658.

[NEXT DAY]

Jungkook entered the small office, feeling nervous. Thanks to his scent blockers, no one would read it on his scent. The office was located on the 16th floor of the massive building with floor-to-ceiling-windows that let bright natural light flood every nook and cranny of the floor.

Taehyung accompanied him, driving him in his famous Red Lamborghini himself. There was a buzz when they entered the building, the staff approaching Taehyung with wide eyes. When he said he was just accompanying Jungkook, they all looked puzzled but led them to the elevator and to the 16th floor.

His brother occupied one of the spacious and luxurious couches in the waiting area, crossing his leg at the knee while Jungkook went to the office alone. That morning Jungkook asked Jimin if he wanted to go with him. But the alpha had said that he didn't want to overwhelm the production team who was going to work with him.

Jungkook had laughed but the alpha told him that he got this. And also Taehyung was going to be there. Taehyung gave him a few pointers, telling him how things should go. He decided to wait outside, so Jungkook could have this experience.

The sleek, modern office with the panoramic view of the city only added to his nervousness. The producer was a tall and imposing purebred alpha and he was all smiles when Jungkook entered. "Please take your seat, Jungkook-ssi. I'm glad you agreed to give this a try." His tone was gentle, scent muted by scent blockers.

Jungkook nodded. "I've never done this before but hyung believes I should give it a try."

The producer frowned. "You mean Taehyung-ssi?"

"Yes."

"He's very fond of you." He smiled. "And protective." He stood. "Don't worry. I won't keep you here for long." He pressed a bell, beckoning someone to his office. A female regular omega and a male beta arrived. "This is Jeon Jungkook. He's here for a screen test. Give him the costume and get his makeup done. We will take a few test shots first and go from there."

"Yes, sir." They both bowed and turned to Jungkook. "This way, Jungkook-ssi."

Jungkook stood and bowed before following them. Outside, Taehyung looked bored and when he went out, he simply stood, following him wordlessly. The omega and beta exchanged glances, looking nervous with Taehyung's presence.

The omega was led to a spacious room with a wall full of mirrors and several saloon chairs. Taehyung once again took a seat on the long couch by the other side of the wall.

The beta paused outside while the omega took him through one of the doors. Jungkook noticed it was a dressing room. "May I take your measurement?" she requested.

"Yes."

"Please stand here." She pointed at the free space between the closet and the mirror.

Jungkook followed her instructions for the next few minutes. With the measurements, she went to the closet where several costumes were hung. She searched for the right size, pulling out one. Her choice was a sleek, modern outfit that screamed sophistication.

"Here. Please change into these clothes."

Jungkook accepted the jacket, shirt and pants. He then glanced around, gaze raking every inch of the wall. The light-colored shirt and plain beige trousers were accompanied with a patterned, textured jacket, the darker tones of it complimenting the lighter shade of his shirt and pants.

"There are no cameras inside," she said as if sensing his line of thoughts.

"Thank you," he said, a smile tilting his lips.

She nodded. "I'll wait outside. We will start with your make up once you're done."

"Okay."

Jungkook swiftly changed and went out, the new outfit fitting him perfectly. He loved the fit and feel of it, feeling confident with how better it suited him. Perhaps this was what Aera mentioned. The outfits did give him a confidence boost.

There was another male omega in the room and Jungkook assumed he must be the stylist. He was surprised to find him to be a regular omega as well. He guided Jungkook to the salon chair and began to work on his makeup, the beta giving instructions on the look they were going for.

They were going for a simple, natural look. The stylist complimented his flawless skin with a warm smile as he began to work on him. The beta then set to work on his hair. They worked in a perfect tandem, their movements efficient but gentle, explaining what they were doing.

Soon, Jungkook was led to a small, professionally lit studio. The backdrop was a sleek, minimalist setting with colorful shades of lights. The producer joined them, his presence calm yet authoritative.

Throughout all this, Taehyung was a silent presence, never interfering with any of the process but his hawk-like eyes were always on him, his gaze sharp and intense.

"Alright, Jungkook-ssi. This is just a test shot. Relax and stand over that marker there," the producer instructed. "This is our photographer, Kim Jongmin. He's been with us for over a decade and is very experienced."

