Ch 15: The Warning

A Sudden Summons

Taehyung followed Jungkook and Jungguk down the dimly lit hall, his mind racing.

Jae-hyun’s tone had been serious—too serious.

He glanced at Jungkook, who walked ahead with his usual composed demeanor, but his tense shoulders told a different story.

Jungguk, on the other hand, walked beside Taehyung, his usual smirk absent.

Something was wrong.

And whatever it was—

It concerned him.

Inside the Study

Jae-hyun was waiting inside, standing near the desk with a few open files scattered before him. His fingers tapped lightly on the wooden surface, his face unreadable.

The moment Taehyung stepped in, Jae-hyun’s piercing gaze landed on him.

“Sit,” he ordered.

Taehyung hesitated.

Then, slowly, he obeyed.

Jungkook and Jungguk took seats on either side of him.

Jae-hyun leaned against the desk, arms crossed.

“We have a problem,” he said. “And it starts with you.”

Taehyung’s pulse quickened.

Me?

Jae-hyun’s eyes flickered to Jungkook. “Do you want to tell him, or should I?”

Jungkook exhaled. “Just say it.”

Jae-hyun nodded, then turned back to Taehyung.

“There’s a bounty on your head.”

A Price on His Life

Taehyung’s breath caught. “What?”

Jae-hyun slid a file toward him. “See for yourself.”

With slightly trembling hands, Taehyung flipped it open.

The first thing he saw—

His own face.

A photo of him, taken from an angle that suggested he had been watched.

And below it—

A reward.

A massive sum of money for his capture.

His stomach turned.

“This can’t be real,” he muttered.

Jae-hyun’s voice was cold. “It is.”

Taehyung clenched his fists. “Who the hell would put a bounty on me?”

Jae-hyun exchanged glances with Jungkook.

Jungkook sighed. “We’re still looking into it.”

“But whoever it is,” Jae-hyun added, “they know you’re important.”

Taehyung frowned. “Important how?”

Silence.

Then—

Jungkook spoke.

“Because you survive.”

The Truth About His Future

Taehyung stiffened. “What?”

Jae-hyun leaned forward.

“You survived ten years into the apocalypse. You saw things no one else did. You know things no one else knows.”

His voice lowered.

“And now… you’ve come back.”

Taehyung swallowed hard.

They didn’t know about his rebirth.

But they suspected something.

Jungguk, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

“Someone out there thinks you’re valuable,” he said, tilting his head. “And they’re willing to pay a fortune to get their hands on you.”

Taehyung clenched his jaw.

Who?

Who would want him before the apocalypse even started?

It didn’t make sense.

Unless…

A horrifying thought struck him.

Could it be the ones who killed me?

A Dangerous Situation

Jungkook studied him.

“You’re thinking of something.”

Taehyung hesitated. “I…”

Should he tell them?

Could he trust them this much?

Before he could decide, Jae-hyun spoke again.

“We need to act fast.”

Jungkook nodded. “Security will be tightened. We’ll move you to a more secure location if necessary.”

Taehyung frowned. “I’m not a prisoner.”

Jungguk smirked. “No. But you’re ours.”

Taehyung’s breath hitched.

Jae-hyun sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Can you two not flirt for five minutes?”

Jungguk grinned. “Where’s the fun in that?”

Jae-hyun ignored him and turned back to Taehyung.

“We need to find out who’s behind this,” he said. “And we need to do it before they find you.”

Taehyung nodded slowly.

Because one thing was clear—

His life wasn’t just his own anymore.

And whoever wanted him—

Would have to go through the Jeon brothers first.

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