Evil Prevails

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/24830620.

Rating: Explicit
Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Category: M/M
Fandom: 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Relationship: Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Min Yoongi |
Suga, Kim Namjoon | RM/Kim Seokjin | Jin, Minor or Background
Relationship(s)
Character: Jeon Jungkook, Kim Taehyung | V, Park Jimin (BTS), Jung Hoseok | J-
Hope, Min Yoongi | Suga, Kim Namjoon | RM, Kim Seokjin | Jin
Additional Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Soldier Jeon Jungkook, Soldier Park
Jimin (BTS), Doctor Kim Taehyung | V, Alternate Universe - Dystopia,
Age Difference, Unhealthy Relationships, References to Drugs,
Pseudo-Incest, Alpha Jeon Jungkook, Omega Kim Taehyung | V, Top
Jeon Jungkook, Bottom Kim Taehyung | V, Rough Sex, Torture,
Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Military, Terrorism,
Weapons, War, Execution, Cruelty, Dark, Pain, Angst, Blood and
Violence, Lots of plot, Possessive Jeon Jungkook, minor vmin, minor
yoonkook, Slow Burn
Language: English
Collections: Love you 3001
Stats: Published: 2020-06-25 Updated: 2021-09-30 Chapters: 13/38 Words:
94304

Evil Prevails
by Aquaticantae, Markmrakovich97

Summary

And the snakes started to sing...

"Long live our better future, be free and ascend."

~}{~

In this eternal fear gripped by the eternal war, no one ever save. Everyday was a journey
through a long way to a new unknown. Childhood was dead. The lost one was not returned.
One wished to be forgotten in a dream, escaping from a nightmare that was reality.

~}{~

P.S. Please don't drop the spoiler if any of you have read it all. I turn on the comment
moderation for now.

Notes
Disclaimer: In this work terrorism and violence are NOT romanticized. When
reading, do not forget that this is the worst thing that can happen. There is no
extremist message in this work !!!

~}{~

Hi! This is a translation of Evil Prevails by Mark Mrakovich, a very talented Russian writer.
The author has agreed that I should post the translation on my own account. This story is
one of my favorite of all time. You won't be disappointed, I promise! So, enjoy
 Little Hope
Chapter Notes

Playlist:
VKontakte
Soundcloud

Character Visualization:
VKontakte
Pinterest

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Credits to Felestina Arcana <3

(P.S. Turn the caption on when you watch this)

Another rumble shook the paintings hanging on a fragile thin wall, and launched a web of cracks
on it. Pieces of stucco were strewed onto old wooden floorboards, a chandelier ring stuck on one
unfortunate wire. Books from the shelf were lying on the floor, a vase filled with recently brought
daisies from the field was shattered. The house was about to crumble like a house of cards.

A father grabbed the hand of his ten-year-old son, holding the frightened husband by the other
hand. They hastily left the house, taking only the most necessary things—leftover money,
identification documents, food supplies, water bottles and warm clothes.

Surrounded by dust and smoke, fire and the heart-wrenching cries of people burning alive.
Someone ran away in panic, didn't know where they were going, while the others barely moved,
holding on to walls or leaning on to other persons. The father picked his son up in his arms and
sped up, looking for a way out of this hell. He frantically looked around, making sure that the
husband was not far behind, and moved on, keep moving by running. Someone in the nearby
screamed and asked for help, being stuck under burning wooden boards. The man didn't look back.
There was no way to help anyone else. The most important thing was family.

This small settlement, like many others in the country, was subjected to the constant bombing, and
soon complete destruction. No one remember when did it started and what was the reason.
Ordinary people did not dare to ask questions and got into politics, which, in fact, didn't concern
the people. People were used to living sitting on a powder keg, every second waiting for a new
attack. And it was already known from whom: the army or their enemies. The only goal was to be
prepared and survive.

The muffled rumble of shells still sounded somewhere behind, in the air there was an ingrained
smell of burnt and gunpowder. Leaden sky didn't give a hint of even the smallest ray of sunshine.
Didn't remember when it appeared for the last time. The man raised his head up, squinting slightly,
which caused numerous wrinkles to appear on his swarthy skin. Peered into the sky, tried to make
out: clouds or smokes. Last look to the back, the silent farewell to those who died, who remained
buried in the debris of the house, wiped off the face of the earth. And then a long way to a new
unknown.

The alpha lowered his son and took the backpack from his husband's hand, taking him by the
shoulders, stooping from endless fatigue. They slowed down—danger was behind.

“Jungkook-ah, go near,” the boy's father ordered the boy, who was looking around with curiosity.

They moved through a ghost town, where dead silence had forever settled. The endless ruins were
covered with a layer of ash, greenery no longer grew on twisted bare trees, and water no longer
flowed. Life died out, leaving only cold and human dust.

Jungkook frowned thoughtfully and chewed his lip, walking in front of his parents and kicking the
rusted metal can that has turned up on the way with the tip of his battered sneaker. Trying to
drowned out the quiet conversation of his parents, he hit the can harder, sending echoes across the
desert. Listening to their nervous talks about future plans was already tiring. Nothing new.
Jungkook already knew everything. They lost their home again. Again, they need to look for a new
one. Again, they need to look for work to feed their families. And again, they need to wake up even
from the slightest roar until the house was destroyed.

The child pursed his lips and kicked the can harder, putting all his dissatisfaction with life into the
kick. He understood that there was no other way out, that you need to survive and do as your father
said, but how long would it last? All schools in which Jungkook studied were destroyed. All his
friends who appeared were soon killed, or fled with their families to other places in the same way
as the Jeon family. Everyone was looking for salvation and forgot about relation with other people
instantly. No one and nothing lingers for a long time.

"Jungkook-ah!" the father couldn't stand it, distracted from the conversation with his spouse and
strictly looking at his son. "Enough, don’t make a fuss."

Jungkook lowered his head guiltily, whispered an apology and silently wandered forward, passing
by his beloved can.

“I think I should take up Jungkook's study by myself,” the omega said calmly, watching his son
walk in the front. "After we find a house..."

Jungkook clenched his fists in his jacket pocket and sighed softly. Now there would be no friends.
Only parents. Probably, they would forbid him to leave the house. Everything was only getting
worse. What should he do all day at home? All the toys remained there, all the pencils and album
sheets that his father somehow managed to find for him, burnt. His beloved plush rabbit turned to
ashes, dad forbade him to follow him, grabbing his son at the last moment, when the roof of the
house began to collapse.

Jungkook had nothing else.

Little alpha raised his head and carefully examined the destruction, hoping to find something that
could brighten up his surviving existence. He walked a little further from the talking parents and
crawled through the bricks and fallen walls of the houses. He coughed softly, hiding his face to his
forearm, and wiped his eyes from the dust particles that got into them. Everything burned out.
Everything was ruined. Jungkook didn't dream of finding at least one whole book. The paper
burned first.
Suddenly, a cry came from a dilapidated church nearby. The child froze, listening to make sure the
sound was real. The crying repeated. Quiet, but too loud in dead silence. Jungkook, without
hesitation, pulled toward the church, jumping over the wreckage and small holes from the shells. In
the back, he could hear the voices of surprised parents calling for their son, but Jungkook didn't
think to stop. He ran through a once-residential building, catching a glimpse of the bind of a book
sticking out from under a mountain of debris. The book was no longer important. Somewhere here,
in a place where people no longer lived, a human cry was heard. Jungkook was much more
curious. Probably someone needed help, Jungkook thought, deftly crawling through the wreckage
and ignoring the cried of his parents.

Tearing his jacket and held it in his hands, the boy, breathing heavily, finally reached the church.
The crying stopped for a short moment, and the alpha was afraid that he was late. He closed his
eyes, shaking his head frantically, and pressed his back against the wall, whispering "No, no, no."
Ready to turned around and return to his parents, he would probably be scolded for escaping. But
again, he heard the rapidly increasing crying.

The main entrance to the church turned out to be littered, so he had to climbed through a low
window on the side. Hooking the glass sticking out of the window frame with his knee, Jungkook
hissed softly and jumped to the church floor, peering into the twilight. In some places, light crept
in, illuminating the path. The quiet rustle of shoes on the floor was echoed softly, disappearing
somewhere deep in the church.

Jungkook moved cautiously forward, afraid to make a noise and scared the person away. Around
the broken benches on which churchgoers usually sat, torn and burned copies of the Bible.
Jungkook skillfully climbed through them, felt how the wounded knee hurt from the slightest
movements.

A long cry gradually changed into hiccups and a quiet howl, and Jungkook accelerated again,
grimacing on the raw pain. Ahead, in the very depths of the church, at the altar, on the stairs lied a
gilded crucifix, covered with a layer of ash. Jungkook walked around him and froze, his eyes wide
in surprise.

Under the chair, sat a child around one-year-old. His face flushed because of a long cry, and
endless tears flowing down his chubby cheeks, soaking into a thin, dirty shirt. He gouged out his
big almond eyes on Jungkook's sudden appearance, starting to cry harder and pulled out his hands
toward the alpha.

“Hey, hush baby, don't cry,” Jungkook responded immediately, sitting down in front of the child
and wiping the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand. The kid looked in surprise, softly
shaking from crying and blinking his eyes. “It's okay, come to me,” Jeon whispered, gently lifting
the baby and pulling the kid onto him. “How did you end up here?” He asked, removing the
adhered chestnut bangs from the child's forehead.
 The kid, feeling human warmth, began to calmed down. Jungkook put him on a surviving bench
and unzipped his jacket, covering little shoulders of the child with it and carefully stroking his
head. Jungkook himself didn't notice how he still had smile on his face. He examined the baby
with interest. The child looked back, pouting plump lips with a perfect contour and quietly
hiccuping. With his small fists, he began to rub his eyes, yawning and blinking sleepily, which
caused the boy's even happier and more delighted smile.

“Look how cute you are,” Jungkook giggled, slightly squeezing the baby’s cheek and holding it up
in his hands. “Will you be my brother, hmm?” He asked, smiling and kissing the child on the
forehead. He muttered something in response and buried himself in his neck, causing another
giggle from Jungkook. "Seems like you don't mind! Then, you need to come up with a name..."
Alpha frowned thoughtfully, instinctively stroking the back of a freezing baby, who had already
fallen asleep, tired of a long cry. “But first, let's get out. Parents search for us!"

~}{~

"Jeon Jungkook!" Dad screamed in panic and tears flowed down, running up to the child.
Jungkook, slightly limping, trudged forwards, clutching something and carefully stepping over the
wreckage. Having got out of the church, he immediately went to the cries of his dad. “Where did
you run, baby? I almost went crazy searching for you with your father! You can’t scare us like that,
Kookie! Are you okay? Lord, your foot..."

He sat on his knees in front of Jungkook, sobbing and examining. Behind him, came a panting
father clutching a gun in his hand. His restless gaze suddenly changed, becoming angry.

"What is it that you bring?" He asked in his usual austere tone, approaching and nodding at the
bundle, which Jungkook squeezed gently.

"This..." Jungkook stuttered, biting his lip and gently pulling off the hood of the jacket, which hid
the face of the baby. Both of his parents froze. "This is Taehyung. Jeon Taehyung," the little alpha
concluded, shining a happy smile and looking at the baby woke up from the screams of a worried
dad. “He is my brother from now on,” he added confidently, raising a serious look at his parents,
he wouldn't stand objections.

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

Author's contact info:

VKontakte
Askfm
Twitter
 My Dear Brother
Chapter Notes

⚠Warning: Gore, violence, murder.

Playlist:
VKontakte
Soundcloud

Character Visualization:
VKontakte
Pinterest

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“Kookie,” a whisper was heard from somewhere above, followed immediately by a quiet giggle.

Jungkook grunted with displeasure and turned away, buried his face in a soft warm pillow. The
viscous sweet dream didn't want to let go of its arms. Yawning loudly, Jungkook dozed out again,
folding the blanket between his legs. But the peace didn't last long. A chill went over Jeon's bare
back, from which the body was covered with small goosebumps. Ignoring the discomfort,
Jungkook clutched his pillow tightly in his fingers, trying to hold on to his rapidly dissipating sleep.

"Hyung!" Suddenly the sound squeaked near his ear, which made Jungkook jumped sharply on the
bed, staring irritably at the little violator of his precious dream.

“What's the matter, Taehyung-ah?” Jungkook asked in a tired voice, frowning and showing his
displeasure with his whole expression.

The five-year-old Taehyung smiled innocently, biting his index finger, and giggled again, tugging
at his older brother's blanket. His brown hair was disheveled, sticking into every different
directions, and his large chocolate eyes made him look like a little curious owlet, trying to
understand the world around him. Jungkook's irritation immediately disappeared at the sight of the
baby's cute face. He laughed and pulled the blanket over himself, exerting a little more strength,
which made Taehyung's fragile body fell into his brother's arms.

"Hyung, get up, our parents have already left for work!" he said, getting out of the blanket and
sitting on the chest of his brother, who was again sprawled on the bed. Jungkook grabbed
Taehyung's cold hands, squeezing them slightly in his own, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.
“Your hands are cold again, let me warm them,” said Jungkook, clutching Tae’s hands tightly and
not allowing the child who was panting from displeasure to escape.

“They're always cold!” Muttered the youngest, feeling a loosening of his brother grip and abruptly
pulling out his hands. "Well Jungkook hyung! You promised that we would go to the fountain in an
abandoned compartment! I have never seen it with my own eyes! I heard that there are even
children swimming," little omega pouted his lips, looking at his brother with a hopeful eyes and
slightly sulked.

“How do you know that? Running away from home while I was away?" The elder frowned
pretended to be angry. "Do our parents know? Oh, what will happen to you when they find out..."

All the horror was instantly reflected on Taehyung's face. He grabbed hold of his brother's
shoulders in fright and almost crying, saying:

"N-no, hyung! I didn’t run away, I'm not lying! Don’t say anything to father and daddy, please!" He
buried his face in his brother’s neck and began to sniff. “I heard that from neighbor Ahjusshi!”

Jungkook laughed softly and hugged his little brother, stroking his soft and slightly tangled hair.
Taehyung didn't know how to lie. Sincere and honest kid, always laid out the truth, was in his
spirit. He looked with his big bottomless eyes, completely opening his world and not allowing to
doubt. Jungkook knew that he did not disobey his parents, but he wanted to play a trick. Despite the
gloom that enveloped the world, Taehyung was full of innocence and kindness.

"Hush hush. I'm joking Taehyungie, please don’t start crying,” Jungkook reassured his little
brother, burying his nose on the crown of the younger's head and allowing himself to inhale the
smell of his hair. It smelled like baby banana shampoo, quite a bit of burning and something subtle,
light and not yet found clear outlines. Something captivating and enjoyable. "I won’t tell our
parents anything, go get dressed."

"Really?"

Taehyung suddenly pulled back, slightly nudging Jungkook's chin with his crown of head, and
stared at him, beaming like a sun, which he had hardly seen in his short life. Glittering from tears
welling up, eyes filled with relief and limitless happiness.

“Only if you can carry the backpack for me,” Jungkook grinned, raising his eyebrows and putting
his hands under his head.

"I will, hyung!" Taehyung nodded eagerly, giggling joyfully, and, jumping off the bed, slapped his
bare feet to the exit of the room.

~}{~

A new rumble came from somewhere above, very close. The dim lamp blinked, threatening to shut
off completely. Jungkook hugged his six-year-old brother who was trembling with fear, stroking
his head soothingly. Father sat at the stairs with his rifle tightly clasped in his hand, not allowing
himself to relax for a second. He closed his eyes tiredly, hearing another explosion, and only
gripped the wooden handle of his weapon more firmly. Years of endless war hardened, stuck with
firmness, made to make him heedless of his own lives. But not to the life of the children and the
husband, whom he must protect until the last breath.

Dad nervously paced the cramped basement, clutching a gun and biting his already bitten lip. He
looked anxiously at the children, holding his tears and forcing himself to be strong for their sake.

“Taehyungie,” Jungkook called quietly, breaking the tense silence. The younger raised his head,
sobbing softly. It was painful for Jungkook to look at a frightened baby. He wiped the tears from
his flushed cheeks with his fingers and forced a smile. "Do you believe your hyung?" He asked,
stroking the younger one on the head. Taehyung nodded shortly, out of habit, biting his finger and
dropping his eyes down. “Hey, look at me,” Jungkook gripped the younger's chin with his fingers
and raised his head, forcing him to look into his eyes. "I will not let you hurt. You have nothing to
fear, I will always be there for you,” he whispered and kissed Taehyung on his reddened nose,
ruffling his chestnut mop of hair with his palm. “Dad and father are with us too, see?” Jeon looked
at his tense parents, smiling warmly, then turned his eyes back to the younger one. Taehyung
smiled weakly, unable to restrain himself from his brother's smile, and rested his head trustingly on
his brother's shoulder. "Do you want me to read for you?" He asked, raising his eyebrows and
taking out a battered book from a nearby backpack.

“Yes, and I will help you, hyung,” Tae agreed, sitting down on Jungkook's lap more comfortably
and getting ready to listen. He frowned and hugged his brother with one hand, carefully looking at
the book without pictures, of which Jungkook turning the pages in search of the desired page. "Just
don't read fast."

“As you say,” Jungkook laughed softly, nodding and finally opening the book in the right place.
"So, the structure of the brain..."

Taehyung forgot about the surrounding noise that filled his mind, creating terrible fear. He devoted
himself to his brother, trusted him and calmed down, listening to the owner of the voice, full of
warmth and care.

~}{~

Taehyung yawned boredly, tiredly laying his head on his own drawing, lying on a desk, over which
he stubbornly sat for half a day. With the colored pencils obtained by Jungkook, the drawing
turned into a picture of a rainbow, which Taehyung saw on a packet of marmalade. It turned out
similar. The boy lifted the drawing up and carefully examined the men smiling happily under the
rainbow. A family. Tae ran a fingertip over each little man whose names were written over their
heads—Dad, Jungkook, Taehyung, Father. No one else was needed.

Having finished the flowers in the pale green meadow, Taehyung picked up the paper and left the
room. Dad stood at the stove, cooking something, and his father sat at the table and cleaned a rifle
disassembled in detail. There were everyone in the house except Jungkook who left early in the
morning. Taehyung without his brother was dying out of boredom. The longing slowly rolled over,
every hour making the child sadder. In the last days of the brothers time, it became less and less.
He went to some training and returned only late in the evening. Dad stopped going to work, staying
with the seven-year-old Taehyung, because there was no one else. Like Jungkook, he decided to
educate his youngest son on his own.

"Daddy!" Called Taehyung, climbing into a chair and laying out the picture in the center of the
table. "Look, it's us!"

Dad broke away from cooking and went to his son, laying his chin on his crown and looking into
the drawing. A serious father stopped cleaning, looking at the sheet of paper lying on the table, and
began to examine the creation of his child with interest.

“I look exactly the same,” the older omega laughed, stroking his son on the shoulder. “You are
such a clever boy, Taehyungie.”

“I have a cool haircut,” my father remarked, smiling a little noticeably.

Taehyung smiled happily, looking at his father with childlike kindness and gratitude, his father
who rarely showed his feelings and emotions. Always discreet and collected. Little omega
remembered every moment when his father thawed and for some short moment took off the heavy
load that he had been steadily carrying all these long years.

Taehyung was gifted by fate. He illuminated the forever wandering family, and filled their place
with bright light, made them dare to hope for the best. Jungkook, always lonely and closed in
himself, thanks to his younger brother, he opened up and felt like a happy child. And father found
in himself a new strength to fight.

When the family had dinner, everyone moved to the couch to watch all kinds of stupid shows,
which the capital fed the people daily for a meaningless distraction from the horror surrounding
them. Taehyung placed his head on father's shoulder and enthusiastically received the flow of
information coming from the box. Every second his father glanced out the window, behind which
it had long been dark, and hung one hand from the arm of the chair to which the rifle was leaning.
He was always on the alert, always ready to fight back.

The front door opened with a quiet creak, letting cool evening air in. Taehyung jumped from the
couch and rushed toward the returning brother.

"Hyung, I missed you!" Yelled the little omega, jumping into Jungkook's arms and wrapping his
arms around his neck. The elder laughed and patted his brother's hair, closing the door behind him.

"I missed you too, little one,” said Jungkook, lowering his brother to the floor and taking off his
shoes. "I'm home!" He informed his parents, peering around the corner into the room.

"Jungkookie, Taehyung and I were waiting for you," father smiled, rising from the couch. He
leaned against the doorway, arms folded across his chest. "He drew something and all day waiting
to show it to you."

"Oh, really?" Jungkook raised his eyebrows in surprise, looking at Tae. "Well, let's look what you
draw!"

"Yes, wait!"

Taehyung beamed. Quickly nodding, he fled to the kitchen.

"How's the preparation, Jungkook?" asked his dad when the eldest son and father entered the room.

"Lee didn’t let us rest," Jungkook grinned, leaning on the sofa and closing his eyes tiredly.

"You would go to a construction site, in our time it is much more important,” his dad sighed, sitting
down next to his son.

"No, dad,” Jungkook looked up, looking seriously at the omega. "I decided everything, I will
serve..."

Jungkook wanted to say something else, but broke off, abruptly turning his head to the TV. Noise
was heard on the black screen, then they were replaced by the image of a black Aspid, braiding
itself with a katana, piercing through the human skull.

"Hyung, look, it's here!"

Joyful Taehyung ran into the room, holding a drawing, and began to drag it to Jungkook's face,
who was staring at the screen, like his parents.

"Yes, wait a second, Tae," the elder said distractedly, not looking up from the TV and sitting
Taehyung on his lap.

Two people appeared on the screen on a gray background. One stood with a mask on his head,
from under which only brown eyes and thin lips were visible through the cutouts. He held a katana
in his hand with a black hilt, the blade of which rested on the throat of a second man sitting on his
knees in a white cotton shirt and in the same pants. He was clearly trembling, nervously clutching
his fingers to his knees, and looked straight at the camera with an empty gaze, at the bottom of
which only endless fear splashed.

"Governor Choi!" the older omega breathed in surprise, pressing a palm to his mouth and
nervously running his eyes looking at what was happening on the screen. “Aspid got him too...”

"Be free and ascend, citizens of our beautiful country,” the masked man habitually greeted with a
mechanical voice, with the help of technology to hid the real one. "Today for dinner, everyone’s
beloved Mr. Choi, who decided to close the port that was used to supply products from our
partners. Ignoring all warnings of the Asp, the governor made a very big mistake," the man shook
his head disappointedly, throwing a short impenetrable look at the governor, who was cringing in
fear. “Today we will show him and everyone else that this is not worth doing. Let this be an
example for everyone who tries to stand in our way. Long live our better future,” Jungkook pursed
his lips and turned Taehyung sharply toward him, pressing his face to his chest. With the last
words, the masked man calmly cut the captive's throat. Choi screamed, but the scream immediately
turned into a gurgle, and his eyes rolled back. Blood stained the governor's clothes in a juicy scarlet
color. He fell to the ground with a thud, and a masked man brought his hands behind his back,
continuing to look into the camera with an unreadable look. Censorship did not hide anything.

Taehyung jerked slightly, and Jungkook began comfortingly stroking his back, not taking his scowl
from the darkened screen on which the symbol of the Asp appeared again.

After a few seconds, the broadcast continued. Dad was still blinking in front of him, holding his
palm on his mouth in horror and trying to make sense what he saw, and his father relaxed back in
the chair, frowning and thinking about something. Another public execution has planted new
sprouts of fear in the hearts of people. Everyone was afraid of Aspids.

"These freaks must be stopped. Now you understand why I should serve?" Asked Jungkook,
looking from his father to his dad. They were silent, keeping their thoughts to themselves.
Jungkook understood everything. "Let's go to bedroom, Tae. Tell me about the drawing, and then
brush your teeth and sleep," said Jungkook, smiling warmly at the bewildered brother and stroking
his cheek with his thumb. Taehyung smiled back and nodded in agreement.

~}{~

The morning began with an incomprehensible swarming and quiet voices coming from the kitchen.
Outside the window, dawn was just coming, and the gray clouds were darker than usual. Eight-
year-old Taehyung wrapped himself in his warm blanket so that the morning coolness would not
creep under his pajamas, and jumped out of bed, sleepily walking to the door.

"God, I didn’t think it would be so soon. But now it’s clear that people are needed again in the
north,” dad's agitated and slightly trembling voice was heard. “I'm going to wake Taehyung.”

But Taehyung was already standing in the doorway of the kitchen, blinking sleepily and meeting
the gaze of his dad.
"Honey, you’ve already woken up," he smiled warmly, stroking his son on the cheek and kissing
his forehead.

"Taehyungie,” Jungkook called, rising from his chair and approaching his younger brother. Tae
stared blankly at his brother's serious and slightly sad face, waiting for an explanation of what was
happening. Everyone today was kind of weird. Jungkook knelt before the little omega and put his
hand on his fragile shoulder, stroking it with his thumb. “I need to leave, Tae.”

"Where?" asked the child, immediately grim in the face. He looked inquiringly at his tense and
somewhat worried parents, and again at Jungkook, who was no less nervous.

"Your hyung is now a soldier,” Jungkook tried to smile, lifting the corners of his lips, but there was
no joy in his dark eyes. "Now our country needs protection and therefore I have to go and help."

Taehyung frowned, gradually realizing the meaning of what was said. The lower lip of the child
began to slightly trembling. He shook his head, taking a small step towards the elder and stopping.

"Hyung, what about me?" He asked in a trembling voice, barely holding back the tears coming up.
He should not cry. He was not a crybaby or some kind. “You said you would protect me.”

"This is for you, baby,” Jungkook answered, not stopping smiling and stroking his brother’s
shoulder. He was always calmed down by his brother's stroking, but now the younger one seemed
to get more sad from it. “I'll be back, Tae. This is not forever. It's just happened that I need to leave
now..."

"And what's that?" Taehyung interrupted, fingers clutching the pendant on Jungkook’s neck, which
he certainly hadn’t had before.

"This is a military token,” Jungkook explained, watching his brother watching the metal token on
the chain with interest.

"It says "JK" and some numbers..." Taehyung sniffed, twirling the token in his fingers and trying to
make out the meaning of the engraved characters. “What is it for, hyung?”
"So that I would not get lost, like what happens with dogs," Jungkook laughed softly. “And with
this thing,” he nodded at the counter, “if something suddenly happens, then they will return me to
you.”

Taehyung frowned, looking at his brother with doubt and distrust, but could not stand it for long
and smiled weakly, sniffing his already reddened nose.

"Jungkook," his father called, pointing a finger at his wristwatch. Jungkook nodded briefly and
sighed.

"Tae, I-"

"Need to go, right?" Omega finishing his brother's words, pursing his quivering lips and throwing
himself into his brother's arms, causing the blanket lying on his shoulders to fall silently on the
floor. Jungkook tightly hugged Taehyung, habitually burying his nose in his soft hair and breathing
in his favorite scent, remembering every note of him. “Then... I’ll miss and wait for you, hyung, I
will read a lot of anatomy and then tell you when you arrive. And don’t get lost like a dog, okay?"
the child whispered somewhere in the neck of his brother, sobbing and no longer trying to restrain
the flow of hot tears.

"I promise, Taehyungie,” Jungkook answered, pulling away and taking the omega face in his
hands. “Obey your parents and be a good boy. Don’t be sad, hyung will definitely come back, this
is only for a while," the elder pressed his lips to his brother’s nose and closed his eyes, sticking
their forehead together. "Bye, Taetae."

"Bye, Kookie,” Taehyung whispered, barely audible, looking into his brother's eyes.

Jungkook stood up and ruffled Tae's hair, smiling warmly. Putting on his battered marsh-colored
jacket, he threw his already-assembled army backpack over his shoulder and, having embraced his
parents in the end, then left the house. Taehyung with his dad and father stood on the threshold,
seeing off the receding figure of their beloved. When Jungkook was out of sight, Taehyung rushed
into the room, crawling onto his brother's bed. Having buried his face on the pillow, he burst into
tears, finally not restraining himself and giving free rein to his emotions. Taehyung was not stupid.
He understood everything.

His brother went to the war.

 ~}{~

Jungkook's “for a while” stretched out for a whole year. At first, after his brother left for service,
Taehyung was not like his own self. Pale, drooping and quiet, like a ghost. He cried a lot in secret
from his parents and had no idea what he could do in this world without a brother. Dad tried to
distract him, walked a lot with his son, studied together and invented all kinds of games, but all this
was temporary and ineffective. Taehyung used to sleep in Jungkook's bed, hoping to be closer to
him. Though trying to feel the owner's warmth and slowly evaporating smell of him.

As the months passed, Taehyung faithfully waited, diligently studying the anatomy and a couple of
books on medicine that Jungkook had obtained for him. As his brother asked, Taehyung tried not to
be so bored and to be a good boy helping his parents. They also missed their son, so Taehyung
could understand them. Jungkook was a good son and could do a lot, so the youngest decided to
become the same. Good son, hardworking and honest. There was no signal where Jungkook was,
which made it impossible to communicate with him. The "dogs" were not reported missing, which
means Jungkook was fine. Taehyung could only wait.

A year later, Jungkook returned home with awards received for courage and steadfastness, for
stamina and fearlessness in front of a dangerous enemy. Happy because of his return, dad could not
hide his pride, and his father remained restrained as always, but inside he sincerely thanked all the
famous gods for returning his son alive. Taehyung, despite his infinite happiness due to the return
of his brother, at first sad and sulked because Jungkook was delayed. But then he gave up and
began to stick story-telling about how he had been living all this year, how hard he tried in
everything, and even tried to treat a person. And Jungkook gladly listened and praised him, said
that he never ever doubted him.

In Jungkook, so much has changed. He became more serious, often thought about something and
acted like adults. Taehyung understood that his brother was changed because of the war, it changed
everyone who were at its epicenter. It happened the same with Jungkook. And no matter how
painful it was to accept it, Tae tried to ground himself and support his brother, distracting him with
all sorts of silly stories, help his brother not to plunge into his dark memories.

Jungkook was mired in an endless struggle with the anti-government Aspid group, which had been
terrorizing the country for many years. Months passed, Jungkook appeared less and less, and
orders and medals were replenished on a specially designated shelf in the new house. The eldest
son of the Jeon family was a national hero, a role model and pride of parents. He was the savior
and liberator, the leader of many successful military operations. Already at twenty-two, he was
already considered a veteran.
Time fled quickly, and children grow rapidly, saying goodbye early to childhood.

Thirteen-year-old Taehyung saw a hundred wounded people who needed help, which he provided
along with other doctors in the settlement, not sparing himself, forgetting about that childish
naivety and carelessness. Many of his peers, mostly alpha, worked at construction sites days and
nights, helping to return the structures that was destroyed by eternal bombing. Parents plowed in
sweat, trying to invest as much as possible in community, to bring people maximum benefit. People
had waved their hands at the empty promises of the government long time ago and began to get out
on their own.

Childhood was dead.

~}{~

In the morning, Taehyung helped his dad with cooking and cleaning the house, while his father
was repairing the front door, which had recently started to creak. Today, no one went to work,
everyone was at home, everyone was agitated, a little tense, but happy. From the excitement, the
fourteen-year-old Taehyung woke up and burned his fingers on a hot pan, but all this was nothing,
because he was waiting for an important event, which needed to be prepared properly. Today's
holiday was the arrival of Captain Jeon Jungkook.

Time passed rapidly in the evening, but Jungkook hadn't come. Gradually, the joy faded, leaving
behind a feeling of anxiety and sadness. Taehyung assured his parents that Jungkook would send
the news if his plans changed, so he patiently waited nervously biting his nails on the icy fingers.

"Probably the flight was delayed, anything can happen," his dad muttered, sitting at the table and
pressing a clenched fist to his lips. “Or all the same, the plans changed, and he did not have the
opportunity to tell us,” he sighed heavily and put his hand to his forehead. Taehyung nodded
thoughtfully, trying to believe in his dad's attempts to convince himself and the rest of the family.
His father sat in a chair, swaying slightly, and frowned at the floor, again lost in his deep thoughts,
not showing his nervousness.

"He will come, daddy, he must," said Taehyung, trying to sound firm and confident.

Another painfully long hour passed, it was already getting dark outside the window. There was
finally a knock on the door.

Taehyung, without thinking much, jumped from his chair and rushed to the door, as he always did
when his brother returned. Joy fluttered in his chest with renewed vigor, and a broad, happy smile
began to play on his face. He threw open the front door and froze. A smile instantly slipped from
his face. It was not Jungkook standing on the threshold.

"Taehyung?" asked a man in a dark blue uniform and with four stars on his uniform, like his
brother's. Taehyung nodded briefly, staring at the alpha and slowly stepping aside to let the
newcomer into the house. “I am Park Jimin, a colleague and a friend of Jungkook,” he introduced
himself, entering and closing the door behind him. His face did not express a single emotion.
Serious and restrained, characteristic of all soldiers.

He and Taehyung entered the kitchen where Dad was sitting. Jimin respectfully took off his cap
and straightened his coal-dark bangs. Dad, seeing a stranger, rose abruptly, looking with confusion
and bewilderment. Father came up behind, standing up for his husband.

"Where is Jungkook?" asked dad, barely audible, nervously squeezing the hem of his jacket.

There was a tense silence, palpable almost physically. Jimin tightly pursed his plump lips and
pulled out a black scarf from the inside pocket of his jacket. He stepped forward and uncovered a
piece of cloth, laying it on the table.

Dad screamed, clutching his hands to his head and staggering back. Father grabbed his husband by
the elbows, trying to keep on his feet that treacherously gave way, and he caught on the thing lying
on the table with his unreadable eyes. Taehyung went to the table. Life ended at this moment under
the hysterical cry of his dad.

On the handkerchief was Jungkook's military token.

“I offer my condolences...” Jimin said quietly, swallowing hard. “He died the death of the brave...”
he tried to pronounce the damned template phrase, as befits, but...

No one listened. No one heard.

Taehyung gazed with a glassy look at the badge that had been with Jungkook for all six years of
 service, not believing what was happening. A red line flashed in his head, “Jungkook is gone,
Jungkook is dead, he is gone,” but his eyes refused to believe. An inhuman cry burst from his
throat.

Jimin rushed to the omega, clutching the body that shuddered in a rolling hysteria. Taehyung burst
out and screamed, not hearing either himself, or his parents, or Jimin trying to calm him down. He
howled loudly and, to the pain in his fingers, squeezed Jimin's uniform, either pushing it away, or
drawing it closer to himself.

The uniform was like his brother's. And this only made it worse.

"Don't touch!" Taehyung shouted, breaking free of Jimin's grip and sitting exhaustedly on the floor.
"Jungkook! We have been waiting for you all day, and dad..." the words mixed in a new scream, he
grabbed his hair and almost teared it apart. “We were waiting so...”

He choked on his own tears, drowned in an unbearable pain that teared the insides to pieces,
undermined shells and showered ash on a cold floor, flooded with salty bitter tears. There was no
more strength to cry. Taehyung trembled convulsively, beaten in a mute hysteria, and screamed
hoarsely, breaking his voice when he felt someone stroking his shoulder.

"No, no, no, no!" Taehyung pleaded, shaking his head and painfully squeezing his own shoulders
with fingers.

There was less air in the lungs, but it would not be better at all. It would be better if he was with
Jungkook.

Only a piece of metal remained from his brother.

The lost one was not returned.

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

Author's contact info:

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Chapter Notes

⚠Warning: Gore, violence, murder.

Playlist:
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Character Visualization:
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See the end of the chapter for more notes

"Jeon Taehyung!"

Taehyung stood by the window in his office, holding and swirling coffee in his hand and
thoughtfully looking at the green leaves on the outside of hospital. Long and thin fingers out of
habit held out the token hanging on the neck. Jeon took a small sip of coffee and covered his eyes
tiredly. A two-day lack of sleep was no longer possible to hide behind another mug of hot drink.

"Taehyung-ah!" it was heard right outside the door, and then someone opened it, flying into the
office. "You're needed in the treatment room!"

Taehyung almost dropped the cup in surprise. He spun around, hastily setting coffee on a table
littered with hospital papers, and quickly slipped a token under the collar of his gray sweater.

"Jin hyung!" Jeon was annoyed, squinting displeasedly at the omega with broad shoulders and a
light chestnut hair. “Why do you always do this? I almost stained my robe,” Taehyung grunted,
straightening his snow-white and perfectly ironed robe. "What happened?"

Jin crouched on the edge of the table, straightening the hem of his robe and folding his arms over
his chest.

"In there, Captain Yoo, demands you,” the omega raised his eyebrows, smiling slyly and squinting
a little. “Besides, Hyunjae was just sent to the patient in the north wing,” he shrugged.
Taehyung sighed wearily, putting a cool hand to his forehead. The day promised to be no less
difficult, like all the previous ones. In the central hospital of the capital, another wave of patients of
varying degrees, everyone needed immediate help. Jeon went to the mirror, noting his wild look
from lack of sleep, dark circles and disheveled light blond hair sticking out in different directions.
Hanging a stethoscope around his neck, Taehyung left the office, not caring what the captain would
think about his appearance.

"He likes you, Taehyung-ah, ”Jin hurriedly followed after, catching up to the younger.

"But I don't hyung,” Jeon bit his lip, putting his hands in the pockets of his dressing gown and
quickly going around the doctors and the patients in the corridor. “He is a patient like everyone
else. Nothing more."

"Good,” Jin nodded in agreement, frowning thoughtfully. “Indeed. Why do you need to go far
when Colonel Park is nearby?”

Taehyung stopped abruptly, causing Jin to nearly crash into his back, threw a confused look at
Jeon, who, with his whole expression, showed dissatisfaction with the topic he had had brought.

“Meet me at dinner, hyung,” Taehyung said in a colorless voice. "Let's discuss your personal life,
okay?" the omega grinned, noticing the confused and slightly frightened look of Jin "Well, then.
See you, hyung."

Having received a nod in response, Taehyung continued to walk, leaving Jin behind. There was
absolutely no desire in him to go to the soldier who was always trying to called for him. Plus,
because of fatigue, there was no strength to even give a polite on-duty smile.

There were surprisingly few people in the procedural room. Doctors behind the screens were busy
with the patients, talking quietly. Everyone became closer to each other. The eternal war united
people, creating a close relationship between doctors and the patients, who entered hospitals
continuously. Taehyung dreamed that the hospital was empty, that no one needed the help of
doctors and be healthy. But the real picture was only getting worse. Often there was a lack of
resources, doctors and places for patients to be treated, many lost lives, who could not be saved.
People remained crippled, disabled, on whose hearts there was now a black mark left by the
endless war of the government and the Asp, because of which peaceful people suffered, they were
dreaming of simply living in peace.
Captain Yoo was already sitting on the bunk by the window and watching TV hanging on the wall
so that everyone in the room could see it. His left hand lied lifelessly on his knee, resembling an
artificial one. Taehyung sighed heavily and ruffled his hair, gathering his strength to endure the
next hungry gaze of the alpha, which happened so often every time he tried to flirt and drew in
closer.

“Captain,” called Taehyung, approaching the man and drawing attention to himself. The alpha
spun around, smiled for a bit.

"Hello, doctor," he straightened up, sitting more comfortably. “I was waiting for you.”

"How do you feel?" Taehyung asked, ignoring the man's interested look boring on him.

“It’s already better, though, in the evenings, my bones are aching and my head starts to hurt,” said
alpha, frowning slightly and not taking his eyes off Taehyung's serious and focused work.

Jeon came closer, hanging over the alpha, and reached for the buttons on his shirt with his fingers,
carefully unfastening one by one. The captain inhaled Taehyung's natural omega aroma with his
nostrils, glancing eagerly over his perfect long fingers.

“Are you taking the drugs I prescribed?” Taehyung asked, unbuttoning the last buttons on the
captain's shirt and stepping back. The alpha's eyes were annoying. Jeon felt it almost physically. It
burned the skin, left behind an unpleasant residue. But Taehyung had no choice, all patients needed
help.

“Yes, but to be honest, sometimes I skip it, Dr. Jeon,” the man admitted, smiling guiltily and
pulling his shirt off his left shoulder with his right hand. “I hope you forgive me for this?”

“This is primarily for your own good, Captain Yoo,” Taehyung muttered, carefully unfastening the
plaster bandage from his alpha shoulder. “You really want to return to service sooner, right?” He
asked, throwing a short glance at the man.

“I got it, doc,” Yoo smiled, grimacing slightly from the pain in his shoulder. Taehyung threw the
used patch into the bin and went to the medicine box. While the doctor was getting what he
needed, alpha turned his back and focused on the TV again.
The big screen darkened, and after two seconds, the symbolism of the Asp blossomed on it. All
those present in the treatment room stared at the TV with a bated breath. Everyone had only one
question in their head: who is it this time?

“The damned demon,” Captain Yoo gritted through his teeth, when two people appeared on the
screen, as usual, the executioner and the captive on a gray background. From different corners of
the procedural room, surprised sighs and conversations were heard. Everyone looked with anxiety
and fear, with pity and anger.

Taehyung, without ever glancing at the screen, laid out what was needed to process the wound on a
small ledge on the hospital bunk. He pursed his lips, barely noticeable, focusing on the procedure.

On the screen, towering behind the prisoner, stood tall with a strong physique, an alpha with a
katana thrown over his shoulder and with a face that was habitually hidden by a black mask. The
prisoner was a well-known omega—the spouse of the Minister of Health. He sobbed and trembled
with his whole body, crushing the hem of the cotton shirt with small fingers and filling it with hot
tears rolling down the hollow cheeks.

"Mirai. The terrorist, sent by Satan himself," Yoo hissed, burning the TV screen with hatred look.
From the spoken name, Taehyung felt a nasty, sticky chill on his back. Fingers convulsively
squeezed peroxide bottles. Jeon tried to restrain, but his hand trembled, causing liquid to spill onto
a beige hospital tile in a small transparent puddle.

"Free yourself and ascend,” Mirai greeted in a hoarse voice that clearly didn’t belong to him,
extending the tip of the katana towards the camera. He broke into a predatory grin and suddenly
crouched in front of an omega, grabbing his chin with strong fingers and roughly turning his face
to himself. “And, of course, f u c k,” he grinned and ran a thumb over the wet lips of the prisoner,
making him froze in fear.

“Well, even after this the government does nothing...” Yoo chuckled, clenching his fist and turning
to Taehyung, who was silently treating the alpha wound. “This bastard needs to be destroyed.”

The one who was called Mirai was one of the world’s most famous leaders of the Aspid group. It
was known that he was quite young and began to prove himself about two years ago. With his
appearance, there were more wars, massacres and terrorist attacks. More public executions of
significant government people.

“They promote drugs, murders, prostitution and thefts, they want to lead the country to collapse
and installed perestroika according to their own rules,” the captain said quietly, looked at the
bandage. "How many riots and organized brawls among citizens we suppressed, but you can’t keep
track of everything. This snake has many heads. They set people against the government, bind us
hand and foot. Mirai, admittedly, is good, has achieved a lot in two years," he again looked at the
screen, where the terrorist voiced his conditions, holding a katana blade at the throat of an omega.

Taehyung cautiously glued a new patch onto the wound, adjusting the edges with his fingertips.
Listening to the captain was getting harder. Everything to him was as clear as day. He only did
worse, once again raising this hated topic. Everything was done only in words. They promised to
destroy Mirai and those who stand in his shadow, but the next day, the Aspid again organized a
massacre, once again showing the government that they could not be stopped, not suppressed and
not destroyed.

“Sorry, Taehyung,” Yoo said suddenly, putting his right hand on Jeon’s shoulder. He froze, staring
blankly at the captain. “I know how unpleasant this topic is, in fact it... the Asp has taken
something important from us all.”

Jeon pulled away, freeing himself from the captain's hand, and looked up at the screen, peering
into the black bottomless eyes of the grinning Mirai. He stood above the dead omega as he lowered
his katana and looked as if he came into the very soul, enjoyed the fear in the eyes of those who
would definitely see it. And the whole country would see it definitely. Every single one of them.
Both the child and the elderly. Everyone would see the atrocities that their great government
permitted, and Mirai would reveled in the chaos that follows after every public execution. Thick
red drops dripped from his hands, and behind his back there was an inscription on the gray wall
“the minister’s whore was waiting for his fate”. Someone screamed. Taehyung had a blue flame of
hatred and pain inside. The pain that had been holding for two years in the very depths of his
tormented soul. He would have torn Mirai with his bare hands, would have reached his soul and
cut it with that same katana. This pain could not be etched, did not dissipate. It soaked into every
cell.

Parents died in vain.

Jungkook died in vain.

Mirai did not stop.

Taehyung instinctively put his hand to his chest, where a metal token—a piece of his soulmate—
was warming under a layer of fabric, and turned away from the screen, unable to bear the
bottomless dark look of the killer, leaving Taehyung alone.
“And he won't return,” Jeon whispered in a slightly trembling voice, looking into the eyes of the
alpha. The alpha looked at him with sadness and unnecessary regret, he opened his mouth to say
something, but Taehyung did not need it. Neither regret, nor a word. “You are free, Captain Yoo.
Don't miss the preparations. See you,” with these words, Taehyung turned around and went to the
exit of the treatment room, hearing Mirai’s fake voice behind him.

"Long live our beautiful future."

~}{~

Soft classical music with sweet bliss spread over a spacious snow-white room, caressing the ears of
those who was present. The guests drank sparkling drink from high glasses, quietly talking to each
other.

Taehyung stood at a high window, drinking champagne and watching what was happening in the
hall. Among those present there were many cones of different levels. None of them probably
wanted to be here—just window dressing for the press, that would sparkle the headlines about how
important all of them were for human life the next morning, while in fact all these useless
politicians were wiping their expensive shoes on it.

A small event, organized in honor of the opening of a new hospital, dragged on for a painfully long
hour. Jin left half an hour ago, who mentioned about how drunk he was. Still, alcohol did not suit
him at all. Taehyung decided that he would leave a little later, grumbling a little more for the sake
of decency and talking to his future colleagues.

Fatigue and heaviness in the head from the drink gradually made themselves known, enveloping a
relaxed body. Taehyung put a glass of his unfinished champagne on the nearest snack table and
flinched slightly when someone touched his shoulder.

"Sorry, I didn’t want to scare you," the tall and slightly chubby alpha apologized, smiling warmly
when Taehyung turned around sharply, staring at the man.

It was Mr. Shin who startled him, he an for the mayor of the capital this year. On the news almost
every day showed his merits, which included the opening of charitable foundations for homeless
people, the opening of orphanages for orphans and the new hospital, in honor of which this event
was organized.

“It's all right,” Taehyung lifted the corners of his lips a bit, almost like smile.

“Today is a wonderful evening,” Mr. Shin raised his glass from the table and took a sip, licking his
lips and looking at those who was present. “I'm glad that we finished the construction site so soon,
because there are more and more people in need of medical care, unfortunately,” he pursed his lips,
nodding thoughtfully, then turned to Taehyung who was standing next to him, smiling again.
“Wow, you are only sixteen, but you have hundreds of saved lives on your hands. We are definitely
lucky with a man like you, Dr. Jeon."

"Thank you, Mr. Shin," the omega smiled. "Everyone who can at least somehow help people is
extremely important in our time."

"I agree with you, everyone contributes to the common cause. Only by common forces can we
survive," Shin smiled, looking at Taehyung's face and slowly lowering his gaze to his honey
skinned neck, to his collarbones, which could be seen from under the black satin shirt unfastened to
the top three buttons. A spark flashed in alpha's eyes, which the omega managed to notice. Shin
unknowingly licked his lower lip, looking up again at Taehyung. "How do you feel about meeting
on the weekend?" He asked, smiling and rubbing his lowered palms. “Exclusively it is,” the alpha
added, catching confusion in Jeon' eyes.

Taehyung regretted not leaving with Jin. The alpha's carnivorous gaze made him sick. He wanted
to evaporate, ran away. Every alpha’s 'cases' were always the same. It could be read in their hungry
eyes. Jeon wanted to just turned around and leave, but he couldn't. Before him was the mayor, in
whose power he could leave Taehyung stripped away from his work in hospital.

Omega smiled tightly and inhaled more air, finally giving out a very quiet:

"I would love to, but-"

Taehyung was interrupted by the sound of a broken glass. The omega froze with a scream stuck in
his throat, staring at the hole on Mr. Shin's forehead. The alpha stared blankly in front of him, with
horror imprinted in his brown eyes.

Someone screamed, destroying the silence that hung in the hall for a moment, and someone started
backing away, pointing towards a small stage and muttering 'Mirai' with a trembled voice. Behind
the pulpit in the center stood a masked man with an assault rifle in his hand pointing upward. He
was dressed in a snow-white shirt unbuttoned from above, from which tattoos were visible, and
tucked in his black trousers.

"Well, where are the applause?" Mirai asked, pulling out a machine gun and directing the muzzle
towards the dumbfounded people. With the first screamed, shots began to spread. As if out of
nowhere, people appeared in the same masks and with black bandages on their left hand, which
depicted the symbolism of an Asp. They began to shoot everyone who came in the way. Mirai
laughed, left the pulpit and slowly walking down the stairs to a hall filled with chaos. “That's
better,” he grinned, stretching out his hand and firing at anyone.

Taehyung felt cold shivers ran down his back as Mirai burned him with the gaze of his black eyes.

Everything around him turned into hell. Pools of blood flooded the floor. There were the dead and
the still living people seeking for salvation. Someone screamed for help, but the Aspids finished
him off with a shot, someone tried to hide, but it was in vain. There was no way out of here. At
least, not exactly alive.

Bending down, Taehyung rushed to the tables, hiding behind one more or less the survivors. He
was breathing heavily, trying to even out his heartbeat, and swallowed thick saliva. Around him
were dead corpses, to which Taehyung was destined to join today. Suddenly, he noticed there was a
nearby omega with a blood-soaked shirt opened, their eyes staring at the ceiling with a glassy eyes.
Wet eyelashes from tears, slightly trembled. Jeon crawled on his knees to the guy, pulling off his
jacket. He hastily tore his shirt, examining the shot chest. Thick hot blood poured from the hole
rapidly. The omega was barely breathing, which was obviously difficult for him, and was all but
looked up with an unblinking look. Taehyung crumpled his jacket and pressed it to the hole from
the bullet, trying to stop the bleeding. The shooting around was still heard, not stopping for a
second. Jeon frantically looked for at least something that could help him save a barely living
person. Hands gripping the fabric of the jacket slightly trembled. The wounded man opened his
eyes wider and made a gurgling sound. Blood flowed from a parted mouth in trickles from both
corners of the lips. Taehyung grabbed the guy by the head, lifting it and frantically whispering
“Don't die,” realizing that the guy could not survive because of the shot was in his right lung.

Taehyung was angry and did not understand a thing, panic was rapidly capturing his sanity. In his
ears there was a rumble from screams and shots, and in his head there was a jumble. Trying to save
someone was a stupid idea. No one supposed to survive. Aspid managed to silently broke through
the multiple guards throughout the building, which was now completely under their control.

Closing the dead omega's eyelids, Taehyung crawled to the entrance of the corridor, every second
expecting for a shot in the back of his head. Finally escaping from the epicenter, Taehyung rose on
his trembling legs and ran down the corridor, frantically looking around. His body was stopped by
shock. Behind him, with an automatic rifle on his shoulder, stood Mirai, behind his back were the
soldiers of the Aspid, finishing off the remaining people. Jeon's legs nearly gave up to the
terrorist's gaze. He turned away and ran away, sharply turning to the right and almost slipping on
the tiled floor. If he destined to die, then he would try to put a fight.

Playing catch-up with the death itself was scary and dangerous. The outcome was clear anyway.
The body gradually paralyzed by fear, forcing it to stop, but consciousness fought desperately to
the end. Taehyung slammed a pile of plastic chairs against the wall with his shoulder and mentally
scolded himself for the noise. Shots were remotely audible, but silence was thick all around him.
Frightening silence awakened his animal fear.

Taehyung frantically pulled the handle of the door, breathing loudly and running down the corridor
from one office to another, until finally one of the doors let him in. The omega opened the door and
fled into a dark office, lit only by a street lamp through the window. He immediately closed the
door, trying to lock it from the inside with trembling fingers stained with blood. Someone, on the
other end of the door, jerked the door sharply, causing Taehyung to fall to the floor, hitting the
back of his head. Sparkles was inside his head, and his head became dizzy. The omega
immediately began to crawl back, trying to rise on his feet. Mirai stood in the doorway, in a shirt
soaked in strangers' blood. He lowered his head and slowly stepped into the office, lowering the
machine.

"Come on, shoot!" Taehyung growled, rising to his feet. “Kill me and leave with a clear head.
Don't leave anything behind yourself," the omega hissed, threw a hatred look at the man.

Mirai, who had brutal public executions, who massacred people and declared war on the
government, which left Taehyung and thousands of other people without families, was now
standing in front of him. He didn't try to kill, didn't try to say something. He walked slowly, like a
wild beast. Sneaking up, driving his victim into a corner and not leaving a single chance of
salvation.

Taehyung's heart broke out, and pure rage boiled in his blood. He clenched his fingers into fists—
the only self-defense—and backed away as the alpha approached him. Fear and anger were
intertwined closely, creating something uncontrollable and wild.

“I hate you,” the omega said, shaking slightly with anger. “The killer, the monster that robbed me
of everything! All of us! Come on, destroy me too, what are you waiting for?" Taehyung cried out,
and hot tears flowed involuntarily from his eyes. "Why are you silent? Where are your loud
speeches and threats that we hear on TV?"

Mirai grinned and suddenly threw the machine gun to the ground, which made Jeon startled
slightly. The alpha rushed to the bewildered Taehyung and roughly pressed the doctor's back
against the wall. The omega closed his eyes, freezing and almost didn't breathe. Fear began to
paralyze, finally reaching consciousness. Taehyung was preparing for an instant death, but Mirai
acted completely unpredictable. He approached the omega and inhaled the aroma of dark-skinned
skin, covered with a bit of sweats.

Too close, too dangerous. Taehyung was ready to scream, but there was nowhere else to go to wait
for help. He felt the stranger palm slipped over his heaving chest and stopped at the edge of his
trousers. A new wave of stabbed, unpleasant goosebumps rolled across his body. The alpha's hand
slid up again. It seemed to Taehyung that a snake crawled across his chest, which was about to
squeeze his thin neck and break it with pressure, crushing the bones.

Mirai picked up a token hanging on the neck of the omega with his finger and grunted quite a bit.
Taehyung opened his eyes immediately and tore the token from the fingers of the alpha, burning
him with his killer gaze.

"Don’t touch, don’t you dare touch him,” he growled, trying to push Mirai away, but he was like a
rock that could not be moved. He was taller than his head and stronger at the same time, able to
snap his neck with his bare hands.

Strong hands pressed him harder against the wall, preventing him from moving. Taehyung felt hot
breath on his lips and turned his head to the side. One could only dream of instant death. The alpha
was dangerously close, he breathed heavily, eagerly inhaled the aroma of omega and squeezed the
satin fabric of his shirt in his fingers. Taehyung was aware of the terrorist's intentions. A new wave
of panic was growing rapidly, a scream stuck in his throat.

"Just kill," Taehyung wheezed, tearing his hand out of the alpha's grip and swinging a weakly
clenched fist at the alpha.

Mirai grabbed and squeezed the weakened and trembled omega's hand in his big palm. Taehyung
almost cried, dreaming of dying soon and feel nothing. Hating himself for being weak before the
enemy. Shameful, humiliating death...

"Still cold as before,” Mirai finally spoke in a low, hoarse voice, stroking the inside of Taehyung's
hands with his thumb.

Taehyung was numb, giving up trying to break free. Mirai pulled away and reached for his mask,
pulling it off his head. For Taehyung, the ground under his feet disappeared, and his heart stopped
beating. Absolute emptiness in his head, and shock in his eyes. He looked at the alpha's face as if
he saw a ghost smiling warmly at him from a beautiful past. Barely moving his lips, the omega
exhaled almost inaudibly:
 "Jungkook..."

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

Author's contact info:

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 Bitter Joy
Chapter Notes

⚠Warning: Blood, murder.

Playlist:
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Character Visualization:
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See the end of the chapter for more notes

Millions of small needles pierced the heart, squeezed the miserable organ in a vice grip, preventing
it from functioning normally. The body pulsed a small tremor, as if electric waves ran through it.
The skin on the paled cheeks was the result from endless tears, the small scarlet of cobwebs
stretched to the dark amber pupils crawled from the sclera.

Taehyung was on his knees, sat at the center of the room, his back hunched over from a painful
heaviness that concentrated throughout his fragile body. Diving deep into some unknown depths in
himself, he gazed with unblinking eyes at the awards neatly placed in front of him on a light, worn-
out parquet. The rewards that Taehyung had so carefully kept all these years, not allowing a speck
of dust to sit on it, not even letting his breath touched the cold sparkling metal. He lowered his
head and extended a slightly trembling hand to the small round-shaped, a gift for 'His' services to
the country. The last award of the hero.

The omega touched it with his fingertips, clogged blood under his nails. He was afraid to break it,
he was afraid to leave a scratch on the award, which looked like it was handed to him only
yesterday. Each sparkles shimmered in the light, like a gem. Priceless.

Taehyung kept his gaze on his reflection, on the dark circles under his eyes, on his blood-stained
lip, on crystal drops which again rushed to fall on his thin knees. The token swayed silently around
his neck, which has became an inextricable part of Taehyung's body, heart and soul. He looked at
his hands and raised them, carefully placing the medal in its place in a small box with velvet
scarlet. On his honey skin, blood stained it and there were small scratches, the wrist burned with
cold, which forced its way under his skin, braided itself by its long thin fingers and damaging like
an acid. Taehyung painfully bit his lower lip, pressing his hand to the token, which instantly
eliminated the ghost of the cold, spreading heat on his trembling fingers.
At the door of the room there was a lump of black satin soaked in starnger's blood, stanger's death
that could not be prevented.

It seemed to Taehyung that it was a dream. One of those nightmares that began to fit into his head
after the death of his brother, and then after the death of his beloved parents. Waves of bloods
raged around, washing themselves all around, people cried out that they were drowning in this
blood without a chance of salvation.

Masked people. Wild animals that had no name; tyrants who did not know the obstacles in their
path. They tore it to shreds, eagerly licking warm scarlet drops from their lips, and continued to
drown people in the bloody ocean under the guidance of the one who chased a ghost until they
drove him into a corner, inspiring an animal that was not subjected to common sense's fear.

