Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In the hallowing night, all he could think about was the wetness of the rain as he ran. Closing his eyes, he felt the lemon drops on his chap, thin lips. Reality hit him from the streetlight casting an orange on the shattering soul.

An unknown tear escaped down his cheek as the piercing bullet grazed through his tattoo - this moment resembling a palette knife that was working a glaze on a cake, like the one Jin had been working on in his kitchen, which was now abandoned with the lone rustic record playing in the back. As silence reminisced to the sounds filling the void in Jin's apartment, out there, in the lonely street that was engulfed by the silent whispers of the rain, an erased scar cut itself open on Joon’s delicate ring finger.

---

let me make this clear.

today, the first week of june began and it was quite the feral. if u see, there is this random 'The April' who wanted to fool, to blackmail him on such an odd day, well, then he did what very other diligent assassin would do. not back off. because he was a hiree, thus an interferee. backing off means white flags and no killings. what was the fun in that?

on top of that, earlier during the day he gracefully soulbonded to what could be called as a criminal's immortal enemy - a policeman. 

just a normal day in Seoul if u ask me.

anyways,

let's trace back to how this moment in RM's life begun.

---

RM's day had flipped over quite amusingly. yeah, he wasn't surprised. in this world, a surprise is the least surprising thing to expect, and there is never honor among a couple of thieves.

But betrayal isn't the same as no honor.

RM was hired to take down some black coated guy who was about to shake on a deal with his boss. But the minute he chose position he felt a pair of eyes on his boss through his binoculars.

Of course. If he could've been hired to make the traitorous kill, why wouldn't the other dealer do the same.

Angling the sniper in the direction of the other shooter, he was about to center his focus when he heard a small murmur of cheer, indicating that the contract was signed, but before another second was even allowed to pass, a shot. 

A shot taken.

At him.

Not his employer.

huh?

RM turned around to find a note shot at him while a silhouette ran away. 

"the deal will happen even if your so called underworld lord wanted it to be over the minute it began. the blood, if needed to flow, will meet your and your boss' fates at the currents of hannam river. yes. what you are thinking now is right - i know you, i know your past Namjoon and i know your boss Yoongi. so do me a favor, and back off. but not so back, sweetie. beautiful things like you dont belong in the background. oh and quick word of warning. be carefulll from now tho:)

love, the april"

love, the april? the fucking hell?

he looked about, left - right- in the back for some person's trace, but nothing but darkness. Gleaming darkness like his past, something this april knew of.

he, he knew my name

Suddenly, a voice indicated its presence.

" RM, WHAT THE FUCK. I believe that once the deal was done you had to kill-"

"Boss, please, look at this", RM interrupted him (oh mighty heavens, if anyone else dared to interrupt an underworld lord like RM did, oof, may lord have mercy on his soul).

Snatching the note with fury and confusion in his eyes, he read the damn letter once. then again, then over and over again; each time adding more fuel to his anger. But before he could express it out loud, gun shots sounded from the back. 

"SUGA! duck!" RM yelled as quickly pulled out his hand gun and using his other hand pulled his boss to the behind of the wall of the room he was originally taking coverage in (for the earlier hired shoot). A series of rapid fire shots hit the wall, making it quiver and crumble under its wrath. With heavy breaths and occasional curse thrown under each breath, RM carefully fired back while SUGA slipped his hand from his right grip to pull out his own barrel and join the surprise attack.

When the metal fire started to slow down a bit, SUGA pulled out his walkie-talkie when someone contacted him through it. The signal through was terrible. "... we're yet to find out who  kzkzkz -id this-  kzkzkz  -UGA you ther-  zkzkzk  -shit"

"Fuck yeah I'm here! fuck. How did it come down to this?! No one was informed about this deal, so it clearly means those assholes" - shot -" were the ones who had this planned out. Fuck. Bit did he really send such amateurs of trade to shoot bullet on us?! And why the fuck are our men not in position and taking down the shooters San!!"

This very moment someone released a smoke bomb onto their side. Covering his mouth and handing over a tattered handkerchief to his boss, RM slid over to the other side of the room and taking his sniper in hand, he aimed it at randomly in some direction, not yet shooting but waiting for his boss' command to leave, in order to make the shoots so they could leave with increased chances of being alive.

"... boss two of our men were injured - kzkzkz - seems to be an ambush we haven't seen in some time - kzkzkz - boss, we are only four more of us left and we've anticipated at least twelve of them. this is -kzkzkz- gamble, we need to leav-" 

A loud noise cut out the signal totally but SUGA and RM both were well aware that no matter how strong and witty enough they were to deal with the situation, it would still be too much of an insult to their position in the underworld since it was so easily attacked by a group of novices. They would deal with those boys later but now, it was time to depart.

" ha ha ha, I told you to back off sweetcheeks. But it looks like someone needs a punishment for not listening~" 

While bits and pieces of the heavy voice reached their ears, RM quickly scanned the half broken room they were in to find a narrow slit in one corner of the floor which was big enough to accommodate them. Signaling the same to his boss, both scrambled onto their knees and crawled to the opening. It was in this second that the voice had quitened down and they heard a pin being removed from somewhere. 

shit. hand grenade.

