"I need you to be a stripper," ha-eun announced.

Taehyung choked on his milk.Not figuratively but literally.He was drinking a cup ofmilk when his best friend dropped the news like anatomic bomb during WorldWar 2. He was unprepared.

"Excuse me?" Taehyung croaked,

hastily wiping the creamy

liquid coating his lips.

They were sitting on hisliving room floor, which was also his bedroom and kitchen. Taehyung lived in aten-square-meter studio apartment room originally rented to college students on a low budget, which would have been him if he hadn't dropped out in his second year. The rentwas cheap, and even if he could hear rats crawl behind the thin walls, it was better than sleeping on the unshakable layer of grime coating the New York streets.

"I SAID I NEED YOU,"

Ha-eun shouted, pointing at Taehyung.

"TO BE A STRIPPER."

She stood up,swaying her hips and shaking her booty, mimicking the moves she pulled off during her late-night shifts at the stripclub. Taehyung gave his bestfriend a funny look.

Taehyung had always known ha-eun was an extrovert with a penchant for wild ideas, but he never imagined they would escalate to this level.

"I heard you the first time.

I just don't understand why,"Taehyung elaborated.

Ha-eun reclined on herelbows,her gaze drifting upward to the cracked ceiling as she explained,"byeol caught a bad flu and can't make it tonight. Everyone else is busy working second jobs or hanging out with their sugar daddies."

"byeol?" Taehyung raised an eyebrow.

"Stage name," she replied casually, crossing one slim leg over the other.

"I'll pass."

"But this is a

once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity!"

"To be called byeol?" he

snorted.

"To be the center of

attention of a handful

of powerful men and

women!" she exclaimed

enthusiastically.

"ha-eun, I'm a terrible

dancer."

"I'll teach you! If you cover

for byeol, you can keep

the tips you earn. Strippers

earn more than you think,

especially if they know

how to shake their booty."

She tilted her head back,

lowering her gaze. "Which

you definitely have. You

aren't working tonight, are

you?"

Taehyung hesitated, torn

between his two other

part-time jobs.

"Not tonight," he admitted

reluctantly.

"Perfect!"

"No, not perfect. I can't fill

in for her."

"Can't or you won't?"

"Take your pick."

taehyung knew how chaotic

nightclubs could be.

Anything that involved

alcohol, rich people, and

questionable substances

rarely ended well.

"Don't you want to meet a

rich, hot daddy who'll spoil

you?" she pried.

"No."

"Li-ar," ha-eun sing-songed,

playfully bopping taehyung

nose. "You'll be paid double

whatever you earn at your

other jobs."

Taehyung pursed his lips

when she mentioned

money. Ha-eun knew he

was in desperate need

of it. Her grin widened

and she reached into her

purse, handing him an

envelope of cash. Taehyung

took it tentatively, his brow

furrowing in confusion.

"What am I supposed to do

with this?" Taehyung asked.

Ha-eun chuckled and

replied, "Smell it. Throw it

in the air. Glue 'em to your

nips! Whatever you want,

baby boy. This is your pay

you cover up for her. Didn't

you say you were running

short on money this month?

What will you do if they

come knocking at your door

again? He won't let you off

easy if you miss another

deadline, y'know. I swear,

that thug has nothing better

to do than to pick on guys

like you," ha-eun muttered

angrily. "I hope he burns in

hell."

"Careful. Hound has eyes

and ears everywhere," Taehyung

grumbled.

Hound was one of New

York's most notorious mafia

leaders. No one wanted

to get involved with him.

Unfortunately for Taehyung

he didn't have a choice. He

owed him money. Lots of

it. And Hound wouldn't let

him off the leash until he

paid back every dime.

"He does?" ha-eun queried.

She raised her middle

finger and waved it in the

air, shouting, "Fuck you,

Hound!"

Taehyung bit back his laughter,

quickly pulling her hand

down.

"Shhh, I'm serious."

The tension eased

between them, and ha-eun

cautiously asked, "So, you're

coming tonight?"

"Do I have to wear a skimpy

outfit?"

"Of course, you have towear a skimpy outfit. You

need to make the crowd

want you. It's all about

giving them a fantasy.

You have a nice body,

use it to your advantage!

Those thick thighs and

strong arms will make the

crowd scream your name."

