SWEETHEART

Chapter-38

HI

Taehyung wandered through the quiet university campus, the familiar sights around him fading into a blur as his thoughts spiraled. The news of Jeongguk's call with Namjoon, the engagement, it all felt like a whirlwind. He couldn't deny that he was happy for his hyung and Jin hyung; the two of them had always seemed to share an unspoken connection, something deeper than just partnership. Taehyung has always sensed it.

The invitation for the engagement had been a surprise, but not in a bad way.

Taehyung was proud of them-he could see how much they meant to each other. But there was something in Jeongguk's eyes when he mentioned the details of the date and venue that made Taehyung pause. It felt like there was more to the story than he was letting on. Jeongguk's voice had wavered, like he was holding back something that didn't quite fit with the joyful occasion.

Despite the smile he'd put on for his brother, Taehyung couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in his gut. The long meeting between Jeongguk and Namjoon in the home office , the one that kept him from giving Taehyung a ride to the university that morning ....something about it didn't sit right.

Namjoon had always been a steady presence in their lives, but Taehyung couldn't ignore the nagging thought that maybe something was wrong.

He paused for a moment by the fountain, looking at the water as if it would offer him some answers. Taehyung's protective instincts kicked in. He didn't want to be just a passive observer, standing on the sidelines while someone he cared about faced trouble. But what could he do? He wasn't a part of that world, the world of adults, of responsibilities and issues that felt too heavy for him to handle.

Taking a deep breath, Taehyung shook his head, trying to push the worry away. For now, all he could do was wait and hope that whatever was going on would resolve itself. But deep down, he knew he wasn't the type to let go of his concerns so easily.

As he walked through the campus, he hoped that Jeongguk would tell him soon, or that Namjoon would reach out. Until then, he would be there, ready to listen when the time came.

--------

The tension in the home office was palpable, thick with the weight of the conversation unfolding. Namjoon sat at the polished wooden desk, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the edges of a file in front of him. He wasn't looking at the papers, though. His mind was far from the documents scattered across the desk, preoccupied with a plan that had been forming for weeks.

Jeongguk leaned back in the chair, a calm but intense presence. His company was more than strong enough to stand up against Namjoon's father; in fact, it could destroy him without breaking a sweat. But it wasn't about power alone ....it was about the right kind of strategy, the kind that could bring down years of corruption without leaving any room for retaliation.

"I understand," Jeongguk said after a moment, his voice steady. "I'll talk to Mr. Ren Meguro. Recently, a business connection was formed between us. But I know he won't deny any favours I ask him for."

Namjoon nodded, feeling the first flicker of relief. "Thank you, Mr. Jeon. I'm very thankful. I don't know how to repay your kindness."

Jeongguk's expression softened into a polite smile. "Please, no need to thank me. Besides, we are family."

Namjoon looked at him for a long moment, feeling his heart tighten with gratitude...not just for the help Jeongguk was offering in this dangerous game with his father's empire, but for the way he had always supported Taehyung.

He had watched from the sidelines as Jeongguk took care of Taehyung, loved him, and made him feel safe when the world was anything but.

His voice dropped slightly, softer now, as he spoke. "And I'm especially grateful for you being in Tae's life. You don't know how much peace that gives me....knowing he's loved and cared for by someone like you. After everything he has been through, it means more than I can say."