Taehyung arrived at the office earlier than usual, the sleek black car gliding to a stop outside the glass tower as dawn's first light reflected off its surface. He stepped out, impeccably dressed, hair perfectly in place, and walked through the lobby with his usual measured grace. Inside the boardroom, the room was already buzzing with early morning energy. Papers shuffled, laptops clicked, and voices mingled in a low hum of corporate rhythm.
The meeting began smoothly enough, until one of the CEOs, a sharply dressed woman with an air of overconfidence, made her move. She positioned herself close to Taehyung, smiling too widely, laughing too loudly at jokes only she found funny, leaning a fraction too close when presenting her points. Every gesture, every glance, was deliberate, and Taehyung felt his chest tighten as he tried to maintain his composure.
He listened to her presentation with a polite nod here and there, but inside, his mind was a controlled storm. Her attempts to charm, to test, to provoke him were obvious, and he knew precisely why she was doing it. He would not give her the satisfaction. His jaw tightened imperceptibly, the smallest of movements, but enough to betray the simmering agitation beneath the calm exterior.
Across the room, Jungkook's attention was elsewhere. His eyes followed Hannah as she prepared to give her presentation. She moved with quiet confidence, her voice steady as she outlined her strategy and ideas. Jungkook found himself watching her more closely than usual, noting the way she interacted with the data, the way her fingers gestured subtly as she emphasized points. For the first time in a long while, his thoughts were captivated by someone outside his usual bubble.
Taehyung, meanwhile, noticed everything. Not the CEO's flattery, not her closeness, not even the way she tried to provoke him—his focus had narrowed entirely on Jungkook. A flicker of awareness passed over him as he observed the younger man's fixed gaze on Hannah. He could see it in the way Jungkook's lips pressed into a thin line, in the subtle shift of his posture, in the slight widening of his eyes when Hannah made a particularly clever point.
Taehyung's jaw tightened further, almost instinctively, as if the simple act of observing Jungkook's attention could ignite some protective flame. The thought was irrational, almost absurd, and yet, he could not deny the surge of possessive awareness that coursed through him. He had trained himself to control every impulse, every reaction, yet this simple, human observation, Jungkook noticing someone else hit him in an unexpected, sharp way.
Jungkook, oblivious to the subtle storm brewing across the table, continued to focus on Hannah's presentation. He admired her clarity, her confidence, her poise. It was different from the usual office interactions, from the people who sought attention or recognition. She was authentic, and it drew his focus naturally, effortlessly. For a fleeting moment, he caught himself wondering if this fascination meant something deeper, something he had not yet defined.
Taehyung's eyes followed his every movement, subtle but deliberate. He noted how Jungkook leaned slightly forward when Hannah elaborated on a point, how his hands gripped the edge of the table, how a small, almost imperceptible smile flickered and vanished when she finished a particularly impressive section. That small smile, almost involuntary, stirred something deep in Taehyung.
The female CEO, seemingly oblivious to the undercurrents between Taehyung and Jungkook, continued her attention-seeking performance. Her words brushed over Taehyung like a persistent wind, attempting to shift him, unsettle him. Yet his gaze remained locked, narrowed in quiet focus on Jungkook's reactions, on the younger man's distraction, on the way his entire being seemed drawn to someone else for a brief, shining moment.
Taehyung's agitation was silent but palpable. Every subtle flicker of Jungkook's attention away from the ongoing board discussions sent a sharp edge through him. It was irrational, yes. Impossible, perhaps. Yet the possessive, protective instinct could not be denied. He allowed the CEO to finish her points, excusing himself internally from the irritation she sought to provoke. His focus remained fixed, like a predator observing its prey, though in this case, the "prey" was completely unaware of the weight of Taehyung's gaze.
Jungkook finally glanced away from Hannah as the presentation concluded, and Taehyung's eyes followed instinctively. The younger man's posture relaxed, his attention returning to the room in general, yet the subtle tension had not left Taehyung's chest. The knowledge that Jungkook could be impressed, distracted, or even charmed by someone else was enough to make him acutely aware of every detail, every nuance of the room around them.
