80
Third Person Pov
It was already dark outside-8 P.M. nd the small kitchen glowed warmly under the yellow lights.
Taehyung stood by the counter chopping vegetables, Gyuri strapped snugly against his chest in her baby carrier. The little girl had turned into a clingy koala lately; she refused to be set down even for a moment, tiny fists curled into Taehyung's shirt as if he might vanish if she let go.
On the living room floor, Gyubin sat cross-legged in front of the television, eyes glued to the cartoon playing loudly. His knees were tucked to his chest, little toes wiggling in concentration.
"Binnie... bring me some tissues," Taehyung called without looking up.
Gyubin blinked, barely registering the words. Still staring at the screen, he stood up and walked backward....blindly toward the dining table. His hand stretched out until he felt something, grabbed it, and walked over.
"Appa," he said, handing it over... eyes still fixed on the screen.
Taehyung turned... only to see a tablecloth dangling from his son's hand.
He let out a tired, amused exhale.
"Binnie, I said tissues," he said gently.
Gyubin looked down at what he was holding, blinked, then burst into a grin. He hurried to grab the correct item and returned proudly with the tissues.
"Did you finish your homework?" Taehyung asked as he took them.
Gyubin nodded quickly, eyes shining.
Taehyung bent to his level, and Gyuri instantly tightened her hold around Taehyung's neck, like gravity had doubled. Taehyung kissed Gyubin's chubby cheek, thumb brushing lovingly over his head.
"Don't look at me with those shiny eyes," Taehyung murmured, pretending to scold.
Gyubin giggled and hugged him.
From Taehyung's chest came a tiny, offended grunt.
Gyuri, despite being only eight months old, narrowed her doe eyes at the interaction.... her expression so serious that Taehyung let out a quiet laugh.
She grumbled again at the sound of his laughter, tiny fists tightening around his shirt as if protecting her territory. Her cheeks puffed up, her eyes squinting at her brother like a tiny, jealous dragon guarding her treasure.
Taehyung clicked his tongue softly.
"Yah... why are you glaring at Binnie like he stole your kingdom?" he teased, poking her chubby cheek.
Gyubin leaned in to kiss her dangling foot...gentle, careful but Gyuri kicked him straight in the chin and buried her face in Taehyung's chest with an offended huff.
Gyubin blinked, rubbing his chin.
"Appa... she didn't want my kiss," he said, voice soft, more confused than hurt.
Taehyung laughed, shifting Gyuri higher. "She's not rejecting you, baby. She's just... dramatic about everything."
Gyubin nodded slowly as if that made complete sense.
"But I'm your first baby," he said calmly.
"You are," Taehyung said.
"And she's my littlest baby. I have two perfect babies."
Gyubin's lips curved into a small smile before he gently poked Gyuri's foot again.
"Don't worry, Riri," he said in his sweet, quiet voice. "Appa is mine in the morning. You can have him at night."
Gyuri didn't understand a single word but she did understand she was being talked about. She babbled loudly, sounding like she was complaining to the universe.
Taehyung sighed, amused.
"You're the dramatic one," he told Gyuri.
Then he looked at Gyubin, softer.
"And you... you're too calm for this chaos."
Gyubin smiled proudly.
"Appa," he asked gently, "can she sleep next to me today?"
"No," Taehyung answered instantly.
"You kick in your sleep. I'm not risking your sister flying across the room."
Gyubin's eyes widened a little. genuinely surprised. "I didn't-"
"You kicked me last week," Taehyung reminded him. "Right on my spine."
Gyubin's ears turned red.
"I thought I was dreaming," he said quietly.
Taehyung pinched his cheeks, smiling.
"It's alright. You can cuddle her in the morning, okay? But for now, go wash your hands. Dinner's almost ready."
Gyubin nodded obediently and started walking toward the bathroom but halfway through, he paused, turned around, and walked back to Taehyung.
He wrapped his little arms around Taehyung's waist gently.
Taehyung sighed, soft and fond.
"What now?"
"Appa..." Gyubin whispered, voice shy and warm, "don't give Riri all the kisses. Leave some for me too."
Taehyung's heart melted instantly.
He crouched carefully.... Gyuri still strapped to him fussing and cupped Gyubin's cheeks, kissing his forehead, then both cheeks, then his nose.
"You get all my kisses," he whispered.
Gyubin giggled quietly, eyes sparkling, and finally ran off.
Taehyung stood up again, shaking his head with a smile.
Gyuri, having watched everything with big, suspicious eyes, suddenly grabbed Taehyung's chin with one tiny hand and yanked him closer-pressing her open mouth to his cheek in her messy baby version of a kiss.
