Ties of Fate

Birthday Party

The night of the party arrived sooner than Taehyung expected. Dressed sharply in a tailored suit, he stood beside Jungkook as they entered the  venue of Bogum’s birthday party. The room was filled with soft music, glamorous chandeliers, and casual conversations from the guests.

Taehyung felt a mix of excitement and anxiety bubble within him as they made their way through the crowd. It had been so long since he’d seen Bogum, and with Jungkook at his side, everything seemed even more surreal.

They eventually found their assigned seats at one of the many round tables, decorated elegantly with floral arrangements and candles. Taehyung sat down first, trying to calm the fluttering in his chest, while Jungkook settled beside him with his usual air of ease.

“You okay?” Jungkook asked, noticing Taehyung’s slightly tense demeanor.

“Yeah,” Taehyung replied, offering a small smile. “I’m just... a little nervous, I guess.”

Jungkook reached over and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry. I’m here.”

Taehyung smiled softly, feeling comforted by Jungkook’s presence. He was grateful to have him there—it made the whole event feel less daunting. After a moment, Taehyung glanced around the room, searching for a familiar face.

“I’m going to go say hi to the birthday boy,” Taehyung said, standing up. “I’ll be right back.”

Jungkook nodded casually. “Sure. I’ll stay here.”

Taehyung chuckled, giving Jungkook’s shoulder a light squeeze before making his way across the room. As he weaved through the crowd, his eyes finally landed on Bogum, who was standing near the bar, surrounded by a small group of people. Taehyung took a deep breath before approaching, mentally preparing himself for the reunion.

Meanwhile, Jungkook leaned back in his seat, sighing. He wasn’t particularly worried about Taehyung going off to meet Bogum. It was just an old friend, after all. But as he sipped his drink, a familiar voice interrupted.

“Jungkookie,” Jimin’s voice sing-songed as he slid into the seat beside him, a mischievous grin on his face.

“Jimin,” Jungkook greeted, smiling slightly but noting the playful glint in Jimin’s eyes. He knew that look—it usually meant Jimin was about to do something. “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing much,” Jimin said with a wave of his hand. “I just thought I’d stop by and keep you company while Taehyung’s off meeting the birthday boy.”

Jungkook raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, he’s saying hi to Bogum. They were friends in college.”

Jimin hummed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Oh, is that what Taehyung told you?”

Jungkook’s brow furrowed slightly at Jimin’s tone. “What do you mean?”

Jimin leaned in a little closer, clearly enjoying the moment. “You didn’t know? Bogum wasn’t just some friend in college. He was Taehyung’s crush. Like, big-time crush. He used to talk about him all the time.”

Jungkook’s casual demeanor instantly shifted. His grip on his drink tightened as he processed what Jimin had just said. Crush? His Taehyung had a crush on Bogum? Why hadn’t Taehyung mentioned that?

Jimin’s grin widened, clearly sensing Jungkook’s growing tension. “I mean, it’s old news now, but... you know how first crushes are. They leave a mark.”

Jungkook felt a surge of unexpected jealousy flare up inside him. He hadn’t seen this coming at all. He’d been completely unaware that Bogum was someone Taehyung used to have feelings for. And now, Taehyung was over there, alone with him. Old feelings or not, it made something territorial rise in Jungkook’s chest.

Without another word, Jungkook stood up abruptly, leaving a satisfied-looking Jimin behind at the table.

His eyes scanned the room until he spotted Taehyung across the way, talking to Bogum. They were laughing together, Taehyung’s smile soft and easy, the way it always was when he was comfortable. But seeing it directed at someone else—especially someone Taehyung had once liked—lit a fire in Jungkook’s chest.

Not wasting another second, Jungkook strode over to them, his steps purposeful. As he reached them, Taehyung turned, surprised to see Jungkook approaching. Before Taehyung could say anything, Jungkook smoothly slipped his arm around Taehyung’s waist, pulling him in close.

“Hey,” Jungkook said, his voice casual but his eyes sharp as they glanced at Bogum.

Taehyung blinked, caught off guard by the sudden contact. “Jungkook, what are you—”

“I figured I’d come over and meet the birthday boy myself,” Jungkook interrupted, his tone light, though there was a possessiveness in the way his hand rested firmly on Taehyung’s waist.

Bogum smiled politely, though he seemed a little surprised by the sudden shift in energy. “Nice to meet you. You must be Jungkook, right? Taehyung’s mentioned you.”

Jungkook’s smile was tight as he extended his hand to Bogum. “That’s me. Taehyung’s husband.”

The word “husband” hung in the air between them, and Taehyung, sensing the tension, looked between the two men with wide eyes. He could practically feel the waves of jealousy radiating of Jungkook, and it was starting to make him feel embarrassed.

“Right,” Bogum said, shaking Jungkook’s hand with a friendly smile, though there was a flicker of something in his eyes. “Taehyung and I go way back. It’s good to see him after so long.”

Jungkook nodded, his grip on Taehyung tightening subtly. “Yeah, I’ve heard. You two must have had a lot of fun back in the day.”

Taehyung could feel the tension rising and quickly jumped in, his cheeks flushed. “We were just catching up. It’s been years since we’ve seen each other.”

Jungkook’s gaze flicked to Taehyung, his expression unreadable. “Yeah, Jimin told me.”

At the mention of Jimin, Taehyung’s eyes widened even more, and he immediately understood what was happening. Of course, Jimin couldn’t help himself. He must have told Jungkook about his old crush on Bogum, and now Jungkook was standing there, clearly feeling protective—and more than a little jealous.

Bogum, sensing that he might be intruding, gave a polite nod. “Well, I’ll let you guys enjoy the party. It was nice seeing you again, Taehyung.” With that, he excused himself, leaving Taehyung and Jungkook standing together.

As soon as Bogum was out of earshot, Taehyung turned to Jungkook, his face burning with embarrassment. “Did Jimin seriously tell you about that?”

Jungkook’s eyes softened, but there was still a flicker of possessiveness in his gaze. “You didn’t think to mention it to me?”

Taehyung sighed, rubbing his forehead. “It wasn’t a big deal. It was just a crush. Years ago.”

Jungkook’s lips curved into a small smirk as he pulled Taehyung even closer, his hand still resting on his waist. “I know. But I couldn’t help it. The thought of you having a crush on someone else...”

Taehyung rolled his eyes, though his heart fluttered at Jungkook’s words. “You’re ridiculous.”

Jungkook leaned in, his breath warm against Taehyung’s ear. “Maybe. But you’re mine now.”

Taehyung’s cheeks flushed again, this time not from embarrassment, but from the possessive tone in Jungkook’s voice. “Yeah,” he murmured, leaning into Jungkook’s embrace. “I am.”

Jungkook’s lips brushed lightly against Taehyung’s temple, sending a shiver down his spine. “Good.”

The jealousy faded from Jungkook’s eyes, replaced by a tender protectiveness, and Taehyung couldn’t help but smile. Despite the awkwardness of the moment, it was clear that Jungkook’s feelings for him ran deep, and Taehyung felt the same.

With one last glance around the room, Jungkook leaned down and whispered, “Let’s enjoy the rest of the night, okay?”

Taehyung nodded, feeling warm and safe in Jungkook’s arms. “Okay.”