The smell of gunpowder and blood hit the nostrils, garnered on the tips of calloused rough fingers,
which melted the skin through the map of the skin with just one light touch. Taehyung still felt the
touched on his chest that felt like he had burnt out his chest, ripped his ribs and reached the heart.
To the dearest and most valuable. They touched on what was forbidden and hidden from prying
eyes. Desecrated. And on the lips was cold breath, covering the skin with a crust of ice.

The black mask came off the demon's face. And it showed the world a completely different face...

Taehyung saw his brother's face. He looked with coal-black eyes directly into the soul of the
omega. He smiled just like as he was before, a very long time ago. In another life. He radiated
warmth and love, which always enveloped his younger brother. Warmth and love, in no way
matched with the coldness and the disgusting combination of gunpowder and metal. Jungkook
stretched out his arms, smiling wider, but everything broke off instantly as soon as Taehyung
recoiled in fear. This was a reality and imagination. Not true, not true.

The demon laughed at him, sneaking into a hidden corner and clawing to the innermost. He took
the guise of the one who was so dear, finishing, scoffing, throwing a fake and disparaged face of
his beloved and lovely brother. It wasn't true.

As if stung, Taehyung crawled away from Jungkook, clutching his fragile trembling shoulders with
cold fingers. He shook his head frantically, repeating firm denial in a silent whisper, trying to
convince himself of this. It wasn’t true, it couldn't be.
"Hush, Taehyungie."

Taehyung closed his eyes, panting. There was so little air.

A hoarse whisper of Jungkook crawled into his ears like a snake, crept deeper, crashing into
consciousness, imprinted in memory. It sounded so in a familiar way, but also in a different way.
Far and insignificantly close. The voice that Taehyung heard in the memory of his dreams that
could never be forgotten, even if millennia flew by.

"Leave when you hear a shot from the street, don’t tell anyone.”

What was he talking about, what was he whispering in his ear, shivers ran through his body, which
had became one lump of nerves... Tears flowed hotly down his cheeks, piling up on his chin.
Taehyung stood up on stiff legs, sobbing noisily. He grabbed his shirt from the floor, blindly
stepping toward the bathroom. Sobs, rapidly increasing and turning into new kind of sobs, echoed
against the cold beige tile of the bathroom. The omega frantically pulled off all his clothes, as if he
was ripping off his skin, crumpling his nervous movements and throwing them into the sink.

“I will find you myself.”

Taehyung felt a large palm lightly touching his shoulder and then the ghost disappeared, leaving
cool air behind. There was only darkness around, and he was left in it alone, gnawed by his own
fear and shock. Somewhere in the distance, muffled footsteps and illegible voices were heard. The
omega drowned a tantrum in himself, desperately tearing it out, and leaned against the wall so as
not to fall, and then didn't have the strength to rise, and remained in the darkness, where the smell
of blood and gunpowder penetrated everywhere.

Blood-soaked clothing burnt in an orange flame which burned in the sink, turned into nothing,
burning along with a true but untruthful nightmare that was and wasn’t. Taehyung trembled,
shaking in sobs, and pressed his knees to his chest, sitting in the bathroom, rapidly filling with icy
water. He bit on his wrist, squeezing his eyes painfully and howling like a wounded beast from
suffocating pain.

Jungkook had not been around for a long time, he had turned into dust that had settled in
Taehyung's heart. His brother died as a hero, and did not survive to become a soulless monster.
Jungkook could not be returned; his remains were buried in the mass grave of the cursed north.

~}{~

The icy water washed away the blood and dirt, but the sensations the ghost of hot touches did not
disappear. Taehyung put on a big white T-shirt and gray sweatpants, wrapping himself in a blanket
on the couch, trying to sleep and calmed the body that trembling from the cold, or from the raging
hysteria inside. He covered his heavy eyelids, hugged himself with his forever cold hands. In a
small bright apartment—his favorite pleasant silence, which was now quite a bit scary. Taehyung
listened to the noise from the street, scurrying down below the cars, signals and voices of people.
He didn't dare to turn on the TV, feared to once again encounter black demonic eyes piercing
through and through. Surely there was one topic on every channel now— the monstrous events of
last night, where only one person survived, although he certainly shouldn’t. Aspid left no
witnesses; those who heard the true voice of Mirai, who saw the ink lines of tattoos visible from
beneath of the unconcealed skin. Those who saw his face. The face that Taehyung knew as much
as he remembered him own self.

A new wave of anxiety was born in his chest, Taehyung closed his eyes, sniffing, and feeling the
pillow become wet from the tears that had sprayed again. He got confused, lost in his thoughts, in
his own fear, in speculations and doubts, in disbelief and truth. Jeon wanted to be forgotten, fell
asleep as soon as possible, but the dream did not go on; icy water revitalized the exhausted body,
leaving the body to suffer with wild thoughts and images. Taehyung wiped his wet eyes with his
hand and threw the rug away, touching the cool floor with his bare feet. The omega sat in a chair,
putting a box of medicine on his lap. Without the help of sedatives and sleeping pills now he
couldn't fall asleep.

The doorbell rang, startled him, causing the box to fly to the floor, sprinkling its contents.
Taehyung froze, clutching a package of important medicines in his fingers and carefully narrowed
his eyes toward the corridor. Internal anxiety re-filled the mind. He carefully put down the box,
rising from the chair and silently stepping on the parquet towards the corridor. Suddenly, the
poisonous snakes returned for him to finish off the last survivor? Or, maybe, the military came,
learning that he had survived, and decided to arrange an interrogation about what had happened?

Taehyung pressed his back against the wall, swallowing heavily and scowled at the front door, on
which the peephole glowed with cold light from the entrance. The bell rang and the omega covered
his eyes, biting his lip. A sense of anxiety pulled him down, threatening to squeeze the legs. The
severity of what had happened would now fill the consciousness, looking for a dirty trick and
seeing danger in everything.

"Taehyung-ah, are you there?"

Taehyung breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a muffled familiar voice outside the door, in
which uneasiness clearly stands out. He detached himself from the wall and stepped toward the
door, revealing a key and turned it until three turns. At the front door, stood Jimin in a dark blue
military uniform with three gold stars of the colonel on uniform. Trousers that slightly fit strong
hips were tucked into low heavy boots, and under a jacket was a white shirt with two unbuttoned
top buttons. Charcoal hair was slightly tousled. He frowned agitatedly, but when he saw Taehyung,
the uneasiness in his eyes, which was not completely gone, mixed with slight relief. Not letting him
figured it out, he took a step forward and gently squeezed Taehyung's shoulders with his fingers,
carefully examining the confused omega.

"Jimin..."

“You are fine,” the alpha breathed out, carefully pulling Taehyung to him, softly hugged his fragile
body, and almost immediately, reluctantly releasing.

Taehyung nodded confusedly, stepping aside and inviting Jimin into the house. The alpha picked
up a small black bag from the ground, entering the apartment and closing the door behind him.

In a small kitchen set, silence was broken only by the soft murmur of a refrigerator. Jimin sat at the
table, clutching his fingers into the castle and watching the tense Taehyung, who was carefully
trying to hide his condition behind pretense calm. His gaze ran absently, not concentrating on
anything, and his teeth bit his lip. He opened the upper cabinet, rising on his toes to get a can of
coffee. In the kettle on the stove, water already boiled, hissing softly. Taehyung didn't even ask if
Jimin wanted it, he did it almost on the instinct, pouring a cup of coffee and a spoonful of sugar,
just like how the alpha loved. Park was silent, not wanting to strain the omega words even more.
Jimin was aware of what happened yesterday, aware that Taehyung was there. He thanked the
Gods for saving Taehyung from a terrible reprisal. It didn’t fit into his head that he could lose the
omega that he had protected since Jungkook died and followed by their parents, was nearby and
supported him when the boy began to rose to his feet, collecting the remains of his soul together
and continuing to live longer, helping those who needed help.

Taehyung nervously bit his lip, he didn't want to look at the alpha. Jimin was already worried, after
absented, just returned from the north, he probably didn’t even visit his own home, but he was
right here, next to Taehyung. Madly worried.
The omega took the hot handle of teapot and threw it on its original place not long after, jumping
abruptly to the side, hissing and pressing his burned fingers to his chest. Jimin jumped out of his
chair, hovering over Jeon, who again had tears in his eyes. Taehyung sobbed, biting his quivering
lip. The alpha's warm fingers gently touched the wrist. The omega shuddered slightly, about to
pulled his hand out of a weak grip, about to ran away and hide, to disappear and to felt nothing, but
a caring voice distracted him from the rush, making the omega froze.

“Let me check it, Tae,” Jimin asked cautiously, and Taehyung slowly reached out with reddened
pads of fingers, sniffing and pursing his lips so as not to burst into tears. The skin was blistered, but
not this pain that made the heart cried and bleed. This pain was just a lever that he himself pulled,
provoked fresh memories to break out again.

Jimin carefully took the omega's palm in his hand, blew gently, blowing cool air to the burnt skin.
Taehyung closed his eyes, trying to stop the damned tears. Park thumbed it soothingly, stroked
open the palm. The omega relaxed a bit, opening his eyes and watching the actions of the alpha.
Warmth spread inside when Jimin gently, completely kissed each finger tenderly. Goosebumps ran
through his body. He turned his head to the side, embarrassed. Jimin was with him, like a child.
Blowing on the wounds, kisses and silent promises that this will help. It didn't help at all, but it
was getting warmer and lighter on the soul. Like eternal clouds scattered, revealing the world a
golden shining sun. Jimin smiled affectionately, noting the omega's embarrassment, and released
his hand, pulling Taehyung to him completely. Jeon moved forwards, hiding, like a soft blanket the
aroma of the alpha's scent was. Jimin was the only and closest person left with him.

Taehyung shuddered slightly, feeling the alpha's palm slid over his spine, stopping over his lower
back. With the fingers of his other hand, he gripped Taehyung's perfect chin, stroked the omega’s
lower lip with his thumb, and leaned in, covering his Taehyung’s puffy lips. He moved carefully,
gently, without pressure. Taehyung clung closer to Jimin, putting his hand on a strong shoulder and
gently squeezing the fabric of a thin shirt with his fingers. He opened his lips, allowing Jimin’s
tongue to slid in, and he returned it lazily, but eagerly. Licked the warm alpha's lips that had
pleasant citrus flavor with the tip of tongue, restraining the desire to bite. Taehyung closed his
eyes, felt the last tears rolled down his cheeks. Jimin erased them with his finger, without breaking
the kiss, drew closer and warmed the omega, which was shrouded in cold coming from the soul
itself.

They were sitting on the couch, watching the repetition of some stupid show. Jimin managed to
find a channel which showed yesterday’s events with terrible, uncensored fragments of what
happened did not turn every second. Nearby, they inserted a masked image of Mirai as the first
suspect in the brutal massacre. But did anyone doubt it? And without that it was obvious who
created hell on earth.

Taehyung pressed his knees to his chest, biting his lip and trying to find something interesting in
what was happening on the screen. Jimin sat beside him, touching Taehyung with his shoulder,
legs crossed on his knee and arms folded across his chest, which made the biceps, not covered by
the fabric of the sleeves, tensed and looked even bigger and stronger. He changed into his usual
light blue jeans with ragged knees and a plain black T-shirt. Quite simple at home in a familiar
way without the uniforms, which caused anguish and anger in the soul, although they looked
pretty good on the alpha, which Taehyung would never say out loud.

“Tae,” Jimin called suddenly, looking up from the TV and meeting the questioning look of the
omega’s large brown eyes. “Surely,” he cleared his throat, frowning his thick eyebrows and
following the expression of Taehyung, “you left earlier, right?” He asked finally. The question
seemed stupidto itself, because if Taehyung hadn't left earlier, he would have become one of the
victims of the terrorists, there couldn't be other way.

Taehyung was silent, for too long it seemed, again staring at the TV with an empty look and no
longer perceiving what was happening there. Jimin said nothing, waited patiently, not wanting to
put pressure on the omega frightened by yesterday's event. Taehyung nodded only briefly, biting
his lower lip.

“Don't tell anyone.”

A frightening familiar voice arose in his head, ordering to not tell anyone. True memory or a dream
only, Taehyung would not tell anyone. No one would believe this, because even the omega himself
was in doubt. The best solution was to forget all of this, treat it like a nightmare, and live on.
Trying to live more or less normal, as before.

“I was so worried. I will not leave you alone for a long time,” Jimin sighed, turning to Taehyung
and covering his bandaged palm with his thumb, gently stroking his smooth skin with his thumb
that was not hidden by a bandage. The omega looked into dark eyes, full of care and nervousness,
felt how it became easier to breathe, and the darkness crept back into the unknown, cowardly
hiding in the shadow, which Taehyung did not want to look at. Near Jimin everything was calm,
safe. The omega threw all the dark and painful thoughts aside, shoved it into the far corner and
moved closer to the alpha, resting his head on his warm shoulder. Tickling the crown by the
breathes the alpha blew out made pleasant goosebumps, and a soothing stroking on the shoulder
gradually took consciousness into a world of dreams and long-awaited peace, where there was no
death and frightening demons.

~}{~
After four days of meaningless existence within the apartment, Taehyung returned to work,
wishing he had done this before. Caring for the patients and the eternal, unremitting noises of
hospital hustle and bustle had taken over the head, completely dispelling alarming thoughts. The
omega was angry that he allowed himself to rest in such a hard time, when the wave of arriving
victims began again. They needed him, and he sat out in his four walls, dug in himself and trying to
recover. Now the events of that ill-fated evening seemed no longer so frightening. Taehyung
couldn't find an explanation. Only one thing—hallucinations due to blurred consciousness amid
fear. Or he just started going crazy.

Fortunately, no one questioned anything. Taehyung only briefly explained to the head physician
that after what had happened he needed to recover, which technically was true. He said that he left
the event almost immediately after. It was worth believing in this himself, forgetting the terrible
images that were reality, and not like everyone used to—from the TV screen. After a couple of
days, the city returned to its usual chaos, knowing for sure that this was not the first or last time.

From the early morning in the hospital there was tension and fuss, agitation and nervousness.
Somewhere there were not enough doctors and rooms, the relatives of the victims panicked,
cursing the hospital staffs. Or death came for someone.

Taehyung while working in the hospital got used to all of this, but after a short pause everything
seemed to fall heavily, rapidly depriving him of strength. The omega ran a couple of times to the
vending machine to get the unpleasant coffee, which had to be poured into his system in order not
to collapse right on the spot. The day seemed painfully endless, as were people in need of help.
Taehyung understood that he was not better in his condition, angry at his weakness, so he worked
harder, running around the treatment room and trying to help everyone. There were doctors, but
there weren't extra pair of hands for everyone. Fortunately, there was no captain Yoo today. Jin
said that after a couple of days he took off the bandage, feeling much better. The omega also did
not forget to mention that the captain kept asking about Taehyung. Jeon, as a doctor, was really
glad that Yoo had recovered, but as an omega, he was glad he wouldn't have to feel this sticky
studying gaze anymore.

The working day finally came to an end, bringing the long-awaited peace and silence. Outside the
windows of the hospital, it was already getting dark, the invariable clouds darken, thicken,
foreshadowing the rain.

Long fingers nervously drummed on a cup of long-cooled coffee. The young omega leaned his
back on his chair, rubbing his eyes tiredly and looking around at the few patients and doctors who
remained in the dining room. Jin sat across from him, picking a plastic fork on his salad plate and
at the same time glancing at the patient files scattered all over the table. He frowned and chewed
the vegetables slowly, then sighed heavily, raising a tired look at Taehyung.
“Today is such a madness,” said the older omega, stacking documents in a pile. “I guess I'll finish
this at home,” he nodded at the papers, making a grimace. “If I'm not needed here anymore, of
course. We must buy coffee on the way. Aren't you going too, Tae? We should go together."

"Not yet. I need to go around the patients one more time, look through the charts. Over the past
couple of days, there’s a big influx,” Taehyung took a sip of his coffee and frowned slightly,
pushing the cup aside. “I'll sit before...” he raised his hand thoughtfully, pulling out the sleeve of
his jacket and looking at the dial of the watch with a thin black strap tightly wrapped around his
wrist, “...before ten, and I'll go home, too,” Taehyung rose from his chair, straightening his sleeve
and taking his stack of papers from the table.

Jin nodded, putting documents in his bag, and stroked his light brown hair, rising at the same time
as Taehyung.

“Okay, Tae," the omega smiled, throwing the long strap of the bag over his shoulder. “Only,” he
frowned, looking at Jeon uneasily. Taehyung looked up, looking at the elder inquiringly. “Be
careful, okay?” sighed Jin, approaching the younger and wrapping himself in a hug.

“Yes, Jin hyung, don’t worry,” Taehyung pulled his lips into a tired smile, nodding and slightly
patting Jin on the shoulder. "Have a good rest, tomorrow we will have a no less difficult day."

Kim raised his thumb up and turned to the exit, winking at Taehyung for the last time. The bright
and kind Jin didn't lose optimism even in such difficult moments like now. He could fall down
from fatigue, could be in a bad mood, but he would never share his negativity with others. He
smiled and assured that everything was fine, even tried to joke. After the incident, the omega was
very worried about Taehyung. But it was worth worrying for the other people. No one was safe
from The Asp. And even Jin himself.

With a slight uneasiness in his heart, he left the hospital building, reminding himself to call
Taehyung when he was at home.

Silent steps on a clean white tile echoed through the deserted corridor, shrouded in the cold dim
light of night lamps. Taehyung quietly peered into the wards, where patients sleep peacefully,
getting rid of the hardships of reality at night. Someone tossing and turning in bed, someone
moaned softly from pain that did not leave even in a dream, someone muttered something, and
someone sat by the window, unable to close their eyes in eternal fear. After the attack in the new
hospital, which had not even begun to fulfill its function, the patients and medical staff became
more afraid. Now even a hospital was not a safe place.

Taehyung opened the door to the last room with a quiet creak, peering inside. He noticed a small
dark silhouette on the window, barely lit by the light of a street lamp.

“Jiyong-ah, why aren't you sleeping?” whispered the omega, quietly slipping into the room and
quietly going up to the windowsill, on which sat an eight-year-old boy in a light blue pajamas with
elephants. When he saw the doctor, he smiled barely noticeably, pressing his thin knees to his chest
and giving a space for Taehyung to sit on. “Even Jungsoo is sleeping, look at that,” Taehyung
smiled, nodding toward the bed against the wall, where the chubby boy was quietly sniffing,
scattering his limbs to the sides. "Usually, when I go in, he chewed something at night."

Jiyong casted a glance toward Jungsoo, who was sleeping peacefully and smiled sadly, turning
away to the window again.

“Today they brought him less candy. We ate them during the day, so there is no stock left,” the
boy explained, shrugging his shoulders. Taehyung crouched on the edge of the windowsill, clasped
his hands on his knees and watching Jiyong. Usually he was a cheerful and active baby now he
looked sad and thoughtful. He all peered into the black sky, as if trying to find, to see, something
there.

“Jiyong-ah,” Jeon called, drawing attention from the little alpha. “Why can't you sleep?” He asked,
lowering his head to his shoulder. “Is there something that bothers you?”

“No,” the boy shook his head, biting his lip. He nervously tugged at his pajama pants and sighed,
lowering his head. “I just... just miss my brother,” he said, barely audible. “He ended up in another
hospital. Papa says that I can see him when the hospital discharged me..." Jiyong paused, peering
his big, sparkling hope eyes into Taehyung's eyes. “Dr. Tae, when can I see my brother?” He asked
in a trembling voice, sniffing softly.

Taehyung slightly pinched the edges of his robe with his fingers, wanting to hide his nervousness
from the child. Looking into his eyes was difficult, unbearable. Jiyong looked for a prayer, waited
for words that would instill hope in him, would not let small sparks in his soul go out. Jeon knew
what happened when Jiyong got to their hospital. Aspid mined one of the major shopping centers in
the capital. There were many victims, many victims who were immediately sent to district
hospitals. So Jiyong and a few other people got here. The child had many burns and shrapnel
wounds. Under his pajamas that hid a bandaged body, on which there would remain ugly scars that
would haunt with a dark childhood memory.
About the brother of a boy who was in another hospital—it was a lie. Taehyung knew that Jiyong's
brother died on that terrible day. He repeatedly saw how the child’s dad, before entering the ward,
wiped away his tears, stilled for several minutes, trying to put himself in order and tried to find the
strength to be able to smile at his son. To indulge the child with hopes was cruel, because after that
it would be much more painful, he would be angry with his parent, who fed him with promises that
were not originally destined to come true. Jiyong believed and waited, just like Taehyung once
upon a time. He smiled and laughed during the day, thinking that he would soon meet with his
brother. Obediently obeyed all the instructions of the doctors and suffered pain in order to recover
faster and return to his family, to his brother, and in the evening, being alone with himself, he was
sad, gripped by longing.

Taehyung smiled to himself and touched Jiyong's soft hair with his palm, gently stroking.

“Soon, Jiyongie, you will soon recover and see your brother,” Jeon forced the lie out through his
teeth, sincerely hating himself for these words. But did he dare to destroy the hopes of a child? His
dad would do it, but he had no right. His throat was sore from the approaching tears, but the omega
carefully masked his expression. “There are a couple of changing the bandages and injections left,
and you will be healthy. Only, you need to sleep more, the body needs strength."

Jiyong smiled back, visibly relaxing, and nodded eagerly.

“Okay, Dr. Tae, I will,” he assured, and suddenly clung himself to Taehyung. The omega carefully
hugged him, afraid to hurt the sore spots, and gently stroked the back of his head.

When Jiyong went to the bed, Taehyung left the room and pressed himself against the wall in the
hallway, covering his wet eyes. How hard it was. The omega would like to protect the child from a
monstrous reality, but all that remained for him was to reinforce the vile lies, delaying the
inevitable.

Taehyung walked to his office on his weakened legs. Fatigue defeated caffeine and everything tried
to take power over the exhausted body, and in the chest there was an unpleasant sediment and
anger on itself. Now he'd felt like he would lie down, forget himself and sound asleep, but in the
office, on the table, there was a pile of things that needed to be check today.

The omega pulled the door handle and froze. The smell of menthol cigarettes emanating from the
office forced its way into his nostrils. He stepped in, extending his hand to the light switch on
reflex, but someone stopped it, squeezing his thin wrist. Taehyung held back a scream, looking
around in a panic in the darkness of the study. The door closed behind him, causing the omega to
shivered. He tried to wrest his arm out, but the grip was getting tighter. The hand on the wrist was
hot and rough. The omega was suffocating either from fear, or from the smoke that had filled the
entire room.
Taehyung wanted to scream, but he didn't. He couldn't panic and wake everyone else. His heart
beat in his chest like crazy, and his eyes frantically ran through a dark office. The blinds covered
the window, allowing only thin, dim stripes light to penetrate the light inside, but to no avail. The
grip on the hand suddenly disappeared. A lamp flashed white cold light on the desktop. The light
cut the eyes that were already accustomed to the dark, not allowing him to immediately saw the tall
silhouette.

“Who the-” the omega squinted, peering closely. Words got stuck in his throat.

Jungkook sat in front of him at the edge of the table. He pinched an almost dead cigarette between
his lips and looked at Taehyung with a slight smile. He looked relaxed and calm. Black, half-
closed eyes gleamed in a dim light.

“Hello, brother,” Jungkook whispered hoarsely, releasing a cloud of smoke toward Taehyung. The
omega stood still, rooted to the spot, stupidly staring at his brother.

Smoke enveloped the office. His eyes were watering. Behind the new cloud, Jungkook was almost
invisible, and it seemed to Taehyung that now, when the smoke dissipated, his brother would
disappear. High-voltage discharges ran through his body from the familiar voice, his legs gave
way, and the omega had to lean against the wall so as not to collapse on the floor. Jungkook put out
a cigarette butt on a folder with documents and rose, straightening a bloody-colored leather jacket,
worn over a black T-shirt. Tattoos could be seen on the skin that was revealed, extending the lines
up to his strong neck.

The smoke dissipated, but the image of his brother did not disappear. Taehyung didn't believe it,
afraid to believe. He trembled, looking at Jungkook as a ghost. Again an evil joke of the
subconscious, again hallucinations, delirium from fatigue.

“Aren't you glad to see your beloved brother?” with a grin and in a hoarse voice, Jungkook asked,
slowly approaching the omega and smiling warmly. In the half-lit room of Taehyung's office, that
smile seemed like a grin. He sobbed, squinting and clinging harder to the wall. This couldn't be.

He couldn't wake up from a nightmare. Taehyung felt a very real presence of his brother's body,
when his face blew out cigarette's smoke, and the fingers of other hand touch his elbow. He
startled, opening his eyes and staring directly into the black whirlpools on the opposite end.

“Don’t be afraid, baby,” Jungkook whispered very close from him. Warm fingers touched the
cheek moist from tears, smoothly ran down, drew around the jawline and took the chin, lifting it
up.

“Jungkook,” the omega whispered plaintively in a trembling voice, just like in childhood, when it
was scary and to calm him down it was necessary to feel his brother nearby, the brother who was
ready to protect the omega from all dangers.

Taehyung sobbed and abruptly snuggled up to Jungkook, hugging and wrapping his arms tightly
around his waist. He was afraid that his brother was now scattering in his hands, turning into
smoke, that all of this would turnout to be a cruel game of his consciousness again. But Jungkook
did not disappear. Jungkook hugged the omega's fragile body, burrowing his nose into soft blond
hair and breathing in his favorite aroma of sweet wisteria, which had blossomed and had became
brighter several times over these two years. Wisteria with a light aroma of citrus broke through.
Jungkook pursed his lips, involuntarily clutching the omega's robe on his lower back. Taehyung
trembles slightly in his hands, clung his fingers to his T-shirt and sobbed, his nose buried in his
brother's strong chest. Gradually, came the realization of reality when menthol scent broke through
the familiar fragrance of Jungkook. Tears only began to flow stronger from his flushed eyes.

“You've grown up so much, Tae,” Jungkook whispered with a faint smile on his lips, soothingly
stroking the omega's back with his palm. "Everything is fine, I'm here now."

Taehyung cautiously pulled back, sniffing and raising his eyes to Jungkook. Jungkook smiled,
wiping away the tears from the younger cheeks with his thumbs.

“Kookie, I t-thought-” Taehyung whispered, sobbing, “-I thought I was hallucinating. This is r-
really you," the omega exhales, carefully, weightlessly touching Jungkook's cheek, feeling the
warmth of his dearest person under his fingers. It was real. “But why are you...” he frowned and
fell silent, as if his tongue had suddenly swallowed.

Before his eyes, a picture popped up of how Mirai took off the mask, under which the face of
Jungkook was hidden. Inside, everything got colder, frozen and broken into tiny fragments.
Anxiety slowly crept up and beat on consciousness, blinked with a red signal, indicating the danger
that stood opposite him, hugged and smiled with the very smile of his beloved brother. Taehyung
lowered his hands like a ragdoll and took a step back, looking at his brother with fear, in disbelief.

“Why are you...” Taehyung whispered, barely moving his tongue, swallowing hard. "Mi-"

“Mirai,” Jungkook nodded, grinning and licking his lip with the tip of his tongue. “Yes, Taehyung,
I am Mirai.”
Exact hit. Bullet in the forehead. Taehyung wanted to scream again. He was shaking all over with
an upcoming panic and pressed his hand to his mouth, stopping the tearing scream. Hot tears
flowed down his cheeks again. He frantically shook his head in denial and sobbed loudly.

“W-why... why, Jungkook-” Taehyung looked at his brother with horror frozen in his big eyes.
Jungkook sat down on the table again and folded his arms over his chest, with a half smile on his
lips, watching his brother's internal hysteria threatening to break out. “We all thought you were
dead and... and your badge,” the omega continued in a trembling voice, not taking his eyes off the
alpha. He reached for the pendant on his neck, wrapping his icy fingers around the token.

“Throw it away, you don’t need it anymore because I’m right here,” Jungkook said with a grunt
and threw a disgusted glance at the piece of metal on Taehyung’s neck. The omega instinctively
pressed the token to himself, hiding it under his jacket. This thing was too long with him, it was the
only part of his brother who now stood before him alive and healthy. Taehyung felt relieved, the
heavy weight in his chest had disappeared, but now he was constrained by fear and horror. His
brother became a nightmare for the whole country, for every person. Even for the president
himself. It was difficult to believe in this, unbearable, but with his calmness and sudden coldness in
the eyes, Jungkook made you believe, convinced and confirmed. Mirai, whom Taehyung blamed
for his brother’s death, was here, right in front of him.

“Why did you make us think you were dead, Jungkook?” Taehyung asked, staying in place.
Approaching the alpha was no longer decided. From him, though he was dear to Taehyung, the
danger followed. His feet seemed to have grown to the floor, there was no strength to move.

“Because it was necessary, Tae,” the older Jeon shrugged. There was no longer the usual
tenderness in his voice, as if he had thrown aside the mask of pretense and laid bare his true
essence. There was ice in the voice, like steel that Taehyung had never heard before. “It was better
for you not to know what happened to me.”

“What... do you mean?” Taehyung asked quietly, not taking his eyes off his brother.

“There weren’t enough people at the time. Not the best days,” Jungkook shrugged and started
pacing around the office, peering in the lockers in a businesslike manner and grinning under his
breath. Taehyung pursed his lips, following Jungkook's actions. He could not recognize his brother.
This was someone else in front of him. The exact opposite of Jungkook, whom he remembered and
carefully kept in his heart. “Recruitment,” the alpha gave out, stopping and throwing an unreadable
look at the omega.

“R-recruitment,” Tae repeated quietly, delving into the essence of the spoken word. Jungkook was
recruited. “H-how did you allow this, Jungkook? How did you allow-" he whispered, nervously
clutching his fingers to the fabric of his robe. "Why..."

“They didn’t give a choice, Taehyung,” Jungkook replied sharply, approaching the omega. He
hung over his hunched brother with a large insurmountable rock that could crush in two. Taehyung
all shrank, but stubbornly stared with watery eyes at the serious face of his brother. "I have been on
their fly for more than a month. Another victory of mine, another order, and after that I got into the
network of the Aspid. There was no way out of there, Tae,” the last words of Jungkook became
quieter. He glanced at Taehyung, ready to fall, crumbled into dust under Jungkook's boots.

“You're not like that, Jungkook,” Taehyung whispered, sobbing and looking at his brother with
pain that he couldn't hide anymore. “I saw you that night. You... are killing innocent people. You
could kill me..." he recoiled, clinging to the wall. He wanted to run away from this Jungkook. Far,
fast. There, where Jungkook couldn't catch him. His body trembles slightly in an approaching
hysteria. Taehyung shook his head, shuddering in silent mourning. "Jungkook, what's gotten into
you?" He cried out, unable to hold on any longer. The pain that had been accumulating in the soul
for more than one year was desperately seeking a way out. “Why didn’t you come back to us then,
why did you turn out to be such a weakling! I-I considered you a hero, and you-" he stuttered,
eagerly grabbing the missing air and clutching the hair on his head with his fingers. “You become
a killer! God..." he hit Jungkook in the chest, taking out his anger, but the alpha stood like a stone
statue, not even moving a millimeter.

“Quiet, Taehyung-ah,” Jungkook growled, grabbing the omega by the hand and tugging roughly at
himself. Taehyung imprinted his back on the strong chest of Jungkook, feeling how the heat of
someone else’s body burned, melted the insides. Jungkook pressed his hand to the omega's mouth,
and the other grabbed it across the abdomen, preventing him from escaping. Taehyung whined,
wriggling in alpha's tight grip, but Jungkook gripped him harder. "Shut up and calm down, can you
hear me?" whispered Jungkook, searing Taehyung's ear with hot breath, giving small spiky
goosebumps on the spine. The omega winced, squinting and trying to remove his palm from his
face, but all in vain. "Do you want to wake the whole hospital?"

“Our parents...” Taehyung softened, sobbing and whispering softly when the alpha took his hand
away from his mouth, which immediately fell on his waist, still held by strong hands in captivity.
“Y-you... killed them?” the omega asked, turning his head to his brother and looking into black
eyes.

"What did you say?" Jungkook narrowed his eyes, turning Taehyung to face him. The omega cried
again, trying to break free of his grip. “Taehyung, what did you mean?” a steel voice literally cuts
air. He roughly shook the omega, trying to bring to his senses.

"Dad and father!" Taehyung cried out, pushing the alpha and moving away. “A year after your
death, they died. During the next bombing. And you were already with them back then. With the
killers!"

Jungkook froze in place, running his fingers through his hair and staring thoughtfully at one point
on the floor. He grinned dryly, shaking his head and squeezing hair between his fingers.

“That's how it is,” Jungkook said hoarsely, raising a heavy look at the omega, hatred burning in his
big eyes. “It wasn't me, Tae,” he replied calmly. In the voice of shocking indifference that hit right
under his breath. Taehyung pursed his trembling lips, shook his head, looking at his brother in
disbelief.

Jungkook, who loved his parents wholeheartedly, ready to give his life for them without hesitation
and who would stand for them till the last, now spoke of them as if they were strangers. Taehyung
wanted to beat his brother, shook out all the crap out of him that had swallowed the best in
Jungkook; returned as he was, but he stood astounded, looking in shock at the cold alpha, unable to
change something.

"You don't trust me?" Jungkook asked, grinning. He took a step forward, and Taehyung took a step
back. "What is it, baby? Are you afraid of me, your brother?"

“Don't come any closer, Jungkook,” the omega whispered, backing toward the door. “How dare
you come here? The very place where those whom you haven't finished sent into. People whose
lives you destroyed," he sobbed, covering his eyes and sighing heavily. “It would be better if
you...” Taehyung paused, bit his lip and lowering his eyes to the floor.

“It would be better if I what, Taehyung?” whispered the alpha, taking another step toward his
brother. He sneaked up like a beast, and his whisper is similar to a snake hiss. Taehyung stopped
seeing light in his brother. From it blew the death of thousands of dead people. Blood and
gunpowder. That terrible combination that the omega dreamed of forgetting, immediately
enveloped him, squeezed his neck, depriving him of oxygen. Poisoning him.

“Go away,” Tae sobbed, turning his head to the side. It was unbearable to look at Jungkook.

He was very close. He took Taehyung's chin with his fingers and turned his face to him, looking
with the empty amber eyes. The omega looked away, pursing his lips in a thin line.

“I missed you so much, Taehyungie,” the alpha whispered, softly touching his cheekbones moist
with tears and imperceptibly inhaling his favorite wisteria, filling his lungs without a trace.
Taehyung squeezing his eyes, held a new sob in himself and holding his breath.

The door next to him opened with a quiet creak, letting in the dim light into the study room.
Taehyung heard steps receding, echoing off the hospital walls. He covered his face with his hands
and slid down the wall, powerlessly settling on the floor. Pain cramped the body, provoking
another stream of hot nasty tears. Taehyung pressed his knees to his face and covered his face with
his hands, shuddering in soundless sobs. The darkness again began to envelop in a black haze,
seeping in, depriving the last particles of light that were still in his soul.

~}{~

Jungkook boredly looked at the paintings on the burgundy walls, lazily swaying in an armchair and
throwing his legs on a massive mahogany table. The cabinet of the Second Leader of the Aspid
was immersed in twilight, scattered only by a wall lamp emitting a yellow glow. A transparent
curtain swayed easily from the cold night breeze that seeped into the office through an open
window. Jungkook covered his eyes, applying his fingertips to his lips, which still retained the
smell of wisteria. He inhaled the fragrant aroma and clenched his hand into a fist, as if afraid that it
would disappear. In the corridor behind the door he could hear hasty steps, rapidly approaching.
Jungkook opened his eyes and stretched his lips in a smile when the Second Leader appeared at the
door.

"Mirai?" He squinted and walked into his office, putting a small black case on the coffee table. “I
didn't expect you at such a late time,” he said, smiling and sitting down on a soft sofa made of
black leather. Pulling a cigar out of the box on the table and lighting it, he leaned back relaxed, legs
crossed. "Did something happen?" He asked at ease, his grey eyes looking narrowly on Jeon.

Jungkook laughed hoarsely, taking his legs off the table and spinning in his chair. The Second
Leader lifted his chin, watching the alpha and letting out smoke.

“Bang, I like your office,” Jungkook said, running a hand over the smooth surface of the table and
looking at the man. Bang was relaxed and patient, as always. He waited for Jungkook to finish the
prelude and get down to business, lazily shaking the toe of expensive shoes in the air. "So
spacious. And the view from the window is just a fairy tale."

Bang let out a gray cloud of smoke, smacking his lips and raising his gray eyebrow. He grinned,
nodding and rubbing his nose with his finger.
“Glad you like it, but did you come for this, Mirai?” He asked, clutching his cigar again.

“Of course, you're right, I wanted to clarify something,” Jungkook scratched his temple with his
index finger and pensively casted his eyebrows, bending forward and leaning his elbows on the
table. “I remember that the generous Second Leader guaranteed the safety of my family in
exchange for my devotion to snakes, right?” Jeon lowered his head to one side, looking inquiringly
at Bang, who was still calm and detached. He nodded slowly, releasing smoke and squeezing a
cigar between his finger—decorated fingers. Jungkook grinned, nodding and leaning back in his
chair. “So,” he pulled away, tapping his fingers on the table with a random rhythm. “Why do I find
out that my parents died during our attack on the eastern border? Didn't you command that
operation, Bang?"

“That was necessary, Jungkook,” sighed wearily, the other alpha explained, shrugging his
shoulders and continuing to smoke with ease. "I could not risk all of us just because of three
people. I'm sorry your parents and brother-"

“My brother,” Jungkook growled, rising abruptly from his chair and resting his hands on the cold
table. Black bottomless eyes in hellfire burned the indifferent leader, dragged them into their
infinite darkness, but Bang did not react "He is alive, fortunately for you. But that does not change
much."

Jungkook went around the table, hanging over a man with a black colt in his outstretched arm.
Bang, noticing a gun aimed at him, laughed dryly, licking his dry lips.

“Come on, kill me, Mirai. Fratricide will be another sin promoted by the great Asp,” he wheezed,
looking Jeon in the eye with a wild twinkle, with inexplicable rapture in his ashen eyes. “Although,
I think, it will remain only between you and me. But I, one way or another, am ready to die for you
to ascend even higher. Tomorrow you, our Third Leader, will become the Second, and after that
become the First."

“I don't care, Bang,” Jungkook said in a cold voice, keeping his finger on the trigger and resting
the cold muzzle on his wrinkled forehead, covered in sweat. “I will kill you because you did not
keep your promise to me. Thank you for not resisting. It simplifies everything,” he grunted. A
shadow of smile flickered across his lips.

“Well, enjoy the new crown, my boy. It is heavier, but more valuable at times. I give it to you," the
man smiled, holding out a cigar to Jungkook. The alpha received it, immediately pulling and
pulling the trigger. A bright scarlet flower bloomed on the burgundy wall, a bloody halo above the
head of one of the great leaders.
 Jungkook gave the cooling body a cold look and went to the window, letting out smoke,
immediately carried away by the wind. Warm drops of blood slowly rolled down his temple and
cheeks, going down the crimson path to the neck. The alpha closed his eyes, listening to the city
noise, not ceasing even at night. In front of him was the whole city, glowing with its dim lights—
life slowly fading from the next dose of snake venom. And this was not the end of it.

It was only the very beginning.

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

Author's contact info:

VKontakte
Askfm
Twitter
 Snake Hole
Chapter Notes

⚠Warning: Yoonkook smut ahead. You can skip that part if you don't like.
⚠Warning: Graphic blood/violence/murder.

Playlist:
VKontakte
Soundcloud

Character Visualization:
VKontakte
Pinterest

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Light rain was drumming on the black roofs of expensive cars, standing one by one at the side of a
narrow road near the cemetery. Cold drops flowed down the black umbrellas of a few people,
falling on the dirty wet ground. Small pits with puddles were trodden in places. Mud mixed with
fine grass squished unpleasantly, sticking to the soles of expensive boots and shoes. The sky was
dark, heavy, threatened with a shower instead of a small harmless rain. In the distance, the first
peals of thunder were heard, briefly illuminating the leaden sky with a bright white flash.

After the funeral ceremony of the Second Leader, everyone began to disperse, wanting to get into
the warm interior of the car and walked away from the house of the dead. Jungkook stood at the
grave for several minutes, smoking a third cigarette and staring aloof at the marble stone. Bang
Jaehwan for him was the elder brother, mentor and guide to the lair of snakes. He led Jungkook to
the Apsids, made him what he was now, put him on a pedestal.

He exalted Mirai, voluntarily putting his life in the hands of Mirai.

Everything happened as Jungkook had predicted. Suspicions of the murder of the Second Leader
immediately fell on the people of the government, the eternal enemies of the Asp. They were not
capable of this. The snakes, having heard terrible news of what had happened, immediately laid
bare their fangs, sending it toward the government. They played big, they thought. They had come
so far. Must become stronger. More dangerous.

Jungkook threw a cigarette butt into a small puddle, which made it hissed softly, getting wet and
slowly sinking to the bottom. The First Leader, surrounded by three of his associates, was already
at the exit of the cemetery. Adjusting his black cloak just below his knees, Jungkook headed
toward them. A bodyguard hurried after, holding an umbrella over Jeon's dark chestnut head.
“Mirai,” the First Leader paused, turning to approach Jungkook and giving him an impenetrable
look. He nodded briefly to two of his subordinates, and they silently left the leaders, leaving the
cemetery. “We were crippled. They deprived us of one significant support,” the alpha said in a low
gruff voice, slowly pulling leather gloves over his long fingers. “We need to find out how this
could happen,” he looked up at Jeon with the cold look of black eyes. “Now you are the Second
Leader, and the people under Bang are yours. Perhaps the enemy lurked among them. Worth to
find out. As soon as possible."

“Yes, Yongguk,” Jeon nodded, looking at the leader seriously and confidently. “I will destroy
every rat I find among ours. This is my job,” Yongguk nodded briefly, peering into Mirai’s eyes.
Jungkook was honest and confident, he was betrayed by body and soul. In the leader’s gaze, one of
the many ice melted, revealing the gaze of a proud mentor.

Bang Yongguk was the youngest First Leader. Previously, men over fifty became leaders, while
Yongguk was close to forty. He was a little taller than Jungkook, with dark brown, almost black
hair and dark skin. In every, even a slight gesture of alpha, the qualities of a true leader were read.
In an impenetrable gaze from top to bottom, in a restrained cold tone without unnecessary words
and actions. In every word and deed. Bang was considered one of the best leaders of the Asp in its
entire existence. When Jungkook joined the ranks, Yongguk was already at the top of power for
about five years. Now it was difficult for Jungkook to imagine that he was fighting against this
man, wanted to destroy him and bring the world long-awaited peace. Standing in front of Yongguk,
Jungkook could not even think of his former hatred for the leader. Now he could agree—Bang
Yongguk was the best leader.

“Before, there were three of us, you need to be careful now,” the leader said, adjusting the buttons
on his black coat. “I think you know what to do, Jungkook. Just think better before deciding
something. You can not miss. We have no right to make a mistake."

“Today I will have a meeting with my people, discuss a plan for our further actions,” they slowly
walked to the exit from the cemetery, accompanied by bodyguards holding umbrellas above the
leaders.

“Keep me posted, Jungkook,” Bang said, stopping for a second and looking at Jeon. “We must not
let them go any further.”

Jungkook nodded in agreement, and Yongguk walked toward his car, leaving the alpha behind.
The dark silver maserati drove smoothly, gliding silently along the wet asphalt.

“I will go into the hole myself, Chansung, you may go,” Jungkook said to the bodyguard, looking
after the retreating car, and he bowed obediently and went to his car.

Jungkook licked his dry lips and with a sweeping step, he went to his massive black BMW.
Turning off the alarm, he got into the car, slamming the door and listening to the muffled knocking
of raindrops on the roof of the car. Everyone who came to the funeral were slowly leaving. The
rain gradually intensified, the rattle was growing stronger. Running his palm over moistened hair,
Jeon reached for the glove compartment, pulling out a small plastic box with white oval tablets.
Putting one under his tongue, he leaned back, covering his eyes. The bittersweet tablet began to
melt quickly, settling on the tongue. Jungkook squeezed the steering wheel with his fingers,
straightening and starting the engine. A slight warmth began to pour over the body, slightly
tingling the tips of the fingers. A pleasant emptiness crept into his head with a slight haze,
releasing the intrusive images of thoughts that should not be remembered. The faces of hundreds of
people, their voices begging for mercy, screams and eyes full of fear. Everything disappeared, as if
it was never happened. He did not need it, it was useless.

He drove into the road, Jeon pressed the gas pedal to the floor, blasting and instantly leaving the
gray cold cemetery behind. This place would not accept him in the near future.

~}{~

The snake hole, as the Aspids called it, was the place of common gathering, it was located in the
very heart of the capital, coexisting beautifully with the enemy who was looking for the snake
everywhere, but not under their nose. From the side of the hole it looked like a three-story white
building, of which there were many in the area.

A black jeep drove up to the hole, stopping at the front door. The guard bowed respectfully, letting
Jungkook went inside and closing the massive door behind him.

The alpha climbed up to the second floor, swinging open the doors to a spacious hall with rows of
chairs where members of the Asp were already seated in anticipation. Today was different from
everything that usually happened here. Day of sorrow, death of the leader. Usually wild and
uncontrolled Aspids, drowning in all kinds of sins, were now serious and thoughtful, and sparks of
anger gleamed in everyone's eyes; all longed for revenge, reprisals for what happened. They
simultaneously rose from their seats and bowed their heads when Jungkook entered the hall. The
sound of footsteps on the wooden floor echoed off the high walls.

“Freely,” Jungkook talked in a colorless voice in his usual army manners. Something in it was
rooted and was not going to disappear, and snakes were used to the leader’s soldier manners for a
long time. They relaxed noticeably, sitting back comfortably and watching the leader. Jungkook
took off his cloak and threw his back on his chair, and he sat down on the edge of the table, rolling
up the sleeves of his black shirt and loosening a suffocating tie around his neck. “I won’t talk about
how a great leader Bang Jaehwan was,” Jeon began, gliding his unreadable gaze from one aspect to
another. In complete silence, the alpha voice sounded too menacing, with obvious steel notes and
subtle irritation. The snakes could be sure that Mirai was just as angry because of what had
happened, like all of them. “We all know that already,” his gaze rested for a second on an omega
with light blue hair and a scarlet bandana covering his forehead. He sat almost in the front rows,
arms crossed over his chest and with a bored face listening to the leader’s tirade. “The reprisal will
not make you wait,” Jeon continued, taking his eyes off the omega. "Tomorrow, our people who
are greatly respected by our beloved capital will go to be spiritually enlightened. Why don't we
go?" Asked Jungkook. A small smile resembling a grin of a wild beast touched his lips, and scarlet
lights flashed in his black eyes.

The snakes began to glance at each other, nodding and assenting to the leader. Jungkook grinned as
he circled his lower lip with the tip of his tongue and rather watched his men. They would never
refuse a portion of blood.

“We will go to the Conivar Theater tomorrow night,” Jungkook announced, again, he made an
impenetrable expression on his face.

Mirai paced in front of the Aspids, revealing the details of the plan that was invented along the
road from the cemetery to the snake hole. Everyone listened attentively, taking instructions and
nodding briefly. Nobody was going to argue with the leader, his orders were carried out implicitly.
In his clearly laid out plan there were no flaws and inconsistencies, at first glance the plan seemed
even too simple. The alpha spoke confidently, without showing unnecessary emotions. It took
about an hour to revealed the plan and issued the orders.

“We will avenge our Leader. Let's make the government regret their actions,” Jungkook concluded.
“Everyone, you may free,” he waved his hand in the air and sat down again on the edge of the
table, watching the Aspids leaving the room.

A guy with blue hair walked next to the red-haired alpha, talking about something and approaching
one of the latter to the exit from the hall. The omega listened to something and nodded in
agreement, grinning briefly.

A shot rang out in the hall and everyone else who was in it stopped abruptly. The blue-haired
omega stared indifferently at the wall in front of him, where a small bullet hole gaped, which had
flown past his eyes a moment earlier. He slowly turned his head to the leader, who was standing
with outstretched hand in which he held a gun. A poisonous grin reflected on his lips.
“I'll ask you to stay,” Jungkook said, lowering the gun on the table and tilting his head to the side.

“Go without me, Hope,” he said quietly to the red-haired alpha, who was not taking his eyes off
Jungkook's eyes.

One of the remaining Aspids grinned nastily under his breath, pushing his tongue by the cheek and
leaving the room. Hope only pursed his thin lips, turning around and following the others, closing
the heavy doors behind him.

The empty hall was shrouded in a thick silence, squeezing and eating. The omega, having stood
still for a couple of seconds, slowly, with cat's grace, moved towards the leader, soundlessly
stepping on the wood flooring.

“Is there a special assignment for me?” The omega asked in a low hoarse voice, smiling faintly at
the corner of his lips.

“Oh, very important, only you can do it, Suga,” Jungkook answered, capturing the omega with a
hungry look in which sparks dance faster and brighter with each step Suga took.

He lingered, teased, running a pink tongue over his dry lips, came even closer, stopping a meter
from Jungkook. The alpha stepped forward, hovering a small omega that looked into black eyes
with a challenge, head up. Jungkook drew in the aroma of cinnamon and orange to his nostrils,
covering his eyes and touching smooth skin on the milky neck with the tip of his nose. Suga froze,
as if a victim in captivity of a beast, even stopped breathing. Jungkook drove him into a corner,
blocked all the escape routes, but the omega was not going to run.

Jungkook bit the delicate skin of the neck with his teeth, ripping out a hoarse moan from the
omega, and squeezed his thin waist with his fingers, pressing the fragile body between him and the
table. Suga grabbed Jeon's shirt with his fingers, pulling him closer to himself and sliding his lips
along the jaw line of the alpha. Jungkook's palm snaked down the omega's back, stopping on his
ass. The omega made a soft moan when the alpha's strong palm roughly grabbed his ass cheek. He
began to breathe harder, feeling an approaching wave of excitement. Jungkook was hovering him
like a majestic statue, the god, to whom the omega was now ready to pray, because the touch of
alpha burned the skin, sent the flowing of increasing excitement over it. He threw his head back,
opening his neck and added new marks on top of those that had remained with Jungkook since the
last time.
“You're grieving so much, my leader?”Suga whispered hoarsely, looking into the black eyes which
had sparks of animal desire in front of him. He licked his bloody lips, disturbed by fresh wounds.

“My sorrow is endless, everyone copes, just like Yoongi can,” answered Jungkook, tracing
Yoongi's swollen lips with his thumb and pressing roughly. Yoongi suppressed a tearing hiss and
clasped the leader's finger over his lips, sucking it like the most delicious candy in the world, while
he looked into his eyes, teasing and tickling the rough skin of the finger with a brisk rough tongue.

Jungkook was getting hotter every second, glowing to the limit. Yoongi teased and skillfully
played, switching. Jeon pulled a finger from the omega’s mouth and, grabbing his thin body easily,
set Yoongi on the table. The omega spread his legs, attracting Jungkook who kissed him with a
greedy kiss, and quickly unbuttoning the buttons on his shirt. Jungkook kissed persistently and
unrestrainedly, violently ripped off clothes from the omega, went down below and drew his lips
around sharp clavicles, bites, leaves scarlet flowers on porcelain skin.

Yoongi was naked in front of him, breathing heavily and looking lustful with excitement, his snow-
white skin was covered with slight sweats, and there was slight blush on his cheeks. He invitingly
licked his lips and reached for Jungkook's fly. The alpha was standing above him, watching the
omega quickly coped with the belt, unfastening his pants. He climbed off the table, kneeling in
front of Jeon and releasing an excited alpha's cock from the boxers. Yoongi clawed at Jungkook's
sides, tracing the precums outflowing from cock head with the tip of his tongue. Jungkook bit his
lip and clenched the guy's sky blue hair in a fist. He worked skillfully with his tongue, pulled out
new unrestrained sighs from alpha, enveloped the head with his red moist lips and sucked, licked,
smacking his lips and looked up at Jungkook. He went deeper, tracing his tongue over the alpha's
big cock with beautiful veins along the skin. Jungkook grabbed the back head of the omega's head
and pushed him toward his cock, setting his own pace. The alpha was not trying to be gentle. He
thrust rough and deep. Yoongi relaxed his throat, allowing the cock to penetrate further. Jungkook
growled, gritting his teeth, and pulled away, pulling his cock from omega's mouth. A thin string of
saliva stretched from the cockhead to Yoongi's lips, and the omega immediately licked, tearing it
apart.

Jungkook grabbed Yoongi again, laying the omega's bare back on a cool table, and spread his thin
legs with a rough movement. Yoongi was breathing heavily, looking at the alpha with his half-
lidded eyes and slightly lifting his legs and baring his ass in an inviting gesture. His own member
stood and precums ran out of it, Yoongi reached for it with his fingers, but Jungkook grabbed his
hands and moved it over his head, tightly clenching his thin wrists.

The omega screamed to the whole room when a big hard cock burst into him. Jungkook didn’t
spend time preparing—with Yoongi, this was not necessary. Despite this, the omega felt a short
pain from size and it was hard to get used to, but then he immediately pushed toward it, raising his
hips. Jungkook quickly picked up the pace, pushing into the supple body with rough thrust. He
squeezed the sides of the omega with his fingers, leaving painful red marks. Yoongi wrapped his
legs around the alpha waist, pulling him closer to him and moving his hips toward him.

Jungkook fucked rough and fast, knocking out all the oxygen from the omega. In front of him was
a hot and sweaty Yoongi, under his fingers were milky smooth skin, and before his eyes the images
were completely different. Sweet and pleasant, seductive and alluring, close, but damn distant,
inaccessible to Jeon's rough hands, lips that burn from desire to examine every millimeter of honey
skin. Forbidden moment, outrageously wrong, but irresistible. Jungkook bent his body, gave an
insistent kiss, covering Yoongi's open lips, thrusting inside him, driving his cock deeper,
swallowing every muted moans. The omega grabbed his strong back with his fingers, scratching a
giant snake ink with his nails, and bent like a cat, squeezing around his cock. Jungkook's
movements were painfully pleasing, too rough, too uncontrollable, and his lips were too
demanding. Yoongi felt hot tears rolled from the corners of his eyes, disappearing into his blue
hair.

After a couple more rough thrusts, Yoongi came, splashing his belly without touching himself. He
ran his fingers through Jungkook's brown hair, drawing him closer and kissing him again. The
alpha nibbled his soft lips, pulling and sucking. Yoongi relaxed and thrusted toward him, moaning
sweetly. Jungkook finished, filling the omega with his warm seed, and pulled out, breathing
heavily. Yoongi raised himself up on his elbows, giving out a smile and lowering his head to one
side.

“Did I help my leader?” He asked, biting his lip and looking at the alpha.

Jungkook bent toward him, clenching his chin firmly with his fingers and burning him with his
black eyes.

“Of course, a whore, as always,” Jungkook whispered, grinning and roughly releasing the omega
chin from his grip. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket that lay on the floor
and lit it, sitting down at the table on which Yoongi was still naked. He crawled closer to the alpha
and knelt down, pushing his legs slightly apart. Jungkook gave him an indifferent look and blew
smoke upward. “You're such a shit, Yoongi-ya,” he spat out, grunting. Yoongi just smiled, leaning
toward the alpha and taking a cigarette from his fingers. He took a puff, releasing smoke and
sitting down in front of Jeon.

“Oh, don't you like it?” He asked, twirling a cigarette in his fingers and looking at it with interest,
then he gave his questioning glance to Jungkook.

“People like you, bitches, are only to be used,” growled the alpha, approaching Yoongi's lips and
picking up a cigarette.
The omega smiled as he approached Jungkook's ear and whispered:

"So, take it. Again."

Jungkook stood up, holding a cigarette between his lips. Yoongi stood on all fours, invitingly
sticking out his ass, which was immediately burned by a sharp slap. On the tailbone of the small
omega, there was tattoo, the symbolism of an Asp, as does Jungkook under his heart, on the ribs,
like every Asp.

Sperm mixed with slick flowed smoothly from the hole, flowing down the thigh and dripping onto
a lacquered table. Jungkook ran his thumb between the omega's ass cheeks, smearing sperm and
causing a long moan from the omega. Yoongi arched, burying his forehead on his bent elbow
when Jungkook entered into his body with renewed vigor. Loud moans spread across the hall,
mingling with slaps of wet, hot bodies.

~}{~

The large theater hall, full of spectators from the upper class and politicians, was drowned in
silence and dim light. People carefully, with a share of delight in their eyes, watched the
performance on a large wide stage. Some alpha, who came in the company of their obedient
omega, looked bored at the artists, not trying to catch the essence of what was happening.

A bright beam illuminated the circle of the protagonist, who masterfully portrayed the tragedy on
his face. He came to the edge of the stage and peered thoughtfully somewhere, uttering a
memorized script, then, sighing sadly, he walked away, lowering his head and putting his hand to
his broken heart. Some of the audience sighed heavily, sympathizing with the hero, someone
quietly let out tears, and someone rolled their eyes boredly.

The second act came to an end, the red curtain fell, and the audience was able to exhale, digesting
what they saw and heard, exchanging views on what was happening, commenting on the plot and
the characters.

By the beginning of the third, the final act, the light in the hall went out again, and a white ray fell
on the stage, where the curtain was slowly rising. Silence fell on the balconies and the stalls,
everyone froze in anticipation, literally holding their breath. There was no music. Instead, steps that
were too loud in the silence rushed through the hall along the stage. In the center of the white circle
of light, Mirai himself stood, holding the actor’s severed and bleeding head in one hand, which
quite recently completed the second act with his sentimental speech. In his other hand, Mirai
clutched the hilt of a black katana, on the blade of which flowed crimson drops, dirtying the light
wooden floor of the stage scene. The alpha, as always, was wearing a black mask. Dressed in a
snow-white shirt under a black jacket, barely noticeable in the light section, and black, tight-fitting
trousers. Small scarlet circles were already adorned on the shirt, gradually spreading.

When the audience saw a man standing in the center of the stage, a rumble went through the hall.
Frightened gasped, eyes swiftly filled with horror and panic, hands clutching their lips to suppress a
hysterical cry.

Mirai's lips parted in a satisfied smile. The public accepted it as it should. He raised his hand,
holding the the brown hair of the head and spoke loudly:

"To be or not to be, ladies and gentlemen?" Mirai asked in a pensive voice, looking around the
frightened spectators. “Isn't this the perfect end to a great tragedy?”

Some spectators got up from their seats throughout the hall, raising arms and pointing at those
seated. Jungkook smiled, watching even greater horror on the faces of the victims, who did not
suspect that all this time they were sitting next to poisonous Aspids, with the cruel killers that came
as they like.

