ʟᴀ ᴄᴏꜱᴛᴀ | ɴᴄᴛ ✔️

Chapter 18: Staying Put

Present Day

Jaemin gritted his teeth as his story came to a close. Tears threatening to fall from his eyes, he shot daggers into Taeyong's. "You are a sick, evil son of a bitch..."

Yuta masked his mouth with his sleeve, muffling his sobs while Shotaro tried to hold him upright. You felt your own tears stream down your cheeks, hearing the silent cries from other boys around you.

"You keep telling yourself that what you do is for our fucking protection, well, let me tell you something..." Jaemin stormed up to Taeyong, indenting his handprints into the collar of his shirt.

"You. Can't. Protect. Nobody. Worth. A. DAMN!" His voice boomed in Taeyong's semi-vacant face. "You never gave a fuck about us! You never gave a fuck about ANYTHING except for yourself, Taeyong!"

"But you knew that already, Jaemin," Taeyong smirked, shrugging. "You knew the whole time, and you never spoke up – you could have, then we wouldn't be going through all of this..."

You narrowed your gaze at the two boys, your blood rising to a simmer as your jaw clenched.

"Admit it, Jaemin," Taeyong craned his neck to lean closer to the blonde boy's face.

"You're just as evil as me..."

Jaemin dropped Taeyong on his back to the concrete, the brute force knocking most of the wind out of the elder's lungs.

"Don't you try to sit here and act like you don't know why I never opened my fucking mouth!" Jaemin spat with veins popping out of his neck. "You said it with your whole chest, remember?! Right after you forced me to watch you put a bullet in Hansol's head?!"

"IF I SAID SHIT, YOU'D KILL ME! Word for word – is that not what you said, and don't try to fucking lie...!"

"You heard 'im." Jeno piped up, crossing his arms – Taeyong's silence further irritated him. "Talk, motherfucker! Is what he's saying true or not?!"

"It is true...isn't it?" Doyoung frowned with realization in his eyes. "That's why you're not saying anything...What the fucking hell is wrong with you...?!"

"You've always been like this..." Sicheng concluded lowly. "It was only a matter of time until we found out, right? How- Tell me this, Taeyong- How long were you planning on hiding this, huh? Were you waiting for all of us to say some shit out of line – or get bit – so you can put a bullet in all of our heads?"

"I bet that's exactly what his ass was planning..." Mark sneered in disgust.

"Hey, fuck all of you!" Taeyong cursed and hissed out a few sickening laughs. "None of you punk bitches would still be breathing if it wasn't for me and this fucking resort!"

"What'd you just say, motherfucker?!" Johnny snarled with a scowl – his nostrils flared as he reached into his back pocket for his pistol, seconds away from rushing to Taeyong.

"Back up, man!" Jaemin ordered, practically roaring at Johnny before returning his attention to the boy below him.

"You're fucking wrong, Taeyong..." He shook his head. "We're all still breathing because we know how to look after ourselves. Unlike you, they actually give a damn about each other." He then gestured to the rest of the guys.