Guiding first SUGA down the hole, RM made haste behind him (but made no shootings cuz it would giveaway position) and took off his bulletproof jacket. the second he jumped the hole following his boss, he held the jacket overhead as the grenade made its landing on the room's floor. 

The impact of the explosion was a broken piece of the flying floor slicing through his boss' hands while some debris bloodied RM's face. But they were safe and back on land. back in the living room of the house the deal had taken place merely half an hour back. someone however must have taken notice of their departure because they felt someone approaching them, someone with the dreadful aura around themselves, an aura that the novice gang's team leader had. 

He gave chase to the two injured men whose experienced legs quickly brought them onto the streets. They found their van sitting outside with the engine running and the window rolled down revealing San. "Get in fast boss!" he yelled at them. Hurrying in, RM turned behind to see the amateur leader already in a car of his own which was now speeding towards them.

As both cars now hurtled down the evening streets of empty Seoul, a shrilling voice from the chasing car shook Joon. It yelled - “HA HA HA that's right you crazy bitch SUGA! Run back to your "soulmate", you weak little babyboy!"

Suddenly red and blue lights shot from a far distance, the flashing lights becoming more prominent - a police car was right on their trail. how did the day turn around like this?!

The shrilling voice sounded with slight fear as it yelled at the driver to detour. Then directing his voice to SUGA, he spoke- "how many times will Hobi save your ass? He may call himself the king of this world but sitting on the queen's throne is you! That's my fucking seat you are sitting on and that's my soul mark of Hobi's you've stolen on your arm, you freak! We’ll deal with you later but for now, handle those officers and have fun darlings! oh, and remember. You can fucking kiss your soul for this betrayal to me, your old friend, a good-bye! ”

and then making a reverse the black car drove away, fleeing from the scene as the police car made its bold and rather oblivious appearance to the situation that just happened. 

of course they had pocketed some police officers.

Not sparing another moment, San put his feet on the gas, while SUGA was lost in thought, a dark sunken look on his lost face. all seven men on board have never been so shocked in their lives. their boss, a ruthless torture specialist who is a former trained sword fighter, was having the slightest hint of worry on his face. RM took his hand in his own and held it tightly, as if offering an assurance that the speaker of those words won't live to see another light and that his soulmate would never leave his side. 

Yes. Soulmate. the SUGA of the underworld was queen to his love, his life, his soulmate - his dear Hobi. 

Soulmates are sensitive subjects to tread upon, for the bondings as planned by the universe happened in the most unlikely ways but shook the couple in the most amazing ways. 

SUGA and Hobi had recently bonded and their soul marks would still burn when one either remembered the other or felt down. As newly bound individuals, they had a lot of tasks to perform to solidify the linkage of souls, and since the link was a bit new between the two, their minds were sensitive when it came to each other.

Luckily, they both had dated each other for a long time before finding out they were soulmates. And they had even managed to delve into each other almost very night and strengthen their link, due to which they no longer felt discomfort upon being apart from each other. 

SUGA was fierce, and his Hobi, merciless. A perfect couple they were.

Words, especially threats, never made a dent in him, yet a simple string of words which barely threatened to take Hobi away from him, managed to shake him for perhaps the first time in his life. 

"It must've been that smoke bomb, boss. There is no other reason as to why rookies could be have such an impact" said RM, giving an unsaid explanation to the unsaid questions in the vehicle which still ran at about 60 miles an hour away from the wailing sounds of the sirens of now 2 police vehicles. 

Turning the steering sharply towards the right as RM pulled out his trustworthy pistol, his fingers worked quickly to lower the window while he put on his mask, and then taking aim, he ruptured the tires of the chasers while the black van he was seated took a full 180°. 

But one of the policemen had managed to counterattack - and the impact was the van's tire burst.

The direction of the burst was more towards the policemen, which meant less injuries and more scramble time to the gangsters who took on foot immediately. unspoken, they ran off in different directions to increase the chances of a safe escape and less catch.

Who knows for how long RM had run; his feet were burning and the only thing he could hear was his heartbeat. no. His heart actually was not beating that fast due to the intense run which was really strange, but RM didn't know that. The reason why his heart was beating fast, was because his heart knew that it was in close proximity of it's forever person.

And that was when, RM's hazy eyes made out that someone was in front of him, and that someone had perhaps one of the most pinkest hands from the cold, holding warmly onto a black object and having the most softest eyes and breadiest cheeks.

and then his heart knew. knew, that it was home.

and then from somewhere the angels sang.

the fuck are these angels singing from?! the fuck?! am i dead-

and then the angels of hell sang.

---

[one hour back, somewhere in Seoul]

The good old jazz was filling in the air with life and sweet joy. Jin was moving his body to the slaving sounds of the music.

