Jungkook's gaze was unreadable, his presence commanding, but V saw the flicker of recognition in his dark eyes. He knew.But before V could process what this meant, before he could even utter a word, Jungkook moved with the cold precision of a man bo...
The morning sun slipped through the blinds, casting a faint glow across the room. Jungkook stirred, his body aching from the rough night before. His eyes opened slowly, and as the familiar scent of Taehyung’s pheromones hit him, he felt a wave of confusion. He blinked, trying to understand. He was… in Taehyung’s room?
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No, that wasn’t right. It took a moment for him to realize where he truly was. His surroundings blurred until they became familiar: Jackson’s place.
He rubbed his face, groaning as memories of the previous night eluded him. His head throbbed with the aftereffects of too much alcohol, his mind still foggy. He forced himself out of bed, dragging his feet down the stairs where Jackson sat, looking pale and lost in thought.
Jackson didn’t look up when Jungkook entered the room. His expression was hard to read, but it was clear that something was weighing heavily on him.
Jungkook : "Hey, hi."
Jackson (not amused): "Get out if you’re sober."
Jungkook sighed. He knew better than to press further. He could sense the tension in Jackson’s voice—something was wrong, but his own head wasn’t clear enough to deal with it yet.
As Jungkook made his way out, Jackson stayed still, his mind replaying the events of the previous night. He had been calm, holding everything together, but now, after what Jinyoung had said, panic was creeping in. Taehyung might be in danger, and the longer they waited, the more things could spiral out of control.
Jackson : I can't rely on Jungkook for this. Not after the way he acted last night.
Flashback: The Drive Back From the Party
It was late, and Jackson and Jinyoung were driving back from the Kim family’s ball, with Jungkook passed out in the backseat. The night had been a disaster. The public ball was meant to maintain appearances, to hide the fact that Taehyung had been missing for months. They couldn't afford to let the rumors spread, especially about their alliance with the Jeon family. But the evening had ended with Jungkook spiraling into a drunken mess, calling out for Taehyung in front of everyone.
Jungkook (slurring from the backseat): "Tae! Why don't you.... Stay"
His voice was loud, almost hysterical, breaking the silence in the car. Jackson's grip on the steering wheel tightened as he glanced in the rearview mirror, watching Jungkook's drunken state with frustration.
Jinyoung (looking back): "God, he’s a wreck."
Jackson (tense): "We need to drag him back to reality before someone realizes what a mess he is."
Jinyoung (shaking his head): "Easier said than done. And on top of that, Taehyung isn’t picking up his phone."
Jackson’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Taehyung. That name had haunted the entire evening, even though no one dared speak it aloud. He had trusted Taehyung’s plan to infiltrate the Park family, believing that it would help destroy them from within. But now, everything was crumbling.
Jackson (gritting his teeth): "We can’t wait any longer. I didn’t raise an alarm because Taehyung came to you when everyone was accusing him of betrayal. I thought his plan would work, but now it’s out of control."
Jinyoung: "It was always a bad plan."
Jackson shot him a sharp glance.
Jackson: "Then why did you help him?"
Jinyoung : "What are you accusing me of right now?"
Jackson: "You helped him get into the Park family."
Jinyoung (angrily): "If I hadn’t helped, Taehyung would’ve gone in alone and gotten himself killed... and the child too."
Suddenly, Jackson slammed the brakes, causing the car to lurch forward violently. Jungkook groaned in the back, oblivious to the tense conversation happening between the two men in the front seat.
Jackson (in shock): "What did you just say?"
Jinyoung (staring ahead): "You didn’t know?"
Jackson’s knuckles were white against the steering wheel, his mind racing. Taehyung was carrying a child? That changed everything. It complicated why Taehyung had disappeared into the Park mansion, why he had taken such dangerous risks.
Jackson (furious): "You knew Taehyung was pregnant, and you still helped him get into the Park family? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"
Jinyoung : "What’s wrong with me? You should be asking yourselves what the hell is wrong with you two." (He pointed to the back seat where Jungkook lay passed out, completely unaware of the chaos he was at the center of.) "You and this idiot should’ve been the first to know."
Jackson felt sick. All this time, he had been trying to manage the chaos, believing that Taehyung’s plan was under control. But now, it was clear that things had spiraled far beyond their grasp.