Suga held an M4 in his hand, aimed at the stocky alpha that sat in front of him, froze and raised his
hands in a surrendering gesture. The omega adjusted the butterfly pattern on his neck without
taking his sight off the man. The alpha looked with a slight admiration, mentally surprised at the
fragility and sophistication of this dangerous creature, like an angel. The long silver earring
gleamed, swaying slightly from each movement. The alpha for a moment forgot about fear, and
froze with his hands up and his gaze fixed on the snake-seducer, on the beautiful and the last man
he saw in his life. Suga only smirked and leaned towards the man, lightly, almost softly touching
the lips of other person's dry and wholly trembling lips. The alpha closed his eyes, focusing on the
sweet omega lips, but the touch disappeared, leaving a chill. Hoseok stood nearby, burning Yoongi
with his icy gaze. He sharply raised his pistol and fired as soon as the omega broke away from the
lips of the other. Crimson spray from a shot through his head painted Yoongi's snow-white shirt.
He looked toward Hoseok with an indignant look, out of habit bending his head to his own
shoulder. The alpha only grunted and turned away, holding pistols in both hands. His dark jacket
shimmered with gold in the dim light; Hope shone like a supreme deity, with an indifferent look
around his future victims. The scarlet bangs, covering one eye, only gave him an attractive
dangerous vibe. He shot surely and confidently, knowing exactly where to hit. The alpha with one
accurate shot knocked out the victim’s kneecap to knock her down. She crawled frantically away,
trying to escape, and Hope walked leisurely behind, crushing his shoe on her back and pressing her
to the floor. One blow—and the victim froze completely, drowning in a sea of blood.
In the hall began hell, a celebration of blood and death. People scream heart-wrenchingly, trying to
get out, almost over each other's heads, clambering to the sacred exit. Someone managed to escape,
but new Aspids met them at the door. People were killed, shot, pierced, kicked. They screamed,
asked for mercy, help, wept and knelt before the enemy without strength, without life.

Suga shot without hesitation, fluttered around the room easily, like a butterfly, giving his kiss of
death to each victim. He spun in his own dance, colliding with Hoseok's back and turning around
almost synchronously, shooting over each other's shoulder. They burned each other with eyes full
of blood thirst. They dispersed as fast as they collided, continuing the dance alone.

Mirai watched from the stage with twisted enthusiasm, smiled and licked his dry lips which had
touch of blood. Having thrown off the severed head to the side, Jungkook went down from the
stage, throwing up a katana and joining his people. A sharp blade easily penetrated the flesh, as if
cutting oil, tearing the insides. People with sealed horror look into the eyes of their executioner, a
guide to the next world. A prayer for saving life was a song to his ears, a prayer addressed to him,
a God. Blood flowed from the corner of their lips in a trickle, sliding down and staining the
expensive purple jewelry on the neck. Jungkook pulled a katana from a dying body, pushing the
body with his foot, causing the body to collapse on the bloody floor.

Snakes liked to watch as the victim writhed in convulsions, slowly dying from a dose of poison
introduced into the body. Snakes liked to tear their victim's throats with their teeth, wrapped a ring
around the victim and strangle them until the last particles of air leave the blue body. Snakes liked
to feel the warmth of fresh blood on their skin, to feel a metallic taste on their tongue. Snakes liked
to kill.

Mirai made his way through the corpse-strewn floor, shaking the blood off his katana, splashing a
red path. In the hall of the Conivar Theater there was dead silence, saturated with metal and
gunpowder, screams that ghostly hover in the air. The Aspids lowered their guns and calmed down,
enjoying the spectacle made by their own hands.

“Well, the government will like such a blow to their sponsors,” Jungkook broke the silence,
looking around with satisfaction at the bodies scattered around him. "It will cripple them. Our duty
is fulfilled."

~}{~

Taehyung went around the patients in an evening check-up and wearily trudged to his office,
removing a stethoscope from his neck and folding it. Inside his office was the void left by his
brother after met him last time. Taehyung was even afraid to think, to remember the terrifying
words of Jungkook, who forever erased all the best thoughts about his brother. Taehyung again
shed tears and struggled by periodically rolling tantrums. It was difficult, almost impossible, to
accept the new Jungkook. Taehyung no longer understood what he felt, the good and the bad inside
him mixed together, creating something incomprehensible, something vile. He missed his brother
who had appeared, but this was immediately overshadowed by disappointment, pain and broken
hopes. Jungkook was nearby all this time, constantly flashing through all the channels of the
country, shining with his dark, monstrous side. Taehyung still hoped this was some kind of joke.
As a child, Jungkook liked to joke with his younger brother, sometimes doing it quite harshly,
which made the omega completely scared. But at that moments, Jungkook laughed carefreely and
hugged his brother, soothingly whispering that that was just a stupid joke. Was it a joke now? Now
would Jungkook say that he should not believe in such nonsense?

Taehyung sighed tiredly, rubbing his nose and putting a stethoscope in his coat pocket. He wanted
to throw annoying thoughts away and finally go home to his warm soft bed. Another hard day
squeezed out all the energy out of Taehyung.

He went to his office when he noticed Jimin sitting on a bench in the corridor. Park, noticing the
omega, immediately jumped up, smiling warmly.

“Hi, Tae,” he went to the omega, grabbing him by the waist and kissing the shoulder. Taehyung
smiled weakly, taking Jimin's hand and intertwining his fingers with him.

“Have you been sitting in the hallway? You should just go to my office,” Tae said, frowning.

“It's locked, Taehyung-ah,” the alpha smiled, going to his office and twitching a pen.

“Oh, right, I forgot that I locked it,” Taehyung wrinkled his face as he pulled a key from his pocket
and opened the door. "It completely flew out of my head, I'm sorry. Have you been waiting for a
long time?"

“About twenty minutes,” replied Jimin, going inside after the omega and closing the door behind
him. Taehyung removed his robe, hung it on a hanger by the door, and straightened his cream
sweater.

Jimin came up behind him, wrapping his arms around the thin waist of the omega and pulling him
to himself. Taehyung at first tensed, closed his eyes and biting his lip, but the pleasant aroma of
citrus enveloped him, calming, and the omega relaxed, covering the alpha's strong arms with his
own.

“I miss you, Tae,” the alpha whispered, tickling the skin behind the omega’s ear.

Taehyung turned around in the arms of the alpha, wrapping his arms around his strong neck and
snuggling closer. Warm and lovely Jimin caused him to smile, despite the condition inside, despite
the fatigue. The alpha smiled back, looking into Taehyung's eyes and joined their forehead
together. Hands slip to the lower back and slightly pressed it, pulling closer. Taehyung closed his
eyes, digging his long fingers into the charcoal hair and covering Jimin's lips with his, gave him a
gentle kiss. The alpha immediately took the initiative, moving smoothly, but persistently, gently
nibbling his sweet lips and penetrating his tongue into the omega's open mouth. Taehyung hugged
closer, clinging to Jimin's chest and gently squeezing the hair on the back of his head. He answered
eagerly, slightly pulling his puffy lip and deepening the kiss again. Jimin's hands on the lower back
were a little tighter, afraid to let go. Taehyung pulled back a little, absorbing the missing oxygen
into his lungs, and pressed his lips to Jimin's lips again.

Cuddling together and drowning in a sweet kiss, they did not immediately notice how the door
opened, in the doorway of which Jungkook stood. Taehyung, catching the frightening familiar
smell of blood and gunpowder, he abruptly jumped away from Jimin, looking at his brother in
shock. Jungkook's jaw is tight, veins displayed on his face, and his eyes burned with a blue flame,
with which he burned a surprised Jimin.

“Jung-” Park mumbled, staring at the alpha in astonishment.

He did not have time to finish. Jungkook roughly pressed him with his back to the wall, clutching
the fabric of Jimin's t-shirt in his fingers.

“I ask you not to touch my brother,” growled Jungkook, consumed Park in the blackness of his eyes
burning with anger.

"Jungkook! Let him go!" Taehyung shouted, clinging to his brother's hand and trying to pull him
away from Jimin. "Stop it, Kook."

Jungkook didn't stop immediately, but later, he reluctantly released the other alpha from his grip,
stepping aside. Anger boiled inside him like a lava, eager to break out at any second. From the
disheveled Taehyung with reddened cheeks and swollen lips, he only raged harder. Jimin stuck to
the wall and was still shocked at the older Jeon.
"But how? After all, back then..." he said uncertainly, confusedly looking at Jungkook.

“Jesus has risen, Jimin.” Jungkook spread his arms to the side, casting a withering look at Park.
“What the fuck is going on here?”

“Jungkook...” Taehyung cautiously walked closer to his brother, who was glowing with anger,
afraid that he would try to attack Jimin again.

“Shut up, Taehyung-ah,” Jungkook interrupted in a steel voice, his gaze fixed on Park again. “You
touch him again, and I-”

"Jeon Jungkook!" Taehyung stood between the alphas, looked strictly at his brother and resting his
palms on his chest when he stepped forward, not paying attention to a small obstacle in his path.
"Enough, please."

“You're coming with me,” Jungkook spat, pursed his lips. "Now."

“What... where? No,” Taehyung shook his head in dismay, looking at his brother in confusion.

“Don't make me repeat,” growled the alpha, grabbing the omega by the wrist.

“He doesn't want to go with you, Jungkook,” said Jimin rudely, intervening for omega. "Leave him
alone."

“You keep out of this, Jimin, this is a family matter, right, Taehyungie?” asked Jeon, looking
narrowly at his frightened brother.

Taehyung, as if under hypnosis, nodded, with a look of regret at Jimin. Do not resist and
complicate the situation. Taehyung tried to convince himself that this was only his brother, but it
came out with difficulty. Jungkook never had been like that with him, never talked like that, never
lost his temper so much, and certainly never hurt his younger brother. The omega looked at his
wrist, painfully squeezed in Jungkook's hand, and bit his lip so as not to cry. From pain, from
resentment filling the heart. Reality struck again and again, not forgetting how cruel and terrible it
was now.
 He allowed Jungkook to take him away while grabbing his coat. Jimin was left somewhere behind,
unable to somehow help. But then... Jungkook was his brother. And once a close friend of Park.
What happened now?

Jungkook pressed a cigarette between his lips, opening the BMW door at the passenger side and
inviting Taehyung to sit down. The omega bit his lip and climbed into the car, incredulously
looking at everything inside. The door slammed shut on his side, and then on the driver's side
when Jungkook got behind the wheel, starting the engine and leaving the hospital. The omega
pressed his back into the chair, looking in front of him and held a cough from the cigarette smoke
that filled the passenger compartment.

"Where are we going?" Taehyung asked quietly, looking at his brother.

“Home,” Jungkook answered, not even glancing at the omega and driving to the main road,
illuminated by the yellow light of numerous headlights flying towards the cars.

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

Author's contact info:

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 In the Core of Heart
Chapter Notes

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Jungkook squeezed the leather steering wheel with one hand, putting the other through a window,
pinching a cigarette in between his fingers. He slowly drove a black BMW, cutting through the
darkness around the headlights. The alpha blew cigarette smoke upward, extending his hand again
and made a turn to the next street, to the new Omega area. Taehyung bit his lips, diligently trying
to remember an unknown route and literally clenching into a tense bundle of nerves. Jungkook was
so close, and so calm, unlike him, as if it was a common thing—to suddenly rushed in and
kidnapped his brother, and then took him to unfamiliar place. The omega closed his eyes, holding
his breath and trying to calm the nervousness that was collected in every cell of his tense body.
Heavy silence only strained, compressed the insides and prevented him to breathe, just like
cigarette smoke that filled the interior of this car.

"That was it?" finally, Jungkook spoke, not looking at his brother. Taehyung flinched slightly and
stared at the elder in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

“So that was how you mourned for your dead brother?” Jungkook interrupted irritably, throwing a
deadly look at Taehyung.

“What...”, Taehyung stumbled, lost. “What... n-no!” The omega indignantly raised his eyebrows,
turning around in his seat and shaking his head. "Jimin and I-"

“You and Jimin,” Jungkook smiled tightly, again interrupted the confused omega.“Have you two
been fucking since I was gone? This bastard wasted no time."
"Jungkook!" Taehyung said in between gasped, raising his voice. Taehyung, barely holding back a
shiver. Hearing such things from a sibling was unbearable. From his lips it sounded poisonous and
disgusting. Taehyung wanted to hit the alpha, he wanted to do that before, but he didn't dare to
even think to look at the direction of his brother. The older Jeon was burning him with an angry
gaze, tossing his cigarette out the window and clutching the steering wheel with both of his hands
until the knuckles white. “How can you- You don’t know anything! Why did you say it like that..”
Taehyung said when he was calmer, holding a sob that was forced to be free and turning his head
to the window. Resentment in his voice could not be kept any longer. And there was simply no
strength to look into these family slash stranger's eyes, unfairly condemning.

"I saw everything with my own eyes, Taehyung-ah, what is it that I don't know?" The alpha
grunted, pursing his lips.

“He was there when you were gone, and when your people killed our parents, he helped me up.
Jimin becomes a very close person to me. Except for him, I had no one left..." Taehyung
whispered, quietly wiping the paths of tears on his cheeks.

"You have only one person close to you, and that's me, do you understand? If Jimin touches you
again, I'll make him vomit his own intestines."

From the steel cold voice of his brother, Taehyung was covered in icy goosebumps, he cringed so
hard and speechless for a moment. It sounded so accurate from the lips of the country's first enemy.
Jungkook was an enemy, now this thought would always pop up when he thought of a person with
a bright smile from the past, erasing him at once. Taehyung was scared. Not for himself—for
Jimin. Jungkook never said that, even when he watched the executions on TV. He cursed the
snakes, dreamed of destroying the group all at once, but even then he didn't sound like that. And
now his voice was saturated with endless hatred and anger. This wasn't Jungkook, no.

“But he was your best friend...” the omega whispered, looking uncertainly at his brother, who was
stiff with anger.

The alpha laughed dryly, licking his lower lip and digging his fingers in his hair.

“Taehyung-ah, your stupid naivety hasn't gone away. Do you seriously think, whatever the fuck is
that, was what happened in the hospital?" Jungkook raised an eyebrow, with a poisonous smile
looking at the omega. "Jimin is on another side, he is my enemy. And he won't see you anymore."

“But he is not my enemy! Don’t interfere, Jungkook," Taehyung shook his head, moving closer to
the door and clutching his cold fingers on the handle. "Just take me home, I'm tired."
“You're coming to my house, Taehyungie,” Jungkook smiled, glancing at the slumping omega.

“Jungkook...” the younger Jeon glanced at the alpha pleadingly, pursed his lips.

“What a naughty brother, have I raised you like that?” Jungkook dramatically sighed, shaking his
head.

"Stop the car, then I'll go on my way myself."

The elder only grinned, pressing the gas pedal to the floor and rapidly accelerating. Taehyung
pressed his back into the seat and his fingers clasped the hem of his coat, swallowing hard a
painful lump in his throat. How naive he was to believe that Jungkook would listen.

“Sit still, brother. It's time to re-build our family relationships."

~}{~

Taehyung finally tore his gaze from the route and accepted that trying to remember an unfamiliar
long way road was a stupid idea. Jungkook was silent all the way, pressing this very silence as if he
had put a concrete brick on top of the omega, which slowly squeezed, threatening to crush him.
Taehyung didn't understand what was happening and who was next to him now. In the past, he
couldn't get enough of talking with his brother that the conversation flowed endlessly from both
ends. Now Jungkook didn't waste his breathe on words once again. He relished the silence and
listened to the steady growl of the engine of his BMW, and Taehyung didn't even try to speak,
because he had no idea where to start. What could he talk about with Jungkook now?

Twenty minutes later, ahead of the long dark road, finally, the light of street lamps was visible. As
the BMW pulled closer, Taehyung noticed a massive black gate and a tall long fence which the
upper edges couldn't be seen behind the trees located on the sides of the road to the gate. BMW
drove through almost up close, and the gate automatically opened to the sides, allowing them to
drive inside.
Taehyung swallowed, staring in shock at the huge mansion and the same huge courtyard in front of
him. There was a lot of light inside, and the omega had to squint his eyes a little bit. The huge
three-story mansion looked like the king's palace, about which daddy read to Taehyung when he
was a kid. Now he was sure that only the president himself could live in such a place. Taehyung
ran a curious and interested look, not having time to focus on one thing.

“This...” he exhaled, turning his head to Jungkook.

“My house,” the alpha said, smiling at the corner of his lips and braking at the dark marble
staircase to the mansion.

Taehyung crawled out of the car, stepping his shoes on the masonry, which was covered the yard,
and continued to look around. Flowerbeds, in the corner, surrounded by small trees. In the corner
of this was an arbor of twined ivies. Taehyung stepped carefully and looked at the blossoming
greens. His back felt warm and there were hands on his shoulders. The omega flinched slightly, but
didn't turn around. He needed to get used to Jungkook's presence again.

"You like it?" He asked, and Taehyung unmistakably heard a smile in his brother's voice. He
nodded briefly, only now noticing the guards protecting the mansion. People with machine guns on
their shoulders paced along the fence, somewhere near the mansion itself and even near the very
arbor to which the legs carried the omega. Now he stood up, as if rooted to the spot, feeling how
evil reality gently settled surrounded Mirai.

“It's beautiful here...” Taehyung said quietly, looking toward the gazebo, behind which one of the
guards had disappeared.

“And you probably thought you would see mountains of corpses in my house,” the alpha grinned,
making Taehyung literally felt the ice crusted over him.

He abruptly turned his head to Jungkook, staring at him with all his might, like a scared and
trapped deer. The alpha just laughed lightly and shook his head.

“Come on, Taehyungie, it's just a joke,” he smiled, brushing it off and standing next to his brother.
The omega relaxed quite a bit and clasped his fingers to the sleeves of his coat, biting his lip. “I
ordered them to be removed by our arrival,” Jungkook suddenly gave out in a colorless voice,
looking at Taehyung with a frightening and piercing gaze.
“Jungkook...” Taehyung breathed, exhausted and nervous.

Nevertheless, he observed something of the past Jungkook in this new Jungkook. His love for
jokes. Unless, now they sounded tougher and evil. Taehyung, in offense, would shove the alpha in
the shoulder, but now he wasn't sure what he could do. This joke was terrible, and for such, it
wasn't enough just to shove Jungkook in the shoulder. The country's army wouldn't leave a wet
spot from him. But they weren't able to, because Mirai lived and prospered, capturing the country,
while the president tried to keep up with his tail.

"Master Jeon!" heard from somewhere. Taehyung frowned and looked around immediately.
“Master Jeon, god...”

Taehyung held a cry, clutching his hands to his face when he noticed three healthy black dogs
rushing toward Jungkook. The omega heard his brother's hoarse laugh and the joyful whining of
dogs. He removed his hands from his face and looked in surprise at how Jungkook, squatting
down, played with the dogs that surrounded him from all sides.

“They smelled you, sir, and began to break free!” Running out of breath, the young beta ran up,
trying to catch his breath. "I just fed them the meat that was brought this morning."

It was damn wild and weird for Taehyung to hear someone called his brother 'master'. Awareness
of everything that was happening would never reach him, and his head was already spinning from
the flow of information that amazed his sanity. Jungkook was the master. His brother was the
master, who was guarded by a bunch of people armed to theit teeth. It looked like a goddamn
dream.

Jungkook ignored the beta and looked up at Taehyung, who was standing still, as if rooted to the
spot, staring at the happy dogs and being afraid even to move a finger.

“Taehyungie, get acquainted,” Jungkook said with a smile, stroking one of the clinging dogs along
the short shiny hair on the spine. “This is Roy,” he introduced, pointing to the dog he was petting.
“And these two are brothers. Phobos and Deimos," Jungkook pointed to two dogs, one of which—
Phobos—poked his wet nose into Jungkook's palm, while Deimos jealously and weakly bit the
alpha on the palm with which he stroked Roy.

Strong black muscles shined under black short hair. The dogs breathed loudly, sticking their
tongues out of the mouth, in which Taehyung noticed large snow-white fangs. The ears of the dogs
were long and pointed, and the tails were chopped off. The omega was eyeing the dogs, noting that
they weren't completely black. On the strong chest, at the end of the muzzle and at the bottom of
the legs, the coat was light brown, as in the inside of the ears. They looked like hell dogs.
Intimidating and forced the insides to shrink. Collars in the form of chains on strong necks clang
from each movement of the dogs and only complemented the image.

“They...” mumbled Taehyung, watching the dogs. “I have never seen such a thing...”

“These are dobermanns, Tae,” Jungkook explained, rising to his feet and holding the dogs by the
chains around their necks. "Don't be afraid of them, they smell fear. But they won’t attack until I
order,” his brother laughed, holding the escaping dogs. “Sit down, Deimos,” he said in a firm,
commanding tone, gently pulling the dog's collar. “Only this one,” he pointed to a growling
Deimos, “is a little out of control,” Jungkook grinned. “Take them away, Yong,” he said to the
beta, who immediately ran up to them, taking the dobermanns by their collars.

Taehyung watched him led the dogs away, and almost jumped in place when he felt something
warm and wet touching his ankles.

“God,” the omega exhaled, turning sharply and noticing a very small brown puppy that looked like
the previous adult dobermanns, and with the same stubby tail that he slightly wagged. His large
ears hang on the sides of the small muzzle, and the shiny button-eyes looked plaintively at
Taehyung. The omega’s heart tightens, and a smile appeared on his lips, which was immediately
broken by the firm voice of Jungkook.

“What the hell,” he said, staring with displeased look at the puppy. Yong, who took the dogs away,
returned, fearfully looking at the small lump curling at Taehyung's feet.

“Sir…” the beta mumbled, guiltily lowering his head and played with his fingers nervously.

“I think I've told you to get rid of the puppy. What else have you forgotten around here, if you
can’t even put a miserable animal to sleep?" Jungkook burned Yong with a cold, angry look and
reached to his own back with his hand, pulling a pistol from his belt. Taehyung was scared deeply,
if he felt that feeling a little more, he was sure the heart in his chest would stop, and the earth under
his feet would eat him. He froze and stopped breathing, he saw a weapon in his brother's hand.

Was he really going to kill a man?

Was he really going to do this in front of Taehyung?

“Jungkook...” not hearing himself, Taehyung whispered, shaking his head.

“Master...” the beta whispered with a plea in a quiet, trembling voice, cringing and almost
squeezing his eyes close from fear piercing through the bones.

But Jungkook, contrary to his brother’s assumptions, didn't point the barrel at the beta, but at the
puppy, which was why the omega was completely confused and lost.

“Get away, Taehyung,” Jungkook said in a hard voice, aiming at the defenseless animal. But
Taehyung didn't move. Gradually, he realized what was his brother going to do.

"No, Jungkook!" Taehyung shouted loudly, bending over and grabbed the puppy into his arms. He
pressed a softly whining lump closer to him, looking anxiously at Jungkook, who seemed only to
get angrier. “Why do you want to kill him?” Taehyung asked in a trembling voice, staring into his
brother's black eyes.

"The puppy is weak. He's poorly developed and doesn't lend himself to the training. I don’t need
such pet,” Jungkook said in an even solid tone, clutching the pistol in his fingers. "Let go and let
him end his suffering."

“No,” Taehyung shook his head, covering the puppy’s head with his palm and stroking it
soothingly, as if the animal could understand what was happening.

“Taehyung,” Jungkook looked into his brother's eyes, trying to swallow him with his dark and
harsh gaze, convincing that he wasn't going to joke around, but Taehyung desperately pressed a
lump to himself and swallowed hard, shaking his head.

“I won't allow it, Jungkook,” the omega whispered, taking a step back. “You will not kill him.”

Jungkook was silent for too long, he stroked the trigger with his index finger, struggling with the
temptation to press it. Taehyung was suffocated in this waiting game, but stubbornly held on,
resisting the pressure of the frightening look. A little more, and the omega would crumble under it.

The alpha lowered his hand and laughed briefly, putting his pistol behind his belt.
“If you can make him the same as my dogs, take it away,” Jungkook grinned. And for Taehyung,
stones finally fell from his shoulders. He exhaled and stroked the soft, short hair of the puppy, his
nose buried in his coat. “In the meantime, give it to Yong and go into the house,” Taehyung once
again gripped the puppy possessively, not even trying to unfasten the puppy, and Jungkook
grinned, shaking his head. “Don’t be afraid, Tae, he won’t do anything to him. Give it back."

Taehyung sighed and hesitantly approached the no less terrified beta, carefully passing the puppy
into his hands. He bit his lip and walked up to Jungkook, watching how Yong took the baby to the
same place where Jungkook's dogs was led to.

“Well, now let's go home,” Jungkook smiled, earned attention from Taehyung.

~}{~

Inside, the mansion looked even bigger and more magnificent. Everything from the floor to the
high ceiling was painted in dark, deep tones, giving it a gothic gloom. Taehyung wasn't surprised at
the design. Even the former Jungkook wasn't a lover of light colors.

Once upon a time, Jungkook, holding his brother to himself after reading another chapter of
anatomy book, dream that someday their little family would find their own place in this terrible
world. He told his brother, Taehyung, who was gradually falling asleep in his arms, that they
would have a large, and most importantly, a safe house that no one would ever destroy. The kind of
fortress that would protect them from the attacks of evil people. And Taehyung, full of hope, fell
asleep, dreaming of the happiness of their family in that big and safe house. It was a dream that
seemed unattainable, but warmed the soul on cold and scary nights.

The omega spaced out of reality for a moment, drowning in an irretrievable past. Who would have
thought that Jungkook's dream would become a reality. In some part. He lived in a large and safe
house, but he was an evil person.

In the spacious living room, a table was already set for the guest’s arrival, full of variety of
delicious dishes that Taehyung hadn't tried before. All of this was for the upper strata of society,
for those who own the resources and could afford anything, they just had to voice their whim.

Taehyung hesitated, not knowing what to do and where to look at. His eyes didn't have time to
linger on one thing. It was like the omega came to the museum, where he only able to look and not
to touch at the exhibits.

"Why are you still standing? Sit down, brother," Jungkook, standing behind, slightly nudged him.
Taehyung came to his senses instantly and walked to the table, sitting down on the chair that was
carved carefully for Jungkook.

The older Jeon sat across from him, unbuttoning his top buttons on a black shirt and taking a fork
and knife. Taehyung bit his lip, played with his fingers that were on his knees, and with an
awkward gesture he cleared his throat as if it were strangling him. It seemed that even the walls
were now pressing on him to be closer to Jungkook.

"Taehyung?" Called the elder, forcing the omega to jerk slightly in place and raised his large hazel
eyes. "Why don't you eat?" He asked, arched an eyebrow and slowly chewing on the meat.

“I'm not hungry...” Taehyung whispered, pursing his lips and turning his head away from his
brother.

“I'm not asking you, Tae,” Jungkook laid down his knife, giving a stern look at the omega. "I order
you."

“I'm not one of your killer subordinates for you to order me around,” Taehyung grunted, crossing
his arms over his chest.

"Why are you talking back to me?" The alpha calmly asked, but a tightly clenched hand almost
half-folds the silver fork.

“Why did you try to kill an innocent creature?” Taehyung looked into his brother's eyes, pursing
his trembling lips and holding back the tears with difficulty. It was unbearably difficult to oppose
this kind of Jungkook, it was impossible to look into his obscured eyes. The omega literally felt
how this gaze ripped open the skin and cut the insides.

“Because the weak has no place here. Neither humans nor animals. Aspid achieve their goals with
unbending power. Everyone knows what we are fighting for and what we must do for this. And if
a person cannot cross the barrier and move on, then he is weak and useless," Jungkook, with his
low and cold voice, ate into every cell of Taehyung's body, which made it covered with icy
goosebumps.
“'Cross the barrier?' So that is what you name it for murdering?" Taehyung raised his eyebrows,
looking at his brother with complete disappointment and pain, which the soul was full of more.
“Do you just step over another barrier when you destroy hundreds of innocent lives?”

“I show the weakness and selfishness of the government,” Jungkook shrugged, laying aside his
fork and taking a nearby glass of blood-red wine. He took a short sip and licked his lower lip.
“Why are they inactive? They have no people. But it will be with us when people realize that it is
easier and better to surrender to us than to endure the inaction of the great government."

Taehyung froze, digesting what he heard and slowly lowering his gaze to his hands. There was
nothing to say, but at the same time he wanted to say a lot. The omega wanted to understand the
motives of the Asp, because from the fact that they were shown on TV every day, it was
impossible to draw a logical and justification for these actions, even if people tried hard to.
Taehyung got confused, didn't have some kind of understanding which side was right and which
side was wrong. But Jungkook, on the contrary, looked into his eyes with such confidence and
endless faith in his belief that Taehyung wasn't able to squeeze something out of himself. It only
made him think the more.

“How...” Taehyung said quietly, breaking the oppressive silence fueled by Jungkook's attentive
gaze. The alpha arched an eyebrow, stabbed a piece of meat with blood on a fork. “How did you
set up your 'death'?”

Jungkook smiled, slowly chewing a piece and taking a sip of wine. Taehyung bit his lip, forcing
himself to look at his brother by force of will.

“We had a mission in the North,” Jungkook began, laying down his glass and leaning back in his
chair. “In twelve hours, we had to destroy the snake base and free our soldiers who were captured.
During this time, I needed to exit the game according to a plan agreed in advance with the Aspid
and they need me to join their side. We attacked the snake at dawn. They waited and were ready,
because of this, many of our people were killed at that time. It was such a heated mission,” a
shadow of smile flickered on Jungkook’s lips, and his eyes glanced thoughtfully over a glass of
bloody drink. “I thought no one would survive. Even myself. In the building where we had a battle,
a fire happened successfully, just in the wing where the prisoners were kept. Coincidence, right?"
The alpha arched an eyebrow, smiling. “And here the brave and fearless Captain Jeon Jungkook
rushed to the hell to save his own people, spitting on the threat in the form of the remaining Aspid's
snakes,” Jungkook grinned, looking up at the frozen Taehyung, who was looking at his brother
with all attention he could muster, carefully listening to the story. The perfect lip contour was
distorted when the omega pressed and bit them. "I found the prisoners and helped them out of the
burning corridor, told them where the exit was, and I went behind to cover them from the surviving
Aspid. But only one of the prisoners failed to get out."
“Jungkook...” Taehyung clenched the hem of his sweater with his fingers until his knuckles white
and shook his head. It seemed that right now Jungkook would say something scary. Taehyung was
scared. That brother in his eyes would become even more like a monster. Taehyung didn't want to
hear it.

“The two of them lagged behind the others,” the alpha continued calmly, not paying attention to
his brother’s silent plea. “That was the plan. He made a hole in the other's eye with a large caliber
of enemy's weapons, half of his face melted,” Taehyung gripped his wrist painfully with his
fingers, not allowing his brain to imagine what was said. Jungkook took his glass and took a sip,
with a half-smile, he looked at the omega, who was desperate to fight the approaching hysteria.
"Then he hung his token on him, left his weapon and threw the corpse to burn in the fire. And then
he left. The snakes were waiting for me."

“Captain Jeon Jungkook was posthumously given the Order of Merit from the country. For
courage," Taehyung whispered in a trembling voice, looking into his brother’s eyes and barely
restraining himself so as not to burst into tears.

He was unbearably hurt, and every detail of Jungkook's terrifying story loomed brightly in his
head, making it worse. Taehyung didn't want to believe that. He generally didn't want to believe in
anything of what was happening, but Jungkook was nearby. Jungkook disguised as the country's
terrorist leader.

The sudden laughter of his brother, was like thunder from a clear sky. Jungkook's laugh made
everything inside Taehyung got colder, icier. It no longer sounded like the kind and bright laugh of
his brother from the past. In this Jungkook's laughter, it was jittery, and insane vibes slipped
through.

"Really? But I didn’t even try,”Jungkook grinned, shaking his head. "Spectacular, however, I don't
care."

“I keep all your medals and honours,” said Taehyung pursing his quivering lips and sniffing softly.
“More precisely, not yours, but my brother,” the voice sounded barely audible in the last words.
The omega swallowed hard a bitter lump stuck in his throat.

“And then who am I, Taehyung?” asked Jungkook, challenging his brother's gaze. The legs of the
chair creak on the floor, causing the omega to flinch in surprise. The alpha got up from his chair
and began to slowly approach Taehyung, not taking his piercing gaze away. Step by step, he was
getting closer, and Taehyung’s heart was beating faster.
He was never afraid of Jungkook, only now the thick fear paralyzed his whole body, and a silent
scream was stuck in his throat.

"Who am I, baby?" The alpha repeated, very close, the omega could feel his hot breath.

“You are a terrorist, Jungkook,” Taehyung let out, looking up and saw his brother in front of him.
“My brother was not a monster; he did not kill innocents...”

“Our connection,” Jungkook interrupted in a quiet and poisonous voice, more like a reminiscent of
the hissing of a snake that wrapped around Taehyung’s neck, slowly depriving him of oxygen, “is
unbreakable, brother,” whispered the alpha with a smile, stroking his finger on the omega’s
delicate cheek and raising his head by the chin. “Whoever I am.”

“I want to leave,” Taehyung whispered, barely audible, holding a sob and lowering his eyes that he
was no longer able to look at stranger in front of him.

“You won’t go anywhere today,” Jungkook said calmly, frowning slightly. “Yes, and it’s too late
already,” he gave a grin again on his lips. To confirm his words, alpha casted a glance at the watch
on his wrist. Ten thirty seven in the evening.

The walls came together and deprived him of oxygen. Deprived him of the last grains of faith in his
brother. Taehyung forced himself to raise his head and again looked into the eyes of Jungkook in a
silent plea. He was so scorchingly close, so painful and unbearable. Taehyung didn't know whether
to rush into these familiar-not familiar arms, or to make a hole there. From this thoughts he wanted
to cry even more. The omega was sobbing inaudibly, but it didn't hide from Jungkook. He frowned
worriedly, glancing attentively at his brother's face, which reflected all his inner pain and struggle
with himself. It tormented him, plagued him.

On his brother’s left cheekbone, Taehyung noticed a small scar, which until then was the last thing
that could worry the omega. With this wound, Jungkook once returned home, saying that he had
hit a splinter from the explosion. Taehyung then cried alone, not showing his fear to his brother,
who was already inflated and tense after a serious military operation. Then the omega first saw that
in a war people wouldn't be out without injuries in any way. People wounded and died. And at that
moment, Taehyung realized that this could happen to his beloved brother.

It happened.
He himself wasn't aware of how he was reaching for Jungkook. Jungkook didn't move, just looked
at his brother and waited for his further actions. The tips of his fingers gently touched a small scar
on the cheekbone. The skin under the fingers was warm. Taehyung wanted to cover his brother's
cheek with his palm completely, he wanted to hug his brother and inhale his scent, from which now
there was practically nothing left. Only blood and gunpowder, which instilled fear and horror
inside.

The omega twitched his hand, as if touching the tongues of flame, not Jungkook's face.

“I’ll call Jimin, he will take me home,” the omega mumbled softly, dropping his eyes and digging
his hands into his thighs.

Nearby, there was a sudden sound of something breaking, from which Taehyung almost jumped in
place. He raised his head sharply and stared at his brother in fear. Jungkook angrily knocked half of
the contents off the table and stood in front of Taehyung right in the middle of the mess, gave him
a crazy and furious look. His whole body was tense, swollen veins were clearly visible on his
hands, and his jaw was clenched, teeth gritted. He took a step toward Taehyung, before whitening
his knuckles, clenching his hands into fists. Taehyung wanted to move back, but he just stared in
shock, paralyzed by fear.

"Are you kidding me?" Growled Jungkook, forcing the omega to shrink. "Do not dare, do not even
think to pronounce his name in front of me, do you understand? You will stay here, Taehyung. At
your brother’s house."

“Jungkook...” the omega whispered with trembling lips, no longer daring to look into his brother’s
fiery eyes.

“Shut up,” the omega, not in control of himself, shut up, shutting his mouth and not daring to say
anything more. The alpha's voice seemed to take control of the mind and deprived a person from
freedom of choice. “You're obedient now,” Jungkook said a little calmer, but the tension in his
voice was still palpable. Shards of utensils crunched loudly under the thick sole of the shoes. "And
for me, unfortunately, I need to leave urgently. I hope this doesn't happen again tomorrow morning,
brother. Is everything clear to you?"

Taehyung lowered his eyes, painfully biting his lip and trying his best not to burst into tears.
Jungkook grabbed his chin with a sharp movement, forcing him to raise his eyes, which were
sparkling with tears.

“I didn’t hear you,” Jungkook narrowed his eyes slightly and leaned lower so that his ear was close
to Taehyung's face.

Taehyung swallowed hard and nodded briefly, exhaling a faint:

"Y-yes..."

"That's great. I'll make sure you eat,”Jungkook smiled, pulling away and releasing his omega chin
from his grip. Behind him had appeared two young beta servants. They bowed their heads
respectfully, clasping their hands in front of them and waiting for instructions. Jungkook turned to
them, immediately changing his gaze. “Yoonoh, give me an update about it, make sure he eats,” he
ordered one of them, to which the beta quickly nodded, whispering, “Yes, sir.” “And you tidy up
here,” the alpha ordered the second servant and turned back to Taehyung, who pressed his whole
body into a chair, as if hoping to merge with it and become invisible to Jungkook. “See you
tomorrow, baby,” Jungkook disappeared out of the room, winking at the omega with a slight smile
on his lips.

Taehyung could still hear his muffled voice for a while, and then the living room sank into loud
silence.

The omega remained seated in the midst of the chaos caused by Jungkook, and looked in front of
him with an empty gaze. For a while he tried to come to his senses and to understand what had just
happened. In his thoughts Taehyung hoped that all this was a strange and delusional dream of his
brain that was tired after a long working day. He even closed his eyes and slightly nipped his wrist.
Eyes slowly opened, but nothing changed. Taehyung still sat on a chair in front of a long table, the
pieces of the dishes broken by Jungkook were still scattered on the floor, and the betas still stood
there, as if rooted to the spot, not daring to approach and began to carry out the instructions of their
master.

Taehyung finally looked up, turning his head to the servant, and spoke in a low voice:

“He won't come anymore?”

“No,” Yoonoh replied briefly, deciding to looked up at Taehyung with his big light brown eyes
half hidden behind a dark bang.

“Can't I leave?” asked the omega with no hidden hope in a quiet voice.
“I'm afraid not,” the kid repeated, deciding to come closer. He nodded briefly to another servant,
and he immediately went to the mess on the table and in front of him, starting cleaning. He did this
quickly and without any surprise on his calm face, deftly took the pieces of glass fragments with
his fingers and collecting them in a heap, as if he was doing this not for the first time. “You must
eat, Master Jeon,” Yoonoh said in a soft and quiet voice, looking with sincere concern in his warm
eyes.

Taehyung frowned as if he had been hurt and was ready to scream at the top of his lung.

He was disturbed by this 'Master Jeon.'

~}{~

Taehyung sat in the middle of a huge bed, located in the center of a spacious room that could fit his
entire apartment. The omega stared at one point in front of him, no longer feeling the salty tears
flowed down his cheeks, soaking into the fabric of a white big T-shirt, in which he literally was
drowning. Jungkook's shirt. Yoonoh brought it when the omega just entered the room prepared for
him, which was made in the same dark gothic style as everything was in this large and gloomy
mansion.

Taehyung had to eat. For the most part, out of respect for those who worked and tried to cook a
delicious and varied dinner. He would surely enjoy it, if not for the bitterness stuck in his mouth
after heard and seen all the things regarding Aspid.

The omega still couldn't recover. He would like to run away from his brother’s house, however
painful it might be. It was just that in the courtyard of the mansion people with weapons rushed
around and they carried out the orders for only one lord. Taehyung was sick of the unbearable
feelings. From everything that were surrounded him, who were surrounded him. Only the kind and
caring Yoonoh did not fit into all this darkness, and Taehyung could only guess why such a bright
person was among the killers.

For some short moment, Taehyung thanked to all of that, Yoonoh was distracting him and even
made him forgot about what was happening and why he wasn't in his apartment right now,
embracing the patients' matters and sporting a huge mug of coffee. Or why was it not Jimin who
was near him, why was it a stranger who was entrusted to taking care of Taehyung.
And now the omega, having taken a shower, sat in a soft and cool bed, but his eyes didn't close one
bit. There were a lot of thoughts in his head that he wanted to hide from, burying his head in the
sand. He wanted to cry because of them, although he wanted to do much more than that. Tears ran
by a stream, but it didn't become easier. Taehyung was scared. Involuntarily, the image of his
brother arose before his eyes, in the look of which the anger was so deep and strong that the
chances of him being saved from these depths were zero. His brother was replaced. Or maybe they
created an exact copy of him and maximized the level of aggression and hatred. Because Jungkook
was not like that, he couldn't change so suddenly, taking the side of the enemy. His soul had
changed, which from within came darkness that had absorbed all the light and extinguished the sun
his brother had.

No matter how Taehyung tried to resist, to fight back, everything was useless and hopeless. Only
one short glance of Jungkook was enough to interrupt all of his pathetic attempts, led him to hid in
a corner and howled in despair.

Jungkook had never lost his cool or spoke in that tone. Jungkook had never looked like that.
Jungkook had never been a bad person. And a bunch of 'never', which only made Taehyung more
hurt. He sobbed too loudly in an unforgiving silence of a dark room into which the light of a street
lamp poured in, broke through the gap between the curtains and raining a thin white stripe on
Taehyung's knees that he pressed to his chest. He looked at this light, desperately grasped into it
and was afraid to miss a small piece left in the darkness. Sobbing quietly, Taehyung laid down
curled up and closing his wet eyes. Tears now flowed down onto the pillow.

To be forgotten in a dream, escaping from a nightmare that was reality.

~}{~

The door opened silently, letting the scent of delicate wisteria known, and let a dim light from the
corridor into the room. The room was warm, and a pleasant aroma enveloped it, calming the raging
fiery oceans inside him. It was as if he had come to church to pray for his rotten soul before a
merciful God, to confess. But there weren't enough candles.

Jungkook went to the bed, in the center of which a lump slept, curled up and clasped his thin knees.
His younger brother. The one who he guarded all his life, the one who he hid from the horror that
was going on outside the window. The one to whom he gave the best possible childhood, who was
the reason he didn't die early.
Taehyung was now different. He was an adult and had seen a lot. Jungkook built his future for him
by reading him medical books, which the younger one listened so enthusiastically, feared that even
a sigh would stop his brother from reading. He saw all the terrible things when Jungkook died in
his life. He couldn't save him anymore, because he himself did this 'terrible' thing.

Everything was alright. But now... now Taehyung was on the other side, he was so far away. But
not a stranger, not at all. Because inside, behind a thick wall of blood and lead set up by the snakes
of Aspid, there was a fragile and pure love for the little omega, who Jungkook loved with all his
heart. He loved. But did he love now? In the eyes of his brother, there was only fear and
disappointment, and all of this was flooded with a large portion of burning pain. Jungkook saw
him, Jungkook even felt him with his skin, but he only frantically fought in his cage, in an attempt
to break free and infused warmth into his brother's eyes, like the way it were before.

He couldn't.

As if it were in the past life, in the last century, and perhaps in another world altogether. The
memories were bright, but clouded, covered with a dark haze. In these memories, his younger
brother's smile was barely distinguishable; Jungkook didn't remember him, but he would like to
remember. Only, Taehyung was no longer smiled, he only bit his lips to drown out the inner pain.

Jungkook almost forgot that life, burned all the best about it and scattered it after it became ashes,
leaving only dust at the tips of his bloody fingers.

The alpha crouched down by the bedside, looking at the calm face of the sleeping Taehyung. He
breathed barely audibly, shook his body slightly. Shoulders almost imperceptibly heaved, and light
brown strands scattered across the pillow. Jungkook moved closer and reached out his palm to
Taehyung's hand that was lying near his face. Delicate, smooth and damn cold, like an ice.
Jungkook had gotten used to this cold for a long time, but now it was as if annealed again.

Then his hand stretched further, up to the forearm, to the shoulder, neck. He wanted to touch open
the pink lips and brush his cheek. He wanted to outline the knee and traced his fingers along the
thigh. But his hand just froze in a cold palm, and hadn't moved anywhere. It was impossible.

Jungkook rose immediately, pursing his lips and clenching his hands into fists, on which the
remaining of a ghostly coolness with the scent of wisteria lived there. Throwing a last look at the
peacefully sleeping omega, he left the room silently and pulled out a phone from his pocket, typing
a message as he went outside:

I need to relax. Get the room ready, I'll be there in half an hour.
“In the meantime, one small problem needs to be solved,” Jungkook said thoughtfully, putting his
phone in his pocket and going downstairs.

Jungkook squatted, with a slight smile on his lips, watching the three dobermanns eagerly and
impatiently tear apart the still warm meat with sharp fangs and claws. A bloody puddle had
accumulated under the paws of the dogs, and pieces of flesh fall from the jaws along with red
saliva. The alpha looked at them like a caring parent watching their children. He smiled and ran his
palm over Deimos' spine, who was trying to snatch a rather big piece with an aggressive growl.
Forever the most insatiable and greedy dog who didn't even pay attention to the owner’s caresses at
such important moments.

“Yeah, it’s probably delicious,” Jungkook said, glancing at the remains of the torn human flesh
before the dobermanns.

~}{~

When Taehyung woke up, the first thing he saw was Yoonoh's face. He gently patted the omega
over his shoulder and asked in a quiet caring voice to wake up and go down, because Master Jeon
was already waiting for breakfast.

And the painful reality descended again on his fragile shoulders. Chaotic thoughts were sneaking
up again undetectably and crawled under the skull.

Taehyung leisurely, delaying the inevitable, washing and dressing, mentally preparing for new
pressure from his brother, because for sure he wouldn't see anything good again. The omega went
down the stairs with incredible slowness, counting every step. Due to his annoying thoughts, he
stumbled and collided with the dark floor of the first floor. This was his end.

Jungkook sat at the same place as yesterday, he held a cup of hot coffee in his fingers. Steam
flowed upward and dissipated quickly. The table was full of foods again, mouth-watering and
delectable dishes, but despite of that, in front of Jungkook there was only coffee and some small
plastic box that could fit only half of the hand.

The alpha had a black see-through shirt on, in which every muscle of his was visible. Jungkook
was strong before, but now he had become even bigger. On his strong hands, black ink of snakes
curled; braided around the biceps and hid under the short sleeve t-shirts. Instead of the usual black
jeans on Jungkook, military camouflage pants tucked into boots. In this clothes, he didn't fit into
the interior of the house, but he looked exactly like the leader of the group.

“You’ll be late for work,” the alpha said in a casual tone, looking up at Taehyung who had entered,
while drinking his coffee. "Sit down and have breakfast."

And Taehyung forgot about work, about people who needed him. Forgot about who he was and
what he should do. Even Jungkook remembered.

The omega was no longer hesitated and sat at the table under the intense gaze of his brother. He no
longer decided to provoke him and immediately reached for sliced fruits.

“I'll drive you to hospital,” the alpha said, and Taehyung nodded briefly, without raising his eyes
and slowly chewing a piece of pineapple. “Eat well,” it was an order and the piercing notes of the
emerging irritation were heard in his calm voice.

And Taehyung obeyed him. Laid the fruit back down and cut the bacon with a knife. Nothing
would climbed into his throat, especially under the careful supervision of Jungkook, but there was
no choice. He chewed his meat and reached for freshly squeezed orange juice.

"Did you come up with a puppy name?" Jungkook asked, his tone a little softened and raised an
eyebrow inquiringly.

“One name occurred to me,” Taehyung replied, thinking, rubbed his lips with a napkin lying near
the plate and looked up at Jungkook. "Dante."

“Great name,” the alpha smiled weakly and nodded approvingly, taking his cup of coffee again. "I
like it."

Taehyung didn't answer anything. Silently he dived into his plate, playing with his fork and lazily
shoving food into his mouth. The sticky feeling from Jungkook’s gaze didn’t go away, it only
made him cringe inside. But Jungkook was satisfied. He seemed to enjoy the sight, from time to
time a slight smile appeared on his lips. Taehyung couldn't stand it anymore.
"Why are you watching me?" He asked, looking at his brother in the eyes.

"I haven't seen my brother for two years, is it forbidden for me?" Jungkook grinned, arched an
eyebrow. “You've grown a lot, but only a little has changed. Your beauty has blossomed and
become even more noticeable."

Taehyung's ears instantly flared up with heat from the overwhelming embarrassment. He quickly
lowered his gaze and effortlessly popped a piece of omelete into his mouth, quickly chewing and
frowning. Jungkook laughed lightly and licked the remaining coffee on his lips, leaning back on
his chair.

“But something remains unchanged,” he smiled, lowering his head slightly. “My dear little brother
is still here.”

'But mine has disappeared,' Taehyung thought bitterly, but said nothing out loud. For the sake not
to see the hellfire in Jungkook's eyes again.

Earlier, Taehyung promised to himself mentally that until the end of breakfast he would no longer
look at his brother and calmly finish his food, determinedly keeping his cool. But the omega broke
his promise as soon as he heard the sound of an opening plastic box and pills spilling out onto the
table surface. The omega raised his head sharply, staring at the small white ovals. Jungkook took
three pills at once and threw it into his mouth, immediately drinking them with his coffee.

"What is that, Jungkook?" Taehyung asked, frowning and watching his brother.

"It's just sweets, Taehyungie,” Jungkook shrugged and closed the box.

Taehyung was instantly wary, watching his brother's slightly defocused gaze. He put down the fork
and rose from his seat, drilling the small container with his eyes.

"I want to know what it is. I'm not a child, I'm a doctor,” the omega said with firmness in his voice,
leaving the table and standing right in front of Jungkook. "What did you swallow?"

“It's nothing, Taehyung,” Jungkook clutched the box in his hand and looked at the omega with a
warning. It was obvious in Taehyung's eyes, it wasn't the case, he was so ready to tear the pills out
of Jungkook's hands. "They just relieve a headache."
“I doubt it,” the omega grunted, shaking his head and holding out his hand. "Let me see."

“Taehyung, sit down,” Jungkook said calmly.

“Give it to me, Jungkook,” the younger one didn't give up, stubbornly holding out his hand.

A short scream spread across the living room when the alpha grabbed Taehyung by the wrist,
almost squeezing and twisting, felt like he wanted to break it. The omega grimaced in the painful
feeling and tried to pull his hand out, trying to break out of Jungkook's iron grip.

“I told you that this shouldn't bother you,” Jungkook growled, burning a hole in his brother's eyes.
“Your curiosity will ruin you.”

He abruptly released his Taehyung's wrist and slipped the box into the side pocket of his pants,
continued to drink his coffee as if nothing had happened.

Taehyung froze in shock, pushing the pain in the wrist to the back of his mind. The pain didn't
matter if there was another kind of pain he felt, stronger, almost unbearable. And it was
concentrated in his chest, spreading throughout his body and slowly poisoning him.

Taehyung thought there were no more tears left, but he was mistaken.

~}{~

They went to the hospital in complete silence. Taehyung felt the tension of his brother with his
whole body, so he didn't dare to even look in his direction. He silently swallowed tears and clasped
his fingers to the hem of his coat, staring out of the window, in which little could be seen from
behind the rain curtain. Taehyung watched the crystal drops flowed down the glass, listened to the
smooth motion of the wipers slid on the windshield, and he still couldn't get the picture of those
pills that Jungkook took at breakfast out of his head. Taehyung understood perfectly well what this
could be and for what. Everyone knew that Aspid, along with weapons, trade in drug trafficking
and created the ever new types of prohibited substances. From the study of members of this group
who died during clashes, it was concluded that they were under the influence of hard drugs, which
completely knocked out clarity of consciousness. So they turned into wild animals, seeing only a
marked target in front of them. For this reason, Aspid transpired even greater fear, and any citizen
who had drugs detected in their body was immediately subjected to imprisonment, a thorough
search and interrogation.

Aspid were monsters, and they strived to create their own kind.

Taehyung replayed every moment with Jungkook in his head and analyzed them, assuming that all
this time he could be under the influence of some substances. Now that explained a lot. It remained
to find out exactly what he took, and this could be done by taking a sample.

By the time the dark veil of unpleasant thoughts began to take possession of consciousness
completely, the BMW finally slowed down at the entrance of the hospital.

“Good luck, brother,” said Jungkook, hanging his hand on the steering wheel and turning to the
omega with a smile on his lips. "I'll call you."

“Bye, Jungkook,” Taehyung answered quietly, glancing at his brother and then opening the car
door.

Taehyung immediately poured into his usual work, changing his coat to a white robe and hanging a
stethoscope on his neck. Morning round of patients-checking was pretty quick. Near the ward,
Jiyong trampled around once again, his dad who was trying to put himself together and hide the
incessant tears. Taehyung, as usual, watched him from the side and didn't know what to do: to
condemn him or to understand him. Meanwhile, the parent took a deep breath, put a smile on his
lips that were barely noticeable, and entered his son’s room.

The lunch break, as always, he couldn't do that without Jin and his explicit humor about the
relationship between Taehyung and Colonel Park Jimin, to which Jeon just rolled his eyes and tried
to poke Kim into what was happening in his personal life. And Jin didn’t like it from the very first
word at all. About Jimin, Taehyung was now even more afraid to think, to remember the events of
yesterday. Jungkook hated him.

Jungkook could kill him.

The omega went to work-frenzy mode and was distracted for a while, loading the brain with only
the necessary information. When the big load began to take its toll, Taehyung went to the vending
machine, he needed coffee in order to extend his work performance for the next few hours. The
bright hospital corridor, as usual, was full of people and a never ceasing buzz, to which the omega
had become accustomed long ago. If at the beginning of work it was annoying and didn't allow
him to concentrate, now it was an integral and important part of the hospital life.

Taehyung took a paper cup of swirling steam of coffee and stirred the sugar with a small plastic
spoon. The eternal rumble suddenly subsided, and at first it seemed to Jeon that he had gone so
deep in his thoughts that the life out of his head had faded into the background. He looked up from
the cup and froze, like dozens of people in the lobby. All eyes were fixed on the large TV screen,
which was usually watched by visitors or patients who liked to walk along the corridor. On the
black screen was the familiar symbolism of the Asp.

Time seemed to stop at that second. A well-known public execution scene appeared on the screen.
Against a very much hated gray background, a terrorist was standing, holding a katana in his hand,
with a blade pressed against the throat of a kneeling victim. Again, horror and fear, mixed in the
eyes of the victim's wet eyes from tears. And on the lips, which were visible through the cutouts of
the executioner's mask, an animal grin stayed still; eyes looked at the viewers with mockery and
pleasure from what was happening.

There was a whisper along the corridor, in which Taehyung distinctly caught the hateful murmured
of "Mirai”. He glanced over the tall figure of the terrorist, stopping on camouflage pants tucked
into heavy boots. It seemed that the coffee in the hands of omega instantly froze, like all of his
insides. Because he didn’t believe in that, it didn't fit in his head. A few hours ago, Taehyung had
breakfast with Jungkook, and now he saw Mirai on the TV screen. No matter how many times
Taehyung tried to deny and forced out this terrible thought from his mind, the truth was truth, cruel
and turning everything inside out.

He didn’t hear the frightening speeches, he didn't see his brother’s black eyes, as if they were
looking directly at Taehyung and only showing a single truth:

Jungkook was a terrorist.

Taehyung didn't wait any longer to stand up and turn around, throwing his coffee into trash can
near the vending machine and quickly stepping toward the office.

And in the background was a curse condemned on the soul itself:

 "Long live our better future. Free yourself and ascend."

Chapter End Notes

Visualization:
Jungkook's BMW X6 M

And doggies:
Roy
Phobos
Deimos
Dante

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

Author's contact info:

VKontakte
Askfm
Twitter
 The General
Chapter Notes

⚠Warning: Yoonkook intimate moments. But this time, I suggest you to read it all
because there are important scenes in between of Yoonkook moments
⚠Warning: Blood, violence, murder.

Playlist:
VKontakte
Soundcloud

Character Visualization:
VKontakte
Pinterest

See the end of the chapter for more notes

In the courtyard of one of the military bases in the country, there was grave silence, which was
broken only by the rustle of dry leaves on the trees that were tormented by the wind, they were
carried to the cold, dirty earth with no damaged.

Twenty soldiers stood in a perfectly straight line. Dark blue uniforms merged into one long strip,
and equally neutral and concentrated faces that at first sight couldn't be distinguished from each
other. Nobody moved. It seemed that even a sigh was done hesitantly, unblinking.

The rustling of the soles of heavy boots on asphalt was spreading around the courtyard. In front of
the squad, clasping his hands behind his back, a tall, perfectly well-coordinated and taut, the
General walked with his brown hair under a cap. He walked slowly, and periodically stopping. His
presence was only pumping up an already tense atmosphere more intensely, that even cold, thorny
air unloaded. His gaze was black as oil, eyes heavy, pressing down a concrete brick to the damp
earth, could knock down and make people fall to their knees instantly. They couldn't look at him.
They didn't dare to look at him.

“Yesterday's operation to eliminate the base of the Aspid near the city was successful,” the General
started. His voice sounded solid, perfectly clear. Someone in the squad even flinched unnoticed by
his suddenness. "This is a minor, but still a victory. As a result, we have seventy-six enemies
killed, five prisoners-"

“Four, General Kim,” Colonel Park, standing upright, corrected the alpha behind him. Jimin, like
the General, clasped his hands behind his back. Legs were a little apart, and on a neutral face there
was indestructible firmness. The wind gently rubbed the bangs black as tar, revealing his forehead.
The General stopped and slowly turned his head to Jimin, raising an eyebrow, but without
changing his facial expression.

“This morning, one of the prisoners was found dead in the cell. Choked himself," the Colonel
explained, looking the General in the eyes.

“What a loyalty,” the man grinned dryly, turning to the soldiers and continuing his walk in front of
the squad. "Unfortunately, not all of us have enough of it."

The General scanned everyone’s gaze, looking into the unblinking eyes of soldiers whose gaze
were fixed somewhere ahead. He literally crawled into the soul, explored everything that was
there, studied them and made them nervous. Despite the cold of a gray day, the skin was covered
with sweats from this intense look, which everyone in the army was trying to avoid.

“The snakes are immeasurably devoted to their leaders, and this is not the first suicide case,” the
General frowned thoughtfully and continued to walk along the line, forcing every soldier he passed
by to strain nervously, like a strained string. "And what about us?" The General stopped and
looked into the eyes of the alpha standing in front of him, who was perforce, had to look back.
“Are you willing to voluntarily take your own life for the sake of the president and the people,
Sergeant Moon?”