He was happy that the cake turned out well. He turned around to steal a quick glance of the clock. During this brief moment, Taehyung waltzed in, happily sat down on the stool, and extended his hand to get hold of the essence bottle to read the ingredients like some diligent studious and bored boy ( read as : checking whether said product in his hand could be used as an item in this prank he was planning to get back at Jimin for downing his pants with itching powder during their annual 'heightened prank week' ). But the bottle was small and clumsiness was his cute persona, which caused him to rather tip over the bottle on the table.

it rolled till it reached the end and fell over, spilling its contents onto the floor as glass the broke from such a height. Ears alarmed at the noise, he looked over his cake to see the sticky mess on the floor. “Not. Again. Tae. UGH. How many times do I have to tell you that the kitchen is off-limits you dimensional creature!" peering down to see the mess as Tae giggled and moved back to avoid his brother's outburst which would begin in

3

2

1-

"I am so not cleaning that up. Oh my God. You are always like this, running and jumping in no direction like a kid and how many times have i told you to stay away from glass? hmm? oh fuck. that mess is so sticky and my hands are too pretty to be wiping that. ugh. but hey, I'm the elder one here so I've gotta be mature and responsible and over here if you see, my responsibility is to ask you to get your sorry ass here to clean up this shit, but guess what did the competition winner told to his obnoxious pessimistic sir while pointing at his award?”

" huh? wha-"

and before Tae could finish his dialogue, Jin had had grabbed a jug of water and poured it onto his younger brother.

"sir,prize!" 

Tae, like the drama queen he loved being, grasped his heart like a heart broken lover and made a face of utmost sadness upon this 'betrayal' and gasped loudly while he grabbed another jar of water to attack the elder brother who was wheezing and making a run for it. Both were caught in a petty water fight while someone opened up the front door.

“On the bright side, the poor floor will finally be mopped.”

Jimin walked into the dim room, brightening it up with his contagious smile.

“I must say you making a cake just shows how serious you are about knowing she could be your soulmate!”

walking beside Tae, while cautiously eyeing him (as Tae cautiously eyed back) and the cake, Jimin placed the expensive purse on the dining table. “But I must say Hyung, your seriousness is going to make me broke. Also, the lighting and music in this room? Oh Fuck she is gonna love it. And ooh, the cake looks so good! Could I be the taste-tester? Pretty please Hyung?"

“Don’t touch the cake” Jin said with death in his eyes as Jimin skipped over the room eat one of the toppings. Jin grabbed the palette knife to stop him from putting his dirty fingers in the cake, but failed to do so, especially when Tae joined Jimin to take another topping.

the oh so dramatic Jin ( well, the whole Kim line is dramatic, so here we are ) (and we absolutely love it ;)) gasped and sighed loudly as he started to pout.

“Yaaa! She wont mind a missing topping or two on the cake. It’s the thought that counts and judging by how cold she is to all of us except you, a  topping-less cake serves her right” said Tae as he shoved another piece in his mouth.         

“Aishh. You’re lucky I have spares, but now getcho hands off my cake. Humph. Now go blow the balloons as I get the candles from the store across the road.”

as Tae made an irritated face but complied to Jin’s order anyways, Jimin tossed a box of small candles towards Jin who barely managed to catch it. He mouthed a very cute ‘ugh thank you' as he rushed towards the door anyways.

“.. it's cuz I'm out, umm, of the other thing too. Uhh, Be right back” said a hasty Jin but, as always, his friend had got his back and tossed him a few packs of condom towards his direction his with Tae's car keys. “yea yea. Look, Rose’s isn’t far away. Make sure to get the 1816 Wine edition, okay? And get an 1856 one for me and Tae. We both are gonna be heading to my apartment now so please do drop it off at my place which is on the way back from Rose's. We'll clean up here for a bit and leave” said Jimin winking at Jin. Blushing, he rushed downstairs. 

he ran a few meters down the street towards Tae's Lexus, one hand above his head to prevent the rain from blurring out his vision and another fumbling with his coat because in the rush, he accidently put on the coat where he kept a gun hidden in. 

just before Jin could open the car door, he heard a muffled thud sound against a glass.

and before he knew, a black metallic van sped past him, just an inch away.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?? ARE YOU BLIND OR WHAT-” But the car showed no sign of stopping to pay heed to Jin’s words. With heavy breaths, feeling frustrated, he pressed his back against the Lexus. He thanked his luck for keeping him alive.

Suddenly he heard a gunshot not too far away from him, possibly from the very same van.

A head lolled on the neck of the body of the man seated in the back seat. The body was threatening to fall over any moment but a seatbelt mindlessly put on him held him back. The window beside him that was slightly open was now pulled up as the leather on the back rest was getting smudged with blood flowing from the back of the man's head.

“I hate working with so many people… because more people means more clues to catch me, more mistakes they make which makes it easier to track me and more mouths to stuff money in which is so bad for us, don’t you agree driver dear?"

The driver, unshakingly, said a ‘yes sir’ to the man beside him.           

“What name do you go by, driver dear?”

“I go by the name Kookie.”

“Kookie I see"

There was a moment of silence before he continued- "Oh Kookie, is it possible that you can take today off your memories forever? One must never remember such a gruesome day in order to live tomorrow, don’t you agree?”

“Sir my humble apologies. I don’t know what event of today you are talking about. All that I did today was enjoy the rain over a nice long talk with my neighbors.” After a few moments of silence, he heard shuffling of feet and a gun being wiped. 

“You're a smart kid. I like you. 1/11, Lane 2, next to Water and Bubbles is the place. Remember it for we’ll be going there more.”

“Of course sir".

A FUCKING GUNSHOT?! NEXT TO DAEBANG POLICE STATION?! Nah, I must've misheard it. Yeah, it must be my imagination.

but his gut thought different. No; as a police officer he knew that he had to do his duty of checking it out to make sure all was right. He started looking around-n-about hoping to find something. 

