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Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,832

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​

CHAPTER 34: EPIPHANY

“Underneath the smiling mask, my true self is coming out.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Seoul – Cheongdam; Gangnam District South Korea

Anastasia groaned when she felt someone tugging at her shoulder, attempting to rouse her from her drunken slumber. Her body swayed back and forth and she swatted at the hand pulling her. Her hand fumbled around for the covers and she attempted to yank them up and over her head. Solace was given to her for a moment and she hummed in sleepy contentment.

However, her victory was short-lived when the blanket was completely ripped from her body, exposing her to the open air. Flailing like a toddler throwing a tantrum, Anastasia flopped onto her back and then sprung up into a sitting position. Her dirty blonde hair was messy and tangled but she didn’t care. Instead, she glared up at the person who was destroying her sweet slumber.

“Ana,” Raelyn said while shaking her head, “if you don’t get up and come on.”

Anastasia flung her arms around in various directions, fighting back an oncoming migraine and whining in the process. “Rae Unnie, it’s my day off!”

Raelyn held a glass of water out to her. She took it and automatically opened her other hand to accept the aspirin that was waiting for her. Raelyn smirked when she downed the aspirin and drained the glass.

“I made breakfast,” said the older woman, turning away from her to head down the small flight of stairs from the bedroom loft, “so get washed up and come down to eat.”

“Kay,” was all Anastasia offered before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.

Not wanting to keep her friend waiting, she opted to wash her face and brush her teeth. She’d shower later. Once she made her way downstairs, Anastasia took note of the folded-up blankets and pillows on the couch. The previous night’s antics played out in her mind and she couldn’t help grinning.

Raelyn suddenly showed up at her door with two big bottles of booze. Anastasia wasn’t one to usually turn down free alcohol, but she also knew that Raelyn wasn’t the type to mindlessly indulge in binge drinking like some college student. There was clearly something on her mind and the only way to chase it away was through booze. Anastasia could relate and since she had the next day off, she didn’t mind spending the evening drinking away.

They played cards, Monopoly, UNO and vegged out on the couch watching Netflix. Neither of them talked about work or the boys. Anastasia could tell that Raelyn wanted to avoid those subjects as much as possible. Everyone deserved a night to escape and there was a part of her that felt bad that they hadn’t included Eden. When it was mentioned, Raelyn said that Eden had other plans. Without having to say it aloud, Anastasia knew that it was with Jungkook. The woman was brutally honest and stubborn, but her affection toward Jungkook was cute.

She would tease her about it relentlessly.

The smells from the kitchen made Anastasia’s stomach groan, reminding her that she was, in fact, starving. It reminded her of when she had her own aspirations to start a restaurant and ultimately failed. It was probably for the best, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t prone to thinking about those days from time to time.

Raelyn whipped them up a traditional Southern Style breakfast of sausage, eggs, grits and toast. A side of sliced strawberries were set on small plates. Anastasia watched her pour a glass of milk and a glass of orange juice for each of them. When everything was set, the two women sidled onto the chairs by the counter and began to eat, neither of them wanting to say anything until they’d gotten a few bites in.

Anastasia swallowed a mouthful of toast and scrambled eggs, washing it down with milk, before finally deciding to break the silence. “So, do you want to talk about it now?”

The fork hovered by Raelyn’s lips and stayed there for a few seconds. She sighed, setting the utensil down on her plate. Anastasia remained quiet, not sure if she should repeat the question. There was a glint in Raelyn’s eyes that almost screamed what was being turned over and over inside of her head. But doing that would mean she hadn’t processed anything; that she hadn’t been sitting on this something for days.

She wouldn’t have shown up with the offer to booze it up if she wasn’t prepared to get her mind right.

Stabbing at a piece of strawberry, Anastasia gripped the utensil and tried to slow her heart rate some. It never usually took Raelyn this long to speak her mind. Especially if something was bothering her. This, in turn, made her uncomfortable. But instead of prodding further, she waited.

She watched Raelyn pressing her hand to her forehead, sighing again. “Everything’s fucked up,” she finally said.

Anastasia blinked, canting her head slightly. “What do you mean?”

Raelyn was now pressing both of her hands to her face. “I mean everything is fucked up, Ana.”

There was a broken tone in her voice that was unfamiliar to Anastasia. She couldn’t help but worry that something terrible had happened. But from what she understood, the boys were doing okay. Their businesses were thriving, and they were walking away from the criminal underworld like they’d dreamed. Raelyn’s reason for worrying wasn’t even a factor anymore. She could date Taehyung freely and without the strain of having to look over her shoulder.

She didn’t understand what the problem was.

Anastasia reached out to place a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Did something happen?” She paused, brows furrowing. “I mean, besides what happened with Eden Unnie?”

She’d heard about the incident that occurred when Raelyn was dispatched to another hospital. Eden got half a dozen voicemails from her that day and an earful of high-pitched screaming when she finally answered the phone. Regardless of how tough her friends were, Anastasia didn’t want them getting hurt. Not when there wasn’t a need for them to worry about it anymore.

Raelyn shook her head back and forth fervently, her fingers clenching into fists near her forehead. “Things were supposed to get better once they went straight, right?” Anastasia’s brows furrowed when the older woman finally turned to look at her, eyes wide and shaking. “So why does it feel like things are going to get worse?”

“What?” She felt a lump forming in her throat. “What in the world is that supposed to mean? Why would they get worse?”

The older woman laughed, border lining mania, and this caused Anastasia’s hand to fall from her shoulder. “God, how could I have been so fucking stupid? How could I have missed it?”

Anastasia didn’t understand what she was talking about. However, just because she couldn’t understand didn’t mean that the implications weren’t unsettling. It felt like she’d eaten a bag of river stones for breakfast – her stomach heavy and cold.

“Jimin told me something, Ana, and I’m not gonna lie, it rattled the hell out of me.”

“What did he—”

“The boys might be out, but there’s competition that wants them to stay.”

She blinked, unable to believe what she’d just heard.

“Whoa, wait…what?” Again, she blinked. “Why?”

“That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?” Raelyn scoffed. “Why in the fuck—”

“—would they want their rivals to stick around when they could just claim the territory the Golden Jackals left for themselves?” Anastasia finished the thought and now it was Raelyn’s turn to look surprised. Averting her gaze, she curled her hand near her chin while glaring at her half-eaten breakfast. “That just doesn’t make sense. Strategically, when competition is gone, that leaves room for a takeover when the option for a merger is no longer on the table.”

From a marketing or bargaining standpoint, attacking the former Golden Jackals would lead to zero gain. She recalled a conversation she had with Seokjin about something similar. When companies refused to go along with mergers, a buyout option was presented. If the buyout option was refused, then eradicating all competition from the board was the next step. But if the competition chose to pull itself from the game, then the remaining competitors usually fought amongst themselves over who would take over what was left behind.

Pulling the competition back that chose to remove themselves would bring them no profit. It would create unrest all over again…

Is someone foaming at the mouth or something?

When she next met Raelyn’s gaze, it was like something dawned on the older woman. Several emotions passed over her face, but the one that Anastasia recognized immediately was anger. Something she’d said apparently set her off.

“They think they’re bluffing.”

“Huh?”

Raelyn stood from her chair suddenly, causing Anastasia to recoil. “They think Hoseok and the others are bluffing!” She began pacing and all Anastasia could do was follow her with her eyes. “They’re not sure if they’ve really dissolved or not. That’s why they’re not launching a war.” She smacked her forehead while letting loose a mirthless laugh. “That’s why the others haven’t started stirring up shit. They’re not sure what Hoseok and the others are going to do!”

Anastasia heard her laugh again, but it sounded terrible, making her skin crawl. “Rae…”

The older woman continued pacing for a few more minutes, muttering things to herself. When she suddenly stopped, Anastasia was halfway out of her seat. The two friends met each other’s gazes and it was like they both thought the same thing at that very same moment.

“What’s going to happen when they find out that it’s true?”

The work week seemed to crawl at a snail’s pace. It was unbearable and Anastasia was sure she would start the process of plucking her own eyeballs out. Seokjin and she hardly had time to see each other at all since he was doing his best to assist Hoseok and Namjoon at the new hotel in Yongsan. Not that she blamed him or needed her hand held. He wouldn’t have hired her if he didn’t think she was capable of handling things without him constantly being in the office.

Jimin being there was a boon and he was always at the ready to assist whenever she needed him. Even when she didn’t, he had coffee and snacks ready – encouraging her to take breaks before she got lost in a mountain of paperwork.

Burying herself in her work, however, was the only way she could successfully chase her worries from her mind.

She’d wanted to pick Jimin’s brain; to figure out what was going on behind the scenes. All she knew was the financial aspect of their businesses. It was her job to maintain it and make sure all the books were up to date. Nothing was out of place and Seokjin wasn’t asking her to fudge the books either. Accounts were stable and clean. No money was laundered since none of their funds were funneling in from an outside source even remotely associated with the criminal underworld.

Yet she couldn’t shake the frustration and worry that radiated from Raelyn. It was bleeding across to her now, making it hard to focus on her job. Seokjin and she were getting closer, sure, and others could clearly see that they were an item. But without him there to reassure her that things were going to be alright, Anastasia felt on edge. Hell, borderline neurotic. She could admit it.

Was their friend, Eden, suffering like this also? When she saw her a few days ago, it didn’t look like it. What was she doing that was different than what either Raelyn or she were? Had the mixed girl gotten her hands on some magic pills, being selfish and unwilling to share?

Wanting to stop by her friend’s shop on her lunch break, she took a breath of air in relief when she arrived and saw that nothing was happening. The garage was closed, a sign hanging out the window saying they were out to lunch and would be back in an hour. Anastasia finished her paperwork early and decided she would take a long lunch, so she had time to kill until her friend got back. Maybe Eden would have some answers to the questions that were constantly nagging at her.

Just as she was about to hail a cab to a nearby café, Anastasia let out a sharp squeak, realizing too late that someone was now in front of her. Her chest bumped into said person, causing her to stumble backwards. The stiletto points of her shoes scraped along the concrete loudly. When she was positive she was going to see the sky, a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders to steady her.

“Whoa,” said a gentle voice, a hint of amusement laced through it, “careful there.”

“I’m so sorry!” Anastasia apologized, taking a step back and bowing her head. “I should have been paying more attention.”

“It’s alright. I was just wondering where the fire was.”

When she finally lifted her head to look up, she saw an unfamiliar man standing in front of her. He had mouse brown hair, umber eyes, and a sweet smile that mirrored in motion with said eyes. Flushing at his appearance, she quickly shifted her gaze to look away from him. She felt more embarrassed than anything else.

“There’s no fire.”

“I can see that.” She moved to look at him again just as the man brushed some of his hair out of his eyes. “Were you here for an appointment?”

“Oh, no,” she said with a laugh, “I just came to see my friend. Looks like I just missed them.”

He slipped his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “In this day and age, you didn’t think to call her ahead of time?”

Anastasia pressed her hand against the side of her neck, giving a shy laugh while shrugging one shoulder. “I suck at surprises?” She laughed again until a thought struck her, causing a tiny shiver to shoot down her spine. Her hand slid slowly from her neck, falling to her side as she began narrowing her eyes at the stranger in front of her. “How did you know my friend’s a girl?”

“I assumed.”

“Assumed that I don’t have guy friends?” Anastasia took a step back when she saw the man’s gaze darken, his smile remaining. “Or that you already know who owns this shop?”

The man laughed, shrugging and then taking a step forward. She took another step back. He leaned forward, peering at her like he was examining a specimen in a jar.

“Clever girl,” he mused, straightening to his full height, “it didn’t take you long to pick up on that. No wonder you’re their financial advisor.”

Her eyes narrowed further. Anastasia didn’t appreciate being mocked. “…and who the fuck are you?”

“Ya, Yoo Kihyun,” called a familiar voice from the sidewalk. They both looked to see Yoongi approaching them and Anastasia felt a wave of relief wash over her. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Kihyun gave a lazy smile but there was no warmth in the gesture. Anastasia shuffled a few steps back when Yoongi closed the distance between them. He made a point to place himself in front of Anastasia, shielding her from the man who was getting his kicks out of messing with her. She had half a mind to throw her shoe at him.

Peering at him over Yoongi’s shoulder, Anastasia maintained vigilance as the other man scrutinized over her rescuer.

“Ah, Yoongi-ah. It’s been so long.”

She heard Yoongi scoff. “Not long enough. Now answer me: what do you think you’re doing?” Kihyun said nothing. “Actually, a better question: why are you here?”

“No reason,” he dismissed and Anastasia bit back her urge to pop off, “curiosity mostly.”

“I’m not surprised. You’ve always been a sick, twisted little fuck.” Anastasia blinked at the barbs coming from Yoongi. She gasped when he suddenly turned around to look at her. “When Eden gets back, don’t tell her about this.”

“Huh? But why?”

“Please, Ana-ssi,” he said, his brows furrowing.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she finally nodded – albeit reluctantly. Yoongi’s expression relaxed somewhat and he bowed his head.

“Thank you.” He then turned around to face Kihyun. “You’re done here, Kihyun-ah. You talk to me now.” Yoongi strolled past the other man, not so much as giving him a backwards glance. “Follow me.”

Kihyun smirked, winked at Anastasia, and then followed after Yoongi as was demanded of him. Anastasia wasn’t sure of what to make of that encounter, but she knew she would have to thank Yoongi properly when she got the chance. Kihyun’s smile may have been charming, but the way he carried himself suggested something cold and unfeeling.

It left a knot in Anastasia’s stomach.

Is he one of the guys Rae was talking about? she thought, frowning, …are they the ones trying to pull them back?

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,832

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​

CHAPTER 34: EPIPHANY

“Underneath the smiling mask, my true self is coming out.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Keep reading

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,168

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​

CHAPTER 35:  House of Cards

“As time passes by We only mess it up even more.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Yoongi didn’t look back even once to see if Yoo Kihyun was following him. He didn’t have to. He already knew that the man would follow because his twisted curiosity wouldn’t allow him to ignore Yoongi. There were questions that the man would have and the only one who could give him the proper answers would be The Lightning Claw.

No one else. Just him.

Ducking into a nearby lounge bar, the barkeep greeted them and told the two men they could sit anywhere. Yoongi plopped onto a stool at the bar, ordering a glass of cognac. Kihyun sidled into the seat next to him, ordering a whiskey sour. Neither of them cared that it was the middle of the day and that they weren’t on vacation. This was business; at least it was for Yoongi. He only had a semblance of an idea of what Kihyun’s agenda was.

The two men sat in silence; the soft clinking of ice in their tumblers the only noise either made between them. A soft jazz medley played in the background, barely audible over the sound pounding inside the shell of Yoongi’s ears. His eyes zeroed in on the amber colored liquor in his glass, his fingers pressing into the brim of the glass. There was an ache in his chest from how the heavy thrum his heart and he clenched his jaw; an almost vain attempt to quiet his ire that was beginning to escalate.

Mentally chanting a mantra to himself, Yoongi lifted the glass to his lips to take a generous sip. The alcohol slid down his throat smoothly, the burn curling into the pit of his stomach. Closing his eyes, he fought back an oncoming migraine as he set the glass on the coaster. Just as he was getting a handle on his anger, Kihyun decided to speak up.

“It’s almost a shame, you know,” he said gently, casting Yoongi a sidelong glance, “if you all decide to leave Seoul.”

Yoongi’s eyes narrowed slowly as he looked at Kihyun. “And why the hell would we do that?”

Kihyun laughed softly, as if he’d heard an interesting joke. “You don’t have to play dumb, Yoongi-ah. We both know you’re aware of what’s going on.”

“You never answered my question, Kihyun-ah,” he said evenly, “what were you doing there?”

“I thought I gave you an answer already.”

“It wasn’t good enough.”

He shrugged. “I’m afraid it’s going to have to be. I don’t know what else you want me to tell you.”

“Stop messing around,” Yoongi growled, grasping Kihyun’s shoulder so he could force the other man to face him, “because I know you better than that.”

Kihyun’s eyes took on a wet sheen in the low light of the bar. His smirk remained, practically screaming that he knew something and wasn’t willing to share. It pissed Yoongi off and he dug his fingers into Kihyun’s shoulder to emphasize his displeasure. But nothing could wipe the other man’s smirk away, though a brow did twitch in response.

“Do you? I was beginning to think you’d forgotten all about me.” He laughed. “About us.”

Yoongi pulled his hand away, like he’d touched an open flame. Kihyun looked completely satisfied with himself, turning away to face the bar and take another drink. The blood roared in his ears, muffling all sounds once more while taking measured breaths to alleviate the strain on his nerves. Spinning in the stool, he hunched over the bar as if to shield himself.

“That was a long time ago,” he muttered, feeling a cold sweat break out along his temple, “you’d do well to forget about it.”

“Well, that’s not fair at all.” Yoongi heard the ice in Kihyun’s glass clinking together. “I look back on those days quite fondly.”

A mild ache pulsed at the bridge of Yoongi’s nose, attempting to control all thoughts clambering to the surface.

“Well, you shouldn’t.”

“But I do.”

Yoongi whirled around in his seat, leaning forward to press into Kihyun’s personal space. “Goddammit, Yoo Kihyun!” he growled under his breath. The other man continued to smile. “Stop with your stupid fucking games!” He reached out slowly, curling his fingers into the lapel of Kihyun’s coat. “I mean it.”

For a while, neither of them spoke a word. The silence that existed between them was deeper than any chasm. The barkeep watched them out of the corner of his eye but continued polishing glasses and serving other customers. Yoongi felt his lungs beginning to expand with each breath he took, as though he’d been climbing a mountain and was only just now stopping to rest.

He almost jumped when Kihyun pressed his hand along the back of his wrist. Yoongi reeled backward, his heart rate escalating all the way to the vein in his neck. Kihyun laughed, shaking his head while shifting his body to face the bar again.

“You’re a mess, Min Yoongi. You make it too easy.”

Yoongi scoffed and drained the rest of his drink. “Shut-up.”

“Seriously, someone will start thinking you actually care.”

“I said shut-up.”

Kihyun sighed gently. “Do you ever think about how things would have been different had you come with me back then?”

It was Yoongi’s turn to laugh, though there was no amusement behind it. “If you ever thought, for one second , that I’d ever leave the Golden Jackals—”

“If I wasn’t a Jade Fang, you would have.”

“Fucking as if.”

“We didn’t need the underworld to thrive,” he whispered, “we made enough trouble all by ourselves.”

“You lived in a fantasy world, Kihyun-ah. You still do.”

Kihyun leaned back and shrugged. “Dreams become reality eventually.”

“Not this time.”

The bartender refilled Yoongi’s drink. Just as he was about to take another sip, he heard the other man laugh loudly, causing his shoulders to tense up on reflex.

“That’s where you’re wrong, I’m afraid.”

Yoongi glared at Kihyun, seeing the icy expression replacing the jovial one. He felt a lump of ice forming in the pit of his stomach and Yoongi sat up straight in his seat. Again, Kihyun looked as though he knew something and wasn’t willing to share. He didn’t like being the butt-end of a joke and he hated it more when someone was able to hold something over his head. In this instance, it seemed like both were happening simultaneously.

He had half a mind to punch Kihyun straight in the mouth.

“Changkyun-ah is still trying to put the pieces together. We all are.” Kihyun waved to the bartender so that he could refill his glass. “I’m sure you’ve managed to figure some things out. You’re not a moron.”

Yoongi said nothing. His eyes shifted to look at Kihyun’s profile, watching as he took a slow drink from his glass.

“Some things I’ve kept to myself.” Kihyun craned his neck to look into Yoongi’s eyes. “For personal reasons, of course.”

He wasn’t going to fall for this bluff. Kihyun did this to him all the time years ago. He would feed just enough information to a person to get them to slip up, divulging more than they’d intended. Observant and being petty were his strong suits, to the point that Yoongi often had to keep his guard up just to avoid falling into a trap.

…he doesn’t have anything, he thought, pursing his lips together, he’s fishing. If he had something, he wouldn’t be dancing around like this.

“I have to say that I never pegged you for the type to give up.”

Yoongi blinked, leaning back to gauge Kihyun’s expression. It was placid, almost bored-like. This unnerved him, but only slightly. Was he trying to play the game another way?

He decided to test the waters. “…what do you mean?”

“Eden McGee.”

His mouth went dry as a throbbing sensation exploded near the back of his head. Yoongi felt heat rising through his intestines, against his chest and into his throat. His shoulders shook, trembling in tandem with his fists as they curled near his thighs. There was a distinct ringing sound in his ears, and he swallowed the lump that managed to form near his Adam’s apple.

“What did you just say?”

Kihyun’s smile returned and Yoongi realized too late that he’d fallen for his trick. “Eden McGee,” he repeated slowly, rolling the vowels around on his tongue, “I’m surprised you gave her up so easily.”

“Ya, Yoo Kihyun,” Yoongi managed to huff out, “do you have a death wish?”

The other man clapped his hands together, leaning back in his chair to laugh in triumph. It was too late for Yoongi to take anything back. Even if it wasn’t, he wouldn’t have bothered.

“See? This is what I meant when I said you were making this too easy.” Kihyun narrowed his eyes as he lazily propped his cheek into his palm. “She was the one, wasn’t she? The one you turned your back on me for?” The question held no warmth to it. Kihyun quipped a brow while Yoongi did everything he could to tether his anger to the heels of his boots. “I never would have guessed you’d let her run to the arms of your little brother.”

“You keep her name out of your fucking mouth or I will make sure you won’t live to regret it.”

Kihyun shrugged as if the threat didn’t matter to him.

“I’d say I’m jealous, but it’s clear you’re not the man I once thought you were.”

“Come off it,” snapped Yoongi, “there was no reason for me to join hands with you back then. Nothing’s changed.” He stood from the stool, placing a handful of bills on the bar counter. “And it won’t change. You better tell Im Changkyun to get his fucking head out of his ass. We’re not going to play his stupid game.”

Yoongi started to walk away. But just as he passed Kihyun, the other man chuckled softly. Pausing in his steps, Yoongi continued looking forward. He wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he’d gotten under his skin.

“That’s where you’re wrong, Yoongi-ah.” There was the soft clinking of ice on glass as he heard it being set down on the counter. “You already are.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Yoongi spat as he looked over his shoulder.

Kihyun stood from his chair, placing money on the counter. He stood in front of Yoongi, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket. A chill raced down his back as he stared into the confident expression of the man he once thought he could love. But it was a lie; a house of cards built on a cheap, rickety folding table.

“Nothing is going to come of you staying here,” Kihyun said simply while shrugging one shoulder, “except for a lot of pain. What affection I have left for you doesn’t want to expose you to that.”

Yoongi was rooted to the spot. Even as he watched Kihyun approach him, he couldn’t move. It was like someone cemented his boots to the ground, restricting all movement from him. Kihyun gently pressed his shoulder against his, turning his head so he could lean forward and whisper softly into the shell of Yoongi’s ear.

“Be selfish, Yoongi-ah.” Goosebumps peppered along the back of Yoongi’s neck as he spoke. “Take that woman from your little brother and leave this place. Otherwise—”

“Or what, goddammit?!” He hadn’t meant to bark the question, but there was a heavy feeling weighing inside the center of his gut.

“…otherwise,” he said slowly, moving around Yoongi to head for the exit, “you’ll shed tears of blood.”

As he watched Kihyun exit the lounge, Yoongi could only stare in wide-eyed shock. Long after he was gone, he remained – spine ramrod straight as a cold feeling washed over him. He wasn’t sure what he should have been doing, but his legs trembled slightly as the very weight of Kihyun’s words fell on top of his shoulders. Suddenly, his knees buckled and his hip crashed into the bar counter – an almost vain attempt to keep himself upright.

Yoongi clutched at his chest, his fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as a sharp pain sliced through his chest. Slowly, he took a breath only to wince in pain as the feeling worsened instead of ebbing. It felt like needles spreading out through his lungs, causing a ragged cough to explode from his body. The barkeep asked if he was alright, but Yoongi couldn’t hear him. He couldn’t hear anything. Nothing save for the drumming pulse of his own heart increasing its tempo with every passing second.

Pulling out his phone, he scrolled through his contacts with a shaky hand. Seeing Jungkook’s picture, he slid his thumb over his brother’s name. But before he could hear the first ring, the world blurred in and out of focus – the shadows creeping around the corners of his eyes.

His consciousness was gone long before he hit the ground.

Fragmentation 0.8

Plot: How does one measure freedom? Are our choices truly our own, or are they part of a preset design outside of our control? We all have a question burning inside of us, though few speak it out. It is the question that drives us forward, seeking purpose in our lives. What is The Matrix?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | The Matrix!AU | angst | sci-fi | action | drama

Pairing: N/A

Warnings: Strong language, allusions to suicide, extreme angst, graphic violence

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,138

AN: Like all of my works, there will be OCs working opposite of the boys. In this story, we have three. The first in the Fragmentation series is Mackenzie. Like Yoongi and Hoseok, she is self-substantiated. How she does will be revealed! On to Crow’s origin story for Defragmentation! All information in the universe can be found on the official Matrix Wiki so please use that as a reference guide if you ever get confused!

Tag List: @aroseforyoongi​, @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432​

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

“Goddammit Mackenzie! I thought I told you to be home by eleven!”

A pair of green eyes glared up at the rotund looking man. His reddish complexion was barely seen from the scraggly beard covering the majority of his face. Sweat soaked through the dingy wife beater he wore, half stuffed into a pair of faded cargo pants. There were a pair of dog tags hanging from his neck - something that always piqued the green-eyed owner’s interest, but never enough to ask about them. 

Mackenzie doubted he served anyone but himself, let alone the country.

Instead of answering him, she folded her arms across her chest. Normally this was the time when she escaped into her room, but he was blocking the way. He was always getting in her way. 

It was his fault. Life used to be normal. This was as far from normal as a person could get. He was as far from being a real father as a person could get.

“You don’t have anything to say for yourself?”

She rolled her eyes, doing her best to ignore the stink of alcohol on his breath. Mackenzie didn’t understand why he persisted on being like this. It was the same shit on a different day. Part of her wished that he would walk outside and get hit by a bus. But she knew that that was a miracle she would never be granted. 

“Answer me!”

“What do you expect when I’m closing?” Mackenzie asked, her tone flat and devoid of all emotion. 

Her father’s eyes narrowed at her. She didn’t even flinch. “What did you just say to me?”

“I didn’t stutter,” came her clipped response as she let her arms fall to her side, “now move. I still have homework to do.”

Before she could take a single step, her father was advancing on her. Mackenzie mentally braced herself for what was coming. Her body was used to it, but it was always that dark corner in the back of her mind that suffered the most from all of this. So long as that part was shielded, she could handle everything else that usually followed. 

The pain that exploded from the side of her head paled in comparison to the pain of her hip crashing to the floor. Her arms immediately shot up to cover the top of her head as her body curled into a ball. The flurry of kicks that collided into her caused her nerves to scream out in agony. But Mack refused to scream, instead choosing to bite the inside of her mouth. The taste of blood flooded across her tongue and she heard her teeth clacking together when the heel of her father’s boot hit the top of her head.

After what felt like hours, but were actually minutes, her father abandoned her there on the floor. Every square inch of Mack’s body throbbed from the pain. There would be bruises tomorrow. Thankfully he’d missed her face so she could still go to work and school without receiving too many curious gazes. It was none of their goddamn business anyway.

Mack waited until she heard the front door slam before picking herself up off the floor. She roughly rubbed the back of her wrist across the corner of her mouth, eyeing the blood smear and rolling her eyes. She couldn’t help but wonder if the old man would notice if she spit on the floor just to spite him. Would he even care?

Grunting, she made her way into her bedroom, locking the door after shutting it behind her. Her father would most likely be out getting drunk for the rest of the night. It meant she had the whole house to herself until he came stumbling back in at four in the morning. Mack just hoped that she’d be able to get all of her school assignments finished and have enough time to surf the internet. Something told her that she was getting closer to finding what she was looking for.

Or, rather, who she was looking for. 

Speeding through her homework, Mack pulled up several browser windows once she was securely connected to the internet. Her eyes darted across the screen, her fingers flying over the keys - pausing only long enough to use her mouse to click on a few links that spiraled her into another location. Mack reached out to everyone that might have a lead and she got just a little bit closer than she did the day before. 

After another hour, she was starting to get frustrated. Everything was forcing her into a dead end. Just when she thought she had a lead, it only caused her to go on a wild goose chase on the wide web. Mack roughly scratched at her head, attempting to tamp down on her slowly mounting anger. 

“Dammit!” She slammed her fists on her desk, rattling everything on it. “Why can’t anyone just give me a straight fucking answer?!”

Burying her face in her hands, Mack did her best to suppress a sob that she didn’t even realize was building up in the back of her throat. She was tired, in pain, and a little hungry. But most of all, she was starting to lose hope. And that was starting to hurt her more than she would care to admit aloud. 

“Fuck it,” she muttered, standing up from her chair, “I’ll pick this up in the morning.”

Just as Mack turned away from her desk, the ping from her instant messenger sounded from the laptop. Pausing, she craned her neck to look at the screen. The username consisted of a series of random numbers. But what made her heart nearly drop to her stomach was what the person said.

You’ll never find Michael because you don’t know The Truth.

Mack ran back to her desk, her fingers gliding over the keyboard. She could barely hear herself typing from how loudly her heart was beating inside of her eardrums. It was the first time someone responded to her inquiries with something credible. It was the first time she could actually believe what she was seeing.

Because it was the first time someone actually mentioned her brother by name.

Who are you? How do you know that name?

The cursor on her screen blinked steadily. Mack wasn’t sure how much more she could take because she was almost positive that this was the clue she’d been searching for after all this time. It was a solid lead just because someone was able to give her a name. If they knew her brother’s name, that meant that they also had a good idea of where he was. She couldn’t afford to let this person slip from her grasp.

Who I am doesn’t matter.

How I know doesn’t matter.

What matters is...

What are you willing to do to know The Truth?

She stared at the computer dumbfounded. Was this another trick? Was this person just jerking her chain, trying to lead her into a false sense of security before sucker punching her in the face like everyone else? It would be the most logical explanation. It was the only thing that actually made sense.

Mack didn’t know why, but she felt like that wasn’t the case. Not with this person. Were they trying to lead her onto the right path after having been on the wrong one for so long?

Narrowing her eyes, she began typing again.

Anything.

The air was cold and frigid. Mack rubbed her hands together, her breath coming out in small white clouds. She peered through the metal fence as people continued to file through the city. She was isolated from the rest, sitting on a park bench and waiting. She looked at her watch, making a mental note of the time. She had five minutes left to wait. 

Five minutes until she would know whether this was real or a hoax.

The sound of gravel crunching underfoot quickly brought her out of her thoughts. Mack stood up immediately, facing the direction of the noise. All she could see were the trees cloaked in shadows cast from the street lights. She couldn’t see anyone, but the crunching noise wouldn’t stop. There was a large lump forming in Mack’s throat and she couldn’t help wondering if she’d fallen into a trap.

Seconds after thinking that, a young woman dressed in gray and black appeared. She wore a long black coat with a hood just barely covering her head of thick curls. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. The rest of her outfit was some sort of gray jumpsuit that almost seemed to shimmer when it hit the light just right. The legs of the suit were stuffed into a pair of shin high combat boots - the heels continuously crunching into the gravel; releasing an eerie sound.

