Chapter Text
July 16th, Secure Location, 10:13pm
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It's raining, the sound of it hitting the windows filling the small apartment. One person peers out the window, while the other sits at a table, watching him with mild annoyance.
“You’re sure this place is safe?”
They scoff. “Of course it is. Now get away from the window and come sit. We have things to discuss.”
He does as they say, shutting the blinds before joining them at the table. “What is so important that we had to meet here?”
“I want to take down NMD.”
That… was the last thing he was expecting to hear. “Excuse me?”
“I want them gone. Destroyed. Torn apart.”
He shifts in his seat, a little uneasy. “NMD is woven into every part of this city. They have eyes and ears everywhere. Taking them down won’t be simple.”
“I don’t pay you for simple.”
You don’t pay me enough for this.
“I know what you’re thinking,” they say, their gaze unwavering. “I’ll pay you whatever you need to get this job done.”
He contemplates for a few moments, dragging it out a little to force them to realize the weight of what they are asking. “I might know where to start.”
“Where?”
“Kim Seokjin.”
They raise an eyebrow. “He’s completely off the grid. No one has seen or heard from him in a year. Besides, he’s the heir to NMD. What makes you think he would help take them down?”
“He must have turned his back on them for a reason, right? As long as NMD still stands, he can’t live a normal life. He has to remain hidden. If we get him to help, then this benefits him, too.”
“And what makes you think he’ll agree to this?”
He smirks. “Because we’re not going to give him a choice.” He reaches into his pocket, pulling out his phone and sliding it across to them, a picture illuminated on the screen.
“Who’s this?”
“That is your one-way ticket to Seokjin,” he says, tapping his fingers against the table. “His name is Kim Namjoon.”
July 19th, Island off the coast of South Korea, 4:18pm
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Namjoon grips his gun tightly, maybe too tightly, as he lays on the forest floor, ducked behind a fallen log. He listens intently for any sounds of someone approaching, but he hears nothing. The vest layered over his shirt is a little suffocating, but Jin had insisted that he would want it.
Nerves bubble in his stomach. He risks a glance over the log, looking for any sign of movement. He doesn’t see anything, but he’s learned that doesn’t necessarily mean nothing is there.
He can’t stay here. He’s a sitting duck just waiting to be found if he remains where he is. He needs better cover. He slowly scans his eyes around once more before slowly pushing himself up from the ground.
Namjoon keeps his movements slow, trying not to make too much sound as he climbs over the log. It’s pretty big, and for a moment, his feet are off the ground as he swings one leg over at a time. Just before his feet touch the ground, there’s a loud pop and something is striking his back.
He falls face first in the dirt with a pained grunt, the wind knocked out of him. He groans, both in frustration and discomfort before he sits up, blinking a few times to regain his bearings.
Namjoon reaches around his back to feel a wet substance on his vest. He pulls his hand back, glaring at the bright pink liquid on his fingers.
“Gotya.”
Namjoon looks up to see Jin leaning over the log above him, smiling victoriously down at him.
“You suck.”
Jin laughs, climbing over the log and dropping down into a crouch beside him. His hair is dark, and he’s grown it out a little, the ends sticking out beneath his black ballcap. He’s dressed in all black, wearing a similar vest to the one Namjoon has on. He’s radiant despite all the dark clothing, and Namjoon’s heart still skips a beat even after a year of being together.
Jin gestures toward Namjoon’s gun. “How many paintballs do you have left?”
Namjoon puckers his lips, demanding a kiss rather than answering him. Jin smiles, stretching forward to kiss him. As he does, he snakes his hand around him and snatches Namjoon’s discarded gun.
He empties the paintballs out of it, instead adding them to his own gun.
“Isn’t that cheating?” Namjoon pouts.
Jin raises an eyebrow. “Yoongi and Jungkook are the only other two left in the game. You really think either of them are playing fair?”
Namjoon sighs. “I suppose not.” He leans back against the log. “How long were you watching me?”
“Long enough to watch you struggle to climb over this instead of just going around it,” Jin says, a teasing glint in his eyes.