She chewed her inner

cheek thoughtfully. "Well,

byeol's name."

ha-eun unzipped her bag

and tossed him an outfit.

taehyung caught it with a

puzzled expression.

"Where's the rest of it?"

"The rest of what?"

"The outfit."

"That is the outfit," ha-eun

stated matter-of-factly.

Taehyung stared at the latex

speedo. He scowled when it

emitted a strange rubbery

noise, the tightness of the

material leaving little to

the imagination. How was

he supposed to even fit

into it? It was as if it was

intentionally made not to

fit.

"This is not an outfit," he

stated.

ha-eun rolled her emerald

eyes.

"It covers your private part,

that's more than enough.

Latex speedos are so in

at the moment! Do you

know how hard it was to

get my hands on that? The

strippers in the club are

catty as hell. I felt like my

aunt on Black Friday." She

shuddered. "You'll look

great in it!"

But Taehyung wasn't as

enthusiastic about the latex

speedos as she was.

"Fine." She huffed,

rummaging through her

bag and pulling out a pair

of ripped jeans. "You can

wear this."

"No shirt?"

"I gave you pants, don't be

greedy."

But Taehyung frowned and

ha-eun groaned.

"Fine," she huffed, pulling

out a white shirt she had

brought just in case. "You

can wear this, but if you

want a coat and scarf,

Alaska is over there."

***

Taehyung spent the rest of the

afternoon learning how

to dance. He didn't have a

metal pole to practice on,

so ha-eun taught him how

to lap dance instead. When

they arrived at the strip

club, there was already

a line of people waiting

outside. They skipped

the line and were about

to enter, but the bouncer

stopped Taehyung before he

could get through.

"Who's this?" he asked, his

gaze scrutinizing Taehyung with

suspicion.

"Relax, Bojo. He's filling in

for one of the girls," ha-eun

reassured.

"He doesn't look like a

stripper."

"He's wearing latex

speedos underneath his

pants," ha-eun whispered

suggestively, her voice low

and teasing. "He's covering

for byeol."

"Who's that?"

Taehyun's brows furrowed,

wondering if byeol was

even real.

"You're asking too many

questions," ha-eun quickly

said, laughing a bit too

loudly.

When Bojo fixed his eyes on

Taehyung again, she wrapped

her arm around Bojo's

meaty shoulder and pulled

him closer to her.

"C'mon, let him in. He's

with me," she purred. "Who

knows? Taehyung might give

you a lap dance after his

shift ends."

ha-eun batted her eyes

playfully. Bojo stepped

aside with a grunt. "You

know where to find me,"

he muttered, his gaze fixed

straight ahead.

ha-eun fist-pumped the air,

pulling Taehyung past the large

man. Once they were out

of earshot, Taehyung hissed, "A

lapdance?"

"I had to do what I had to

do." She shrugged. "Oh, but

you might want to leave

through the back door

tonight."

They changed into their

outfits and met in the

hallway.

"You ready, byeol?"

ha-eun grinned.

"Does my stage name have

to be byeol?"

"You can be Thotty Mc'Thot

if you want."

Taehyung grimaced. "I'll stick

with v."

"Thought so."

They pushed open the

twin doors, and the loud

music filled their ears,

the thumping bass beats

vibrating through the floor.

The strip club was dimly lit,

with neon lights in various

colors casting a hazy glow

over the room. The walls

were lined with mirrors,

reflecting the stage in the

center of the room where

the strippers performed.

ha-eun disappeared into

the crowd, and Taehyung was

left alone, but he knew he

couldn't stand there all

night.

A job is a job, Taehyung thought

to himself. If there was one

thing Taehyung was good at, it

was making money. He put

on a smile and went to a

group of men who had just

arrived.

"Can I get you anything?"

he asked. The three men

turned towards him,

studying him from head to

toe with less excited eyes.

They weren't impressed by

his outfit.

"Aren't you overdressed for

a stripper?" one of them

grumbled, tilting his head

to stare at his ass.

"Aren't you too sober for

a client?" Taehyung asked in

return, and the man's

brows shot up. "Order

a drink, and I'll take

something off."

The man flashed him a

wolfish grin.

"Now we're talking," the

man chuckled greedily. "Get

us a bottle of champagne."

Taehyung didn't hesitate to

comply, heading to the bar

to fetch the most expensive

bottle of champagne he

could find. But his plans

were abruptly derailed

when a drunken patron

aside to get closer to the

front stage.