Mack puffed out another breath of cloudy air just as the woman stopped three feet from her.

“Y-You’re early,” she managed to stammer out.

The other woman smirked, her auburn curls accentuating her mocha skin even in shadow. “If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late. You’re late, Mack.” She reached up with a gloved hand to remove the sunglasses from her face, revealing a set of dark hazel eyes. “Or should I say, Crow?”

Mack took a step back, her lips parting slightly as the woman referred to her as both her name and her alias. Her heart hammered against her ribs, causing her lungs to tighten up inside. What in the world was happening? Just how much did this woman know?

Not wanting to look like some punk, she shook her head and straightened her stance. “You have information I want and yet I don’t know anything about you.”

The woman continued to smile. “I already told you that who I am doesn’t matter. It never will matter.” She shrugged. “Not until you know The Truth.”

“What the hell is this truth you keep talking about?” Mack could feel her anger starting to grow. “What does it even mean?”

She watched the other woman reaching into her pocket to pull out a cell phone. She punched a few numbers and then pressed it up to her ear. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a whole lot of time for me to explain. You’re going to have to see it for yourself.” 

Mack bit her lower lip, her eyes narrowing as she watched the woman reaching into her other pocket with her free hand. Half a second later, her heart froze as the woman trained the business end of a semi-automatic pistol at her. 

“Whoa,” Mack said, raising her hands up slowly, “what in the fuck are you doing, lady?”

“You have a choice to make, Crow, and you don’t have a whole lot of time to make it, so I’ll be quick.”

Panic began to settle around Mack’s chest. “What do you mean I don’t have a lot of time?!”

“Agents are coming. They’re coming for you because you’re sloppy and desperate, which, sadly, is making me sloppy and desperate.” 

When the hammer clicked back on the gun, tears sprung up in Mack’s eyes. “Please, don’t do this.”

“Shut-up,” snapped the woman, the smile now completely gone from her face, “I already told you we don’t have a lot of time. You have two choices. You let the Agents take you or I force you out of the bubble you’ve unknowingly been put in. I’m giving you five seconds starting now. Five.”

She took another step back, but the woman advanced on her. Mack didn’t know what any of it meant. What did she mean by “agents” and why did it seem like this woman was trying to help her, despite the situation looking crazy to everyone else?

“Four.”

Her heart shook in her chest, causing her to reach up and clutch at the front of her jacket. Mack didn’t want to die. She didn’t want to die without knowing the answers.

“Three.”

She still didn’t know where her brother was. She still didn’t know what The Truth was and what it had to do with her brother.

“Two.”

She wanted to live!

Mack ran up to the woman, wrestling the gun from her grasp. The woman took a step back, but the smile returned to her face. Mack pressed the barrel of the gun up to her temple as tears streamed down her cheeks. Multiple footsteps seemed to thunder through the gravel, but Mack could only see the single snowflake that began to fall from the night sky. The world disappeared into lines of green numbers before returning to normal.

She smiled.

“One.”

After the gunshot ripped through the night, Mack’s world darkened immediately. But she...she felt free, somehow.

“Welcome to the Real World.”

Fragmentation 0.9

Plot: How does one measure freedom? Are our choices truly our own, or are they part of a preset design outside of our control? We all have a question burning inside of us, though few speak it out. It is the question that drives us forward, seeking purpose in our lives. What is The Matrix?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | The Matrix!AU | angst | sci-fi | action | drama

Pairing: N/A

Warnings: Strong language, allusions to suicide, extreme angst, graphic violence

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,138

AN: Like all of my works, there will be OCs working opposite of the boys. In this story, we have three. Next in the Fragmentation series is Sabine. As you may recall, she is Hoseok’s childhood friend and the one who convinced him to leave The Matrix with her. This is her tale on how she became the captain of their ship. On to Animus’s origin story for Defragmentation! All information in the universe can be found on the official Matrix Wiki so please use that as a reference guide if you ever get confused!

Tag List: @aroseforyoongi​, @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432​, @taegiq​, 

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Taking a deep, slow breath, Sabine peered out over the cityscape. The number of buildings she could see were seemingly endless. A soft wind tickled her face as her dark auburn curls flew back - the air whipping past her ears in a way that made it almost impossible to hear. Ambient noise from below seemed to pulse from the ground, rising to meet her as the sun began its slow descent beneath the clouds. Everything was cloaked in smatterings of gold, orange, pink and purple, signifying that the end of the day was drawing near. The twilight hour. 

It was her favorite time of the day.

A soft smirk pulled at the corners of her lips, her hands stuffed into the over-sized hoodie she was wearing. When the wind finally eased up, Sabine felt her hair settle around her cheeks and shoulders before she turned away. The heels of her boots scraped along the concrete of the rooftop she was currently situated on. She took a step back, reaching the edge, and breathed in another lungful of air.

Then she took another step back, her body lifting up onto the lip of the building. 

Another rush of wind pushed against her back, as if telling her not to take another step further. Because another step further would mean falling off the edge. It would be the end of everything that meant something to her if she did. 

The door for the rooftop access slammed wide open. Sabine’s eyes narrowed as several Agents filed out, their guns trained on her. The smirk never left her face, but her head tilted slightly when the sound of several hammer clicks registered. Scoffing more to herself, she pivoted her body to the left - feeling her legs kick off the ground as she did a left handspring on the edge of the roof just as several gunshots rang out.

Bullets zipped by her until Sabine was forced to lunge forward, her body curling into itself as she rolled across the ground. Several pairs of feet thundered along the concrete as more bullets impaled along the surface. She continued to roll until there was nowhere left for her to go. Scrambling to her feet, she jumped and broke through the nearest window, her body continuing its fluid motion as she rolled down the stairs.

Her back slammed against the wall, forcing her to catch her breath as the Agents piled back into the building. Springing out, she quickly dashed down the stairs before gripping onto the handrail, spinning off the stairs, and lurching her body over the railing to sail down the central opening of the spiraling staircase. Spinning her body around, she pulled out both of her pistols from her holsters and aimed upwards just as the Agents pursuing her opened fire.

Firing off several shots, Sabine made quick mental notes of an immediate exit strategy once she hit the ground. She managed to empty out both clips completely before rolling her body around in mid-air, her heels crashing onto the ground. The stone tiles cracked and popped up from beneath her, causing the entire building to shake from her impact. Without looking back, she tore through the front entrance of the abandoned building and took off in a dead run down the street.

Glass shattered around her as bullets zipped by, spraying various contents in different directions. She felt one graze her shoulder, causing her to wince. She jumped over several crates and boxes, her legs pumping hard as she made her way through the industrial district. Pedestrians looked on in wonder, but she didn’t have the luxury to tell them to get out of the way. They would be fodder and the reason for her existence being erased if she made a mistake. 

Rounding a corner, she gasped as she came face to face with the barrel of a handgun. Instinct urged her to swivel to the right just as the gun fired. A distinct ringing noise pinged in her ear and she barely managed to jam her elbow out to hit the Agent’s forearm. His hand slammed into the brick wall, forcing the gun from his hand. Her body jerked to the ground, her fingers grabbing the gun in one swift motion. She surged forward, her shoulder bashing into his chest as she slid her forearm against him. Pressing the barrel of the gun under his chin, she didn’t hesitate to squeeze the trigger. 

A ripple of electricity revealed that the Agent took over an old woman. Sabine scoffed, dropping the gun and bolting for the subway entrance. It was dangerous to be underground, but she only needed to get to one place. She only needed to make it there with a few seconds to spare.

Her boots clicked along the pavement, her breathing labored as her heart thundered against her chest. The sound of a phone ringing reverberated off the stone walls. A train sped through, its wheels screaming along the metal track. She skid to a halt just in front of a row of pay phones, dust rising up around her. She managed to snatch it off the hook, but not before the head of the receiver exploded near her face. Plastic pieces shot out and scraped her cheek, forcing her to drop the ruined device as it swung purposelessly from its metal connection rope.

“Shit!” she snapped, barely dodging a fist aimed for her face. 

Spinning on her back heel, Sabine avoided another hit as her back slammed into the wall. Her leg shot up, knocking the gun from the Agent’s hand as it went flying onto the now vacant train tracks. The Agent flung a kick out at her, forcing her to use both arms to block the blow meant for her chest. Her body went airborne and slammed into the wall. The impact was similar to being hit with a mack truck, leaving behind an imprint of her body as broken pieces of concrete and brick littered the ground around her feet.

A spray of red mist escaped from her mouth seconds before she crashed to the ground on her knees. Another phone rang, preceding the harsh symphony of another train speeding along the track further down the tunnel. Pain exploded along the back of her neck as another kick successfully landed against her, causing her body to slide along the ground. 

Sabine groaned as more blood leaked from the corners of her mouth. The sound of the phone seemed to almost mock her, telling her that she was so close to the finish line but that she would not, in fact, finish. The thought of failing angered her, fueling something inside of her that she knew lurked among the shadows of her own heart. 

She spit. “Get up,” she muttered, her body screaming at her to move.

The Agent advanced on her, his movements slow and predatory. Sabine growled as she spun her body up, her legs kicking into the air before flipping right-side up onto her feet. She reached into her jacket and quickly whipped it out, the metallic shink sang out as the steel baton extended. The Agent canted his head slightly and Sabine flashed a blood-stained grin, launching herself forward to charge headlong at him. He parried many of her attacks, but she kept a close eye on his feet to ensure that he was backing up with her mindless assault. 

Screaming at the top of her lungs, she spun and whipped her arm out. The baton slammed into the Agent’s forearms as he lifted them up to block her attack. The subway shook with the approaching train’s momentum, causing small bits of dirt to fall from the ceiling. Sabine took another breath, leaped forward, and took aim for the Agent’s face. He caught her by the forearm, but not before she was able to spin around, landing a solid heel kick to his shin. He buckled, allowing her the opportunity she needed to slam her knee into his face. Using the force of his motion, he landed a fist straight into her gut. Sabine flew backwards into the wall, a sharp cry of pain all she could muster before hitting the ground.

She looked up to see the Agent falling into the path of the train seconds before it approached. It zipped by in a blur and Sabine quickly pushed herself off the floor. She ran back toward the row of pay phones, all but tearing it off the hook and pressing it against her ear. Everything disappeared around her in a wave of green - all of it transforming into strings of code.

“So,” mused Rear Admiral Brahn, “I see you were able to obtain the data we needed, Commander.”

Animus saluted, her eyes staring straight ahead as Brahn circled her. He held a case containing a data disk inside, moving it back and forth as he walked. After he nodded, she lowered her arm and stood at attention. Others stood behind the Rear Admiral, Captains of their own vessels. They were overseeing the last of her field training since she initiated her pursuit for her rank promotion. 

In her mind, she had no doubt she would achieve it. They had no reason to deny her. The Council also agreed that she was fit to lead.

Rear Admiral Brahn, however, was another matter altogether.

She could see his stern expression in her peripheral vision. Her eyes continued to look ahead as he obstructed her line of sight. Pity. She was enjoying herself by studying the rust building on one of the pipes hanging overhead. 

“You took on an Agent, Commander Animus. That was both reckless and unnecessary.” His eyes narrowed at her. “Your mission was to secure the information you obtained and return from The Matrix immediately . Nothing else.”

“Sir, yes Sir!”

“Explain yourself, Commander!”

“Sir!” Animus saluted again. “I was left with no choice.”

“You were fortunate there was more than one avenue for an Operator to get you out. But what if that wasn’t the case?” He scoffed. “You can’t expect to make those same kinds of decisions if you’re a Captain, Animus. You’re liable to get you and your crew killed.”

Slowly, Animus lowered her hand back down to rest at her side. She took a breath, expelled it, then shifted her gaze to meet Brahn’s. “We won’t always be able to run from them, Rear Admiral, Sir. It’s an operative’s duty to the people of Zion to gain every advantage we can in this war. The Machines are willing to do anything to stop us.” 

Brahn quirked a brow. “Your point?”

She narrowed her eyes. “We have to be willing to do the same, Sir.”

There was a pregnant pause that seemed to stretch on for half a lifetime. After feeling Brahn’s eyes scrutinizing her for a few seconds longer, he pivoted away from her and made his way toward the other Captains. She wasn’t sure if she should feel relieved, but Animus held her breath all the same.

“Well, I certainly hope you can maintain that enthusiasm when leading your crew, Commander Animus.” Brahn set the mini disk case on the table where the other Captains sat, craning his neck to look at her. “If you can’t, their blood will be on your hands.”

She could feel her heart thudding wildly inside of her ribs and she smothered down the smile that threatened to break out across her face. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Animus saluted as the other Captains saluted her as well. She saw some smiles of approval while the others’ expressions remained impassive. That was fine. It was fine. 

Her test was over now.

“Your new rank appointment and credentials will be sent to you by oh-seven hundred tomorrow. You’re dismissed.”

“Sir!”

She turned to head out of the briefing room. Animus waited for the doors to slide open. Just as she was about to leave, she heard Brahn clearing his throat loudly. She paused, craning her neck to peer back into the briefing room.

“Sir?”

“Your First Mate, Crash, has your crew manifest.”

Animus blinked in surprise. Her best friend was going to be part of her crew. Hiding her elation, she nodded slowly in understanding before raising her brows in question. “I already have a ship assignment, Sir?”

“Yes, you do.”

She smiled. “Her name?”

The Rear Admiral smirked as he folded his hands behind his back. “The Amaterasu.”

Her smile remained and, again, she saluted her superior. “Thank you, Sir.”

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,448

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @hobipluto​

Chapter 40: Let Go

”No, but I accept your blame. Really, it’s time to say goodbye.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Two weeks had passed since his encounter with Kihyun. Yoongi never would have guessed that seeing Kihyun under those circumstances would rattle him to the core. He’d been uneasy ever since, wondering when he would next run into the man; wondering if he would be better prepared for whatever words would come tumbling from his mouth next.

There was no lingering attachment there. At least not from Yoongi. That part of his life he’d put far behind him. He’d let it go when he traveled to the States and met Eden for the first time. He was able to see someone come from nothing, yet determined to make something of herself. She wasn’t the sort of person who accepted handouts and she always returned a favor – not wanting to place herself in the debt of others.

For the first time in a while, Yoongi thought of his family; the family he’d left behind in Hwaseong. His father, ironically, was the former police chief in the area. His mother ran her business from home, making calendars for people from the photos she’d taken. Yoongi adopted a love of photography thanks to her, but there were few moments when he ventured out with his camera. He just hadn’t had the time for it like he had when he was still a school kid.

Until now.

The shutter clicked wildly as he roamed around one of the parks in Gangnam. Spring was upon them. The blossoms from the cherry trees fluttered in waves on the ground and through the skies. The soft breeze tickled the hairs around his ears, reminding him that he probably needed to get a haircut soon. His legs carried him through the park, memories flooding his mind as he took nature shots and pictures of unsuspecting pedestrians.

There was a time when he would come to the park, usually late at night, with Eden. She hadn’t minded since there were nights when they both worked late. He frowned, recalling the memory of her laughing as she sprayed him with the bottle of water she had in her hand. His hair was drenched and water dripped from his eyelashes and chin, allowing her to get about a five-foot head start before giving chase.

She always let him catch her.

Yoongi sighed, shaking his head to chase the memory away. Stop, he chastised himself, you need to stop. She’s not here and she won’t be.

An image of Jungkook smiling widely as he embraced her replaced the vision in his mind. He paused in his steps, his hands cradling his camera lowering slowly. They finally fell to his sides and the weight of the camera tugged at the strap around his neck. A heaviness filled his chest until it finally collapsed into the pit of his stomach. Yoongi knew he had no right to feel anything at the sight of them together, whether in real life or in his own mind. The reality was still the same. He’d fucked up and his younger brother was doing the one thing he never had the courage to.

He was honest with the woman he loved.

Yoongi scoffed, reaching up to scratch at the side of his nose. A sardonic smile passed over his features as he admitted to himself that he had, in fact, loved that stubborn woman. That he was still in love with her. But he knew he’d blown it and there was no turning back the clock, no matter how much he might have wanted to. The situation was plain and clear as the daylight breaking through the canopy of trees over his head.

It was over. All he had to do was admit it to himself. Truly admit it.

Taking a few steps, he broke through a row of trees and deviated from the path. In the center of the park was a large rock near a man-made creek. The sunlight was always the best here, shining down without prejudice on whoever wished to seek out its light. His feet shuffled through the grass as he ducked under a low hanging branch, using his hand to shield his eyes from the mid-morning light that threatened to blind him.

Just as he was mentally cursing himself for not remembering to bring his sunglasses, he stopped and stared. For a moment, he thought he was seeing things and began to roughly rub his eyes with his fists. Blinking the prism-like spots from his vision, he looked again and saw that he hadn’t, in fact, been imagining things.

There, on the rock, laid Eden – sprawled out like a tiger who’d just finished devouring a kill that was hunted and sleeping off the heavy meal. Her olive skin glowed in the sunlight and he was surprised to see that she was willingly allowing the sun to touch her flesh. He remembered her saying how she hated the sun because it often baked her to a darker shade of brown than she liked, making her look Middle Eastern at times. Not that she had anything against them, but people were always getting her ethnic background wrong and it annoyed her.

Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, signifying that she was, in fact, asleep. Deep asleep, in fact. The gentle babbling from the creek and twittering of birds served as the perfect ambiance to rest and relax. There was a book opened face down on her stomach and her fingers splayed over the spine, holding it in place. But with each breath she took, it slowly slipped further and further from her hand. At the angle she was lying, the moment it left her fingers it would fall into the creek.

As if predicting the future, Yoongi watched the book begin its descent and he rushed forward, snatching up the book before it could meet its watery end. His heart hammered heavily against his ribs as he sighed, standing to his full height before closing the book. Eden mumbled something incoherent before rolling over on the smooth rock to readjust herself to a more comfortable position.

Yoongi was almost flabbergasted by this. He couldn’t remember a time when she’d allowed herself to be this vulnerable. Unless she believed she was safe, she would always jolt awake to the most innocent of sounds – a knife at the ready in her hand.

His brows furrowed while canting his head to the side. Is that it? Yoongi reached out with one hand, his fingers just barely touching her cheek. Do you feel safe here?

She groaned sleepily, causing him to flinch involuntarily. He yanked his hand back, as though he was being struck by a snake. Seconds later, Eden’s phone went off and she immediately sat up – patting her pockets for the item to get it to shut up. Yoongi stood rooted in his spot, unable to flee the scene. He continued to stare at her even as she groggily fisted her eyes to rid them of the sleepy haze sitting on the backs of her eyelids. Eden smacked her lips and then began looking around, her eyes falling on Yoongi.

As she looked at him, Yoongi didn’t move; he didn’t even breathe. Eden seemed to gather up her surroundings and the sleepiness in her gaze was quickly replaced with realization. Her eyes widened as her lips parted, prepared to scream at him. Without thinking, he reached out and covered her mouth with his hand, silencing whatever verbal onslaught she had prepared for him.

“Look, before you say anything, this is completely a coincidence,” he explained rapidly, feeling her huffing over his fingers, “so don’t get crazy, okay?”

Slowly, he removed his hand and held his arms up in surrender. She narrowed her eyes at him, the irritation evident. But she didn’t say anything. Yoongi wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or upset by her lack of clapbacks at that moment.

“Why are you sleeping here?”

“It’s a nice day out and I felt like taking a nap,” she said while standing from the rock, snatching the book from Yoongi’s hand. He’d almost forgotten he’d had it. “Sleeping on the rooftop gets too hot and I burn that way.”

“Yeah, I know…”

For a moment, no other words were shared between them. Even though Yoongi had so much he wanted to say, he couldn’t formulate the words the way he would have liked. Everything he tried to start with sounded like an excuse and all the other options made him sound like an idiot. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Yoongi sighed as he roughly rubbed the back of his head.

“Eden,” he began, his heart rate escalating a measure, “I just…” Eden’s gaze practically bore into his forehead and Yoongi considered averting his gaze. However, he thought better of it and, instead, cleared his throat loudly. “…I’m sorry.”

“For what?” she asked quickly, catching him off guard. Licking his lips, he just looked at her as she folded her arms across her chest. “What are you sorry for, Yoongi-ah? Hm? That you got caught or that I’m with Jungkook now?”

There it was. The dig he was waiting for. He’d prepared himself for it, but he didn’t expect hearing her say it out loud to hurt so much. It was like he’d been hit in the gut with a cannon ball, the proverbial wind knocked straight from his lungs.

It was quickly replaced with anger.

“Goddammit, woman,” he snarled, taking a step forward to close what little distance there was between them, “you are fucking impossible, you know that?”

She sniffed, smirking. “I do, actually.”

Eden moved to pass him, but he quickly grabbed her by her upper arm, yanking her back so that she was flush against his chest. A gasp spilled from her, causing her book to fall against the grass as it slipped from her fingers. She tried to jerk free from him, but he squeezed tighter. He saw her brow twitch, probably from how hard he was holding her, but Yoongi couldn’t stop.

His body moved faster than his brain could process, unable to prevent him from doing what he was getting ready to do. Still in his grasp, Yoongi pushed Eden until her back hit the trunk of a tree. The leaves shuddered with the sudden force placed on its surface and she let out a soft cry. Glaring up at him, he matched her gaze as he looked into her eyes – his reflection cast back at him from her dark umber tones. Eden’s lips pressed together into a thin line, slowly blinking at him. But he saw the tell-tale red flare around her neck to show that her anger was mounting with each passing second.

Yoongi pressed his hips against hers, further bracing her against the tree and preventing her from escaping. But she made no move to remove herself from the situation. Whether she believed it was fruitless or if she was unable to was something that Yoongi couldn’t figure out. Her expression was so impassive outside of her clear outrage. She could have pushed him aside, slapped him, kicked him in the shin or, hell, even kneed him in the nuts.

But she did none of that. The only sign of a visible struggle was the flex of her muscle against his fingers. Why wasn’t she fighting back?

“Yoongi-ah,” she said, cutting through the turmoil raging in his head. He blinked, looking at her – really looking at her. But he couldn’t read the face she was making. “What do you want from me?”

“W-What?” He felt his mouth go dry and he involuntarily tried to swallow.

“You heard me.” She lazily blinked again. “What. Do. You. Want. From. Me?”

Eden made a point to enunciate each word of the question. It stung, like someone plucking hairs straight from the root of his head. But it was a question he wasn’t ready to answer. Or maybe he didn’t have an answer. He had every opportunity to fix the problems he’d caused. He had every chance in the world to come clean and he hadn’t. Asking anything from her, even now, would have been plain selfishness.

Yet, Yoongi wanted to be selfish. He wanted to be greedy. He wanted to play dirty and he wanted to be as unfair as humanly possible.

Instead of answering her, he leaned forward and forcefully pressed his lips against hers. He heard her sharp intake of breath and there was a sound of bark scraping from the tree and hitting the grass. Yoongi waited for her to shove him, slap him, or even to feel a sharp pain in his gut as she stabbed him. None of it came.

Nothing happened.

When he pulled back, Yoongi saw Eden’s eyes filling with tears. Whether they were angry tears or something else, he couldn’t be sure. When they finally leaked from her eyes, he took a step back and released the hold he had on her. His breath came out rapidly – like he’d broken the surface of the ocean after nearly sinking to his death.

There was clarity. Absolute clarity.

And it hurt him.

“Eden, I—”

“Wow,” she said, her bottom lip trembling as more tears streamed down her face, “you’re a real asshole, Min Yoongi. You know that?”

He sighed, nodding.

“Yeah, I know.”

“You’re scum.”

He averted his gaze, too ashamed to look at her.

“I know.”

“And you’re the worst kind of pretender.”

He closed his eyes, wincing.

“You’re right. I am.”

Yoongi heard her leaving, her body shuffling through the grass and branches to exit the park. When her footsteps were far enough away, he felt his legs begin to tremble. Taking a step forward, he spun and let his back fall against the tree Eden previously was pressed on. It was still warm.

He looked down, spying the book that still laid abandoned on the grass. He slid down until he was sitting, his hand reaching out to grasp the book and finally looking at the title. Yoongi smiled bitterly.

“Pride and Prejudice, huh?”

A pathetic laugh escaped his chest as he covered his eyes with his forearm. It was over. It was really over. To think otherwise would have been a fool’s errand. Mistakes were made, even now, and Yoongi had no choice but to admit to them. To admit that she was no longer his.

That she never would be.

Hugging one knee to his chest, he buried his face into the crook of his arm and released a painful laugh. “…I’m sorry, Jungkook-ah,” Yoongi whispered, his voice thick with emotion, “Your Hyung is so fucking sorry.”

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,089

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

Chapter 43: Lost

“To lose your path is the way to find that path.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Four Years Ago Seoul – Itaewon; Yongsan District South Korea

Blood.

There was blood in the water.

Jimin looked like he crawled out of a mountain of pig guts, blood smears littering his face and neck. Droplets of crimson dripped from his earlobe as an angry red trail wept from a cut under his eye. Another slash decorated the bridge of his nose and he reached up to wipe at it. His fingers and hand were completely coated in red – scarlet trails dripping down his forearm and staining his shirt.

A shaky hand moved to turn the faucet off; barely aware that the water was spilling from the sink and onto the floor. It sloshed over his sneakers, soaking his shoelaces and creeping into his socks. He barely noticed as he slowly dipped his hands into the overflowing bowl of porcelain. The water turned an even deeper shade of pink and orange, growing opaque to where Jimin could no longer see his hands inside the bowl.

Water continued to slip onto the floor as he moved his wrists methodically, cleaning his hands as best he could. His eyes lingered on the dirty faucet nozzle until they shifted to spy his rosary bracelet on the edge of the dingy porcelain mouth. The silver cross glinted under the artificial light that barely encompassed the room, reflecting the pale green tiling that covered the room from ceiling to floor.

The light in the room blinked rapidly, spazzing out in time with the flash of lightning that brightened the dark and stormy world outside of the bathroom. Every so often, he was plunged in darkness – depriving him of the image of his horrible visage reflecting back at him in the mirror.

But even in the dark, Jimin could see everything.

He could see the body hunched over by the urinals, his neck spurting out blood like a fountain. His arm was twisted back, dislocated until it was eventually snapped in an unnatural way. Blood turned the man’s once white shirt completely red as thick rivers of it pooled from his lips.

An arm peeked out from underneath one of the stalls, the fingers attached to the hand all broken. There was a knife sticking out from the back of the hand as blood blossomed across the tile floor. Near the arm and between the person by the urinals was another body lying face down with one of his arms pulled behind him. There was a white item protruding from one of the shoulders, tearing through the jacket, and upon closer inspection, one would know that it was a broken bone pierced through skin and fabric.

Removing his hands from the pale red water and scooping up his rosary, Jimin shook the moisture from his hands and pivoted on his heels as he slowly wiped his palms down the backs of his pants. Another flash of lightning brightened the room, the clap of thunder rumbling the building and causing bits of plaster to crumble from the ceiling. Jimin crouched down to remove his knife from the man’s neck, more blood spurting out until the fountain grew smaller. Jimin wiped the blade over the man’s clothes to clean it off.

Flicking the blade closed, he slid it into the inside pocket of his blazer. Stepping over the man on the floor, he fished in his pocket for his handkerchief and began to wipe at the blood that was still on his neck while looking over his handiwork. It could have been handled a little less recklessly, but Jimin was forced into a small space and dealing with a trio of idiots who believed they had even a snowball’s chance in being able to go toe-to-toe with him.

Their biggest mistake? Listening to a jealous master who wanted Hoseok dead.

A phone buzzed with life and he paused, silencing his own breath so he could hear where the noise was coming from. He entered the stall and removed the phone from the man’s pocket whose neck he’d broken, spying at the screen. Jimin gently pushed the man off the toilet, dropping the phone into the bowl without hesitation. He watched it continue to ring until the water seeped into the grooves and openings of the device, causing the screen to blink wildly before it finally faded to black.

Pulling his own phone out, he dialed a number and pressed the phone to his face; making sure that it was the cheek he’d just cleaned off. They answered in three rings.

“It’s me,” he said softly, stepping over the bodies as he made for the door, “it’s done.”

The other person spoke and this caused Jimin to smirk.

“Just bring the cleaners here, Hyung. They’ll take care of the rest.”

He opened the door, scooping up his rosary beads off the sink and slipping them into his pocket.

“This will make them think twice before trying to come after you again.”

Jimin shut the door behind him as he hung up the phone, straightening his jacket and slicking his hair back off his forehead. The old building was barely anything to look at, which made the entire situation ideal for this sort of thing. His small group that waited for him bowed to him and he tossed the knife and dirty handkerchief to one of them.

“Get rid of those,” Jimin said, his voice cold.

The young man nodded, wrapping the items and then tossing them into a nondescript plastic bag.

“The talk didn’t go well?” he asked and Jimin grinned.

“It went as I thought it would.”

The man nodded, the others following on either side of him.

“They should have just listened to you in the first place. Then they wouldn’t have gone out that way.” Jimin cast a sideways glance toward the young man. “Because you’re The Crimson Claw, right?”

“Wrong.”

The man peered up at him, his expression clearly showcasing his confusion.

“I had no intentions of talking whatsoever. Because I am The Crimson Claw.”

Present Day Seoul – Cheongdam; Gangnam District South Korea

Jimin took a deep breath, his hands balled into fists at his thighs. His thumb slowly rotated over the rosary beads, completely in sync with his heartbeat. He mentally counted back from thirty. Thirty seconds; thirty beats of his heart. The world was silent in the small enclosure as tiny slivers of light broke through the small holes around the wooden box. The burgundy curtain of velvet brushed against his knuckles, providing a small sense of relief from the suffocation that threatened to overtake him.

The latch across from him loosened as the door opened. Light flooded in from the other side of the diamond grating separating him from the man who was adjusting himself in his seat. When the door closed, they were once again plunged into darkness. Jimin released the air trapped in his lungs, the hand holding the rosary moving to form the sign of the cross in front of him before clasping his fingers together in a sign of prayer.

“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was three years and six months ago.”

There was a pregnant pause, threatening to swallow Jimin up completely. He took another breath, the sweat tingeing his brows as his chestnut fringe clung to his forehead. Jimin felt the priest’s eyes watching him through the grating and he attempted to swallow the lump in his throat. A part of him felt like he was being judged, but wasn’t that expected? It should have been. If it wasn’t, then Jimin judged himself in the stead of his Savior.

“Go on, My Child,” urged the priest gently.

He tried to wet his lips as he floundered for the words. Jimin cleared his throat as he attempted to formulate his sentences, his hands trembling. He shut his eyes tightly, his mouth forming into a thin line. He knew the priest was waiting for him to continue, but inwardly he wanted nothing more than to run from that small enclosure.

It felt like the weight of his sins would crush him.

“I’m a Christian, Father, but we believe in The Almighty and his Grace. Prayer alone cannot save me, but I feel that simply writing things down in a journal could hardly be enough to absolve me of my sins.” The words were less heavy on his tongue and he pressed his back against the wall. “The Blood of Christ has granted me penance. I know this. But I am afraid, Father, of the wrongs I have done in order to secure the futures of my brothers and myself.”

When he opened his eyes again, they quickly adjusted to the darkness; he was used to this. It was the sunlight that hurt his eyes and made it difficult to see.

Old memories flooded his mind, reminding him of the past and of the blood he shed. The metallic taste and coppery odor seemed permanently stuffed in his nostrils back then. His hand was often forced during encounters when he donned the mask of the Golden Jackals’ liaison. It was his job to speak to others in various districts, warning them that despite being a new group and former Jade Fang members, they were not to be trifled with.

