Chapter Text
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Places that center around old money always reeks of a certain kind of stench, and Taehyung is already able to smell it even though he has yet to arrive at the exact event location.
He's still in the parking lot, in his car, tapping on the steering wheel and watching everyone who walks through the main entryway of the hotel that was booked to hold the founding anniversary of the Jeon family's business empire, Ennead.
He's already seen Jeon Jungho and Lee Junyeol arrive at the event, along with Jeon Jungho's wife, Jeon Shin-hye, and stepson, Hwang Sehun. Jang Minho and his family were also in attendance, as was Ahn Seung-hoon. Now, Taehyung has no idea whatever happened to Park Joo-hyuk's and Shin Hae-in's families after what happened to both of their boys, but they didn't seem to attend tonight's occasion.
Taehyung has also seen Min Yoongi arrive with Park Jimin, as well as Kim Namjoon and Kim Seokjin; Hoseok isn't with them for some reason, but that's none of Taehyung's concern for the time being; who he's waiting to see before making a move is Jeon Jeongguk and his wife, Jeon Sohee. It's been over an hour, and Taehyung is growing more impatient by the minute; he's even thinking about leaving when he notices a familiar car stop outside the hotel's main entrance. "Speak of the devil, and he doth appear," Taehyung muttered under his breath, his gaze fixed on Jeongguk's vehicle.
Thankfully, the media was only allowed limited access to the event, so they didn't block Taehyung's view; he was still able to see Jeongguk, all smiles while assisting his 'lovely wife' out of the car, giving the impression that they're actually, truly, a happily married couple. They look so perfect together, and even from afar, Taehyung still finds it nauseatingly unpleasant to watch.
Taehyung was about to put on his black lace mask (given by Jeongguk) and sneak into the event, but he froze when he noticed another familiar vehicle pull over behind Jeongguk's. "Hyung? Why the fuck is he here?" Taehyung wonders as he watches Soo-hyuk emerge from his car, dressed to the nines, joining Sohee and Jeongguk.
Taehyung, puzzled beyond belief, immediately checked his phone, which he had nearly forgotten he had with him owing to all that had happened lately, and there he saw the most recent messages he had received from Soo-hyuk.
(3) messages received
From: Soo-hyuk hyung
:Are you coming home tonight, Tae?
:I've been calling you since earlier, but I guess you're still busy. Anyway, I think I might get home late. I have been invited to an event by a new patient of mine. Well, I don't really like attending such parties, but it's rude to just decline.
:It's your boss's wife, by the way, Jeon Sohee. I'll tell you all about it at home. Call me soon; hyung's getting worried about you. At least feel bad for me, will you? 🥺
"Shit. New patient? That fucking bitch," Taehyung grumbled, realizing that Sohee may have made her way to Soo-hyuk after he mentioned his friendship with the doctor in the club when they met a few days before.
Taehyung is at a loss for what to do now that Soo-hyuk has shown up. Soo-hyuk is a good person; he has no idea what Taehyung did or what he's still up to, and even though it's hard, Taehyung wanted it to stay that way—at least before it's all over.
Soo-hyuk is innocent and pure, and Taehyung is afraid that he might get tainted by his involvement with the likes of Jeon Sohee and Jeon Jeongguk.
With his trembling hands, Taehyung then dialed Soo-hyuk's number. He doesn't even know what to say; his only objective now is to get Soo-hyuk to leave the damn event.
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"Hello? Tae?" Soo-hyuk said, quickly responding to Taehyung's call. "I'm a little busy right now, but what's up? Do you need anything? Is everything okay?" Soo-hyuk added, smiling politely at Jeongguk, whom he noticed was staring at him.
—"Where are you, hyung?" Taehyung asked, absently biting his fingernails, watching as Soo-hyuk talked to him on the phone, handing his keys to the valet before entering the hotel.
"Oh, didn't you read my message? I'm here at the xx hotel for an event—"
—"Hyung, listen..."
"Sorry, is that Kim biseo?" Taehyung froze when he heard Jeongguk in the background talking to Soo-hyuk.
"Ah, yes. He's probably waiting for me at home—well, you already know we live together, am I right, sir?" Soo-hyuk answered, putting the phone down for a moment but not hanging up, still smiling cordially at the young chairman.
"Yes, I am aware. You see, Kim biseo is so good at his job, he tells me—absolutely everything," Jeongguk stated, sneering condescendingly at Soo-hyuk, which the latter found rather odd but opted not to think about more of it.