Taehyung stumbled,

but he felt a strong arm

wrap around his waist,

preventing him from

falling. But the bottle

slipped from taehyung's grasp,

shattering into pieces and

spilling its contents at

Taehyung's feet and someone

else's.

Dread filled his

stomach. That bottle was

worth two thousand

dollars!

Slowly, Taehyung raised his

gaze, his breath catching

in his throat as he locked

eyes with the striking

figure standing behind

him. Handsome was an

understatement-he

was gorgeous.

This man

exuded an aura of danger

and mystery that sent a

shiver down Taehyung's spine.

Black hair, sharp, angular

features, and his icy gaze

seemed capable of peering

into anyone's soul.

Intricate tattoos adorned

his hands and wrists

while a delicate flower

tattoo graced the center

of his arm above elbow. His

left cheek had a horizontal

scar.

He

couldn't have gotten it

from a normal fight, and

considering his heartless

gaze and intimidating

presence, Taehyung wouldn't

be surprised if he had

committed a crime or two.

"Two thousand," the man

stated, his deep voice

making Taehyung's chest

tighten. How did he know

how much the bottle was

worth? But then he added,

"My shoes are worth two

thousand."

Taehyung narrowed his eyes,

something bitter filling his

chest.

"Apologies for ruining your

shoes, sir," he growled. "I'm

sure you can wipe them

with some tissues."

The man's gaze swept over

Taehyung from head to toe, his

calculative eyes assessing

him as if estimating his

body's worth before

concluding, "I can think of

other ways to make up for

this."

Taehyung jerked away from the

man's touch. He opened

his mouth, closed it, then

turned on his heel and

bolted. Taehyung didn't even try

to explain himself. He knew

trouble when he saw it, and

that man was a walking

red flag. He quickly found

ha-eun and pulled her

aside.

"I broke a bottle of

champagne," taehyung blurted

miserably.

"How expensive?"

"Two thousand."

"Two thousand?!" ha-eun

closed her eyes and pinched

her temples. "Okay, it's fine.

Maybe if we collect enough

money tonight-" She tossed

her hands in the air. "Oh,who amn I kidding? You can't

earn twO grand dressed like

that!"

Even at times like this, she

found a way to diss him.

Before taehyung could even

muster a response, the

music stopped, and the

sound of bells cut through

the air.

"Table eight!" someone

shouted.

ha-wun's eyes widened with

hope. In a swift motion,

she seized taehyung's arm and

shoved past the crowd,

following the stream

of strippers who were

all heading in the same

direction.

"What's going on?" taehyung

demanded.

ha-eun glanced over her shoulder

with a wide grin.

"You're going to earn back that two

thousand dollars. When someone

rings the bell and calls a number,

a client wants a VIP room. All the

strippers gather around their table

so they can choose who they want to

take with them."

As they neared table eight, taehyung felt a

glimmer of hope that maybe he could

turn this night around. He might be

a terrible stripper, but he could flirt

and charm the client enough to earn a

few hundred dollars.

But taehyung's heart dropped when he

saw the client who requested the VIP

room. It was the man he had bumped

into earlier. The man's gaze swept

over the line of eager strippers, his

expression impassive. Taehyung quickly

ducked behind someone before he

could see him.

"What do you think, jungkook?" One of

the two men sitting in front of him

inquired.

"Cheap and worthless."

taehyung couldn't tell if he was talking

about the strippers or his drink.

"None you want to take to the VIP

room?"

Without warning, ha-eun shoved

taehyung forward, sending him stumbling

out of line and onto his knees with a

thud. The sudden shift in atmosphere

silenced the room, and taehyung stiffened.

He glanced back at ha-eun in shock

and confusion.

"Two thousand," she mouthed.

taehyung felt a pair of intense eyes bore

into him. He looked up, meeting

the gaze of the enigmatic man

Cold.

Unreadable. Condescending.

jungkook studied taehyung's face, his

eyes tracing the contours of his

features with calculated precision.

tawhyung had a blernd of Asian and

Caucasian features that commanded

attention.

A charming beauty mark

adorned the bottom corner of taehyung's

almond-shaped eye, adding to his

charm. He possessed a striking

jawline and masculine features, his

physique both fit and tall, exuding a

quiet strength without being overly

bulky. The contrast between thebuild intrigued jungkook, stirring

desire to toy with him.

