The board meeting ended, the room buzzing with the usual chatter as executives gathered their papers and slowly filed out. Jungkook lingered by the doorway for a moment, waiting for a chance to tidy up a few things before leaving.
Taehyung, already heading to his cabin, didn't notice the subtle tension following him or the foreign presence waiting inside. The door to his office opened smoothly, and there was Matt, sitting casually on the edge of Taehyung's desk, blonde hair catching the light from the tall windows. His presence filled the room with an easy, unspoken familiarity.
"Tae!" Matt exclaimed the moment Taehyung stepped in, arms wide. Before Taehyung could react, he was hugged warmly, a genuine, long embrace that drew a small, rare smile from him. Pulling back slightly, Matt let himself settle onto the desk where Taehyung's chair usually rested. The casual ease and the comfort, it was clear these two shared a history known only to them.
Jungkook, quietly stepping into the cabin to hand over a few documents, froze at the sight. The ease, the intimacy, the laugh that passed between them, it was startling. He cleared his throat softly, giving them a polite nod, and Taehyung's voice broke the moment.
"Jeon, you're dismissed for today. You can head out."
Jungkook gave a small bow, retreating quietly, but not without noticing how the two men continued their animated conversation. Their gestures, the way Matt leaned casually toward Taehyung, the playful teasing in their smiles, it left a strange flutter in Jungkook's chest, a mix of curiosity and a prick of unease he didn't understand.
Later, when Jungkook returned for a document he had forgotten, he paused just outside the cabin, glancing through the glass panel in the door. Matt had leaned in closer to Taehyung, his face so near that Jungkook's breath caught. The gesture was intimate, almost close enough for a kiss, though Taehyung's expression was calm, soft, and completely at ease.
Jungkook's stomach twisted, a knot of emotions he couldn't name forming in his chest. Without making a sound, he quietly backed away from the door, retreating down the corridor before either of them could notice. He didn't let them know he had seen it. He wouldn't mention it, not now, not ever.
Walking away, his thoughts churned. The image of Matt, the intimacy he had witnessed, and Taehyung's unusual smile haunted him. There was something unfamiliar in seeing that side of Taehyung, something that made him both curious and uncomfortable in equal measure.
He kept his head down, pretending the corridor was empty, but the quiet awareness of what he had seen lingered, an unspoken tension that had quietly inserted itself into the day. Jungkook didn't understand it yet, but he knew one thing: Taehyung was not as untouchable as he seemed, and there were corners of his world that even Jungkook, with all his attention, had never glimpsed before.
The thought settled in Jungkook's mind as he left the office, careful to appear composed. Behind the closed cabin door, Matt laughed lightly, and Taehyung's smirk returned, sharper now, knowing perfectly well how much of their little moment had gone unseen.
Jungkook walked briskly down the corridor, hands tucked into his pockets, but his mind was anything but calm. The scene he had just glimpsed in Taehyung's cabin kept replaying in sharp detail: That foreign man leaning in, close enough to kiss, and Taehyung, calm, unflinching, entirely at ease as usual.
A thought struck Jungkook with a jolt he wasn't prepared for. Earlier, in the boardroom, when the female CEO had been all over Taehyung, he had seemed… uneasy. Distant, almost uninterested. Not his usual composed self. Not even a trace of flirtation, not even a flicker of indulgence that would have been expected in such a situation.
Could it be…? The idea made him pause mid-step. Taehyung, Mr. Kim, the untouchable, immaculate, perfectly polished Taehyung, could he be into men? The notion seemed absurd at first, almost impossible. He was famous, a household name in the business world, and any such revelation would have spread like wildfire in Korea. But Taehyung's name was spotless, untarnished, controlled in every sense of the word. Even female employees who worked under him had nothing to say, no rumors, no whispers, no hints.
And yet, the way Taehyung had interacted with that man, the familiarity, the ease, and especially the intimacy, it was undeniable. Jungkook shook his head subtly, trying to dismiss the thought, but it clung stubbornly.
If Taehyung was indeed attracted to men, it explained the subtle irritations, the unspoken possessiveness Jungkook had seen flicker earlier. It explained the calm disinterest in the female CEO's advances. And yet… how could someone like Taehyung, who commanded attention everywhere he went, remain entirely free of scandal, rumor, or gossip?