"Ah, by the way, Soo-hyuk-ssi, did you know that your friend works as my dear husband's secretary? I happened to meet him when we ran into him in a club a few nights ago, and he spoke so highly of you, it actually made me curious to meet you in person," Sohee said, and Taehyung couldn't help but roll his eyes in annoyance upon overhearing their conversation.
"O-oh, is that so—"
"Kim biseo's still on the line, right? Why don't you talk to him first and see what he needs? We'll go on ahead. See you around, doctor," Jeongguk interjects, surreptitiously peering behind Soo-hyuk and catching a glimpse of Taehyung's car, which is parked upfront.
"Alright, thank you," Soo-hyuk replied, bowing nicely to the pair and waiting for them to enter the event before going back out to pick up Taehyung's call. "Hello, Tae? Sorry about that. What's up?" Soo-hyuk asked Taehyung once more.
—"I," Taehyung says, still doesn’t know what to say or what excuse to use to make Soo-hyuk leave the event.
"Yes? 's everything okay?" Soo-hyuk said, worried about Taehyung as always.
"No—I mean, yes... I was just wondering what time you'd get home," Taehyung said, feeling somewhat guilty upon seeing the panicked expression on Soo-huk's face.
*sigh* "Are you sure? You know you can tell me anything, right?" Soo-hyuk said, still not persuaded after hearing Taehyung's weak reply.
—"I know, hyung. By the way, I'm not sure if I'll be able to come home tonight. My boss's attending an event—you're probably in the same place right now. Anyway, he left me with a ton of work to do, so I'll probably spend the night here at the office," Taehyung said, putting the call on speaker phone as he grabbed the lace mask that Jeongguk had left for him earlier and then put it on. "I just called so you wouldn't worry about me anymore," Taehyung added, tying his hair in a tight bun and glancing at his reflection through the rear view mirror.
"I see. Then, should I hit your boss just once? He's been basically making you live in the office lately," Soo-hyuk said, and if it weren't for the small smile on his face, Taehyung would think he really meant what he just said by his tone alone.
—"Pfft, sure, you can do that. Just don't hit him too hard; I don't really want to get fired." Taehyung quips, watching Soo-hyuk smile while shifting his weight between his toes and heels.
"Got it. Then, I think I need to go. It's my first time attending an event like this, so it'll be really awkward if I lose sight of the one who invited me."
—"Jeon Sohee, right?" Taehyung asked as he stepped out of the car, still staring at Soo-hyuk as the latter turned towards the entrance.
"Yeah, I told you my new patient is your boss's wife. I was actually with them just now; we arrived almost at the same time," Soo-hyuk remarked, walking into the grand ballroom and looking for Sohee and Jeongguk, completely oblivious that Taehyung had started following him from behind.
"I see. Then, enjoy the night, hyung. Take care. I'll see you soon, okay?" Taehyung said, handing the invitation Jeongguk had given him to the security officer stationed at the event's main entrance.
"You too. Make sure you sleep—oh, and don't forget to eat, okay?" Soo-hyuk remarked, smiling as Taehyung replied with a hum before they both hung up.
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Not everyone who walked into the event had a mask due to their photos being taken by the entrance; however, they're all wearing one now that they're inside, which makes it difficult for Taehyung to recognize those he came here for, especially because he also needs to cover his tracks.
The event seems to have started a while ago; the welcoming remarks were over, and now there's a singer on the podium, singing a relatively traditional piece, delighting the attendees.
<you can play this as you read.>
After finding a good spot on the side, Taehyung's now holding a champagne flute in his hand, casually taking a sip while looking around—and that's when he felt someone's eyes boring holes in the back of his head, so he turned around and looked up.
Jeon Jeongguk is standing there, with his 'happy' wife looking down from the balcony of the ballroom on the second floor.
Taehyung felt a stinging pang in his chest, yet he ignored it and grinned, discreetly raising his glass towards Jeongguk before downing his drink all at once.
He's here. After so long, Taehyung has finally set foot in this damn hell made of gold.
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'Of all the darn suits he could wear, of course he picked the sluttiest combination.' Jeongguk thinks, staring at Taehyung, whose hair is neatly tied in a sexy tight bun, dressed in a black loose satin dress shirt, tucked in matching, fitted black trousers, which accentuate his tiny waist, the curve of his hips, and the shape of his behind so perfectly that it's making Jeongguk's thoughts run wild.