The Sergeant was a little lost, and his gaze began to run, couldn't concentrate on something. The
firmness in his pose and on his face started to melt before the eyes of General, revealing the fear
that was shamefully hiding behind the mask. Moon opened his mouth, trying to say something, but
hesitated. And he just didn't have time.

“What answer should I expect from a deserter?” The General asked in a formidable steel voice, his
eyes and the tone he used almost pressing the Sergeant against the wall. “How did your conscience
allow you to stand here before me after you shamefully escaped, leaving your comrades on the
battlefield?”

“General...” the Sergeant mumbled thickly, lowering his gaze. "I-"

“You're nobody now, Moon,” said General Kim in a tone that made someone wanted to hide and
plug their ears, just not to hear it. Even those nearby felt it. And it didn't matter that everyone here
had a solid core, strengthened due to the fact that they had to see and had to do it almost every day.
The General instilled nervousness and fear in which no one recognized themselves anymore.
“I- General, please,” the Sergeant pleaded in a wavering voice, couldn't look into Kim’s eyes.
"Listen-"

"You wanted a peaceful life?" Interrupted the General, walking up to Moon, almost close to him.
"Escape from war and heal yourself happily and nonchalantly? I will tell you a secret: everyone
wants this. Everyone who surrounds you, everyone who suffers from the tyranny of the Asp. And
if there are more people like you, we will lose this war. And I won’t let this happen."

The General raised both hands, then in one rough and sudden movement, he teared off shoulder
straps from the Sergeant’s shoulder without ever taking his eyes off the alpha, who immediately
dropped to the ground as if someone accidentally crushed him with their shoe. Moon literally
dropped his shoulders, as if a heavy burden had fallen on it. A lost look was fixed on the ground,
where shoulder straps laid, dirty with dirt.

“Like I said, you're nobody now,” General Kim said coldly and frighteningly, not taking his heavy
gaze from Moon. "Peaceful life must be conquered, it is necessary to fight for it until the last
breath, tear the throats of enemies and go forward, don't turn your back and shamefully run in the
hope of saving your miserable carcass. To me the like of you is disgusting,” the General grunted
and walked away from Moon, who was barely standing on his feet. “I would have shot you right
here, as I have done this before with other deserters before you, but I won’t.”

Moon raised a perplexed look at Kim, hope and relief appeared in his eyes for a split second. He
began to relax a little, but only until the General spoke again.

"You want to live, go for it. I'll show you a life. Such life will be among all of us if the Aspid
managed to take control of the country into their hands. If that happened, you'll start to think about
whether you should turn your back on them."

“Gene-” Moon mumbled bewilderedly, completely unaware of what Kim had in mind, but he again
got cut off of his miserable semblance of speech by the General.

“Now get out of my sight,” the General said, and finally released the former Sergeant from the
captivity of his eyes. “You're free,” he turned to everyone and then turned around once more,
moving to Jimin, who calmly watched what was happening from the side all this time.

“What do you want me to do, Namjoon?” Jimin asked, moving after the General in the large yard
towards the buildings.
“Make sure he has nothing left. No work, no home, no future,” Namjoon calmly replied, shrugging
his shoulders.

“I was getting ready to make a hole on his forehead,” Jimin said with his hands in the pockets of
his dark blue trousers and looking at the slightly relaxed alpha.

“Death is still too easy punishment for deserter. Let him feel all the charms of life that Aspid wants
for the people,” the General replied, removing his cap from his head and combing his hair with
five fingers. The alpha's palms were strewn with ugly scars hiding beneath the sleeves of his jacket.
He lowered his hand, playing with his cap and tucking the other hand into his trouser pocket.

"When will we leave to the North again?" Jimin asked, with a carefully hidden reluctance in his
voice. To go there meant to part with Taehyung again and to leave him alone. After the recent
terrorist attack, the alpha couldn't stop worrying. Even doctors and the hospital were in great
danger. Aspid didn't stop at anything, anyone.

"It has become quieter there, but it won't hurt to strengthen our positions. We need to send weapons
and medicines there. Maybe doctors will be needed. There aren't enough doctors, but more and
more of our people are injured."

For Jimin, there was something unsettling about the mention of the doctors. He had succeeded
many times pulling Taehyung out from this dangerous work, but each time he had to worry again
and again. Suddenly he didn’t keep track of it, and his Taehyung would have to go to Hell—as
everyone called the North. No matter how familiar to the frightening scenes the omega might be,
but what was happening in the North would seriously shake his soul. Taehyung was extremely
stubborn, Jimin had to constantly argue with him in order to keep him secure; try to keep him in
safe place. And if he found out that the people in the North need medical help, he would never
refuse and would be the first to volunteer. Jimin simply couldn't allow this.

Thoughts about Taehyung reminded him of the recent incident, about which Park continuously
thought for two days, puzzled and didn't understand what had happened. Jeon Jungkook, a friend of
Jimin, one of the best in the army, the one whom everyone considered heroically fallen, suddenly
showed up, embittered by the one who fought with him shoulder to shoulder in the battlefield,
whom he covered with his own body and gave encouraging words in difficult moments.

“I saw Jungkook,” Park suddenly gave out, without even having time to think further.
Namjoon paused with a slight surprise in his eyes, he raised his eyebrows, looking at the Colonel.

"Jeon Jungkook?" the General's mind turned blank. "How?"

“He is alive, Namjoon,” Jimin pursed his lips. "I myself didn't believe it. I thought it was some
kind of joke, but he really stood in front of me."

“Did he deserted two years ago?” Namjoon chuckled, continued to walk. “I would expect this from
anyone, but not from Jungkook. Did he say anything?"

Jimin recalled Jungkook, who seemed to have broken the chain, furious to the limit and almost
slaughtered him with his fiery gaze. He was ready to tear Park to pieces, and he probably would
have done that if Taehyung hadn’t stopped him. There wasn't a shadow of joy or even light in his
black eyes, as if he had seen his enemy. A continuous all-consuming hatred in his eyes. Only,
Jimin wasn't afraid of him. Rather confused. Disappointed.

“No, he didn’t say anything,” the Colonel sighed, raising his head to the sky and breathing in the
fresh cold air with his nose. “Like he didn't even recognize me.”

Jimin, Jungkook and Namjoon were almost always together, began their long and arduous journey
in the army. They always clung to each other, were in the same squad, and were in all the initial
stages took place together. But when Namjoon was promoted after a successful operation, Jimin
and Jungkook almost lost their friend, who beared a lot more responsibility. He became a
Commander to whom his friends had to obey.

“We need to find him, to understand what happened. He was a national hero,” the General said
with sad thoughtfulness, staring into the distance and squinting slightly. "He still is. After his
death, a monument was built for him, and in the main headquarters his photograph hangs along
with all the heroes of the war. He was one of the best,” Namjoon shook his head. “Are you sure it
was him?”

“Unfortunately,” Jimin nodded.

It was still unpleasant for Park to remember what happened in the office. Jungkook, who always
mentioned his beloved younger brother with love and trepidation, who even at the battlefield didn’t
forget about him and every time he was preparing to die only with Taehyung's name on his lips,
now treated him unexpectedly harsh, almost growling at the omega, by force dragging him along
and not allowing Jimin to realize what had just happened. And it still wasn't completely clear.
Jimin wasn't going to talk about the details to Namjoon and he decided today he would go to
Taehyung. Even if he had been with his brother all this time, his heart wasn't calm for him. Not
after what Park saw.

“So he is now the same as those to whom I shot bullets on the forehead in front of my own people.
Damn deserters,” Namjoon chuckled. “It would be better if I didn’t know this, so that the respect I
have for him wouldn't go down. I refuse to believe it."

“I'll find out what happened,” Jimin said calmly, nodding in confirmation of his words. “He is still
our friend.” He was.

~}{~

“Remind me why are you still alive?”

Jungkook sat on a wide sofa made of black leather, rolling a joint with his teeth. Yoongi sat on the
alpha’s lap, hugging his neck with one hand and sipping cognac directly from the bottle.

The gates of hell had been opened in the hole of the snakes, releasing all demons to the earth and
allowing them to do all mortal sins ever known, which no one would ever regret. Around
debauchery, there was a feast of blood. Bacchanalia in honor of one god—Mirai.

Snakes were drown in lust and dirt, took without permission—which they didn't need—played,
filled themselves with alcohol and pumped heavy drugs into their blood, allowing it to take control
of their mind. They were open to the demons, they were already obsessed. Everywhere was
screams of pleasure and pain, so beautifully interwoven with each other. Snakes fucked like
animals, raped, ate them alive, not being ashamed of anyone, taking everything that they were
given and of course taking it by force. The words "conscience" and "shame" in this place hadn't
been heard for a long time, becoming forbidden.

In the hole, everything merged together—bodies, sounds, scents and even blood flowing in
streams. And somewhere, the laughter of the Devil himself, piercing to the bones, was heard. He
was in the air, caressed the ears and instilled horror, penetrated consciousness and enslaved it. And
the snakes were ready to bow their heads obediently.
They had long sold their souls, instead of which, only ashes remained inside.

A tied man sat in a chair in front of Jungkook. He was bleeding all over, the smell of which drew
Mirai in, rolling his eyes in pleasure. Compared to it, even drugs didn't stand a chance. The man
was trembling all over, bulging his eyes so hard, as if now they would fall out of the eye sockets
and roll across the floor right at Jungkook's feet.

Hoseok sat next to the armchair, wildly, animal-like, hungrily tearing the lips of a pretty omega
sitting on his lap. There was a joint in one hand and a glass with dark amber liquid in the other.
Hoseok didn't belong to himself. He took off his cold and heavy armor, set it aside, revealing his
bestial nature to the world. The alpha completely let it out and allowed it to walk freely, destroyed
and enjoyed painful moans mixed with pleasure. He stopped for a second to take a snow-white
oval tablet from Jungkook, then threw it into his mouth and allowed waves of relaxation to flow
through his body.

“B-because...” stuttered the tied alpha, staring into the depths of Mirai’s black eyes, as if
hypnotized by the poison of Asp. “I'm... f-funny...”

Jungkook raised an eyebrow inquiringly and put a hand behind his ear, demonstratively showing
that he didn't understand what the man mumbled about.

“I can't hear you,” Mirai shook his head, looking at Yoongi. The omega looked into the leader’s
eyes and smiled at the corner of his lips, letting Mirai's rough fingers slid along his cheek to his
chin. “Yoongi, baby, help him speak louder,” the alpha said, blowing smoke to the omega’s face
and then slapping his ass.

The omega obediently got off of Mirai’s lap and walked around the chair, clutching at the ends of
thin chains studded with small sharp blades that dig into the prisoner's upper body, completely
braiding him through a shirt torn to shreds. Yoongi smirked and pulled the chains to himself with
force, causing the blades to go deeper into the flesh, letting out new thick jets of blood with which
all the clothes of the captive were soaked. The man screamed, but didn't move, barely restraining
himself, because from any movement of the blade under the skin, the body would be more tattered.
Yoongi was still squeezing the ends of the chains in his hands, pulling it to him and then pulling
them on the body of the alpha.

“You spare him, baby,” Jungkook shook his head in displeasure, frowning and lazily moving his
palm over the naked body of the lying omega, whose face rested on the alpha crotch and reached
for the belt with his fingers.
Yoongi didn't need to be told twice. He yanked again, with more effort, and received the long
awaited pitiful cry in response, caressing his ears. Jungkook laughed quite a bit and pinched the
joint between his lips again.

"So, why?" he asked again through the screams, lowered his head to his shoulder and clutched the
omega's white hair in his fingers, who was already sweeping the hard and big alpha's member into
his mouth.

"Because I'm funny! Y-you think I-I'm f-funny!" The man screamed, almost breaking his vocal
cords and twisting in grimace of the endless pain. Hot tears mixed with blood and garnered on the
chin.

Jungkook grinned and slid the tip of his tongue across his lip, shaking off the ash on the back of
the omega who was sucking him off. The omega quietly whined and wriggled, arching, but he
didn't stop swallowing the member. On the contrary, the omega began to work his mouth harder,
swallowing to the base and caressing the head with the tongue.

“Exactly,” Mirai laughed, nodding. “It was especially funny when you leaked information to our
enemies, betraying your people, right?" suddenly he said in an icy tone, stopped laughing. Silent
black snakes from his bottomless eyes crawled under the man’s skin, poisoned his blood and made
him trembled. “I would feed you to my dogs alive, but your flesh is rotten, just like your soul. I
don't want it to poison them."

"M-mirai..." the alpha whispered with a prayer in his voice, choking on his own pain and tears. "I-I
beg you..."

"Shut up, you piece of shit,” Jungkook spat out, cutting his ears with sharp steel in his voice and
burning holes into the prisoner with one glance that was darker than night. “You should only ask
for death.”

Yoongi grunted, adding a new portion of unbearable pain to the man, from which he screamed
loudly again, and then walked back to Jungkook.

“Get out,” Min growled at the other omega, pushing his head to the side, he saddled Jungkook's
thigh afterwards. "What to do with him?" Yoongi asked, exhaling the words on the alpha's lips with
his hands circled on Jungkook's neck.
“Burn his tattoo, he doesn’t deserve to die with our insignia on his body, he is unworthy of it,”
Mirai answered, putting his hands on the omega's ass and roughly squeezing through the fabric of
camouflage pants. “And the eyes... let my dogs eat his eyes. They annoy me,” the alpha grunted,
squeezing the omega on his hips and forcing him to sit tight on his boner. "Only after I'm done
with you."

“As you say, sir,” Yoongi whispered, brushing a tongue over Jungkook's lips, who managed to
intercept him, sucked him, pulling the omega into a deep, animal kiss.

A hellish, explosive mixture of alcohol, pills, drugs and crazy excitement seethed in the blood.
Lightness and just the word "high" in his head. Pure, unlike anything else, one that everyone would
dream of finding, but Jungkook only shared with Yoongi. He pushed his tongue into his mouth and
made him swallow, desired for more and more. The omega eagerly rubbed his ass against
Jungkook's member and gripped his black hair like a crow's wing on the back of his head, allowing
Jungkook's strong hands to roam around his body, sneaked under his T-shirt, stroke the porcelain
skin strewn with marks from Mirai himself.

Hoseok detached himself from the omega and casted a glance at the leader who was crushing the
fragile body of Yoongi with his own. He groaned in delight and threw his head back, letting
Jungkook covered his neck with new marks. Hoseok's glass crumbled in his hand, amber liquid
mixed with blood. It was the same inside, only in combination with red-hot lava flowing through
the veins. The alpha opened his palm and spilled the shattered glass onto the floor, grabbing the
compliant omega again and taking his frightened face with bloodied fingers. Eyes were covered
with a curtain of high from drugs; they looked, but they didn’t see, but the body still felt fear.
Hoseok smeared his blood on the omega cheeks and licked his lips ajar, immediately biting into
the lower lip with a roar. The snake bit, injecting its poison into the blood, made it moaned and
wriggled in its hands, but it didn’t give a damn about someone else’s pain. He brought pleasure and
satisfaction, and he wanted more.

Yoongi was lost in an avalanche of sensations, and a drunken, relaxed smile on his lips bitten by
Jungkook. He reached for the bottle again while Jungkook sniffed the powder from his shoulder,
on which he tore his t-shirt, and drank the scalding liquid in large sips, allowing a few drops to
flow from the corner of his lips.

At that moment, a tall and strong alpha with a body armor over a black T-shirt and with short-cut
brown hair approached the leader. His lower lip had an ugly scar extending to the chin.

“Mirai,” he called, standing in front of the table with alcohol and drugs on it and clutching his
hands in front of him.

Jungkook licked white powder from his thumb and lifted his head, looking into the man’s eyes and
arched an eyebrow inquiringly.

"What's the news?" He asked, fastening his pants and taking another puff from his joint.

“They bombed our base near the city,” the man replied in a cold and neutral voice. "It happened a
couple of hours ago. Several of us went there to check, because there was no communication."

Hoseok ceased his torment to the body of the omega and raised his head, frowning and wiping
blood from his lips with his palm. He shoved the guy from his lap and looked at Mirai.

Jungkook threw a silver lighter on the table and took a deep breath, filling himself with bitter
poisonous smoke. He let it up through his parted lips and squinted, brushing off the ashes. The
alpha was silent for a while, processing the information in his drunken head, then again looked at
the man standing in front of him and asked:

"Has anyone survived?"

“None but five. But they were captured."

“Bitch,” Jungkook growled, irritatedly pushing his tongue to the inside of his cheek.

A beloved, roof-blowing rage instantly filled the body, the last missing element in this crazy
cocktail. Jungkook rose sharply, grabbed a gun from his belt for a moment, confusing Yoongi, and,
taking off his guard, shoot the prisoner who immediately broke off from unbearable pain in the left
eye, spreading a loud sound that attracted the attention of all snakes. The man's head leaned back,
and the body went limp on the chair, for the last time he flinched. Compared to the news that the
snake brought, this bag of meat and bones was like a chewing gum that stuck to the sole of the
shoes, and Yoongi had had enough of it. The Aspid instantly fell silent and looked at the leader,
readied to listen.
“Our brothers died the death of the brave at the hands of cursed enemies, who won’t understand
that they make mistake after mistake, blocking the road from us,” Jungkook began loudly,
clutching the handle of his gun in his fingers and glancing at the surrounding Aspid, readied to
absorb everything what the leader would say. “And we will remember them as long as we can.
Loud and beautiful. Today we will drink their souls for peace, and tomorrow we will go North.
There, where the eternal heat is. The fucking hell we all love so much!" Jungkook shouted,
laughing that made goosebumps ran through, and the insides were compressed. "Everyone must die
the most painful death. Don't spare anyone a painless death."

Snakes began to scream and laughed with the leader, spill alcohol, drink more and more, catching
up for brothers who could no longer do this. Jungkook watched his people with a satisfied smile,
reveled in the moment and felt himself breathing new strength into him, even greater confidence
and firmness. Each enemy would be punished for a drop of snake blood spilled on the ground.
Jungkook didn’t need details, he would find out everything later, but he already knew how to fight
back in response so that the enemy suffocated under the thick sole of his shoes on their throat until
they begged for mercy.

Yoongi smoothly approached from behind and pressed his chest against the broad back of
Jungkook, rising on his toes and biting him by the cartilage.

“For our brothers, we will revel in each other’s bodies, do what they can never do again,” the
omega whispered, slowly sliding his fingers down the alpha torso.

Jungkook turned around and crushed Yoongi into him in a rough movement, taking his chin with
his fingers and forcing him to look into his eyes.

“They will enjoy in the next world, and we will enjoy in this,” Mirai whispered hoarsely on the
lips of the omega and pulled the bottom lip with his thumb.

Yoongi laughed and licked the alpha finger with the tip of his tongue, fearlessly bathing in the
dangerous blackness of Jungkook's eyes. It’s not scary to drown in them, if you let the all-
consuming darkness in.

~}{~
Taehyung sipped his coffee and sighed tiredly, covering his eyes for a moment to give them a rest
after a long study of hospital matters scattered on the kitchen table. It seemed that Taehyung had
been sitting there for about five hours, wiping one cup of coffee after another. There were a lot of
patients, and there was no more place in the district hospitals, everyone was sent to the central one,
which was already full. There were only a few doctors, and people couldn't endure pain.

The new hospital, in which a monstrous massacre occurred, still hadn't started its work after the
incident, but, as the head doctor of the central hospital assured, very soon it would start accepting
patients, they just had to wait a bit.

Taehyung didn't deprive anyone of his attention, helped everyone as much as possible, he worked
himself off to the maximum, forgetting about himself, but his own body needed energy to be able
to help others. This was an eternal struggle within the omega: helping yourself for the sake of
helping others. Covering his eyes in his office for at least a minute, Jeon immediately began to
scold himself and call himself selfish who didn't think about others. Not enough, there would
always be a hell of lot to think about others, he couldn't break.

Taehyung opened his eyes and looked for his phone in a pile of papers, which one of the omega's
colleagues had to call to agree on a replacement on-duty. Jeon rubbed his eyes and picked up the
phone. No missed call or messages. The list of call history only included Jin, Jimin, the head
physician and Jungkook. Taehyung lingered on his brother’s name unknowingly, and immediately
something dark came in, causing not quite a pain, but something like a tangible discomfort.
Taehyung would like for it wouldn't reach into a new pain later.

Jungkook called the day after they met. He said that he really wanted to see his brother again, but a
lot of things happened, which Taehyung watched on TV. Several days passed, Jungkook didn't call,
but Mirai made his presence felt almost every hour, looking at his brother from the TV screen.
Always in a mask, always with a weapon in his hand and an animal grin on his lips. He again
organized cruel executions, then he simply passed on a message to the authorities no less
frightening than public execution. Taehyung saw a terrorist who didn't even have the voice of
Jungkook, and he still vehemently denied that this was his brother. The deeper he began to think
about it, the more painful and bitter it became, tears of pain and resentment immediately came to
his eyes. That was impossible.

Taehyung would immediately switched the channel or completely turned off the TV, plunging into
the silence ringing in his ears. He didn't want to see and hear Mirai. He seemed to have really killed
his brother.

The omega was distracted from his own thoughts by a sudden doorbell, from which he almost
jumped in place, dropping one of the folders on the floor. An alarm crept inside, but outwardly
Taehyung tried to remain calm and tried to stop the panic ahead of time. Was it bad if it turned out
to be Jungkook, who probably already knew perfectly well about where his brother lived? No, it
wasn't bad, because love didn't stop warming in his heart, the joy that his brother was alive didn't
dissipate. This part inside Taehyung was still preserved, it didn't fill itself with the darkness and
coldness blasting from the harsh truth. Taehyung would be glad, but his knees treacherously still
trembled with a slight fear that had clung to his body.

He sighed, gathered his strength and turned the lock, opening the door and getting ready to see the
grin on his brother's lips. But instead, he saw a warm smile on Jimin's puffy lips. A wave of relief
flowed through the body, and he responded with his own smile. Jimin walked into the apartment,
immediately covering the omega in his embrace, his body cool from the street.

Taehyung felt protected in these arms that in one swoop they drove away the darkness, scattered
the clouds and let the golden and warm sunshine in, which was so lacking in their lives. Jimin gave
it all with one of his appearance, settled in the soul and enveloped with warmth.

“We need to warm yourself,” Taehyung whispered somewhere in the alpha collarbone, reluctantly
crawling out of his arms. “I'll make you coffee,” he smiled at the corner of his lips and ran his palm
across Park's cheek.

Jimin nodded, pulling off his sneakers and jacket, went to follow the omega to the kitchen,
breathing in his favorite scent, wisteria, which was saturated within Taehyung’s cozy and bright
apartment.

“You're torturing yourself again,” the alpha shook his head in displeasure, watching as Jeon
entered the kitchen, quickly picked up a folder from the floor and collected all the papers in one
pile. “It's harmful to drink so much coffee, Tae,” he sighed, noting several empty cups on the table.

“You're one to talk,” Taehyung smiled, setting aside hospital folders on the windowsill and putting
down the kettle. Jimin sat at the table, clasped his hands on the top of it, watching the omega.

Taehyung was so homely and comfortable. In his favorite wide trousers and in baggy beige T-shirt,
periodically slipping from his shoulder. Brown hair was slightly disheveled, and it looked
impossibly sweet to Jimin. The alpha wanted to get up, wanted to approach the omega and press
the delicate body to himself, wanted to inhale the aroma of his shampoo, buried his nose on the top
of his head, and to wrap his arms around Taehyung so that he wouldn't slip out. But instead, he sat
calmly and watched Taehyung brew coffee for him. They still had time to hug.

"What's new at work?" The omega asked, glancing at Jimin over his shoulder and turning away
again to continue his coffee-making.

"Everything is as usual. Forever struggle, lack of resources in the North. I may have to go there
soon,” Park sighed, combing his black bangs back with his fingers.

"For a long time?" with unconcealed sadness in his voice, Taehyung asked, turning to the alpha
with a cup of coffee in his hands.

“I don’t know yet,” Jimin shook his head, gratefully taking the cup from the omega and putting it
in front of him. Taehyung sat on the opposite end, raising his legs on a chair and hugging his knees
with his hands. “It's relatively calm there, but it's only a matter of time. We need to be ready."

Taehyung nodded knowingly and bit his lip, staring at the table. Letting go of Jimin was always
scary, he would tremble and cry into a pillow in the middle of the night. He survived this torment
with Jungkook, and now he was experiencing with Jimin, who had a token with his initials
gleaming on his neck, similar to the one that the omega wore. He was so afraid that someday he
would wear another one on his neck.

Jimin came a day before his departure everytime, didn't let his arms go for a long time and tried to
dispel Taehyung's dismay over another impending separation, promising to return. Taehyung had to
force himself to believe this promise. Only the promise that would remain with him when Jimin
left his apartment with a bag in the morning.

And then the weight of anxiety and excruciating expectation would fall on Taehyung once more.
To be able to cope and survive another difficult moment in life.

“Tae,” Jimin called quietly, tearing the omega out of sad thoughts, warming his hands on the cup.
The omega looked up at Jimin without stopping biting his lip. "Has Jungkook come yet?"

This question hit his face so suddenly that the omega even forgot to breathe. Jungkook’s threats for
Jimin immediately popped up in his head, if Jimin appeared again near Taehyung. His eyes were
full of pure rage at the mention of Park. What did Jimin think of him? And how could he explain
where Jungkook came from two years later?

“No,” Taehyung answered quietly, looking down at his knees.

“Has he appeared long ago?” the alpha asked, having swallowed his coffee and not taking his
attentive eyes away from the omega, slightly worried.

“No, just recently,” Taehyung said, quieter, clutching cold fingers on his ankles. The omega was
just holding back the more and more detailed answers. He was like in a minefield, and was afraid
to take the wrong step, which would doom to death.

“He's...” Jimin cleared his throat and frowned. “He didn't beat you?”

Jimin immediately wanted to smacked himself for such a vile question, but anxiety after what he
saw didn't give rest. Jungkook was harsh to his brother.

“No,” Taehyung shook his head weakly, daring to look up at the alpha. "Of course not. He loves
me..."

Taehyung felt a painful lump rolled up his throat. He wasn't sure now whether Jungkook loved him
or not. It was precisely this question that hurt the most, to which the omega didn't even know the
exact answer. Now he wasn't sure of anything. Who would have thought that someday he would
doubt the boundless and sincere love of his dear brother.

"And did he tell you where he was all this time, what did he do?" Jimin was angry with himself for
keeping to press the questions, seeing how Taehyung had become quiet and wilted from the
mention of his brother, but he wasn't able to control the interest bursting inside him. The questions
spilled out of his mouth on its own.

“No,” Taehyung shook his head again, biting his slightly quivering lip so that Jimin wouldn't
notice how he could hardly restrain himself so as not to cry. “I don't know what he was doing.”

Jimin frowned thoughtfully while sipping his coffee, drumming his fingers on the cup. One guess
popped up in his head. Unpleasant, muddy and painful. Park would like this to turn out to be
wrong, but such an assumption took place, given the behavior of Jungkook at their meeting. Most
of this was sickening, but Jimin had no power over his mind that gave him such assumptions.

"You didn't think that he could be with our enemies?" Jimin asked quietly and carefully, already
regretting he voiced this. Taehyung looked at him with genuine surprise and a slight fear creeping
down at the bottom of his hazel eyes.
Taehyung wanted to cry, burst into tears and bury his face in the pillow so that no one would hear
nor see. Two thoughts tear him apart from within.

«Yes, Jungkook is in the claws of the Asp! Stop him, save him, pull him out and give him back to
me!»

«Don't go deeper into it, Jimin, don't try to get to the bottom of the truth, he will kill you!»

If Taehyung were telling the truth, then Jungkook would face the death. Nobody would spare him.
They would kill him immediately on the spot, and then Taehyung would finally lose his brother.

If Taehyung were hiding it, then more death would threaten the people. Jimin. Jungkook wouldn't
stop, just like Jimin wouldn't.

Worse than the brutal truth about Jungkook, it could only make him choose between two dearest
persons who had become enemies to each other. How to survive this? How to handle this? After
all, Taehyung was miserable in this huge and endless war, he was an insignificant detail that had no
power and strength to stop this madness. He didn't even dare to dream of such a thing. And he had
no idea what to do in such a monstrous event, who to cling to and who to seek help from.

“He can't be,” Taehyung whispered, gathering the remnants of strength and courage in himself.
“He... n-no, Jimin,” the omega shook his head, not holding back a sob. He no longer forced himself
to hold it in. The alpha's face instantly softens, and his eyes filled with pain. He upset Taehyung,
brought him to tears with his idiotic questions. "No…"

Jimin immediately jumped up and carefully approached Taehyung, squatting in front of him and
gently stroking his cheek with his thumb, on which a crystal tear fell.

“Forgive me, Tae, forgive me...” Jimin repeated in a whisper, buried his face on the omega’s lap.
"I didn't want to. Damn, I'm such an idiot,” he sighed, raising his head and looking into the shiny
eyes opposite him. They had no resentment nor anger. Only deep sadness and pain, which was hard
to look at for Jimin.

“It's all right,” Taehyung replied, sniffing his nose, covering Jimin’s palm with his hand and gently
squeezing it with cold fingers. "I'm fine…"
 “He...” Jimin sighed and lowered his head, gathering his thoughts. “You see, I was so happy to see
him alive and well. Jungkook was my best friend. I just want to know what happened to him all this
time. But when he pounced on me..." the alpha frowned and looked up, looking into Taehyung's
eyes. “I don't want to think worse of him, because I have never met a man better than him. I even
took an example from him, tried to be as strong and brave. Probably, he was simply angry that his
friend and his brother..." Jimin gave a laugh, smiling wryly to defuse the situation and to relax
Taehyung who was listening carefully to him. "In his place, I would be angry too."

And Taehyung had nothing to say in return. How to justify his brother, how to react to Jimin's
words? He was silent, swallowed the tears that have already broken through the dam, and sought
tranquility at the bottom of the alpha eyes, in which the lapping warmth and care that was so
needed now was so precious.

Taehyung crawled out of the chair and snuggled up to Jimin, nuzzling into his warm neck. The
alpha immediately hugged Taehyung to himself and gently stroked his back, listening to a quiet
sniff, whispering soothing words.

“I'm next to you, Tae,” Jimin whispered with his nose buried on the omega’s temple with eyes
closing closed his eyes, shaking the slightly trembling Jeon in his arms. Seeing Taehyung's tears
was unbearable, his chest was in pain. "Everything is fine, little one, everything will be fine, I
won't let myself or anyone to hurt you."

Jimin now hated himself most of all, because he himself brought Taehyung to tears, not even
suspecting that Jungkook was the one who did this, who didn’t need to be around to do that.

Jungkook destroyed a shaky and fragile hope within Taehyung that was more and more difficult for
the omega to keep intact. Before Jungkook, he was powerless. And Jimin was even more so. This
was true, and Jungkook didn't allow him to breathe freely.

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

Author's contact info:

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 Ashes Sheltered in the North
Chapter Notes

⚠Warning: Blood, violence, murder.

Playlist:
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Character Visualization:
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See the end of the chapter for more notes

Taehyung sat in a spacious bright office of the head doctor of the central hospital, holding his
fingers together on the oak table and staring at them with a thoughtful gaze. He and four other
doctors were called here without explanation. Waiting for the arrival of the head doctor took place
in tense silence, broken by periodic quiet whispers.

“I hope they want to give us a prize,” said one of the doctors sitting next to Taehyung with a hope
in his whisper. Jeon just shrugged it off. If so, why weren't Jin and the rest of the hospital staff
here? After all, they deserved a prize no less than those who were present here.

When Taehyung was called into the office, Jin, who was nearby at that time, wished him luck, no
matter what the head doctor said. Taehyung had no idea what purpose he was sitting in this office,
but for some reason, anxiety began to form. It made no sense to count on anything good. Not in
their difficult times, when thousands of people died every day, and the same number went to
hospitals.

Taehyung didn't want to assume anything and build some kind of guesswork, but the longer he had
to wait, the harder it was for the soul, and the anxiety was getting greater.

“Well, there’s nothing to scold us for either,” said the doctor sitting opposite. “Jeon is here,” he
nods at Taehyung, “one of the best doctors in our hospital. Have you ever had a problem?"

“No,” Taehyung replied dryly, shaking his head. “Let's just wait, we'll find out soon.”
The office again went into noisy silence, and as soon as everyone plunged into their own thoughts,
the door suddenly swung open. All doctors instantly came to life and rose from their seats, looking
at a short and plump fifty years old chief doctor, hurriedly going to his desk.

“Please forgive me for the delay,” the man apologized, gesturing for the doctors to sit down. He
straightened his dark blue tie around his neck and also sat down in his chair, finally exhaling and
focusing on why he summoned his subordinates. "You, like no one else, know perfectly well that
in our country doctors are sorely lacking. More and more wounded, but there are less resources,"
the man sighed and glanced at each of those present. "The army demanded five doctors from our
hospital. In the North, there are many injured soldiers who need urgent medical attention."

“Lord,” one of the doctors exhaled, lowering his head and covering his eyes. “This is a certain
death,” he muttered softly, shaking his head dejectedly.

“This is a war zone,” the other whispered, crumpling a handkerchief with fingers.

Taehyung pursed his lips and looked down at his hands. Dozens of doctors were often sent North,
but only a few returned. No one was immune from death, even the ones who saved other people's
lives. Aspid either took the doctors hostage and forced them to work for them, or brutally killed,
just like the others. The fear of Taehyung's colleagues wasn't groundless. There was no guarantee
that, heading North, you could return back alive and safe. There was an eternal war that didn't stop
even for a second. Hell on earth.

“I understand your concern,” said the head physician with sincere sympathy, “But too much
depends on us, the doctors. We have a great responsibility. Our army will protect our people if we
can help them to stand up and to make them continue the battle with the enemy."

"When will we go to the North?" Taehyung asked, looking the man in the eye, full of confidence
and determination.

Taehyung wasn't afraid. He immediately destroyed the emerging fear from its source, preventing it
from seeing the light and taking possession of his consciousness. There was no place for fear and
weakness. People needed help—only this was important, only this mattered.

“Tomorrow morning you will go there with several military units. Unfortunately, there is no more
time to luxuriate any longer. The order of General Kim is clear, we can’t dispute it."
“How long will we be there?” asked the doctor sitting next to Taehyung.

“I'm afraid I don’t know this, it depends on the complexity of the situation in the North,” the head
doctor sighed, shaking his head and interlocking his fingers. "That's all. Now you can go home to
your families. Stay with them while you have time,” the man said calmly, looking at his
subordinates. The doctors fell into deep silence, dropping their heads and going into their own
thoughts. Each of them had just concluded a verdict.

Would they still have a chance to see their relatives? Would they be able to return to them, to feel
the their warmth nearby, to see their favorite smiles and to hear the gentle words saturated with
care that made the soul calm? No one could be sure now. One thing was known: Heading North,
you need to be ready for your end.

All five doctors silently rose from their seats then walked to the exit from the office.

“Don't forget that you are, first and foremost, doctors,” the head doctor told his subordinates, and
when the latter ones disappeared behind the door, the man sighed heavily and reached for the
drawer in the table, taking out a small bottle of cognac. Leading his subordinates to their death was
not what he wanted. This burden laid heavily on his hunched shoulders and mercilessly pulled him
down.

As soon as Taehyung entered his office, he saw Jin sitting at his desk. Noticing Jeon, the older
omega jumped up and flew up to him, bulging his eyes from his curiosity.

“Well, what did he say, Tae?” Kim asked, standing in front of the omega.

Taehyung looked up at his friend and bit his lip.

“Tomorrow morning we will be heading North,” Taehyung replied quietly and somehow too
calmly, looking at Jin in the eye. On his face, several emotions changed in a second, stopping at
sheer shock.

“Tae...” Kim whispered in a quivering voice, taking Taehyung by the shoulders and hugging him
too hard with nervousness. “How...” he said, bewildered, running a look of painful gaze over Jeon’s
calm face. “Why... and so soon...”

“They need it urgently, there's no time to wait,” Taehyung sighed, shaking his head.

“God,” Jin sniffed and sharply pressed the youngest to him, buried his face in his shoulder and
soaked the fabric of his light blue shirt with splashing tears.

“Hush, come on, Jin,” Taehyung whispered, soothingly stroked his friend on the back. “This is not
the end of my life. I have to help those who need it there."

Jin sobbed loudly and released his grip on Taehyung's shoulders, wiping tears from his cheeks with
the back of his hand.

“I'm afraid, Taehyung,” he whispered, peering into the hazel eyes in front of him. “I'm so afraid for
you, Lord. I wish I go there instead of you."

“You are needed here, Jinnie,” Taehyung smiled to himself, stroking his friend through his light
brown hair. “We will still do our work, only at a distance. I'll call you at any opportunity. Believe
me, everything will be fine."

“Why are you like that, Jeon Taehyung...” Jin shook his head, sniffing.

"Like what?" Taehyung asked, smiling at the corner of his lips.

"So strong and fearless. Always think of everyone before yourself. Ready to sacrifice your life for
others without hesitation. Because of this, I have to demand a promise from you to return safe and
sound," Jin frowned, looking at Jeon sternly. "Promise me. Now."

Taehyung sighed and bit his lip, nodding briefly. Jin grunted incredulously and folded his arms
over his chest.

“Okay, I promise,” Taehyung rolled his eyes, while Jin smiled with satisfaction and he gave his
friend a hug again. “You know, today we can come to my place, have a drink, eat some sweets and
watch movies,” Taehyung suggested when Kim released him.
“Great idea,” Jin nodded, glowing as if the sun had finally emerged from the eternal clouds.

And even if this was their last day together—they had to make the most of it.

~}{~

Taehyung didn't leave his job and was engaged in treating the patients until six in the evening.
With those whom he managed to get close, he said goodbye for a long time, saying that he must
leave for an indefinite period. Sadness and longing in the eye of his patients made his heart
contracted painfully. They loved him, as he did them, and now the separation seemed very difficult
and even painful. It was unbearable to see the faded eyes and fingers clinging desperately to the
hem of his robe or to his hand. They found the hope in Taehyung for a new life that awaited them
after they leave hospital, found the strength in him to continue to live and fight, and now, when he
left them, the little ray inside was shining fainter. But even in this situation, Taehyung confidently
promised that everything would be fine and that he would definitely visit them upon his return.
Little Jiyong, who had almost returned to normal and was ready to discharge in the upcoming days,
even shared the sweets he had saved for his brother with Taehyung. Taehyung refused to accept
them, but the child was very adamant.

After hugging Jiyong tightly, Taehyung left the hospital.

~}{~

“I don’t know about you, but I still adore éclairs,” Jin said thoughtfully, casting a glance at the
white bag in his hand and shrinking slightly from the cold. He coudn't wait to taste the sweetness
that was at the bottom of the bag.

On the street, lights were already lit, illuminating the path with golden light. At this time, people
became significantly less—they were afraid. Snakes became a nightmare in reality for everyone,
the monster under the bed, which was as real as everything around it. In the area where Taehyung’s
apartment was located, it was always quiet, and at night it was completely a wasteland, as if this
place was abandoned by people. In the central regions, everything was different. Over there, the
daredevils and rich people woke up at night and merged into life, not being afraid of poisonous
Aspids. They, unlike the common people, had triple protection, therefore they lived, as in paradise,
as if there was no war. In their small worlds, for sure.

“Too much cream,” Taehyung grimaced, shaking his head and digging his nose into his soft
creamy scarf.

"This is custard, it's very tasty!" Jin exclaimed indignantly. "I would understand if you were only
against cream, but against custard in general... Horror!"

“Well, eat your éclairs, I will enjoy chocolate muffins,” Taehyung laughed weakly, shoving his
friend slightly in the shoulder.

Jin didn't react at all, staring somewhere ahead, squinting his eyes. Taehyung followed his gaze
and noticed Jimin standing near the porch where the omega lived.

"Colonel?" Jin giggled, glancing at Taehyung. “You invited him to our little party?”

“No, I didn’t invite him,” Jeon shook his head thoughtfully, he quickened his pace.

Jimin, noticing omega, quickly turned around, then he walked toward them.

“Colonel, good evening,” Jin said with a smile when they finally near the alpha.

“Hi, Jin,” Jimin said quickly, nodding to the omega, and he casted his gaze at Taehyung. The alpha
literally nailed him in place and he didn't need to do anything for that. Taehyung shrank from his
gaze, somehow he felt guilty of something.

“You go, Jin, I'll follow soon,” Taehyung said, handing him his bags. Kim shrugged and
disappeared behind the porch door.

"It's true?" Jimin asked. Jimin's steel voice set out the goosebumps all over.
“Yes,” Jeon said, trying to sound firm, looking directly into Park's black eyes.

"God dammit!" Jimin growled, starting to pace nervously in front of Taehyung from side to side.
“Why did you do this, Taehyung? Why did you agree?"

“You know, I couldn't do otherwise,” the omega calmly answered, watching Jimin’s walked
nervously.

“You could, you could refuse, and then someone else would have gone instead,” Park said
irritably, digging his fingers into his black hair and squeezing it at the roots. “But I couldn't do
anything. This time I couldn’t, it was too late."

“How do you imagine this, Jimin? So that I would be chickened out and refused to go because I
fear for my life?" Taehyung was angry, pursing his lips. "People there need help, they risk their
lives, but I should have shamefully refused to help?

“You have no idea what’s going on there!” Jimin raised his voice, causing Taehyung to flinch. It
seemed he saw the alpha so nervous for the first time. “You have no idea, and yet you keep trying
to be heroic.”

"This is not heroism, but my job!" Taehyung exclaimed. “I'm doing what is entrusted to me by
your General, Jimin! I have to go and help everyone I can. This matter is the meaning of my life."

Jimin froze, and then abruptly walked up to the omega and stopped in front of him, he was on
edge, grabbing Taehyung's fragile shoulders.

“I can't let you take the risk,” Park said, a little calmer, but the nervous notes in his voice never
went away. “If... if something happens to you, I can't handle it,” the alpha said hoarsely, caressing
Taehyung's cheek with his thumb. The omega stood still, didn't even move one inch, drilling Jimin
with an unreadable look. His lower lip shivered slightly, and a lump rolled up to his throat.

Jimin had to understand him, because he himself was constantly risking his life. He came back
more than once with wounds that Taehyung patched for him, dropping silent tears on his knees.
Jimin should understand how important this was, because he himself often needed help.
“It's my duty, Jimin,” Taehyung whispered, his palm covering the alpha's hand. “I'm needed there.”

“You're so adamant,” the alpha grunted, shaking his head. “As stubborn as your brother was.”

Taehyung flinched just barely at the mention of Jungkook, and his heart skipped a beat. He could
no longer react calmly to it. No tingling in his heart and tears were already rushing to splash out of
his eyes.

Taehyung was scared. He had been thinking about this all day, swallowed his tears and refused to
accept, but he was afraid of only one thing: to see the consequences of the Asp, that was led by
Jungkook, in the North. Everything that happened there was the orders given by Mirai. Everything
that Taehyung saw there would make Jungkook a monster in his eyes even more.

Taehyung was afraid that his brother would completely lose all light, and there would be nothing to
cling to anymore.

“Then you must understand that I won't back down,” Taehyung whispered, trying to hide his
trembling voice.

Jimin didn't expect anything else. This was exactly what he feared all the time, but everything
couldn't be so perfect. This had touched Taehyung, and now he would have to face the horrors that
were happening in the North. Jimin didn't even imagine what could be done to save the omega
from half of what was happening there, it was simply impossible. There was death at every step
and the eternal noise of an ongoing struggle, which Jimin would remember throughout his life.

“I'll be there,” said the alpha, with his forehead laid against Taehyung's and stroking his head with
his fingers. That was all in his power. To be near and to protect.

“You do your job too,” Taehyung sighed, snuggling his whole body against Jimin and nuzzling
into his warm neck under the collar of his jacket.

“I'll protect you first,” Jimin whispered, taking the omega by the chin and covering his cool, wind-
smelling lips with Taehyung's.
 ~}{~

The helicopter gently landed on the landing pad, located on the base of the Asp, dispersing dust to
the sides by the big rotating blades. Armed soldiers of Aspid rushed frantically throughout the
huge courtyard of the base. Everyone was ready to meet the Second Leader.

Jungkook descended from the helicopter, waving the pilot away, because nothing was heard from
the whirled helicopter. He nodded and began to lift the helicopter as Jeon moved toward the sand-
colored SUV waiting for him. On both sides of the alpha lined with Aspids in their usual black
masks on their faces and with weapons in their hands. Unlike Jungkook's camouflage pants, all the
soldiers were dressed in the black uniform characteristic of snakes, and each has a bandage on its
shoulder with the symbols of the group.

Jungkook stepped in the car, and he immediately started off, driving toward the main headquarters.

At the largest northern base of Aspid, there was a larger quantity of military equipment. On one
side of it was a huge hangar, in which there were missile carriers, attack aircrafts, fighter aircrafts,
attack helicopters and regular helicopters to fly around the country. On the other side of the base,
tanks, armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles were lined up in a row.

Jungkook with a bored look casted his eyes around the area and pulled a cigarette out of the pack,
pinching it between his lips.

“Give me a lighter,” he ordered the driver when he didn't find a lighter. He instantly responded,
took the lighter out of his pocket, handing it to the leader.

Jeon lit a cigarette and then threw his head back in his seat, finally letting his heavy eyelids closed.
Everything in his head was covered with a light haze that distorted the perceptions, and his mouth
dried up every second. The consequences of another crazy night. Jungkook wasn't accustomed to
such a way of life when night was a nuclear explosion, and in the morning everything was back as
usual. War, war, war to be led.

The SUV slowed down at the main base building. Jungkook took the last deep puff and threw the
butt onto the ground. At the entrance, Hoseok was already waiting for him with his mask raised.

“Before you start to say something, give me water,” Jungkook winced, walking into the building.
Hoseok caught up with the leader and handed him a small bottle of cold water.

“I love your forethought, Hope,” Mirai smiled, grabbed the bottle, quickly unscrewing the lid and
sucking the water greedily.

“The Chiefs are already waiting,” Hoseok said, following the leader up the stairs.

“Let them wait,” Jungkook shrugged, licking his water moistened lips. “It's their job to wait for me
and my orders,” he grinned, throwing the half-empty bottle back to Hoseok.

~}{~

Jungkook, followed by Hoseok behind, entered a large hall painted in dark colors, with a long
mahogany table at the center. On one side of the room, there were high panoramic windows from
the floor to the ceiling overlooking the courtyard of the base, from which they could see everything
that happened outside. In the corners, near the doors and at the windows, there were soldiers from
the sides, guarding the room. On one wall was a large screen, and there were one more screen next
to a whiteboard, a little smaller.

At the table there were six alphas, appointed Chiefs in six northern snake bases. They instantly fell
silent, stopping their conversations, and got up from their seats, bowing their heads in front of the
incoming leader. Mirai grunted quite a bit and casted a glance at the snakes, moving toward the
center.

“Sit down,” he said, sitting down in his place. Hoseok sat down on the sofa against the wall and
put the machine gun on his knees. Snakes relaxed and sat down, looking toward the leader. Jeon
leaned back and folded his arms over his chest, glaring at the one who sat closest to him. “What's
new, Hwang?”

“Right now, we are pushing the military on the outskirts,” he said, holding a small tablet in his
fingers.
"How is it going?" Jungkook asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We successfully suppress them, depriving them of communication with the base. I just sent an
attack aircraft there to finish off the rest. We can assume that these borders are already ours."

“We executed twenty prisoners, as you ordered. A message has been sent to the General," said the
alpha with tattoos from head to toe near Hwang.

"Were our tanks able to break through the defense in the eastern part?" Mirai asked, casting a
glance at the bald alpha with a short black beard.

“Yes, Mirai, we’ve already sent resources there, the area will be cleared in a day,” the man quickly
answered, straightening up and meeting Jungkook’s gaze only for a second.

“Good,” Jeon nodded thoughtfully, frowning. Everyone looked at the leader with anticipation,
involuntarily straining and holding their breath. There was intense silence in the room, broken by
the noise outside the windows. Mirai was silent for half a minute, then he spoke: “But this is not
enough.”

Each of the Chiefs reflected surprise on their faces, complete bewilderment mixed with confusion.
The alphas looked at each other and frowned, trying to understand what did they do wrong, what
was the mistake they made and what did they miss.

“How...” Hwang started, but Jungkook immediately interrupted him.

“Now I'll give you a plan to attack on one of the largest army bases,” Jungkook said, leaning
sharply forward, and a happy grin appeared on his lips. “I know it like the back of my hand. You
will receive as many resources there, as there aren't enough in all our northern bases. And there are
even more prisoners. We need a lot of people. Compensate for those whom they took from us, and
destroy the rest."

“But how can we do that?” the bearded alpha asked, shaking his head. “They have strong air
defense. One hundred kilometers to the military base cannot be reached."

"When I said about the plan, what were you listening to?" Jungkook said suddenly in an icy,
piercing voice to the bone, drowning the Chief in the bottomless blackness of his eyes. "Sometimes
it seems to me that you are all just useless pieces of shit. Faced with difficulties and immediately
tucked your tails between your legs," Mirai grunted, leaning back in his chair and throwing his legs
on the table. “You,” he turned sharply to the soldier standing at the door, “bring me coffee and
whiskey, the discussion will be long.”

~}{~

In the North, the air was polluted with gunpowder and the scent of burnt human bodies.

There was no silence in the North.

In the distance eternal skirmishes was heard, and this was what could be called its image. In the
present, noise came from exploding shells.

The North was one continuous ruin. A dead zone, on which even greenery had not been growing
for many years.

The ground was strewn with ashes of the deads, watered with their cooling down blood. So many
things that Taehyung hadn't seen in his entire life. So many dead people who remained rotting in
neutral territories between the bases of the Asp and the army.

Here, the crucified people, here they wrote on the walls with their blood, here their heads were laid
on the guns in the battlefields.

The North was one continuous place of battle.

Taehyung couldn't breathe, and his eyes mercilessly watered from the burnt humans stench when
he got off the plane, landing on the territory of one of the largest army bases in the country. And
Jimin, who was walking nearby, didn't even frown. He was used to it. Everyone here was used to
breathe death. It became familiar.

Overhead, the sky seemed to be several times darker than in the capital. Leaden clouds hung
heavily over their heads, as if rain was about to pour from the same gun of lead bullets and
destroyed everyone who was under it. It was as if the sun had never been here.

Here, people didn't survive.

~}{~

When he first got into the hospital compartment of the base, Taehyung was lost. In a huge room,
there were hundreds of beds with wounded soldiers. The air was saturated with the smell of blood
and medicine. Moans of pain and even crying were heard everywhere. Taehyung stood rooted on
the same spot for twenty long seconds before he finally left his stupor, mentally giving himself a
sobering slap in the face.

The omega immediately went to the head physician of the base and listened to the instructions.
There was a lot of work, but, fortunately, there were enough resources. Taehyung no longer
hesitated and started to help, stuffing a lump in his throat and the pain in his heart to hell. This was
all Jungkook's doing. Hundreds of strong soldiers who couldn't survive, who couldn't stand against
Mirai. They were all here, and most of them rotted out there, outside the base.

Taehyung thought it would be worse, it would be harder, but his work distracted him. He only
thought of his duty, that he had to save, he had to help people. Thoughts about Jungkook and his
monstrous deeds were pushed into the background, but it didn't completely disappear. The pain in
the eye of the soldiers didn't completely forgotten.

The first three days passed in complete turmoil. Taehyung saw nothing but the hospital wing and
the injured ones. He forgot about sleep, rest and food, not for a second distracted from his work.
Jimin occasionally came and brought some snack, literally making the omega eat. He waited
patiently and didn't leave until Taehyung was eating before his eyes. Taehyung had to give up
because Jimin was too stubborn in terms of taking care of the omega.

~}{~
The fourth day passed more calmly. Taehyung took time to relax, called Jin and chatted with
colleagues who had worked all these days with sweats on their faces no less than Jeon's. Some
were still afraid to be at the base, startled from every rumble came from the outside. Taehyung had
long been accustomed to such things, they accompanied his whole childhood.

Taehyung sat in front of the last patient for the day, measuring his vital signs. A soldier of about
twenty years old with an injured shoulder after he had been shot, he looked at the omega, even
forgetting to blink. Taehyung remembered that on the very first day this alpha wasn't even able to
talk and see, and now his dark gray eyes shone, the admiration in them were visible. That was how
he looked at the omega while he measured the pressure inside his eyes.

For this short period of time, Taehyung was accustomed to feel the interested looks of the alphas,
which were carefully ignored by Taehyung, but this soldier looked at him unlike others. With
enthusiasm, and even disbelief. The parched lips parted open and the alpha wheezed softly:

“I'd like to invite you for a walk, doctor. To show you my gratitude."

Taehyung looked up at him and smiled at the corner of his lips.

“I'm just doing my job, there’s nothing to thank for,” he answered, folding the tonometer.

“No, you saved me. If you weren't there, maybe I would have been lying here unconscious for a
long time,” sighed the alpha, but he didn’t take his eyes off of Taehyung, as if he hadn’t looked
long enough. Sincere gratitude flashed in his eyes.

“In that case, probably many will want to invite me,” Taehyung smiled weakly, shrugging his
shoulders.

“However, I was the first to suggest,” the soldier frowned.

“You need to sleep,” Jeon said, adjusting the blanket around the bed.

"Just consider it, okay?" The alpha asked, threw his hopeful eyes at Taehyung from the bottom and
up to his eyes.
“Okay,” the omega nodded, turning around and silently stepping out into the corridor. The soldier
watched him until Jeon hid behind the door.

Taehyung pressed his back against the cold wall and sighed tiredly, covering his eyes. How hard it
was to make promises that weren't destined to come true, which would remain be a hope and a
dream for those to whom he had given to. Taehyung knew that they could never walk, because this
soldier had a direct road to home, he would no longer fight.

Because he no longer had legs, but he still couldn't accept it.

Taehyung detached himself from the wall and slowly walked through a long dark green corridor
with dim lamps every three meters. The path to the small room that was allocated to him was quite
long, and therefore the omega decided to take a walk and reflected before going to bed.
Periodically, Taehyung passed by armed soldiers patrolling the corridor. They only silently follow
him. Taehyung wasn't at ease from constant observation, but he understood that there was no other
way. Outside, the noise didn't stop, there was hell, a war that didn't allow itself to be forgotten, and
this fortress must be protected at all costs. Under the supervision of everyone.

Taehyung turned left, entering a new corridor, and almost cried out when he felt someone's hand on
his shoulder. He spun around and his gaze met with Jimin's.

“God, you scared me,” Jeon whispered, exhaling in relief.

“I'm sorry,” the alpha answered quietly, stroking the omega on the shoulder.

Jimin, as always, when he was at the base, no longer dressed in dark blue uniforms, but in a
camouflage uniform with many pockets. The chest and the back were covered by a bulletproof vest
of the same color, and a machine gun was hanging on his shoulder. Despite his appearance, Jimin
still looked cozy and homely. Taehyung didn't wait any longer, immediately snuggled up to him,
tucking his nose into Jimin's neck and breathing in his favorite scent.

In such a distant and dangerous place without the familiar warmth, it was hard, empty and even
scary. Despite the fact that Taehyung was angry when Jimin distracted him from work with his
caring attitude, he was happy that the alpha was nearby, that he didn't forget and didn't leave,
promising to protect him. Taehyung didn't need protection, he just needed Jimin. His soul instantly
became calm.
Jimin hugged the omega to himself and kissed the crown of the omega's head, drawing in the
aroma of wisteria to his nose. He would be forever to stay, not letting Taehyung out of his arms,
would protect him with his own body and wouldn't allow the enemy to even look at him. Even if
they shot at his back, they wouldn't touch Taehyung.

“You need to sleep, Tae,” Park whispered, stroking the omega on the back. Taehyung nodded,
mumbling something, somewhere on his neck, and reluctantly let go of his warm embrace. "I'll
accompany you."

With their shoulders brushed each other's, they slowly walked along the corridor, carrying silent
steps that echoed off the empty walls.

"How's it going outside?" Taehyung asked, putting his hands in the pockets of his robe.

“The last days it becomes suspiciously quiet,” Jimin said thoughtfully, hanging his hands on the
machine. “We are strengthening our borders by taking advantage of the quietness.”

Jimin didn't want to talk about how hundreds or more soldiers lost their lives at one of the borders,
losing to the enemy in the battle. Jimin didn't want to say that the bodies of the dead would have to
be collected in pieces, because if the Aspid killed, then it would be cruel. Taehyung didn't need to
know that the civilians who hadn't been evacuated before were shot.

“You know, the majority of soldier's condition is stabilizing,” Taehyung said, smiling at the corner
of his lips and glancing at Jimin. "A few more days, and many will return to duty. I'm so glad I
came and was able to help them."

Jimin sighed and casted a heavy look at the omega, but Taehyung didn't notice, he turned his head
forward. The arrival of the doctors really made a huge contribution, so the lines of the army
wouldn't thin out too much and would be practically ready for new terrorist attacks, but Jimin was
still nervous for Taehyung. His heart was always troubled and he wanted to reach for the omega,
and his legs were subconsciously carried to him. The alpha needed to be convinced that Taehyung
was all right and safe at any moment, every single time he needed to see his face and his smile,
even if he was tired due to a hard day. While Taehyung was in sight, Jimin was calm.

“I'll get you home soon,” Park whispered.

They stopped at the door to Taehyung's room. Jimin didn't hold back, he raised his hand,
smoothing Taehyung's delicate cheek with the back of his hand. Taehyung closed his eyes, holding
onto the alpha’s wrist, preventing his hand to let go of him. He wanted to ask him to stay with him
tonight, but he realized that Jimin wasn't allowed to do that. Taehyung wanted to fall asleep in his
arms and see the bright dream that was so rarely visit him. Jimin didn't want to let go, because the
nervousness he felt for the omega didn't disappear, he knew he should leave. When Jimin was
nearby, everything was fine.

“We'll manage,” Taehyung whispered on Park's lips, stroking his fingers on the back of his head.

Jimin dismissed the fear that they might be seen, held Taehyung by his waist, covering his parted
lips with his own and pulling him into a deep, slow kiss. Taehyung hugged the alpha by the neck
and pressed with his whole body, sharing warmth with him. His lips followed Jimin, and their
tongues intertwined for a short moment. Jeon was powerless, exhaled noisily and suppressed a
moan. Jimin pressed him until Taehyung's back collided with the door and held him tight by the
waist, continuing to kiss and gently bite his sweet lips. The sound of panting was spreading along
the corridor. Taehyung mentally thanked the alpha for holding him, because the dizziness from
Jimin's close proximity, coupled with fatigue, which almost knocked him down.

