"Where's Jin?" Jungkook asked as Yoongi walked into Jungkook's penthouse. His head-of-arms shrugged and the door shut behind him.

"Gone. As per usual these days. You'd think he'd want to see you off since he's been so anal about the whole gala thing." Yoongi said, heading to Jungkook's fridge and pulling out two beers.

"Maybe." Jungkook said with a frown as he checked himself out in the mirror a final time, his black suit and even blacker silk shirt were tailored perfectly to him. His tattoos were a comfort against his skin, visible on his fingers and his wrists. Silver rings covered his hands and a thin earring dangled from his ear. Each year he got ready for his dad's political event, the knot in his stomach never really loosened.

It didn't surprise Jungkook as much as it should that Jin was preoccupied. Jungkook had asked the head of intel to find as much on The Kims as possible after talking with Jimin. He wanted to know their ins-and-outs, how they operate, how they think. The Kim's had become a concerning force due to the success of Drive - Seoul was fully addicted to it. It made The Jeons a lot of money, but Jungkook needed to come up with a back up plan in case Busan wanted to change their partnership into an acquisition. That, and he wanted to be prepared if they came for Jimin.

Jungkook stretched his hand out by his side, trying not to look at the cabinet in his room that held a small pack of the white Drive powder. He'd never tried the drug himself, but he wondered what made the hallucinogenic have such a strong hold on people. Maybe there was a way to turn the drug's success on The Kims to take them down, but he had to know more about them first to come up with a way to do that.

Jungkook gnawed at the ring on his lip. The Kims were a problem for another day. His dad's Gala was in a couple hours and Jungkook's pulse was already starting to race. Seeing his dad was always a process. The man left The Jeons the second Jungkook's mom died, pushing his son away just as strongly as he pushed away his grief. Jungkook really tried to be apathetic about it, but every time he had to interact with his dad it made the little kid in his heart start kicking his feet.

Yoongi rounded the corner, walking into Jungkook's room from the kitchen and handed him one of the beers. Blood was splattered across his jaw and his bottom lip was cut as he brought a glass of beer to his lips. "At least without Jin around we don't have to drink that God awful Jade wine he likes."

Jungkook smirked, drinking Yoongi's 'God awful' beer that Yoongi kept stocked in Jungkook's fridge and hoping none of it spilled on his suit.

"The blood?" Jungkook asked, raising a brow.

"Not mine." Yoongi replied. "A Jade jump me after I found him trying to bug our warehouse. I fought him off, but man was a hard hitter. No broken bones, just lots of blood." Yoongi flicked his wrists and gave a lazy smile. "Can't say the same for him though."

Jungkook snorted.

"Anyway." Yoongi said, using the condensation from the side of his beer bottle to wipe some blood off of his wrist. "I'll stay back and keep an eye on The Drive tonight. I'm adding more men to the rotation from now on too. I don't think the other gangs understand we're only distributors, we don't manufacture it. It's feels like we're fighting our very own plankton expect we don't have any crusty crab secret recipe for them to find."

"Very poetic, Hyung." Jungkook said as he slipped a pair of silver cuffs onto his sleeve.

Yoongi grinned, clearly proud of himself. "You kids have fun tonight, yea? If you need backup for any reason, just call. I'll work on locating Seokjin in the meantime." Yoongi took another swing of his beer after clinking it with Jungkook's. "Can't believe our Jungkookie has finally found himself a boyfriend. And this one already knows how to use a gun!"

"I'm twenty, not much of a kid." Jungkook said and Yoongi just laughed, ruffling Jungkook's hair. "And he's not my boyfriend. I haven't asked him to call it anything."

"You'll always be a kid to us, Jungkook." Yoongi said. "And he is your boyfriend. No long-term-casual-low-commitment boyfriends in this Mojo Dojo Casa House."

Jungkook rolled his eyes, needing to leave before Yoongi makes any more pop culture references. He gave himself one last look over before grabbing the keys to his most impressive, cool looking, definitely will make Jimin think Jungkook is sexy, car.

"Wish me luck?" Jungkook said.

Yoongi grinned. "You won't need it."