Taehyung froze.
"...are you claiming me too?" he whispered.
Gyuri blinked at him... then squealed loudly in approval.
Taehyung laughed helplessly, pressing his forehead to hers.
"My little koala... I'm right here."
Gyuri cooed, arms tightening around him possessively as if she understood every words.
.
.
.
In the other house...
Jungkook worked in silence. Eyes focused.
A white wrapper lay on the table, perfectly aligned with the grain of the wood. A pink satin ribbon rested beside it, neatly coiled. And in front of him, arranged on a cloth, were the peonies he had grown himself.
He didn't fuss. He didn't hesitate.
He simply did.
With steady hands, he picked up the first bloom and set it on the wrapper. Then another. Then the next. His movements were efficient.... strong fingers handling the delicate petals with an ease that didn't match the cold intensity in his eyes.
It was a strange contrast.
People feared those hands.
Yet they were gentle with flowers.
He folded the paper sharply, creases crisp, corners exact. He tied the ribbon with a single pull. The bouquet came out imperfect in the charming, human way handmade things always were. But visually----
It was beautiful.
He stared at it with no smile, no sentimental melt. Just a calm acknowledgement.
This would do.
His gaze slid to the adoption papers lying beside the bouquet. Gyuri's adoption papers-for Taehyung. The only thing Jungkook bothered double-reading today.
He picked them up.
Not lightly. Not nervously.
But firmly... like a man who had already made his decision.
The memories of the last bouquet flickered through his mind... Taehyung ripping petals apart piece by piece in anger, in hurt. Jungkook didn't wince even at the memory. He didn't fear if that repeats again, tonight.
If Taehyung tore this bouquet again, Jungkook would simply hand him another.
He wasn't doing this for acceptance.
He just wanted Taehyung to know.
Know that Jungkook's efforts were deliberate. That his intentions were real.
That he wasn't walking away from what he started.
Jungkook slipped into his black jacket, the leather folding smoothly over his shirt. He brushed off a piece of lint as if preparing for a meeting, not a quiet walk next door.
Then he picked up the bouquet.
Then the papers.
His jaw tightened....not out of fear, but a familiar habit of restraint. A man who locked his emotions except when the topic was Taehyung.
He stepped to the door and opened it. The night air greeted him-cold, crisp, a perfect match to his usual demeanor. He closed the door behind him with a soft click.
And walked.
Powerful in the effortless way the CEO always carried himself.
The moonlight brushed over the bouquet as he moved toward the house next door.
Tonight, he wasn't pretending.
Tonight, he was going to Taehyung.
Not to explain. Not to defend.
Just to show.
Because Jungkook never feared rejection. And when it came to Taehyung
he wasn't afraid of trying, either.
☆☆☆☆☆
Taehyung had just finished tucking Daisy.... the tiny white-grey kitten under her fluffy fur blanket. She mewed once, curled into a ball, and immediately drifted off. Taehyung smiled softly before turning to check on Gyubin.
The little boy was already half-asleep. Taehyung gently fixed the blanket around him. Gyubin blinked up at him for a moment, calm and trusting.
"Sleep well, baby," Taehyung whispered.
Gyubin hummed, eyes fluttering shut again.
Taehyung lingered for a second.
He still wasn't used to sleeping without Gyubin tucked against him. The quiet felt strange. Empty in a way. But Gyubin learning to sleep on his own was important, so Taehyung forced himself to step back and close the door softly.
His room was next and Gyuri was already asleep inside. Taehyung's steps were light, silent, almost floating as he walked toward her room with a small, tired smile.
He reached for the doorknob... when the doorbell rang.
Taehyung froze.
His brows knit together.
At this hour?
No one ever came this late. Not here. Not in this quiet neighborhood.
He exhaled, steadying his heart, and turned back toward the hallway. His feet carried him slowly hesitantly to the front door.
Another ring. Shorter.
But firm.
Taehyung swallowed.
He already knew who carried that kind of confidence. Only one person rang a doorbell like it was a command, not a request.
And Taehyung's breath stilled in his chest.
The CEO.
Taehyung sighed and pulled the door open
only to freeze.
Jungkook was leaning against the doorframe, one shoulder pressed to the wood, head slightly tilted as if he'd been waiting longer than he should have. The porch light cast a faint glow across his jawline.
"Y-You..." Taehyung breathed, fingers curling against the door.
Jungkook's eyes moved slowly from Taehyung's face... down his body
and back up again.
The stare made Taehyung shift his weight, suddenly aware of his loose home clothes and messy hair.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, voice small but trying for stern.
Jungkook pushed himself off the frame with lazy confidence. His left hand remained behind his back, hidden, making Taehyung's gaze flick toward it nervously.