They would do things fairly and if that fairness was ever challenged, then it was Jimin’s job to pass the message along in other ways. He was given the name Crimson Claw because he had no issues cutting anyone down that dared to impede his brothers’ paths to success and good fortune. He was merciless when it came to anyone he cared for.

This same mercilessness existed quietly in his heart even when they all lived their simple, country lives in Hwaseong. It was the reason why Jimin was the last to arrive in Seoul after Namjoon made his offer to come back with him to the big city – to reach into the dark and dirty underworld and pull out a flawless diamond. Jimin’s life was his family’s bakery and it was always assumed he would take over. He could never admit to how easy it was for him to embrace the life that Namjoon and the others were suggesting they attempt to live.

Because he didn’t want to show how simple it was for him to smile in that chaotic world. He didn’t want to worry his brothers, or even scare them away. He was more afraid of losing them than he was of losing himself.

Jimin understood the true depth of his heart better than anyone. Because he was a sinner; he bathed in the sin and wore it like a badge of pride. He had no problem hurting anyone if it meant protecting the people who meant the most to him.

He would become the devil himself.

What worried Jimin now wasn’t the storm that was coming. What concerned him was the possibility of losing himself along the way.

“I have hurt people. I have ruined people. We all have. But I cannot confess their sins for them. I can only speak of my own.” He squeezed his fingers tightly together, the beads of the rosary scraping against each other. “I know I cannot bear their sins on my shoulders, but I desperately want to, Father. My brothers are good people; good men. They deserve all the wonderful things this life has to offer to them.”

“You are very kind-hearted, My Child,” spoke the priest, causing Jimin to look up at him, “and God sees that. He knows what lies in your heart every waking moment of your life.”

“If that’s true, Father,” Jimin whispered, “then he knows I’m beyond saving. I’m okay with that, I am.”

“You’re alright with being outside of the realm of redemption?”

“Yes.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I’ve found my place in the shadows and I will do everything, anything I can, to keep my brothers in the light.”

Jimin peered down at his hands to look at the sterling silver cross dangling from the rosary beads.

“Forever.”

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,353

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

Chapter 44: You Never Walk Alone

“Even if this road is far and dangerous, will you be with me?”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

There was a part of Raelyn that was ecstatic for the news of her friend’s pregnancy. What friend wouldn’t have been happy? However, there was a worry that lingered in the back of her brain; nagging there like a slowly growing cancer. Only a foolish person would have ignored it. Eden showered Anastasia with the praise that she felt she wanted to hear, and they all promised to go shopping together for the proper baby shower things that would be needed when it came time for the birth.

Raelyn didn’t mention marriage. Neither did Anastasia or Eden. It was the 21st Century and as progressive women, they felt that marriage wasn’t obligatory when finding out that one was with child. The biggest question that remained unspoken was if Anastasia was willing to keep the child? It seemed she was keen on the idea and so Raelyn didn’t bring up the subject. Eden picked up the same vibe and didn’t say anything either.

She felt Taehyung pull her a little closer on the couch, the two of them facing the large television in her common room. Her mind was going a mile a minute and she felt a little guilty for not paying attention to the film. It was one they’d watched before, but regardless of how many times he’d seen it, it was Taehyung’s favorite movie. She even caught him quoting it a few times in jest before attempting to pounce on her for their bedroom play time.

His thumb rubbed small circles around her shoulder, causing her to lazily shut her eyes as she adjusted herself a bit more comfortably on the couch. He used his other hand to tuck the throw blanket a little more securely around her hip while her legs draped over his lap. She felt his head press against her temple, his fringe tickling her forehead.

“Tired?”

Raelyn shook her head.

“You sure?”

She nodded and she felt him laugh slightly, her body shaking in tandem with his.

“What’s on your mind?”

For a moment, she said nothing. What was there to tell? Did she really have anything that was worth bringing up? She doubted it. But there was that inkling that kept pestering her until she knew she couldn’t hold it in anymore.

Lifting her head off his shoulder, she looked back at him and he blinked curiously in response.

“Anastasia’s pregnant.” She said it bluntly, gauging his reaction. Watching the corners of his mouth forming into a smirk, she continued. “You heard?”

“Of course I have,” he said, his tone dismissive, “we’ve all heard. Jin Hyung won’t shut-up about it.”

This gave her some relief, but she continued.

“Does his family know?”

Taehyung gave her a look, as if he were trying to surmise the meaning behind the question. Raelyn didn’t offer more to the inquiry. She merely waited patiently for his answer.

“I mean, I don’t think so,” he said slowly, lofting a brow, “why?”

Raelyn sat up on the couch, turning her body so she was facing him directly. “Is he gonna tell them?”

Now Taehyung readjusted so he could settle himself into an upright position. “Hold up, Noona, alright? What’s with the twenty questions?”

“Is he gonna tell them or not?”

“I don’t know!” She felt his hands on her shoulders. “What’s going on? What’s really bothering you?”

Raelyn frowned. “I don’t want my friend being treated like some secret mistress, that’s what!”

For a moment, all the two of them could do was stare intently at each other. Neither of them was backing down and Raelyn felt her frown intensify. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she watched Taehyung’s eyes shifting back and forth to look into her own.

There was a chance she probably sounded unreasonable. She knew this. But there was another part of her that felt she had the right to be worried for the future of her friend and for the child growing inside of her. Illegitimate children got a bad rap in South Korea. She’d seen enough of those cases cross her paths while she worked at the hospital. Orphans were often left to fend for themselves because they were abandoned; viewed as a black smear of shame on their seemingly flawless lineage.

With Anastasia being a foreigner, the prejudice was practically doubled. She didn’t want her friend suffering unnecessarily and definitely not for a man. Even if that man was Kim Seokjin.

Realization spread over Taehyung’s face and he let his hands slide down her arms until he was able to grasp her fingers in his palms. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and she couldn’t ignore the sharp pain tightening around her chest area. If things were going to get harder from here on out, she wanted to save her friends as much pain as possible. Even if that meant suffering from a little heartbreak. In time, the heart would heal. But when a child was involved, the difficulties increased without even meaning to.

He pulled her forward; she let him. Raelyn pressed her face into the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent and relishing in the feel of his large arms encasing her into his chest. She’d never admit it out loud, but she felt safe in his embrace. For a moment, a small one, Raelyn could fool herself into believing that things were normal; that she was in a normal relationship and the chaos that threatened to rip her world apart wasn’t real.

Taehyung’s fingers carded through her curls, bringing her even closer and she sighed. He patted her back like a grown-up comforting a child and she smiled a little. She smacked his back gently to playfully show that she didn’t appreciate being coddled. He continued to pat her anyway.

“Look, Noona,” he began, resting his hand against the back of her head, “I’m not going to be fluffy about this, alright?” Taehyung used his other arm to pull Raelyn fully into his lap. She continued to hide her face in his shoulder. “But Jin Hyung is a good guy. Always has been. No matter what anyone says, no matter who tries to fight against him, he’s going to make sure that the people he cares about are taken care of.”

Raelyn lifted herself up so she could look at Taehyung. His half smile was there and she had to resist the urge to pinch his cheek and pull at the skin. He was being a pest – teasing her for being worried at all. Yet she also knew that he was aware of her concerns without having to give them voice. She appreciated that level of understanding, even if she didn’t always express it.

“Ana Noona is important to him. That is their child she is carrying inside of her. I haven’t seen Hyung this happy in years. He’s happy because she is the one willing to bear their child. Trust him, alright?”

Sighing, she pressed a hand to her forehead and nodded. “You’re right. I think I’m just overly sensitive these days. As a nurse, I know the first trimester is the most important during pregnancy. Anything can happen.”

Taehyung leaned in to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth. He rubbed his nose against hers, waggling his brows in a playful fashion. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

“Boy,” she said with a laugh, placing a hand on his face and shoving him out of the way of her breathing room, “if you don’t cut it out.”

He pouted, huffing defiantly before grabbing at the backs of her legs and lifting her with little effort. She squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her bridal style and swung around away from the couch. Her eyes widened as her grip tightened to give herself better support.

“Wait, what are you doing?!”

Taehyung flashed her a devious look before he tilted his head to quickly nip at her nose. “I think I’m going to punish you.”

And before she could protest, he zipped across the living room and into her bedroom. Even before the door closed, Raelyn already knew she was in trouble. Because Kim Taehyung was a petty little shit.

When he promised punishment, she knew that that was what she was going to get.

“…you know—”

“Don’t start.”

“What? I didn’t even say anything yet.”

Eden whirled around in the small kitchenette, pointing her ladle straight at Raelyn.

“You don’t have to. I already know what’s about to come flyin’ out your mouth.”

Raelyn pouted, folding her arms across her chest as she sat cross-legged on the floor. The small round table was already set with three different bowls and sets of utensils. Side dishes were placed around a large, rubber pot rest. Delicious smells wafted from the kitchen as the soybean soup bubbled with life on the small gas range.

“Look,” she attempted again, holding her hands up, “all I’m sayin’ is that—”

“Stop bitchin’ about my place or stop comin’ over,” Eden spat as she turned back to the pot of soup, dipping the ladle inside to stir the contents within, “fuckin’ goddamn.”

“It’s too small and you know it!” Raelyn lifted her chin up, challenging her friend to say otherwise. “I swear, you’d think you’re still poor with how you’re carryin’ on.”

“I am poor.”

Raelyn rolled her eyes. “Says the woman who owns a successful business. Uh-huh. Right.”

“Don’t tell me how to live my life, woman!” her friend yelled, throwing the kitchen towel at her. Raelyn tried not to laugh as she caught it, choosing to hide her face behind it so she couldn’t see the mischief playing out over her features. “Out!”

“But I haven’t eaten.”

“Eat then get out!”

“The food’s not ready yet.”

Eden let out an aggravated noise before resuming her cooking. Raelyn hated to admit it, but she loved teasing her friend. The mixed woman made it so easy. Truth be told, it was less difficult to rile her up now that she was dating Jungkook. The number of smacks she’d received to the shoulder and back when riding her about “being in love” had her sore for at least half a day. But it was all worth it.

“When is that boy getting here anyway?” Raelyn looked around the place, as if she’d missed something. “Shouldn’t he be here already helping you?”

“I told him to go pick up some beer on his way over.”

“Ooo, so domesticated.”

Eden cut her gaze toward Raelyn, eliciting a giggle from the older woman.

“Don’t make me stab you.”

Laughing, she leaned back on her hands and stretched her long legs all the way out across the floor. She lifted her face toward the ceiling, not really minding how small her friend’s place was. But if Jungkook and she were starting to get serious (as it seemed evident), then the small apartment would hardly be enough to handle the two of them.

“He hasn’t asked to move in with you, has he?”

A sudden coughing fit erupted from Eden as she turned to look back at her friend, eyes as wide as saucers. Raelyn shrugged, acting as though she’d asked what the weather was going to be tomorrow.

“What? It’s a simple question.”

“I’d hardly call that question simple, Unnie.”

She canted her head to the side. “Well, has he?”

Eden rolled her eyes and resumed cooking. “No.”

“Has he asked you to move in with him, then?”

Snorting, Eden shook her head but refused to take her eyes off the pot. “What is with you today?”

“…is it because of Yoongi?”

Raelyn hadn’t expected her words to strike a nerve. But they apparently did. Eden’s hand stilled, the ladle slipping from her grasp and rolling along the rim of the pot.

Neither woman said anything. Finally, Eden craned her neck to shoot a glare at her.

“Where the hell did that come from?”

“Well, is it?”

“Unnie, you better drop this.”

“I don’t see why you guys can’t just move on to the next step already. If you’re not hung up on Yoongi and he’s not feeling guilty about it, then what’s stopping the both of you?”

Eden sighed, picking up the ladle again while turning the dial on the stove to lower the burner. “Give it a rest, Raelyn.”

Raelyn eased herself up off the floor, dusting the backs of her jeans off. “You need to stop beating yourself up for something that wasn’t even your fault in the first place.”

“Who says I am?”

“You are, that’s who.”

“Whatever. God, you’re so fucking annoying right now.” Eden moved from the stove to the small rice cooker to stir the rice inside.

“And you’re still hesitating. Stop.” She crossed the small space, her hand reaching out to grasp her friend’s wrist in her own. Slowly, she turned Eden around to face her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Just stop, hm? You’ve already decided what you’re going to do so why are you trying to backpedal in your head?”

“I’m not backpedaling.” Eden frowned. “I’m thinking.”

“Then stop thinking and just do what you want. Don’t you think that’s what you deserve? What you both deserve?” Raelyn smiled as her friend gave her a confused look. “It’s not fair to either of you to linger on something that shouldn’t matter. Your feelings come first.”

The door rattled as keys slid into the lock and Raelyn shuffled away from her friend, leaving her presumably bewildered. Raelyn greeted Jungkook as he entered, relieving him of the case of beer in his arms despite his protests. She urged him to get comfortable, giving Eden a knowing wink.

Trust was important. Faith was necessary.

No longer living to wait on the whims of others? Well, that was the most important piece of the puzzle known as “life”. Raelyn knew that now. She wouldn’t let her doubt eat away at her anymore. If a choice needed to be made, then she’d already made it.

She would fight, even if that meant fighting her own self-doubt.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,480

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

Chapter 45: 21st Century Girl

“Whatever other people say, whatever this world tells you, you’re the best to me just the way you are.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

“Isn’t it early where you are?”

“No, it’s only nine.”

“You look tired though.”

“A lot’s been going on with my new job.”

“I’ll admit, I was a little worried when you said you were quitting your other job. Is that even allowed with the visa you currently have?”

“It’s fine. I applied for another visa through my new company.”

Anastasia sighed, attempting a smile for Jacob. The Skype call had only been going on for about twenty minutes, but it felt like they were talking for hours. She tried to check in about once a week, but with all the hustle and bustle with the company and the ever-blossoming relationship she was in with Seokjin, it was hard to maintain contact in the way she would have liked. Add on the extreme time zone difference and that was how things wound up.

“Is it harder than working for your old job?”

“No,” she said while shaking her head, “it’s about the same workload. I have more responsibilities because I technically got promoted when they hired me.”

Jacob nodded, brushing some of his hair out of his eyes. It was getting a little longer than she was used to. He would have cut it by now, but he seemed set on trying out a new image.

She watched him take a drink of water. “Are you happy, Ana?”

Blinking, she wasn’t quite sure what to make of his question. Had she given any indication that she wasn’t happy? She hoped not. She didn’t want him worrying unnecessarily.

Again, she smiled. “Yeah Jake, I’m happy.”

Anastasia watched her brother’s eyes furrow from the computer screen. She knew it wasn’t because he didn’t believe her. He just worried a lot and tended to fuss over her unnecessarily. It was the role Jacob chose to play since he was the second-born. They were only two years apart, but they were thick as thieves and she appreciated how close they were despite her being the oldest of her three siblings. Their baby brother, Phillip, was still just starting college while Elena just graduated from her university. Their parents were still harping on about practicality when it came to their futures, something that both Anastasia and Jacob despised. They should have all been allowed to choose the paths they wanted to live, regardless of the outcomes.

“Well,” he finally said, shrugging one shoulder, “as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

Relief washed over her and she sank back in her chair a little more, cradling the mug of green tea in her hands. Her hand slid from the handle to press a palm to her stomach, a warmer smile touching her features. She must have looked a little silly because the sound Jacob clearing his throat loudly startled her from her thoughts. When she peered back at the screen, his face was a little closer, as if he was leaning forward to look directly into her eyes.

“So, are you finally dating someone now?”

She coughed loudly, sitting up and quickly setting her mug down on the desk by her keyboard. “W-What?” Anastasia attempted to wrangle the words that were escaping her. “What’s with the interrogation anyway?”

Again, Jacob shrugged. “I know you dated that one guy, but that’s it.” He leaned back in his chair, lounging lazily. “Just figured you were seeing someone new.”

She felt her cheeks grow warm, her hands fidgeting until Anastasia started twirling a few locks between her fingers. It was a nervous tick that she hadn’t been able to break and there was no sign of it stopping anytime soon. She’d be an old woman pulling at her thinning gray strands until they put her in the ground.

Jacob laughed, realizing he’d caught her in his cleverly laid trap. If he was within arms-reach, she would have shaken him like a rag doll. “Your face gives away everything. It’s why you suck at poker.”

“Shut-up,” she muttered.

Another window suddenly popped up, notifying her that she had another call. She stared at the screen as Seokjin’s name and picture appeared in the window. Her eyes lowered to the corner of the monitor, spying the time, and she wondered why he was calling. He’d given her the rest of the week off so she could adjust to all the hormonal imbalances that came with her pregnancy. Talking with her brother was part of the whole routine check-up bit, but she really wanted to talk to him about her being with child.

“Hold on, Jake. I have another call.”

“Sure.”

She put her brother on hold, answering Seokjin’s call. When his face popped up on the screen, Anastasia could only stare at how uncomfortably close his face was to the camera. Neither of them said anything. She was too startled to speak and he apparently was trying to read something about her. He did this often when he was trying to catch her in some kind of lie or if she was secretly up to something.

“Seokjin,” she finally said, blinking, “what are you doing?” Anastasia looked over his shoulder to see if he was in his office. “Shouldn’t you be, oh I dunno, working or something?”

“Why are you on the computer?” he asked suddenly. “I gave you the rest of the week off to rest. Not so you could stare at a monitor.”

Anastasia sighed. “I’m talking to my brother. Why?”

“You can’t talk on the phone?”

“Phone calls are expensive. Skype is free.”

He gave her a dissatisfied look. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’m serious! Why are you calling me on Skype if you’re worried about me being in front of a monitor?”

“Because you won’t answer your phone!”

“My phone’s dead and I’m charging it!” Anastasia puffed out one of her cheeks. “Geez, you’re impossible.”

He frowned, brushing some of his hair out of his eyes before leaning back in his chair. “…are you hungry?”

“Am I hung—what?” She looked back at the clock to make sure of the time. “It’s still early!”

“You should at least eat breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Anastasia rolled her eyes. “Shouldn’t you be working? Go back to work!”

Without waiting for his response, she hung up the call and went back to the window her brother was on. Jacob was busying himself with scribbling some notes on a notepad.

“Sorry about that.”

He looked up at the screen, setting his pen down. “Who was that?”

“A potential headache.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Just a headache.”

Jacob smirked. “Yeah? Sounds like a boyfriend to me.”

“Jacob Martin!”

He laughed loudly, holding a hand up as he patted the air. “Okay, okay. I get it. Dropping it now.”

Anastasia smiled as she sighed, realizing how much she missed her brother being around. He mentioned coming to visit from time to time, but between working and trying to find his place in the world, she knew that it was almost impossible. Air fare wasn’t cheap and while she could afford to fly him out if he wanted, there was the internal worry about him judging her ties with former gangsters. Their home life wasn’t peaches and cream, but it was far from unsavory. What family was perfect?

Even so, she still wondered what her brother would think of her if she told him she was having a child out of wedlock.

Once the heavy topic of her work environment was no longer the focus, the two of them were able to engage in lighter conversation. Again, Jacob mentioned coming to visit her in South Korea, mostly because he wanted to see the country she’d called home for the last three and a half years. The place was full of beauty and splendor. There were many things about the land that helped heal her from the horrible fall she’d had over her broken dreams. While she may not have been a chef and restaurant owner like she wanted, her current occupation brought her to this place.

The path she walked led her to Seokjin, the man she loved.

Half an hour passed and she realized that it was getting late. She worried that she was keeping Jacob up longer than normal.

“You should probably get some rest,” she said, noting the tired look in Jacob’s eyes, “you have the overnight shift this week, don’t you?”

Jacob stifled a yawn. “Yeah, but it’s fine. I need to make sure that Phillip did his homework.”

“Let Elena worry about that.”

He nodded, waving a hand back and forth to her. Anastasia wished to ruffle his hair like she often did when they were teenagers. A painful wave of nostalgia overtook her and she did her best not to cry, cursing herself for all the pregnancy hormones throwing her out of whack. Jacob didn’t seem to notice as he finished off his bottle of water.

“Mm, alright. I guess I’ll try to get some sleep. G’night, ‘Stasia.”

Anastasia rubbed at her eyes to keep the tears from falling. “Goodnight, Jake.”

The blip noise sounded after the call ended and Anastasia was left with only silence. She curled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs as she buried her face into her knees. A weak sob was all she could muster, mourning the lack of family around her to tell her that everything was going to be okay. That her worries would be for nothing and that she would be happy. That she deserved to be happy, despite all of her failures.

For a moment, all she could do was sob quietly to herself. There were so many missed opportunities to empty her soul to her brother. He would have understood and encouraged her. Jacob would have told her that she was strong, that she was one of the strongest people he knew, and that this little bump in the road was just one pothole on the way to glory. Their parents would have told her she was shameful for carrying another man’s child when she hadn’t even so much as been introduced to his family. That it was a disgrace to have a child as an unmarried woman. People did it all the time, but not her family. Not the D’Angelo’s.

Anastasia didn’t know how long she was curled up in her chair. She was pretty sure that she’d drifted off at some point. Her limbs ached from scrunching herself up into a ball and they protested as she tried to straighten herself out. A hand rubbed at her stomach while the other wiped the moisture from her cheeks.

“I’m sorry, Baby,” she whispered, rubbing circles over her belly, “I didn’t mean to cramp you up like that.”

She stretched her legs out, then her arms, before standing. Grabbing the mug, she made her way downstairs. She’d barely made it into the kitchen before the front door burst open and in walked Seokjin, looking flustered and haggard. The mug slipped from her hands and fell into the sink with a loud clatter as she spun around the moment he stalked into the kitchen.

“W-What are you doing?!” Anastasia managed to stammer out, taking a step back as Seokjin quickly closed the distance between them. “You’re supposed to be at work!”

“You hung up on me!”

“That’s because you were acting crazy!”

Anastasia peered around him, hoping that Jimin had the wherewithal to at least follow so she could drag Seokjin back to the office. She frowned, ducking under his arm and bolting from into the living room. He was practically on her heels.

This was insane!

Stopping short, she whirled on her heels and Seokjin had to raise himself up onto the balls of his feet to keep from crashing into her. She stuck her hand out.

“Phone. Now.”

He blinked down at her. “What? No!”

“Gimme the phone, Seokjin!”

His eyes narrowed, issuing his silent refusal. Anastasia didn’t care as she took a step forward, her hands lunging out to reach into the inner pocket of his suit jacket. He wasn’t fast enough to move out of the way and her fingers quickly found the item. When he tried to snatch it back from her, she twirled so that her back was facing him.

Her thumb slid over the dots to form the pattern needed to unlock his phone and she immediately dialed Jimin. As the phone rang, Seokjin tried to take the phone back but Anastasia was already half running, half jumping up the stairs toward the loft. Jimin answered before the second ring could finish.

“Hyung! Where did you go?!”

“Jimin-ah, you tell your boss to take his ass back to work!”

“A-Ana Noona? What are you—?”

“Do you hear me?” Her feet landed on the top step and she turned around to stick her foot out, her heel planting itself against Seokjin’s chest to keep him from moving any closer to her. “He has fivemeetings today and one of them is in twenty minutes. How could you let him leave the office in the first place?!”

“I’m sorry, Noona. I tried! But Seokjin Hyung hit me. He hit me in the chest and I was horrified!”

She shot him a glare. “He did what now?”

“He’s never hit me. I didn’t know what to do! I was caught off guard! I’m sorry. I’ll come over right now.”

Anastasia hung up the phone and tossed it back to Seokjin. She then pointed downstairs. “Out.”

He pouted. “Anastasia, come on…”

“Go back to work!” Her eyes narrowed. “If I end up having to take you backto the office, I’m going to work and I’m gonna make every second of your life a living hell while I’m there. Do you understand me?”

Seokjin gave her the once over, as if trying to surmise if she really would do it. He knew better. At least she hoped he knew better. She was as stubborn as a mule and if he thought, for even one second, that she was playing around, then he’d rue the day he ever hired her. She wasn’t going to back down from this and an angry pregnant woman was not a variable that Kim Seokjin would be in a hurry to deal with.

After a moment, he sighed and leaned against the wall. “…alright, you win.” He held his hands up, turning to head downstairs. “I’ll go.”

She stayed upstairs, waiting to hear him put on his shoes and open the door. When she didn’t hear it close, however, Anastasia smiled and shook her head. “I’ll see you tonight,” she called down to him, “have a good day.”

“…love you.”

Her cheeks flushed slightly and she walked down a few steps so she could see his pitiful face.

She laughed.

“I love you too.”

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,314

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

Chapter 46: Euphoria

“You’re the sun that rose again in my life; a reincarnation of my childhood dreams.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Jungkook groaned softly, his brows furrowing as a beam of sunlight sliced across the backs of his eyelids. A hand immediately went up to shield his face, frowning upon being roused from the deep sleep he was enjoying. When he shifted, he felt a weight on his arm and quickly froze. Craning his neck slightly, he lifted himself up a measure to see a curtain of dark curls draped against light brown skin. Jungkook gave a sleepy smile, his hand reaching out to brush Eden’s hair from her neck. She moved away from him only a little, a child-like moan of protest issuing from her and he watched the sleeve of her sweatshirt slip away to expose her bare shoulder.

Taking a moment to card his fingers through her hair, Jungkook leaned forward and pressed his nose into the juncture of her neck – inhaling her scent slowly. His lips were feather soft against her skin, his hand moving from her hair to smooth over the curve of her shoulder.

He would never get tired of this; of her.

These moments were his favorite. Jungkook felt like it was a journey around the world to finally breach her barriers, but Eden wasn’t exactly a vulnerable human being. She’d been hurt so much in her past that trusting others was difficult. She’d said as much. Hurt by people she opened her heart to; hurt by people she trusted to show her more delicate side.

Her stubbornness only urged Jungkook to pursue her relentlessly. He knew what it was like to feel alone in the way that she did. He understood her need to reach out and then pull back at the last second, doubting what she saw in front of her.

Even he felt the same despite the brotherhood he’d developed with his childhood friends.

Readjusting the arm she was laying on, he slid his hand beneath the sweatshirt so his fingers could slide past the underside of her breasts. Reaching over her waist, he pressed his large palm over the flat of her bare stomach and her abs tightened from the chill of his rings contacting her skin. Eden stirred in his arms and he watched the goosebumps form on the back of her neck – his hand gliding between her legs. Dipping beneath the fabric of her panties, he let his long fingers take pleasure in the warmth of her folds.

His lips caressed the curve of her jaw and he could feel his erection pressing into the small of her back. Jungkook wanted her; wanted this forever. He wanted to show her that it was okay to fall into a river of passion without the risk of drowning in it.

He’d never let her get swallowed up alone.

“Jungkook,” she mumbled, “what are you doing?”

Her voice was thick with sleep. It was deep and raspy, and it made Jungkook want her even more.

Eden turned in his arms, forcing his hands to cease their movements much to his disappointment. The bleary look of sleepiness on her face, however, only made him smile instead of pout. She rubbed at the backs of her eyes with the heels of her palms and he pulled her closer against him. A hand slid down her long, bare leg and he hiked it up to rest her thigh on his hip.

He leaned in closer as she finished rubbing at her eyes, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. “Good morning,” he greeted, and he chuckled when she opened one eye to look at him. “Sleep well?”

She tried to turn away from him, presumably to go back to sleep, but he held onto her leg tightly – making it impossible for her to flop onto her other side. Eden tried to pull away a few more times before finally giving up. Expecting a glare, however, he was surprised to feel her lunging her body forward to slam her chest against his. A grunt pushed from his lungs in response and he could only stare wide-eyed at the wall as she nuzzled her face into his chest.

He tried to wrangle his emotions, mentally kicking himself for still acting like a child with a schoolboy crush as his heart thrummed heavily against his ribs. She seemed to pick up on this immediately, feeling her smiling against his skin.

“Don’t you laugh,” he said, his eyes meeting hers as she peeked up to look at him.

He saw her grin widen. “Or what?”

“You’re going to get a spanking.”

She laughed outright. “Promises, promises!” she replied, her hands snaking up along his sides and it was too late before he realized what she was getting ready to do.

Jungkook let out a sound that was a cross between a squeak and a yell. He felt her fingers dipping into his hips before they scurried over his ribs and at the tender spots just below his armpits. Flopping around like a fish to escape her, he crashed onto her apartment floor tangled in blankets and sheets. When he finally managed to free himself, he saw Eden dashing out of the small bedroom and into the bathroom.

Letting out a groan, he buried his face into the mattress – resigning himself to being on breakfast assignment the minute he heard Eden turning on the shower.

It didn’t take him long to get dressed into a pair of comfy sweatpants and a grey hoodie. Not caring that his fringe poked out from beneath the hood, he sprinted down the long street until he was able to reach the convenience store a block away. He bought two small cartons of milk – one chocolate and one strawberry – some Danishes and two sausages on a stick. He quickly paid for the items and dashed out of the store – the plastic bag rattling at his side as he opted to walk back instead of running.

Patting one of his pockets, he scratched at the side of his nose impishly. Jungkook was glad that Eden decided to take the day off to rest. Taehyung agreed to handle things at the recording studio for the time being and there hadn’t been any real reason for him to help his other brothers with their affairs. Though originally she opted to take more time off from work so she could support Anastasia (who was, for all intents and purposes, carrying his niece and/or nephew), Jungkook wasn’t about to let such an opportunity pass him by.

Jungkook reached the stairs to the rooftop apartment and climbed them slowly. When he made it to the top, the image he saw was completely unexpected. He had to rub his own eyes to make sure he was seeing correctly.

Eden was outside, pulling laundry off the lines. One set of sheets threatened to blow away from the sudden gust of wind and she chased after it – laughing at the potential crisis that was about to happen. She managed to catch the bedding just before it flew off the roof, her body leaning over the edge. Jungkook almost moved after her, but when he saw her body spinning around and away from the ledge, he stopped and continued to look on as she let the sheets fly behind her. Music played from her phone on the ground nearby and she seemed oblivious to his presence.

He remembered reading about nymphs in a Greek mythology book once when he was younger. He didn’t particularly believe in the supernatural, but he believed that there were people beyond human understanding. Whether they were humans or something otherworldly was undeterminable, but in that moment, he swore that Eden wasn’t of this world. The way her hair flew behind her as she ran around with the sheet, laughing so freely, he believed that she was a mythical nymph.

Jungkook dropped the bag and this seemed to knock Eden out of the trance she’d placed herself in. Her bare feet came to a halt and the sheet fluttered against her back – gathering in a strange bundle at her heels. She blinked, brushing some of her wet curls behind her ears.

“Oh, Jungkook-ah,” she said, wrapping the sheet around her shoulders, “you’re back.”

He said nothing. He could only look on as he took a step toward her.

“Where’d you go?”

Again, he couldn’t say anything. Even if he wanted to, the words just kept running away from him; tumbling from his brain. All he did was take another step forward.

And another.

And another.

And another.

The distance between them was short, but it felt like it took him half a lifetime to get to her. When he did, all he could do was gaze down at her confused face. She blinked up at him and he reached out to tuck more of her hair behind both of her ears.

Neither of them said anything. He just continued to hold her face in his hands, a warm feeling spreading throughout his chest and reaching up to wrap around his throat. She must have seen something in his gaze because she placed a hand on the back of his – stirring him out of the hypnosis she’d unknowingly put him under.

