. Taehyung was always the one to fill the rooms with laughter and life. It was hard to believe today was his 25th birthday.

She scolded herself quietly for taking so long at the bakery. The place had been packed with customers ahead of her, making her wait forever. Still, she had insisted on the perfect cake for Taehyung's special day.

"Mom... where's Taehyung?" Mina frowned, looking everywhere for him. She was tired from rushing home with the surprise, but she told herself it would all be worth it when she saw his smile. Her mother glanced down, wrestling with how to break the news. Meanwhile, her father suddenly looked up from his phone and sighed deeply, making Mina's heart sink.

"We don't know," he said quietly.
Mina blinked, thinking she must have misheard. She pulled out her phone with trembling hands.

"What do you mean you don't know? Taehyung!" she called again, her voice echoing through the house. Panic surged as she rushed upstairs to check his room and every other corner of the house — but there was no sign of him.

Disappointed and terrified, she stormed back downstairs, staring at her parents in disbelief. Why were they so calm? This wasn't how she felt at all. Even though Taehyung was an adult now, she was still scared — especially after everything he'd been through before. What if those shadows were still haunting him?

"Oh my god... he's not answering his phone either!" Panic tightened her chest when her call went straight to voicemail. Her eyes darkened as she caught her parents watching her silently, as if their son wasn't missing or in danger.

"I'm going to find him," Mina declared, shooting them a fierce glare before dashing out of the house, ready to search everywhere — even the police station if she had to. Mrs. Kwon bit her lip, fear and memories of Taehyung flooding her mind. But Mr. Kwon stayed silent, offering no clue as to what had happened to the boy they'd raised.

Taehyung wakes up to the late hours of the night, his body hot and drenched in sweat. He jerks his eyes open, gasping sharply for air, heart racing. Frantically, he sits up and scans the dim outlines of the room. Oh no. This isn't his room. Panic swells inside him as the crushing truth sinks in—he's not home. He's somewhere else, somewhere he's been sold to.

His thoughts flash back to earlier that day—when he was kidnapped, and the raven-haired stranger cruelly told him his own parents had sold him. The memory stings so deeply that tears well up at the corners of his eyes. He sniffs quietly, pulling his knees tightly to his chest and curling into himself, wrapping his arms protectively around his trembling body.

"How could they do this to me..." he whispers, a small sob catching in his throat as a wave of dizziness and a pounding headache hit him from the blackout. It's a wonder he's still alive. For a moment, he's frozen, unsure what to do next—until a flicker of hope sparks in his chest. He wipes away his tears, reaches into his pocket, and remembers his phone.