Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,972

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​

AN: I’m not sorry... Maybe a little sorry... Okay, I’m very VERY sorry...

Chapter 60: Come Back Home

“The thing that was blocking my life was my fear of tomorrow.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

After he parted ways with Yoongi, he tore back into the building. A shrill whistle peeled from his teeth and fingers, issuing the signal for the remaining Golden Jackals still standing to vacate the premises. He crossed paths with one of his sentries, Seungi, who handed him a detonator. Taehyung nodded to him, snatching the device from his hands and beelining for the boiler room. He’d already memorized the factory’s layout and knew it wouldn’t take him long to reach it.

When he threw the door open, he grinned widely at the four homemade pipe bombs strapped to the large metal boiler with gaff tape. There was a small clock attached to it, a timer set for ten minutes. He texted Hoseok and started the timer, gripping the detonator in case he would need to trigger the fuses early.

He hurried along from the basement to the main floor. Just as he exited the small underground stairwell, a fist connected with his chest. He stumbled back, nearly losing his footing. The detonator slipped from his grasp but Taehyung spun onto his knees, catching the device in one hand while blocking an ensuing kick to his face with his other forearm.

Growling, Taehyung jumped to his feet. He dodged another blow to his chest, pivoting on his back leg and landing a spinning kick to his assailant’s neck. He fell prone to the ground and Taehyung swung his leg up, crashing the toe of his boot across the man’s face. It didn’t take him long to determine that he was unconscious. He quickly shouted orders, whistling through his teeth again, before clamping the detonator between his lips. He grabbed the man’s ankles and dragged him out of the building from the blast hole Yoongi created earlier.

Golden Jackals yelled for everyone to get away. Whether they chose to listen or not was on them. Taehyung wasn’t about to get himself caught in the blast unnecessarily. The clock was ticking and there wasn’t much time left.

Falling back on his ass, he struggled to sit up as he watched both Jade Fang and Golden Jackal members running through the blast hole. Some jumped through windows and others fought tooth and nail every step of the way, even during such a dangerous situation.

He dropped the device in his lap, pulling out his phone and sending one last text to Hoseok.

Then he jammed his thumb onto the detonator’s button.

He felt heat, smelled smoke, and quickly lost his ability to see when reddish orange flames and black smoke covered the building from top to bottom.

He passed out seconds after hearing his brothers screaming his name.

Darkness covered everything completely.

Stars littered the cobalt sky above; pinholes in a blanket draped over the moon. A crescent moon.

An acrid smell continued to linger in the air and what little wind was able to brush over the destructive landscape only succeeded in circulating the smell in small cyclones. A few cars remained, but those that were able to escape the blast commandeered a few sedans and fled the scene. What bodies were left behind in the smoking factory would already be cremated. Their bodies would dissolve back into the earth from where they’d come, their spirits long departed for the Underworld. The Reaper was going to be busy tonight.

It was a shame that Taehyung wouldn’t be able to enjoy the spectacle from Hell himself.

He lightly patted the dirt from off his clothes, coughing and sneezing when some of it shot up his nose. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he pulled out a sucker. Ripping off the plastic covering, he sighed and slid the peach-flavored candy into his mouth. As he savored the taste, he leaned back on his hands and stared into the large expanse of sky over his head.

It really was a beautiful night.

Taehyung smiled, then laughed a little out loud. Tears streamed out the corners of his eyes, but he continued to laugh. His shoulders shook violently until he curled his knees up to his chest and sobbed openly into them. Wrapping his arms around his knees, he buried his face into his forearms and wept. Pieces of the building crumbled behind him, but he could barely hear it over his own cries.

The lollipop fell from his mouth, instantly covered in dirt when it hit the ground. Spit and snot dripped from his mouth and nose as his fingers threaded through his bangs. He tugged at them hard, feeling the sharp sting of his roots being pulled. Hoarse noises erupted from him and a horrible ache twisted inside his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe. Taehyung tried to rub at his chest, but it did nothing to ease the pain that came with breathing and crying simultaneously.

He mouthed a set of words, but no recognizable sound followed the motion. Rubbing the heels of his palms into his eyes, he tried to rid them of the tears but they continued to fall.

Thoughts of Raelyn and their unborn child immediately flooded his mind, causing him to sob even harder. Choking barks of pain were all he could muster while his hand twisted into the fabric of his shirt. He then pounded at his chest, attempting to calm the raging pace of his heart. But nothing worked. Everything hurt. Everything would continue to hurt.

He had no choice now.

With shaking hands, Taehyung pulled out his phone, switching it back on. There was an immediate onslaught of text messages and voicemails. Most of them were from his brothers. The others were from Raelyn.

He ignored them all.

Instead, he swiped over to where his voicemails were, scrolling down to the last message Jimin sent him. Again, he listened to it as he cradled the phone in both of his trembling hands.

“Ya, Kim Taehyung…you son of a bitch. How could you just take off for the gates of the Underworld alone? Huh? Don’t even think about stirring up a bunch of shit without me. Jungkook and I will be there soon.”

Another broken sob tore through the night, shaking him to the core. How could he continue living his life knowing that better people were denied that same gift? Their trust in Taehyung was what caused all of this to transpire in the first place. They believed the message that was sent from his phone, trusting that he was giving them the right information. If it weren’t for his own carelessness, his own ego, there was a good chance that his brothers would still be alive. Maybe they would have lost Eden and it would have broken everyone in a different way, but the loss wouldn’t have been this heavy.

It wouldn’t have been this great.

Having a happy life with Raelyn, with their child, was something that he didn’t deserve. Taehyung had no right to experience such joys in this life. He would need to suffer the consequences and make sure that those who remained were able to bask in that bliss.

For now, Taehyung would be selfish one more time, and cry for everything that he was about to lose.

No… For everything he was about to let go.

He didn’t know how much time had passed. It was late, whatever the time was. Taehyung switched to the keypad buttons on the phone and hit three numbers.

1.

1.

2.

The line rang twice before someone picked up the phone, asking him what his emergency was.

“My name is Kim Taehyung. I’m currently in Nam District in Itaewon. There is an old factory owned by a man named Im Changkyun. It’s destroyed. I’m the one who did it. There are also dead bodies buried under the wreckage. I killed them.”

A sad smile passed over his lips and he laughed weakly into the receiver.

“Come and arrest me. I’ll be waiting for you.”

After he ended the call, Taehyung turned off his phone and slid it back into his pocket. He gently fell onto his back, hands resting along the back of his head as he stared up at the stars. The crescent moon that hung in the sky really looked like Buddha’s fingernail. Reaching out with his hand, he let his fingers stretch as far as they would go – his palm covering the moon as much as it could.

