Chapter Text
Jungkook anxiously taps his foot against the tile floor as he waits, making a rhythm he doesn't even recognize he's making as his eyes roam around the room.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
He doesn't know how long it's been, it feels like forever in his head, but when he glances at the clock it's only been ten minutes. He taps his foot again, looking over at the mirror. He wonders if it's a two-way mirror like in the movies. He wonders if they’re watching him right now.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound of his foot connecting with the floor bounces off the dark walls and back into his ears for it to only to turn into numbing white noise. Jungkook bites his lip nervously, stealing another glance at the mirror. If there's someone on the other side, watching him wait, he wonders what they're thinking.
He wonders what they think of this whole situation they've all been pushed into. He wonders what they think of him. Jungkook isn't even sure why he's here. He's been spending the last few days running; running from the public, from the police, from the false allegations towards him. And yet, after all that, he ended back here anyway.
In an interrogation room.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
It's cold in here too, a chill running through his body and making him shiver. He rubs his arms to warm himself up, but it doesn't do much when the AC is blasting right in his direction. He sneaks a look at the door. He can hear footsteps from the other side, coming and going. He can hear small conversations of different policemens too, but he can't make out any details.
He can't tell why he's still in this room if they found the guy.
He taps his foot again.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Jungkook closes his eyes, imagining he’s back on top of the car with Taehyung and watching the stars above, that he's warm and safe. He should probably be freaked out that his mind is going to Taehyung for comfort, but he doesn't let himself.
He likes it and is slowly just accepting whatever these feelings are for the elder.
"Jeon Jungkook?"
He snaps his eyes open to be met with another detective, his stomach dropping because he recognizes her face. He recognizes that pantsuit and that dark hair still pulled up in a bun. He recognizes the man standing behind her too, closing the door when he walks in.
Song Daeun and Choi Haneul. Homicide detectives from Seoul.
He shifts in his seat uncomfortably. "Yes?"
"I'm Detective Song and this is Detective Choi. Do you remember us?"
"Yeah. I remember."
Detective Song takes a seat across from him, while Detective Choi just leans against the wall with a firm look of his face and arms crossed. Jungkook darts his eyes between the man and the woman, nerves attacking his stomach. The last time he saw these two, he was a suspect and didn't even know it.
"We've come from Seoul to personally apologize to you and Mr. Kim. When we came to question you at your job, we believed you were working with Taehyung. At first we thought you would be another victim, but he didn't kill you and it made sense that he had someone helping him. But we were wrong," She gestures towards herself and then Choi. "We were wrong about you and Taehyung. We know it's Youngsoo, and we don’t know how we didn't see it before, but he's our guy."
"How do you know?" Jungkook asks, leaning in.
"When he confessed, he was able to tell us exactly how he did the killings, as well as evidence that only the murderer would know. We didn’t put that information out to the public so we could be certain we have him. We also tested his DNA and semen and it all matched. It's him. He's VK."
Jungkook leans back into his chair, not knowing how to respond to all this information being dumped on him at once.
He thinks back to when he met Youngsoo yesterday in the hotel room, how he saw real emotions and fear swirling in his eyes. He didn't see a serial killer. He saw someone who's been through pain, through trauma, who he felt horrible for.
He doesn't understand.
"Are you sure it's Youngsoo?"
"We're sure. He made himself a victim to take the attention off of him."
"What about the cop angle?"
Detective Song raises her brow. "How do you know about that?"
"Taehyung told me."
"Well, his father is a cop so he knew how not to get caught."
Jungkook closes his eyes, sees Youngsoo's face and opens them quickly. He doesn't understand how he could hurt so many people and then come to him and pretend to be hurt himself. To convince his girlfriend he was hurt, even his own mother for crying out loud. How can someone be so evil?
"You're positive you have him?"
"Yes. We are aware you spoke to him yesterday, correct?" Jungkook nods. "I understand if it's hard to see him as a killer, but serial killers are good at pretending, good at lying and making you believe things that aren't true. But this is true. Youngsoo is the killer and he will be behind bars for the rest of his life. You and Taehyung are free."
Free. Jungkook nods, letting the words settle. He's free.
After talking for a few more minutes, Jungkook is officially free to leave and he smiles slightly to see Taehyung waiting for him outside the station. He's leaning against a parking meter, hair messy and blowing in the wind, making him look ethereal. Taehyung smiles at him as he waves, his chest feeling light.
