ch 20 : Shadows That Linger

[Present Day – Jungkook’s Apartment]

Jungkook didn’t let go of Taehyung’s wrist for a long time. He could feel the faint tremble in Taehyung’s body, the unspoken fear behind his silence.

Jungkook exhaled. "We need to tell the others."

Taehyung hesitated but nodded. "Namjoon might have found something by now."

Jungkook laced their fingers together, his grip firm. "No more running."

Taehyung swallowed. "No more running."

\[Elsewhere – Yoongi’s Apartment\]

Yoongi leaned against the balcony, cigarette between his fingers. The city stretched below him, lights flickering like dying stars.

Jimin stood beside him, arms crossed. "They’re going to fight this."

Yoongi smirked. "Of course they are."

Jimin turned to him, eyes dark with worry. "But what if they lose?"

Yoongi flicked ash into the wind. "Then we make sure they don’t."

Jimin clenched his fists. "I don’t want to lose them, Yoongi."

Yoongi exhaled smoke. "Then let’s end this before it begins."

✿⁠ ✿

\[Namjoon’s Study\]

Jungkook and Taehyung sat across from Namjoon, tension thick in the air. Jin’s words echoed in their minds.

"A choice."

Namjoon’s fingers drummed against the table. "There might be a loophole."

Jungkook narrowed his eyes. "What kind of loophole?"

Namjoon sighed. "The curse is bound by an obsession, right? Jin’s obsession with keeping you trapped in this cycle. But if we can sever that attachment—"

"How?" Taehyung’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Namjoon’s gaze was heavy. "We have to make him let go."

Silence.

Jungkook’s jaw clenched. "And if he doesn’t?"

Namjoon looked down at the book in front of him. "Then one of you dies."

The words crashed into them like a tidal wave.

Taehyung’s fingers curled into his lap. "There has to be another way."

Namjoon didn’t respond.

Because they all knew—

Some endings were inevitable.

The air was thick with unspoken fears. Jungkook sat rigid in his chair, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Taehyung, beside him, felt his heart pounding painfully.

"One of you dies."

Namjoon’s words refused to leave their minds.

Taehyung finally broke the silence. "Tell us everything."

Namjoon sighed, rubbing his temples. "The curse thrives on repetition. Jin has been playing this game for lifetimes, pulling the strings, ensuring the cycle never breaks. But the key to stopping him isn’t just defying him—it’s forcing him to sever his own ties to you."

Jungkook’s jaw clenched. "And how do we do that?"

Namjoon hesitated. "We make him believe he’s already won."

Taehyung’s stomach twisted. "You mean—"

"One of you has to die," Namjoon repeated. "Or at least… make it look like you did."

Jungkook shot up from his seat. "No."

Taehyung looked away, his fingers digging into his sleeves. "If it’s the only way—"

"It’s not!" Jungkook snapped. "There’s always another way."

Namjoon leaned forward. "Jin needs to believe he’s won. If he no longer feels the need to chase you, the curse will weaken. And if we strike at the right moment—"

"We take him down for good," Taehyung finished.

Jungkook’s breathing was heavy. He hated this. Hated that they were even considering this.

But he also knew Namjoon wasn’t wrong.

Taehyung reached for his hand under the table, squeezing it gently. "We’ll find a way to make it work. Together."

Jungkook swallowed, his grip tightening. "Together."

[Elsewhere – Jin’s Apartment]

Jin stood by the window, watching the city below with an unreadable expression.

Behind him, Jackson leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "They’re planning something."

Jin smirked. "Of course they are."

Jackson raised an eyebrow. "And that doesn’t concern you?"

Jin turned, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Not in the slightest."

Jackson exhaled. "You’re playing with fire."