Then he squeezed his hand into a fist, covering the light of the moon completely from his view.

“I’m sorry, Raelyn Noona…”

Twenty minutes slipped by when Taehyung heard the police sirens. He sat up, his eyes spying out the flashing red and blue lights off in the distance. Grinning, he readjusted himself so that he was pressing his knees to the ground. When the police cruisers skidded to a halt, kicking up more dirt in front of him, Taehyung’s grin eased off just a bit as he slid his hands behind his head.

The cold sting from the handcuffs bit into his skin. His wounds ached as the officers hauled him onto his feet. He didn’t utter a single complaint when they all but threw him into the back of the vehicle.

He only laughed when the officers said he was crazy for turning himself in.

Three Days Later Seoul – Cheongdamn; Gangnam District South Korea

Hoseok was half a step away from checking himself into a mental hospital.

For nearly twenty-four hours, he believed he’d lost both Seokjin and Taehyung. The proceedings with obtaining Seokjin’s autopsy and death certificate took a bit longer than it had for Jimin, Jungkook and Eden. Mostly because the person who was fattening the police chief’s pockets was now dead. Anastasia was nearly inconsolable but having the support of Seokjin’s family and their son, Gidae, was enough to get her through the worst of her postpartum. When Hoseok couldn’t be there for her, Namjoon was and he remained a rock and shield when she needed him.

Raelyn was another matter.

She believed Taehyung was dead for real. She believed it because they believed it. The level of stress and anxiety she was suffering from was too much for even Hoseok to bear at times. But he remained steadfast, comforting her and reassuring her that things would be fine. They would be okay.

He didn’t tell her about Taehyung’s last text message to him. Until they could uncover a body from the wreckage, there was nothing to rule out.

It was the only sliver of hope they had and they clung onto it together.

Another day slipped by when Hoseok received word that Taehyung was incarcerated at the local police station. While he was being held for questioning, he wasn’t allowed visitors. When Hoseok tried to get a lawyer to represent his brother, he was flabbergasted to hear that the council Taehyung was offered was refused.

From what the defense attorney explained, Taehyung openly admitted to all the charges being placed against him. Arson, destruction of property, and manslaughter. There was the possibility of murder with intent being placed alongside his other charges, but his public defender insisted that the death of everyone inside of the building was from the act of arson and destruction of property done on Taehyung’s part. Until actual autopsies were done and toxicology reports were submitted, Taehyung’s charges stayed with just manslaughter and vandalism.

On the eve of the third day, Taehyung’s trial date was set. Because his case involved manslaughter, he wasn’t allotted the opportunity for bail.

He was finally allowed to visit. Hoseok took Raelyn with him to the station.

The security guard led them to Taehyung’s jail cell where he sat waiting for them. Because he wasn’t sentenced yet, he still wore the clothes he had on from the raid they unleashed at Changkyun’s warehouse. Hoseok resisted the urge to reach through the bars and knock Taehyung’s teeth down his throat. Instead, he chose to hold onto Raelyn’s hand as she squeezed his fingers with an iron grip.

Taehyung looked between the two of them, his eyes lingering at Raelyn’s swollen stomach, before he finally stood up from the floor. Dusting off the backs of his pants, he folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wall. Hoseok couldn’t read the look on his face, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out that Taehyung was up to something.

Had he been planning this all along?

“What are you two doing here?”

Hoseok frowned. “The real question is what the hell do you think you’re doing, Taehyung-ah?”

He lofted one brow; his expression almost bored. “What do you mean?”

“What are you trying to accomplish right now?”

Taehyung shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Taehyung, please,” said Raelyn as she reached toward the bars, “just tell us what’s going on. Why have you done this?”

Her arm slid between the bars and Taehyung immediately backed away from them. Raelyn’s arm lingered in the air and Hoseok had to internally admit to his own shock. This wasn’t like him. And what made it so much worse was that he didn’t appear to be hesitating in his actions.

Raelyn inhaled slowly, her breath shuddering slightly as her arm slid back to rest at her side. “God, you’re a real piece of work, you know that?”

He didn’t respond, continuing to stare at them both with a seemingly dead look in his eyes.

“So you’re just going to stay here? You’re not even going to fight back?” She slammed her hand against the iron bars. “You get sent to prison, and then what? What about our child, Kim Taehyung?!”

“You are not carrying my child.”

Taehyung’s words hit like a bolt of lightning out of the blue. Hoseok couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He cast a sidelong glance toward Raelyn just as tears streamed from her eyes.

“W-What did you just say?”

“I said,” Taehyung said, emphasizing the words, “that you’re not carrying my child.”

Hoseok’s arm shot out like a missile, grasping the scruff of Taehyung’s shirt collar. There was movement to his side and Hoseok released him in just enough time to catch Raelyn as she collapsed. Doing his best not to hurt her, he shouted for an officer to help him. Two patrolmen appeared, gathering Raelyn’s weight on either side of them.

He was about to follow when he felt a harsh tug at the sleeve of his jacket. Whirling around, Hoseok roughly knocked Taehyung’s arm away – causing the iron bars of the cell to rattle. He snatched at Taehyung’s collar once more, his vision blurring slightly from how harshly his blood was pumping through his veins.

“Look here, Kim Taehyung, you’re seriously—”

“You’re the father, Hyung.”

Hoseok blinked, his fingers loosening from around Taehyung’s shirt. “…what?”

“Listen to me,” he said, grasping at Hoseok’s hand, “no matter what, you are the father, do you understand?”

“That’s crazy talk, Taehyung-ah!”

“No it’s not!” He could hear the desperation in Taehyung’s voice, a far cry from the empty sounding words he’d heard him spouting earlier. “You know how our society is. It’s bad enough that Raelyn is a foreigner, but add the father of her child being a murderer and you can kiss that baby and the mother’s future goodbye.”

“You haven’t even been sentenced yet,” snapped Hoseok, “there’s still time! Let our attorney help you!”

“If they help me, then we will all have no future.”

Hoseok flashed him a look of confusion, not sure what he was implying. Taehyung seemed to read this and continued.

“I have to take the fall for this, Hyung. Otherwise you, Namjoon Hyung and Yoongi Hyung will all go down with me. If it’s just me, then the rest of you can still live your lives.”

He felt his bottom lip tremble slightly. “I…I can’t ask you to do that. I won’t let you do that!”

“Yes, you will.” He could feel Taehyung’s grip digging painfully into his wrists. “For the sake of my child’s future, Hyung, you will let me do this.”

“Taehyung-ah…”

“I’m doing this and there isn’t anything you can do to stop me. I can’t be with Raelyn. Not anymore.” Hoseok watched as tears spilled from Taehyung’s eyes. “I know you still love her. You never stopped. But I know you’re an honorable man who decided to let your little brother selfishly claim a nugget of happiness for himself.”

