A Forbidden Meeting

The night was thick with fog, the city lights casting an eerie glow over empty streets as Jimin navigated through a maze of back alleys. He had been called to oversee a high-stakes exchange tonight—a shipment his family desperately needed to gain the upper hand against a rising threat in the city. Despite the lingering tension from the gala, he was focused, his thoughts centered on securing the deal and ensuring everything went according to plan.

But as he neared the meeting spot, something felt... wrong. There was a silence that was too quiet, too still, and it set Jimin's instincts on edge. He pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Taehyung, his childhood friend and trusted confidant who was waiting nearby, keeping watch from a rooftop.

"Anything unusual?" Jimin typed.

Seconds later, Taehyung's reply buzzed on his phone: "Nothing yet. But stay alert. Feels off."

Taking a deep breath, Jimin slipped into the shadows, watching as two figures emerged from the other side of the alley. They were his contacts, sent to broker the deal with his family. As they exchanged the customary greetings, Jimin remained calm, his every sense heightened, waiting for the handoff to finish.

Then, from the far end of the alley, he noticed another figure slipping into view—a figure he recognized instantly. Jungkook.

Jimin's pulse quickened. What was he doing here? The two of them hadn't spoken since the gala, and this meeting was supposed to be a secret. He watched, tensing as Jungkook leaned against the wall, his expression unreadable, his eyes sharp.

"Park," Jungkook greeted, voice low but clear in the still night air. "Didn't expect to see you here. Though I suppose that's a lie. You always seem to be where the trouble is."

Jimin bristled, keeping his tone steady. "Funny, I could say the same about you. Last I checked, this wasn't Jeon territory."

Jungkook shrugged, pushing off from the wall, taking slow, deliberate steps closer to Jimin. "Seems tonight, lines are being crossed. I'm just here to make sure it doesn't turn into a mess."

The two contacts shifted uncomfortably, caught in the palpable tension between Jimin and Jungkook. Jimin raised an eyebrow, signaling for them to stay put. But before he could respond, Taehyung's voice crackled in his earpiece.

"Jimin, we've got company. About five, maybe six men moving in from the north. Looks like someone tipped them off."

A trap.

Jimin clenched his jaw, his mind racing. There wasn't time to point fingers or try to understand how the deal had been compromised. He glanced at Jungkook, who seemed to catch on, his gaze hardening.

"Seems we're in the same mess now," Jungkook murmured, a glint of something almost mischievous in his eyes. "What do you say, Park? You want to get out of here in one piece?"

Jimin knew it was a risk—trusting Jungkook, even for a moment, was reckless. But in this situation, he didn't have a choice. He nodded, a silent agreement, as they braced for the incoming threat together.

The sound of footsteps echoed closer, and soon shadows began to close in on the alley. The first figure emerged from the fog, and without hesitation, Jungkook lunged forward, his movements swift and precise. He took the man down with a single blow, grabbing the weapon he dropped.

Jimin, fueled by adrenaline, moved to intercept another attacker, deftly dodging a punch and countering with a swift kick. He was smaller, leaner, but his agility was unmatched. He slipped out of the man's grasp and quickly neutralized him, breathing hard as he turned to see Jungkook taking down two more with brutal efficiency.

Despite the chaos, they moved in sync, covering each other's blind spots, their movements instinctively coordinated. Jimin couldn't deny the rush he felt—an exhilaration he hadn't experienced in years. Fighting alongside Jungkook was dangerous, reckless, but somehow it felt right.

Within minutes, the alley was quiet again, save for the groans of the fallen attackers. The two contacts had fled in the chaos, leaving Jimin and Jungkook alone, breathing heavily, their gazes meeting in the dim light.

Jungkook wiped a smear of blood from his knuckles, a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, looks like you owe me one, Park."

Jimin rolled his eyes, though he couldn't suppress the smirk tugging at his own lips. "Don't get ahead of yourself. If it weren't for me, you'd be on the ground right now."

Jungkook chuckled, stepping closer, their faces inches apart now. "Maybe. But we make a good team, don't we?"

The words hung in the air between them, unspoken truths simmering beneath the surface. Jimin's heartbeat quickened again, this time not from adrenaline, but from something else he didn't dare to name. He looked away, clearing his throat, trying to regain his composure.

"Don't let it get to your head," Jimin replied coolly. "This was a one-time thing. Next time we meet, I won't hesitate to take you down."

Jungkook's smirk didn't falter. Instead, his eyes softened just a fraction, almost as if he could see past Jimin's walls. "Maybe," he said, voice quieter now, "but for tonight, you and I survived together. That's got to count for something."

Before Jimin could respond, Jungkook turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Jimin alone in the alley, the echoes of their fight fading into the night.

Jimin stood there for a moment, replaying the events in his mind. He had just fought side by side with a Jeon—something he would have considered unthinkable only days ago. But now, with his heart still racing, he wasn't sure if he regretted it.

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