'Well, there's nothing I can do about it now. Have fun, angel.' Jeongguk sighs, smiling back at Taehyung as he grabs a glass of wine, raises it covertly in the other alpha's direction, and then takes a sip while watching Taehyung make his way again through the busy crowd.
...
"Here, doc!" Sohee said, waving at Soo-hyuk when she noticed the doctor approaching their direction.
"Thank you, Sohee-ssi," Soo-hyuk remarked as he accepted the glass of wine Sohee offered him as soon as he reached their cocktail table.
"Oh, c'mon, seonsaeng-nim. We can just talk casually. I'll be in your care, remember? Soon you'll have no choice but to hear and know things about me, and I think I'd be more comfortable if our relationship is at least friendly." Sohee grins, playfully clinking her glass against Soo-hyuk's.
"I—I see, then I'll work hard, Sohee-ssi," Soo-hyuk said, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck as he took a sip of wine.
"Ugh, you're still too formal, seonsaeng-nim! Just relax, alright?" Sohee whines, playfully hitting Soo-hyuk's arm as she casts a glance in Jeongguk's direction in search of the latter's reaction to her actions—and sees none—in fact, Jeongguk isn't even paying attention to them; he's just drinking while looking over the balcony, which Sohee didn't exactly like.
"H-hah... Sorry, it's actually a habit of mine to remain professional when it comes to my patients," Soo-hyuk remarked, his face flushed, internally regretting his decision to accept his new patient's invitation.
"By the way, although I didn't expect to see you, I'm really glad you could join us tonight, seonsaeng-nim." Jeongguk said, turning away from the balcony to look Soo-hyuk in the eyes.
"Oh, thanks. It just so happened that I'm free tonight, so when Sohee-ssi invited me during our first session earlier, I had no reason to decline. To be honest, I am also quite surprised; I didn't expect to see you again this soon, sajangnim. I'm sorry about last time; I could've at least invited you in for a cup of coffee, but back then you seemed to be in a hurry," Soo-hyuk said, referring to the time when Jeongguk personally picked Taehyung up from their shared apartment unit.
"Last time? Honey, did you drop by Lee Seonsaeng-nim's clinic as well? Oh, you should've told me! We could've come together, y'know?" Sohee asked, surprised to learn that Lee Soo-hyuk actually knows Jeongguk.
"Oh, it wasn't in my clinic. Sajangnim actually—"
"I happened to be in their area a few days ago, so I figured it would be a good idea to come by their place and pick up my secretary on my way to work," Jeongguk stated, his gaze set on the clearly uneasy Soo-hyuk.
"Your secretary? Hah, wow. I mean, that's so unnecessary; why did you even have to pick up your own secretary? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Honey, you shouldn't spoil your employees too much; people like that might get used to it, y'know? Oh, that'll surely be troublesome." Sohee fakes a laugh as she finishes the wine in her glass.
"Sorry, we're talking about Taehyung—I mean, Kim biseo, right?" Soo-hyuk said, looking rather upset. "You don't need to worry about things like that, Sohee-ssi. I've known Tae for so long, and I can assure you he isn't that kind of person," Soo-hyuk said, unable to bear hearing such false assumptions about his dear friend.
"O-oh, hahaha! I was just kidding, sseonsaeng-nim! Of course, Kim biseo isn't like that at all; I've also met him in my husband's office, and I could tell that he's—I mean, he seems fine—like very professional," Sohee said, retracting her statement so as not to offend the highly regarded doctor. The truth is that Soo-hyuk was well-known within Sohee's circle of friends. Soo-hyuk had appeared in a number of famous magazines and had made a couple of media appearances, not to mention his profession and achievements despite his young age, which made him rather popular among the single ladies of high society, which includes Sohee and her friends.
So, when Sohee learned that the popular doctor was "really good friends" with her husband's secretary, she figured that she had more reason to meet Soo-hyuk now, using Taehyung as her connection.
Well, it's not that Sohee's planning to openly seduce Lee Soo-hyuk, but since she and Jeongguk are basically in an open marriage unbeknownst to their families, she thought that there'll be no harm done if she simply tried to satisfy her curiosity and approach the doctor—who is, by the way, a rather eligible bachelor; they could be friends, or if it blooms to something else, then better, either way, being involved with Lee Soo-hyuk will surely cause great envy among her friends, and that's what she's after.