Hoseok’s eyes widened slightly, unable to stop himself from crying. Why was this happening? Hadn’t they won? Hadn’t they achieved their goals and avenged their fallen family? Things were supposed to get easier from here. They could have been had they decided to stay in the criminal underworld after all.

How could they have fallen so far while walking on the path to make things right?

A heavy sigh spilled from his lungs. Taehyung released Hoseok’s hand and it sagged limply at his side.

“…have you picked a name?”

“Mirae,” he whispered softly, “her name will be Mirae.”

Hoseok scoffed, wiping at his cheeks with the back of his hand. “You snuck and asked the doctor for the baby’s gender already, didn’t you?”

He watched his younger brother flash his trademark boxy smile through his tears. “What can I say? I like to be prepared.”

Grasping at his younger brother’s arms, he pulled him toward the bars so that their foreheads were pressed together. The two of them shared a companionable silence before they released one another.

“Thank you, Hoseok Hyung.” Taehyung’s smile remained. “Thank you for letting me do this. For you and for the rest of my family.”

The two men punched fists, the touch lingering a moment longer.

Then Hoseok turned and walked away, leaving a brother and the most noble of men to the fate he’d chosen for himself.

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,735

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​

AN: We’re almost there guys...

Chapter 59: Black Swan

“Even when the dark and rough waves pass by, I won’t ever get swept away again.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Instinct was on Yoongi’s side. He dodged and dove for the ground, the explosion smashing mercilessly against the wall that was recently decimated. Kihyun and several of his men were knocked back, winded, and struggling to recover from the blast. The explosion ripped the wall to pieces, raining concrete and metal. Yoongi’s men screamed their war cries as they tore through their hiding place, clambering on top of the Jade Fang gangsters lost and overwhelmed from the confusion.

Yoongi would have laughed under different circumstances. As he clambered to his feet, he realized laughing would have been too much of a dishonor for what he was doing. Smoke filled the area where Kihyun just was and after he watched him getting back to his feet, coughing in the smoke, Yoongi vanished and reappeared mere feet from where Kihyun stood. The smoke was a perfect cover – a nice little addition to what he was sure was Namjoon’s doing.

He watched Kihyun blindly swiping – attempting to strike out at Yoongi. He said nothing. There were no jeers to be had. Instead, he gave a swift flick and jab, forcefully pushing Kihyun back into the remains of the wall that was just destroyed. Just as he stumbled back, Yoongi aimed a kick directly into his chest. He flew back into the chaos and Yoongi jumped in after him.

He wouldn’t give him time to recover.

Yoongi kicked the knife from Kihyun’s hand as the man, again, tried to swing out at him. Throwing all his weight forward, he slammed his knee into Kihyun’s stomach. Something cracked from the impact, but he gave no quarter as he spun around to press his other knee directly onto Kihyun’s throat. Fingers clawed and scraped along his jeans, attempting to pry him off. Yoongi’s eyes watered slightly from all the dust and debris hovering around in the air.

“It was you,” he grunted as Kihyun wriggled underneath him, “I know it was you because I know how sick and twisted your fucking head is.”

Kihyun coughed, a strange gurgling noise bubbling from his throat as he tried to speak. “Y-Yoongi-ah…”

He pushed more of his weight down on the other man’s throat, leaning forward so he could glare at him – his shadow casting itself over his body. “You’ve always been the jealous type. You didn’t just hurt Eden to stir me up. You tortured her because you felt justified and you get off on that sort of shit.”

“Yoon…gi…”

“And you killed Jungkook as some messed up form of justice for me. Like it was something I wanted, you sick fuck.”

Pandemonium continued around them from inside. He could hear his brothers yelling, fighting for their lives during the confusion. But Yoongi made sure that they were away from the madness – nestled in a dark corner where no one would be able to see them.

Yoongi wouldn’t give Kihyun the pleasure of screaming in his final moments.

“You killed her. And you killed him. All to get back at me. To make me suffer.” He grinned as he felt Kihyun’s fingers digging harder into his thighs. “News flash: you’ve only given me a reason to completely eradicate my demons now. Starting with you.”

“Y-Yoon…”

“Goodbye, Yoo Kihyun,” he whispered, curling his body forward and fully crushing the other man’s larynx.

Yoongi spun off his body, grabbed the knife nearby and thrust it into Kihyun’s stomach. Their faces were inches apart as he watched the other man’s eyes begin to cloud over – the call of the Reaper reaching out to claim him. As he stood up, he saw the blood leaking out of the corners of Kihyun’s mouth.

He heard Hoseok’s yell and he bolted to the main battlefield, leaving the Mongoose’s corpse behind.

All the others in his team scattered around Namjoon; some toward the front, some further behind him, some on the other side of the room completely. Raising his knife in his right hand, he waited until the first shadow was in sight before throwing out a smoke grenade. It sailed straight to where he knew it was needed, where Yoongi would be able to utilize it for cover. Namjoon watched as it slammed into the wall; an ear-splitting crack of the foundation breaking echoed across the sky, the wall - mangled and destroyed - upturning itself and flying back, slamming immediately into a nameless Jade Fang underling behind it after having ripped completely across the room.

Grinning behind his mask, he signaled with his free hand for the others to begin their barrage just as Taehyung’s team descended from the roof. Bodies slammed into one another and Namjoon sliced his knife across limbs, blood spurting out and staining his clothes. Droplets sprayed in every direction, flecks spattering over his cheeks and nose. Namjoon saw two people tumbling from the rubble – his eyes meeting the cold umber tones of Jooheon and Hyungwon dove out to attack a group from Yoongi’s team.

Jooheon didn’t move. Neither did Namjoon.

And then they both ran toward each other, cutting down anyone that dared to impede their path. Blood sprayed as Namjoon sliced and pierced through flesh. Jooheon bludgeoned others with the bat in his hand, cracking bones and knocking people onto their backs.

Down.

Down.

Down.

They all were falling to some form of assault from either side. Namjoon shoved former colleagues aside roughly, his eyes darting in various directions to make sure that his brothers were still safe. Taehyung was handling things near the manager’s office and he trusted Hoseok to be able to dispatch the Jade Fang’s Wolf quickly.

Jooheon and Namjoon crashed their forearms into one another, pushing their weight against the other. Their feet slid along the dirty concrete, rough grunts bursting from their chests. Sweat tinged their brows and it was in that moment that Namjoon felt something snap in him. He began laughing uncontrollably, causing Jooheon to frown with confusion.

This was glorious.

