FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT| JJENINII

18.

The drive to the gala was quiet at first, but not strained. The hum of the car and the soft glow of the city lights passing by gave a calm backdrop as Taehyung leaned back, his hand resting lightly on his knee.

Jennie, seated beside him, adjusted her clutch, her eyes flicking to him every so often.

"You seem calm," she said, breaking the silence.

Taehyung glanced at her, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I've done this too many times to be nervous."

Jennie arched a brow, matching his tone. "Oh, I didn't say nervous. Calm, though... that's new."

His smile widened slightly, and he turned toward her more fully. "You make it easier," he admitted, the sincerity in his voice catching her off guard.

Jennie's gaze softened. "I didn't realize I had that effect on you."

"You do," he said simply, his eyes holding hers for a beat too long before he glanced out the window. "You keep me grounded, especially in situations like this."

Jennie's lips curved into a small, genuine smile, her heart skipping a beat at the honesty in his words. "Well, consider it my way of paying you back for all those times you've had my back."

Taehyung tilted his head, a glint of humor in his eyes. "So we're even now?"

"Not even close," Jennie said, her tone light but warm.

The car slowed as they approached the venue, and Taehyung's gaze turned forward, his demeanor shifting slightly as they prepared for the public spectacle ahead.

As soon as the car came to a stop, the flashes of cameras were immediate, bright and unrelenting. The driver opened Taehyung's door first, and he stepped out with practiced ease, his expression calm and composed.

But it was when he turned back to the car and held out his hand for Jennie that the energy shifted. The flashes became more frantic as she placed her hand in his, stepping gracefully onto the red carpet.

Taehyung's hand slipped to her lower back, a touch that felt instinctual rather than deliberate, as he guided her toward the entrance. He leaned in slightly, his lips brushing her temple in a gesture so natural it startled him.

Jennie glanced at him, her expression a mix of surprise and something softer, but she said nothing as they moved through the sea of cameras and into the grand hall.

Inside, the gala was a whirlwind of activity—bright lights, soft music, and a sea of elegantly dressed guests mingling under the glow of crystal chandeliers.

Taehyung introduced Jennie to several key figures, his hand never straying far from her arm or her waist as they navigated the room. His touch was light, but the way his fingers lingered was unmistakable, as though some part of him couldn't bear to let go.

"You're handling this perfectly." he said at one point, leaning in so his voice was low and warm against her ear. 

She looked up at him, her smile faint but genuine. "I could say the same about you."

His lips quirked upward, and for a moment, the noise of the gala seemed to fade as they stood there, caught in a quiet moment that felt almost too intimate for the setting.

But the night moved on, and at some point, they were separated.

Taehyung sipped his whiskey, nodding absently as the conversation around him ebbed and flowed.

A group of executives stood nearby, their discussion about market projections and mergers blurring into background noise. His attention, however, wasn't on the numbers or strategies being tossed around.