i. partner in crime | vkook

15. ten pm

it was around ten pm that taehyung decided to stop being pouty and get off the living room floor. getting up and brushing a few stray chocolate strands of hair out of his face, taehyung quietly peeked into the bedroom at jeongguk who was passed out on the floor snoring in his jeans.

taehyung sighed and gently let the door fall open, trying to stay quiet and graceful as to not wake him up, softly plopping down on the bed and inspecting the room.

it was fairly empty, just a thicc quilt and a double bed. getting kind of bored of staring at the lamp glowing on the cream wallpaper with his head in his hands, he curiously peeked over at the guy on the floor. taehyung boredly trailed his eyes over jeongguk while cupping his cheek in his hand and a sleepy yawn escaping his mouth.

he's kinda dreamy aKSJSKDJD, taehyung thought but immediately felt like he was going to throw up all over him after that thought. nO noNonononono NO. i didn't mean that. i just meant he's not ugly for a criminal.

taehyung noted his messy bed head, his uncomfortable position, and the gun and papers protruding out of his pockets.

his sleepy mind skipped over all of the possibilities. he wished he could take the gun, kill jeongguk, and be free, but he had no idea how to use it, and plus, jeongguk would probably pull some sort of action movie shit if he tried.

taehyung frustratedly rolled over, kicking his feet and sighing.

"what would mom want me to do," taehyung scream-whispered to himself. "well, she'd want me to be safe, not with some murderer idiot."

taehyung thought back to his favourite memory with his mom, the summer before he started working. they were on a day-trip walking down the baby blue daegu river, shimmering in the sun as a soft breeze ruffled through the grass.

"taehyung," his mom interrupted the scenic moment to talk about something important. "you sure you want to help at the bed n breakfast?"

"it's what you want me to do, mama!" taehyung flashed his famous boxy-smile, skipping along the sidewalk. it was his life long dream, and no, it wasn't the richest of jobs, but it wasn't the worst either.

"i know," she giggled at her persistent son, squeezing his dainty hand when someone drove by on a bicycle. "but you're too astute, honeybun."

now taehyung could never hold anyone's hand. not with the red rings around his wrists or the memories of jeongguk that weren't about the end. it just wouldn't be the same.

"you told me decision making is important," taehyung's thoughts flowed quietly out of him as he tried to convince her. "to do what i love, right?"

"mhm," she said patiently, looking at her boy with loving eyes as their shoes clicked on the pavement. "but i just want to make sure you know what you're doing. you're twelve, taehyung."

"i'm old enough to go to disney movies by myself now!" taehyung pouted, daydreaming about the freshly pressed dress shirts and getting to sit at the front desk all the time, not just the times when mom let him play secretary. "why can't i work, too?"

the abused dress shirt he was in. the desk that he got a gun held to his head by jeongguk.

"if you say so," she smiled, the glimpse of her pretty but worried smile faded as the memory ended.

did she worry about something like this ever happening?

probably not because things like this don't really happen to anyone.

and then the heartbreaking thought of her crying all alone in the dark at home while his dad was at the police station arguing with resilient officers, wishing she knew where her son was hit him.

taehyung knew he couldn't do anything. he couldn't call anyone, he couldn't escape because there was someone after him. jeongguk wasn't going to kill him but in a way he already did.

resentfully rolling over and glaring at the sleeping jeongguk, taehyung sniffled and whispered a few i-hate-yous while he trailed his hand into jeongguk's pocket, pulling out the gun and papers.

shaking with the cold metallic gun, he clumsily placed it onto the bedside table, terrified that it would go off or hurt him. taehyung held the things in his hand, carefully setting them down beside the gun.

stupid-head, taehyung thought as jeongguk slept through him stealing all of his belongings. he silently grabbed one of the pillows and threw it on the floor beside jeongguk.

climbing under the thicc quilt, taehyung dragged half of it and threw it onto jeongguk, leaving the rest on him as he curled up into the comfy bed, sleepiness taking over his anxious body.

taehyung whispered into his pillow feeling more alone than ever, spilling his heart out to the unconscious jeongguk. "good night, jeon jeongguk."