“I can’t believe you shot me as I was going over.”
Jin kisses him again. “I’ll make it up to you later.” And then he’s gone, taking off further into the woods.
Namjoon watches him go until he disappears from sight before dragging himself to his feet and starting to make his way toward the beach. He finds Hoseok, Taehyung, and Jimin already there, lounging in the sand near the tree line, stripped of their protective vests.
“And then there were three,” Jimin says when he spots him.
“How does it always come down to them?” Taehyung grumbles as Namjoon adds his gun to their pile.
Hoseok scoffs. “Because I’m lazy, you get easily distracted, Namjoon is clumsy, and Jimin gets bored.”
Jimin hums in agreement before adding, “Yoongi is an ex-hitman, Jungkook is basically the master of surveillance and blending in, and Jin is scarily precise with a gun.”
“He got me from behind,” Namjoon says. “Knocked me right on my face.”
Taehyung pouts. “He got me when I was trying to hide near the river. Right in the chest.”
“I let Yoongi shoot me five minutes in,” Hoseok says with a shrug before laying back in the sand, basking in the sunlight.
"How much longer do you think they're going to be?" Taehyung asks, tracing his finger in the sand. "Jin-hyung is supposed to make dinner tonight. And the only other decent cook is Yoongi-hyung."
"Hey," Jimin protests, kicking sand at him.
Hoseok remains unbothered, continuing to lounge in the sun.
Namjoon opens his mouth to reply, but then he's cut off by a shout from the woods.
"FUCK."
Jimin smirks. "Jungkook's out."
A few moments later, Jungkook appears. His vest is splattered with pink and orange paint, almost no trace of the original black fabric left. He kicks some sand angrily as he walks toward them, his features twisted in a frustrated glare.
Taehyung starts laughing. "They both got you?"
"It's not fair!" Jungkook exclaims, adding his gun to their pile. "Yoongi is, like, up in the trees or something, and Jin is literally impossible to track. He doesn't leave a trace. I thought I was following his trail, but turns out he was following me."
Namjoon smiles to himself while Jungkook drops down in the sand with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest and staring up at the sky.
They wait around for nearly another hour with no sign of Jin or Yoongi. Hoseok is sleeping now, completely unaware of Jungkook and Taehyung slowly burying him in the sand while Jimin snaps a few photos.
There's movement along the treeline as Jin and Yoongi emerge. Jin is racing through the sand in a zigzag motion, barely missing getting struck by the paintballs Yoongi is firing at him.
"You're not supposed to leave the woods!" Jungkook shouts at them, but they pay no attention to him, racing past all of them as they continue running toward the water.
Jin spins suddenly, aiming his gun at Yoongi. They are in a standoff, the two of them pointing their guns at each other, only standing a few feet apart. He raises a challenging eyebrow at Yoongi before narrowing his eyes playfully.
Yoongi's face remains neutral, almost expressionless as he stares back at Jin, his gaze never wavering once.
"So, looks like it’s just me and you again—" Jin starts.
Yoongi fires, hitting him square in the chest. Jin falls back on his butt in surprise, blinking a few times before looking up at him.
"You talk too much," Yoongi states, his expression morphing into one of amusement.
Jin stands up and brushes sand off of him. "Spoken like a true hitman."
Yoongi smiles and offers a small shrug. "Some habits die hard."
Jungkook catches up to them. “You guys are tied now. You’ve both won twice.” He puts his hands on his hips in annoyance. “How are you two so good?”
“Well, my parents were drug addicts who died from an overdose,” Yoongi starts. “So as an angry teenager, I chose to dedicate my life to taking out the people who put those drugs on the street, and then I became so good I was hired and trained as a hit man…”
“And I was raised by those people who put the drugs on the street,” Jin continues. “I was trained in stealth, self-defense, weapons…”
“Okay, I get it,” Jungkook groans. “You both have tragic backstories that make you badasses.” He huffs. “You know, you’re not the only ones with sad childhoods.”
Yoongi rolls his eyes at him in exasperation.
