Chp 37- He Closed The Distance
Morning had arrived, and the entire mansion buzzed with excitement as everyone busied themselves with the decorations.
There were two special reasons behind the lively preparations.
The first was the Holi celebration that would take place the following day, and the second was even more significant today, Yoona's prospective groom and his family were coming to see her.
The entire women's brigade was occupied in the kitchen. Jungkook, Sulgi, Jihyo, Eunchae, Tzuyu, and Soya worked side by side, preparing an elaborate feast for the guests.
Surprisingly, even Tzuyu, who usually found excuses to stay away from household chores, was lending a helping hand today.
Meanwhile, since the groom's family was expected any moment, Jimin was upstairs helping Yoona get ready, carefully dressing her and making sure she looked nothing less than breathtaking.
Elsewhere in the house, Suga and J-Hope supervised the final preparations, ensuring that every corner of the mansion looked perfect. Taehyung, on the other hand, had gone to the market with a few workers to buy sweets and the remaining items needed for both the guests and the Holi festivities.
A few hours later, the much-awaited guests finally arrived.
The entire family welcomed them warmly at the entrance. To Jungkook's it was none other than Bogum and his family.
The moment Jungkook's eyes landed on Bogum, she froze in shock. At the same time, Bogum was equally surprised to see her standing there.
Dadi greeted them with a warm smile and respectfully welcomed everyone inside. After they had settled comfortably, she asked Jungkook to bring Yoona downstairs.
A few moments later, Jungkook and Jimin carefully escorted Yoona into the living room.
The instant Bogum saw her, his gaze lingered on her graceful appearance, and within moments, he found himself genuinely impressed. Yoona's elegance, simplicity, and gentle demeanor immediately won his heart.
The meeting went exceptionally well. After a pleasant conversation between both families, they mutually agreed to move forward with the alliance, making the match official. Before Bogum's family left, they were warmly invited to return the following day to celebrate Holi with everyone.
Once the guests departed, Taehyung left for work, while the rest of the family also dispersed, returning to their respective responsibilities, leaving the mansion peaceful once again after a day filled with excitement.
Time skip (night)
Night had settled over the mansion by the time Taehyung finally returned home. It had been an unusually long day, and he was exhausted after spending hours overseeing the Holi preparations and decorations.
The first thing he did was head straight to his bedroom, hoping to spend a few quiet moments with his wife.
Ever since that unexpected kiss, neither of them had been able to talk to each other properly.
Every time Taehyung tried to find a moment alone with Jungkook, something or someone would interrupt them.
Sometimes she would be occupied with household responsibilities, while other times he himself would be too busy with work or the ongoing festival preparations.
As soon as he stepped inside their room, his eyes instinctively searched for her.
But the room was empty.A soft sigh escaped his lips.
"Of course... she's busy again."
Already knowing where she was likely to be, Taehyung quickly changed into comfortable clothes and freshened up before making his way downstairs in search of his wife.As he approached the kitchen, the sight before him made a small smile tug at his lips.
Jungkook stood near the counter, completely engrossed in preparing dishes for the next day's Holi celebration. Two maids stood beside her, helping with the endless chopping, mixing, and arranging of ingredients while she calmly instructed them.
Without saying a word, Taehyung stopped at the kitchen entrance.
Leaning casually against the wooden doorframe, he folded his arms across his chest and simply watched her.
A gentle smile settled on his face as his eyes remained fixed on his wife. There was something mesmerizing about watching her work so sincerely, completely unaware that someone was admiring her with nothing but affection.
After a few moments, the two maids happened to glance toward the doorway.The instant they noticed Taehyung standing there, they exchanged knowing looks.
Taehyung met their eyes and silently gestured toward the exit with a subtle tilt of his head, asking them to leave.
Understanding his intentions immediately, both maids nodded with suppressed smiles.
Without making the slightest sound, they quietly slipped out of the kitchen, leaving the husband and wife alone at last.
