Twisted Ties

Chapter 5

~Kim Taehyung~

I woke up to the dull light of morning sneaking through the curtains, painting the walls in soft, grey tones. A chill lingered in the air, matching the unease that had settled in my chest. Yawning, I ran a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. I dressed quickly and headed downstairs, the sound of my footsteps echoing softly in the quiet house.

As I entered the kitchen, Jungkook was already there, leaning against the counter with a steaming mug of coffee in hand. His face was serious, a stark contrast to the usual mischievous grin that played on his lips.

"Morning, hyung," he greeted, eyeing me over the rim of his cup. "You're up early. Thinking about Y/N?"

I scoffed, trying to play it off, but Jungkook's sharp eyes didn't miss much. He set the mug down, folding his arms over his chest.

"Forget that for a second," he said, a hint of something like concern creeping into his tone. "There's this gala in two weeks. Huening Kai is hosting it—German-Korean billionaire - remember him?"

"Yeah, I know who he is. He owns half the luxury real estate in Seoul," I replied, grabbing my own cup of coffee. "What's the big deal?"

Jungkook sighed as if he had to explain something obvious. "Well, you're the chairman of KIM Enterprises, and you've got to be there. It's not really optional. Besides, Y/N will be attending too, along with pretty much every other important CEO. You can't avoid her forever, especially not in our world."

His words hung in the air between us. He was right. I had been trying to keep my distance from Y/N, hoping to manage this situation without diving into any more uncomfortable conversations. But if we were both going to be at that gala, I needed to be prepared for whatever might come next.

"I'll be there," I said, as if I had a choice. Jungkook nodded, satisfied, but I could see the curiosity lingering in his eyes. He probably wanted to press me for more, to ask what I planned to do about Y/N, but I wasn't ready to answer that yet.

---

After breakfast, I headed out to the garden, seeking some quiet to clear my head. But as I approached, I spotted Jennie sitting on one of the benches, her laptop open in front of her. She was in the middle of a video call, her voice carrying softly through the space.

I slowed my steps when I heard a familiar name—Y/N.

"I know, I know, Y/N," Jennie was saying, her tone that of someone trying to soothe a restless friend. "But you need to give him a chance. He's not all bad."

I leaned against the trunk of a nearby tree, staying out of Jennie's line of sight. I didn't usually eavesdrop, but the mention of my name pulled me in like a magnet. I could barely hear Y/N's voice through the laptop speakers, but the frustration in her tone was unmistakable.

"Jennie, I don't know if I can do that," Y/N replied, her voice tinged with exasperation. "I mean, I've never even met him. I'm just supposed to trust what you say? From everything you've told me, he sounds like the most insufferable man alive."

My heart sank at her words, the sting sharper than I expected. The cold front I'd put up around her was working, and it hurt to know that I was the reason she felt this way.