Hoseok is still buried in the sand, but he’s awake now, not even bothering to try to dig himself out as he smiles at Yoongi. “My badass husband won.” He wiggles his eyebrows. “We should celebrate.”
Jimin gags.
“I’m hungry,” Taehyung complains from where he is still sitting in the sand, a pout forming on his lips as he looks at Jin with pleading eyes.
“Okay, okay,” Jin chuckles, walking over to deposit his gun with the others and strip off his protective vest. “Message received.”
He extends his hand toward Namjoon, who accepts it without question before the two of them start walking back toward the house.
“No sex in the kitchen!” Jimin calls after them. “And don’t let Namjoon cook anything!”
——
“I want you to take me to the shooting range you and Jungkook built in the woods.”
Jin looks up from the kimchi he is cooking to look over at Namjoon, who is leaning back against the counter next to the stove. “I thought you didn’t want to learn how to shoot?”
Namjoon considers himself a decent shot. He can aim and hit his target most of the time. But he’s not really comfortable with a gun. Bangtan only ever used tranquilizers on their heists, and his first time he had held an actual gun in his hand had been the day they rescued Jin. He hasn’t touched one since.
“I’ll never be able to beat you or Yoongi if I don’t learn,” Namjoon points out.
“True,” Jin agrees, smiling when Namjoon glowers at him and crosses his arms over his chest. He tilts his head a little. “Is that the only reason why?”
“No,” Namjoon admits. “All of you are skilled at things. You and Yoongi with shooting, Jungkook with fighting, Tae is amazing at art and a master manipulator, Jimin is the quickest thinker I know, and Hoseok can hack literally anything, and I’m…”
Jin turns the stove off before stepping in front of Namjoon, eyebrows pinched together. “Joon, you’re the smartest person I know. I’m jealous of your brain. You’re not the second in command of Bangtan for nothing. Without you, Bangtan never would have been able to pull off those heists. You come up with all the plans—”
Namjoon groans. “I’m the plan guy. That’s so boring.”
“I don’t think you’re boring,” Jin argues, reaching up to wrap his arms around Namjoon, massaging his neck with his fingers. “I think your brain is sexy.”
“Yeah?” Namjoon murmurs, placing his hands on Jin’s hips and squeezing. “How sexy?”
Jin opens his mouth to reply, but then someone is clearing their throat. They turn their heads to see Jimin standing there, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised in judgement.
“What did I say about sex in the kitchen?”
Jin starts kissing along Namjoon’s jaw while maintaining eye contact with Jimin. “You’re no fun. Just because you aren’t getting any doesn’t mean you have to ruin it for the rest of us…”
Jimin squawks. “How do you know I’m not getting any?!”
“Because if you were, it would have to be one of us, and…” Jin trails off, eyes widening. He jolts back from Namjoon, turning toward Jimin. “Oh my god.”
Jimin’s face turns red. “Nope. Forget I said anything. I, uh, you heard nothing.”
“Who is it?” Jin demands.
“No one!”
“It’s Jungkook, isn’t it?”
“No!”
“So it’s Tae?”
“No!”
Jin pauses, and then his eyes widen even further. “Both of them?”
“Oh my god,” Jimin hisses, turning away from them and practically bolting from the kitchen.
Jin goes to chase after him, but Namjoon catches him and pulls him back.
“Let him go,” he says, chuckling in amusement. “I don’t want to have to get between you and Jimin with a razor ever again.”
“That was one time,” Jin huffs.
“He was going to shave your eyebrows off in your sleep,” Namjoon reminds him. “You should still be thanking me for saving you from eternal embarrassment.”
Jin lets Namjoon pull him into his arms, laughing as he starts attacking his neck with kisses. He wraps his arms around Namjoon’s shoulders just in time as Namjoon spins him and lifts him up onto the counter.
The others, minus Jimin, file into the kitchen, drawn in by the smell of food.
Taehyung raises an eyebrow at the two of them. “You two better stop before Jimin sees and has an aneurism.”