"I can do better than them," taehyung

stated, his voice barely above a

whisper, intended only for jungkook's

ears.

jungkook's lips curled into a sly smirk,

staring at the submissive man

kneeling in front of him.

"Better?" jungkook echoed.

"Take me to the VIP room, and Ill

show you."

Taehyung's words were full of eagerness,

but his eyes betrayed his fear. The

other strippers would have been

dying from impatience to get him in

the VIP room-this one looked like he

wanted to run away. To everyone's

surprise, jungkook stood up.

"Then you best impress me."

Taehyung's eyes widened but he followed

jungkook into a private room away.

jungkook settled onto the plush booth

seating, uncorking a bottle of

champagne nestled in an ice bucket.

He poured two glasses, extending one

towards taehyung.

"Drink."

taehyung accepted it hesitantly.

"What's your name?" jungkook inquired

his eyes locked on taehyung's wet lips.

Taehyung prepared to answer, but jungkook

cut him off abruptly.

"Not your stage name."

"Andrew," he improvised.

jungkook grinned. It was definitely not

Andrew.

"What's yours?" taehyung quickly asked.

"Im a regular here. You should know."

jungkook poured Taehyung another cup,

filling it to the rim.

"That's too much," taehyung whispered.

"I didn't ask."

taehyung's jaw tightened, but he took

the cup and tilted his head back.he

was going to need a few drinks if he

wanted to survive the night.

"'Are you going to give me what I paid

for?"

"You haven't paid me anything" taehyung

countered.

"State your price."

"TWo thousand."

"Two thousand?" jungkook's eyebrow

quirked in amusement, and taehyung

felt a pang of uncertainty. Is that too

much? Should I have asked for less? I

knew I shouldn't have been so greedy.

"That's it?" jungkook's smirk widened.

"You should aim higher, love."

taehyung's heart jumped, his cheeks

coloring pink.

"You'll have your money once you

entertain me. Don't make me regret

choosing you, Andrew."

taehyung sucked in his cheeks. He

grabbed the remote control and

turned on the music. His body moved

to the beat, his hips moving the way

ha-eun had taught him.

Despite the

slight awkwardness, the alcohol

loosened him up, and he straddled

jungkook's lap. Taehyung felt a pain in his

right hamstring, but he tried to ignore

it.

"No pole dancing?" jungkook mused.

"I like to get straight to the point."

For a beginner, taehyung wasn't bad.

No, he was great. His lousy dancing

rubbed jungkook in all the sinfully right

places. His body was all muscle and

inexperience and so damn hot.

Taehyung

Swayed his hips and raised the hem

of his shirt, showing off his strong V

line and probing abs, followed by a

body roll. His abs tightened, and his

chest looked hard and extra perky.

But even in the dim light, Jungkook

could see taehyung blushing and could tell

he hated every second of this.

It was

torture for taehyung, but oh, so glorious

for jungkook. jungkook couldn't resist and

grabbed taehyung's hips to pull him closer

to where he wanted him.

Taehyung attempted to shift some of his

weight, but as he tried to stand up,

a sharp jolt of pain shot through his

right leg, forcing him to sit right on

jungkook's crotch.

Taehyung's eyes widened

in surprise when he felt something

big.

"Scared?" jungkook asked, his voice low

and raspier.

Taehyung feigned confidence. "Im just getting started."

He increased the pressure of his grind

against jungkook's erection, feeling it

respond eagerly. The intention was to

tease jungkook, but the sensation sent

a thriling wave of pleasure coursing

through Taehyung's body, tempting him

to press even harder for his own

enjoyment. Jungkook's hands edged

closer to taehyung's ass, but taehyung's hot

breath licked over jungkook's ear and

halted any further advances as he

growled, "No touching."

Jungkook glared, but he removed his

hands.

"Happy?"

"Not until I get my two thousand."

Jungkook tilted his head, looking at

him with fond amusement. "You're a

whore for money."

"Aren't we all?"

"How much to get your shirt and

pants of?" Jungkook asked, his voice

low and hoarse.

"You can't afford me," Taehyung

whispered, making jungkook chuckle.

"Baby boy, there's nothing I can't

afford."

Jungkook grabbed the collar of taehyung's

shirt and ripped it open, and the

buttons flew to the floor. He removed

it to get a better view of taehyung. Taehyung's torso flowed with strength, but the contrast between his personality

and body strangely made him more

desirable.