"He is," Soo-hyuk smiles, remembering Taehyung. "Taehyung, that guy. He takes his job seriously. He's sweet, innocent, and so hardworking; also, he's not someone who gives up easily. Hah, those were probably just a few of the things I greatly admire about him," Soo-hyuk added, which somehow irked Jeongguk to the point that the latter clenched his jaw and balled his fists firmly.
'Taehyung? Innocent? Bullshit.' Jeongguk thinks, snorting out a quiet laugh.
"Sorry?" Soo-hyuk comments after noticing Jeongguk chuckling to himself.
"Oh, seonsaeng-nim, that's good to hear," Sohee said, immediately interrupting the odd tension between the two alphas beside her. "I mean, at least I know my dear husband here can count on him. By the way, now I'm curious, how long have you two been friends? You and Kim biseo, I mean?" Sohee inquired, interested about Taehyung and Soo-hyuk's relationship.
"Me and Tae, huh? Well, more than ten years, I guess. It may sound rather dramatic, but you could say that we grew up together. To me, he's like a little brother—no, maybe he's even more. More than a friend, more than family. For years, he's been my only companion." Soo-hyuk went on, again expressing the affection he holds for Taehyung.
"Oh, so uhm... Sorry, you don't really need to answer this, but—I mean, you and Kim biseo, you're not in 'that' kind of relationship, right? Y'see, you're really popular among my friends, seonsaeng-nim. If you happen to be in a relationship, a bunch of my ladies will surely be left heartbroken." Sohee quips, taking another glass of wine after quickly finishing her first.
"Hah, no, no, it's not like that. I mean, we're not like that, but I—"
"Oh, I don't think it's appropriate to ask such things of our guest, dear. Especially since the other party is not here. But, if you're really that curious, Kim biseo happened to mention one time that he isn't—and has never been in a relationship. Seonsaeng-nim and Kim biseo are just good friends, isn't that right, doc?" Jeongguk asserts, oblivious to the fact that his eyes had just flared red at Soo-hyuk, and he is now involuntarily releasing his pheromones.
"H-honey, are you okay? Your scent—"
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*cough*"Is everything okay here?" Soo-hyuk, Sohee, and Jeongguk all stilled as Jeon Jungho approached them with his wife, his stepson, and his personal assistant.
"Of course, chairman. We're simply chatting with my wife's new doctor, who you've probably already heard of since apparently he's rather famous," Jeongguk said, quickly regaining his composure. "Seonsaeng-nim, meet my father, the chairman of Ennead, Jeon Jungho. Oh, and that one over there is his little bit—"
"Jeon Jeongguk," Jeon Jungho warns, his eyes glaring bright red at his son, while Jeon Shin-hye's cheeks flushed scarlet in shame, knowing exactly what Jeongguk was about to say.
"I mean his wife, Jeon Shin-hye, and her son, Hwang Sehun," Jeongguk continued with a rather mocking laugh.
"O-oh, I'm pleased to finally meet you in person, sir—it's an honor. My name is Lee Soo-hyuk; my family runs a few hospitals and clinics around Seoul, and so I've heard a lot of good things about you from my father," Soo-hyuk said, bowing politely at the older alpha.
"Mhm, is that so?" Jungho coldly replied, his sharp eyes still glaring at his grinning son.
"Yes, sir. I'm not sure if you've heard of—"
"Excuse me, as much as I'd like to stay and continue our little chat, I'd better be on my way and entertain a bunch of my company's investors who are also present for tonight's event; I'll leave our guest under your care, dear," Jeongguk said, kissing Sohee on the cheek while glancing at Sehun, who looks like he's about to explode in rage at any second.
Then, before leaving, Jeongguk lowered his head just slightly to show 'respect' to Soo-hyuk, fully disregarding his father and stepmother's presence.
"Jeonggukkie hyung, wait!" Hwang Sehun exclaimed, chasing after Jeongguk to the stairs.
"Touch me and you're dead; you know I'm not like my father; I don't give a shit about this damn event," Jeongguk grumbled under his breath, stopping Sehun in his tracks as he continued to walk away without even glancing at the omega.
***
True to his words, with Jeongguk's help, Taehyung did appear like a ghost—invisible—undetectable, despite being in a room full of people clad in gold and bright diamonds.
It's been more than an hour since Taehyung infiltrated Ennead's anniversary event, and he already has a solid grasp of the layout of the area, allowing him to walk freely without being noticed.