Then Jungkook extended his other hand forward-holding a file.
Taehyung blinked at it.
Suspicious. Tense.
"...Is this some new contract now?" he muttered, trying for sarcasm but failing because his voice trembled.
Jungkook raised one brow.
"You could say that."
Taehyung swallowed and took the file cautiously, flipping it open. His breath stuttered as he read the first line.
Adoption papers.
Kim Gyuri.
All legal.
All approved.
All that was missing was his signature.
Taehyung's fingers trembled as he turned the pages one by one-checking every line, every stamp, every seal. Expecting a trap like last time.
A hidden clause.
But there was none.
They were real. Completely real.
He exhaled shakily, lips parting in disbelief...
a fragile smile blooming without his permission.
"She's... my daughter now?" he whispered, almost afraid his voice would break the moment.
"Yes," Jungkook answered, tone steady.
"She is."
Taehyung looked up... and the smile slowly died on his face the moment he met Jungkook's eyes.
He glanced back down at the papers again, shoulders curling inward.
"You didn't have to do this," he murmured. "I-I could've done it myself."
"I'm aware," Jungkook said, his voice even and controlled. "But adoption isn't something that happens quickly."
His eyes stayed on Taehyung's.
"They check everything. Finances, stability... every corner of your life."
His tone stayed gentle, but firm.
"You're already looking after Gyubin. And without work right now, the process would be long and exhausting."
A small breath, then... "So why wear yourself down when I can do it for you."
Taehyung hummed softly, gripping the file tighter. The words did something to his heart, his stomach flipped.
"thank you."
Barely audible.
Jungkook's lips twitched-almost a smile. "Shall I leave?" he asked.
Taehyung kept staring at the papers, eyes cast down, refusing to look at him. He hummed in response, small and hollow.
Jungkook stepped back.
Taehyung's fingers tightened around the doorknob.... not enough to stop him,
but enough to betray him.
Jungkook noticed. He always did.
He paused.
Then slowly, he brought forward the hand he had been keeping hidden behind his back.
A bouquet.
Taehyung went completely still.
His eyes rose, wide and startled.
Jungkook stood there, holding out a slightly uneven, imperfectly tied bouquet of fresh peonies... wrapped in a white paper, a pink ribbon bowed at the front.
"For... for me?" Taehyung whispered, voice breathless.
Jungkook lifted a brow.
"I don't see anyone else here," he said coolly. "Unless the walls started liking flowers."
Taehyung's jaw clenched at the tease, but his eyes dropped to the bouquet again.
It wasn't perfect.
The paper was creased, the ribbon crooked... but it looked warm.
Carefully made.
Made with effort.
Taehyung felt something sting behind his eyes.
"I made it," Jungkook said simply.
Taehyung's head shot up again, shocked.
"You... made it?"
A low hum. Jungkook's confirmation.
With hesitant fingers, Taehyung reached out slowly.... taking the bouquet from him, careful as if it were fragile. Jungkook didn't pull back. In fact, his eyes softened barely, just for that moment, watching Taehyung touch something he created.
Taehyung brushed his thumb over the petals, then the ribbon, heart knocking against his ribs.
"Why... why would you make this?" he whispered, barely audible.
Jungkook's jaw flexed.
He licked his lips once, gaze heavy, voice firm but quiet.
"...Because I needed to."
Taehyung's breath hitched.
Jungkook didn't elaborate.
He didn't soften further.
He simply stood there, cold on the outside, but something warm flickering faintly behind his eyes
as if this bouquet was more than a bouquet.
As if the adoption papers were more than paperwork.
As if he had come here with something he couldn't say aloud.
Taehyung hugged the bouquet closer to his chest, petals trembling slightly against his shirt with how tightly he held them. The warmth of Jungkook's hand on the ribbon, he could feel it.
Across from him, Jungkook exhaled, slipping both hands into his pockets shoulders straight, expression guarded, but eyes... softer than they had any right to be.
"You can sign the papers whenever you're ready," Jungkook said, voice low, steady. "I'll handle the legal follow-ups."
Taehyung's fingers tightened around the bouquet.
He looked up as if pulled by a thread eyes glassy, voice barely above a whisper.
"Mr. Jeon..."
Something flickered across Jungkook's face... a quiet longing to hold the younger. But he only gave a single, curt nod.
"Congratulations."
The words were simple. But they held weight. Warmth. A strange gentleness that made Taehyung's throat tighten.
And for the first time...
Taehyung didn't shut the door.
He remained there, barefoot on the cold floor, bouquet pressed to his chest as he watched Jungkook step off the porch.