You'd expect someone

frail and small to easily obey and

break, but how good would it feel to

hear someone strong beg and moan?

Jungkook touched taehyung's bare chest,

his rough fingers brushing over his

pink and perky nipples. Taehyung's back

arched, and he bit his lower lip from

the tingling sensation ravaging his

body, but he didn't tell him to stop

this time.

He was more troubled by

how he was willing to do this, almost

yearning for Jungkook to touch him.

"You like this, don't you?" jungkook

hummed. "You're not even trying to

hide it."

"Shut up," taehyung muttered, his voice

strained and his eyes filled with

desire.

taehyung's breath was low and uneven.

He hated how needy he sounded.

Taehyung attempted to take control of

the situation, but jungkook swiftly

countered, spinning him around and pushing him against the table.

"If you think you're in control, think

again," jungkook chuckled darkly.

"Hands against the table," he ordered,

his husky tone igniting a heavy throb

of desire in Taehyung's core. When taehyung

hesitated, Jungkook's lips brushed

tantalizingly against his earlobe.

"Hands on the. Fucking. Table."

Taehyung swallowed hard and did as he

was told. Jungkook's eyes devoured

taehyung's strong shoulder blades and

back.

"Arch your back," jungkook commanded. Taehyung glanced over his shoulder

in surprise, only to be met with

jungkook's intense gaze. "Did I say you

can lookat me?" His voice dripped

with authority, leaving no room for

disobedience.

Taehyung knew he had just been told off,

but he never felt so turned on.

"Four thousand. Bend over."

Taehyung leaned forward and arched

his back, the fabric of his briefs

stretching tightly with the movement.

jungkook watched the bottom of taehyung's

pants stretch which gave him an idea

of how strong and plump his ass was.

Jungkook pressed himself against Taehyung,

whose eyes stretched open at how

large he felt.

"Remember this feeling," Jungkook

whispered into his ear, his voice

sending a shiver down Taehyung's spine.

"Imagine not wearing any clothes.

You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Taehyung's lips parted, but before he could

reply, the door swung open. It was

one of Jungkook's employees.

"Boss, the company called. They need

you to handle important business,"

he said, unphased by what was

happening in front of him.

"Tell them I'm busy."

"Its urgent, sir," he murmured.

Jungkook's jaw ticked but knew if his

employee was stupid enough to

interrupt, it must be an emergency.

He released Taehyung and pulled out a

fat wad of money from his wallet.

The heavy thud made taehyung stiffen.

Jungkook then slipped his business card

between the waistband of taehyung's

pants.

"Call me if you want more."

Outside, Max hurried to catch up with

Jungkook.

"Who called?" Jungkook demanded, his

tone sharp.

"A manager from one of your casinos

in The Red District," Max explained,

his breath coming out in short puffs

as he struggled to keep pace with his

boss.

"Il deal with it. Get the boys and

fetch the car. And Max?"

"Yes, boss?"

"You're fired."

Taehyung sank to a crouch, his hand trembling

slightly as it threaded through his tousled hair.

He could feel his heart slamming against his

ribcage, and his face was a blushing mess.

He was big.

Taehyung shook his head before staring at the wad

of money. He slowly counted the bills. Five thousand dollars?! Who walks around with five

grand in their pockets ?!

Taehyung couldn't believe his eyes. He had earned

a three-month salary within minutes!

He remembered Jungkook slipping something into

his pants and glanced at it. Written in elegant,

bold letters was the man's name: Jeon jungkook

Hastily, Taehyung dressed himself. Even with a

ripped shirt, he looked overdressed. He tucked

the money and business card into his pocket

before leaving, but it hurt too much to walk with an erection.

He gave up and locked himself in a

bathroom stall, unzipping his pants and letting

his erection spring free. He looked at himself, flustered and embarrassed.

I'm not a teenager anymore! Yet he felt just as

Vulnerable.

Taehyung took deep breaths, trying to distract

himself, but every time he closed his eyes, he

felt jungkook's lingering presence and heard his

husky voice echoing in his mind.

The memory of jungkook's magnetic presence flooded Taehyung's

senses, making his erection even more painful.

Am I really going to do it here?

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?' He could almost

hear the echo of jungkook's commanding voice.

Taehyung surrendered to the overwhelming urge,

his hand instinctively wrapping around hislength.

