11

Shin Jaebum denies every claim put on the table before him. 

He even has the nerve to scoff at some of the statements Jimin reads up from the report Mark had diligently written. Father Yongchul keeps a serene smile plastered on his face and calmly denies all charges, but Jungkook can see the quick flicker of panic in his eyes through the glass window separating him from the monster. 

Namjoon and Seokjin have currently gone to bring Mr. Kim and the rest of the family to the station, Jinyoung is on his way back from picking up Minah and her family while Jackson and BamBam have left to interrogate some of the other churchgoers. 

The boys had scattered the second Namjoon had Hoseok call the other team in. Orders were barked and not a second was wasted as everyone got to work.

It has been three hours since then and the team has never worked this efficiently on solving a case. Jungkook makes a mental note to maybe include his teammates a bit more in the future because he would never have managed to do so much in such a short amount of time on his own. 

Judging from the recorded statements he keeps receiving in his e-mail inbox, the process of solving the case seems to be coming to an end.

Turns out some of the girls from the choir have been suspicious for a while now. Yeri, after arriving at the police station and after being told what happened by Jimin, started crying and had to be taken to a separate room with her mother to calm down, because apparently she had also experienced similar blackouts. 

Jungkook feels fire burning in his veins, adrenaline sending his heart beating a mile an hour, and he barely manages to stand upright because he knows solving this case means more than just another achievement to add to his repertoire. 

“The Kims are here,” Hoseok announces as he pops his head into the room, and Jungkook quickly follows him out, leaving Seulgi to monitor the interrogation. 

Namjoon has just arrived in the hallway leading to the interrogation rooms, Mr. Kim and the rest in tow, but Jungkook’s eyes are searching for one boy only. 

Taehyung looks scared. 

His eyes are wide with fear and distress, shoulders hunched to make himself smaller and hands tightly clutching the sleeves of his coat. Jungkook has to refrain from sidestepping the parents to grab the boy and pull him in for a hug. He firmly plants his feet in front of Mr. Kim and tries not to glare at his annoying face. 

“Your partner did not give me a clear answer as to why we’re being brought out at nine in the evening,” Mr. Kim starts, but Jungkook doesn’t let him continue. 

“We have two suspects in a case and they’re both from the church you’re funding.” Mr. Kim’s eyes narrow in disbelief before he raises his head and stares Jungkook down. 

“Twelve different families are providing the church with monthly checks to keep the community clean of sin and close to absolution,” Mr. Kim says, “I have no knowledge about the charges and I am afraid my family does not know anything either.” 

“We will still need to question everyone,” Jungkook says, his jaw clenching when Mr. Kim barely conceals an annoyed scowl, “individually. By not complying you’re committing an act of crime and can be charged for it.” 

Mr. Kim steps closer and leans in, lips pulled into a snarl. “My family has no business dealing with a bloody  case. Take it with the victim and her family instead.”

“I would but the victim is currently six feet under and her family, standing right in front of me, doesn’t want to cooperate.” 

Jungkook takes pleasure in the way Mr. Kim’s scowl drops, face hardening in shock. The detective bites back a scoff and takes a step backwards, stretching an arm out towards Seokjin and Namjoon. 

“Lawyer Kim Seokjin will take your case and make sure the suspects are given appropriate sentences, all you have to do is provide all and any information you have to help make this process shorter.” 

Jungkook gives Mrs. Kim a pointed look, and the woman averts her gaze in surprise, eyes b with tears. 

“Sir, follow me,” Seokjin says and leads a frozen Mr. Kim into one of the rooms. Namjoon gently pulls Mrs. Kim with him and Jungkook is finally left alone with Taehyung. 

“Taehyung,” he breathes, feeling his heart clench at the pain on the boy’s face. It must be awful, finding out all these ty news about his dead sister, but he deserves to know the truth. “Hey, are you okay?” 

Jungkook takes a step closer but freezes when Taehyung flinches, eyes wide as he stares over at the detective. 

“Hey, it’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you,” Jungkook murmurs, raising his hands up in surrender, and Taehyung stares at him with the same shaken look, eyes b with hot tears. Jungkook bites his tongue, quietly watching the boy until the latter suddenly whimpers. 