Suddenly, Namjoon lost himself in the chaos, destruction, and the sheer sweetness of all that was going on around him. The terror filled every fiber of his being until he became completely drunk with the sensation. It took every shred of sanity and willpower he had left to keep himself grounded - removing his mask completely  and showing everyone the malintent that was slowly possessing him. The same malevolence that lay dormant in all his brothers.

Lifting his leg up, he thrust his heel into Jooheon’s stomach and forced him back a full foot away. He twirled one of his knives in his hands, spinning on his back heel and grabbing an unsuspecting Jade Fang member in a choke hold. A crazed smile passed over his features as Namjoon slid the blade over the man’s throat. Blood gushed out, staining his front almost immediately. Jooheon roared, raising the bat over his head and Namjoon dropped the dying man from his grasp.

He waited until he saw the bat moving swiftly in a vertical strike, side-stepping at the last second. Namjoon slammed his elbow into Jooheon’s ribs, pressing his hip alongside the other man’s. Taking a breath, he slid the knife underneath Jooheon’s armpit. He heard the Yellow Jacket grunt in pain, feeling his body swing around to try a counter maneuver. Namjoon released his hold on the knife and lifted his arm, blocking the blow that was meant for his head. The muscles in his forearm tingled momentarily and he spun just out of reach, his other hand slamming the blade down at the curve between Jooheon’s neck and shoulder.

Not allowing him a chance to retaliate, Namjoon kicked Jooheon in the back, forcing him onto his knees. He quickly closed the distance, reaching out to grab the knife from his shoulder just as Jooheon pulled out the knife from under his arm. Blood sprayed out onto the concrete and Namjoon already knew the fight was over. The fool was trying to pull off one more desperate counterattack before the Reaper came to collect him.

Namjoon would not give him that satisfaction. 

Sliding on his knees, he stabbed Jooheon’s back multiple times before driving the blade directly into the back of his neck. With one burbling, choking gasp, the Yellow Jacket fell to the ground - a cloud of dust scattering around him.

He heard Hoseok’s screams and Namjoon quickly whirled around in time to see Seokjin falling to the ground. His line of sight shifted to where he could see Minhyuk holding the crossbow. The Jindo Dog was preparing for a second assault. Taehyung held Hoseok back as he tried to scramble to where Seokjin’s body lay, his blood seeping out along the dirty ground.

“HYUNG!”

Namjoon met Taehyung’s gaze. He yanked the knife from the back of Jooheon’s neck and threw it, the blade burying itself into Minhyuk’s forearm and forcing him to drop the crossbow. Taking advantage of the chaos, he ran to Taehyung and Hoseok who was already beginning to lift Seokjin into his arms.

“Hyung,” breathed Taehyung, blinking some of the sweat from his eyes, “where’s Yoongi Hyung?”

“I don’t know.” He bent down to grab Seokjin’s legs. “We need to get him out of here.”

“Go.” Taehyung slung his arms out and two knives fell into his hands from their hiding places under his sleeves. “I’ll find Yoongi Hyung.”

“There’s still three more we need to take down, Taehyung-ah.”

“I know. If I see them, I’ll get rid of them.” Taehyung’s eyes narrowed. “Now go!”

Namjoon nodded, watching Taehyung give chase to Minhyuk as he scooped up the crossbow and ran out of the factory. He looked around, spying the opening near the back where Yoongi caused the explosion. Namjoon snapped his fingers rapidly at Hoseok to get his attention.

“Focus! We don’t have a lot of time.”

He watched his friend gathering his bearings, nodding sharply. “Let’s go.”

Hoseok stepped off to the side but was stopped when Namjoon held his footing. He closed the distance, reaching out to shift Seokjin out of Hoseok’s arms into his own. Grunting, he lifted their brother against his chest. 

“Cover me.”

Taehyung only let Minhyuk get as far as the rusty barrels several feet outside of the factory before deciding he was done with the chase. He threw the knife in his left hand, aiming for the back of Minhyuk’s leg. He collapsed with a thud and Taehyung was almost on top of him. He skidded to a halt when he saw Minhyuk rolling onto his back, his arms cradling the crossbow with a bolt already loaded into the chamber. Taehyung somersaulted backwards, dodging the bolt by a hair and feeling it knick his ankle. Landing on one knee, he snarled and charged just as Minhyuk scrambled to slide another bolt into the loading chamber.

Stumbling on his left foot, Taehyung felt his body leaning a little to the side but he forced the pain from his mind. He focused on Minhyuk, his speed increasing when he heard the snap of the lock in place on the crossbow. Swinging his right leg out, he knocked the weapon from Minhyuk’s hands. Taehyung’s back leg buckled as Minhyuk swung out his left leg and kicked him behind the knee. His shoulder crashed into the dirt, forcing his other knife from his hand, and he coughed as some of the dust flew into his mouth and nose.

Pain ripped across the back of his head as he felt his hair being pulled, forcing his upper body up. His ears rang and his vision spun when his face smashed into the ground. Arms flailed in every direction, realizing that he was weaponless as Minhyuk repeatedly slammed his face into the dirt. He felt Minhyuk’s weight on his back, preventing him from being able to wriggle free and regain his position.

Swinging his left arm behind him, he felt along Minhyuk’s leg until his fingers touched something hard. Gripping it, Taehyung yanked his arm out - pulling the knife out from his leg. Minhyuk screamed as blood stained the dirt. He momentarily loosened his grip on Taehyung’s hair, giving him room to roll onto his side. He brought the knife down in rapid succession in Minhyuk’s leg, burying it to the hilt into his knee cap. Howling with pain, Minhyuk rolled and slid himself away from Taehyung, shaking hands attempting to pull the knife out of his leg.

Taehyung dragged his body across the dirt, his eyes quickly locating the crossbow. His fingers grappled for the butt of the weapon, pulling it toward him. Once it was fully in his hold, he rolled his body over and set his arms into position just as Minhyuk turned his head to look at him. He aimed and squeezed the trigger.

The bolt flew from the chamber, zipping toward Minhyuk. He let out a wheezing cough as the bolt’s aim was true - making its home in Minhyuk’s right eye socket.

He watched him fall dead instantly. Several seconds of silence passed before Taehyung finally got to his feet. Slowly, he walked toward the Jindo Dog’s body and stared down at it. He knew he was dead. Anyone could tell watching the blood seeping from his head into the red puddle around his ears. Leaning down, he fished around the insides of Minhyuk’s jacket, retrieving another bolt and sliding it into the chamber. 

The lock clicked and he fired - the bolt landing in Minhyuk’s throat.

“You don’t get to breathe easy in Hell, you fucking sack of shit…”

“You’re the last one left, Jack Rabbit,” said Yoongi as he smiled, twirling a butterfly knife in his hand.

Wonho smirked as he walked through the reeds. “You sure about that?”

