Hours had turned into a day as Jungkook waited for leads of Taehyung's disappearance.
The situation made the mafia boss remember about the time when the other was kidnapped. The only difference was that he was sure then that he'd find his wife. This time... he doesn't know anything and Jungkook had never been this frustrated before.
There was nothing that could go wrong in his world, he always had everything under control then why is it that he doesn't have the same now?
He was in deep thought in his office when a distant voice broke his trance.
" Boss," Yoongi's voice broke the silence as he entered the room. " We found something... strange."
Jungkook looked up, his eyes sharp." What is it?"
Yoongi switched on the screen, his expression serious," There are no records of your wife before a few months. No birth certificate, no family, nothing."
This made the mafia boss furrow his eyebrows. What did he mean by no records?
" How is that possible?" He muttered, more to himself than to Yoongi.
" I don't know," Yoongi replied," But it’s highly suspicious. Someone went to great lengths to erase his past or he... appeared out of nowhere."
Jungkook's mind raced. The lack of a past, the strange disappearance – nothing made sense. He needed answers, and he knew where to start.
" Bring Jin to the interrogation room," Jungkook ordered, his voice cold.
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Jin sat chained to the chair in the dimly lit basement as the door creaked open. Jungkook stepped in, his presence sending shivers down his spine as he was met with Jungkook's icy gaze.
" Jin," Jungkook began, his voice dangerously low," What do you know about Taehyung?"
Jin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the sudden question, but he kept his lips sealed. Why was he suddenly asking about Taehyung? Does he... know something?
Jungkook, whose patience was already running thin, slammed his first into the table, the sound echoing through the room.
" Answer me,"
The other flinched but kept his mouth shut.
" Taehyung disappeared," Jungkook whispered lowly, his voice shaking with a mix of anger and desperation." He vanished into thin air, right in front of me. What do you know about this?"
Jin's eyes widened in shock, a flicker of sadness suddenly visible in them.
" You know something," Jungkook pressed, leaning closer." Tell me, what is it that you are hiding? What do you know about this?"
Jin's eyes met with his in sorrow," I... I can't... I can't tell you about it, I'm sorry,"
He whispered out making Jungkook grit his teeth in frustration and anger.
" My promise to him is the only thing that's keeping you alive," Jungkook growled lowly," But don't try me. Not when he's not here with me,"
Jin left a shaky breathe, his shoulders slumping," All I can tell you is that Taehyung is not from here. He... doesn't belong from this world and he had to go back someday anyways,"
Jungkook's breathe was caught in his throat." What do you mean he doesn't belong to this world?"
Jin's eyes met his, filled with pity and sadness. He wanted to answer Jungkook, he too wanted Taehyung back, but he was bound by the system to not open his mouth about this.
" I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely audible." I wish I could help you, but I can't."
Jungkook stood there, feeling more helpless than ever. Taehyung was gone, and the only person who might have answers was unwilling or unable to provide them.
He turned and was about to leave the room when Jin spoke again," Jimin... Park Jimin might be able to give you answers..."
Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows and without looking back at him, he walked away.
Park Jimin huh? Guess he has to talk to Namjoon for a while.
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Jungkook paced his office, the tension palpable in the air. Minutes later, Namjoon entered the room, ready to take any order from him," Boss?"
Jungkook didn't waste any time." I need to talk to Park Jimin," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The expression on his face changed," My... boyfriend?"
He asked again, just to be sure if he heard the mafia boss correct.
" Yes. Bring your boyfriend to me,"
Namjoon's jaw tightened." With all due respect, boss, I can't bring him here. He's got nothing to do with this."
A dangerous glint flashed in Jungkook's eyes as he stepped closer, his presence imposing.
" Namjoon, I don't care if you're my closest henchman. Taehyung has disappeared, and I'm going to get answers. If Jimin has information, I will get it one way or another. It's up to you to bring him here nicely, or I'll use my power to get what I need."
Namjoon's stance shifted, his protective instincts kicking in." Boss, he's not involved in our world. I can't let you harm him."
