Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The grandfather clock stood proudly with all its golden accents, premium wood carving, and delicate gear pieces put in place to make it the showpiece of the room. In perfect accordance to the decor, the other aspects of the room were pleasant to the eyes of any newcomer.

Except no newcomer was allowed to come in.

The large room which held all sorts of fine curtains from the luxurious stores of China, exquisite chandeliers from the fanciest shops of Italy, perfectly sewn Persian carpets from the renowned streets of Turkey, and the teak wood for the furniture straight from the forests of Burma, was heavily guarded by bulky men who held rifles by their sides. Black suits and earpieces in, they were hired to make sure that the place was secure. It was protected for a reason and access was gained only by the most prestigious.

All verified by the man himself.

The man in question was a man in his mind 50's, burkly looking with a gold wrist watch and a cigarette on his darkened lips from the constant usage of smoky bliss. He had the fine-threaded, double-breasted navy blue suit on and a look at the clock, as everyone else held their breaths. Eerie silence filled in, except for the clock that struck for another minute gone by.

"Where is he?"
Choi Lang asked, eyes now focussed on the one woman in the room, his secretary, Ms. Areum.

"We aren't able to reach him, it seems like his mission got delayed."
She mentioned, as she looked through her Ipad.

Lang walked over to the main window, where the view was that of the entirety of Seoul, blinking back with yellow lights as night fell over with each passing second. He really wanted to get on with the meeting soon, for his daughter waited back home after having postponed their family dinner for the better half of the past month. He may be capable of many things, but disappointing his daughter wasn't one he would like to add to that list.

With a sigh, he waited for the other to appear by the door.

Meanwhile, fifteen minutes away from the building was the awaited man in his get-up of black body suit, sunglasses and a high-range sniper gun by his side. The alleyways were dark as he got into the car removing his mask and gloves.

"Done with the job?"
The designated driver, Minho spoke as he started the engine.

"Got a little too bloody for my liking, but yeah done."
The man spoke as he grabbed a few wet wipes to clean his hands and neck that had splattered red all over.

His hand strained with effort as he removed all the extra accessories and gadgets to flop back on the seat with his head low. The day had been exhausting, though it only did start at 3 pm in the afternoon. It was a clean in and out, one-man job with no witnesses and casualties, and given he had the experience for it, he was appointed to complete the task.

The negotiations with the now deceased had occurred earlier and it hadn't been quite fruitful with too many close calls to guns being pulled out for strike outs. But after much working through and no definitive result, the best course of action was to eliminate the person in question.

And that was carried out by the man in the car.

"Boss called by the way. He's waiting for you and is getting agitated apparently."
Minho muttered, eyes on the road with a hand on the gear to speed through.

"Well, if the job was easier, I would've been sipping whiskey with him right now. Not my fault that bastard tried hitting me with the broken tile."
The man in the backseat said, rolling his eyes.

He refused to name his "victims" for it meant that they were human too, despite all their own wrongdoings. It was a habit since long after his first and last failure at doing his assigned job.

But that was a tale for another time.

"Put on the suit before meeting the boss."
Minho ordered, pointing to the freshly-pressed suit in the back.

And with some struggling, the man was in the suit, styling his hair and putting on a cologne to put off any smell of blood that clung on him. He still needed medical attention to that cut against his side. But that could wait.

After all Choi Lang was waiting for his most trusted right hand man, Kim Taehyung.

Taehyung was a man in his late 20's with a stride rivalling that of a calculative cheetah waiting for its prey, with piercings lining against his ear and eyebrows and a singular tattoo of an ace card on his right bicep. His head lifted high, confidence in each step and a smile that could allure the most disdained of hearts. His eyes were sharp, looking with intent, always on alert for any possible threat or call for work— one that was usually tasked for completion under the shadows of the moonlight above.

He was a man of his word, a true charmer on the run, and more importantly a highly feared assassin under the biggest crime syndicate of East Asia.

"Do I look okay?"
Taehyung asked as he pulled his blazer right, after having stepped out of the car.

"Yeah, except for this."
Minho muttered, leaning forward to set one strand of his unruly hair right.

"Thanks hyung."

And with that said, he walked into the building, confident steps against each other and a slight smirk as he greeted the staff. A lift ride up and he was standing in front of the very same men who guarded the room. One deep breath in and he opened the door to face his boss.

"Kim Taehyung, how wonderful of you to grace us...thirty minutes late than what was discussed."

"I apologise, boss. The job has some difficulties that required extra effort from me."

"Just let us know before hand."
Lang gruffly muttered, sitting back on his chair.

"Now, onto important matters, I need you to help conduct this operation."

"The details of which have already been finalised by my end and you'll have the copy of it by tonight. I'll ask Areum to send it to you. From my end, it's the same rules. Clean cut work, no spills, no witnesses. There's no room for discussion on this as the Kwons aren't keen on settlements and refuse to give up on that transaction. For now, we will have to give them a piece of their own medicine. They need to know their last week's antics aren't entertained by us."

"Okay boss. I'll go through it and let you know my further plans."
Taehyung said, standing in front of Lang.

Yang sat there, signing a few forms, correcting a few eyesore of mistakes and then looked at Taehyung with the same eyes that had fist struck fear in him when he was 17. It was so precisely present just like when Lang had put his hand forward for a handshake and the rest was history.

"Good, now I'll take leave. I know this conversation could've been done on the phone, but I personally needed to talk to you about this, conveying my seriousness."

"Understood boss."

With that done, everyone filed out getting the signal of the meeting ending, given their parts were discussed before Taehyung got there.

"Have a good night, Taehyung."

"You too, boss."

Lang turned back to Taehyung and with one hand on the knob of the door, he muttered,

"You can call me Yang-nim. After all, you are taking the lead next."

"I would much rather not. At least not till then."

"Whatever pleases you."

Choi Lang had been Taehyung's father figure through the peak transistion from being a teeanger to an adult. His own dad had died before he was born and with his mother deteriorating after a stage 3 blood cancer when he was 15, the need for money and upholding the roof above their head was on his shoulders. That was the reason he had sought help from loan sharks innocently except it ended up with him dangerously close to death. With debts piling up and his mother's imminent demise approaching after all the treatments had failed her, Taehyung had no opportunity to turn to petty violence and slowly climb the ladder until Choi Lang came along.

Taehyung was and will forever be indebted to him, but the older wasn't as keen on it. He much rather preferred talking to him like they were respected equals. Especially having seen Taehyung's perfected skill in striking the target without a single smidge of mess up.

Taehyung was a sleuth leopard on loose trying to lure the prey without expending his own energy. And that very trait was his ticket to being Choi's most trusted, right hand man.

"One to go, please."
Taehyung asked as he stood outside the small, hole-in-the-wall type of taken shop.

The old man inside smiled warmly having been acquainted with Taehyung and his almost-daily order of meals.

Taehyung quietly stood there, waiting for his meal to be packed as he took out a cigarette for a smoke. It was a ritual at this point, standing outside the curtained place, awaiting for his name to be called to pick up his order of hot ramen and meat, watching the traffic move seamlessly like it was any other day, while his lungs expanded to accommodate the ugly smoke of his cigarette.

He had seen so many advertisements, posters, reminders and more preaching about everything wrong with smoking. A cancer so alike his mother's, would ensue, they said. But he couldn't care less.

Taehyung just couldn't.

It didn't matter. After all, his will to live had been constantly tried and tested; his persistence was remarkable but tiring. And if that test came out negative as he waited for the Earth to consume him whole, he would graciously allow the ritual to be completed. He wasn't actively trying to put himself in danger's way— the Satan's calling for him. He wasn't reckless or cruel to his own living body that had always worked to his accord. But if it came to head with his "dangerous" habits, then so be it.

It was all so confusing, for there were days where the very thought of death was nauseating— falling to his knees and puking his guts out. But on other days, he found it comforting in a way his mother hugged his frail body after the sickness had run him through to the ground. Sick and twisted were the ways of life. He wished it wasn't so draining to tackle this issue of his.

Especially in regards to his line of work, one that gave him the decision to take someone's life; as if playing the role of God himself— to give or take based on the deeds done.

But how could he make that decision when he was just as flawed as every other human on this cursed planet, maybe much more damaged with all the blood that had bled through the crevices of his hands.

"Done, take your meal, son."
The old man's voice called out and Taehyung was pulled out of his weekly existential crisis.

As he thanked the man and walked back home to little, shabby apartment, he was reminded as to why he never got a solution to the web of tangled thoughts in his head. It was because he never had time in between all the meetings, all the runs, and all the kills. Above all, if he gave more importance to any of those problems regarding morality and mortality, it would become all too real and that would mean he must acknowledge them.

Something that scared the feared assassin, Kim Taehyung.

Shook him to the core, but when the next day would arrive, he would once again relive his day of slashes and threats. A cycle so mechanical and draining, one that sucked on his soul like a boodthirsty vampire of the past, one that was to be lived over and over until there was respite in the form of his own death.

Sure, he could have the riches of this world, largely encouraged by Lang himself. Yet, he couldn't find it in himself to give that joy of being human. A human with money to spend, a human whose happiness was a step away if taken the chances, a human who was envied by many. Yet, over and over again he chose to live a life that was marked by none of that glamourous things he had once dreamed of in his youngling years.

This was the life he had chosen, circumstances be done with.

And this was the life he would lead till the end, for any alternative to this is unknown to him.

"Is this a close contact or in range attack?"

"Would opt for in range any day. But the chances for one is difficult this time, just go with close contact."
Hyojin muttered in response to Taehyung, as he flipped through the printed documents.

Taehyung had taken his time studying the patterns of Kwons and with how erratic their days were, simply choosing to spend money and time inefficiently. To say he was pissed at their lack of discipline apart from the deal was an understatement. And so the need for close contact, where he's acquanited with the man was evident as such.

He eventually agreed with Hyojin and went on to arm himself with his trusty weapons that included a secret belt knife, dagger in his boots, a revolver in his suit, spare magazine in his secret pocket and finally his necklace that was gifted for his first mission accomplishment which served for a great vessel for poison to be injected.

"Tie check, boots check, glasses check. Yeah, you are good to go."
Minho said, as he looked over from his driver's seat.

The three of them were currently behind the dumpster alley of the mansion. Hyojin had checked for a route to enter without the security check in front. Taehyung had followed through the plac, enter with a polite smile, own up to it, strike a conversation with Kwon Dohyeon, slip something in his drink or look for stab point work, get out and be free.

Taehyung looked different, his lenses in, wigged hair in perfection, a heeled boot to throw off the height perception by anyone making note, glasses on which covered half his face stylishly and nothing too note-worthy for anyone to pinpoint his presence in the party. If anyone asked he was Kim Sanwook, an established businessman in Vietnam. No one had to know more than that.

"You'll do well."
Minho's words ringed in encouragement, just like usual.

Except they weren't met with the noted response of 'I know' from Taehyung, something he had said every single time since his first formal kill. He was confident of his skills to kill, a license to do so with practice, expertise and wit that had drilled through the years. And yet, this time the words didn't make it to his tongue.

Instead, he walked out without a whisper of goodbye.

He was dressed to his nines, everything in order as he entered the venue of the party after having squeezed through the vents. A feat in itself, but Taehyung's training had kicked in. After that was just socialising with people unknown who simply bought his lies.

"Oh, haven't seen you around?"

"Ah, Mr. Jeong we just met during golf the other day."
Taehyung lied, a chuckle on his lips as the older man's puzzled expression transformed to one of recognition.

Except they hadn't met and the other simply took it in.

"Right! How's the business going?"

"It's well, sailing through for now. Hopefully, we'll see some exponential growth in the next quadrant given how demand is picking up abroad."
Taehyung lied, swirling the champagne flute before sipping it like a gentleman.

A made believe business he owned which had better success than the world could imagine.

And just like that, he talked to a selected few, smiling charmingly until he met with the man himself, a short statured, aged down, greying man in his mid 50's.

Kwon Dohyeon.

"Hello, how are you enjoying the party?"
Dohyeon was first to strike the conversation.

Taehyung bowed slightly out of respect and tried to block the incoming voice of reason.

A nasty little thing in his field of work where nothing of compassion was entertained for more than five seconds. And yet, without fail, before every kill made that voice which sounded awfully like a fictionalised version of whatever he remembered of his dad from videos when his mom was pregnant with him, yelled louder than ever.

And like every other time, he would build his mental block even higher. Even for that voice to fade into nothing as the screams of how immoral it was to kill, despite the other's morality, how it was not the cheery seven year-old Taehyung's dream to kill and rather fly a plane, how all of this would haunt his soul when he reached hell.

But, who would wait for that soul-sucking fieryy place made by religion when he had his own personal hell each night as he laid to sleep?

His nightmares never ceased, it haunted him and drained his life by little bit each day. Never too much, never too little. Just enough for him to notice and no one else. Drained until he was nothing but a shell of his former body, breathing to exist and never more.

In his own strange ways, he wished for those nightmares to come. Even prayed for them.

Taehyung felt redeemed by that torture as if he was paying the price for the blood on his hands. He felt crucified for those vicious sins he had committed, bone breaking and crunching under his knees. He felt the weight of those undone lift for mere minutes before it was thrusted back on his shoulders, making him double down further.

"Yeah, it's wonderful. Love the appetizers!"
Taehyung replied, lifting the tootpick which had a fried ball on the other side of it.

He couldn't dissect his thoughts now, especially when he had a role to play. The last performance of Dohyeon's lifetime.

"I'm glad, Kim-ssi. The new opening deserves its celebrations and what better way than to host it for my beloved friends."
Dohyeon muttered, his smile widening until the crooked teeth came into view.

Taehyung bit his tongue, to exercise the restraint of not giving up the position of many here who wished for the Kwons' downfall, including him. It was no surprise given the multiple ways in which Dohyeon had lived, prominently one in which he cheated, bamboozled and devoured without loyalty to the bonds sealed on paper and blood.

"I believe you haven't met my daughter. Miyeon-ah, come here!"
Dohyeon called out as a younger girl in her 20's walked over, all dressed in pearls and midnight blue silk.

Taehyung smiled, biting into his food, as he looked for an opening, It was getting scarce since, the longer he stayed, the longer they would remember him and the whole point of it was secrecy sworn for his own safety. As the Kwon leader hugged his daughter, back to Taehyung, he wondered if the injection would work better or the poison.

The poison was a hit or miss, but an injection always did wonders and perhaps a nick if it gets a little tricky.

"Hello, nice to meet you."
The girl spoke, eyes intently focussed on Taehyung's form.

He felt slightly unnerved by the way she looked at him, something laid beyond those eyes and he wasn't keen on knowing more. It was like she was scanning his movements, ready to pounce on any mistake of his, though it could just be his paranoia given that he hadn't done field work this close to target. Most of his kills were as an assassin with a long-range rifle, 100 feet away. There was danger lurking at the edges of this dance to kill and his opportunity window was closing in.

And so, Taehyung entertained the conversation, a little longer. People acting as if they knew him when they had never seen him in their lives, everyone too self-obsessed with themselves and the achievements they had in their bag. There was a strategic spill of wine when no one was looking as he laughed at one of their shitty jokes, pulling everyone's gaze to his face than hands.

Kwon Dohyeon was perfectly in his element, slightly drunk but enough to know what was happening.

A spill at first and a slip next.

Taehyung called out to get a refill, one step ahead and suddenly the floor was slipping beneath his feet, his glass shattering against the table and floor. The pieces flying across, people stunned to silence and Taehyung's falling figure against Dohyeon's right calf, a glass piece in hand.

"Oh my god, I'm so very sorry. I didn't see the puddle and now this. I'm so very sorry for the mess. Are you hurt?"

Three steps in and the fourth was faux innocence, sincere apologies floating into the space in between. Taehyungwas mastering the act and it was paying off as he glanced at the glass pieces on the floor and one discrete look at the spot of action.

"I'm okay, son. Are you?"
Dohyeon said, much too kindly as he helped Taehyung up.

And Taehyung hissed, showing his slightly nicked hand. He tried picking the glass against his suit as the yell for waiters from Dohyeon came instantly.

"What is this? One of our guests are hurt. This carelessness is not why I pay all of you."

Taehyung looked at the others with a smile to pacify the abrupt tension in the air. He subtly shifted his cuffs to hid the device at hand.

"I'm alright. I think I'll just take my leave. Perhaps, this is my cue to reach home."
Taehyung said, laughing softly.

Dohyeon nodded, eyes glazed with concern. It was weirdly present as he insisted on someone helping Taehyung wrap his wound and perhaps, some medical attention. But of course, Taehyung refused it, even when Miyeon offered to help softly. Instead he walked away after bidding them goodbye.

The conversations restarted with more vigour, chatters and laughs. And Taehyung could only smirk as he walked out of the main exit. He hoped that it would take its course. It wasn't just one now.

The point to be made couldn't just be valid with one kill, right?