He wasn’t, but who cared?

“Positive.”

Yoongi side-stepped as Wonho charged him, striking out with the large hunting knife cradled in his hands. Wonho was stockier than him and had more muscle, but Yoongi was swifter on his feet. He dodged several more strikes, spinning on his back heel to slam his elbow into Wonho’s side. He stumbled to the right and Yoongi quickly overtook him, jamming the knife into his thigh. He managed to twist the blade before Wonho swung his arm across his body, barely missing as Yoongi hopped backwards.

Again, he lunged forward, giving Wonho no quarter. A jab to the chest pushed him back and Yoongi stepped in, curling his arm so that his elbow struck the same place as his fist. He finished the combo with a knee slamming into his stomach. Wonho stumbled off his feet, landing back-first into the reeds where he was momentarily lost from view. Yoongi swung his arms around in the reeds to locate his target, growling when he realized he couldn’t see him anymore.

Shuffling issued to his flank and he pivoted hard just as Wonho crashed into him. They both fell to the ground and Yoongi immediately covered his face as a flurry of punches rained on top of him. He took a risk, holding one arm up while using the other to repeatedly punch at Wonho’s side. Knuckles smashed into his mouth, splitting his lip. He tasted the coppery tang of his own blood, shifting his neck to the side just as another punch nearly struck him, instead landing in the dirt. Taking advantage of the missed opportunity, Yoongi quickly buried his thumb into the knife wound in Wonho’s thigh.

Wonho cried out in pain, wrapping one large hand around Yoongi’s throat. Pressure built up behind his eyes and his vision blurred momentarily. He crushed more of his thumb into the open wound which, in turn, caused Wonho to squeeze harder. It was getting harder to breathe and with what energy he could muster, Yoongi punched at Wonho’s chest, side and face.

The Jack Rabbit refused to let go.

Twisting his thumb in the wound, he felt his nail scraping against something. For a moment, Wonho’s grip loosened and Yoongi lifted his upper body enough to raise his other arm just a little higher. He jammed his other thumb into Wonho’s eye, feeling the soft ball of flesh burst beneath the pad of his thumb. Blood and puss wept from the socket and a horrifying scream curdled from Wonho’s throat. 

Yoongi felt him rolling off his body, clutching at his eye. He quickly slid behind him, wrapping his arms around him in a firm choke hold. Wonho pried at Yoongi’s arms, trying to free himself, but he held his breath as he squeezed. 

The world shifted as Wonho rose to his feet, bringing Yoongi up with him. He couldn’t let him get the upper hand, and so, with a swift twist and jerk of his arms and wrists, the world fell rapidly as the sickening crack issued from Wonho’s neck. He collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud and Yoongi rose to his feet, inhaling mouthfuls of air as he attempted to reclaim some semblance of a second wind.

“YOONGI HYUNG!”

Shaking the dizziness from his head, Yoongi looked up as Taehyung ran toward him. He noted the slight limp in his movements and Yoongi stumbled forward. The two men crashed into each other, both of them holding the other up with what strength they had left in their bodies. 

“Taehyung-ah,” he breathed haggardly, “where are the others?”

“They’re at the front with the cars. You need to get to them.”

Yoongi quirked a brow at him. “What about you?”

Taehyung smirked. “I still have something left to do.” He pointed around the side of the building. “Head that way and you should meet up with them.”

He frowned. He knew that look. Taehyung was up to something. But there wasn’t enough time to question just what. “Don’t be a hero.”

He watched his younger brother bark a mirthless laugh. “You have to be a good guy to be a hero, Hyung.”

The two pulled away from each other. Yoongi held his side where it ached, spitting blood at the ground. “Do what you need to do and bring your ass, you hear me?”

“Yes, Sir!”

Taehyung saluted and took off back inside, hobbling through the busted up entrance Yoongi made earlier when he’d thrown his cigarette inside to cause the explosion that started all of this madness.

Hoseok fished for the keys in his pockets, unlocking the doors to the car he and Seokjin arrived in. Pressing the button on the key fob, he hurriedly threw the door to the backseat open and motioned for Namjoon to hurry. Namjoon busied himself with laying Seokjin’s body across the seat and Hoseok could barely hear the ruckus going on inside the factory still. They couldn’t leave Seokjin’s body to the wolves. 

His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a message from Taehyung.

Taehyung: I’m going to find Yoongi Hyung.

“Goddammit, Taehyung-ah,” muttered Hoseok.

Namjoon closed the door, breathing heavily as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “What is it?”

“He’s still trying to find Yoongi Hyung…”

“Hyung knows the plan. We need to--”

A loud scream rang out over their heads, causing both men to look up just as Hyungwon came flying out from the other side of the vehicle. He swung the metal bat in his hand, bringing the head of it down violently as it smashed into the back window. Glass rained over their heads and both Hoseok and Namjoon scrambled away in either direction as Hyungwon swung again - just barely missing both of them.

Hoseok rolled to his right as the bat slammed into the space where his body was just occupying. He brought both of his hands up, catching the weapon. Pain blossomed over his palms as he struggled to keep the weapon from pushing down on him further. Hyungwon stumbled over him as Namjoon kicked him from the side. He reached his hand out, grasping for Namjoon as he hefted himself back up onto his feet.

He shoved the keys into Namjoon’s hands. “Go!”

“Not without you!”

Hyungwon roared, swinging out at them both and they arched their backs in time to dodge the blow. 

“Do what I say, Namjoon-ah!”

“No!”

Again, they dodged and Hoseok took the chance to slam his shoulder into Hyungwon’s stomach. Feeling him skid backwards, he coughed in pain when he felt a knee smash into his rib cage. The wind was knocked from his lungs when Hyungwon kneed his ribs again, causing him to lose his grip. Hoseok heard Namjoon scream and the world tilted to the side as both he and Hyungwon crashed to the ground from the powerful sidekick that connected to Hyungwon’s head. They both landed with a hard thud and Hoseok immediately rolled so that Hyungwon’s back was resting against his chest. His hands quickly went to his belt, ripping the leather band from his waist and wrapping it around Hyungwon’s neck.

All Hoseok could see was the bubblegum pink crown of Hyungwon’s head. He wrapped the straps around his palms, pulling tightly. He felt his biceps flexing hard as he mercilessly squeezed and pulled. Hyungwon’s arms flailed and he scraped his fingernails along Hoseok’s wrists. Namjoon brought the bat down on Hyungwon’s stomach, knocking the air from his body and removing what strength he had to fight back. He tried to kick his legs out at Namjoon, but the Stone Claw responded by cracking the bat over his knees. The sound of bones breaking could be heard until Hoseok felt Hyungwon’s struggles weakening with each passing second.