“Too late,” Jin snickers. He looks toward Jungkook and Taehyung. “Actually, I need to talk to you about Jimin—” He gasps in surprise when Namjoon suddenly lifts him over his shoulder, scrambling to grab onto the fabric of his shirt. “Namjoon!”
“You guys go ahead and eat without us,” Namjoon says as he starts to carry Jin out of the kitchen. “We’ll catch up with you later.”
Hoseok wiggles his eyebrows while Jungkook and Taehyung pretend to be disgusted. Yoongi pays no attention to them, starting to dish up the food instead.
“Joon,” Jin huffs as Namjoon carries him out of the kitchen and to the stairs, making his way toward their bedroom.
Namjoon kicks the door shut behind them before depositing him on the bed and immediately crawling over him. “You,” he says, pausing to kiss him, “need to stop being so nosy.” He kisses him again, a little longer this time. “Jimin doesn’t like people digging into his private life.”
“Oh, come on!” Jin whines, even as he tugs at the hem of Namjoon’s shirt. “He can’t just drop a bomb on us like that and expect me to not need to know the details!”
“The boys will talk about it when they are ready,” Namjoon says, leaning back to peel his shirt off before pulling Jin up to do the same to him.
Jin places his hand on his chest, halting him. “Do you know something? Kim Namjoon, if you’ve kept this a secret from me, I swear I’m going to —”
Namjoon swoops in for another kiss to shut him up. Jin decides to put the discussion aside for now, instead kissing back hungrily before lifting his hips so Namjoon can pull his pants off. He breaks the kiss to grab at Namjoon’s belt, biting his lip as Namjoon starts nipping along his collarbone.
He finally gets the belt undone, and Namjoon leans back again to kick his pants off. Before he can kiss Jin again, Jin is flipping them over, and Namjoon lets out a surprised ‘oof’ as his back hits the mattress.
Jin straddles his hips, placing his hands on Namjoon’s shoulders as Namjoon leans up to meet him halfway.
“You’re amazing, you know that?” Jin murmurs, eyes flickering over Namjoon’s face.
Namjoon blushes, but he holds Jin’s gaze as he whispers, “Not as amazing as you.”
“I’m serious,” Jin says, playing with the hair at the nape of Namjoon’s neck. “You’re not just the plan guy. You’re so intelligent. And I don’t just mean that you’re smart. I mean that you’re brilliant, thirsty for knowledge, and you always know the right things to say. I admire that about you so much. And so do the boys. They adore you, Joon. They might have all these skills, but they’d never be able to put those skills to use without you. You’re the glue that holds this team together.”
Namjoon stretches up to kiss him, pouring everything into it. The past year in this paradise with Jin has been absolutely amazing. He’s fallen more and more in love with him, and each passing day is further confirmation that saving Jin is the best thing he ever did.
He flips them back over, grabbing Jin’s wrists and pinning them to the mattress as he starts to trail kisses from his jawline down to his chest, switching between slow, teasing touches and harder, playful bites. Jin pants beneath him, bucking his hips up in an attempt to find some friction.
“Joon, stop teasing,” Jin pleads, throwing his head back when Namjoon stretches back up to bite at the sensitive spot behind his ear.
Namjoon chuckles in his ear. “This is payback for shooting me.”
Jin whines, and Namjoon has never been one to be able to deny Jin, so he releases his wrists to grab the lube off the nightstand and move down to the foot of the bed, grabbing Jin’s hips and pulling him to the edge. He holds Jin’s legs open, pressing kisses along his inner thighs before slowly and carefully starting to prep him.
Jin tangles his fingers in Namjoon’s hair, legs trembling as Namjoon touches him in all the right places. “Fuck,” he gasps out. “What — what did I say about teasing?”
Namjoon smirks, climbing back over Jin to kiss him, setting Jin’s entire body on fire with pleasure as he carefully slides in, pausing to give Jin time to adjust. Jin moans at the feeling of the stretch before begging for Namjoon to move.
“I love you,” Namjoon says.
