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Screams echoed in the hallways which once were filled with silence.A wave of whispers rushed over the crowd as they all murmured in unison. How can someone like him get arrested? I guess things are not what they seem, everyone is different, in the way they present themselves in public and in the way they act when they are alone.A corrupted police officer is nothing shocking but the screams of the police officer that can be heard in this moment is pretty shocking. Everyone watched from the side of the hallways as he yelled, pleading his innocence. His efforts were in vain as he was dragged disrespectfully through the floors where he would walk everyday with his head held high. The teammates who worked alongside him for the past five years had on looks of distress.The charges on Jeon Jeongguk are too well crafted to be false. He never had an alibi to prove himself wrong nor could he deny the footage of him being present in the warehouse where the store sold drugs. Usage of drugs is a criminal offence in South Korea and Jeongguk would have been proven innocent if they hadn’t found traces of drugs in his hair follicles. Knowing damn well about himself, Jeongguk screamed at the faces of those who kidnapped him to run a test on him. To Jeongguk's surprise, the result came back positive.The award winning, well-respected, superstar detective of the violent crimes unit at the Seoul Metropolitan police station had tested positive for five different drugs.Crestfallen; his eyes flooded with tears as he denied usage of any sort of drugs in his entire twenty-eight years of living. He felt his back hitting against the wall, shaking in the unbridled rage he felt as he looked at his teammates and felt himself being picked apart as he saw doubt in their eyes for him.Trapped in someone’s evil conspiracy, Jeongguk heard his ears buzz and his heart thumping in his chest.“No! this can’t be happening, something’s wrong…. I never took drugs….no…...Yoongi Hyung! Namjoon Hyung!...please don’t doubt me”, kneeling down on the ground, he clasped his hands together, to his teammates. Begged them to listen to him for once. Strong arms snaked around his broken body as he felt the force of the people that were here for him. The metal around his wrist clasped, he was put into handcuffs.Realising his situation, in his loneliness, Jeongguk screamed in despair and tried to fight off everyone that held him. Yoongi and Namjoon stood paralysed in one corner of the room as they watched the situation go south. Jeongguk had to be put down and sedated before being taken away and thrown into the jail cell.Nothing’s more humiliating than this, especially for a police officer like Jeongguk who's been truthful and worked hard to get into the position he was in. All his efforts went down the drain, his reputation being crushed by the sound of boots that could be heard in the hallway screaming with silence after Jeongguk was taken away. The air around the police station cooled down as the murmurs couldn’t be heard anymore. Police officers are busy people, they don’t have time to drag over someone’s else’s misery or corruption in this case.Yoongi writhed in guilt while he repeatedly hit his head against the desk, Namjoon stood by the window looking outside in a disoriented gaze of helplessness. They brought this upon their fellow team mates, they are the reason why Jeongguk lost his reputation today as a police officer. They’re to be blamed for Jeongguk’s present condition and his misery. They are guilty of forgery of false evidence and misleading Jeongguk down to his own hell.But they are not the only ones.The sound of boots that echoed in the hallways entered the room they were sitting in, halting and waiting for a response. It was Yoongi who spoke up, his voice grumbling with anger and pain, because the last thing he thought he would do to Jeongguk is betray him.“Are you satisfied?”Yoongi asked Taehyung, who stood there with an unreadable expression on his face.“I told you several times and I will tell you again”, Taehyung sighed, as he walked in the room, while taking out a file from his suitcase, “I did this to save Jeongguk’s life.”“Knowing damn well that his reputation is his life”, Namjoon spoke up, “I don’t know how much he will be able to handle knowing his best friend of twenty-three years and his boyfriend of thirteen years conspired it against him.”Taehyung scoffed, he is in a mood to laugh out loud at his own misery but he couldn’t, “Jeongguk hates me”, he said sternly, “I am no longer his beloved or his friend. He wants me dead more than I want to kill myself.”Turning on his heel, Taehyung walked away, leaving Yoongi and Namjoon to sit in silence, looking down at the file he left on the table.
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Yoongi went to visit Jeongguk today and even with a quick glance could tell he didn't look good. He originally wanted Namjoon to tag along but the weight of his shame prevented him from even leaving the car. Yoongi sat there in front of his former team mate who looked as if he was inching closer to death. His pale cheeks that showed his protruding cheekbones matched his swollen eyes with the deep dark bruises underneath. His hoarse voice matched with his crusted lips and he seemed to be as frail as a leaf, shaking to a breeze that wasn't felt by anyone but him.