If something had had happened, people from nearby homes would've rushed to the streets immediately.

pulling out the pistol from his coat's secret pocket he noticed that the rain had stopped and it was really cold. rubbing his palms together and then holding the his pistol close to him, he moved forward on the road.

why do I feel like something did happen... if I look into it, what about my date to propose to my girl about trying to see if we were soulmates....ugh. You know what, I need to find out.

suddenly he saw some bloody guy run into a lane on his right with a mask on his face and sniper on his back. and suddenly, he felt a warm breeze of hope run over him. he heard a mufhucking angel sing to him from the direction in which the man had run.

what angel- uh what is happening-

in the back, he heard the faint noises of a familiar policeman in the background.

quickly he ran into the same lane and in front him stood the most handsome Greek God on planet earth. 

said Greek God was huffing and puffing, and wait-  did he really have 9 abs?! Jin thought to himself as he looked at the man who stood in full glory in front of him in soft black turtleneck that outlined the man beautifully. even with the mask on with red wine blood lacing his eyelashes, he was handsome. his heart beat erratically in his chest and for one minute, he had forgotten that he was holding a gun in his hand and pointing it at the same person. 

the angel sang more delicately now, and some euphoria washed over Jin and the other man whose heavy gaze found Jin's - a heavy gaze who found a sudden home in Jin's Burberry brown eyes - and then who knows what they angel sang in the next words, that Jin pressed the trigger.

and after that,

in the hallowing night, all both could think about was the wetness of the rain beneath their feet. RM's eyes closed as soon as he felt the lemon drops on his chap, thin lips while his reality - his soulmate - shot him a redeeming shot like the streetlight which casted a neon orange on the two souls finally reunited.

An unknown tear escaped down his cheek as the piercing bullet grazed through his tattoo - Reminiscing to the sounds filling the voids between the two, in the lonely street, an erased scar cut itself open on Namjoon’s ring finger.

the bullet fell behind Namjoon's stunned body while the most delicate, yet most burning soul mark of a ringed wreath imprinted around his finger, and Jin felt a similar peace draw itself on his own ring finger.

their eyes never left each others, and in that moment, the forgotten policeman had made it's presence known by handcuffing Namjoon - Namjoon, a name as beautiful as it's owner - thought Jin (unsure of how he knew his name). 

but a gust of wave and a new man in black, who seemed powerful and dangerous, swept his bonded one away from in a matter of milliseconds, not even letting him spare a glance, but shaking him out of the haze he seemed to have found comfort him.

both Jin and the policeman were now confused as to from where this random man had come from the skies to snatch away the bleeding guy before them. Jin looked up to see his bonded one going further away and into the arms of another stranger on a ladder falling from a helicopter which ached his heart into a deep bottomless pit. and before he knew, just like storm with which He came in his life, He left.

eyebrows furrowed and eyes tear filled, he never strayed away from namjoon, who too, on his own side was in a daze and fire and looked at his soulmate whose size seemed to become smaller by the second as they rose higher in the air. 

what. the. - Jin thought. Namjoon heard him. but he was so dazed he couldn't reply back.

He even heard his boss' soulmate beside him say " glad to know you're alive man, now let's go home, we have a lot to talk about " but this time he could mumble an "of course yes boss" while he tried to not voice and argue that they had left his home down there alone on the street with that policeman and his finger hurt and what the fuck had just happened.

Chapter Text

With the onset of 1800s, many new things shaped and cemented itself into the world.

In the midst of it all, a blood red stone washed itself on the banks of Lake Bled.

An old man who was passing by saw a bright glimmer of the reddest desires shine from a peculiar stone's direction, and with all thoughts leaving his mind, his feet spoke of their own will and walked towards the piece of rock. 

Upon picking the warm piece, his heart suddenly pounding loudly. A thought struck him in those heavy moments. 

how beautiful would this look on my love.

So with that, he traced the familiar paths of the mist filled forest in search of withies and delicate flowers, that were delicate like his love. A joy was beating in his heart - he found the perfect item to show his gratefulness to his  love who stayed by his side through youth, middle and old age; love like what the sea has for the sands.

Finding the things he needed, he set to work. It took a few days but the minute he finished, he smiled like a madman as he ran to their room.

She was there, laying down, asleep and encased in the rosewood he had made for her. Gently tugging the falling strands away from her wrinkled face, he slipped the ring on her finger while silently praying for her and sending a thanks to the universe for her.

Then he gently kissed her ring finger.

But the press of lips must have been harsh, for the ring's bottom part sliced through her finger causing a small trickle of blood to escape. and at the same time, a small cut decorated his own lips.

The intrusion woke her up and eyes popped atas their vision focused on the place where their blood mingled and turned golden.

And then the women screamed.

The ring burned itself on her finger and everything except the stone melted like lava into her skin. And then the stone, as if lifeless, fell down from her hand. 

The man then screamed.

A similar marking glowed on his ring finger.

They both looked at each other, and felt this burning tingle in their heart which made them feel so light and at home and unconsciously they both knew that what happened was a bliss. They were soulmates (I mean they'd calleach other that as passing comments, but now this fairytale existed?! )

They had just soul bonded. Their hearts beat together, and they could hear the others' thoughts and emotions - all so overwhelming. 

They looked down but the red stone was nowhere.