Neither of them say anything when Jungkook walks up to him, they just stare at each other with a matching soft and relieved smile tugging on their lips. Until finally Taehyung takes his hand in his, their palms sliding against each other and fitting perfectly.
"We're free," Taehyung says, low and barely there, but Jungkook hears it and squeezes his hand.
He nods.
"We're free."
﹀﹀﹀﹀
tae:
can I come over later tonight? Want to see you.
Jungkook smiles, opening the newest text message that's popped up on his screen, his heart doing a few leaps in his chest. He quickly types up a message under the table, his bottom lip in between his teeth.
"We haven't seen you in days and you're on your phone, ignoring us?"
The younger lifts his head to see Yoongi and Hoseok across the table, both with smug all-knowing smiles on their faces, take-out food from Jungkook's favorite restaurant sitting between them.
It's been a few days since they were free from the allegations against them and traveled back to Seoul. Since Jungkook came home and was greeted by both Yoongi and Hoseok crushing him in tight hugs, the two of them so happy to see that he's okay and well...alive.
They spent that whole night in Jungkook's bed, catching each other up on their lives. He learned that in the days he was gone, the couple didn't do anything but worry about him and hoped he was okay. Sanghoon apparently cried when he went "missing" too, and the lifeguard couldn't help but laugh. Jungkook then tells them about the people he's met and the sudden change of heart when it comes to Taehyung.
It was so nice to be home, to be in his own bed around people he's missed like crazy, it felt like such a relief. It felt like he was back to his old life, something he wanted since he jumped out of his bedroom window, but it also feels completely different.
The last time he was in his bed, the thought of catching feelings for someone felt like a faraway concept that he didn't think was for him. But now all he wants to do is be with and talk to Taehyung. And telling Yoongi and Hoseok that drew out laughs from the couple, neither believing him until their laughs trailed off and they realized that he was dead serious.
He likes Taehyung, likes the way he makes him feel, and he wants to see whatever this is between them will take him. It's scary, but still something he wants to try.
"Sorry, let me just send this real quick."
me:
yeah sure, come through my bedroom window. Around 9?
tae:
sounds good.
"Okay," Jungkook puts the phone in his pocket, getting back to his dinner. "I'm all yours now."
The younger looks between the two after shoving some food into his mouth, his brow raises at the looks he's receiving.
"What?"
Yoongi shrugs, giving Hoseok a wordless look that he seems to understand with the chuckle it gains.
"Nothing. It's just nice to see you like this."
"Like what?"
"Happy."
Jungkook flushes, looking down at his plate with a soft smile on his face, doing a terrible job of hiding it.
"I'm glad you found someone, Jungkook. I'm glad he's showing you that you're enough."
Jungkook looks back, Yoongi's gummy smile on full display.
His best friend has been through it all with him — his parents, his depression, when he buried his feelings by sleeping with unavailable men. He was there through it all, and now he's here to witness him find someone he thinks he could truly be happy with.
It makes him so grateful to have both Yoongi and Hoseok in his life.
"Thank you Yoongi."
He smiles.
The rest of the night goes by fast, the three just talking and laughing and getting back to normal. Yoongi and Hoseok tried to push back their moving day, wanting to wait until Jungkook had settled back in, but he assured them he’ll be fine and to follow their original plan of moving in together at the end of summer.
The thought of being alone in this house doesn't feel so heavy anymore now that he knows he won’t really be.
They all head to bed around eight, giving Jungkook an hour to get showered and ready for bed before he hears a small knock on the window. He glances over to see Taehyung smiling and waving cutely at him.
"Damn, how was that easier to do the first time?" Taehyung says when he opens the window to let him in. Jungkook laughs, helping him through and dragging him to his bed so he can snuggle against him.
They don't even say anything for a while, just enjoying each other's company now free of the burden of possibly going to jail for something they didn't do hovering over them. It's so much more relaxing, so much more calming, and makes the idea of them being together become clearer than ever.
Jungkook had a fear that he was only having these feelings because he's been with the cop all day for days straight, not to mention in a type of situation that it would be inevitable for them to bond together. He was scared that once they were back to their normal lives, things would be different, that Jungkook or even Taehyung would feel different about each other.
But he's glad to report that's not the case.
Ever since they came back to Seoul, nothing has changed between the two other than just being calmer in general. They text every morning and every night, sometimes calling too where their conversation goes on for hours at a time. It's been nice to just enjoy one another.