The soft porch light cast a glow around Jungkook's shoulders, turning him into something unreal.... something that looked far too much like a memory Taehyung was afraid to touch.
Jungkook pushed the iron gate open, its quiet creak echoing in the stillness of the night. He didn't look back. Didn't demand anything in return. Didn't ask for a deal or a favor or an exchange.
No bargains.
No threats.
No cruelty.
Just... the papers.
And the flowers he had made with his own hands.
Taehyung's heart clenched painfully.
Some part of him, the foolish, soft part he hated-waited.
Maybe Jungkook would pause.
Maybe he'd turn around.
Maybe he'd walk back up the path and pull Taehyung into that silent, grounding hug again... the one he'd given him at the clinic.
Maybe....
Jungkook reached the end of the gate.
Taehyung's breath caught.
But the CEO didn't turn.
He simply stopped for a heartbeat, shoulders rising and falling in a quiet inhale, as if steadying himself-before walking into the night.
Taehyung stared after him, chest tight.
The bouquet crinkled softly beneath his fingers.
He didn't know why it hurt.
Or why it warmed him.
Or why his throat felt so tight as he stepped forward, holding the doorframe catch one last glimpse.
He barely caught the side profile... sharp jawline, dark hair, the slightest tilt of Jungkook's head as if... as if he was fighting the urge to turn around.
But he didn't.
And Taehyung felt something shiver inside him.
He whispered into the quiet night,
"...thank you."
The wind carried it away but somehow, Taehyung felt Jungkook heard it anyway.
Taehyung finally closed the door behind him, his chest still tight, heart fluttering in a strange mix of exhaustion and something he couldn't name. He walked quietly to the bedroom, careful not to disturb Gyuri, who slept soundlessly, her tiny lips forming the cutest little pout.
He gently laid her down on the bed, instinctively smoothing the blanket over her. Even in her sleep, she clutched his shirt, fingers curled tight as if she knew he would always be there.
"My love..." he whispered softly, brushing a lock of hair from her face.
The baby murmured in response, a small, sleepy "mmh-pa..." escaping her lips. Taehyung's heart clenched at the sound.
He pressed a hand under her head, supporting her like he always did.
"Appa's here," he said, voice low, soothing. Gyuri cooed softly and snuggled closer, curling against him, drifting back into sleep.
Taehyung closed his eyes, letting out a shaky sigh, and pulled the blanket over both of them. His hand rested gently on her back, feeling the steady rise and fall of her breathing. For a moment, the room was filled with nothing but the quiet rhythm of their togetherness.
On the side table, the bouquet caught his eye. The soft pink petals glowed under the dim lamp, the ribbon slightly crooked but perfectly imperfect... just like the gesture itself. Taehyung kept glancing at it, feeling warmth creep into his chest. A shy smile formed on his lips.
He thought of Jungkook standing at the door earlier, silent, confident, yet somehow... soft, only for him.
Taehyung reached over and brushed a fingertip over the petals. The faint scent of peonies filled the air, delicate and sweet. He held the flowers closer, as if cradling the gesture itself, before placing them gently back on the table.
With Gyuri pressed against him, the world outside seemed to fade. The chaos, the fears, the unknown....it all melted away.
A soft exhale escaped him, his eyes fluttering closed. The bouquet, the quiet, the sleeping baby-all of it wove a thread of warmth through his chest. He let himself drift, half-smiling in his sleep, holding Gyuri close. For tonight, and maybe the nights to come, this was enough.
And in the silent night, a shy peace settled over the little family.
.
.
.
It was morning, and Taehyung's home was alive again.... soft babbles, clumsy footsteps, kitten meows, everything blending into the warm chaos that made up his little world.
Gyuri lay on her playmat, kicking her legs happily, her tiny hands reaching for the colorful toys dangling above her. Every time she managed to swat at one, she squealed triumphantly.
On the floor, Daisy.... the tiny grey kitten was aggressively gnawing on the hem of Taehyung's trouser as he stood by the kitchen counter, putting all his heart into making a decorative lunch for Gyubin.
The teacher had asked every student to bring something "unique," and Taehyung refused to let his son take anything less than the best.
"Daisy, leave Taehyungie alone," he scolded gently.
The kitten immediately paused... then mewled and started licking his trouser instead.
Taehyung sighed, half-amused, half-tired. His house was filled with clingy creatures and he felt like a mama bee sometimes.
The sound of soft footsteps made him turn.
Gyubin came rushing in, dressed neatly for school, tiny backpack bouncing behind him. His cap sat slightly crooked over his head, but his grin was so bright it could've lit the room by itself.
He spotted the lunch box on the counter and froze.