A cold, humorless chuckle escaped Jungkook's lips." Harm him? Namjoon, you know me better than that. If I want to, I can bring him here without letting you know about it. Why do you think I decided to let you know instead of bringing him down to the basement?"
He shifted back, leaning onto the table," Now, Namjoon. I only need answers. I'll get them one way or another. It's up to you to decide how this goes. You can either bring him to me nicely, or we can have this other way around,"
Namjoon took a deep breath, understanding the gravity of the situation." I'll bring him," he said, his voice steady but his eyes contained concern in them. Jungkook nodded curtly, dismissing him with a wave of his hand.
An hour later, Namjoon returned with Jimin, who looked visibly anxious. As they entered Jungkook's office, Jimin's eyes darted around nervously before settling on the mafia boss. Jungkook's icy gaze bore into him, making Jimin feel even smaller.
The man in front of him was his friend's boyfriend, yes, but Jimin had never really interacted with him. Now, under the mafia boss's piercing gaze, he felt more vulnerable than ever.
" Park Jimin," Jungkook began, his voice calm but it was sharp." I need to know everything you can tell me about Taehyung."
" Taehyung... He used us as pawns and—"
" Enough," Jungkook interrupted as his eyes darkened, his presence even more intimidating," Watch your mouth when you speak about him,"
Namjoon sensing the shift in his boss' tone quickly stepped in," Only answer what boss asks. Don't say more than necessary,"
Jimin nodded. He was speaking the truth but maybe he should have worded it better.
He trembled slightly before starting again," I... I don't know much about his disappearance but Taehyung wasn't meant to be here. He... took place of my best friend Kim Junsoo. When he first stepped in, I didn't really question his identity. As if it was now set in my brain that Kim Taehyung was now my best friend instead of Junsoo. His behaviour was much different than that of Junsoo's, and I had noticed it, but I thought my best friend was changing. Only... Only recently I remembered everything and got to know... Taehyung isn't my best friend... He is here from another world. He wrote this world,"
Jungkook's eyes narrowed as he processed Jimin's words." He wrote this world? What do you mean by that?"
" He... This world isn't a real world. It's a world written by him. He is the author of this world. Wrote our stories, mine, yours... everyone's. When I remembered everything... I asked him questions about it. He told me even he didn't know how he entered the... the book he had written,"
" So, you're saying he has control over everything that happens in this world?" Jungkook asked, his voice tight with tension.
Jimin shook his head," When I said we were just puppets following his orders he replied saying it was not true. I interrupted him before he could complete because I couldn't hear him weave lies to make me feel better and make the situation worse for me later,"
He sighed once and begin again," But now that I think about it, if he really had control over everything that happened in this world, he shouldn't have disappeared. He constantly was scared to... admit he was in love with you for some reasons. Maybe this was his fear, that he'll lose you if he admits it,"
Jungkook's mind raced as he absorbed Jimin's revelation. Taehyung was... the author of their world? It was a concept too surreal to fully grasp. But if it were true, it kind of explained his disappearance.
Namjoon, who had been listening silently, spoke up." Boss, maybe Jin knows more than he's letting on. There might be something he's keeping from us, something that could help us understand what's going on."
Jungkook sighed." I already interrogated him, Namjoon. He is not ready to speak anything. As if there's someone above him stopping him to do so. And maybe... that 'someone' is the key to everything,"
He replied and then turned to Jimin.
" I appreciate you coming forward with this information. It's... enlightening,"
Jimin nodded," I'm glad I could help... I..."
Jimin couldn't continue. He wanted to say that he wanted one chance to tell Taehyung he forgave him. He believes that his anger was valid, but he remembers all the days he spent with Taehyung and he knows the other wouldn't do anything to ever hurt him, or anyone else.
But in front of the mafia boss who is already having tough time thinking about the other, he decided not to continue.
As Jimin left the office, the mafia boss sighed. There still was something missing and Jungkook didn't know how to figure it out.
But Jungkook knew one thing; he won't let his wife slip away from him without a fight.
*****
What should Jungkook do now? How is going to get Taehyung back when his the only one who can give him some clue isn't ready to open his mouth?