For the first time in a long while, the usual power dynamics, the professional facades, the polished routines of the boardroom seemed secondary. What mattered, unexpectedly, was not the business at hand but the small, human threads weaving quietly through the room. Taehyung's tight jaw, the flicker of his gaze, the imperceptible tension in his posture, it all spoke to an awareness he rarely allowed himself: Jungkook noticing someone else, and the sharp, possessive surge that accompanied it.
As the meeting wrapped up and people began to file out, Taehyung leaned back in his chair for a brief moment, the faintest sigh escaping him. The boardroom returned to a quiet rhythm, but the awareness lingered. He had seen what had captured Jungkook's attention, and he would not let it go unnoticed.
The meeting paused for a short break, and people began to stretch, refill their drinks, or step out to take calls. Hannah excused herself, leaving the boardroom for a moment, and Jungkook let his eyes wander not intending to, but they inevitably found the female CEO still lingering near Taehyung.
She was leaning a little too close, her laugh louder than necessary, her hand brushing his arm in a way that screamed calculated charm. Jungkook's stomach twisted in an unfamiliar way, irritation flaring before he even understood why. He felt an urge to step in, to disrupt the scene, though the logic of it made no sense.
Taehyung, calm on the surface, noticed the CEO's advances and tensed imperceptibly, his jaw tightening ever so slightly. But there was a flicker of amusement behind his sharp eyes, a knowing smirk that no one else could see. He sensed the change in Jungkook too, the way his focus had shifted, the subtle tightening of his body, the quiet intensity in his gaze.
Unable to stand it, Jungkook straightened, his usual polite expression fixed, though it carried an edge he didn't entirely intend. He stepped toward the female CEO, his posture calm, and offered a warm, almost calculated smile. Warm enough to be polite, but not genuine enough to hide the slight undertone of warning.
"Excuse me, Ma'am," he said smoothly, voice soft but firm. "What would you like to have?"
The woman blinked, slightly taken aback by the unexpected interruption. There was a moment of hesitation, as if she hadn't expected anyone to challenge her. Jungkook's smile, that delicate balance between courtesy and subtle command, held her attention.
Taehyung, observing from his chair, felt an almost imperceptible smirk tug at his lips. The tension in the room shifted subtly, the air charged with an unspoken understanding. Jungkook had inserted himself into the scene, not aggressively, not disrespectfully, but with enough poise to make it clear that her little games were being noticed.
The female CEO, momentarily flustered, laughed lightly, forcing herself back into composure. "I... I was just checking if you had any preferences," she stammered, glancing at Taehyung as if seeking permission or approval.
Jungkook's eyes flicked to Taehyung briefly, a subtle acknowledgment passing between them. He returned her gaze, calm and deliberate. "Anything you like," he said again, this time softer, smoother, but still layered with that underlying control.
Taehyung's smirk widened, the amusement in his eyes sharp and knowing. He could see the irritation that had flared in Jungkook, the possessive undertone, the way he had subtly asserted himself. And even as the scene was interrupted, Taehyung felt a rare, small thrill in the quiet power dynamics unfolding before him.
The female CEO, sensing that her subtle game had been noticed and deflected, gave a tight smile and stepped back, carefully maintaining her composed demeanor. Jungkook returned to his seat, posture relaxed once more, though the quiet fire in his eyes remained.
Taehyung leaned back slightly, letting his gaze linger on Jungkook for just a moment longer, the smirk still playing at his lips. The younger man had stepped in without ceremony, without causing a scene, and yet the message had been clear. It was a rare satisfaction, watching Jungkook assert himself in this way, and it made the boardroom feel unusually charged.
As people began to mill about, refilling cups and whispering in small groups, Taehyung allowed himself a moment of quiet thought. Jungkook's subtle possessiveness, his irritation at seeing someone else reach for him, and the smooth way he had diffused the tension, it was rare and impressive, even amusing. A small, private satisfaction settled in Taehyung's chest.
For Jungkook, the moment left a lingering warmth, a strange mix of irritation and control, and a small, unspoken satisfaction in having interrupted what felt like an inappropriate advance. Neither of them spoke, but the exchange lingered, subtle yet loaded, leaving the air between them heavier, more charged, and infinitely more interesting.