Blackstone Hotel – Two Hours Later

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The lights flickered.

Not the usual power dips the building sometimes suffered during city-wide outages—

no, this was deliberate.

Precise.

Calculated.

Jungkook felt it in his bones.

Yoongi tensed immediately. “Backup generators should’ve kicked in by now.”

“They did,” Jungkook murmured, turning toward the elevator panel on the wall. “Someone shut them off manually.”

Yoongi’s eyes sharpened.

“Inside the building?”

“Inside my territory,” Jungkook corrected, jaw tightening.

Only three people in all of Blackstone had the clearance to reach the generator controls.

And none of them would dare do this.

Which meant only one thing—

He was here.

The hooded boy with moonlit skin and silent footsteps.

Kim Taehyung.

Jungkook didn’t know the name yet, but he could feel the presence.

It was like a cold breath on the back of his neck, a warning wrapped in curiosity.

“Track every floor,” Jungkook ordered.

Yoongi pulled out his tablet. “Impossible. Cameras just died in a chain reaction.”

“Which floors?”

Yoongi’s throat tightened. “All of them.”

Jungkook exhaled slowly.

This wasn’t a normal intruder.

This was someone who walked into a lion’s den

and made the lion look over his shoulder.

Jungkook grabbed his gun from the desk drawer, spinning the chamber with a soft click.

“Let him come,” Jungkook said quietly.

And somewhere in the darkened halls of Blackstone,

someone smiled.

Blackstone – Floor 16

Taehyung walked with measured steps, hands in his pockets, hood pulled low.

He blended into the shadows like he was made of them.

His heartbeat was steady.

His breathing calm.

The lights flickered above him, reflecting in his unreadable eyes.

Jimin’s voice echoed in his earpiece.

“You’re inside. Don’t go too far.”

Taehyung didn’t answer.

He tilted his head, listening to the faint buzz of the hotel’s wiring—

the kind of sound only someone with training could notice.

Every camera.

Every sensor.

Every alarm.

He had taken them apart one by one, like plucking petals from a flower.

“This place feels like a cage,” Taehyung whispered.

“It is a cage,” Jimin replied. “And the king lives at the top.”

Taehyung smirked.

“That’s where I’m going.”

Blackstone – Top Floor

Jungkook moved through the corridor silently, gun raised, muscles tight with anticipation.

Yoongi followed close behind.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Yoongi murmured.

Jungkook didn’t answer.

He could feel him.

Somewhere nearby.

A shadow moving without fear.

A presence that made Jungkook’s blood heat in a way he refused to acknowledge.

A door clicked softly at the far end of the hallway.

Both men turned.

The figure stepped into the half-light.

Black hoodie.

Hands in pockets.

Head slightly down.

Exactly like the camera frame.

Except this time—

he was real.

And watching them.

The hooded boy lifted his gaze just enough for Jungkook to see his lips curve.

A soft smile.

Beautiful.

Dangerous.

Yoongi froze. “Kid’s insane.”

Jungkook stepped forward.

“Hands where I can see them.”

The boy didn’t move.

Didn’t flinch.

Instead, he slowly pulled down his hood.

Moonlit skin.

Soft lips.

Beautiful, haunting eyes that held secrets Jungkook wasn’t ready to meet.

For the first time in years, Jungkook’s breath faltered.

Yoongi whispered, “Holy—”

Jungkook raised his gun higher.

“Who are you?”

The boy tilted his head slightly.

His voice was soft, low, almost melodic.

“You’ve been looking for me.”

Jungkook’s fingers tightened around the trigger.

“Why are you here?”

Taehyung stepped one pace closer.

“Because you stole something from me.”

Jungkook’s expression didn’t change, but something in his chest flickered.

“I destroy things,” he said. “I don’t steal.”

Taehyung’s eyes glimmered.

“Not everything you destroy disappears, Jungkook.”

Yoongi stiffened.

“He knows your name—”

But Taehyung wasn’t looking at Yoongi.

His gaze was locked on Jungkook as if the entire world were reduced to just the two of them.

“You don’t remember me,” Taehyung whispered, almost sad. “But I remember you.”

Jungkook stepped closer, voice dropping.

“Explain.”

Taehyung smiled faintly.

A fragile, beautiful smile masking something wicked.

“I will,” he murmured. “But only when you’re ready to hear the truth.”

“And until then?” Jungkook asked.

Taehyung lowered his eyes.

“Catch me.”

And before Jungkook could react, Taehyung spun, sprinting toward the emergency stairs.

“Shit!” Yoongi growled, chasing after him.

But Jungkook didn’t curse.

He didn’t shout.

He just smiled.

Slow.

Dark.

Hungry.

“He came to me,” Jungkook whispered.

“Now he doesn’t get to walk away.”

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