♟ Far away from nothingness ♟

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- Target -

Taehyung's POV

"So, think you can tell me what the deal is with this Hoseok guy?" I ask, taking a seat on Jungkook's light grey couch, sighing contently as Park and RM get comfy too. It's been a week since the whole project thing, a week since we've worked on that stupid assignment here at Jungkook's loft.

A week since the reveal of my name.

"It's a long story," He says, taking a seat next to me, drink in hand. "And, quite frankly, it isn't even my story to tell." I hum, my forearms pressed to my knees, my fingers intertwined together. "But he's been nothing but an ass to me, so fuck it. I'll tell you." I hold back a snicker, eyes flashing with amusement as he sits back into the couch.

"I met Hoseok when I was, I'd say around six," He began, setting his drink down on the round coffee table, sighing as he did so. "We met through our parents. His mother and my mother were close, apparently really close. As in, they went to high school together." I nod, listening carefully.

"From the beginning, Hoseok's always been a little, well, different. He chose not to get too close, for whatever reason, was extremely possessive over things that belonged to him, and started a lot of fights with the other kids." Jungkook shrugged, his lips twitching up into a smile.

"I thought he was just being a brat since we were only, like, seven." Jungkook laughed, shrugging again. "But things never really changed as we grew older. He began to get really possessive over his friends, his mood swings were so bipolar." I hummed, glancing at my friends.

"Anyway, skip to when he's thirteen, soon to be a high school freshman." I nod, leaning back into the couch, letting myself relax. "He got more, in a way, dangerous. He was learning how to fight and spent a lot more time with his dad than usual. Turns out that he was working undercover in the mafia."

My eyebrows shot up, a gasp leaving Jimin's lips. "At thirteen?" Jungkook nodded, frowning. "His father was a part of a gang, The Sins or something like that. His father had been in the mafia for over twenty years and pushed Hoseok into working in it too. Hoseok was an undercover spy for them, because after all, who would suspect a teenage boy to be a part of the mafia?"

"Things escalated pretty quickly with him. He matured a lot faster than we did, was often more paranoid than us. At age fourteen he was getting himself involved in things he shouldn't have, drugs and alcohol being two of them." Jungkook ran his fingers through his hair, sighing loudly. "Being around adults that were not only dangerous but immature in various ways led to Hoseok's toughest time."

"His drug addiction."

I saw him tense up, eyes widening ever so slightly. What happened during that time? "He was introduced to the world of drugs, from weed to heroin to cocaine. He was practically hooked on it all. He was high morning, afternoon, and night. He had to get high, otherwise, he'd go insane." I saw him frown, throwing his head into his hands.

"He introduced both Jin and Yoongi to drugs, telling them how amazing it felt to just get high. They fell for it, getting hooked onto drugs just like he did. I didn't want anything to do with it, I've seen what it can do to people." He explained, leaning his head back on the couch pillows. "Yet every time I refused I was always called a pussy."

"His drug addiction lasted for a good year before he finally learned the downsides. One night, I got a call that I didn't recognize, so I didn't answer. It kept calling, and calling, and calling. It must have called seven times before I finally picked up, annoyed that whoever was on the other line wasn't leaving me alone."

"At two in the morning, I received a call from the hospital stating that my friend was currently in ICU." My jaw dropped open, his eyes turning glossy. "His father wasn't picking up the phone and his mother wasn't exactly in the picture during this time. I was labeled as 'Best Friend Kookie' on his phone, so they called me."

"I drove thirty minutes, at night, to the hospital to see him. He was in terrible condition. I remember seeing him hooked up to that damn ventilator, the beeping of the heart monitor filling the silence that came from the room. He looked weak, god, he looked practically dead." I frowned, noticing the sudden change in his attitude.

He cares for him.

"He almost lost his life," He spoke, his voice an octave deeper than before. "Three times, to be honest. His heart stopped three different times, one time while I was there." His eyes met mine, a tear escaping and sliding down his soft, porcelain cheek. "After he healed and whatnot, he went through heavy withdrawal but he got out of the addiction."

"He continued to do drugs, but not as heavily. As far as I'm aware, he only does weed every day, cocaine occasionally." I sighed, shaking my head back and forth. It didn't matter how good drugs made you feel, they're bad for you. Why can't people see that?

"At age sixteen, he was finally ready to take his leave from the mafia." He spoke, wiping the tear away with the back of his hand. "His father was murdered during a mission, as far as I'm aware. Apparently Hoseok witnessed it, and the rage he felt for not only the one who killed his father but also the mafia in general overpowered everything."

"So, he demanded to leave, but the gang leader didn't let him off the hook so easily." I glanced at my friends, seeing them just as interested in the story as I was. "Hoseok has always been skilled in weaponry. He knows the ins and outs of every rifle, every pistol, every goddamn gun in general."

"He knows how to use something as simple as a pocket knife to something as complex as an assault rifle. He even began to collect every gun he could get his hands on. He was the toughest, deadliest teenager the whole mafia had ever seen. The leader was even intimidated by Hoseok, but nonetheless he didn't let him go that easily."

