𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞

Taehyung stirred awake, groaning as he reached out for his phone on the nightstand, blinking at the screen that showed it was already noon. It was the weekend, a rare day off, and he should've been relishing the chance to sleep in, but something unsettled him, a nagging worry that tugged at his thoughts. He rolled out of bed, his body moving on autopilot as he went through the motions of freshening up, his mind already occupied with thoughts of Jungkook.

Dressed and alert, Taehyung made his way to Jungkook's room. Without hesitation, he pushed the door open, expecting to see him there. His brows furrowed when he found the room empty, the bed untouched. A flicker of unease crept into his chest as he checked the bathroom, only to find it deserted. His concern deepened into something sharper as he exited the room, the empty corridors only fueling his frustration. Had Jungkook disobeyed him again? Had he tried to escape?

Taehyung's fists clenched at his sides as he hurried through the mansion, each empty room stoking the flames of his anger. The idea that Jungkook might have slipped away without him knowing made his blood boil. How could he be so careless, so reckless after everything that had happened? Taehyung's jaw tightened as he quickened his pace, each step heavier with rising tension.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Taehyung's sharp eyes caught sight of a familiar figure by the pool. His anger flared at the sight of Jungkook sitting there, his legs submerged in the water, staring off into the distance as if he didn't have a care in the world. The sight of him so serene, so detached, only made Taehyung's heart ache with something darker, more possessive.

Taehyung stormed over, his footsteps echoing with his fury. He dropped down beside Jungkook, his presence commanding, his tone icy. "What do you think you're doing out here?" Taehyung's voice cut through the silence like a knife, laced with barely controlled anger.

Jungkook flinched at the sudden intrusion, turning to meet Taehyung's intense gaze with a blank expression. "What does it look like I'm doing? Sitting here because there's nothing else to do in this godforsaken mansion," Jungkook muttered, his tone void of any emotion, as if resigned to his fate. "Or would you rather I stay locked up in that room all day?"

Taehyung's irritation grew at the bitterness in Jungkook's words, the guilt that had been gnawing at him now bubbling to the surface. "I didn't mean it that way," he snapped, though his voice was more strained than harsh. "I was looking for you everywhere. You just disappeared."

Jungkook let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "You thought I ran away again, didn't you?" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You think I'd even bother trying to escape after the last time? Do you really have that little faith in me?"

Taehyung's eyes darkened at the reminder of the last time Jungkook had tried to escape, the memory still raw in his mind. The punishment that had followed had been severe, something Taehyung had convinced himself was necessary to keep Jungkook safe, but now, sitting here beside him, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had only driven them further apart. "I can't lose you, Jungkook," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "You don't understand how much you mean to me."

Jungkook's expression hardened, his eyes flashing with anger. "You can't keep me here like a prisoner, Taehyung," he hissed, pulling his legs out of the water as he stood up. "You think you're protecting me, but all you're doing is suffocating me. You killed my father, and now you're trying to take away the only thing I have left-my freedom."

Taehyung flinched at the venom in Jungkook's voice, his own emotions a chaotic mess inside him. He wanted to argue, to tell Jungkook that everything he'd done was for him, but the look in Jungkook's eyes stopped him cold. There was so much pain there, so much resentment, and Taehyung realized with a sinking feeling that he was the cause of it. "I never wanted to hurt you, Jungkook," he said, his voice trembling. "I just... I thought I was doing what was best."