Rabbit holes came in many forms.

For some men, it came in the form of a beautiful woman, a vixen who’s kisses tasted like sweet poison, who’s hands were so soft and delicate, who’s voice was a sweet melody, who’s existence would bring her lover’s ruin.

For some, it came in the form of numbers in the bank, paper work piled up, a fancy office in a sky high building, and obsessing over how high their office is, so they can have the full view of a city that fed upon anyone weak enough. But designer suits and expensive champagne were addictive and soon one loses themselves in the game they play.

For others, it came in the form of a high after one downs a couple of pills. Drugs had a sweet taste, some think it’s the high that gets you addicted but it’s not, it’s the moment the bliss kicks in and suddenly the furniture floats and the sky Is purple and life makes sense again.

For Park Jungkook, his rabbit hole came in the form of a warehouse near Han river, in Neugdae Pa territory.

Jungkook sat in the passenger seat of the Yukon, that he always seems to ride in, he guesses it was his, in a way as Suga drove, with SUVs in front of them and behind them. Why he had to be transported everywhere with a five car entourage, Jungkook didn’t know.

The place was pretty far away from the estate and Suga took the time to explain some things.

“This is one of the main dropping points, it’s secured and safe.” Suga said, holding only one hand to the steering wheel and the other resting againt the door. “This district is one of the most profitable, it’s run by a trusted wolf called; Kim Namjoon.”

He appreciates that when they met at the estate, he didn’t do much introductions, and didn’t do the stupid compliments, or fake grief for what Jungkook had lost, instead, he said that he was his council and they had to go.

Jungkook nodded when Suga glanced at him, though still staring out the window, to indicate he was listening. So Suga continued, “Remember that name, one of the most important men in the game. Phoenix trusts him, so we do too.”

“Okay, Kim Namjoon is important.” He said, watching the scenery of Han river pass by it.

“I don’t know where the drugs come from – unfortunately, but I do know it comes from the south, near Busan.” Suga said, and Jungkook didn’t miss how Suga didn’t like that he didn’t know something that he felt was valuable.

“I thought Busan wasn’t our territory.” Jungkook spoke, didn’t Jimin say that.

“It is debatable, but all I know is Phoenix gets his stuff from around there.” Suga spoke, “Hell, even if it isn’t, you father does as he pleases, no one is dumb enough to cross him.”

“Aren’t there any rules?” Jungkook asked, out of the blue. “Or is it just dog eat dog kinda thing?”

Suga seemed amused as he chuckled at his words. “For us, there are many rules.” He said, “Of course you know that Phoenix doesn’t kill women and kids. Unlike his father.”

“Yeah, why is that?” He asked, curiously, maybe he can get some information about Phoenix from him.

“Don’t know.” He said, “But I think it provides safety. If a guy joins then our protection is extended to women in his family, sisters, mothers, wives, it makes the promise of security which is why a lot of teens join, to protect their own.”

“To protect them from who? Us?”

Suga smirked for some reason, amused to the point where Jungkook wanted to smack the smug curl of his lips away. “Seoul is a scary place, Jungkook.”

He doesn’t call him Master, and Jungkook liked it. He didn’t bow to him, he looked him in the eye while speaking, he liked the courage or recklessness or whatever fueled Suga to act this way around him, unlike everyone else.

“I know.”

The cars slowly came to a halt, and from a distance Jungkook can see shadows of men moving around, boats on the shore, boxes on the ground.

He exited the car, immediately shivering at the cold weather as he shoved his hands in his coat’s pocket. Like all his clothes, it was there when he first moved into the estate, clothes of all brands, all is size and all awfully expensive, waiting for his to wear.

Jungkook was trying to get used to the expensive clothes and expensive tastes and slowly, he started to feel at home in these clothes. He wore a hoodie, jeans paired with sneakers, he looked like those bratty teens he saw around the city sometimes, anf perhaps he now was one of them.

Usually, Phoenix had objections about him, what he wore and how he acted but nowadays, he would just eye him up and down and then nod his head. Unlike him, Suga didn’t only look like a rich brat, he looked like an rich drug dealer and he guesses that what he was.

They walked together as Jungkook started making the silhouettes of the men who stood by and the men who moved around and when they got even closer, he recognized one of them.

“Wait, why is Jimin here?” He asked, slowing down to get an answer before they make it to the two men who stood aside.

“He was picked up by Namjoon, not long ago.” He said, eyes on the men not that far from them. “He works under him now.”