“Hey,” she called to him softly, “are you okay?”

Jungkook shook his head. “No,” he said gently, “not yet.”

Before she could ask anything further, he took a step back and then slowly lowered himself down onto one knee. He reached into his pocket, fishing out the item that he’d been carrying with him for the better part of a month. The velvet blue box was revealed and Eden dropped the sheet to the ground completely. Her eyes widened, tears instantly filling them the moment he opened the box to show the white gold band with the soft blue gemstone situated on the gem mounting.

“Ya,” Eden managed to choke out as she covered her mouth, “w-what are you doing?”

When she took a step back, Jungkook’s arm moved with lightning speed and he caught her wrist – halting any and all escape attempts. When he felt her resisting him, his thumb dug into her skin to secure the hold he had on her.

“Noona,” he called to her, his mouth suddenly feeling dry, “please…”

He hadn’t meant to sound so pathetic. But the words felt like sand on the tip of his tongue and he wasn’t sure if he had the strength to repeat what he was about to say. Eden’s cheeks were streaked with tears, but her body seemed to relax a little more. Taking comfort in this, Jungkook’s fingers slid from her wrist to hold onto her hand.

“I wish I had the right words to tell you how I feel.” Jungkook could barely hear his own words, muffled under the sound of how loud his heart was thundering in his ears. “But the only thing I’m confident enough to say is that I love you. I love you sogoddamn much.”

Jungkook curled his fingers into her palm, pulling her toward him a half step. The sheet was abandoned as her bare feet shuffled forward. He watched her wiping at her cheeks with her free hand, silently waiting for him to continue.

“I know I probably don’t deserve the moments you give me, but I’m thankful that you do. I’m grateful that you decided to give me a chance. To give us a chance.”

He pulled her arm forward so that he could press his forehead against the back of her hand.

“It’s going to take some time, I know, but…” Lifting his face to look at her, he gave her a weak smile. “…will you also give me the chance to occupy every inch of your heart? Will you let me stay there forever once I do?”

Eden’s facial expression didn’t change. He saw the tears continuing to fall despite her efforts to clean her face with her free hand. He felt a heavy weight on his chest and was sure he’d pass out from the pressure building there.

“Eden McGee…” Jungkook held the box up a little higher. “…will you marry me?”

Everything was silent except for the breeze that blew through the skies, causing the laundry to flutter on the line.

Then he heard it. A half sob, half laugh. Jungkook blinked and saw the most unguarded look on Eden’s face he’d ever seen. When she wiped her nose with the back of her wrist, she nodded and laughed again. Jungkook let go of her hand long enough to pluck the ring from the soft silk bedding inside the box and slip it onto the appropriate finger. He figured she would take a moment to admire it, but the moment his hand left the ring, Eden threw herself into his arms and hugged him.

Jungkook wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting both her and him up off the ground. He spun around and peppered her face and neck with kisses. Again, she laughed, wrapping her legs around his waist.

This was the beginning of the rest of their lives.

Together.

Jungkook fiddled nervously with his vest, straightening the garment for the dozenth time while Jimin watched from a corner of the room, biting back a smile. He glanced over at him and sighed, shaking his head. “Is it normal to be this nervous? I love her. I want to marry her.” He stared back at his reflection in the mirror. “So why am I so nervous?”

Jimin pushed himself off the wall and approached Jungkook, grabbing his shirt collar and straightening it out, smoothing down the corners with gentle fingers. “Because you love her. Because it’s a big step.” Jungkook frowned a little, which caused his brother to smirk. “There’s a million reasons why you’re allowed to be nervous, so stop being nervous about being nervous,” he said, patting his cheek. “You love her. She loves you. It’s that simple.”

Jungkook couldn’t help the shaky sigh that managed to escape him. Jimin was right and he knew that. Sometimes it was better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. Jungkook rarely followed such a principle, but today was the day he would. He had to.

Two weeks had passed since Eden accepted his proposal. Once emotions were finally settled, they had a lengthy discussion and both agreed that it was probably in the best interest of everyone to marry in secret. With Anastasia pregnant, Raelyn busy with her hospital work, and the rest of Jungkook’s own friends focusing on staying off the Jade Fangs’ radar, it was better to just have a small ceremony between the two of them.

They still needed a witness; someone they trusted implicitly.

Jimin didn’t fuss or fight against any of it when Jungkook brought it up to him a week ago. In fact, it surprised him how readily he was willing to accept the role. Jimin reassured Jungkook that he just needed to focus on getting ready and planning the best honeymoon he could for his future bride. It wasn’t the most extravagant place, but it was important to him and Jimin agreed that Eden would appreciate it more than some trip to a resort on a remote beach somewhere.

Jungkook grabbed Jimin’s hands and gave them a squeeze before stepping back, looking at his brother – the one who was constantly giving him words of wisdom while fussing over him at the same time. “Is it really, though?” he asked, almost pointedly.

He watched Jimin raise an eyebrow at him, daring him to say anything further. When he didn’t, he patted his cheek again with a wry grin. “You have nothing to worry about, Jungkook-ah. It really is that simple for you. Eden loves you. She wants to marry you. So go out there and get married. You’ve both done so much with your lives and you have so much more left to do.”

What he said made sense, of course. He loved Eden more than he’d ever thought possible. He’d never met another woman who stirred the same kind of emotions in him than she had. Jungkook knew that he probably never would; not in this lifetime, anyway.

He gave his brother one long look before relaxing, the corners of his lips twitching into a smile. “You’re right. Just…I want you to be happy, too, y’know?”

“I am happy.” Jungkook winced when Jimin flicked his forehead and he rubbed at the sore spot. “Now, stop being so twitchy. Relax. Put a smile on that ridiculously handsome face of yours and go out there so you can greet your lady and, you know, marry her.”

He laughed and ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “Well, do I look good, at least? Come on, Hyung, you’ve got to help me out, here.” He gestured at himself, indicating the suit he’d chosen to wear.

The soft gray and black pinstripe suit stood out against the taupe stained walls of the chapel waiting room, bringing out the darker tones of his eyes. He’d thought it was appropriate. Black seemed too somber a color, and he was ready to start a new chapter of his life - one with his soon-to-be-wife - with energy and positivity.

Jimin snorted softly and reached up to ruffle his hair, though he smoothed it back down after. “You look fine, Jungkook. Handsome and happy. You’re lucky to have each other. Now, let’s go get you out there. We don’t wanna keep her waiting. She just might change her mind and run off.”

They left the room chuckling together, Jimin following slightly behind him, as if he were herding Jungkook along. And he may very well have been. Jungkook's nervousness aside, he knew he wanted to see Eden more than anything. And though none of them were terribly superstitious, Jimin managed to convince him not to try and see his future wife before she was walking down the aisle.

Jungkook tried not to start fidgeting again, Jimin silent and reassuring at his side as the priest stood at the front of the chapel hall. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves as his white gloved hands wrung against each other. Jimin placed a hand on his shoulder, causing what nerves remained to drain out of him. He met his brother’s gaze and smiled, the two of them turning as the door to the chapel opened.

A few scant moments later, he saw her. Eden. She stepped out, into the light, and his breath caught in his throat as he looked at her, unable to see anywhere else. She was beyond beautiful. Of course, he already knew that. But in the soft light reflecting off tan walls and pooling through stained glass windows, her simple off-white dress that stopped at her knees seemed to radiate light. Jungkook couldn’t hear the music of the pianist; he didn’t see the priest or his brother.

Nothing and no one existed except her.

The ceremony itself was a blur, both too fast and too slow. He didn’t even really register what was said, or by whom. Rings were exchanged - again - their shining surfaces and dark patina a testament to their age. Jungkook had the rings engraved with the date of their wedding.

The vows were said, rings on each other’s hands, and he was kissing her, their lips finding each other. He would have stayed like that for much longer, but someone cleared their throat, a reminder that it could wait for later. They separated and he looked down at Eden, his dark eyes swirling with desire and pure happiness.

They were married. She was his wife. From now until the end of their lives, and beyond. From this moment onward, they were a true team; partners in every sense.

Ride or die.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,441

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

Chapter 47: DNA

“We’re completely different baby. Because we’ve found our destiny.“

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Seoul – Cheongdam; Gangnam District South Korea

There were few expectations that Kim Taehyung had in life. He expected to wake up, have breakfast (and by breakfast, he had every intention of making love to his woman), shower, eat actual breakfast, and then continue with his day. His work was always different; working with artists of various talents. It didn’t have to be in the music industry. Taehyung found promising artists of all forms of medium in his line of work. Some nights he worked late. Some nights he came home early.

These were all normal expectations.

What he didn’t expect was to come home to a lovely ceramic plate flying at his head.

Instincts took over rationale and he quickly dodged, the plate shattering into half a dozen pieces against the wall. When he looked up, he saw Raelyn preparing to aim two coffee mugs at him from the kitchen. She lunged one at him and he dipped around the corner as it smashed into the wall.

“W-Whoa!” he yelled, peeking around the corner, “Raelyn, what the hell?!”

She said nothing. Raelyn chose to chuck the other mug in her hand instead of answering him. Taehyung ducked behind the wall again. He hurried out of his shoes and shrugged his coat off his shoulders, letting it land on the floor. Taehyung raced into the kitchen just as Raelyn began reaching for the carving board; presumably to beat him with. She yelled at him, a host of incoherent sounds tumbling from her, and he wrenched the heavy board from her hands and tossed it onto the counter.

He ignored her banging on his chest and only winced when she grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled. Taehyung did his best to put a lid on his mounting anger and, instead, chose to focus on the fury painted over his girlfriend’s face. He reached out to grab her wrists, holding them firmly between them and forcing her to finally look at him.

“Raelyn!” he yelled again, his voice booming off the walls and causing her to be still for even half a second, “What’s the matter? Tell me what the fuck is happening!”

But she didn’t say anything. All he saw was the onset of tears brimming her eyes until they, too, spilled down her cheeks. He searched her gaze, looking for a clue that would tell him anything about what forced her to go into a frenzy. He watched her fingers curling into fists as he held her wrists securely in his grasp, her chest rising and falling with how heavy she was breathing. He was so confused.

Until his eyes rested on the counter and he saw a pregnancy test. There were two faded blue lines on the applicator. His grip suddenly slackened and his arms fell at his side. Raelyn didn’t resume her punching assault. She covered her eyes instead, sobbing into her hands. It only took a moment for him to realize what was happening before his vision went vertical for half a second. Shaking his head, he tried to get his head right as it attempted to swim.

“H-How long?”

He grunted when he felt Raelyn punching his shoulder. “I don’t know! A month! Maybe longer!” She angrily wiped at the tears on her face. “I won’t know until I get an ultrasound done.”

Taehyung rubbed at his shoulder absentmindedly, stopped, and then smiled widely. He saw Raelyn aiming to hit him again, but he shifted and grabbed her by the hand. “Then let’s get one done.”

“Are you crazy?!”

It was hard to keep his smile from growing, but he tried. The flustered look on Raelyn’s face, however, had him dissolving into a small giggling fit. She tried to break out of his hold, successfully freeing one hand. She immediately used it to punch him repeatedly on the shoulder. This only forced him to laugh even harder and he began holding his sides.

“You think this is funny?! HUH?!”

Before Raelyn could assault him again, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up. She kicked her legs back and forth, wriggling in his hold, but he only buried his face into the juncture of her neck. He continued to laugh until he felt tears leaking out of his eyes. He hadn’t meant for her to see it, but she must have felt it because she slowly went limp in his arms. Her hands settled on his shoulders as he held her aloft, her feet dangling off the ground and resting along his shins.

“T-Taehyung-ah,” she said gently, moving her hand to curl at the side of his neck, “are you alright?”

He didn’t want to let her go. Not yet. He continued to keep her close to him, her body still in the air and pressed against his chest. His laughter died off and he wrapped his arms even tighter around her waist. She didn’t protest or fight him, instead choosing to card her fingers through his hair until her digits were pressed against the nape of his neck.

Taehyung nodded his head, setting Raelyn down slowly until he felt her feet resting on the floor. He pulled back and she looked up at him, brows knitting together in concern. His smile remained, a little softer, and he let his hands trail down until he could curl his fingers into her palms. Small tears spilled out of the corners of his eyes and he gave a half laugh, using his shoulders to swipe away the moisture on his cheeks.

“I’m better than alright, Noona.” He pulled her a little closer. “I’m so happy.”

Raelyn looked unsure. “You are?”

He gave an emphatic nod. “Yeah, I am.”

This seemed to almost stun her, but she didn’t say anything. Not immediately. He could sense her reticence. He knew there wasn’t anything he could do to chase that little bit of doubt away, so he simply waited. He waited for her to process things the way she often did – usually a handful of minutes of cogwheels turning in her mind.

Finally, she sighed as he saw her shoulders sag a measure. “But why?”

He knew this was coming. He was ready for it. Taehyung always knew he’d be ready if the conversation ever led to this topic. He just never expected it to happen so quickly.

“Because,” he began, taking a breath, “I’ve always wanted to be a dad.”

Again, Raelyn said nothing. She just waited for him to continue, knowing he would.

“I’ll admit it, I was jealous of Jin Hyung a little when he told us that Ana Noona was pregnant. Maybe there was a part of me that selfishly wished you were pregnant too.” A measure of guilt wormed around in his heart and he let go of Raelyn’s hand to rub at the tender spot in the center of his chest. “I know that it isn’t just about me, though. It wasn’t on purpose. I know we were both careful and I—”

Raelyn shook her head. “No, these things just happen sometimes. Use all the protection in the world, but that isn’t a hundred percent preventative. There are instances where it can just…happen.”

He smirked. Hearing her logicalize the situation made his girlfriend even more endearing. Bringing rationale into the relationship was her way of processing and analyzing things. Raelyn was hardly what anyone would consider an impulsive individual. In an unexpected situation, she was doing her best to keep a level-head once the initial fallout of emotions was finished.

Leaning forward, he peered into her face and she, in turn, leaned back so he couldn’t completely crowd her space. “You still mad at me?”

He could see her struggling not to smile, her eyes averting his gaze to keep her expression as flat as possible. “…maybe.”

“You sure?”

“No.”

“Can we go get an ultrasound now, hm?” Swaying their arms back and forth, he pushed out a small whine. “I wanna know if we’re gonna be parents or not.”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” Raelyn said, slipping her hands from his so she could head to the coat closet in the living room, “get your jacket. It’s cold.”

Taehyung scampered behind her, letting her arms shrug into the coat. He made sure she was fully zipped up, holding her hand as she put on her shoes. It took him no time to throw on his padded coat and hop into his boots. He had to keep himself from all but dragging her out of the complex, half tempted to carry her all the way to the hospital.

He was anxious to know if he was already building something with his own two hands.

Seoul – Hannam; Yongsan District South Korea

“What did you just say?”

Taehyung kicked his legs back and forth at the island in the kitchen, cradling the glass of wine in his hands. Yoongi screwed the top to the whiskey bottle closed, setting it on the counter. He seemed to be scrutinizing over what Taehyung just told him, leaning back on the counter and crossing one foot over his ankle.

Instead of answering, however, Taehyung grinned and took a sip of wine. Yoongi’s brows twitched in frustration, not known for being the most patient of people in their inner circle. He wouldn’t be able to get away with keeping his mouth shut for much longer.

“Where’s Jungkook?”

Taehyung decided to change the subject instead.

Yoongi snorted, not blind to his little avoidance method. “Hwaseong,” he replied easily, lifting the glass to his lips.

“Huh?” Taehyung blinked. “Why did he go back to Hwaseong?”

“He and Eden are on a trip there,” replied Yoongi, crossing the kitchen to sit in the chair across from him, “said something about wanting to show her our hometown.”

“What? Really?” Taehyung laughed while leaning back a bit. “Our maknae is so sentimental. Never expected him to take his girlfriend to our country town.”

Yoongi didn’t say anything. Taehyung saw his older brother’s expression shift, but barely. He’d heard from Jimin that Yoongi and Eden were together once. For years. Yoongi kept it a secret from all of them for an indeterminable amount of time and while Taehyung was never one to pry into the affairs of others, he had to admit that he was a little shocked to discover the person he often left them for was Eden McGee.

Will wonders never cease? he thought, watching Yoongi’s movements carefully. And now he’s forced to watch the woman he cared for engage in an intimate relationship with his youngest brother…

Setting the glass down on the marble counter with a whisper, Yoongi took a breath and looked at his watch. Something seemed to pass over his brother’s expression, something that anyone who didn’t know Min Yoongi would have missed. It was something that Taehyung would have missed had he not been paying attention.

He blinked at Yoongi from across the table, the older man refusing to meet his gaze.

…he still cares about her.

“When are you going to tell Hoseok about Raelyn?”

Yoongi’s words smashed through his thoughts, like a rock crashing through a window. For a moment, Taehyung felt his heart jump into his throat – getting stuck there. He tried to swallow down the uncomfortable feeling, internally praying that Yoongi dropped the subject. The truth of the matter was that Taehyung wasn’t sure when – or even how– he was going to bring it up to Hoseok in the first place. It wasn’t like it was light dinner conversation material.

Hoseok was level-headed. While Taehyung knew that his brother had already accepted his relationship with Raelyn, there was no telling how he would react upon hearing the news of her pregnancy. It wasn’t like it was with Anastasia. There was a good chance that Hoseok would simply take it in stride. On the other hand, he could explode.

Like a time bomb.

Clearing his throat, Taehyung drained his wine glass and set it down roughly on the counter. “Do I have to?”

He resisted the involuntary need to flinch when Yoongi’s dark eyes glared openly across at him. “…are you serious?”

“Yes, I am.” Taehyung said it out loud to convince himself.

Yoongi steepled his fingers together. “Don’t you think it’s a little irresponsible not to?”

“No,” he said a little more confidently, “it would be irresponsible to tell him when I don’t have my shit together. I want to tell him as a brother who is proud of the news, not some kid wanting his parents to fix his mistakes.”

For a while, all Yoongi did was stare back at him intently. The weight of his gaze made Taehyung’s breath shorten a measure, but he refused to have his resolve shake. He knew that Yoongi was the most practical of them all, willing to chop away any hindrances to their existences without hesitation. In a way, he could be even more ruthless than Hoseok.

Finally, he shrugged and stood from his chair. “It’s your choice,” Yoongi said while turning to head to the sink, “just make sure you don’t wait until it’s too late.”

Taehyung frowned. “What do you mean?”

He heard Yoongi scoff. “Don’t play dumb, Taehyung-ah.” He turned to glance over his shoulder at him. “You know things are going to get messy once the Jade Fangs decide to make their move.”

“Let them,” he said, standing from his chair, “it’s not like we aren’t ready for the fight.”

“Things are different now. Very different.” Yoongi crossed the room so he could stand beside Taehyung. “We’re not gangsters anymore. We don’t have power anymore. It’s going to get ugly and it’s because everyone has something to lose now.”

Taehyung felt a cold sweat touch the base of his neck as Yoongi gave him the once over.

“…some of us more than others.”

He jumped when he felt Yoongi’s hand patting his shoulder. The smile on his brother’s face was a mixture between bitter and sad. Yoongi sighed, turning away from him to leave the kitchen.

“Congratulations, Taehyung-ah.”

Taehyung sank back into the chair, as if the wind had been knocked straight from him. Part of him was happy to hear his brother acknowledge the small measure of joy he’d received in his life. The other part was fully aware of the warning Yoongi shared with him. They had more to lose now. More than ever.

I won’t let them take it from me. Curling his hands into fists at his knees, he narrowed his eyes harshly. I’ll never let anyone take my happiness from me.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Additional Warnings: Video footage of torture, graphic physical violence, captured/kidnapping

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,778

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

AN: It’s about to get dark, dark, and even darker still. I just want to remind everyone that I love you all for coming on this journey with me. Thank you for loving this story and remember that you are loved.

Chapter 49: Danger

“You’re in danger right now, why are you testing me? Why are you testing me? Stop confusing me.“

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Three Days Later Seoul – Hannam; Yongsan District South Korea

Hoseok took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose as he leaned back in the plush leather chair. Soft music played from the stereo in the corner of the room; a semi-vain attempt at quieting his thoughts. They were pervasive, loud, and extremely unwelcome these days. Namjoon insisted he take the day off, reassuring Hoseok that both he and Yoongi could handle things while he was away from the office. He wasn’t one to be fussed over, but even he had to admit that the mounting stress from the last few months was finally beginning to take a toll on him.

It was quiet. Too quiet. This disturbed him on various levels in ways that he couldn’t possibly describe. It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried. He had. Hoseok tried time and again to empty his feelings at Seokjin and Namjoon’s feet. But it always fell short; something felt incomplete about his trepidation.

There shouldn’t have been a reason, however. Hoseok knew this. He’d made his stance very clear with Changkyun the last time they crossed paths with one another. He would not be part of the little games he was attempting to play, and he wouldn’t be coerced into walking back into darkness. None of them would.

Too much was at stake now. They were all slowly building something with their own hands; something that was of some semblance of clean. Happiness fluttered around his brothers like butterflies and he enjoyed that they were able to indulge in the little things in life for a change; things they often took for granted when they were living in the countryside.

Anastasia was pregnant, her belly swollen with the life that she was nurturing. Seokjin babied and pampered her and the others were getting used to the idea that they were all going to be uncles. When the topic of marriage was brought up, Seokjin merely smiled. He said nothing else on the matter and they didn’t push. It was clear that he would do things at his own pace.

Raelyn, too, was pregnant. Truth be told, it stung Hoseok in a way that he wouldn’t dare admit aloud. Taehyung loved her and it was clear she cared for him as well. Who was he to get in the way of that happiness, regardless of his own lingering attachments? It wasn’t fair. He wouldn’t be unfair. She was only a month behind Anastasia and Taehyung made a point to notify everyone that Raelyn was forever spoken for. No one mentioned marriage at all since Taehyung had plans of his own.

Jungkook and Eden were now living together. He remembered the look on his youngest brother’s face when he closed on the house, notifying the others that he would be moving out of their home in UN Village. The others protested at first. They didn’t think it was necessary for Jungkook to move out when Eden could have easily moved into their home instead. They had plenty of room and privacy. But after a conversation Hoseok had with Jimin and Jungkook both, he realized that it was the better option. He didn’t want to pour salt into any wounds. Especially not Yoongi’s.

It came as a surprise, at first, when he’d heard about Yoongi’s relationship with Eden prior. None of the others poked or investigated their brother, believing that he was going off to be with someone he cared about after being dragged through the dirt in the underground. While he knew that Yoongi’s loyalty was absolute and he cared deeply for his brothers, sometimes even The Lightning Claw yearned for an escape from the shadows that clung to their ankles persistently.

As he leaned back in the chair, he pressed his forearm against his temple while his other hand rested along his stomach. Dark eyes idly stared at the ceiling, looking at nothing in particular. His heart beat softly against his chest and he drummed his fingers along in time with the sound. He hummed a tune to himself, closing his eyes as he took a moment to think about everything they’d gone through to reach this point. It was a long journey – seemingly endless. Ten years flashed by so quickly that Hoseok often questioned if it was a dream they were all sharing; one where they hadn’t been able to wake up from yet.

So much fighting, stealing, and climbing over horrifyingly large mountains. Their knuckles burned white and their fingernails bled from how hard they were holding on to both themselves and their goals. Reaching the peak of the mountain, gazing over the horizon – over their kingdom – Hoseok could claim that it was something they could look back on with a mild feeling of fondness.

He couldn’t help but wonder if things would be different had they all decided to remain in their hometown.

Letting his arm fall against the armrest of the chair, he scoffed and shook his head. What’s the point of worrying about that now?

They all decided things together. They agreed to uproot themselves and walked hand-in-hand into the pits of Hell. Hadn’t everything they’d accomplished to this point, means be damned, been the result they wanted? It was all so they could have a better life at the cost of their innocence.

Im Changkyun had been right about one thing. Sacrifices had to be made. They had to be willing to make them.

The soft chime of the doorbell rang throughout the house. Hoseok sat up, brushing his hair out of his eyes. Looking at the video phone, he picked it up as the person near the front gate lifted his face toward the camera. The young man wore a uniform, presumably a delivery service. He had a small package in his arms. He waved to the camera and Hoseok felt his brows furrow. He wasn’t expecting a delivery.

“Can I help you?”

“Uh, yes Sir? I have a delivery for Jung Hoseok?”

“Who’s it from?”

“There’s no return address, Sir.”

He sighed. “Just leave it.”

“It’s requiring that someone sign for it, Sir.”

Something uncomfortable settled in the pit of Hoseok’s gut. He could have just told the delivery boy to go away and have the package returned to the shipping company. It wasn’t like he’d be punished for it and Hoseok was certain he hadn’t ordered a parcel. If anything, this was a potential headache in the making and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with it.

“Uh, Sir? Are you there?”

Hoseok pressed two fingers to his forehead and groaned. “Fine, I’ll be right out. Stay there.”

Rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, he exited his office and headed toward the front door. Sliding into a pair of sneakers, he grabbed his wallet and slid it into the back pocket of his slacks. The security lock beeped behind him as the door closed and he slowly trudged down the winding path of the front garden toward the front gate. He entered the passcode and pulled the gate open slowly, his back rigid as he prepared to brace himself for anything that might have attempted to catch him off guard.

The young man smiled, holding out the small parcel toward Hoseok. He took it, cradling it under one arm, while he signed the tablet with the stylus. The delivery man checked his signature, bowed, and bid him a wonderful rest of his afternoon. Hoseok merely nodded, closing the gate and began heading back toward the house when the security lock beeped again.

Mindlessly inputting the passcode, he entered the house while examining the package. It was a simple white box with red and blue accents around it – presumably the logo and color scheme of the shipping company. It was no longer than a standard envelope and as thick as two decks of cards. His name was on the front but like the delivery man stated, there was no return address.

For the sake of argument, Hoseok shook the box and heard the soft rattling sound of something hitting the inside along all four corners. Whatever was inside was small and light. He tossed the box up and down, confirming much of the weight was from what was concealed in the box. Opening the flaps from one end, he held the box at an angle and a small USB thumb drive fell into his palm. There was nothing about it that stood out; just a simple red and black thumb drive with the manufacturer’s logo on it. He shook the box again but nothing else was inside.

Tossing the box into the nearby waste bin, Hoseok entered his office and closed the door behind him. His legs moved toward his desk and he flopped into his chair. Pulling up a virus scanner on his computer, he made sure it was ready and waiting before sliding the thumb drive into one of the USB ports. Two minutes went by and the virus scanner confirmed there was nothing malicious on the drive, deeming it safe to open.

Clicking on the icon for the drive, there was a folder with his name on it. He opened it and saw three files inside: two video clips and a text document. There was nothing urgent on the text file’s label. It merely read For Hoseok. The video clips, however, had two different dates on them: three days ago and today, followed by the numbers 1 and 2.

He clicked on the first video.

The picture was dark, showing that whatever room the video was being filmed in had poor lighting. He could make out a couple of silhouettes, but there weren’t any distinctive features that could help him discern who the figures belonged to. About ten seconds into the video, a light clicked on – illuminating one of the people in the video.

It didn’t take him long to recognize who it was and the moment he did, Hoseok thought his guts had fallen out of his body.

In the video, there was a woman sitting in a chair. She was tied up with what looked like a combination of regular ropes and large chains. Her mouth was gagged with a bright red cloth and her head hung forward, the light over her head shadowing the rest of her face. The intensity of the light hanging over her made it only slightly difficult to discern her skin color, but her dark curls that fell around her neck and across her shoulders was unmistakable. Something dangled from her neck – he could only assume it was a necklace of some kind.

But he still couldn’t see her face.

“No,” he whispered while shaking his head. He could feel a cold sweat forming on his brow. “There’s no way that’s…”

All the moisture left his mouth in mid-denial. A masked man grabbed a handful of the woman’s curls, yanking her head back. A muffled yell of outrage pushed from her chest, lost against the bright red fabric pressed over her mouth. Her face was fully illuminated in the light and even Hoseok could no longer deny who was sitting in that chair.

It was Eden.

The video was only ninety seconds long and it abruptly ended with a hand holding up two fingers in front of the camera lens. The person in the video was telling him to click on the second video file.

He clicked on the other video file labeled with today’s date.

It was the same nondescript room and Eden was still sitting in the chair. A trail of blood seeped from her temple and her shirt was torn open from the neck to her stomach, exposing her bra and skin. The necklace continued to hang from her neck and he could see there was a ring looped through the chain. It appeared that her shoulder was injured, the denim jacket stained a darker shade of blue on just her right shoulder. A large cut decorated her thigh and he could see where the blood blossomed across her jeans – staining her entire upper leg red.

Eden looked like she was fading in and out of consciousness. Suddenly, water was splashed over her face and chest, jolting her awake and it appeared that she was attempting to focus on her current predicament. When it seemed like the answer was dawning on her features, Eden raged through the bandana over her mouth, her body rocking back and forth viciously to break free from her restraints. One of the men backhanded her hard and she went limp, her head rolling forward.

Hoseok saw the blood leaking from beneath the gag.

The video ended.

Horror and fury tore through Hoseok’s entire body, threatening to rip him asunder. His shoulders vibrated from his anger and his vision blurred from the onset of furious tears. Getting his hands to steady over the mouse was a task in and of itself. When he managed to finally tether it down to move it, he clicked on the text file with his name on it.

It felt like the ground opened beneath him and swallowed him whole.

Hoseok Hyung,

I have to say, I’m impressed. Truly. I can’t find a single weak point in your defenses. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise, should it? You’ve always been so careful; always fully aware of your surroundings. The others are the same; a habit they’ve picked up from you, perhaps?

It’s a shame that same skill wasn’t embroiled in your women.

Not that it’s their fault. When you believe that you’re safe, what reason do you need to keep your guard up? Blissful ignorance does that to a person. Believing you’ve won makes you sloppy.

Your brothers have become sloppy, Hyung.

As interesting as it would have been to go after the women carrying your brothers’ children, I’m not a monster. Besides, Eden is the strongest of them and breaking her will only prove my point further.

That you’ve all grown weak in the light.

Hyung, this is my final offer. Stop letting the light blind you. Stop letting those weak dreams and ambitions dictate the rest of your lives. You can’t protect the things you love when you don’t have the power to stop anyone who would try to take it from you. You had that power and you threw it away.

And for what?

For love? Success? So you can lay in your graves, close your eyes, and think you’ll greet the Reaper with a nice clean conscience? Don’t be ridiculous.

Let’s see how long it takes you to find her. You already know asking for the police won’t do you any good. We have the Chief in our back pocket; we have for years.

By the time you read this, the boys and I will be out of the country on a business trip. Tracking us down will just be a waste of time. Both yours and hers. Every minute counts and the longer you take to find her, the more she’s going to suffer because of your inability to act.

The clock is ticking, Hyung.

And the game is still on.

Good luck.

Im Changkyun

For a moment, all Hoseok could do was stare at the words on the screen. He couldn’t breathe. He could barely think.

Then he saw red.

Hoseok jumped from his chair, grabbed the monitor, and hurled it across the room. The sound that ripped through him was beyond anything a human being should have been capable of making. Glass shattered as it crashed into the wall, breaking into numerous pieces. He picked up the keyboard and began to smash it across his desk, breaking the glass top as the keys popped off and scattered across the floor. Even when the keyboard was split in half, he continued to pummel his desk – creating more spider vein cracks along the surface.

