THE CONSPIRACY-BANGTAN MAFIA FF ➡️

SEVENTY-SEVEN

Jungkook's cramped workspace was lit only by the blue glow of his computer monitor. Tucked away in a quiet corner of his apartment, he sat hunched over the keyboard. Two empty ramen cups sat nearby, but he barely noticed them—he was too tired to care, but he kept working anyway.

Despite Yoongi's dismissal of the official records, Jungkook had plunged back into the digital depths, determined to find a crack in Eva Shin's flawless Canadian identity. The system might confirm she was a Canadian heiress, but the data felt too clean, too deliberately constructed. He muttered to himself, rubbing his tired eyes. "She is so identical to Miss Han... But how?"

He was running deep financial forensics on the family conglomerate, attempting to trace the source of their wealth. That investigation led directly to the CEO: her brother, Shin Jae-Chul.

Just as he isolated a high-resolution image file, Jae-Chul's professional, sharp face—all cold angles and calculated power—snapped into focus on the main monitor screen.

A moment later, a pair of warm arms wrapped tightly around Jungkook's chest, and a chin rested intimately on his shoulder.

"Look who's actually here," Jimin murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Jungkook's neck. "I thought you might have moved into the Wi-Fi router; you've been ignoring me all day."

Jungkook smiled faintly, leaning back into the embrace. "Hey, my love. Just trying to finish up."

Jimin's eyes drifted to the monitor, where Jae-Chul's striking, perfectly composed face was displayed prominently. Jimin's easy, affectionate mood evaporated instantly. The hug tightened, but the affection gave way to a sudden, intense tension.

"Who is he?" Jimin asked, his voice sharp with a defensive, jealous edge. "And why is his picture on your screen?"

Jungkook sighed, immediately recognizing the tone. "Jiminie, relax. It's work."

"I see that it's work, babe," Jimin countered, tilting his head to look at his boyfriend's face. "But why is this gorgeous stranger the subject of your very concentrated, very late-night focus? Are you investigating him? Or is this... a side project?"

Jungkook shook his head, gently pulling Jimin's arms to turn slightly and face him. "Stop that. It's exactly what it looks like—I'm investigating him."

Jimin's eyes went back to the monitor. "He looks important. What kind of case requires you to stare at a man's photo for ten minutes?"

"Jiminie," Jungkook said, trying to inject some authority into his tone, "it's complicated. He's the brother of the person my client is looking into. That's all."

Jimin's hold didn't loosen. "And who asked you to investigate him? Who is this client that has you sacrificing your sleep for a woman who has a brother who looks like that?"

Jungkook avoided his gaze. "I can't tell you, my love. You know how this works. It's confidential work. I'm not supposed to expose anything about the client. The fewer people who know, the safer everyone is."

Jimin let out a frustrated sound, releasing Jungkook, only to cross his arms tightly over his chest. His suspicion wasn't fully satisfied, but he knew better than to push Jungkook on client confidentiality. "So I'm just supposed to sit here while you obsess over this man's face for the next week?"

"I'm obsessing over his tax filings, I promise," Jungkook muttered, pulling Jimin into a proper hug to finally silence the protest. "Now, give me fifteen minutes, and I'll make us some food. I haven't eaten a proper meal in twelve hours." Before letting go, Jungkook kissed Jimin's irresistible lips.