The kitchen fell into a comfortable silence.Only the gentle clinking of utensils and the rhythmic sound of vegetables being chopped filled the room.
Completely absorbed in her work, Jungkook hadn't even realized that the two maids had left.She continued stirring a pot while quietly humming to herself, occasionally reaching for different ingredients without looking up.
Taehyung couldn't help but smile.
Just then, without turning around, Jungkook called out while stirring the sweet mixture in the large pot.
"Sheela didi, could you bring me the dried bhaang leaves? And please take the milk out of the refrigerator as well."
She remained completely focused on preparing the Holi sweets, assuming one of the maids was still nearby.
Taehyung glanced around the kitchen until his eyes landed on a bundle of dried bhaang leaves resting in a corner.
A mischievous smile tugged at his lips.
Without making a sound, he picked them up before opening the refrigerator and taking out the milk.
He quietly placed both on the counter beside her.
Jungkook, still believing it was Sheela, absentmindedly murmured, "Thank you."
The next second, before she could say anything else,Strong arms suddenly slipped around her waist from behind.
Taehyung gently pulled her against his chest, wrapping her in a warm back hug.
Jungkook gasped in surprise.The ladle slipped from her fingers and fell back into the pot with a loud clank, splashing the thick mixture slightly.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Startled, she quickly turned her head just enough to see who had caught her so unexpectedly.Her eyes widened the moment they met Taehyung's smiling face.
"Y-You...?" she whispered, completely caught off guard.
A soft chuckle escaped Taehyung as he rested his chin lightly on her shoulder.
"Were you expecting Sheela?" he murmured teasingly, tightening his embrace just a little.
"I think my biwi thanked the wrong person."
Jungkook could feel the warmth of his breath against her ear, and despite herself, a deep blush slowly spread across her cheeks. She instinctively lowered her gaze, suddenly forgetting all about the sweets simmering on the stove.
Taehyung gently slips his hand beneath Jungkook's drape and rests it on her bare waist, sending a warm, shivering thrill through Jungkook's body.
"Is this okay?" Taehyung asks softly, his deep voice brushing gently against Jungkook's ear. Jungkook blushes and looks down shyly before giving a small nod. The heat has left her long hair tied up in a loose bun, exposing the graceful line of her neck just as Taehyung stands close beside her.
Taehyung lowers himself a little further and leaves a tender kiss on Jungkook's neck. In the dim kitchen, with only one light glowing, the entire scene turns into something even more tender, intimate, and deeply romantic.
Jungkook's body shivers the moment taehyung's lips touched the side of her neck, a small whimper escapes her lips as she closes her eyes giving her husband all the rights to do whatever he wants.
Taehyung rests his palm on Jungkook's waist, his index finger tracing circles around Jungkook's belly button.
Taehyung realizes that Jungkook isn't uncomfortable with his touch, so he grows bolder, planting deep, wet kisses on Jungkook's neck.
"Ah j-ji!" Jungkook lets out a very inaudible sweet moan, overwhelming Taehyung.
Taehyung pushes all the stuff lying on the counter to the side with his hands and turns Jungkook back, grabs her waist, lifts her up and makes her sit on the counter.
And it's happening so quickly that Jungkook doesn't even know what's going on. She just knows that whatever's happening is being done by her husband, Taehyung. And she has complete faith in her husband, after all, she's starting to love him.
After pinning Jungkook to the counter, Taehyung comes to stand in front of her.
"My touch isn't making you uncomfortable, is it?"
Jungkook looks at him and shakes her head as no, taehyung gave her a little smile keeping his hand on her hips
"Should I continue then?" He asks with a teasing smile on his face
Jungkook shyly looks down.
"W-what are y..you saying..?" She asks with a shy little pout making taehyung glance at her lips then at her eyes.