There were going to be signs, most marked with poisoning, a tiny drop in the glass perhaps, or maybe five more in the bottle. Perhaps another vicious pin breaking their skin. Anything to get it across, anything to complete his boss's work.

"Wait!"
Miyeon's voice came about from behind him.

Taehyung turned around, schooling his expression instantly. He racked his brain if there was anything that was left awry in the midst of the chaos he created.

"You are a hard man to catch. Anyways, I just wanted to give you my number. Call me whenever you feel like you need a spark to ignite or perhaps a fling or better yet, just a chat. I like you, so you must know my number isn't given away just like that."
Miyeon said, eyes glittering like the pearls strung on her neck.

"I'm honoured, thank you for the offer. Looking forward to the day of business soon."
Taehyung said, a mischievous grin on his lips.

An elaborate act in its last stages, he would definitely throw away this paper after he was out of everyone's sight. Until then, it would stay in his pocket as he shook hands with her after having successfully diverted the attempt for a hug.

Mayhem would eventually unravel and Taehyung was its spectator.

Two hours later when the party ceased to exist and everyone who had come dispersed slowly, Kwon Dohyeon would collapse on the floor. Instant with no time for any of his assistants or family to take him to the hospital. And before that was taken in account, a few more would have frothed and choked on their vomit.

The news would hit the papers, outrage would spark over and the police would be involved.

But Taehyung would then choose to make himself a chocolate milkshake and sit by the window, laying low till next week when another bigger news would make it to the headlines, making everyone forget it over time.

The cycle continues and he would be no witness, given there wasn't a fingerprint as he had his fancy sheer glove on as part of that costume.

Except that wasn't the case, as the shrill ringtone of his burner broke through the silence of his dreamless sleep, far too late unless it was an emergency.

"Hello?"

Choi Lang's gruffy voice came in rushed and Taehyung stood up as the urgency shook through.

"Taehyung, I need you to immediately and effectively pack to leave. 10 minutes, there will be a car at your disposal and a key in the glove box, take the road towards Yeongsang and you know where to go. Don't contact anyone, until I do. For now, treat it as an emergency and just follow instructions."

"Got it."

And Taehyung's feet moved on their own accord, pulling out the luggage bag he kept for emergencies. His training kicked in as he dumped everything needed, including the weaponry of his choice and essential cash to cover any tracks made by credit cards and so on. His eyes were laser focused on what next as his ears will still on alert for the next instructions.

"Your safety will come first. Don't make me repeat it."

Taehyung knew what the older man meant.

There had been far too many incidents where he wasn't playing by the cards, risking himself for the assigned task. Of course, none of them had resulted in a casualty, he was careful, just not enough according to Lang. There might have been a little adoration for him given the added reminders among the many other things done before.

It usually included staying beyond the time deemed safe, getting a closer shot, essentially exposing himself to them further, altercations with people who were under the radar of Lang's business and those usually meant he was threatening his own safety by making himself noticeable. It also came in the rarer forms of doing extra duties beyond his job—

"Can I get you anything?"
Taehyung asked as he entered the room in which Choi Lang's wife, Choi Areum was resting, with daisies in his hand.

"Oh Tae-yah. It's  been long  since I saw you. Come over more often yeah?"
Areum's softer voice came through.

"I surely  will to come  eat your kimchi! And you need to get well for that, okay?"

"Ah, a worrybug like always."

"Can't help it, sorry."

Areum had an appendicitis, nothing quite major or painful given it was a quick procedure, but Taehyung had made a point to visit her in the hospital. A gesture to respect the woman who had fed him during the first few weeks of losing his mother. She had taken care of him like he was her own, something in between an older sister and a mother.

"Uh-huh. Now those flowers are—"

"For you!"
Taehyung exclaimed, giving it to her as he took the bouquet to admire it up close.

He sat on the opposite bed, as she spoke of her honeymoon trip to Switzerland where she had seen daisies grown beautifully along the plains below the huge mountains. He listened on with intent about the many things, adding his own experiences making it a wonderful conversation.

But it was a safety issue at the end of the day!

People kept track of her, given she was the wife of a man who had many enemies and of  him,for  being an assassin whose identity though, unknown to all was very much one click away for disclosure. Lang was rightfully angry the following evening, only coming to senses after hearing his wife admit that she needed normalcy brought by Taehyung that morning.

Still the man was worried and who could really blame him?

Taehyung bid hiis goodbye before securing his home with locks and getting to the basement where the car was already awaiting, Minho standing against the bonet with keys in his hand.

"Be safe."

Those were the only words spoken before the other walked away, hands in his pockets as the early morning fog at 4 am clouded the sight beyond a few feet. Taehyung started off his journey just like that, packed bag in the passenger seat and nothing more, for the route was etched in his mind. 

He had been there a few times for important reporting to his boss who was vacationing, or some business deals to be done. To have it be assigned as his safe house by Choi lang, a burly man with a permanent frown between his eyebrows was definitely an honour and Taehyung was going to follow through as expected.

The next call came as expected.

It was a few hours later by Choi Lang on his burner yet again, excpt this time with updates and instructions.

"There's been some complications with the Kwon's killing, it's a mess at the moment and suspicions towards us are at an high. I'm not willing to risk it right now, but a CCTV took a glimpse of you specifically and yeah, I'm clearing up tracks."

Taehyung didn't reply, instead wondered back to what could have possibly given up his position that night. It was difficult to point it to one person when he had talked to quite a few people, who could've raised hackles. It could've been the bodyguards, the family, the other affluent people and more importantly, Kwon Miyeon— whose phone number still inked on paper was present in his wallet.

Maybe he was stupid, call it his intution, his weird vibe check, but he had removed that paper from his back pocket of his tux trousers and put it in his wallet on the day he returned back home.

Perhaps, that was the culprit all along.

"Okay, few instructions. Ditch this phone elsewhere, buy one more and message me a good morning. I'll know it's you. Next, keep interactions to a bare minimum, I don't want you risking your disguise. Just lay low, don't engage and perhaps enjoy your impromptu vacation— one due for years now."
Choi's voice through the phone speakers was clipped and short.

"Okay, will do. Thanks boss."

Taehyung had already surveyed the beach house. Plenty of rooms for one man, pantry was bare except some non perishables in the fridge, enough clothes that were a size too big on Taehyung and a view directly to the ocean. Of course, he would have to buy new clothes for himself ad=nd settle in for quite some time.

Taehyung had lived the better half of his life, chasing and surviving; hard-wired to be on the edge, on the job, on his feet. He was always there to complete the tasks, kill a man or two, coverup the tracks, confront another few and exist in a limbo of nothingness. 

Vacations didn't mean much to him, especially when he was so focussed on his work, like a horse with blinders tied on to help with its focus on the racing track. He didn't have distractions, just a few drinks and cigarettes on real bad days of wanting to fill that emptiness within him. He had tried it all, never clinging on one, for he knew he would eventually disappoint everyone unless it was his work at play.

And so for this time, be in a week or a month, felt out of the ordinary to him. 

But, he would try to relax, doing his best at nothing.

And that would start with a coffee to keep himself awake after having woken up so suddenly at 4 and now with a dull headache, concentrated behind his eyes.

The little ding from the bells as he opened the door had the cashier of the cafe looking at his with a soft smile.

"Welcome! What can I help you with today?"

Taehyung hadn't been on a coffee run personally, having Minho buy his coffee almost everyday— the order engraved on the other's tongue. Minho was his assistant, driver, eyes on the street and a friend in this unlikely tango of life.

Taehyung shook his head and stared trying to figure out what to order. He was sure that having an iced americano now would be disaster to his already bursting head, but he hadn't really tried new flavours, not keen on changing the hardest routine he had found the easiest to follow. Complicated drink orders meant time and energy spent in figuring that out aka distractions.

Yeah, Taehyung might be slightly weird and uptight about his job, but he was serious and clean about it making him a good choice.

Yet, in all of this, the truth of him never giving himself small pleasures of life, the little things that make it better, had lingered uncomfortably. If anyone randomly saw his life as part of a show, they would call him miserable. Perhaps that was also part of the truth, but he had no time for that. He had no time for anything beyond his scheduled day's activities, keeping himself busy even on days he was forced to stay home for a break. Anything out of that line, be it a random walk in the park, a chocolate-covered donut with sprinkles, was frowned upon by himself. A restriction set in stone and so he stared at the menu, clearly lost.

"Do you need help?"
The soft voice spoke again.

"I'm not sure."
Taehyung replied, unsure of what was the appropriate response to that.

Yeah, if anyone hadn't caught on, Taehyung also had difficulty accepting help.

His mindset being too hard-wired on being independent and perfect, not wanting to lose on chances by appearing as someone who didn't know stuff. The best example for the extent of his behaviour was how he had stayed up till 1 at night, trying to memorise all the roads leasing to the big corporate building uptown,which was his fourth assignment on the job. He was clearly a newbie at this and yet the thought of disappointing the boss was immense for him to forgo his sleep for that.

So, it was difficult for Taehyung.

"Okay, how about this? I'll tell you our best sellers and maybe even let you in on my favourite and you can make a decision then."

Taehyung nodded slowly.

"Usually people go with a simple vanilla frappuccino or oat milk with honey macchiato or another one is a strawberry matcha latte. You can't go wrong with that honestly, that's my co-workers favourite drink. There's iced americano, but basic stuff and usually by those workaholic people travelling from Seoul."

Taehyung didn't try to correct this pretty barista that he too fell in that category, instead he listened intently.

"My favourite has to be peppermint mocha. It's comforting especially on stormy days here."

Taehyung wondered if this beautiful man with plush lips and blond hair knew that he was the embodiment of his favourite drink, said in a very respectful way.

"I need something decaf so um, maybe a decaf iced shaken expresso with toffee and vanilla shots please."
Taehyung said, after looking at the menu for a few more seconds. 

He thought about how it might have been rude not consider the choices that was laid out loud, but he really needed something a little on the sweeter side, out of the usual to get into normal behavious of sorts.

"Oh! Great choice. Anything to eat?"

"I'll have one of that please."
Taehyung said, pointing to the chicken sandwich on display.

"I'll heat it up for you in a minute, meanwhile you can pay using the scanner. The total is right there."
The other said, ringing it up on the tiny monitor.

"Can I do cash instead?"

"Oh okay sure."
A little surprised, but the man took the cash and gave back the change, except Taehyung refused it muttering, 'Take it for your tips.'

As he sat back in one of the corners of the cafe, slowly taking in the surroundings, he looked around for customers. There were two old ladies chatting up and a man working on his laptop. He looked on to see how different this small beach side town was to the ever-bustling, noisy Seoul where he grew up.

This was calming- the waves gentle sound echoing through the distance, the smell of fresh salt mixing in with the scents of cakes and coffees, people who moved about slowly and cautiously, and overall a soothing atmosphere, enough to lower the raised hackles of being alert and perfect. Taehyung waited, as he tried to make the next of his plan. 

He would have to ask for the nearest phone store, and then maybe use that for GPS and find a clothes store, groceries too. He had a lot planned for the day as it would seem. Before, he could think of what after that, the same barista entered his field of vision with a plate of chicken sandwich and his drink.

"Enjoy your meal!"
The other said, bowing slightly.

"Thank you."

The smell of perfectly heated and seasoned chicken invaded his senses before he could even take the sandwich in his hands. Taking eager bites of the food, he felt his stomach's queasy feeling from being hungry for so long cease quietly. One sip of the coffee and his body cooled down instantly with a blas of sweet on his tongue.

After his meal was done, he decided to ask the barista who was the only one he interacted with since he entered Yeongsang. Fortunately, the man was kind enough to entertain his questions without intruding.

"There's one main phone store, just go straight from here, one right and again straight. Then when you see 'Barnacles and books' which has a big kuromii sticker on the front glass, take a left and you'll reach it. Just say that Jimin sent you and she'll strike you a good deal."

"Jimin?"

"Right, I didn't introduce myself. Park Jimin, at your service."

And for some reason, Taehyung just thought of perfectly that name fit the other. There was something unique about this man, a little magical, perhaps the blond hair that reminded him of tinkerbell for god knows what reason or the mannerisms that just fit. 

"Klimt here, nice too meet you."

Taehyung introduced himself, saying the first name that came to his head. He had already used Sanwook earlier and he just didn't want to ty his luck again. Using his real name with a complete stranger felt too careless and the only option available was this. 

To his grace, Jimin didn't question the unusal name for a man who looked korean enough to have a better suited name, and the shorter just smiled brightly.

"You'll get your things there, and if you need some entertainment in this small town, be sure to get some books. They're plenty good ones!"

"Thank you again."
Taehyung said, a tiny smile of gratitude on his face.

"Hopefully see you again, Klimt-ssi."

Taehyung didn't know what but he had already filed to come back again next week. Not to meet the barista, but rather for the food. It was delicious and if seeing the barista was a perk then, so be it.

He had left the car back at the beach house, seeing how people might mistake him with the association to that vehicle, especially with the affluency it came with. And right now, he really needed to blend in, be one with the crowd to avoid suspicion. And so he had walked to this cafe he saw while entering the town, as the closest public space to food and people.

Taehyung followed the directions to the phone store which had a girl, typing away on her laptop behind the register. 

"Hi, I would like to buy a phone."
Taehyung said, looking around at the models on display.

"Of course, that's why you came here."
The girl said, rolling her eyes as she got off from her place to face him.

"A basic model, cheaper end, just calls and messages with 3G internet connection at best."

She stared at him with suspicious eyes as 3G wasn't really in production since 5 or 6 years, but there were a few in the back. Fortunately, she found one that fit the description and so bringing it up front to him.

"This is the best one I've got."

"Yeah, I'll take it."
Taehyung said, pulling out his wallet.

"You aren't going to check? What a strange man!"
The girl said, entering the digits in for processing. She hadn't seen many customers not inspect their purchase with careful hands. Well, she hadn't seen any. 

"I've been told."
Taehyung chuckled, looking at the girl with a tilted smile.

"Anyways, I do need a SIM as well. And I'm assuming this comes with charger and earphones?"

"Yeah, it does. And I'll get that one too."

Taehyung had half the mind to just leave from there, phone be damned. Maybe it was the decaf kicking in or the change in his routine, but he really needed to sleep, despite the plans he had made.

"You aren't from here, are you?"
The girl asked, curiously as she took out a SIM from the drawer.

"No, Jimin from the cafe near the beach sent me here actually."

When Taehyung mentioned that man's name, there was a flicker of recognition and more in the girl's eyes, something that stuck with Taehyung as he waited for her to ask for his personal details and more to get it activated.

But that never came, instead came a simple question of which english alphabet he preferred most.

"Huh? How is that—"

"Either give me one or I'm giving it as an F."
She muttered, glaring at him with a frown.

"Fine, V I guess?"

And within seconds, the card was activated and put in the phone. Before he could even ask what had happened and how come she didn't take his details— though, admittedly it was the false identity card with a name he had no clue of after having just stuffed in his pocket during one of his missions— she just mentioned the price.

Taehyung just stared for a few seconds trying to assimilate the situation.

"You aren't going to answer any questions, are you?"

Scrutinising gaze directed to the girl who looked more annoyed by each passing minute.

"Do you want a functioning phone or not? If yes, then it's done and you just have to pay for it. I literally took the effort to get it done, so you get on with the payment now."

Taehyung quietly paid the amount and got out of there, hoping to unpack and learn more about his phone back in the beach house. The groceries could wait for now, maybe till tomorrow if he pushed it. There was just no way he could haul his groceries in this sudden state of drowsiness. And with the chicken sandwich settling wonderfully, his yawns increased by frequency. Right when the sun hit from above him, all he could feel was the exhaustion catching up to him rather than feeling sweaty and heated.

So, the best thing he could was perhaps get to bed, despite his eyes calling to the cute bookstore that had quite a few number of customers as opposed to what he had assumed of this small town.

(He would come back to the bookstore tomorrow after grabbing the essential groceries for sure! And maybe take a few mangas for entertainment through his days here. He had a personalised list from Hyojin after an off handed comment during one of their missions. Taehyung didn't mean for it to be taken seriously, except he was made to sit through a lecture of how good one of those series was, courtesy  Hyojin .

And so buying them would finally help him connect with the other's avid self. Hanging out with older men at work had made him forget that he was still 29.)

For now though, he needed sleep preferably in an air-conditioned room with the view of the beautiful sea. The early morning drive and the stress from past week had totally worn him out and coming here, to this serene place was that trigger to let go. His eyes were near dead as he made his way back miraculously. Locking the doors, he fell to a dreamless sleep instantly.

And the last thought in his mind was how the town had been slightly strange, especially how the phone store girl has reacted to the cafe barista's name.

Chapter Text

There was an old tale, known to all, one that reeked of precaution and hideous ways of this world. It went something like this,

A village so prosperous that the gods above were jealous, existed peacefully. Crops in abundance, happy laughs and clear water flowing through the fields. It was prosperous in all the categories that made an impact. The people were kind, ever-giving and good-natured by all means. And yet despite all the pureness in their hearts, they were humans. Humans who didn't know better, who didn't pick their battles right, and humans who were ready to risk it all for a mere nectar from the sweetest fruit on the planet.