"Hello." The photographer shook his hands and Jungkook identified him as a purebred alpha. His scent too was muted and he bore a mating bite on his neck with a wedding band adorning his ring finger. The tiny beaded bracelets on his right hand read 'dad' and Jungkook deduced they were a gift from his pups. Contrast to his tall, bulky appearance, his presence brought a warm comfort. "Please relax. We will go for something simple since this is your first time."

"Thank you." Jungkook went to stand at the designated spot, his gaze darting to Taehyung often.

"Perfect." The photographer clicked a few shots as Jungkook cluelessly shifted from one foot to the other. "Don't worry. These are just some random shots for me to adjust the camera angle and so on," he explained. "Now we will begin the real shot." He gestured at one of the staff, who brought a phone to him. "Jungkook-ssi, today's concept is very simple. You just need to take some selcas."

"Selcas?" Jungkook twisted the phone in his hand, admiring the modern, sleek design.

"Yes. Imagine there's a mirror in front of you. Just turn the camera on and take selcas as you would do with mirror."

Jungkook nodded intrigued. It sounded easier. He couldn't see his reflection so he flipped the front camera and took some selcas. He has seen Jimin and Taehyung do this a lot, so he mimicked their postures this way and that.

"Excellent!" The photographer called out, the camera stuttering restlessly. The colors around him changed. "Keep going. You can change postures now. Just be casual. You can smile a little."

Jungkook followed the instructions.

"Yes, just like that. You're doing amazing," he kept encouraging.

The session went smoother than Jungkook expected and the entire team were professional, no one looked down on him or treated him any differently. At the end of the shoot, Taehyung ordered coffee and refreshments to the staff there.

Jungkook changed back into his clothes faster and went in search of his brother. Taehyung grinned as soon as he saw him, opening his arms wide to hug him and pat him in the back. "You're a natural," he praised. "You did great, Jungkook-ah. I'm so proud. You proved the apple doesn't fall from the tree." He pulled back to wink at him. "You're my brother after all. Obviously, my talents have rubbed off on you a bit."

Jungkook scoffed and then chuckled, elbowing his ribs. The producer saw their interaction as he approached them.

"Hi," he greeted. "The shots are perfect. It doesn't feel like a test at all. If you're ready, we can discuss the terms of the contract in my office."

Jungkook shrugged. "Um...It's better if I let my legal team do this." He pulled out his phone to text Aera. "Let me check if they can make it today."

"A legal...team?" The producer glanced at Taehyung, who was silent.

"Yeah. I have no idea about the contract and all these legal terms," Jungkook kept typing, not noticing the producer's curious gaze.

"Sure. We can discuss the payment and other terms then," he suggested.

"You can talk to my hyung about it." He pointed at Taehyung.

The producer blinked. "Um...we can do that. Taehyung-ssi mentioned you have an alpha. Would you like to perhaps discuss this with him first? We can talk to him as well if needed."

"No need." Jungkook waved a hand with a smile. "My alpha has given me freedom to what I want." He hooked a hand around Taehyung's elbow.

"Very well. If you both could join me in the office, then we can go over the details and then finalize everything once your legal team is here," the producer said.

Taehyung's demeanor shifted to a more professional tone. "Of course. Lead the way, producer-nim."

Back at the office, Jungkook and Taehyung sat side by side. Jungkook felt a mix of pride and nervousness filling him. He knew he had nothing to worry about because this was a field Taehyung specialized in. He wouldn't let anyone take advantage of him.

"Alright," the producer began, settling in his chair and opening a folder. "First, let's go over the main terms of the contract. We had a feeling about Jungkook-ssi, so we already prepared one to quicken the process." He handed a copy each to Taehyung and Jungkook. "If you can give me your email address, I can forward a soft copy for your legal team's perusal."

Jungkook nodded, writing it down on a notepad the producer pushed toward him.

The producer tapped on his keyboard, swiftly sending it while Jungkook read the terms.

"As you can see one of our main terms is exclusivity," the producer said. "You cannot accept any other modeling contracts for at least two years."

"Huh?" Jungkook glanced up.

"We're taking a revolutionary step by hiring him as the face of our brand," he quickly explained to Taehyung, whose intense gaze bored into him. "Our team is going to invest our time and effort to nurture him and build his brand reputation. It is only natural for us to require exclusivity to ensure we don't incur any legal disputes or run into any other unwanted circumstances."