But little did they know, now the redness of that rock flowed through their bloods, for eternity and generations to come.

Ever since then, the tale goes on to say that similar instances took place in hundreds of places on earth ever since - those whose souls were meant to be found, then their love etched on their ring fingers.

~~~

Hobi vividly remembers the day when he had to personally take care of "someone". It was a rare anomaly in the underworld for a ruling head to do the dirty themselves. A quick witted man he was, he never had imagined that the guy who trained runners of The Bloom Gang was the same who leaked each  drug runs' information onto highest bidders, thus causing huge losses to The Bloom worth billions, and prestige.

It had been a rather appalling day of already dealing with a snarky businessman who secretly was buying some of his bodyguards (what a stupid, stupid that was, that he actually laughed) and an old lady who foretold a red moon looming over his future (oh what a funny day it truly was he chuckled).

He remembered that day very well...

Flashback

Picking up a cutter, he walked towards the "someone" who seemed to still have his breaths running. Crouching down, he gently twirled the guy's little finger in between his callous fingers and looked up straight into his eyes.

"A mated man fights with a rigor one can't fathom when their other half cries of mercy. And a mated man can speak more than the brain remembers if their One was at stake" chuckled Hobi.

From somewhere shuffling of feet were heard and in appeared SUGA with two men who dragged in a socked man. Using the cutter's edge Hobi lifted the guy's head.

"Perhaps today, after 2 days of silence you'll open that filthy mouth of yours if your darling screeches."

SUGA dragged said 'darling', sat him on a chair and grabbed the cutter from Hobi who offered it to him like a candy. Carefully he placed the sharp edges between a finger while the guy teared up, begging for mercy.

SUGA wiped away his tears as Hobi continued. " Here, in The Bloom, we never even 'accidently' do things, but, lookie here. Why'd you break the gang's rules? As a rebellion? An approval? And  approval of what? afucking gang whose name even the rats down here don't know."

"T-The Ap-April will bring y-you dow-n you a-asshole.. It-It's time for Seoul t-to be ruled by - by a worthy leade-"

Slap.

"Youve been saying the same shit like a parrot. But now you'll sing like a canary. Rules are simple. One finger per unanswered question. Okay."

SUGA waited for two seconds before a finger fell on the floor.

"Your inability to answer a 'yes' or 'no' to that simple question has cost your mate's finger. Now I repeat again, Okay?"

"Jagi... oh god... uh huh , I mean Y-Yes.. yes."

"To whom did you last spill information about the Busan run?"

"...ta.. Hae.. ng"

"SPEAK LOUDER"

"K-Kim Taehy- ungg"

That word seemed to have struck an unprecedented chord in Hobi's heart that without a warning Hobi choked him to death.

At the same time, the traitor's mate died because the death of a mate is much too unbearable for the other to point of immediate death.

SUGA signaled the other two men in the room to take out the lifeless bodies while he held onto Hobi's hand, suddenly scared that now everything was getting to their heads and the stress of it all was showing up,, and in this all, he'd lose his Hope.

"So uh, it was Kim who killed your brother, right"

"Yeah, not long back.... and I hate h-how I could never tell that to anyone... to mother... to you... It just didn't feel like,, anything, you know? Like, he's still alive and not dead? N-not dead because if wh-who i am.. But we both know that ain't true..."

The silent tear that rolled down his cheek was too big of a burn. SUGA guided his Love to the top floor of their building, not sure of what to say.

There, he took a first a first-aidkit and cleaned a reopened wound. And slowly he wrapped his arms tenderly around him.

"Hob-ah, you're not one to blame. I need you to fill me on about this guy. What had happened really?"

Fidgeting with his fingers while letting tge Antiseptic seep down the wound, he exhaled a deep breath and began.

"Okay so Kim Tae Hyung's gang since a long time controlls the Pan-Asian drug and weaponry trade. But when I came into the picture after mother, I acquired control over the docks, thus the trade automatically came under our control." 

SUGA went to reach for a fresh pad of cotton as Hobi continued.

"Now that I lead the gang, that coward has sent a challenge to me,, because if he sent that to mum, he'd be dead in the next hour."

SUGA's  hug tightened but remained gentle as ever and Hobi thought that he could never shatter if SUGA held him like that every day.

"I refused it but he didn't back down. He, drunk as fuck, struck me weakly from behind but I dodged. He tried to head butt me but I simply moved away, which caused him to ram into a head post. He was furious and took out a gun on me, but before- aaa! Yaaa, babe!"

"Oops sorry,, should've warned you about the Antiseptic, hehe."

"Ughh!..  okay, Where was I? Ah yes, before I could take aim at him, a fellow by the name RM took took a shot at Taehyung's hands."

"I remember now. I was newly recruited and had just walked out of the building of The Bloom in that exact moment to see this situation."

Taking a bandage roll in his hand he starts wrapping around the simmering blood line." I didn't know who the hell Sun-Hae was but I remember you saying 'you are hired, RM-sshi. i need to speak with you' to the other guy."

"Ah, yes."

"What's Kim got to do with The April?"

"After his downfall he's tried to go into hiding but I have my men keep an eye on him. He went to Venice and has opened a small bar there. But I guess, the information that came through about his everyday doings must be false for he was definitely upto something. I reason that he, under his new persona The April is gonna try to get back at me. And I guess we have more moles than we thought. My men stationed at Venice, I gotta have a chat with them."

"No, don't. News travels fast under here. News of their death would've fluttered to their ears by now. I suggest you to stay quiet for now and let me do the thinking."

A series of knocks on the door pulled their attention. The knocks played out in a pattern of a morse code and Hobi knew it was one of their higher ranking men outside so he stomped thrice to signal the outsider to come in as SUGA got up.

"Good afternoon Hobi-shi. You had requested for me but I didn't find you in your study so I assumed you must be with SUGA-sshi."

"Yes. I had called you about next fortnight's deal. Are you stocked enough?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. On that day, I will send in two back up cars and their locations will be two streets away from the storehouse's back exit. If anything goes wrong tomorrow, that'll be our escape route."

Standing up, Hobi walked towards RM. His eyes shouldered.

"There's moles among us. The deal can be well interrupted by unwanted guests and I'd like you to have eyes on the back of your head. Understood?"

"Yes sir"

"You may leave."

With a quick bow RM headed towards a door but as the clumsy self he truly was, he slipped and fell on a rug in a mere two steps. The rug shot backwards and onto SUGA's heels who stumbled with the first- aid in his hand.

The surprise rug attack caused the contents of the kit to fall down, but the tweezers struck across his pale skin, slicing it slightly as it fell down.

Both RM and Hobi immediately rushed on spot and while RM apologised, Hobi held SUGA's hand using his bandaged palm.

It's just trickle of blood, not painful, iterated SUGA but Hobi didn't listen and he gently traced the wound with his fingers.

A tiny drop, during this moment, fell on the red slodgy bandage.

And then, it happened.

Two screams consecutively echoed in the room. RM saw that the blood spots on the bandage had mixed with SUGA's blood and two new tattoos burned on the two ring fingers.

"S-Soulmate-" said two shocked and teary eyed people at the same time as RM gasped.

