Billionaire's Bargain || Kim Taehyung

Forever Young

The battle cries were deafening. It didn't matter if they were voiced out or not but the cacophony of emotions seemed vehement. Everything was conflicted. One often categorized life as a series of dualities. Black – White. Right – Wrong. Life – Death. Good – Evil. The battlefield presented its own duality, sizing up as two opposing sides. But it remained a tedious task to put them in categories. Neither of them understood why they were doing this but both agreed they were neither good nor bad. It was simply a disharmonious battle. But somehow, the loud noise managed to silence everything. It silenced the mayhem outside, it silenced the chaos inside, it silenced the agony of their betrayal. Nevertheless, it all seemed insignificant. Oh yes, they were belittled by the far greater cry of a single silence. The silence of a life.

Instinctively, another followed. The noise of a hideous bang. And then followed another. And another. It seemed ironic that the treacherous bang of a gunshot marked the end of a life; yet it morphed into the extravagant beats of a bass drum, welcoming the beginning of an unknown journey. Maybe, it was just a petty excuse; a weak attempt at optimism even at the state of adversity. Or maybe, it was the only way to abstain from shattering. Maybe, it was the only way to get past the pain.

Everything around them converged into a staggering stillness. He mourned the silence in deafening silence.

***

Taehyung's hand shook a little as he pushed open the door. He was met with an eerie silence that sent a chill down his spine. He had been preparing himself for this very moment for months. Heck, a part of him had prepared for years. And yet, brave would not be a word he'd choose to describe himself at the moment. He had been battling the internal struggles for a while, wondering if this was a wrong move. But all his other alternatives were exhausted. This remained the only way. And oh boy, did he despise it. Despite his previous thoughtless acts of crime, this certain one felt nerve wrecking. He wasn't certain what the outcome would be but he was certain that it wouldn't be good news. His nervousness was justifiable. Afterall, it wasn't every day you set out to murder your mentor.

It had taken him a while to get to that decision. He wanted to avoid it at all costs but if it came down to that, he would do it. He had anticipated his own end sooner or later. He would be glad if it were later but given the drama he had orchestrated; he wouldn't be surprised if this was his last day. He had been living on the edge for the past few years anyway. As long as it protected the ones around him, he wouldn't mind leaving.

The eerie silence in the room was the first signal that hinted at his triumph. The second being the motionless bodies of those who were too scared to defy M. His plan had succeeded after all. He had made a rather wobbly contract with the devil. He'd pulled the string of some very dangerous people in the city. He had put forth a deal and it was plainly simple. Help him and he'll bring down one of their biggest competitors. With a competitor like M out of the picture, the kingdom was theirs. He walked past the bloody walls and sighed deeply. His hand slid into the smooth pockets of his coat and wrapped around the metallic coldness. He pulled out a stainless-steel Colt pistol and hooked his finger through the trigger loop. With his fingers still on the pistol, he slid it back into his pocket.

The furnished room had a sole occupant on the couch. He took a few steps into the room before someone else stopped him by the entrance. Taehyung looked down at the hand placed on his chest. "Jungkook, it's okay." He murmured before focusing his attention back onto the couch. Taehyung treaded lightly as he approached the sitting figure. He positioned himself across the couch and let his presence be noticed. M looked at him; his watery grey eyes seemed duller as though he was tired. The circles under his eyes were darker and his cheeks looked sullen. It was almost as if he aged eight more years in the span of a week. His lips spread into a small smile as his slightly wrinkled cheeks made way for them.