Ties of Fate

Invitation

The morning sun poured into the bedroom of their mansion, casting a soft glow over the space as Taehyung slowly stirred awake. He rolled over, finding Jungkook still beside him, his arms loosely wrapped around Taehyung’s waist. The sight of Jungkook’s peaceful face never failed to bring a smile to Taehyung’s lips. This was their sanctuary, a space where the outside world couldn’t reach them.

But as Taehyung reached for his phone on the nightstand, that peace was interrupted by a notification that sent his mind spiraling.

Bogum: Hey, Taehyung! It’s been a while. I’m hosting a celebration for landing a major deal and would love for you to come. Hope you can make it!

Taehyung stared at the message for a moment, his heart skipping a beat. Bogum. The same Bogum who had been his crush for years before he’d ever met Jungkook. The same Bogum whose birthday party he and Jungkook had attended not too long ago—the one where Jimin had stirred up so much trouble, making things awkward between them.

And now, Bogum had reappeared, inviting him to a celebration.

Before Taehyung could fully process the invitation, his phone buzzed again.

Jimin: Guess what? I got invited to Bogum’s celebration too! You remember what happened last time, right? This one’s going to be even more fun!

Taehyung groaned, his stomach twisting in knots. Jimin had a habit of making things more chaotic than they needed to be, especially when it came to stirring up emotions. And now that Bogum was back in the picture, Taehyung couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

He sighed, setting his phone down as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Just as he was taking a sip, he heard footsteps approaching from the bedroom. Jungkook appeared, still in his sleepwear, his hair messily falling over his forehead.

“Morning,” Jungkook mumbled, his voice husky with sleep as he wrapped his arms around Taehyung’s waist from behind, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck.

“Morning,” Taehyung replied softly, feeling the warmth of Jungkook’s embrace. But there was a tension in him, a lingering anxiety that made it hard to fully relax.

Jungkook must have sensed it because he pulled back slightly, turning Taehyung around to face him. “What’s wrong? You’ve got that look on your face.”

Taehyung hesitated for a moment before deciding to come clean. He knew keeping secrets from Jungkook would only make things worse. “I got a message from Bogum.”

The mention of Bogum’s name immediately shifted Jungkook’s expression. His eyes darkened slightly, and his grip on Taehyung’s waist tightened just a bit. “Bogum?”

Taehyung nodded, glancing down at his phone. “Yeah, he’s hosting a celebration for a big business deal he just closed. He invited me… and Jimin.”

Jungkook’s jaw clenched, and Taehyung could practically feel the possessiveness radiating off him. He knew that Jungkook hadn’t exactly been fond of Bogum ever since the last time they attended one of his events. At that party, Jimin had made it painfully clear that Bogum used to be Taehyung’s crush, and ever since then, Jungkook had been more cautious whenever Bogum’s name came up.

“You want to go?” Jungkook’s voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, like he was trying to gauge Taehyung’s feelings.

“I’m not sure,” Taehyung admitted. “I haven’t seen Bogum in a while, and after everything that happened last time, I don’t want things to get awkward again. But… it could be good for us to go, you know, keep up appearances for business.”

Jungkook studied Taehyung’s face for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. “If you want to go, we’ll go. But I’m not letting that guy get too close to you again. Last time was enough.”

Taehyung’s heart fluttered at the hint of possessiveness in Jungkook’s voice. He knew Jungkook wasn’t the jealous type by nature, but when it came to Bogum, something in Jungkook always shifted. It was like he saw Bogum as a threat, even though Taehyung’s feelings for him were long gone.

“I promise it’s not a big deal,” Taehyung said softly, reaching up to cup Jungkook’s cheek. “You’re the only one I want, Jungkook. Bogum’s just an old friend.”

Jungkook’s eyes softened slightly at Taehyung’s reassurance, but he still wasn’t completely convinced. “I trust you, Tae. I just don’t trust him.”

Taehyung leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to Jungkook’s lips. “You don’t have to worry. I’ll stay by your side the whole night.”

Jungkook smirked, his arms tightening around Taehyung’s waist as he kissed him back, longer this time. “Good. Because I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

---

As the day of the celebration approached, Taehyung couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of anticipation. He and Jungkook had prepared for the event, both knowing it was more than just a party—it was a chance to see how much had changed since the last time they had crossed paths with Bogum.

The night of the celebration, they arrived at the venue together, dressed to perfection. Taehyung could feel Jungkook’s hand firmly on his lower back as they walked inside, his touch both protective and possessive. The atmosphere was lively, filled with the clinking of glasses and the hum of conversations. But the moment Bogum spotted them, Taehyung felt a shift in the air.

“Taehyung! Jungkook! I’m so glad you could make it!” Bogum greeted them with a warm smile, pulling Taehyung into a quick hug before turning to shake Jungkook’s hand.

Jungkook’s grip was firm as he greeted Bogum, his smile polite but not entirely warm. “Congrats on the deal.”

“Thanks, man. It’s been a long time coming,” Bogum replied, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the air. “I’m glad to see you both here. It feels like forever since we last caught up.”

As Bogum continued to chat, Taehyung could feel Jungkook’s hand subtly tightening on his waist, keeping him close. It was clear that Jungkook wasn’t going to let his guard down, not when Bogum was involved.

At some point, Taehyung excused himself to get a drink, and when he returned, he found Jimin standing next to Jungkook, a mischievous grin on his face.

“Don’t worry, Kookie,” Jimin teased, leaning in close to Jungkook. “I won’t let Bogum steal Taehyung away from you. Not again.”

Jungkook shot Jimin a pointed look, his voice low. “That’s not happening. Ever.”

Taehyung, sensing the growing tension, quickly stepped between them. “Okay, okay, let’s all relax. We’re here to have a good time.”

But as the night wore on, Taehyung could feel the weight of Jungkook’s gaze on him, his possessiveness lingering in the background. It was clear that Jungkook wasn’t going to let anything—or anyone—come between them.