Or so they were told, none of them having seen it.

It was the word of mouth, one traveller to another until it reached them, the people of the south. Ravenous thoughts and wanting hands as its supposed effects were discussed. 

Longevity, one that extended to numbers beyond what they had learnt to count. Riches, one in amounts that could be enough for them to swim in. Sustenance, one beyond what their stomachs could fill on. 

They could live that life, filled with leisure and rest, like how the gods did in their drapes and jewels.

One unfortunate day and the village head had made it his mission to fight for the rightful possession of what he thought belonged to him, as compared to the great deities above. And the next day, they were climbing the huge snowy mountains to get to that tree which produced that golden fruit of joy. 

But alas, they died along the way. Tragic and bloody as their limbs fell through and their lungs gasped for air. The conditions being far too bad for any human to trek, and yet, the next day the next batch of humans from that village left to gain that sweet nectar. 

Hunger for something unknown and unseen consumed them like no other.

Packed bags on their shoulders with bare essentials as they matched out of the village. It continued over and over until all that was left in the village were children of young with no one to fend for them. Helpless souls looking for someone to help them, care for them like how they had been in the past months. 

The prosperity in the village ceased as the humans left it unattended. The evils plunged the ground, seeking it all out like scavengers and the gods could only watch the foolishness unfold. Evil in all its forms of soulless eyes and dragging limbs. Picking apart what was left as the frightened ones waited for their parents. They were dumb and the gods couldn't help as they left their precious children at the hands of untrained. 

They died for nothing, their greed and entiltment pulled them to their graves early. And the crowd mentality of falling one by one into the well with unseen bottom moss had been stupid of them, following something that didn't exist.

It was done, nothing to undo their deaths. And so the tale was left as a precaution by the mouths of those surviving younglings. 

The story might have been the most absurd one that Taehyung had ever heard, but he loved it all the same, for he could still hear his grandmother's husky voice narrating it with added effects. A tale that had been born out of dire need for children to understand that the world shall always have things that you would desperately want, but there must always be thought twice, before pursuing while also retaining your individuality and thoughts. Simple in its ways, as nothing left for morality when your life was at stake. 

Taehyung knew that it was simple, no bigger moral than the fact that one should always prioritise their needs, not fall to their selfish wants, and be one with caution on everything that sounded unreal. 

Unreal like how this town had been.

It was small at first, when he had finally taken up on the offer to visit the bookstore in the town. He was welcomed to the familiar smell of old books and vintage items that were stored in his dead grandfather’s storage unit before it all went up in flames. Something he still mourned for those were the only physical thread connecting him to his family tree that had slowly died and withered.

The colours were warm yet colourful in muted tones, fitting into the stereotypical bookstore aesthetics. The stickers on the glass with cute animals had him cooing internally, as he strolled in just looking for something fun. There were a few teenagers, clearly bunking their schools to be there and a few ladies by the fictional section. Not as crowded as that day.

“Looking for something in particular?”
A sweet voice shook him from his surroundings’ assessment, involuntary in new places all from years of training as an assassin.

His eyes caught onto the source of that voice being a man of similar height to his, long curls framing his face— purposefully created by the looks of it, given the slight burn of the curler on his neck, eyes that were covered by a pair of round-framed glasses, folded sleeves enough for the arm tattoos to peek out, wonderfully contracting his milky skin.

He was handsome for a mere bookstore worker.

And a good smelling one too, if the scent of vanilla and fresh lilies that clung to his skin and the 5 feet radius of him were any sign.

“Um, yeah just checking the place out.”
Taehyung muttered, subtly checking the purple, grey, black and white coloured pin against the man’s apron which had a name, likely his, ‘Jungkook.’

“Well, if you have any questions, you know whom to find. Have fun and hope you find something worthwhile.”

There was a smile on his lips, one that had Taehyung unconsciously grinning back at him, an infectious smile. Something about this man reminded him of the barista he had met yesterday.

Taehyung simply took to the rows of books kept, searching for some manga that was already recommended to him, quite a popular one as it would seem. He found it in the first look, under a shelf named ‘used books’ , the green background staring back at him and with a tite that intriguing, he couldn’t really pass it on, could he?

He walked past the other shelves brimmed with multiple albums and records, all of the recent releases, ones that weren’t as familiar to Taehyung’s old school taste. He did grab a ‘Kind of Blue’ record for the saxophone player back in the beach house, albeit dusty by condition—easily fixable. And with that, he got to the counter to check it out.

There was another man behind the counter, one with long hair much like the other guy here. Though, this was blondish-white by colour and a few black highlights, the man had a slightly guarded expression, one so unlike the welcoming aura Jungkook had. His face was covered by a mask but his eyes were sharp as he pressed the keys on his computer to enter it.

“Are you the owner?”
Taehyung asked, not knowing what overcame him to even initiate the conversation knowing very well to keep low-profile.

“What gave it away?”
The other’s voice came out muffled.

If Taehyung could crush over someone’s voice—something he never did or planned on doing— it would be this man’s voice. The deep undertones with the gentleness unseen really had it going for him. But that was weird, and he wouldn’t. Instead, he would definitely love hearing this man’s ASMR as he fell asleep.

That was definitely less creepy.

“I can’t pinpoint exactly, just had to ask.”

Taehyung didn’t mention how he was eyeballing it here, something he hadn’t done given how every move he had made was based on minutes of calculation, right angles leading to the right results. But, there was something confident about this man, something unique and maybe it was his years of experience chalking upto this conclusion but he was definitely wrong.

That and well, the lack of his pin stating his name.

“Name’s Yoongi. And if you have any complaints it’s to be told to my co-owner, Jungkook. I’m not in-charge of customer care, more of backend guy.”
The man introduced himself, slightly lowering his mask enough for his nose and mouth to be seen.

Taehyung had to severely hold in the train of thoughts that threatened for a physical reaction. There was intimidation in those mismatched eyes, fierce in his pupils but the nose, god, the nose was chomping material. 

And that scared the living shit out of Taehyung, who had never thought of anything remotely close to this. He wasn’t the cutesy guy who fawned over adorable babies and cry over romantic movies. That was more of Minho’s thing.

Shit, this town was turning him insane, and he wasn’t even two days in.

“Hyung, you really need to work on that. Also stop leaving this pin everywhere. You know how seokie hyung had it custom-made for us.”
Jungkook’s voice came in, as he came from the back door with a blue, pink and purple pin with Yoongi’s name in quite the similar font as Jungkook’s.

“Oh hey, I didn’t expect you to be a yuri reader, really expected you more on the lines of haikyuu.”
Jungkook said, looking at the book on the table.

“Ah well, I am not sure of the content in here, just a friend’s rec. Not really a manga reader, but yeah.”
Taehyung hesitantly said, as he looked behind Jungkook to stare at one of the pressed flower bookmarks hanging for display.

Yoongi seemed to notice his gaze and he soon picked one up, the one with yellow dandelions dehydrated and pressed into one of the most delicate things he had ever seen. Taehyung was ready to protest against it, saying he didn’t quite need it for his keys and sauce packets (sealed extras, cause he was careful) did the job quite well, but Yoongi spoke up again.

“On the house.”

“That only exists in eateries, Yoongi.”
Jungkook said, laughing gently.

“Well, here I make the rules and I’m giving this to you free of cost. Think of it as your welcoming gift.”
Yoongi’s smug voice responded.

Taehyung could feel his senses go off at the mention of welcoming gift, something about it was wrong, one that he couldn’t quite place it on. He hadn’t mentioned or even suggested that he had just come to the town recently. Welcoming. 

“Welcoming?”

“It’s your first time here, isn’t it?”

The tilt in Yoongi’s voice could have meant anything. Maybe an innocent word, customer communication at hand to make them loyal to the store, especially paired with the soft smile. But, something felt off about it as if insinuating that it was Taehyung’s first time in this town, in their land, in their jurisdiction and not just the bookstore.

But, Taehyung was going to give him the benefit of doubt. 

“At this rate, we’re losing money to our business. But eh, I wouldn't blame you for that.”
Jungkook snorted, tapering off at the end as his eyes traversed up and down Taehyung, as if admiring a piece of art.

Taehyung felt his cheeks warm in response. He was used to people secretly admiring him, more on the lines of his craftsmanship of taking ten people down at once, but never for his physique or personal taste in fashion. That was new, that was exhilarating and that was seemingly his people (connection)-deprived self talking.

“Can I pay in cash?”
Taehyung asked instead, steering the conversation back.

“Sure, you will have to give a deposit beforehand if you are planning to return it. Each day costs about 1/10th of the deposit.”
Yoongi muttered, eyes focussed on the computer.

“Okay, yeah I’ll pay for the record fully though, as in buying please.”

“That’s for sale, no returns unless damaged within warranty period.”
Jungkook replied, a little giggle accompanying his words.

“I didn’t know they had that for records.”
Taehyung said, baffled by the slightest as he gave the exact money counted down to Yoongi.

“You would be surprised.”

Packing the book, record and bookmark in a neat carry bag, Yoongi passed it to Taehyung after the transaction, bill in the bag as the two owners of the store gave the best customer satisfactory retail smile they could muster—one that didn’t really fit them, if Taehyung was honest, but he would take anything. 

And soon, he walked out of the place with a content heart and a tiny dent in his pocket. 

But, he knew he was going to love the items of purchase all the same. He also walked out of there with a sense of thrill in his heart for his skills hadn’t yet given up on him despite not bein active on the scene for about two weeks too long.

He was right about this town being weird.

If it wasn’t for his sharp eye, he wouldn’t have noticed the glint of the shiny blade under Yoongi’s apron when he reached over the counter to give the carry bag, so alike the piercings against his eyebrow from the artificial light above them. 

Or how Jungkook’s scent had an undertone of sulphur , very faint after having scrubbed down hard, but just enough for an assassin’s nose to catch on. 

After all, he had smelt it on himself after multiple cartridges of the rifle were discarded, thus resulting into having that pungent scent fill his senses one too many times.

After all, it takes a skilled assassin to know another of his kind.

On the third day of his stay in this small town, he was more set on staying by beach than interacting the crowd in the town. Not because they were a ravenous bunch like back in Seoul, but after having lived with limited exposure to people, unless it was his job, he really didn’t have it in him to go beyond his circle.

And that circle was nowhere to be found here.

He would soon return to that life, his normal life just after all this died down.

And so the best option would rest up by the beach, read that manga, sip on some fresh lemonade he had made just that morning and then perhaps, finally address the lack of being human in his own skin.

If given a chance , he would definitely like to postpone that last bit.

After having settled beneath a huge tree for some shade, Taehyung looked out at the vast water body that glittered from the sun above, little speckles of shine in between the waves. It was going to be peak midday in some hours and that meant the heat would get to him if he didn’t take precautions.

One move to get off his shirt and then another slather himself with sunscreen because he was responsible like that.

Good thing, there was no one else in his view except a few kids at a distance, at least a good 50 metres away from him. No one to see his struggle of putting sunscreen on his back— quite a difficult task for one, when his limbs were long, just not long enough.

With all his attention now focussed on the book in hand, animated expressions and funny dialogues between the characters, he tried not to be affected by the glaring sun. He knew it was going to be uncomfortable, especially since he lately preferred things that were done indoors than in the scorching sun.

But, his luck turned quite well as the passing clouds provided enough respite for him to continue his business of being absorbed in the manga for the next hour or so.

That was until he needed to rest his eyes, as he looked on beyond the horizon, now with a few more people by the shore and some stalls up higher.

Stretching his limbs, he yawned slowly, feeling sleepier than before, perhaps it was the pleasant warmth or the tiring nature of being by the beachside. But, he willed himself to stay on longer. He had already missed out on so much, he wasn’t going to sleep his way through the only vacation he had gotten in a decade or so. His mind running speeds unknown, trying to figure how he had missed on living life as is, after being swapped with all that bloody business of his.

And before he could spiral to abysses farther, a disruption in solitude occurred.

Praise be to the universe, because that chance he had hoped for came sooner than wished.

“Might be rude of me, but do you think you have a few minutes to spare?”
The voice came from above him, as Taehyung looked up from his own wringing hands to see the most gorgeous man he had ever seen in his life.

And believe him, when he says that he’s seen a lot of people.

The man towering over him had the most symmetrical face ever, plush lips, almond eyes, and hair pushed back enough for his forehead to be seen which seemingly affected Taehyung more than he would like to admit. But more than that, was the loose obnoxiously loud coloured shirt he was wearing which didn’t do much hiding.

Well you see, when this god-like man stood in between Taehyung and his view of the ocean which also happened to be a reflection of the sun’s beaming light, his silhouette seen through the shadows was pretty telling.

It wasn’t Taehyung’s fault that his eyes immediately went to the other’s waist, a tiny thing really, something that he could easily wrap his—

Red hot by his own thoughts, he looked down back to his book.

“Hello? You can just say no, you know?”
The man spoke again, voice equivalent to that of fallen angels singing the tunes of their lost ruins.

And Taehyung did realise that he hadn’t really answered the man albeit a moment later.

“No, I mean, yes, I’m free.”
Taehyung replied, one hand shadowing his eyes from the glare while he stared back up at the man.

“Oh, the sun. I forget not everyone is used to this.”

Saying so, the man crouched down to the same level as him and that didn’t do anything in Taehyung’s favour as all the alarms for damage control blared in his head. This angel was even more handsome up close, right up close because if Taehyung turned his head more to his left he could probably count the light freckles on his skin.

“Well, I just need your help in keeping my wallet and sunglasses safe while I go for a swim.”

“I’m a stranger.”
Taehyung announced, a little taken aback.

“Okay stranger, I’m Seokjin. Pleased to meet you.”

Despite the running thoughts of ‘what the fuck was happening right now?’ one surprisingly large part of Taehyung was pleased to now have a name to this face that could have had hundreds building marble statues in the honour of his beauty. Dumb as it was, he felt himself roll that name on his tongue to be familiar with it.

“No, but how do you trust me that I will not steal this?”
Taehyung asked, bewildered and curious at the same time.

As someone who had always looked for himself, never letting things out of his sight for there was always a threat outside, it was fascinating to see someone openly trust him with things like his identity. He could never do that, much less hand it out when he could hardly use his real name when asked for a mere coffee order.

Apart from that was also his overall issue with trust after one too many incidents where he had burned his hand to a crisp, so it wasn’t really wild of him to assume the worst. Choi Yang had drilled it in his head to never be as giving, as open with his feelings, as wonderstruck as he had been when he was a kid.

His grandmother had admired his child-like innocence, his eager eyes and his reaching hands towards a future so unlike his imagination for this reality was cruel and dark, filled with blood hungry monsters.

If she was alive now, she wouldn’t recognise the man he had become. But she wasn’t, he had to do whatever it took to be this.

“I think we, as humans, need to trust each other a little more. It’s the only way we can survive through life, don’t you think? Too much distrust is breaking societies, isolating everyone. After all, how can I eat a meal in a restaurant if I don’t trust the chef not to poison me?”
Seokjin murmured and Taehyung despite all his caution was entranced by those words.

The man was a good speaker, confident in words and charming in his tone. How could he not take these simple, non-harmful words as just ones spoken out of knowledge? 

But there was that nagging part of him that cautioned him to not fall into the lair, not give into the words spoken for whatever Seokjin may have muttered, he was still a goddamn stranger, much less one who doesn’t know of Taehyung’s illegal activities. 

That was the same part that kept on about Jimin in the cafe, Jungkook and Yoongi in the bookstore.

He couldn’t trust anyone.

“Plus, I have eyes on you. Take one wrong step and I can hunt you down in seconds.”
Seokjin said, winking charismatically.

Taehyung took a minute to fully register that, blinking slowly— dulled senses likely from the heat. But before he could ask who or what, Seokjin was off to the water after having gotten rid of that obnoxious shirt with a shout.

“I’ll be back in ten minutes, yeah?”

Taehyung shamelessly stared, pushing back the danger signals in his head, likely from the choice of words that Seokjin had used. Seokjin’s gorgeous back was in full view as the splash’s sound was heard loud enough for Taehyung. There was a threat in those words, loud and clear.

And Taehyung chose to ignore them for it could just be the flamboyant exaggeration on the other’s part, something that he had noticed with all the dramatized dialogues and confident stance.

Instead, he stared at the endless blue beyond him, enjoying it in all its shades. The sleep that had graced him earlier was nowhere to be found, as he was suddenly more awake after Seokjin’s arrival. He leaned his head back, eyes sneakily scanning the place or just the act of noticing his environment after having stuck his head in that book for so long.

Perhaps his own instincts keeping his eyes peeled in anticipation of uncertain danger in his way.

One that wasn’t seen, but felt. Maybe one that may never take its course, but he would rather be safe than sorry.