~~~

present day

The helicopter blades sliced through the looming night as RM stared at the nightmare on his finger. He was crying and his head, fogged.

He felt heavy breaths fall on his neck and he turned around to see all men on board giving a shocked and questionable look.

"I don't know what to say, boss. I-I really don't know..." stranded tears covered his face and his heart felt chained. 

"Today played out how I knew it would but at the same time differently. The fucking deal was actually a set up, how'd I not see that" said Hobi, clenching his jaw, gun ready in his hand and in a swift move he struck the side if the chopper causing the vehicle to tattle a bit out of path.

"Boss, they know us. They know us through and through. And-  oh fuck my fingers hurt so bad!" 

Dizziness drifted in and out of his mind and all RM could think of was how much he hated that fucking gorgeous fellow (why was he so gorgeous?! It ruined everything ugh). He thought of how much he wanted to strike out the person whom he unconventional bonded to. 

And how the fuck did they get soul marked?!

RM'S soulmate always keeper? A murderer's supposed true love, a police man?? What in the name of lord.

"How did you even bond?!" San said, pulling out a handkerchief to wrap around the glowing red mark.

"Nowhere in the books have I ever read or heard of such a case. We'll have to consult doctors for sure. And definitely, definitely look into this marker of yours." 

SUGA inched closer to touch the mark but something clicked off in RM'S mind and he frowned. Like a fucking feral.

"Hands off my love's mark!" He barked.

This took everyone in by surprise in the chopper. Hobi pointed his gun at RM and threatened " Remember who you're speaking to! You can't let your enemy get to who you are, understand me, huh?! And you will speak with respect to your boss." 

"O-oh my God I'm so sorry. When you had reached for that mark I felt like my kidney was being plucked out and I'm so sorry I shouldn't have barked like that."

Ugh. He hated policemen. He truly did. They made him do unnecessary things.They were always no good, and never made anything good put of their pitusome jobs. Just his luck to have that person's mark.

And oh god was that a fever he was feeling?

First my past known to some psychotic guy, and said psychotic guy was inches away from taking his life. And now this... what the fuck even is this... a flower , IS THAT A FLOWER WREATH THAT HAS COLOR CHANGING INK?!

"it's changing colour now. What that supposed to mean? Is that guy sad being apart from me or something, cause look at this blue here!!" 

"We definitely are taking you to a doctor while I look into this matter. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, Kim Tae Hyung's  doing and what a low piece of shit he is;sending some men to do his work after such a long shameful hiatus." 

"He's gonna pay for all this boss. Oh and what why was that guy yelling that you were his intended soulmate." Asked San.

"Intended?! Pft. Of course people want this man here as theirs. Too bad thr lotus only grows in the mud and not as mud. Those pathetic, assholes i swear to God.. "

Hobi may or may not have a let out a small smile he reserved for SUGA for his gang to see. But they had almost seen their deaths a few moments back, so he supposes "meh."

RM was still staring at his finger, a longing was wanting to escape out of him,, wanting to be felt and overcome. 

Ugh I'm not a lonely person and I definitely don't need a man, especially not a model pretending to be a policeman to stir up the other guy and wanting to be fucked into other dimensions and wait a fucking second what in the heck is up with my stupid brain-

By the time the chopper had landed, San had made some calls to set up a doctor's appointment and also a meeting schedule upon Hobis orders.

Somehow in the middle of all this, he almost forgot about that letter; the one thing that could potentially bridge all the blacked out gaps of his childhood he could never remember.

