chapter 24

"What's going on here?"The sudden voice sliced through the air, causing both Jimin and Y/N to turn in the direction of the disturbance. Their laughter, which had been light and easy just moments ago, immediately died down at the sight of the intruder.Jeon Jungkook.Jimin, being the carefree person he was, remained unaffected. He simply smiled, unbothered by Jungkook's presence. However, Y/N wasn't as fortunate. Her muscles tensed as her eyes locked onto Jungkook, whose sharp gaze pierced right through her. His hands were tucked into his pockets, posture exuding an intimidating calmness, but his eyebrows were knitted together in a deep furrow.He was not pleased.Y/N swallowed hard and averted her eyes. His unwavering stare made her nervous, a heat creeping up her neck under the intensity of his expression. What was with him?"Mr. Park, you here? What a surprise. Any special reason?" Jungkook finally spoke, his voice calm, yet there was something hidden beneath its smooth surface.Taking slow, deliberate steps, Jungkook closed the distance between them, stopping just beside Y/N. His presence was suffocating.Jimin, on the other hand, remained oblivious to the silent tension. "Honestly, even I was surprised when I saw Y/N here. No particular reason, though-just a coincidence. I happen to be staying at the same resort as you."For a fleeting second, Jungkook's left eyebrow twitched. He didn't miss the fact that Jimin had called his wife by her first name.Shouldn't he be address her as Mrs Jeon?"Oh, we're neighbors, then?" Jungkook mused, his voice neutral.Jimin nodded. "Luckily, yes! Y/N was saying the same thing. I'm glad I got to meet my friend again. Otherwise, who knows when we'd get another chance."Y/N smiled warmly at the word "friend".Friend.It had been so long since she had made new friends. Today, she had two-Bora and Jimin. The word felt foreign yet comforting."Friend?" Jungkook repeated.A muscle ticked in his jaw.He is not liking this.Jimin smirked. "Yeah, shocking, isn't it? But she's my friend now, and I hope she sees me the same way.""You thought I would deny it?" Y/N chuckled. "Of course, you're my friend now, Jimin."Jimin gasped dramatically, clutching his chest as if she had just confessed her undying love for him. "Oh my God! Did you just say my name? Finally! Now I can die in peace."Y/N laughed at his antics, shaking her head.Jungkook, however, was far from amused. He stood there, watching them with an expression that barely concealed his irritation.They were too comfortable.Too familiar.Too close."My name sounds too sweet coming from your mouth," Jimin teased, his grin widening. "God, I could listen to you say it all day." Jungkook coughed, clearing his throat.For God's sake,with his own wife and that too in front of him. This is too much for his patience now. The straightforwardness of Jimin even caught Y/N off guard. She let out an awkward laugh, adding a half-nod before stealing a side glance at Jungkook-only to gulp in fear.He was practically glaring at Jimin, his sharp jaw clenched so tight she swore she could hear his teeth grinding. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, but his entire posture screamed tension."Uh... Jimin, I think you were going somewhere?" Y/N blurted out, hoping to diffuse the situation before Jungkook spontaneously combusted from sheer irritation.Jimin's eyes widened at her words, realization dawning upon him. He quickly glanced down at his wristwatch and let out a sharp gasp."Oh no! I'm late," he muttered, his expression shifting to one of mild panic. "I totally lost track of time. Sorry, both of you, but I have to go. I'm meeting an old friend, and they're probably already waiting."Fucking finally! (Guess who?) "It's okay, Jimin, and you should go now. Your friend might be waiting for you," Y/N said with a reassuring smile, hoping to ease his worry.Jimin let out a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, you're right. I just hope he won't kill me. Because when he's angry, he actually turns into an angry tiger."I hope he do that. His words were laced with humor, but there was a clear hint of concern in his voice. He briefly shuddered at the memory of his friend's furious expression-the sharp glare, the stiff posture, the way his lips pressed into a thin line whenever he was pissed off.Y/N raised an amused brow. "Angry tiger?" she repeated, tilting her head.Jimin nodded dramatically. "Yeah, you have no idea. He gets this super intense look, and his voice drops like ten octaves. It's scary, but also kinda funny because he still looks cute when he's mad."A small giggle escaped Y/N's lips. "You're saying he's cute when he's mad?"Jimin smirked, shrugging. "Hey, I never said that to his face. I'd like to live a little longer."Y/N laughed softly, shaking her head. "Well, you better not keep your 'angry tiger' friend waiting then."Jimin let out an exaggerated sigh. "You're right. If I don't make it back, just know I died fighting for my