Seokjin did come back before he could think of a plan to escape in case of any misfires in whatever conversation they had earlier. Except the man walked over all cheery with a wide smile, soaked shorts on his body and wet hair covering half his face until he pushed it back again. 

Glorious forehead in sight.

“Wanna join for a swim? I mean, you are already half-naked.”
He proposed, hand reaching for the metal water bottle he had brought along with his personal items.

“Who will look after your belongings?”
Taehyung asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Don’t worry. I did say I have eyes on you, and by extension those.”

“Then, why did you ask me?”

“That was just an excuse to talk to you.”

Seokjin’s words and the smirk that followed with that did make Taehyung’s eyes go wider, a little flutter in his heart, unknowing as to why he felt so. He had experience flirting with people, being delightfully attractive to others and never had he been the receiver of such proclamations earlier. 

Seokjin had been so smooth with that, an excuse on the tip of his tongue so readily available for use, one that had anyone weak in the knees. Of course, Taehyung being love-deprived did make it harder on him, never working his way through friends outside of his business.

In other words, Minho was his only friend with whom he would trust his life with.

But, they were never this. All of this casualness of being a stranger, using excuses to be the one to talk when Seokjin had no profit, no business with him. They were strangers, barely acknowledged until this very moment, so why would he do that?

What a strange man Seokjin was!

But, Taehyung did let Seokjin grab his hand as they ran to jump into the ocean. Crooked fingers were tightly wound against his wrist so as to not lose him in the vastness of the water. The first dunk into the cooler water, at least in comparison to the heat of the ever-absorbing sand was relieving.

He stayed down for a moment longer, eyes shut tight to not let the salt water invade his eyes. But he was soon shook and puled up by Seokjin, who looked at him with slightly worried eyes, discreet but there.

“Thought, I drowned you for a second. You know swimming, right?”

Taehyung nodded, making the other sigh in relief and then it was back to cooling themselves off as they floated on top of the water. Seokjin didn’t let up his wrist again, just precautions he mentioned. But that was weird, according to Taehyung. Whose precautions when he didn’t mean anything to this absolute unfamiliar person who didnn’t even know his name, yet.

His world drifted as the dun hid behind big clouds that looked like they would rain down hard in the coming days at least. Seokjin became secondary for minutes, as he focussed on himself, the feel of water on his back and it creeping inside his ears— a sensation he absolutely despised with all his heart, the chill that ran up his spine with the feel of something brushing his feet.

He focussed on everything apart from his thoughts that thundered within him.

Again praise to be the universe, or perhaps it was Seokjin who should be thanked for Taehyung was once yanked upright and had a conch shell placed in the cup of his two palms with an instruction.

“Take this and keep it close to your ear.”

“You still believe in the myth?”
Taehyung chuckled, now fully aware of where he was.

The myth of the conch shells was that a person, pure of heart and deeply in tune with the ocean and water, shall be able to hear the spirits of those who died in those waves. They would be able to hear the goddesses speak to them directly, whispering the secrets of lost cities and beautiful underworlds unseen to human kind.

Well, it was just a myth for most parts.

“Ah, enough of the questions and just listen.”

Taehyung reluctantly took the shell near to his ears only to hear the reverberating sounds of the waves, amplified by the echo-able walls in the shell. Just basic physics of frequency and resonance at play.

“...nothing.”

“ You aren’t listening close enough. Give that to me.”
Seokjin said, waddling closer to take the shell back.

They had moved back to the shore during that conversation, a slow progression, unintentional but needed since Taehyung really believed he had his fun for the day. All he needed to do now was put on that shirt and slippers, walk back to the beach house and rest on the hay.

Except Seokjin had plans.

“Hear that? The ocean wants you to join me for a drink.”
Seokjin said, eyes mischievous as his smile turned brighter and more smug.

Taehyung just stared back, involuntary practised deadpan face in full force— something his boss had complimented him on for that face was unrecognisable to read, emotions covered so well that there was mind tactics played by the other end. 

“Oh c’mon, this has worked on all of my people. Well, most. This is the worst response I’ve ever got.”
Seokjin petulantly groaned, a little pout on his lips.

“No, I mean that was good. Was that a pickup line for a date?”
Taehyung said, slowly breaking into a laugh of sorts.

That joke was dumb, childishly so, but refreshing in its sense that Taehyung had never heard that directed towards anyone, much less him. He gotta give props to this guy for trying his luck.

(Well, Taehyung wouldn’t say it out loud because relationships were off limits for him, again a personal choice given the mess it leads to—all the lies, the heartbreak, the sneaking, the danger and everything in between. But, if he was honest, he really didn’t think that this beautiful man of all people would use this on him. 

Don’t blame him for not knowing that people wanted him. Taehyung knew he was attractive, charming and efficient, but the first hand experience was still surreal.)

“Anything you want it to be really. I think we can just start off as drinkpals.”
Seokjin said, shoulder slung on Taehyung’s as they put on their shirts not fully drying off their backs.

“C’mon now, we need to get to the bar before it gets crowded.”

As Taehyung collected it all up in his arm and walked up to the road, thinking about how he really ought to have a bag for such things, they were stopped by the voice of another man, one who seemed to know Seokjin all too well.

“Hyung, we’ve gotta set up— oh, who’s this?”

And what Taehyung saw was an absolutely pretty man who looked like he had walked straight out of a magazine.

(Seriously, what was with all the men he met? They shouldn’t be allowed to be so pleasing to his eyes. Did not one person care what it might do to Taehyung?)

The man’s alluring smile caught his attention first, beautiful lips curved till his eyes were little fishes swimming in the ocean. And his style was impeccable, gorgeously flawless skin, hair in a half ponytail and sweat down his eyebrows.

Which was wiped off by Seokjin’s hands, seeing how the other was unable to do so with the goods in his hands.

“My new drinking buddy since you refuse to come on any with me, Hoseok-ah.”
Seokjin replied, pulling Taehyung closer which made his shirt stick uncomfortably to his body.

“Hyung, my tolerance is shit with alcohol. Plus didn’t you just go out with minnie yesterday?”
Hoseok, as called by Seokjin, whined, heaving the bags up to the truck parked aside.

“That kid’s tolerance is off the roof, even surpassing gi’s and I’m not going against him ever again.”

“Stop calling him a kid, it’s weird when you call your—”
Hoseok stopped quite suddenly and as Taehyung noticed it was from Seokjin's subtle eye glare which had promoted the same.

A silent conversation of sorts took place between them. One that wasn't privy to Taehyung.

“Fine, now will you come help set these up, ahjumma’s waiting on us.”
Hoseok said, crossing his arms in front of his chest as the two of them had an eye staring contest.

“You don’t have any value for my reputation especially when I’m the one who offered this beautiful man a drink.”
Seokjin murmured, a little dramatic hand wave accompanying it.

“Oi, you’re finally here. All three of you, come on, help me tie these.”
Another voice joined in, one that was old and weathered down.

And by the contextual clues of it,that would be the old lady they were talking about earlier. Seokjin made a mouse of disappointment but went ahead to grab the cardboard boxes and put them in the background of the truck with easy strength.

“Ah, I’m not—”
Taehyung tried explaining himself only to be shut by the older lady quickly.

“Nonsense, come on. I’ll give you extra nice dried fish pickles and watermelons too.”

“Sorry to pull you in, but we’ll be done soon.”

“Her pickles are really tasty!”

The other two struggle companions of his in this tried pacifying him or well, explaining himself in the case of Seokjin. And with three pairs of hands the job was done much quicker and more efficiently. Taehyung had to just tie the covering to protect all the items in the back from toppling due to any rash movement of the truck or from being destroyed by the elements of nature at play.

The nice lady did give him good snacks, watermelon to munch on back home and as the experience of it settled back in his head, he could feel himself being his younger self. A younger Taehyung who would help around with his neighbours back in his hometown when his grandmother would let him play outside, which usually ended up with them rewarding him and this leasing to full tummies before dinner. 

He was carefree, all too loving and helpful. He was different back then, the weight of the world on his shoulders didn't pull him down until he struggled to crawl on it. He was happy, just present in a world that was more of being kind than wondering if there was a scheme behind those actions. 

Oh, how he misses his childhood!

Hoseok and Seokjin, on the other hand, did aid in the experience by talking about different things mostly about the town and its people, gossips they heard in the farmer's market area being exchanged while also actively engaging him in conversation as the ahjumma, Mrs. Park drove the truck to her home which was a kilometre and little more away. 

Taehyung was mostly happy that he got an unintentional ride back to his place. He wondered how he thought of walking all the way back, given how tired he had been. 

“Gonna have to raincheck on that drink date, but I'll see you around yeah?”

Seokjin had said, before hugging him goodbye and walking towards the town along with Hoseok. Taehyung wasn't all too sure about meeting Seokjin again but then he remembered this was Yeongsang and not Seoul where the population was high enough for people to not just run into each other out of nowhere. 

Saving a goodbye, he walked a little more to reach to the place assigned as safe house. Dumping all his things aside, he took a quick shower and hit the bed. The last thing he thought of was about Seokjin and Hoseok. He would just reminisce the conversations they had, despite the strangeness it held. 

That was at least until he ran into that peculiar human again.

“You’ve gotta give it up to him though.”
A rough voice spoke which had someone else laughing all too loudly.

“Sure, his adventures are well-known, especially with the stunts pulled. But, he’s lacking in his skills as of late. This was the first misstep he has experienced, but won’t be his last.”
An easily identifiable woman’s voice rang through the place.

A hum of agreement in the dark, damp room echoed as there was another beer bottle opened with a fizz. The shadows of the people in the room was easily seen on the concrete pavement outside, the light following its path outside the room through the window. All this while the night sky was dimmed with no sign of the moon in place. 

A dark night, as it would seem and by the likes of it, a rough one at that.

“I mean, the stones that don't roll gotta collect some moss. And in his case, the moss is poisonous.”
Another woman said with the confidence of giving an ultimatum.

“Nerd.”
Another voice scoffed which was accompanied with the clink of glasses. 

“She ain’t wrong. Stagnant water is hardly ever good news. You would know that better than anyone. The hurdles in place for him aren’t made to challenge his wits.”
The first guy muttered, lips smacking in thought.

“That water nearly made me see the lord in all his glory, never again with those pesky insects and looming waters.”

“I wish Yang could see that, I mean the man is old and honestly, it’s not too late before he goes soft.”
The woman said, getting a groan in response.

“That bastard really postponed the plans over his wife. Knew that love always poses a threat in such worlds of ours and yet, he went ahead with that…being a family man and all.”

“Can’t fault him though.”
The other one said, popping in a grape.

“Just say you’re a disgusting sappy romantic.”

Gagging sounds came through with another holler of laughter which was much well received by the said man.

“And with Yang’s daughter growing up, he would definitely want to distance himself from the business. Honestly, thought he would take a break during her birth.”

“He had unfinished business with the Parks. But, the chance of his right hand man succeeding his post is high. And they know the eyes that are on them, so they’re likely keeping a low profile.”
The man said, putting his glass down.

“Too low of a profile, given no one has traced him yet. Boss is getting angsty over that and the team on ground has to move faster. Fast enough before he catches on.”

“ Taehyung may be the best there is, but everything eventually falls over especially when he was never meant to be there in the first place.”

There was a shout from someone else and the dispersal of those gathered under the small yellow light of the room was quick. Fast feet moving in at the beck and call of another, a phone call on the line. The dingy little room in the basement stunk of treachery and cruelty over long lost feuds. Over promises held between people unrelated and more.

Meanwhile, a few thousand miles away was the same man in question, reliving the last day he had held hope in his eyes.

Reliving it through the lens of his subconscious and its varied tools of bringing it to life by dreams.

‘How was school today?’
The frail lady’s voice quietly echoed in the house.

A house, that was what had become of their home. A shelter from the rain and winds during the monsoon and nothing more. There was love in each corner of the place before, but now all that was left of it were holes in the roof which had been unrepaired for ages and corners easily housing mold from disuse.

The younger boy came in, keeping his school bag aside as he sat by the bedside, quite ratty by structure. But the state of the bed wasn’t of concern as he held her hand gently.

‘It was good. I am doing well, my teacher asked me to say so to you.’

A white lie in place so obviously present for anyone else to notice and call him out on that, but not for the mother who was overjoyed by the news, a smile slowly forming on her lips. One smile that had zapped more energy from her than what her body could muster yet, she had done so.

Her love wanting to shine even in its dying glow.

‘Is that why they’re sending my Tae-yah back home so late?’

Clearly the evening glow that formed outside was seen through the reflection of her eyes. And clearly, despite her weakness she had noticed her son’s late arrivals home.

But, Taehyung couldn’t disclose his secret. If he could, he would take it to the grave, especially with his mother on the verge of death in a few more hours, perhaps minutes. 

The breaths were longer, deeper and certainly wobbly but he didn’t need a stethoscope to tell that. Her eyes devoid of the shine he had seen when he was a toddler jumping into her arms. Her shaking hand  trying to press in closer, like she was afraid of letting go just yet, the life in her wanting to stay for her son.

She was dying.

“Yeah, teacher-nim said I need extra classes in the achiever’s batch to improve.”

He lied yet again and maybe he would ask for forgiveness by confessing to the priest of a church he never visited, apologies and brooding guilt spilling from his red lips as he clutched on the wooden door like it was his lifeline.

“Good boy, you’re doing so well. I’m glad that you have turned out to be a man that your father would be proud of.”

Taehyung nodded, biting his tongue hard as he wondered if the gods above would forgive him for the sin of lying. But there was no god above, for if he existed, he wouldn’t take his dear mother away from him. 

There was no god whose ears heard his pleas.

He wouldn’t ask for forgiveness for he would rather have his mother live her last moments in joy, even if it was a paradise built on broken trust,

“Get me some water, please.”

Taehyung had never been so quick on his feet as he ran into the unkempt kitchen with messy dishes from last night and grabbed a clean cup filled with water for his mother. Easing her upright, he let her sip on it with a blissed face.

“I love you Taehyung-ah. I know you will always find a way to cherish the love inside you. I will look for you, even if I’m not physically there for you.”

That cherished love never stayed after that.

Hardened and ruthless of hearts fared better in war.

But, Taehyung tried keeping her wish eternally, as he watched the last of the painful air in her lungs leave her body completely. A dead mother was what he had now, truly an orphan with none of his family alive.

What a misery to live!

And that was the day a 15 year old Taehyung lost hope in the better of things, aimless purpose as he just went on a spree to kill that sadness within him—the rotting kind.

Taehyung woke to the noise of his new phone going off. It was loud on purpose, but he contemplated if that was a good choice, given that he had woken up at 2 in the morning. Quickly picking it up, he saw a message typed in with code words from an unknown number.

The strawberries are completely out of stock. 

Taehyung stared at the message, contemplating who might have sent it, given his number was new and the only person who knew of it was his boss. Confused by the words, he wracked his brain for any clues of these set of words used by him before, perhaps a single covert message codeword. But then came another message.

Might be later than expected, since the roads are blocked for transport.
Hold tight on that recipe.

The last word clicked everything in its place.

Taehyung knew that this was Minho for he was the only other person apart from Yang who knew of his secret stash of underground weaponry and wearables. That meant these messages were sent by Minho in anticipation of the blow over back in Seoul, a bad blowover as it would seem by the road block comment. 

He had to protect his stash, the one he carried along with him to Yeongsang for his own safety. 

Strawberry was his own nickname, never addressed to him till date but been famous due to his love for those red fruits. His love for tangy, fruity and sweet flavours had pulled him along so far. 

Something was majorly amiss if they had to use codewords that were buried a decade ago. After all, that was in his formative years in this world of crime where he had still clung to these childish tastes of fruits and interests. The older guys had teased him, all in good faith hands clung to shoulders as they taught him in the other aspects of carrying out a job/

One that didn’t just involve his skill with the knife or a gun.

But when he paced through the levels, rising quickly to one of the more respectable positions within the organisation, the chitter had vanished, reduced to nothing. His name was taken with respect on their tongues and eyes looking up at their much younger leader of the crew, awaiting instructions.

He had truly bloomed with the expertise of his skills, delegations of his mannerisms and thus, a general sense of integrity maintained.

Now, the use of strawberries brought back memories of the past, but there truly was nothing he could do until they called him, for the safety of everything not being tangled with the officials and government, much less that of rivaling gangs that awaited their downfall for an attack, was imperative without doubt.

Taehyung would wait until he was needed again.

(Even when his gut told another story, the feeling of something amiss was too strong to ignore.)

Chapter Text

“Please, stop it. H-hurting me. I can’t.”

“You should have thought of it before you went on to leak the documents.”

A gunshot in the air, piercing and loud.

Taehyung’s hands trembled as the gun in his hold was weakened and taken away by the familiar hands of Minho. His eyes were emptily staring at the limp body whose eyes were equally empty, only for different reasons. The blood that pooled under the dead body’s head had smeared and bled through the small distance until it reached past his own shoes.

