You? My mate!

◦•●◉✿4✿◉●•◦

After everything was finalized, Jin and Jungkook left for another business meeting, leaving Haneul, Gguk, and Jimin in the conference room. Jimin, worn out from a long and hectic trip, was fast asleep. Haneul, multitasking, focused on paperwork with one hand while gently stroking Jimin's head with the other, as if trying to comfort him in his sleep. Gguk, on the other hand, was diligently preparing reports that Jungkook had instructed him to complete.

Suddenly, J-Hope  broke the silence with his warm voice. "How is everything? Long time no see. You guys have grown up so much," he said, smiling. Haneul, perhaps a little lost in her thoughts, took longer than expected to reply. Before she could say anything, Namjoon, who had been observing from the side, made a rude comment about her delayed response.

Haneul, hurt by the unexpected harshness, bit her lip and said nothing. Instead, she quietly gathered her papers and walked out of the room without another word. Her departure left an uneasy tension in the air.

Gguk noticed the shift in mood. He gently nudged Jimin awake, whispering, "Let's go." Jimin groggily got up, rubbing his eyes, and followed Gguk out, leaving J-Hope and Namjoon behind in the room.

Once they were gone, J-Hope turned toward Namjoon, his usually cheerful demeanor replaced with frustration. "What was that about?" he asked, his tone sharp. "There’s a rivalry between me and Jin, sure, but that doesn’t mean you get to misbehave with others."

Namjoon was taken aback by J-Hope’s anger, but before he could respond, J-Hope continued, "You know Jin's siblings always respected us. Even when I was clashing with Jin, they defended me many times. Haneul doesn’t deserve that kind of treatment."

Yoongi, Taehyung, and Ari, who had been sitting quietly in the background, exchanged glances. It was rare to see J-Hope this upset, and they knew his words carried weight. J-Hope wasn’t just addressing Namjoon; he was reminding all of them about the importance of respect and unity within their group.

"There’s rivalry between me and Jin," J-Hope repeated, his voice firm, "but that’s between us. It doesn’t mean anyone else should get caught in the middle of it. We’re supposed to have each other’s backs, no matter what."

Namjoon lowered his gaze, realizing his mistake. The room fell into a thoughtful silence as J-Hope’s words lingered in the air. Even Yoongi, Taehyung, and ari felt the impact of what had just been said.

J-Hope turned to leave, adding one final thought as he reached the door. "If we don’t respect each other, what’s the point of being a team?" With that, he walked out, leaving Namjoon to reflect on his actions, and the rest of the team with a renewed understanding of their bond.

It was evening, and Jin was walking through the dimly lit hallway, heading towards his room, when J-Hope suddenly appeared from the shadows and grabbed him by the arm. Before Jin could react, J-Hope pulled him into a dark, secluded room and pinned him against the wall.

His face close to Jin’s, J-Hope’s voice was low but intense as he asked, “Since when did you start playing this silly game, honey?” There was a glint of mischief in his eyes, but something deeper simmered beneath the surface.

Jin, ever composed, smirked and, with a sassy flick of his head, brushed a hand through his hair. "Silly game?" he echoed, voice smooth as silk. "You think this is a game?" His fingers trailed down J-Hope’s arm, his confidence unwavering. “Maybe you’re just losing.”

J-Hope’s jaw clenched, but before he could respond, Jin pushed himself off the wall, straightening his clothes casually. As he turned to leave, he glanced over his shoulder with a sly smile. “But you can’t deny it, can you? That I’m your mate.”