freedom."She rolled her eyes playfully. "Dramatic much?"Jimin gasped, placing a hand over his chest. "Excuse you, my pain is real!"Despite his joking manner, he took a step back, glancing down at his watch again. "Alright, I really gotta go. See you later, Y/N!"Surprising both Y/N and Jungkook, Jimin casually threw an arm around Y/N's shoulders in a friendly side hug."Take care, Y/N," Jimin said cheerfully, giving her a small squeeze before pulling away.Y/N smiled at his warmth, but before she could respond, she felt a shift in the air.Jungkook's entire demeanor darkened. His jaw tightened, his eyes hardened, and though he remained silent, the tension radiating off him was almost suffocating. He mentally growled at the sight before him, his fingers twitching at his sides as if holding himself back.Jimin, either completely oblivious or deliberately ignoring the unspoken hostility, turned to Jungkook with a teasing grin. "Bye, Mr. Jeon."Jungkook's lips curled into a tight, forced smile, the kind that didn't reach his eyes. "Bye, Mr. Park."The way he said Jimin's name was almost venomous, but Jimin simply chuckled, clearly amused. He gave Y/N a final wave before strolling off, disappearing into the distance.Y/N let out a small sigh, shaking her head with a soft smile. "Jimin is always so-""Do you always let people touch you like that?" Jungkook cut her off, his voice edged with something dangerous.Y/N blinked, taken aback. "What?"Jungkook's dark gaze was still fixed on the path Jimin had taken, his jaw clenched tightly. Then, he slowly turned his head toward her, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart stutter."You didn't seem to mind," he muttered, his voice dropping lower.Y/N frowned. "Because it was just a friendly hug?"Jungkook scoffed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Friendly, huh?" His tongue prodded the inside of his cheek as he let out a humorless chuckle.Y/N narrowed her eyes. "Why do you sound so irritated?""I'm not.""You clearly are."He didn't answer right away. Instead, he studied her for a moment, as if weighing his next words carefully. Finally, he exhaled through his nose and shook his head."Forget it."Y/N stared at him, trying to decipher his strange mood. But before she could press further, Jungkook was already walking away."Let's go," he said, his voice curt.Y/N let out a breath and shook her head. What the hell was his problem?She followed him inside, closing the door behind her. But just as she turned, a startled gasp escaped her lips.Jungkook was standing too close.Her back instinctively pressed against the door as she looked up at him, startled by the cold intensity in his gaze. His dark eyes locked onto hers, sharp and unreadable, a storm brewing behind them."When did you befriend him?" His voice cut through the silence like a blade.Y/N blinked, confusion knitting her brows. "Huh?"Jungkook's jaw tensed. His expression darkened as he took another slow, deliberate step toward her."Acting dumb now, aren't we?" His voice dropped to a whisper, sending an unexpected shiver down her spine.Y/N swallowed, feeling an unfamiliar tension settle in the air between them. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice quieter now.His gaze bore into hers. "Jimin. Is he really your friend?"Her frown deepened. Why was he acting like this? Was it wrong to make friends? She couldn't understand the sharpness in his voice, the way he was watching her so intently, like he was waiting for her to say the wrong thing.Still, she gave a small nod."Did you befriend him yesterday?"Y/N hesitated for a second before nodding again.Jungkook stared at her, his expression unreadable. For a moment, it seemed like he was trying to decide something, his jaw clenching, his fingers twitching at his sides.Then, just as suddenly as he had cornered her, he exhaled and took a step back. "Good, then."That was all he said before turning away, heading straight for the bed as if the conversation had never happened. Y/N remained frozen against the door, her mind racing.What... just happened?Her heart was still pounding, her body still tense from the way he had towered over her just moments ago.She watched as Jungkook sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair before lying back, his arm resting over his forehead.It was as if nothing had happened.But Y/N knew better.Something about his behavior didn't sit right with her. She finally forced herself to move, taking slow steps forward as she tried to process everything.What was that?His questions. His tone. The way he had cornered her. And more than anything-the unspoken weight behind his words.He didn't like it.That much was clear.But why?"Can you pass me the black file from the table? If not, then no problem," Jungkook said bluntly, his tone more detached than he intended.As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt a flicker of irritation-not at her, but at himself. Why was he acting like this? Over something so small?Y/N