“I’m sorry,” Jungkook whispers when Taehyung’s breathing becomes more laboured, “I’m sorry, Taehyung.” 

He still doesn’t dare step closer in fear of scaring the boy further, and it hurts his heart when Taehyung places his face in his hands, shoulders shaking as he takes in deep, shaky breaths. Jungkook itches to reach over and hug him, hard, but he knows he might have overstepped all boundaries earlier at the cafe, and honestly, right now is not the time to get any more points across. 

So he takes a step backwards, watching as Taehyung quickly removes his hands from his face.

“I’m making you uncomfortable, I’m sorry, I’m gonna get someone else to interrogate y-.” 

Jungkook doesn’t get to finish his sentence because Taehyung rushes to cross the space between them and throws his arms around his neck. Jungkook stumbles but quickly regains his balance, arms instantly wrapping around the boy’s slender frame, and his heart breaks when Taehyung starts sobbing into his neck. 

“It’s all my fault, it’s all my fault,” he cries, but Jungkook shushes him, gently pulling him into the interrogation room closest to them when Jinyoung arrives with Minah and her family. 

Taehyung still doesn’t let go of him, and Jungkook quickly closes the door after them before giving Taehyung his full attention. He begins rubbing gentle circles against the boy’s back and presses a hand against his neck, whispering soothing words into his ear. Taehyung cries even more, shaking with each sob, and Jungkook frowns deeply, moving the boy over to the desk and chair. 

“Hey, calm down, Tae, it’s okay,” he whispers, trying to pull back to get a look at the boy, but Taehyung whines and tightens his hold around Jungkook’s neck.

The detective allows him, quickly pulling him close again, and they stay like that until Taehyung basically goes limp in his hold, his sobs muted into tiny whimpers and sniffles. Jungkook tries his luck again and successfully moves back so he can cradle Taehyung’s face in his hands. Taehyung places his hands on Jungkook’s wrists and clutches onto him as if to gain some semblance of balance. 

“S-sorry, officer, didn't mean to break down on you,” Taehyung whispers, voice hoarse from the crying, and Jungkook feels something pierce his heart. 

“Hey, hey, Tae, no, it’s okay, don’t worry,” he quickly says, gently wiping away the tears staining Taehyung’s rosy cheeks. “You need to let it out, Tae, this is good, you’re doing great.”

“It’s just too much,” Taehyung whispers, squeezing his eyes shut when another round of tears present themselves, and Jungkook quickly leans forward and kisses the tears that trail down his cheeks, personal space and self restraint be damned. 

His lips press against Taehyung’s forehead next, his temples, his nose, his chin - anywhere Jungkook can reach at the moment, and it helps because Taehyung's lips pull into a small, weak smile through the tears. 

“You’re strong, Taehyung,” Jungkook whispers against his temple, “and you need to give yourself credit for that. Okay? You’ve held on for so damn long, but it’s okay to let it out.”

Taehyung can only stare at Jungkook, brows knitted together, lips and nose red from the crying. Jungkook feels the urge to soothe him more, doesn’t really know how but his body keeps itching to feel and comfort. 

But Taehyung then closes his eyes and drags in a deep, calming breath. 

“She’s in a better place,” he whispers. Jungkook blinks a couple of time, hands still cupping the boy’s cheeks. “Jiyeonnie is in a much better place. God, I can only imagine what she must have been going through in that hellhole.”

Jungkook nods, even though Taehyung’s eyes are still closed, and rubs his thumbs against the boy’s cheeks. 

“Do you know who-who killed her?” 

“Not yet,” Jungkook murmurs, and Taehyung opens his eyes, releasing a shaky breath. “But Father Yongchul and his nephew Jaebum are in for questioning right now.”

Taehyung’s brows furrow at that before he blinks in realization, horror overtaking his features. Jungkook feels his heart drop to his gut once more. 

“That-that’s what he did- that’s why he made her sta-.” 

Taehyung chokes on the last word and takes a step backwards, and Jungkook reluctantly lets him go, watching with a heavy heart as Taehyung stumbles into the chair next to the desk and starts crying again. 