“Snap out of it!”
Minho’s voice was harsher than expected, as the shake to his shoulders pulled him awake and away from the spot.

At least now he would only have to clean one of his shoe soles.

“Chaeyoung is there to take you home, Go and sleep off, meet me by the old amusement park tomorrow at 2 in the afternoon. No reporting to work.”
Minho’s instructions were clear as Taehyung walked to the black sleek car with tinted windows.

Chaeyoung had simply signaled at the box kept in the back seat. And the faint smell of porridge and meat had him guessing it was the older woman who had bought him dinner. The car ride back to his apartment was quiet at most, just her humming at times. Taehyung had wearily walked out when they reached with his hands clutching the steel box, no words exchanged.

He hadn’t finished the meal that night, just a few bites in and he had abandoned it on the kitchen top. Taehyung had chosen to sit by the window, staring at the sky, wondering how he had gotten the strength to make that shot. It was like that was another person who had done, a being within him that had the memory of this night and not really him.

That was his first kill, one that had to be done to one of his own.

A trusted person having to be killed by Taehyung’s bullet.

Park Namwoon.

Nine years ago, he had stood face to face with Namwoon, Minho behind him. Glared straight into the other’s unflinching eyes, until one of the men who was holding Namwoon’s body upright, kicked his shins, making him stumble with curses slipping past his lips.

It was Taehyung’s fifth mission, and none of the past kills had tugged his heart strings as much. None as powerful for he had no prior connection to them. None as heart wrenching for none of them had been his mentor.

But, this was Namwoon who had stood above him, guiding him to take the ropes, helping him understand the various workings of the system, as assigned by Choi Yang. Namwoon who had worked through his first mission and helped him gain footing. 

Until it went wrong. Horribly wrong.

Minho had been his closer, second mentor who had taught him the secrets, quieter but stable behind him, just like when he had to draw the weapon to Namwoon’s head. Sharp, precise and unnervingly so. 

Clean shot and the dead body rolled off from the hold of those behind Namwoon.

The next day when Taehyung had met Minho as prompted, there was a box given to him and words that were said to last him a lifetime. 

‘You need to let go of everything before this life. Any ounce of human behaviour, learnt or not, is harmful for here, it is blood and grim, endless in its ways. You are a killer, act like it. 

Your life is now limited to this violence and you shall persevere with only raw vigour and not hope; for hope has always been softer around the edges and you can’t afford that.

You need to pull yourself together and do the job, no mercy. 

The day you let go is the day you die.’

The box contained a tiny swiss army knife, equipped with multiple features and it had stayed in his pockets ever since. Words held even closer to his heart, and Taehyung made sure to remember them through the various phases of his life as a trained, successful gunman. An assassin whose aim was to kill and never look back.

The fire had forged him to be stronger, harder and sturdier than ever. 

And that was also the day the spark within him had died by sorts.

A spark of innocence, one that wanted to believe that there was good in the world, that trust was a one-time promise held up forever, that kindness shall lead you to better fruits, and that unconditional support existed in this hellhole. The innocence that begged for recognition had died.

No, now all that was left was rage and violence.

Blood-sealed fates, reopened wounds, grim adventures of dirt and anger, hardened shells that needed more to crack open and avenging matters beyond comprehension— after all, he was but a pawn in the bigger game. Another pay, another clog in the system, nothing more until he was the right-hand man.

But, he was still as dismissable, still as replaceable as ever.

He was never permanent, for there would always be someone better than him, more skilled than him, more worthier of the position than him.

After all, the field was never even and the competition was cut–throat, each ready with their weapon to slash the vein.

Taehyung had decided on this path nonetheless, having no other way to go. His essentials were covered by cost, a roof over his head, money to get him through, food to satisfy the hunger in him, and perhaps more to satisfy the insatiable hunger for more. 

More of that demonic hunger, that clawed for screams unheard, creeped at the smell of blood, growled at the sight of fear in the eyes of the intended. 

More of everything.

And above all, Taehyung had a purpose, something to occupy his time. Something to keep those hands busy when they threatened his own mind to choke the airway giving him life. Something to keep those eyes occupied, away from the memories that played in rewind every single damn moment of his day.

All the bills from before had been paid in prospect of him being of use for them, so what is more of that if he got the luxury of one stable apartment in his name and an identity that struck fear in others?

What more is his life if everything he knew and everyone he loved were no longer part of it?

What more had he got to lose? 

His life? He had given that up long ago, a soulless shell.

His education was as good as gone, only having finished what he could until his mother’s health deteriorated. He was nobody now, no degree to his name. He was intelligent, perhaps capable of coming in the top 10 of his class, but that was no longer an option, or even an opening to that opportunity.

Lost to time and chaos.

In the coming years, he wasn’t even sure what he wanted to become—the aspirations of 5 year old him had vaporised into thin air like they never existed. All those talks of becoming a pilot, a teacher, a garbage collecting man, a doctor, a milkman, and a police officer were all out and down the drain. 

Hell, he was even on the opposite spectrum of it.

He was in a fucking gang, organised crime that dealt with drugs, weapons and all kinds of posessions. He was an assassin, paid to kill, every million won cut for the time he spent more to make the kill. He was a hitman, hired to take someone out of existence, like they never fucking existed. 

He was far from being a good citizen, perhaps even a good human.

He was morally evil, wicked to the bone for he killed without hesitation like it was another job to be completed. He was the bad guy from all those stories he had heard from his grandmother’s mouth. He was never meant to be here, but he was here. So, the best shot at that was to adapt.

To make himself impenetrable.
To make himself irredeemable.
To make himself invincible.

Ruthless like the teeth on him were that of extinct saber-toothed cats, like the hands that wielded the sharp shot guns were a treasure lost, like everything he knew ended in slow poisoning of the little light in him. 

But the truth remained that he wasn’t anything like he wanted to grow up to be. 

If the younger him saw what he had become, he would be aggravated at the choices made, at the devastation caused by these very hands, at the sheer disappointment boiling within. 

Taehyung wasn’t the man any child would want to be, not even in their dreams.

It was funny, how he would have been in a completely different place if things weren’t as they were. 

Maybe if his father didn’t die early, Taehyung would have someone else to share the burden of his mother’s bills. Maybe if his mother didn’t get that diagnosis, she would still be alive and he would have got a proper job and led that happy life with a family of his own. Maybe if he hadn’t looked for a quick fix for the building debts, he would be going to a 9 to 5 job where his soul would be crushed with work but at least then he wouldn’t have to back track and wonder if his choices were right.

Perhaps then, Taehyung wouldn’t have been wondering if he was a good person.

The fig tree had endless possibilities in each of the fruit carried, but he had to be in this one, the unfortunate one.

The one where all his questions were unheard and unanswered. The one where his rotten side couldn’t dream of better days for they never existed in this lifetime. The one where he was an empty person, doing what he was told to, precise and neat. The one where he embraced his ugly side wholly and never looked beyond who he was. 

Because what else would he be if not the assassin he was trained to be?

Taehyung sighed as the memories of the yesteryears rolled away, making space for today.

Today, he was going to visit the cafe, get a drink and then walk around the town. It had some attractions according to google, so what better time than to fish them out and dissociate as he admired its beauty under the summer heat.

A breath in and he opened his curtains before making his way to the bathroom for his daily routine. Wearing his trusted combo of khaki pants and long sleeved striped tee, not quite fit for the weather, he walked out after having double-checked the locks. 

For now, he could at least pretend he was normal.

He could imagine himself to be a common man, making the best out of his vacation. 

Like he wasn’t in the constant cross fire of killing or fear of getting killed. 

“Welcome! Can I get you anything?”
A voice greeted him as he entered the cafe, accompanied by the sound of chimes going off with the door.

Sweet, so alike the atmosphere of this cosy place.

But, Taehyung was more focussed on the fact that the voice didn’t belong to the person he expected to be there. It was rougher, deeper but just as soothing for some reason. 

And so he looked up, he didn't find Jimin there— perhaps, he shouldn’t have expected either given this wasn’t a lone cafe owner situation and there was likely other people involved in keeping it upright and thus, not his shift at all. 

Taehyung was enamoured by the dimples on the man’s face, a perfect accessory to his smile, wide in its ways. His hair was buzzed short and bleached silver, quite the vibe that fit that face. Glasses perched on his nose, making him rounder by shape despite the sharp features.

“I’ll take a caramel macchiato.”

“Sure, anything to eat?”
The voice came through again, and Taehyung would be slightly embarrassed to admit that his head swayed with the richness in that voice.

“Um, yeah sure. A blueberry jam bun.”

“Cool, a name please?”

“Klimt.”
Taehyung regurgitated the same name he had used. At least, he was maintaining the same flow throughout, not that many would recognise him.

“Oh, you’re the new guy in the beach house downtown.”
The other stated, in a matter-of-fact tone.

“H-how do you—?”

“Small town, word spreads fast. Very fast, if you ask me. Sometimes on par with the waves during storm season.”
A small huff alongside the words.

“And, not really clever to use one of the most famous 19th century Austrian painter’s name for a cover.”
A chuckle from the barista who had a small smirk, making Taehyung turn red.

“Um, not a cover.”

“Sure, let’s stick to that. I am sure your parents did name you to be as such.”

At that, Taehyung froze up. 

His body rigid as his eyes locked to his shoes. His mother had lovingly named him Taehyung, peace and prosperity in its wake. A name etched to make his fate, all glorious and lovable, safe and protected from everything. He wasn’t any other name but Kim Taehyung, wondrous and fortunate.

But here he was, using aliases and names so unlike him. So unlike his spirit that had fizzled down in the years that went by.

All for the game, he tried convincing himself but it rendered useless.

Useless in front of the truth that this wasn’t the life imagined.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

That quickly snapped Taehyung as he snuck a deep breath, enough time for the building tension behind his eyes to fade and vanish like it never existed.

“Y-yeah, it’s fine. Just that please.”
Taehyung muttered, keeping the won bills beside the register.

He didn’t stay at the cafe.

He took his order and walked out the door, hoping to find anywhere else away from here. He couldn’t face that man, the unknown man whose face was his only identity in Taehyung’s head, nameless by circumstance.

May he never have to cross paths with this man.

Taehyung wasn’t weak. 

He was everything that made people fear his actions. His impressive record of most kills in the gang had gotten whispered fame from others outside his circle. He had the eyes of a predator for spotting lies from a distance and the nose of one that could smell weaknesses. He was powerful, he was majestic as he slung that rifle to make the needed shot.

But, here he was trembling with a cup of fancy coffee in his hand. 

Maybe the vacation had taken a toll on his skills that exceeded limits, his awareness to everything around him, his guards that kept people at bay. His power was dulling with each relaxed moment.

Maybe it was the rough night yesterday where the first betrayal of trust by proximity kept replaying over and over until he was no more. Everything of who and how he had become, were in those moments and he couldn’t let go.

Couldn’t let go when the playful comment was made by the unsuspecting barista.

Couldn’t better his moral immediately and thus, fleeing from there like the scared teenager within him had never grown up.

Perhaps, that was the truth, after all.

And maybe he could avoid another of that spiral away of conflict after a decade in the game by just never seeing people with whom conversations flowed like liquor in a party. 

Like the man from the cafe.

Taehyung logically knew that it was part of the other's job of easing customers into banters to help boost their economy. And it was common courtesy to enquire and socialise in a community, especially with the new showpiece in town. But that was bad news to him right now. It had been so long since he felt normal in a society that was plain, all too wrapped in deceptions and lies. 

He was isolated in search of the inner workings of the underground world that he had forgotten how normal it was for everyone else to just be. It was harsh to come to a world that hadn’t changed per se, just altered by perception of this hardened newness in him. Weirdly so, there was nothing he could do but ponder as the coffee held was forgotten with time.

Why did all of this nuance of being human seem more difficult than all of the other operations he had led successfully?

And maybe just maybe he would be able to when the turmoil within him calmed down.

But oh, fate wasn’t his best buddy.

“Hey, wait up!”
The same man’s voice came about.

Taehyung tried not to turn, he would rather be called weird and outlandish, even rude for not responding. But, the nagging in his heart that deserved the confrontation of his own demons made him turn, just as the man came to a stand still in front of him.

“This is for you.”

And thus presented was two chocolate cookies wrapped neatly in a cover with a bow on top, all for Taehyung.

“I didn’t order—”

“No, but this is for you. From me, an apology for the boundaries I unknowingly crossed back then.”

“You’re fine, it’s okay.”
Taehyung tried, smiling though he knew it came out worse, far from expected.

“Still I insist. There are wounds, unseen to the naked eye. And to harm the process of its healing, however long it may take, isn’t something one must do. Even unknowingly.”
The man said, and Taehyung could almost cry at the words.

The way it was articulated especially for a stranger was impressive and an absolute tearjerker. He couldn’t shake the feeling of validation at being recognised of his inner turmoils even if it weren’t explicit of his choices. He felt validated and that was more than anything he had been acknowledged of by anyone.

“So, will you take it?”

Taehyung wasn’t as reluctant as before, taking the cookies despite a part of his instincts kicking up in retaliation as this was still something out of his comfort zone.

And he had been the perpetuator of many such cases where he knew food could easily be tampered, one slip and they were gone. 

He had a reason to believe so, given how the people he had met in this town had been slightly off by some measure. Quiet and small measures, but measures nonetheless, enough for his senses to take not of it.

But then, he was reminded of Seokjin, the man by the beach who had talked about trust, specifically with food and chefs in restaurants and perhaps, he should implement that as well.

With a small nod, his free hand reached out to get the said packet, hand brushing against the other man’s hands. And then there was a gasp followed by immediate retraction of those hands.

“Oh, it’s 11, right? Shit, Jimin’s gonna be mad.”

At the sound of the familiar name, Taehyung’s head perked up slightly, showing interest, barely so. But, not uttering the same to enquire the same, he stood there with careful eyes.

“I have to leave now. My business partner is strict with shipment deliveries on Fridays, which is funny because he’s almost always late. Anyways, um, please don’t let the bad experience stop you from coming again. I would love having you there again. You can always ask for Namjoon, yeah?”

Taehyung nodded, a little in awe and a little in realisation at the fact that the man’s name was as beautiful as he was. Also the outpour of information that the cafe was owned by the two of them.

With a quick wave of hand, Namjoon was running back to the cafe where a small pickup truck also pulled up. Taehyung took that as a sign to leave, continue with the day’s plans of looking through the city, sit by a park and eat his brunch of sorts.

Infinitely better lunch than the days he had starved on the job, stuck in a small underground lab for a good 28 hours that one time.

What had been planned as a quick outing to explore and relax and perhaps then come back home to cook something turned into something more. Aka Taehyung’s complete attention had been stolen away by the manga in his hand. And given how he got laser focussed on things, the day planned was already rewritten.

He had visited a few shops, strolling through the market for fun or well, for the feeling of being normal like how he assumed people who weren't tied to dark rooms and blood in their dreams, usually did. Then, he had bought a fruit bowl and lemon juice, went to a nearby park with shade against the powerful sun’s glares. Seating himself comfortably, he thus went on to religiously devote his time in finishing the manga.

By the time he noticed the light source fading beyond the horizon, it was late and he really had to get going despite having the very last pages uncompleted for another day. Packing everything up, including the empty plastic bowl, Taehyung decided on just eating out for the night. 

He really didn't have it in him to actually cook up a meal.

And the closest one from the park was a quaint, little place that easily merged with the aesthetics of the town, the beach and the people. 

Albeit, right now it looked like there were only a few people in there. He assumed it had to do more with how the older folks loved home meals or the cheapest soju sells closer to the beach than a slightly more equipped place as this.

But when he opened the door, he heard the clear sound of someone’s voice.

“Sorry, it's closed.”
A familiar voice came about, but Taehyung looked at the door again to see if the sign was there.

“Seok-ah, you should have put the sign up.”
Once again, except this time Taehyung could name the person behind the voice.

“Oh, it’s you.”
Hoseok muttered, as he came in view of Taehyung with a cardboard sign in his hand.

“I didn't know that. Yeah, I'll see myself—”
Taehyung tried, hoping to get out by time.

“Now you wait deary, we can accommodate another on the table, can't we?”
Seokjin calmly said, and as Taehyung turned to see the man, he was in for a treat.

There was a fancy wooden table, lower to the ground with a whole platter full of side dishes, meat seared to perfection, bowls of rice and soba noodles in the centre, all for the two of them. 

Now three, of course.

“I wouldn’t want to impose.”
Taehyung whispered, despite his stomach growling at the delicious spread on the table, especially with no solid meal since last lunch.

“It is nothing. It’s just us two today. Our cashier ahjumma had to go home early for her friends’ birthday party. It’s just bingo though.”
Hoseok disclosed with a wink, like it was a big secret.

“Now, join in.”
Seokjin said, thrusting a pair of metal chopsticks into Taehyung’s hands.

And so, their dinner started.