Until they ceased altogether.

“Hoseok-ah...Namjoon-ah,” called a voice from the side of the building. 

Both of them turned to see Yoongi hobbling toward them, cradling his side. Blood leaked from his temple and mouth. Relief washed over Hoseok’s soul as he flashed a weak smile at his older brother.

“Yoongi Hyung…”

Another buzzing sound issued from Hoseok’s pocket and he released the belt, watching Hyungwon’s head sag along his stomach. Again, Namjoon helped him to his feet just as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Yoongi fussed over their injuries as Hoseok looked at the message.

Taehyung: Hyung...Take care of Raelyn for me.

Hoseok’s eyes went wide as he looked back at the factory. “No…”

“What is it?” Yoongi asked, following his gaze.

The three of them only managed to take one step toward the building before it exploded, erupting in orange flames and black smoke.

“TAEHYUNG-AH!”

Thank You

First of all, I just want to take a moment to thank each and every person who has followed this blog in earnest. Whatever your reason for it may have been, be it recommended, random stumble, or as an avid fan of us and our works, I just want to tell you that we are so appreciative and thankful for everyone sticking with us. 600 followers is nothing to sneeze at and we certainly wouldn’t have made it without so many wonderful people cheering us on every single step of the way.

We were able to make friends with newcomers and we, ourselves, transformed from being fans to friends with other bloggers as well. I can’t tell you how much it’s been such a blast and support getting to know so many people from different networks and I hope we continue to meet, speak, and work together in the future on all the projects that are sure to come!

Make It Right is now completed. It was a long road and 62 chapters is an epic that I never actually intended for it to be. But the story, the characters, wrote themselves. I only take credit for placing their stories onto paper. As the months pushed into a full year, I found myself realizing closely as we approached the finish line that this wasn’t just their journey - it was my journey too.

I know the BTS Fandom has been around for awhile on Tumblr. I was anxious about writing such an ambitious story as my first fic for the fandom, despite having been ARMY for many years. I wasn’t sure how people would see this story and, also, how people would take to the term “mafia” when it came to our boys. I would like to say that I am truly blessed to be half Korean and to have been brought up in the culture, customs, and history of my ethnic background. It made writing the story a little easier than it would probably have been for most people who attempted it. Thank you for following it to its conclusion and cheering me on throughout all of my side works as well.

A lot of late nights and tears and screaming were involved in writing Make It Right and I don’t regret a single moment of it. It’s the first completed epic series on our blog and I’m happy with the end result. I hope you all were as well, bittersweet as it may have been for some of you.

What are you going to do now, Admin E? What is in store for the future?

Well, that’s certainly an excellent question. I hit a bit of a writing slump as most of you are aware. I took a break and lost myself in lots of books and video games at the time. But I think it’s time I got back into the saddle again, don’t you? For now, I’m going to continue working on my historical time-slip story, Shadow’s Birthright, and finish that saga as soon as I am able. I know there are a few people still anxiously waiting in the wings and screaming from the rafters so I shall be hopping back on that as quickly as I can.

In the meantime, please send me suggestions or ideas that you would like and I’ll try my damnedest to get it up and going. I have so many ideas piling up in my little workshop and I can’t wait to get started on them all. Some are BTS related and some are other K-pop groups that will be brought into the foray.

But that’s about it. Again, thank you everyone who has been supportive and huge fans of our works. Thank you for sticking with us and helping our numbers grow. And thank you for cheering us on when we feel low and don’t feel like our stories are up to par with others. You’ve helped us through the lows and highs and I hope you’ll stick with us for all the fun and shenanigans that will unfold in the future.

Sincerely Yours, Admin E

Admin E:

*** Deets *** Shock Jock *** FYI

i just found out merriam webster has a time traveler feature that tells you some of the words that were “born” the same year as you. it’s pretty neat yall should do this

PSA : Make It Right - Finale

We started this blog in October 2019. We didn’t actually post until December. We filled these pages full of words from our time with NanoWriMo. 

Admin Eden’s “Make It Right” was born from that mad dash to 50K words in 30 days.  Now a year and a half later - that story is coming to an end. The story, completed in early 2020, has been posted in bits and pieces is now crossing the finish line. 

It was an emotional roller coaster, and pleasure, to beta this story. It was an honor to cheer you on as you battled bad days, and even the limitations you put on yourself. 

I am forever your cheerleader. I love your face. Congratulations on a saga well done. 

Here’s to next one. 

And with that? 

Ladies and Gentlemen, the final chapter of Make It Right will be posted 4/10.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the ride - and look forward to what’s being cranked out of the brain machine here at The Bias Rekkers blog.  -Admin Tomi

Make It Right [BTS Mafia AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,058

Tag List: @prisczero, @pinkpjmin, @btsaudge, @flowerwrites06, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali, @shrimpmsg, @ggukkieland​

AN: Just one more...

Chapter 61: The Most Beautiful Moment In Life

“I’m asking myself again, am I happy right now? The answer is already there, I’m happy.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Five Years Later

Hwaseong – Gyeonggi Province South Korea

Yoongi sighed softly as he lit the ends of three incense sticks. As they slowly burned a soft amber, he shook the match to extinguish it and placed each one into the brass basins. Three porcelain urns glistened brightly against the morning light – the smiling faces of each urn’s owner looking back at him from behind the glass framing their portraits. He placed his hands together, closing his eyes and saying a small, silent prayer. After a few minutes, he sighed again and sat on the silk cushion he was offered from Jimin’s family.

“Even after all this time, it still doesn’t get any easier,” he said softly, a tiny smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “I figured it would.”

He managed a small laugh, shaking his head as he brushed his fingers through his now auburn hair. His earrings dangled from the rays of light that peeled in through the small room, capturing all the precious things that each of them had in their lives before leaving the world. Small pieces of memories that would continue to remain in the world long after their passing.

They served as reminders for Yoongi that things could still be good.

On the wall to the right was a painting of a blue and black spotted butterfly flying through golden reeds and a beautiful clear blue sky. It was the last thing Jungkook painted before leaving Hwaseong to come join them all in Seoul – ultimately leaving his dream of attending art school behind. Hanging on the opposite wall was the rosary and silver crucifix that Jimin always carried with him. He only left it behind once and that was the day that he went with Jungkook to retrieve Eden from her kidnappers.

He looked at Eden’s portrait, centered between Jungkook and Jimin’s. The wedding rings she and Jungkook exchanged with one another were placed on a small, satin pillow. He always made sure they were well-polished, even after all these years.

“I hope you three are happy.” He sighed, folding his hands in his lap. “It’s quieter without you here.”

