Engima | bts mafia au

11.

Taehyung doesn't look Jungkook in the eyes the entire time the two are in the base. How could he? He knew damn well if he spared even one glance at the kid, he'd be done for. At the moment a member by the name of San gently led him away, Taehyung wanted badly to let Hongjoong have it. The younger is much smaller than him; both in height and strength. But Hongjoong is quick. He's smart. The leader finds loopholes and strategic plays so fast that Taehyung would be out cold in a matter of seconds.

"First order of business is done," Hongjoong speaks when San returns, "and now all we do is wait."

"I still don't understand why you wanted Jungkook to fall for me."

Hongjoong looks over at Taehyung, who has't spoken since he drew his gun on Jungkook.

"I thought you were smart," he says simply, opening the plywood door and walking through. Everyone follows, Taehyung right behind the leader. "I don't care if he loves you. I know how you get when you care for someone." He meets the older man's eyes. "You can't let them go. You surprised me, Taehyung. You let him go."

He stops in his tracks. There's no way he could've fallen for the boy; it's even less possible that Hongjoong could have noticed.

"The hell are you going on about?"

The group ends up in the meeting room, Hongjoong standing while the others sit, with the exception of Taehyung.

"You're not gonna stand there and tell me you don't love him. I've seen the way you talked to him and the pain in your eyes as you led him down here at gunpoint." He laughs darkly, giving Taehyung a knowing smirk. "Again I say you surprised me. You let him go."

Taehyung has never wanted to kill someone so badly in his life.

"So what's the point of all of this, then? Is this some sick test?"

Hongjoong pulls out a chair and places his hands on Taehyung's shoulders, sitting him down in the chair.

"It's more than a test. It's your initiation."

The Bangtan member sits in stunned silence. Initiation?

"Excuse me?" His voice is smaller, weaker than he intended it to be and it makes him inwardly cringe. Hongjoong's low chuckle sends sickening chills down Taehyung's spine and his eyes rake over the men seated at the table in front of him.

"You heard me well and clear, Taehyung. Welcome to Ateez."

/\/\//\\//\\///\\\///\\\//\\//\\/\/\

The room Jungkook was led to can't even compare to a cell. It has a resemblance to Jimin's old, untouched bedroom that he stayed in at Bangtan's base. Everything seems still, frozen in time. The bed is made and the sheets are clean; granted, they need to be shaken out due to a small amount of dust, but the mattress is comfortable and the blankets are warm.

It is hell.

He feels teased. Tortured, even. Here he stays after being betrayed by someone he grew to love, in a comfortable, relatively clean room far from home. A part of him craves to destroy the place in any way he can. He wants to trash the room as a sign of defiance. I will not comply with you no matter what form of bribery you use.

In anger, the young man slams his fist against the door, letting out a loud cry. Frustration, anger, sadness and confusion are all evident in his voice. How could this happen? He's a college student. He isn't and never was involved in gangs or any of this shit. Why did this happen to him of all people?

One thing is for damn sure. Someone isn't making it out of this place alive.

Jungkook will make sure of that.