"I'm going to do something much more intense then that kiss, if you want, then stop me right now"
Jungkook looks up at him with red cheeks at the mention of that kiss, Taehyung pauses for just a few seconds, waiting for something,anything to fall from Jungkook's lips. A word. A reason. A protest. But Jungkook says nothing.
The silence stretches between them like a held breath, fragile and electric. And that silence, that wordless, aching silence becomes Taehyung's answer.
In one swift, decisive motion, Taehyung's hand rises and curls gently but firmly around the curve of Jungkook's neck, fingers pressing lightly against warm skin, tilting her face upward. There's no hesitation this time. No second-guessing. Just intention, raw and unhidden.
Then he closes the distance.
His lips find Jungkook's in a deep, consuming kiss, not rushed, not frantic, but deliberate.
Like he had been holding this back for far too long and had simply run out of reasons to keep waiting.
His thumb grazes softly along Jungkook's jaw as he pulls her closer, and the world around them seems to go impossibly quiet.
Jungkook doesn't pull away.Maybe that was the only answer either of them ever needed.
Taehyung kisses her slowly, unhurriedly, his lips moving against hers with a gentleness that is almost unbearable. He pulls at her lower lip softly, sucking it with such tender care that Jungkook's thoughts simply dissolve, one by one, like sugar in warm water.
She doesn't know what to do with her hands. She doesn't know what to do with herself. Her mind goes completely blank, wiped clean of logic, of words, of everything and so she does the only thing that feels natural in that moment.
She simply surrenders.
Her lips go soft and pliant beneath his, yielding entirely, as if she had quietly handed herself over to him "here, take this, take all of it" without uttering a single word.
Then Taehyung pulls back, just barely. Just enough to break the seal of the kiss without truly leaving her. The cold air between them lasts only a heartbeat.
His thumb moves to her lip, slow, reverent, tracing their shape with a tenderness that feels almost like worship. He can feel how soft they are beneath the rough pad of his thumb, and something in his chest tightens at the sensation.
He looks at her then. Really looks at her.
And in a voice low and unhurried, barely above a whisper, he says
"Part these soft lips of yours..."
Those four words land somewhere deep.Not in her ears but somewhere far more dangerous than that.
Jungkook feels her breath catch. Her heart, which had already been beating a little too fast, stumbles over itself entirely. There is something about the way he says it, not a demand, not quite a request but something in between, wrapped in velvet, delivered like a secret meant only for her.
She looks at him. His eyes are half-lidded, dark and patient, his thumb still resting at the corner of her mouth as though he has all the time in the world. As though he would wait however long it took.
And somehow, that undoes her more than anything else.Slowly, almost without meaning to,her lips part.
Just slightly. Just barely. A fraction of an inch.
But it is enough.
A small, shaky exhale escapes her as she does, and she watches something shift behind Taehyung's eyes, something that looks dangerously close to satisfaction, warm and quiet and entirely his.
His thumb traces her lower lip one last time, as if memorizing it.
Then he leans back in
unhurried,
inevitable
and takes what she has so gently offered him.Her arms find his shoulders almost on their own.It isn't a conscious decision, her hands simply rise, fingers curling softly over the firm curve of his shoulders, holding on with a gentleness that betrays just how much she needs the anchor.
Because Taehyung is kissing her like she is the only thing in the room, like the rest of the world has been quietly folded away, and the sheer intensity of it is making her forget how to sit properly.
Her back is arching slightly, her weight shifting backward by degrees, not dramatically, not all at once, but slowly, the way a candle flame bends in a soft wind. And so she holds onto him. Steadies herself against the warmth of him.
Taehyung notices. Of course he notices.
His arm slides around her waist instinctively, pulling her closer rather than letting her drift, and the kiss deepens without either of them making a deliberate choice about it.
Seconds pass.
Or maybe minutes.
Neither of them is keeping count.
And then
Sssssssss.
The faint, hissing sound creeps into the edges of awareness before the smell does, something sharp, something acrid, something very clearly burning.
