Jungkook took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves as he found himself in an unprecedented situation. The relentless paparazzi surrounded him, firing off questions. Initially, he attempted to answer a few, hoping they would soon disperse, but their queries turned uncomfortably personal. "Mr. Kim, how was your first night?" one of them inquired, followed by another asking, "Did you genuinely attempt to escape the wedding? Why did you try to escape?" The invasive questions kept coming, and Jungkook, overwhelmed, collapsed to the ground, bags scattered beside him. He buried his face in his knees, succumbing to a surge of anxiety as the crowd of onlookers swelled.

Meanwhile, Taehyung received a notification about a transaction on his Amex card. Anticipating a substantial expense at an upscale store, he was taken aback when he discovered it was a modest purchase at a small plant nursery. Amused at the thought of what Jungkook might have acquired with such a small sum, Taehyung's amusement was short-lived when Jimin informed him of an afternoon meeting at a restaurant near his penthouse.

As they set out in the car, with Jimin at the wheel and Taehyung engrossed in reviewing files in the back, their journey was abruptly halted. They encountered an enormous gathering of paparazzi. Initially, Taehyung considered it just another celebrity encounter, and he preferred not to get too close to the intrusive photographers. However, his perception swiftly changed when he overheard the deeply personal questions about him and Jungkook.

Filled with anger, Taehyung opened the car door and strode toward the crowd, with Jimin silently following, confused but trusting Taehyung's judgement. Taehyung issued a commanding command: "Step aside, all of you." The paparazzi swiftly complied, making way for him. At the heart of the commotion, Taehyung found Jungkook trembling with anxiety, huddled with his face concealed. Bags of what appeared to be recent purchases were strewn around them. Without a moment's hesitation, Taehyung picked up Jungkook and whispered reassuringly, "Calm down, Jungkook. Hyung is here, and he'll take you away from here." Hearing Master Kim's familiar voice, Jungkook began to relax, though he remained shaky, curling into a fetal position in Taehyung's arms.

Taehyung signalled for Jimin to collect the shopping bags that lay scattered. A sudden camera snap drew Taehyung's attention to a paparazzo. Filled with fury, Taehyung threatened the intrusive photographers: "If I see anyone near him or any articles related to this incident on the internet, I will sue your company and each one of you. Now, get lost before I do something reckless." The paparazzi knew that Taehyung's words held weight, and they swiftly dispersed.

Turning his attention back to Jungkook, who was still trembling, Taehyung held him in his arms and, with Jimin silently trailing behind, headed home. Jimin left them alone, placing the shopping bags near Jungkook's room. In what was previously Taehyung's bedroom but was now Jungkook's, Taehyung sat down with the still-shaking Jungkook in his arms. He gently rubbed Jungkook's back and whispered soothing words in his ear. Gradually, Jungkook began to relax.

Taehyung released Jungkook and suggested that he freshen up and have some dinner, which Jungkook obediently followed.

---

Later that night:

Taehyung awoke feeling thirsty and reached for a glass of water on his bedside table, only to find it empty. Deciding to get up and fetch a glass from the kitchen, he passed by Jungkook's room, noticing that the door was ajar. He silently commended himself for wearing his mask, but he couldn't shake the memory of hearing the door click shut. Taehyung cautiously pushed the door open and peeked inside. To his surprise, the bed was unoccupied, the bathroom light was off, and the shopping bags that Jimin had placed near the wardrobe had disappeared. A sense of unease settled in, and Taehyung called out for Jungkook several times, receiving no response. He checked the main door, bolted from the inside, indicating that no one had left the penthouse. Growing increasingly concerned, Taehyung conducted a thorough search of every room, leaving just one unopened door: the glass door leading to the spacious balcony. Without hesitation, he opened it and was met with an unexpected sight.

Edited by: peacefulregrets

Until then lots of love
~ Author Min