“I thought he was just a runner.”

“That makes two of us.”

Jimin and the man with him bowed, “Master,” They acknowledged.

Jungkook nodded, not knowing what he should say to that greeting.

Then Suga began; “This is Jay, he is the right hand of this district,” He introduced. “He is a loyal wolf.” There was an undertone to his words, and Jungkook understood that these weren’t words of compliments but facts.

Jay was clearly trusted by Suga.

“My name is Jung Hoseok, Master.” The man spoke, his voice deep and slightly aggressive. “I am honored to finally meet you.”

Jungkook nodded once more, suddenly feeling like these kinds of formality had a protocol that he didn’t know, feeling slightly awkward. Suga seemed to catch up as he began; “How are things, Jay, are there any issues?”

“No, not at all.” He said, “Yamazaki are in charge in transportation.”

Jungkook turned to Suga with a slight frown upon hearing the foreign word. Jungkook knows a little Japanese but, he doesn’t know what this word means.

Suga leant to him, “Yamazaki are a gang that provide certain services.”

The men who were still moving boxes, stole glances at them, and Jungkook watched them, they worked quick, all normal looking men, nothing special, some looked awfully young. Younger than him.

Jungkook wanted to take a closer look as he walked forward, and he heard them walk behind him. Suga and Hoseok were a tad bit behind while Jimin followed closely behind him.
The ground was moist and rogue grass grew along the side of the river, between the sand. The boats weren’t big but they weren’t floating plastic ones either. It was enough to transport but not to draw too much attention.

The men who moved the stuff to the warehouse bowed to him if they passed by him, and avoided eye contact. Some even eyed him up and down and stopped at his tattoo.

What caught his attention were the men who stood upon the boats, unmoving and unbothered of his presence, staring forward with hands behind them. Clearly, and unlike the wolves, the men didn’t answer to him or Neugdae. These men had a God of their own. And it wasn’t Phoenix.

“Jimin,” He called, and the boy answered with a ‘yes, master’, “What kind of services does Yamazaki provide?”

There was a pause, but it wasn’t hesitancy that stopped the young thug, it was as if he didn’t know how to phrase it,

“Whatever service required, Master.” He eventually answered, but Jungkook wanted details, he is sick of everyone being so shallow with their answer.

“As in?”

“As in…” He trailed off. “transportation, protection –“

“ – Murder and theft.” Suga continued, unfiltered. See, it wasn’t that hard to give him a clear answer. He already has an idea of what the hell he is involved in.

“Are they Japanese?”

“No, but they live in the country side, rural places. So they have their own culture and beliefs, no one really knows their origins.”

“They don’t really interfere, just move.” Jay chimed in.

Jungkook nodded, as Jay began guiding them to the warehouse. It was wide, so, ridiculously wide that Jungkook felt like it would fit a small airplane, the ceiling so high up. But the size wasn’t what grasped his attention, nor was it the pure snow that sat on the wide tables, it was the money that piled up at the far end of the warehouse.

Dirty money, is what came into his mind, so much money, so many Wons, piled up upon each other. Perhaps it was ready to be cleaned, as he knows his father’s company is used to clean dirty money, obviously, it was mafia 101.

He turned his eyes to the weapons that hung on the wall, shotguns and rifles, and it attracted him, as he unconsciously walked towards them. He’s always liked the designs of fire arms, it was as if human have made death in a form of metal.

Death took a form in guns. And Jungkook liked holding death in his hands.

Jungkook admired them as Jay asked him, “Do you see anything that you like, Master?”

He exhaled, but it wasn’t a bored sigh, “I prefer pistols, never been good with rifles.”

“We have those too, if you are interested, master.”

Jungkook looked away from the weapons on the wall, and Jay grabbed a metal stick on one of the boxes and popped the wood open, it created a sound and iit seemed to attract some attention, as the men around eyed them.

Well, Jay wasn’t lying when he said he had them. The box was full of them, semi-automatics, his favorites.

“I don’t work in low grade, so this is the best of the best.” Jay said, and Jungkook can tell that he wasn’t lying, these were nice guns, certainly not the ones that he trained with in school, nor the kind that he took away from Kai, but it wasn’t as good as his father’s sliver gun. But he believes that Phoenix had that one custom made.