On the left side of the corridor, they could hear approaching steps. Jimin reluctantly broke away
from Taehyung's lips, leaving a short kiss for the last time, and stepped back. Taehyung was
standing, clinging to the door with brilliant reddened lips, ajar, and breathing heavily, trying to
recover.

“I have to go, Tae,” Jimin said regretfully, adjusting the gun on his shoulder. Taehyung nodded
knowingly and pulled the door handle. "Sleep, okay? I will come in the morning."

“Okay," the omega whispered, biting his lower lip.

“Good night,” Jimin said, leaving a kiss on Taehyung's forehead. He turned and walked with firm
steps.

Taehyung crawled into the room, closed the door behind him, sighed noisily and lounged on the
bunk exhaustedly. Arms outstretched, the omega looked at the gray ceiling, small cracks entwined.
Elation remained on his soul, and on his lips the heat from Jimin's kisses was still there. Along
with this alpha, even in the most terrible place, everything terrible was forgotten, and fears
shamefully hid in the shadows. With his one glance, with only a slight smile, he set warmth and
tranquility inside Taehyung. This calmness was wrapped in his soft blanket and carefully stroking
through his blonde hair, allowing him to escape into the carefree dream kingdom.
 ~}{~

Taehyung woke up due to a sudden roar from which the walls literally shook. He jumped up
sharply, sitting down on his bunk and trying to calm his heartbeat. The dream instantly
disappeared. He couldn’t get used to it, ever. In his childhood, from such explosions, the walls
crumbled before his eyes.

In the corridor he could hear footsteps and someone's loud voices. Taehyung rose from the bunk
and almost fell back when a new explosion was heard outside, even louder and stronger than the
first. Along the corridor was a howling siren mixed with the sounds of gunfire. Taehyung's
heartbeat was quickened from each of gunshot. The omega ran to the door and carefully opened it,
looking out. The entire corridor was filled with heavily armed soldiers running towards the main
exit. They nearly knocked the omega down, cornered him to the wall. Taehyung, in shock, watched
them with huge eyes from surprise and sudden fear, without moving. Where to run? What to do?
Taehyung didn’t even know how to shoot, he never held a weapon in his hands, and without it,
fighting was useless.

Taehyung felt panic rolling up his throat, and his head was completely confused and empty. He
frantically clasped to the sleeves of his robe, which he still wore on him, and looked around,
searching for Jimin.

Jimin.

Where was he now? What about him?

The alpha's name broke out from his lips in a trembling whisper. Taehyung suddenly set off and
ran to the same place as the soldiers. He was shoved in the shoulder, almost knocked down.
Nobody paid attention to the fragile omega. And Taehyung continued to run and frantically
searched for Jimin with his watery eyes.

Shots and screams were heard ahead, and another explosion shook the building. Taehyung fell, his
knees crumbled onto the cold concrete floor, he breathed heavily, swallowing his tears. Fear
restrained the body, made him trembled subtly. Taehyung nearly suffocated. He was scared, but
not for himself. He was scared for Jimin and for those who were defenseless in the hospital
compartment. He understood: the enemy had attacked. Aspid spared no one.
Taehyung sobbed loudly, but his sob drowned by the noise around him. With trembling hands, he
leaned against the wall and tried to stand, determined to move on. Someone suddenly picked him
up and put him on his feet, shouting something, but Taehyung, because of ringing in his ears and
tears blocking the view, heard nothing and saw nothing, but he smelled the aroma of citrus
reaching his nose.

“Tae,” Jimin called, taking the omega face in his palm. “Taehyung, I'm here, everything's fine,”
the alpha said quickly, patting the omega lightly on the cheeks. Taehyung focused his eyes on
Park's face.

“Jimin ...” he sobbed, clutching the alpha's hand. "You're alive…"

"I'm here, I'm with you, you hear me?" Jimin said, soothingly stroking the omega on the cheek. His
voice bordered between pretended calm and icy hardness, and even his stroking seemed too
nervous, too tense. “We need to leave, Taehyung, don't ever leave my side, do you understand?”
He said, looking at the omega directly in the eye. Taehyung quickly nodded and hurriedly
followed the alpha.

Jimin raised his machine gun, aiming and preparing for a surprise attack. At the end, the corridor
was divided into four more long walkways. The wounded and the dead were already lying on the
floor, bullet holes and splashes of fresh blood were side by side on the walls. Taehyung tried not to
look at all of it, staring at Jimin's back in front of him. He went right after the alpha, not a step
behind. Inside, fear was raging, afraid that someone would appear in front of them and shoot Jimin.

The alpha was confident. He quickly turned his head to the sides and, without hesitation, moved to
the left, to the most extreme corridor. On one side of the wall, there were windows with broken
glasses crunching under the sole.

“Get down,” Jimin ordered, gesturing with a hand. “We need to cross this corridor.”

Jimin crouched on one knee and took aim somewhere outside the window. Suddenly, a short
machine gun burst was heard from the street. Taehyung shuddered and almost snuggled to the
floor when several bullets flew overhead, biting into the concrete wall. The heart in his chest
rumbled and didn't allow him to hear his own thoughts.

“I'll take off now,” Jimin said quietly, raising his head sharply and looking out for the area to
locate the shooter. The alpha managed to dodged before the Aspid shooter shot to the window
again.
Taehyung pressed his back to the wall and breathed heavily, staring at the soldier's body at his
feet. How many had already died and how many would die. The omega barely could restraining
his sobs, fear completely overshadowed the mind, didn't allow one to think rationally, and his hand
frantically clutched the token hanging on his neck, as if he found salvation in it. There was solace
in it, in it there was a force that didn't allow to fall apart into pieces like fragments with which the
concrete floor was strewn. A piece of brother at the heart always gave strength and filled him with
faith, as something higher, divine. And Taehyung always believed. He believed now.

Jimin shot back, firing several shots from the machine gun, and Taehyung breathed a sigh of relief,
wiping his damp eyes with his sleeves. He didn't doubt Jimin, but the fear for Jimin didn't
disappear.

“Come on, faster,” Park said quietly, crouching and quickly running across to the next window.
Taehyung didn't lag behind, obediently following the alpha.

Jimin didn't hesitate, there wasn't a drop of fear in him, only confidence and firmness. He was cold-
blooded when it comes to eliminating the enemy, and for Taehyung he would vomit on his bare
hands if necessary.

They passed the corridor, entering a huge hall, where negotiations and conferences usually took
place. There was a pulpit against the wall, which showed the symbol of the army, and in the center
was a long round table and many chairs in a row.

Enemies again scorched through the windows, complicating the path to the opposite exit from the
hall. Taehyung no longer heard anything, as if he were under the water. The sounds of firing and
the roar from the explosions from outside merged into one rumble.

In the courtyard of the base was a real battle. The military, who didn't expect a surprise attack,
defended themselves as fast as they could, hastily building shelters and raising all their forces,
waiting in the wings in hangars and huge garages. Some protected the base from the outside, while
others fight with the snakes that had burst inside. It was hell.

Taehyung grabbed Jimin's outstretched hand and, crouching down, quickly rushed after him
through the hall, demolishing all the obstacles in front of him. The alpha managed to shoot back,
firing automatic shots almost blindly. The hall was twilight, and the only source of light is a flame
that came from the outside. Some compartments were completely consumed by the fire, while
others were ruined by tank attacks.
Taehyung managed to notice the hospital compartment in the window and stopped sharply, falling
to the floor and forcing Jimin to stop. The alpha quickly pressed his back to the table and with fiery
eyes, he stared at the omega.

“The patients...” Taehyung said as loudly as possible so that Jimin could hear through the sounds
of gunfire somewhere nearby. Bullets were shot overhead, crashing into shelves with folders and
books, tearing them into small pieces. Slivers and paper flew sideways with concrete splinters.
“They are there... they need help...” Taehyung barely found the strength to speak. Even the tongue
was numb with fear.

Taehyung panicked again, and tears sprayed from his eyes once more There were defenseless
people who weren't able to defend, weren't able to fight at least for their lives. Jeon recalled the
admiring glance of a young soldier who really wanted to take a walk with him. The omega covered
his mouth with his palm and sobbed loudly, closing his eyes and felt how hot tears flowed down
his fingers.

“They will be helped, Taehyung,” Jimin growled, quickly reloading the machine gun and preparing
to tear himself further to finally overcome the hall. Noticing that the omega was crying, the alpha
moved sharply and took his chin, forcing him to look at him. “They'll be safe, Tae, don't worry
about them. Now it’s more important for us to get to a safe place. Everything will be alright, you
hear me?" Jimin spoke in a tone in which Taehyung simply didn't dare to doubt, and it was
confirmed with his eyes. Taehyung sniffed and nodded quickly. He believed Jimin.

Jimin knew very well that, no. They wouldn't be helped. Right now, people were dying, and there
were more and more that were injured. They couldn’t count on help, as well as on an emergency
evacuation. Everything happened too unexpectedly, but the snakes turned out to be much larger.
They climbed from everywhere, wrapped the base in the ring and squeezed it with their scaly
bodies. Deprived exits and oxygen, choking the throat. And even in this situation, Jimin set himself
on one single and most important goal: to save Taehyung at any cost.

“We need to move on,” Park said, crouching down on his knee and peering from the table. A bullet
flew ten centimeters from the alpha's face. Park immediately shot back and grabbed Taehyung
again by the hand, dragging Taehyung along with him. "Run, run, run!" He screamed, blocking the
noise.

Taehyung already moved automatically, without feeling his body, without feeling absolutely
nothing. He only saw Jimin’s back and only felt his strong grip on his hand, he was falling behind.
Jimin would never let go, even if they cut his hand. Taehyung was his only hope, his power
moving forward. Everything for him. Life was for him.

When they finally exited of the huge hall, the noise was muffled a little. The bodies of the dead
Aspids and soldiers were scattered along a small corridor. A deadly hurricane had already passed
them, having claimed lives and nourished by souls. Taehyung, again, squeezed out the tears,
swallowing a painful lump in his throat, and he couldn't take his eyes off the lifeless bodies, again
asking the cursed question: why did all this happened? Why were they fighting with each other?
Because in the end everyone was lying next to each others, released their last breath. Destroyed
each other, but what did they achieve with this? Why were Jungkook and Jimin—enemies, eager
for each other's death?

What was all this for?

“We're almost there,” Jimin said, frantically moving from side to side.

Shattered glass crunched under the alpha's heavy sole. He looked out for the broken windows
overlooking the opposite side of the courtyard and looked out for the area. Down there, an armored
personnel carrier burned, lighting a corridor deprived of light. Jimin glanced over the corpses lying
there and grunted, turning to Taehyung, who was clinging to the opposite wall. The omega had a
glassy look, and his slightly quivering lips were parted. Jimin walked up to the omega, lowering
the machine gun, and stroked his cheek with his thumb, connected their foreheads together.

“We'll get out soon, Tae,” Park whispered hoarsely, wiping salty tears from Taehyung's cheeks
with his fingers. "We need to move on. Let's go out from the back, I think there will be fewer
snakes right there. We are close to the exit."

Taehyung sniffed and looked up at the alpha. While Jimin was nearby, everything was fine. The
omega repeated this in his head like a mantra, trying to calm himself, didn't let his soul crumble to
dust nor to mix it with the sharpels and blood of the dead lying at his feet.

There was no strength to speak. Therefore, Taehyung only nodded again briefly and touched the
alpha's palm with his fingertips. He believed Jimin. He believed again.

“You're strong, Tae, and very brave,” Jimin said, left a short kiss on the tip of his nose and pulled
away. “We can handle it together. Wait here, I will check our way further."

Jimin pulled away and picked up the machine gun, moving to the other end of the corridor. At that
moment, a bright flash appeared in front of Taehyung's eyes, and sudden ringing was in his ears.
His sight was blurry, all in smoke. Taehyung recoiled, almost wallowing from the wave. This
wasn't like an ordinary grenade. Taehyung was lost in space, frantically searched for Jimin. The
omega moved his lips, but he didn't hear himself, and this was even worse.
Someone from behind grabbed him and roughly clamped his mouth with their palm, dragged him
from behind. Taehyung kicked and whimpered, but saw nothing in front of him, he didn't feel
anything. Only a strong grip and a palm on his face. Resistance didn't help in any way, it was just a
waste of energy. He was dragged into a new room with only one window, through which light
barely penetrated inside. Taehyung heard a loud slam of the door as his hearing started to return.
The person let him go, and he almost fell off from surprise, but was held back by someone’s grip.

“If you wanted to see your brother, you could just call me,” a grin was heard in the familiar voice.

Taehyung looked up, screamed and recoiled, resting his back against the wall. Mirai was standing
in front of him, as if descended from a TV screen. Mirai had Jungkook's voice. And now reality
was attacking again without warning. That harsh reality which the omega had been worked so hard
to look for an explanation. Before him was Jungkook. Through a black mask, only eyes were
visible that looked like a sucking black holes, and lips curled in a grin.

“Jungkook...” Taehyung mumbled, unconsciously taking a step toward his brother. "What... what is
happening..."

Jungkook cut off the omega's speech, abruptly coming close and roughly pulling a white robe by
his shoulders. Taehyung was shocked, didn't understand what alpha was doing, he looked at him
with a bewildered look, gaping his mouth. Jungkook threw off his robe and walked over to the
nearby dead Asp, squatting in front of him and tearing off his mask.

“What are you doing, Jungkook?” Taehyung asked in a trembled voice, watching his brother. He
went back to Taehyung and quickly pulled the mask from a man that was just killed, bullet shot
was on his head. Taehyung began to shake his head, rested his hands on a strong chest, hidden
under body armor.

“Quiet,” Jungkook ordered, turned the omega abruptly toward him and adjusted the mask on
Taehyung's head. “You have to wear this so that my guys can’t make a mistake, or they will give
you a bullet,” the alpha grinned, looking down at the omega. Taehyung with mask looked weird.
He stared with his big brilliant eyes and sniffed his nose, and his lips trembled subtly from newly
rolling tears. “You're coming with me,” Jungkook said firmly, holding his brother’s face in his
hands and looking at him in the eye.

“But, Jimin...” Taehyung mumbled, staring at his brother. Awareness of what was happening
finally came to the omega. Jimin was no longer there, he was lost in the cloud of smoke. And if
Jungkook was here, then Jimin could have died. Taehyung, without hesitation, let go of his
brother’s hands and turned around, rushing to the corridor in which Jimin was at recently. "Jimin!"
The omega shouted loudly, no longer holding back his internal hysteria. Tears burned his cheeks,
soaking into the black fabric of the mask.

Jungkook instantly stopped him and pressed him against his own body with a steel grip, preventing
him from breaking free.

“Jimin must have died already, forget about him,” the alpha growled into his ear, holding
Taehyung that was in his tantrum with one hand. “Don’t force me to hurt you, Taehyung,” he
warned, quickly moving toward the exit from this office-like room.

Taehyung continued to scream Jimin’s name and tried to break free, but Jungkook pressed his face
into his chest and literally dragged him, not paying attention to the resistance Taehyung displayed.
The omega only saw darkness before his eyes. He placed his hands on the sides of the alpha, trying
to break free, but in vain, Jungkook only held him tighter.

A gunshot was heard above his ear—that was Jungkook shooting at someone. Taehyung barely
managed to drag his own legs, trying to normally stand on the floor and walk on his own.

Jungkook only now realized that he was doing it almost reflexively. In early childhood, he also
pressed Taehyung’s face to his chest, preventing the little omega from seeing cruel execution
scenes on TV screen. Taehyung, back then, sobbed, soaking his brother's shirt with tears, but now
he had fallen into hysteria and he was resisting, wanted to break free. But Jungkook would never
let him go.

Mirai leaned agaist a thick and round column and peeped out from behind, blindly firing at the
army who ws hiding behind another of the same round thick column, located five meters away.
The response shots were heard. Plaster crumbled nearby, settling with dust on the berets. Jungkook
looked out and shot back, immediately popping up from behind his hiding place. He turned his
back on the enemy and pressed Taehyung to his chest more tightly, quickly moving towards the
stairs.

“Bitch,” Jungkook snarled through clenched jaws, felt more than one bullet crashing into his back.

Having reached the stairs, the alpha released Taehyung and pushed against the wall, and he turned
around and finished off the soldier, landing exactly on the head.

Taehyung didn't have time to understand anything. He walked out of the base building and eagerly
grabbed the cold air with his mouth, tainted with blood, gunpowder and burnt smells.The night sky
was black, not from clouds, but from thick black smoke. Fire was burning all over, somewhere in
the distance he could hear gunfires and incessant explosions.

Before the exit, one of the many in the base building, was a huge, swamp-colored armored
personnel carrier. Near him were about ten armed snakes. Taehyung, still in hysteria and panic,
wasn't trying to escape, but if he even decided to, it would be useless. From snakes, he couldn't
escape. The numbness restrained him.

Jungkook came out after half a minute, hanging the machine gun on his shoulder and breathing in
air with pleasure. He lit a cigarette and took a deep puff of it, releasing bluish smoke upward.

"It's necessary to finish off the rest on the third floor, they have strengthened their position there
and never go out from there. Call reinforcements and deal with them," Jungkook calmly ordered, as
if nothing monstrous was happening around him. The four Aspids nodded and rushed inside.
“Suga,” Jeon called, one of the others stepped forward, scanning Taehyung with a look. The omega
didn't see Suga’s face, but his eyes were quite enough, which almost burned holes in him. "Take
him out of here,” Jungkook said, nodding at Taehyung.

“What...” the omega was lost, staring at the alpha and shaking his head. "No, no!" He cried out,
ran to his brother and collided his fists against Jungkook's body armor on his chest. The numbness
passed, and hysteria returned to its place. "Give Jimin back to me! What have you done, Jungkook!
You killed him, right? You killed Jimin! I wanna go to him!" Taehyung yelled, cracking his voice.

Jungkook sighed, bit his cigarette and sharply held his thin wrists, squeezing them in an iron grip
almost break it to half. Taehyung whimpered painfully, but didn't give up trying to break free,
desperately wriggling in the hands of the alpha.

“Shut up,” Jungkook growled, shaking his brother roughly and squeezing his cheeks with his
fingers. “Your Jimin is gone, and if I hear his name again, I’ll definitely break your wrists,”
Taehyung trailed off, trembling with his whole body and staring into his brother in silent shock.
From his voice, the hair on the back of Taehyung's neck stood up, and his heart skipped a beat.
“That's smart,” Jungkook suddenly smiled, but that smile looked like an animal grin. “Yoongi, take
him,” the alpha said, releasing Taehyung and pushing him to Min.

"No!" The omega yelled again when Yoongi approached him and tried to grab him. “Where are
you sending me?” Taehyung yelled. Panic rolled with renewed vigor, completely taking control of
the mind. He kicked and shook his head, suffocating from tears and pain, suddenly filling the
body, but his resistance lost strength over time.
 Jungkook just stood there, smoking a cigarette and watching his brother’s tantrum, then he sighed
and said calmly:

“Knock him out, Yoongi.”

"What... n-no!" Taehyung managed to cry out before he felt a sharp blow on the back of his head
and fainted.

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

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 Grieving for the Departed Soul
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Taehyung woke up from the roar of a car engine and muffled voices. He opened his eyes and ran a
confused look around him. The room was in semidarkness, heavy maroon curtains didn't let a drop
of light inside. The omega sat down, squinting slightly from lightheadedness, and discovered that
he was sleeping in a huge bed with silk sheets. Taehyung remembered this room. Its high dark
walls and ceiling crowded him, choked him. They seemed to shrink, threatening to crush him. This
darkness wasn't calm, but rather instilled fear into the soul, whispering that something was hiding
in it. Something silently dangerous. Taehyung didn't want to know what exactly.

He crawled to the edge of the bed and dangled his legs, touching his bare feet to the cold floor.
The omega shuddered slightly, hugged his own shoulders. No matter how much Taehyung wanted
to return to a warm bed and forget, to relax and to just fall asleep, it wasn't going to work anymore.
Not in this house, in which he ended up wondering how he ended up here.

Recent memories harbored in his consciousness with their blackness, like a huge snowball.
Taehyung immediately recalled the noise of firing, explosions, the shaking walls of the base,
broken glasses crunched under the soles, and many, many dead bodies. Terrible pictures of what
happened floated before his eyes in one short moment, from beginning to the end. Thorny
goosebumps ran through his skin, and a scream was in his throat, readied to be let out. Taehyung
pressed his palm over his mouth before it had time to slip out from his lips. His eyes were filled
with tears that immediately flowed down into his palm.

In his head, dismissing the rest of his thoughts—which absolutely not important right now—there
was only one thought. It rattled, until there was pain in his heart, the tantrum was raging inside,
driving him to insanity. The omega shook his head and sobbed, breaking the dead silence of the
room, denied the nightmarish thought. But it was cunning, broke through the blocks that Taehyung
built in a hurry in his head, and it became supreme.

Jimin.
Taehyung bit the edge of his palm, held his sobs, and got out of the bed, swaying slightly. How
long had he been in the Jungkook mansion? How much time had passed since that terrible night in
which Jimin was left behind?

The omega almost suffocated from his own tears. It distorted his already poor visibility in a dark
room, but Taehyung continued to walk toward the door, didn't tremble at all from the cold that
sneaked into the room through a slightly opened window. His soul was now out of place. It howled
and wept from the unknown, went crazy and teared Taehyung from the inside. He wouldn’t calm
down until he found out what happened to Jimin.

Taehyung squinted at the brightness of the light in the hallway when someone opened the door
right in front of his nose. He wiped his eyes with his hands and sniffed, trying to make out the
person standing in front of him.

"Master Jeon, where are you going?" a familiar worried voice was heard, followed by warm hands
on the elbow.

“Don’t touch,” Taehyung hissed, sharply pulling his hand out of the weak grip and trying to push
the man aside. He raised his head and encountered the brown eyes of an agitated Yoonoh. "Where
is he?" The omega immediately asked, clutching the shoulders of a shocked young man. "Where's
Jungkook?"

“Master Jeon, you need to eat, you are too weak...” he mumbled uncertainly, afraid to anger the
omega.

"I don't want to eat!" Taehyung shouted, shaking Yoonoh by the shoulders. "Where's Jungkook?
Tell me!"

Taehyung saw a flashing fear in the eyes of the innocent guy who was afraid of him. Inexplicable
anger began to boil inside. It ate the insides, melted the bones, wanted to spill everything out. The
omega mentally fought the urge to squeeze Yoonoh’s fragile shoulders harder and pulled his hands
away, breathing heavily. Fear of the unknown drives you crazy.

“Master is in the courtyard,” the maid replied quietly, head down.

Taehyung instantly flied out of the room and, almost losing his balance, rested his hand on the
wall, squinting at the flaring headache, mixed with dizziness. His knees trembled a little, but
Taehyung stubbornly moved forward, clutched the railing and going down. Darkness was wrapped
in a sticky haze. He wanted to run far away from it, toward the light in which unknown monsters
weren't hiding. And this mansion was full of them. Monster was hiding in every wall, chuckled
softly, made the skin goosebumps, set horror in the heart. But the horror was already there.

Taehyung descended as fast as his weak state allowed him. He ignored the servant, looking
curiously after him, and left the mansion, immediately the bite from the cold was shrinking his
skin. It was night on the street. The dark sky, as always, was covered with heavy clouds, slowly
floating somewhere into the distance. The huge courtyard was lit by many street lamps. Armed
people walked around the territory, as they did the last time Taehyung came here, guarding the
fortress of the Second Leader.

The omega looked around, looking for his brother's gaze. Hearing a laugh from the side of the
garage, Taehyung immediately walked toward it, stepping his bare feet on the icy stones and
hugging his shoulders. The cold faded into the background. It wasn't as palpable as the itching in
his heart itself, caused by insane fear that managed to creep to the bones.

He needed the truth.

Near the garage, full of variety of cars, there was Jungkook's black BMW and another massive
jeeps. Taehyung bit his lip and quickly walked around the car, determined to receive information.

"Jungkook!"

The omega abruptly stopped and froze in place when several devouring looks of tall and strong
alphas, dressed in Aspid black clothes, rushed at him. Jungkook—who was standing, leaned his hip
against a BMW and talking to the men about something—turned around, started to smile. The
omega bit his lip and curled up to himself, standing in front of his brother in only a gray T-shirt
belonging to Jungkook that reached to his slender hips. Confusion was read on his face, and for
some reason his eyes shone, glassy. Cried, of course. Jungkook immediately noticed.

Taehyung wanted to shrink to the size of a grain of sand, so as not to feel the hungry glances of the
snakes on himself. A vile, unpleasant feeling settled inside, which made him wanted to tear out his
insides, if only it wouldn't hurt to live. He pursed his lips and took a step toward his brother, who
looked at him with an attentive look.

“Baby, you’ll freeze,” Jungkook said carefully, his thick eyebrows frowned under his dark bangs,
and then pulled away from his car and approached the omega, smiling warmly.
Taehyung instantly lost, only looked into the blackness of the familiar eyes, forgetting everything
around. This smile instantly evoked all the best memories of Jungkook. And it only made it hurt
the more. Taehyung was afraid to believe it, but he would like to. He almost reached out, but
aggressively changed his mind.

“I’ll burn your eyes, gentlemen,” Jungkook said without stopping smiling and looking at
Taehyung, in an icy voice that made even the omega goosebumps and his heart tightened in fear.

His men immediately bowed their heads, as if they were children who were guilty of something.
Having done this now, they would no longer dare to raise their eyes to Taehyung's direction later
on, otherwise they would certainly lose them. Now they couldn’t look, they couldn’t even stand
nearby and saw Taehyung in this clothes. One couldn't tarnish the one that belonged to Mirai.
Jungkook was inwardly enraged by this and barely restrained himself so as not to feed the snakes
to his dogs.

“What happened there, Jungkook?” Having gathered all his courage into a fist, Taehyung asked,
fearlessly looking into the black abyss of Jungkook's eyes. Heat came from his body, standing so
close. Taehyung would have cuddled up to his brother, as it had happened a long time ago, would
have warmed his hands on his strong neck, feeling a pulsating vein under his fingers, but not now,
when he was facing the main terrorist of the country, and not his brother, had been his brother.

“What are you talking about, Taehyungie?”with a sincere confusion, Jungkook asked, frowning
and looking at the omega from top to bottom. Taehyung was still small and fragile, like a feather
that shouldn't even be touched. It would break, deteriorate, and lose his softness and tenderness. It
was impossible. To anyone.

“You know very well what,” Taehyung said, swallowing a lump in his throat, losing his strength
every second under the pressure of Jungkook's piercing gaze. "At the base..."

The alpha didn't let him finish. He suddenly picked up his brother in his arms and walked to the
mansion. Taehyung didn't even have time to cry out, he immediately started to break free and
hammered Jungkook on the shoulder with his fist, but he seemed to feel nothing.

“Let me go, Jungkook!” The omega screamed, wriggling in the strong arms of the alpha. Due to
pathetic attempts at resistance, his head began to hurt again.

“Don't walk barefoot in the cold, even only in a T-shirt,” Jungkook shook his head in displeasure,
clutching Taehyung’s cold body tighter. "Do you want to get sick, or what?"

“I don't care...”

“And you certainly didn’t eat, did you?" Jungkook chuckled, pushing the front door and entered
the house. “Do you even ever eat, baby? I'll have to feed you myself."

Taehyung exploded. He didn't understand himself, didn't understand where such aggression spread
through his veins and arteries, burning everything in its path. It was like butter in a fire. With more
power, the omega hit Jungkook on the arm and broke out of his grip, dropping his legs to the floor
and panting. Jungkook frowned and looked at his brother with a half smile on his lips. Taehyung
looked like a naughty lion cub, ready to scratch or worse—bite his throat. He was like that in
childhood when he was angry because of a lack of fraternal attention.

“Why are you so calm, Jungkook?” Taehyung shouted, shoving his brother on the chest. Jungkook
didn't react at all. He just smirked and pushed his tongue inside his cheek, and then proceed to
walk to the living room, as if nothing had happened, unbuttoning the buttons on his camouflage
jacket along the way, under which he always had a black T-shirt that fit every muscle underneath
his tattooed skin.

“Why shouldn't I be calm?” the alpha asked, raising an eyebrow and sitting down in a massive
chair. He took a bottle of cognac brought by servant from the table and slowly unscrewed the lid,
raising an inquiring glance at Taehyung standing in front of him.

"What happened at the base? How long have I been here?" The omega asked demandingly, looking
at his brother with a look of complete seriousness, he squeezed his eyes at the feeling of
approaching tears. That terrible thought made itself felt again.

Jungkook poured amber liquid into a glass and put the bottle back on the table.

“Three days have passed,” the alpha said thoughtfully, taking a glass and leaning back in in his
chair. "We didn't take control of the base, but inflicted considerable damage on it. The army will
take a long time to restore it. These bastards have a quick reaction,” Jungkook chuckled, sipping
his cognac.

“Why have I been sleeping for so long? Was it sleeping pills?" Taehyung asked, pursing his
quivering lips.
“It doesn't matter,” the alpha dismissed. “It was necessary to settle some adult matters, and you
would only be in the way,” he grinned, setting the glass down on the table.

"Stop talking to me like I'm a child, you smell like blood from miles away!" Shouted Taehyung. “I
know what you're doing, Jungkook,” the omega said more calmly, quickly wiping the tear running
down his cheek with his palm and sniffing his nose.

Nothing in the icy North was more blood-soaked than Jungkook’s hands themselves. The beloved
and an only brother of Taehyung. These most terrible things immediately appeared before his eyes.
Taehyung barely restrained himself so as not to burst into tears from this ongoing pain and
resentment. From injustice and vileness of fate.

Jungkook suddenly grabbed the omega by the wrist, yanking him to himself, and sat him on his
lap. Taehyung froze in shock, not even thinking to resist, and looked into the eyes of his brother,
which were a few centimeters from his. He felt hot alcoholic breath on his face, from which
goosebumps ran through him, he bit his lip, trying to ignore the rough palm on his bare thigh. The
T-shirt lifted up, and the omega slowly reached it with his fingers to pull it down. In the past,
pacing in front of his brother in boxers only was quite normal, but now it was different. And both
of them were not the same as before. The tips of his ears flushed, but, fortunately, they were hidden
by his hair.

Jungkook smirked and ran a thumb over his delicate cheek, erasing the tear that was drying up on
it, and then reached for his glass. Taehyung was still in his brother's arms, didn't dare to resist.

“Well, since now you are an adult boy, I will tell you about my affairs,” Jungkook smiled, licking
his lip and taking a sip of his cognac. "I organized mass executions of those whom we seized at the
base. Some for execution, others for recruitment, and others for sale."

Taehyung twitched inwardly. He instinctively tried to pull away, away from the danger in the face
of Mirai. It would be better if he hadn't heard this. It would be better that he didn't hear it from
Jungkook that once vowed to protect and preserve. The alpha noticed the confusion and fear on the
face of the omega and smirked, arched an eyebrow.

“I can manage people in such a way that make them useful, Taehyung,” Jungkook explained,
reaching for the bottle and pouring cognac into his glass. “Shooting and executions will show my
power and make my enemies doubt whether it was worth it going against me. Recruiting will
reinforce my army—this is strength. Selling is money. Big money."
“It's inhuman,” Taehyung whispered, shaking his head and swallowing a painful lump in his throat.
Jungkook looked straight into his eyes and smiled so frighteningly. There was no more warmth and
tenderness in this smile. It was fake. Cruel, mocking. Taehyung knew. Jungkook simply played the
role of the past of himself, ruthlessly picking wounds on the omega’s soul that hadn't had time to
heal. This amused him, gave him pleasure, and Taehyung just wanted to disappear, as if he had
never existed before. He wished he didn’t know all of that, not from his brother.

“And I haven’t been a person for a long time, baby,” Jungkook grinned, looking straight into the
almond eyes for a few seconds, then his eyes was going down to the open pink lips with a perfect
contour. “My humanity lies in an empty coffin, where I was buried. Rotted, the worms have
devoured."

"What about Jimin?" Taehyung blurted out quickly, when he cried again, he wouldn’t be able to
speak and think clearly. It was painful to listen to Jungkook. The heart in his chest was frozen in
fear. There were so many fears. It filled to the brim, drowned him in itself and didn't allow him to
breathe. Taehyung held his breath and looked at his brother in anticipation that he would voice his
nightmare. He wasn't afraid of him, although he felt with his body how Jungkook was tensing.

"Jimin becomes more important than your brother, Taehyungie?" with a slight irritation in his
voice, Jungkook asked, twirling a glass in his fingers and crawling into the very soul of Taehyung's
with his snake-like eyes. It was like Taehyung was paralyzed. “It’s a pity that I'm not the one who
killed him, as I promised you,” the alpha said regretfully, sighing and shaking his head. "He is
already below the earth, he was killed."

Taehyung screamed. He broke out of his brother's arms and sat on the floor. He shook a little, and
hysteria arose in his chest. Taehyung didn't hear himself, didn't hear Jungkook, who was saying
something in his ear, with ease lifted him and hugged him to his chest. Taehyung at this second fell
out of existence. Jungkook pushed him off a cliff, and right now the omega was flying into the
abyss at speed. It was near, it beckoned him to come, sucked him in. This blackness would take
him down, swallowed and drove him crazy.

The severity of what Jungkook said settled on his shoulders, weighted tons. His heart in his chest
broke into pieces and it seemed to stop beating. It hurt too much. This pain filled the heart from the
inside, so much that at any second it would explode, because it was overloaded. Taehyung didn't
think he would feel this pain again. Taehyung didn't think that he would lose someone again. He
didn't think that this would be Jungkook's doing.

"Don't touch me!" He shouted, breaking free from the alpha's grip and shaking his head. The
omega kicked, scratched Jungkook's forearm, striped the ink patterns, screamed and cried so that
his ears were ringing and his soul was tearing. And Jungkook, as if in spite, squeezed stronger. He
was held captive. This was a real captivity for Taehyung. The touch of his brother was destroying,
melting the skin, and his breath was a flame.
“Hush, baby, hush,” Jungkook whispers in his ear, holding the resisting omega in his hands and
carrying him to the second floor, into the chamber. “You will feel better now. Everything will be
fine now, Taehyungie. Forget it, you can’t bring him back."

“You... y-you killed him!” Tearing off his voice, the omega screamed, panting from a lack of air in
his lungs. He didn't give up his attempts to free himself. "Let me go! Let me go! You killed Jimin!
You are a monster!" Taehyung choked on his own words. "Monster..."

Jungkook entered the room where the omega had been sleeping all this time, and put him on the
bed, waving his hand at the servants who had arrived in time when Taehyung started screaming.
They knew what to do. Taehyung continued to scream, showered Jungkook with insults, pulled
himself out of Jungkook's grip, jumped out of the bed like a madman, but Jungkook held him
tightly, grabbed his thin wrists and latched onto it to the point he almost broke it. Taehyung didn't
react to anything. Drowning in his grief and pain, suffocating, but didn't stop resisting.

Inside Jungkook, a new branch of poisonous anger was growing—his denial of Taehyung's pain,
which he so strongly and clearly felt, took over himself. He resisted this, he was furious, going on
rampage, plugged his ears, just to prevent the cries and sobs his brother emitted, just to prevent him
discovering the reason why this was happening. This awakened what should have died long ago,
rotting under a layer of black ash. It killed Mirai in Jungkook.

Was that what happened when he escaped by faking his own death?

Jungkook began to feel sick from this pain. It rolled to his throat with a viscous and bitter lump,
didn't allow him to breathe. The alpha clenched his teeth, without taking his eyes off Taehyung, he
growled at the servant standing in the doorway:

“Faster, damn it.”

An omega of about thirty instantly appeared next to Jeon and picked up a prepared syringe,
gripped it in his fingers.

Taehyung cried out loudly, feeling something sharp sticking into his neck, and instinctively
squeezed the sheet with his fingers. His body instantly became heavier. Not even a grain of
strength to scream. Taehyung became limp, still feeling the heat of the Jungkook's hands on his
wrists, and fell into a dizzying dream.
 ~}{~

Taehyung emerged from the abyss of an endless nightmare, as if he was from the deep water,
which with its density pressed his chest, didn't allow him to come up to the surface. This dream
was a long and painful one, anchored him to the bottom. Taehyung gasped, greedily gasped for air,
as if he were really drowning. His cheeks and pillow were wet from tears, his hair stuck to his
forehead and temples from sweats.

He was again greeted by darkness. Cold, lonely, cryptic. Taehyung wasn't afraid of it, he was now
a friend of it. It wasn't known how long he laid there, wrapping himself in his own icy arms, didn't
feel a drop of heat. Taehyung only remembered the burning feeling of Jungkook's hands, that
clasped on his wrists, pressed him to the bed in attempt to restrain him. Taehyung remembered his
own screams, from which his ears were clogged, and his heart under his ribs was torn to pieces. It
exploded, now there was only a void the size of infinity replaced it, and his soul was aching, he
was sobbing quietly. The pain hadn't gone anywhere. Dull, but now it came to life again within the
omega. His lower lip started to tremble slightly, and his fingers frantically clung to the sheet.

The omega closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm the tantrum that was growing in his
chest again. He remembered everything. Every word of Jungkook that slashed his skin worse than
his katana for executions.

There was no Jimin. And it would be better if Taehyung did not remember.

His face contorted in a pained grimace, his lips opened in a silent scream. Taehyung clenched
fabric of his shirt in his fist around his heart area and cried quietly, in complete silence. A viscous
lump formed in his throat. Taehyung whimpered softly, with all his might he held a hysterical
scream. He slid from the bed to the floor and sat on a cold parquet on his bare knees. Fingers dug
into the hair and squeezed them at the roots, almost pulling them out of their roots. The image of
Jimin in his head was a new blow, knocking out all the oxygen from his lungs.

Taehyung was tired of suffocating from his own pain. Taehyung was tired...

He screamed, tossed a blanket and sheet, tear the pillows. Taehyung was no longer in control of
himself. Before his eyes was Jimin’s smile. Taehyung saw nothing in the darkness, but he heard
something shattering at his feet. It seemed it was the remains of his tormented soul. He heard
Jimin's laugh. Taehyung tore a painting from the wall and threw it into the darkness, it was no
longer visible, as well as the end of this pain. He felt the touch of Jimin. Something inside him
died, warm blood flowed through his hand, snaked down his long finger, formed a drop at the very
tip. It fell down. Taehyung leaned against the wall and slowly slid down, laying on the floor. He
put a bloody palm under his head and looked into the darkness with his shining eyes from tears,
right into its bottomless eyes.

Suddenly everything was quiet, calm. As if he was under a layer of damp, cold soil.

~}{~

“Master Jeon,” a quiet voice called nervously from somewhere above. A warm hand patted slightly
on his shoulder.

Taehyung opened his sleepy eyes and looked directly at Yoonoh, he was bending his upper body
down. The beta held out his hand, helping him to get up, and carefully held him at the waist.

“I-” Taehyung wheezed in a quite voice, lifted his heavy head. "I need to go…"

"You need to eat and relax. And you are injured, sir,” Yoonoh frowned in dismay, looking at a
shallow cut on the omega's forearm. "Now I will bring everything you need."

“Bring me the clothes,” Taehyung interrupted, firmness in his voice, removing Yoonoh’s hands
from himself. His head was spinning, but the omega tried to stand straight without help. Hoping he
wouldn't collapse. “Please,” Jeon asked quietly, looking into the eyes opposite him. Yoonoh
hesitated, bit his lip in contemplation, then nodded.

“Okay, sir, right away,” the maid replied quietly, bowing his head, then turned around and quickly
disappeared from the room.

Taehyung sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, examining the room, which was now not so dark.
It seemed like a day. The bleak light revealed the effects of a nightmare that happened at night.
Taehyung looked at the drops of his blood on the floor and turned away, closing his eyes. If these
thoughts began to devour him again at once, he would break again, but he prayed, asked himself to
hold on. For the sake of Jimin.

Five minutes later, Yoonoh returned with his belongings and a small first-aid kit.

“The wound needs to be treated, otherwise it will get infection,” the beta said anxiously, sitting on
his knees in front of Taehyung and putting a medicine set next to him.

Who knew this better than Taehyung himself. But he didn't even feel pain. This was that monstrous
moment when the physical pain had drowned out. The omega pursed his lips without answering,
and turned his head to the side, while Yoonoh, taking his silence as consent, proceeding to treat his
wound.

"I need a car. Taxi," Taehyung whispered hoarsely, staring at his reflection in the broken mirror,
glass fragments laid on the floor. He didn’t look like himself. Like a dead man. The skin was pale,
almost gray, lips were white as chalk, dark circles under his eyes, and in the chocolate pupils there
were only coals from the extinct sparks. There was only emptiness.

“But Master Jeon...” Yoonoh mumbled, but then fell silent, meeting Taehyung's hard look.

“Don't tell me about him, Yoonoh,” Taehyung asked, swallowing a lump in his throat. The last
thing he wanted to think about was Jungkook. He didn’t care about him, he spat on him, on his
prohibitions and on the fact that he was a goddamned terrorist. Nothing would stop Taehyung now.
Neither the whole army, nor the Aspids.

“I will inform the Master's driver," said the beta, wiping the dried blood from Taehyung's skin on
his hand with careful movements.

~}{~

Taehyung slowly descended the marble staircase, feared that his legs would give out. Weakness in
his body hadn't disappeared. No matter how many times Yoonoh asked him to eat food, Taehyung
vehemently refused. Now he didn’t even get a sip of water for his throat. A lump was still there
and even oxygen barely got through it.
At the end of the stairs, there was a black jeep. Yoonoh, as promised, informed Jungkook's driver
that Taehyung needed a car. The omega quietly thanked the servant for all the help he had given
him, and silently changed into the clothes he brought.

Cold, prickly air helped him. It wore out the excess, relieved pain, sobered him. The sky was dark,
heavy, even though it was only in the morning. Taehyung was fondling his fingers in the pockets of
his black coat and stopped in front of the jeep, watched the driver standing nearby. He was talking
on the phone with such focused and attentive face, as if he was afraid to miss even a word, even
though the voice was only reverberating through the receiver. Taehyung mentally grunted and
turned away. He knew who the man was talking to. In his eyes, there was only endless humility
and deep respect. The omega wasn't surprised that they wouldn’t let him out of here so easily. Even
if he rushed to run without warning, he would ran into armed guards at the gate.

He was sick of everything that happened here, of what was surrounded it. Everyone was on tiptoe
walks in front of Jungkook, they even lowered their eyes in front of him, they were afraid to breathe
out loud. Taehyung had noticed this more than once. The omega infuriated that now he was
standing and waiting for a damn permission from his brother to go outside the mansion. How could
this be? When, at what moment did the world turn over and slide down to what was now?
Taehyung was disgusted by this. Painfully. Again and again, it hurt.

After half a minute, the driver ended the call with a short nod and hurried to the jeep. Taehyung
barely restrained the scream in throat, asking him to hurry. Nerves pulled tightly, it was about to
explode. The omega couldn't understand himself. This had never happened before. Even when
Jungkook died.

The man opened the door for him, and Taehyung climbed into the car, immediately turned to the
window. When the driver's door shut quietly, the interior, all upholstered in black leather, sinking
into the quietness.

"Where to go, sir?" asked the driver while starting the engine.

“To cemetery,” Taehyung answered barely audibly, frantically grasped the door handle with with
cold fingers.

~}{~
The grey scenery outside the window was blurry. And people were only spots, so were houses and
cars. They evoked deep anguish, sent cold into the soul, as if without it the soul wasn't able to be
there. Taehyung lowered his eyes and bit his lip. It seemed to him that the journey took forever.
His fingers on the handle turned white because they squeezed it tightly. Nerves were always in
tension.

The closer to the house of the dead, the more it became alarming. Taehyung thought that he would
be able to demolish everything, to keep the panic inside, but it was already breaking out, gradually
taking possession of the body and the mind. The omega shook ever so slightly, and his eyes were
closed, causing tears to roll freely. Outside the car window he could see the forged cemetery fence
already. Behind it were rows of hundreds of tombstones of soldiers who fell in the battle, and
between them fogs walked, they laid on top of tombstones, blanketing and tearing down the cold
granites.

The jeep gently stopped at the very gates. Taehyung bit his trembling lower lip until he felt the
pain and sat for several long minutes, didn't dare to leave. In his chest, everything was aching, and
the tears no longer saw the boundaries, flowed as they pleased, they were rolling and creating paths
on the cheeks, gathering on the chin.

“I will see you on the way out, Master Jeon.” The driver opened the door, forced the omega out of
his daze, made him flinch slightly. Taehyung looked at the man for a few seconds and finally got
out of the car. His nose immediately smelt wet grass and damp earth, and wet cold quickly crept
under his clothes.

“No... please don't, I'm fine by myself,” the omega shook his head and, as if he was in a dream,
without understanding anything around him, he wandered to the cemetery, leaving the driver
behind.

Graves located on both sides of the narrow track literally put pressure on the souls. Taehyung was
afraid to even look at them. Hundreds of names, dates and their last words. How many people were
here, under this earth. How many people's lives were so cruelly stopped. Civilians, Sergeants,
Captains, Majors, Colonels...

Taehyung pressed his trembling lips with his palm, holding back a scream, and stubbornly moved
forward, step by step approaching where the recently buried laid underground. The omega wanted
to turn around and run away from here, never return, forget all of this like a nightmare, but his legs
carried him farther and farther.

Someone's sobs reached his ears. Taehyung frantically looked around, looking for the source of
sound, and goosebumps ran down the spine. As he didn't notice immediately that nobody was
there. Hunched figures of mourners scurried between tombs in silent shadows. They lowered their
heads and cried, embraced the cold, lifeless granite, whispered something, asked them to return, or
simply to asked them to be fine in the next world. Just that.

A sob erupted even though a palm was pressed to his lips. Because of the tears, Taehyung didn't
see anything. Hundreds of graves, hundreds of lives lost, among of them was Jimin. Taehyung
exploded, he ran forward, deep into the graveyard, swallowing his tears. Failed to hold back. This
seemed like an impossible task.

“Jimin, Jimin, Jimin,” the omega whispered frantically, repeating, turning his head to find Jimin's
grave.

Every "Park", every "Colonel", the omega almost knocked the soil from under his shoes. He still
foolishly hoped he wouldn't see the very tombstone that shouldn't have been existed. Not now. Not
this way. Not so soon.

Taehyung, in distraught, approached each gravestone, pressed his fingers against white granite as
his eyes read the name on it, and the endless “Jimin” whispered from his lips. From one to
another, from one to another. How many more, how many.

He cried soundlessly, gasping for air in panic, but he continued to search, praying that he wouldn't
find it. He didn't look at the still alive people around him, he didn't look the way they looked at
him, tearing their heads from the tombstones. In the eyes of everyone there was endless sorrow,
sympathy for the one who couldn't find their loved ones.

“Where are you, Jimin…” Taehyung whispered through his tears, sliding his fingers along the next
granite stone, reading the name and the title.

Crying turned into sobs, and his legs, it seemed they no longer listened to the omega. He ran, ran
and ran between the rows of graves until he heard a quiet march. Taehyung suddenly froze,
noticing a passing funeral procession nearby. Soldiers in perfect black uniforms carried a coffin on
their shoulders, the flag of the country took shelter on top of it, and at the back were mourners
dressed in black. Taehyung was no longer able to distinguish whose sobs he heard: strangers' or
his own. Whose grief could be felt: his or those who escorted the hero on their last journey.

The omega took one step further without taking his eyes off of the procession, and then his legs
gave up. He fell to the damp ground and his fingers bit into the grass moist from the fog. He had
this fog in his soul now. It took over everything, planted its coldness into everything. There was
one single grave hidden in this fog, which Taehyung couldn't reach. No way to reach a conclusion.

“Jimin-ah...” the omega howled, closing eyes so hard until he saw white spots, his body shook
everytime he sobbed.

"Taehyung!" someone's strong hands took the omega by the shoulders, rose him up and held his
face with their hands, warming Taehyung with their warmth. “Tae, I'm here, I'm with you,” the
familiar voice whispered, pain and tenderness in his voice.

Taehyung looked up and stopped breathing. It seemed that he completely lost his mind, he was
going crazy, or maybe he even had died lying on this cold ground. In front of the omega, Jimin was
squatting, wore a black uniform. His bangs were falling on the forehead, half hidden by a cap. The
sclera of the alpha's right eye was completely red, and from the corner to the temple there was a
scar that hadn't healed yet. Taehyung stopped crying, and the tears in his eyes suddenly froze. He
looked at alpha like he saw a mystical being. Perhaps this was the case. Jimin was like an angel
descended from heaven. He was his comfort, his light in darkness. He had heard him.

And he was near.

“Jimin...” Taehyung whispered, fingers clutching frantically into the alpha's shoulders. Park's lips
stretched into a faint smile, broken, but even so it was able to return light into Taehyung's soul.
Even though he was not really there, even though his warm was only deception, and his smile
distorted, even though his scent was unreal—it didn’t matter. Taehyung was becoming okay. He
literally felt the golden rays of the sun flowing through his veins, rushing to a cooled down heart to
warm him more quickly with its warmth.

“I'm here, little one, all is well,” Jimin whispered soothingly, stroking his omega's cheek with his
thumb and erasing the paths of tears. In the corners of the alpha's eyes were shiny.

Taehyung clung to him with his whole body, still kneeling. With a cold tip of his nose he bumped
into a warm neck and sobbed, hugged him tightly, afraid to let go. He wouldn't allow him to scatter
into ashes, he wouldn't allow him to disappear. No more.

“You're alive... alive,” the omega whispered, barely audible, his lips was touching a pulsating vein
in the alpha's neck. “I was looking for you... in the midst...” he sobbed again and closing his eyes
tighter. He was afraid to open his eyes and again to see the rows of tombstones, among which he
was looking for the one who was now clinging to his own body, radiated warmth, which Taehyung
was so lacked.
“I'm alive, I'm fine,” Jimin said quietly, stroking the omega on the back and digging his nose into
Taehyung's blond hair.

He didn't believe that this was possible, he couldn't think that he would meet Taehyung here. He
went crazy, he was really going crazy, he searched among the bodies that the Asp had left behind;
searched in the morgues and in hospitals, searched in the remains, in an unnamed areas. Jimin
nearly lost his mind, he thought he had lost the remnants of his mind. He spent hours looking at
one point, trying to figure out how to live on. How would this be possible without Taehyung?
Without his smile, which was more beautiful than all that was in this world, drowned in pain and
death. It seemed to Jimin that along with the end of Taehyung's life, his end had come too. He
swore that he would never be a human anymore, it would prohibit him to remember the best
memories that was deep in himself, that he would not let anyone close to him again. But now
everything was different. Now Taehyung was close. He was alive, he was with him.

Holding a coffin of a fallen hero on his shoulder, Jimin thought that Taehyung's cries was for him,
that the omega from the next world was calling for him, realizing that the alpha was missing him.
He was sure that he had lost his mind completely until the wind brought notes of sweet wisteria to
him. This couldn't be an illusion. This scent wouldn't be able to replicate even in his brain. Nobody
would and nothing would.

Jimin ran his fingers through the omega's hair and gently stroked it, calming him and whispering
that he was nearby, that he wouldn't go anywhere else. He apologized for having left him, that he
couldn't protect him. And Taehyung quietly sobbed and nodded briefly, listening to every word,
burying his face in the alpha's neck, convincing himself that everything was real.

Jimin looked up, and he immediately froze. Castaway in a thick fog among the graves, stood a tall
man in a black cloak, slowly smoking a cigarette. He looked back, Park felt that man's eyes cut
into him. He pursed his lips and held Taehyung closer to himself, rising to his feet, pulling the
omega with him.

“We are going home now, Tae,” he assured, hugging Taehyung by the shoulders and kissing his
temple.

The omega, gradually moving away from hysteria, still sniffling, and slightly trembled with his
whole body. He leaned against Jimin’s side and followed him to the exit of the cemetery, looking
down, he didn't want to look at the graves anymore.

Nearby, among dozens of cars, there was the alpha's silver Mercedes. Jimin unlocked the door and
reluctantly released Taehyung out of his arms, opening the passenger side and seating the omega
on it.

“Tae,” he said gently, lowered himself to look at Taehyung, who was staring at the alpha with all
of his attention, grasping the hem of his coat in his fingers. "Wait for me a bit, okay? I'll be right
back. I must inform that I'm leaving."

Taehyung wanted to say no, wanted to ask him not to leave him, otherwise frightening thoughts
would crawl out of their dark corner and fill the mind, but he only nodded and lowered his head,
examining his fingers.

“Hey,” Jimin took the omega by the chin, raising his head, and left a kiss on his salty lips from
tears. “I'll be back soon,” he whispered and closed the door, moving back to the cemetery.

~}{~

Jungkook stood in front of one of the many graves and slowly smoked a cigarette, the smoke of
which merged with the thick fog, floating away to the dark clouds. Hearing the rustle of footsteps
on the grass, alpha smiled at the corner of his lips, shaking off the ash on the fresh flowers lying at
the tombstone.

“I was hoping that you wouldn't appear in his life again,” Jungkook spoke in a low and hoarse
voice, glancing at Jimin, who was standing next to him. His expression was unreadable. His lips
were tight, his cheekbones were tense, and his gaze was iron. The bloodshot eye only made him
looked frightening even more, its color merged with a fresh ugly scar.

“I know which side you are on now,” said Jimin, with his hands in his pockets of black trousers
and his eyes on Jeon. "It wasn't difficult to guess. Did you get him out of the base?"

“Yes, I did,” Jungkook smiled, raising an eyebrow and twirling a smoldering cigarette in his
fingers. “How long have you been thinking about that, Colonel Park?”

"How does it feel to be here?" Jimin asked, with all his might holding back the impulse to hit
Jungkook's happy face, in which even a drop of regret couldn't be found. No sympathy, no sorrow.
“Among those who fought with you shoulder to shoulder, and those whom you yourself have
buried,” Park smiled through his gritted teeth, pointing a finger to the ground. “What do you think,
former Captain Jeon Jungkook?”

Jungkook made a pensive face, squinting and staring into the distance, then let out a laugh and
licked his lower lip with the tip of his tongue.

“Are you trying to push some feelings into me, Colonel?” He asked, pinching a cigarette between
his lips and taking a short drag. “But, it’s pointless,” he spat, releasing caustic smoke and throwing
a cigarette butt on the ground.

“I get it,” Jimin chuckled, his fingers were clutching each others in his pockets. “You melt your
own nervous system with drugs," Jimin squinted and drilled Jeon with a look of hatred and disgust.
Now it was damn difficult to believe that he was once friends with this terrorist. Park didn't
recognize him as that hero. “And what have you achieved? You were one of the best, and now..."
he pursed his lips and looked to Jungkook's way squeamishly. “Just a lap dog serving the leaders.
Tell me, why? Why are you with them, why did you leave your family, your work? For what,
Jungkook?"

“Stop this, Park, it looks ridiculous,” Mirai grinned, turning to Jimin with his whole body and
putting his hands in his pockets of his cloak. "I didn’t come here to have heartfelt conversations
about my conscience, but to warn you for the first and last time. Don't approach Taehyung if your
life is dear to you. The army needs people more than ever, right?"

“You have no right to forbid me,” Jimin growled and grabbed a pistol from his belt, placing it with
a muzzle directly to Jungkook’s forehead. “I can kill you right now and pay for the blood of those
you destroyed at the base. Taehyung doesn't need such a brother."

Jungkook didn't even change his posture. He looked Jimin directly in the eye and started to laugh
dryly. Madman. Like a madman. Jimin was convinced of this.

“Shoot, and you will become a dead hero,” Jungkook whispered, smiling, and glanced through the
countryside behind Jimin. “Because they will kill you right away, Colonel. Oh, and how Taehyung
will like it," the alpha grinned, raising his eyebrows. “Kill me, and he will hate you. So, come on,
soldier, do your duty."

Jimin clenched his jaw and stroked the trigger with his index finger, struggling with the desire to
fire it. Jungkook's words were like poison, which injected a snake into the body of his victim. It
was not in vain that they called themselves that, there was a reason they called themselves like that,
and Jungkook accepted this faith with his entire being. He was very good at poisoning. He was a
 real serpent. Nothing was left of the past of Jungkook who died two years ago. This was the only
reason why Jimin didn't regret it, dreaming of firing a bullet on his forehead, but the words about
Taehyung created doubt in his soul and slowed him down. And right here, Jungkook was right.
Whoever he was, he was his brother. Taehyung loved him endlessly and death would never forgive
him, even if Jungkook was a terrorist who had destroyed thousands of people's lives.

Jimin was torn to pieces, but his feelings, the damned feelings prevailed in this fierce struggle.
Park shamefully lost, but he didn't regret it. Taehyung had always been more important to him than
his duty. Taehyung was always be first for him.

“You still have your life, Jungkook,” Jimin growled, lowering his gun. “You hurt him, and I'll kill
you without thinking, remember my words.”

“He is my brother and it's my business how to deal with him,” Jungkook calmly replied with subtle
iron notes in a low voice. “I give you the opportunity to say goodbye to him. Take him home and
then disappear."

“Burn in hell,” Park grunted, tucking his gun in his belt and turning around.

The alpha walked steadily toward the exit from the cemetery. Jungkook watched him walked to the
very gates, then turned back to the gravestone, grinning and taking out a new cigarette from the
pack.

He had been burning in hell for a long time.

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

Author's contact info:

VKontakte
Askfm
Twitter
 The Snakes
Chapter Notes

⚠Warning: Yoonkook smut.

⚠Warning: Blood, violence, murder.

This is Yongguk

This is Jongup

Playlist:
VKontakte
Soundcloud

Character Visualization:
VKontakte
Pinterest

I know, I know, I'm late. It's already past midnight in my timezone There was this
Siamese kitten on my front porch 2 days ago. He is so thin, hungry and dehydrated. I
decided to adopt him, so my focus kinda wavering. Also, this whole Melanie Fontana
situation makes me furious as hell
Ah fuck, I'm sorry for ranting
Anyway, this chapter is unbetaed. Sorry if there's any mistake ✌

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Jungkook clenched the sky blue hair in a fist and growled. He repeatedly thrust into a body bent
over beneath him, enjoyed the way his cock disappearing inside the omega and reveled in the
hoarse low moans the omega emitted. The milky skin of the bouncing ass turned red from painful
slaps that was given to it repeatedly, and in some parts it was completely strewn with small bruises
left by Jungkook's strong hands.