Jungkook's eyes fly open.
She pulls back from the kiss with a sharp gasp,her breathing heavy, her hands gripping Taehyung's shoulders now for an entirely different reason.
"H-hubby.. wait"
The pot on the stove has been quietly boiling itself,whatever she had been cooking now sitting in a state of absolute catastrophe at the bottom of the pan.
Taehyung blinks. Once. Twice. Still catching up to reality.And then the smoke reaches him too.
Jungkook turns her head and looks towards the stove and her eyes widened she pushed taehyung back a little juming down from the counter, and standing infront of the stove, she looks into the pot, the milk she was stirring from so long to make sweets was all burn.
"Oh no!!, the milk is burn, what do I do now?, how will I prepare the sweets for tomorrow?"
Jungkook looks down at the pot, her lips swollen and glistening,with tears in her eyes.
Seeing tears gathering in her eyes taehyung immediately rushed towards her,cupping her cheeks as he gently wiped the fallen tear from her cheeks.
"Why are you crying jaan?, I'm here na, I'll bring the milk"
Jungkook shook her head and said
"It's past midnight, where will you find milk at this time?"
Taehyung caressed her cheeks then said softly
"Don't worry, this happened because of me so I'll find a way, I'll go find the milk till then you rest, and don't even touch a vessel until I come back, understand?" Taehyung said looking into her eyes softly., Jungkook nodded and soon taehyung left from there.
Jungkook stood at the stove, frantically turning off the gas, waving away the thin curl of smoke rising from the ruined pot but her hands were moving on autopilot.
Her mind was somewhere else entirely.
She set the burnt pan aside, gripped the kitchen counter with both hands, and just... stood there for a moment. Staring at nothing. The cool marble beneath her palms felt like the only real thing in the world right now.
And then it hit her. All of it. In sequence.
The silence she hadn't filled with words.
His hand,warm and certain curling around her neck.The way his lips had found hers like he already knew exactly where they belonged.
Her own complete and total inability to do anything except surrender.
His thumb. Tracing her lips. Slow and deliberate.
"Part these soft lips of yours..."
The way her lips had parted on their own, almost before she had decided to let them.Her arms around his shoulders. Holding on. Because she was actually falling.
Jungkook closed her eyes.
Her fingertips rose instinctively to her own lips, barely touching them as if she could still feel him there. And the embarrassing truth was
She could.
Her face was warm. Actually warm. The kitchen wasn't even smoky anymore but she felt like she was the thing that had been left on the stove too long, quietly overheating without anyone noticing.
He kissed me.
I let him.
I didn't say a single word and I just... let him.
A sound escaped her throat. Something between a groan and a disbelieving exhale. She dropped her forehead against the cabinet in front of her with a soft thud.
Jungkook pressed her forehead harder against the cabinet.
She had burnt the food.
She had forgotten the gas.
She had wrapped her arms around her husband's shoulders like she was afraid of falling and kissed him back like....
She straightened up suddenly. Cleared her throat.
She was fine.
Everything was completely fine.
Elsewhere...
The moment Taehyung stepped out of the mansion, he headed straight toward the nearest dairy farm.
It was well past midnight.
The village had fallen into complete silence, wrapped in the darkness of the night. The roads were deserted, illuminated only by the pale glow of the moon. The constant chirping of crickets echoed through the air, accompanied by the distant sounds of stray dogs and other nocturnal animals.
But none of it bothered Taehyung.
His mind was occupied by only one thing.He had to arrange milk before sunrise.
Within minutes, he reached the nearest dairy, only to find the shutters firmly closed. A faint sigh escaped his lips.
"Of course... Who would keep a dairy open at this hour?"
Unwilling to give up, he visited two more dairies nearby, hoping that at least one would still be operating.
Every single one of them was closed.
Running a hand through his hair, Taehyung stood in the middle of the quiet street, wondering what to do next.
Then, suddenly, an idea struck him.