He picked one up, and handed it to him. He admired the black metal for moment before he lowered it, his left hand came up to the gun, it created a satisfying click, and Jungkook loved it. With a swift move he lifted it up, aiming at thin air, he saw how Jimin and Suga to

ok a step to the side as to not be in the line of fire if he wills to shoot, and how one of the men who was making his way outside again took an aborted step backwards and then two more but he saw from the corner of his eyes how Jay grinned.

He made the men around nervous, no doubt – except Jay.

Jungkook liked the power of making people nervous. Jungkook also like the gun in his hand, and like how he fit between the thugs in the storage space.

“What about cops?” He asked as he put the gun down, still admiring its design.

Jay was still grinning at him. “This is private property, owned by Phoenix.” He said, “Anyone entering would be trespassing.”

“Not if they have a warrant.” Jungkook noted.

“They need a judge’s signature for that.” Jay chuckled, and Suga followed, and Jungkook looked between them both for an explanation.

“Judge Kim’s daughter received a car for her sweet sixteen,” Suga began, “What was it again, Seok? A Benz?”

“Yeah, it was.” Jay confirmed, the same silly grin plastered on his face.

“What does that –“ Jungkook said before he stopped himself, feeling like the question sounded stupid. “Oh.”

Oh.

So his father bribes judges into silence. Sounds smart.

Power was a dangerous thing, and he had repress the feeling that filled hs chest at the realization that no one could ever stop them, no one can make them pay for whatever they do, and no one was above them. Power was so, so dangerous.

For Jungkook, his rabbit hole came in the form of power. In the form of a wide warehouse atop a hill that overlooked Han river in Seoul. It came in the form of death designed by humans to end others, it came in the form of piles of money and pure white snow.

And deep down the rabbit hole, he tumbled.

+

Taehyung came to him in bruises sometimes.

When they were on their summer break, Taehyung usually spent it at the school where they do allow students to stay if they don’t have anywhere else to go or no one to go to, and it baffled Jungkook that Taehyung hated the school so badly, hell, he would burn the place to ashes with the people inside if he could – yet he decided that staying in school for the break was better than going home.

Jungkook used to think it was ing ridiculous.

How Taehyung had money, a mansion, a family, he had certain freedom, and he still wouldn’t use it. But then after Tae received a phone call, just a day before their break, and he stared at the ceiling all night, he didn’t pester Jungkook and ask stupid questions because he didn’t want to go to bed yet.

No, Taehyung couldn’t fall asleep that day. He just stared. And Jungkook watched how his friend looked like his world had just fallen apart. And Taehyung just stared. No matter how many times, Jungkook asked if something has happened, Taehyung wouldn’t answer, as if he has swollen his own tongue.

In the morning, Taehyung had a car waiting for him outside. He offered to drive Jungkook and he tried to refuse, feeling like Taehyung had enough on his head to worry about, but Taehyung pleaded. He looked him in the eyes and whispered; ‘please’. And Jungkook just got inside the luxorious looking car and told the driver his address as Taehyung stared out the window.

Now he knows that as things fall apart, Taehyung would always just stare. His hyper self would settled down and his eyes would turn cold, no more brightness or even wickedness, just ice.

“You can always come to me.” Jungkook said when they arrived at his place, “You can always come to me, Tae.”

His friend only stared but he nodded his head slightly. So cold, and so empty, he remembers his eyes.

It wasn’t until midnight when Taehyung showed up at his front door, bruises and cuts all over his face, but Taehyung smiled when he opened the door, lips cut, teeth bloody. He believes, to this day that Taehyung was in a trance, that he wasn’t himself, because the smile he gave him was not human. It wasn’t Taehyung smiling.

It was the monster that this city has crafted.

His father was on a trip that day, or was he visiting his sister – it didn’t matter, Jungkook couldn’t care where he was, he only cared for his mother who was relieved that the man was out the house, and slept early in his room.

They both slept on the floor that day in the living room. As for how he got the bruises, Jungkook never asked, and Taehyung never told.

“I look bad in this color.” Taehyung complained as he pulled on his tie.

Jungkook rolled his eyes at his friend, as he put his headphones in his backpack. “Quit complaining,”

The school uniforms were fancy and the color was nice, Taehyung was just being dramatic because he hates school.

“But I do, why blue?” He asked, “And navy blue of all colors, God, it’s like we’re marines.”

It didn’t make much sense but Jungkook chuckled anyway. “Obviously, we both need caffeine. So let’s go.”

“Yeah, you sure do.” Taehyung said with a smirk.