And then he blacked out.

Hoseok didn’t know how long he was out. What brought him out of the darkness was the sound of Namjoon’s voice, as well as his body moving back and forth. Slowly, Hoseok’s eyes opened and he saw his friend looking down at him with extreme concern.

“Hoseok-ah!” Again, Namjoon shook him. “Are you alright? Hey, come on!”

His vision blurred in and out of focus, his head spinning, and he reached out blindly to grab onto Namjoon’s shoulder. “N-Namjoon-ah,” he croaked, realizing how raw his voice sounded, “the boys. C-Call the boys.”

Namjoon frowned, not sure what he was trying to tell him. Hoseok growled in frustration.

“GET EVERYONE HOME RIGHT NOW, GODDAMMIT!”

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Additional Warnings: Torture, drug abuse, graphic physical violence, captured/kidnapping, attempted homicide

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,048

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

AN: Remember how I told you that you’re loved? Because you are. 11 more chapters, my loves, before this saga comes to and end. Strap in, ladies and gentlemen.

Chapter 50: Run

“Everybody say it is over but I can’t stop this. I can’t tell whether it is sweat or tears.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Three Days Later ??? - ???; ??? South Korea

4:45 AM

There was only darkness.

That was all she was granted to see, but her other senses were very much aware.

For example, Eden could smell the musky aroma of a decrepit building during the moment she was dragged into that place. The light scent of cheap men’s cologne, as well as the subtle fragrance of wood and dirt, lingered in the air. She’d been knocked unconscious and only woke up halfway during being tied up and blindfolded. There wasn’t much else she could do and it was making for a pretty shit-tastic day - of which it should have just been a successful day of boarding a goddamn train, meeting her family, hitting the tent house for some soup and soju, and then calling it a night after a hot shower.

Where had it all gone wrong?

She was losing count of how much time was passing by. Days must have gone by and the bastards kept her blindfolded after they filmed her. While she was deprived of her sight, Eden took comfort in knowing that they hadn’t stolen her necklace from her. The sons-of-bitches did, however, take her phone. Probably chucked it off Namsan Tower for all she knew.

The pain was immeasurable. So much so that her body was adjusting to it.

A soft shuffling sound echoed in the large, empty space. A metal door slid open, rattling on the track it was on. She unconsciously licked her lips as she waited for something else to clue her in to her location. More feet shuffled as a distinct set of heavy boots thudded along the concrete.

The person paused in front of her, their clothing shifting against their body as though they were inspecting her. She lifted her face to where she could only assume the person was standing. The scent was familiar, but it wasn’t until he spoke that she knew who he was.

“You have such lovely hands, Eden-ssi,” he cooed, stroking his finger along the back of her knuckle. Eden jerked back on reflex, growling as the rope scraped against her wrists. “I’ve always admired them – these hands that shouldn’t belong to a mechanic. You should take better care of them.”

He paused and she could feel his breath along her cheeks.

“Well, if you get out alive, I mean.”

A hand grabbed at the knot tied at the back of her head. When the blindfold was removed, she blinked rapidly from the light that seemed to always shine directly in her eyes. She tried to turn her face away, but realized that a set of hands held her head in place – preventing her averting her gaze.

Yoo Kihyun flashed a derogatory smirk at her.

She spit in his face.

A sharp pain registered at the crown of her head, her hair being pulled back with brute force. Kihyun removed a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped at his cheeks. He seemed unimpressed with her attempt at rebellion. It wasn’t the first time. If she had it her way, his shin would still have a bruise on it.

He stuffed the small cloth into his pants pocket. “String her up.”

8:15 AM

She barely heard Kihyun’s words.

Watching him bending her finger back as if to snap it, she could hardly register what was going on. There were so many numbing sensations moving through her body, having been moved from the iron chair and electric voltage to now being suspended in the air by steel shackles - toes barely touching the dirty, concrete floor. Her eyes stayed locked onto her captor.

I won’t give up, she told herself, narrowing her gaze at him, they’ll come for me.

“I’m impressed,” he said, cracking his knuckles, “most people would be begging me to either let them go or put them out of their misery by now.” Kihyun leaned forward to stroke the side of her cheek, smearing the blood leaking from her temple down to the corner of her mouth. “I like how stubborn you are. This makes it more fun.”

Eden scoffed. “You’re fucking insane if you think I’d beg you for anything, you brain-dead shit eating jackass.”

The insult was full of venom, but it lacked the audacity she desired from how dry her mouth and throat were.

Kihyun laughed. “I’m curious,” he said, grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking her head to the side, causing her neck to pop, “do you think your husband is going to come save you?” Still holding her head, his other hand moved to trace over the chain where her wedding ring dangled from. His eyes narrowed, smile still in place. “I’m counting on it.”

Blinking at him, Eden lost track of her thoughts. What had he just said?

Then the realization hit, sweeping down on her faster than she could’ve imagined. This whole setup was a trap. She was the bait and it would only be a matter of time before Jungkook and the others fell into it. She couldn’t warn them and she couldn’t stop this twisted little game they were playing with her. Eden knew there was a high chance she probably wasn’t going to make it out of this alive.

And whoever came to her rescue wouldn’t either.

It was like a knife being plunged into her heart. Eden knew it. She now had the confirmation she needed. She accepted her fate for what it was.

Tears leaked out of her eyes and she shut them, not wanting to look at the cruel smile spreading over Kihyun’s face. Please, don’t come here. Don’t come here!

Again, she heard movement. Opening her eyes, Eden watched him. That's all she could really do. Weaponless, bound and at their mercy, Eden could only do so much. Talk or not talk. Perhaps the pain that she would have felt could’ve been avoided.

Perhaps.

But it was too late. She was already preparing herself for the end. And as she resolved herself to do, she came to terms with her demons. She apologized to those she’d ever hurt or disappointed. She apologized to those she wouldn’t be able to see again. She begged for their forgiveness, asking them for understanding. That her death wouldn’t be meaningless.

Her death would be meaningful.

It would not be in vain.

Jungkook-ah…

“I am sorry for this, Eden-ssi. By the way, the next time you see the others, tell them the Jade Fangs say ‘farewell.’”

She heard the laugh. The next time she saw them? It wouldn’t be until after she was good and dead. She hoped she didn’t see her friends and her husband for a very long time. The bitter laugh, twisted with the cruelty of the joke, was too much for Eden to have to face. Closing her eyes for a moment, she bit down on her lower lip - wishing to draw blood.

I’m sorry, Jungkook-ah... I won’t be able to keep my promise. Eden saw his retreating back as Kihyun slipped his coat off. It was as if it was in slow motion. ...you’ll forgive me just this once, right?

And then it came. The surge of pain hit faster than she could’ve expected. The lashes hit her from behind, the pain spreading through her chest and she dug her nails into her palms. Eden bit the inside of her cheek, feeling the blood dribble onto her tongue. The metallic taste was sharp, forcing all her other senses to become more aware. She’d never felt a pain quite like this in her life.

But all she could do was take it. He would have his fun - push her to her limits. However, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream out. Jeon Eden would hold out for as long as she could.

The blows came in succession - slash after slash and whip after whip. The pain hit her all over - sweeping across her entire being. Even if she wanted to block it out and numb herself from it all, Eden couldn’t. Her body jerked involuntarily against the blows and all she did was take it. The pain was too much and she wanted to scream at him to finish her off. To stop playing these sick, twisted games and to just get on with it. To fucking kill her. But granting her death would’ve been too merciful.

It wouldn't stop. He would not stop. He would not grant her death.

Not before tormenting her mind.

A sharp prick of pain hit the back of her neck and she knew a needle was in her skin. The harsh burn of the liquid being injected caused her to hiss and, again, she wriggled against her restraints.

“No,” she managed to croak, using what strength she had to try and lash out with her legs at Kihyun, “No!”

Suddenly, the snakes appeared - hundreds of them. Eden didn’t fear snakes. Not in the least. However, when they multiplied and began to coil their cold, scaly bodies all over her, she tensed. The pain from the physical abuse was over, but a new horror had unfolded in its wake. The snakes began to devour her, making Eden bite her lip harder until she drew more blood. Little by little, the filthy things were ripping away at her flesh. She could see the bone. But Eden refused to scream out. A hooded cobra swayed in front of her, bobbing its head to the left and then the right before it barreled into her mouth, scraping its fangs down her throat - spitting its venom inside.

She didn’t hear her own scream spilling from her lips. She hadn’t even realized that sound was coming out at all.

The nightmare would not end. Coupled with the snakes tearing away at her flesh, Eden felt the wiggling cobra devouring her insides and crushing her bones in its jaws. She wanted it out! OUT! Then a flood of pain erupted across her entire body. Her back arched forward and then she blacked out.

This was it. Death would hold her in its cold, unfeeling embrace.

Then there was nothing.

Only darkness.

9:30 AM

Jeju Island – Seogwipo Yeongduam Coast South Korea

Taehyung took a deep breath, the smell of the island’s rich agriculture and salt of the ocean filling his lungs. On any normal day, he would have been planning all the spots he would take Raelyn after she finally gave birth to their child. She was due in three months and he could hardly wait.

But he had to wait.

This wasn’t a vacation. This was the farthest thing from it. The look on Hoseok’s face haunted his waking hours, serving as a constant reminder that he couldn’t afford to waste a single second.

They’d already wasted six days.

But his skills as the Shadow Claw hadn’t diminished. Leaving the mafia life behind was one thing, but losing touch with any of his contacts was almost out of the question. Hoseok commanded the search and everyone scattered like confetti, combing every single area of Seoul they were allowed. Taehyung was able to deduce that the Jade Fangs wouldn’t have been stupid enough to drag Eden into their own territory. That would have made things too easy; too predictable.

Anastasia and Raelyn were only told the bare minimum – undue stress in their condition would only make things worse. Once the girls were secured, they all broke off into groups to try and put their ears to the ground. Only Taehyung went off by himself. He worked better alone and could cover more ground that way.

A contact told him that the Jade Fangs’ upper tier were at Jeju Island, finalizing a few business deals and taking a “much-needed” respite. If he was close enough to them, he could figure out what their game plan was. Money still talked, thankfully, and he managed to bribe one of the lackeys to feed him some information.

Word had it that they had, in fact, snatched up a young woman before flying out to Jeju Island. There were rumors that she may have been in their custody there on the island, but nothing was solid. Taehyung pushed more cash toward his little turncoat with the promise that he would gather more useful information; a location, condition of the hostage, and what terms would need to be met in order to obtain her release.

Taehyung looked at his watch, making a note of the time. He was supposed to meet his informant half an hour ago. He idly wondered if he’d gotten caught digging around where he shouldn’t have.

His phone buzzed.

Kangta: I’m almost to you.

Craning his neck, he looked around while standing atop the large cliff overlooking the expansive ocean of the island. There were a few clusters of trees around and a narrow path that opened from the brush. The ocean crashed along the krags, splashing up white foam from below.

Another handful of minutes passed and Taehyung was still alone on the cliff of the Dragon Head. Other than the ocean and a flock of birds cawing in the distance, he heard no other sounds. He frowned.

“Where the hell is this guy?”

“Sorry for the wait.”

Taehyung quickly pivoted on his heels, clutching his phone at his side. He squinted, peering toward the path that curved from the small forest of trees. The figure that appeared made his heart hammer with anger.

Lee Jooheon walked out, two of his men standing on either side of him. None of them appeared to be holding any weapons which, frankly, seemed odd to Taehyung.

“It’s been awhile, Kim Taehyung-ssi.”

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. “So my little rat snitched back to his masters, huh?”

“Oh, him?” Jooheon shrugged as his two men flashed wide grins. “No, he didn’t. He’s just bad at being a rat.” He pulled out a cell phone, typed on the screen, and Taehyung felt the phone buzz in his hands. He didn’t bother looking at it. “But we took care of him.”

Taehyung watched Jooheon chuck the phone over his head, the device sailing over the edge of the cliff to meet its fate in the ocean below.

“God, you bastards haven’t changed one fucking bit,” he sneered, to which Jooheon snickered.

“While you guys have changed a lot , it seems.” Jooheon took a step forward, his men staying in place. “Though I see you haven’t lost your touch as The Shadow Claw . To think you tracked us down so easily.”

Taehyung smirked. “Nothin’ easy about it.”

“It’s too bad though.” He took another step, shuffling just slightly off to the right. Taehyung stepped back, moving to his right – his sight-line trained on the Yellow Jacket. “I was hoping to see Jungkook.”

“Why’s that?”

Jooheon stepped forward and to the right. Taehyung took another step back.

“I wanted to see what kind of look he has right now, knowing we took his wife.”

Taehyung’s eyes went wide, all focus momentarily knocked from his head. It felt like his stomach dropped down to his feet.

“…what did you say?”

At first, Jooheon could only smile. He watched it grow larger as a flicker of realization spread over his face. Taehyung felt a chill sliver down his back as he saw the Yellow Jacket burst into a fit of manic laughter.

“Oh my fucking god,” he said between breaths of laughter. Taehyung glared at him, causing Jooheon to laugh even harder. “You didn’t know, holy shit!”

Taehyung curled his fingers around his phone tightly, his arm trembling from the force of the squeeze.

Jooheon dabbed at the corner of one of his eyes with his wrist. “So much for your brotherhood. You’re keeping secrets from each other.”

“Shut-up,” growled Taehyung, emboldened to take a step forward, “shut your fuckin’ mouth.”

“I take it back. I prefer this look you’re giving me instead.”

“I said shut the fuck up!”

There was a sharp whistle of sound. Taehyung instinctively turned his body, pain blossoming over his shoulder and he moved to wrap his hand over the injury. His eyes met Jooheon’s and he could only see the cold smirk of victory painted over the Yellow Jacket’s face. Slowly, he removed his hand and saw that it was instantly covered in blood. There was a perfect horizontal gash along his shoulder that shredded through his jacket, the material staining crimson and spreading over the fabric.

His vision blurred for half a second and Taehyung quickly shook his head, stumbling backwards but thankfully not losing his balance. When he looked back at Jooheon, he realized with horror that the man’s image was appearing in and out of focus.

T-That fucker, he thought, rattling his head again to clear his eyesight, it’s poisoned!

Something clattered to the ground, startling Taehyung. It sounded like a small bomb went off beside him, melding with the sound of the ocean hitting the rocks. He could feel the cold sweat breaking out over his face and neck and he moved his hand to cover his shoulder again to stop the wound from bleeding freely.

“We kept telling you guys, but you just wouldn’t listen. Changkyun-ah offered his hand time and again, even though every single one of you turned around and stabbed us in the back.”

Taehyung coughed, feeling the bile bubbling at the back of his throat. It was getting harder to keep his eyes open. “I would never call him Hyung-nim,” he choked out, “none of us would.”

“And that’s where you fucked up.”

Jooheon sounded closer now, but Taehyung couldn’t determine where.

Not until the very last second.

“Watch your head.”

Taehyung felt a harsh blow to his stomach, knocking him off his feet. The air was pulled completely from his lungs and the world dissolved into a blur of green, blue and white. A lightheaded fog filled his mind, numbing him from the pain at his gut momentarily. Gravity seemed to grab him by the shoulders, pulling him into the air first before yanking him down slowly. Heavy gusts of wind whipped across his entire body as he descended. The world dimmed around him as the salt of the ocean seemed to overwhelm his senses.

He never hit the ground.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Additional Warnings: Graphic depiction of torture, graphic physical violence, captured/kidnapping, major character death

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 5,133

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

AN: And it all goes downhill from here, Ladies...

Chapter 51: Begin

“I can’t stand you crying. I want to cry instead, although I can’t.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Seoul – Samseong; Gangnam District South Korea

9:45 AM

Jungkook was three steps from heading to the insane asylum.

One step represented each day that he hadn’t been able to track Eden down.

He barely heard the words of comfort that Jimin was giving him. He knew that it had something to do with it not being his fault, but how could it not have been? He hadn’t heard from his wife in three days, assuming she got wrapped up with family affairs and was too busy to check in on the first day. The second day had him concerned that she’d gotten hurt. By the third day, Jungkook was at his wit’s end.

Only to find out that she’d been snatched up before she ever got the chance to leave for Daegu. He shouldn’t have put her second to his job. He shouldn’t have let her leave their house to go to the train station alone.

He shouldn’t have let this happen.

The image of Eden’s beaten form in the video clip was branded across the forefront of his mind. Hoseok was angry, determined to track down the Jade Fang members who’d done this. Jungkook was angry that they were still part of the equation. They should have been eliminated years ago.

It wasn’t like they weren’t aware of what Im Changkyun was capable of. They’d seen the vicious things he’d done while they were Jade Fang members themselves. He didn’t think it was necessary to attend district meetings, feeling the rest of the bosses were beneath his standards of proper mafia leadership. Hoseok was his only equal and it appeared that he continued to see him as such.

Divine Intervention prevented Jungkook from leaving the house that night and storming the stronghold of the Jade Fangs alone. He would have burned every single one of their businesses down; he was determined to do so. Jimin escorted him home that night and there was a parcel waiting at home for Jungkook. His brother made him a drink and when Jungkook opened the package, he collapsed on the floor and cried until he could barely breathe.

It was a gift Eden prepared for him for his birthday – a handmade model of his dream car. Seated in the car were miniature figures of Eden and himself. He didn’t remember passing out. He didn’t remember Jimin tucking a blanket over him. He could only remember Eden’s face, smiling as they shared breakfast together the morning she was taken.

“Jungkook-ah,” called Jimin, pulling Jungkook out of his inner musings. There was concern painted over his brother’s face and he took a breath, waiting for him to continue. “I think we’ve covered everywhere here.”

Jungkook said nothing. Instead, he pulled out the small notebook he carried with him and scratched out Gangnam from the list. For two and a half days, they combed every single section of Gangnam they could. There was a part of him that knew that the Jade Fangs wouldn’t be so arrogant to hold her hostage in their former territory. But there was also a part of him that could reason Im Changkyun doing something so ridiculous as a form of “poetic justice” against them.

To him, the Golden Jackals never disbanded.

“What about the others?”

Jimin sighed, leaning against the driver’s side door of the car. “They’re hitting the other areas. Hoseok called in some favors from the other district bosses to let us through.”

All Jungkook did was nod. There was something off about this whole situation. Very off. There shouldn’t have been a single obstacle in the way of the other district heads when it came to taking over their territories. Yongsan and Gangnam were completely up for grabs; Hoseok said as much. Jungkook could only guess that Changkyun’s influence prevented them from stepping a single foot into their turf. He more than likely was determined to get Hoseok and the others back so they could do a mass district takeover.

“I don’t like that Tae Hyung went off by himself,” he suddenly said, meeting Jimin’s gaze.

“Yeah,” he replied softly, “I don’t either.”

Jungkook frowned. “He still hasn’t checked in yet?”

“No.”

He didn’t want to prod any further. Jimin was probably more worried about Taehyung than any of them. While it was unsurprising that he went off on his own, it was unlike him to not have checked in by now. Taehyung wasn’t a morning person, which was why they all knew that he hadn’t slept while he was on the hunt.

Then again, none of them were really sleeping.

A soft ache throbbed at Jungkook’s temple. He pressed a hand to his chest, taking a small amount of comfort in feeling his wedding band dangling from the necklace chain. He didn’t know how much longer he could handle not knowing what was happening with Eden.

“Hyung, I—”

“She’s fine, Jungkook-ah.” Jimin’s words sliced through his own, as if he’d already predicted what he was going to say. When he met his brother’s gaze, he saw the reassuring smile tinged with just a hint of worry. “If I know her, she’ll make them regret the day they decided to take her.”

“Not before I do.”

Suddenly, Jimin and Jungkook’s phones chimed simultaneously – indicating they received a message. Both looked at their phones immediately and Jungkook felt his heart rate escalate. It wasn’t a matter of him losing hope as seeing the message renewed his vigor.

It was from Taehyung.

Taehyung: I found her. She’s near Namyangju in Gyeonggi-do. Somewhere in the Industrial District. I’m heading back now.

Jungkook looked at Jimin the same time he did. Without uttering a word, they flung the doors open to the car and hopped in. Jimin fired up the engine and punched it, speeding out of Gangnam. Jungkook stared at his phone as more messages came through from the others. It didn’t take him long to figure out that they were closer to that location than everyone else. It was a half an hour drive, traffic willing.

They’d get there first.

10:17 AM

Namyangju – Gyeonggi Province South Korea

Jungkook felt like it took them a hundred years to get to their destination. With every mile marker they passed, it brought him one step closer to finding Eden. One step closer to bringing her home. He clung to the smallest shreds of his willpower not to scream at Jimin to drive faster. They didn’t need to get into any kind of accident before they reached her.

Jimin swung the car into an empty street, the desolate district eerie even in the morning light. Jungkook tumbled from the passenger side, all but tearing his seatbelt from his body in the process. Jimin called after him, but he paid him no mind. His legs ate up the ground as he ran headlong into the central area of the decrepit buildings.

No one lived in the abandoned sections of the province anymore, but the government hadn’t bothered with tearing it down. His hope began to dwindle, realizing just how expansive the district was. It would take them hours to find her at this rate.

Resisting the urge to scream, he slowed to a jogging pace before stopping altogether. Running around blindly without a single clue as to where to look would get him nowhere. They were just wasting time. There was even the chance that the group would up and relocate themselves before they could even have a chance at finding them.

Eden would be lost forever.

He heard Jimin run up behind him, clapping a hand to his shoulder. Jungkook did his best to tether his scattered thoughts, chasing away the worst possibilities from his mind. He needed to calm down and think.

“There were a few cars parked near the back,” he said after catching his breath, “we might need to go up top to get a better idea of where they might be.”

Jungkook nodded, pointing straight ahead. “I’ll head to that building down there. Text me if you find anything.”

Just as he was about to take off, Jimin grabbed him – halting his movements.

“No, we stick together.” Jungkook opened his mouth to protest, but Jimin’s glare quickly silenced him. “If something happens, we won’t be able to do anything alone. We’re stronger together.”

While he wanted to argue, he knew that his brother was right. Even if splitting up would help them cover more ground, there was a good chance that they wouldn’t have a way to defend themselves if they got caught in a sticky situation. Jungkook did his best to push down his mounting impulsivities. Charging in blindly was foolish and would most likely get them killed.

“Alright, Hyung,” Jungkook said, relenting, “let’s go together.”

Not wasting another moment, they tore off down the center of the district – eyes rapidly searching in every direction their necks would allow them to turn.

10:32 AM

Minutes crept by at a snail’s pace.

Jungkook did everything he could to keep his head together. There were too many horrifying images playing rapidly in his head, like a flipbook that ended in blood splatters. Jimin stayed at his side, matching his pace as well as his fervor. Every so often, they would stop to peek into various buildings. They climbed up to higher vantage points to get a better lay of the area, dipping off to resume their search.

Everything looked so dead from the inside out.

A scream tore through the vast emptiness, causing Jungkook to trip over his own feet and he came crashing to the ground. Jimin was immediately beside him, grabbing him by the arm and hoisting him back up. Jungkook’s heart pounded double-time in his chest; it hurt. A cold sweat broke out over his skin and he couldn’t stop his body from trembling, even though Jimin rubbed small circles on his back.

“E-Eden,” he barely managed to croak, his legs shaking to the point where it was difficult to stand. Jimin continued to hold him up. “That was her!”

The sound was close.

Jimin said nothing. He continued to guide them along the path, turning around corners until he heard his wife scream again. It was even closer. They were almost to her!

He felt his brother release the hold he had on him and Jungkook involuntarily sagged against the side of a building. He didn’t know where they were or how deep into the district they’d gone. Jimin’s expression was focused and if he was feeling any sort of turmoil, it never showed. Not once.

The building they were pressed against was yellowed from age and neglect. Numerous cracks ran along the sides and bits of paint were peeling back; some pieces flying away from even the slightest gust of wind. The window had a long crack running from an upward angle to the corner of the pane; dirty and smudged. Jimin wiped a hand across the bottom to get rid of the dirt so he could see inside. Jungkook sidled up beside him to peek in as well.

He could feel Jimin’s vice-like grip on his shoulder, pinning him in place. Jungkook’s vision blurred momentarily before regaining focus, zeroing in on the image of his wife strung up like some animal. There were a few lackeys around and appeared to be bored – as if they were waiting for something interesting to happen. Jungkook felt the muscle at his jaw throbbing viciously as he clenched his teeth, grinding them in anger.

He wanted a gun. He would have emptied a clip into every single one of them.

Jungkook tried to move, but Jimin wouldn’t let him go.

“Hyung!” came his harsh whisper, but Jimin shook his head roughly.

“Wait, Jungkook,” he hissed back, finally letting him go, “just wait.”

“I can’t, dammit!”

“You can and you will.” Jimin’s words were final. “We don’t even know what kind of weapons they have in there. If Changkyun’s willing to play dirty like this, there’s no guarantee that his men won’t fill us full of holes with guns they obtained illegally.”

Jungkook wanted to protest, but he knew that Jimin was right. They needed to assess the situation fully before making a move. If they ran in there blindly without understanding what they were up against, there was a chance that Eden would die in the crossfire.

“So what now?”

Jimin continued to look through the window and he could see the wheels in his head turning. Strategy was his strongest suit so Jungkook did his best to be as patient as possible. A handful of seconds passed before he turned to meet his gaze.

“I’m going to go in from the front.”

“What?!” Jungkook gave him an incredulous look. “That’s crazy. Are you crazy?!”

“Shut-up and listen to me.” Jimin turned to look back through the window. “I’m going to draw their attention to me. This window is loose so as soon as I get them to chase me, I want you to go in and grab Eden and then get the hell out of here.”

He didn’t like this plan.

“There’s ten of them, Hyung. Maybe more. You can’t outrun them all.”

Jimin grinned, still peering into the building. “I can try.”

Jungkook grabbed his shoulder. “Hyung!”

He felt his arm being yanked off abruptly, causing him to take a step back. Jimin cast an icy glare in his direction.

“Do what I say.”

He wanted to protest again. He wanted to tell him that this was suicide. They should wait for the others. Wouldn’t that have been the smart thing?

But if they waited too long, then they may miss their chance. The Jade Fangs could probably swarm them, call for more men, and then overtake them completely. Jungkook knew that the plan was the best option they had right now.

It didn’t mean he had to like it.

Without waiting for him to agree or even disagree, Jimin turned and ran down one side of the building. He rounded the corner and disappeared on the other side, leaving Jungkook alone to wait. There was a distinct feeling of dread sweeping over him, telling him that there was danger to watch out for. But wasn’t that obvious? Didn’t they understand that, knowingly showing up to this place?

This was unavoidable.

A loud bang rang out inside the large interior. Jungkook peered over the bottom of the window, craning his neck as best he could. Light flooded into the dark space as he watched Jimin’s shadow stretching along the floor. All the men inside turned around, grabbing what weapons they had near them to launch an assault. Jimin immediately dispatched one of the lackeys close to the door before turning to run away from the building. All but two gave chase.

Now!

Jungkook thrust the window open, causing it to break further from the force. He leaped in through the opening and charged forward. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction caused by his entrance, Jungkook barreled into the man closest to him – taking him down with a swift grappling throw. The man landed on his head; a distinct crack heard from his skull smacking into the concrete.

He saw movement out of the corner of his eye, a flash of silver, and he dodged at the last second. Whirling his body around, he jumped back with his arms extended out as another man tried to hit him with a metal bat. Jungkook bobbed and weaved out of the way, moving just out of reach at the last possible moment. Pivoting on his back leg, he waited for the man to try to swing at him again before catching the bat in his hand and pulling it toward him. The man slid on his heels, the distance closing rapidly. Jungkook aimed a kick straight for his stomach and sent him flying.

He brought the bat down over the man’s head for good measure.

With the two men unconscious, Jungkook swerved around and ran toward Eden. He did his best to avoid looking at her injuries, not wanting to distract himself from the most important task he had: freeing her. As he looked at her restraints, he did his best to concentrate on her face. She was semi-conscious, the noise bringing her out of whatever fugue state she was in.

“J-Jungkook-ah?” She coughed. “Y-You shouldn’t be here…”

“Shh,” he admonished, his eyes flicking over her bindings, “save your strength.”

His hands moved with lightning speed, fidgeting over the ropes and chains binding her as she hung from a large hook attached to the ceiling. When he finally managed to loosen the ropes, he lifted her up by her waist so he could untether her from the hook. Her arms dangled limply around his neck; the chains clamped around her wrists jingling together with the sudden movement.

Her body lacked the strength to keep herself upright and she nearly collapsed to the ground. Jungkook held fast to her, moving her arms over his head so he could undo the chains around her wrists. He could tell she’d lost weight and she seemed almost a shell of who he knew her to be. He focused on getting her to safety – choosing to smother his fury into the pit of his stomach.

“Go,” she whispered as he held onto her, “get out of here.” She coughed again. “Leave me.”

“Not a chance in hell,” he snapped, draping her arm over his shoulder as he held onto her waist, “now come on.”

Jungkook wouldn’t hear anymore of this nonsense, even if it was coming from the woman he loved. She was barefoot, but there wasn’t any glass on the ground. If she didn’t think she’d be able to walk, he’d carry her on his back and dare her to say otherwise.

Shuffling toward the entrance, he could hear men yelling in the distance. But it sounded like it was getting closer. Jimin was circling back, probably to make sure that they’d gotten out. If they could hold out a little longer, the others would come and then they could cause a big enough scene to get the hell out.

Just as he reached the entryway, he turned to make sure the two men he’d dealt with were still on the ground. Satisfied that they weren’t going to be getting up anytime soon, he turned back toward the exit.

A shadow moved from the corner. Eden saw it before he did. Jungkook shuffled to the left. He was half a step short.

The pain didn’t register at first. All he could focus on was Yoo Kihyun who was now directly in his path to freedom. It wasn’t until he saw the older man take a step forward that Jungkook took a step back. But not of his own freewill. He was forced to step back.

The knife in his gut pushed him to move.

Eden screamed but he barely heard it. Jungkook nearly dropped her, but his stubbornness wouldn’t allow her to fall. Not in front of him; her captor. A chilling smile painted over Kihyun’s face as he tilted his head, peering into Jungkook’s eyes. It was like he was asking him what his next move would be without having to say it out loud. For a split second, Jungkook’s vision blurred.

Releasing the hold he had on Eden’s arm, he grabbed a hold of the knife and pushed back – pulling the blade slowly from his gut. Kihyun blinked in surprise at him, watching as he drew the older man’s arm away from his body while still holding his wife fast to him. Again, Eden screamed, but this time she moved with whatever strength was left in her body – arms reaching out in a feral manner.

She scratched her nails across Kihyun’s face, forcing him to reach up and cover his cheek. Jungkook stepped forward, pulling the knife completely from his stomach, before spinning it in his blood-soaked fingers to grasp the blade’s handle. Kihyun stumbled backward a step and Jungkook quickly closed the distance, plunging the knife directly into his shoulder and aiming a kick to his knee. He waited for him to hit the dirt before pulling Eden quickly behind him.

He didn’t have to express the need for urgency.

They both disappeared into a nearby cluster of reeds.

10:45 AM

Blood wept from the side of Jimin’s head as he rounded the corner of a building. He held onto a rusty metal pipe, clutching it at his side. He knew one of his ribs were broken, if not two, and there was a good chance he very nearly sprained his ankle hopping over a broken-down car to avoid being clobbered with a length of chain. He quickly did a tally in his head, making a note that he was able to knock down four of the eight that were chasing him. Two of them he tripped up along their pursuit and the rest were now trying to comb the nearby streets in search of him.

