Chapter Sixty-six "Phoenix in His Arms"

 

The Final Confrontation

Jungkook aggressively stabbed at his food, stuffing large bites into his mouth without saying a word. His friends watched him cautiously, exchanging glances as they tried to figure out what had him sulking like a child.

“Okay, seriously, what is your problem today?” Jimin finally asked, resting his chin on his palm.

“You’ve been chewing that poor sandwich like it personally offended you,” Soobin added.

“Spill it, Jungkook,” Niki said, nudging him with his elbow. “What’s wrong?”

Jungkook huffed, still avoiding their eyes. He wanted to speak, but before he could, a loud voice echoed through the cafeteria.

“Check the news! Hurry!” A panicked student ran inside, breathless, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

Without wasting a second, students grabbed their phones, the cafeteria buzzing with the sound of notifications and gasps of disbelief. Jungkook furrowed his brows and pulled out his phone, his eyes widening in shock at the latest headlines flashing on the screen.

"Breaking News: Kai's Family Business Sealed for Illegal Activities!"

"Kai's Entire Family Arrested for Criminal Offenses; Kai Still Missing!"

Jungkook swallowed hard, reading every detail as the horrifying reality settled in. Kai's family had been running illegal deals, and now, the authorities had finally caught up to them.

“No way,” he whispered, feeling a cold shiver run down his spine.

Jimin, sitting beside him, sighed and put his phone down. “It makes sense now,” he muttered. “Kai was the one who drugged your smoothie that night. Miki was another one of his victims.”

Jungkook’s hands clenched into fists as the memories rushed back. He recalled how Kai had handed him the smoothie both times, his friendly smile masking the sinister intentions behind his actions.

“That bastard…” Jungkook gritted his teeth, feeling a mix of anger and disgust.

Before anyone could say another word, a sudden wave of terror swept through the cafeteria. The doors burst open, and several men dressed in black stormed inside, their guns gleaming under the bright lights.

The students froze in horror as the men positioned themselves near the exits, effectively blocking any escape. A thick silence fell over the cafeteria, the tension suffocating.

And then, Kai walked in, his face contorted in burning anger.

“This is all your fault, Jungkook!” he roared, his voice echoing through the cafeteria. His eyes blazed with fury as he stepped forward, every inch of his posture screaming revenge.

“Hold them back. Jungkook is mine,” Kai ordered his men, his voice dripping with venom.

Jungkook’s friends immediately tried to break through, but the armed men shoved them back, keeping everyone in their place. Jungkook found himself standing in the middle of the cafeteria, face to face with Kai, completely alone.

“You’re making a huge mistake,” Jungkook warned, his voice calm but firm. “Surrender to the police before you make things worse.”

Kai let out a cold, bitter laugh. “You think I have anything left to lose?” he sneered before charging at Jungkook.

But he had underestimated him.

Jungkook had trained in traditional martial arts for years. This was nothing for him.

He effortlessly dodged Kai’s attacks, his movements swift and precise. Kai grew more frustrated with each missed attempt and finally shouted for his men to restrain Jungkook.

The fight turned into chaos as multiple men lunged at Jungkook at once. He fought back skillfully, but the sheer number of them overwhelmed him. His friends yelled in warning when they noticed one of Kai’s men creeping toward Jungkook with a knife, but Jungkook was too busy fending off others to react in time.

Just then, the air shifted.

A commanding presence entered the room, and in the blink of an eye, a blur of motion joined Jungkook’s side.

Taehyung.

The moment he arrived, the tides shifted completely. The two of them moved in perfect synchronization, their attacks precise and devastating. Their movements were almost like a choreographed dance, each one anticipating the other’s next step.

Even in their fearful state, the students watching were awed by their coordination and skill.

Within ten minutes, Kai’s men were either unconscious or groaning in pain—some with broken bones, others too battered to continue fighting.

But just as they thought it was over, Kai pulled out a gun, his hand shaking with rage. He aimed directly at Jungkook.

Time seemed to slow.

A loud gunshot echoed in the cafeteria.

Gasps filled the air as everyone held their breath. But it wasn’t Jungkook who was hit.

Kai stumbled back, clutching his arm in pain. Blood seeped through his fingers where the bullet had struck him.

The students turned in shock to see Taehyung standing with a gun in hand, his expression unreadable, his usual ironed blazer replaced by a long overcoat that concealed his weapon until now.

Sirens wailed in the distance as the police stormed into the university, taking over the situation. The professors and the principal rushed in, ensuring that the students were unharmed.

Kai was finally captured, his reign of terror brought to an end.

Jungkook stood frozen for a moment before, without warning, he ran toward Taehyung and launched himself at him, hugging the life out of him.

Taehyung didn’t hesitate, his arms wrapping around Jungkook as he rubbed slow, calming circles on his back. Jungkook mumbled into his shoulder, voice shaky, “I was scared… I thought I’d never see you again.”

Taehyung exhaled softly, his grip tightening. “I’m sorry for coming late,” he murmured. “But you were strong, kook. I’m proud of you.”

Jungkook didn’t let go, clinging onto him as though afraid he would disappear. With a soft sigh, Taehyung scooped Jungkook up effortlessly and carried him to a chair far from the chaos.

After a while, when Jungkook finally calmed down, his friends approached, Soobin carrying a first aid box.

“We can’t leave until the police finish their investigation,” Taehyung said, making Jungkook sit on the chair. He carefully treated Jungkook’s bruised knuckles and other minor wounds while praising him in between.

His friends cracked jokes to lighten the mood, and for the first time in days, Jungkook found himself smiling.

Taehyung had his back.

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