TRIGGER WARNING
violence, drugs, abuse

This chapter includes some inappropriate/triggering events that may cause discomfort to some readers. Please proceed with caution.

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"We destroy the things we fear; sometimes, some of us are afraid of love, afraid that it leaves us vulnerable, exposed and open, afraid that it may destroy us, and so we destroy instead." —Daniel Saint

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THE SOUND of the flickering fluorescent tubes at the webbed ceiling of the place could be heard in the midst of the squeaking and thuds of kicks and punches around the area.

It is two o'clock in the afternoon, during this time of the day, there are only a few people who drop by. There are just ten other people in the abandoned parking lot which is located beneath the underground basement he usually goes to for brawls. 

The parking lot is wide, enough to cater to the groups of thugs or criminals during peak night. Only veteran people know this part. The lot is usually for warming up and illegal trading. It doesn't have quarters but no one really cares if you decide to sleep in the dirty corners. This is where he has been staying for more than a week now.

Taehyung lunged and landed a strong punch on the punching bag. He jabbed another with his arm and kicked it after. He continued to hit it consecutively, each hit becoming harder. His mind is blank, his body insensate. He is just carelessly letting out what's eating him inside.

With a last rugged pummel, he stumbled backwards on his feet. Almost losing his balance.

For a week, he has been participating in back-to-back fights. At this point, it's not even for the money. He just wanted someone— something, to lash upon. Surely, it's taking its toll on his body.

He barely eats and sleeping is never really easy for him. His scratches and bruises don't have time to heal because he keeps on going against hoodlums to hoodlums.

If I die here, it's not suicide, right?

He moved backwards and combed his disheveled hair that is dripping with his sweat. He walked to the side and picked up the cold bottle of water on the ground. He opened it hastily and drink to quench his thirst. He took big gulps of water until he tasted blood on his lips.

He wiped the side of his mouth using his shoulders and spit on the dusty concrete ground. His peripheral vision caught a glimpse of his physique by the broken mirror on the wall near him.

Taehyung walked past the stand of the punching bag and headed for his reflection. He leaned his arm on the mirror, staring back at himself.

Piece of shit.

He glared at his own image, his hands balling into a fist as he gritted his teeth.

"Something's bothering you?" Jin appeared behind him in the mirror's reflection. His eyes darted to him. He had a backpack hanging on his shoulder, perhaps straight from his classes.

Taehyung stood straight but he remained looking at him through the mirror. Jin shrugged and said, "Not that we want to intervene, just don't let it affect the match," he told him dismissively.

"No need to remind me dipshit," he rolled his eyes.

"You don't seem like the usual," Suga appeared from his side and slumped down on the filthy floor. He was smoking, "Don't drag us with you."

Taehyung finally faced the two, "I won't," he spite back, "So fuck off," he uttered and left them, picking up his things and taking out his own cigarette.

He crouched by the rubbles of a destroyed building. The path after the parking lot leads to a ruined area of a once tall structure. Not far from their location is a small forest. This place is almost at the outskirts of the city where people don't usually wander.

He plugged in his sim on his phone for the first time in two days. It has been two days since he last saw her.

He swiped his phone open, and a bunch of messages popped up. However, he never really reads them. It's just the people he hates. For years, he kept on changing numbers to cut ties with the people who always find a way to find him.

But this number stayed the longest, so far.

As if it's a reflex, his eyes focused on the long texts with weird symbols from one unsaved contact he memorized like the back of his hand already.

From: Unknown Number
: Good morning ∩｡• ᵕ •｡∩ ♡ I hope you're still doing alright from where you are
: Oh, I left you food boxes on the rooftop pls eat properly oki?

He bit on his cigar as he read her first messages. She sent tons, he kind of thought she treated their chat box like a diary. He read them all until he reached her latest texts.

: I think you don't wanna see me so I put it there before I go home, usual time hehe a little past 6 (◟ᅇ)◜ik ik! You told me not to go there alone but I promise I'm vv careful ᕦ(⩾﹏⩽)ᕥ hehe

Taehyung's forehead creased and he cursed under his breath. He is not around so he hated the idea of her going there especially at night. They only hang out on the rooftop when he accompanies her. He doesn't want a repeat of what happened before.

She is always so stubborn, it's killing me.

He puffed the smoke to breathe. He must tell her not to go there anymore. He'll drop by and leave a note after his next brawl later.

: Ohohoho also I have so many to tell you (ﾟ∩ﾟ) I think Lisa starts to open up for you~~ We kind of went ninja at your house (╯°o°）╯︵ ┻━┻ but I will only tell you if u see me again mwehehe ᕕ( ಠ‿ಠ)ᕗ

He was confused about the whole ninja thing but he disregarded it.

It's just her usual nonsense childish stuff.

He paused by the mention of Lisa. Taehyung never really makes an effort to remember other people's names but Jisoo always mentions that friend of hers, lecturing him about being friends with her.

Also, he kind of remembered the girl with the bangs because of how much she objected to his connection with Jisoo. She probably is happy he's not sticking around her anymore.

: I see u read messages sometimes so pls be okay, okay???? I'm not gonna bug you keke

She'll fail at the not bugging me part.

He snickered. Somehow, something at the back of his mind finds comfort in the idea of her forever bugging him.

: Ps: i wore the bracelet, iz super cutie ✧♡(◕‿◕✿)

Taehyung's tongue pushed the inside of his cheeks. He feels his lips twitching and he does not want to give in for a smile.

That is so not him.