Hearing Eden’s scream forced him to double back toward the building where he’d left Jungkook. It wasn’t the sound of agony. It was of outrage. Something must have happened. He needed to get back to them and quickly.

Jimin wiped some of the sweat and blood from his head, spitting at the ground. Once his heart calmed down, he tried to ascertain his whereabouts. Just two buildings over and he’d be right back where he’d started.

Come on, Park Jimin. Calm down and focus.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he fished it out, eyeing the screen. It was from Yoongi.

Yoongi: We’re almost there! Where are you guys? Give us a landmark!

Taking a moment to breathe, he turned his head in every direction to try and gauge a decent landmark for the others to follow. There was a cluster of blue barrels far away from the abandoned buildings, just toward the edge where a large field of reeds were. He quickly texted him back, letting him know the location.

He slid the phone back into his pocket, gripping the metal pipe in both hands. Now he just needed to get back to Jungkook who, he hoped, had Eden in tow.

His phone buzzed again; this time in succession. Someone was calling him.

Dipping into a nearby building, he hunkered down in a shadowed corner to look at the phone. It was Jungkook. He answered.

“Jungkook-ah?”

“H-Hyung…”

Jimin could tell something was wrong.

“Where are you?”

“T-The…the reeds…”

He had to refrain from cursing. There were reeds in every direction. He took a breath to calm his nerves.

“What else do you see around you?”

There was a pregnant pause and he wondered if something was happening with the call.

Jimin-ah?”

It was Eden. His heart practically jumped into his throat.

“Oh, thank God he got you out. Are you alright?”

“Never mind that. Jungkook’s hurt.”

He could hear the frantic tone in her voice. Jimin tried to smooth his voice out in a way that would help take the edge off for her.

“Okay, just breathe. Can you tell me where you guys are right now?”

“I can’t really see anything. The reeds are so thick.”

“Can you see any barrels around you?”

“Hold on.”

It was only a few seconds, but Jimin felt like he was losing years off his life as he waited for her to answer.

“I can see some blue ones. But they’re far away.”

He resisted the urge to smile. They weren’t that far from his current location.

“How far?”

“Several yards. They’re across that dirt path.”

“Okay, good.” His side screamed at him from the position he was in, but he ignored it. “I want you to meet me there, okay?”

It sounded like she was about to sob which unnerved him.

“Can’t you just come here? Jungkook’s hurt badly and I don’t have the strength to carry him.”

Jimin hissed quietly to himself. I told him to be careful… He took a breath. “Alright, I’ll come to you. I’ll be there soon.”

“Hurry!”

Ending the call, Jimin slipped out the back of the building and made his way around the next bend. Part of him wanted to throw the pipe off in a different direction, hoping the noise would distract others away from his path. But if they got flanked, he’d need a way to defend Eden, Jungkook, and himself. Especially if Jungkook was as hurt as Eden claimed he was.

This isn’t good, he thought, tearing through the back alleyway and heading up the side of the street to disappear into the thicket of reeds.

10:57 AM

Even though he knew he’d only traveled a few blocks, it felt like he’d been moving for miles. Each turn he made, Jimin thought he was getting more and more lost. Every so often, he’d turn his head to look over his shoulder and spy out the buildings – making sure that he was still on a straight path to the others. He heard some of the other men shouting at each other, trying to figure out where they’d gone, and each of these times, Jimin would pause so that he didn’t give away his position.

Just as he was about to resume his search, he heard a distinct shuffling sound off to his right. It was close.

“J-Jimin-ah? Is that you?”

It was Eden. She sounded exhausted and halfway to the underworld, but it was her. Jimin quickly darted in the direction of her voice, parting the reeds in front of him as he went.

A lump of ice dropped in his stomach at what he saw.

There, cradled in her arms, was Jungkook. A large blood stain blossomed from his shirt and he saw Eden pressing his jacket to his stomach and putting pressure on the injury. She was crying, doing her best to keep her sobs nonexistent so they didn’t alert the others of where they were. She looked up, relief and despair battling for dominance over her features. Jimin dropped the pipe in his hands, his legs slowly carrying him toward Jungkook just as he spit up blood from his mouth.

“J-Jungkook-ah,” he stammered, collapsing to his knees.

Despite the obvious pain he was in, Jungkook flashed him a smile full of blood-stained teeth. “H-Hyung,” he managed to get out, albeit garbled from a mouthful of blood, “what took you so long?”

Jimin didn’t have the energy to snap back. He felt like part of his soul just left him completely. His eyes roved over Jungkook’s body, trying to figure out the cause of his brother’s current state. He lifted his gaze to meet Eden’s.

“What happened?”

“It was Kihyun,” she said weakly while brushing some of the fringe off of Jungkook’s forehead, “he came out of nowhere and—”

“That doesn’t matter,” Jungkook interjected, causing them both to focus on him, “Hyung, get her out of here.”

Another piece of his soul was pulled away.

“W-What?”

Eden shifted him in her arms, clinging to him in desperation. “I’m not leaving you!”

“Yes, you are.” Jungkook reached up to his neck, grabbing the necklace and popping it off in one quick motion. He smeared blood over his skin and clothes, holding it up for Eden. “Take it and go.”

She emphatically shook her head and Jimin could tell that even doing this was zapping her of what strength she had left.

“You bastard,” she muttered, curling her fingers into the fabric of his jacket, “how can you expect me to leave you? Huh?” Eden lowered herself, pulling him against her body to hug him close. “Till death do us part, remember?”

Jungkook did his best to wrap an arm around her, coughing more blood out and staining her shirt. “…and this…is where…we part.”

Eden shot back, looking down at Jungkook as tears streamed down her face, dripping onto his cheeks.

“J-Jungkook,” she stammered, her bottom lip trembling as her voice shook.

Again, he smiled up at her. “I love you, Eden.” He grabbed her hand and placed the necklace inside her palm, closing her fingers over it. “If…if I’m reborn, let me love you in the next life too, okay?”

Jimin could hear his own heart shattering in his chest.

“Hyung…take her and go.”

“But Jungkook-ah—”

“Please.”

Tears leaked out of Jimin’s eyes. It took everything he had, but he stood up and crossed over to where Eden was. She continued to hold onto her husband, refusing to let go even as Jimin tried to pull her up and onto her feet. She fought him but even she knew that she didn’t have the strength to keep it up. Jimin held her against him and they both gazed at the satisfied and peaceful expression on Jungkook’s face. He nodded to them, mouthing for them to go.

Jimin turned, hauling Eden with him as she wailed silently into the crook of his shoulder.

I’ll come back for you, Jungkook. I won’t leave you alone out here...

11:05 AM

He knew that it was only a few minutes since he watched Eden and his brother leave. In those few minutes, Jungkook believed it was several lifetimes. In those few minutes, he thought back to everything that led to this very moment. All the choices he’d made, the road he’d traveled, and the people he’d traveled on that road with along the way.

He regretted nothing up until that moment.

The only thing he knew he would have to repent for would be leaving his beautiful wife behind alone. They’d had a few chapters written in their life together, but they were pages filled with hopes and dreams for an uncertain future. Life never gave guarantees. The only certainty for life was death. It was the same for everyone.

The sun was reaching its peak over the skies. There were very little clouds littering the pale blue blanket above him and he wasn’t sure if it was the bright light that was making it difficult to see or something else. Jungkook lost feeling to the lower half of his body nearly two minutes earlier.

Again, he coughed and more blood sprayed from his mouth. Tears brimmed his eyes, slipping from the corners to seep into his ears.

My brothers…

Jungkook could feel his eyelids growing a little heavier with each passing second, but he forced them to stay open.

Eden…

But the darkness began to creep around the corners of his vision, blurring out the light until it was a faint glow in his line of sight.

He wanted to keep feeling the warmth of the sun on his face until the very end.

…until we meet again.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Additional Warnings: Graphic depiction of physical violence, captured/kidnapping, major character death

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,525

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

AN: I know I’ve been gone. I know people have been waiting. I apologize for my absence. I just needed a moment to collect myself again and write and really get everything out that I needed in the course of these last few months. Thank you for being patient. Thank you to all the new followers and old alike. Thank you for being fans of this work. Forgive me for all the tears you are going to shed, but just know that I shed them with you.

Chapter 52: Promise

“Even if you feel that you are alone, don’t throw yourself away.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

11:11AM

Jimin felt like stones were in his boots and pockets, but he continued to pull Eden alongside him. She’d stopped crying shortly after they parted from Jungkook. He could only guess that she understood the urgency of their situation, keeping herself as silent as possible. Jimin held her hand tightly in his, giving it a few reassuring squeezes every handful of seconds. He didn’t know how far into the reeds they were heading, but he knew he needed to circle around a few times to make sure the Jade Fang posse didn’t try to flank them at any given moment.

The image of Jungkook’s bloody smile, urging him to go, made his feet fall heavier against the grass. Not paying attention, his ankle nearly rolled in a small pothole, causing him to stumble forward half a step. Eden followed suit, but her ability to recover on short notice was nonexistent, and she tumbled to the ground on her knees. He quickly knelt beside her, checking to see if she’d hurt anything major.

It was the first time he was able to get a good look at her.

Bruises and welts littered her arms and legs. A few of the angry red lines bubbled crimson, threatening to spill out across her olive skin. Her jeans were now cut-offs, having been ripped away from the abuse she’d endured over the past six days. She had no shoes. The vibrant raven curls were matted with blood and neglect, tangled around her shoulders with a collection of dirt nesting in the strands. Lips that were often pressed over a cigarette or curled into a playful smile were now cracked and dry from dehydration. There was a large bloodstain across the front of her shirt where Jungkook embraced her, still slick and soaked into the fabric.

Her eyes, however, broke Jimin’s heart further. They appeared soulless; empty. It was as if all the fight he knew existed inside of her was gone; knocked completely out of her system.

“You’re hurt.”

Jimin recoiled, the sound of her voice so close giving him a start. She’d been staring at the ground earlier, but now she turned those empty eyes toward him. Her hand went to his face, to the side where his injury was still weeping blood. He caught her hand by the wrist moments before her fingers could press to his skin. She blinked and he smiled warmly toward her while massaging the inside of her palm with his thumb.

“I’m fine,” he whispered.

He didn’t want to see any more blood on her. Not even his.

Releasing her hand, his own went to massage her bare feet. She tried to pull away from him, but he held fast to her ankles to keep them in place. They were swollen and bruised. He urged her to pull her legs up so that her knees were upright, and he pressed soothing circles along the tops of her feet. Every so often he felt her jump under his ministrations, a soft hiss escaping through her teeth.

Jimin was thankful that Eden let him work in silence. Neither of them could say anything; the heaviness weighing on both of their hearts so paramount that it rendered them speechless. He focused on alleviating the stress on her feet; nothing else. He couldn’t allow himself to think about too much else. They were still in imminent danger and there was always the chance that they could be overtaken at any given moment. His senses were on high alert, refusing to be distracted by any sounds not immediately in his range of focus.

“You shouldn’t have come,” Eden croaked weakly. His hands paused but he didn’t look at her. “You both should never have come for me.”

“Noona,” he said softly, resuming his movements, “stop.”

Jimin felt her legs tremble underneath his hands.

“If you’d just left me there, then Jungkook wouldn’t be…”

“Please stop.”

Eden covered her face with her hands, attempting to smother out the sob that threatened to come out.

“…you should have just let me die.”

“Jesu-ssi,” seethed Jimin.

His hands ceased moving and he cut his eyes toward Eden as she slowly lowered her hands down from her face. The honorific must have shaken her as this was the first time he’d used it. He couldn’t formally call her his sister-in-law since Jungkook was hell-bent on keeping their marriage a secret for the time being. The title gave her pause, long enough for her to cease her shaking – her hands moving to cling at the grass around them.

“Don’t dishonor his sacrifice. My brother, your husband, wouldn’t want to hear you talking like that.” His icy expression melted, easing into the face that he knew he could always show her. The face he always did show her. “And I don’t want to either.”

Eden appeared to regain her senses, her expression hardening with determination. She nodded and he smiled, waiting for her to catch her breath before he continued to massage her legs and feet.

He finished up, rolling back on his heels as he moved into a crouched position. Eden gathered herself up, resting her knees on the grass. Jimin erased his breath, hyper-focusing on the area around them.

…it’s too quiet.

He hadn’t heard any movements, save for their own, for quite some time now. This didn’t sit easy with him, but he swallowed his mounting nerves for Eden’s sake. She was already rattled from so much trauma and he didn’t want to add to it by revealing his own unease. Instead, he remained reticent and alert.

Jimin’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he held Eden’s hand when he saw her nearly jump to her feet from the sudden noise. Holding a finger up to his lips, he pulled out his phone to check the screen. It was another message from Yoongi.

Yoongi: We’ll be there in ten minutes!

Smiling, he didn’t bother responding. There wasn’t much time and Jimin knew he had to get them to the blue barrels. Judging from the distance and all the zigzagging they’d done, they were further from their destination than they’d been earlier. He slowly rose to his feet, pulling Eden up with him. There seemed to be a little bit more life in her eyes this time which gave him some relief.

“Who was it?”

“Yoongi Hyung.” He felt her squeezing his hand. “He and the others are on their way.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

Lacing his fingers through hers, Jimin pulled her along gently. He didn’t want to risk giving her a piggyback ride as that would put her head above the reeds. The lower they stayed, the safer they were.

11:17AM

Every so often, he would stop so Eden could take a rest. Jimin mentally cursed himself for running them deeper into the thicket instead of closer to the meeting spot. As problematic as Eden’s injuries were, they didn’t have the luxury to stop. They had to keep going.

“Do you remember when we first met?” he asked suddenly, his voice quiet as they moved.

“Who could forget?” Eden said softly. He could hear the smile in her voice. “You saw me shootin’ dice with those homeless guys.”

He bit back a laugh. Jimin mistook her for a homeless person because of all the grease and oil smudges on her clothes and face. Her clothes were frumpy and her hair was pulled back into one of her infamous work-buns with a bandana wrapped around it. The cigarette she smoked was a little beat up, but she smiled mischievously as she collected her winnings. It was a paltry amount, but she didn’t even keep it. Instead, she threw some of her own cash into the pile, making the men promise to use it on food and not booze.

“I can’t believe you thought I was some street bum,” she muttered.

“You looked terrible and I assumed.” Jimin pushed out a path for them, noting the terrain. They would need to circle around one more time to get back on their desired route. “What else was I supposed to think?”

“Apparently you thought I needed saving.”

He did. Jimin offered to bring her to his church. He didn’t know she was a Christian herself. He remembered her thanking him since, apparently, she’d been searching for a church to attend to for some time. Jimin recalled how hard she cuffed him when he told her she needed to stop gambling in order to get right with God.

“’Jesus loves me just the way I am’ is what you said.”

“No,” she countered, “’Jesus loves me just the way I am, and you should too’ is what I said.”

“And I do.”

He felt a tug at his arm from Eden stopping suddenly. Jimin turned to look at her and saw a confused look on her face. His expression softened, feeling an overwhelming sense of longing washing over him. He wouldn’t elaborate on the meaning of his words, however, despite knowing that the look she gave was asking for just that: elaboration. It wasn’t the time and it wasn’t the place. He didn’t think it ever would be.

Instead, he gave her his usual smile – the smile he knew she could trust and believe in; rely on.

I love you.

A twig snapped and Jimin’s body reacted. Lowering himself, he dashed to the right – yanking Eden along with him. Their position was compromised and they needed to hurry before getting overtaken. Jimin assessed their location as he pulled Eden down beside him, crouching low to cover themselves in the shadows of the reeds. Footsteps rushed nearby, the owners pausing every so often to look around and search the area. They quieted their breathing and he frowned when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket again. The others were close, if not already there.

Jimin couldn’t worry about his brothers. They would be smart and stay out of sight.

“Let’s go,” he whispered to Eden, “we’re going to make a run for it.”

She nodded, gripping onto his hand harder.

“On the count of three, okay? One…two…three!”

They bolted from their crouched positions, barreling through the reeds as fast as they could. Jimin forced himself to steady his pacing, knowing that Eden’s strength was all but gone. Pushing her this hard would hurt, but he prayed that her stubborn nature would ignore her injuries long enough to get to safety. Even as the reeds cut and grabbed at them, Jimin pressed on. Eden’s labored breathing became more and more evident, and he apologized to her internally. They couldn’t stop. They had to keep going. Her freedom, her escape from this place, took precedence over everything else in Jimin’s mind.

He would shield her when the time came.

A sharp whistling sound cut through their breaths. Jimin grabbed Eden, pulling her hard to the left. His eyes darted to the side – noting that some kind of projectile was fired. But it wasn’t a bullet. He hadn’t heard a gun fire and even a silencer had a distinct tone when suppressing the sound of a bullet being discharged.

Horrifying realization squeezed against his lungs.

It’s a crossbow!

The shiff of another projectile resounded and Jimin jumped, slamming his shoulder into Eden’s. They both fell to the ground right as he saw the bolt fly by – just barely clipping Eden’s ear. He blanketed her entire body with his own, his hand resting on the back of her head to keep her face down to the grass. Their bodies moved in time with their breathing, heavy and rushed.

“Dammit,” he muttered, glaring over his shoulder, “we’re close.”

Eden whined. He felt her shoulders trembling and he knew that she was very aware of their current predicament. The sound of feet pounding into the grass and reeds breaking cut through the panic threatening to suffocate him.

“Noona, listen to me,” he said into the shell of Eden’s ear, “when I tell you, I want you to run straight in that direction.” Eden lifted her head as he pointed to the East of them. “Don’t even think about stopping, no matter what you hear. Yoongi Hyung and the others will be waiting for you.”

Something passed over her face and her eyes widened. “What about you?”

“They’re shooting at us, so I’m going to draw their fire.”

“Are you crazy?!”

“You sound like Jungkook right now.” Jimin smiled while shaking his head. “I’ll be fine. It’s faster for you to get to them first. I’m right behind you.”

“How can you be right behind me when you’re going to draw them away from me?”

“Stop being stubborn and just do what I say. I’m faster than you right now.”

Eden seemed to process what he was saying and she sighed angrily, tugging and ripping at the grass within her reach. He knew she couldn’t argue with him. Jimin left no room for her to.

Jimin took a breath, held it, then released it slowly. Then, he rolled from her body completely.

“Go!”

Like a track runner, Eden bolted from the ground and tore through the reeds – disappearing from his sight in a matter of seconds. He smiled ruefully to himself before rolling onto his side to stand. His eyes noted the fresh splatters of blood on the ground and he quickly checked his body for any injuries he may have missed. As he followed the trail, he saw that it led in the direction Eden was heading.

Her injuries worsened and she was bleeding out.

“Shit,” he said, doubling back and heading after her.

His mind was rattled with his need to chase Eden. How could he have put that pressure on her knowing what state her body was in? If he ran full-speed, Jimin knew that he would be able to close the distance she’d put between them easily.

He didn’t hear the crunch of grass behind him until the last second. He didn’t note the danger until it was too late. Pain exploded across his shoulder blade, the force of the impact knocking him off kilter. Jimin grit his teeth, whirling his body around and keeping it upright. He reached behind his shoulder, grasping at the bolt protruding from his back. His nerves screamed in protest to the amount of pressure he was forcing in his attempt to pull the bolt out of him.

The harsh whistle of another arrow flying at him caused Jimin to throw his body backward, the force of him hitting the ground breaking the bolt in half. He could feel what remained of the arrow burying itself further into his shoulder blade and he opened his mouth to silently scream.

Jimin’s vision blurred instantly. The pain he felt was immeasurable. More reeds broke as he heard the many approaching footsteps to his spot. He dragged his elbows along the grass, attempting to shuffle into a nearby thicket to hide himself. But as he moved, he saw the tell-tale trail of blood smeared near his legs. Even if he hid, they’d be able to find him without much effort.

Deciding to stay where he was, he waited for his assailants to reveal themselves. In seconds, he watched the reeds part as two Jade Fang members appeared with Sohn Shownu right behind them. Propped on his shoulder was a crossbow gun. It didn’t take Jimin long to see that another bolt was prepped in the chamber.

“You know, I’ve never been a fan of these things.” Shownu shrugged the shoulder the gun rested on. “But I have to admit, they’re pretty useful.”

Jimin scoffed. “A little unfair, don’t you think?”

Shownu lowered the gun, cradling it in his arms as he pointed the end of the bolt directly at Jimin. “I’m afraid this isn’t about being fair, Jimin-ah.” He squeezed the trigger to release the bolt directly into Jimin’s leg. The pain was expected, albeit sudden, and Jimin yelled in outrage. “It’s about making a point.”

A coppery tang registered in Jimin’s mind. He’d bitten his tongue.

“And what point would that be?” he growled through his teeth.

Smirking, Shownu reloaded another bolt into the gun. “That this isn’t personal. Any last words?”

Jimin said nothing. He only glared up at the man he’d once called “Hyung” years ago.

Shownu aimed the gun a little higher, the point of the bolt glinting off the morning sunlight. “You should take comfort in knowing that you and Taehyung are leaving this world the same way.”

For a moment, clarity sank in the pit of Jimin’s stomach. If Taehyung was dead, then the person who messaged them about Eden was preparing this trap. It was all a setup!

“Goodbye, Park Jimin.”

11:27AM

It was cold.

His body felt so cold.

He’d been alone for about five minutes now. Maybe six. His math might have been wrong.

Jimin’s fingers curled around the crossbow bolt that was lodged in his stomach. He felt the sticky trail of his blood leaking from his mouth beginning its descent along his neck. His body forced him to cough involuntarily, the pain around his stomach and back now a phantom ache humming along his skin.

Where his body lacked the ability to move, his mind raced – a rapid succession of flash frames. Jimin could only laugh weakly, more blood bubbling from his mouth and raining down on the ground. His body protested against the movements, but he shifted one hand from around the bolt to dig into the pocket of his jeans. Pulling out his phone, he scrolled through his contacts until he found the name he was looking for.

The phone rang twice before going to voicemail.

“Yo, this is Kim Taehyung! I’m probably busy, y’know, out livin’ the good life, but leave a message and I’ll think about hittin’ you back up. Later!”

“Ya, Kim Taehyung,” Jimin croaked, spitting up more blood as he chuckled, “you son of a bitch. How could you just take off for the gates of the Underworld alone? Huh?” Tears formed in his eyes as he stared listlessly into the sky. “Don’t even think about stirring up a bunch of shit without me. Jungkook and I will be there soon.”

With what strength he had left, Jimin hung up the call. His arm dropped limply at his side, the phone sliding from his fingers to rest in the grass. He blinked hot tears to clear his vision.

Huh , he thought as the tears continued to fall, strange. I don’t feel cold anymore.

As his vision began to focus, he saw the large expanse of sky above him. Jimin tilted his head, as though he were looking at it for the first time in his life. There was a sense of wonderment that lingered in his mind, the feeling in his body numbing slowly from his feet up.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”

Forgive me, my brothers...

And then he felt it. Warmth. He could feel the warmth of the sun on not just his face, but his entire body. Jimin smiled, closing his eyes slowly so that he could bask in it fully. The thought of Eden making it to safety passed through his mind as a soft breeze brushed against him.

...we will meet again, I promise.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Additional Warnings: Graphic depiction of physical violence, captured/kidnapping, major character death

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,882

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

AN: We’re almost at the finished line and I’m going to hurt your feelings all over again. Trust me...I’m hurting pretty bad. Anyway, just know that I love you all. Please feel free to critique, review, and like! 

Chapter 53: First Love

“Don’t let go of my hand forever, I won’t let go of you again either.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

11:22 AM

Providence kept Min Yoongi from behind the wheel. There was a good chance that he would have killed both Seokjin and himself in the process. Instead, he focused all his attention on his cell phone. There was an ever-mounting feeling of dread as they sped their way toward Namyangju. Jungkook and Jimin were closer when it came to distance so he knew that they would arrive there first. It was his own fault for being so stubborn. Yoongi insisted that Changkyun wouldn’t have been stupid enough to keep Eden so close to Seoul. But he also wasn’t dumb enough to put her on a plane and fly her off to another country when there were CCTV cameras all over the place.

Taehyung tracked Changkyun all the way to Jeju Island, persistent in wanting to keep his ear to the ground and figure out any clues. Again, Yoongi believed it to be a fruitless endeavor. The Jade Fangs were too smart for that. They wouldn’t give anything away.

Call him a fool when they all received the text from Taehyung with the location of Eden’s whereabouts. Of course, as luck would have it, Yoongi and Seokjin were a full hour away from Gyeonggi Province. Namjoon and Hoseok were an hour and fifteen. Even if they broke all traffic laws, they’d still get there late. Every hour and every minute counted.

She’d already suffered for six days.

Yoongi wasn’t a religious man, but he clasped his hands together – phone pressed between palms – and prayed that they would reach them in time. He prayed that the boys got to her first and they were already meeting them at their agreed location. What patience and willpower he had, he used it to keep himself from shouting at Seokjin to drive faster.

Sensing his urgency, he felt Seokjin push the car even faster. They were almost there, but it worried him that neither Jimin nor Jungkook replied to his texts. Additionally, why hadn’t Taehyung said anything? It was only an hour flight from Jeju back to Seoul. He should have at least landed at the airport by now. Unless there was something else happening that was preventing him from getting to his phone.

The minute they arrived at the abandoned Industrial District, Yoongi burst from the car and took off in a dead run. His eyes quickly scanned the area for the landmark that Jimin told him about earlier. He was thankful that his younger brother had the wherewithal to take a photo, otherwise they would have been running around for ages; a literal needle in a haystack of bullshit.

Seokjin paused near the edge of the road leading to the heart of the industrial district. Yoongi ran past him, pausing long enough to see that his eyes were trained to the ground. He slowed his run until he came to a complete stop.

“Hyung, what is it?”

He watched as Seokjin knelt on one knee to inspect the ground. “…there’s tire tread here.” He touched it. “It’s warm.”

Yoongi frowned. “Maybe it was the boys?” His heart hammered in his chest. “Maybe they got Eden out.”

Seokjin stood while shaking his head. He pointed further down the road. “Jimin’s car is there. They took a different route than us and parked as far out of sight as they could.”

“Then where the hell are they?” He growled out the question, even though he knew Seokjin didn’t have an answer.

Again, Yoongi pulled out his phone and jogged around various streets to locate the blue barrels by the reeds that Jimin mentioned. He was able to take a full five steps before a scream tore through the silence. Yoongi felt his heart plummet to his gut before it shot back up and into his throat. He glanced over his shoulder to his older brother, seeing the look of fear clouding over Seokjin’s face.

“J-Jimin-ah,” murmured Yoongi.

His legs felt frozen solid. He couldn’t move. Seokjin moved instead, tearing through the street and disappearing into the reeds.

What was happening?

What the hell was even happening right now?

11:26 AM

He tripped.

He tripped and fell into the grass.

That was how Seokjin found Jungkook’s body.

When he managed to recover from the fall, he had to rub his eyes furiously to make sure that what he was seeing was, in fact, reality. Jungkook’s body lay lifeless, but there was a peaceful expression on his face. He was smiling, despite the blood smears coated around his mouth and chin. Seokjin could see where stains of tears were dried around his cheeks and eyes.

His gaze lowered to the gash in his stomach. He could surmise that this was what caused his end. His jacket was bunched near his hip, presumably where he was trying to stop the flow of blood. Jungkook’s eyes were still open, as if staring into the sky and greeting someone before being pulled from life.

Seokjin crawled slowly toward his little brother, his hands shaking violently. He hadn’t even realized he’d begun crying until he pulled Jungkook into his arms, cradling him like a child. Seokjin slowly brushed his brother’s hair out of his eyes before smoothing his fingers down and over his eyelids, closing them. If not for the blood around his mouth, Jungkook would have appeared to be asleep.

He wrapped his arms around him, pulling his bloodied body against his chest. Seokjin felt a sound bubbling around his chest, a sound he’d been suppressing for several seconds. But as he held his brother’s cold, dead body, he knew he couldn’t hold it in anymore.

Seokjin lifted his head to the sky, releasing a sorrowful wail.

He screamed until his throat hurt.

And then he screamed again.

He cried until he felt like his soul was weeping inside of himself.

But he knew it would not be heard by any deity.

Because they’d already reclaimed what was theirs.

But that didn’t mean that it was fair.

11:28 AM

“Seokjin Hyung!”

Yoongi stumbled as he walked around, holding his phone as he continued to try to find the barrels near the reeds. He forced himself to remain focused, ignoring the painful cry that he heard coming from the inner sanctum of the reeds. Yoongi refused to follow, maintaining his current course. Jimin was reliable and he would never let them down. He was the steadfast rock; always present and always ready to have anyone’s back should they trip and fall.

“HYUNG!”

He heard Seokjin in the distance as he continued to cry. With every step Yoongi took, he felt what strength he had seeping out of him and soaking into the ground. For a moment, his vision watered and he quickly shook his head to regain focus. His hearing was muffled under the heavy thrum of his heart battering against his chest.

This was a nightmare.

This wasn’t real.

“HYUUUUNG!”

Yoongi could barely hear his own voice. He tripped over his feet and tumbled to the ground, catching the concrete under his palms. He didn’t care that he probably had cuts under his fingers. All he could do was curl one hand into a fist and pound it into his chest over and over. He tried to quiet his heart; to keep it from telling him the one truth that he had absolutely no desire to hear.

Something snapped in the brush, causing Yoongi to jerk his head in the direction of the sound. He reached toward his leg, retrieving his boot knife, preparing to strike anyone who dared to come at him in hostility. But as the reeds swayed back and forth, he heard desperate and labored breathing pulsing from within. Seconds later, Eden burst through the thicket – looking like the very image of one who was being chased by the devil.

She didn’t seem to notice him, her eyes darting in every direction before she started running across and away from him. Yoongi’s ability to speak was momentarily absent, his eyes moving along the path she was half running, half stumbling toward.

The blue barrels were several yards away.

Scrambling to his feet, Yoongi dropped his knife and sprinted toward Eden. It wasn’t hard to close the distance between them and he didn’t have to look at her long to see the state she was in. Her eyes were wild – practically manic. She had one thing on her mind and one thing only. No one would stop her, but he had to try.

Yoongi slammed into Eden, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. She immediately screamed, flailing her arms and legs in every direction. Sweat ran in rivulets along her face and neck, mixing in with the dirt and blood that coated her body. Yoongi leaned back just as she swung to hit his face, to scratch and maim and perform every act possible to obtain her freedom; like a wild beast.

“Eden!”

She screamed harder, crying. She hadn’t heard him.

“Eden, it’s me!”

Eden ceased her attack for a handful of seconds, her body shaking as he watched the adrenaline wash over her. She craned her neck to look at Yoongi. The fear and anxiety that seemed to cloud over her eyes visibly lifted. Her dry lips parted, as though she were about to say something, but then tears formed, and she began to cry instead.

“Y-Yoongi-ah,” she hiccupped, curling her fingers into his shoulders, “Y-Yoongi…”

Yoongi felt Eden’s weight collapsing against him and with as frayed as his own nerves were, he couldn’t maintain standing for very long. His legs gave out, but he continued to hold Eden close as they both hit the ground together. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he held Eden in his lap – cradling her as she continued to cry into his chest.