In fact now, he's even sitting right behind Jang Minho and Ahn Seung-hoon's cocktail table, enjoying his nth glass of champagne while listening to the other two nasty alphas' conversation.
"I swear to God, all the pills got into the heads of those two idiots. I thought it was just Joo-hyuk, but even Shin Hae-in has been spewing bullshit about that dead or half-dead bastard, Kim Taehyung. Like seriously? What the fuck is wrong with those two?" Jang Minho groaned, already sounding and appearing so hammered from all the booze he consumed.
"Well, as for Hae-in—he said it wasn't Taehyung who fucked him up. He also said that he's suspecting Jeon Jeongguk has something to do with his case. Apparently everything went downhill for him after he signed a contract with Jeon's company. He only mentioned Taehyung since he remembered Joo-hyuk's silly warning." Ahn Seung-hoon shrugs as he casually pops a pill in his mouth.
"What the fuck was that?" Minho said, having noticed what Seung-hoon had just done.
"Shh. It's nothing. I just need to calm down. My dad's here, and I overheard him talking to my mom about their plan to introduce me to someone. Fucking geezer, he knew I had no plans of being a married man," Seung-hoon remarked before emptying his glass of wine.
"Tch, as if that cheap shit will help you relax; you should've told me earlier that you wanted the good stuff before taking that," Minho muttered, rolling his eyes at Seung-hoon as he secretly pulled a bunch of tiny plastic bags packed with white powder from the pocket of his trousers.
"Woah, did you actually bring some?" Seung-hoon asked with his eyes wide.
"Hah, who do you think you're talking to? Events like this are always full of potential buyers; of course, I gotta bring enough samples," Minho said, which piqued Taehyung's interest given that although he was aware that Jang Minho was involved in some shady business, he still didn't expect him to be into something as risky as this—especially since Jang works directly for the government.
"Dude, you should give me some—"
"No. Not here, at least. What I have now is some new shit, alright? You've already popped a pill; taking this will probably fuck up the effects. It won't be good for my business if you make a scene around here," Minho said, keeping the white powder in his pocket when Seung-hoon tried to snatch a pack from him.
"Tch, stingy bastard." Seung-hoon grumbled while Minho just rolled his eyes.
"C’mon, I'm actually saving this for someone. He said he's been desperate for a hit, so I figured I should let him try our new product—and maybe I could also get a hit. Smart move, isn't it?" Minho said, wiggling his brows and smirking knowingly at Seung-hoon.
"Fucking hell, it's been years, and you're still fixated on that omega? When will you fucking accept the fact that—that bitch? He only has eyes for Jeon Jeongguk, who happens to be his stepbrother, which is fucking weird, not to mention creepy and disgusting," Seung-hoon said, referring to Jang Minho's huge crush on Hwang Sehun.
"Fuck off and mind your own business, okay? Jeon Jeongguk is already married; now all I have to do is make Hwang Sehun give up, and he'll be mine—all mine," Minho said, staring at Hwang Sehun, who was standing near the stage behind the rest of the Jeon family, including Jeongguk and his wife, while Jeon Jungho delivered a speech.
"Pfft, seriously? You're fucking sick, man." Seung-hoon laughs as he also turns towards the man who's currently speaking.
<You can play this as you read.>
"...Anniversaries offer us the opportunity to look back on our memories from the previous year. Tonight we are commemorating the 35th anniversary of our company—our pride, Ennead. I am truly grateful to everyone who has come to share this extremely important day with me and my family. It is appropriately stated that it does not matter where you go in life, but who you have by your side all the time, and for that, I thank these people standing beside me the most—my family—the ones who will carry on my forefathers' legacy; my lovely wife, Jeon Shin-hye," Jeon Jungho paused, the damn fake smile on his face slightly disappearing as he skipped Sehun and turned towards Jeongguk. "And of course, my only son—the sole heir of the empire our family has built, Jeon Jeongguk, as well as his wife, Jeon Sohee—my dear, I know we've already gone through this before, during, and after your beautiful wedding just recently, but please, allow me to formally say, in front of everyone here—welcome to our family." Jeon Jungho continued, raising his glass to Jeon Sohee with a smile.
Everybody then cheered, all eyes on probably the most important couple this evening. And Taehyung? He's fuming.
'How dare she?'