Jungkook sighed, “You saw me leave, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did.” He said. “Are you going to tell me where you went?”

“Somewhere dangerous.”

“Sounds fun.” Taehyung said with a knowing smile.

“You wouldn’t have wanted to come.”

“Don’t tell me what I should feel, Kookie.” The same smile was painted on his face, his tone remained neutral but Jungkook knew his friend was upset.

“I’m just saying that you wouldn’t have had fun.” Jungkook tried once again.

“You didn’t do all that to get me out of my brother’s hands just so I –“

“Guns and drugs. They were being dropped off at the shore, I went to watch.” Jungkook said without missing a beat, it isnt that he was holding away information, it was just he was afraid that Taehyung would freak out.

“Heavy ?” Was all he got.

“The arms or drugs?”

“Both.”

“Shotguns, pistols. Good stuff though. Coke and blue pills –“

“Valium.” Taehyung identified.

“I don’t really know.” He said honestly, he was never into drugs. Taehyung has though, he knows that Tae knows his way around drugs, since he says he had tried almost everything. “But some were blue and some were white.”

“White varies, but anyways, did go well?” Taehyung asked, then he smirked but it was his usual self smirking. “I guess it did, since you got a gun now.”

Jungkook sighed, “You really never miss anything, do you?”

“How am I going to have your back, if I don’t see that you can’t?”

Jungkook stared for a moment, just thinking of how Taehyung was really getting involved. “Are you sure?” He asked after a quiet pause.

“God, we’ve been over this already!” He said with dramatic frustration.

“Fine, fine, just making sure.” He said, as he walked towards the door, his backpack on his back. “Oh and Tae?”

He hummed, “Don’t touch my gun.” Jungkook said with a smile and his friend smiled back.

Taehyung came to his in bruises sometimes, and used to smile, so wide and bloody and Jungkook feared the smile more than anything. Jungkook feared him sometimes.

+

“Be careful. Make connections, meet people but don’t trust anyone. At all. This school is full of snakes.”

His father’s words rang in his ears in their drive to school. Taehyung was explaining something animatedly to Jaehyun, making his little brother laugh as he made his own sounds effects to the story. But his mind was elsewhere.

He doesn’t remember the school he used to go to before military school when he was sixteen. He only remembers that it had an awful bell sound that sounded like nails scratching against a chalkboard. And in his boarding school, it was survival for the fittest.

Everywhere, its survival for the fittest.

Tae spoke about his old school before, said it was full of rich brats who had too much money and too much time on their hands to be human. Boredom and too much money; not a good combination, were Taehyung’s direct words. Other than that, he doesn’t know much about the dynamics of the school.

He will just stay put, get good grades and graduate. That’s a good plan and he will stick with it.

Big buildings and the sound of heels clicking against the ground, was his first impression. For some reason, girls came in formal shoes, short heeled shoes, and thigh high socks, and wore coats atop their uniforms. Boys wore sneakers, but with coats atop their jackets too, fur coats.

No one was alone, he noted, all the girls and boys were grouped, even while standing at the entrance. Cliques.

That was his first impression, of course and the fact that they were all staring at him.

Jungkook felt like his should get used to it by now, but he didn’t. you can never get used to the feeling of being watched. The murmurs were loud too, hell they weren’t even trying to hide that they were speaking about him.

Taehyung suddenly swung an arm around his neck, starting to walk and dragging him along. “They’ll find something else to gossip about soon.”

He is thankful to have Taehyung by his side, with all his wickedness and all his issues.

“And Jungkook,” His father called as he was about to leave, “If you wanted a gun, you could’ve just asked for one.”

+

“What an interesting hair color.” Jennie spoke.

Rosé turned around abruptly, snapping towards the voice. She titled her head to the side and replied, “Not as interesting as your shoes. Combat boots in school? Really Jen, you’re better than that.”

Jennie broke into a wide smile as she began; “God, I missed you, you cold .” She said and Rosé smiled back. “How many relationships did you ruin this summer?”

“About six, I don’t quite remember.” Rosé said, “Have you skinned anyone alive lately?”

“Rosé! Of course not!” Jennie said, gasping dramatically, feigning surprise.

Her friend cocked a brow and gave her a look. “You know me, I like chopping fingers more.”

