No Going Back

3

The wise warrior avoids the battle.
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The Art of War
Sun Tzu

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No matter what happens, I will always be there for you, Jungkook. It's you and me, kid.

Those words repeated in Jeon Jungkook's mind as he drove down a quiet street, unable to shake the utter desolation weighing down his limbs. His eyes were wide and unblinking, straining against his exhausted urge to let them fall shut. But he was so close to his destination; after hours of driving in the dark, he was just five minutes away from a house he hadn't seen in years.

He idly wondered how much trouble he'd get in for arriving almost twelve hours early. Everyone explicitly told him over the years that he wasn't supposed to come to this house unless escorted or under direct order. There was certainly no escort in tow now, and his direct orders were to arrive tomorrow.

Even if it was for his own good, Jungkook had always been a rule breaker. 

Sure, the reasoning he wasn't supposed to come back to this house was sound. It was for his safety; if people found out who he was, they could use him against his family for gain. Staying as far away as possible was in the best interest of all those around Jungkook, that way he and his family wouldn't get hurt.

But what did those consequences matter now? His family was already torn apart. It didn't feel like much worse could happen.

As he pulled onto a residential street - one lined with glamorous houses on beautiful estates - Jungkook wondered if he somehow could've prevented what happened. Of course, he didn't know an attack was coming, and even if he did, there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. Even the fact that there was an ambush didn't surprise him, knowing the nature of the people his family worked with. He tried to communicate his concerns once, but no one cared about what he said or even who he was. To them, he had absolutely no power or authority.

And it was true. He didn't.

But if his fears were listened to - if those in command heard him out - would that have changed anything?

It wasn't worth asking those types of questions now. There really was no point whatsoever. What was done was done.

And now two lives were forfeit.

That thought prompted the same words from before to fill his mind. No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you.

Lies. It was all a lie.

Luckily, Jungkook was saved from deteriorating further as he pulled up to a darkened house. He shut off his car and quietly got out, leaving behind the small bag of belongings he had with him. With wide eyes, he refamiliarized himself with a house that had never been his home. 

At first glance, the two-story townhouse was relatively unassuming, with its plain exterior and limited decor. The neighboring residences were much more dazzling, boasting elegant fixtures and gorgeous landscaping. One's eyes naturally glanced over this particular building in search of something showier.

But that was the point. Sure, the CEO of Korean National Oil was outrageously wealthy, but he wasn't a stupid man. He knew there were many people in the dangerous and competitive oil industry out to get him, so he didn't make himself easy to find by living in a flashy house. It simply wasn't safe, so he built something that blended in rather than stood out.

Regardless, the man's family was still targeted and tracked down. It didn't matter that they weren't even living in Seoul - they had been presumably safe in the middle of nowhere. But somehow, tucked into the countryside far away from the city, that family had been found.