The voice inside Taehyung's head began screaming at him. He watched as Jeongguk wrapped an arm around the small of Sohee's back and pulled her closer; both of them are all smiles, looking so perfect and so fucking 'in love' with their bright sparkly eyes; they shared a toast—a lover's toast to be exact, which got the rest of the audience wild, and right now, Taehyung—he's part of the nameless, faceless mob; someone who's standing all faded, expected to be clapping and cheering on the background.
'How dare she.'
The pain Taehyung had been feeling in his chest then suddenly intensified, but still, he kept his head held high. Jeongguk looked his way; their eyes met, and Taehyung cursed himself for being naive, hoping that that would be the end of it. Next thing Taehyung knew, he's watching Sohee pull Jeongguk for a quick kiss, fueling the crowd's loud cheers; and from there, Taehyung tasted blood on his own lips—making him go blind to the fact that after the kiss, Jeongguk’s expression instantly morphed to disgust, looking like he’s actually about to vomit—before he pulled through and managed to force a smile.
'He's mine... He's mine. That alpha—he's mine.'
Taehyung continued hearing his own voice, screaming and crying while his gaze was locked on Jeongguk as he felt something rupture inside of him, forcing him to grasp whatever he could just so he could hang on to something, which happened to be a steak knife on the table in front of him.
'Do something. Please, get her away from him,'
The voice in Taehyung's head pleads as he continues to grip the blade hard, forcing his hand to eventually bleed; nevertheless, he can't really feel anything other than the stabbing pain that is coming from deep within him.
"Shut up. I do not have time for your childish demands right now," Taehyung whispered to himself, but it's still too much—the wrath and pain erupting from the pits of his stomach was simply too much for him to bear. He had to look away.
So, Taehyung shifted his gaze from Jeongguk and Sohee to Hwang Sehun, who is now seething as he marches towards Jang Minho and Seung-hoon's table after Jeon Jungho's moving speech about his great empire and his 'beloved' family.
"Give. Me. It." Taehyung heard Hwang Minho say to Jang Minho. He stood still, listening as Jang Minho's chair squeaked against the floor, followed by a succession of hasty footsteps, prompting Taehyung to get moving as well, still absentmindedly clutching the knife firmly as he followed the two to the washroom.
***
"THAT FUCKING BITCH! I'M GOING TO KILL HER, DO YOU HEAR ME? I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL HER IF THAT'S THE LAST THING I'LL DO!"
Taehyung stood outside of the restroom, hearing Hwang Sehun scream uncontrollably. Well, truth be told, Taehyung kinda wanted to do the same—he wanted to shout and curse out loud, but he knows that whatever it is that he's currently feeling after witnessing that damn kiss isn't his priority right now.
He needs to get his act together, or else Jeon Jeongguk's "outstanding performance" would be for naught. Huffing out a lungful of air, Taehyung forced himself to stay alert despite the excruciating pain in his chest, hissing when he realized that he's quite literally bleeding out because of the knife that he's still holding.
Hwang Sehun is still wailing, and Jang Minho appears to be comforting him. Taehyung slid the knife into the pocket inside his suit jacket and took out his phone, turning the camera on; then, he quietly pushed the door open, just wide enough for the lens of his phone's camera to fit, and then he took a video, which unfortunately only showed Jang Minho's back as he helped Hwang Sehun snort whatever the fuck that white powder was from the back of his palm.
"There, there... C'mon, breathe... You'll feel good soon enough," Jang Minho said as he gently tilted Sehun's head back.
"No, shit. You don't understand... Didn't you see what they just did? Not only did the chairman completely ignore me, he even welcomed that fucking bitch to our family! I was there, Jang! He—they knew that I was there—watching. I could see them, hear them—and no, it's not going to be okay. I'll never be okay until I get to kill that bitch! I hate her! God, I fucking hate her!" Sehun screamed as he continued to sob pathetically in Jang Minho's arms—and Taehyung wanted to vomit, only if he wasn't thinking of the same thing.
Sohee. Kang-fucking-Sohee just claimed Jeon Jeongguk as hers in front of everybody, and Taehyung was just there—watching—unable to do anything. But no. Again, right now isn't the time for him to think about his own feelings.
'Hah, shit... Now I understand what that dog meant when he said we don't really have to do anything about Kang Sohee. It turns out that Hwang Sehun's actually willing to get his hands dirty just for him.' Taehyung stops the camera, breathing in deeply as he leans against the wall, allowing the blood trickling from his palm to stain the carpeted floor. Now understanding the reason behind Jeongguk's claims about Hwang Sehun taking care of Sohee days ago, Taehyung thinks it will be more convenient for them to leave things be after this evening—but it still feels wrong. It feels so wrong to make Jeongguk use himself as bait for Taehyung's cause.
