Ties of Fate

A Tangled Mess of Emotion

The mall was bustling with life, a stream of shoppers and tourists flowing through the wide corridors. Taehyung and Jungkook had spent the afternoon casually browsing through stores, enjoying their newfound ease with each other. They decided to go to the mall since the villa was explored fully by them. They had both grown more comfortable in their strange, yet thrilling dynamic—constantly teasing, but with an underlying warmth that felt more natural now.

"I’ll just be a minute,” Taehyung said, gesturing toward the restrooms. “Don’t go too far.”

Jungkook smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Of course not, I’ll be right here.”

Taehyung rolled his eyes, turning away with a soft laugh as he made his way to the restroom. He didn’t give it much thought as he stepped inside, his mind still drifting to the way Jungkook had been so warm and affectionate lately. The past few weeks had been... confusing, but in the best possible way.

When he returned, Taehyung’s steps faltered as his eyes landed on Jungkook. He wasn’t alone. A woman stood beside him, laughing at something Jungkook had said. They looked incredibly friendly, standing a little too close, her hand lightly brushing against Jungkook’s arm as she spoke.

Taehyung’s chest tightened. Something inside him twisted in a way he didn’t like. The warmth he had been feeling all day was quickly replaced by a pang of jealousy. His fists clenched at his sides before he even realized what he was doing. Jungkook had never mentioned anyone like her, and seeing them together, talking so casually, made Taehyung’s blood boil.

Without thinking, Taehyung marched over to them, his jaw tight. He could hear the woman’s laugh as he approached, and it only fueled his irrational jealousy.

Jungkook glanced up just as Taehyung stepped in between them, his eyes widening in surprise. The woman, too, blinked in confusion, taking a step back at Taehyung’s sudden intrusion.

“Tae?” Jungkook said, his voice a mix of surprise and amusement. “What are you doing?”

Taehyung ignored the question, standing stiffly between Jungkook and the woman, his back turned to her. He tried to act casual, but his emotions were all over the place. “I’m back,” he muttered, his voice a little too tight. “What’s going on here?”

Jungkook’s lips twitched, clearly holding back a smile. “Oh, this is—”

“Is she bothering you or something?” Taehyung interrupted, not even bothering to look at the woman. He crossed his arms, trying to act cool, but his heart was pounding in his chest. He didn’t want to admit that he was jealous—he didn’t even fully understand why he felt that way—but the sight of Jungkook with her had rattled him.

The woman let out a soft laugh, and Jungkook finally burst out laughing too, the sound catching Taehyung completely off guard. He turned to glare at them, feeling heat rush to his face.

“What? What’s so funny?” he snapped, trying to keep his voice steady.

Jungkook wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still chuckling as he looked at Taehyung with an amused grin. “Tae, relax,” he said, his voice dripping with playful amusement. “This is just Jisoo. She’s a business partner.”

Taehyung froze, the heat in his face intensifying. He glanced at the woman—Jisoo—who smiled warmly at him, clearly unbothered by his awkward intrusion.

“Oh... uh...” Taehyung stammered, his mind scrambling for an excuse. “I just thought... I mean, I didn’t know...” His voice trailed off, his face now a deep shade of red.

Jungkook’s grin widened, clearly enjoying Taehyung’s embarrassment. “You thought what, Tae?” he teased, stepping closer to him. “That I was flirting with her?” Jungkook's hand then trailed to Taehyung waist.

Taehyung’s heart raced as Jungkook’s words hit him. He opened his mouth to deny it, but no words came out. The truth was, that’s exactly what he had thought. And now he felt like a complete fool.

Jungkook leaned in closer, his voice low and teasing. “Were you jealous?”

“N-No!” Taehyung sputtered, taking a step back, but his voice lacked any real conviction. His face was burning, and he couldn’t meet Jungkook’s gaze.

Jungkook laughed again, clearly enjoying every second of Taehyung’s flustered state. “You’re a terrible liar, you know that?”

Taehyung scowled, but the heat in his cheeks gave him away. “Shut up,” he muttered, feeling incredibly small under Jungkook’s teasing gaze.

Jisoo, sensing the dynamic between them, smiled politely and gave a small nod. “I’ll leave you two to it,” she said with a knowing look before turning and walking away, clearly amused by the interaction.

As soon as she was gone, Jungkook turned his full attention to Taehyung, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “So, you were jealous, huh?” he teased, his voice soft but insistent.

Taehyung groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I wasn’t! I just... I didn’t know who she was, okay?”

Jungkook chuckled, his voice warm and teasing as he brings his husband closer, gently prying Taehyung’s hands away from his face with his other hand. “It’s cute, you know,” he said, his voice low, his eyes locking with Taehyung’s. “Seeing you get all worked up over me.”

Taehyung’s heart pounded in his chest, and his face was still burning from embarrassment. “I wasn’t worked up,” he muttered weakly, but Jungkook’s teasing gaze made it impossible to lie.

Jungkook just smiled, leaning in a little closer. “If you say so,” he whispered, his lips brushing lightly against Taehyung’s ear. “But next time, just ask before you get jealous, okay?”

Taehyung’s breath caught in his throat, his body freezing at the soft, warm sensation of Jungkook’s lips so close to his skin. His mind was a tangled mess of emotions—embarrassment, frustration, but also something softer, something warmer.

“Whatever,” Taehyung muttered, though his voice was barely a whisper now.

Jungkook just laughed softly, his hand brushing lightly against Taehyung’s arm before pulling away. “Come on, let’s get something to eat before you embarrass yourself even more,” he teased, grabbing Taehyung’s hand and tugging him toward the food court.

Taehyung’s heart was still racing, but as he followed Jungkook, hand in hand, he couldn’t help but smile—because even though he’d just made a complete fool of himself, there was something comforting in the way Jungkook teased him, something that made all the embarrassment feel... worth it.