Taehyung had to stop for a few minutes after each bite to just relish the beautiful explosion of flavours. It had been quite some time since he last had such a homely meal, one that bursted with warmth and love of the creators of that meal. The last one being that at Yang’s home when Areum noona had invited him for Chuseok.

Yeah, he missed the place he used to call home, for now there was no one to wait for his return or open their arms for him to fall into or just even exist to be the object of Taehyung’s affections.

“How are you liking the town?”
Seokjin asked, biting a piece of radish kimchi.

“It’s good. I like the calm here.”

“That’s nice. Hope you aren’t all too bored here.”
Hoseok joked, a little smile on his face as he sipped on the cool drink.

The place was quieter with the streets scarce by population. Everyone loved to retire home early, something of the past. Well, for most parts except the ones who went out drinking or had unspoken congregations for celebrating something. It was just the three of them there but Taehyung felt at ease, despite them not nearing the status of acquaintances yet.

“No, the books kept me company.”

“Ah Jungkook must have done a number on you then.”
Hoseok stated, a little gleam in his eyes.

“Not really, he didn’t impose himself.”

“Hm, that’s surprisingly good of him. Either way, if you ever get bored we could always use another pair of hands here, especially with the proper vacation goers coming here next week.”

“You get free meals every day and the pay, well, might not be like in Seoul, but good enough for a splurge on an extra pair of shoes.”
Seokjin added, a little wink at the end, just enough for Taheyung’s heart to flutter unlikely.

“How did you know I’m from—”
Taehyung questioned, a little stumped and surprised at the revelation.

“Ah, we can easily identify the main city boys, they have that vibe about them.”

“It would be a shame not to know after living here for so long.”
Hoseok said, nodding to himself more than anyone else.

“Now, do consider that offer, sleep on it for a night or two. I really do like you and thus, you are getting that head start on the opening.”
Seokjin exclaimed, hand coming to pat him on his back.

“I will try.”

The dinner concluded.

Apparently, free of cost at that, since Seokjin refused any form of payment, saying what are friends for? Well, Taehyung would argue that since that was the leading cause of businesses failing, but he would take the older’s word for it.

He didn’t really want to argue with an adamant man such as Seokjin. 

The day did end as well as it could with Seokjin giving him a free beer can to drink up when he reached home. He was happy, relaxed even as he walked through the roads with his bag weighing all the new things he had gotten for free. There was a freeing spirit within him so unlike, the morning that he had.

But the next morning hadn’t been as fortunate for him.

Neither were the two days following that.

They had been ruthless as the nights of ill thoughts and unanswered questions continued haunting him. There was no exact grounds for this to build on. It was unrelenting for this was also the first time in decades he hadn’t let the thoughts crush underneath the soles of his shoe. And thus, giving them room to fester longer, into something uglier.

He had never felt as uncertain ever than at that moment.

He still couldn't reason out as to how it had unfolded. Why did he have such a bad period mentally? Why has he struggled to get through it, opting to hole up in the room where the light never reached and dark shadows were all he could see? Why had he worked himself up worse than the days when he had returned from the bloodshed scenes with broken femurs and gashes against his abdomen?

Perhaps, it was all because he had spent all his life mastering the art of building that physical resistance to anything and everything. 

Perhaps, it was because he had never learnt to assimilate his thoughts and care for his mind.

Perhaps, it was because he jumped right into a business so gruesome for a 17 year old teenager without much heed and pushed back anything remotely disturbing.

Perhaps, it was because he never confronted his lack of family, his real one who had showered him with unconditional love as he had chosen to bury his trauma deep into the ridges of his soul.

Perhaps, he was just broken after everything.

The speculations were endless and unwanted, but he really could do nothing more than sit and wallow, hoping the worst part coursed through him. There was no solution, not that he tried— Taehyung believed he deserved the hurt for everything he had done, a moral conscience built overnight, but that was his job so what better way than to repent than let his mind stomp on the remains of his fragile soul?

The three days spent in isolation, he did so in his bed only getting up to get water when the thirst increased beyond ways and for nature’s call, of course. There was nothing more to do than live in this state of in-between where dying felt far and living felt burdensome.

He felt guilty to bask in the foul stench of uselessness. He couldn’t let the days get away from him like this. He had worked countless days, in and out, doing the assigned tasks without a whisper of dissatisfaction from his boss. He had been perfect. But then, he had spent over a decade doing this, persistent in his efforts. 

There was only so much, before he burnt himself too thin, too close, too small. He couldn’t afford that, no one could. He would rather be in this state for a few more weeks if that meant he could get back up on his feet for good, without hitches, without disturbances, without stumbles.

He could spare some time for the cold that had seeped deep into his bones to dissipate, after all. 

He would try to be better tomorrow, until then he would rather cocoon himself in the white sheets.

“She said to stall for longer, build that rapport.”

Unlike a few days ago, the voices were low and soft. They were in a room, much more homely and well-lighted. And yet again they were sharing drinks, wine to be exact. The topic of discussion was quite the same, one with a name unaddressed to, but the weight was held up nonetheless.

“I don’t know why we are waiting. I could have taken him in one shot.”
A gravelier voice, easily recognisable to that of the bookstore owner’s came out.

“Hyung, that isn’t our call. We just follow instructions.”

“There’s already enough talks going around about how six of us are being needed for one kill. It’s shameful to say the least.”
Whisper-light tone of another came out, but with the sting of a viper or perhaps a strong tequila shot.

“But, he really does look harmless.”

“That’s your weak spot talking.”
A chuckle followed through, but his eyes were sharp on the other man.

“He has killed Kwon under disguise, at close range.”

“I still don't know how he managed to infiltrate and get through it whole.”

“Yang did well with that lad.”

“Doesn't matter when the pressure from other teams within the organisation, is building. If she gives the go, at least we don't have to deal with them.”

A sigh and more, but they had to disperse soon. 

There was a lot riding on them and their efforts in putting the plan to full use. They had already spent days searching about their target, though it hadn’t turned out to be much. He seemed to be a very private person, if seen according to the present reports.

Even his kills were scarce on paper, only the big operations pulled had been in mention. Only the ones that had their small world shaking were highlighted with the bare necessary information. And that concluded the seven points, despite all the other rumoured knowledge they had already gained. Gained by experience on the field and more importantly, from the whispers in the dark.

There was more, they knew it in their hearts. 

And no amount of ink on the paper could testify against what they had seen and heard.

Damage far too wild and gruesome for the faint-hearted.

Taehyung was the next in line for the Yang gang. He was quick on his feet, even quicker in his sight. He had an established reputation not just because of the fear stricken in the hearts of his comrades, but because he had the capability to get things done, beyond what was expected of him.

This whole Kwon situation was a one-of-a-kind mistake, one that had never occurred and would never. 

They had no information about his personal life, on his family or friends, all too private except his usual transport from his apartment and the various warehouses where business was rampant without doubt. They knew only what they had been let on by him, nothing more for he was always one step forward even if it didn’t look like it.

Even if the man in question was having his first breakdown in his life. First one alone, with none to guide him for he was grown beyond their care.

“Long time, no see! How was the book?”
Jungkook asked just as Taehyung entered the bookstore.

He had made the effort to get up, put on some clean clothes just to return the book knowing that the cost was running up with each day and he didn’t really want to expend anymore on the manga. 

“Really good, I enjoyed it a lot!”
Taehyung said, not quite a lie, but just enough since he hadn’t completed it fully,

“Great, wanna get another and keep it running or should I put in for a refund right now?”

“Yeah, I'll get another. Though, recommendations would help me quite a bit.”

Taehyung hoped to try some more, just anything to keep his day going. He couldn’t afford to let his days waste away and if him being a normal human entailed this, then he would have to hook onto something, anything to keep his spirit alive.

What better way than to get books that you are forced to return, thus enough motivation to get up each day?

Might be an extremely stupid way to go about it, even foolish at that, but if that was the only way he could think which made sense at the moment, he was willing to take it.

Anything to keep him going, no questions asked.

“Ask Yoongi hyung, he's got some good stuff.”
Jungkook muttered, as he scanned the book. 

He seemed busy with work, not that Taehyung would fault him for it, but there was another air to him at the moment.

And Taehyung who really didn’t have much expertise on socialising “normally” except when he had to appear amicable and friendly to the target for close range ones. 

(He was an enigma to himself. 

He struggled to maintain eye contact for longer than necessary despite his eyes keeping track of every movement made. He couldn’t hold up a conversation unless the other willing party was more talkative, it was easier that way. Despite having enough experience slithering into people’s hearts and pockets, he was blank when it was strangers in this town.

There was no way this was the same Taehyung who had flirted his way into getting the key to the safe of Lee Jinyoung just three months ago.)

And so, to Taehyung’s better judgement, he didn’t actually go to Yoongi and ask for recommendations. Instead, he went on to get a more literary book with more words than pictures. Looking through the selection, his hands moved to the romance section as compared to the whodunnit ones, which seemed more up his alley than expected.

But, he was a box full of surprises, looking forward to soft feels and meet-cutes rather than the fighting. He already had enough of that in his real life to work on more in fiction.

Especially with his perfectionist brain pointing out all the errors in the narration.

He had real-life encounters, enough to beat any author writing those books.

“Oh, you should take this one. It’s pretty romantic, I love how the leads are put in an imperfect light of the world, but they are perfect for each other.”
Yoongi said, spawning out of nowhere with a book in hand.

Taehyung took the yellow and blue illustrated cover book, slightly surprised at the sudden arrival. But, he bowed in thanks, a small smile in place as a sign of gratitude.

“I have a lot more where that came from. So, don’t hesitate to just come along and ask, yeah?”
Yoongi’s voice was smooth and calming as his smile widened.

“Thank you.”

“Also there’s a small reading corner with beanbags and easy delivery of snacks. Make sure to use it when you want to use it. Better than the park with insects coming out.”
Yoongi mentioned and Taehyung quirked his eyebrow realising he had never mentioned it.

And apparently Yoongi caught it quickly.

“Things get around quite quickly in this town. Especially when you are the only ever person seen to sit there and read a manga.”

A chuckle and Taehyung relaxed, because he had indeed made eye contact with a few teens that day, just a nod to show he meant no harm. Well, they turned to be snitches after all.

He had heard the same sentence earlier that week. And there was something about it, a little something that he couldn’t quite place his finger on, but it was there.

He would eventually get to it. For now though, he would enjoy the bliss of ignorance.

“Now, shall I get that book in the system for you?”
Jungkook asked, coming from behind with a stack of books for Yoongi to arrange on the shelves.

“Yeah, I’ll take this for now.”

“If you’re spending some time here, let me know. I’ll send some lime soda your way. Free, by the way. Just for you.”
Jungkook whispered soft, with a playful wink as he looked beyond Taehyung’s shoulder to Yoongi.

“I can hear you, y’know?”
Yoongi’s voice came about, the sound of books clashing through as well.

“Well, wouldn’t you do the same?”

“You were the one who said that existed only in eateries.”

“We’re giving snacks, so part-eatery. And it’s good for the business, keeping a loyal customer base.”
Jungkook tried reasoning out his actions which made Taehyung giggle lightly, as he flipped through the pages, opting to seat himself at the dedicated corner.

“Acting like you are doing so for everyone here. Just admit that this was special for mhm…”

“Hyung…”

A whine and Yoongi cooed out quietly, just loud enough for Taehyung to hear. Well, he had heard most of the conversation. And it had sparked something in him, hearing the way they spoke of him like he was a prized possession and one who wasn’t there as their talk went on.

“Fine.”

Taehyung just smiled to himself, flipping through the pages as the hour passed by with his nose stuck in the book. A pretty butterfly-in-the-tummy inducing book with reversed cliche tropes and happy people had him absorbed, but his senses were alert, ears perking at the slightest sounds and eyes tracking any movement out of the order.

It was the training within him that had him cautious.

You really couldn’t beat it out of a man despite weeks of disuse.

Today, though, Taehyung had noticed none of the slight signs of violence on them, no knives that gleamed, no sulphur that burnt their skins, no hidden rifles on their ankles. Just them in their true forms of being book owners, cute sweaters with pins and badges and pretty smiles on their faces.

And that had him doubting if what he saw was just a fluke, a misunderstanding, something he had imagined wholly for his paranoia was insane as an active assassin.

Sooner or later, he would have enough proof to base his derived hypothesis on.

Taehyung hadn't expected the days to roll away like they had. Just days that melded into one big season, as the routine kept calm. 

So unlike how his days back when he was active and kicking.

He was a little sceptical about how Yang hadn't contacted him, but he guessed it was given with the mess created. They needed time to clear it out, get things in order, settle down the buzzing distrust within the organisation. And Minho had mentioned how he would initiate contact when he found the environment to be stable. 

They couldn’t possibly forget his existence and reconsider it all from one mistake, right?

He just had to wait it out. 

What was more of a surprise was how people in the town kept insisting on conversations with Taehyung.

They welcomed him like he had always been part of their community. There were invites for him to join the weekly sing-off at the town’s hall, big enough to house them all. Some even going further to give him homemade stuff to eat, wear or use.

But, there were six figures, people at best, who kept recurring. Just small things of his daily routine having to cross paths with at least one of them. They were welcoming too, just different by some means that Taehyung still had to find out. Insisting on various activities or items of choice that had him second-guessing.

He would dig further, get to it one way or the other.

Right now though, he was preparing himself for the latest dinner prompted by Hoseok where his friends would gather down.

Taehyung wasn’t sure what to expect from his friends, but he hoped a casual brown trousers and yellow button-down would suffice them enough.

It was quite enough as Taehyung came in to find all the six of them on a table with space for one more, aka him. Other tables beside that were filled with people he had seen earlier, like the girl from the phone shop whose name he never got, the old woman whom he had helped with the luggages, the fruit vendor lady, the man from the only watch shop in the town and so forth.

“Glad you could come!”
Seokjin’s voice was loud and welcoming.

“Of course. Um, should I have gotten anything?”

“No, of course not. Just your pretty self here. I’ve saved a seat.”
Jimin said, smiling wide, lightly drunk if the eyes were any indication.

And so it began, a night of everything wrapped into one. Boisterous laughter, overflowing drinks, talks of the lives they led, delicious food, jokes about the incidents they had, hot searing meat, and everything good one could expect at a dinner.

“There’s a rumour of the beach house being haunted. Is it true, Taehyung?”

“Of course not.”
Taehyung shunned all too quickly and loudly.

That had Jungkook pouting slightly, comforted by Hoseok’s side hugs with a murmur of 'you'll make lovely ghost friends soon!'

Taehyung looked on keenly, wondering how they came about to know each other. But, he guessed it was another of those ‘the town is tight-knit' kind of explanations and hence, didn’t bother questioning it.

“Did you buy it? Last year, there was another family there. So, I was curious, to be honest.”
Namjoon asked, not unkindly by any means.

“Ah, it was rented out by my friend. Not sure of the previous residents.”
Taehyung lied, hoping there was no suspicion raised.

“I see, I was just wondering. There really isn’t much going on here, so anything new causes the biggest speculation here.”

“Enough of this talk, now Taehyung-ah, did you consider joining us for the holiday-goers rush?”
Seokjin asked, propping his chin on the crossed elbows on the table.

“I guess so, yeah.”

“Wah, another round please! We have a contender.”
Hoseok said, having already drank enough for anyone to notice. 

The red flush on his honeyed skin really gave it away.

“Ah, you snatched him right up from under our noses! We really counted on him sitting and reading books, all model-like pretty.”
Jungkook said, causing an uproar of laughter and patting backs.

Taehyung was drunk enough to join in, with no qualms of how he appeared or how his defenses were slightly weakened for anything to occur. That was the power of simple drinking with a company like no other, joyous even if there was something amiss.

The other six looked on at him, as he took another swig at the soju poured in by Jimin. 

Sharp and unforgivable eyes on the target at hand, but the excruciating wait was on.

The illusion of the image painted by the seven was fitting to their inner motives at stake.

Chapter Text

A gentle breeze in the distance, huge trees that swayed with its movements, soft and pleasant through it all. The image of the clear blue ocean from the window was perfectly picturesque, one straight out of a magazine or perhaps a photographer’s wet dream. 

Taehyung would have loved to praise this beautiful scenery any other time of his life. But it had already been 3 weeks here and he had gotten a little sick of it, perhaps bored was the better word. His eyes strayed for longer at the gleaming water waves as they crashed against the small rockline further away from his place.

The vast expanse of the ocean had made it difficult for Taehyung to gather his thoughts. It felt like a hypnotic solution present out there, lulling him closer to jump in and feel the salt against his skin. But there was also the unknown wonder in it which brought out the fear in him, chilled and served cold.

Fear of everything losing, not lasting the lifetime he had dreamt of at 15, and everything that came in between his existence and that dreaded end of time.

So for now, he ripped his gaze away from the ocean and pulled on his blue sneaks as he took his phone and walked out of the door. After all, he now had a job at the restaurant, much to Seokjin’s pleasure.

