Chapter 58: 56
Taehyung
Standing in the driveway, I stared at the estate.
The front doors were open, but my feet were rooted in place, refusing to move. I felt numb, only an ache in my chest. I left with Jungkook but was coming back without him. At the thought of coming back home without my Angel, knowing he wouldn't be there to greet me or kiss me, the aching pain in my chest intensified.
Seokjin came to stand beside me and waited. I felt Hoseok and Namjoon on my left side, then Yoongi.
Nobody stepped forward, they all waited for me.
No matter how much pain I was in, I was still the Boss - a King.
I couldn't let myself get weak at a moment like this. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I took a step forward and walked toward the door. Each step I took was heavy, a reminder of my failure.
As soon as I walked through the doors, Jimin was on me. He grabbed my collar, his face a mask of anger and disbelief.
"Where is he? Where's Jungkook?" His voice was chilling as he screamed, "How could you have let this happen?" his eyes blurred with tears as he choked back a sob, his chest heaving with the effort, "You promised to protect him, Taehyung."
I didn't say anything.
Jimin was right, I vowed to protect Jungkook but I wasn't able to.
My father was also right, I thought I wouldn't let it happen.
I thought I was strong, but history was repeating itself.
The tightness in my chest was back again.
Jimin released my collar, and he sank to his knees, his anguished cries ringing through my ears, "You promised," he sobbed at my knees, "...you promised!"
I heard another cry, my head snapped up toward Hae-sook. She was holding her chest, her eyes wide as she gasped.
"Hae-sook!" Seokjin rushed to her, pulling her to the sofa before she could fall over, "Call Sam," he ordered as she continued to gasp for air, her face twisted in agony.
"My sweet child," she whispered, her voice breaking.
This was all too much.
All their emotions washed over me, disappointment, pain, sorrow so deep that my heart ached with it.
I ran a trembling hand over my face, trying to stay calm.
Trying to be strong for everyone.
For Jungkook, he needed me strong.
Namjoon pulled Jimin into his arms, he buried his face into his chest as he sobbed. Swallowing against the lump of emotions around my throat, I shook my head and walked forward. Jimin stopped in front of me.
"Jungkook might be a Jeon but he is innocent."
His voice was a mere whisper, but it reached me.
The words were a straight blow to my heart.
"I know," I murmured, looking straight as I walked past.
"Taehyung, you have-" He broke off, voice cracking. "I can't even imagine what Jungkook is going through right now."
My eyes closed, my fingers tightening into fists at the thought of Jungkook being in pain.
"I will find him," I said, my voice gruff from the effort of keeping my emotions in check.
I will find him.
It was a vow spoken out loud.
Jimin stepped in front of me, a single tear trailing down his cheek. "You promise?"
I broke my promise before but not this time.
I nodded, Jimin seemed satisfied enough with my answer, his eyes held no doubt. They only shone with absolute trust. Jimin stepped out of my way and I continued upstairs. Walking down the hall toward my office, I only heard Jungkook's beautiful laughter and sweet voice, he was everywhere yet nowhere at all.
A sudden surge of anger coursed through my body.
Byungchan had to die.
But first I had to find him, the fvcker was smart.
A coward, but smart.
The moment Jungkook was in his trap, he went off the grid.
Nowhere to be found.
It had only been hours since Jungkook was taken, but it felt like years.
"Fvck," I swore, opening the door to my office, only to stop dead in my tracks.
Seung Won was staring out the window, while Hae-jin's body sagged against the couch, his head in his hands as if all his energy had left his body. I walked inside, analyzing both men closely. They hated the Ganpeh with a passion, I wasn't going to let them stand in my way to find Jungkook, consequences be damned.
From the corner of my eyes, I saw my men following me inside. My expression stayed cold and emotionless as I faced my father and Hae-jin.
"I should have known," Hae-jin said, causing a cloud of confusion to settle around us.
Seung Won's back went rigid at Hae-jin's voice, his eyes closing tightly, "He looked so much like Myung-hee but I didn't want to believe it. I refused to believe it," Hae-jin continued, his voice breaking over the last words.
Jung-ho's wife?
"What?" I snapped, moving forward.
Hae-jin looked up, I was shocked to see his eyes red.
No, he wasn't crying but the agony on his face spoke more than the tears would have.
"You knew Myung-hee?" I asked when our eyes met.
He flinched and stared at Seung Won, who still hadn't turn around to acknowledge us.
"Yes. I knew Myung-hee. I more than just knew her," he murmured.
Cocking my head to the side, I stared and waited. I could have guessed the answer but I needed answers, to hear it from him - The truth. My thoughts ran wild as I waited for Hae-jin to explain.
"To understand, you will have to know the beginning."
My eyes widened when I heard Seung Won's guttural voice, "Tell him," he ordered without turning around.
Hae-jin stood up and paced the room, "After your mother's death, our only goal was to take down the Ganpeh. I was sent to find Jungho's weakness," he paused, taking a deep breath as if it pained him to continue, "We thought Myung-hee was his weakness, so for months, I kept an eye on her. From far away, I watched her every move and waited. After weeks of watching, I started to see signs of abuse. Sometimes she would have a bleeding lip. Her cheeks would be red or a shade of purple. Once she was walking with a limp."