Yoongi felt like crying and hugging him but he’s afraid to touch him, he felt if he would touch him, the Jeongguk would crumble underneath his touch. Yoongi put on a sad fake smile as he reported to him about all the progress they have made while investigating Jeongguk’s case. “And we will hire a good lawyer for you, Jeongguk-ah”, Yoongi assured him, “no need to worry about it. You will be out in a month or less and-”.“He did this to me”, Jeongguk said, cutting Yoongi off his speech, “he hated me so much……he did this to me”. He spoke as if he was possessed by something, his eyes dazed yet his words were clear, as if it was uttered for the sole reason of saying the truth.“Who…. who are you talking about?”, Yoongi asked, genuinely concerned about him.“Kim Taehyung”, Jeongguk uttered his name while gritting his teeth. “He fucking hates me so he did this to me!”, Jeongguk screamed while slamming his fist down on the table, making Yoongi flinch ad stand back up from his seat in response. “Can’t you see?”, Jeongguk looked at him with tear-filled eyes, still begging them to perceive the truth, acknowledge his innocence, “can’t you see, Hyung? He did this to me.”Yoongi stood there, unable to swallow the guilt that pierced his throat like a fish bone. Silence returned to the room, Jeongguk whimpered as Yoongi stood there, breathing heavily. They were too occupied in their head to notice the click-clack of Chelsea boots growing louder as it approached towards them. “Jeon Jeongguk! I have come here to rescu-”, Jimin's eyes went wide when he saw that Jeongguk was, in fact, not alone and was being accompanied by none other than Min Yoongi. Jimin grew up along with Jeongguk and Taehyung. He and Taehyung pursued law by studying to be an attorney, Jeongguk pursued law by studying and training to be a police officer. From the day Jeongguk got his job in the Seoul Metropolitan Police Office, Jimin had his eyes on Min Yoongi, first he had a crush on him which turned into one sided unrequited love over the span of five years. Seeing him on a day like this made his mouth hang out in surprise, well versed with Taehyung’s plan Jimin never thought this man had the nerve to show up to meet Jeongguk when he is the one responsible for fabricating evidence like him.
Jimin stared at Yoongi too long for his comfort.Sighing he got up from his place and said, “I am leaving him under your custody, Attorney Park”. He was going to walk away but a grip on his arm made him turn back. It was Jimin who held onto his arm, the one who was looking at him with puppy eyes, “Detective Min”, he said monotonously, “You and I. we need to talk”. Knowing Jimin’s part in the plan Taehyung laid, Yoongi nodded in response. He gestured at Jimin to let go off his arm, while looking down at the place he had been grabbed.Letting go off Yoongi, Jimin saw Yoongi walk out of the room while closing the door, clutching his bag on his chest Jimin dreamily looked at the door, “How can someone be so handsome while looking like an absolute asshole?”, Jimin hummed to himself before sighing and turning himself towards Jeongguk, who held a disgusted expression on his face. Jimin mimicked his expression as he sat down on the chair that was kept on the opposite side of the table. “Keep that expression on, Jeongguk-ah”, Jimin playfully threatened, “and I will make sure that you never get out of this place.”Jeongguk sighed, rubbing his face in frustration, “Why?”, he asked Jimin, “why do you think Taehyung did this to me? Why does he hate me so much?”Jimin chucked, “Yeah sure!!”, he said, “he hates you so fucking much that he made you stay in a safer than he is right now at?”“By stripping me off my respect and reputation!!!!!”, Jeongguk slammed his arms on the table as he yelled at Jimin’s face.Jeongguk bent over inching near Jimin's face as anger dripped down his eyes and nose in the form of salty water. Jimin held a straight face, “you are not getting out of this place until we make sure that it’s safe enough for you to step out.”“When I get out”, Jeongguk grumbled, “I will make sure your beloved soulmate, Kim Taehyung, is as good as dead”, he threatened to Jimin.Jimin nodded, “Sure thing”, he said in a very monotonous voice, “I would like to see how you will kill Kim Taehyung. But before that tell me something”. Jimin leaned back on his chair, “Are you sure you can live with the guilt of killing Kim Taehyung knowing damn well that he ruined your life?”Jeongguk’s eyes slowly widened, no more it held anger, it looked at Jimin’s eyes for the glint of playfulness that would signify that he’s joking but he couldn’t find any trace of that in his eyes.
“Do you hold that kind of anger in your heart that can burn down Kim Taehyung in matter of seconds?”, Jimin slowly reduced the volume of voice as he slowly made his way towards Jeongguk’s ears, “Are you man enough to watch the life slip away from Taehyung’s eyes as you plunge the knife deeper into Taehyung’s neck?”Jimin stood with his cold lips touching Jeongguk’s ears, warm with the extremity of emotions he felt at the moment. “Harvest the rage that would burn the world with your beloved in it”, Jimin whispered, making Jeongguk’s shiver in sudden coldness, “before you bluff and throw a tantrum like a little kid.”Saying this Jimin stood up from his place, turning on his feet he walked away, making sure his departure echoed through the hallway as Jeongguk stood frozen at his place, the goosebumps formed upon him took a little more time to mingle back into his skin.Realisation is scary thing to experience.