"After all, Hoseok was a walking weapon, why would they want to lose that?" I nodded, seeming to understand what he was saying. "So, what happened after that?" Jungkook snickered, crossing his arms over his chest. "Simple, really. Hoseok wanted to leave, so he did. In order for him to do so, he had to get rid of the one in charge."

"So he killed the gang leader."

"Just like that?" Namjoon asked, clearly surprised. "He just straight up killed him? No remorse or anything?" Jungkook shook his head, eyes shutting. "No. By this time, Hoseok was a walking bomb, literally. His emotions and relationships were shut down, hidden dormant inside of him. All it took was the spark to ignite the bomb, then bam, you were dead."

"He killed fifteen people on the spot, bullets shot right through their heads. Why? Because they talked to him." I cocked an eyebrow, feeling a growl form in my throat. That's uncalled for. "He," Jungkook paused, sighing, "he became super dangerous, yet not entirely around me. I knew about his life, I knew everything. He trusted me with that information."

"And I kept it hidden. I never told anyone, not even my own family. With the money Hoseok earned from the mafia, he rented this loft and continues to pay the rent. It's signed under his name. He pays the water and electricity bills, giving me a place to live." He shrugged, sliding a hand down his face.

"I always knew Hoseok to be the undefeated walking weapon. The walking bomb. My friends saw the same, so that's why we feared everyone who stood in his way. Hoseok has always won every fight, every battle, weapon-based or not." Where's he going with this?

"Yet, for some reason, when I first saw you three, I somehow knew that you could easily overpower Hoseok. I don't know how, or even why. When I saw you knock him off his feet and deliver a punch that practically sent him flying, I was dumbfounded. No one has ever defeated Hoseok before, yet you did it with ease."

"So, how? How did you manage to take down Jung? The undercover teenage gang member that overpowered everyone in the mafia?" I froze, looking at my friends, seeing them just as shocked as I was. I gulped, my mind racing. Think, Taehyung, think. Lie. Make up something. How did you do it?

"You see," I began, clearing my throat and looking at my friends, "Park, RM, and I used to be a part of the underground street fighting that happened in our home town. We'd fight hundreds of opponents each week, growing stronger. Our hopes were to become professional wrestlers one day."

"As to how I took down Hoseok that easily, I'm not sure, but I do have fighting experience. His punch was weak compared to the other punches I've felt before." Jungkook's eyes narrowed on me, a hum leaving his lips. "So, you're a street fighter?" I laughed, shrugging. "Not anymore. I was."

"As were you two?" He asked, pointing to Namjoon and Jimin. They nodded, playing along. Jungkook hummed, looking at the three of us for a second. "Well, you must have fought some pretty powerful guys. Hoseok should have been a difficult opponent for you, yet you made it seem so easy to knock him off his feet."

I laughed, shrugging while I glanced at my friends. Close one. "Anyway, after the whole drug addiction thing, Hoseok ended up growing a lot closer to me. We would do practically everything together and I honestly considered him my older brother," He said, smiling a bit.

"We'd do stupid things like go to amusement parks and ride all the rides over and over then go to restaurants and order insane amounts of food that we'd never eat." He giggled a bit, I guess recalling the memories. "When he began to date Yoongi, he turned a lot colder."

"I don't know what happened, but he's seemed to go back to his old ways, pushing others away and shutting down his emotions." I frowned, sighing once more. What made him change so suddenly? "Either way, I'm tired of the crap he puts me through."

"Don't worry so much about him, with us around, he won't lay a finger on you," Jimin said, flashing a wide smile. Jungkook smiled too, nodding. "I know, but it still hurts, you know? He went from being my best friend, the one I could rely on for anything to such a jackass who could care less about my entire existence as a whole."

I stifled a growl, my hands clenching into fists. "I was always there for him, so why is he treating me so badly now? That's what I fail to understand. He won't even tell me why he hates me now." I could see Jungkook's eyes turn glossy again, a shaky sigh heard. I pulled him into me, hugging him tightly.

"Don't think about it. What's done is done. He doesn't deserve you as a friend," I spit out, hugging my mate tightly. The thought of Hoseok just abandoning Jungkook like that, going from kind and caring to an absolute jerk made my blood boil.

I don't care if it puts my secret on the line of being exposed. I can tell that the recent events between Jungkook and Hoseok have hurt my mate greatly. Hoseok may be a human, but in my eyes, and in my friends' eyes, he's my enemy.

And when wolves declare enemies on someone, they don't stop until their dead. I glanced at my friends, my eyes flashing blue, a growl released into the mind-link. "We have our target," I announced, seeing them smirk widely. It can take us decades, but wolves don't give up until the enemy is dead.

So for now, let the hunt begin.

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As he said, the hunt begins. They're after him, let's see how long it takes them.

Hoseok's past has been revealed. Why do you think Hoseok has turned colder?

The secret is soon to be revealed, can you guess how?

I purple you 💜

~Pisanthrophobia.