They laughed and Jennie is pretty sure that the freshman who just passed them, and has perhaps heard them was terrified out of his mind, breaking in cold sweat and he scurried down the hallway,

Suddenly, they were both pulled into a bear hug. The offender turned out to be their friend, Lisa, who yelled in the middle of the hallway; “I missed you so much!”

“We missed you too.”

They haven’t seen each other in a while, Lisa was in Thailand visiting her parents, Jennie was neck deep in paperwork, and Rosé was, well, Rosé. So she was probably out there all summer, ruining lives.

Quickly, Lisa involved them in a conversation about their summer. Lisa spoke vaguely about her family – as she always has, but talked about her friends back in Thailand and the adventures they had there, something about jungles, but murmurs interrupted their conversation, they frowned, but they all understood as they looked to the end of the hallway.

The Park heir’s first day of school.

Jungkook walked in long strides, head high and shoulders straight, just like his father walks. To his right his friend walked, lollipop stick in his mouth, smirking at the attention they grasped. To his left walked Suga, his hair a fresh shade of blonde.

They were at the far end of the hallway, yet the whole wide hallway had their attention on them.

Rosé was checking something on her phone, and she suddenly began: “Guys look,” She said t them, gesturing her phone, as soon as Lisa saw the website, she scolded;

“Why do you read this kind of tabloid?”

“What?” she asked, feigning innocence, “It has all the school gossip. And its funny.”

“It’s cruel.” Lisa corrected but Rosé paid her no mind.

“The guy with the lollipop, his name is Kim Taehyung, he’s the seventh son of the Kim lawyer family.” She read. “Apparently, he’s a nut job.” She said before she gasped, “ – do you know who his girlfriend is?”

“Who?” they said in a chorus.

“Park Sooyoung.” She said, and they both gasped, “This eye candy is Sooyoung’s boyfriend.”

“That crazy chick? Damn.” Jennie said. Joy have already graduated, two years ago and is now one of the most wanted model and fashion blogger. Jennie has only had limited contact with her, but she knows she used to rule this school up until she graduated.

“Do you think he’s involved?” Rosé asked Jennie and as she did, Lisa looked the other way. They were both her friends and she loved them, but she knew the kind of life they led and she had decided a long time ago, that she didn’t want to be involved in their criminal life.

“He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t.” Jennie said, “Maybe he’s part of his crew.”

She knew Jungkook must assemble a crew sooner or later, a agroup of people that he trusts fully to be around him at all times, watch his back and run errands, be where he cant be, as he already has his tattoo. He is ready for a position and she wonders what kind of position Phoenix will gift his son.

As they passed them, Jungkook eyed her and Jennie threw a nod his way, and he replied by the same. They were on the same team, and she is glad that Jungkook knows so.

“Ladies,” Suga smiled flirtatiously at them.

“ off.” Jennie smiled back, rolling her eyes at his antics.

+

Jimin wouldn’t call himself smart.

He wasn’t particular smart, didn’t have any specific talents, didn’t posses certain charms needed and didn’t want them.

Jimin was simple and he liked it.

But even through his simple mindset and his inability to make sense of math equations, he knew enough to understand that he was walking himself and his sister to their inevitable doom.

His doom came in the form of big fancy buildings, rich brats lurking in its corners and a boy who had a tattoo on his neck much like his own, and a stern gaze made to kill.

He turned to glance at his sister who seemed too endorsed in taking in the view of the school’s gardens, and wide fields. He saw how her eyes lit up just as they did when he told her they would be attending this god forsaken place, and how they did when she tried on her fancy blue uniform.

He feels guilty. He feels so, so guilty that it was eating him up.

He was here as a spy, and it wasn’t going to last long, he knew damn well it wasn’t. a couple of weeks and Master was going to catch up on his secrets being told, and Jimin and his sister will be thrown away back to where they come from.

The Red Light district was a lot of things, but it wasn’t home to them. He’s told his sister many times, since their father died that they will get out someday. Jimin will do whatever in his power to make sure his sister doesn’t spend the rest of her life there, where it crawled with cockroaches and gangsters. He will sell drugs, and he will hurt people , hell, he will shoot bullets if it meant making it out.

And she believed him.

Every time, things got bad and she cried, they would sit on the ground, and he will always tell her that her brother will take care of it, he will deal with whatever issue they had. And some day, even if it’s not today, some day he will get them out.

And she still believed him, when he said it to her when he came home with ink on his neck, when he came home in bruises, and when he came home in blood stains. Jisoo would smile, and nod and tell him that she knew he will.

