His Hidden Legacy~ Vhope

Uncertain Shelter.

Authors pov

The night was quiet, but the chaos in Hoseok’s heart made it hard to notice. He sat in the back seat of the taxi, his tear-streaked face pressed to the window. The faint hum of the engine filled the air, interrupted occasionally by the driver's concerned voice.

"Are you okay, young man?" the driver asked, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

Hoseok swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "Y-yeah… I’m fine."

But the truth was far from it. He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and looked down at his phone. He had called Namjoon several times on the way here, but there had been no answer. He figured it was late—too late—and Namjoon was probably asleep. He hated the thought of barging in unannounced, but he didn’t know where else to go.

His destination was clear. Namjoon’s place.

The taxi slowed as it entered a quiet, well-kept neighborhood. Hoseok sniffled, sitting up straighter as they approached a familiar gate. "This is my stop," he said softly, his voice barely audible.

The driver hummed in acknowledgment and pulled up to the curb. Hoseok fished some bills from his wallet, his hands shaking slightly as he paid the fare. "Thank you," he murmured, grabbing his suitcase and stepping out of the car.

The driver gave him a brief, worried look before driving off into the night, leaving Hoseok alone in front of the large gate. He stood there for a moment, clutching the handle of his suitcase as he fought the lump in his throat.

"I can do this," he whispered to himself, trying to muster the courage to face his best friend.

He pressed the bell on the wall, and a small camera slid out of a hidden compartment. It scanned his face briefly before retracting, and with a soft hum, the gate swung open. Hoseok let out a shaky sigh and dragged his suitcase behind him, stepping into the expansive compound. The polished driveway gleamed under the faint glow of the moonlight, and the house ahead stood tall and imposing.

Hoseok hesitated at the door. He didn’t want to disturb anyone, especially not tonight, but he had no choice. Namjoon was his only refuge right now. He’ll take me in, Hoseok reassured himself, but am I being an inconvenience?

He raised a trembling hand and knocked softly. For a moment, there was no sound, no sign that anyone had heard him. He knocked again, this time a little louder.

Footsteps echoed from inside, growing closer until the door creaked open. Hoseok’s eyes widened slightly as Jin appeared in the doorway, half-naked, his skin decorated with fresh hickeys.

Jin blinked at him, looking both surprised and slightly annoyed. "Hoseok?"

Before Hoseok could respond, Namjoon’s voice called out from somewhere inside. "Baby, who’s at the door?"

Hoseok’s gaze shifted past Jin just in time to see Namjoon walking into view, adjusting his belt. Namjoon froze mid-step when his eyes met Hoseok’s tearful ones. "Babe?" Namjoon said softly, his voice laced with concern.

That was all it took. The dam broke, and Hoseok burst into tears. Without thinking, he ran to Namjoon, throwing himself into his arms. His suitcase clattered to the ground as he wrapped his legs around Namjoon’s waist, sobbing into his chest.

Namjoon instinctively caught him, his arms wrapping securely around Hoseok. "Hoseok? Hey, what’s wrong? What happened?" His voice was filled with worry, his hands rubbing soothing circles on Hoseok’s back.

Hoseok couldn’t form words. He just cried harder, clinging to Namjoon like a lifeline.

Meanwhile, Jin stood frozen in the doorway, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. His gaze flicked between Namjoon and Hoseok, his jaw tightening. He couldn’t ignore the pang of jealousy that flared in his chest.

Namjoon was his boyfriend, and seeing him hold someone else so intimately—calling them "babe," no less—stung more than he cared to admit.

Jin cleared his throat, his tone clipped. "Should I give you two a moment?"

Namjoon turned his head slightly, his brow furrowing as he glanced at Jin. "Jin, this is Hoseok. He’s my best friend. Something’s wrong."

Jin crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe as he watched Namjoon comfort Hoseok. "I know who he is, Namjoon. I’m just wondering why he’s… wrapped around you like that."

Namjoon frowned, his focus still on the trembling figure in his arms. "Because he needs me right now," he said firmly. "Can we talk about this later?"

Jin’s eyes flicked to the abandoned suitcase at the threshold. With a sigh, he bent down to pick it up, pushing it inside before closing the door. "Fine," he muttered, though the unease in his chest remained.

As Namjoon continued to hold Hoseok, Jin’s mind raced. Why did Namjoon call him babe? It wasn’t exactly a term you used for a friend, was it? He told himself it was just a habit, maybe something Namjoon said without thinking. But the way Hoseok clung to him—the way Namjoon held him back—made Jin’s stomach churn.

He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts aside. Namjoon and Hoseok had known each other for years. This was probably nothing… right?

But deep down, Jin couldn’t shake the feeling that this was something he couldn’t ignore.