i. partner in crime | vkook

32. a road trip

jungkook swore.

more than he had ever sworn in his life.

which is a lot.

"hoseok, i swear to fucking GOD he was here, he wouldn't have run away from me, you dumb ass," he was pacing back and forth in the driveway and tussling his hands through his hair. "not at this motherfucking point."

hoseok was being awkward and quiet. "sorry, kook," he said sympathetically, as if that made up for everything.

jungkook stopped in his tracks and raised his eyes to him, giving hoseok the meanest look ever. "sorry doesn't fucking cut it. he's gone, hoseok. god, i shouldn't have trusted him. not for one second. no wonder i fucking suck at my job."

hoseok was silent for a minute as he thought about something, then stepped towards the boy. "i need to tell you something, but you need to promise not to be mad at me."

jungkook rolled his eyes. "saying 'promise not to be upset' makes everyone immediately more upset, hoseok."

"well, i kinda sort set you up. namjoon has him and he's heading for seoul. but i did it so he wouldn't hurt you, kook, and if you go now, you can get him back, just give namjoon what he wants."

jungkook wanted to yell every exploitative at hoseok right in that moment, but his brain circled around his poor terrified taehyung being stuck with namjoon. he was running on sheer fury.

"you let NAMJOON take him? fucking NAMJOON???"

the anger burning in jungkook's eyes and his voice level made hoseok back off with the unhelpful comforting advice he would usually give.

"he already got what he wanted and you know it," jungkook said as he thought about those memories that he kept trying to block out. the wad of cash, the heat of the barrel of the gun, the cherry red blood on the floor, the clicking of his shoes as he walked away. the daisies. "fuck no."

even though resentment and betrayal filled his thoughts, jungkook pushed it to the back of his mind.

"just come with me," he finally said, motioning to the car he'd be driving.

"oh yay," hoseok bumbled as soon as it felt like jungkook was forgiving him and hopped into the passengers seat. "a road trip!!!"

"absolutely not," jungkook grumbled, stepping into the car.