“Oppa?” She suddenly said, and he focused his eyes on her when she did. She was looking somewhere else, and Jimin turned to see a boy with honey brown hair, with a lollipop in his mouth, a blond hair boy with a smirk on his face, and a boy in the middle with black hair and eyes to match its darkness.

“Master,” he greeted, bowing once more and Jungkook sighed.

“Oh, he calls you master,” The boy with the lollipop said, grinning widely through the white stick between his teeth, “How cute.”

Jungkook shook his head at his friend and gave a tired smile to Jimin, “Hey. I didn’t know you went here.”

It wasn’t phrased as a question but Jimin answered anyway; “This is my first year here.”

“Scholarship?” Suga asked uninterestingly but something about his tone sounded curious.

“Yes… More of a program.” He exhaled after he said the words, he’s practiced it many times in front of his bathroom mirror last night, he’s practiced a throughout explanation as to how he and his sister managed to both have a scholarship.

“How interesting.” He commented and he hated how smug he sounded. He hated Suga entirely, from his mouth that always seemed to be smirking to his eyes that looked at everyone around them as if they were less.

“What’s your name?” Taehyung asked, his eyes all innocent and round.

“Jimin…” He trialed off, not knowing how he should address this man, he doesn’t know if he is important or not. Jimin doesn’t wish to make enemies so early in the morning.

“I’m Taehyung. You can call me Tae, or Taetae or whatever, really, I don’t care.”

Jimin nodded, awkward, but Taehyung switched his gaze on the girl behind who was just staring at everyone, gaping at their looks.
“And you are…?” Taehyung inquired curiously.

Jisoo opened to answer, but Jimin beat her to it, “She’s my sister, Master.” He directed his words to Jungkook even though it was Taehung who asked. “I believe you’ve met?”

Taehyung smiled suddenly, he doesn’t know why he smiled, but either way – Taehyung seemed harmless. “Yes, we have.” Jungkook spoke with an apologetic smile, “I’m sorry for last time.”

She gulped at his gaze on her and stuttered a quiet; “It’s okay…” But Jimin looked back at her and she added; “Master.”

“No need for that.” He said, and he was still smiling and Jimin didn’t know why he was even speaking to them so softly and so carefully. But he didn’t like it. If this boy is anything like Namjoon had said then he shouldn’t be acting this way.

In a distance, the sound of a bell rang. And it seemed to be the cue for them to get to class.

“It was nice to meet you,” Jungkook said to his sister, he turned to Jimin, nodded his head to the side, motioning him to come along.

Jimin hesitates for a moment, before going along the command, and leaving Jisoo behind. She smiled at him when he glanced back at her.

She always believed him, and always smiled, and always followed him blindly.

And Jimin was leading her straight to their doom.

+

Jungkook noticed that he walked behind him with a step.

They were still walking towards their class and Jimin was walking one exact step behind him. He was smaller in frame but something told Jungkook that he wasn’t as weak as he looked, after all, he did become one of Neugdae and he is sure his father didn’t appreciate weakness.

He received glances, blatant, rude glances. The students whispered to each other but Jungkook already heard them, they called him Phoenix’s bastard, which is really what he was, but they said it in a way that made him feel inferior.

But he has other things that require his attention more than hallway gossip.

Taehyung had dragged a grumpy Yoongi a couple of steps ahead on Jungkook’s command, though he didn’t say it outloud, Taehyung understood from a glance that Jungkook wanted to speak alone with this boy and the honey browned boy was already drawing Suga away, Jungkook felt like Suga knew what he was doing but followed anyway.

“I asked you last time, who Min Yoongi was, and you told me he was a high rank dealer.” Jungkook began, calm without any mischief laced with his voice, because as far as he was concerned, Jimin was not a threat. “But he’s my council now and I don’t know if I could trust him.”

Jimin listened carefully but why was he speaking to him about this?

“I want you to tell me who he is. What he used to do, how he got involved, everything you know.”

He knew it was an odd request but unfortunately for Jimin, he was the only source for information available – that answered to him.

Jimin blinked as Jungkook stopped in the middle of the way to the big building, in the gardens, The classes were starting but Jungkook didn’t have to be there for the first period, literature was easy. He lent against the lockers and crossed his arms, waiting for Jimin to begin.

“Okay…” Jimin exhaled, “he got involved by a friend. This guy was suddenly selling good stuff in our territory and others and no one knew who he was and where he came from. Neugdae and the Chois were both competing about who will get to kill him first.”

