"we need to talk about this," jiseo says. "this is kind of fucked up, okay? but— i want to make this work, i know you do too. i want us to work. so, please, kook, tell me, so we can make this work." jungkook feels his heart strings tug at the nickname she calls him, but he doesn't mention it.

jungkook scowls but he cooperates. "shit, this is kinda bad," he sighs.

"okay," he takes a deep breath. "uh, dad and i didn't really have that good father and son realtionship, you know? my mom, she left us and i was alone, dealing with an alcoholic dad. like i said, he wasn't abusive or anything, he's just— a handful."

jungkook gives her a look before ensuing, "it annoyed me how he didn't care about what i did— and when he did, it was always about the stupidiest things. like how i can't play piano as well enough as the other kids, like how i should focus more on my academics instead of sports and how i shouldn't befriend people who always cause problems."

jiseo wants to ask what problems his so-called friends caused, but she doesn't, she just listens. "if you remember, i mentioned i had anger issues, it's— it's not completely gone. i get pissed and it triggers it sometimes, so if i go over the line, you know why. basically i get mad sometimes but, yeah."

"i guess one day, i just.. kinda broke? i mean, my dad and i were arguing— practically screaming at each other. the anger issues weren't helping at all so i kind of, uh, shot him. fuck— that sounds messed up when you put it that way," jungkook shakes his head, looking away from jiseo. "the friends that i had, they were like— gangsters? i got along with them, so i stuck around, joining their activities every now and then."

"my dad got mad, but it's not like he cared that much. he just had a reputation to keep even though he was a drunktard at home. it— it doesn't really matter. this story isn't that interesting, basically i borrowed a gun from my friends, yada yada, shot him, made sure i left no traces, and ran away, joined the gang my buddies were in. yeah, pretty straightforward."

jiseo's stomach churns, she dislikes— no, she hates how jungkook sound so casual speaking about it. maybe she shouldn't be that surprised, but she is, because like yoongi said, she's utterly foolish. she admits that he sounds so insane but jiseo doesn't want to let him go. not yet. maybe not ever, if they can ever make this entire thing work. yet she knows it's unhealthy that she's getting so attached to him. he's mad, but they say all the best people are. is that really true?

she thinks of how she can stop all of this in one second, and how she can go back to a normal life where it was only her and yoongi. it has always been that way— not in a romantic aspect, that is. yoongi has stayed beside her ever since they met, and as time goes by, she feels like yoongi and her are drifting apart. it's as if the wall between them that has long been gone is coming back, instead this time it grows back with ice spikes and thorns.

but then, there's jungkook. jeon jungkook who looks at her as if she were the stars after the long dark. the person who makes her feel excitement and happiness rushing through her veins and how butterflies escape from the pit of her stomach as cliché as it sounds. she's hopelessly attached, and perhaps even in love, not completely but just maybe.

"i don't like how you say it so casually," jiseo replies, the corner of her lips curving downwards.

"what?" jungkook responds, eyebrows furrowing.

"sorry— i just— i need time to grasp all of this. it's not everyday you meet someone, uh, who did that to their father and—" before jiseo can finish, her sentence gets cut off.

"this is why i didn't want to tell you," jungkook frowns. "i knew you wouldn't understand."

"no— it's not that i don't understand, it's—"

"don't sugarcoat it, i know what you're thinking."

"you do, huh? then you should know that it's not humane to do the things you do. but i'm still here because i like you, i like being with you an—"

"well newsflash jiseo! i'm different and you either accept it or you don't," his voice gets colder, more fierce. "my dad deserved that, and i don't regret it one bit so shut the fuck up if you're just going to say i'm a freak."

"oh? you're telling me to shut up but you have such a big mouth yourself and it's not like you're even letting me finish my fucking sentences!"