Jin gazes up at him. “I love you, too.” He swallows, taking a moment to catch his breath. “But if you don’t start moving, I swear —”
Namjoon doesn’t waste anymore time, grabbing onto Jin’s hips and pulling out before snapping his hips forward and fucking into him as hard and fast as he can. Jin doesn’t hold back, gasps and moans of pleasure escaping his lips in time with each thrust.
“I love you,” Jin chants. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”
Namjoon pauses, scooping Jin into his arms, keeping them attached as he moves them further back on the bed so Jin is resting against the pillows. He collapses on top of Jin, burying his face in Jin’s neck as he starts thrusting again.
Jin wraps his legs around Namjoon’s waist and grabs onto his shoulders, digging his fingers into his skin as he feels warmth start to pool in his stomach.
“I’m — fuck, Joon, I’m going to —”
“Go ahead, angel,” Namjoon says, his breath tickling Jin’s ear. “Come for me.”
Jin does with a pleasured cry, his legs trembling and his fingernails leaving marks down Namjoon’s back. Namjoon is quick to follow, his thrusts becoming more sporadic before he pushes all the way in as he comes, biting down on Jin’s shoulder.
They stay tangled together for a while, basking in each other’s presence.
“Did I make up for shooting you?” Jin asks breathlessly, running his fingers through Namjoon’s hair.
Namjoon lifts his head to smile down at him. “Hmmmm, no. I think you still have some making up to do.”
Jin laughs. “Oh really?”
“Yup,” Namjoon states, humming in confirmation. He kisses Jin’s sweaty temple. “Just give me, like, five more minutes, and I’ll be ready to go again.”
Jin swats his shoulder, but he continues laughing nonetheless. He really, really loves Kim Namjoon.
The two of them spend the next few hours in bed. It's a craving for something sweet that pulls Jin from the sheets and out of the room, dressed in one of Namjoon's shirts that nearly reaches his knees and a pair of socks Taehyung had gotten for him. There's little alpaca illustrations all over them, which he thinks is kind of weird, but whatever.
He grabs a tub of ice cream from the freezer and a spoon before hopping up on the counter, swinging his legs as he starts eating straight out of the carton. Yoongi would totally scold him if he caught him, but he doesn't care, humming happily to himself.
There's a sound from the living room, like someone is trying to go unnoticed, followed by a series of muffled giggles and whispers. Unable to control his curiosity, and ignoring the little voice in his head that sounds a lot like Namjoon, he hops down from the counter and peeks out into the living room. He nearly drops the ice cream when he sees what is happening.
Jimin has Jungkook lifted onto the back of the couch, hands wrapped around his waist as he kisses along his neck. Taehyung is there, too, running his fingers through Jimin's hair as he watches the two of them kiss. And then he's tugging on Jimin's hair, pulling him away from Jungkook to instead capture his lips himself, and that is when Jin drops his spoon.
It clatters against the floor, and the three of them break apart without actually putting any distance between themselves. Taehyung's fingers remain tangled in Jimin's hair, and Jimin's hands are still around Jungkook's waist, one slipped beneath his shirt.
"Oh, please don't stop for me," Jin says as he bends down to pick up the spoon. He can't contain his smile as he stands back up. He gestures toward them with the spoon. "Because that was all kinds of hot."
"Oh my god," Jimin mutters, dropping his forehead on Jungkook's shoulder.
Taehyung seems amused, barely containing his deep chuckles, while Jungkook blushes and cheekily says, "Hi, hyung."
Jin wiggles his eyebrows at him as he takes another bite of the ice cream. "Hi, Kookie. Having fun?"
Jimin lifts his head from Jungkook's shoulder to glare at him.
"Okay, okay," Jin says, lifting his hands in surrender and starting to retreat to the kitchen. "I'll leave you to it." He pauses, looking back at Jimin. "Just keep it out of the kitchen and bathroom, okay? I'd hate for you to break your own sex rules."
"I'm going to kill you."
Jin blows him a kiss before walking back to the kitchen to put the ice cream away. When he crawls back in bed, Namjoon stirs, reaching out to wrap his arm around him and pull him into his side. Jin makes himself comfortable, draping his leg over him and resting his head on his shoulder.