His eyes widened with sparkly awe. "Appa... this is so pretty."
Taehyung ducked his head, trying not to smile too proudly. "Thank you," he murmured, closing the lid carefully as if it were a piece of art.
"You're so nice." Gyubin said practically glowing.
Taehyung leaned down and pinched his cheeks gently. "Wear your socks, Binnie."
Gyubin nodded eagerly and ran toward the living room... only to stop halfway as he spotted Gyuri on her mat. He crouched in front of her.
"Riri baby," he cooed.
Gyuri looked up at him with wide eyes, her pacifier bobbing in her mouth, a string of drool sliding down her chin. When Gyubin kissed her chubby cheeks, she squealed and flailed her tiny arms, trying desperately to grab his face.
Taehyung watched them with soft, melting eyes as he grabbed Gyubin's socks. He hurried over to Gyubin.
"Later, baby," he whispered when she tried to sit up. "Appa will play with you."
Her lower lip jutted out as if offended, but she allowed Gyubin to distract her with her stuffed bear.
Taehyung slipped socks onto Gyubin's feet, patting them into place. "Ready?"
Gyubin nodded excitedly, bouncing on his heels.
Taehyung smiled and stood, glancing at the bouquey of flowers now kept in a vase. The soft pink peonies seemed to glow under the morning sun, and just for a moment, everything felt warm in a way he had almost forgotten.
Something fluttered in his chest.
But he shook the thought away, grabbed Gyubin's hand, and headed to the door feeling the familiar weight of a happy, noisy morning settle around him like a hug.
☆☆☆☆
"Bye baby," Taehyung called out, as Gyubin pressed his little face to the window of the school bus, waving both hands frantically.
Taehyung waved back until the bus turned the corner and disappeared. Only when it was fully gone did he turn toward his porch, rubbing his hands together in the cold morning air and preparing to step inside.
He froze.
Jeon Jungkook was walking out of his house.
Sleep-ruffled hair. Shirt crumpled as if he'd tossed and turned all night.
.. well, Taehyung already knew that bed wouldn't let the CEO sleep properly.
And honestly... Jungkook had barely slept because he wasn't used to being alone anymore.
At least not after a year of being used to Taehyung's warmth.
His sleeves were rolled messily to his elbows, tattoos peeking, veins on his forearms prominent. He looked... domestic. Manly in a way that punched air out of Taehyung's lungs.
Taehyung tried to look away. He really tried. But his stupid eyes didn't listen.
Jungkook raked a hand through his hair, shaking it off his forehead, and turned slightly-catching sight of Taehyung standing stiff like a startled statue.
The CEO tilted his head, lips curling the tiniest bit.
He looked like he was about to walk toward Taehyung....
"Hello, Mr...!"
Jungkook paused mid-step and turned toward the feminine voice.
Taehyung's gaze snapped too.
The same woman from before...
whatever her name was. Kim Mina? King Mana? Something like that-was standing near Jungkook's gate, leaning on it.
Taehyung's brows furrowed instantly.
She stared at the CEO as if he were breakfast.
"Please come here," she said, smiling too sweetly.
Jungkook glanced sideways.
Taehyung now had his arms crossed tightly across his chest, jaw clenched, expression stiff and unmistakably annoyed.
Jungkook's lips twitched into a subtle, entertained smirk.
Oh, he liked that.
He liked Taehyung getting riled up because of someone else.
He liked how obvious it was, even if Taehyung didn't realize.
So Jungkook shifted his weight, shoved one hand casually into his pocket, and turned fully toward the girl, walking to her with lazy steps.
Taehyung's teeth clicked together as he grit them.
The CEO didn't even look back. He didn't need to. He felt Taehyung's eyes burning holes into his spine.
And he enjoyed it.
Jungkook stood in front of Mina, only the iron gate separating them. Mina hugged a small pastel box to her chest, smiling like she'd been rehearsing.
"I made something for you," she said, voice soft and sugary.
She lifted the lid.
Inside lay cookies of every shape
hearts, stars, clovers....some dipped in chocolate, some decorated with colourful sprinkles. They looked like they belonged in a bakery window, not a neighbour's gate.
Jungkook stared, silent.
"I made them last night," she continued, her voice almost trembling from excitement. "I thought you might... like them."
Before he could respond, Mina plucked one up and took a bold bite.
Jungkook raised one eyebrow at her audacity.
She froze mid-chew. "Oh no-sorry! I just.... They smelled so good, I couldn't resist."
She laughed, crumbs clinging adorably (but annoyingly) to the side of her lip.
Jungkook sighed, shaking his head, but there was a hint of amusement playing on his mouth.