---

All Jin could hear was he "hated him". Yeah, he could hear that. And all thoughts left his mind. 

He remembered the first time almost half the oil sizzled out of a pan and onto him as put onions onto the stove. And he remembered how he accidently out of spite hit the pans handle causing the food to dribble over his head and onto his chest. And he remembered how this had happened in front of the nation on a broadcasted cooking show.

Today, he felt the same humiliation for a different reason, and an unthinkable hurt for reasons he didn't wanna know.

The street lamps light felt harsh on his skin.

He couldn't hear anything, couldn't see, couldn't move. All he could do was feel.

Feel the world crash.

Feel his mate.

Feel his mate leave.

Feel loneliness.

Feel loneliness in that hour of the day when he was going to propose to the person who he knew was his One and they'd live happily very after.

He felt small hands on him, small hands perhaps of Jimin. 

But he felt the intense flower wreath on his ring finger more. The knife in his pocket felt heavy and untouched. Like, the knife knew he was going to be pulled out and used in action, but that didn't happen. Jin knew he'd use the knife on the shooter near the police station but the fuck happened he don't know.

And as he felt being shaken by those small hands and screams a bit louder by the second, all he could think of was loneliness.

Oh how he hated gangsters. Those fucking pig headed gangsters. 

"How did this all- what happened?! Jin-sshi are you okay? Hello?? Hello?!" 

"Ye-yeah I'm fine. I'm fine. Yeah. Uh, I don't know what happened. And I'm sure that this-" he said pointing to a very blurry finger (wait why is my vision blurred. Don't tell me-) "- this thing here, I'm dreaming it. Haha" 

Police sirens wailed in and a small murmur of a crowd gathered around the area, their phones oit and lips, quivered. 

"Either I too am dreaming with you, or perhaps we've gone bonkers. The mark is there on your finger, sir. Though, there's no explanation as to how it happened. Did you bleed together?"

"Jimin, do I look like the kind of guy who'd bleed together alongside a criminal while having intimate feelings for them for this mark to happen?!"

"So does that mean-"

"Oh hell no. I order you to stop thinking whatever you're thinking. I already have found my one and it's not an illegal person. "

By then some men made their way through the crowd towards Jin and Jimin. "Sir, we need to go to the police station now. We've been lined by Seoul Main quartersthat we need to get in this case ASAP."

"Yes sir, remember that chief told us that Seoul's underground gang's are finally showing up on radar thabks to a war brewing between that'll render them careless and vulnerable to our eyes. " said Jimin as th ey made their way to the cars.

"Yes, yes you're right. We must quickly look into that chopper to get more info and send a team to retrace those hooligans that managed to run away from up, while we run the cctv footage." 

"Wait, what about your date?"

"I canceled."

"Oh. How, how'd she take it?"

"She's understanding if my job, jimin. And I'm so lucky for that. For her. Thus we need to capture these guys now, especially if catching them cab stop the death of many iinnocnets in an unwanted gang war."

"Very true sir. Very surprising she simply complied." But Jin didn't catch the last line from jimin.

With that they all sat in the car that quickly ran to the station.

In the car, Jin was hit by a wave of panic. His chest felt empty and then very quickly, filled in by angry rain. Desperately breathing while his eyes teared up, he tried to grab onto the handle while his coworker immediately helped him while yelling and midst all this noise and chaos and blackness in his eyes, the only words that he could hear somehow from the flower wreath that was flaming golden was 'joon, please come back. I need you, I need you, love. Joon, please... don't go'

His soulamrk yearned for its other half but the police man's conscious mind simultaneously warned Jin that the enemy could never love thou even in thy death. He was made to protect his own ego, and not freely love thee whose world he was and whose words was thee. 

The heaviness of the black of the night was the only thing Jin could see while string arms gave him support and the car came to a halt while a medical van of sorts Jin guessed made uts way to help them. 

Jin was shifted onto a stretcher while he heard a faint "his fever is shooting up like crazy-" and he blacked out into the most peaceful sleep he's had compared to the past few weeks.

In and out he thought he could hear some soft voice speak to him like he's being let on into a secret by a lover, and Unknowingly he smiled.

On the other hand, Jimin paced the length of the hospital lobby as ge heard footsteps approach him.

"Where is he? What happened, fucking tell me!!" 

"Tae calm down. Please calm down. Doctors said Jin is in a shock because he was separated from his soulmate-"

"S-Soulmate?"

"Uh yeah haha yeah uhm yeah that uh happened."

"What the fuck?!"

"Tae! Lower your voice! We're in a goddamn hospital! And yes hes bonded... with a rather.. interesting individual"

"My brother?! My Jin got what? To whom?!"

"An assassin I'm going to assume based on what my fellow described the guy who escaped after being almost cuffed by us. His attire, look, everything screamed killer on hire.Jin voided with him after he took a vague shot at the guy and color changing wreaths have appeared on their, I mean, atleast his finger. "

"You're such a bad joke teller. Cut the crap and tell me the truth chim."

"You're choice to believe or-"

"Yeah I'll believe because its very normal to find love in dystopia. Look just, let me see him. I must see him."

"No visitors allowed for atleast a couple more hours." 

"Okay I'll wait." 