“Why kill him? –“ He asked before he cut his own question off with another. “Where was he getting his stuff then?”

“The Chinese, Thai, Yakuza, who knows. Rumor has it, he had a connection to a foreign supplier. But I don’t know much about that.” Jimin said, he apologized for not knowing but Jungkook waved a hand and told him to continue.

“Anyway, he was killed. I don’t know by who.” Jimin said. “And, he started to lay low, and only ran in a rich kid district near Gangnam, up until then, no one really knew who he is.”

“And…?”

“Then his power grew, influence grew. If you offer rich kids some good stuff for a while, you’ll be famous. But offer them good stuff consistently and you’ll be king.” Jimin explained and Jungkook understood that Suga made a name on providing whatever his customers wanted – also with the promise of never running out. “And… Phoenix is the king of Seoul. So the threat to his name and power was bad.”

“He came to light then, after he’s made a name for himself, as Suga, he came out as Min Yoongi; as the heir of Black&White records.”

“Phoenix just let him be?” He asked and Jimin wanted to tell him that if he wanted to know what his father thought then he should just ask him. But he swallowed and continued.

“Of course not, he sent someone to…. Take care of it but they came back empty handed because all of a sudden, Suga was under Yamazaki protection. No one can touch him.”

“My father let a rural gang stop him from getting someone?” but he does remember the men in the body tattoos of dragons and starry masks to look quite dangerous. But hell, who was he kidding, everyone in life now was dangerous. Including himself.

“Phoenix had a lot of business going on with the Yamazaki, starting a war for a teen dealer who was going to piss off someone else and get gunned down anyway isn’t the smart move.” Jimin explained, and Jungkook searched his eyes for any sort of mocking or superiority, but he found none. Jimin was only explaining carefully.

He nodded and Jimin took a deep breath before he continued, “He just paid them a lot of money. But now, he can fight for himself, he got a name for himself, and a position in the food chain. While being untouchable.” Jimin finished with a tired sigh. He remembers living the story he was telling, but he was merely nothing back then and he remembers being so impressed with this boy his age who was playing chess with the big men and how he looked up to him. Because Jimin never had this much courage in his blood.

“Can’t believe Neugdae just let him be…” He said, they speak of loyalty and territory and Jungkook hears the words family and intruders thrown around and he is just surprised that his father’s influence seems so huge sometimes but so little at others.

Jimin paused and Jungkook can tell, he was contemplating if he should say something or not, but Jimin knew that if he was going to earn trust and get in his inner circle, he was gonna have to make himself useful.

“No.. Phoenix was… impressed.” Jimin said, “They say he laughed when he found out Suga was under Yamazaki protection. After that, he was invited to a closed Neugdae meeting and since then he stopped being an enemy, and only started dealing in both Choi and Wolf territory peacefully.”

“He just made peace? Like that?” Jungkook asked, “With the Chois too?”

“I don’t have details, only rumors, Master.” He said, “I’m just a runner.”

“Are you sure that’s what happened?” Maybe his fatigue was catching up on him, but he is pretty sure that this kind of stories only existed in movies.

“That’s all I know, Master.” Jimin said, ducking his head in a silent bow, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He dismissed, “You’ve been more useful than most.”

Jungkook was smiling tiredly, the smile not quite reaching his eyes, but trying to and Jimin can swear that the boy was human, and not the monster Namjoon made him out to be.

+

Days and weeks passed and it was still the same.

Jungkook went to school or to meetings with his father by day, and had lessons in the afternoon and went to new drop points by night. Jungkook has gotten used to suits and his uniform and he got used to seeing white powder on tables.

It’s scary, how it didn’t take long for him to get used to it.

Taehyung got used to it easily too. Which wasn’t expected, but then again, Jungkook knows how unexpected Taehyung could be. You can never quite know with him. He accompanied him to drop points and sang to himself softly as Jungkook and Suga – and Jimin, who he has found very useful in the aspect of certain information he can’t pry out his father or the ones he didn’t want to ask Suga – oversee the transaction.

Men were nervous about Tae, since the boy went around the first warehouse he went to, skipping around, singing to himself, taking in every detail of the place, all while looking like a child playing in the gardens.

Taehyung really didn’t care for the white snow on tables, or the boxes of guns, or the bags of pills. Taehyung truly didn’t seem to care and Jungkook sometimes wonders what kind of things you have to go through before you become this unbothered by dangerous things.