“C’mon in now and grab an apron. I’ll get your own one on Monday!”
Hoseok muttered, just as Taehyung entered the restaurant which was still closed to the public.

The older must have seen him just standing there, clueless as to whether he should go in as he had signalled the other with a flick of his wrist through the glass door.

“So, what should I do?”

“Go in and help with the cutlery now.”
Hoseok said, directing Taehyung to the tiny door behind the register.

Following through diligently, Taehyung walked to the assigned the area only to find Seokjin alone as compared to what he had expected as to be at least 3 more people given how the crowd outside was. All waiting for one of the best authentic restaurants in the area to open up, mostly tourists to be fair who might have come using those Google reviews.

“Good with the knife?”
Seokjin asked, pointing a knife at Taehyung with a mere inch between the shiny steel blade and Taehyung’s chin.

“Yeah, better than most.”
Taehyung said, not quite shaken by the gesture having all too many experiences with that plaything.

“Be careful, it might bite your back.”

Taehyung didn’t respond, just stared blankly. His mind had the sudden influx of thoughts trying to place the said words to anything remotely close to what he had encountered. There was the thinly veiled threat of something bigger beyond it all if he tried hard, though he didn’t really have much to back that up.

He tried not to change his facial expressions by a lot, keeping it steady to not let any suspicions be raised as such. But the question on his face was loud enough for the other to pick up on it.

“Hoseok’s gonna assign you to chopping vegetables now.”

“I don’t mind. It replaces the thoughts with static fuzz so a win, I guess.”

And so with that, Taehyung was assigned to cut 20 onions and peel a bunch of garlic for their roasted beef stew speciality. He chopped the white onions finely just like they needed it with a quickness that was fit for the busy serving place. There was precision in Taehyung’s hands, one that made Hoseok and Seokjin stop in their tracks for a minute too long. 

He might have to tone down his knife skills, but really was anyone surprised when he ahd wielded his best friend for more than a decade?

The day went by all too quickly with no time for lunch longer than 20 minutes, but it moved without a hitch, tourists flocking on the weekends as they came in with their tired bodies and luggages heaving behind. Taehyung fortunately wasn't on the front lines of welcoming and seating them— Seokjin taking over that with a wide smile plastered despite the hidden unlikeliness of choosing that job.

Taehyung could see that masked look behind Seokjin’s eyes, so unlike when he was during that day when he had first met the older.

Good thing through was that by the time the sun set under, slowly morphing to the night sky the frequency of guests at the restaurant had decreased by a lot, aka they were currently serving one table, all ready to close by the time it struck 7. Just as Seokjin took to cleaning the counters, the door to the kitchen opened with seemingly familiar footsteps.

Taehyung didn’t look up, assuming it was just Hoseok until the voice was cloyingly sweeter and how could Taehyung possibly forget the very first voice he had heard in this town.

Park Jimin.

“Hyung, can we—Oh hi, handsome!”

And that one was particularly directed to him, as it would seem with Jimin who looked at Taehyung with a dazzling smile.

“Jimin, stop distracting my staff. Why are you even here?”
Seokjin playfully said, scrubbing the gochujang stain from the stainless steel counter.

“We need peppers for our sandwich and so I came to ask.”

There was an underlying tone of something that Taehyung couldn’t quite place a hand on, but it was there, serious and cautious.

”When did you look into the pantry?”

“15:00.”

“I’ll bring some over in ten minutes. Might need to search for a specific kind. Hoseok can manage here.”
Seokjin’s voice was clipped as he stared at Jimin.

“Okay then. Bye cutie~”
Jimin whispered, winking at Taehyung before walking off from there.

Taehyung just smiled back, eyes calm as ever. He was sure of it now— it in question, being the very energy between the two which suggested something more, something linking to the amiss feeling in between. The words had something inconspicuous at best, threatening at worst and that was enough to put him on alert. Quietly he observed, trying to place that sinking within him to anything remotely close. 

And when it came back to him with no results, he instead took to washing the vessels with the steel scrub at hand, like the diligent worker he was.

He was not going to bring attention to himself, despite the blaring signs of it already showing. 

After all, now he had a job that was at the forefront of customers and that could only mean more people knowing him, unlike him holed up in that beach house.

“Got a message today.”
Seokjin said, head resting against the couch with closed eyes.

“Yeah and?”
Hoseok asked, as he came in twirling the keys in one hand.

“Read it for yourself.”

“Oh c’mon.”

“She asked us to push back further.”
Namjoon said, coming from his room with his glasses still on.

“What the fuck? Why? Again another push back? Why?”

“Some stuff occurred in Seoul and Yang’s been in some soup which involved her. That means, taking him off now only encourages them to raze it in doubles there.”
Jungkook muttered as Hoseok paced across the room with a frown.

“She wants us to wait until Yang’s completely weak before we take his right hand man.”
Seokjin added, opening his left eye to stare at Hoseok who stopped in his tracks abruptly.

“I don’t know how long I can keep the act up.”
Jimin sighed, leaning on Namjoon completely.

Hoseok walked over to Seokjin, sitting beside him on the couch with a muted expression as the older tapped his thighs as means of comfort after the subtle reprimanding.

“It’s not hard really.”
Yoongi shrugged off-handedly.

“Well, you’ve been solitary, forging friendships as required for more than 2 years. All of mine have been a quick day at max. The longest I have gone was 5 weeks.”
Jimin recounted, sitting on the couch as well, thus sandwiching Hoseok between Seokjin and himself unintentionally.

“Impatient.”

“Excuse you, I’m just—”

“Afraid that you’ll be emotionally invested making it hard to kill?”
Hoseok asked, turning his head to Jimin who bit his lip in response.

“Yeah, well that too. But, also that he might catch on and cause a whole ruckus making the mission a lot more difficult.”

“Not really, we’ve been careful.”
Namjoon tried easing the tension in the room.

Fortunately, one that wasn’t directed at any of them. Because that had always been a mess, even after the years spent together. Namjoon had seen the worst of it, with raging words, spiteful curses, a few too many broken glasses and some bandaging required for the blood spilled. 

“Plus, we’re doing this together as seven which honestly don’t understand the need given it’s just one man. But, we’re together for the first time in years so let’s do it wisely and then perhaps relax on the break.”
Yoongi said, tracing Jungkook’s tattoos absent-mindedly.

“The one you negotiated?”

“I wasn’t letting them disrespect us after pulling such a stunt. They ought to treat us a little better for all that dirty work and one vacation can hardly change that.”

“No beaches please. Somewhere mountainy, I can’t stand the heat here.”
Jungkook said, looking at Yoongi with wide eyes.

“That will be arranged, love.”

“So, what exactly are we supposed to do?”
Hoseok asked, eyes unsure with each second.

“Befriend him more and keep it going, I guess. We need him to trust us for whatever she has planned, be it the ‘waterboard the truth’ method or ‘one shot kill’.”
Namjoon concluded, giving a just end to the damned latter that had come that noon.

“Ah but that also means we need to keep the businesses running.”

“Yeah, yours are easier with the actual bakery workers aiding.”
Hoseok commented as Jimin eased him into resting on his shoulders.

“I know, I wouldn’t survive in a restaurant like yours. Like why the fuck is it even that popular when you two are the only ones behind it?”

“Because we are fabulous at our work, mwah.”
Seokjin said, making them all laugh loudly— quite a break to the suffocating atmosphere from before.

“Tone it down.”

“Yours is the easiest, just books and not many come in either.”
Jimin pouted, looking at Yoongi who had a smug look.

“Well, I spend my time figuring out more information about him. And it’s frustrating cause he literally has no social presence.”

“We knew that coming in, didn’t we?”
Namjoon asked upon Yoongi's response.

“No you don’t get it. I meant, his tracks are erased each day he lives. It’s like he doesn’t exist by any means. Soon, they’re gonna make an urban legend out of him.”

“What? An urban legend about an assassin?”
Hoseok chuckled, only coming to a stop when he saw Yoongi being serious about this.

“Many actually, but we aren’t discussing that.”

“Yeah, this is deeper than we thought. Cause if they’re erasing his steps that quickly, there’s something else amiss in his life or relationship with Yang. Or they’re planning something else.”
Jungkook said, perking up with his own information that had been gathered.

“Wait, that SIM he bought earlier. That can be tapped right?”
Namjoon questioned, getting a little nod from Jimin who continued further.

“Yeah, but I’m not sure where that will take us. Like would he even use the same one?”

“You never know. People may not be as smart as you give them credit for.”
Seokjin uttered, eyes still on the ceiling as if he was in a between a trance of memories and their reality as of that moment where they were currently discussing their target.

“I’ll check that too.”
Yoongi said, keeping note of that card number he had vouched from Chaesoo.

“For now, we need to keep digging more and maintain our friendship as such.”

And so they did just that, when Hoseok extended the invitation. 

It was Taehyung’s third day at the job and with the ‘tourist super rush’ as claimed by Hoseok was finally over until next weekend, the place was calmer with only a few regulars visiting. Seokjin had taken to gather some of the fresh fish from the market with Yoongi in his tow as the bookstore was closed for the day in lieu of slight renovations.

“Taehyung, it’s well, we’re having a secret birthday party for Yoongi this Saturday since it is his birthday and well, if you have no plans, you can join in.”

Hoseok tried to be nonchalant about it, not wanting to come off too strong. He hoped it was enough by the looks of it, but there was an awkward air around them and without Seokjin as the buffer, it was just slightly weird. 

“Oh, um I’m not a big party person—”

“It’s a small one, I assure you. Just the six of us, actually.”
Hoseok added, dispersing any doubts.

“Oh then I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“If that was the case, I wouldn’t invite you, would I?”
Hoseok said, smiling softly with eyes far too kind for Taehyung. Kinder than any he had seen after his mother’s passing.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“So, you’re in?”

“Sure. I have nothing better to do.”
Taehyung replied, a small grin on his face as the other gave a thumbs up and got back to taking a glass of lemon soda to the women at the far end table of the restaurant. 

Awry. Stray dogs on the loose. 

Taehyung stared at the message that had popped up.

He had no idea what was going on anymore. 

Plainly that was it.

But underneath all that was so much more. No one had contacted him for instructions since three weeks already. For the first time in this career, he was distrustful of everything, not knowing what was going on, especially as the right hand man of the business and as the successor of the same in near future.

Not being in on the going business was really hurting his self-esteem, but more importantly, his anxiety that wondered if there was something amiss, faulty, just wrong in its sense. If him not knowing didn’t mean much to everyone did that mean he was being replaced? And if that was the case should he be relieved of that fact or be heartbroken over them brushing him off so easily over one clue left behind?

Taehyung had a lot more to unravel on his own. 

His boss not contacting him much less than the few words from MInho, his own mind scattered in pieces wide and far, his fading confidence in who he was as an assassin, his debilitating condition of unused hands and weaker knees and the ever-growing need to end it all for another life where peace was the only thing he grew up knowing.

The last one was difficult knowing that could never be his possibility, given the choices he made at fifteen by trading his soul to the devil. But he would never undo it for the few more weeks he got with his mother were all due to that very money he had gotten by falling into the snare.

He wouldn’t dare to dream of living in regret of not having a few more days with his mother, his lone mother who had stood through the tests of time just to make him into the man he was right now.

But there was also the gnawing feeling of leaving this violent crime-filled life for something that wasn’t as stressful. Something that wasn’t doomed by its very existence. Something that didn’t take it away from him, conscious be damned. 

For that was also the reason for his latest physical limitations being discovered.

He had been so trapped with everything in that life of killing, blackmailing, extorting as and when required for his boss, doing business checks that the every moment his body gained the rest it hadn’t for the past decade had come in ten folds of pain every night. 

Excruciating, bone-deep agony of a stretched thin body, badly healed fractures at the job, bruising that never really mended its ways after repeated blows, fatigue of thousand suns passing over his body and just exhaustion in its rawest forms.

And of course there was also the other part. The one where he was getting torn between the things he knew and the things he had to dig out. 

His skills may have taken a backseat, wearing with the little amount of rest availed in the decade but not enough for him to be completely unreliable on his senses. He was in no way, deaf to their mumbled whispers, blind to the little sneaks of power and violence, stone cold to the touches of danger that lurked in the corners.

But he was indeed mute to voice it out for he had no gathered intel on the people in this strange town. Or perhaps it wasn't everyone just the ones close to him.

okay. 

That was all Taehyung could answer, eyes droopy with each blink.

He couldn’t think, well, he would rather not. He laid on the cold floor, trying to mimic the hardness of his memories that were already failing him at 29. Memories of warm sunshine and equally warm hands that cradled his head when he was a babe in his mother’s embrace. Memories of carefree days when his world wasn’t on the verge of crashing piece by piece. Memories of another Taehyung who didn’t have to make the choices that ultimately led him here.

Cloudy skies reigned over as he fell prey to the nightmare monsters in his sleep.

The only place where nothing could hurt except his own self, a safety sought in it which was as precious as any commodity availed at the moment. 

Nightmares seemed safer now for at least there he had a chance of escaping entirely unlike the real world where he was strapped to the chair with his head drowning in a bucket of hopelessness. 

One day, he would make that escape in real life.

Taehyung hadn’t quite expected to be running into Namjoon of all people in the park but he guessed it had to do with the size of the town, quite the minimalist as compared to Seoul.

He had been wandering the same place, a lot cooler than the beach where the sun struck midnight. He hadn’t bought anything more than his phone and old 2011 earphones that were surprisingly in good shape. And just as he took to sit on a bench, he saw Namjoon walking from the opposite direction.

Taehyung didn’t want to draw attention, not really in the mood to entertain a conversation, especially given he really didn’t know the other. Well, he didn’t know anyone but with Seokjin and Jimin, conversations just flowed, perhaps it was them carrying it along, which made it quite easy for an isolated man like himself.

But then, Namjoon spotted him even with that ridiculously big hat that covered half his face— in retrospect, he wondered if that was the problem in itself? He was drawing attention to himself by using that, which went against everything he had learnt to remain as hidden away as physically possible. 

The other cautiously walked over, waving in tiny that had Taehyung’s mind coming up with the imagery of a tiny, excited puppy that wagged its tail on meeting new people. 

That… that wasn’t good by any means. No, that wasn’t. No, he wasn’t gonna confront that, he was going to bury it along with all the other stuff he didn’t have going on.

“Hey stranger!”
Namjoon’s smooth voice came through.

“Mind if I join you?”

“No, that’s fine.”

“Got off early, hm?”
Namjoon asked, eyes on the pigeon that was having its time pecking the pavement dirt.

“Yeah, there were only 3 customers today.”
Taehyung answered, hoping to keep it going.

“Some days are just like that. Honestly, I cherish them. It gives me more free time to read books.”
Namjoon muttered in his soothing tone as the wind blew over majestically, making his blond hair sweep over.

“Mhm, never had such time before. I really didn’t pick up that much.”

Taehyung’s words though clipped and short by length, weren’t so by its essence. He had given away more of himself in those 13 words than any he had uttered to anyone else till then— a part of his life that he refused to acknowledge in public for he was the feared assassin with razor sharp kills and scary eyes not the slightly trembling, wearied body he held with bare threads right now.

“Oh I get that. I was so busy before coming here that I could hardly catch a breath in between, much less for personal joys. Seoul is a graveyard of zombies trying to achieve their dreams.”

“You…you are from—”

“Yeah, been there, grew up there. Sorta a bummer to have spent so many years there thinking that was life. I mean, it isn’t rainbows and sunshine here, well, maybe sunshine…but it is way better than whatever Seoul was for me.”
Namjoon rambled and Taehyung couldn’t help but smile.

“It’s better here. That I can’t lie.”

“Ah, maybe you too will get back to discovering those joys here.”

A plain white lie. 

A lie by Namjoon who didn’t know Taehyung as a person beyond this stranger in their town.

Taehyung couldn’t enjoy life. No, he wasn’t built for that. He was built to be someone whose very name created waves of fright in people. He was built on grounds of nothing that could amount to being human. He was never meant for more than organising illegal businesses and keeping the boundaries neat for a crime that paid.

A payment he never claimed or enjoyed, just sitting in some safehouse for a later that never came.

This fucking break had messed up his head.

He was never doubtful of his chosen career. He was never hesitant over the deeds he had done that were definitely a one-way ticket to hell. He was never tethering at the edge of what to do like a scared teenager having to choose the adult life responsibilities. 

He was just supposed to complete his tasks of the day, charm the people around him with a dazzling smile and a few pretty words, consult the weaponries daily to check on their stock, make note of the rogues on the street and look forward to anything that came Yang’s way. After all, the other considered him to be capable of taking power of a whole empire that stood underneath the buzzling Seoul.

But right now, everything felt like a choice, one set as a fork in between two paths to be taken. He wondered if there was even a chance at what Namjoon was claiming for him. 

There wasn’t and he was painfully aware of it.

