A Taste Of Midnight

76

The morning light had already begun to filter through the heavy curtains of Jungkook's bedroom, casting soft shadows around the room. Seokjin and Jungkook lay together in quiet contentment, tangled under the sheets after a night of raw connection. Both were deeply asleep, their skin taking on a faint glow in the shaded darkness of the room, blissfully unaware of the world outside.

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. Neither of them stirred. The knock came again, louder this time, and finally, the door cracked open as one of the maids stepped inside. She froze at the sight before her: Jungkook, entangled in bed with someone she did not recognize, his face partially hidden under the covers.

The maid's eyes widened as she took in the unfamiliar man next to Jungkook. She opened her mouth to speak, but her gaze caught on Seokjin's pallor, his strikingly ethereal beauty, and an unsettling feeling crept over her. Seokjin's skin had a faint shimmer under the filtered light, and she noted how both men lay slightly away from the morning glow that touched the bed's edge.

The maid took a tentative step back, her mind racing. She knew better than to linger or disturb her employer, but the sight was difficult to shake. Whispering a soft apology, she slowly backed out of the room, closing the door carefully behind her to let them remain undisturbed in the safety of shadows.

As the maid quietly closed the door behind her, she steadied herself, still reeling from the unexpected scene she had just witnessed. She moved briskly down the hallway, trying to shake the image from her mind as she headed toward the kitchen to prepare the morning tea.

Halfway down the grand staircase, she suddenly found herself face-to-face with Mrs. Jeon, who was ascending the steps with a poised and focused expression, likely on her way to see her son.

"Good morning, Mrs. Jeon," the maid greeted, bowing slightly, her voice a bit too quick.

Mrs. Jeon narrowed her eyes slightly, her sharp gaze taking in the maid's flustered state. "Is there something troubling you?" she asked, her voice calm but laced with that familiar authority that left little room for evasion.

The maid hesitated, knowing the gravity of her words. She cleared her throat and chose her response carefully. "I... I was just delivering the tea and found Mr. Jungkook resting... with someone. A guest," she said cautiously, avoiding too much detail but aware that Mrs. Jeon would read between the lines.

Mrs. Jeon's eyes flickered with a flash of surprise, though she masked it quickly. "A guest?" she repeated, her tone cool but edged with curiosity.

"Yes, ma'am," the maid continued, careful to maintain composure. "It was a gentleman I did not recognize."

Mrs. Jeon remained silent, her gaze sharpening as she processed the information. With a curt nod, she dismissed the maid. "Thank you. That will be all," she said, her voice even, though her mind was now racing with questions about who had occupied her son's room unannounced.

As the maid hurried away, Mrs. Jeon stood still, her gaze fixed on the door to Jungkook's room. After a moment's hesitation, she turned on her heel, retreating thoughtfully back down the staircase, deciding to investigate this mysterious guest in her own way, and in her own time.

Seokjin stirred awake, the pale morning light barely seeping through the heavy drapes in Jungkook's room. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to his surroundings, and his gaze immediately fell upon Jungkook, still deep in slumber beside him. Seokjin's breath caught for a moment as he took in the changes.

Jungkook lay peacefully, his features now sharpened with an ethereal edge. His once warm, sun-kissed complexion had been replaced by a porcelain pallor, his skin smooth and cool to the touch. His chest rose and fell in even breaths, though it was clear he no longer breathed out of necessity. A faint shimmer seemed to linger on his skin in the dim light, a mark of his transformation into something otherworldly.