"Jungkook?"
He hums, his eyes closed as he lays his head on Taehyung's chest. He's basically half asleep, listening to the elder's heartbeat and the warmth from his embrace causes him to start to drift off until Taehyung speaks.
"Question number twenty..." Jungkook flutters his eyes open, moving his head so they’re eye to eye.
Taehyung almost looks nervous to ask what he’s about to ask. It’s cute.
"Yeah?"
"If I asked you to be my boyfriend, to make this official, what would you say?"
Jungkook sits up at that, the words hitting him like tons of bricks. His eyes search around his face, trying to see if there is even a slight chance that he's joking, that he doesn't really mean what's coming out of his mouth. But as he searches, all he sees are those genuine eyes staring back at him, a shy blush painted across his face.
And it's not until then that Jungkook really accepts this is real. That he's found someone he's been secretly wishing would come find him.
And he wants him to be his.
He smiles, leaning down to seal their lips together, the kiss soft and gentle and letting him know just how much he's meant to him in the last couple of days. He then pulls apart, smiling to see Taehyung chasing after his lips for one more peck.
"I would say yes. I want to be your boyfriend. And I would also say that you owe me a date."
"Consider it done then." Taehyung pulls him down so he's back to laying on his chest, a giddy feeling rushing through him. "I'm so happy I met you Jungkook."
"I'm happy I met you too."
"And I know this isn't something you do, you know...relationships. I get that it can be scary, but I promise that I'll never let anyone hurt you. Including myself."
Jungkook snuggles in closer, breathing him in.
"Okay. I trust you."
And he does, with everything in him.
For the first time, Jungkook doesn't feel so alone anymore. For the first time, the little voice in his head that always told him just how truly broken and alone he was is quiet. For the first time, he wants to do something with his life, not just so his parents would leave him alone either, but for himself.
Taehyung does that to him.
Taehyung gives him that passion he would rather die without.
He shifts his head, his eyes passing the stuffed elephant Seokjin’s daughter gave him that’s sitting on his desk, and lands on the drawing of him riding on a dragon on his vision board. The same drawing that always made him sad whenever he looked at it for too long, the drawing that made him think he really had nothing going for him.
But it looks different now as he stares at it.
He can see the clear lines, the attention to detail and dedication, the shading and the colors. He sees the passion in each stroke of the pencil too. He remembers drawing it in the back of the class, not paying attention as his tongue stuck out in concentration. His mind was blank, other than the joy he had for drawing.
He also sees how good the drawing actually is.
Joy. Dedication. Passion.
He grins.
"Tae?"
"Yeah?"
"I think I want to go back to school." He looks up. "I think I want to go into art."
Taehyung smiles back at him, cupping his face and caressing his cheeks before kissing him lightly. They only kiss for a few seconds, just slow movements that make Jungkook feel like he's about to float away at any second.
"I'm so proud of you baby." Taehyung whispers against his lips. "I’ll support you all the way."
Jungkook can't help but kiss him again, it now leading somewhere as their clothes get pulled off and they try to lower their sounds of pleasure to not alert Yoongi of what they're doing. And they spend the rest of the night together in each other's arms, closer than ever.
He almost feels like he's on the edge of a cliff, about to take the biggest risk of his life, but he can see Taehyung at the bottom cheering him on, telling him not to worry, that he's right there and he has his parachute.
I promise that I'll never let anyone hurt you. Including myself.
So Jungkook closes his eyes.
And jumps.
﹀﹀﹀﹀
When Taehyung saw Jungkook for the first time, he was instantly captivated.
He remembers the day he saw him so clearly in his head.
He remembers sitting on the beach, his eyes moving from the sand to the breaking waves as he felt the summer sun on his skin. Ever since he ran, he usually spent his days at home in front of the TV and a bag of chips in his lap, but that day he felt like getting out.
So he went on a walk and ended up on the beach, taking a towel and eating his lunch with the sound of the waves crashing onto the sand in the background. And lucky for him, no one recognized him.
And then everything changed for him.
He remembers looking over to the side at the sound of a cute laugh, and his eyes landing on him for the first time. On a pretty boy, sitting on a beach chair in red shorts and a white tank top that said 'lifeguard' on the front. He was talking to another guy sitting next to him, probably the other lifeguard on duty, but he didn't notice him much. He couldn’t, not when the one with the pretty big doe eyes had such a tight grip on him that he couldn't look away even if he wanted to.
