“Because I could watch you for a single minute and find a thousand things that I love about you.”

Chapter 11: Arrested

The afternoon sun cast long shadows as Taehyung left his class around 6 pm, the familiar weight of anticipation settling on him as he waited for his driver. A sleek black car, however, arrived before his usual transport, its tinted windows obscuring the driver's identity. 

Yohan, his fiancé, emerged with a predatory smirk.

"My dearest fiancé, hop in. We need to talk," Yohan purred, opening the car door.

Taehyung's eyes narrowed. He instinctively recoiled, a prickle of unease crawling up his spine. He didn't like the glint in Yohan's eyes, the unsettling intensity of his smile. "No need. My driver's on his way," he replied, his voice firmer than he felt.

Yohan's grin widened, unconcerned. He leaned against the car, his casual posture belying the predatory gleam in his eyes. "Oh, I'm sure he's running late."  The casual dismissal of Taehyung's protest only heightened his unease.

Taehyung's patience snapped. "Just leave me alone!" he spat, his voice tight with frustration. 

Ignoring him, Yohan moved with a sudden, unsettling swiftness. He seized Taehyung's hand, his grip surprisingly strong, almost painful. Taehyung struggled, a gasp escaping his lips as Yohan's fingers tightened. The unexpected force of Yohan's grip sent a jolt of fear through him.

"Get in the car, and do as I say," Yohan commanded, his voice low and menacing, a contrast to his earlier playful demeanor. 

Taehyung's heart hammered against his ribs. Panic clawed at his throat. 

"I don't need you!" he protested, his voice trembling slightly. He tried to wrench his hand free, but Yohan's grip was relentless. He felt a wave of nausea wash over him, the fear becoming almost paralyzing.

Yohan ignored Taehyung's struggle, instead seizing Taehyung's nape, his fingers digging into his skin. Taehyung gasped, his eyes widening in terror as Yohan's lips crashed down on his, a brutal, demanding kiss that left him breathless and reeling. He struggled, his body rigid with fear and revulsion, but Yohan's strength was overwhelming. Taehyung tasted blood, his own, from a cut lip.

With a sickening rip, Yohan tore Taehyung's shirt, exposing his chest. Taehyung flinched, his skin crawling with a mixture of fear and humiliation. Tears welled in his eyes, blurring his vision. He felt a wave of dizziness, his body trembling uncontrollably. He tried to push Yohan away, but his strength was no match for Yohan's.

"So, you want to do this in public? Fine," Yohan growled, shoving Taehyung roughly against the car. 

The impact knocked the air from Taehyung's lungs. He gasped for breath, his body aching from the force of the shove. He felt a searing pain in his shoulder where he'd been pushed against the sharp edge of the car door.

Yohan began sucking on Taehyung's neck, his touch leaving angry red marks. Taehyung whimpered, his body convulsing with a mixture of pain and terror.
 

"Stop! This is rape!" Taehyung screamed, desperation lacing his voice. 

He kicked out wildly, his leg connecting with Yohan's groin. The impact wasn't as forceful as he'd hoped, but it bought him a precious moment. He felt the searing pain of Yohan's grip on his neck lessen momentarily.

Yohan hissed in pain, his face contorting in a mask of rage. His anger, however, only fueled his brutality. 

"This isn't rape. You'll be my wife, and you're a slut! You can't go to the police. I'm powerful," he sneered, his words dripping with contempt and entitlement. 

His hands, rough and possessive, moved lower, tracing Taehyung's waist, then his hips and groin.

A surge of adrenaline, a primal instinct for self-preservation, coursed through Taehyung. He fought back with a ferocity he didn't know he possessed. He punched Yohan hard across the cheek, the sound echoing in the sudden silence.  Yohan staggered, momentarily stunned. Taehyung seized the opportunity, landing a powerful kick to Yohan's stomach. Yohan doubled over, gasping for air. Taehyung didn't hesitate; he delivered another punch, this time aiming for Yohan's eyes. He saw a flicker of surprise, of genuine pain, in Yohan's eyes before he fled.

Taehyung ran, blindly, tears streaming down his face, his body shaking with the aftershocks of terror and exertion. He didn't look back, didn't dare to slow down, until he found a cab and collapsed into the back seat, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

The journey home felt like an eternity, each heartbeat a painful reminder of what he'd endured. He arrived home a broken shell, his clothes torn, his body bruised, his spirit shattered.

"Taehyung, what happened to you?" she asked, noticing his disheveled appearance and the tears staining his face. The sight of her son, so clearly traumatized, should have triggered immediate alarm and empathy, but it didn't.