His vision grew slightly hazy and Yoongi quickly wiped at the backs of his eyes with his wrist. Two sets of feet thundered through the yard, kicking shoes off their feet and barreling into his back. Yoongi smiled as two children, a boy and a girl, roughly grabbed at his shoulders and hugged his neck. He wrapped his arms around them, pulling the girl into his lap and tickling her as the boy clung to his neck and hugged him from behind.

“Okay, maybe I lied,” he said loudly over the high-pitched squeals and giggles, “it hasn’t gotten any quieter.”

The little girl with curly hair smiled up at him, pulling on the collar of his shirt. “Appa,” she said, her laughter subsiding, “are you done talking with Jageun Appa, Sookbu and Sookmo?”

“Yeah,” said the little boy, rubbing his nose into Yoongi’s temple, “are you done yet?”

“I wasn’t,” he patiently replied, reaching his hand up to ruffle the boy’s hair, “but I can see you two are ready to go. Weren’t you making rice cakes with your grandparents?”

The little girl nodded. “Yeah, but we got bored. They told us to go outside and play.”

He lifted a brow. “They did?”

“That’s ‘cause Eden kept eating them as they were being made.”

The little boy stuck his tongue out.

“Nuh-uh! Jungmin spilled flour all over the floor!”

She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

Yoongi sucked in air sharply through his teeth, clicking his tongue to the roof of his mouth. They quickly got quiet, knowing that that was his way of telling them to behave. After a moment, he sighed and stood up – Jungmin still clinging to his neck as Eden straightened out her blue sundress. He hopped slightly, wrapping one arm around Jungmin’s leg so he could secure him on his back a little better while using his other free hand to grab a hold of his daughter’s.

He helped them put their shoes on, slipping into his own, and made his way around to the front of the house. Jimin’s parents gave Yoongi a box wrapped in bright green cloth – food to take home with him. Eden happily took the parcel from them, bowing in appreciation. Jungmin nodded his head as Yoongi bowed as well, promising to return next week. They always insisted that he didn’t have to, but he would always make time to come and check on the Park family at every opportunity.

Children ran and played in the streets and there were festive sounds coming from the heart of the square. An entertainment troupe was in town to perform on the streets and sell their wares. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and petals rained over the small town like snow in spring. Eden and Jungmin looked longingly at the festival and he smiled, promising to take them back into town after they put everything away back home.

“Daddy?”

Yoongi hummed as he looked down at Eden. “What is it?”

“When are we going to visit Uncle Tae again?”

He paused slightly, a minor hesitation in his steps before resuming his steady pace. Shortly after Taehyung was sentenced to prison for voluntary manslaughter, Yoongi fell into an unhealthy drinking habit. He frequently went on benders until Namjoon saved him from throwing himself off a building in a drunken haze. He attended a drug rehabilitation facility and after being discharged, he was given the opportunity to make something of himself. Eden’s co-worker, Minki, offered to sell Eden’s shop to Yoongi on the condition that he opened an auto-mechanic shop in Hwaseong. Four months later, he established a list of loyal clientele and decided to find a better purpose.

Yoongi adopted two children that same year. Infants at the time, they were now two very rambunctious four-year-old’s: Min Eden and Min Jungmin.

They were his reason for getting up in the morning. They were his reason for discovering meaning to his life.

His children were his most precious treasures.

Smiling, he shook the hand holding his daughter’s. “Soon. We’ll see him again soon.”

“Is he going to be away from us forever?” Jungmin quietly asked.

Yoongi shook his head. “He won’t, Jungmin-ah. He’ll be able to come out and play with you when you’re both a little older.”

In five more years, to be exact.

“Until then, we just have to keep supporting him. We have to tell him ‘fighting’ every time we see him, okay?”

“Okay!” they said in unison, pumping their fists into the air.

He laughed, doing his best to ignore the soft ache in his chest. Things were getting better. Time would heal all wounds. Even his.

Someday it wouldn’t hurt to think about his brothers and the woman he loved. Until then, all Yoongi could do was look forward to tomorrow – a day that he would never take for granted again.

“Gidae-ah,” called Anastasia as she stepped out onto the back porch, “not so rough!”

Namjoon smiled as Gidae barreled into him, knocking him onto his back. They shared a loud laugh and he began mercilessly tickling the young boy’s side. The two of them rolled around in the grass until he was fully pinned down by the boy. They laughed again, pausing long enough to look up at Anastasia as she set a tray of refreshments down on the table in the front lawn.

Gidae immediately scrambled off Namjoon, beelining for his mother and hugging her around the waist as she poured iced tea into three glasses. She lovingly ran her fingers through his dark hair, ruffling the fringe around his eyes.

“You’re going to need a haircut soon, young man,” she said with a smile.

Namjoon dusted off the backs of his pants, crossing over to them. “I’ll take him tomorrow,” he said, taking the offered glass of tea.

He planted a gentle kiss on her cheek and she flushed slightly, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. He watched her sigh as Gidae slid into one of the chairs and began nibbling on some fruit.

“Are you sure?” she asked, brows furrowing with concern, “won’t you and Hoseok be busy with those foreign investment bankers?”

“It’ll be fine. I can do it during my break.”

Anastasia sighed again. He knew she always worried about him and how he could easily run himself into the ground with work. But Namjoon made a promise to always put his family first, no matter how busy he may have been. It was the very least he could do for his now departed older brother.

For three years, he watched Anastasia struggling with being a single mother. Seokjin’s parents readily accepted her as a member of their family and she took his last name as if it were her own. Soon they weren’t just the grandparents of her son, but her own mother and father. They doted and fussed over her at every given moment, but knew that she couldn’t dwell in the past forever. She was encouraged to go on blind dates and, for a time, she did.

Gidae was still young and didn’t fully understand the loss of his own father due to having father-figures in his life constantly. When Namjoon wasn’t present, Hoseok was around and after Yoongi was discharged from rehab, he was there to support Anastasia with whatever she needed – even bringing his own adopted children to play with her son. But even so, not having a father would eventually start to chip away at Gidae emotionally and he would begin to question things about the world and about himself.

Two years ago, Namjoon decided to take a chance.

It would be a lie to say that he didn’t have affection for Anastasia. In the beginning, he believed it was out of loyalty to Seokjin that he remained close. Over time, however, his loyalty blossomed into actual love for both Anastasia and Gidae. He no longer saw him as his nephew, but as his own son.

After bringing Anastasia home from dinner one night, Gidae accidentally called Namjoon “Dad”, much to their shock. He asked if he was going to be leaving his mother and him alone again.

Months passed and he felt confident enough to say that Anastasia also grew to care for him.