* * *

Jungkook thought he was prepared to see Jimin dressed up - properly dressed up and not thrown into a suit like for the martini bar - but he was so wrong.

Jimin looked unreal.

He walked out in a tight silver suit that hugged every muscle and curve on his body. There was a white mesh shirt tucked into them. His body moved like water; Jimin breathed like each step he took was part of some dance. His dark hair was brushed back around his face, his lips redder than Jungkook had ever seen them. It caused a rush to go down his spine. Jimin smiled when he saw Jungkook - a full smile that reached his eyes.

"Sexy car." Jimin said as he got in.

Jungkook bit down the instinct to punch the air in victory.

"Sexy outfit." He said back instead and leaned over to kiss Jimin. Jimin smiled against the kiss. Jungkook pulled back, admiring Jimin again before pulling out and heading towards The Gala. He let out a long breath, turning up the music as they drove. Ten minutes until they saw his dad. Ten minutes till every gang leader was weaving between politicians and journalists and CEOs.

Jungkook turned the corner and saw Lotte Tower, the skyscraper that held The Gala each year. It was Seoul's tallest and cost millions to rent out for the night. Valet services was out in the front with paparazzi already swarming the front doors as they arrived.

Jimin flicked his gaze at Jungkook's tight grip on his steering wheel. He assessed the clench of his jaw and the crease on his brows, and his eyes darkened. "Let's go." Jimin said in a soft voice as they pulled around to the main entrance and Jungkook nodded. They shared a look before stepping out into the pathway.

The flashes of photographs were so bright. Jungkook blinked in front of them, his mind locked on the idea that his dad was in there. Jimin wrapped a hand around Jungkook's forearm. He maneuvered around the photographers with ease, carrying Jungkook with him without breaking a sweat, flashing winks and smiles at the cameras.

Jungkook felt powerful next to Jimin. Jimin could put out an aura of confidence and seduction and power like it was a switch he simply had to flick on. Jungkook noticed it on the first day they met, but it was heightened here. The media was going to go crazy over Jimin, over who he was to the young CEO. Jungkook glanced at Jimin, at his perfectly beautiful smile, his sweet-smelling perfume, or the way his eyes disappeared as he bowed to photographers, and felt like he could breathe again.

* * *

The Gala was both what Jimin was expecting and somehow completely opposite at the same time. The venue was an entire penthouse in Seoul's tallest skyscraper, able to comfortably hold hundreds of guests. In order to even enter the elevator, phones had to be checked in and suit jackets were patted down. With Jungkook's dad's background in the mafia, there was a secondary check for any guest still involved in Seoul's crime-world for weapons. Any that were found were confiscated and to be picked up at the end of the event. Jimin patted his hip where his knives usually lied, now empty.

"Didn't realize you were so famous." He said as they entered the elevator and the doors closed. Jungkook grinned, placing a hand on Jimin's cheek. Jimin's eyes went wide as Jungkook caged him against the wall as the elevator climbed up each floor. Well shit. Was Jimin blushing?

"I technically am a CEO too, you know." Jungkook said. "The youngest, hottest, CEO of our generation. Don't you agree that I'm so young and so successful and just so hot."

Jimin snorted, leaning up on his toes and meeting his lips to Jungkook's. Jungkook laughed in surprise, melting into the kiss before the two of them pulled apart.

"What was that for?" Jungkook asked, smiling.

"Well now that I know I'm dating the richest hottest CEO of our generation, I have to figure out a way to keep him." Jimin said.

"Wow. Sleeping with me for my money, Jimin? I thought better of you."

"Clearly I'm sleeping with you for your personality." Jimin said back and Jungkook snorted.

The doors finally opened and they walked into an extraordinarily well decorated room. The lights cast the entire place in a heavy golden hue. There were candles lit on tables and the large windows displayed the city below them. The penthouse was divided by multiple white archways that led into more rooms: ones with love couches, ones with tall tables, one with cards, one for dancing, one to enjoy the view from the floor to ceiling glass windows, and more. In every room, in every corner, were well-dressed servers carrying silver trays with wine glasses. Lastly, in the center was the largest room. The walls created a circle where a dance floor and string quartet played. The main violinist had a dress blacker than the night sky pooling down her body like oil. Real diamonds glittered on her ears and neck. It was like the artists themselves were decorating the space.