Yoongi let out sweet moans and threw his head back sharply, Jungkook roughly pulled his hair and
fucked just as roughly, killing the tenderness, which, however, he never showed. And none of them
needed it. The omega actively moved his hips toward the alpha, swallowing the entire length of a
big, hard cock, and clutched the back of the bed, which was shaking intensely because of the rough
movements they created.

Jungkook was fucking him all night, breaking off his hands and picking up a new one, making him
scream, tearing off his voice, and marking every inch of sweet porcelain skin, showing the world
who he was belonged to. Yoongi—wasn't one of his whores. Yoongi was the highest, Yoongi was
the most important one, like every pills that Mirai always carried with him. When the beast was
hungry, Min came and fed it, watered and nourished it, surrendered himself, as a sacrifice to a
deity. Jungkook took everything without a single trace, and in return he gave him wild nights, after
which sometimes even a single movement became a burden.

Jungkook didn't have any mercy.

Yoongi didn't need it.

The alpha hammered into Yoongi's hole with fast and deep thrust, rough and sharp, painfully
pleasant. No one could get used to this. Yoongi arched his back, more vigorously sticking his ass
out, begging for another loud and painful slap. As he exhaled, he groaned the leader’s name with
trembling lips, he wanted to lower his head, but Jungkook didn't allow it. Again, he yanked Yoongi
to himself and bit into his snow-white neck, strewn with small galaxies that Jungkook left another
night. In the morning, everything was repeated, because the beast was hungry again, thirsty again,
and again he didn't show even an ounce of pity. Jungkook left new marks on top of the old ones,
slipped his tongue out and bit the skin, gripped the thin neck with his strong hand, slightly pressing
to narrow the access of oxygen. Made it even more fun. Yoongi closed his eyes and his parted lips
eagerly gasped for air, but Jungkook quickly prevented him to do that, biting his sweet pink lips in
a hungry kiss, to which the omega eagerly gave in.

Having satiated his lips, Jungkook descended back down to the omega's neck, bit his shoulder and
tugged his hair again, didn't let him to take a break, sucked his soul, knocked it out with each new
rough thrust. Yoongi moaned like a real whore, chanting the sweet prayer "Jungkook, Jungkook",
begged for more, just as hungry and insatiable, ready to give everything and take what was given in
return. It wasn't enough for him either.

The door to the leader’s bedroom opened silently. In the doorway stood Hoseok with a gun
hanging on his shoulder. On top of a black turtleneck through which every strong muscle stood
out, thr alpha had a leather holster. On his sides were two unchanging pistols, which he seemed to
even sleep with, and on his hip was a knife with which he cut more than one person.

The alpha, without any hesitation, entered the room and folded his arms over his chest. He wasn't
used to seeing things like this.

Jungkook, still pulling a groaning omega to himself, lit a cigarette, clamped a cigarette in the
corner of his lips and clenched his fingers on the enticing ass cheeks.

“Join us,” Mirai grinned, not even glancing toward the alpha. He immediately understood his silent
appearance, he felt it.

“Not this time,” Hoseok replied calmly, glancing over the omega's shiny back from sweat. "We
have half an hour before training. It's time for breakfast."

Jungkook blew out the smoke without taking his cigarette from his lips, and made a sharp jab into
a pliant body, knocking out a new colorful groan that gave pleasure to his ears. Yoongi's fingers
grabbed onto the bloody colored sheets and turned his head to the side, looking at Hoseok. A grin
bloomed on his swollen and blood-stained lips, like a devil, and wild flame in the black eyes, like
hell. Yoongi groaned an obscene and long moan, bit his lip and moved his hips more actively,
allowing the alpha's member to go all the way, until sparks flashed before his eyes that were
looking at Hoseok intensely. Challengingly. They played the game, provocation and mockery.
Hoseok accepted the rules, looked back, but his face didn't change. In the black eyes, the very
color of his own soul, there was a barely spark at the bottom. But Jung was calm, even cold.
Forever indifferent, restrained, he kept the demons inside himself under strict control, and Yoongi
tried to wake them up, playing with fire. He raised an eyebrow and slithered the pink tip of his
tongue over his lips, leaving a wet, shiny trace behind. A real snake, the tempter, but Hoseok
wasn't about to commit sin.

"Are the weapons already in place?" Jungkook asked, turning his head in Hoseok's direction, who
instantly turned his eyes to the leader. There it was, a deserted coldness. "Is everything ready?"

“Yes, there's only one touch left,” said Hoseok, glancing toward the door and telling someone to
enter. Jungkook, with a smirk on his lips, watched a servant slipped into the bedroom with two
covers, inside of which there were two suits, hang them in the dressing room gently, and, afraid to
see the Master at such an intimate moment, he quickly left, slipping past Hoseok. "Hurry up."

“Here it comes,” Mirai chuckled, turning away to the omega and building up the pace again.
“Now, get lost,” he spat to Hoseok and abruptly flipped the omega’s light body, laid him on the
sheets, hanging over him after that. Yoongi took a short moment to look at the closing door and
then grabbed Jungkook's tattooed shoulders.

The alpha spread the slender legs of the omega with a sharp movement, penetrated into him again,
filled him with one deep push. Yoongi moaned, threw his head back on the pillows, scratched the
ink-covered skin and interlocked his legs on the alpha lower back. Jungkook put his cigarette in an
ashtray, reaching for the drawer, spread his arms to the sides of Yoongi’s head and covered his
parted lips with his own lips, he kissed, pulled and bit the soft tongue and swallowing every groan
greedily.

The omega slipped one hand in between their hot sweaty bodies and squeezed his cock with his
fingers, bringing himself to his release. A hoarse groan immediately caught Jungkook's ear again.
Yoongi gave him another moan, hugged his neck and moved his hips toward him, slightly
squeezed the alpha's member inside himself and heard an animal growl in response.

Jungkook spat fire for a while and fucked omega for another ten minutes, came abundantly on a
flat stomach. Yoongi breathed heavily under him, completely exhausted, but a satisfied smile
played on his lips. The day was just started, and the most interesting part had yet to come.

The alpha got out of bed, took out a box of pills from a pocket of his trousers lying by the bedside.
A small white oval instantly melted in his mouth, spreading pleasant goosebumps all over his
body. A void appeared in his head, a blank sheet, the starting point for a new beginning. This sheet
needed to be fully written down, in order to burn it by the end of the day, without staining its
memory with unnecessary memories.

Jungkook, already in the bathroom, looked right to the outside of the door and caught the omega's
eyes, who was still resting in the bed.

“Come in to the shower,” said the alpha, opening the door. Yoongi broke into a grin and rose from
bed, following the leader. "We're not done yet."

~}{~

Jungkook picked up the handle of a snow-white porcelain cup with two fingers and brought it to
his lips, taking a short sip of black tea, its steam swirling in the air. Closing his eyes in delight, the
alpha let out a quite grunt and smiled.

"Refined taste, do you agree, my sunshine?" He asked, looking up at Yoongi sitting across from
him. The omega smiled slightly in response and nodded in agreement, placing his cup on a saucer
and putting a piece of chocolate cheesecake into his mouth.

A calm and pleasant atmosphere reigned around them, accompanied by a quiet and unobtrusive
classical music. This was a half-open establishment of an elite restaurant with a splendid view of
nature. A place that was cut off from the outside world. It resembled a piece of paradise, access to
which was only available to the elite groups in the capital. The restaurant was all designed in light
colors, among it all, milky white dominated. In the spacious hall with carved pillars, more like a
porch, there were small round tables with comfortable white armchairs. Waiters walked between
the tables carefully, taking orders and fulfilling any wishes of their regular visitors that had
breakfast here every morning, enjoying views of nature, light conversation and pleasant music. In
front of the restaurant was a huge garden of paradise, in which there was a small green labyrinth,
cozy gazebos and even an artificial lake.

Jungkook set his cup aside, took a quick glance at the important visitors in the Garden of Eden,
turned away, looking dreamily at the lake with a half-smile on his lips gleaming in the gray light of
the day.

"Such a wonderful place. It’s a pity we haven’t been here before,” said Mirai, turning his head to
Yoongi. “But now we do, right, my angel?”

“Of course, darling, it's just magical here,” the omega exhaled delightfully and smiled wider,
looking into the alpha's eyes.

Jungkook leaned in and took Yoongi's hand in his, his thumb stroked on the back side of hand
carefully, gently. In these feigned love looks, sincere love was glowing, but not for each other—for
blood. Both of them see it at the bottom of each other's pupils. It disguised itself, hiding behind a
slimy lie, behind the pretended love of two hearts. For a beautiful game, which everyone around
them was openly jealous of.

Mirai left a light kiss on the back of omega's hand, made him giggle shyly, lowered his eyes, and
took his hand away, straightening the hem of his black jacket, under which the gun was hidden. On
his lips, there was a happy smile, it was reflected in his shining eyes, and under the table was the
Jungkook's assault rifle HK G36 and the omega's beloved M4.

Jungkook leaned back and called the waiter that instantly responded, and after a couple of seconds
later the waiter was in front of the table of respected guests. A radiant smile on his lips, he was all
glowing, replacing the sun, which hadn't been around for a long time. And everyone here was
ready to serve everything that the elite souls demanded. If the elites wanted it, they would spread it
on the table and served it as the best dishes. There was no limit for the upper layer of society's
desires.

Two minutes later, Jungkook sipped red wine from a crystal glass, enjoying its strong and rich
taste, and told Yoongi, who appraised it for the first time, the qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon.

He got bored with tea.

He reveled in the performance, reveled in the game and the attention of those around him, who
noticed a good looking married couple that they hadn't met before in this restaurant. People
became interested and threw evaluative looks. Somewhere there was envy flashes, somewhere
there was desire, somewhere else there was some kind of anger. Both of them were perfect,
unforgettable and unique.

Jungkook looked like a Greek god emerging from myths. His forehead was parted to the side, his
black hair was perfectly styled, a silver earring gleamed in his ear, and the best Swiss watch on the
wrist. He attracted the greedy glances of omega and he knew this very well. They wanted him,
they desired him. Fake bitches who would sell their family's wealth for such an alpha to be with
them. Their rotten souls were exposed when they looked at Mirai. But he himself looked only at
the one sitting opposite him. Yoongi's bitchy expression showed his indifference and his distaste
toward them. They envied him. The omegas dreamed of being in his place, and the alphas' dream
—to hover over him. Yoongi felt their hungry looks undressing him right in front of their own
spouses. Insatiable animals.

This bright and clean place was full of dirt.

Yoongi looked around the hall with a bored look and took a short sip of wine, sliding the tip of his
tongue over his lips. With delicate graceful fingers, he straightened his cream blouse made of
original Chinese silk and faced the omega sitting nearby, whom looked at him almost all the time
since he and Jungkook stepped their shoes into the restaurant. Those grayish green eyes seemed to
try to burn a hole onto the omega, to melt him. But Yoongi was calm and relaxed. He patiently
waited for the time, a signal, and he turned to Jungkook, looking at him with a look of admiration
and exaggerated love, swallowing every leader's words which were soaked with lies. He loved this
performance so much. He and Jungkook were the best actors.

“Do you remember that book...” Mirai frowned thoughtfully. “If I remember correctly, its title is
called Our Last Breakfast,” as if he was trying to remember it, nodded to himself and looked at
Yoongi directly in the eye. “Remember how this thing made me cry?” Jungkook asked the omega,
crossing his legs and tapping his fingers on the edge of the table. From a small, inconspicuous
earpiece in the alpha’s ear, Hoseok’s rigid voice was heard, telling the snakes to begin the
operation. "The ending was unpredictable. I'm still surprised and deeply admire it."

“The author described the feelings so vividly and heartbreakingly,” Yoongi said, nodding and
smoothly lowering one hand under the table, clutching the handle of his machine gun with his
fingers. "I'd love to re-read it, that's a once in a lifetime book."

“Exactly so,” Jungkook smiled at the corner of his lips, taking the last sip of his wine. He already
heard snakes crawling, approaching faster and faster. How they craved,to pierce their poison into
the bodies that were already soaked with it. “A sad story, of course,” Mirai said with a sincere
sadness in a now disappearing smile and he rose from his seat with a heavy sigh. A rifle was
lowered in one hand and a black mask was held in the other. “Spoiler,” the alpha said louder,
attracting people's attention in whose eyes confusion was replace by shock and horror. “You all
will die in here.”

And here it was, the very moment that Jungkook wished to enjoy for at least eternity. The screams
mixed with shootings filled the ears, drowning out the music, and the pristine-white interior was
painted with deep scarlet. Jungkook felt a bit exposed, pulled a mask over his head in order to
protect his personality from those who could manage to capture the image of their own death
guide.

Hoseok burst into the restaurant hall with pistols outstretched in both hands, immediately firing at
people who were screaming and scattering, and about fifteen snakes ran behind him, crawling
across the hall. His hands gleamed with the fresh blood of those whom he had already killed; it
soaked into the mask and flowed down on a strong neck covered by turtleneck. Snakes silently
dealt with the security units of the elites outside the building and waited for a signal from Mirai.

Hoseok immediately met the leader and, with a short nod, he turned away, tackling more killings.
No one would survive. There would be no mercy for anyone. Neither staffs nor visitors.

Yoongi, finally, throwing his pretense aside, pulled his usual expression on his face. Eyes were
destroying, pressed against the bloodied floor, and pink lips were tightly closed. In his hand was an
M4, ready for battle. The omega squinted in search for that bitch with grayish green eyes. He
quickly found him. This omega, in miserable attempts to go unnoticed, hid under a table at which
he sat a few minutes ago, having a casual breakfast. Yoongi grinned quite a bit, grunting, and
quickly headed in his direction, pulling a knife from his belt as he went. The omega screamed,
quickly crawled out from under the table and backed away, looking into the eyes of the grim reaper
no longer so confidently. He trembled and choked on his own tears, shook his head and begged
him not to kill him. There was a wall behind him, nowhere to run.

Yoongi grabbed the other omega and turned his victim's back to himself, clenching the blond hair
in his fist and sharply tugged him.

“Choke on your own blood, you jealous bitch,” Min hissed, cutting the throat of a sobbing omega.
Crimson blood splashed over Yoongi's blouse, some of it splattered on his lips and on the mask.
The omega smirked and licked the warm blood, which was tastier than any wine. Even Cabernet
Sauvignon. Incomparable.

He threw the other omega's body—who was jerking in dying convulsions, onto the snow-white
floor and stepped over the body, removing the knife from the belt, which was hidden by the long
hem of the blouse, and picked up a machine gun, immediately aiming and shooting at anyone who
didn't have the symbol of the great Asp on their shoulder.
Yoongi felt Hoseok's gaze across the hall of restaurant. The alpha left only a visible and tangible
burnt on Yoongi's body. Hoseok stepped over the corpses, stepping the sole of his shoes straight
into the puddles of blood, stretched his hand to the right side and pulled the trigger, hole in the
back of the waiter who was running to the exit. All this time he didn't even look at his target. He
already had one - stood on the other side of the hall and smiled devilishly. A chain of white gold
gleamed on a bloodied neck, and once the cream fabric of the blouse was soaked in blood and
adhered to the graceful curves of a young and beautiful body. But Hoseok didn't even look at him.
He only saw that black eyes, glowing with blue fire. He didn't need to stand a couple of meters
from Yoongi to notice this. Felt it.

Yoongi smirked and looked away as if Hoseok hadn't look at him, as if he wasn't the guy Yoongi
just stared at a moment ago. He fluttered around the hall like a butterfly, cut out his victims,
without even minded much about it. Hoseok was sure that this snake would have easily managed to
get job done here without the help of all of them. Death could never get to Yoongi, even though it
touched porcelain skin with the tip of its bony finger, no, it obeyed him on the contrary, gave itself
directly to his hands. Yoongi now controlled it however he liked.

Hoseok turned away and gave his bullet to the heart of another daredevil, who tried to escape from
the ring of poisonous snakes. What a fool. Too bad, they wouldn't get awarded as hero. Hoseok, on
the contrary, considered this as cowardice. Everyone here knew from the first second that this was
their end. No one had ever survived such attacks by Aspid, but the desperate ones were trying to
preserve their miserable, sinner souls. It was better to accept death with dignity than shamefully
fleeing from it, knowing that it was in vain. Stupid, foolish and hopeless people.

Jungkook with one clear shot knocked out the eye of gray-haired alpha with golden rings on his
fingers that came to the restaurant with his whore. He knew him, knew everyone here, and
everyone deserved to die. They were the wings of the army, aided and supported the army in the
fight against the enemy. But Jungkook would cut these wings feather by feather, set fire to it and
spread its ashes all over this rotten city.

Mirai walked to the edge of the veranda, where the stairs to the garden start off, lowered his rifle
and, with a grin stayed on his lips, he watched the silhouette running toward the green maze.
Behind him there were heart-rending cries and screams, crying for help. All over it was music for
the ears, complemented by gunshots. Jungkook's lips spread out in a smile and proceed to go down
a small wooden staircase to the garden, walking to the maze.

Inside the maze, all the noise inside the restaurant became muffled, distant. Jungkook could hear
the rustle of his own steps on the short-cut grass. He walked slowly, listening, like a predator in a
hunt for prey. He knew there was a victim lurking somewhere here, trembling with fear and
praying for salvation. Surely, his victim felt that death was approaching every second. It couldn't
be avoided, couldn't be fooled. Only to be accepted humbly.
Jungkook turned to the right and looked around the opened passage, confidently moving forward,
as if he knew the maze like the back of his hand. The victim didn't give himself away, but Mirai
felt his fear, he smelt it in a special way, it couldn't be confused with anything else.

The omega was breathing heavily and pressed his hand to his mouth with force, so as not to make a
sound that would give himself away to the killer, who was coming for his soul. Fear shackled the
body, paralyzed it, and the heart was beating so loudly, it seemed like he was going to hear it. The
omega tried to move silently, frantically looking back almost every second and entering the next
green passage. Gray sky overhead, but in the maze it was dark, like it was already night time. Or
maybe his eyes was a little confused. The omega sobbed inaudibly and bit into his hand, tiptoeing
forward. He looked around again and didn't notice how he crashed into the wall in the form of the
tall alphas's strong chest in front of him, in which a scarlet stain from someone else's blood had
spread out on a snow-white shirt. The omega himself didn't hear himself screaming, looking up
and meeting the endless black eyes of the infamous terrorist, whose name people whispered in
fear, afraid to speak it out loud. An animal grin bloomed on Mirai’s lips. He effortlessly twisted the
omega's hands and pressed his chest against the trembling body from behind, enjoying the
convulsive trembling from the all-consuming fear that ate his prey. The omega couldn't even
scream; only grunted and whined, didn't even think to resist. And rightly so.

“Don't be afraid,” Mirai's whisper resembled a hissing snake. It penetrated into consciousness and
controlled it. The omega froze with glassy eyes, didn't even blink. “I've come for you, thank your
god for this,” Jungkook held the omega with his hand across his victim's chest, pressing him close
to him, leading his nose along his tan neck, eager to bite into a pulsating vein, but this time refused
his desire. He was well-behaved today.

The omega swallowed and closed his eyes, stopped breathing. He got a serpent wrapped around
him. The only thing to do was to count the time before the snake plunged into his flesh with its
poisonous fangs, poisoning the blood.

“Your end is beautiful, unlike the others,” Jungkook whispered, barely touching the omega's lips.
The muzzle of the rifle slowly rose and rested against the guy, right under his chin. He whined
softly, but didn't dare to say anything. There was nothing to pray for. He knew what awaited him.
"Open your eyes and look at this wonderful world for the last time."

The omega sobbed, took a while to decide, but still opened his eyes obediently. Just for one second
—before his eyes saw scarlet veil, and then death reached him.

Jungkook pulled the trigger, not even turning away, where instead of the head of a pretty omega,
there were only pieces of it in front of him. The sound of a gunshot echoed through the passages of
the gloomy maze, in an instant plunged into a mysterious deathly silence. The alpha threw a warm
body to the ground and shook off his jacket. Mirai was completely bathed in blood, soaked into his
skin, to the bone. Its warmth warmed his icy soul, his heart pleased, and a light, relaxed smile
imprinted on his lips. Satisfied.

Throwing a rifle over his shoulder, Mirai moved along the passage of the labyrinth, whistling a
simple melody.

The day was wonderful.

~}{~

Jungkook entered the living room of his mansion while unbuttoning the buttons of his blood-
soaked shirt. Hoseok followed behind him in a shadow, pulling the mask from his head and
popping it into a pocket of black pants. Jungkook ordered the servant to bring whiskey and threw
his jacket on the back of the chair.

“The news of the attack has already reached the general,” said Hoseok, his hands was hanging on
his machine gun and looked at the leader. He unbuttoned the remaining buttons and sat in a chair,
pouring himself a whiskey. He casted an unreadable glance at Hoseok and brought the glass to his
lips.

"The media are quick to respond. Surely the terrible events of this morning are already showing on
the news," Jungkook grinned, pointing his hand to Hoseok, urging him to sit down, and lit up the
cigarette, filling his lungs with bitter smoke. Jung sat down on the couch and nodding, took a glass
of amber liquid from the leader. He put his machine gun down, on an antique coffee table and took
a sip from the glass, licking his lips after that. The whiskey mixed with blood created a special
taste, incomparable to anything. “Probably General Kim is furious,” Mirai grinned, leaning back in
his chair and leisurely twirling a glass in his hand with golden liquid poured in it. A cigarette was
smoldering slowly between his teeth, the smoke of which smoothly flew through the living room.

“The Chief will quickly find new sponsors,” said Hoseok, giving the leader a grin.

“We will cut them out, everyone, absolutely everyone,” Jungkook said confidently, holding a
cigarette in his fingers and gulping down the rest of his whiskey in one gulp. He reached for the
table, taking the bottle, and poured himself another one.
Hoseok answered nothing and silently got up, lowering his head with his hands clasping behind his
back. Jungkook, having added the whiskey to his glass, raised his head and spread out his lips in a
smile. In front of him stood the First Leader himself with his right hand—Jongup, who was
considered one of the best fighter of the Aspid. Yongguk was standing with his hands tucked into
his trouser pockets and looking down, watching every emotion on Mirai’s face. He was wearing
perfectly fit suits. He was all in black from head to toe, only the white gold watch on his left wrist
gleamed under the light of the massive chandelier in the living room. Black bangs fell halfway
down on his flat forehead, and in the dark, expressionless eyes, there was an eternal cold that could
freeze everything around him.

Jongup, standing behind the leader, had blue hair tinged with black in the roots, and his whole
body was covered in ink, peering out from under a black shirt, top three buttons was unbuttoned.
The alpha, like Hoseok, respectfully lowered his head before the Second Leader.

“An unexpected visit, Bang,” Jungkook said, leaning back in his chair, playing a cigarette in his
fingers. "Want to have a drink?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and shaking his glass a little in his
hand.

“I will refuse,” Yongguk replied in an evenly cold tone, nodding to Hoseok to sit back down.

Jungkook would say his usual “freely,” but Hoseok could no longer relax while the First Leader
was in the mansion. He picked up his machine gun and hung it on his shoulder, standing behind a
relaxed Jungkook. There were no enemies, but vigilance was always the first. Yongguk follows his
eyes, a barely noticeable silent smirk on his lips, and turned his attention to the Second Leader
again.

“You're making too much noise lately, Mirai,” he said, sitting down in a chair opposite Jungkook
and throwing his leg over his other leg. "What happened today?"

“But everything is quiet and peaceful in the South,” Jungkook grinned, sipping his whiskey. "I'd
like to go there sometime, to the ocean. I haven’t been there for a long time,” he laughed dryly,
taking a short puff of his cigar.

Yongguk didn't react in any way, silently awaiting an explanation. Jungkook shook the ash into the
ashtray lying on the table and leaned back, bending his elbow that was lying on the armrest, and
holding a cigarette in his fingers. He remained in his unbuttoned shirt, revealing his strong pecs and
abs covered with tattoos, among which the snake pattern was predominant.
“A couple of days ago they bombed one of my weapons depots, which I was planning to send to
the North. This is a retaliation move," the alpha shrugged. “I don’t leave any of their moves
without consequences, Yongguk."

“Get you temper down for a while, we need our people,” Bang said calmly, clutching his tattooed
fingers into the castle. “Do you have any idea how many of us have become cannon fodder at the
Army base?” the alpha squinted, looking at Jeon inquiringly. “Six hundred fifty-seven people. I
know you're a great strategist, Jungkook, but attacking such a huge base with a half-day plan was a
damn stupid decision. Sometimes you act too impulsively, without thinking about the outcome."

“You came here to scold me?” the smile from Jungkook’s face instantly disappeared, his gaze
hardened, weathering a second ago. He looked at the leader in the eye. Between these all-
consuming staring contest, there were quite tangible sparks formed in the air. Hoseok looked from
Yongguk to Mirai. Both of them had a tense expression on their face, but Jungkook's storm was
harder to hide, awakening inside him, he could never fully curb his anger. But Yongguk was
unbothered by it. He was still unshakable and cold-blooded. “I blew up their vaults, killed a lot
more people than the amount of our fallen soldiers,” Jungkook sung, not taking his eyes off. "I
knocked them down, hitting under their knees. It will take a long time for them to recover. And it is
so much better than-"

“We're not ready for war, Mirai,” Yongguk interrupted him, sounding so firm that made people
wouldn't dare to object. "Do what you want, execute, shoot, undermine, just think about resources,
or get new ones. We need it now. Every person counts, but collisions occur more often. Mostly
because of you."

“What about our Third Leader?” Jungkook asked, arched an eyebrow and clamped a cigarette in
the corner of his lips. Jongup raised his head, looking at Mirai with an interested look, while
Hoseok didn't even change his face. He had heard these topics and arguments more than once from
Jungkook. "Where is his army? Where are the people of the great king, Kage?"

Yongguk tiredly closed his eyes and rubbed his nose with his fingers.

“More importantly: where is he hiding himself,” he replied, opening his eyes.

“He's among the Aspids, isn't he? And he can turn out to be anyone,” Mirai scoffed, shaking his
head and sipping his whiskey. He put out a cigarette in an ashtray. "He's just a greedy one. He
could lend his army while he hovers in the shadow. We're all im this together,” the alpha lowered
his gaze to the bottom of his glass, then raised his head and looked at Yongguk again, raising an
eyebrow. “Or maybe he doesn’t exist at all? Something like a myth for Aspids. I have never seen
him, and neither have you."
“He isn't a myth, Jungkook.” He is in reserved, it's for security reasons. Kage is our trump card,
and he will prove himself when he sees fit," Yongguk rose from his chair and nodded to Jongup,
straightening the hems of his jacket. “I'll be in town for a while.”

“I don’t need to be monitored,” Jungkook chuckled, rising behind the leader. He held a glass in one
hand, and put the other in his trouser pocket. "I will deal with my problems myself, Yongguk."

“You forget that we are no longer enemies, Mirai. We are fighting on the same side and we have
common goals," Yongguk stood motionless for a couple of seconds, looking Jeon in the eye, then
turned around and went to the exit with Jongup, who was already at the door, turned his head at
Jungkook and said: "And yes, I heard about your brother. I hope he won't become a hindrance."

“He's an obedient boy, he won't cause problems,” Jungkook smirked, grinning and sliding the tip
of his tongue along his lips that had alcohol remnants on it. Yongguk nodded and left the mansion,
accompanied by his right hand and his bodyguard.

~}{~

Taehyung sat on the couch with his knees pressed to his chest and his chin on top of them. In his
hand was the remote control, with which the omega had been switching channels for five minutes
with a completely detached expression on his face. Nearby, there was a coffee mug with that he
had finished for a while and a crumpled blanket thrown away by the omega when it got really hot.

He'd been in his apartment for two days already. He sat in these four walls for two days, without
even ever went near the doorway. It was scary for some reason. And left alone in this apartment
was scary, so the TV was practically working for 24 hours a day. Since Jimin brought him home
from the cemetery, he never showed up again, and Taehyung couldn't contact him in any way,
because his phone was still at the base. He didn't know how many times Jin probably called him,
losing his mind from not knowing what had happened to his friend. Didn't know whether he was
among the dead ones or not. Everyone had known for a long time what happened there. Taehyung
didn't even know if any of those who were sent to the North with him were survived. From that
terrible night, he was cut off from the world, had no idea what really happened. Jimin only said
that the losses were big, without went into details. Taehyung didn't ask because he saw how hard it
was for the alpha. He buried more than one comrade, he almost died. Snakes left a scar on his face,
which until the end of days would be a painful reminder of that nightmare.
Taehyung missed Jimin, but he realized that he was busy and couldn't make the time to come. The
Army was dealing with the consequences of the Aspid's attack. But thinking about Jungkook was
still hard and painful. Taehyung would like to snuggle up to him and feel safe, would like to hear
reassuring words from his sibling, but everything went the other way around. The omega ran away
from his embrace and he didn't hear any soothing words, only frightening things.

Taehyung pressed the button again, switching to the news channel. The omega's eyes darkened
with every second, while he watched and listened to what they showed. Again brutal killings,
puddles of blood, lots of corpses. White turned red. But it wasn't monstrous images that made the
heart in the omega’s chest froze, but the face in a mask through which only lips and eyes were
visible. So familiar, so dear. Everything in them was as it was before, but it wasn't warm anymore.

Taehyung was deeply hurt, his heart contracted, and his lower lip started to tremble for some
reason. He would like to turn the TV off, or at least to turn his back, but he had no strength. The
eyes of a loved one held him captive even only through the TV screen. And why didn’t he see it for
two years? His hatred for Mirai blinded his eyes with a thick veil, through which Taehyung
couldn't see the truth. That was probably even better. He would have gone crazy to find out the
truth before he met Jungkook.

The doorbell made the omega flinch and look away from the screen. Taehyung put the empty mug
and the remote on the coffee table, and rose from the sofa. It was probably Jimin. This thought
made everything warm inside. Now the alpha would dispel all his fears, held him close and calmed
him down, as he always did.

Taehyung unlocked the front door and froze with surprise on his confused face when he came
across the familiar black eyes, that he looked literally a minute ago on TV screen. Jungkook stood
on the doorstep and smiled a bit. He himself didn't notice how he paralyzed the omega with his
eyes alone.

“It's probably stupid to ask how did you find my house,” Taehyung said quietly, this statement
made Jungkook smiled wider.

“Have you forgotten about Dante?” the alpha asked, holding up a carry on bag, from which came a
quiet rustle and quiet whining.

“No...” the omega exhaled and immediately reached for the bag. “Of course not,” he said, taking it
from Jungkook and stepping aside so that the alpha could get in.

Having been invited, Jungkook grinned to himself, entering into the apartment and closing the door
behind him. Taehyung, having forgotten everything around him except the puppy, disappeared into
the hallway leading to the living room. Jungkook took off his jacket and hung it on a hanger in the
hallway, impatiently walking down the corridor and curiously looking at a small but very
comfortable apartment. The alpha had long been tormented by the question of how Taehyung was
living and whether he needed anything. But judging by what Jungkook saw, the omega lived well.
Not rich, but not poor. Everything was neat in the apartment, everything was in its place. At one
point, Jungkook even felt like he had been to this place before. Taehyung had always been like that.
He loved everything in order and cleanliness, loved to create a cozy atmosphere especially every
time he was sad when he had to abandon the house due to the bombing. His apartment was
somewhat a reminiscent of the past, but on the walls didn't have cute children's drawings by
Taehyung, that he drew with everything he could find.

Jungkook glanced over the small bright colored kitchen set and entered the living room. The
windows had soft white curtains and beige curtains, furniture and even the walls were painted in
pastel colors. That was very much like Taehyung. And for some reason this thought was nice.

Warm.

The omega was already sitting on the floor in the center of the living room and was busy with the
puppy, who immediately reached for the omega, having felt the love and care on his part, which he
hadn't witnessed before. Taehyung smiled warmly and didn't even pay attention to his brother,
giving his attention to Dante completely, that hesitantly and with some fear began to explore a new
place, sniffing at things and wagging his little tail.

Jungkook, just like puppy itself, studied the apartment, leisurely pacing and looking at books on
the shelves. His eyes lingered at the only two pictures placed next to each other in the frame. The
first picture was Jungkook himself. A handsome soldier on a gray background, dressed in dark blue
uniforms with numerous medal orders on his chest. There was no smile on his lips, but it was
readable in the black eyes that looked directly at the camera lens. Jungkook looked into his own
eyes for several seconds, and then chuckling under his breath, his head turned to another
photograph, immediately holding himself so as not to tear it into small pieces in an instant. The
photo showed Jimin, but, unlike Jungkook in the photo, he was wearing ordinary civilian clothing,
consisting of a gray hoodie with a black print and light blue ripped jeans. In the photo, Park smiled
widely and happily, hugging Taehyung on the shoulder, who had an embarrassed smile on his lips.
He snuggled up against Jimin’s side, with his head slightly hiding into his chest. Inside, Jeon's
flames flared up, and in his head, he had already managed to smash the whole house and burn it
along with a damned photograph. He pursed his lips and turned away before the anger reached its
highest point.

"Coffee?" Taehyung asked Jungkook, raising his head and looking up at him. The presence of his
brother was constraining. For some reason, it became a little awkward and even somehow strange.
Jungkook looked very out of place in this small apartment, completely didn't fit into this simple
and bright interior after the gloominess of his huge sinister mansion. And it made him feel sad,
because it had never happened before.
“Yeah, I suppose,” Jungkook smiled again, nodding and sitting on the sofa. Taehyung bit his lip
and, leaving the puppy, rose to his feet, disappearing into the corridor. The alpha looked after him
and smirked.

He couldn't get a smile from Taehyung now. But for Jimin, he probably smiled willingly. Again,
his gaze involuntarily fell on the photograph of Jimin and Taehyung, again, awakening a slowly
dying wave of anger. If Jimin was around now, there would have been no hair left on him. The
only thing that soothed Jungkook was the scent floating all over the apartment. Only that gentle
wisteria scent, which he couldn't get enough of. So, Jimin hadn't been around since then. Jungkook
hoped that the other alpha had listened, feared for his life, and finally retreated.

While Taehyung was busy in the kitchen, Dante explored every corner of the apartment in which
he would live in from now on. Jungkook thoughtfully watched him for a while, but then distracted
not long after, looking up at the TV. Almost every minute on the news, every now and then, there
were Aspid soldiers and the one who led them—Mirai. Jungkook frowned with interest and
listened to the words from the TV presenter, revealing the details of this morning massacre. The
alpha heard nothing new. Monstrous events, brutal attacks, in a word, tragedy. A new call to fight
and confront the evil that was winning every day.

On the screen, the TV presenter flickering again, and on the one side were shots of one of the last
executions carried out by Mirai.

“And it turns out I’m handsome from the side profile,” Jungkook said while chuckling when
Taehyung returned to the living room with a tray in his hands, on which there were two cups of
coffee along with chocolates and a saucer of milk for Dante.

Taehyung gave his brother a hard look and put down the tray on the table, taking a saucer from it
and placing it on the floor. He quietly called up the puppy, which immediately reacted, running up
to the omega with a wagging tail, and lowered his muzzle over the saucer, eagerly lapping the milk.

Jungkook took his cup and drank the coffee, still interested in watching the TV while Taehyung
watched the puppy.

“Wow, my face is even on the crime program,” the alpha grinned, raising his eyebrows. Taehyung
pursed his lips and grabbed the remote sharply, changing the channel.

“Enough,” he grunted, sitting down beside him and taking his own cup. “Are you doing this on
purpose, Jungkook?”

“How can I, baby?” the alpha frowned while shaking his head. "How are things at work?" He
suddenly asked in a casual tone, turning his body to his brother and putting his hand on the back of
the sofa.

“I don’t go to work,” the omega said in a quieter voice, looking down at the cup in his hand. “What
am I going to say? How do I explain that I managed to get out of the base, and especially back from
the North?"

"Don't complicate it, you can make things up. Come back and be a hero," Jungkook smiled. “But of
course I’d rather you forget this altogether.”

“I will forget it when you stop exterminating people,” Taehyung pressed his lips together and
turned back to the TV, pretending to be interested in the TV show and sipping his hot drink.

“But the stakes are high,” the alpha grinned, not taking his eyes off the omega. Taehyung's dark
eyebrows frowned and he nibbled his plump lips, which Jungkook involuntarily followed it with
his eyes, clutching the cup handle more firmly in his fingers. A little more, and it would break.
“You can live with me. In my house."

In surprise, Taehyung almost spilled the coffee on himself, abruptly turning his head to his brother.
Big eyes had a clear shock in it. Sheer surprise. Only Jungkook remained completely calm.

“We're a family,” he shrugged. “You don't have to work. You're still very young, take time for
yourself, Taehyung."

“You-” the omega laid the cup on the table away from the sinner, and licking his parched lips, he
said: “Do you seriously think that I will give up the meaning of my life and move in with you?”

“Seriously, do you think I'm asking you to?" The alpha's sudden change of tone was giving
Taehyung goosebumps that ran on his back. "Now, it sounds like an offer that you simply don't
have the right to refuse, baby. And if you do that, I’ll just take you myself. I don't need
permission."

Taehyung almost suffocated from anger. He looked at his brother in shock with his mouth open,
not knowing what to say, how to object. Jungkook, who was now sitting in front of him, didn't
accept refusals, he was only interested in his own opinion and wouldn't even try to listen. It seemed
the omega was slowly reaching a trap, a captivity, from which he wouldn't be able to get out if he
were caught. But for some reason he was sure that in the end it would be like that. And it was
never good. Taehyung was scared. He didn't want to be like that.

“You have no right to rob me of my life and my work. Don't get me involve into this, Jungkook. I
will never side with the snakes," the omega whispered, shaking his head and looking at his brother
in the eye. He didn’t even notice how Jungkook's face became so close, that his hot breath was felt
on his lips. The alpha carefully, as if it was the first time, examined the features of the omega's
beautiful face, didn't even seem to hear what Taehyung told him about. He didn’t care, he would
do it in his own way anyway.

“Won't you side with your brother?” Jungkook asked in a low hoarse voice, raising his hand and
stroking the omega's chin with his thumb. Taehyung froze, even stop breathing, and he was lost in
the depths of the black eyes in front of him. From Jungkook's touch, his head it became empty,
there were only sensations of the touch, but there was no place for thoughts. “Remember how you
loved to sit on top of me while I was lying and reading the anatomy book out loud for you? You
listened so passionately that you didn’t even notice your cold fingers roaming around my chest,"
Jungkook's whisper caused a new wave of goosebumps, and the touch of his rough finger on his
soft lower lip was like an electric current pierced the whole body. But Taehyung could do nothing
about it. Fear enveloped him, which he couldn't define. Not this time. The sensations were
inexplicable, he hadn't experienced it before. "You were such an obedient child. You did
everything your beloved brother said. What has changed now?"

Taehyung swallowed hard and regained his composure difficultly, touching Jungkook's wrist with
his fingers, removing it from his face and whispering with a subtle tremor in a quiet voice:

“Now you smell of the blood of innocent people. You have changed. Why did they die today?"

“They had paid for their sins,” Jungkook answered with a wave of his hand, reluctantly moving
away from his brother.

The gates of Hell itself opened inside, an all-consuming mortal flame raged there, violent winds
tore off the roof, and thunderclouds gathered at his fingertips, electrifying. Jungkook was at the
end of the world, insanity with an unknown source and a crazy desire to put all the pills, that was in
the pocket of his dark jeans, into his throat.

Anger, pure anger delivered from the underworld itself.

Desires.

Jungkook squeezed his fingers and looked at his brother as if nothing had happened in the last
minute. As if there was no internal war and there was no urge to kill. He wanted to.

He really wanted to.

“You're not a God to decide this,” Taehyung replied, shaking his head.

“Yes, I am very far from God,” the alpha grinned, and almost exploded, holding himself by force.
He needed to finished this. “I'm giving you time to burn the bridges and say goodbye to your work
in the hospital. You will begin a new life, and now I will be there to make it better than what it is
now."

"Jungkook..."

“Shut it,” the alpha said sharply, cutting off the taken aback Taehyung. “You have no right to
object,” he continued a little calmer, rising from the sofa. "And now I have to go. For Dante,
tomorrow they will bring everything he needs," said Jungkook, casting a glance at the puppy who
had fallen asleep by the sofa.

Taehyung wanted to ask where and why so quickly, but he continued to remain silent, staring at his
brother, who was about to leave.

Why did it suddenly become so empty?

“I won't take your offer, Jungkook,” he whispered, for some reason it made Jungkook grin. The
alpha hovered over Taehyung and lowered his head, covering the back of the omega's head with
his palm and leaving a kiss on the top of the blond hair.

“We'll see,” he whispered, searing Taehyung’s scalp with his hot breath, and lastly, drew in the
sweet scent of wisteria. “For now, burn the bridges, baby.”

Jungkook abruptly pulled away and left, leaving Taehyung alone in the loud silence of his
 apartment. Awareness of what just happened didn't come immediately. Taehyung bit his lip and
looks in front of him with a glassy eyes, digesting every word that his brother said in his head.
Every touch.

He didn't understand anything.

Jungkook fled from the front porch to a cold street saturated with the smell of frost in the air and
reached for a pack of cigarettes, lit one of it and took a long puff. Smoke filled not only his lungs,
but also his head. Misted the mind temporarily. It should be enough.

Clamping a cigarette on his lips, the alpha sat in his BMW, parked right at the entrance of the gate,
and started the growling engine, abruptly speeding away.

Jungkook really needed Yoongi.

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

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Taehyung sat on a bench in an empty park and looked at his fingers that were lying on his knees
over his long beige coat, reddened by the cold. Around deathly silence, only dried branches of the
lifeless trees periodically creak because of pigeons and crows sitting on them. The omega raised
his head and his nose—reddened on the tip, sniffed, hoping to see through the eternal clouds,
which had become the dome of the world, the coveted sun, even a small dim ray. But there was
nothing there—only a leaden barrier. Once a great event for humans, a solar eclipse was now
becoming a rare event. Taehyung could count on his fingers how many times the real sun had
revealed itself, and as always, at such important moments, there was a brother who smiled at the
omega as the omega gazed happily at the sun, pointing at the sky with a small finger and squinting
his eyes.

Taehyung sighed and lowered his head, biting his lip, and looked around the deserted park. Rarely
anyone came here. This one was an exception from all parks that were intended for recreation and
entertainment. It brought melancholy and sadness with one look. Gray, abandoned and forever
alone. Taehyung himself didn't like it, because people were sad enough right now without him, but
he decided to make an appointment with Jin here, away from everyone, and he was tired of just
hanging around at home. The omega sat and wondered how to deal with his work in the hospital.
Dante didn't let him die from longing and heavy thoughts, Dante demanded constant attention and
care. The day after Jungkook came, as the alpha said, they brought all kinds of things necessary for
the dogs, but he himself didn't come back. Three days had passed. Jimin didn't appear either.

Taehyung felt that suddenly everyone had decided to leave him, which made him even more
depressed. Not that he really missed Jungkook and his wild look with a hellish spark in his eyes,
but inside there was a restless feeling of a little sadness. It was understandable, to miss your brother
was normal, but that was something else. Taehyung just wanted to feel his presence nearby, but at
the same time, on the other side, the more conscious side of the omega kept reminding him of who
Jungkook was now, which immediately forced Taehyung to take a step away from his brother. And
the result—chills ran down his spine. Missing Jimin was easier, less painful, but no less difficult.

The omega felt the biting cold started creeping under his clothes, and his hands shivered in the
pockets of his coat. He had been sitting like this for about ten minutes, waiting for his only friend.
Jin needed to be reassured, Taehyung needed to show himself and convinced Jin that he was alive
and healthy, that he hadn't returned from the North in a black bag. Kim, having heard Taehyung’s
voice on the phone, didn't believe it immediately, and then he burst into tears of relief. Taehyung
immediately calmed him down and decided that they needed to meet. There was a lot to say and
explain, and something else to do with work that he really wanted to return to.

"Taehyung-ah!" he heard his omega friend's voice from the entrance to the park. He was sitting
close to the entrance. Taehyung immediately rose, seeing the breathless Jin walking toward him
with great speed. It was like he was barely holding back from running.

“Jin,” warm smile touched Taehyung's lips. He went to meet omega and immediately fell into his
friend's strong and warm embrace.

“God, Tae,” Jin murmured, sniffing and placing his nose against Taehyung’s shoulder. He
squeezed his eyes, so as not to cry again, and he was hugging so tightly that the younger felt his
bones were almost breaking from the pressure. "You are safe, you are alive..."

“I'm fine, Jin,” Taehyung replied muffledly, his face was pressed into Jin’s chest. But it was nice.
At least there was someone close to him whose appearance didn't cause him pain. Taehyung
involuntarily drew in the gentle scent of his friend into his nose and calmed down completely. He
really missed Jin.

The elder reluctantly pulled back and, still holding Taehyung by the shoulders, looked at his face
for several seconds to make sure that the omega was alright.

“You are all cold, Tae,” Jin said while frowning, touching the cold tip of the younger's nose with
his finger, turning on his caring dad mode. Taehyung was sure that his children would be lucky to
have such a wonderful parent, and his alpha too—his husband. “Let's go get some coffee and tell
me everything. I don’t understand why you chose to meet in this place," Jin shook his head in
displeasure, taking Taehyung's hand and dragging him along to the exit from the depressing park.

But Taehyung didn't resist.

Fifteen minutes later, the omegas sat in a small but cozy cafe, designed in cream colors. Soft
pleasant music poured from everywhere, the smell of coffee and warm sweet pastries spread across
the room. They sat by the window. Jin ordered an espresso for himself, and Taehyung ordered an
americano.
"What happened there?" He asked, straightening the collar of his pale pink turtleneck and staring at
Taehyung in front of him.

Jeon sighed and lowered his gaze. He didn’t want to remember the events that took place at the
base, but Jin needed to know, he was really worried. It gnawed him, it was eating him from the
inside, but to whom, if not to his closest friend to tell about this?

“In the middle of the night, the Aspids attacked the base. I immediately left my room, which was
allocated to me there, and decided to look for Jimin,” Taehyung began quietly, his finger was
folding the sleeve of his black knitted sweater. Jin listened silently, frowning slightly, and clasping
his hands on the top of the table. “I bumped into him by accident, and he led me to a safe place. It
was, uh," the omega lost in his head, biting his lip. At that moment, the waiter brought their order
and put it in front of the omegas. Jin quietly thanked and waited for Taehyung to continue. "It was
so scary. To be in the same place of those monsters who don't know mercy once again. Jimin shot
back, clearing the way for us, but I constantly thought about how Aspid would shoot him right
then, right there, and I couldn't save him, but now I understand that I was afraid for nothing,
because he knows his job..."

“Of course,” Jin agreed, nodding and lifting his cup from the saucer. "He isn't called our country's
hero twice for nothing. How did you get out?"

Taehyung sipped his americano and pursed his lips thoughtfully. And then the leader of the Aspids
showed up and took him with him, but to tell Jin about it? How to explain this? How to say that his
brother who had appeared was this very leader? Taehyung couldn't even imagine the reaction of his
friend, to some extent he was even afraid of it. Therefore, he decided to lie.

"Jimin managed to take us outside the base, and we hid in an abandoned town. In one of the
basements of destroyed houses. We weren't found, because all the attention of the Aspids was
directed to the base. We hid for more than a day, then returned to the base when everything was
quiet. Jimin immediately brought me home," Taehyung himself was surprised that the lie was so
easily pouring from his lips and flowed into Jin's ears who was listening attentively, unsuspecting
of his lies. Lying was disgusting and unpleasant, but was there a choice? “I needed time to recover.
And... I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you before that I was alive," Jeon sincerely apologized, looking
up at the elder with a guilty look.

Jin smiled faintly and reached for his friend, covering his hand with his, squeezing it slightly.

“It doesn’t matter now, the main thing is that you're here,” he says, patting Taehyung's hand
slightly. “The other doctors from our hospital were buried as they should, and you were declared
missing. Deep down, I kept the hope that you were alive. Colonel wouldn't let you die."

Taehyung nodded briefly and turned to the window, looking at the people who were passing by,
going somewhere, always in a hurry. Or those who were afraid to be in the wrong place if there
was another attack by Aspid. That was why there were few people in the cafe. People lived in
eternal fear, and only brave people, or those who had come to terms with the fact that something
terrible could happen anytime, anywhere, appeared in public places on the outskirts. The capital
was specially guarded, life there was completely different, and people were not afraid. Or maybe
they carefully hid their fear, consoled by the fact that they were under protection. Only, this
security didn't particularly help people who were recently brutally murdered in a restaurant with a
garden of paradise. No one was safe from death. Snakes' attacks couldn't be predicted.

“I want to get back to work,” Taehyung said, turning his head to Jin and warming his hands with
his warm americano cup. “But how do I explain that I survived, while others died?”

Jin looked at the omega with a slight surprise and confusion, and then chuckled briefly and dryly,
shaking his head, as if the younger one had said something foolish.

“Do you think they will deal with why and how you survived? Don’t make me laugh, Tae, you
know very well that the important thing is that you survived. We doctors are just as valuable as
gold for the rich. They will take you without explanation,” Jin shrugged, sipping an espresso and
licking his lips.

Taehyung would willingly agree with this and wouldn't worry so much about returning to the
hospital, if it weren't for the truth, which was now burning from the inside, not allowing him to live
in peace. All it seemed to the omega, that his connection with Aspid—although forced,
involuntary, would emerge. Nobody would listen to excuses. He would be immediately labeled as
an enemy and would be handed over to the army to be torn to pieces, and there, Jimin couldn't help
either. Against public opinion, he was powerless.

“And if anything, you will say that Colonel Park is your future husband,” Jin continued to speak,
breaking the short silence. He, as always at the mention of Jimin, smiled slyly and narrowed his
eyes, winking and causing a heavy sigh from Taehyung.

“And what role will it play?” the younger grinned dryly, again bringing his lips to the edge of his
cup and taking a sip.

"The most important one. First of all, Jimin saved his lover by doing everything to protect him, ”Jin
shrugged, crossing his arms across his chest and leaning back in the soft sofa. "However, this is not
far from the truth. Unless, he asked to be called as your husband."

“Jin,” Taehyung rolled his eyes and buried himself in his cup, hoping to hide his reddened cheeks.
“I'm only sixteen, and Jimin is twenty-five, what kind of marriage are we talking about? You are
already twenty, and you're not dating anyone."

"You know what!" the elder said disgruntledly, pouting and frowning. “I just haven't met the right
one yet. And you will be seventeen in a week."

“I forgot,” Taehyung said, slightly baffled, biting his lip. "You remember…"

“Of course I remember!” Jin exclaimed displeasedly, grunting and reaching for his cup. “How can
I forget my only friend's birthday? That's nonsense."

“Come on, it's just that I've forgotten about it myself, it completely flew out of my head,” the
younger sighed. "My birthday only mattered when my brother was around. He and my parents
would give me the best days, unforgettable. Every time," Taehyung said thoughtfully, not even
noticing that he said it out loud.

His head was filled with warm memories of the distant past, when his whole family was still with
him. It wasn't the holiday itself that mattered, but the sincere and happy smiles of his loved ones
that surrounded it. Even the grumpy and serious father always allowed himself to smile and show
his affection for his youngest son, although he was usually more restrained. And Jungkook, even
when he became a soldier, he was specifically asked to go home for two days to give the youngest
a full holiday with his family. He took it very seriously, saying that missing Taehyung's birthday
was an unforgivable sin.

"Do you miss Jungkook?" Jin asked quietly, tearing Taehyung out of his memories.

The younger one looked up at him and suddenly blurted out:

"He is alive."

Jin thanked all the gods for not drinking his espresso at that moment, otherwise he would choke.
He was speechless and didn't even try to hide his surprise. There was a lot of intense emotions on
his face. Taehyung would have laughed, but it wasn't funny when the topic was Jungkook.
“L-like...” the elder mumbled, gawking his big and surprised eyes at Taehyung. "What…"

“He found me recently,” Taehyung said, biting his lip and looking down at the table.

"And what..." Jin frowned, gradually pulling himself together, "what happened to him all this
time?"

“Jungkook lost us, couldn’t find our way back home,” Taehyung mentally grinned so bitterly that
this bitterness remained at the tip of the tongue. "Stay away from military affairs and lay low.
That's all I know."

I’d better not to know.

Jin was silent for a while, trying to grasp the shocking news. He didn't know Jungkook personally,
but he had heard of him as the best brother ever from Taehyung, and as a great hero from the
public, and this was enough for Jin to endlessly respect him, without knowing him personally.

“Does Colonel Park know that Jungkook is alive?” Jin asked, receiving a short nod in response.
“They were best friends, after all. Jimin must have been insanely happy to know that he is alive."

Taehyung answered nothing, once again dipped into his cup and takes a short sip. There was a
nasty lump in his throat from the amount of lies he told Jin, who deserved the truth. But Taehyung
couldn't. He just couldn't. He was angry with Jungkook. Because of him, he had to lie and create
some lies that would justify him in the eyes of his friend who—like everyone else, considered him
a great fighter. He was so bitter from this and it was so painfully hard that he thought it was easier
to suffocate.

Jungkook slowly drown him into the darkness in which he himself was stuck into. In which he was
—the king.

Taehyung smoothly changed the topic and listened to Jin's stories about the hospital for another
half hour, after that the omega bid him goodbye. Jeon promised to return to work on Monday. After
meeting his friend, he was getting warmer and calmer. Still, he was very lonely.
 ~}{~

Hoseok closed his left eye and held his breath. Rough index finger gently stroked the trigger, and
his palm gripped the handle tighter. The alpha rested his elbows on a specialized table, on the sides
of which there were pistols and two carbines that alpha decided to try. In the side pocket of his
black cargo pants, bullets clanged from each movement.

In a long room, painted in white from the ceiling to floor, there was a perfect silence that Hoseok
could hear the beat of his own pulse. There was dim light right under the ceiling, flowed through
the center and across the room, reflected in the dark brown eyes of the alpha.

Hoseok stayed still and pulled the trigger, exhaling over the shot that was deafening for a second.
But the alpha was no stranger to it: when he neared it, grenades exploded, and tanks fired. A bullet
passed directly between the target’s eyes in the form of a man, shown waist-high. Small flinders
were spread to the sides, crumbling on a snow-white floor. Hoseok licked his lower lip with the tip
of his tongue, reloaded his British invention assault rifle with practised movement and, after
intercepting it better, he aimed again, switching to intermittent single shots at moving targets. The
alpha squinted his eyes and launched short machine gun fires that were carried around the room
with booming echoes. Bullets, one after another, bit into plywood in the areas of the human figure
where a real human could get fatal wounds. Hoseok knew human anatomy as good as an
experienced surgeon.

The magazine was empty. Jung straightened up, removing his elbows off the table and then
shoving his hand into his pants back pocket for the bullets, scattering a bunch of them on the table.
The alpha took off the rifle magazine and, holding it in his left hand, began to insert one cartridge
each inside, quietly counting under his breath:

"One, two, three, four…"

When three cartridges remained on the table, Hoseok froze for a second, and his hand hovering in
the air with a bullet in his fingers. He didn't raise his head, but already sensed who had come. The
sweet orange scent with notes of cinnamon smoothly spread all over the room that smelled of
metal and gunpowder, reaching Jung. The alpha didn't even hear the footsteps. Yoongi knew how
to be invisible, walking like a cat. Silently, life-threatening to others. He would sneak up from
behind, no one would survive. But he didn't sneak up, with soft steps he went to the center of the
room, standing directly in front of a non-moving target and pressing his back to it. Hoseok looked
up at the omega and looked skeptically, arched his eyebrow a bit. And Yoongi immediately
savoured this look, immediately caught him with sharp claws and pulled him on himself like a
predatory cat, as long as he didn't have to share him with anyone. Either that, or to fight him.
Hoseok as usual, in such situations, was calm and restrained. He glided over the omega with an
unreadable gaze, unreadable even for Yoongi, and again lowered his eyes, continuing his quiet
counting.

“Twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty.”

Yoongi lifted his chin and watched the alpha with a satisfied look from under his eyelashes, not
trying to hide the smirk that touched his peach lips. Hoseok rested his elbows against the table,
standing in position and his fingers was gripping around the body of the matte black rifle. A spark
of anticipation flashed in the eyes of the omega. He tightly pressed himself against plywood, which
was wider and taller than himself, and waite for Hoseok to make a move.

The alpha didn't hesitate. He took aim, squinted his eyes, and shot. A bullet fled in the direction of
Yoongi’s temple, almost hitting his red bandana, and plunged into the plywood, which caused
small splinters to fly to the sides, falling on the omega’s shoulder. Min was in fire inside, and he
wanted to laugh. He knew that Jung didn't spare him—he showed that he could easily kill the
omega if his hand trembled completely by accident, or maybe on purpose. Hoseok could do that,
and Yoongi knew that very well. Playing with death was his favorite games, and especially with
Hoseok.

Yoongi smiled wider and licked his lower lip somehow too slowly, as if he was collecting
gunpowder and death taste, that were very close by. Sweet. Nearby.

Hoseok aimed again, without wasting much time, and pulled the trigger. Yoongi felt a slight chill
near his open neck from a bullet flying fast nearby. His skin was instantly covered with
goosebumps, ran across his back and his hands, tingling at the tips of his slightly curled fingers.
Yoongi smirked and lowered his head, looking at the predator directly in the eye. Not afraid, not
trembling in terrible trepidation, because he himself was the same. He was shivering because of
different reason; much stronger than fear and other miserable feelings.

Yoongi was waiting for Hoseok to miss and make him choke on his own blood, with his devilish
smile, he looked at alpha and decided to complicate his unhurried movements while doing his task.
This game was crazy, but Yoongi didn't want to stop, and neither did Hoseok it seemed.

A new bullet fled right above his head, touching his sky blue hair slightly. Before Yoongi knew it,
Hoseok fired again, literally outlining the omega’s slender body in several shots. The cartridge
cases rang on the table, rolled back and fell to the floor. There was a halo of bullets over Yoongi's
head, exactly the one he deserved. He was a fallen angel, since he was born in a hole among other
poisonous snakes. Not knowing another life, mercy and the price of human blood. Love was
another miserable feeling. Nauseating and truly deceitful, clothed in brilliant sweetness with intent
to lure, and then rot, break, destroy, turning something into dust. Yoongi didn't believe in this
nonsense, he didn't know it and never wanted to know it.

The rifle magazine was empty. Hoseok gave Yoongi all thirty bullets that were in the clip.

The omega walked away from the target and, with a persistent smirk on his lips, went to Jung,
shaking off the remnants of bullets that fell on him from the plywood.