"I love you," Jin murmurs.
Namjoon turns his head toward him, seeking him out in the dark. "I love you, too."
"Like, a lot," Jin adds.
"I love you a lot, too," Namjoon says warmly, shifting closer. He pauses, and then, "Did you sneak out of bed to go eat ice cream?"
"Maybe."
Jin erupts into giggles when Namjoon tickles him, his fingers dancing along Jin’s sides. He wraps his arms around Jin when he tries to roll away, trapping him and rolling on top of him. If Jin really tried, he could throw Namjoon off, but instead, he frees his arms to wrap them around Namjoon’s shoulders and distract him with a kiss.
Namjoon stops tickling him, humming contently against Jin’s lips. They kiss for a little while, just lazy, sleepy kisses that make them both feel warm and fuzzy inside. Namjoon slowly rolls off of him so that they are laying on their sides, facing each other as they continue to kiss. He tangles his fingers in Jin’s hair, tugging on it gently.
Jin smiles against his lips. “It’s almost five in the morning, y’know.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time we had sex all night,” Namjoon replies before kissing him again. After a long, sweet kiss, he pulls back just a little, their noses still touching. “Although, I did promise to go into the city with Taehyung in the morning to go to some of those antique shops he likes.”
They make little trips into the city every now and then, but even after a year, they make sure to be very cautious. They never reveal their faces, always wearing masks and hats. After rescuing Jin from the arranged wedding to Beomseok, Bangtan’s identities are no longer secret. They have to be extra careful, and as long as NMD is around, they will always have to be.
Jin has never gone into the city. He hasn’t left the island since they arrived. The thought of doing so is enough to make anxiety race through his veins like a thousand tiny lightning bolts.
“I have a feeling Taehyung is going to be occupied for a little while,” Jin muses, smiling to himself as he reaches forward to brush Namjoon’s hair back off of his forehead.
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s just say I caught Tae, Jimin, and Jungkook in a very compromising commission in the living room. Jimin is never allowed to give us shit about where we have sex ever again.”
Namjoon snorts before kissing Jin’s forehead and rolling off of him. Jin settles against his side, his head resting on Namjoon’s shoulder again. He drifts off to sleep not long after, his soft snores breaking the silence of the otherwise quiet room.
Namjoon stays awake a little longer, running his fingers through Jin’s hair and observing his sleeping face affectionately. He falls more in love with him every single day, and never once has he regretted going to war with NMD to save him.
—
July 20th, Seoul, South Korea, 11:32am
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“Hyung, look at this!”
Namjoon turns to see Taehyung’s face practically pressed against the glass of a display case in the antique shop, eyes wide as he looks at the rows of broaches on display.
The lower half of his face is hidden by his mask, but Namjoon can easily tell that he is grinning widely beneath it. He steps up beside him, looking at the rows of beautiful jewelry.
“Hey,” Taehyung says suddenly, pointing at one. “That kinda looks like a black swan. Reminds me of Hyung.”
They are always careful to never say Jin’s name in public. Maybe it’s being too cautious, but Namjoon doesn’t think it’s possible to be too careful when it comes to Jin’s safety and protection.
“Do you think he would like it?” Taehyung asks.
“I don’t know,” Namjoon admits, staring down at the broach. There’s no denying that it is beautiful, but his stomach twists a little at the familiarity of it. It reminds him of Jin’s old engagement ring. “He doesn’t really talk about his time with them. I mean, he does every now and then. But it’s never a pleasant conversation.”
Taehyung deflates a little. “You’re right. It would probably bring up bad memories.”
Namjoon scans his eyes over the broaches, another one catching his attention. “That one though,” he says, pointing at a broach composed of pearls and pink diamonds. “I think he’d like that one.”
Taehyung instantly brightens again. “You’re right. I’m going to get it for him.”
“I think he’ll love it,” Namjoon says, warmth spreading through his chest. The others have accepted Jin into their little family so easily, and have really taken to him, and it makes Namjoon so unbelievably happy. Jin really was the missing piece they never realized they needed.
