Chapter 35: CRIMSON OBSESSION

 

The Aftermath of Fire

The warehouse was steeped in silence, the air still thick with the remnants of rage and desire. The scuffle between Taehyung and Jungkook had settled, but the embers of something far more dangerous smoldered beneath the surface.

Jimin stood frozen in place, his breath unsteady as he tried to process what had just transpired. One moment, fists had flown with lethal intent; the next, lips had crashed together in a battle of dominance more intimate than any punch thrown. It was a war waged in silence, filled with raw, unfiltered hunger and power struggles that went far beyond physical violence.

Taehyung’s hand hovered near his mouth, his thumb brushing against the spot where Jungkook’s lips had claimed him, his skin still tingling from the force of it. His pupils were blown wide, the remnants of adrenaline and something far more illicit coursing through his veins. He licked his lower lip, as if trying to taste the remnants of the moment, but it only served to ignite something deeper within him—a craving, an irritation, an insatiable desire to reclaim control.

Jungkook stood a few steps away, the faintest smirk curling the corners of his bruised lips. His knuckles were bloodied, his breathing labored, but he looked completely at ease. No fear, no hesitation—just the steady, unyielding confidence that had always made him so infuriating. He ran a hand through his tousled hair, his dark eyes flickering with amusement as he regarded Taehyung’s reaction.

“This isn’t over,” Jungkook murmured, his voice laced with quiet provocation. He tilted his head slightly, challenging, daring.

Taehyung scoffed, his lips parting into a slow, menacing grin. “Oh, I know,” he replied, his voice dangerously soft, like the calm before a storm. He straightened, brushing dust from his suit with calculated ease, though his fingers trembled ever so slightly. “You think I’ll let this slide? That I’ll forget what just happened?”

Jungkook’s smirk widened. “No. I think you’ll obsess over it.” His voice dipped into something almost seductive, taunting. “You love the chase, don’t you?”

Taehyung inhaled sharply, the heat of the moment threatening to consume him. He hated how easily Jungkook could read him, how effortlessly he unraveled him. Jungkook had turned the tables, stealing control from him in a way that no one had ever dared to before. And Taehyung hated losing.

Jimin, who had been silent until now, finally found his voice. “What the hell was that?” he asked, his voice slightly hoarse from shock. His gaze darted between them, searching for answers.

Jungkook turned to him, his expression softening just slightly. “A lesson,” he said simply.

Jimin frowned. “A lesson?”

Jungkook’s eyes flickered back to Taehyung. “He needed to be reminded that brute force isn’t the only way to win a war.”

Taehyung clenched his jaw, a muscle ticking. He knew exactly what Jungkook meant. Power wasn’t just about strength; it was about control, about knowing when to strike and when to pull back. And Jungkook had just proven that he was just as capable of wielding it in ways Taehyung hadn’t anticipated.

Jungkook took a step back, his gaze never wavering. “You’re not done with me yet, Sweetheart,” he said, his voice carrying a quiet promise. “And I’m not done with you.”

Then, with the same effortless ease as always, he turned and disappeared into the night, his silhouette swallowed by the shadows.

Taehyung remained standing, his blood still simmering, his mind already devising ways to reclaim the upper hand. He wouldn’t let this go. No—Jungkook had just made a grave mistake.

Jimin exhaled sharply, finally daring to move. He stepped toward Taehyung cautiously, noting the tension coiled in his frame. “Taehyung—”

“Not now.” The words were clipped, sharp. Taehyung’s hands curled into fists, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to steady himself. He couldn’t afford to let anyone see how much this had affected him, how deeply Jungkook had burrowed into his mind.

Jimin hesitated before nodding, stepping back. He had seen Taehyung angry before, seen him ruthless and unforgiving. But this—this was something else entirely. Something dangerous. And Jimin wasn’t sure if it was directed at Jungkook, at himself, or at the way Jungkook had forced him into this twisted game of push and pull.

Taehyung turned, his sharp gaze meeting Jimin’s. “Find out where he’s going,” he ordered, his voice eerily calm. “And don’t let him out of your sight.”

Jimin swallowed. “Taehyung, maybe—”

“Now.”

Jimin gave a tight nod before disappearing into the night after Jungkook. But even as he left, he knew—this wasn’t just about catching Jungkook. This was about Taehyung proving something to himself.

And nothing was more dangerous than Taehyung with something to prove.

 

 

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