His father questioned it once, but Jungkook told him that Taehyung had chosen to be involved. And when Phoenix gave him a look, he told him that he trusts Tae with his life. It didn’t seem enough for the man but he didn’t pry anymore.

Everything was falling gracefully into place despite his brother questioning him every time he comes home late after a drop. The questioning usually ends in stubborn fighting but Jaehyun would act normal the next morning. So his life was developing a pattern and Jungkook liked patterns, they were safe.

That is, of course, until one night.

Usual drop, near the Han river, where he first went. Normal day and Taehyung and he were laughing about something before they reached the warehouse and picked up on the tense scene. Men gathered but near the walls, as if trying to stay out of sight and or of the line of fire.

His security were immediately surrounding him, but Jungkook pushed one of them aside and saw the scene before him.

There was a man on the ground, on his knees, beaten and bloody, and stood over him was Jay, with his gun to his head. Jay held his gun firmly and he had a solemn expression.

“What the hell is going on?” Suga asked, beating him to it.

“Someone is a snitch.” Jay said, “Someone got caught wearing a ing wire. And Someone is going to ing die.”

Jungkook gulped. Normalcy and a pattern were too much to ask apparently. Peace and quiet were too. Jungkook had to live in a nightmare. Nightmares while he’s awake and while he sleeps.

“Please… please, Master, I didn’t have a choice – they were going to send me to prison. I – I – please, Master – I have children! –“

The man was cut off by his own hiss of pain as Jay hit him with the back of the gun. Jungkook tried hard, he actually tried his best not to flinch.

“You should’ve thought about your kids before you became a ing rat!” Jay yelled, his face close to the snitch’s.

“Please, Master, please – Oh God – please.” The man kept begging but Jay wasn’t paying him any mind, but instead he looked at Jungkook and then all the heads turned to him instead.

“Master.” He uttered, he stood there, with his gun aimed and his finger on the trigger, only waiting for a command.

Jungkook looked at Suga for help or advice – or whatever the his council was supposed to do. And he leant to him, to whisper in his ear, “Betrayal is punishable by death, Jungkook.” He said, and Jungkook tried to find any guilt or remorse in his voice or his eyes but he didn’t find anything. “Give the order.”

“Does he have to die?” Came a whsper from Taehyung that probably wasn’t heard by anyone not standing next to him. And Jungkook had almost forgotten his friend was still there, entranced in the man’s begging eyes.

“He will anyway.” Suga whispered, but directing his words to Jungkook, seeing how awfully hesitant he was though he cant be.

Jungkook believes that it was on this day when he really had to made a choice to get involved. It wasn’t in his father’s car after they’d run away, it wasn’t when he started attending meetings or drops. Hell, it wasn’t even when he had killed his step father.

Jungkook had to make a choice. He can turn around and leave, hear a gunshot echoing from afar, and ride home to face his father’s wrath. He can just turn around and pretend that he didn’t have to kill.

But the man was going to die anyway, he doubts Jay will relent and let him go. And turning around meant being less than all the men in this storage space who would shoot a snitch without second thought.

He can lie and say he was awfully conflicted but Jungkook was a logical person. Blood was blood, and the man was going to die anyway. He can’t lose the position, God knows what Phoneix’s punishment would be like.

Jungkook didn’t tumble down the rabbit hole when he came to this place the first time. He tumbled inside violently, and quickly, when he gave the nod to Jay.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Taehyung look away.

But despite the pain in his chest, the gunshot went off, and suddenly, there was one less person in the room. it was a clean shot to the head but blood still spluttered around. Vibrant red now coated the floor behind the man though he tumbled forward, eyes closed, dead.

And Jungkook’s eyes involuntarily lingered on the once white snow that was now tainted red. He blinked and turned around, walking away.

The ride home was quiet but he could swear, he heard Taehyung sing under his breath.

He wonders what he mother would think of him if she saw him now.

+

A/N: So its not my best but we are going to work with what we have.

Sooooo, Jungkook just killed someone else. Now he has two men’s blood on his hands. Can you guys guess the aftermath? Please comment below how you think Kook is going to react and how Phoenix is going to react.

What do you think about Suga’s backstory? Its not really his backstory though, these are just the rumors that surrounded his rise to the top. Much more than meets the eye, remember girlies.

Comment your thoughts and suggestions. Love y’all.