After they leave the antique shop, they walk to their favorite noodle house for lunch. They sit outside at a small table, sipping on soju while they wait for their food.
“So,” Namjoon says, leaning on his elbows as he faces Taehyung. “I hear you’ve been busy with Jimin and Jungkook.”
Taehyung doesn’t even appear phased, smirking as he leans back in his chair. “I have.”
“Is it…” Namjoon pauses, considering his words. “Is it just sex, or are there feelings involved?”
That makes Taehyung blush a little. “It’s… complicated. Jungkook and I have had feelings for each other for a while, but I also feel this pull toward Jimin. We both do. I was so terrified to tell Jungkook about my feelings for Jimin at first. I was so scared that he would think I didn’t like him, but I do. God, I like him so much. Both of them. And I am so happy that Jungkook feels the same. Jimin was hesitant. You know how he is about opening up to people. But we’re really, really happy, Hyung. Love… I’m not ready to say that yet. But I think I’m really close.”
Their food is set in front of them.
“I’m happy for you,” Namjoon says, unwrapping his chopsticks. “You guys deserve to be happy and to find love. I was worried when we had to go into hiding that you three would miss out on all of that.”
Taehyung smiles at him. “It would have been worth it. Hyung is worth it.”
“I’m happy you feel that way,” Namjoon concedes, “but I still don’t think it would have been fair for you. You deserve to be as happy as I am, and to have someone, or more than one someone, who loves you as much as I love Hyung and he loves me.”
“You two really are perfect for each other, you know?” Taehyung says as he mixes his food together. “He brings out this whole other side of you. It’s so obvious how much he loves you, and how much he cares about you.”
Namjoon blushes.
“He’d do anything for you, you know,” Taehyung adds. “He’d go through hell and back for you. I can tell by the way he looks at you.”
Namjoon opens his mouth to reply, to tell him that he would do the same, but then two other figures follow the hostess to a nearby table, and despite the dark clothing and hats pulled down a little over their faces, there’s no denying who one of them is.
Beomseok.
“Shit,” Namjoon curses under his breath, quickly pulling his own hat down.
Taehyung does the same, although he hasn’t seen who has arrived. He carefully glances over his shoulder, stiffening when he sees Beomseok. He looks back at Namjoon, raising an eyebrow in a silent question.
“We’ll stay,” Namjoon answers quietly. “We’d draw more attention to ourselves by leaving.”
Taehyung nods, sliding his chair over a bit to block Namjoon from being in Beomseok’s direct line of sight. “I thought he left town after the wedding and started operating Choi Enterprises from Busan?”
After the wedding had been stopped (and had been broadcast across practically all media sites with the headline “RUNAWAY KIM HEIR?” along with a picture of Beomseok walking out of the destroyed venue without a husband on his arm), Beomseok had left town. According to a few connections Jimin still kept in contact with, he hadn’t had much of a choice. Jin’s father is still operating NMD, and Beomseok has failed. He’s lucky he wasn’t killed.
“According to Jimin’s contacts, he did,” Namjoon mutters quietly. “Maybe he’s just back for a visit?”
“Who’s he visiting?”
Namjoon discreetly peeks around Taehyung, but he doesn’t recognize the person Beomseok is sitting with. “I don’t know.” He manages to take a picture on his phone. “But maybe Hyung will.”
Sitting so close to the man that had hurt Jin so many times, seeing him talk with another man as if he isn’t an absolute monster, is enough to make Namjoon’s blood boil. Namjoon isn’t a violent person, but he would never hesitate to hurt Beomseok if he needed to. That man had hurt the person he loves, had beaten him and humiliated him and treated him like nothing more than a possession. Beomseok doesn’t deserve peace.
He and Taehyung remain quiet, eating their food while attempting to listen in on Beomseok’s conversation.
“I’m only in Seoul for today,” he’s saying. “I have some business to take care of in Japan for a few weeks, and then I’ll be back in Busan.”