"Y-Yohan tried to rape me," Taehyung choked out, his voice barely a whisper.
  
"You're lying, right? It was Jungkook, wasn't it?" Her immediate assumption, her refusal to believe her own son, was a devastating blow. 

"No! It was Yohan!" Taehyung insisted, his voice rising in frustration. He couldn't comprehend his mother's callous disregard for his suffering.

"Taehyung, honey, I'm sure it was Jungkook. Yohan would never do something like that. Don't worry, we'll make sure Jungkook rots in jail," Hanyeol declared, her words cutting Taehyung deeper than any physical wound.

"Just die if you don't believe me!" he roared, his voice raw with anguish and despair, before storming out of the house, leaving behind a mother who had failed him utterly.

Meanwhile, at 7 pm, Jungkook sat in his cabin, the flickering light of a lamp illuminating the smoke curling from his cigarette. Stress gnawed at him, and he lay half-naked on the couch, seeking solace in a comic book. A sharp knock shattered the quiet. He opened the door to find two police officers, their expressions grim.

"Jeon Jungkook, you're under arrest for harassment and sexual assault on Kim Taehyung," one officer stated, producing a warrant.

"You've got the wrong person. I didn't do anything," Jungkook replied, a knot of confusion tightening in his stomach.

"We'll discuss that at the station. Come with us; the Kims have filed charges," the officer said, cuffing Jungkook's hands.

The police officers, their faces grim, dragged Jungkook out of his cabin. The harshness of the handcuffs, the cold steel digging into his skin, served as a jarring reminder of the gravity of the situation. 

The news of his arrest reached Chief Chong like a thunderclap. His office door burst open, and Chief Chong stormed in, his face a mask of fury. 

"You arrested who?!" he thundered, his voice echoing through the station.

"Jeon Jungkook, sir," the arresting officer stammered nervously.

"What possessed you to arrest him without my permission?!" Chief Chong roared, his eyes flashing with anger.

"The Kims filed a case against him, sir," the officer explained, his voice barely audible.

"What case?" Chief Chong demanded.

"Harassment and sexual assault of Kim Taehyung, sir," the officer replied. 

Chief Chong stormed out of his office. He marched to the interrogation room, where Jungkook sat with a smirk playing on his lips. He signaled the other officers to leave, wanting to speak to Jungkook alone. He knelt before Jungkook, his gaze unwavering. 

"What a pleasant surprise, Chief," Jungkook greeted, his tone laced with amusement.

"Sir... I heard about the charges," Chief Chong said, his voice strained.

"The Kims filed them," Jungkook confirmed simply.

"I don't know if I can help you with this.  It's a serious accusation," Chief Chong admitted.

"I didn't do it," Jungkook stated, his gaze unwavering. 

"Sir?" Chief Chong asked, looking up at him.

"I was alone in my cabin the entire time.  I didn't even see their son," Jungkook explained, his voice calm but firm.

"But why would they file these charges?" Chief Chong questioned, puzzled.

"Get me out of here. My mother will fire you if I'm not released," Jungkook said, his tone shifting to a sharp command. 

"As you wish, sir. Just don't say anything. They'll drop the charges," Chief Chong replied, relieved. 

Soon, Jungkook was free, the cuffs removed from his wrists. Before leaving, he issued a stern order.

"Investigate what really happened.  I want answers immediately," Jungkook demanded, his voice laced with a cold authority. 

"Yes, sir," Chief Chong bowed his head, his expression a mixture of fear and resignation.

Later, in Jungkook's cabin, the sound of sobbing reached him as he opened the door. Upstairs, he found Taehyung, curled up on his bed, a heartbreaking picture of vulnerability. The sight of Taehyung, his swollen lips, angry marks on his neck, bruised cheeks, torn shirt, and disheveled hair, hit Jungkook with the force of a physical blow. The silent testimony of a brutal assault was etched onto Taehyung's body.

"Taehyung," Jungkook said softly, his voice filled with concern and a deep, protective tenderness. 

He knelt beside the bed, his heart aching at the sight of Taehyung's suffering.

Taehyung looked up, his eyes red and swollen. He pointed to various parts of his body, his words broken by sobs.

"He... he almost raped me... he touched me... here... and here... and here..."  Each word was a fresh wound, reopening the trauma he'd endured.

Tears welled up in Jungkook's eyes, not just from sympathy, but from a deep, visceral anger at the injustice Taehyung had suffered. He sat beside Taehyung, pulling him into a tight embrace, holding him close, offering the comfort and protection. He felt a protective rage build within him to ensure that Taehyung would never again feel this level of vulnerability and pain.