iris . vkook

eighty nine

It wasn't that Namjoon didn't trust Jin, because he did, and he did with his entire heart. It was just that he'd worked himself up into a state of disbelief, truly believing that he was cheating on him with Hoseok. 

As promised, Taemin was waiting in the stairwell for the duo. Swinging his keys around his index finger, he blew a bubble with his gum before popping it - the strong mint smell exploding in the air.

Jeongguk grimaced.

"If your boyfriend has been cheating on you with my boyfriend, I swear, I don't know who I'll hit first." Taemin murmured, an unusual moody tone in his voice as they climbed the stairs.

"I think that it would be in your best interests to hit neither of them." Jeongguk replied, staring at the back of his head. He narrowed his eyes, wracking his brain for any reasons for Taemin to be pissed off.

"Just don't hit Jin." Namjoon said, a soft tone coating his words, walking beside Taemin's swift moving figure.

Taemin lifted one arm above his head as he spoke, scratching at the back of his neck. As he did so, Jeongguk caught sight of a pistol tucked into his belt. He frowned, knitting his eyebrows together as he wondered why the actual fuck Lee Taemin was carrying a gun. Dumbly, Namjoon failed to notice the firearm, leading Jeongguk to ponder on how many lives he was currently carrying in his hands. 

The rest of the conversation was a blur to Jeongguk, who's hands were cautiously placed in his jacket pockets, subtly checking his waistband to check that he was carrying. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, resisting the urge to curse as he was defenceless. He'd left his blade at home with the intention to clean it, sat in a bowl of bleach with his spares. One of his guns was at Jay's, and the other was at Taehyung's. 

"Brace yourselves-" Taemin began, key already twisted in the lock, hand resting on the handle, just about to open it when Jeongguk interrupted.

"Namjoon, fucking run!" 

He shoved Namjoon forward into the apartment, the elder stumbling clumsily. 

Jeongguk yanked the door towards himself, trapping Taemin's dominant hand in the doorway, pushing Taemin to the floor before shutting the door properly. He held both of his hands behind his back, pressing his foot on them as he pulled the gun out of his waistband.

"Why the fuck are you carrying a gun?!" Jeongguk seethed.

"I-"

"Jeongguk, what the fuck are you doing?!" Hoseok yelled, rushing over and pushing Jeongguk. He fell to the floor, centimetres away from Taemin, who grabbed the gun out of his hand and shoved it under his back.

"He's got a gun. You need to stay away." Jeongguk warned, slowly backing away and standing to his feet. Subtly, he shuffled towards Jin, standing close enough to be able to jump in case of an emergency, but not close enough for it to be obvious.

Hoseok and Jin squinted at him, their faces screwed up. 

"Bullshit. Why are you here, Jeon?" Jin said, turning his attention to him.

Since Jeongguk's full attention was currently on Jin and Namjoon, he failed to notice Taemin's sly movements. 

"Uh."

Jeongguk looked at Namjoon, expecting him to continue, noticing that his eyes were wide, lips parted as he pointed a shaky hand at the floor.

"What? Joon, I don't know sign language." Jeongguk replied.

It wasn't until Jin followed his line of sight, gasping lightly. Hoseok yelped, causing Jeongguk to spin and face them. 

Taemin had managed to sit up, his injured hand wrapped around Hoseok's front, the other hand holding the gun to his temple.

"Bullshit. Why are you here, Jeon?" Jeongguk mimicked Jin's voice in a higher pitch, who understandably looked nothing less than unimpressed, "you know, if only you would've fucking listened, we would've avoided this situation. Your distrust in your best friend's fiancé has put one of your best friends at risk. And I'm the murderer? Okay."

He paced about, keeping a steady eye on Hoseok's condition, the gun still pressed firmly to his skin. Jeongguk could almost smell the fear radiating off of Hoseok, and he felt mild pity for the man, since this was the second time he'd been threatened by a gun, and it's fucking scary. For somebody who isn't involved in this line of work or this style of life, it's terrifying to even see a gun, never mind one millimetres away from your death. Taemin was whispering something to Hoseok, and they were too far away for the trio to hear what they were saying.

"J-Jeon! Do something!" Jin hissed.

"What the fuck do you expect me to do?" Jeongguk replied, "you can't just suddenly change your perspective on murder!"

"Can't you just shoot the gun out of his hand?" He mumbled, "they do it in films."

"Yes, and people in films also take a day to heal from a fucking bullet wound." Jeongguk snapped, he had four lives in his hands, none of which were his. "And no, I can't. I didn't think to bring a fucking gun, since I was expecting to walk into an apartment, unthreatened by the risk of death or a shooting. Funnily enough, I didn't know Taemin was dangerous."

There was a two second silence, where Jin and Namjoon were waiting with baited breath while Jeongguk gnawed on his nail.

"I haven't even got my fucking cigarettes, never mind a gun."

"Tobacco should not be the priority right now, Hoseok should be!"

"Not to me, he shouldn't. I'm a murderer, remember, you and him want nothing to do with me. I'm only here for Joon. I only came for moral support, since he thought you were cheating, I didn't come to defend your asses from some fucked up kid." Jeongguk hissed, rubbing over his face.

Jin frowned at Namjoon, ready to ask him about the accusations.

"But, since I'm not a total dick, despite what you think, I'll make sure Hoseok's pretty life is spared." 

He stepped away from the couple, walking towards Hoseok and Taemin.

At this point, beads of perspiration had begun to form at his forehead and the corner of his lips were downturned into a shaky frown.

"Right kid, what will it take to spare this fucker's life?" Jeongguk asked, crouching at Hoseok's feet, carelessly flicking his socked toes as he referred to the elder as 'fucker', "I've got money, can get you cars, houses, drugs. Can get you a stripper if you really want."

"I want Jeong-ja."