Namjoon's house...
Although Namjoon no longer lived in the village, his father still did. Moreover, the family owned a cow, and there was a chance they might be able to help.
Without wasting another second, Taehyung made his way toward their home.A few minutes later, he stood outside the modest house.His hand hovered over the doorbell.He hesitated.
"It's far too late... I shouldn't disturb Uncle at this hour."
For a brief moment, he considered turning back.But he had no other choice.Taking a quiet breath, he finally pressed the doorbell.The sound echoed through the stillness of the night.
After waiting for several minutes, the front door slowly creaked open.
Standing there was Namjoon's father, his sleepy eyes and slightly disheveled appearance making it obvious that he had just been awakened.
The moment he recognized Taehyung, his tired expression instantly transformed into one of warmth and concern.
"Taehyung, my boy!" he exclaimed with a gentle smile. "Come inside. What brings you here at this hour? Is everything alright?"
Taehyung stepped inside respectfully before speaking.
"Yes, Uncle... I actually came because I need some milk."
He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"We're preparing for Holi tomorrow, and I had already arranged for the milk. But... because of my mistake, it all burned while it was boiling." He smiled sheepishly.
"All the dairies have already closed, and I don't know where else I can find milk at this time."
Before Taehyung could say another word, the older man laughed softly.
"Is that all?" He waved his hand dismissively.
"Sit down, son. Tell me how many liters you need, and I'll arrange it immediately." Taehyung looked at him gratefully.
"Thank you, Uncle... and I'm truly sorry for disturbing you so late at night."
Namjoon's father shook his head with a smile.
"Don't apologize."He placed a reassuring hand on Taehyung's shoulder.
"You're like a son to me. If I can't help my own son, then who else should I help?" His words filled Taehyung's heart with warmth.
He nodded respectfully before taking a seat in the living room while the older man stepped outside to make a few phone calls.
Since the amount of milk Taehyung needed was far more than one household could provide, Namjoon's father contacted a few of his close friends who also owned cattle.
Within half an hour, several large cans of fresh milk had arrived.
The older man personally carried a large metal container and placed it in front of Taehyung.
"There you go." He wiped his hands with a towel before smiling proudly.
"For now, I've managed to arrange ten liters." He continued, "Use this for tonight. As for the remaining twenty to thirty-five liters you need, don't worry. I'll have it delivered to Kim Mansion first thing tomorrow morning."
Relief washed over Taehyung's face.
Without hesitation, he bent down and respectfully touched the elder's feet.
"Thank you so much, Uncle. I don't know how to repay your kindness."
As he stood up, Taehyung immediately reached into his wallet to pay for the milk.
However, before he could take out the money, Namjoon's father gently pushed his hand away.
"What are you doing?" he asked with a frown.
"Uncle..." Taehyung replied earnestly. "I can't accept this much milk without paying for it. Besides, you've collected it from your friends. They've worked hard for it, and they deserve to be paid."
The older man chuckled warmly.
"Did I ask you for money?"
"But..."
"No 'but.'"
His tone was firm, yet filled with affection.
"You're like my own son. After Namjoon, you're the closest thing I have to another son. Do you really think I'd take money from family?"
Taehyung sighed helplessly.
"But Uncle..."
"No arguments." The older man smiled knowingly.
"Take the milk and hurry home before it gets even later. The rest will reach Kim Mansion by morning."
Taehyung finally gave in, laughing softly. "Alright... but tomorrow I'll pay for every single liter, and this time you won't refuse."
Namjoon's father laughed heartily.
"We'll see about that."
Then he gently shooed him toward the door. "Now go. It's already very late."
Taehyung smiled gratefully, bowed one last time, and carefully lifted the heavy metal container.
With his heart lighter than when he had arrived, he began walking back toward Kim Mansion under the quiet moonlit sky, grateful that even in the darkest hours, there were people who would always stand by his side.
