THE CONCUBINE || TAEKOOK ||

THIRTY

They reached the heavy wooden door of Jungkook’s room and stood there for a moment, frozen. An awkward silence hung between them, both unsure of what to do next. Finally, Jungkook shook himself, He gently guided Taehyung inside before stepping in himself and closing the door firmly behind them.

The two guards stationed outside exchanged a confused look. One raised an eyebrow, and the other simply shook his head slowly before resuming their stiff, forward-facing posts.

Inside, the room was quiet. Taehyung stood rooted to the spot just inside the door, as still as a statue. His heart was beating wildly. Jungkook, meanwhile, strode across the room and fell back onto his large bed with a heavy sigh, running his hands over his face in clear frustration.

After a moment, he pushed himself up. He blinked, confused to see Taehyung still standing awkwardly by the entrance, looking like he was afraid to move.

On the other hand, Taehyung was incredibly nervous. His fingers were twisted together behind his back, and his mind was racing. Why are we here in his private room? What does he expect? What are we supposed to do now? What if someone finds out?

He was pulled from his frantic thoughts by the soft touch of warm hands cupping his face, gently lifting his head. Jungkook was now standing right in front of him, only a few inches away. All the earlier frustration was gone from his eyes, replaced by a gentle warmth. A soft smile played on his lips—the kind of smile that felt safe, that made you want to trust him completely.

“Hey,” Jungkook said, his voice low and calm. “You can breathe, you know. You’re not in trouble.”

“I… I know,” Taehyung whispered, his own voice shaky. “It’s just… being here with you, like this. It’s different.”

“It’s just us,” Jungkook reassured him, his thumbs making small, soothing circles on Taehyung’s cheeks.

He leaned his forehead gently against Taehyung’s, closing his eyes for a second. “I just needed a place to be real. And I needed you to be here with me. Is that okay?”

Taehyung finally let himself relax, his own hands coming up to rest lightly on Jungkook’s wrists. The nervous energy began to melt away, replaced by a familiar comfort. He gave a small, genuine nod, feeling the truth of Jungkook’s words.

“It’s more than okay,” Taehyung said softly. “I needed it, too.”

Jungkook smiled, leaning in to press a soft, quick kiss to Taehyung's forehead. Then, he took the boy's hand, his grip warm and sure, and led him across the room toward the large bed. They sat side-by-side on the edge, the plush covers dipping under their weight.

For a moment, they just sat in the quiet. Then, Jungkook turned slightly toward him. "How are you, Taehyung?"

Taehyung glanced at Jungkook, then quickly looked down at their joined hands, noticing Jungkook's gaze was already fixed intently on him.

"I'm fine," he said, the words coming out a little too fast.

"Are you?" Jungkook asked, his tone leaving no room for a hollow answer.

"Yeah, I am," Taehyung insisted, turning the question back. "How are you, Jungkook? How was your stay at the Min clan?"

Jungkook didn't answer right away. He just looked at Taehyung, his dark eyes searching the other boy's face, as if trying to read the truth written there. Finally, he sighed, a sound full of weary weight. "I'm... fine. A little bit stressed. And yeah, my stay there was good, too."