Why did that sound so familiar?
Jungkook.
His name was a whisper in my head, I clenched my jaw, my teeth grinding together.
"Every day, at the same time, Myung-hee would go to a coffee shop. I watched her cross the street. I watched until I couldn't stay away anymore. She was so sad. So broken," Hae-jin continued.
He had long ago stopped pacing, his eyes were now glued to the wall, he was lost in his memories, "But she was never alone. She always had a baby in her arms. The only time I saw her smile was when she played with the small little bundle. I approached them, desperate to know the broken woman in front of me."
I knew where this was going but I didn't stop Hae-jin, he kept talking.
And in doing so, his words stabbed at my already fragile heart.
"The baby's name was Jungkook. Jeon J… Jungkook. He was the sweetest baby. Only three months old when I met him."
Hae-jin's voice slightly broke over Jungkook's name.
My eyes snapped shut as I sank on the couch.
"Myung-hee and I got to know each other. As it was a mission, she didn't know who I was, not my real name. We… We started an affair. It was forbidden, we both knew it but that didn't stop us. It lasted for several months. I watched Jungkook grow. He took his first step in front of me and it was towards me."
I heard Seokjin swear and Hae-jin paused.
The room was suddenly filled with silence, and the silence was suffocating.
"What happened?" I asked, my voice harsh against the silent room.
"Myung-hee was mad when she found out the truth about me but she understood why I did it. That night, we planned her escape. It was the only way to protect her and Jungkook… And.." Hae-jin took a deep breath before continuing, "I was too late."
"Myung-hee died in a fire," I said.
"No," Hae-jin suddenly growled. "She didn't."
My head snapped up toward him as he turned to face me. "I heard her die. I heard her screams as Jung-ho killed her. Shot her. The bastard fvcking called me and made me listen. Three gunshots and then there was silence."
Shaking his head, he ran a hand over his face, his body shaking with anger and deep sorrow.
"Myung-hee had died and I couldn't do anything. I knew I had to get to Jungkook. I promised Myung-hee that Jungkook wouldn't live the life that she did. Jungkook would be free and happy. I vowed to protect him and take him out of that hell." Hae-jin broke off with a harsh, emotionless laugh. He shook his head, still laughing. "I was too late. Again. Jungkook-"
"-died in a fire," I finished off.
Everyone knew that story. Half of Jung-ho's estate caught on fire. So many lives were taken, including his wife and son. That was the story but it didn't happen that way.
"Jungkook was only a year old. I didn't believe it at first. I saw his casket. It was so small. He was so small, he looked so fragile as he was lowered into the ground next to his mother," Hae-jin's voice was a mere whisper now.
I had known Hae-jin for many years and I had never seen him so broken. I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to release the tension there, it all made sense now, why we never got anything on Jungkook… no matter how intensive our research was.
Why I never even thought for a moment that Jungkook could have been a Ganpeh, a Jeon.
He was a ghost, Jung-ho had made sure of it.
"That fvckin bastard," Hae-jin hissed, his eyes suddenly sparking a fire, "He knew! He fvcking knew I was coming for Jungkook. He might not have my blood but I loved him as my own."
"He made us believe that Jungkook died. It was the only way to keep Hae-jin away. All these years we thought he was dead." Seung Won finally spoke again when it became clear that Hae-jin couldn't say anything else.
There was only silence for a few seconds until Hae-jin exploded. He reached forward and grabbed me, almost frantic in his actions.
"You have to find him! Please, Taehyung! He won't survive there! Not again! We have to save him! We have to find him! He… he… you…" Hae-jin begged me, his breathing panicked.
My chest went tight, so tight that it was almost impossible to breathe.
And the anger, it clawed at my body, laughing, taunting, shaking me, begging for release.
My fists shook as Hae-jin stepped away when I didn't answer him.
It was a vicious cycle.
Pain, suffering, and anger.
It clouded us until we were blinded with it.
Through it all, there was only one light.
Jungkook.
Standing up, I walked to the large panel window. Seung Won stood beside me, where he had been throughout the whole confrontation. Then Seokjin was beside me, Hae-jin on Seung Won's side, next to him was Yoongi, Hoseok and Namjoon right next to us.
A brotherhood.
Taking in a deep breath, I let it out slowly.
When I spoke, my words rang with finality.
"I'm going to bring Jungkook home."
Byungchan didn't know what was coming for him, he may have taken my Angel away but I was coming for him.
I may have been a monster - A killer.
Heartless.
Ruthless.
But what was worse for Byungchan was that I was Jungkook's monster.
I wouldn't stop until I had delivered all their corpses at Jungkook's feet.
My blood roared with the need to seek vengeance against the men who caused Jungkook pain.
I would burn everything in my path to find him. It was the beginning of destruction.
A bloodbath.
And I wasn't going to stop looking.
Not until I found my Angel.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
a_O
a_O If you guys are curious who Seung-won and Hae-jin, you can look them up. They are my favourite actors that appeared in Three Meals a Day!
:)
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