Ties of Fate

Realization is Key

The night before, Jungkook had been lying awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. The villa was quiet, save for the soft hum of the air conditioner and the occasional creak of the wooden beams in the house. He couldn't sleep, his mind tangled with thoughts that had been building up for weeks.

It had all started as a game—teasing Taehyung, watching the other boy’s cheeks flush, hearing his voice rise in frustration. Jungkook had told himself it was fun, that it was harmless. He had convinced himself that he enjoyed riling Taehyung up because it made their forced situation more bearable.

But somewhere along the line, it had changed.

Lying there in the dark, Jungkook finally let himself think about it—really think about it. He closed his eyes, remembering every moment in vivid detail. The way Taehyung’s eyes would narrow whenever he got too close, the way his lips would press into a thin line when he was trying not to smile. He thought about how Taehyung’s voice would waver when he was flustered, how his fingers would fidget with whatever was nearby.

And then there were the softer moments—the quiet ones that Jungkook never teased him about. The way Taehyung would sit with his legs tucked under him when he was reading, his focus entirely on the page. Or the way he hummed softly when he thought no one was listening, completely lost in his own world.

Jungkook swallowed hard, his heart thudding in his chest. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment it had happened, but somewhere in the middle of their teasing and bickering, he had started to feel something different. Something more.

At first, he had brushed it off, telling himself it was just the natural result of being stuck together all the time. They were bound to grow close, right? But then he had started noticing things he never used to—like how his heart sped up whenever Taehyung smiled at him, or how he found himself looking for excuses to be near him, just to see the blush rise in his cheeks.

It wasn’t just attraction. It wasn’t just physical. It was deeper than that, something that made Jungkook feel unsteady in a way he hadn’t before. He liked Taehyung. Not just in the surface-level way of being fond of someone. He liked him in a way that made his chest ache when Taehyung wasn’t around. In a way that made him crave those little moments where they connected, even if they were buried under layers of teasing.

Jungkook let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. His mind kept going back to that moment at the restaurant, when they had shared that teasing kiss. He had done it as a joke, wanting to get under Taehyung’s skin, but something about it had felt too real. The way Taehyung had looked at him afterward, eyes wide, breathless—it had done something to him.

He had spent the whole evening thinking about it, replaying the way Taehyung had leaned in, the way his lips had parted just slightly. Jungkook had never intended for things to get this complicated. He had always been able to keep his distance with people, always able to separate feelings from the situation. But with Taehyung, it was different. Everything felt heightened. Everything felt personal.

Jungkook shifted in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He couldn’t deny it any longer. He liked Taehyung—liked him in a way that made him want to know everything about him. He wanted to know what made Taehyung laugh, what made him happy, what kept him up at night. He wanted to be the reason Taehyung smiled, not just because he was teasing him, but because they were together.

It was a terrifying realization. He had always been so good at keeping things light, at not getting too attached. But now, lying there in the dark, Jungkook couldn’t stop thinking about Taehyung. He couldn’t stop picturing the way he would look in the morning, his hair messy and his eyes sleepy. He couldn’t stop imagining what it would feel like to wake up beside him, to hold him close and not have to let go.

Jungkook groaned, turning over in bed and burying his face in his pillow. How had he let this happen? How had he gone from teasing Taehyung just to see him blush to actually wanting him—wanting him in a way that made his chest tighten?

He sat up, running a hand through his hair as he let out a frustrated sigh. There was no point in fighting it anymore. He liked Taehyung, and he was going to have to deal with that. But now came the harder part—what was he going to do about it?

Jungkook stared out the window, watching the moonlight filter through the curtains. His mind raced with possibilities. He could tell Taehyung how he felt, but that thought made his stomach churn with nerves. What if Taehyung didn’t feel the same? What if all the teasing and the playful moments were just that—playful? What if Taehyung didn’t want anything more?

Jungkook bit his lip, feeling the weight of his emotions settle heavily in his chest. No, telling Taehyung outright wasn’t an option. Not yet, anyway. He wasn’t ready for that kind of vulnerability. But there was another way.

A small, mischievous smile tugged at the corners of his lips. If there was one thing he was good at, it was teasing Taehyung. And if he could use that to his advantage, to get Taehyung to open up, to maybe even see if he felt the same... well, that would be worth it.

Jungkook lay back down, a plan already forming in his mind. Tomorrow, he would push Taehyung just a little bit more. He would tease him until his cheeks were bright red, until he was stammering and flustered. And maybe—just maybe—Jungkook would get to see a side of Taehyung he hadn’t seen before.

Because now that he knew how he felt, he wasn’t going to let it go. If anything, he was going to push them closer—until neither of them could deny what was happening between them.

And with that thought, Jungkook finally let himself relax, a satisfied smile on his face as he drifted off to sleep, his mind already buzzing with the possibilities of tomorrow.