Jimin stood behind Jungkook like he was his shadow. His eyes darted around the beautiful space distrustingly. Jimin had grown up surrounded by luxury back in Busan. The Lounge in The Kims base was where every large event took place, but it was glamorous in an old way. Floor-to-ceiling windows which would open to let ocean breeze flood inside, sun pooling onto the stone floor with blue walls scratching a beautifully painted ceiling in the style of European cathedrals. Jungkook's dad had a more modern taste, but it didn't lack in extravagance. It was loud in a different way.

Powerful people chatted over their glasses of wine, struggling to refuse second ones from the staff before they even finishing their firsts. Women were laughing while their eyes stayed cunning and men watched each room for potential connections over shaking hands.

An absolutely gorgeous woman in a red suit caught Jimin's eye. She sat on a loveseat with an equally handsome man sitting at her side. He was dressed in an identical crimson color, his suit hugging powerful shoulders but his pants were an inch too short for his long legs. They shared features of high brows with soft cheeks and intelligence radiating in their dark eyes. The man was sitting back, his body relaxed, and his expression was drowned in thought.

"The Jades." Jungkook whispered into Jimin's ear, his hand going to Jimin's lower back and Jimin's spine curled from the feeling. He tried not to lean into the touch. "Those two took over as Don a couple years ago. They were raised by their uncle who ruled The Jades before them. The one on the right is Kim Namjoon and that's his sister Kim Soyeon. No one's found proof, but I think Soyeon murdered her uncle so they could rise into power and Namjoon covered it up."

Jimin nodded, trying to focus on Jungkook's words and not how golden-sweet his voice sounded in Jimin's ear. This was information that could keep Jungkook alive. Jimin needed to pay attention, but Jungkook was so close to him. One inch of movement and Jimin would be fully enveloped in Jungkook's chest. Jimin smirked, Jungkook was wearing a new cologne. It smelled like rain and smoke. "You sound sexy when you talk murder to me."

Jungkook laughed and a couple of the guests turned their heads to look at who made the sound. It was so joyful and raw, a feeling rare to the power driven and money hungry people in this room. Jimin also caught the shock in the faces that seemed to recognize Jungkook. It seemed that Jimin wasn't the only one who hadn't laughed often before meeting Jungkook.

"Looks like you have some notes of your own." Jungkook said back and it was Jimin's turn to laugh.

Jungkook grinned, pulling Jimin by the wrist to go deeper into the Gala and launching into stories of past ones he'd attended. The deal was for Jungkook to publicly attend the gala each year so his dad looked good as a wonderful politician and father and then his father would do his best to keep the law off of The Jeons in return. It was a small bit of pride to sacrifice for the police buffer, taking photos for journalists to write how great of a dad the senator was for not only escaping the mafia but turning his poor, innocent, son into a CEO as well. The public ate it up, calling his dad a hero while Jungkook was squeezed dry by every trauma vampire in Seoul.

"It isn't all bad though." Jungkook said as he leaned against the glass, looking out at Seoul. A waiter offered them wine - again - and Jungkook turned it down with a wave of his hand. The waiter frowned and The Jades tilted their heads at the refusal, but Jungkook didn't seem to notice. The Jades were like birds, he told him, always sitting and watching everyone.

"When mom died my dad just - cut everything and everyone out. I really thought that first gala was an olive branch." Jungkook smiled out at Seoul and the look was reflected in the glass. He was beautiful, Jimin thought. "Seokjin helped make it fun when I realized the invitation was just for show. We ate every single appetizer the servers brought out in retaliation. Like, if we could eat every fancy mini egg or bougie sandwich before the other guests could, it would really show him. Seokjin was literally vomiting from how much we ate."

Jimin smiled, thinking of an angry Jungkook sulking over a server's tray of hors d'oeuvres with Seokjin cheering him on. "Well you guys had to have done a number," Jimin said. "None of the servers have food on their plates. It's all just wine."