His dyed blonde hair danced with the wind, his naturally pink lips moving as he talked with his co-worker, his sharp jaw seeming like it could cut him in a second. He had such a perfect symmetrical face, such a perfect nose, such perfect eyebrows that framed his face, such a stunning smile.
He was beautiful, out of this world, just perfect.
Taehyung knew, right there and then, he was going to be his next doll.
He wanted to roam his hands around his perfect body that looks hard and soft at the same time. He wanted to caress his face, cup it firmly and kiss him until the only thought left was about him. He wanted to consume him, wanted to make him his, and then see how pretty his screams would be when he slid his knife against his pretty skin. He wanted to see how pretty it would be to have his blood all over his floor, him on his knees begging for mercy that Taehyung won't give. He wanted to see how pretty it would be to carve his name into his skin with his favorite knife — VK.
He wanted it so badly.
It was then when he decided Jungkook was going to be his next victim, and maybe it was his pride talking, thinking he could find another doll to play with when his last one escaped. But he was just too perfect.
Even more perfect than he thought Youngsoo was.
And he couldn't wait.
It was easy to find out who he was, just having to walk past and hear his co-worker call out his name. Once he had a first name – Jungkook – everything else just fell into place.
Jeon Jungkook. Twenty-four years old. Was born in Busan and moved to Seoul for college. He went to Seoul National University where he graduated top of his class and now has a business major that he doesn't seem to be using.
He found all his social media that night too, scrolling through tons of photos of him and his friends. He learned he lives with his best friend Yoongi, who's dating Hoseok, and a quick look through the boyfriend's Twitter made it clear that they're looking for a house to move into together.
Taehyung's plan came to play in his head as he worked it out.
He was going to have Jungkook, even if it's the last thing he did before he was caught.
Letting Youngsoo slip through his fingers was a mistake, the biggest one he's done since he started all this, and now he's paying the price. He had to flee, had to run so they wouldn't get any information out of him. He knows he didn't leave any evidence behind, no fingerprints or blood or even semen for it to trace back. The whole case against him was just Youngsoo's words.
At first, Taehyung didn't think they would believe him without any real solid evidence, but with the pressure of trying to find the serial killer that seemed to always get away, they grabbed onto their first lead and never let it go.
So Taehyung ran.
But then he was stuck, after seeing Jungkook he couldn’t just get up and leave without having a taste. He knew it was dumb, and Taehyung kicked himself for even entertaining the idea, but it was one of many things Jungkook made him do that he wouldn’t normally.
He put his house up for sale that next day, making sure Yoongi and Hoseok saw it in their search, and smiled to himself when he got a message that they would like to take a look. That's how he ended up on the beach again, pretending to look for Yoongi to talk over the house when really he was there for one reason and one reason only.
His eyes instantly found him, under the beach shower, the water glistening off his built body, and Taehyung had a million and one different ways he wanted him. He had to push those thoughts aside though before he walked up to him, asking for Yoongi, and trying very hard not to smile or smirk to see the younger clearly checking him out.
He was even more perfect up close, and was able to see all the details that were Jeon Jungkook. Like the scar on his cheek. He wondered what the backstory was, and how much prettier he would be with more scars and gashes on him.
But made by him.
Taehyung couldn't wait to have him.
That same night, thanks to social media, he knew Jungkook and his friends were going out to a club and Taehyung didn't hesitate to get ready and head over to them. He watched him the whole night, watched him drink the night away until he was a little tipsy and danced in the middle of the club with no cares in the world.
And then they locked eyes.
Taehyung isn't sure how it even happened, it was like he was in a trance with no control over his body, just letting it do what it craved. One second he was watching Jungkook dance from the side, and then the next, they were fucking in the bar bathroom.
He does remember letting go a little, for once being honest and letting his real thoughts spill out of him. "You're perfect," He whispered against his lips, and the weak moan that came out of the blonde seemed to turn a switch on that he didn't even know was there.
That he didn't even know existed.
Usually, Taehyung fucks them and then kills them in one night. Quick and easy.
But with Jungkook, it was different. He was different. He slept with him many times that night, and when he drifted off to sleep and Taehyung had the perfect opportunity to slit his throat, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
It was a strange feeling to Taehyung, not having felt like this in a very long time. But there he was, watching Jungkook sleep as he lightly brushed his hair out of his face.
