15

Taehyung woke up, feeling the weight of the previous night's events pressing down on him. He groggily made his way to the bathroom to freshen up. When he came downstairs, he found Yoongi and Hoseok waiting for him.

"Good morning," Yoongi greeted him, his voice soft with concern.

Taehyung glanced at them briefly before taking a seat, silence heavy in the air.

Yoongi exchanged a worried look with Hoseok, who simply shrugged.

"What's wrong?" Yoongi asked gently.

"Nothing, just a little headache," Taehyung replied.

"Do you want some medicine?" Hoseok asked, his eyes filled with genuine worry.

Taehyung managed a small smile. "No, it's okay." Hoseok nodded.

"Let's have breakfast together.It's been a while since we've eaten together. I asked the kitchen to make your favorites."

"Hmmm, let's go," Taehyung said, standing up.

In the dining room, the aroma of delicious dishes filled the air. Taehyung took his seat at the head of the table, with Hoseok and Yoongi sitting on either side. Yoongi kept glancing at Taehyung, wondering if he would speak.

"What do you want to say?" Taehyung asked, breaking the silence.

"Should we ask Jimin to eat with us?" Yoongi suggested cautiously.

Taehyung's eyes sharpened. "Don't you care for him a little too much?" he mocked.

"It's not that. I was just taking care of him for you," Yoongi replied defensively.

Taehyung chuckled bitterly. "I told you to monitor him, not to befriend him or..." He stopped, his eyes filling with rage at the memory of them in the garden.

"You're taking it wrong," Yoongi tried to explain, but the tension was palpable.

Hoseok, sensing the rising tension, intervened. "Please, let's eat silently," he said, giving Yoongi a pointed look.

Yoongi nodded and started eating quietly. Hoseok turned to Taehyung. "Shall we ask a maid to bring him food?"

Taehyung's gaze hardened. "No. Go ask the boy to come here," he ordered a maid.

Jimin was lying with his eyes closed when the maid entered his room. He opened his eyes slowly, staring at the unfamiliar face.

"Boss is calling you for breakfast," she said.

Surprised, Jimin's heart began to race. Why was he being called out of his room? Nothing good ever happened when he was summoned. His mind raced with anxiety.

"He asked you to come quickly," the maid added.

Knowing the consequences of disobedience, Jimin got up and followed her, his fear mounting with each step. When they entered the dining room, Taehyung's gaze bore into him.

"Come sit here," Taehyung commanded, pointing to the chair beside him.

Jimin walked slowly and sat down, his eyes darting to Yoongi and Hoseok. Hoseok smiled faintly, noticing Jimin's swollen and bruised lips—a consequence of Jimin's brutal rubbing.

"Eat," Taehyung ordered.

As the maid served him Jimin picked up a fork with trembling hands, eyes cast downward. Yoongi filled a glass with juice and placed it in front of Jimin, earning simultaneous expressions of displeasure from Taehyung and Hoseok.

"Yoongi, he has hands too. You don't have to serve him," Taehyung said sternly.

Jealousy flickered in Taehyung's eyes.

. Hoseok whispered to Yoongi , "Eat silently."

Taehyung's eyes bore into Jimin, who was barely eating. "Didn't you love coming out of your room?" he asked sharply. "Then why are you sitting here mourning?" he shouted.

Jimin trembled, the fork slipping from his hand. "You can't even hold a fork properly," Taehyung snapped.

He took a slice of bread, buttered it, and handed it to Jimin. "Eat it."

For the first time since Jimin entered the room, Taehyung truly looked at him. The sight of Jimin's bruised lips stirred something in his heart—a feeling he despised. He reached out and unintentionally caressed Jimin's lower lip.

Jimin winced in pain.Yoongi looked at Taehyung his eyes wide with surprise.

"Go get an ointment," Taehyung growled to the maids.

After the maid returned with the ointment, Taehyung applied it gently to Jimin's lips. He bent down, whispering in Jimin's ear, his hot breath sending shivers down Jimin's spine. "Never hurt yourself again, or you'll regret it."

Straightening up, he ordered, "Finish this juice."

Jimin slowly drank the juice.

Taehyung wiped his mouth gently with his thumb. Jimin flinched, his breath hitching at Taehyung's strange behavior.

"Go back to your room and rest," Taehyung ordered.

Jimin, eager to escape, stood up and hurried towards his room. As he left, Taehyung rose from his seat.

"Come to the office after you're done," he ordered and left the room.

---

In the office, Taehyung reviewed some documents, a smirk playing on his lips. The report detailed the downfall of the Park family.

Hoseok and Yoongi entered the room.

"It's time for Park to suffer," Taehyung said, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Tell the media about the background of his woman."

Hoseok nodded.

"And about the shipment, I want you to handle that personally," he instructed Yoongi.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it," Yoongi assured him.

"There's something I want to talk to you about," Yoongi began, but Taehyung cut him off.

"If it's about Jimin, don't bother. I'll handle him myself," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Yoongi nodded. "Okay, we'll leave now," he said, exiting with Hoseok.

"Do you want to have drinks?" Yoongi asked Hoseok.

"Yeah, why not? Let me ask Jin too," Hoseok replied.

"Hmm," Yoongi smiled, the tension easing slightly as they left.

~~~~~~

In Yoongi's dimly lit apartment, Jin, Hoseok, and Yoongi sat around a low table cluttered with empty bottles and half-filled glasses. The atmosphere was warm, the air thick with the scent of alcohol.

Jin looked up from his drink, breaking the comfortable silence. "I am going abroad tomorrow to meet my parents," he said.

Hoseok raised his glass in a mock toast. "Enjoy your trip, hyung," he replied with a smile. "We'll take care of things here."

Jin's expression turned serious. "After I leave, take care of Taehyung" he paused "and Jimin too," he added.

"Taehyung is really harsh on Jimin," Yoongi said, swirling his drink thoughtfully.

Hoseok looked at Yoongi hus eyes were filled with concern for Jimin.

"I know. Taehyung's been through a lot in the past. It's made him bitter, but trust me, he has a big spot for him in his heart," Jin reassured, taking a sip from his glass.

" I hope so" Yoongi said

Jin stood up, stretching. "I have to leave now. I have a flight tomorrow."

Hoseok got up and hugged him tightly. "Take care, hyung."

Yoongi followed suit, giving Jin a brief but heartfelt hug and escorting him to the door. After Jin left, Yoongi returned to find Hoseok still sitting at the table, his eyes a little glassy from the drinks.

Hoseok's voice was hoarse as he spoke. "Yoongi, do you like him?"

Yoongi looked at him, surprised. "Who are you talking about?"

"Jimin," Hoseok clarified, his gaze steady. "Do you like him?"

Yoongi paused, the question hanging heavily in the air.