The questions spiraled in Jungkook's mind, a mix of curiosity, confusion, and something else he couldn't quite name. He didn't dare voice them, not aloud, not even to himself in certainty. But the realization brought an unexpected edge to his thoughts, a new layer to the already complex image of the man he worked for and for reasons he didn't yet understand, admired.
Jungkook's steps slowed as he approached the elevator, the quiet hum of the office fading around him. He didn't know what to do with the images, the possibilities, the sudden awareness that Taehyung's private life. Whatever it truly was, it was a world Jungkook might never fully glimpse.
And yet, the thought that Taehyung could care for someone like that particular man in such an open, intimate way left a knot of unfamiliar tension in Jungkook's chest. It was impossible to shake, and the questions kept circling:
Was Taehyung really gay? Could he… care for someone like that? Why did it matter so much to Jungkook himself, even though he wasn't supposed to care about this at all?
The elevator doors closed with a soft whoosh, carrying Jungkook down to the lobby, but the questions remained, persistent and insistent. He didn't have the answers. And somehow, the thought that Taehyung had a side of himself so carefully hidden and that he had glimpsed just a fragment, it made Jungkook's pulse quicken more than he wanted to admit.
He found himself wandering down a quieter hallway, still processing what he had just seen. The images of Taehyung and Matt lingered stubbornly, the questions spinning in his mind like an unsolvable puzzle. He knew he needed to talk, needed to get it off his chest even if only to someone who wouldn't judge.
Hannah was nearby, gathering her notes before leaving the office. Jungkook hesitated for a moment, then approached her, his voice quieter than usual. "Hey… can I ask you something?"
She looked up, curious, a small smile on her face. "Of course. What's up?"
He swallowed, feeling suddenly self-conscious. "Do you… think it's possible for someone like Mr. Kim to… you know… be into men?" The words felt awkward, foreign coming out of his mouth. He glanced at her, noticing the subtle lift of her eyebrows, the amused sparkle in her eyes.
Hannah laughed, a short, light sound that made Jungkook's chest tighten in an unexpected way. "I don't think so. Honestly? It doesn't really matter. Why are you thinking about this so much?"
Jungkook felt a flush creep up his neck. He had expected her to take it seriously, to give some thoughtful response but instead, she was laughing, effortlessly brushing it off. He felt an odd mix of embarrassment and guilt.
"I… I don't know," he muttered, his hands curling slightly at his sides. "I just… I saw something earlier, and it made me think…" He trailed off, unsure how to phrase it without sounding ridiculous.
Hannah shook her head, still smiling, and gave a gentle shrug. "Look, if he likes someone, that's his business. Not really something for us to stress over."
Jungkook nodded, trying to absorb her words. But inside, a quiet reflection began. If he, Jungkook, had a crush on Hannah, a fleeting, confusing, impossible little thing then why should it bother him if Taehyung cared about someone else? He wasn't someone to judge love based on gender. Love was love, after all.
And yet… the very assumption had left him feeling guilty. Guilty that his mind had wandered into such personal territory about Taehyung, that he had assumed the possibilities, that he had judged even silently, what someone else might feel.
He looked down at his shoes, ashamed of the intensity of his own curiosity. Hannah's laughter, light and teasing, rang in his ears, and he felt the uncomfortable awareness that he had allowed himself to think something so personal about his boss.
"Well," Hannah said finally, still smiling, "don't overthink it. He's Mr. Kim. He's complicated. Just let it be."
Jungkook nodded again, forcing a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. He took a deep breath, trying to let go of the swirl of thoughts and the knot of guilt that had lodged in his chest. He decided, quietly, that he wouldn't judge Taehyung or himself, on mere assumptions.
As Hannah walked away, Jungkook watched her, feeling the faint warmth of a crush he was still coming to terms with. And in the same quiet moment, he let himself think that if Taehyung had feelings for someone, it was no one's business but his own. He couldn't control it, and he shouldn't try.
But the awareness lingered. The questions about Taehyung, the unexpected image of intimacy, the quiet acknowledgment of feelings, none of it would leave him so easily. And Jungkook, despite his resolve, knew that this was only the beginning of something that would quietly, stubbornly stir inside him.