“This rifle has its disadvantages,” Yoongi said. His hoarse, low voice echoed through the quiet
room. Hoseok folded his arms over his chest, straightening up, and looked at the omega in the eye,
arched an eyebrow inquiringly. “Wearing out fast,” Min said, walking to the table and standing in
the opposite end of Hoseok. He took the rifle in his hands and ran his calculating gaze on it, his
long porcelain fingers traced along the body of the weapon and slightly wrinkled his nose, looking
up at Hoseok who was intrigued. "Yes, and mechanical strength isn't at its highest level."

“Have you use it? It has high precision, good range. It was once actively used in the army. The
kick is lower than the previous models, the aim steady, otherwise I would have already knocked
you out,” Hoseok said firmly without blinking, looking at the omega in the eye. “You need to be
able to handle such weapons, you need to tame it, you need to control it,” the alpha grinned
slightly.

Yoongi suddenly climbed over the small table that separated them, coming closer, raising his head
and staring at Jung. Hoseok literally felt the hellfire of the omega burning, threatening to set him
on fire, but he didn’t move a millimeter. And even when Yoongi’s fingers skilfully slipped into the
cargo pocket and took the bullets. His hand on Hoseok's thigh lingered.

“Try to tame it,” Hoseok whispered, blowing his hot breath to the omega's lips.

Yoongi grunted and took his hand away, turning to the table. At once he swept away the spent
cartridges that were on the floor with his foot and scattered the ones that he held in his hand.
Hoseok was standing right behind him, hovering and watching over the omega's shoulder as the
omegas deftly handled the rifle on the table, taking out the magazine and filling it with cartridges.
He was confident, firm and expressive in his actions. There was no doubt, no room for it. Yoongi,
like Hoseok himself, didn't play with stuffed animals as a child.

Yoongi put the magazine back to its place and leaned over the table, resting his elbows on it and
changed his posture to a position for shooting. He leaned so that his stomach almost touched the
surface of the table, and his back was slightly arched. Hoseok glanced over his slim, slim waist,
visible through his baggy camouflage hoodie. Yoongi narrowed his eyes and aimed at the head of
the target. Goosebumps ran down his spine, and right behind his ear he felt the heat of Hoseok's
breathe. The alpha covered Yoongi’s left hand holding the rifle and slightly guided it to the right
position.

“Don't aim straight, you'll miss,” Hoseok explained and slightly moved the omega fingers, placing
them correctly. "Once, the military were unhappy with these weapons, but it's only because they
didn't know how to use them correctly."

“Fools,” Yoongi smirked, carefully ignoring the fact that Jung was very close, breathed in the back
of his head, held his hand and touched his back with his strong chest.

He made a sudden shot, hitting exactly in the right eye of the target. Light recoil knocked the
shoulder slightly. Hoseok pulled back and stood beside him, arms folded across his chest, checking
where the bullets hit. Yoongi focused, held his breath and, with the tip of his tongue out, he shot
directly in the forehead, firing several shots and disfiguring the target. It was no longer possible to
make out that a human face was there before. Yoongi was getting a taste of killing for his pleasure.
Targets began to move from wall to wall again. The omega shot and hit the bull's eye, again and
again, until the magazine was empty. Hoseok watched throughout this without a single emotion on
his face. In his eyes, there were only interest and a slight curiosity. But he had no doubt—Yoongi
made no mistake.

The omega laid the rifle on the table over the spent cartridges and turned to Hoseok with a satisfied
grin on his lips.

“Well, have I tamed it?” He asked, raising an eyebrow and folding his arms over his chest.

“Practice won't hurt, this is not enough,” Hoseok grinned, walked up to the table and took his
pistols off it. He could feel the gaze of the omega burning through his back, and from that
realization, he couldn't help but smiled a bit. Yoongi loved to play, but Jung also had his own
exciting games as well.

He placed his pistols in holsters that were on his sides and took the rifle, turning to Yoongi and
then throwing the rifle on his shoulder.

“For a beautiful kill, you need beautiful weapons and beautiful skills,” the alpha deliberately
inspected Min from head to toe and stopped before his eyes. “You have all this, but there are no
boundaries for perfection.”
“I'm learning from the best,” the omega snorted. “I’ll ask Mirai to try this rifle with me,” a
poisonous smile bloomed on his lips, and he immediately got Hoseok's bright red eyes as a
response. “Speaking of which,” the omega’s face was suddenly getting serious. "Our leader wants
to shoot. On living targets," the sweet smile that was oddly similar to angels, deceptively
illuminated the face of a true demon. Not a smile, but a curse.

Hoseok wanted to grab hold of him, but the omega slipped away as sudden as he appeared. The
alpha stayed in his place, staring into the back of retreating Yoongi. Let him go for now.

~}{~

Jimin stood, leaning against the hood of his Mercedes, and took a drag of his cigar, clutching the
cigarette between his fingers. His gaze periodically fell on the window, lost among hundreds of the
same high-rise buildings. Cloudy smoke floated up, playing with the light of a street lamp stood at
the entrance. Jimin rarely smoked, but sometimes one obsessive thought began to choked him, and
made him just want to put his lips to its filter, to get rid of it, to get it out of his system so it
wouldn't interfere with his life. The Colonel had been nervous and tense for the past few days,
overwhelmed by the orders from the General, who demanded immediate implementation.

Jimin missed Taehyung with all his heart, but he couldn’t even call, which made his heart a little
guilty. After all, Taehyung had to be missed him as well, and maybe he was worried sick. The big
chocolate eyes, full of sorrow and pain that he saw in the cemetery, couldn't get out of his head.
They were replaced by the black ones, like pitch black darkness, Jungkook's eyes. The enemy. And
followed by his warning. He wasn't joking, Jimin understood this very well, but for him these
threats were—empty sound, nothing more. Taehyung’s life was more important to him than his
own, and if necessary, he would protect the omega from his brother, not giving a damn about his
life nor Jungkook's life all the more. Jimin no longer felt anything but hatred for him. He was a
traitor, a traitor who fell so deep, where no one ever had fallen into. The Colonel was sick of him.

The alpha finished his cigarette and tossed the butt into the trash can, looking up at the window for
the last time and heading toward the porch. He took the elevator to the sixth floor and stopped at
the door, combing his tar hair backward and pressing the bell.

Ten seconds later, the door opened and the sweet baking smell and chocolate poured out of the
apartment. On the threshold, stood a disheveled Taehyung, staring with his huge, shiny eyes, there
was a slight surprise flickered in it. He was wearing his favorite baggy pants and a long, wide
peach-colored sweatshirt that revealed his collarbones. Jimin opened his mouth to say something,
stopping, at last, prolonging the silence, as Taehyung stormed at him, snuggling and wrapping his
arms around his waist with his thin hands. Jimin stroked the omega's soft blonde hair and kissed
the top of his head, holding him close to himself.

“I'm sorry I disappeared like that,” the alpha whispered, closing his eyes. Taehyung lifted his head
from the Colonel’s strong chest and looked into his eyes, shaking his head.

“It's all right,” the omega whispered, stroking Jimin’s cheek with his thumb and kissing his chin. "I
missed you."

Taehyung, hearing the doorbell, was firmly convinced that it was Jungkook. And once again, there
was the agitation and slight fear, that instantly dissipated as soon as he opened the door and saw on
Jimin in front of him instead.

“I missed you too, Tae,” the Colonel exhaled, lowering his head slightly and leaving a kiss on the
omega's parted lips.

When they entered the apartment, Jimin immediately stumbled upon a small brown lump that had
small pointed ears perched up and sitting in the doorway of the living room. Sensing the stranger,
Dante began to yelp and growl, but didn't dare to approach. Taehyung and Jimin both stared at the
puppy in overt surprise. The omega had never seen Dante show aggression, and Jimin simply
didn't expect to see such a miracle in Taehyung's apartment.

“Hush, baby,” the omega said affectionately, squatting down, taking the puppy in his arms and
stroking his short soft fur.

"Where did he come from?" Jimin asked, not hiding his smile and approaching Taehyung. Dante
still growled quietly, but didn't try to attack, calming down in the hands of his beloved owner.

“Jungkook gave him for me,” Taehyung shook slightly, biting his lip and looking at the puppy with
particular interest, so long as he didn't look at Jimin in the eye.

“That's how it is,” Jimin chuckled. Were snakes capable to do such good deeds? Inside, the fire
ignited, but the alpha immediately suppressed it, prevented it to escape. Taehyung had nothing to
do with it.

“We’re going to the kitchen,” Jeon said, releasing the puppy from his hands and clinging to the
Colonel’s shoulder.
Jimin sat at the table, habitually watching Taehyung pottering around by the stove. For the alpha,
it had become something special, family-like.

“I decided to bake chocolate chip cookies,” the omega said, putting the still hot pastries onto a
plate. “It's my first time doing this, so I hope you enjoy it,” Taehyung laughed shortly and turned
his head to Jimin, shining him with a warm smile.

“I'm sure they come out amazing,” the alpha smiled back.

"Where have you been all this time?" Taehyung asked, laying down the teapot and the plate of
cookies on the table.

“General Kim screwed up,” Park sighed, rubbing his nose with his finger. Taehyung sat across
from him, hands clasped on the table. “Still dealing with the consequences of the attack on the
base. Weapons were sent there, ammunition, food and medicine. All this was on me."

“Will everything be all right there?” The omega asked with hope in his voice.

“We tripled the defense, but who knows what else the Aspid will throw at us?” Jimin shook his
head, frowning. "We can't even prevent terrorist attacks. They happened spontaneously, and Mirai
himself was present at all of the attacks, and because of this, getting to him is much more difficult.
Thousands of snakes are ready to die for him. Mass madness," the alpha grunted, pursing his lips.

Taehyung lowered his eyes and bit his lower lip. He no longer knew how to react to everything that
people say about Jungkook. It was time to get used to it and gave up the pathetic hopes that
something could be changed. Mirai was a monster that wanted to destroy almost the whole world.
How could this be fixed?

Jeon didn't answer, he had nothing to say. He rose and turned the stove off, pouring tea from the
teapot into cups.

“Jungkook, after all...” Jimin opened his mouth again, and Taehyung froze with a spoon in his
hand. Sugar almost melted by the cup. “He probably knows who Mirai really is.”
Taehyung covered his eyes and bit his lip. Well, of course, this conversation was inevitable. They
never discussed Jungkook as a terrorist, but both knew that everyone knew it. Jimin wasn't stupid,
it wasn't difficult to guess. And Taehyung again, as a naive fool, simply turned a blind eye to the
truth, pretending that it wasn't there, and that Park didn't know anything. That was funny.

“Jimin...” the omega sighed and slowly turned to the colonel, immediately meeting with black eyes
that he didn’t want to look at, at the moment. Jimin looked into his very soul, and this made him
completely uneasy. "Don't interfere..."

"What?" The alpha chuckled dryly, interrupting, and raised his eyebrows, looking as if he really
didn't understand what Taehyung was talking about. "Don't interfere?" asked Jimin. “You must be
kidding me, Tae. This is my job, something that I have been struggling with for many years, and
you tell me not to interfere!"

“Do you think Jungkook will tell you everything? He will kill you, Jimin!" Taehyung raised his
voice. “This is no longer the person you knew before. He sees enemies in friends."

“He's the only connection to what's going on inside the Asp, Taehyung.” Jimin got up from his
chair and slowly approaching Taehyung. The omega lowered his gaze to the floor, pursing his
quivering lips and hugging his own shoulders. The meeting between Jungkook and Jimin wouldn't
lead to anything good. But he got the most stubborn alphas in the world, adamant in their goals and
decisions, and Taehyung had to suffer through all of this.

“He will kill you,” the omega whispered, flinched slightly when warm hands hugged his shoulders
and pulled him close. “You said it yourself that they are true to their insanity. You won’t become
an obstacle for him, Jimin,” the omega lowered his forehead into the alpha's chest and clasped his
fingers to the fabric of the swamp green T-shirt.

“Well, what are you suggesting for me to do, Tae?” sighed the Colonel, softening and stroking
Jeon's soft hair. “It's my duty, I can't sit idly while they're thriving.”

“I won't allow you to kill each other, both if you are my only family,” Taehyung sniffed, raising his
head and looking into Jimin’s eyes. Something changed for a second. Jimin didn't want a war with
someone who was his best friend, but did he really have a choice? Now definitely not.

Jimin took the omega’s face in his hand and kissed the tip of his nose, leaning his forehead against
Taehyung's and closing his eyes.
“Little one, I really don’t know-” the phone that was in the pocket interrupted the alpha. He sighed
and, leaving a short kiss on Taehyung's lips, pulled away. “I'm sorry,” Jimin apologized, taking the
cellphone, the General Kim's name was displayed on the screen. Jeon looked at Park inquiringly.
“The general calls,” the Colonel sighed, tucking the phone back into his pocket.

Taehyung bit his lip and leaned his lower back against the cabinet.

"Duty calls?" He asked, trying to hide the sadness in his voice. Just as Jimin came here, he was
gone again. Taehyung understood that the alpha's jib was like this, he could be called at any
moment, and Taehyung tried to calm himself down, to convince himself. It was hard to let go of
each other, because both of them might not be return.

“Yes, Kim probably must be doing something important again,” Jimin rolled his eyes and smiled
softy to cheer Taehyung up.

"I'll walk you out."

They left the kitchen, and Jimin managed to grab a couple of cookies along the way.

“I just have to taste it,” the Colonel smiled, earning a slightly embarrassed, barely noticeable smile
from Jeon.

When they reach the door, the alpha turned around abruptly and pressed Taehyung against him,
kissing his sweet pink lips. The omega hugged Park by the neck and responded his kiss, dreaming
of delaying the time for a little longer, to avoid being separated again from Jimin for a long time.
Park didn't want to leave. He would hugged this fragile and lovely body to himself forever, to feel
these sweet lips on his own, and his arms wrapped around his neck. But no one could revoked the
order of the General. The Colonel reluctantly pulled away from the moist and reddened lips and
whispered:

"I’ll make sure to call you. I’ll try to sort things out sooner and return right away."

Taehyung nodded briefly and released the alpha, backing away.

“I will wait,” he smiled, getting a gentle kiss on the cheek for the last time. When the front door
behind Jimin closed, the smile from Taehyung’s face slowly vanished. He sighed, rubbing his face
 with his hands, and went to Dante to fill the emptiness in him, that remained in his soul after the
omega had to again and again see his beloved ones walked out of his apartment.

Jimin left the porch and unlocked his Mercedes, that was waiting right at the entrance. Headlights
flashed briefly in the dim light of the street. Quickly going down the small stairs, the alpha opened
the door and got into the car, starting the engine and smoothly driving out onto the road.

Yoongi narrowed his eyes at the silver Mercedes driving off the courtyard where Taehyung lived,
parked across the road and then merged among the rest of the cars. The omega lowered the tinted
window of his black Porsche Cayenne and took his phone out from his pocket, quickly dialing the
number that he knew by heart. After the fifth ring, the call was answered.

“The colonel has just left your brother’s house, Mirai,” the omega said, holding the phone to his
ear.

Yoongi smirked and raised his head, glancing at the windows of Taehyung's apartment.

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

Author's contact info:

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 Happy Birthday, Baby
Chapter Notes

This chapter is the longest one yet, 11,6k words

⚠Warning: Gore. There's a scene that will be very unpleasant to read. Be careful,
lovelies

Taehyung

Yoongi's Porsche

Hoseok's Gelendvagen

Jimin's Mercedes

Playlist:
VKontakte
Soundcloud

Character Visualization:
VKontakte
Pinterest

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Jungkook rolled a smoldering cigarette between his teeth. The smoke in the room with curtained
windows spread smoothly in all directions, floating up toward the dark ceiling. On a large bed, two
omegas, tired because of a busy night, were sleeping peacefully. A lamp gleamed on the bedside
table, pouring out a dim golden light and dispelling the darkness of the room.

Jungkook stared at himself in the mirror, leisurely fastening the black leather watch strap on his
left wrist. Everything in his head was clouded with a thick inaccessible mist. The past night
became another feast of demons who bathed in alcohol and blood until morning, drowning in sin
head-on. It was natural for them, they were used to it, and they simply wouldn't have it any other
way. Without a drop of blood, they couldn’t live, like a drug addict without a dose.

In the morning, the devils, again, wore their cold, frightening, empty and heartless masks, and went
to fight for what mattered to them. For the Leaders, for the freedom and permissiveness, which
every existing human being had the right to have.
The alpha pulled on a black T-shirt and shoved his phone and a pack of cigarettes into the pocket
of his black cargo pants. Behind his back, teetering between sleep and waking, one of the omegas
fidgeted, spreading the blond swirls over a bloody colored silk sheet. Jungkook glanced at the
omega. There was an instant glimpse of animal thirst in his eyes. This hunger was uncontrollable.
The milky skin of the omega, covered with marks from Mirai, calling, beckoning, inviting,
offering to continue, to drink until to the very bottom of all that was still left from the crazy night.
Jungkook might have succumbed to the temptation, walked over and made him suck his cock by
clenching his snow-white hair in his fist and shoving it down his throat, but there was an urgent
matter in his hand.

Jungkook looked away from the omega and put a body armor over his shirt. Once again he looked
at himself in the mirror, put out his cigarette in the ashtray lying on the cabinet, and left the room.

There was absolute silence in the snake hole, the servants had already managed to clean up the
aftermath of a wild night. On each floor, there were two snakes with a machine gun hanging on
their shoulders. As soon as Mirai came into view, they bowed their heads respectfully. Jungkook
quickly descended the wide marble staircase in the center of the room and exited the mansion,
immediately hit by the cold, prickly wind, biting the skin of his hands and neck.

At the bottom of the stairs, there was already a black armored Gelendvagen waiting for the leader.
Jungkook walked down and sat on the passenger side, slamming the door. The car immediately
pulled out of the yard of the snake hole.

"I won't say good morning until I have my coffee," Jungkook winced, leaning back in his seat and
glancing at Hoseok who was driving. His bushy eyebrows were slightly pulled together, and his
focused gaze was directed forward.

“We can go to the coffee shop,” Hoseok shrugged as he pulled into a busy two-way road.

"No, go straight to the warehouse. Coffee won't stop me from eating someone's eyes," Jungkook
grinned, pulling his phone out of his side cargo pocket. "I even know whose eyes it'll be. You can't
think of a better way to start a day."

“The Colonel was brought in last night,” Hoseok said, stepping on the gas and giving the leader a
quick glance.

"I hope he didn't get bored," but Jungkook replied thoughtfully, looking at the date flashing on the
display of his phone. The corners of his lips were slightly raised. He lifted his head to look at
Hoseok with a raised eyebrow. “You have to pick up my order today, Hoseok-ah. I think it should
be ready by now."

"The gift for Taehyung?" Hoseok asked, arching an eyebrow at Jungkook. Jungkook nodded and
smiled slightly.

“Today is my boy’s birthday,” Mirai said, reaching out through the lowered window and looking at
the road. "To miss such an event is a sin. I hope we won't mess with the Colonel for too long."

~}{~

Jungkook walked into an empty warehouse, and Hoseok followed silently behind him, pistol was
in his lowered hand. Closer to the center of the warehouse, there was a chair and a small table. A
small but rather spacious room was lit by several bright lamps hanging on the ceiling, but the light
didn't reach the corners, leaving the demons in the chilly shadows. About nine snakes were
walking around the warehouse in shadows, and two more stood on the sides of the man with a
black bag on his lowered head. The man was on his knees with his hands tied behind his back.

"Colonel."

Mirai broke into a smile and hurried over to walk around the chair and stood in front of the
prisoner, dressed in army camouflage uniforms. The man was silent, didn't make a sound, as usual.
The prisoners always whined and sobbed, whispered pleas for mercy that only increased their thirst
for blood, but this one didn't even tremble with fear. He only raised his head, hearing the voice of
the leader in front of him.

"Take it off,"' Jungkook ordered with a wave of his hand. One of the snakes instantly carried out
the order, pulling the bag off the soldier's head and throwing it aside. The man immediately met
Mirai's gaze. Jungkook saw a flicker of surprise in the Colonel's dark gray eyes, blended with
disbelief and instant denial.

"Jeon Jungkook," the man said hoarsely, and his gaze immediately became heavy.
“How many times have I seen this,” Mirai lifted up his hand, outlining the Colonel’s face in the
air, “Surprise. But it doesn't matter, I'm glad to meet you, Colonel Kang. I've been waiting for this
for a long time."

"They'll burn you at the stake after that," the man said, burning a hole on Jungkook. "Without
hearing and trial. You will be execute immediately."

Mirai laughed dryly. His laugh spread throughout the warehouse, echoing off the metal walls.
Even snakes got goosebumps, the hairs on the back of their necks stood up. Jungkook stopped
talking so suddenly, his expression changed. The sound of a loud impact was heard throughout the
room. The Colonel lowered his head and spat out the blood, his lips were broken by a heavy boot.
He didn't make a sound.

“For some reason, everyone is trying to intimidate me with execution and a hell fire that will await
me in the next world,” Mirai chuckled, lounging in a chair in front of the prisoner and throwing his
leg over the other. The toe of his boot, which a moment ago was imprinted in the Colonel's face,
was now swaying in the air. "But the funny thing is, they were executed by me not long after,"
Jungkook grinned, dangling his hand on the arm of the chair and following Kang's every move
closely, who was trying to recover from the blow.

“I don’t even know how did they manage to brainwash you, Captain,” the Colonel wheezed,
looking up at Mirai and licking his bloody lip with the tip of his tongue. "You destroy your own.
Even God will not forgive that."

"Stop talking," Jungkook said sharply, blue fire flickering in his feigned calm eyes. "I'll sort things
out with God later, but for now I'll take care of you," Jungkook changed his position, straightened
up a little and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, glanced at the Colonel and raised an
eyebrow. "Want a cigarette?" He offered, twirling the bundle in his fingers. The Colonel pursed his
lips in response, without changing his face. “Suit yourself,” Jungkook shrugged, holding a cigarette
between his lips. Hoseok, who was standing next to him, immediately lit up the cigarette for the
leader, receiving a grateful nod. Jungkook took a short puff and blew the smoke up. “I hated that
you invaded my territory. You blew up my armory, slaughtered my people."

"I was doing my job..."

"But that's not all," Jungkook interrupted the Colonel's speech, frowning in displeasure and shaking
the ash onto the bloody concrete floor that couldn't be remove. "The army move toward their goal,
not caring about the citizens of this country, right? Admit it! The Brave Protectors—it's just a
show,” Jungkook wrinkled his face in mock disgust and spread his arms out to the sides. "You
demolished an apartment building in a suburban area, deciding that terrorists were hiding there.
Was Colonel Kang afraid to check the situation in person?" Mirai grinned, biting his lower lip and
looking at the man in the eye. "And this Army's achievement wasn't even shown on TV, strange,
right?"

Kang's eyes changed instantly. Jungkook managed to follow this and broke into a satisfied,
venomous grin, his black cosmic eyes was crashing into the gray ones, in which confusion and
guilt flashed, that slipped the rope, wrapped it around and squeezed the Colonel's throat. Jungkook
laughed softly, but his laugh sounded too loud in the empty and soundless warehouse, literally
crawling into everyone's subcortex in the brain.

“That's what I'm talking about,” Mirai smiled and narrowed his eyes slightly, playing with his
cigarette in his fingers. "You have your own devils in your head, and don't even try to prove to me
that there are angels."

"I was told that snakes were hiding in that place. I did what I saw fit," the Colonel said through
gritted teeth, stubbornly keeping his gaze pressed to the ground. "We will stop at nothing to
destroy you all."

"Then there will be nothing left, Kang," Jungkook spread his hands and took a deep drag,
immediately blowing the smoke and frowning thoughtfully. "I'm annoyed by your look. You try to
appear fearless in the face of your death, but we both know this is a lie. Everyone is afraid."

"Do what you want to me, I don't regret anything that I've done in my life," Kang chuckled, spitting
bloody saliva on the floor, and boldly rushing into the abyss of Mirai's soul-sucking eyes, as if
from a cliff into an abyss, knowing for sure that there was no way out of there. He had nothing to
lose, there was no chance of survival from the very beginning.

"Such courage, such fearlessness,"' Jungkook grinned, tilting his head to the side. "You know, I'll
let you be weak in the last moments of your life. It's not embarrassing to be your true self, not the
machine that the Army have raised,” Jeon said quietly and insinuatingly, slowly getting up from
the chair, the chair legs creaked slightly on the concrete floor.

Within two small steps, he was right in front of the prisoner, covered the top of Kang's head with
his palm, gently running through his coarse blond hair. Kang lifted his head and looked at
Jungkook in the eye again. Something gleamed in them, the shine became brighter and more
distinct. Jungkook caught every tiny change in his gray eyes. He smiled in the corners of his lips
and ran his thumb along the bridge of the man's nose.
“Be yourself, Colonel,” Mirai said more quietly, almost whispering.

He closely watched Kang, without removing his hands, noticed how the Colonel's lower lip began
to tremble, and bitter tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. It was like he was in pain. His face
was distorted in a grimace gradually. Jungkook greedily grabbed every emotion, he fed on other
people's fear and pain, like a real devil. Something was going on to Kang's Inside, like a dam was
breaking. And now tears were already flowing down his dark skinned cheeks in small streams,
working their way through the clotted blood that Mirai gave him.

“D-don't touch my…” the Colonel begged in a low trembling voice. Not a trace of hatred remained
in the eye. "My family... I beg you..."

Hoseok, standing behind Jungkook, raised an eyebrow. This wasn't the first time he had seen such a
thing, but it always seemed like something unreal, damn strange. Jungkook looked like a God
before whom a believer bowed, praying. As if Kang was broken like a pencil. The rod in him
broke, the hardness disappeared somewhere, only pure fear in his true form remained, not hidden
behind anything, not disguised. He was right in front of him, as if naked.

"Of course, Colonel," Jungkook said softly, nodding briefly in confirmation of his words, and ran
his fingers through the man's hair with care, without the promise of nightmare and suffering. As if
he said everything would be fine.

Kang sobbed, like a helpless child abandoned by his parents. His lips trembled and glistened with
tears and saliva, and his unblinking gaze was directed straight at Jungkook.

Mirai stood there as if it was already so long, but in fact, it was only a minute. He allowed Kang to
soak in his own fear, in his own insignificance and self pity. He caught the complete trust and even
gratitude in his gray eyes. Tears kept flowing, the Colonel sniffled and didn't let himself get away
from Jungkook's eyes for a second.

"Th-thanks..." Kang mumbled.

"Don't thank me," Jungkook smiled.

Literally everyone in the warehouse felt the enchantment ebbed away like a heavy curtain,
revealing a chilling reality behind the scenes. It happened as Jungkook instantly erased his smile
from his face and his hand squeezed Kang's head, grabbing his hair and jerking him back. The
Colonel growled like a trapped animal, his saliva was making a mess like a real rabid animal.
Jungkook threw his head back, and two snakes that have been standing on either side of the
Colonel all this time grabbed the Colonel's shoulders, preventing him from escaping. Kang didn't
even look like a human now, it was like demons had possessed him, he resisted and cursed
Jungkook and the whole Aspid.

"Hush, Colonel, what are you rampaging about?" Jungkook grinned and held Kang's face with one
hand, gripping his jaw with a steel grip. The prisoner tried to escape unsuccessfully, shuddering all
over, like he was having a convulsion, and hissed with his teeth clenching his tightly.

Jungkook stood right in front of the Colonel, legs apart by the sides of his knees, then he leaned in
slightly, finally, his fingers reached to his right eye. One of the snakes pulled the Colonel's eyelid
up to make Mirai's work easier. Kang's eyes didn't focus on anything, turned in all directions,
looked at everything except Jungkook who was looming above of him.

An inhuman scream echoed through the warehouse, blocking their ears for a second. Jungkook
reached into the eye socket with his fingers and presses against the eyeball, which was now unable
to move due to the pressure. The deeper Jungkook's finger went, the more the Colonel screamed,
wriggling his whole body and trying to pull his hands out of the ropes tied tightly around his wrists.
From each movement, the ropes irritated and rubbed the skin, but this pain wasn't even close to the
one that could melt iron, spread all over his eye socket.

"Calm down, otherwise I can get to your brain," Jungkook grinned, pressing on the sides of his
eyeball and slowly pushing it out.

Nobody paid attention to the Colonel's screams, for snakes it was a music, a real pleasure. Hoseok
was drumming on his machine gun with the rhythm that had appeared in his head, while watching
what was happening with absolute indifference.

Jungkook laughed briefly and straightened up, the slimy eyeball on his blood-glistening fingers.
Kang was still being held tightly by the snakes. His cries turned into wheezing, blood flowed from
the empty eye socket, mixing with tears that were flowed minutes earlier. He shuddered as if he
had fever, and his left eye filled with the emptiness of a dead man.

Jungkook squeezed the eye in his fingers and grinned at Kang, then, picked up the smoldering
cigarette butt that had been clamped on the corner of his lips all this time and brought it up to the
prisoner's face, to the gaping hole of the empty eye socket. Kang let out a piercing scream, shook
his head, to the point he seemed to be tearing his ligaments because of how much he screams.
Mirai laughed, and then abruptly grabbed the man by the hair and pulled him up, forcing him to
shut up.
"You thought that was all?" He asked, arching an eyebrow. "Now, here's the best part."

"N-no... no..." The Colonel mumbled inaudibly in an unintelligible voice and tried to shake his
head that Jungkook was still holding. "P-please..."

Mirai grinned and ran a finger between Kang's lips, pressing onto it.

“Open your mouth,” he ordered, and the man just pressed his lips tighter and grunted. "Come on
Kang, don't let your family down," Jungkook hissed like a snake. The meaning of his words
reached the Colonel instantly. His remaining eye focused on Mirai and his lips loosened.

Jungkook hummed in satisfaction and opened Kang's mouth with a rough movement. He continued
to grunt in pitiful resistance, but made no attempt to close his jaw. A tear rolled down from the
corner of his left eye, disappearing into his blond hair. His eye, filled with nothing but emptiness,
was directed to the ceiling. He knew he would have to wait for anything. These animals weren't
satisfied with a quick kill, preferring a variety of completely crazy types of torture and punishment.
As long as their inner demons were amused.

Mirai firmly held the Colonel's lower jaw with his rough fingers and pushed a slimy eyeball into
his open mouth, grinning a bit and sharply closing Kang's jaws until the lower teeth and the upper
teeth ground against each other.

“Bon appetite, Colonel,” it was like a snake whisper to the very ear of the prisoner. Jungkook
straightened up and stepped back, sitting back down in his chair and crossing his legs. “Don't let
him spit it out,” he ordered the snakes, hanging his hand on the arm of chair and watching the
Colonel with a dangerous glint in his black eyes. “You have to eat your eye. Your useless, blind
eye," Mirai clearly emphasized his words, drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair. One of the
snakes gripped the man's mouth with his palm, preventing him from spitting out. "Chew harder,
Kang," the leader smirked, biting his lip.

Realizing that he had no choice, Kang blinked his eye and slowly began to chew the other one in
his mouth. Jungkook watched the prisoner closely, eyebrows raised, and a slight smile on the
corner of his lips. The Colonel did his best to restrain his gagging, making guttural, unpleasant
sounds. Jungkook grimaced theatrically.

“You're eating with no appetite,” he chuckled, shaking his head in displeasure. "Should I feed you
the other eye? I would love to, but there is no time to try delicacies with you here," said Jeon,
casting a quick glance at his wristwatch.

The man with streams of tears bit his own eye, staring into the void, through Jungkook, who was
sitting opposite. He got to the point where those who fell into the hands of the Aspid began to pray
for quick death. And Kang would ask to finish it faster, but his mouth was busy and was clamped
by a palm with a leather glove.

The entire time the Colonel ate his eye, Jungkook didn't take his eyes off him, taking special
pleasure from the sight. He lit a cigarette again, holding the cigarette in his blood-coated fingers,
and blew up a stream of smoke, looking through the cloudy smoke at Kang, who was swallowing
the already chewed eye as if it was stone or glass, wrinkling his already wrinkled forehead.
Suppressed another urge to vomit and became silent, shuddering in a slight shiver that broke
through his body.

“Not bad,” Mirai said with a thoughtful frown, standing up from his chair and putting his hand in
his cargo pocket. "This, of course, doesn't cancel your painful death, but at least you'll see it," the
alpha grinned, hovered over the prisoner.

Kang slowly raised his head to look at Jungkook. The snake removed his hand from his mouth and
led it behind his back.

“General Kim will personally escort you to hell, Jeon Jungkook,” the man hissed, hate flashed in
his eye. “All those people who you sent to the next world will dance on your bones."

"Give them my warmest greeting when you get there," Jungkook smiled, winking at the man. He
turned around sharply and walked with a firm step toward the exit of the warehouse. “Feed him to
my dogs,” he said in his usual steely tone, after which they usually fell to their knees and bowed
their heads.

Hoseok immediately followed the leader, nodding to the snakes who were holding the Colonel.
Jungkook blew the smoke and tossed his cigarette to the ground, exiting the warehouse and
stopping by Hoseok's Gelendvagen.

“Gather a small group,” he said to Hoseok, who followed him. "Blow up the house where Kang's
family lives. I think our enemies are hiding there," Jungkook said, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully.

Hoseok grinned dryly, realizing the sarcastic tone immediately, and with a short nod to the leader,
he got into the jeep.

~}{~

“Don't forget about the prescription that you received from your previous doctor, Sonshik-ssi,"
Taehyung said sternly, hanging his stethoscope around his neck and putting his hands into the
pockets of his white coat. A middle-aged omega sat in front of him in a hospital bed. His beautiful
reddish hair gleamed with gray, and his light brown eyes reflected the snow-white light of a lamp
hanging over his head.

“You see, Dr. Jeon, I don’t trust modern drugs that much,” Sonshik smiled guiltily and shrugged
his thin shoulders with a light blue pajama shirt hanging over them.

Taehyung jokingly rolled his eyes and shook his head, immediately giving the omega a warm
smile.

"I understand your doubts, but I assure you that the medicines prescribed by Dr. Choi will
definitely help, Sonshik-ssi," Taehyung said, gently touching the other's shoulder and squeezing it
slightly.

"I can trust you, Taehyung," the omega said more quietly, looking into Jeon's eyes with a warm
smile on his lips. “I've heard a lot about you. They only say good things. And since you assure that
it will help, then it will be like you said."

"Follow the regimen and follow the doctors' instructions, then everything will be fine,” Taehyung
smiled, nodding and removing his hand from the omega's shoulder. "And now you need to sleep,
sleep is the best medicine."

Taehyung gave the patient another warm smile and, receiving the same one in response, and then
he left the room, immediately blending into the stream of people in the hallway. Everything was as
usual here. The eternal hustle and bustle that Taehyung had been used to for a long time. He
realized that he was bored when he put on his snow-white, perfectly ironed robe and hung a
stethoscope around his neck. Working in the hospital was an integral part of his life, the main
reason for waking up in the morning. Helping people, support and care for them, which many
lacked so much at the present time. Taehyung gave all of this for free, without demanding anything
in return. That was the whole point of his work.

He was accepted back immediately. The chief physician was unable to properly hide his
amazement at the sight of a safe and sound employee, whom he sent to the North. And yet, he was
sincerely glad, tactfully restraining himself to question him. It didn't matter now. The important
thing, Taehyung was alive and could help people again.

Surprisingly, his colleagues also didn't bother with questions, for which Taehyung was very
grateful to them. They only said that they were glad to have such a valuable employee back. And
yet something was wrong. The omega noticed the eyes on him from time to time, he felt them on
the back of his head, literally with his whole body. Those who were condemned, didn't contain any
goodness and brightness in themselves. Or maybe Taehyung made it all up by himself and nothing
like that ever happened. Recently he wasn't sure of himself, not sure of anything. Paranoia during
the day, and nightmares at night, in which, paradoxically, the dreams were of his beloved and only
brother. He had to drink sedatives before bed, and in the morning, a huge cup of coffee, so he
wouldn't get a hint of sleep.

Along the way, he was greeting everyone and wishing a good day with a smile on his lips,
Taehyung walked to his office, slammed the door behind him and immediately slowed down, taken
aback by what he saw. The entire ceiling was filled with dozens of colorful balloons. Taehyung
rolled his eyes and lifted his head, examining the balloons and walking slowly toward his desk
through the hanging ribbons that the balloons were tied with. The omega put his hands on the
table, head down, and bit his lip with a grin on it.

“I forgot again,” he said quietly, shaking his head.

Taehyung didn't like his birthday anymore. Didn't like to be in the spotlight. Once upon a time, he
loved when his brother devoted himself entirely to him and didn't let him get bored for a second,
he was ready to give the whole world, he was even ready to give other planets, hidden under thick
clouds. Then Taehyung believed in everything. He believed that everything was possible, that
death would never separate him from his loved ones, that such a small but warm and cozy
happiness would never leave him. But the dream lived on until the first unfortunate event.

Taehyung didn't dream anymore.

Only Jin, who sincerely loved birthdays and gifts, didn't let him forget about this day. He was the
brightest person Taehyung had ever met. He once came to Taehyung's dark world with a ray of
light in his hands and had been shining on him ever since, driving the darkness away from his
broken soul.
Taehyung straightened up, he could already mentally see Jin heading into his office, and after
another five seconds, the other omega's light scent of grapes reached him. Jeon turned to the door
exactly as Jin fled into the office, smiling from ear to ear, holding a medium-sized beautiful box
with a red ribbon tied on it.

"Happy birthday, Taehyungie!" Jin immediately blurted out happily, walking toward Taehyung and
nearly knocking him off his feet. He quickly laid the box on the table and hugged the quietly
laughing omega against him.

"I hope there won't be a sudden firecracker like last year," Taehyung giggled as Jin pulled him out
of his warm embrace.

"No, this time is a reminder of your day in the form of balloons," Kim laughed, looking up. "What
are you waiting for? Open the gift!"

Taehyung turned to the table and wrapped his arms around the box under the watchful gaze of Jin
who stood beside him. The younger frowned, in no hurry to open the gift, and turned his head to
his friend, giving him a stern look.

"I hope there won't be something super expensive there like last time."

"Just open it already!" Jin rolled his eyes playfully and gently shoved the omega in the shoulder.

Taehyung bit his lip and untied the ribbon, set it aside and pulled the lid of the box up, looking
with genuine curiosity in the big shiny eyes. The omega put the lid on the table and froze with a
big, shiny smile on his face. The box contained a blue knitted sweater with small yellow circles,
and on the left side, at the very chest, there was a small heart with a face.

"Wow..." that was all the omega could give out, touching the soft material with his fingers.

"I decided to bring some bright colors into your life. Don't let the grayness of this world creep into
your heart, Taehyungie," Jin whispered, hugging Jeon by the shoulders.

Taehyung smiled softly and bit his lip, tracing his index finger over the heart of the sweater.
“Thank you, Jin,” the omega whispered, glancing at his friend and immediately feeling the warmth
that the elder gave him. He radiated it with his luminous eyes and a gentle smile on his plump pink
lips. “Thank you for being in my life," Taehyung clung to his friend again and nuzzled into his
shoulder. Jin patted his back with so much care and whispered that he was grateful too.

“Now we’ll go get ready for the party,” Kim blurted out, glowing with enthusiasm and anticipation.
Taehyung sighed in agony and winced as he sat down on the edge of his desk. Jin turned on his
strict mom mode again and frowned, hands on his hips. “Don’t be like that,” he said, referring to
the look on Taehyung's face. "You still have to call Colonel Park and invite him."

"Oh my God," Taehyung groaned in exhaustedly, closing up his eyes and shaking his head. "Kim
Seokjin, why are you doing this to me..."

“You can’t get away, but you can have a drink with the Colonel,” Jin grinned, raising an eyebrow
and biting his lip.

~}{~

Under the gaze of Jin's eyes, Taehyung had to call Jimin and invite him over to his home for his
birthday party tonight. The alpha, who was going to come anyway, was tenfold pleased, because,
with a small circle of all Taehyung's loved ones, it finally could be called a real birthday party.

After Taehyung called the Colonel, with the help from Jin, he pulled out all the balloons from his
office and decided to give them to the patients in order to somehow cheer them up. The best gift
for Jeon was the happy smiles of people who, with sincere gratitude in their eyes, accepted the
ribbon tied balloon from the doctor's hands. This gratitude was not for a piece of colored rubber,
but for the attention and care. They understood that they weren't forgotten, that they were
important and invaluable. Taehyung gave love and care for everyone in need.

In high spirits, he and Jin left from the work place and went to the market to buy groceries for the
evening.

~}{~
"Um, not bad," Taehyung mumbled with his mouth full, holding a fork in his hand and looking at
Jin, who eagerly absorbed every emotion he displayed. "This is the first time I try this kind of
salad," said the omega more clearly, licking his lips and putting the fork on the table. "Lemon juice
fits very well here."

"I was looking for a recipe book on purpose, wanted to cook something special for your birthday,"
Jin smiled, pleased with Taehyung's reaction, and wiped his hands with a dishtowel.

"And if I had not agreed to have a party?" Taehyung grinned, arching an eyebrow and walking out
of the kitchen.

“Where would you go, Taehyung-ah,” Jin laughed, throwing the towel on the curbstone and
following the omega. “You don’t know me? I will marry you off, you yourself will never give that
attitude anymore."

"Come on, Jin," Taehyung whined torturedly, rolling his eyes and opening the closet in his room.
"It's too early to think about this, I have other plans and interests."

With a giggle, Jin sat down on the bed behind the omega on which Dante slept peacefully, curled
up in a small brown ball. He was used to sleeping with Taehyung, completely ignoring the cozy
place that Taehyung had prepared for him, but the omega didn't mind.

"It will happen sooner or later, Taehyungie," Kim said, watching as Taehyung pulled off his shirt
and threw it onto the bed. "Moreover, there's already someone to play the role as your husband. By
the way, have you chosen what you're going to wear to impress Jimin?" asked the omega, leaning
to the side and running a curious glance over the things in the closet.

"No, I haven't," Taehyung sighed, stripping off his wide pants and staying in only his underwear.
He was certainly not shy in front of Jin. The omega furrowed his brows and slid a focused gaze
over his belongings. He wasn't going to impress the alpha, but for some reason, after his friend's
word, he suddenly wanted to look especially good. He wanted to please him.

"Then I'll help you!" Jin jumped out of bed, accidentally waking Dante up—who lifted his muzzle
sleepily, and walked to the closet, folding his arms over his chest and making a pensive face.
“I think I’ve already chosen one,” Taehyung said, squinting his eyes and reaching for a silk shirt
that for some reason he’d never worn before. At this moment, the omegas receive a short call.
Taehyung grabbed the shirt abruptly and hugged it to his chest, as if he was already caught naked,
and stared at the slightly confused Jin. "It must be Jimin. Go open it!" Taehyung whispered loudly,
pushing his friend out of the room and slamming the door.

He began to dress hastily, angry with himself for not thinking about his appearance earlier.

"Colonel," Taehyung heard Jin's muffled but joyful voice ten seconds later. "You've finally
arrived!"

The heart in his chest quickened its beat as Jimin's own voice was heard in response. The omega
took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second, and pulled himself together, continuing to tidy
himself up.

Taehyung left the room after five minutes. Straightening his hastily styled hair for the last time, the
omega entered the kitchen, frozen in the doorway. Jimin, chatting with Jin about something,
paused and immediately turned his full attention to Jeon. It seemed that he even forgot to breathe.
He rose from his chair and slid an admirable look over Taehyung, who was slightly embarrassed
by the attention.

Taehyung was wearing a mustard-colored silk shirt that was open at the top so that the collarbones
were visible. At the front, it was tucked into black, slightly wide pants that accentuated his slender
hips. A long earring gleamed in his ear, a light pinkish sheen on his plump, neat lips, and the blond
bangs slightly reveal his smooth forehead. Taehyung was unreal. Jimin didn't immediately look
away, staring at the omega standing in front of him.

“You look amazing,” the alpha gasped, sounding slightly hoarse. Taehyung smiled from the corner
of his lips and looked down, fondling his hands together. Jimin walked closer, stopping a few
inches from the omega and touching the soft skin of his cheek with his fingers, while his other
hand wraps around the waist, pulling it slightly towards him. "Happy birthday little one," he
whispered as he bends down to leave a soft kiss on Taehyung's cheekbone. Jin, sitting at a long
dinner table, couldn't help but smile, and bit his lip, to prevent himself from squeaking. These two
looked perfect with each other.

"Thanks," Taehyung said quietly and smiled wider, looking into the alpha's eyes. "I'm really glad
that you came.

"How could I not be with you on a day like this, Taehyungie?" Jimin frowned slightly, but he kept
smiling warmly.

Taehyung knew from his dark blue uniforms that Jimin came to him straight from work. Again,
probably busy. There was a slight fatigue in his eyes that the alpha was trying to hide, but it
couldn't escape from Taehyung. He raised a hand to touch Park's cheek, but Jimin grabbed it
gently. Before Taehyung understood anything, he looked down and noticed a thin silver bracelet
on his left wrist, shimmering in the light of the kitchen lamp. Jeon raised his hand and spotted a
small star on the bracelet, studded with tiny stones.

"Jimin..." Taehyung looked at the alpha. "It's insanely beautiful, but don't tell me these are
diamonds."

"I won't tell you if it makes it easier for you, " Park winked, raising the omega's hand again and
gently touching his wrist with his lips. "Wear it," he nodded at the star, "until I give you the one in
the sky. You deserve the whole universe, little one."

Taehyung bit his lip and pressed tightly against Jimin, his arms wrapped around his strong neck
and his nose buried in his shoulder. How did he deserve such wonderful people in his life? He now
wanted to laugh with joy, and burst into tears at the same time. Happiness sparkled inside, like
fireworks, flowers bloomed and butterflies fluttered, tickling their thinnest wings from the inside.
Taehyung felt good as he hadn't been for a long time, he didn't even want to make a fuss over an
expensive present, all of that for later.

"Who did I cook for, dear ones?" Jin came in with a bottle of red wine in his hand, casting a
playfully stern look at the couple hugging each other. “It's going to get cold,” he tutted, shaking his
head.

Taehyung pulled himself off Jimin and pushed him toward the table, forcing him to sit down. He
caught Jin's eyes and laughed silently at his wink, shaking his head and sitting down next to Park.

A cozy evening began to flow smoothly on the waves of sincere and warm conversations. Jimin
and Taehyung never stopped admiring Jin's culinary talents, who only brushed them off with an
embarrassed smile. Kim, in turn, praised Jimin, admired his heroism and subtly hinted that he and
Taehyung were the perfect couple, that he was the best candidate for Jeon's future husband.
Taehyung rolled his eyes from time to time and rests on his plate, digging through it with a fork.
He understood everything perfectly, but Jimin didn't, but he still sincerely agreed with Taehyung's
perfection, embarrassing him even more.

And even with these conversations, the evening for Taehyung was immensely enjoyable. The
omega even dreamed that it wouldn't end, that it would extend as long as possible. After a while,
Dante came by running to join the conversation. He no longer growled at Jimin and, surprisingly,
reached for Jin, who immediately grabbed him and put him on his knees, stroking his short soft
fur. There was no one in this world who wouldn't find a common language with Kim.

It was getting dark outside the windows. When Jin, who had been away for a couple of minutes,
returned from the kitchen with a cake on which seventeen candles were burning, Taehyung
mentally hit himself in the face once again, because he had forgotten the main thing.

The omega, as on every birthday, made a wish for the war to end. This time the image of his
brother flashed in his head, the image of Mirai, who was leading this war. Could this hope ever
come true? Now Taehyung wasn't sure, but he still blew out all seventeen candles on the cake and
smiled at his loved ones sincerely and warmly, receiving another round of hugs and pleasant
words.

After that, Jin cut the cake and prepared coffee with Taehyung. The evening seemed even more
cozy when everyone was seated in the living room. Dante, wagging the tip of his tail, ran to
Taehyung's room, carefully fed by Jin.

“I don’t even remember the last time I watched those stupid shows,” Jimin laughed, sipping his
coffee and fixing his gaze on the TV. Taehyung sat next to him, holding a saucer with a piece of
cake in his hand.

“Brainwashing poor people, no more,” Jin chuckled, sitting in the chair. “As if they could hide a
real picture behind these pathetic sets. Isn't it the Army that help these shows?" The omega asked,
nodding at the TV.

“No, it’s not,” Park shook his head, setting his coffee on the table and resting his hand on the back
of the couch behind Taehyung. "Someone invented this nonsense. I'm in no favor of giving
pointless hope to the citizens. People already know what's going on. This is done by the
government, people in power."

"But isn't the General a person in power himself?" Taehyung asked, frowning and licking cream
off his lips.

"He is, but not really," Jimin shrugged. His fingers reached Taehyung on their own accord, playing
the soft blond hair on the back of his head, and the omega was pleased by this. "This is the order of
the president himself."
Jin shook his head, arms folded across his chest. "We at the hospital are the best at seeing what is
really happening. But this is a circus that nobody needs."

"It's still better than news where nothing good ever happens," Taehyung sighed, resting his head on
Jimin's shoulder.

Jin opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a short knock on the front door.
Taehyung immediately looked up and frowned.

"I'll open it," Jimin said, about to get up, but Taehyung jumped up and gently pressed on the
Colonel's knee, forcing him to sit up.

"Don't, I'll do it myself," the omega said and left the living room.

Entering the corridor, Taehyung froze as if struck by lightning. His heart skipped a beat, and then
went into a crazy pace, deafened and didn't give clear thought. The skin was covered with
goosebumps. Even the hair seemed to stand on end, and the knees began to tremble from the
outbreak of nervousness. Taehyung felt it. His own brother. Sensing that scent made the omega
realize that Jungkook was alive. The scent that had been with him since childhood, the scent he
breathed, he fell asleep with and saw only bright dreams, the scent that announced his brother's
return from the war. Taehyung thought that he fell into a dream right now, as if he was thrown
back into the distant past, where he just went to open the door for his brother, who returned for his
birthday.

Taehyung slowed down, walked to the door cautiously, as if afraid of what the door would be open
into now, and afraid there would ashes that would fall on his palm, and then would awaken him
from sleep. This wasn't the scent of blood and gunpowder, wasn't the scent of metal, wasn't the
scent of Mirai. This was his scent, the dearest one in the world. Taehyung sighed, pulling himself
together quickly, and grabbed the front door handle. He counted down until three seconds,
knowing full well that Jungkook sensed him long ago, then jerked the handle and opened the door,
immediately bumping into his brother's black eyes that made him trembling. Taehyung was almost
blown away by a wave of his unique scent of wild flowers mixed with wood and white musk. Only
Jungkook standing right in front of Taehyung smelled like that.

The alpha was wearing a black shirt that at the top three buttons was unbuttoned and revealed the
ink patterns on his neck and collarbones; it emphasized his muscled chest and his waist, the shirt
was slightly tapered from top to bottom, and tucked into the same black pants with tight hips. His
gelled hair was neatly styled, and the parting revealed his forehead a little on the side.
"I brought flowers here," Jungkook said, smiling at the corners of his lips and holding out a
bouquet of blood red lilies to Taehyung's frozen state.

In confusion, Taehyung accepted the beautiful bouquet from his brother's hands, he was still
unable to take his eyes off him. Jungkook was suddenly too close, the omega felt his hot breath on
his neck as the alpha leaned in and hugged his slender waist, pulling him into a hug.

"Happy birthday, baby," Jungkook whispered hoarsely into Taehyung's ear, but when he was about
to pull away, he changed his mind and grabbed even tighter. Almost touching Taehyung's ear with
his lips, he added, “You look like a masterpiece."

"Thanks..." Taehyung whispered and hurried to get out of his brother's grasp. It was as if the burns
remained on the skin after touching him. The omega nuzzled the flowers and drew in their scent.
"Wonderful flowers, Jungkook." He looked up at the alpha and smiled faintly, the confusion was
still there in his eyes. “Come in,” Taehyung added quickly, stepping aside. It was completely out of
his head that he needed to invite his brother into the house.

"I came for you," Jungkook said, not even moving. "Leave the flowers and let's go. It's good that
you're already put together," The alpha looked at Taehyung again, lingering on the collarbones for
more than expected, but the younger didn't notice.

"What..." Taehyung frowned in confusion as he stared at his brother. "Where, Jungkook?"

"I made a reservation for us at the restaurant," Jungkook raised his hand and glanced at his
wristwatch. "Just in time. Eight in the evening."

"Which restaurant? No, I can't," the omega shook his head, stepping back. "I'm here with Jin and
Jim-"

"I know that already," Jungkook grinned dryly, squinting slightly. He immediately smelled this
scent that he hated, he hoped that he'd stayed away from the last time, but no, the Colonel was here
again. "Don't you want to spend this evening with your brother, like you used to before?" The alpha
asked, tilting his head to the side and staring intently at Taehyung crumpling at the doorstep.

"Jungkook... let's better spend this evening together at my house. Please," the omega begged,
stepping aside and extending his hand in an inviting gesture. Jungkook looked at his brother in the
eye for a few seconds and silently walked into the house, closing the door behind him.

“Just because this is your day, baby,” he said to the younger, leaning slightly. “I won't listen to you
on other days. I also need to say hello to Jimin," Jungkook grinned. Taehyung quickly turned away,
swallowing hard, and walked into the living room, bouquet in hand. Jungkook followed.

“Tae…” Jimin said when he saw the omega had returned, but as soon as he saw Jungkook behind
him, the alpha pursed his lips.

"Park Jimin," Jungkook said with a smirk on his lips as he walked into the living room. Jin froze
with a spoon in his hand and looked at the alpha entering the room as if he were a ghost, and when
Jungkook looked at him with an attentive look, he almost choked on the coffee, suddenly rising
from the chair. "Who is this lovely?" Jungkook asked, arching an eyebrow and walking up to Kim.

"I'm Jin... Seokjin," the omega mumbled, looking at the alpha in complete disbelief. He didn't even
seem to pay attention. He took the omega's palm and left a short, barely noticeable kiss on it.

"Nice to meet you, Seokjin," Jungkook smiled, winking at Jin.

“Captain Jeon…” Kim breathed. All the photographs of this tall and fit man immediately popped
up in his head; he remembered the monument set up in honor of the great hero and couldn't believe
that it was the very same Jeon Jungkook who was standing in front of him. The only difference
from the photographs were his tattoos and the earrings. And also his gaze. Jin didn't know what
was wrong, but he realized that this alpha's gaze was different. “It's such an honor to meet you,” Jin
blurted out quickly, gathering all his determination together.

Jimin chuckled and Taehyung bit his lip as he turned away and set the flowers in the vase. It
looked damn odd and awkward, because Jin didn't know who Jungkook was now. In his eyes, he
was still the same national hero, a man with a pure heart.

"I'll make you coffee, do you want it?" Kim asked, fascinated by the alpha standing in front of him.

"I won't refuse," Jungkook nodded, giving the omega a charming smile.

Jin immediately retreated from the living room.

"How are you, Colonel?" Jeon asked casually, sitting down in a chair and putting his hands on its
arms.

"Never better," Jimin said, burning a hole in Jungkook with his gaze. Taehyung put the vase on the
drawer and turned around reluctantly, unwilling to watch the two sucked the air capacity in the
room.

"Wonderful evening, isn't it?" Jungkook asked calmly, crossing his legs and watching Jimin boiled
with a grin on his lips.

"It was wonderful before you, ex-Captain, showed up,” Park said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.
Jungkook chuckled. From this far, Taehyung could literally felt the ice that came from his
laughter.

"I beg your pardon, Colonel, and I want to remind you that you should not be here..."

"Jungkook, stop..."

"And you should be silent when I speak," Jungkook interrupted the omega abruptly, casting a stern,
unreadable look at him. Taehyung literally wilted under his pressure and lowered his head.

"What a lack of culture, Jeon Jungkook, " Jimin chuckled, shaking his head. He had accepted the
rules of this game and now he was clearly following them, not intending to give in to the enemy.
"Shutting up your brother. You don't have the right to do that."

Jungkook laughed dryly and slid his tongue over his lower lip.

He had every right. Taehyung was all of him, his life was directly connected to Jungkook's life. He
raised him, he educated and influenced him, made him who he was now. What else to talk about,
even the day and month of his birth was invented by Jungkook.

He glared at Jimin, could no longer hold the mask, and because of the fearlessness in Park's brown
eyes, he went into a rage and hoped that Jin would return before Jungkook put a bullet between his
eyes. Taehyung didn't want to ruin his birthday at all. Jungkook could have grabbed his brother
right now and taken him to the restaurant as planned, but Taehyung was unlikely to be happy after
that.

And Taehyung wanted to scream, he wanted to shut them up, and it was better to kick them out of
the house to be left alone in peace. It was getting harder and harder for him to breathe because of
the choking tension that sucked out all of the oxygen. Stuck in the middle of two fires and couldn't
even imagine how he could get out of this, he breathed deeply.

What an irony, a doctor, a soldier and a terrorist were in the same room.

But the doctor was powerless, he couldn't stop this war. He only had to clean up the terrible
consequences.

"Your coffee, Captain," Jin walked into the living room with a big smile, holding a steaming cup of
coffee in his hand and placing it on the table in front of Jungkook.

“Thanks, Jin,” the alpha returned the smile and reached for the cup. Jin sat down next to Taehyung
—forcing him to move closer to Jimin, trying to be closer to Jungkook. "How did you and
Taehyung meet?" Jeon asked, glancing at Kim with genuine interest and sipping his coffee.

"In the hospital. When he came to work with us, I helped him at first to get comfortable, to adapt.
So we became friends. We spent a lot of time together,” Jin explained, shrugging and picking up
his half-finished coffee from the table. “Oh, what about you and the Colonel?" He asked, glancing
curiously, first at Jimin, and then at Jungkook.

“Jimin and I met in the army when we were just recruited. My friend and I are very lucky,"
Jungkook pulled a grin more like a smirk as he looked at Jimin.

"We used to catch bullets for each other," Park added, looking at Jungkook right in the eye.

Jimin's hand slid down and rested on Taehyung's waist, hugging him slightly. Jungkook didn't even
have to look away from his ex-friend's brown eyes to notice. Jeon clenches his teeth and let out
fake laugh, only Jin took everything at face value without feeling any tension or awkwardness. He
was deeply impressed by the friendship between the two soldiers, which Taehyung told him about
once.
"Would you do it now?" Jungkook asked, narrowing his eyes and setting the cup down on the
table, so as not to accidentally crush it with his hand, which he mentally saw it was already on
Jimin's neck.

“Yeah,” Park immediately replied without a drop of doubt.

«But not for you.»