He couldn’t say anything to comfort her. What could he say to ease her sorrow? Yoongi thought of something to say, but it all sounded so contrived in his head. So he simply held her, cradling the back of her head with one hand as he rocked back and forth on the ground.

His eyes focused on the frayed bits of fabric around her shoulder where bruises and welts remained. She trembled in increments versus constantly which, in a way, worried Yoongi. As she continued to weep into his jacket, his gaze shifted to the place she’d come from. There was a trail of blood that followed her - scattered between shaking footprints and droplets. He furrowed his brows, his eyeline moving back to her beaten and battered form in his lap.

What he believed to have been her tears soaking his clothing was actually her blood. He gasped, pulling Eden away to get a better look at her. Trails of crimson seeped along her legs and arms and as he pulled his hand away, he saw it smeared with blood that wept from her back. 

“Eden! Hey!”

Yoongi shook her gingerly and her head rolled back along her shoulder. He didn’t think it was possible, but her olive complexion appeared slightly discolored. Her mouth opened and closed, as if attempting to obtain moisture from somewhere. Yoongi had no water to give her and the weight of that guilt caused tears to brim around his eyes. 

The sound of another vehicle approaching barely registered to him. The tires squealed and two pairs of doors slammed and desperately thudding feet grew closer. He didn’t have to look to know that it was Hoseok and Namjoon. 

“Eden-ssi!” he heard Namjoon say as he skidded down to one knee beside them. Yoongi brushed some of her hair from her forehead. “Yoongi Hyung, is she--”

“I don’t know,” he said quietly, “Jin Hyung is somewhere in the reeds. I don’t know where Jungkook and Jimin are.”

“We’ll find them,” Hoseok reassured.

Yoongi barely heard them running off in the direction of where he’d heard Seokjin’s screams. They wouldn’t be greeted with anything pleasant. It would break them.

No. They were already broken.

“Y-Yoongi-ah…”

Eden’s voice, frail and raspy, sounded like a gong in his head - rattling through his entire body. He slowly turned to look down at her, blinking at the weak smile she gave him. Canting his head slightly, Yoongi found himself momentarily amazed at the look she was giving him. He couldn’t remember a time when she appeared so gentle - so unguarded.

She slowly reached into her pocket and dug around for something. He wanted to stop her, but her calm expression prevented him from doing so. Pulling her hand from her pocket, she held her fist out to him. Using the hand that wasn’t holding her upright, he moved to situate his palm under where her hand was as she opened it. 

In his hand was a bloody necklace chain, a single band looped through it. He didn’t understand the meaning behind what she was holding until he saw Eden’s hand move to her own neck. She pulled at the pendant dangling from the chain, breaking it, and then placed the item into his hand alongside the other one. It was a ring.

It was a pair of rings.

Absolute certainty crashed through Yoongi’s heart, shattering what remained. Her fingers curled into his palm and over the two rings; he could feel her arm shaking from the strength it took to perform such a simple action. His vision continued to blur with the onset of tears, watching her hand move from his to lift and reach for his face.

He didn’t have the mind to reach back.

“I...forgive you, Yoongi-ah,” she whispered gently, “I’m...sorry...I didn’t sooner.”

Yoongi coughed out the sob he’d been pushing down into his stomach. His tears fell in succession, the ache in his heart shifting fully to the front and twisting in his chest. He didn’t have to be told what was about to happen. But that didn’t mean he had to be accepting of it. 

“No,” he said, his voice barely audible over the sound of his heart jack hammering into his ribs, “Nononono...NO! You can’t!” 

Yoongi succumbed to the selfishness in his heart, pulling Eden hard against him as he resumed rocking her back and forth in his arms. Something akin to a death knell reverberated through his chest as he cried, burying his face into the crown of her head. The childish part of him, the part that drew up a sliver of hope as though from an empty well, believed if he clung to her hard enough that she couldn’t be whisked away. 

That she wouldn’t leave him to drown in the suffering that was sure to come.

He could hear Namjoon and Hoseok calling for their brothers. Seokjin didn’t call back, but something inside of Yoongi knew this was the end. This was the end for the brothers he lost in the reeds. What Hoseok and Namjoon would find would only result in the same sorrowful cry he heard coming from Seokjin earlier.

The same sound erupting from him as he practically crushed Eden into his chest.

“Eden, you can’t…” His voice was muffled in the matted mess of her curls. “...you can’t do this.” As tears continued to fall, he could feel oncoming sobs wracking through him while rocking Eden like a sleeping child. “You can’t forgive me for all the wrongs I’ve done against you. You can’t deny me the opportunity to make up for all the things I’ve neglected to do for you...to make it up to you.”

His hand slowly stroked along the back of her head, pressing his fingers along the nape of her neck. Even though he knew she was gone, Yoongi still spoke as if she could still hear him; that her spirit had not yet departed from this world.

Somewhere in the distance, he heard the anguished sounds of his brothers. They must have found their other brother. Yoongi shifted his body so that he could rest his knees on the ground. He refused to remove Eden from him, instead maneuvering his body so that he could lift her in his arms like a groom carrying his blushing bride from the festivities of friends and family as they left the chapel.

He carried her in the way he’d longed to carry her, but knew that the opportunity was granted to someone else. To his youngest brother that he knew was gone.

Yoongi walked away from the reeds, his legs heavy with guilt and not from the weight of the woman he loved in his arms. His first love; his last love. 

Jungkook-ah, he thought, eyes staring listlessly ahead as he moved, you decided to take her with you, huh? Yoongi’s eyes moved to stare at Eden’s face; her eyes closed and peaceful, as if she was sleeping. It wasn’t fair but he knew he didn’t have a right to complain. I guess I can’t blame you. Forgive your Hyung for not being able to see you off.

Just as he made it to the car, he paused to look up at the sky - the sunlight blinding him to the point where he was left with no choice but to close his eyes.

...until we meet again in the next life.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Additional Warnings: Major Character Death (autopsy results)

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,772

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​

AN: Do you guys have trust issues with me yet? No? Yes? I’m hoping the answer is yes because I don’t trust myself anymore. T_T

Chapter 54: Tear

“My heart is ripping, just set it on fire so the pain and the feelings won’t remain.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Seoul - Cheongdam; Gangnam District South Korea

“You’re lying.”

“Raelyn...”

“You are lying to me right now.”

“Listen to me--”

“STOP LYING!”

Her breathing was labored; harsh. Raelyn could feel the veins protruding from her neck as her spine went ramrod. A hand went to her swollen stomach, feeling the small life kicking in protest to its mother’s sudden spike in emotion. Hoseok stared pointedly at her, not breaking the harsh glare that she was undoubtedly throwing at him. She ignored the other people in the hospital that looked at the spectacle she was making, but she didn’t care. Raelyn couldn’t even begin processing what the hell she’d just been told.

Hoseok was telling her lies. Or someone was trying to prank her. Taehyung was capable of such a moronic thing and she planned to give him a solid ass beating the minute she saw him. If he put the others up to this, then they would all have hell to pay. Because this joke wasn’t even remotely close to being funny.

“I swear to God, Hoseok, if Taehyung is tryin’ to pull a fast one--”

The look on his face gave her pause. She couldn’t quite read it, but she could at least tell that he wasn’t playing around. No. The Jung Hoseok she knew wasn’t the sort to joke around about something so serious.

Yet Raelyn still couldn’t believe him.

Not until she saw Yoongi enter through the sliding glass doors with her best friend in his arms.

Raelyn’s legs turned to jelly and she fell forward. Thankfully Hoseok was there to catch her, holding her in his arms as she squeezed his forearms in a death-grip. There was no way that any of this was real. 

She thought back to when she told Eden to call her as soon as she’d gotten to Daegu. When she hadn’t heard from her initially, Jungkook reassured her that she must have been caught up with all the meeting and greeting and getting to know one another. It was unsurprising that she wouldn't call on the first day. Raelyn immediately thought the worst when two days passed and she hadn’t received a response to any of her text messages.

Both Raelyn and Anastasia prayed for the return of their friend when it was discovered that she was kidnapped by the Jade Fang members. The boys refused to let them go anywhere without supervision and, at first, they were hell-bent on protesting against it. But when Hoseok furiously explained how dire the situation was, they had no other choice but to relent. They didn’t want to put themselves at risk and cause others undue stress while hunting down Eden’s whereabouts. 

Raelyn pulled herself away from Hoseok, but he remained at her side quietly as she approached Yoongi. She’d never seen her friend so battered and broken. What was worse, her color was almost ashen and there were obvious signs of abuse littered over her frame. The peaceful look on Eden’s face, however, almost fooled Raelyn into believing she’d left the world in no pain. And she knew her friend was gone. 

No one had to tell her that.

“Eden,” she murmured, her hands reaching out to touch her. 

She nearly flinched back from how cold she was, tears immediately falling as she recalled her friend’s happiness and teasing face when she reached out to rub her belly. Eden told her that she needed to take some time off from work, but Raelyn was stubborn and insisted that she’d be administering care for her patients until the baby decided it was time for them to pop into the world.

Raelyn never wished to be anywhere but at work more than she did now.

The doors slid open again and Raelyn felt her hand move to cover her mouth as Namjoon and Seokjin walked in, carrying Jimin and Jungkook in their arms. Blood covered their bodies, their wounds easy to discern even with her naked eye. They stood on either side of Yoongi and she felt Hoseok’s arms resting on her shoulders, steadying her in case she felt she couldn’t stand up again.

“Miss D’Angelo, wait!” 

A voice shouted from outside and, as if on instinct, the boys stood away from the door as a very pregnant Anastasia hobbled into the hospital lobby. Her eyes locked with Raelyn’s and she seemed to be catching her breath. Someone must have told her to come to the hospital and there was a selfish side of Raelyn that wished they hadn’t. She didn’t need to see them. Not like this.

“Raelyn Unnie,” she cried, crossing over to her and clasping her hands, “I came as soon as I heard. It’s not true, is it? Tell me it’s not true!”

Raelyn bit her lower lip, averting her gaze away from her friend. She glanced over her shoulder as it seemed that Anastasia hadn’t noticed them yet. When she didn’t answer her, Ana realized something was amiss and turned her head slowly to look in the direction that Raelyn was facing. 

“Eden,” she heard her whisper.

Anastasia seemed to assess the situation for what it was. She let Raelyn’s hands go, took three full steps toward Yoongi, before her body started to tilt at a dangerous angle. Raelyn moved but Hoseok was faster, catching Anastasia by her arms to prevent her from falling to the floor. There was a sudden sound of liquid hitting the ground and Raelyn blinked as she realized Anastasia’s water broke.

The shocking truth primed her friend for labor.

“I need a gurney over here!”

A few of Raelyn’s co-workers were watching the situation as it unfolded, an orderly rushing down the hall to retrieve the requested gurney. Hoseok took Jungkook from Seokjin’s arms as both he and Raelyn helped Anastasia onto the gurney. They wasted no time wheeling her off to the delivery area after she explained what was happening. 

“Raelyn-ssi,” called Jongmin, her male nurse colleague, “is everything alright?”

She shook her head, wiping the tears from her face as she pointed to the others. “They need to be taken to the morgue.”

He looked at them curiously before turning back to her. “Are you--”

“Just do it, Jongmin-ssi, please,” she managed to choke out while grasping at his wrist, “I’ll take full responsibility, alright? Just...just get them down there.”

Namjoon sat on a bench outside in the back gardens of the hospital. A cigarette was perched between his lips, but he hadn’t lit the end yet. His thumb slid the top open to the Zippo, closing it with a loud clink before opening it again. People walked by him but he barely paid attention to any of them. His mind was so far from his body that he may as well have been able to see what he looked like from a vantage point across the way.

He felt empty inside.

His eyes were puffy and swollen from crying. The weight of Jimin’s body still felt heavy in his arms, like he was still carrying him. The blood that covered his arms and hands were washed clean in one of the hospital’s public washrooms. A doctor told them all they needed to get cleaned up while a medical examiner came and did a proper survey over the bodies. 

The urge to cry again sat on the corner of his heart, weighing like an anvil. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He’d kept himself together long enough to drive back to Seoul before losing it. Yoongi was as numb as he’d ever seen him and Seokjin was too far gone to drive back. It was Yoongi who took the keys from him. 

As empty as his soul felt, his mind raced a mile a minute. Namjoon turned over the chessboard in his brain, piecing everything together. His opponent? The Jade Fangs. 

Somewhere along the way, they’d messed up. As men and as gangsters. Despite every contingency they’d come up with, the Jade Fangs were that much more prepared. For every attack and counterattack, the Jade Fangs were able to parry and counterblow them back. Namjoon wasn’t foolish enough to assume that the Jade Fangs would remain quiet, but he wanted to believe that Hoseok’s discussion with Im Changkyun had, in fact, born fruit.

If only they knew what they would be reaping from the seeds they’d sown.

He felt the cigarette suddenly being pulled from his mouth, forcing him to look up. Yoongi was slipping it between his own lips, pilfering the lighter in Namjoon’s hand to light the end of it. He watched as his older brother took a long drag, flopping into the seat beside him. A cloud of smoke billowed from both his nostrils and mouth upon his exhale.

“The others?”

“Hoseok-ah is waiting on the medical examiner,” he said, cigarette clenched between his teeth, “Jin Hyung is with Ana-ssi.”

“Has she given birth?”

“She’s still in labor.”

“Ah.”

Silence quickly filled the gaps between them. Normally they were close, but it felt like Namjoon was on a different plane of existence from the rest of his brothers. Yoongi must have felt the same. 

“No word from Taehyung-ah?”

Namjoon shook his head. “His phone keeps going to voicemail.” He took a breath. “...do you think he’s--”

“We have to assume he is.”

“Assume he’s what?”

Both Namjoon and Yoongi looked up to see Raelyn standing off to the side of them. She lowered the phone in her hand at her side, gripping it tightly as she glared at them. Namjoon sighed, brushing some of his hair out of his eyes. This was just going from bad to worse.

“Assume he’s what, Yoongi-ssi?” she repeated, the anger clear on her face.

“Dead, Raelyn,” said Yoongi as he stood up, “we have to assume Taehyung-ah is dead.”

Raelyn used her free hand to aim a slap at Yoongi’s face. Namjoon got to his feet on reflex, but Yoongi caught her by the wrist just inches from his face. Her arm shook with how hard she was trying to break through Yoongi’s defenses, but he held strong and his expression didn’t show any sign of shifting from the blank mask he currently wore.

“There’s a chance that he’s still alive, but we have to assume the worst.”

“Damn you, Min Yoongi,” she half-growled.

Namjoon watched his brother’s eyes narrow and he stood beside them both, ready to intervene at a moment’s notice.

“I won’t say you don’t have a right to be angry,” he said softly while pulling her hand down, “but don’t forget that I lost three brothers today.”

Raelyn’s face fell a measure and Yoongi released her hand. 

Namjoon’s brows furrowed. “Hyung…”

“And the only woman I’ve ever loved.”

Yoongi took a long drag from the cigarette, tapped the ash onto the ground, before snuffing it out completely in the sand tray next to the bench. Namjoon watched as his brother turned and headed back into the hospital’s back entrance. Raelyn’s sob broke through his thoughts and he turned to look back at the woman who carried his younger brother’s child in her womb. She buried her face in her hands, crying openly and he reached out to pull her into as comforting of an embrace as he could give her.

Because he was hurting too.

Anastasia screamed as the doctor urged her to push. Sweat drenched her hospital gown and she gripped onto Seokjin’s hand as if he were the only thing keeping her from life and death. The pain that wracked her body was indescribable and she continued to swear at the man at her side, declaring that this was all his fault. That he had to take responsibility for what he’d done.

The world blurred and cleared every so often, giving clarity to Anastasia’s mind. When she had a moment to breathe before being told to push again, the image of her friend’s dead body came crashing through her thoughts. She cried and screamed not from her labor pains, but from losing Eden in such a horrible way. She lost the ability to speak coherently two hours into labor, her strength seemingly bleeding away from her with every push she gave to bring her child into the world.

Seokjin pushed some of her sweat-soaked bangs from her forehead and she continued to cry, her eyes shifting to look at him. She was thankful that he was there with her. Anastasia knew that it was typically not allowed for fathers to be present during the birth, but Seokjin strictly stated that he would be present no matter what and he dared a doctor to tell him otherwise.

He seemed to understand what was truly bothering her and Anastasia closed her eyes, letting the tears leak out over her cheeks. She felt his lips press against her forehead and, again, she pushed, squeezing his hand harder than she’d ever squeezed it. 

Then she heard it. The wailing cry of life from a newborn baby. Everyone in the delivery room released collective sighs of relief and happiness. Her spine practically dissolved into the bed, her muscles loosening as the nurses cleaned the crying babe. 

“Congratulations,” said the doctor as a nurse handed a swaddled and red-faced infant to Anastasia, “it’s a boy.”

Anastasia held the child in her arms, still crying and giving little coughs of protest to the cold world it was now forced to live in. She brushed his dark hair away as it made faces and sneezed. A sob exploded from Seokjin as he fell to his knees, his hands pressing into her arm and the blanket draped over her waist.

“...thank you, Ana,” he whispered through his tears, “thank you for giving us some hope now.”

Hoseok was the very definition of the living dead. 

His body moved of its own accord, but his mind was completely vacant. His legs carried him up and down the hall, his fingers curling in and out of fists to pop the joints in his knuckles. Somewhere along the way, his heart settled to a quiet murmur. It was like he’d already died.

This all had to be a nightmare.

Hoseok’s mouth was dry and even though a receptionist gave him water, it went down like sand in his throat. He did everything he could to occupy his mind, tethering him to the hospital. He spent a solid hour calling Taehyung’s phone, not caring that it continuously went straight to voicemail. It was something; the only thing that was preventing him from seeking Changkyun out and ripping his spine clean from his body.

Another hour passed before the medical examiner arrived. They said nothing to each other as he took the elevator to the morgue. Hoseok remained in the lobby alone. 

He didn’t know how much time passed, but when he next looked out a window, darkness had already blanketed the outside world.

Seokjin was the first one to cross his path, looking just as haggard as he undoubtedly felt. 

“How is she?”

“It got scary a few times,” he said while massaging his hands, “but she’s fine.”

Hoseok tried to smile but he failed, giving up on the gesture altogether. “And the baby?”

Seokjin looked at Hoseok for the first time and saw tears welling in his eyes. “...a son.” He smiled but Hoseok could see the pain behind it. “We have a son.”

“C-Congratulations, Hyung,” he stammered, reaching out to grasp his older brother’s hands, “I’m so glad.”

“Where are the others?” Seokjin asked as he looked around. “Are they still here?”

Hoseok sighed, releasing Seokjin’s hands to rub his own through his dark hair. “I’m not sure.”

“Are the guardians of Park Jimin, Jeon Jungkook and Jeon Eden present?”

Both men turned to peer at the doctor who was holding a chart, looking around the lobby. Hoseok’s heart plummeted to his knees. He wasn’t sure if he’d heard it right, but if he had…

...Eden and Jungkook-ah?

“We’re here,” said Seokjin, getting the doctor’s attention. 

“Ah, I see,” he said, approaching them, “we’re still waiting on the final autopsy results. It may take a few more hours. Will you be here awhile?”

“Yes.” Hoseok frowned. “We’ll be here as long as it takes.”

They all gathered in a private room. Yoongi could only stare as the doctor waited for all of them to get situated. When he asked where Raelyn was, Seokjin said that she decided to go check on Anastasia to make sure she was okay after the birth. It was better for them all that they weren’t there. Seeing their friend return in the state she was in was terrible enough. They didn’t need to sit through this discussion.

Hell, he didn’t want to be here for it.

They waited for the doctor to gather his paperwork before watching him take a seat across from them. He looked at each of them, sighed, and then presented a piece of paper to them.

It was Jungkook’s death certificate.

“For your youngest brother, Jeon Jungkook. The time of death is 11:06 AM. The cause of death would be blood loss due to laceration of the abdominal aorta. There were some superficial scratches, we assume from some kind of flora in the area. But, upon examination, we noted a puncture wound conclusive of a knife blade that perforated the abdominal wall, portion of the liver, and just missed completely severing the whole of the abdominal aorta.”

Yoongi’s whole body shifted in the chair. He felt Seokjin’s hand grab for his own from under the table, keeping him rooted in his spot. The doctor paused, looking at them all for another moment, before placing the next sheet of paper on the table.

It was Jimin’s death certificate.

“For your younger brother, Park Jimin. Time of death is 11:28 AM. The cause of death was determined to be massive blood loss due to the severing of both the left femoral artery and the abdominal aorta. Mr. Park was found to have several contusions about his temple, bruising consistent with something like a group attack? There were actual footprint sized bruises noted by the examiner, as well as a few broken ribs. These, by themselves, wouldn’t be cause for concern. There was also noted to be crossbow bolt injuries to the shoulder.”

“A crossbow bolt?” Hoseok asked, his voice tight with emotion. Yoongi didn’t even have to look at him to note the anger tinged in the inquiry.

The doctor nodded. “Again, paired with the bruising, it wouldn’t have been as dire had not both the major sources of blood supply been severed.”

They watched him place the last piece of paper on the table next to Jimin’s.

It was Eden’s death certificate.

“For your youngest sister, Jeon Eden...”

The doctor paused, the weight of the silence palpable. It was clear that he wasn’t too keen on speaking about this, but Yoongi knew he was prepared to come across the table if he didn’t start talking soon. Removing his glasses, the doctor took a deep breath to compose himself. 

“As you well know, we had to turn over this information to the police in order to finish our autopsy. The findings were quite severe for Mrs. Jeon. We ordered a STAT toxicology report that we should be receiving back within the next day or so.” 

Load of fuckin’ good that does, Yoongi thought bitterly, the police are just going through the motions. They won’t give a damn what those results turn up.

“To start off with, I’m sure you’re aware that Mrs. Jeon’s injuries, her very state, is conducive to someone who was tortured?” 

No one uttered a word. They all just stared transfixed at the doctor, waiting for him to continue.

So he did.

“Mrs. Jeon was in a state of critical dehydration and paired with the blood loss? The cause of death is Hypovolemic Shock. Time of death is 11:32 AM. Her body was covered in medium depth knife cuts about her legs, arms and torso. There were a multitude of welts and gashes consistent with a whip or flog type tool based on the pattern upon her back.”

Yoongi felt Seokjin’s grip tighten around his hand. The anger that bubbled around his chest threatened to choke him. The chair shook underneath him with how hard he was vibrating.

“It was difficult to get fluid samples, but we did our best. There were also one or two small marks that are consistent with needle punctures. There was no food in her stomach and based on the appearance of her organs, we estimate a loss of about twenty percent of her total body fluid. The way she arrived and the blood loss from just...so many places at once - and the inability to replace those fluids are what we determine to be the cause of her passing.”

The legs of the chair scraped harshly across the floor, causing everyone in the room to jump. Yoongi was up on his feet, yanking his hand from Seokjin’s grasp. When he tried to go for it again, presumably to make him sit down, Yoongi smacked his hand away and glared hotly at his older brother.

No one said anything. Not until he turned to leave the room. He heard them calling after him, but it all fell on deaf ears. Yoongi found himself in the quiet hallway, his legs moving faster until he ran full-speed out through the lobby and into the parking lot. When his feet hit the pavement, he doubled over and dry heaved toward the ground, feeling his intestines twisting inside of him with the storm of emotions barreling through him.

Tears fell to the ground at his feet and Yoongi felt the world lean in a raw tilt. He collapsed to his knees, punching the concrete repeatedly. He didn’t care that he was breaking skin and blood was splattering along the ground. He longed to feel something other than the wave of despair that threatened to swallow him completely.

When he could no longer feel the blows to the ground, he stopped long enough to reach into the inside pocket of his jacket. Fishing around inside, he shakily pulled out the two bloodied rings in his hand. Through his tears, he read the words inscribed on each of them.

On Eden’s ring was engraved the word “Together”. On Jungkook’s, the word “Forever”.

Curling his hand into a fist, he began pounding at his chest - mouth wide with the onset of something threatening to tumble from his throat. 

The loud clap of thunder overhead drowned out the sound of his screams.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,258

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​

AN: It’s just a downhill slope from now on, guys. That’s all I have to say, really...

Chapter 56: Does It Make Sense?

“Talk is not over, it doesn’t make sense still. Problem is not over, it doesn’t make sense....”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Hwaseong – Gyeonggi District South Korea

There was a hole in the household now.

A hole so large that there wasn’t a chance for it to be filled.

Half the world was taken from them and they were still reeling from it all.

The only thing that kept Seokjin from spiraling out of control was the sight of Anastasia holding their child. He pulled her close as she slept, doing his best not to disturb her rest. He watched as their son, Gidae, cooed and pulled a fussy face before falling back asleep. Reaching out with his hand, Seokjin lightly pressed his finger against his small nose. Gidae giggled, coughed, then reached out blindly to grab Seokjin’s finger, squeezing it.

Misty-eyed, he laid there for a moment longer to admire the two beings who mattered so much to him. After a few more selfish moments, Seokjin pulled himself away from the bed and quietly closed the door. He quickly made his way downstairs where his parents were waiting. His mother pulled him into an embrace almost immediately.

“Thank you, Eomma,” he whispered, and he felt his mother squeeze him a little harder, “I appreciate you looking after them.”

His mother pulled away from him a measure, looking into his gaze. “Of course, Seokjin-ah. She’s the mother of our grandchild.”

He felt his father clap a hand on his shoulder. “Are you planning on marrying her?”

Seokjin grinned. “I will once I finish up some business.” His mother brushed his bangs off his forehead and he gave her a kiss to her cheek. “I promise.”

He glanced toward the stairwell and smiled gently. You’ll be safe here with Hope, Ana…

After reassuring his family that everything was fine, he quickly vacated the house where Hoseok was waiting for him. He bowed respectfully to his parents and Seokjin waved, the two of them making their way down the street. With the promise that he would make more time to come visit them, Hoseok led them from Seokjin’s childhood home.

There was a heavy silence that sat between them. Neither of them wanted to admit it out loud. Seokjin also knew there was something dark growing around Hoseok. It was an aura he hadn’t felt from him in several years. If he was a lesser man, Seokjin would have spoken of his fear out loud. But growing up around all his childhood friends, his brothers, reminded him of how far they’d all come.

Coming back to Hwaseong only reinforced the feeling.

“Hyung,” called Hoseok, interrupting the quiet that surrounded them.

He paused, not realizing that he’d continued walking ahead of him. Pausing, Seokjin turned to look back as Hoseok’s eyes remained cast toward the ground.

“What is it, Hoseok-ah?”

“I’m angry.”

Seokjin pursed his lips together, keeping his silence. He knew there was more his younger brother wanted to express. Two words hardly seemed enough.

“I can’t stop thinking about what Jungkook said.” Hoseok’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “It keeps playing like a record in my head. Over and over again.”

“Hoseok-ah…”

“If we had just pushed through…if we had just wiped out Changkyun and the others back then—”

“What good does thinking that do now?”

Both Seokjin and Hoseok turned, looking down the long stretch of road where more houses were. They saw Taehyung coming up the street, hands stuffed in his pockets with a limb of barley hanging from his lips. His sneakers, ripped jeans, and oversized sweater gave Seokjin pause. It was like he was seeing the younger version of Taehyung again – rebellious. He often had a smile on his face, deterring others from his internal thoughts. It was his distraction method.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Taehyung was a powder keg ready to explode.

He stopped a few feet away from them, spitting the barley stem from his mouth. Seokjin could feel the canyon growing between them and he tried to put on a brave face. He didn’t think he had the mental fortitude to handle whatever look was painted over Hoseok’s face at that moment.

Instead, Seokjin did what he could to bridge said gap.

“How is Raelyn-ssi?”

Taehyung grinned, shrugging one shoulder. “She gets along with my sister, so that’s a plus. My parents are a little standoffish for now, but that’s to be expected.”

Seokjin nodded. All of them agreed that the best course of action was to bring the girls out of Seoul. Having them return with them to their hometown was settled between everyone. They would be safer there. While their families weren’t a hundred percent sure what their business ventures entailed for the last ten years, they were smart enough to pick up the context clues that were left behind. People could hardly call their families traditionalist, which made placing the girls into their childhood homes easy.

The three of them began walking, Taehyung keeping a solid two feet away from them as they moved through the streets. Several familiar faces passed them and they greeted them accordingly. Seokjin almost forgot how peaceful it was. There was a heavy wave of nostalgia that washed over him. The same seemed prevalent in his brothers.

They left the small market, bee-lining for the Han River. The air was cold; crisp. It resembled the same setting from ten years ago when Namjoon first extended his hand for them to come to Seoul with him. When they all decided to delve into a world of darkness as a collective.

Pushing through the tall reeds, Seokjin tried to keep his thoughts at bay. But they whispered along the back of his mind, taunting him. Declaring that this tragedy they all were facing was the well-rehearsed machination of something completely out of their control.

Would things have turned out differently if we’d just stayed behind?

As they broke through the last stretch of reeds, they saw Yoongi standing on the large rock situated by the river. He wore a black band over his right arm, his hand dipping into a small pine box. The three of them paused, not wanting to disturb their brother as he spread pale ashes out across the lake. Seokjin frowned as Hoseok and Taehyung stood on either side of him.

Yoongi was persistent in his need to bury Jungkook and Eden’s remains at Jimin’s family’s home. No one disagreed with him. They didn’t want Jimin to be alone in the afterlife and his family readily agreed to the arrangement. The box contained a small amount of ashes from all three of their urns.

When he finished, he stepped off the rock and walked over to them. Before they could say anything, he threw the pine box on the ground. Seokjin stepped forward just as Yoongi brought his heel down on the box – smashing it underfoot. He continued to do so until all that remained were splinters of its former self. They would be blown across the land when a strong enough breeze came through. They all knew this was Yoongi’s way of smothering down the wealth of rage teeming inside of him.

“Yoongi-ah,” called Seokjin as Yoongi pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, “have you gone to see your family?”

“They know I’m here,” was all he said as he lit the cigarette, taking a slow drag. Smoke exhaled from his nostrils as he brushed some of his hair out of his eyes. “And they know I won’t be staying long.”

He hadn’t meant to sigh, but he did anyway. The heavy silence returned almost immediately, and it was just about all he could stand. This was going to kill them. This atmosphere was going to be the end of them all.

There was a soft rustling noise to their left and they all looked as Namjoon parted through the reeds. He, too, was smoking and Seokjin had to resist the urge to fuss at him for potentially causing a fire. It was apparent that Namjoon had something he needed to say that required their absolute attention.

“Changkyun and the others are all back together in Seoul,” he said quietly, lifting his face to the sky, “we won’t have a lot of time.”

Hoseok sighed, folding his arms across his chest. “It won’t take them long to figure out that we’ve left Seoul.”

“If anything, they’ll be trying to gauge what our next move will be,” said Seokjin while nodding.

Yoongi scoffed, swiveling the cigarette to the side of his mouth. “Not like that’ll be hard.”

He caught Hoseok shifting slightly from out of the corner of his eye. “Yoongi Hyung…”

“We’re going to kill them.”

Taehyung delivered the sentence with an even timbre, slicing through the tension that radiated around them. Craning their necks to look at him, they took note of the placid expression on his face. Only Yoongi appeared unaffected with the finality of the statement.

Seokjin was afraid of this. He’d been afraid forthis.