blinked at him a few times, her expression unreadable, before silently grabbing the file and handing it to him. She didn't question his sudden shift in demeanor, nor did she seem particularly affected by it. Instead, she simply shrugged, brushing it off, and turned toward the cupboard to start packing.Jungkook accepted the file without a word, but as he returned his gaze to the laptop screen in front of him, he found himself unable to focus.Instead, his eyes kept drifting back to her.The way she moved, carefully folding her clothes and tucking them into the suitcase. The way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, oblivious to the storm brewing in his mind.He had always been good at keeping his emotions in check, but this-this was different.Why was he acting so possessive?The question gnawed at him. He wasn't like this. He didn't get affected by things so easily.Yet, ever since Jimin hugged her earlier, he had felt something unsettling coil in his chest-something he refused to name.His jaw clenched as he tore his gaze away from her and back to his laptop screen.It was just a hug. It didn't mean anything. Then why did it bother him?Why did the image of Jimin's arm around her, the way she smiled at him, keep replaying in his head like a broken record?His grip tightened around the file in his hands, his mind at war with itself.He needed to let it go.But he knew, deep down, that he wouldn't.----The next morning, the group packed up and left for Seoul. The ride was quieter than usual-Zaid and Bora were sulky, their moods dampened by disappointment."Seriously, we didn't even get to explore half the places we planned," Zaid muttered, crossing his arms.Bora sighed dramatically. "I was really looking forward to that street food market. But nooo, Mr. Businessman here had to ruin everything." She shot a pointed glare toward Jungkook, who was too busy scrolling through his phone to acknowledge the complaint."It's not my fault I have work," Jungkook replied nonchalantly, not even bothering to look up.Zaid groaned, leaning back in his seat. "Yeah, yeah, we get it. Business is more important than us peasants."Despite their complaints, everyone knew there was no changing Jungkook's mind. Work always came first.But the real shock of the morning wasn't their ruined plans-it was Leena.As they were getting into the car, something unexpected happened.Instead of taking the front seat like she usually did, Leena turned to Y/N with a smile-**an actual smile, not the usual smug smirk-**and said, "Y/N, you should sit in the front."Zaid and Bora almost choked on air.Leena? Being... nice?Leena, the same person who always made sure to claim the front seat beside Jungkook, the same person who threw subtle jabs at Y/N every chance she got?Was this a dream? Were they in an alternate universe?Bora nudged Zaid. "Pinch me."Zaid, still in shock, whispered back, "I think I'm hallucinating."Y/N, too stunned to respond, almost moved to the backseat out of habit, but Leena stopped her with a light touch on her wrist."I insist," she said, her voice surprisingly gentle.Y/N hesitated, glancing at Jungkook, who was watching the interaction with an unreadable expression. Finally, she gave a small nod and slipped into the front seat beside him.Zaid and Bora exchanged glances.What just happened?---Back at the MansionAfter the five-hour journey, they finally arrived at the mansion. The exhaustion from the trip settled over them like a heavy blanket, and one by one, everyone retreated to their rooms to freshen up or take a short nap.Well, almost everyone.Unlike the others, Y/N didn't head to her room to rest. Instead, after freshening up, she made her way to the kitchen.It was already past four in the evening, and dinner wouldn't prepare itself.As she tied her hair into a bun and rolled up her sleeves, she focused on chopping vegetables, the rhythmic sound of the knife against the cutting board filling the silent kitchen. Cooking had always been therapeutic for her. It gave her a sense of normalcy, something familiar amidst all the chaos.As everyone settled down for dinner, Jungkook leaned back in his chair and said casually, "I'm not hungry. I'll eat later."Without waiting for a response, he stood up and made his way to the living room.The others simply nodded and began eating, the atmosphere remaining peaceful as conversations flowed naturally around the table.But that peace shattered the moment the doorbell rang.The sudden chime made Y/N pause mid-conversation."I'll get it," she said, standing up and making her way to the door.As soon as she swung it open, the air in the room shifted.A heavy silence fell over the room.Jungkook, Zaid, Bora, and even Leena stiffened in their seats.Their eyes widened, their breaths hitching in unison.The warmth that filled the air moments ago vanished, replaced by something else entirely.Tension.Guess who? Am I being too fast in this story?I hope you all had enjoyed it.Share your opinions. After so long hehe 😸