Jungkook smiled, looking back at Jimin and Jimin felt something flip in his chest. We're Jungkook's eyes always that dark?

"Seokjin and I tried to beat our record each year we went, maybe it finally paid off." Jungkook ran a hand through his hair and Jimin felt his fingers tingle with the memory of how soft those curls were between his own. "I'm glad you're here, Jimin. The Gala makes me claustrophobic; this is the first time I feel...light, here."

Jimin nodded. "You make me feel light too." He said. Jimin's mind wandered back to the letter left at his door. Today's date and the words Don't Interfere written with no other directions or information. But don't interfere with what, exactly? The Jades? Or were The Parks somewhere around here too? The note from The Kim's didn't exactly give Jimin a lot to work with - or work against, more accurately. He scanned the room again, but nothing new stood out to him.

"What are you thinking about?" Jungkook asked, swiping two glasses of wine from the third waiter who had approached them and handed one to Jimin so they'd stop bothering them.

"I'm thinking," Jimin started, covering Jungkook's wine with his hand before it could meet Jungkook's lips. Soyeon glanced their way from across the room, starting to sit up. Her brother followed too fast and knocked into a waiter. Empty wine glasses clattered from the waiter's tray. People looked over from the commotion while a woman in a gorgeous dark navy dress that kissed her curves helped the staff member pick the glasses up off the ground. Soyeon went from cursing her brother to sharing a look with the woman instead.

Jimin used the distraction to bring his lips to Jungkook's ear, stepping between the Jades line of sight and Jungkook. He lowered his voice but relaxed his body so it innocently looked like lovers whispering sweet nothings. "I'm thinking that it's strange the waiters are shoving wine down everyone's throats."

Jungkook furrowed his brows. He put his hand on Jimin's back again, pulling him closer and Jimin blushed. Jungkook grinned back playfully, knowing Jimin wanted to put on a show to distract from his words, but the blush was real and Jungkook was going to make the most of it. "Your paranoia makes me feel things, love."

Jimin frowned. "Jungkook, I'm being serious. You said Seoul had peace for decades? Well Busan hasn't seen peace for in an equal amount of time. Just trust me, something's off. Why only serve wine? Now smile at me like I said something suggestive."

Jungkook leaned back, giving Jimin a dark grin. His doe eyes deepened with warmth, staring at Jimin like he was holding something precious in his hands. Jimin cleared his throat, leaning back into Jungkook's ear. "Pretend to drink the wine when I step back. It'll look strange if you don't, but don't swallow any."

"Never thought you'd tell me not to swallow."

"Jungkook, I'm serious." Jimin said, pushing gently on Jungkook's chest so that Jungkook would let him out of grip. Jungkook nodded but wasn't entirely convinced. "Something's up. Just be careful till I figure out what it is."

Jungkook didn't look convinced, but he did as Jimin advised and pretended to take a sip. He made a subtle expression that he didn't like the taste of the wine, setting the glass down. Jimin held onto his, scanning the rest of the space.

There were so many different factions in the room with them: politicians and officers who would want to take The Jeons down to rid the city of its oldest gang, celebrities eyeing Jimin with vicious envy, the Jade siblings with their intelligent eyes, and The Parks who had to be around here somewhere too. Jimin's heart raced, scanning for a Kim among them. He watched someone walk across the floor from a room on the opposite side of the penthouse and his stomach flipped at the tall frame with wide shoulders. He didn't see the person's face, but he could have sworn he recognized his lengthy build. Jimin blinked, shaking his head.

"Come on." Jungkook sighed, pulling Jimin with him to the room where the quartet was playing. "Before you accuse the tables of trying to kill us too."

Jimin wanted to say something clever back, but a gasp cut his words off as he walked into the new room. The ceiling was so high, the room structured like a circle where polished stone was swept by expensive shoes as couples danced to the string music. Flowers hung from the ceiling with long vines hung from white roses, making the entire place smell like a garden. The beautiful violinist sat in the middle of the quartet, her arm like an extension of the violin itself.

Jungkook pulled Jimin into the middle of the space and Jimin teared up to the music. The musicians played with such soul that it was truly a privilege to listen.

