"Heart Of The Azure Dragon"- Taekook/Vkook-Book 1 Of "The Sacred Beasts"

Chapter- Three

Jeongguk's pov-

As I walked through the front door of my mansion, I felt a strange lightness in my chest, a sensation I wasn't quite used to. The little walk with Taehyung replayed in my mind, and as much as I hated to admit it, it was... nice. Somehow, I had ended up with his number. It took a lot to keep my face straight when he handed his phone to me to exchange contact info. A part of me was... happy? Not that I'd show that to anyone, especially not him.

After kicking off my shoes and heading to my room, I felt a vibration in my pocket. Fishing my phone out, I saw the notification: a message from Taehyung.

"It was great spending time with you."

I couldn't help it-my lips curled into a smile. Rarely did anything make me smile, let alone someone I had just met. But there I was, standing in the middle of my room, grinning like an idiot at a simple text. I quickly erased the smile and ran a hand over my face.

I wanted to reply, but I couldn't think of anything that didn't sound either too cold or too eager. I wasn't used to this kind of interaction, but there was something about Taehyung that made me... want to try. I finally typed out a response. Short, but enough.

"Same here."

I hit send and tossed my phone on the bed, staring at it for a moment before shaking my head. This wasn't me. I didn't get flustered, I didn't overthink things like this. And yet, here I was.

All because of one guy.

No one's pov-

Jeongguk dressed in his usual all-black attire, slipping on his leather jacket as he prepared for the meeting at The Veilguard, the headquarters dealing with all supernatural matters. It was a monthly obligation, one that usually left him feeling more drained than anything else. But with the recent surge in demon activity, especially the increasing strength of the ones he had encountered, this meeting held more importance. He needed to ensure the others were on the same page.

As he reached the massive, inconspicuous building that hid the headquarters, he was greeted by the usual scene. Workers bowed respectfully, recognizing him immediately. Jeongguk, the Azure Dragon and ruler of the East, carried a weighty presence wherever he went, and here was no different.

He walked straight to the meeting room without uttering a word, his steps echoing in the long, polished corridor. Upon entering the room, his eyes quickly scanned the space. Mingyu and Dongmin were already seated, along with several other rulers and high-ranking officials. Jeongguk took his seat, nodding subtly at his two friends before the meeting commenced.

The head of the council, an elderly man who oversaw all supernatural activities, stood up. "We've been seeing a disturbing rise in demon activity across all regions," he began, his voice solemn. "Especially from higher-ranked demons. Jeongguk, you encountered level 3 demons last night, correct?"

Jeongguk leaned forward slightly, his face unreadable as usual. "Yes," he replied, voice steady. "Three of them. They were targeting civilians, two girls and a boy. I took them down, but they're becoming bolder. They don't even bother hiding anymore."

Mingyu, sitting next to Jeongguk, interjected. "I've had no sightings in my region this month. But that in itself is strange. The West has always had activity, even small incidents, but it's been... silent."

Dongmin nodded in agreement. "Same for the North. No attacks in over two weeks, but I found level 2 demons last night. It's like they're plotting something, gathering in certain regions."

The council head sighed deeply. "We're concerned this is the precursor to something much larger. Demons aren't this coordinated. There might be someone pulling the strings behind them."