Taehyung watched from his porch like a feisty kitten ready to bite. His arms were crossed tightly, eyes narrowed into slits. Each second he listened felt like another piece of his sanity snapping.
Then Mina leaned forward, that overly sweet tone returning.
"You must be alone in your house, right? It must feel so empty."
Jungkook didn't react, but Taehyung suddenly felt too interested.
Jungkook's reply was smooth, nonchalant."I was occupied all night."
Taehyung's head jerked up so fast he almost sprained his neck.
Occupied??
Occupied with WHO??
AND WHY DID HE SOUND SO PROUD ABOUT IT??
Taehyung blinked rapidly, scanning Jungkook like he could read the truth off his skin.
He noticed the faint tiredness.
The slight sluggishness.
Oh...
Of course.
This man's a menace. A menace with a body and zero shame. A fcking pervert.
Probably bending someone over the moment the clock strikes midnight-
Taehyung exhaled through his nose, his cheeks heating up in anger. What was he even thinking??
But Mina was not done.
"Occupied with who, Mr.?" she giggled, leaning so close her perfume wafted through the gate.
Jungkook licked his lips slowly. "Someone."
That did it.
Taehyung's entire brain combusted.
He stormed out of his own gate, slippers slapping aggressively on the ground. He looked like a betrayed wife, a jealous cat, and a nosy neighbour all combined.
Jungkook and Mina turned right as Taehyung marched up.... hair a mess, eyes wild.
Taehyung pointed a shaky accusing finger at Jungkook.
"Someone?" he repeated, voice cracking in disbelief. "Someone!?"
Jungkook blinked at him, expression calm.
Mina wrinkled her nose. "Um... you again? Who are you? Were you eavesdropping-"
"He was occupied!" Taehyung hissed, voice pitching up defensively. "All night! With-with someone!"
"Why do you care?" Jungkook asked, head tilting, lips curving into a slow, devilish smirk.
Taehyung's entire body malfunctioned.
"I-I don't!" he said panicking. "I don't care at all! It's just-You were-You said-OCCUPIED?! With someone?? At night??"
Jungkook shrugged, leaning one arm casually against the gate.
"Very occupied."
Taehyung's soul briefly exited his body, filed a complaint, and returned.
His face went crimson. "YOU-You're disgusting-You-You are-occupied?? Who gets OCCUPIED all night!?"
Jungkook looked him dead in the eye.
"Do you want the details?"
Taehyung instantly choked on his own oxygen.
Mina blinked at both of them, bewildered. "Why does it feel like... like you two are fighting like-like-"
"Neighbours!" Taehyung said too quickly. "We are-NEIGHBOURS!"
Jungkook smirked. "Very close neighbours."
That did it.
That one little smirk on Jungkook's stupid, sinful face snapped something inside Taehyung.
He looked away sharply, jaw tight, and spotted a small stone near his foot. Without thinking, he bent, grabbed it, and launched it straight at Jungkook.
Jungkook with his quick reflexes stepped aside effortlessly.
Taehyung hated that.
"What the hell-are you a psycho?!" Mina gasped, stepping back, clutching her cookie box like it might protect her from violence.
"Yes." Taehyung said immediately calm, emotionless.... already reaching for another stone.
Mina blinked. "...W-what?"
Taehyung lifted the stone slowly... ominously... and pointed it right at her.
"Do you want to see it too?" he asked in the coldest, most deranged voice Mina had ever heard from a human being.
Mina shrieked.... an actual high-pitched shriek and stumbled back so fast she tripped over her own sandals.
"We got mentally ill people in our neighbourhood!!" she screamed as she bolted away, cookie box bouncing in her arms.
Taehyung watched her disappear into her house and then hurled the stone onto the ground. The moment it left his hand, his anger cracked open. His throat tightened. His eyes burned with tears.
He gulped, chest rising and falling too fast..He didn't want this.
He didn't want to feel this.
Jealousy.
Ugly, suffocating, humiliating jealousy.
He hated it.
He hated himself for it.
But he couldn't stop it.
Not when it came to Jungkook.
Jungkook let out a breath... not mocking, not annoyed just a deep, quiet sigh as he watched Taehyung's rage dissolve into trembling.
Then he opened the iron gate without a word. Stepped out.
Walked right up to Taehyung.
Before Taehyung could retreat, Jungkook reached out and grabbed his wrist.
Taehyung flinched hard, instinctively trying to yank away.
"No-don't touch me-"
But Jungkook's grip only tightened, firm but not hurting, grounding him like a tether around his spinning heartbeat.
"Come with me," Jungkook said... low, steady, almost gentle underneath the roughness.
Taehyung froze.