Jungkook plucked the wine out of Jimin's grasp and gave it to one of the servers. His hand wrapped around Jimin's smaller own, dark eyes gleaming intensely as he raised Jimin's hand, raising it out. Then he took a step closer, his hand cupping Jimin's waist.

"Did they teach you to dance in Busan? Or only how to kill?" Jungkook asked, starting to guide Jimin to the music.

"I haven't danced in years." Jimin answered, matching Jungkook's pace.

"Really?" Jungkook asked. Jimin was an incredible dancer, he was light on his feet and graceful in every step he took. It was like the music was enveloping him, seeping into his muscles until it was as much a part of him as his own bloodstream.

"My dad would steal CDs for me to dance to when I was a little kid." Jimin said, smiling at the memory. "A lot of them were my mom's favorite songs, so it helped me feel like I could get to know her. We'd dance to it - well, I mean, my dad tried his best to. It was our secret, that music. When he died... I don't know. I never had a reason to pick it up again."

"I wish I could have met him, your dad."

Jimin smiled, the music booming in a crescendo. Golden light seeped from the chandeliers, the roses in full bloom above them. Slowly, the other people in the room had slowed down to watch Jimin and Jungkook. There was something so intimate in their movements, an aura around them that pulled others in. Jimin danced like it was all his body knew how to do.

"He would have loved you." Jimin said, knowing his dad would have lost his mind if Jimin had brought a doe-eyed, tattoo sleeve, mafia boss home. "Actually, he would have wanted to cook for you." Jimin laughed. "My dad did that when he liked someone. Always said they were too skinny but really he just liked taking care of them. I think he would have wanted to take care of you too."

A mind-numbing amount of joy crashed Jungkook's system. That is, until he heard a low sort of laughed from a group of men standing in one of the opposite rooms. They were all dressed in different shades of blue suits, talking to each other with wine in their hands. The middle one had deep wrinkles were set around his eyes and lips, tattoos poking out the collar of his blazer, and hair dark enough to match the ink. Jungkook was prepared for the anger that followed seeing his father, but never the yearning that mixed with it.

Jimin similarly froze, looking over Jungkook's shoulder at someone across the room.

"Jungkook," Jimin said, pausing their dancing. His emotionless mask slipping firmly into place. "I'll be right back. Stay away from that wine."

Jungkook looked over Jimin's shoulder to see what had caught his attention. A woman with tan skin and a curvy frame was leaning against the wall, swirling her wine. Her hair was a storm of a knot, and her makeup was dark with a striking cherry lip. She wore a deep navy dress that hugged her waist and cut at a slip revealing a long leg underneath. At first, a roil of jealousy whipped at Jungkook. Jimin never clarified his sexuality, maybe the beautiful woman caught his interest, but then his senses kicked in. This was Hwasa. The Park's right hand. The Jeons were down a crate of Drive because of The Parks, of course Jimin would want to talk to her. There was a man behind her with a long handsome face and Jungkook blinked, wondering where he recognized him from, but then the man turned around and Jungkook shook the thought off.

"Meet back here in an hour?" Jungkook said, knowing he had to find his dad. Jimin nodded, his face pale. Jungkook lifted Jimin's hand and brought his fingers to his lips, placing a kiss against Jimin's hand. His eyes darted directly to Hwasa who lifted her brows before standing back up. Jimin gaped, for once caught off guard by Jungkook and not the other way around.

Jungkook may be young, but he was still a Don of Seoul's oldest and largest gang to those who knew about the mafia and a CEO to those that didn't. With that one gesture, he made sure everyone in the room knew who Jimin was to him. Knew what he'd do if they messed with him.

Jimin didn't see it, because he only saw Jungkook when Jungkook was in the comfort of his own home, his own people. He only knew Jungkook as warm and with laughter in his eyes. The rest of the crowd saw The Jeon Don they were more familiar with. Jungkook's face hardened as he left that room. His muscles rippled with power and his aura drowned the space as he walked through the doorway directly into his father.

________
A/N
Fast second update 🫶
Welcome to the first part of The Gala ❤️
- Violette