A Taste Of Midnight

77

Reminder: This chapter contains explicit sexual scenes intended for mature audiences. Reader discretion is advised.

Mrs. Jeon paced outside Jungkook's room, her heels tapping a rhythmic beat against the polished floors. It was nearing lunchtime, and her earlier conversation with the maid about the "guest" in Jungkook's room continued to gnaw at her. The sight of her son being unusually private, especially with someone she didn't know, was unsettling.

Unable to ignore her growing curiosity, she knocked firmly on the door. "Jungkook," she called, her voice calm but edged with authority. "It's past noon. Lunch is ready. Come down soon."

Inside the room, Jungkook exchanged a glance with Seokjin. They'd heard her approach well before the knock, the heightened awareness of their kind making her presence impossible to miss.

Jungkook sighed, brushing his fingers through his hair. "She's persistent."

Seokjin gave a faint, knowing smile. "She's your mother. That's her job."

Rising from the bed, Jungkook adjusted his shirt and moved toward the door. "Stay here. I'll handle this," he said softly. Seokjin nodded, watching as Jungkook opened the door, revealing Mrs. Jeon waiting with her usual poised yet commanding demeanor.

Mrs. Jeon's sharp eyes immediately assessed her son, noting his composed expression and the faint tension in his posture. "You've been in here all morning," she said, her voice even but probing. "And I hear you're not alone."

Jungkook nodded, his tone steady. "That's right. I have a guest."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "And you weren't planning to introduce me?"

"I was," Jungkook replied firmly, standing his ground. "I'll bring him down later, properly, once we're ready."

Mrs. Jeon tilted her head, her gaze searching his face. "And who, exactly, is this guest? I'd like to know before I have a stranger sitting at my dining table."

Jungkook hesitated for only a moment before answering, his voice calm but resolute. "His name is Kim Seokjin. He's someone very important to me."

Mrs. Jeon's eyes flickered briefly with something unreadable—surprise, perhaps, or recognition of the name. She masked it quickly, her expression sharpening. "Kim Seokjin," she repeated slowly. "Important to you in what way, Jungkook?"

Jungkook met her gaze directly, his resolve unshaken. "You'll understand when I introduce him. But I need you to trust me on this."

Mrs. Jeon's lips pressed into a thin line. Her instincts told her there was more to this than her son was revealing, but she chose not to press further. For now. "Very well," she said after a pause. "But don't keep me waiting too long. Lunch is ready, and I expect both of you to join me downstairs."

Jungkook inclined his head. "We'll be there soon."

With a final assessing look, Mrs. Jeon turned and descended the staircase, her thoughts swirling with questions she didn't yet have answers to.

Jungkook closed the door and leaned against it with a sigh, his expression softening as he turned back toward Seokjin. "She's sharp," he said with a faint smile. "She's already piecing things together."

Seokjin, who had been watching quietly from the edge of the bed, chuckled softly. "She seems formidable. Are you sure about this introduction?"

"She needs to meet you," Jungkook replied firmly, crossing the room to sit beside Seokjin. "I don't want to hide you from her. You're part of my life now."

Seokjin's gaze softened, though a trace of concern lingered in his eyes. "It won't be easy to explain everything, especially without revealing too much."