Trouble Tamer

30. Where Are You, Bun?

Taehyung stretched, glancing around his quiet office before looking at the time on his phone. The sun was starting to dip, casting the room in a soft, amber glow, but his mind was elsewhere. He hadn’t seen Jungkook for hours, and an uncharacteristic longing stirred within him. He’d recently found himself more aware of his feelings for Jungkook, ones he wouldn’t easily admit. Taehyung may have been the calm, collected type on the outside, but right now, the thought of finding Jungkook was all-consuming. Not that he’d tell the younger man that, of course.

The mansion’s quietude only amplified the strange sense of longing. Taehyung chuckled at himself, shaking his head.

Kim Taehyung, desperate? Surely not.

But the tug in his chest was persistent, so he set down his work and slipped out of the office.

He made his way down the stairs, calling out softly, “Jungkook?” His voice echoed faintly, but no response came. As he stepped into the living room, he half-expected to see the bunny-like male lounging there, perhaps reading a book or tinkering with his phone. But the room was empty, still, the only sound the ticking of the clock on the wall.

Taehyung’s brow furrowed. He wandered through the adjacent rooms—checking the dining area, the lounge, and even peeking into the garden where Jungkook occasionally liked to unwind. But each time he turned a corner, he was met only with silence. Not even a hint of the younger man’s presence.

By the time he reached the kitchen, a subtle but unmistakable worry had settled in his chest. He paused, taking a calming breath, reasoning with himself that Jungkook was likely somewhere in the house. Yet, his eyes fell on the oven, where he noticed a delicious, faint scent lingering in the air. Curiously, he opened the oven door and spotted a freshly baked cake, cooling quietly as if waiting to be discovered.

A small, amused smile tugged at his lips. Always so thoughtful, he thought. But the absence of the young man who baked it was starting to weigh on him.

He grabbed his phone, deciding he’d call Jimin. The idea felt slightly awkward—he’d never really needed to call Jimin directly before. But Jungkook had insisted, leaving his friend’s number for any “just-in-case” situations, so Taehyung quickly found the number in his contacts and pressed ‘call.’

After a couple of rings, Jimin’s cheerful voice greeted him.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Mr. Park. This is Taehyung speaking,” Taehyung responded, his tone formal, though his voice held an edge of urgency.

“Oh, hey, Taehyungie~!” Jimin chirped back, clearly surprised but not displeased. “What happened, anything wrong?”

“Well… I’m not sure. Is Jungkook perhaps with you?” Taehyung asked, the hint of worry breaking through in his usually calm tone.

There was a brief pause, and then Jimin replied, “Ah, no. I left almost four hours ago. Jungkook must be there only.” Another beat passed before he added with a slight chuckle, “Or is he not?”

Taehyung rubbed the back of his neck, glancing around the room as though Jungkook might miraculously appear. “Ah… no, he’s not here. I’ve checked everywhere,” he admitted quietly, his voice trailing off. He couldn’t hide the tension in his voice now, and he felt a little ridiculous about it. But Jimin picked up on it immediately.

“Oh, don’t worry, Taehyung,” Jimin reassured, his tone still light. “I’m sure he’s around. Maybe he’s just gone out for a quick errand? He sometimes gets these random ideas and just rushes off without telling anyone.”

Taehyung sighed, nodding though Jimin couldn’t see him. “Maybe… I’ll keep looking.” He cleared his throat. “Thank you, Mr. Park.”

“Anytime, Taehyung. And hey, it’s just Jimin, alright? No need for the formalities.” Jimin’s voice held a hint of a smile. “If he’s really gone somewhere, I’m sure he’ll be back soon. And, for the record, Jungkook usually does things with a purpose. Maybe he’s planning something for you.” There was a teasing lilt in Jimin’s voice that made Taehyung smile despite himself.