“Lost in thought?”
Namjoon’s soft voice came along again, except this time it was distant and muffled to his own ears.

“Ah nothing.”

“I’m sorry if that was— I seem to keep getting it wrong with you. I really didn’t mean to—”
Namjoon apologized upon seeing the blank face on Taehyung.

Taehyung didn’t know how he could convey it but the problem wasn’t Namjoon or his words but something about the other that evoked a sense of deep understanding within him. Most of those concerning himself and his tangled mess of thoughts. It was discerning how all of his walls that stood strong were breaking faster than the sandcastle dreams by the ocean.

Maybe it was the eyes or the warmth in his voice or just his presence, Namjoon had that capability to bring Taehyung into unravelling himself. Maybe not for they only had two encounters to base it off, but it couldn’t have been such a coincidence, right?

Whatever it was, Taehyung wished not to know further for that was a can of worms he wouldn’t dare to open this lifetime. Not today. Not ever.

“It’s not you, don’t worry.”
Taehyung replied, blinking slowly.

There was silence after that, just plain, slightly unpleasant but mostly comfortable with the chirping of crickets making for most of the noise in between them. Taehyung speculated on what Namjoon thought about him and what his reaction would be if he knew who he really was. Not that it would matter or ever come to light as such because Taehyung was still careful, very careful about his actions and words.

Yet, his imagination led him places. Wondering what and how in the future that was never to happen. Just wondering.

“If you are free, you should definitely check out this movie, moving on . It’s not too hard on the mind and I have a feeling you will like it.”
Namjoon muttered, eyes now focussed on Taehyung.

“I will try to.”

Taehyung’s eyes met Namjoon’s—soft and inquisitive. And that very moment there was a dangerous thought within him. The need to spend more time with Namjoon for all that glory behind those thick rimmed glasses. There was something—unnamed and unexplainable, that urged him forward to know and just spend an eternity with the other, all in and ready to bloom under the human connection of conversations.

The urge to know more about this man was intense. What was his favourite book? What flavours of ice creams did he enjoy? Did he like skyscrapers? What was his opinion on the use of grey as the buffer zone? Where did he most spend his time? What did he think of life and one’s morality in a world as such?

He just wanted to know more about Namjoon.

“See you on Saturday then?”

Instead, Taehyung smiled in response with a nod, getting up and walking away into the town where the crowd pushed limits on the market day. He walked away, not pushing the conversation further— an abrupt ending, but the other didn’t seem all too offended by the lack of it either. 

Namjoon smiled back, a dimple popping in its place.

“We need backup quickly.”

“No, no. We can’t leave him. The boss will skin us alive.”

Taehyung could hear the conversation playing from his in-ear. They hadn’t disconnected the ear piece as it would seem. 

A rookie mistake especially if you are looking to backstab and sabotage the very hand that fed you.

Taehyung would look into that later because right now, he was practically alone with one magazine left and a bullet lodged in his arm. He had asked for backup, but as it would seem he couldn’t quite rely on it.

He had enough of these little obstacles when he had a big one to tackle tonight, and so with the same anger coursing through him, he pulled the earpiece off with precise disgust and action that it snapped, hanging down his shoulder pathetically. 

Poor earpiece.

Scanning the place quickly, he found two exits and five jerks hiding behind the opaque doors— a good move unless you counted in the shadows that had been created by being in the way of the only source of light in the room. Taehyung could only chuckle at the stupidity displayed at the moment.

Dumb people get themselves killed or as the saying goes.

(He wasn’t sure if they really was a saying but Minho repeated that almost every day so, there must be something close to it, at least.)

Taehyung looked to his left wondering how best he could use the broken table, on which blood was smeared from the last person who fell from the second floor in his attempt to escape, could be used as a shield. But that wasn’t quite effective either. He just had to lure them out enough for quick responses without more on his part.

He couldn’t afford another injury today, already feeling the pain from his ankle shoot up.

He did fall from the top as well—much more gracefully and definitely more alive than the dead man on the table. The training had definitely come of use, Yang would be proud of it. 

“Kim, I know you are alive.”

There was the voice. That grating voice of the meek and scared man who was trying hard to appear brave. That annoying, loud and ignorant idiot who acted like he owned more than what was given to him. Conceited bastard who had been warned all too well of his actions and their consequences.

And the very reason Taehyung was sent to clean the mess, but then a surprise came along in the form of their rivals being present to deter the ambush plan. All of it at a party which made it quite easy for him to track it down. Another stupid move on their part.

Nonetheless, Taehyung was standing strong behind the pillar with a dripping arm and a gun in his hand, cocked with new bullets to take them out. 

“Wouldn’t want you expecting anything apart from that.”
Taehyung teasingly replied, loud and clear. His tongue poking against his inner cheek as a cat-like grin spread across his face.

He wasn’t one to exchange in conversation seconds before a kill, especially if it was a planned shot and done job, unlike the ones which required him to be close vicinity of the target for easy access. But this was a special case. Given the man was formerly a close acquaintance at best.

“Look, I’ll surrender the west side and I’m willing to give all the other profits I get from the top business just for you alone.”

“Yang doesn’t even have to know, just between us. I’ll make it clean for you, just collecting and it’s all yours, if you leave now.”
The man continued, oblivious to the devilish smile that was blooming on Taehyung’s face outside the door.

“Do we have a deal then?”

And when he finally finished talking, Taehyung started laughing like a maniac, loud and unhinged. Anyone would have considered him absolutely bonkers with the way he was howling, deep and rich in the undertone of his voice. 

“What—”

“I’m laughing, what else? Never heard a man laugh, hm?”
Taehyung muttered back just as the door opened to the other’s shocked face. 

Anyone in that room, if they were capable of recounting this incident later would have spoken at lengths about the deranged look in Taehyung’s widened eyes— a little bloodthirsty, a little maniac, and a lot prepared. That was the look of a man looking to kill, looking for revenge, looking to complete a job.

Red and scary eyes on that eerily calm face with a smile that showed his set of perfect teeth, Taehyung was to be feared just like how it had prophesied.

“Oh Yeongsang, oh dear Yeongsang, you made a blunder. Big one.”

Taehyung said, walking close and sweeping his eyes across as the lack of weapons in their hands were evident. 

Oh, this was a losing game from the very start. Neither Yeongsang nor the other four had any chance of seeing the next morning. It was practically impossible for them to escape their fate, especially so when Taehyung was in the mood to hunt down.

“First rule of the game, don’t promise shit you can’t give. Second one, don’t run off and cheat a man with the power to serve your head on a platter. Third and the most important one, don’t fucking try to bribe the right-hand man, especially when he has a clear shot.”
Taehyung said, slowly walking forward with the gun still down, arm not pointing at them at all, just a casual walk while carrying the gun like it was a soon-to-be discarded cigarette.

And when they started looking all elsewhere, trying to look for any shooter who had put the red mark on their foreheads, Taehyung pulled his arm in a single second, pointing at them with such pace that it would put light to shame for he was quicker than it all. All of it unfolded in the blink of an eye, one second their heads were all turned upwards in search of a sleek rifle and the next they were turning to each other upon hearing the piercing scream of the next person.

A neat little plot to trick the target into trusting the threat wasn't right in front of him— a personal learning and you would be damned to think Taehyung wasn't proud of it.

Four shots to kill everyone except Yeongsang in continuation, rapid movements enough to put them in a stupor of shock. They hadn’t expected it, least from him when he had mentioned it, looking for a backup that never arrived. And so when the shots were fired, they hardly had any time to react.

I mean who would— when it was put precisely against the forehead where a shot was a guaranteed certificate to the morgue and maybe even afterlife in the same day?

Taehyung chuckled one last time, pointing his pistol straight at Yeongsang.

“I’m not a disloyal bastard like you.”

Upon checking that there was no one else in the building, anyone who could have escaped with information of whatever had unfolded, Taehyung walked out of the building, his black jacket soaked with blood. 

But that was still not of his concern, as his eyes caught hold of the driver who had replaced Minho for today's mission. He couldn't find the other two of his team, seemingly have fled or in whatever shenanigans they were upto.

“Get me a pack and a call to the boss.”

The driver, a newbie obliged and walked back in to retrieve both of it. Luckily, Yang picked the call after three rings just as Taehyung pulled out one cigarette and held it to the shiny silver lighter that he had bought recently. 

“Yeah boss, it's Taehyung here. It's done. We'll be back by an hour. There's some incomplete business within though. Will be informing on arrival.”

“Yeah, will do.”

The last of Yang’s static voice hit and Taehyung obeyed to it before cutting the call.

With one puff in, he stood against the bonnet of the car looking at the night sky that was way clearer given the location of his being on the outskirts of the light-filled city. Taehyung had asked the driver to go find the other two, if possible. After all they still had unfinished business. 

He breathed in the smoke which unironically cleared the weight in his chest, the same one that nestled like a damn anchor during his missions. Taehyung had attributed it to fear or anxiety early on in his career, but that wasn't entirely the case. There was no definitive answer to it and he wasn't keen on going to the doctor's to check that out either. He had stopped thinking of it entirely, for any answer wouldn't change much for him. He still had to complete his job, clean and cut to the bone.

His eyes took hold of the bare fields in front of him, all with an exception of a few greenhouses in the distance. He flicked the cigarette to get rid of the ashes, thinking back to how his life had snowballed to this from wherever he started. He wondered if his loyalty to the gang would ever bite his back. 

But he owed it to them after all. He owed those days given in peace. He owed them a safe route to being an adult as compared to a penniless orphan on the street with no job.

He just hoped that his reliability and strength weren’t questioned in due time due to unforeseen circumstances.

“Didn't find them, sir.”

The driver's voice broke his thoughtless mind’s chatter. 

“Fine then. Let's get a move on it. They can't run for longer.”
Taehyung said with a small smile as he got into the backseat after throwing the half cigarette and crushing it under his feet.

Much later, after having met Yang whose face was contorted at the slight mess of blood on his clothes, Taehyung finally moved to the in-house doctor’s station to get his arm patched up. 

“Taehyung, this isn't good. I don't get why you didn't —”
Areum mumbled, pacing across the room to get all the supplies to clean the wound and do the needful.

“Noona, I know enough of the human body not to unintentionally kill myself. It isn't lodged deep, just bleeding from exertion.”
Taehyung said, in an almost too-cool of a tone to even connect it to the same man who had a bullet lodged in his arm.

“I swear to god Taehyung, don't be a smartass with me.”

Taehyung just grinned at that, peeling off his black jacket slowly unravelling more of that red blood that had stained his skin and inner tee. He had to remove that as well, given for the ease of the procedure. Areum quickly walked over to raise the temperature of the room to not let the half-naked man on her table freeze his ass.

“Sorry.”
Taehyung whispered, just as Areum gave him a ginger root to bite on as she administered local anaesthesia as well.

“That's more like it.”

“You may be big boss’s favourite out there, but you are still a human with fallacies no matter how much you wish you didn’t. So stop doing stuff that can get you hurt.”
Areum reprimanded, taking the forceps to get it out since it was a clean shot meaning the procedure could safely be carried out.

And when his wound healed with a few too many attempts to change the bandaging on his own— that only led him to visit Areum who took him in with crossed arms and an unimpressed look— Taehyung finally let the others track those two minions down.

What ensued after that was a treat for him and a lesson to the others: never cross the line set by the boss.

There was a reason he had climbed the ranks that quickly, taking a chance given to all but only a few being able to actually accomplish the feat. Taehyung had built his reputation gradually but all too quickly, according to the others. Of course, that had brought about a wave of displeasure and a few too many attempts at his success, a wreck to his confidence and skills.

Taehyung had persevered and persisted. He wasn’t just a name on the lips of those who feared him. No, he was much more than that. He had that only because of how efficiently he executed the tasks. He was everything you learn to avoid for that very reason.

He was unstoppable. 

He still is.

“We’re closing soon today. You can go home and rest before meeting us at the beach. It’s a lowkey  party so don’t dress to impress.”
Seokjin joked, making Taehyung crack a smile.

The rush had been extensive today by the looks of the crowd outside. But at least, this weekend they had two pairs of helping hands through it all. Taehyung wasn’t sure why he was doing this, given he really didn’t need the money and well, this was his vacation meaning he had to rest and enjoy his life.

But there was another part of him that didn't know rest. That part had strived through the past decade on the very rush of working until his body chose sleep on is own upon not getting its way of rest. All he had known was working and doing something to keep those hands busy.

For an idle body was a devil’s workshop for unwanted thoughts.

And Taehyung, believe it or not, wasn’t all too stable in his head to let the thoughts run wild until he was debilitated from them. He was physically strong and mentally awake, just enough to make it past the point for him to be an assassin. Anything apart from that only meant trouble for himself and everyone around him.

And thus, the very reason to join the busiest restaurant in the town, which provided leftovers on most days and a good staff lunch— not minding that the staff at hand were three. But it really was a tiny mom and pop shop so, it didn’t matter as much.

Taehyung quickly winded up the customers as the sign for closing went up. He didn’t really know what people did at birthday parties anymore. As a kid he knew it was cake cutting and each of them lined up to give their presents. Now, he imagined it to include booze and more that were more fit for a 30+ year old.

To be fair, he really didn’t celebrate any of his own after his mother’s death. It was just plain sad for the first few years because he would end up at her grave each birthday then, and that became his new tradition. And with no one else urging him— all too professional in their job or the fact that Taehyung was too scary— it just faded away.

Plus it was coincidental the new years’ two days after his birthday, so there was enough joy to spread around. 

He was invited to a few birthday parties within the gang, most unattended and the ones on compulsion were usually the grand ones hosted in big building with everyone in ball gowns and suits, a rich man’s platter to taste. 

“Do you want us to pick you up?”
Hoseok asked, as he removed that red apron off his body.

“No, I think I’ll figure it out.”

“And don’t bother buying stuff, we’ll manage. Just join us for the party, yeah?”
Hoseok reiterated once again, making Taehyung smile because he had already bought a mug with some cartoon character he found cute.

He hoped that would suffice nonetheless.

Taehyung did clean himself up and put on the nicest yet effortless looking outfit he could come up with. There was a party of him that was giddy at the prospect of going for this was the first time in his adult life someone had just asked him for who he was and not because of all that history he held.

History that he hoped not to taint this new found friendship, Seokjin’s words. 

But there was an inkling of something missing and he for once, was willing to ignore that for the better.

“So glad you could come.”
Jimin’s wide smile greeted him as he entered the tiny shack on the beach, likely unused but clean and decorated for the party.

(It wasn’t an official place as he would learn later. Just something the six of them had come up with for fun as they named it. And Taehyung’s muted senses that gathered on that fact didn’t comment on it.)

“Oh, what’s this? You didn’t have to.”
Jungkook muttered, upon seeing the wrapped green present in Taehyung’s hands.

“They will be here soon, Yoongi already knows about the party, I suppose. But, Taehyung being here will be a surprise!”
Seokjin muttered as he arranged the tiny plastic cups in a pyramid.

“Hyung, c’mon. I didn’t buy that for games.”

“Jimin-ah relax. What else will you make of it? Lemme have my fun.”

Taehyung meekly sat in the corner as the trio laughed louder with each of their inside jokes spilling out. Jungkook had tried to bring him into the conversation in each opening, even going as far as commenting on why he was sitting so far, but Taehyung politely refused it. 

He was still reeling under the fact that he was here, at a party hosted by near strangers who had just included him for their secret gathering for no reason. He had been invited to have fun, eat and drink like any other normal person. He was doing normal human stuff and that was a big deal. 

A big deal for someone who was indoctrinated to be a killing machine.

“They’re coming. Gotta hide Taehyung.”
Jungkook said, upon spying the other three walking on the sandy beach with their matching sandals.

There was a flurry of movements and it was Jimin who pulled him under the big blue couch with one finger on his mouth as if signifying him to be quiet. Taehyung didn’t quite get the hype of him being the surprise, but he was willing to participate in whatever was deemed fun by the others.

All to cover the severe flaw within him: the lack of knowledge of what was normal.

“Happy birthday Yoongi!”

Their shouts resounded louder in the tiny shack and he could hear everyone’s laugh clear and loud while his head dissociated behind the couch for a little too long. He had hidden in worse places for much longer, this was going to be a piece of cake. His body had come with its own way fo coping with hiding in small places for a long time and that was to lose track of it by completely disconnecting all the wires in his head.

And that was what happened at that moment as well.

“Taehyung, you can come out now.”

Those were the words he came back to and as he raised his head he found six pairs of eyes peering to take a close look at him. There was a different air around him, marred expressions and unspoken words of worry that bristled against his honeyed skin.

With a brush of his clothes, he stood up smiling prettily as if nothing happened. Taking the gift closer to Yoongi, who had a concerned face, Taehyung muttered,

“Happy birthday! Hope I didn’t disturb any of your plans. I brought you a gift, nothing too fancy.”

Yoongi mutely took it, eyes unblinking at Taehyung.

“Taehyung, are you okay?”

Was he?