Jungkook's devilishly handsome face

lingered in his mind, every detail etched vividly:

the way his eyes bore into him through dark

lashes, the confident smirk playing on his lips,

the commanding tone that sent shivers down

Taehyung's spine.

With each stroke, Taehyung's breath

quickened, his body responding eagerly to the

fantasy playing out in his mind.

Dragging his fingertips across his chest, Taehyung

attempted to recreate the sensations of jungkook's

touch, tracing imaginary paths along his skin.

He bit his lower lip, stifling the soft moans that

threatened to escape, his eyes rolling back as he

lost himself in the pleasure of his own touch.

As the climax approached, Taehyung's grip

tightened, his body trembling with anticipation.

He spilled into his waiting hand, the intensity

of his release washing over him in powerful

waves.

He continued to move his hand, his

body twitching and jerking uncontrollably until,

finally spent, he released his grip.

Taehyung leaned heavily against the door, his chest

heaving to catch his breath.

"Shit," he muttered to himself, the

embarrassment hitting him all at once.

If it felt this good jerking off to him, he couldn't

fathom how good the real thing would be.

Taehyung

stiffened, chasing away the thought. He couldn't

allow himself to dwell on thoughts of jungkook

any longer.

It was pointless since he would

never see him again.

He looked up at his reflection, taking

in the disheveled appearance staring back

at him.

His hair was a mess, his cheeks were

still flushed pink, and his eyes were dilated.

It

looked like he had just rolled out of bed and hadthe best night of his life.

It's the alcohol, Taehyung tried to convince himself.

It has to be.

He found Ha-eun standing in the hallway,

counting cash. She heard footsteps approaching

and gasped, running to Taehyung in her impossibly

tall stilettos. At this point, Taehyung was certain she

could defy the laws of physics.

"Taehyunh!" she exclaimed, her hand reaching out

to rest on his arm. He flinched slightly, his body

still sensitive from earlier. "Are you okay?"

Ha-eun's gaze flickered down to his torn shirt,

then back up to his flushed face. "And why is

your face so red?" Her brows formed one. "And

why do you look like you just had the best sex of

your life?"

"Il tell you everything later, but can we get out

of here first?"

Her mouth dropped open, and she let out

a nasal noise. "You didn't. You did!" she

exclaimed.

"Later," Taehyung begged.

They went to the changing rooms. Once inside,

they shed their provocative attire, exchanging it

for more modest clothing.

When Taehyung stepped

out, he couldn't help but notice the shift in

atmosphere. He was met with hostile and

jealous glares from the other strippers, their

resentment practically tangible.

Taehyung pretended

not to notice. He and ha-eun went to the counter

to settle their debt for the broken bottle.

The bartender, clearly impressed, counted the

last hundreds.

"Well, I'l be damned. Nice work, newbie." Hethen turned his attention to ha-eun. "You should

bring this one back."

"He already has a sugar daddy," she winked.

"He's a filthy rich man. A total zaddy with a

huge size this b-"

Taehyung quickly lowered her hands before she

could demonstrate, quickly thanking the

barman before pulling his best friend toward

the exit. She laughed, stopping him in his steps.

"What?" he asked.

"Bojo, remember?"

The bouncer looked like he was searching for

someone. Taehyung gulped. So much had happened

in one night, he had completely forgotten about

him. He didn't know how ha-eun managed to do

this every day.

"Right," Taehyung grumbled, allowing ha-eun to

guide him through the backdoor. To their

surprise, a taxi was parked conveniently at the

curb, almost as if it had been waiting for them.

"Well, isn't it our lucky day?" ha-eun exclaimed

with a grin as they climbed into the cab. Once

they were seated, ha-eun wouldn't stop asking

about the V.I.P. room.

"I gave him a lap dance," Taehyung replied stiffly,

keeping the details to himself. "Who is he

anyway?"

"No one other than the Jeon jungkook."

Taehyunh stared at her, clueless.

"He's one of the richest men in the city. He's so

rich, I heard he uses cash to burn fire."

Even the

cab driver seemed intrigued by her narration.

"He owns so many businesses, I can't even

name one of them!"

Taehyung raised a brow and deadpanned, "You don't

know any of them, do you?"

She dismissed him with a wave.

"That's not important. What's important is that

HE'S FILTHY RICH. I heard he even owns illegal

businesses."

Taehyung's brows pulled together. "What kind?"