Taehyung nibbled at his bottom lip. "You're scared someone will steal your thunder," he said, crossing his leg at the knee. "You want all the credit for his success."

The producer laughed nervously. "You know how it works. We're investing in a new face. Also, we cannot afford him to run into any other trouble. Not everyone will be the same. As a regular omega, he is going to do something no one else has. Being the face of a million dollar brand comes with consequences. We can only protect him better if he's legally bound to us."

Taehyung's smile was filled with controlled rage. "I understand, but don't worry about his protection, producer-nim. I think I can protect my brother better than your company. So we can remove this clause." He picked up a pen and struck a few lines. "This. This and this has to be removed. The dating clause is unnecessary."

"Taehyung-ssi, I..."

"Jeon Jungkook is not your regular new hire. He doesn't fit into any of the boxes you aim for him to be in. And his mate is not someone you can control with this contract, producer-nim," he said in a stern voice. "Park Jimin doesn't have to take your company's approval to interact with my brother in public. My brother will maintain his personal life and other business dealings as he sees fit. I won't allow this contract to bind his mating life or limit his other works." He continued to scratch a few more paragraphs. "Also, I do not condone your company controlling his rights to bear a pup. Jungkook is in a stable relationship. He will start a family when he wants to and he will not wait for two years or get permission from strangers to do so."

Jungkook glanced at Taehyung and then at the lines he was scratching, blinking as he read through. He didn't know a contract would be so controlling. He peeked over his brother's arm to get a better look.

"P-Park Jimin?" The producer's eyes widened. "Park Jimin as in, the heir of the Park Group?"

"The one and only," Taehyung confirmed, without taking his eyes off the contract. "Alright, here's the updated version. Strike off these unnecessary clauses and you're good to go. The payment scheme sounds good since he's a fresher, but I want another clause added here that would allow you to review your payment plans." He sat back, his posture relaxed. "I'm sure you wouldn't approach him if you didn't think he had potential. So instead of keeping him as a slave to your contract, I want you to keep these terms flexible to actually benefit him."

The producer shifted in his seat. "I have to discuss this with the management first."

"Take your time." Taehyung patted on Jungkook's arm. "Tell them he's legally my brother and engaged to my best friend. I didn't say anything initially because I wanted you to choose him for his talent and not his influential background. Jeon Jungkook is worth millions. You cannot buy him with your money or dangle fancy promises of luxury that means nothing to him. Your company net worth cannot compete with both the Park and the Kim family's net worth. He will do this only because he wishes to bring changes to this society. If this can open up a new opportunity to the oppressed community, then that's his only aim," he said with finality. "Your team can meet him at his office next time." He pulled Jungkook closer. "He has a dedicated work space at the Park Group building in Gangnam."

The producer was up on his feet now. "S-Sure, Mr. Kim."

"Good. I'll see you later."

Jungkook inclined his head. "Thank you for your time, producer-nim." He left the office with Taehyung, his head held high and a permanent smile playing on his lips. His brother knew how to make a statement and there was a lot he had to learn from him.

His admiration for Taehyung only grew as they exited the Samsung headquarters and headed out.

He was excited to climb into his brother's Red Lamborghini, relishing everyone's eyes on him. Now he wasn't nervous about his new gained wealth or connections anymore. To him, what mattered the most was his new found relationship with Taehyung and Jimin. Now he had a family of his own.

He had followed his father's advice and his selfishness had brought him a family. Jungkook smiled as Taehyung revved the engine, donning his stylish glasses and stepped on gas. The vehicle slipped into the traffic, smoothly careening through it.

Latest pop music blasted in the car, Taehyung loudly singing with it and Jungkook too joined, enjoying their time together. 

659.

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664.

***

Remaining 9 images will be posted with the next update. Or u can read them on my Twitter - chimmyxkookies or AO3 if u have a registered account there. 

Many of you asked how I'm doing now. I'm on stress and anxiety medication as we speak. I'm slowly getting better. I'm sorry I couldn't respond individually since I'm not much active online and come here only to update and get update on boys. I'm mostly on streaming platforms, listening, streaming and working. Hope you're all taking care of yourself too. I know life gives a lot of lemons and right now I feel like I ran out of sugar and salt so can't even make lemonades. Lol. So hang in there. This too shall pause. We will get there somehow. Yoongi's words are my mantra.  He said if you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. I'm crawling right now but someday I'll be able to run again.