02

...hii...

taehyung'a expression quickly changed when he saw Uncle Song sitting on the couch, staring into space. The boy's curious, sparkling eyes gleamed as he asked, "Are you throwing a party, Uncle Song?" This made the elderly man exhale sharply before sarcastically replying, "Ah, yes. It's called the 'Drowning in Debt Party with the Mad Gangster.'"

The boy's curiosity mixed with intense excitement, lighting up his honey-colored eyes as he eagerly asked again, "Wow, that's amazing! Am I invited?"

Uncle Song raised his rough hand to rub his face before responding in a teasing tone, "We only admit those with debts."

The boy proudly puffed out his chest and said, "Don't worry, Uncle Song. I have a debt of three coins to the grocer at the end of the street."

Uncle Song reached into his pocket, pulled out three coins, and placed them in the boy's hand, saying, "Here, go pay your debt and head home. The party's over."

The boy frowned, stomping his foot in frustration, and left for his house. His thoughts, however, were occupied by the man in the gray suit. He wouldn’t let him go so easily, as his curiosity about the man was too strong. Also, his heart yearned to relive the feelings that struck him when their eyes met. His heart pounded fiercely again as he recalled the moment, so much so that he stopped in the middle of the street, placed his hand over his chest, and gently tried to calm it.

"Sir, should we deal with that boy?" asked the same guard who had grown increasingly frustrated with Taehyung after being spat on by him.

Jungkook raised his head slightly, glanced at the guard, and said, "No." He then returned to his work without further comment. The guard considered objecting but knew that doing so could cost him his life rather than the troublemaking boy’s.

Meanwhile, Taehyung arrived home, shouting in his sweet voice, "Mama! Taehyung is here!" His mother, sitting in the living room, responded with equal enthusiasm, calling out to him. He rushed to her, throwing himself into her arms as she welcomed him, stroking his back and shoulders and planting kisses on his honey-colored hair.

"I missed you so much, my son. How was your day?" she asked with a comforting smile, inhaling the vanilla and gardenia scent from his soft neck.

He gently pulled back, laid on the couch with his head in her lap, and held onto her arm as he began recounting his day. Since childhood, Taehyung had always enjoyed sharing everything about his day with his mother, sometimes embellishing or omitting details to either hide the truth or elicit her amused reactions.

After finishing his story—carefully leaving out the events that occurred just before he entered the house—he played with his mother's fingers and then looked up to ask, "Mom, do you know who Uncle Song’s guests are?"

His mother stopped ruffling his curls, her expression growing stern. She raised her finger in warning and said firmly, "Whatever you're curious about, Taehyung, I warn you to drop it and stop meddling!"

Taehyung frowned at her tone, which he disliked deeply. He stood up, leaving her embrace, and walked out of the living room without a word, dragging his feet toward his room to resist the temptation to investigate further. But, truthfully, his resistance was temporary, as he couldn’t ignore the strong pull to uncover the mystery surrounding the man in the gray suit.

The next day, Taehyung anticipated seeing the same cars outside Uncle Song’s house. Skipping his own home after leaving university, he headed straight there and, to no surprise, found the same group of guards stationed as before.

Standing a short distance away, he scanned the area for the man who had captivated his thoughts and kept him awake the previous night. However, even after several minutes of waiting, he couldn’t find him. Frustrated, he ran back home, determined to execute his plan.

He burst into his house, grabbing the car keys from the table, and shouted, "I’ll borrow the car for a bit, Mama! I promise I won’t cause trouble!" Without waiting for her response, he slammed the door behind him, got into the car, fastened the seatbelt, and started the engine.

Moments later, he saw the man emerge from Uncle Song’s house, get into a car, and drive away, followed by his convoy of black vehicles. Taehyung immediately pressed the gas pedal, determined to follow.

The guards, noticing the unfamiliar car tailing them, attempted to throw him off the trail, believing he was a spy. But each time they tried to mislead him, Taehyung skillfully navigated back onto the correct path, much to their frustration. Eventually, they informed their leader about the pursuing car, only to be surprised when Jungkook instructed them to leave it alone and observe how far the boy would go.

Taehyung, thinking the guards had given up, smiled in triumph, unaware that Jungkook was letting him follow.

When the convoy finally stopped, the guards surrounded Jungkook’s car in a protective formation, preventing Taehyung from seeing him again. Undeterred, Taehyung exited his car and rushed toward them, only to be lifted off the ground by two burly guards.

Despite his panic-stricken screams and flailing, Taehyung's struggles ceased when he caught sight of the man in the gray suit. With an ecstatic tone, he called out, "You there, sir!"

Jungkook turned to face him, observing the boy’s goofy grin with mild amusement. With a sigh, he motioned for the guards to release him. Taehyung immediately dashed toward him but froze when Jungkook spoke first in a calm and steady voice:

"This isn’t a place for your mischief, kid. Go home."

He turned and walked away, leaving Taehyung stunned and overwhelmed by the sound of his soothing voice.

Taehyung stood in shock, watching Jungkook disappear from sight. His heart pounded against his chest as reality sank in—he had been ignored and dismissed. Frustration bubbled inside him, but determination quickly took its place.

He stomped toward the iron gates, now shut tight, and began banging on them, shouting, "Sir! Open the gates! I want an invitation to the party!"

One of the guards finally lost his patience. With an angry tone, he barked, "There is no party here, kid! Leave!"

Taehyung bit back his desire to spit at the guard and instead smirked mischievously. "Of course there’s a party! It’s called 'Drowning in Debt with the Mad Gangster,' and I’m here to ask the boss for an invitation."

Taehyung wasn’t naïve enough to believe Uncle Song’s sarcastic words. However, he used them as a pretext to draw the attention of the mysterious man in the gray suit. He refused to give up, persistently banging on the gate and antagonizing the guards, knowing full well they might snap and let him in out of sheer frustration.

His persistence and defiance were unyielding—traits that no one could overcome, no matter how hard they tried.

Finally, one of the guards received a message through his earpiece. With a calm voice, he relayed, "Christian, the boss has approved the boy's entry. Let him in."

The guard who had been fuming at Taehyung reluctantly stepped aside, his eyes shooting daggers at the boy. Taehyung, unfazed, smirked triumphantly and walked through the gates with exaggerated confidence, like a model on a runway.

The mansion’s grounds were vast and meticulously maintained. Greenery stretched out in every direction, giving the impression of an endless, lush paradise. Taehyung’s awe only grew as he observed the grand scale of the place, which seemed almost otherworldly.

His exploration was interrupted by a massive, marble door. As he approached, it swung open on its own, leaving him wide-eyed with amazement. Everything about this place excited him, filling him with adrenaline and the urge to push boundaries—a trait that would undoubtedly lead to trouble.

He stepped inside and found himself in an equally expansive interior, filled with dark navy velvet furniture. At the center, Jungkook sat on a luxurious couch, one leg crossed over the other. He wore another gray suit, slightly different from the one he’d worn the day before, but just as impeccable. His polished black shoes gleamed, catching the light even in the dim room.

Taehyung’s honey-colored eyes met Jungkook’s dark, deep gaze. They exchanged looks for a moment before Taehyung broke the silence with a cheerful smile, revealing his pearly teeth.

"Hello," he greeted. Then, with innocent audacity, he asked, "Are you the mad gangster?"

Jungkook’s eyebrows shot up briefly in surprise at the boy’s boldness. A chuckle escaped him, low and sarcastic, as he shook his head. He didn’t answer directly, prompting Taehyung to continue.

"Well," Taehyung said, his smile widening, "I’m here to drown in debt."

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