He didn’t want to just kill him and let him go, he wanted more. Much more. He just didn't know what that more was, but he just knew he needed it. So he slipped a memory stick into the jacket Jungkook was wearing before he left, and waited until that night to see him again.
His plan was simple, to the point, and most importantly; believable.
Jumping out of that window started a wave of new experiences and feelings he didn't know he would like.
He didn't know he would like how feisty Jungkook could be, having a comeback for most of what he said, cold and straight to the point. He didn't know he would like how he was able to tear the lifeguard down from his walls a little with each conversation, one by one learning something about the younger, feeding the fire inside him that started the moment Jungkook looked at him. He didn't know he would like fucking him that much too, and god did he love it. He loved how his body moved, how he sounded, and it just got better each time they did it. Taehyung usually fucks and gets bored, killing them off as soon as he's cum, but it was different with him.
Everything was different with him.
"Are you catching feelings?" Seokjin asked him late at night when they were sure Jungkook was asleep, rolling his eyes as Taehyung didn't deny it. The father laughed, shaking his head.
"Thought you didn't do feelings."
"I don't. But he's...he's different."
"And when he finds out what you liked to do for fun?" Seokjin raised his brows, knowing Taehyung likes to find men to fuck to kill them afterwards, even helping him cover some up when he can.
Taehyung shrugs. "I don't plan on him finding out."
Jimin was a tease too when they went to visit him, not leaving him alone with the way he acted around Jungkook. Jimin had a good laugh about it when Jungkook went to the car after they fucked in the bathroom, the rain pouring down hard against the windows of the bar.
"You're whipped as fuck."
"Shut up."
Jimin shakes his head, wiping down the counters. "Impressive story by the way, you getting framed and all that shit, a little corny though."
"But he believed it."
"Yeah, true. What are you going to do about Youngsoo? You're going to find him right?"
"Yeah," He walks over to the door, peeking out the window at the rain. "I'm still thinking, but maybe Namjoon can help me with what to do with him. Maybe I can get him to confess to the crime himself."
"And how are you gonna do that?"
"I don't know, but I always figure out a way don’t I?"
And Taehyung does, thanks to Namjoon's help of course.
“Oh hey Namjoon! Have a location for me?”
Taehyung looked over at Jungkook as he listened to Namjoon on the other side, the younger shaking out his wet hair and still looking just as beautiful as he did the first time he saw him. Maybe even more after knowing more about him and his childhood, now having something that felt a lot like a crush fluttering in his chest whenever he looked at him.
"Yeah. I got the name of the hotel." Namjoon said, the sound of wind in the background as if he's driving making it a little hard to hear. "I also checked your phone and Jungkook made a call to a friend, but I blocked the address for you so you should be good there."
Taehyung hums, letting him know he's listening.
"I'm thinking we use the girlfriend to get him to confess. Threaten him maybe? I think it'll get the point, I'm on my way now."
“Thank you, you’re a lifesaver Joon, I owe you one.”
Seeing Youngsoo was hard that night at Jeju Island when he waited for Jungkook to fall asleep, more in a 'damn I would have had a lot more fun killing you if I didn't let you go’ way than anything else. But a few threats to his girlfriend and family, punches to the stomach, and Namjoon planting false DNA samples, made the whole conversation go just as planned. He made sure to tell him what to exactly say to the police, Youngsoo agreeing to it all to protect the ones he loves.
So that was the story – Youngsoo was the killer this whole time. He lied on his name and now he'll spend the rest of his life in prison because of it.
Taehyung is a little amazed at what love for another person could make him do. Before he never understood that or didn't think that type of love really existed, but then he met Jungkook and it all made sense.
It all made sense because in these last few days, he could see himself falling in love, and that's never happened to Taehyung.
Ever.
After killing his mom’s boyfriend, Jongsuk, the man who broke him and started this sick hobby of his, he didn't think he could find love. In all honesty, he didn't think he deserved it.
But here he is, laying in bed with someone who he can see a future with. Here he is, free and in love. Taehyung doesn't even see the point of hooking up with men just to kill them anymore. He just wants the simple life with Jungkook and he’s determined to have that. To be with the one that's made him feel more human than anyone else in his life.
"I promise that I'll never let anyone hurt you. Including myself."
Taehyung meant that, he meant that with everything in him.
And both Taehyung and VK kept that promise, until death do them part.