Jungkook tugged his arm once, softly, and Taehyung's resistance crumbled.
He let Jungkook pull him, his breathing uneven, eyes glossy with emotion he couldn't swallow down.
Without another word, Jungkook turned and guided him toward his house.
Taehyung followed helplessly.... furious, embarrassed, overwhelmed but unable to fight anymore.
The iron gate closed behind them with a click, sealing them in together as Jungkook led him inside like he had every right to.
And Taehyung... didn't resist.
Jungkook closed the door with a soft click.
Taehyung immediately glared at him glossy, red-rimmed eyes, chest rising and falling too fast. Jungkook turned and took slow steps toward him.
Taehyung took one step back.
Then another.
"Gyuri is sleeping," Taehyung whispered, voice trembling with leftover anger. "I-I can't leave her alone for long. Let me go."
He tried to move past him, but Jungkook wrapped an arm around Taehyung's waist, pulling him still.
Taehyung froze.
"Leave me," Taehyung hissed through clenched teeth, hands curling into fists.
Instead, Jungkook dragged him closer.
Taehyung jerked back as if burned. "Don't touch me. I don't let womanizers touch me."
Jungkook's brow lifted.....slow, amused, dangerous.
"Womanizer?" he repeated lazily.
Taehyung nodded fiercely. "Yes. You flirt with every woman in sight. You sleep with them. You get-" he swallowed hard, ears turning red, "-occupied with them all night. You... you're disgusting. I hope you know that."
Jungkook's lips curved, not into a smile into something far darker.
"Who," he asked quietly, "said I was occupied with a woman?"
Taehyung blinked. The words stuck in his throat.
"Oh," he said, voice cracking, "so with... a man??"
Jungkook shook his head once. Calm. Absolute.
"I'm not into men," he said, stepping closer. "Not into women either."
Before Taehyung could process, Jungkook's hand slid around his waist again, fingers splaying across the small of his back. Heat shot up Taehyung's spine.
"I'm only into you."
His voice dropped... low, sinful.
"Only you."
Taehyung's breath lodged in his throat. Their eyes held, neither of them blinking, tension humming between them like an electric wire pulled too tight.
"Then..." Taehyung whispered, swallowing, "who were you occupied with all night?"
Jungkook's eyes glinted.... feral, teasing, honest.
"Your thoughts," he said.
"I was jerking off thinking about you."
Taehyung's entire body jolted. His eyes widened; his face went violently red. He shoved Jungkook backward with both hands.
"Y-You're SO disgusting!" Taehyung stuttered, mortified, voice high with humiliation. "You don't say things like that!"
Jungkook only stared at him.... dark, intent, lips parted in something close to hunger.
Taehyung gulped and looked away, trying to gather the pieces of his shattered composure. He tried to walk past him, wanting air, wanting distance.
But Jungkook's hand shot out, catching his wrist.
The next second Taehyung's back hit the wall with a soft thud, Jungkook pinning him effortlessly, their breaths mixing, bodies close enough for Taehyung to feel the heat radiating off him.
"Running again?" Jungkook whispered, eyes falling to Taehyung's trembling lips. "You think I'll let you after saying all that?"
Taehyung trembled as he looked away wriggling.
Jungkook leaned in, voice barely above a whisper. "Look at me, Taehyung."
Taehyung looked up at him, eyes glossy and wide, cheeks blazing in a shade that screamed caught, embarrassed, overwhelmed.
His breath trembled, chest rising and falling too quickly as Jungkook's grip finally loosened.
... only for hands to slide down, slow and intentional, wrapping around Taehyung's waist like a claim he had no right making.
With one sharp tug, Jungkook pulled him in.
Their bodies pressed fully, dangerously close. Heat met heat. Breath mingled. And Taehyung let out a stuttered, broken noise that betrayed every bit of bravado he tried to hold onto.
"Womanizer... yeah?" Jungkook murmured, voice a deep, molten whisper.
His lips hovered at Taehyung's neck close enough that Taehyung felt the warmth of every exhale, the brush of every breath, but not close enough to touch.
That made it worse.
Taehyung inhaled sharply, fingers trembling as they clutched Jungkook's biceps like he needed them to stay upright.
"I-I... l-leave," Taehyung tried to say, but his voice cracked pathetically halfway through.
Jungkook smiled.... slow, lazy, sinful. The kind of smile that made it very clear he knew exactly what he was doing to Taehyung.
His eyes dragged over Taehyung's neck, his jaw, the trembling pulse point visible under flushed skin.
"You think I'm a womanizer?" Jungkook whispered, leaning closer until his lips almost brushed Taehyung's collarbone.