“I could have stopped it-I could have taken her home with me,” Taehyung cries, “I could-I could-”

“No, Taehyung.” Jungkook steps forward and kneels so he’s on eye level with the hyperventilating boy. He gently places his hands on his knees and squeezes, once, twice. “You couldn’t have taken her home because she was in the choir, it was required of her to stay by both Yongchul and your father. Yongchul because the choir were tasked with cleaning duties, and your father because he wanted her to carry a good reputation in this ed up community.” 

Taehyung watches Jungkook with wide eyes, breathing ragged, and he reaches out and tightly clasps Jungkook’s hands in his to ground himself a little. 

“This is not on you,” Jungkook whispers, intently staring into Taehyung’s eyes, “so don’t even think about taking the blame when it’s not yours. That’s for me to decide, that’s my job to figure out, okay?” 

Taehyung bites his lip and nods, leaning forward to place his forehead against Jungkook’s before breathing deeply in. Jungkook closes his eyes and allows the boy some time to calm down before slowly leaning back, hands still tightly clutching his. 

“I’m going to get you something warm to drink, okay? No one will bother you, I’m gonna be back in five minutes, I promise.” 

Taehyung looks like he wants to say something but he once more bites his lip and nods, slowly letting go of Jungkook’s hands so he can stare at his lap. Jungkook can’t really understand why but his heart breaks at the sight and he has half the mind to stay, but he realizes he needs to breathe. 

This is all new to him too. 

He squeezes Taehyung’s knee one more time and then quickly walks over to the exit, gently closing the door behind him before leaning against it. He closes his eyes and drags in a deep breath, heart beating harshly against his chest. 

Jaebum might have killed her for trying to expose him. Yeri could have brought something up to Yongchul and the priest might have warned his nephew about it. How reliable will their alibis from the night of the murder be? And can they really provide anything credible this long after the murder? 

“Your brain is frying.”

Jungkook jolts out of his thoughts and turns towards Hoseok who has an unfamiliarly soft grin on his face. Jungkook’s brain truly must be frying because he didn’t even hear the detective walk up to him. He’s wearing chelsea ing boots.

“What do you think the murder weapon could have been?” Jungkook asks in reply and Hoseok crosses his arms over his chest before frowning. 

“We found zero clues at the site, I actually don’t know.” He shrugs. “Could’ve been a piece of metal the murderer found outside, something firm and sharp around the edges, but not sharp enough to specifically slice, you know.” 

Jungkook nods to himself and pushes away from the door. He needs to get Taehyung something to drink. 

“Hey,” Hoseok calls after him when he starts walking away, “you gonna leave lover-boy all alone?” 

Jungkook stumbles and almost crashes into the door of one of the interrogation rooms, his eyes wide in surprise as he furiously presses a finger to his lips and shushes the grinning detective.

“Shut the up, hyung, don’t let anyone hear you say that!”

It’s a whisper-yell and Hoseok barely refrains from cackling at it. Jungkook widens his eyes even more in hopes of conveying how very much he wants Hoseok to not make this bigger than it is. 

"It can complicate the whole damn case and I don't want Taehyung to go through more bull than he already is going through, okay," Jungkook continues equally sharply, pointing angrily towards the room where the boy is currently waiting for him.

, Jungkook said five minutes.

Hoseok has a eating grin on his face and looks like he's having the time of his life, but he gets Jungkook’s desperation and makes a locking motion over his mouth. 

“I’ll try not to say anything, but just so you know I saw everything from the surveillance room.” 

Jungkook turns around and starts walking away before his hyung can see the red flushing his cheeks, and this time Hoseok’s cackle is loud enough to reach him across the empty hallway. 

“This is some Romeo and Juliet , kid," Hoseok calls after him, apparently already having forgotten his promise of holding his mouth shut, "I can’t believe I just witnessed Jeon ing Jungkook comforting a church bo-”

“I’m telling Namjoon the truth about the computer virus incident!” 

Jungkook is rewarded with a loud gasp, a weak “you wouldn’t” followed by a thundering of footsteps.