A year later, Namjoon visited Seokjin’s grave. He sat in front of the large mound of grass and stared at the marble headstone from dawn until dusk. Three empty bottles of soju sat beside him and somewhere in those hours, Namjoon laughed as he reminisced over the good and bad times. He spoke about how big Seokjin’s son was growing and how smart he was becoming. And then he cried as he talked about how much he now loved the woman his older brother unwillingly left behind. Namjoon wanted to protect her, cherish her, and help raise his brother’s son as if he were his own.

He then visited Seokjin’s family and asked for their blessing, to which they readily gave. After he informed his own family, Namjoon went to her home that afternoon and asked her to marry him. He was confident that she would say yes, but the elation that swept through him brought on a new sense of purpose and fueled him with determination.

Now, for the past year, the three of them lived together as a true family.

“Wasn’t Raelyn coming by with Mirae today?” he asked suddenly.

Anastasia nodded as she peeled an apple and fed it to Gidae’s waiting mouth. “She and Hoseok were planning to see Taehyung first.”

Namjoon sank into the chair across from her, reaching out to ruffle Gidae’s hair lovingly. “I’m sure they’ll call when they’re on their way. Yoongi Hyung will never let me hear the end of it if we all don’t make it to the festival today. The kids have been talking about it every chance they can get.”

“Fireworks!” Gidae cried while throwing his hands into the air, “I can’t wait to see the fireworks!”

“Me too,” Anastasia said while laughing, “it’s my favorite part.”

A warm feeling washed over Namjoon as he reached across the table to hold his wife’s hand. Their wedding bands glinted in the sunlight and she squeezed his fingers gently. After all the chaos in their lives, they could finally cherish these precious moments. They could try to put the past behind them, but would never forget.

It was a promise they made to each other; one they never intended to break.

Gwacheon – Gyeonggi Province Korea Correctional Service South Korea

After the routine frisking and checking ended, they were allowed access to the foggy plastic window that mirrored Taehyung to them. The blue jumpsuit seemed to fit him, reminding Hoseok of the time Taehyung used to work the fields of his family’s orchards. Both Hoseok and Raelyn sat down in visitor chairs and Mirae sat in her mother’s lap. Taehyung flashed them his trademark boxy smile and he gave a playful finger wave at Mirae. She giggled and mimicked his gesture, doing her best to stifle a soft yawn with her other hand.

He could hear Taehyung’s breath through the small holes penetrating the plexiglass. For a while, no one said anything to each other. Hoseok couldn’t imagine what sort of expression he had, but it managed to elicit a smile from his younger brother. The gesture was warm, yet it reflected his exhaustion from years of being behind bars.

“Hey, Hyung.” His voice was deep, the words rumbling in his throat.

“Hey,” Hoseok replied, drumming his fingers against his thigh.

Taehyung turned his head to look at Raelyn. “How’re you doing, Hyungsoo-nim?”

“I’m fine, Doryeon-nim.” She paused, pulling Mirae a little closer. “We’re fine.”

Their gazes lingered on each other a moment longer before Taehyung’s face brightened as he peered at Mirae. “And how’s my favorite niece?”

Hoseok’s brows furrowed as he saw Mirae giggling while waving her arms around playfully. “I’m great, Uncle Tae Tae! We’re going to the festival with Uncle Namjoon and Uncle Yoongi’s families when we go back home.”

“Oh? The festival, huh?” Taehyung smiled as he leaned back in his chair. “I miss food from the festival. The fireworks too.”

“You’ll be able to come when you’re released,” Hoseok offered gently, a reassuring expression painting over his features, “you know it’s a Hwaseong tradition.”

Taehyung averted his gaze momentarily, lacing his fingers together in his lap. “Yeah…”

Raelyn suddenly stood, setting Mirae down so she could stand as well. Turning to Hoseok, she smiled. “I’ll wait for you outside.” Her eyes shifted back to Taehyung. “It was good to see you, Doryeon-nim. Please take care of yourself.”

“You too, Hyungsoo-nim,” he said softly. His gaze lingered over her for a moment before moving to look at Mirae. He beamed at her. “You be good and listen to your parents, Mirae-ah. And stay out of trouble.”

“Kay!” she said, waving back to him happily before leaving the visitor room with her mother.

Hoseok remained seated, peering back at Taehyung for a long moment. Why did it have to be this way? Why had it come down to this? Even after all these years, Hoseok still couldn’t truly accept it in his heart, despite the resolute expression that continued to remain on Taehyung’s face.

“Thank you, Hyung,” he said, causing Hoseok’s shoulders to tense slightly, “Mirae’s so cute.”

“She’s trouble,” Hoseok said while smiling, “just like you.”

Taehyung chuckled. “Let’s hope not.”

“I agree. I’ll see you around, Taehyung-ah. Be healthy.”

Hoseok moved to stand and he saw his younger brother mirror his movements. The two men stood apart from each other, separated by a clear wall. He wanted nothing more than to pull his brother into his arms and hold him – to let him cry and vent his frustrations out. But until he was finally released from prison, he knew that it wouldn’t be possible.

When the time came, he’d be waiting with a block of tofu to shove into his mouth. They would all be waiting.

“Hyung?”

“Yeah?”

“…can I still see her when I get out of this place?” Taehyung’s brows furrowed. “Will you let me do that?”

Hoseok smiled through the onset of tears, a broken laugh all he was able to manage for that second. After he cleared his throat, he reached out and pressed his hand to the glass. Taehyung did the same.

“Of course. We’re family.”

The two brothers shared a glance, tears brimming their eyes, before the guard came and escorted Taehyung out of the visitor’s station. He watched his brother disappear behind the white doors, the sound resembling that of a mausoleum’s doors shutting. After a bit of prodding from a security guard, Hoseok was brought back to the main lobby where Raelyn and Mirae were waiting.

“Daddy!” Mirae said, running toward him and grabbing his hand. She tugged at it, urging him to hurry. “Let’s go, Daddy! We’re going to miss the festival!”

Hoseok laughed, shaking his head a little as Raelyn reached out to wipe at the tears that threatened to fall. She pressed a kiss to his lips, the two of them smiling as Mirae made an “ew” sound below them. They each grabbed ahold of their daughter’s hands, swinging her arms back and forth as they reached the parking lot.

“I love you, Hoseok-ah,” Raelyn said as she met his gaze.

He let go of Mirae’s hand to pull his wife closer to him. He kissed her temple gently, his lips brushing across the shell of her ear. “I love you too, Choseungdal,” he whispered, “I love you both.”

As they parted, they laughed happily as Mirae fussed over them being gross. Their daughter ran and they gave chase, taking a moment to bask in the joy that followed the aftermath of their stormy lives. It was a hard road they’d traveled. But now there would only be wonderful days ahead. In time, they would be able to look at the past and learn from the good and bad moments.

But right now, this was the most beautiful moment in life.