"Let me show you what kind of man I really am"
His fingertips dug into Taehyung's waist, firm enough to make Taehyung gasp softly, head tilting back instinctively.
"My feisty little wildcat..." Jungkook breathed out, his voice dropping even lower. "Always ready to kill me."
A tiny sound escaped Taehyung something between a whimper and a warning.
Jungkook leaned back just enough to look at him properly.
Taehyung's pupils were blown wide, lashes fluttering, lips parted and trembling. His entire face was a portrait of embarrassment and desire he refused to admit.
Jungkook's gaze fell to Taehyung's mouth. He licked his own lips slowly.
"Where's that curtain pole you made for me?" Jungkook asked, tilting his head. "The one you were ready to bash my head with?"
Taehyung panicked and bit his lip.... hard.
Wrong move.
Jungkook's eyes darkened instantly.
"I-I still have it..." Taehyung whispered.
Jungkook inhaled, the sound rumbling through his chest.
"Good," he murmured, thumb brushing Taehyung's waist lightly. "Use that next time when you're jealous instead of throwing stones."
Taehyung's eyes widened. His whole face went nuclear red.
"I wasn't-jealous-" he stammered.
"Is that so?" Jungkook asked, his lips curled.
Taehyung wriggled in his hold, struggling to free himself from both Jungkook and the heat building inside him.
This time, Jungkook let go-stepping back suddenly like he needed the distance before he did something irreversible.
Taehyung blinked in surprise at the sudden freedom.
Then his gaze... unintentionally-dropped south.
His breath caught.
Jungkook's pants were... tight. Too tight. A very obvious bulge straining against the fabric.
Taehyung choked on air and tore his gaze away, ears burning.
Jungkook inhaled sharply, shoving his hands into his pockets like he was trying to physically restrain himself.
"Go," he said, voice thick, edged, barely controlled. "Before I lose the last bit of restraint I have left... and take you right here against this wall."
Taehyung froze.
Jungkook's eyes dragged over him... slow, hungry.
"With or without your permission," he added, voice dropping to a dangerous growl.
Taehyung's breath stuttered. He stumbled back one step... then another... then bolted out of the house with a soft, terrified, flustered sound.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Silence fell.
Jungkook leaned his head back against the wall, exhaling in a harsh, shaky breath. His hands curled into fists in his pockets. His jaw clenched so hard it ached.
He glanced down.
His pants were painfully tight, the bulge unmistakable and throbbing.
"Fuck..." Jungkook muttered through gritted teeth.
He dragged both hands through his hair in frustration, head tipping back with a low growl.
"Taehyung...."
.
.
.
Taehyung slammed his own door shut behind him, chest still heaving like he'd sprinted a marathon.
He pressed his back to the wood, a hand gripping his shirt as if to physically hold his burning heart down.
"What... what is that man even..." he whispered, eyes wide in disbelief.
His ears still rang with Jungkook's voice... low, sinful, annoyingly confident.
and take you right here against this wall....
Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut, cheeks blazing all over again.
"So shameless..." he muttered, dragging both palms down his face. "Completely, utterly shameless. How is he even allowed to exist like that? Who talks like that? Who says such things?? To my face??"
His own stomach wouldn't stop twisting.... warmth blooming deeper, spreading lower.
He hated how his body always betrayed him around Jungkook.
A frustrated whimper escaped his lips.
"Mr. Jeon is crazy... completely crazy..."
Another beat of silence.
Then he whispered:
"...And I'm crazier for reacting like this."
He shook his head violently, trying to erase Jungkook's breath against his neck, the possessive hands on his waist, that intense look that made Taehyung feel stripped bare.
He needed a distraction.
A good one.
His eyes softened the moment they landed on Gyuri, lying on her play mat with Daisy curled beside her.
Her soft little breaths, tiny fists, warm cheeks.... one look melted everything inside him.
He walked over quietly, kneeling beside her.
"Hey, my baby..." he whispered, brushing a hand over her hair. "At least you don't shock me every five seconds."
Carefully, he slipped his arms under her, lifting her against his chest.
Gyuri stirred, face brushing against his collarbone, making Taehyung smile involuntarily.
He carried her to the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed.
Gyuri curled up immediately, tiny mouth forming a pout.
Taehyung just sat there for a moment... watching her breathe, feeling his own heartbeat settle in the quiet.
He exhaled, finally letting his body fall back onto the mattress beside her.
Staring up at the ceiling, he whispered the name he'd been repeating to himself since he ran out of Jungkook's house.
"Mr. Jeon..."
The words slipped out softer this time, almost dazed... like that name was the only thing his heart recognised, the only word in his dictionary.
He covered his face with one arm, cheeks still warm.