“Taehyung-ah…”

“All of them.”

“Don’t be stupid,” snapped Namjoon, giving Seokjin’s racing heart some relief, “they have the cops in their pockets. Killing them won’t be easy.”

Taehyung narrowed his eyes. “That won’t be a problem when they’re dead.”

“Taehyung-ah,” said Hoseok quietly, “I understand how you feel. We all do. But this must be executed carefully. We’re not gangsters anymore. We don’t have the leverage we used to.”

“And whose fault is that, Hyung-nim?”

The venom was clear in his tone even though Taehyung hadn’t raised his voice.

“Hey.” Namjoon snapped his fingers. “Watch it, Kim Taehyung.”

They watched Taehyung give a casual shrug. “I don’t care how we do it, but they’re going to die.”

“They’re not dumb enough to pull the tiger’s whiskers this time,” said Yoongi flatly, “not after stepping on its tail.”

No one could argue with him in that sense. Poking them like they had in the last year after what they’d done would be a guaranteed death sentence.

He spit the cigarette from his mouth. “Which means they’re waiting on us to make the next move.”

“That,” Hoseok mused, “or they think we’re too broken to fight back.”

“Then let them think that.”

Everyone shifted their gaze to Namjoon. He was planning something and he wouldn’t cut any corners. He made his way over to the large rock, leaning his hip against it.

“Changkyun thinks he’s won, but the game isn’t over.” He frowned. “It’s far from finished.” Namjoon looked at his watch. “I’m waiting on some information to come to me. It should be here before the end of the day. Once I get it, we’ll start preparing.”

“We can’t leave anything to chance.” Seokjin carded a hand through his hair. “Every one of our bases needs to be covered.”

“Leave that to me,” chimed Taehyung, flashing his trademark boxy smile, “I’ll make sure that no one will be implicated.” He paused, his eyes darkening slightly. “Well, no one that matters, anyway.”

There were no counterarguments against him. What could they say, really, to dissuade him? He was The Shadow Claw for a reason. Regardless of their disconnect from the criminal Underworld, Taehyung seemed to have maintained a few contacts after they phased themselves out as the Golden Jackals.

It was clear that something was festering inside of him, but no one had the urge to try and get him to release it. Taehyung had his own way of doing things. He always had. This time would be no different. Arguing with him would only slow them down, keeping them even further from their end goal.

The Jade Fangs had to pay for what they’d done to them; to their family. It was the duty of those who were still alive to avenge those who were not. They had to make their amends to the dead.

One way or the other.

Namjoon’s phone rang suddenly, pulling everyone from their own inner musings. He answered, nodding and giving his ascent to whoever was on the other line. The call couldn’t have been more than three minutes long, but he hung up swiftly and looked at them as they patiently waited for him to speak.

“One week.”

Seokjin frowned. “Until what?”

“That’s when our window opens up.”

Hoseok’s text chime sounded. He pulled out his phone and peered at the screen for a handful of seconds before putting it back into his pocket. “Changkyun-ah wants to meet.”

Yoongi lofted a brow. “Why?”

“He wants to discuss terms.”

“Terms for what?”

“Yongsan and Gangnam,” Hoseok said as he sighed, “I’m either to hand it over to him or reclaim it.”

A loud bark of laughter erupted from Yoongi, his face clearly showcasing his disbelief with what he’d just heard. “Wow, what a pompous fucking piece of shit…”

Seokjin shook his head. “When does he want to meet? And where?”

“Incheon.” He paused, turning something else over in his head before continuing. “One week.”

Everyone looked at Namjoon as he smirked. “Looks like my intel was right.” He quickly pulled his phone back out, typing out something along the screen. “It’s time to reset the board, my brothers.”

“Fuck that,” clipped Taehyung, “we’re finishing this goddamn game.”

They all remained quiet. Taehyung was right. If they dragged it out any longer, there was a chance they’d get swept up in the darkness again. Or they’d be wiped out altogether.

Either way, Seokjin saw neither as a viable option. There was too much at stake and they’d already lost so much.

It was time to finish this.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,327

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​

AN: And here we go...

Chapter 57: Boy Meets Evil

“But in order to be free from this crime, it’s impossible to forget and give up.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

One Week Later Incheon – Sungui; Nam District South Korea

Hoseok and Seokjin stood side by side as they looked at the large, gray building in front of them. They parked their car at the end of the long road, surveying their surroundings. The morning sky was overcast and shrouded the landscape in hues of grays; desaturating everything. Autumn was already upon them and foliage that was once fully in bloom would soon begin singing their songs of lamentation as they died.

It was the season for beginnings to come to an end.

The old factory was worn from years of neglect. Rust spots were speckled over the iron and there were a few spider cracks along large windows on every side. Several other sedans were parked nearby, presumably Jade Fang members. Hoseok cast a critical eye over them, his gaze meeting Seokjin’s. They both nodded, stepping in sync as they approached the large metal double doors.

His hand went out to reach for the handle, pulling it open. The hinges screamed from abuse, crying for attention. The sound wailed through the expanse as the bottom portion of the door scraped along the concrete flooring. Seokjin followed closely as he entered, pulling the door closed behind him. The ambient noise of the city quickly transformed into that of a tomb.

Their footsteps echoed over the wide space. Hoseok took note of the many wooden crates that lined either walls, giving access to a variety of blind spots. The factory had a single floor that was one big open space. High above it, catwalks ran along the rafters all leading from the factory manager’s office: a metal cube suspended at one end of the warehouse. Abandoned shelf scaffolding broke up the empty space. Crates and pallets were strewn around, making decent hiding places.

He frowned when a few of Changkyun’s underlings looked at him suspiciously – each of them armed with bats, pipes, and knives. Sliding his hand into his pocket, he smirked while shaking his head. It was obvious that Changkyun didn’t trust him and that was fine. After the damage he’d caused, Hoseok couldn’t blame him for taking precautions against him.

Even if this was supposed to be a general meeting.

“Jin Hyung,” a voice called to them, causing both men to halt in their steps.

They looked over to the right where another portion of the factory broke off, seeing Wonho reveal himself. He flicked his tongue out over his lip ring, grinning like a man who’d just won a high stakes poker game. Hoseok slowly blinked as Seokjin situated himself to his right.

Wonho stopped just a few feet short from them. “I didn’t expect you to be here. I figured it would be Namjoon-ah like usual.”

Seokjin shrugged. “Yeah well, we’ve decided not to be so predictable.”

They watched him peer around them, as though he was expecting more people. “The others?”

“None of your business. Besides, he asked to meet me, did he not?”

Hoseok flicked some of his hair out of his eyes, watching the smirk on Wonho’s face grow a little more. There was a small flame of anger that continued to burn in his chest. But he didn’t say anything. He waited for Wonho to look at him, bowing his head in respect, before giving a gentle sigh.

“Where’s Changkyun-ah?”

Without breaking their gaze, Wonho raised his hand up and pointed toward the large metal stairwell that led to the manager’s office. Hoseok started to make his way to the stairwell, but stopped when Wonho side-stepped into his path. He cut his eyes at him, his brows knitting tightly. He was in no mood to play any sort of games right now. This was about business.

“Sorry Hoseok-ah,” he said, holding his hands up in a mock show of surrender, “gotta search you. Boss’s orders.”

Hoseok looked around at the armed men in the warehouse before meeting Wonho’s gaze. “…are you fuckin’ serious?”

Seokjin took a step forward but Hoseok held an arm out to stop him. He rolled his eyes, lifting his other arm so that Wonho could frisk him. No one moved, however, and this irritated him.

“Whatever. Let’s get this over with, huh? I don’t have all day.”

“Yes, yes,” he said, moving toward him.

It didn’t take long for Wonho to search him. The clothing he wore was loose-fitting around his torso while his pants were a slim fit. It made movement easier for him, but would have been obvious had he concealed anything on his person. After the search was finished, he stepped to the side to let Hoseok through. He heard Seokjin move only to take note of the sound of him being stopped. He glanced over his shoulder to see that Wonho was now impeding his brother’s path.

“Wonho-yah,” came Seokjin’s even tone, “move.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Jin Hyung. Hoseok-ah has to go on alone.” He grinned. “You can keep me company instead.”

“It’s okay, Jin Hyung,” reassured Hoseok, “I can handle it from here.”

Seokjin didn’t seem satisfied with this, but he shook his head. He knew there was no stopping Hoseok now that he was set to take care of things once and for all. This would be the last time they would have this altercation with their former brothers of the underworld. Timing was crucial.

Hoseok ascended the stairwell slowly, the iron steps rattling under him as he moved. Both hands were in his pockets as he walked, his eyes continuing to look at all the various angles of the factory warehouse. If he knew Changkyun as well as he thought he did, then his other upper-tiered members were scattered around outside. They would be on the lookout for anyone to try and shake things up.

But he already had an ace up his sleeve for that.

At the top of the stairs, the door to the office stood. To the left, a grated walkway led out over the floor, spreading into catwalks that sprawled the entire place. There was a small square window on the door smudged with dirt. He knocked loudly, the sound reverberating off the walls and bouncing back to hit his body in small tremors. When the door opened, it was Shownu standing in the doorway. They stood silently, almost gauging the other, before he shifted off to the side to allow him entrance. Once inside, Shownu exited the manager’s office and closed the door behind him.

Hoseok saw Changkyun nursing a cup of coffee from an electric kettle. The only furniture in the room were two heavy wooden tables. The rest of the office was bare; a thin slit of a window overlooking the warehouse floor. He watched him turn, smiling as he sipped from the mug. Changkyun held out the cup to Hoseok.

“Did you want me to make you a cup?”

“Are you repurposing this place?”

Changkyun snapped his fingers and pointed at him, a look of satisfaction clearly painted over his face. “Wow, you don’t miss a thing, do you Hyung?”

He shrugged, gesturing to the electric kettle with a simple tilt of his head.

“The market value for this place was decent. People need jobs and I just got my hands on a permit to start turning this into a mass shipping facility.”

“How long have you been working on this?”

He watched him hum, as if he really needed a moment to pause and think. “A few months now.”

“I see.”

“There’s money to be made, so why not make it?” He walked back over to the kettle where another mug sat on the table. “Did you want coffee or no?”

Sighing, Hoseok pulled the sleeve of his jacket back to look at his watch. “I thought we were here to talk business?”

“Always so serious,” he said, smiling, “you can relax. I won’t bite.”

“You killed my brothers and my sister-in-law,” came Hoseok’s slow response, “what the fuck did you expect?”

Changkyun clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth while shaking his head. “Oh, come on now. I already told you that this wasn’t personal.”

“You made it personal.”

“Wrong!” His voice boomed out over the small space. “I made a point.”

Hoseok scoffed. “Is that what you call it? A point?”

“Yes, I do.” He set the cup down on the table. “I warned you, Hyung, about how weak your defenses were when you left your power behind. The people around you were at risk the minute you decided to step into the light. Money and power talk and while money has done you some good, your lack of power exposed your neck to me.”

There was a pregnant pause that stretched between them. He wasn’t sure if Changkyun was waiting for him to respond to his statements, but there was nothing for him to say. Not yet. He wanted to hear everything his former brother had to unleash on him before he came out with a rebuttal of his own.

Changkyun moved away from the table, crossing the room to stand opposite of him. His back was now to the office window while Hoseok’s remained facing the door. They stared each other down; both attempting to read the other.

If looks could kill…

“Your business was with us, the Golden Jackals. You didn’t have to drag Eden into it. She had nothing to do with this.”

Changkyun waggled his finger at him. “That’s where you’re wrong.”

“How?”

“Attacking just you would have seemed personal. That’s not my endgame. Eden was an unfortunate casualty, but she was also a necessary piece that you needed to lose in this game.”

A flash of burning outrage slashed across Hoseok’s chest. For him to refer to his sister-in-law as a mere “casualty” was about as much as he could stand. But instead of launching himself across the room to lay into him, he curled his hands into fists at his sides. He couldn’t let him get under his skin so soon. They’d only just started talking.

He took a breath, a seemingly vain attempt to dampen his anger.

“So,” Hoseok breathed, “you still think this is some kind of game, huh?”

“I do.” He grinned. “And I’ve won.”

Snorting, Hoseok folded his arms across his chest. “The game isn’t over, Changkyun-ah. I still haven’t given you the keys to my kingdom.”

He watched Changkyun’s mouth form into a small ‘O’ before it spread into an arrogant smirk. “And are you?”

“They’re not mine to give.”

“I beg to differ.” Changkyun took another step closer. “You held Yongsan and Gangnam in your hands for years. You controlled those territories in a way that the other district bosses can’t ignore. It won’t be as easy as a simple gang scuffle to settle things.”

Hoseok frowned. “And why not?”

“Because you made it that way.”

He couldn’t stop the incredulous laugh that slipped out of him. “So what? This is my responsibility?”

“It never stopped being your responsibility.” He closed the distance even further, reaching a hand to grasp at Hoseok’s shoulder. “Don’t you see that?”

For a while, all Hoseok could do was look back at him. This was the man he once considered a good friend; a brother. They had so many ideas for the future. Ideas to make things better. Back when everything made sense because life was simpler. Hoseok believed he could talk Changkyun into turning over a new leaf with him – of paving a road with clean hands and leaving the dirtiness of the underworld behind them. He thought that Changkyun was better suited for a life that didn’t involve crime, betrayal, and cruelty.

The hope for that began to dwindle the day Hoseok saw him murder the former Jade Fangs leader in cold blood.

It completely vanished when he cremated his family’s bodies.

“It’s still not too late, Hyung,” urged Changkyun gently, “you can still join me. Reclaim your territories and come back home. I don’t want to hurt you anymore than I already have.”

Hoseok sighed, closing his eyes and hanging his head slightly. “Changkyun-ah.” He lifted his head, eyelids fluttering as he opened them to meet the other man’s gaze. “I’m glad we had this talk. You’ve confirmed a few things for me.”

Changkyun canted his head slightly, his calm and welcoming expression melting into slight confusion. “What things?”

“That you haven’t changed. That you never will change.” Hoseok smiled pityingly at him. “You’re incapable of it.”

He felt his hand sliding off his shoulder, dropping limply at his side as he frowned. He didn’t say anything, so Hoseok continued.

“You’ve always been so sneaky. Planning everything so that you are always five steps ahead of the person you’re trying to overtake. You’re good at playing the long game and that’s why you always think you’ve won. That you’ll never be beaten.”

“I have yet to be proven wrong.”

“I’m a thinker too. But there are better thinkers at my side. People who retraced months of your steps in the process of doing their research. People who are better at getting into your head than I am.” Hoseok gave a wide gesture to the empty office space around them. “People who knew about your plans for this warehouse days before my arrival.”

For the first time since their conversation began, Changkyun looked perturbed. Hoseok wasn’t in the business of pouring salt into wounds, but he was done playing nice. He was done giving warnings.

He was finishing this today.

Lowering his gaze, he looked at his watch one more time. His smile grew a little bit wider as he locked his eyes with Changkyun’s – relishing in the realization that slowly overtook his face.

“And those same people found out that you had the gas and electric rewired for the building before having it turned on.”

And then the world shook violently beneath their feet from the explosion downstairs.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,498

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​

AN: I have nothing. Nothing except for...I’m sorry... T_T

Chapter 58: Killer

“I’m not Buddha but I’m a butcher. I’ll cut away your skin like a...”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Namjoon slowly slid the black cotton mask from his mouth and nose, waiting in the shadows of an alcove outside of the building. The small group of men he had with him, former Golden Jackals, huddled in the darkness. They were able to overtake the side entrance hours ago, before the crack of dawn. He made sure that no one of merit within the Jade Fangs would approach the designated area. Even if they did, Namjoon would have made it a point to subdue them completely. He would leave their bodies for the crows out in the muddy fields if he had his way.

But no, this was the moment where they would turn the tides. This was the beginning of the end.

We finish this today…

Lifting a cigarette to his lips, the orange glow of the flame licked at the end of the stick as a light crackling sound emitted itself from the contact. A few hushed conversations were going on beside him, to which he vaguely tuned in. They were out to prove themselves to the fallen brothers and sisters still imprisoned in the world they were forced to live in when adventuring into the light. But it was a life they deserved; a life they fought so hard for. Whether they lived or died after today, it would all be relevant to their future.

Pulling out his watch, Namjoon immediately flipped open the latch that covered the face. He was old-fashioned, so to speak, and a bit of a sentimentalist. Jimin teased him once about still carrying a pocket watch in this day and age, but how could he let it go?

It was a graduation gift Jungkook bought for him just before he moved to attend University in Seoul.

Time seemingly crawled; all of them were prepared to launch their first assault against the Jade Fangs. Namjoon already planned to be the first to cause the strike. He would need to ensure that the blast counted for something, otherwise it was all just going to get mucked up in the end. He would not have any screw-ups. Not while he was in charge of the first wave. Their offense was cut in half with Jungkook and Jimin pulled from the equation.

Pulling his ball cap down further on his head, he slipped the watch back into his pocket. Namjoon took one final drag of his cigarette, the smoke cloud billowing in his face and partially clouding his vision. However, in the shadows it seemed as if he were a dragon on the verge of breathing out a tremendous vortex of flame. One of the men approached him, nodding quickly. Namjoon grinned, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The gas line had successfully been cut.

“It’s time,” he said, his voice deep and commanding.

In sync, all of them slipped their masks over their faces. The cigarette fell to his feet and sparked with the faint light of its embers before finally dying out altogether. They could hear the approaching footsteps growing in time and Namjoon pulled out his hunting knives. As soon as they were in the right position, he disappeared and then reappeared at the front of the room which was in full view of the four different ways that many of the others could enter what was now to be viewed as their battlefield.

Now he had to wait for the show to truly begin.

Yoongi and his team were situated near the back of the factory, hiding in the thick brushes and reeds that were in desperate need of attention and care. Changkyun felt it wasn’t time to tidy up the landscape and that allowed for the perfect amount of camouflage. Namjoon already texted him earlier, telling him that he was in position with his team. Taehyung and his group were hidden within the factory, away from prying eyes. Once all the pieces were lined up, it would be his job to tip the first domino.

He couldn’t fucking wait.

Yoongi felt a dark smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth. To think they’d spent the better part of three days planning this out. It almost seemed far fetched and he would never have gone along with something like this. Not until Namjoon convinced him just how solid this counterattack would be. Because they were using Changkyun’s ego against him. He may have broken them by taking their brothers from them and left them feeling demoralized from how thoroughly they’d been ruined. But what Changkyun failed to see was the very thing Hoseok kept hidden away from the Jade Fangs all these years. The thing that he made sure they all kept hidden from them.

Their very own malicious nature.

He felt a buzzing in his pocket and he pulled out his phone, eyeballing the screen. It was time for him to make his move. Slipping out from his hiding spot, he made a point to make as much noise as possible. He wanted to be found. He wanted his path impeded.

His men would remain hidden.

The shuffling of feet reached Yoongi and he was soon surrounded in a semi-circle by Jade Fang lackeys. Pushing his way through the small throng was Kihyun, a curious expression painted over his features. Yoongi pulled out a cigarette and lit the end, slipping the lighter into his pocket. He watched Kihyun place himself in front of him, his back to the window of the factory.

“You should really quit while you’re ahead, Yoongi-ah,” said Kihyun, a baseball bat draped over his shoulder, “those things’ll kill you.”

“My smoking habits should be the least of your concerns,” he replied, cigarette poking out from between his lips.

Kihyun laughed, shaking his dark chestnut bangs out of his eyes. “I thought the meeting agreement was for Hoseok to come. Why are you here?”

Yoongi scoffed. “Did you really think, after everything you guys have done, that we’d trust Hoseok to come here alone with just one of us?”

“And let me guess…” He watched Kihyun as he took a step forward. “…you’re watching the back in case we try to do something underhanded?”

“Nope.”

He tried not to relish in the frown that Kihyun gave him. The heavy thudding of his heartbeat only elevated the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Every square inch of him felt as cold as ice. But he could feel the fire pouring from his eyes.

Yoongi looked at Kihyun, his eyes shifting ever so slightly to the left. He saw the window slowly opening – silent. He would thank Taehyung later for oiling all the windows and doors on every side of the warehouse except for the front.

He pulled the cigarette from his lips, blowing smoke at Kihyun. Flashing his gummy smile, his eyes narrowed as he tilted his head back slightly.

“I’m in the back so I can blow it up.”

And with a quick flick of his wrist, Yoongi threw the cigarette through the open window.

The explosion that soon followed knocked them all back.

Taehyung’s back hurt.

He’d been perched in the rafters for hours – having arrived at the factory long before anyone else appeared. There was an almost methodical madness to how carefully he oiled all the door hinges and window panes that didn’t come from the front of the warehouse. He was wired from both adrenaline and caffeine, knowing full well that today would be the day that everything would end. He knew his brothers were on edge, both from the planning and from the unpredictable nature that he exuded constantly.

But he had to be. Taehyung knew that if they knew what truly ticked around in his mind, they would do everything in their power to keep him from coming along. They would have left him behind.

And he’d be damned if that happened.

There was a single skylight in the factory situated dead in the center of the roof. Taehyung’s team already made short work of the lackeys that tried to come to the roof earlier that morning. No upper tiered members of the Jade Fangs were on rooftop duty. Taehyung already made a mental note of where everyone else was.

Hyungwon and Jooheon were patrolling the left side of the building; the side where Namjoon and his team were. One of Taehyung’s team was already deep inside of the factory, following the blueprint that Namjoon gave him, taking him straight to where the main gas line was. Once he finished cutting the line, he was to head to the boiler room.

Kihyun and Minhyuk supervised the back side of the factory, in case they were flanked. Yoongi was there with his group. He was the “gunshot” that would start the race. He was the only one who would be able to catch them off guard. Besides, he knew that Yoongi was also a bit of a pyromaniac and wouldn’t have been satisfied if he wasn’t the one to set off the explosion.

Which left Shownu, Wonho and Changkyun on the inside. Hoseok and Seokjin were sent in not as bait, but as a distraction. Then it would be time to bring the entire building down on top of their heads. Blood would be spilt. Lives would be lost.

Taehyung would eviscerate them all.

The building shook violently, causing Taehyung to grip onto the metal rafters. He leaned forward; one knee pressed into the beam beneath him. Shouts of confusion were heard from below him and he flashed a manic grin where no one could have the pleasure to see. Screams of pain resounded as glass shattered from below, his eyes searching for Seokjin. He was already making his way around a set of crates, having swiftly dispatched several Jade Fang members during all the chaos.

More glass broke and metal doors were slammed wide open. Dozens of Golden Jackal members flooded the factory, tangling themselves in a fight. The glass covering from the skylight also shattered, raining down into the factory. Several ropes dropped from the ceiling and Taehyung stood to his full height as his team descended from the open hatch. Some dropped to the ground while others swung from their ropes, landing on top of unsuspecting lackeys. Blood spewed as knives plunged into bodies from both sides.

Taehyung ran, jumping out as far as he could and stretching his arms out. He grasped onto a rope, swinging around until his leather gloved hands allowed him to slide down. He shoved his body around, changing his trajectory in mid-air so he was heading straight for the manager’s office.

His legs extended out as he watched Shownu scrambling to his feet. Taehyung crashed his heels directly into Shownu’s chest, knocking him back. As he straddled the older man’s hips, he quickly unsheathed the large hunting knife from his back – aiming it straight for Shownu’s chest.

He grunted when Shownu used his arms to block the blow – their forearms crashing into one another. Taehyung’s arms shook violently as he tried to force them down, watching the blade getting closer and closer to Shownu’s throat. He could feel the capillaries in his eyes exploding, his vision blurring momentarily, before a scream erupted from his lungs.

Releasing one hand from the hilt of the knife, Taehyung punched furiously at Shownu’s rib cage. The older man attempted a counterattack, using his knee to slam into Taehyung’s back. The force of the blow caused him to fall forward and he felt Shownu’s fingers closing in around his throat. Taehyung continued to punch him even as he felt the air being choked from him.

He punched him one more time, using his fingers to dig into Shownu’s side. He buried them, like he was digging through mud for shells. He twisted his fingers and pulled, tearing through the fabric of the other man’s shirt.

Turning his head and leaning forward, Taehyung snapped his teeth into Shownu’s knuckles. He bit through the skin, blood spraying into his mouth. The older man screamed but he could barely hear it over the noise of battle being waged all around them. He pulled his hand from Shownu’s side, gripped his other hand, and put all his weight down.

The blade slowly buried itself into Shownu’s chest.

Hoseok’s knee crashed into the ground as Changkyun struggled to maintain his own footing. The two men glared at each other just as the noises from outside became more and more prevalent. Hoseok smirked as he saw Changkyun race to the window, peering out to the factory floor below. He managed to get back onto his feet just as the Jade Fang’s leader turned to glance over his shoulder at him. Hoseok took pleasure in seeing the snarl forming on the man’s face.

“You,” he snapped, turning around to face him again.

Hoseok dusted off the backs of his pants, his arms going up into a defensive stance as his hands curled into fists. “Yes. Me.”

Changkyun quickly raced to the other side of the room, his hand sliding under the table. Hoseok narrowed his eyes when he next turned around, a knife held in his hand. He scoffed. Maybe he would have been surprised if Taehyung hadn’t already told him what was hidden there.

“So, you expected me to come unarmed, but then have a knife hidden away?” Hoseok shook his head. “I’m so fuckin’ disappointed in you right now.”

“Shut-up!”

Changkyun ran at him, his arm striking out to slash at Hoseok’s neck. But he was faster because he was thinking clearly. He wasn’t about to let anyone stop him from accomplishing what he wanted to do on this day.

He dodged, side-stepping Changkyun at the last second. Reaching up to his lips, Hoseok pulled out the small razor he had hidden in his mouth. Ducking the next blow, he slung his arm upward and slashed over where Changkyun’s right eye was. A stream of blood sprayed and Changkyun moved to cover one hand over his eye as a trail of crimson leaked from beneath his palm.

Dropping the razor, he closed the distance between them as Changkyun attempted another assault. But with his depth-perception thrown off, he swung blindly. Hoseok slammed his elbow into his chest, aiming a backfist to his throat, and used his other hand to quickly disarm him. Before the knife could fall to the floor, Hoseok was already snatching it out of the air.

Spinning around on his back heel, he roughly slammed his back into Changkyun’s chest – forcing his body to bang against the door. Hoseok pulled his arms forward, then swung them back. A sickening squelch noise followed as he plunged the knife directly into Changkyun’s gut. He felt the younger man struggling against him, but he put all his weight backward – his shoulder blades pressing into his chest so that Changkyun wouldn’t be able to wriggle himself free.

“H-Hyung,” he heard Changkyun choke out, his hand reaching out to grasp onto Hoseok’s shoulder, “don’t do this. We…we can help each other…”

Taking a step back, Hoseok buried the knife further into Changkyun’s stomach – watching the blood forming a small puddle by his feet.

“…you can fucking die is what you can do.”

Seokjin swore under his breath, eyeballing the small cut on his leg. He hadn’t meant to get caught off guard, but there was so much happening around him. Things got less hairy when Namjoon’s team managed to make it inside. Even in the middle of all the craziness, Seokjin was glad they weren’t having to deal with guns. This would have ended bloodier than it needed to.

His eyes darted in every direction and he barked orders when he needed to as Taehyung’s team swept down from the ceiling. Namjoon was in the thick of it with his people and some of Yoongi’s squad managed to make it inside. There was a hint of worry when he hadn’t been able to locate Yoongi, but he knew he had to trust his brothers to be able to take care of themselves.

If he couldn’t at least do that, then what good was their bond?

The door to the manager’s office flew open, the loud bang rattling throughout all the noise of the fighting. Seokjin’s eyes followed the sound and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Hoseok stumbling out of the door. He nearly tripped on something, seeing Taehyung catching Hoseok at the last second before he could fall. The two of them exchanged words before Taehyung jumped from the catwalk, his arms grabbing for the ropes so he could swing down to the main floor to join the fight. From what Seokjin could tell, Hoseok hadn’t sustained any injuries.

There was movement in Hoseok’s blind spot. Seokjin wasn’t sure if it was one of their people or a Jade Fang member. Not until the very last second.

“HOSEOK-AH!”

Their eyes locked momentarily, but there wasn’t any time. Running from his hiding spot, Seokjin scooped up a discarded knife. He slid to the center of the bottom floor and flung his arm out and upward. Hoseok jumped out of the way just as the knife buried itself in Changkyun’s throat. They watched the Jade Fang’s leader fall backward, presuming that he would not be getting up a second time.

A grateful smile passed over Hoseok’s lips, but soon snapped to surprise as he looked back at Seokjin.

“HYUNG!”

Suddenly, Seokjin felt his body flung to the side. His head hit the ground and the rest of him followed suit. The pain erupted seconds afterwards, his hand reaching up to grasp at the area where his nerves were screaming at him. Fingers caressed something cold and slender. When he pulled, his pain receptors went off like alarms and he screamed, looking around at who was responsible for the assault. As he craned his neck around to see, he spied the rod-like object poking out from his side. Something dribbled from his mouth and he didn’t have to guess to know that it was his own blood.

When he searched around in desperation, his eyes locked with Minhyuk who was holding a crossbow – watching him already reloading the next bolt.

Bodies moved around him in a blur – all of them screaming and fighting for their own lives. They were distracted. None of them realized what was happening.

No one except Hoseok.

Seokjin grinned, crawling to his knees. He could hear Hoseok’s feet thudding along the metal stairs, but he knew he wouldn’t make it in time. He was ready to face this head on. However, what he hadn’t expected was Minhyuk to shift his aim.

To Hoseok.

Eyes wide, Seokjin quickly scrambled to his feet and lunged forward in Hoseok’s direction. He knew his brother wasn’t paying attention to what was going on around him. He was too focused on getting to Seokjin. But by doing so, he was putting himself in danger.

Seokjin knew he had to block his path.

It was like he could sense it. He jumped up and out to the left. Pain blossomed over his back and all feeling from his legs down seemed to disappear. He collapsed into the ground, dirt filling his nostrils, and he cried out in agony as he dug his fingers into the concrete. Soon, he could feel the texture of his own blood mixed with the dirt under his fingernails.

“HYUNG!”

Seokjin couldn’t see, but he knew it was Taehyung’s voice. He blindly reached out, grabbing for what he assumed was Taehyung’s ankle. “H-Hoseok-ah,” he choked out between coughing up blood, “…get him out of here.”

“B-But Hyung—”

“DO IT!”

He felt the ankle leaving his grasp and Seokjin prayed that Taehyung would listen to him. Hoseok had to get out of there. They all had to go. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe that he was going to make it. Not now; not when he was coughing up blood. Something was internally damaged. He was most likely hemorrhaging already.

Curling onto his side, he grasped at the bolt protruding from him and gripped onto it as hard as he could. As he pulled, visions of Anastasia flashed through his mind, giving him pause. For a moment, he forgot about the pain; he forgot about the world around him.

All he could see was the woman he loved standing in the far corner of the factory as she held their beautiful son. He stretched his arm out, reaching for them as if he could touch them. Tears leaked from his eyes as he smiled – the world blurring and getting just a little bit darker.

…I’m sorry, Ana, he thought, the weight of his arm starting to get heavier, …I’m not going to be able to keep this promise…I love you… He felt his elbow hit the concrete, followed by his head.

I’m going to see my brothers now. Forgive me…

Everything grew quiet around him.