"this is what you're doing? you're hanging out with some girl now?" this isn't jungkook. the sudden voice is deep, raspy and commanding, sending chills down jiseo's spine. she jumps in surprise, and when she looks towards the source of the voice, she sees a bulky man, who look a few years older than them. there seems to be another goon next to him, this one looking much more younger than the one who just spoke, youth painting his face. "or should i say, arguing with your girlfriend here? you should know better than to be this idiotic to care for someone like him."

when she looks back at jungkook, she's kind of surprised at how blank jungkook's expression abruptly is, he looks stone cold with a face that can't be read. the expressions he had on earlier while he was arguing with her were mostly painted with looks of hurt and anger. it feels eerie that she can't read his expression, the side of him in which jiseo doesn't really favor because it doesn't show as much when he's with her.

"what the hell are you doing here?" jungkook clenches his jaw, his voice serious and dripping with obvious unfriendliness, indicating that the presence of the two gangster-like males are not in any way welcoming to him.

"boss's order. he wants you back, but alive, and as a hostage. which is fortunate on your account, i rather bring him your head back," the first male, which jiseo names gangster one, explains.

"did you really think we wouldn't find you? i mean, you got posters with your face on them," the younger one standing to the right side of gangster one, which jiseo names gangster two, speaks. "that's honestly stupid. seriously? at least make an effort, don't make it so easy for us to find you."

what the fuck?

"why don't you mind your own business, yeah?" jungkook scowls. jiseo is honestly confused, and scared as shit because suddenly two thugs are cornering them in an alleyway and they claim to know him but jungkook never told her anything about them and—

"well, kook, i suppose you shouldn't have ratted the gang out then," gangster one glares with venom.

"for fucking money? can you believe that?" gangster one chuckles humorously, but to no one in particular. gangster two seems to nod vigorously in agreement, sour face in display.

"ratted— ratted the gang? w-what is he talking about?" jiseo immediately butts in, which she admits is a stupid move. though, the question slips out her mouth before she could process what were the hundred possible scenarios that could happen. third fourths of the scenarios may probably include her dying.

mercifully, she does not die just right there, just yet. "ah, it seems like he didn't tell you, did you, jungkook?" gangster one muses, and jiseo is aware of how jungkook clenches his fists very tightly, veins almost popping and knuckles a slight white.

"this kid's a fucking gold digger. bet he's clinging on you for your money too." what? jiseo's fucking clueless and she hates it. she hates how she doesn't know what's going on and she absolutely hates how this stranger in front of her is blatantly telling her that jungkook's a sick liar.

"that's not true, jiseo. you should know better than to trust h—" jungkook is cut off in the middle of his protest.

"the fact you have wanted posters around the city made it too easy. you ran but you really aren't scared, huh? what's the point of running if you're basically going to evidently show us where you are? you're on the news for god's sake," gangster one rants on.

"you know, i liked you. you were a good kid— friendly and all that, shame you ratted on us. boss almost died," gangster two cuts in.

"that was intentional, seems like my plans didn't work," jungkook speaks, his voice not strikingly loud but the quiet atmosphere that engulfs them makes him sound louder than fireworks.

"have your plans ever worked? c'mon, you're a kid!" gangster two mocks.

"you're one to say," jungkook mocks, and the thug shoots an unpleasant expression.

"i thought we were friends, jungkook. we would've been great partners in crime, don't you think so?"

"no, that was years ago. we were friends. not anymore."

"again, that's a shame," the man shakes his head, pretending to be hurt. "anyway, who's this? sugar mommy or something?"

jungkook's eyebrows crease in irritation and he grits his teeth. "leave her alone, gunho." ah, gangster one obtains name, gunho.

the man named gunho appears to be taken aback a little. "this one must be special to you then," he replies after a few drawn out seconds. "heard you didn't care for allies, you selfish little thing."