Jin exhaled in admiration and bit his lip to hide his wide smile, begging to be let out on his face,
and Taehyung wanted to leave, preferably away from his apartment. He was tired of this theatric
acts, he would have stopped all this, but he didn't want to upset Jin. Let the resurrected Jungkook
be the same hero, almost a saint people's eyes, whom many believers had worshiped for a long
time. It was all for Jin. Taehyung could only put up with this sickening pretense of his two dearest
ones.

"My friend doesn't change," Jungkook grinned, shaking his head. “Heroism is great, Jimin-ah. No
matter how it ruins you."

“Dying a hero isn't scary,” Jimin chuckled.

“Stop talking about death, that's enough,” Taehyung interjected, pursing his lips. For a few
seconds, a heavy, pressing silence hung in the living room, which Jin dispelled quickly, not losing
his optimism.

“Captain, you have to try the cake."

The disturbed harmony of a pleasant evening partially returned. Or maybe it was it just a setting
that hid the truth behind it. Jimin relaxed, feeling Taehyung's warmth next to him. Just for his sake,
he gave a smile and pretended to be same best friends as they were a couple of years ago.
Jungkook, in turn, talked nicely with Jin, whom he completely managed to win over, but didn't lose
sight of any of Jimin's movements, who now and then touched Taehyung's thigh and knee.
Jungkook held on patiently, reassuring himself that he would get it over with soon enough, he just
had to wait a bit.

When Jimin once again noticed Jungkook's gaze sliding over Taehyung, he felt like he was
completely nuts. The alpha looked at his brother like an animal, with some kind of greed. Others
wouldn't look at their brothers like that. Jimin quickly found an explanation for him, blaming it on
Jungkook's distorted mind, but that sticky gaze still strained him, forcing him to pay attention. Park
convinced himself that there was no wild hunger in Jungkook's eyes. He just imagined it.

In between the conversations, Jungkook went away to put a couple of pills in his mouth and drink
cold water. The demons inside him had to be kept with all chains, which were already beginning to
treacherously creak and stretch. Jungkook loved to play roles, but with every second went by, the
mask on his face was becoming more and more covered with small cracks. He recalled ripping out
another Colonel's eye in the afternoon. He would do the same with Jimin's eyes now that they
stared at his brother. Park seemed to be deliberately provoking him, challenging him, without even
knowing who he was dealing with. No pills would help here.

When Jungkook, almost reaching his peak, suddenly invited Jimin to the balcony to have a smoke,
Taehyung prayed to all of the Gods for both of them to come back safely. He wasn't giving up to
his nervousness and tried to focus on the story that Jin was telling about, who was enthusiastically
gesturing, not even paying attention to the alphas who had left the living room.

Jungkook took the first puff, and a pleasant, soothing warmth rolled through his body, as if even
his mask was glued back together, returning to its place, feigning total restraint. The cold evening
breeze ruffled his hair, street lamps were lit everywhere, illuminating the road for cars and
pedestrians, and somewhere in the distance skyscrapers shone like perfectly carved gems.

Jimin stood beside him, hands in his pants pockets, squinting at the city skyline at night. Jungkook
silently held out a cigarette to the alpha, who took it, immediately inhaling deeply.

"You got carried away, Jimin," Jungkook said calmly, as if they were not enemies ready to destroy
each other at any second, acted as if they were friends just like before. "I kindly asked you to
disappear from his life, but you seem to have committed suicide. And I'm still waiting, I hope for
your discretion, but you upset me again and again."

"You're a naive idiot, Jungkook, if you think I'll just take it and leave him," Jimin responded just as
calmly, blowing out a cloud of smoke and returning the cigarette to Jungkook. “Moreover, with a
sick bastard like you. You will pump him up with all sorts of shit and turn him into a limp doll,
won't you? I know your kind of people. There was nothing human in you."

"You have a terrible opinion of me, Jimin-ah," Jungkook grinned, staring thoughtfully at the city
lights and shaking his head. “I won't do that to my brother."

«I'll do it differently.»
"It doesn't change the main point. Taehyung is not your property, Jungkook," Jimin said,
emphasizing every words, turning his head to Jungkook and looking into the abyss of his black
eyes, on the walls of which an all-consuming flame burned.

“You're wrong, Colonel,” Mirai replied hoarsely, blowing out cigarette smoke that instantly
dissipated into the cold air. "You say you're not afraid of death? Okay," the alpha chuckled rather,
turning away and taking another drag.

"Do what you want. Whether alive or dead, I will not leave him."

"Or he'll leave you," Jungkook gave Park a quick glace, smiling from the corner of his lips. In the
dimmed light, his eyes were shining too brightly, and the grin on his lips from the street lamps
seemed even more creepy, but Jimin didn't care, he was never afraid of snakes. He strangled them
with his bare hands.

“Fair play—it is not snakes' forte,” Park chuckled.

"And neither is our great country's Army's," Jungkook shrugged, arching an eyebrow and slowly
rolling the cigarette butt between his teeth. "I experienced it myself two years ago."

"What are you talking about?" the Colonel narrowed his eyes, staring confusedly at the other
alpha.

Jungkook stared into Jimin's eyes for five seconds, like he was trying to catch some kind of trick,
the hidden meaning that the Colonel knew about, peered deeper, more closely, but didn't see
anything. Only a sincere confusion in the brown eyes of his former friend.

"I'll ask Jin for another cup of coffee, he makes perfect coffee," Jungkook laughed shortly as he put
out his cigarette and walked out of the balcony.

The alphas returned to the living room, leaving the question unanswered in the air. Jin, trying to
hide the blush on his cheeks, immediately jumped up after Jungkook asked him for another cup of
coffee, and left to the kitchen.
Evening faded into night. The hands on the wall clock was already pointing to half past ten. After
chatting a little more on various topics that wasn't about the war, Jin started to leave, saying that he
still needed to work. Jimin offered to give the omega a ride, to which he happily agreed. The alpha
would like to stay, preferably staying overnight, just to make sure that Taehyung would be okay.
He wanted to believe that Jungkook wouldn't do anything to Taehyung, after all they were brother,
but the other side of his mind was already throwing scenes of how the omega was lying down, not
belonging to his own self, with empty eyes and empty mind. That was just a nightmare, it was just
his fear's talking that was afraid of losing the most important person in his life, so all nonsense
barged into his mind. Jimin calmed himself mentally. Jungkook was after him, which meant he
wouldn't do anything to Taehyung.

On the threshold, Park hugged the omega to his chest, wrapping his arms around his slender waist,
and stood there longer than he should have, resting his chin on Taehyung's shoulder, clinging to
him. At the same time, he was waging a visual war with Jungkook who was standing behind. They
had it all evening, a silent cold war, in which one was not inferior to the other. Even now, as he
said goodbye, Jimin wanted to give as much as possible, struck Jungkook with a final blow. With
his lips he uttered a soundless "just you wait" and smiled wryly, leaving a soft kiss in the corner of
the omega's lips. Jungkook promised him all the most terrible torment with one look, and Jimin
wasn't afraid, even if he was, he was ready to endure any torture for Taehyung's sake.

As Jimin and Jin left, there was a loud silence in the apartment, and Jungkook's gaze seemed to
press the omega down on the floor, compressing his lungs, preventing oxygen from reaching it.
Taehyung went to the kitchen and started cleaning up the dirty dishes. Jungkook stood in the
doorway, arms folded across his chest, and watched his brother intently, his gaze involuntarily
sliding down his slender waist and below.

“You didn't invite your brother,” the alpha said without a drop of reproach in his hoarse voice.
"You don't think I'm your brother anymore?"

"Of course I do," Taehyung sighed, turning toward Jungkook, plates in hand. “It just happened
unexpectedly. If not for Jin, I wouldn't have remembered this day," the omega explained, putting
the dishes in the sink and turning on the warm water, the water noise diluted the oppressive silence.
Taehyung could feel Jungkook's body slowly approaching him like a predator creeping toward its
prey.

"You grew up before my eyes," Jungkook said quietly. And now, without seeing the face of the
current Jungkook, Taehyung imagined that this was all from the past, so pleasant and infinitely
loved. Unforgettable. "Once you practiced on me, but now you help thousands."

"Are you proud of me, Jungkook?" Taehyung asked quietly, holding his breath and biting his lip.
There was some kind of indecipherable small tremor inside, accumulating in his stomach.
"I'm proud of you, my baby," Jungkook whispered right behind him. Taehyung could feel his
breath on the back of his head.

"Do you remember..." the soft pink lips of the omega were touched by a warm smile, "...how once
you stole a bicycle from the neighbour's children to teach me how to ride it?"

"Of course I remember, baby," Jungkook frowned slightly, but responded with a slight smile. "It
was fun."

Taehyung slowly turned to his brother and looked up into the darkness of his eyes. His smile was
somehow broken, as if now he wouldn't laugh, but cry, and whispered with a tremor in a quiet
voice:

"It didn't happen, Jungkook. I've never ridden a bike in my life,” Jungkook's gaze darkened.
Taehyung lifted his hand and gently touched his brother's cheek, thumbing his thumb over his
cheekbone. "What did they do to you? Where have you gone?"

The omega trailed off and pursed his quivering lips, burying his face into his brother's chest and
closing his eyes tightly. He inhaled his scent, mentally forcing himself to calm down. At least
something of Jungkook's past remained, he had something to cling to. Even if the past was in ruins
in Jungkook's head, he was like an echo of it. A partial image, a restored painting, in which only
little was remained of the original one, and yet outwardly it was still the same. Taehyung consoled
himself with his brother's scent, with his warmth, and with the steady heartbeat under his ear. He
only had that now.

"Don't test me with the past," Jungkook whispered on the top of his brother's head. "Stop it,
Taehyung."

Just as Jungkook planned to put his hand on the omega's waist and pull him closer to him,
Taehyung pulled away abruptly, as if nothing had happened, and turned to the sink, starting to do
the dishes. To distract himself, just to prevent the bitterness he felt from his brother's words. The
alpha came closer and frowned, noticing a bracelet gleaming on the omega's wrist.

"Nice little bracelet," Jungkook chuckled, grabbing Taehyung's hand abruptly and squeezing his
thin wrist a little harder.
"Jimin gave it..." Taehyung said softly, staring at his brother's hand on his wrist. There was no
point in lying, Jungkook wasn't stupid and he would have knew it already.

"Let me give you a present, too," Jungkook said, fighting the urge to rip the gift from the enemy
off his brother's wrist.

“Jung-” Taehyung mumbled, he was about to turn to the alpha. He felt something cold on his neck
and Jungkook's fingers on the back of his head. The omega assured himself that the goosebumps
were from the cold, not from the touch. "What is it..?"

Jungkook fastened the necklace from the back of Taehyung's neck and smiled at the corners of his
lips. Taehyung's fingers immediately touched the small pendant around his neck and, curiously, he
walked to the mirror to see it.

Around the omega's neck, a thin white gold chain gleamed with a small oval sapphire stone.
Taehyung gently touched it with his fingertip, looking his reflection in the mirror with huge eyes
that shimmered with surprise and delight.

"You love this color," Jungkook said, standing behind Taehyung. The omega immediately turned
around, looking at his brother in the eye. “Deep blue," The alpha came closer, touched Taehyung's
chin with his thumb, gently outlining it and stopping at the notch under his lower lip. “Like the
sea,” he whispered hoarsely, taking his brother’s face in his hands and tracing the outline of his
shiny lips with his finger. Taehyung froze, afraid to even let out a sigh, lost in the depths of
Jungkook's eyes, didn't understand what was happening and why he wanted to inhale his brother's
scent so badly, burying his nose in his neck. He did this when he was a kid, but now...

"You remember..." the omega whispered through his lips, exhaling hotly on Jungkook's finger.

“I remember the most important things about you,” the alpha replied quietly, removing his finger
from his plump lips and lowering his head closer.

Everything inside was screaming, yelling, and longing for something wrong, and Jungkook seemed
to be deaf, blind. The tip of his nose touched Taehyung's, felt his warm breath on his lips, and he
went crazy, even the happy powder hadn't made him feel this way. Taehyung didn't move, as if he
was afraid to provoke the predator even more, but Jungkook was already out of it. He swallowed
hard and narrowed his eyes, pulling away a second before his brother’s lips threatened to touch his.
Taehyung was scared in earnest, he looked shocked, pressing his back against the wall and for
some reason his breathing suddenly became heavy, as if he ran for more than one kilometer
without stopping. He couldn't say a word, in his head everything was jumbled in one incoherent
delirium. He saw it again at the bottom of Jungkook's pupils, but now he didn't know how to
justify it.

Brothers didn't look at their siblings like that.

"I want to sleep," Taehyung blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, and he was well aware
that after this he couldn't close his eyes. The nightmare was now in reality, and there was no cure
for it. Sleeping pills wouldn't help.

Jungkook stepped back a couple of steps and combed his gelled hair with his fingers. He
understood that he was scared, but why... why did it turn him on even more? Why did the fear in
his brother's big amber eyes add the fuel to the fire that had already engulfed Jungkook's entire
body? The monsters inside raged even more, went crazy, demanding. Demanded him.

Wanted Taehyung.

And Jungkook didn't even think to resist. He already knew what was the truth.

“Enjoy your last days at work, I'll pick you up soon,” he said, without even trying to smile. The
mask shattered into pieces and crumbled into ash under his feet because of Taehyung.

"No, Jungkook..." The omega shook his head, biting his lip.

"Yes, Taehyung," Jungkook walked up again, sensing his brother who was trying to shrink, cringe
and crumple to the smallest size, he placed a hand on Taehyung's fragile shoulder and left a short
kiss on his forehead, eagerly sucking in the scent of wisteria. Mentally forced himself to pull away
so as not to frightened his brother even more, and yet still forcing a dry smile. "Until then, rest. See
you soon, brother."

Taehyung glared at his brother's retreating back, and when the front door quietly closed behind
him, he rushed to the room, letting go of the tears he so diligently held back in front of Jungkook.
The omega climbed onto the bed and, hugging Dante, who was chewing on some toy, curled up
into a ball, burying his face in the soft fur and sobbing softly. There was no escape from
Jungkook's gaze in his memory, indestructible, whether with his eyes close or open. It was useless.
 It would be better if it was one of the nightmares than reality, which was millions of times more
terrible, more monstrous. It would be better if someone else looked like that, not his brother.

But this wasn't a dream.

Jungkook looked at Taehyung lustfully.

Chapter End Notes

Characters' age:

Jeon Taehyung: Omega, 17 years old.

Jeon Jungkook: Alpha, 25 years old.
Park Jimin: Alpha, 25 years old.
Jung Hoseok: Alpha, 28 years old.
Min Yoongi: Omega, 19 years old.
Kim Namjoon: Alpha, 27 years old.
Kim Seokjin: Omega, 20 years old.
Yoonoh: Beta, 23 years old.

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

Author's contact info:

VKontakte
Askfm
Twitter
 The Glow of the Sin City in the Pure Eyes
Chapter Notes

I'm sorry for the long wait. It's been over a year hasn't it? I wasn't in best place to put it
simply. But I'm better now I intended to post in mid September, but I was so
distracted in my new obsession, Tower of God

Playlist:
VKontakte
Soundcloud

Character Visualization:
VKontakte
Pinterest

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Taehyung sat in the middle of a huge bed covered by silk sheets of rich color of blood. Surrounded
by the darkness, because of which the edges of the bed weren't visible. From somewhere on the
side, a cold breeze blew, unpleasantly licking the naked skin of the omega. Goosebumps ran
through his body. Taehyung put his arms around his shoulders, trying to get some warmth, and
turned his head, squinting at something. The immense darkness that covered his vision seemed to
have become tangible. It pressed on his chest and sat heavily on his shoulders, preventing him
from moving.

In the loud silence, the omega heard the approaching footsteps. His subconscious screamed
urgently to run and hide, but his body did not obey, as if he had become one with the bed, and his
amber eyes ran anxiously from side to side, trying to see at least something in the darkness. There
was nothing to hold on to. The sound of footsteps became closer and clearer.

Suddenly something wet and slippery touched his ankles. Taehyung flinched, but he couldn't
scream as if he was muffled by something. He lowered his gaze and his eyes widened, his horrified
eyes was staring at a snake with gleaming black scales that crawled out of the darkness. It crawled
to the omega and wrapped its body around his thin ankles, like shackles. It squeezed him, hissing
softly, showing off its forked tongue.
Taehyung gasped in fear, filled with the urge to scream. He looked up and met with Jungkook's
black eyes, who was standing in front of the bed, from where the snake crawled out. The alpha was
just standing there with his hands in the pockets of his pants, staring at Taehyung who was on the
verge of hysteria. The omega opened and closed his mouth like a fish thrown ashore, he couldn't
utter a single sound, his mouth greedily grabbing at the decreasing amount of oxygen, looking
directly into the pitch black of his brother's eyes. A grin bloomed on Jungkook's lips, giving
Taehyung another wave of chills. He lowered his eyes and noticed the snake that was tattooed on
his brother's arm came to life and crawled out of the ink patterns.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, baby," Jungkook spoke calmly, the smile on his lips widened. "I'm
your brother," he took a step toward the bed. Taehyung wanted to scream until his vocal cords
ruptured.

Once again, that look was worse than the snake, ready to strangle and poison him, worse than the
war and nightmares that had haunted Taehyung for so long. The worst that could have happened,
the fire was burning in his brother’s eyes. Hunger. Thirst. Jeongguk—was not a human. He was an
animal that wished to eat his prey without any regret. In the blackness, which was deeper and more
dangerous than anything else, there was no hint of conscience, of fear of condemnation. He didn't
care about that. There was no soul either.

The closer he was, the harder it was for Taehyung to breathe. His whole body trembled, lips
moved, uttering his brother's name silently, like a mantra, like a prayer or a plea for salvation that
no god would hear. He couldn't escape his brother. They were one whole, an unbreakable bond, a
curse.

The burning coldness of tattooed hand slid up his bare knee to his thigh. Taehyung couldn't even
shrink away: the vicious snake didn't let him move. The omega, as a hunted animal looked into the
hypnotizing eyes, and as the palm approached his inner thigh, the closer he was to the edge of the
abyss, approaching his death. Death fell where sin permeated all. This is hell, the underworld, a
place in nightmare that Taehyung was madly afraid of. He was going crazy—stop.

"Taehyungie, your brother won't go away anymore," a serpent whisper crawled into his ears, it
wrapped around his mind, squeezing the walls there.

Jungkook leaned over the omega and his thumb traced over his parted lips, pulling down his
bottom lip, exhaling cold breaths directly into his mouth, which made Taehyung's hair stood on
end, and grinned. The omega instantly forgot about the hand, forbidden that was wandering around
his naked body illegally, and looked at his brother with his eyes widening in horror, noticing the
snake fangs. A pitch black that filled the whiteness of his eyes, and an endless 'Taehyungie'
whispers from the darkness from all directions.
Jungkook smiled and grabbed the omega's wheat colored hair that sprawled over the bed.
Taehyung couldn't even blink. Some kind of force took possession of his body and deprived him of
control. Jungkook made him choke with the depths of his eyes, directing the body beneath him,
allowing his brother to do what a brother shouldn't do. But they had gone too far, and the worst
was yet to come, Taehyung was sure of it.

Jungkook grinned as if he was about to sink his fangs into the warm flesh, and when his lips
touched him, Taehyung started to scream hysterically.

Hot tears were streaming from his eyes, soaking into the beige pillow under his head. The
crumpled blanket was thrown to the floor. Taehyung gripped the sheets convulsively and gasped
for air like he was just emerging after a long diving. Sweat appeared on his forehead, eyes were
tightly closed, and his body shifted from a tiny shiver. As the black fogs began to gradually recede,
the annoying blaring of the alarm clock from his phone reached the omega's ears.

Taehyung wiped his tear-stained eyes and sat down on the bed, looking around his bright room as
if it was the first time he was being there. Never in his life had he been so happy to be in his room.
His heartbeat gradually evened out, the trembling receded, and the tears on his cheeks began to dry
out. The omega wiped his cheeks with the edge of white t-shirt he slept in and reached for the
phone to turn the alarm off. A message from Jimin appeared on the screen:

«Good morning, little one. General Kim will visit your hospital today, and I will come with him.
We can meet.»

Taehyung put his phone down, turned off the alarm, and got out of bed, stumbling into the
bathroom. There was still bitter feeling inside, that was just a dream, but the omega was still trying
to calm himself down. In the subconsciousness of a person, no such nonsense could be true, he
knew that better than anyone.

He tried not to remember the details of his nightmare, immediately pushing it into a distant corner
of his consciousness. He didn't want admit to himself that he was afraid to even think about it,
about his brother's eyes and the grin on his lips. Jungkook was one of the most dangerous people in
the country, or even in the world, capable of many things, but certainly not like that. His mind was
playing a wicked joke, tormenting himself, invented nightmares that would never come true. And
the look on his brother's face—an illusion. His voice that sounded calm and creepy—that too was
an illusion.

Taehyung let out a sigh, turned on the warm water and taking off his clothes.
Taehyung grasped several files of patients to his chest and expertly weaved through between the
people that was filling the hospital corridor. A hectic morning wiped out the remnants of an
unpleasant dream from his mind, filling the head with work and only work. Surprisingly, the
morning examination of the patients went quickly and smoothly. Taehyung put several people on
therapy, gave new drugs for some, and for others—proper nutrition and sleep pills. The grateful
smiles of the recovering patients charged him with good mood and strength to continue his work.

Taehyung smiled broadly when he saw Jimin was sitting outside of the head doctor's office and he
quickened his pace. There were almost no people in this wing. The secretary and the secretary's
desk by the room, writing something in concentration in the appointment book, one tall cactus and
two people waiting in line to see the hospital’s chief physician.

Jimin averted his eyes from staring at his cap that he held in his hand, and smiled back at
Taehyung brightly as he rose from his chair. They hugged briefly under the gaze of those who
were present. Park had to restrain himself from kissing the omega's cheek, only lightly touched it as
they hugged.

"Is the General in there?" Taehyung asked, sitting down on the bench next to the alpha and
nodding toward the office door. Jimin hummed shortly and sat back down, placing his cap on his
lap. "Why is he here?"

"He wants to discuss the details in person. Distribute resources, not just human resources," the
alpha shrugged.

“I can't believe the General himself is here,” Taehyung said more quietly, leaning slightly toward
the colonel. "I saw several of cars and journalists downstairs. They're on time everywhere."

"It can't be help," Jimin shrugged. "How did it go with Jungkook?" he asked suddenly, arching an
eyebrow and looking the omega in the eye. Taehyung instinctively lowered his gaze and pulled
back a little.

"Good. We drank another cup of tea, and then he left," Jeon replied, putting the folders on his lap
and feigning interest in it.

"I see," Jimin said shortly, his lips pursed slightly, throwing his head back, resting the back of his
head against the wall.
"The General doesn't give you any free time at all," Taehyung sighed, hurriedly changed the topic.
As soon as it came to Jungkook, a tense silence began to form between them. The omega had to
keep silent about some things that he himself would not voice in his own thoughts. It felt like he
was overwhelmed with his own lies, and the last thing Jimin wanted to do was lying.

“You can tell him about it now,” the colonel replied, the corner of his lips forming a smile.

"No, no, no!" the omega shook his head quickly, eyes widening. Jimin chuckled softly. "I don't
even dare to look at his eyes. But when it comes to you and him, like, you two are old friends, so
you should demand freedom for yourself."

"I know you missed me, Tae," the alpha sighed, turning his head to the omega. "I also want to
spend more time with you, but the higher the rank, it comes with more responsibility," Jimin
pointed his finger at the stars on his shoulder straps. Taehyung nodded in understanding. “But out
of old friendship's sake, I'll try to beg him for a couple of days, I think he won't refuse,” Park
comforted, winking at the visibly slumping omega.

Jeon opened his mouth to answer, but changed his mind, as he saw Jin walked toward them.

“So, this is where the lovebirds are,” he smiled slyly, adjusting the stethoscope around his neck.
"I’ve been looking all over for you. I didn't even think you’d be here. By the way, in the cardio
ward..."

At that moment, the door of the head doctor's office opened, and the General came out. Jin was still
with his mouth opened, instantly forgetting everything he wanted to say, and Jimin and Taehyung
simultaneously rose from their seats. The General brushed his hair back, then put his cap on, his
hand was in the pocket of the perfectly-ironed navy blue trousers. Two well-coordinated military
men followed him. In the corridor, the temperature seemed to drop a few degrees from the
General’s gaze was directed. Jin was speechless and hesitated under the sight of the man's dark
eyes. It was like Namjoon was testing him with his eyes. The omega was unable to break the eye
contact, couldn't look away, otherwise he would crumble into dust under the boots of the General
of the army. As though if he were back down, he would lose and would be in his own disgrace.

"I'm sorry, it seems like you've been interrupted because of me," a low and level voice echoed
down the quiet corridor with a sudden thunder from a clear sky.

"You've ruined my train of thoughts," Jin blurted out before he could think. Taehyung mentally
slapped his forehead. "But it's not on purpose, you don't have to apologize," Jin waved it off with
serious face, stubbornly staring at the other's eyes. His knees trembled slightly from the pressure in
the air, but his body, tongue, and brain seemed to have a mind of their own, weren't coordinating
with each other.

A hint of smile slipped on the General's lips, his dark eyebrow slightly raised. Anyone else in the
omega's shoes would bow and deny, taking all the blame on themselves, because, how could a
person like Kim Namjoon ask for forgiveness from some doctor? And this one didn't even flinch,
he didn't take his eyes away from his own dark eyes, but on the contrary, as if he wanted to prove
that he could withstand the pressure. This is new, and a bit surprising for the General. He hadn't
seen anything like it for a long time. And from the omega for the first time on top of that.

He stared into Jin's eyes for a few more long seconds and then turned his head to Jimin, his face
returned to his previous expression, but the General's eyes was once again getting distracted by the
omega, only this time was a different one. Taehyung looked at the man with open curiosity and
disbelief as his fingers clutched onto the sleeve of Jimin's coat. This was the first time he saw this
amazing man in person, and now he felt like Jin, when he met Jungkook. This alpha didn't
disappoint in person.

"Jeon Taehyung," the General said, eyes narrowing a bit. "The brother of one of the best fighters in
our army. I have no doubt that you are as good at what you do as he was."

"Thank you, General. I'm working hard to get the best results," Taehyung spoke quietly, lowering
his eyes to the floor. A venomous snake stirred inside, curled up at his very own soul.

Namjoon's eyes followed the omega, and unintentionally his gaze caught the mole on the tip of his
nose. The General frowned slightly, peering, as he pressed his lips into a thin line and held
Taehyung's eyes for a few seconds longer.

"We have to go, Colonel. There are things that can't be postponed," he turned his eyes away to
Jimin. "It was a pleasure meeting you," he said to the omegas with aloofness that had been shaped
from years in military, took one last look at Jin's direction, and walked down the corridor with firm
steps.

Jimin squeezed Taehyung's shoulder lightly and smiled weakly.

“I’ll try to talk to him,” he whispered in the omega's ear, not missing a chance to kiss him on the
cheek. Park gave Jin a curt nod and walked past him, catching up with the general.
Taehyung's eyes trailed after Jimin, and then flicked his eyes to Jin—who was looking like a small
kid who had been caught—he pursed his lips and shook his head.

"Well, it's you, of course," Taehyung broke into a smile and dragged him to the opposite side of the
corridor.

"So, what?" Kim voiced out begrudgingly. "I really forgot what I wanted to say, and all of that
because of that big shot!" he chuckled, feigning an upfront of displeasure and fearlessness, when in
reality his knees felt like jelly, because of the iciness crept down his spine. This had never
happened with any other alphas before. Jin convinced himself that the matter was in the alpha's
status, his soldier-like nature. But then, why hadn't it ever happened with Jimin and even
Jungkook? The omega quickly shook his obsessive thoughts away and tuned himself back into
reality, in which the strong scent of the General was still hovering all around.

"You need pills for your memory, doctor," Taehyung chuckled, to which Jin clicked his tongue to
annoyedly and dramatically rolled his eyes, all the while he threw his arm around Taehyung's
shoulder.

~}{~

Taehyung walked around the wards for one last time before he returned to his office, where the
only light source was from the table lamp. The omega took off his white coat and hung it on the
hanger by the door, he sat down on a chair and went through the numerous papers scattered on the
table. The coffee he drank two hours ago with Jin was starting to lose its effect every second.
Taehyung rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily, allowing himself to close his eyes for a few
seconds. The clock above the office door was ticking softly, it started to get on his nerves. The
clock hands told him it was seven thirty. At this time, the hospital was quiet and only a few nurses
and doctors on duty walked down the corridors. Jin left an hour ago without having another round
to the cafe. Taehyung decided to dedicate his free time on the paper works to lighten the burden on
his shoulders for the next day, which would be no less heavy.

Taehyung sighed quietly and glaced at the clock, mentally forcing himself to at least work for
another hour, and then he would go home with a clear mind. Taehyung liked to drowned himself
with work, so that not a single heart breaking thought could breach into his mind. It surely took his
strength away, but it gave peace to his soul, and this was much more important for the omega. If he
could, he would work like this every second of the day, without being distracted by anything else.
Time flew by faster if he were with Jin, all unpleasant thought dissipated, but when Taehyung was
left alone in his small office, the walls began to squeeze him, it became painful. He holed up in the
hospital matters, closing off from the outside world, and, albeit temporarily, lived someone else's
fleeting lives, reading names and diagnoses printed on endless papers.

Someone quietly talked outside of his office, forcing Taehyung to emerge from the papers. He
rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock. Eight thirty. He did it, although he could still go on, he
didn't want to bring himself to the point where he had to crawl back to his apartment.

Taehyung carefully put all the files in place neatly and rose from his seat. He put his beige coat on,
tied a scarf around his neck, hung his leather bag with a long strap on his shoulder, and, after he
turned off the light in his office, he exited quietly, trying to not make a sound. Most of the patients
were already asleep.

After quickly crossing the lobby, which wrapped in a warm dim light, the omega walked out into
the street and nearly stumbled upon seeing Jungkook who was standing by the black BMW parked
right in front of the entrance. The cold night breeze carried the scent of gunpowder and a subtle
scent of wood and white musk. The first scent made the Taehyung's nose wrinkled, but he wanted
to breathe for eternity at the second scent, he wanted to fill his lungs with that scent.

When he noticed Taehyung, Jungkook smiled. He was leaning against his car door. A cigarette was
burning in one hand, and the other was hidden in the pocket of hus dark blue—almost black—
pants, that slightly loose from having no belt on. The alpha only had a black t-shirt on that hid the
tattoos under, and a jacket that had the same color as his pants. Black hair fluttered from the wind,
revealing his forehead and his thick arched eyebrows. He was fiddling the cigarette, and took one
last puff, then he pulled himself up from leaning by the car and tossed the cigarette into a trash can
by the stairs.

Taehyung gathered his remaining strength and went down the stairs under the intense gaze of his
brother's. He seemed to be deliberately silent, made it even more tense, and he was delightly
staring at the visibly shrinking omega. Taehyung mentally screamed at himself, forcing himself to
silence the awakening thoughts of the darkest things that scared him yesterday until this morning.
He exhaled his warm breath and shoved his hands deeper into his coat pocket, stopping in front of
his brother.

"Why are you here?" Taehyung asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jungkook chuckled dryly, shaking his head in disappointment.

"When will I hear from you something like: «I'm really happy that you come, Jungkook, I missed
you so much»?" the alpha rolled his eyes theatrically, tilting his head to a side and looking at
Taehyung with frown.

"It's cold outside," the omega muttered, burying his nose in his wool scarf and gliding his eyes over
the alpha that dressed rather lightly for the weather.

"You will treat me if I suddenly get sick, Doctor Jeon," Jungkook smiled as he ran his fingers
through his hair. "In the mean time, get in the car," he nodded at his BMW without taking his eyes
of his brother.

"Why?" Taehyung asked anxiously, instinctively taking a step back. "No, I wanted to go to-"

"Taehyung, don't make me force you into the car, I won't repeat it twice," Jungkook firmly said,
the sudden change in his brother's tone almost made the omega's hair stand on end. A reminder of
who he was now, the deep darkness of his eyes clearly said it all.

Jungkook walked around the car and opened the passanger door, looking at Taehyung expectantly,
inviting him in with the gesture of his hand. The omega stayed rooted in his place for a few
seconds and walked to the car, not eager to piss his brother off. Jungkook slammed the door close,
and went behind the wheel, he started the engine until it was roaring. They left the hospital
grounds and joined the flow of the traffic, moving toward the center.

"You're not taking me home?" Taehyung asked with concern laced in his voice. The path to his
apartment was in the opposite direction.

"No," Jungkook confirmed as he sped up. The dark interior of the car was illuminated by the
passing lamps and by the approaching cars from the opposite lane. "On your birthday, I did what
you wanted, but now I decide. We're going to dinner."

Taehyung sighed and put his head back to the headrest, closing his eyes. Jungkook had became too
stubborn and adamant in his wishes and plans. The last thing Taehyung wanted to do right now
was to go out somewhere and flaunt his tired face and disheveled look in public, but would
Jungkook listen? He made it very clear it would never happen again.

"I'm really tired, Jungkook," Taehyung said, glancing at his brother with a pleading look. It was
worth a try.
"And that's exactly why you need to loosen up, you're gonna die early with this kind of work,"
Jungkook chuckled and shook his head. "My fault. You should've read less anatomy. If there were
fashion magazines, I would read them."

"I'm perfectly happy with my work. I'm satisfied with it," Taehyung argued, his fingers playing
with the strap of the bag in lap. "I'm glad it turned out that way."

"If I could, I wouldn't let you work your ass off. You're only seventeen, baby," Jungkook gave his
brother a stern look and turned away to look at the road.

"You were gone. What was I supposed to do? Thanks to you, I learned how to help people, and
they really needed that help. They need that help as well now. Doctors are in short supply, no
matter how old I am. I will help as long as I can," Taehyung firmly said, arms folded together
across his chest, looking at Jungkook with a drop of resentment and reproach.

In the semi darkness, when the alpha's facial were not clearly visible and a little obscure, the
omega had more confidence inside him, but it immediately weakened the moment Jungkook threw
a glance and flashed a grin at him that resembled his nightmare, making him cower. Taehyung
pinched his wrist slightly, assuring himself that it wasn't his nightmare. The horror in his dream
would never happen in real life. This Jungkook was still the same. A terrorist, an enemy of
mankind, a brother, but certainly not someone who would his soul with forbidden, poisonous kiss
that was frightening even when he only spoke of it in his mind. It was a crime.

"You're bringing up the past again," Jungkook chuckled. "Think about the future, Taehyungie. It's
much more important to us now."

Taehyung pursed his lips and turned his head to the window, staring at the neon lights on the
windows of the expensive shops that reflected on the passing cars.

"I heard about General visit to the hospital," said the alpha, making sure Taehyung wasn't going to
argue. And rightly so. "Why did he come?" Jungkook asked in casual tone, stealing a glance at his
brother and smoothly turning the car.

"Make an arrangement for medical supplies and doctors for the army," Taehyung replied quickly,
shrugging and turning his head forward.
"That's how it is," Jungkook smiled, staring thoughtfully at the road.

Taehyung's eyes began to widen gradually as his hand covered his mouth. He looked at the
grinning Jungkook in surprise and shook his head, slowly realizing what he had just said.

"Oh, God, I shouldn't have-" the omega said quietly while shaking his head. "I shouldn't have told
you that. You are..." he looked up at Jungkook.

Snake.

"You're traitor now, Taheyung. Public enemy and becoming one of us, Snake," Jungkook laughed
as he watched the horror instilled in the omega's large eyes with satisfied expression. "Such a secret
leaked to me."

"I'm not a traitor!" The omega screamed agitatedly, looking around in panic with confused look.
Jungkook was just joking, but it sounded so disgusting as if Taehyung just told Mirai the plan to
take over army headquarters. "Never..."

"The whole country knows about the General's visit, and the reasons are quite obvious," Jungkook
said, clutching the leather of the steering wheel in tight grip. Something flared up inside of him and
started to cause discomfort. "So now you're going to filter every word you say to me so you won't
expose too much, huh?"

"I don't want a war, I don't want to get involve in this at all," Taehyung but his trembling lip and
turned back to the window, just so he didn't have to face Jungkook. The joke was so painful. It
couldn't be a joke, as it came from a terrorist's lips.

"How do you go to work?" Jungkook suddenly asked, pulling down the window and lighting up a
cigarette.

"By bus, sometimes by taxi," Taehyung replied, frowning at his brother. What was with the quick
change of subject? But it was also for the best. There was too much tension between them, both of
them seemed to be standing at different ends of minefield, and trying to meet in the middle was
such a challenge. But everytime either of them made a mistake, stepping in the wrong place, and
then they had to start all over again.
"You need to buy a car," the alpha thoughtfully said, blowing the smoke out of the window.

"I don't know how to drive," Taehyung shook his head.

"I'll teach you," Jungkook smiled.

Taehyung opened his mouth to object, but fell silent at the right time when he saw the warning
glint in the alpha's eyes. Don't start an argument. What was left for Taehyung to do?

Accept. Submit.

The omega leaned his head against the tinted window and looked at how the skyscrapers grew
taller as they approached the central area, which he usually only saw from the balcony of his
apartment. It was like a different city, a different country, or maybe a different world altogether
with separate lives. Everything screamed expensive, glowing with luxury, sometimes excessive and
too brassy. Taehyung would undoubtedly agree that it was beautiful like a fairytale, but the feeling
that he had invaded a place where he did not belong to was still there, overshadowing the beautiful
view slightly.

It was an oasis for those who must save their lives in order to save lives of entire people; the one
who was in risk of being killed while living on the outskirts. This was where the upper classes
lived, the one who ruled an endless war that had claimed the lives of millions people. What were
they trying to achieve? Just something to fill their pockets with. Everything that surrounded
Taehyung in this area right now was built on the blood of innocent people. The sight before him
finally darken completely, it caused him to feel disgusted and nauseated.

"And this place is called the most save and guarded," Taehyung frowned, pursing his lips as his
gaze followed the security protocol they had just passed by without hindrance.

Mirai himself entered this fairytale world, created on bones, without any problem.

"Snakes can crawl into any hole, no matter how secure it is," Jungkook chuckled, throwing the
cigarette butt out of the window. "This area is practically under our control."

Taehyung raised his eyebrow and turned his gaze back to the road. Did those who lived here that
confident in their safety know about this? Did they know they can die at any second from the snake
venom that were prowling very close? The omega flashed a shadow of smile that was hidden in the
semi darkness of the car interior. Taehyung himself didn't understand why the thought was causing
such emotion. Inside him, something seemed to be rejoicing it. Something that had always been a
lump that was surppressed, squeezed, compressed, and deemed unnecessary. Now it flashed with a
little spark, illuminating it's path. It couldn't be that way, it was wrong, but Taehyung, as wild as it
sounded, felt the presence of justice, albeit a little twisted. He bit his lip quickly so Jungkook
wouldn't be able to see anything, but he was late.

It did not escape Mirai.

~}{~

Ten minutes later, the BMW stopped at one of the best hotels. Jungkook got out of the car and
walked around it, opening the door on Taehyung's side. The omega left his bag in the car and came
out, immediately looking up. An endless buildings in front of him, the top of it was somewhere
behind the clouds stretch above. It looked like a fortress, a castle of modern kings, which was not
accessible to a mere mortal.

The omega was distracted from his thought when Jungkook's hand touched his elbow.

"The view is even better from the top," the alpha smiled as he walked inside with Taehyung. A few
people gave them short but studying looks that made the omega uncomfortable. It was like they
were assessing him piece by piece. Everyone here apparently seemed accustomed to look at each
other as if they were a product that could be evaluated and even bought with great desire. The
omega looked away and involuntarily pressed closer to Jungkook's side, who was able to ignore
these looks.

"Someone might recognize you, Jungkook," Taehyung said quietly, looking up at his brother with a
worried look.

"The won't, the heroes are quickly forgotten here," Jungkook chuckled dryly, shaking his head.

The elevator ride seemed endless. Luckily for Taehyung, Jungkook got a call and he got distracted
by the conversation it held, occasionally throwing short glances at the omega. Taehyung bit his
lower lip thoughtfully, examining the watch on him brother's wrist, as long as he didn't meet his
eyes. Jungkook spoke calmly, but he kept his voice firm. Taehyung didn't try to listen and catch
the gist of the conversation, afraid to discover yet another cause of disappoinment, fear and pain
which now always came to him in one set.

When the elevator door opened silently on the very top floor, Taehyung was speechless. In front of
him was a spacious room of a restaurant, blanketed in pleasant dim light pouring from the ceiling
and the walls. Not only that, the dark interior only added the darkness into it, but there was no need
for the light here. One if the wall was completely transparent, and the numerous lights of the night
city seemed to have been designed to serve as illumination for this restaurant. Jungkook was right,
from here, the view was unparalleled, enchanting with its unrefined beauty.

Jungkook helped Taehyung took off his coat and pulled a chair for the omega to sit in. The alpha
chose a table by the window that stood as if it was at the edge of cliff. Taehyung initially was
afraid to look down, clutching the arms of the chair in reflex, but he gradually began to get used to
it, fascinated over the panorama of the big city. He missed the moment when a waiter came to their
table, dressed in a uniform with dark color to match the interior. Jungkook placed their order,
having decided a menu for omega as well, he didn't want to distract him from the sight of the city.

While the wine was being brought to their place, Jungkook leaned back in his chair and looked at
his brother. He would never get over it. The omega had grown a lot in the past two years, had
became more refined and gentle. He had a core inside him that Jungkook himself nutured, but on
the outside, he looked fragile, like pure crystal. Long eyelashes cast shadows on his cheekbones,
and light amber eyes was shining in the night lights, planting galaxy in the depth of his eyes. Not
the cold kind that could kill in a second, mercilessly sucking everything into their black holes, but
the one that soothed and charmed with the beauty of his endless constellations.

His gaze slowly slid down to the pink lips that Jungkook sought for the wrong reason, he
vigorously forced his own self to maintain his internal balance, and trailed down to his swan-like
neck without a single flaw, without a single mark. Because the V-neck of his soft cream sweater,
his collarbones were visible, complementing his tan skin. Jungkook dabbed the tip of his tongue on
his lower lip, and immediately came to his senses when he noticed a token on the omega's neck.

He leaned forward abruptly and grabbed the chain, yanking it in his direction. Taehyung was
startled a little bit, staring at his brother in shock with his fingers on the edge of the table.

"Why do you keep wearing this?" Jungkook hissed, burning the omega with his blazing glare.

"L-let go, Jungkook," Taehyung pleaded quietly, ignoring the pain from the chain that had dug into
his skin. He glanced back at people in the restaurant for fear of drawing attention, but luckily they
didn't care. The alpha pursed his lips and released his hold, but the look in his eyes was still the
same. "You don't understand, this thing is very precious to me. This is what I had left when you
were gone in my life," Taehyung said with bitterness slipping through his voice, adjusting the
token and pressing his lips into a thin line.

Jungkook let out a nervous laugh, his tongue poking the inside of his cheek, restraining himself
from breaking the fragile crystal with his bare hands.

"It's you that don't understand, baby. I'm here. I'm fucking sitting in front of you, and this piece of
rusty metal is just making you look ugly," the alpha grunted, leaning back in his chair, his eyes
following the waiter who brought the wine. "You should wear what I gave you," he continued as
the waiter retreated, pouring white wine into their glasses. "I didn't leave this for you," Jungkook
nodded at the token.

"For whom?" Taehyung asked quietly, touching the token with his fingertips.

"For those who have fought side by side," Jungkook responded calmly. "Have a drink with me,
Taehyung," he said in a tone like he was asking, but it sounded more like an order, pointing the
glass in front of the omega. He lifted his glass and raised an eyebrow at Taehyung expectantly.

The younger tightened his lips slightly, suddenly wanting to be away from Jungkook at that very
moment. Again, he got confused in everything, not knowing what the hidden truth was, that could
only be fully accepted in order to believe. Jungkook ticked off from one moment and then cooled
down just as quickly before Taehyung had time to recover. It was maddening and scary.

Not wanting to test his brother's patience, the omega reached for his glass and wrapped his fingers
around its long stem.

"For you, Taehyungie," Jungkook said, smiling contentedly and clinking his glass with Taehyung's
own.

The food had arrive after a while, awakening the hunger within Taehyung with its scent. He forgot
that he hadn't eaten since lunch time, fully packed with urgent work. Jungkook had been right to
choose the dishes. Taehyung didn't hide his pleasure on his face when he tried the delicious dinner.

Time passed by smoothly. If at the beginning of dinner Taehyung wished for it to end sooner, now
he didn't even think about time. He forgot about everything, enjoying the presence of his brother,
the one he buried two years ago. Jungkook smiled with no shade of venom in it at the completely
innocent story from the omega about everything in the world, and he himself added something into
the story, causing Taehyung to listen with his mouth opened, just like what had transpired in the
past. Now, Taehyung didn't actually think that reality was not that bright, because he felt good
right now. It hadn't been like this for so long. Or maybe the wine he'd drunk made him act this
way, distorting reality and generously giving out what he wanted instead.

It didn't matter.

At one point, Jungkook walked away to answer a call that he said described as important.
Taehyung relaxed back in the soft chair and turned his head toward the city, holding a glass of
wine in his hand. Despite the filth hidden from people's eyes, it was incredibly beautiful. For an
eternity he would sit there listening to the quiet, unobtrusive music in the background, and looking
at the vibrant city's night lights. This kind of world also existed in outskirts city, which the lights
were reflected into, the world that did not allow its inhabitants to live in imaginary safety and
considered themselves better than others, forgetting about their own existence. From here,
everyone was equal, everyone was vulnerable to death. There weren't the worst nor the best. War
should not divide people, but unite them.

"If this part of city were infested with snakes, why don't you take it over?" Taehyung wondered as
Jungkook returned, not taking his eyes off the lights. The wine was still working, otherwise, he'd
punch himself for asking such question.

"If we carry out our plans all at once, there will be too many casualties, and it's not beneficial to
neither army or aspid. As much as I'd like to rush things, we can't," Jungkook said as he took out a
cigarette, lightning it for himself. "In that case, there will be nothing left but human ashes and ruins
of what you're looking at right now. The General knows that too, so he acts carefully. We destroy
each other slowly, year after year, and in the end, one side will surely lose," the alpha blew a
stream of smoke upward, and again, he clamped the cigarette in the corner of his lips. "But if some
spark appears that will serve as an apple of discord and bone of contention, it will be an
irreversible process of a real war. Worse than what's happening in the North."

"And no one will listen to citizens," Taehyung shook his head while sipping his wine. "They're just
cannon fodder."

"It won't be long, soon everyone will be free," Jungkook smiled, tongue sliding down onto his
lower lip and taking a drag of his cigarette.

Taehyung took a sip of wine and watched his brother. Jungkook had never smoke before, much
less consuming alcoholic drinks, he preferred to follow healthy lifestyle that Taehyung had
encouraged. But this Jungkook represented everything the old Jungkook was against. The alpha
closed his eyes with a little frown, and inhaled the bitter acrid smoke while holding a black
cigarette in his tattooed fingers. He raised his chin a little and slightly opened his mouth, releasing
thick smoke upward, and met Taehyung's gaze.

"I don't believe snakes," said the omega, setting his glass down and crossing his arms on his chest.
"And the army too."

"Who do you believe then?" Jungkook asked with a smirk on his lips.

Just you and Jimin.

"People who wants a calm and peaceful life," the omega pressed his lips tightly together, noticing a
flashing spark at the bottom of Jungkook's eyes. "I want to go home."

"I'll take you there."

~}{~

On the way back, Taehyung fell asleep wrapped in his coat. Jungkook turned on the heater to keep
the omega from freezing. When he was a kid, he got sick easily and laid on the bed for weeks,
entertained by his brother who never left him for a second.

Rain was pouring just now, drumming on the roof of the car softly, and crashing on the windshield
that immediately washed away by the wipers. Jungkook thoughtfully looked at the road glistening
from the rain and popped a pill into his mouth. The fog slowly seeped into his brain and a pleasant
warmth rolled across his body. Jungkook tightened his grip on the steering wheel and took a glance
at the sleeping omega.

Taehyung woke up when they had arrived at the entrance of his home. The drunkenness blanket
dissipated, putting back his sober mind back in its place. Taehyung bit his lip and lowered his eyes
to his hands in his lap. For some reason he didn't want to talk anymore. Painful reality returned
back and polluted his soul again, leaving an an unpleasant bitter after taste in it. Fortunately,
Jungkook said nothing.
He walked Taehyung to the door of his apartment. The crumpled his scarf with his fingers and
looked up at Jungkook who was standing across from him with his hands in his pockets.

"You... can stay, Jungkook," Taehyung said quietly, standing in the doorstep and stepping aside to
give way for his brother to get in. He didn't understand why he suddenly proposed it to Jungkook,
who was probably got a lot of things to do, he was the leader of a large group after all. Perhaps, a
small hope was simply born in his soul, a hope for the past could be restore, for it could be start
anew.

"Are you sure you want that?" Jungkook asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"I am," the omega whispered, nodding in confirmation.

Jungkook smiled and walked into the apartment.

Dante, after hearing noises in the hallway, ran out, he wagged his little tail and barked happily.
Taehyung picked him up, holding him close and kissing his ear.

"I miss you, little one," the omega said with a gentle smile, stroking the puppy's short chocolate
coat. When he was next to this soft lump, he forgot about everything in the world. And he even
forgot about Jungkook, who was watching this lovely view.

Greedily catching every moment of Taehyung's smile, Jungkook only thought of how good it was
that he didn't shoot the puppy.

After pouring the dog food into Dante's bowl, Taehyung went into the bathroom. Jungkook
glanced at his watch and took off his jacket, taking out cigarette and a lighter. He came out onto
the balcony and, with his elbows on the railing, he lit up a cigarette, pensively looking at the city's
night lights from the other side. From here, the view was as fascinating as the top of skyscraper.
But it was not the king of thoughts that filled the alpha's head, but it was the muted sound of water
coming from the bathroom. Jungkook took a deep drag, forcing himself to divert from it. Mentally,
he repeated to himself that he couldn't. He fought it, almost provoking an internal war, but on the
outside he played it off, peering into the distance with a frown. The cigarette in his hand was
burning to the point it burned through the filters. Jungkook put it out and walked back into the
living room, where the gentle light from the lamp was spreading.

His eyes involuntarily lingered on his own photo. Jungkook walked toward it and looked into his
own eyes, where the fearlessness and courage were seen. Back then, his hands and soul were clean
and pure. That Jungkook was a naive child, even though he was already considered as a nation's
hero, who had seen and had went through lot of things. But now it just looked childish and
ridiculous. It was sickening to look at his own self, and it even more sickening to look at the
Colonel whose photo was placed next to his. Jungkook pursed his lips and put the other man's
photo face down, as long as he wouldn't see that face that made his hands itched to break it.

He stepped away from the photo shelf and pulled off his shirt.

"Jungkook, you can..." Taehyung froze in the doorway, staring at the alpha's broad tattooed back.
Jungkook turned to his way, t-shirt in hand, and raised an eyebrow, glancing at his brother's bare,
slender legs. He only wore sleep shorts and a baggy soft pink T-shirt that almost slipped off one
shoulder.

Taehyung swallowed the words he wanted to say and entered the living room, making unsure steps
to his brother and stopping two steps away from him. It was hard to take his eyes away from the
alpha's strong chest. From the ink that adorned it. There was a whole story that needed more time
to study. There were demons, snakes, and the creatures that came from the nightmares. No sign of
anything bright and hopeful. Just one white spot under his heart that attracted omega's attention.
Taehyung came closer to see the drawings in the dim light. Jungkook followed his brother's gaze
and heard one of the chain inside him broke as Taehyung's fingertips touched the little white line.
He stayed put under his chest, curling his fingers around a small but very obvious scar.

"What's this?" Taehyung asked quietly, carefully tracing the scar with his index finger. "Why
white?"

"A reminder. White doesn't always mean purity. It's a pathetic cover for black," Jungkook replied
in a hoarce voice, following the movement of the omega's fingers. "There's no telling which one is
worse, a knife in the back, or a bullet aimed at the heart."

"What..." Taehyung removed his hand and looked up at his brother in surprise. Something stabbed
painfully inside him. Jungkook could actually die. The omega swallowed a lump in his throat and
asked, barely audible, "What happened?"

"That's for another time, baby," Jungkook smiled weakly and touched the omega's chin with his
thumb. "I need to leave later, but when I come back, you will move in with me."

"Jungkook..." Taehyung sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm not asking you, Taehyung. I told you that already. You have to live with your family. And
your only family is me. Now go to bed, you're tired," Jungkook whispered as his thumb stroking
his brother's cheek.

"Good night, Jungkook," Taehyung whispered in a hurry to get away from the alpha. Goosebumps
ran through his skin, and his heart began to beat faster.

Taehyung quickly turned away, biting his lip, then hurried off to his room after hearing:

"Sweet dreams, little brother."

If only the dreams were that sweet.

~}{~

Jungkook had been unable to sleep for a long time. He surveyed the living room up and down,
smoked almost a pack of cigarettes, he almost stayed in the balcony, that he walked out into with
nothing but pants, despite the biting cold. He was not used to this. He was not used to fall asleep
without eating someone's soul, without someone moaning under him and asking for more. That
was how it supposed to be. Maybe with Yoongi, or someone else. But Jungkook was covered in the
scent of wisteria and sleeplessness instead. Maybe it was because of Taehyung's presence here. It
gave him no peace. This fact constantly loomed in his head that prevented the alpha to relax in his
sleep. Even Dante slept peacefully in his place, never waking up all this time.

Jungkook sat on the chair near a lamp in absolute darkness, his knees stretched apart and he rolled
a lighter between his fingers which he lit periodically, illuminating the small living room with its
orange-blue fire reflected in his pitch black eyes. He thought he could sit like this until morning,
never blinking. He could, but his attention was drawn to the sobs coming from Taehyung's room.
Jungkook put out the fire by his fingers and put the lighter on the coffee table, hastily raising from
the chair. Listened. The sobbing sound continued. Jungkook walked to the omega's room, quietly
opening the door and stopping right in the doorway.

"P-please, no..." Taehyung whispered through the sobs, tossing in his bed and clutching the sheets
with his fingers. "Don't..." the omega begged the unknown person, being held captive by a
nightmare.

Jungkook walked into the room and, without hesitation, sank onto the bed next to Taehyung. He
moved closer and stroked him on his cheek, wet with tears. The omega relaxed noticeably, still
sobbing, he unconsciously held onto the source of warmth and stopped stirring up. Jungkook
hugged him like he did as a kid and buried his nose into his soft hair, inhaling the sweet floral
scent.

Taehyung opened his big eyes and froze, holding back a scream as he stared at Jungkook. He was
visibly shaken with fear, immediately began to disentangle himself from the embrace. The
nightmare still continued, it kept the consciousness in its claws, not allowing it to escape. But in
this particular nightmare, Jungkook didn't have snake fangs, and his eyes weren't covered in all
black.

"Shh, shh, shh, baby," the alpha whispered, and it wasn't like the hissing snake in his dreams. "It's
okay, it's only a nightmare," he assured him, holding Taehyung close to him again and stroking his
hair soothingly. The omega blinked and sniffed softly, afraid to move. The warmth of the hands
that covered his own forever icy one was too real. Jungkook didn't smell like a chilling death, and
no snakes that entangle themselves to him, making him unable to move. Indeed, it was just a
nightmare.

"Jungkook..." Taehyung whispered, unknowingly grasping his brother's hand with his fingers and
pressing his back against his warm chest. Just like another moment from the distant childhood. The
omega bit hard onto his lip and allowed silent tears to be absorbed into his pillow. Jungkook
wouldn't see it anyway.

"I'm here, Taehyungie," the alpha soothed him and left a kiss on his brother's temple, holding him
tight.

Taehyung eventually calmed down, he stopped sniffing and shaking and he seemed to fall asleep as
his grip on the alpha's hand was weakening. Jungkook closed his eyes and nuzzled the omega's
exposed shoulder, inhaling the scent of his soft honey skin.

Inside, another thick chain broke with a clang.

~}{~
Jin gathered a lot of air into his lungs and, after regaining control of himself, he knocked on the
chief doctor's office door, then, he pushed the door handle and sticked his head in, unsurely saying:

"Good morning, Dr. Moon? Did you ask for me?"

The man looked up from the documents laying on the table in front of him, and after taking off his
glasses, he nodded curtly.

"Yes, come on in, Seokjin, have a seat."

Jin slipped into the office and sat down in front of the doctor, his palms was rubbing on his
bouncing knees as he looked at the man in anticipation. Moon coughed into his fist and then locked
his fingers together.

"You are being transferred to the military hospital, Seokjin," the chief doctor immediately said.
The omega's eyes widened up in horror. "Not to the North," the man rushed to calm him down
while shaking his head. "It's a hospital in out city, so you don't have to be separated from your
family and friends.

"But.. why so suddenly?" Jin wondered, slightly at loss. This news was like a snow to him, like an
unexpected blow right on his forehead by a flying snowball.

"This is the General's order, I have no power here," Moon said, sighing regretfully. "He demanded
you, because you're considered as one of the best doctors in our hospital. And I couldn't help but
agree with this."

"Just me?" Jin raised his eyebrow, nudging his index finger at himself.

"Yes only you will be send there from our hospital," the man nodded. "Speaking of safety, you can
relax. The base in the city is not under attack, I'm sure you'll be safe there."

"Alright," Jin said, give in. "Is that all?"

 "Yes. Today I'll send your required documents to the post office and tomorrow you will go to the
hospital. You can go now," the doctor said, getting up from his seat.

Jin rose at the same time as him. His legs became jelly, unstable. His knees were shaking, but the
omega held back his anxiety with all his might from the sudden news that knocked him down like
a shock wave.

"Goodbye, Dr. Moon," Jin said unenthusiastically and then scurried out of the office.

"Good luck, Seokjin."

Jin closed the door behind him and sighed loudly, sinking on a chair exhaustedly and throwing his
head back. This was probably how Taehyung felt when he was sent to the North. Except, it wasn't
the North this time, and the chances to survive were much higher. Jin didn't mind the work.
Helping people was his duty, his responsibility. In this situation, he was surprised and outraged by
one single detail—the order from General who only asked for Jin. Could this be because of that
bizzare and awkward encounter that took place exactly as the same place as he was now?

If so, then this was probably a punishment for Jin. But why?

"Damnit, General Kim Namjoon," the omega groaned in displeasure and got up, putting his hands
in his robe pockets and walking down the corridor angrily.

Chapter End Notes

Please check another work from Mark Mrakovich, Nitric Oxide

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