DESTINED FOR YOU | TAEJENKOOK

DFY-4: THE TRAVEL.

[You're all so lucky! After I updated Chapter 3 yesterday, I felt inspired to start writing Chapter 4 as well. Thanks to your wonderful support and kind comments, I've decided to update this chapter today. Enjoy! ]
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When Taehyung walked into his room, he instantly felt this huge wave of relief wash over him.

All the stress from the day just disappeared as he jumped in for a long, hot shower, letting the water wash away not just the grime but also his worries.

While the water poured down, he found himself thinking about everything that had happened and what was next.

Once he was all cleaned up and relaxed, he slipped into something comfy-just a soft t-shirt and some loose sweats that felt like a cozy hug.

Afterward, he flopped onto his bed, sinking into the super soft mattress that had become his go-to chill spot after long days.

With his laptop resting on his lap, he got to work tackling a bunch of tasks that needed his attention.

He took a sip of his warm, aromatic tea. Next to him was a small plate of snacks, a sweet gesture from Mrs. Jeon, who always made sure he had some energy boosters on hand.

As he zipped through his emails, typing away, he got totally caught up in his work. But then, out of nowhere, his phone rang, jolting him a little.

It was a number he didn't recognize, which was a bit startling. He carefully set his tea down on the nightstand-trying not to spill-and grabbed the phone, answering with a casual.

"Hello?"

On the other end, there was this soft, melodic voice that instantly grabbed his attention.

"Hey! Taehyung," the voice chimed.

He stopped typing, feeling his heart race at the sound of her.

Jennie? Yeah, Jungkook said that he had definitely given her his number earlier, but he didn't think she'd call so soon.

"It's me, Jennie. You gave me your phone number earlier, remember?" she reminded him, her breath almost audible through the phone.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies in his chest.

"Oh, hey, Jennie. How's it going? You like the hotel?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

"I'm good! The hotel is really nice; I like it a lot. Thanks!" she said. He could almost picture her smiling, even from miles away.

"Glad to hear that," he replied, though he felt a bit of weight settle in his heart. He didn't want to mislead her or give her the wrong idea. Deep down, he knew she was into Jungkook, not him.

After all, it had been Jungkook chatting her up for nearly five months, charming her with his laid-back vibe, while Taehyung was just an afterthought. He knew he couldn't get in the way of that.

"Hey, Taehyung, can I ask you something?" Jennie's voice cut through his thoughts, a bit shaky and definitely making him curious.

"Sure, go ahead," he said, bracing himself for what might come. He had already decided that he needed to keep some distance between them for both their sakes.

"So, I haven't been in Korea for too long, and I was wondering if you'd want to hang out tomorrow if you're free?" Her suggestion caught him off guard, and he couldn't help but sigh internally as he figured out how to respond.