: Pps: i named the angry stuffed toy winter, because he is so cold to me, always frowning huhu (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞ but i hug it when i sleep, thankies! ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ) <3

His mood dropped right away. The idea of the stupid bear having a more comfortable sleep on her arms compared to him made his blood boil.

I'm gonna burn that shit of a bear when I get back.

He rolled his eyes and frowned in front of the screen at her last message. Then, he paused.

If I go back.

"V, we're up next," Jin interrupted his train of thoughts, thankfully. He simply nodded before standing up and dusting off his pants. He dropped the cigar and stomped on it.

—

It is her third time going to the rooftop. Since she is released earlier than usual, Jisoo went before it got dark. She is humming to herself while hugging the lunch bag to her chest. She is also grasping a pepper spray on her hand for caution.

Before she could reach the building, her eyes squinted when a familiar figure came out from the entrance. Jisoo quickly hid behind a post while observing the guy. She focused her sight on him until she realized the familiar broad back and jacket.

Even with the mask and the cap, she instantly recognized him.

Taehyung!

Her first thought is to call him but knowing he'd most likely run or hide again, she stopped herself.

And she decided.

I'll follow him. I just wanna know where he stays, that's all.

Jisoo was determined. She didn't waste a second and trailed behind him in a safe distance. He rode a bus but she wasn't able to ride. Good thing, she hailed a cab in time.

"Sir please follow the bus, I missed the ride," she politely asked the driver and they went to follow him.

It took them an hour before he got off the bus. Jisoo rushed to pay for the cab and ran after him. She doesn't know where they are, if it weren't for the road, she'll think they are outside the city already.

Just what is he doing at a place like this?

The sun is out. It's almost seven in the evening. She regretted impulsively following him here but she doesn't have any choices left. The only thing Jisoo knows about the place is Taehyung.

They took a lot of turns in confined spaces. She's thankful he seems to be unfocused, she was almost caught in the alley earlier.

Jisoo gasped when they reached the end of the pathway. A big building came to sight, it was bright with lights and a crowd of people gathered at what she thinks is an entrance. She looked around. Most people here are big, bulky men.

It's not in her nature to judge people with just their appearances but she saw a group of them with guns.

Instinctively, she pulled the hood of her jacket over her head.

Actually, his jacket.

Jisoo wore Taehyung's very large puffer jacket which she failed to give him back last time. She hugged the lunch bag inside the jacket and her grip tightened on her pepper spray.

Guns versus pepper spray? Great idea.

Since it was oversized for her tiny figure and looks like everyone else does not meddle with each other, Jisoo managed to blend in the horde of people rushing to enter.

She wasn't even walking, the strength of the crowd just dragged her along until she successfully entered the building. She instantly moved away from people, she bumped to some and bowed down to apologize in a hush whisper.

Jisoo looked around nervously.

I lost him! She panicked a lot more. This place is very dangerous. She worried for herself and for him too.

What has she gotten herself into? All she is expecting is to see the place where he rests or stays for the meantime not... Not this.

This is a whole different thing.

A different world.

A dark world.

Jisoo jumped on her feet as a gunshot was heard. She ducked to cover her ears. Her arms quickly caught the lunch bag from falling. She felt a few weirded out looks in her direction as she was hit by the people passing by.

Okay, I need to blend in. Calm down.

She stood up, even if she was trembling slightly. Jisoo then noticed a big boxing ring in the middle where the crowd feasted on. She forced her way to the front, hoping to find a glimpse of him.

A glimpse of Taehyung.

Meanwhile, he felt a bugging impulse inside him.

On his way earlier, Taehyung thought he saw Jisoo. But when he looked back, there was no one. He was convinced he was paranoid. How can she even be here? Impossible.

I was probably hallucinating.

His eyes looked blankly at the current fight in the ring. He munched on his burger. Taehyung never really likes crowds so he just watches brawls afar. It's not as if he is interested, anyway.

The man hit his scrawny opponent who looked like a teenager with his spiked baseball bat. Because there are no rules, you need to accept whatever fight is arranged for you, especially for beginners. No matter how unfair it is. The money is big and so it goes to many lengths.

For unfortunate people, they die on the spot.

The big man laughed as the wimpy kid crouched on his stomach. He was in the corner of the ring crying, pleading to quit.

Jisoo, who is in the front seeing everything up close, cannot take it any longer. She has her hand on her mouth while she is starting to cry.

Yet, the bald man swung his big bat aimed for the child's head. However, before he could hit the child, the whole place halted because of a loud voice.

"OH MY GOD, PLEASE STOP!" Jisoo's shout echoed throughout the whole place.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and slowly turned their attention to her direction.

Even him.

In the farthest corner of the abandoned lot, he froze. He couldn't believe his ears, his hand felt numb before he could light up his stick.

Taehyung's heart stopped beating.

Well, that one sure didn't sound like a hallucination.

And then, it hit him.

Fucking shit, why the fuck is she here?!

**

Author's Note:
I know I'm really bad at posting but this time, I needed to sort so many things for this arc. I revamped the original one and edited one chapter so if you ever reread the book, there's a little change with the narration of chapter five. Nothing major, just the monikers; if you notice, Yoongi is narrated as Suga. They'll go by their stage names as code names for brawls. That's all to it.

Sorry, I said too much again. Hngg, this is why I avoid notes.

One last thing; we kind of need to be prepared for part two, I can picture the feels. It's gonna be heavy, kinda. LOL! Anyway, thank you for the support~