"Dunno, you hear all kinds of rumors.

Brothels,

drugs, casinos, the usual criminal stuff," ha-eun

casually listed off, talking like those were

normal businesses. "Some people even say he

sells organs at The Red District."

Taehyung's eyes widened, and ha-eun quickly

interjected, "But those are just rumors," she

reassured. "If you look up online, his track

record is clean."

But Taehyung remained skeptical. Either jungkookwas

really innocent or he had enough money and

power to look it.

"Anyway, did he pay you?" ha-eun asked,

steering the subject.

Taehyung nodded faintly. Everything still felt

surreal.

"He tossed so much cash like it was nothing," he

whispered.

"He's Jeon jungkook," Ha-eun said as if his name

enough was self-explanatory.

A grin crept on

her face as she leaned in, nudging her best

friend in the ribs. "So, how big was he?"

"I didn't see it," Taehyung blurted out, feeling a flush

of embarrassment creeping up his neck. Ha-eun

rolled her eyes in response.

"But you've felt it. Was he big?"

Taehyung was hyper-aware of the taxi driver's

presence and could feel his hard gaze. He

looked out the window, wondering why his

heart was racing.

"Yeah," he finally admitted.

"How big?"

Huge.

"Above average? I don't know," he estimated

vaguely.

H-eun cackled. "Above average? Sweetie, above

average is an understatemnent, and you know it."

"Have you seen it?" Taehyung inquired, almost as if

they were talking about some mythical monster.

"Nah, he's never requested a private show with

me, but lots of the boys at the club have."

A frown. "Really?"

"He's a powerful man who loves sex. I mean, I

don't blame him. Have you seen him?"

"I didn't know he treated everyone the same,"

Taehyung murmured, letting his thoughts slip out.

Ha-eun had an impish grin. "Why? Are you

interested?"

"No, not a bit!""

"What are you going to do with all that money?"

"Give it to Hound when he comes to collect."

The smile on her face faded. "Do you still owe

him that much?"

"Ill probably be working another ten years

before I can pay it all off," Taehyung mumbled. Ten

years if he was optimistic, but he didn't want

H-eun to worry.

She had already done so much

for him.

Ha-eun rested her head on Taehyung's shoulder,

staring out the window at the blurry city lights.

The world became a hazy blue as they drove

down , and the tiredness hit her

at once. She let out a lioness yawn, her lids

growing heavy.

"If I were rich, I'd pay off all your debt and send

you back to college," ha-eun whispered softly,

her voice tinged with sincerity.

Taehyung smiled,

resting his chin on her head.

"Thanks," he murmured.

"I guess today was a good day for the both of

us.'

"Did something good happen to you?"

"A man came up to me and gave me money for

a taxi," she revealed, and Taehyung remembered

seeing her count cash. "He didn't even ask me

for a lap dance."

"He just gave you the money?"

"Yup."

"Does that happen often?"

"Never," she admitted. "I thought men were all

selfish, but I guess some are okay."

"We aren't that bad," Taehyung chuckled lightly.

Ha-eun shrugged, a faint smile touching her lips.

"I used to be one, so I would know."

As they left the city and drove deeper into the

suburbs, the bright lights slowly faded, and the

streets grew dark. Even the taxi driver seemed

unsure, occasionally glancing at Taehyung through

the rearview mirror as if expecting him to give

him different directions. When they finally

arrived at Taehyung's apartment building, ha-eun woke up.

"No!" she suddenly screeched like a hawk,

startling Taehyung as he tried to pay the taxi driver.

She threatened the driver, warning him that if

he took Taehyung's money, she would poke his eyes

out with her stilettos. She even offered to let him

check her criminal record if he didn't believe

her.

"You don't even have a criminal record,"

he

muttered under his breath, but the driver took

ha-eun's money instead. Taehyung thanked them

and got out of the car.

"Text mne when you get home."

Ha-eun blew air kisses through the window. The vehicle drove away and disappeared around the

corner. The last light vanished, and Taehyung turned

towards his rundown apartment with thoughts

of jungkook still racing through his mind.

He

remembered how jungkook felt when he pressed up against him, and he felt his heart race.

"Imagine not wearing any clothes. You'd like

that, wouldn't you?' jungkook's voice echoed in

his mind.

Taehyung gulped and quickly pushed the

thought away, but he couldn't help but think: I would.