The next day arrived, a quiet morning
settling over the hospital as Taehyung went through his usual routine. His office was calm, bathed in soft natural light filtering through the windows. A cup of now-cold coffee sat beside his notes, untouched as he listened to yet another patient pour out their worries. His days were predictable—listening, advising, guiding.
One client left, another came. The pattern remained unchanged.
That was until Ruka walked in, accompanied—as always—by Jungkook and Yugyeom.
Taehyung glanced up from his papers, offering a polite, professional smile. "Welcome. How are you doing, Ruka? Today is your last session. I hope you've been doing well." His voice was calm, measured, the same as it always was.
Before Ruka could respond, Jungkook chimed in, arms crossed over his chest, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "Of course, a movie is better than therapy after all." His voice was light, almost lazy, as if expecting Taehyung to react.
But Taehyung didn’t react.
He didn’t even glance at Jungkook, nor did he acknowledge the remark. Instead, he turned his gaze to Yugyeom, his expression remaining composed. "You both may wait outside while I finish." His tone was polite but firm, leaving no room for argument.
Jungkook's smile faltered for a brief second before he scoffed, tilting his head slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Dr. Kim? Hello?" He waved a hand in front of him as if trying to break Taehyung's unwavering calm.
This time, Taehyung spared him a glance—brief, indifferent. "Yes, Jungkook. Hello." And then, as if dismissing him entirely, he turned back to Ruka. "Now go."
Jungkook blinked, momentarily caught off guard by how effortlessly Taehyung shut him down. His lips parted as if to say something, but then he just let out a small huff, clicking his tongue against his teeth.
Yugyeom, watching from the side, smirked slightly but said nothing, grabbing Jungkook's arm and tugging him toward the door. "Come on, man. Let the doctor do his job."
Jungkook shot Taehyung one last look before reluctantly following Yugyeom outside, his mind buzzing with irritation—and something else he couldn’t quite place.
Outside the office, Jungkook scoffed, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His lips curled into a playful smirk, though his fingers absentmindedly drummed against his arm. "Why is Dr. Kim so salty today?" He tilted his head, glancing at Yugyeom with feigned confusion.
Yugyeom, unimpressed, rolled his eyes and exhaled sharply. "Are you seriously trying to act ignorant right now?" His gaze flickered toward Jungkook, studying him. "Obviously, he must've heard what you and the others said about him on your live stream yesterday."
Jungkook blinked, then chuckled, shrugging it off with an easy grin. "Ohhh, you got a point." He shot Yugyeom a wink, as if the whole situation was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Yugyeom, however, didn’t find it amusing. His expression remained unimpressed, his arms folding across his chest. "You’re seriously underestimating the damage, Jungkook." His voice was firm, though not accusatory. "That wasn’t just 'talking.' You were mocking him—his career, his personality. You and other turned him into a joke for entertainment."
Jungkook’s smirk faltered, but only for a second before he rolled his eyes, pushing off the wall. "Come on, it wasn’t that deep," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "We were just having fun. No one took it seriously."
Yugyeom let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "Maybe you didn’t take it seriously, but Taehyung hyung did. You humiliated a man who’s dedicated his life to helping people. You think he’s going to welcome you with open arms after that?"
