Entangled Tapestry - TaeKook

Chapter 1 - Beauty and the Beast

Scene 1: Jeon Mansion - Seoul

The rain pounded against the mansion's tall windows, casting an echo of a rhythmic hum that filled the grand hall. Inside, Junghyun trudged through the entrance, drenched and exhausted, his sleek black suit clinging to him uncomfortably. He sighed, rubbing his temples as he pushed back his wet hair, feeling the weight of another night among high society.

Jin, standing by the door, held up a towel, his eyes dancing with a mix of concern and mischief and gave his father a once-over. "Had fun, Papa? Looks like you took a shower with your tux on," he quipped, his lips twitching with a mix of humor and concern, tossing the towel at him. "Good party, then?"

Junghyun let out a short, weary laugh. "Yeah, Yeah, laugh it up," he replied, rubbing his face with the towel. It was alright. The party was fine, met some folks, talked some business...," he went on. "But, damn, I missed Jungkook," he muttered this more to himself than Jin.

Jin raised an eyebrow, draping the towel over his father's shoulders. "Oh, did you now?" he teased, hands moving swiftly to help Junghyun out of his soaked coat. "Funny how you sent him halfway across the globe to avoid all this... what did you call it? 'The Messy Empire Chaos,' right?" He clicked his tongue, eyes flicking up to meet Junghyun's. "What's changed?". There was a slight edge to Jin's tone, the familiar bitterness creeping in.

Junghyun met his eyes, holding the towel in one hand as he thought of a reply. "You know why I sent him away, Jinnie. He needs to live a life free of... well, this." He gestured around, encompassing the grandeur, the burden of the Jeon empire, and the endless scrutiny of their lives. "Do you think he'd be carefree here, seeing my face every day? No, he needs space, —" he paused, searching for the right words, "—away from my mistakes. And let's be real, he wasn't gonna get any peace around here with the paparazzi up his ass every other day."

Jin shrugged, shook his head, casting a glance at the rain-splattered window, a dry chuckle escaping his lips, "Right, sure. And now he's there, where he's just living it up, huh?" He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall, "Face it, Papa. You know him. Kook doesn't let anyone in. Not there, not here. He's probably holed up in his fancy LA apartment right now, pretending like he's got it all together when really, he's just..." Jin hesitated, his voice softening, running a hand through his hair, "... just alone,". "I miss him, you know. I wish I could be there for him. He's probably feeling like a lone wolf out there, even though he'd never admit it."

A somber silence settled between them, the rain providing a steady rhythm in the background. Junghyun dropped the towel onto a nearby chair and cleared his throat. "Anyway, tonight I met someone—someone who reminded me of the beauty of the beast," he began, his eyes glimmering with a hint of hope. ".. this kid. Taehyung. A friend of Jimin's."

Jin's arched an eyebrow, curiosity mixed with skepticism, already sensing where this was going. "Oh, here we go. Enlighten me, Papa," he drawled, his voice tinged with a playful challenge, rolling his eyes. "What's so special about him, then?'.

Junghyun's gaze softened, a smile creeping up, his words picking up a poetic cadence despite the modern backdrop. "He's... different. Confident, knows how to hold a room, graceful, and full of life, but... still kind. He's got this aura, you know? Like, when he walks into a room, it's like a breath of fresh air. The kind of guy who could light up a place just by being himself." He paused, glancing at Jin to gauge his reaction. "And yet, there's something so genuine about him. Despite all the attention, he was more interested in his friends and family than the spotlight. It was... refreshing. He was walking around, not giving a damn about all the eyes on him. Just there for his family, friends, his loved ones..."

Jin couldn't help but chuckle, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. He snorted, trying to hold back a grin, "So, what's the plan? Play Cupid for Jungkook and this beauty of yours?" he teased, though his eyes held a mix of humor and caution. "Uh-huh. And what, you think Jungkook's gonna fall head over heels for this kid?" He laughed, shaking his head.