"shut the fuck up!" jiseo looks back at jungkook and holy shit he has a fucking gun in his hand, where did he even get that— and he points the gun at the man called gunho, and jiseo's fucking scared. though she doesn't make a run for it because that would be stupid to do so.

the two goons don't seem to falter from their façade. gunho laughs hysterically at jungkook and jiseo doesn't know why he's even laughing because who would laugh if they had a gun aimed at them? "oh c'mon, i've known you for like five years, before you ran. and i know your cowardly ass wouldn't pull the trigger on me because you're still a frightened kid. remember when you couldn't s—"

bang.

jungkook pulls the trigger and a very loud scream is heard before jiseo feels a tight grip on her hand, dragging her to a dumpster or some sort that emits a gross smell and fuck fuck fuck i'm going to die.

the sound of a bullet hitting the dead end wall, or the back of a building with chipped off paint is heard. it's dark but jiseo notices the cracks on the wall caused by the bullets. she's also glad that jungkook pulled her behind the dumpster barely a second faster or else she would have a bullet on her head.

"you fucker! you got some guts!" one of the two gangsters yelled. jiseo's not sure who.

"shit— shit! y-you— you shot him oh my god, and— and w-we were almost shot too— i was almost shot— fuck!" she almost screams, her heart beating so strong it feels like it's going to break her ribcage.

jungkook doesn't reply but he looks over the protection they have in front of them and pulls the trigger of the gun again, jiseo isn't sure if he managed to injure anyone, but the other party return the shootings too and jiseo doesn't know what to fucking do. she feels useless because she can't do anything but feel scared. her eardrums feel like they're going to rip apart from the loud sounds emitting from the guns.

the continuous shooting ensues for a few more seconds before jungkook drops back down next to her. "fuck!" he curses as he realizes that he ran out of bullets. he drops the gun next to him, hands roaming his pockets hurriedly to look for something, a weapon or more bullets if jiseo's assumption isn't wrong.

the agitation and panic gets to jungkook's head as he doesn't notice how the two gangster dash towards them. the one named gunho grabs the collar of jungkook's shirt, forcing him away from jiseo. the younger one pushes jiseo down on the ground, pining her with a unsettling grin on his face. she feels her body spike up in pain and she falls on the ground with a thud.

"jungkook!" jiseo calls, struggling and turning her head to his direction.

jungkook's eyes are wide as he fights against the thug on top of him. his eyes flashes towards jiseo for a few moments before focusing on getting the knife and gun that the thug was currently holding in his hands. he pushes the head of the gun away from his head so the gun is aimed to the ground, that why gunho doesn't have a chance to shoot him if he pulls the trigger. he grips tightly on the wrist that held a knife.

jiseo looks desperately for something to stop the guy from pining her down, but nothing useful comes to her vision. she tries to use her knee to hit him. however, the guy is smart, forcing them on the ground with his own legs. jiseo being a girl, is obviously weaker than the built guy on top of her, but she still tries to get away.

the male holding her down gets out a gun from the back pocket of his jeans. he uses one hand to hold jiseo's wrists while the free hand lingers on the trigger. jiseo's eyes widen as she sees him aim it towards jungkook's direction. she struggles, managing to use her knee to hit him near the hips. his hold on jiseo falters and she takes this chance to hit the gun away from his hands. the gun gets thrown a few metres away, too far for the thug to reach, so he has to let jiseo go if he wants to retrieve the weapon.

jiseo mentally rejoices but that moment doesn't last as she sees how the face of the male twists in fury. "huh, you're a troublemaker too." that's the only thing she hears before she feels rough hands gripping on her throat and fuck, i'm really going to die. the grip tightens and she gasps desperately for air. the oxygen supply falters, and she feels her vision cloud with black dots, her head getting dizzy.