As of now, Taehyung doesn’t really know what exactly he should do with the video he just took. Well, he could expose it through the media, and all hell will surely break loose, but will that really be enough to put down Jang Minho and Hwang Sehun? Perhaps not. Sure, they've been caught taking substances in secret, but if that truth comes out, they'll probably get only 6 months in prison, or worse, they'll get away with probation.
Taehyung hates to admit it, but Jang Minho has already made a name for himself as the recently elected vice mayor of Seoul, while Hwang Sehun has Jeon Jungho's name to back him up, so Taehyung knows that if he really want to bring them both down, he'll be needing something more than a darn three-minute video taken secretly from a random hotel restroom—but still, it does not mean that he won't be able to put the video he just took into good use.
Now with a certain idea in mind, Taehyung decided to step back and walk away—for now.
***
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Back in the grand hall, Taehyung stood on the side, grabbing a clean table napkin to wrap over his wounded palm. The thing is, Taehyung's actually already planning on calling it a night, but for some reason, he couldn't just leave without at least confronting Jeongguk about the stunt the latter just pulled tonight.
Sure, they can talk all they want about it tomorrow in the office, but Taehyung feels that if he goes home now, he'll probably calm down, and he doesn't want that.
What Taehyung wants is to make Jeongguk face his pure, unadulterated wrath—right here, right now.
However, for some reason, Jeongguk is nowhere to be found.
Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi, and Park Jimin are at their table, chatting and drinking wine.
Jeon Jungho, Hwang Shin-hye, and Lee Jun-yeol are there on the other side of the hall, talking to a bunch of old, powerful-looking men.
Ahn Seung-hoon is now obviously drunk and high, making a fool of himself as he hits on every woman that comes his way, earning a rather disappointed look from his family, who were apparently about to introduce him to his supposedly potential bride-to-be.
Everything is just too bright and too loud, causing Taehyung's eyesight to get fuzzy and his ears to start ringing. Taehyung was about to get his phone and call Jeongguk when he noticed Sohee, who was standing only a few tables away from him, giggling while talking to Lee Soo-hyuk—and just like that, Taehyung snapped.
'Fucking bitch, you really want them all, huh?' Taehyung grumbled in his thoughts, his eyes turning pitch black, thinking of how shameless Kang Sohee is to get her hands of what's his—what's supposed to be only his. 'First, that fucking dog, and now Soo-hyuk, hyung too? Hah... As if I'd let you.' Taehyung's thoughts continued to spiral out of control. He doesn't know what he's doing or what exactly he is planning to do anymore, and quite frankly, right now, he doesn't seem to care about anything at all.
All he knows is that he wants Kang Sohee gone—as soon as possible.
Everything else faded into white noise as Taehyung took the knife from his suit and began advancing towards Sohee and Soo-hyuk.
'Do it. Do it. Do it. Let's not waste any more time... Just kill her. JUST GET RID OF THAT FUCKING BITCH—'
"Shh... Calm down, angel. You don't wanna do that here." The voice screaming in Taehyung's head was immediately silenced when Jeongguk suddenly appeared behind him, seizing the blade of the knife in his hand and pushing it down.
"Let go," Taehyung firmly said, still battling his own dark thoughts.
"I know you're furious; I can hear it—feel it through my flesh and bones... But for now, help me get rid of the damn foul taste that was left on my mouth. Please, I just can't stand it anymore. Clean me up. I need you, Taehyung." Jeongguk continued to plead, and Taehyung didn't know why, but it seemed to be enough for him to forget and drop everything.
.
.
.
Oh, yes, the night is still young.
The party isn't meant to come to an end here, but somehow, Taehyung found himself torn between staying and leaving with this alpha who just begged him, telling him that he needed him, after shamelessly kissing an omega in front of him.
If Taehyung allows Jeongguk to get away with just this, he'll probably believe that he's actually, truly stupid.
.
.
.
Well, maybe he really is.
"Get me out of here. Now," Taehyung grumbled under his breath, his pitch black eyes still firmly fixated on the clueless omega until Jeongguk grabbed his wrist and pulled him away from the busy crowd; both of them completely unaware of the pair of eyes that had been quietly—discreetly—watching them from a distance.
—