“Is Hyunwu in charge while you’re away?”
Beomseok scoffs. “No. Hyunwu no longer works for me. He was incapable of doing his job. He’s lucky all I did was fire him.”
Namjoon feels a little satisfaction at that.
“How long is Boss going to keep you out of Seoul?”
“I don’t know,” Beomseok replies. “And I don’t ask. I’m lucky he didn’t kill me after everything that happened.”
“Bangtan didn’t just defeat you,” the man reminds him. “They defeated him, too.”
“They didn’t defeat us,” Beomseok snarls, his voice rising a little. “They stole what belonged to me and then ran away like cowards.”
The man holds his hands up in surrender. “You’re right.” He pauses, and then adds, “Where do you think they went?”
Beomseok is quiet for a few moments. “Knowing Seokjin, they’re closer than we think. He’s always been good about hiding in plain sight.”
Namjoon’s stomach rolls, and for a moment, he thinks he might be sick.
“You’re right,” the man says again.
“And you know what else I know?” Beomseok says, leaning toward the man a little. “I know that Seokjin will never truly be able to stay away. He turned his back on everything, but that doesn’t mean he’s out of it for good. I’ve seen him in action. I’ve seen what he’s capable of. I’ve seen him enjoy it. He’ll reappear eventually. It’s only a matter of time.”
The man tilts his head to the side. “What happens when he does?”
Taehyung is clenching his jaw, shoulders stiff as he listens. Namjoon is unable to pull his gaze away, watching as Beomseok’s eyes fill with hatred and he snarls again,
“I’m going to kill him.”
—
Jin is in the kitchen when they get back, cutting vegetables for dinner while Jungkook sits on one of the barstools, playing with one of his drones.
"Hey," Jin says, smiling brightly at them before returning his focus to his task. "How was the city?"
Taehyung slips into the barstool next to Jungkook, sitting closer than usual. Jungkook looks over at him, furrowing his eyebrows at Taehyung's strained expression.
"Jin," Namjoon says.
Jin looks up at his tone, frowning as he scans his eyes over Namjoon’s face. "What's wrong?"
"We saw Beomseok today."
Jin jolts, the knife slipping, slicing his palm before it falls to the floor. Jin doesn't even react to the pain, barely even sucking in a breath of air. Namjoon hurries over to him, carefully grabbing his wrist and lifting his hand up to look at the cut.
"Breathe," he insists as Taehyung grabs a towel and hands it to him. Namjoon carefully presses it against Jin’s palm, trying to stop the bleeding.
“You saw Beomseok,” Jin says quietly. He blinks a few times, as if he’s trying to process those three words but is unable to come to a conclusion. “You saw Beomseok?”
Jungkook texts Jimin, telling him to bring a first aid kit.
“He said he wants to draw you out of hiding, and that he knows who to use to do it,” Namjoon says, hating that he has to get straight to the point, but he needs to get as much information from Jin as possible. “Who could he be talking about?”
“I — I don’t know —”
“Think, Jin! There must be someone you cared about back in NMD? Someone who Beomseok could use against you?”
Everyone is in the kitchen now, watching silently as they attempt to catch up on what is going on. Jimin tries to look at the cut on Jin’s palm, but the moment his finger brushes against Jin’s skin, Jin flinches violently and bumps into the counter, hissing in pain as he holds his hand to his chest, not even noticing the blood that is now staining his shirt.
“This is who he was with,” Namjoon adds, showing Jin the picture on his phone. “Do you recognize this person?”
Jin’s stomach rolls when he sees Beomseok in the photo, but he forces himself to focus on the other person. He maybe looks vaguely familiar, but Jin has no idea who he is.
“No,” he stammers. “I don’t know who they are.”
Jin’s eyes are a little wild as he tries to think, as he tries to get past the initial thought of Namjoon seeing Beomseok and focus on the question at hand.
And then it all clicks into place, and he feels like his breath is stolen right out of his lungs.
“Jaehwan,” he says, his heart lurching. “He’s going to hurt Jaehwan.”