When Taehyung finally returned to the mansion, the silence of the night had settled over every corner of the house.
Carefully carrying the heavy metal container filled with fresh milk, he quietly entered through the back entrance and made his way to the kitchen.
He was careful not to make the slightest sound, not wanting to wake anyone after such a long and exhausting day.
The moment he stepped inside the kitchen, however, his footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
There she was.
Jungkook had fallen asleep while waiting for him.
She sat on one of the wooden chairs, her head resting on her folded arms atop the dining table.
The unfinished preparations still surrounded her, the bowls of ingredients, trays of sweets, and utensils scattered across the counter told the story of how tirelessly she had worked all day.
A faint smile appeared on Taehyung's lips.
"Poor thing... she's been working since morning."
His eyes softened with affection.
Without making a sound, he gently placed the metal container on the floor beside the counter. Then he slowly walked over to her, crouching beside her chair.
Carefully brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face, he looked at her peaceful expression for a long moment before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Sleeping like this will only leave you with a stiff neck," he whispered to himself with a quiet chuckle. "Let's get you somewhere comfortable."
Sliding one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back, Taehyung carefully lifted Jungkook into his arms.
Despite being asleep, she instinctively nestled closer, making him smile even more.
Taking slow, careful steps, he carried her upstairs to their bedroom, making sure not to disturb her sleep.
Once inside, he gently laid her on the bed and adjusted the pillow beneath her head.
For a few moments, he simply sat beside her.He sat on his side of the bed carefully, no sudden movements, no noise ,and leaned over just slightly to look at her properly in the low light.
The mole beneath her lip caught his eye again.
Such a small thing. Such a specific, unremarkable, entirely her thing.
He didn't lean in this time. He just looked at it for a moment, the way you look at something you have quietly decided belongs to you,not with urgency, just with a kind of settled certainty.
The room was silent except for the soft rhythm of her breathing.A warm smile lingered on his face as he watched her sleeping peacefully. The exhaustion that had been visible on her face downstairs had finally disappeared.
He carefully pulled the blanket over her, making sure she was comfortably covered.
"Sleep well," he murmured softly.
With one last affectionate glance, he quietly left the room and returned downstairs.
There was still plenty of work left to do.
The sweets weren't finished.The festive drink for Holi still had to be prepared.
The pooris still needed to be made. Looking around the kitchen, Taehyung couldn't help but think about how Jungkook had been trying to manage all of this on her own.
"No wonder she was exhausted."
Determined to lighten her burden, he rolled up the sleeves of his kurta and washed his hands thoroughly before getting to work.
He poured the freshly collected milk into a large pot and carefully began preparing the remaining sweets, making sure to stir everything patiently over a low flame.
Once the sweets were complete, he moved on to the next task, washing the herbs and setting them aside while organizing the remaining ingredients, nuts, sugar, and fragrant spices so everything would be ready for the next morning.
Without taking a break, he continued preparing batches of fresh jalebis and finished the remaining festive dishes one by one.
Hours passed before the kitchen was finally complete.
Every tray had been arranged neatly.
Every ingredient had been prepared.
Everything Jungkook had worried about before falling asleep was now finished.
Taehyung smiled to himself.
"When she wakes up tomorrow, she won't have to worry about any of this."
Only then did he realize how tired he had become.He couldn't help but wonder how Jungkook managed to do all of this every single day without ever complaining.
After cleaning the kitchen until everything was spotless, he washed his hands one final time before quietly making his way back upstairs.
He freshened up, changed into comfortable clothes, and returned to their bedroom.
Jungkook was still fast asleep.
The sight made him smile once again.
Carefully climbing into bed beside her, he pulled the blanket over himself, switched off the bedside lamp, and lay down.
Within moments, the exhaustion of the long day finally caught up with him.
The night ended in peaceful silence, with both of them sleeping soundly, ready to welcome the colors and celebrations that awaited them with the morning of Holi.