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Yoongi inhaled the smoke, hugging the cigarette in between his cold lips, it burnt his lungs irritating the layer flesh around his throat. It felt good, he wished he could burn himself. Throwing gasoline on himself and lighting a matchstick would be enough, he thinks. Had he known that his curiosity would cause Jeongguk his life, he would haven’t done it in the first place.Crime is an addiction, to the criminal as well as to the detective. Enticed by the clues the detective digs further into a case that has gone cold. That’s what happened that day, annually Yoongi and his teammate Jeongguk and team-leader Namjoon, would go through a series of cold cases with the hope that some could be reopened and the offender could be punished. It was Jeongguk who noticed it first, as Yoongi was going through the files one by one drowsily, Jeongguk brought a bunch of files and dropped it on Yoongi’s table. The loud thud woke Yoongi up, he yelled in surprise, cussing at Jeongguk, “The fuck Jeon???!!!”But Jeongguk’s innocent giggles were enough to drop the anger, “why trouble your Hyung? What happened?”, Yoongi asked, yawning from being sleepy. “Actually”, Jeongguk said, opening and lying the files he brought on the table. Each one of them followed the same pattern. Each year nearly fifty and more employees working under Kim Pharmaceuticals die from severe working conditions but within a week another bigger case happens which overshadows the death of employees in one of the high graded companies. It’s been going on for the past three to four years, the family members of the deceased employees even filed complaints about not receiving the respective dead bodies. Each year, the bigger case has been solved while these cases have been swept under the rug.Lifting the cup from the table, Yoongi downed the remaining coffee at once. He told Jeongguk to wait while he walked down to the records room alone. The entire police station has been deserted except the people working at the desk and guards at the record and evidence room. Seeing the guard being asleep on his duty, Yoongi stealthily sneaked into the record room, he collected all the files that had the name, “Kim Pharmaceuticals” on it and with great difficulty he managed to sneak out of the room. Walking towards their room with a huge smile on his face and a bunch of files in his arms, Yoongi’s step halted when he heard Namjoon’s yelling. Namjoon is a docile man who rarely yells at people, but walking into the room and seeing him yelling at Jeongguk took him aback. Yoongi worked under Namjoon for the past six years and not once did he see him yell at someone. Even though Jeongguk worked under him for four years now, what must he have done wrong to receive this?“Namjoon-ah?”, Yoongi grabbed his attention, “What’s going on?”. “This young man!!!”, Namjoon pointed at Jeongguk, “Dug up files I told him to stay away fro-”. Namjoon’s eyes caught the letters forming, “Kim Pharmaceuticals”, on the files that’s been held by Yoongi. “What is this?”, Namjoon asked, snatching all the files away from Yoongi’s arm and dropping them on the table. “The fuck both of you are plotting???!!!!!”, Namjoon yelled at Yoongi’s face, “Do both of you have a death wish??!!!!”Despite being a year older than Namjoon, Yoongi had to work under him, he spent his life stationed around a countryside police station since he never had enough money to study and appear for the exams. When he finally got promoted to Seoul Metropolitan PS to work under Namjoon, he was rather happy. Despite being a docile gentleman, Namjoon had a strong sense of justice and righteousness. All these years he worked hard not for promotion or money but to genuinely help people. He respects him with every fibre of his being. But seeing him like this today made him question Namjoon’s morals. “Namjoon!”, Yoongi called out to him in a stern voice, “never in my life I thought that you out of all people will obstruct in a process of providing justice to people.”Namjoon sighed, pulling a chair he sat down, “I lost more than ten colleagues from different department under law enforcement to this cursed company”, Namjoon said, accepting his defeat, he confessed, “on the order of Deputy, I was the one who swept these cases under the rug”. With tears glistening in his eyes, he looked up at Yoongi and Jeongguk who stared at him with their lips slightly parted in surprise, “I am begging to both of you. Please. Do not mess with Kim Pharmaceuticals.”Accepting his defeat Yoongi pulled himself off the case and advised Jeongguk to do the same. But Jeon Jeongguk is too stubborn to listen to anyone even though it’s his teammates. He didn’t even listen to his boyfriend, who warned him more than once about this cursed CEO Kim and his pharmaceutical company. Taehyung begged Jeongguk multiple times to give up on the investigation, before he gave up on Jeongguk and walked out of his life. He ventured out alone to dig dirt on Kim Pharmaceuticals.For once he did not let either of his teammates or his boyfriend or friend know about it. Jeongguk’s life and mental condition worsened over this investigation, not only did he lose his boyfriend but also, he infuriated the higher-ups for which Namjoon had to take the heat. Both Namjoon and Yoongi were on the verge of giving Jeongguk up and requesting someone else as a new team member. Until he called Yoongi one night.“Hyung….”, Jeongguk said frantically into the phone, “I don’t think I am going to make it out of here…”Before Yoongi could have said anything further, the call was hung up. That was one hell of a night. Most of the police department has been awakened in the middle of the night to search for Jeongguk. Yoongi tore the city apart, speeding his car through the road to find Jeongguk while being accompanied by Park Jimin, while other officers searched for Jeongguk. Namjoon sat in the headquarters with Taehyung, going over any emergency calls that was made.From Jeongguk’s broken phone to his bloodied and torn shirt that was discarded by the side of the road has been found. Yet there was no trace of Jeongguk or his corpse. Everyone has already given up and Yoongi was given the instruction to return back to the headquarters.In the most hopeless situation, hope is illuminated in the form of a personal phone call made on Jimin's phone.