"Hm"

"He left his cake in the open and I took a dip at it and now karma is back. Ugh shit."

" Tae what the heck are you talking about?" 

"N-nothing, nothing at all. I just will go make some calls, bit I'll be on this floor, just in case, yeah?"

"Okay"

Jimin stared ahead while repeating the cebts of the while day in his mind. He was trying to make a connection out of what Choef had told them, what they saw, the helicopter and that bond. None of the points added up and he was getting restless by the minute.

"Hey there, pretty little thing"

"What the hell. Whose that? Whose there? Tae js that you? Cuz I swear to God I-"

A small letter fell on his lap and he looked alone to find no one. He looked at the envelope, confused the hell out of his mind and turned it around. It said 'j.m'

Carefully he opened it and inside he read an address and a singe line below it saying 'come find me after ripping apart this paper to last thread. I have what you want, and from you, I'll get what I've been waiting for.' It was signed as j.k

What the hell. I need to inform Jin about this. oh God, please wake up soon.

Jimin clutched onto the paper as he got upto go to get water after checking his surroundings. There was only one guard on the deserted floor. He forgot to see where Taehyung had headed off to. 

---

The silence helps to hear a lot of things. For instance, a sweet gratitude a childhood friend tells you while you help them on the swings. Like a clumsy kid who destroyed a sandcastle by unintentionally blowing raspberries while building it. Like a kid who loved talking about art and preferred books for dinner and sometimes lunch so that Jin wouldn't feel alone and in silence during lunch breaks or cram school for prodigies.

The silence let's you help remember voices of the past you should always cherish beacsie they guide you to where you belong, they guide you home.

While Jin finally felt his pain coming under control after multiple injections from doctors who were checking his heart rate and motor reflexes after he had gained consciousness, Jin thought of why he could remember his childhood so well out of the blue. And what was this kid he was seeing again and again?

Why do I feel like i know him. Especially a person from my younger age.

Jin blinked vigorously as the doctor completed the eye check. 

All he ever knew when he was young, he had average days and average friends whom he loved so nothing much worth ring when he's old. 

So who was the boy he was seeing? And the bond, oh God, the bond!!!!

Since he was he'd ridden fir sometime, he decided to recollect the shot of the past 3 hours.

This "joon" was an assassin. He thought, if he was sure he'd mate, it would be to a person of mystery. Atleast he's mated to the thrill part of mystery. 

He tried to look at the mark. It was white now. Huh.

The mark.

Wow.

Just, wow.

A mufhucking mark.

He just got freaking soulbonded?!

The holy hecking hell-

All he knew, in fact all of humanity knew since the 1800s, what was the ritual to mark each other. And Jin was ready but the universe did it before him. There was absolutely no blood involved. 

Faces of a smiling boy running through trees  flashed before his eyes. 

I don't the know man. I don't love him. Yet I feel a stupid part of me yearns for him. But at the end of the day, my whole self will not fall for this bullshit called enemies to lovers. 

Besides he had love. He had a someone he was gonna lobe till death forever. And also cook for without shame.

Wait a minute.

Did he forget to turn off the stove-

---

"Yeah, yeah, I got that. Cut the crap you asshat. You didn't  carry out the deal properly! And what was this I heard from my men? That you fucking confessed to Hobi? You fucker. Instead if wasting your energy and on some shitty dialogue you should've shot them!"

"S-sorry b-boss. I just got carried away with SUGA being there and all... but i-i did slip them that Kettering you asked me to-to."

"Oh stop stuttering dumbass. Good you atleast did something useful beacaie I'd hate to see tainting the hannam river instead of them."

"Boss.."

"Anyways, stay low profile now, perhaps go to back to Peru and take a break. I'll personally look into this matter because for sure fhey know it's me, and I know that they'll come back, but they won't know what'll hit them. Specifically, what part of theirs will hit them. Hahahaha"

The guy on the phone so laughed awkwardly before iterating his thanks and cutting the call.

This time, I'm going to do this right. And stop this, once and for all. Hobi and SUGA, I'm coming for you. Like your family destroyed mine, I'll destroy the family you both are trying to make now. 

With that, he walked slowly onto the deserted floor and stood beside jimin and looked through the window.

Oh how he hated criminals. 

---

[ somewhere north of seoul]

"That fucker! I hate the fucking policemen. How'd they know about us, this, what, supposed rivalry and all?! San just informed me that they're looking into us."

"Then I guess we have some artillery to use, boss."

"You bet we do." 

" Yes and RM you better not even give a milkisecind of a thought towards that guy? Even a single thought is enough to strengthen egb the string between you guys. Ugh I hate police."

"Yes boss. I-i hate police too." 

The soulmark is burning a hole into me,, oh God,,  I do, I mean, I do hate police. Right? Or is he the excepti- ugh. My mind is corrupted. I hate those pretentious snobby law keepers. I hate him. Yes, I should hate him. That's the right thing. 

I-is i-it... He thought fleetingly.

"Mm good." Hobi's voice cut through like a knife and RM straightened himself. He shouldn't let a stupid thing like love from a law keeper (fuck that sounds funny, a pOliCEmAn LoVinG a muRdERer) hold him back. 

Yeah, I hate him.

Somewhere in a Seoul hospital, three more people share the same theory in their head.

The light in the building flickers a small schock-spark.