"s-shit! j-jungkook!" she chokes out and the gangster on top of her smirks at her struggle.

her vision gets worse, consciousness slipping away from her control and both her lungs burn like fire as she tries to pry the unsettling hands off her throat. jiseo gasps, choking and kicking her legs, attemping to break out of the hold.

then, the hands on her throat are suddenly gone and jiseo takes a big gasp, filling her lungs with oxygen. she coughs and pants, sitting up and her eyes search for the goon that was choking her a few minutes ago. she hears punches being thrown at each other and when she turns her head, her eyes widen as if her eyeballs were going to fall out. jungkook punches the guy in the guts. the guy returns the punches, managing to injure jungkook a bit here and there. jungkook quickly kicks the guy at the back of the knee and he loses his balance, crashing to the ground. jungkook sits on top of him and this time, jungkook's hands are gripping his throat, strangling him.

jiseo turns her head to the other direction, to where the elder goon named gunho was. she remembered he had a gun and knife aimed at jungkook and she wonders what the hell happened to him. her eyes search in the dark and she sees his unconscious body on the floor. his limps lay stationary on the ground as if he was dead, jiseo's not sure but she hopes not. his face looks like he has scratches and bruises from punches supposedly caused by jungkook. there's blood all over him and jiseo sees the crimson knife in his chest whilst the gun is no where to be seen.

she looks back to jungkook, his eyes dark and filled with madness, smiling creepily as his hold on the guy's throat tightens even more. the veins on jungkook's bloody hands looks like they would pop. the guy below him gasps for air, similar to jiseo's reaction when he was the one who strangled her. his hands weakly hit jungkook's wrists but the hits were not strong enough to pry the hands off.

"don't like it when it's done to you? huh?!" jungkook mocks, a smirk on his lips. and soon, the guy's limps fall to the ground, passing out.

jungkook then stands up, getting a gun from his pocket. the gun looks like the one gunho was aiming at him. he grimaces at the reddish liquid on his hands. he aims the gun at the guy and pulls the trigger without hesitation. his body shooting up from the bullet piercing into his forehead before going completely still. jungkook stares at it for a few seconds, letting out a sigh after a while when he turns his attention away.

he turns to jiseo, who's still on the floor, panting at the scene in front of her. jiseo feels sick because fuck this is a mess— he's a mess. "jiseo," jungkook calls but jiseo doesn't reply, she only stares at him. his cheek and eye has a nasty purplish bruise. he has scratches in a few places and blood at the corner of his lips. jiseo's pretty sure she can see blood coating his clothes too, she's not that sure since he's wearing black.

jungkook takes a step closer but jiseo backs away, fear overtaking her whole body and jungkook's eyes flash with hurt. "jiseo, look—" he takes another step closer.

"s-stay a-away!" the words slide out of her mouth before she can think about it. "stay t-the fuck away f-from me."

"no— jiseo, please listen— i was doing what's right."

"what you did was fucking horrible!" jiseo responds and scrambled up from her positon on the ground. she gets up to her feet, backing away from the boy in front of her. jungkook just stares at her, returning her frightened expression with a sudden blank one. and then, she turns, running away from him. away from all of the bad things.

jiseo pulls her phone out of her pocket, pressing yoongi's contact as she speed-walks away from the alleyway. her body's sticky and sweaty, her chest heaves for air, the adrenaline isn't gone yet and there's dirt all over her clothes. her heart beats so rapidly as if there was no tomorrow.

it takes a few rings before yoongi picks up. "what do you want? i'm pretty sure you didn't want to talk to me when—"

"y-yoongi," she chokes out.

"w-wait— what? holy fuck you sound wrecked, what the hell happened?" yoongi's voice is abruptly filled with concern.

"where a-are you? i— i n-need to talk," jiseo's voice wavers.

then, she thinks of the time where jungkook said he hasn't done anything that bad. it should have been obvious that he was lying, but jiseo's absolutely gullible and foolish and— attached. she wants to hang on to his words because she's too stubborn to admit that she's tangled in chaos. he lied— because if he didn't do anything worse than being the cause of the death of his own father, he wouldn't be on wanted posters. he wouldn't have people who wanted his head sliced off his neck. he's not like the others, he's different— in a bad way, and this is not like a fairytale. he's like an angel with the devil's wings.