"I heard you're leaving."

Jungkook's feet came into a halting stop when he heard the voice of the man he wanted to avoid at all cost. Slowly, he turned back to face the male who called him out. Jungkook didn't want to be questioned as he knows it'll be difficult to avoid a confrontation from this man.

"Morning Mr Kim."

"Come on Jungkook, what's with all these formalities?" Namjoon chuckled.

"Urm, coz we are at the office?" Jungkook looked around the hustle bustles of people working around the Gardler HQ.

"Still. You can drop the formalities Jungkook. Besides, I'm not that much older than you." Namjoon extended his arms forward, asking Jungkook to lead the way.

The raven head smiled politely as he leads Namjoon to his temporary office here in the Gardler HQ. "Come on in." He opened the glass door and stepped aside for the older male to step in.

"Thank you. Nice office. I have always envied Gardler's office space. It's so aesthetically pleasing and vibrant that I wish I work here instead of VANTE." The blue head makes a joke as he took a seat opposite of Jungkook who seats on his swivel chair behind the teakwood table.

"Indeed. Hoseok is a man of wonders. He customized every single nook and corner of this office space. Although I must say Gardler HQ is like no other."

"That's right, I heard you designed the office layout for Sydney and Seoul. Hoseok showed me a couple of pictures, I must say it looked amazing too."

"Hoseok showed it to you?" Jungkook was surprised, to say the least. He was feeling very down to earth with all the compliments that Hoseok has been shipping his way since the day he joined Gardler. It's like Hoseok is a man who never gets tired of spreading positivity and good vibes.

"Yep. He made sure we all know how talented and amazing you are. If only he is not a straight man, people would have assumed he has some hots for you. I'm glad you're single though."

"You're glad I'm what?" Jungkook's brows scrunched in confusion.

"That you're single?"

"Right, I forgot we briefly had this chat before. So, anyway, how may I help you Joon?" Jungkook didn't even want to dive into his relationship topic right now after having a hell of a morning explaining to Hoseok on why he needs to fly back to Sydney.

After much debate and convincing, Hoseok reluctantly let Jungkook fly back to Sydney. The copper head made another ruckus when he found out that Jungkook went ahead to reserve a flight ticket back to Sydney the next morning, which is tomorrow.

"I wanted to stop by to meet Hoseok and ask him to have a chat on business when I heard him grumbling about how he will miss you in the team as you're planning to fly back tomorrow. Isn't that a bit too cruel to leave your boss and Jimin here?" Namjoon made a very saddening face which humoured Jungkook.

"Stop making me look like I am torturing them. I am not." Jungkook laughed out loud as Namjoon followed suit. It is always a good time for Jungkook whenever he chats with Namjoon. He surely sees the older as someone to admire as a role model.

"I will be back when Hoseok needs me here."

"What about the VANTE project?"

"Jimin is staying back. For some reason, I think he found a solid purpose to stay put and I have yet to find out why. Besides, Hoseok will keep an eye on everything. I will still spearhead the project, just a little remotely."

Jungkook went ahead to explain how he can't afford to leave his team unattended physically back in Sydney and Seoul as it will be unfair for them.

"I do plan to appoint a second in command when I return the next time NYC so I can stay put until the end of Project VANTE. Which I believe will be coming to an end in about 2 months for the planning stage. It will be all monitored and followed up in the field after this stage. I won't be needed here in NYC anymore."

Namjoon nodded at the younger's words. It means it will be another two months in which Namjoon gets to meet Jungkook frequently before the younger transit back and forth between Sydney to Seoul for the project completion.

"Did you regret returning to NYC Kooks?"

Jungkook blinked his eyes rapidly at this. "Why would you ask me that Joon?"

"Coz it seems to me that you're running away again."

.

"Jin, book me a flight back to NYC at this instance." Taehyung was busy packing his bags as he dialled Seokjin to arrange his booking.

"Are you out of your mind Tae? You need to give me a heads up. I can't find you a flight at this instance. I perhaps can arrange to fly you back tomorrow."

"When will I be expected to land in NYC?"

"Maybe the day after tomorrow."

"Ugh, I wanted to reach by tomorrow."

"God Taehyung! Fine, let me see what I can do. Maybe next time try to make an effort to pre-plan will you? I know you're spending time with Luna for Judy but you seriously need to make a smarter plan. Even Jungkook can independently make his arrangement flying back to Sydney tomorrow and you can't even bother to text me a word earlier."

Jin was tailing his long frustration as he was typing separately on his laptop to secure a flight ticket for his young and arrogant boss.

"Your ticket is booked for the day after tomorrow landing-..."

"I need to arrive in NYC by tomorrow morning. Do it."

"Taehyung! I just spent more than five thousand dollars to get you a seat in this fucking flight." Jin exclaimed over the phone.

"It's only five grant, let it burn. Book a private jet for me. I will arrive at the departure in 2 hours and there better be a fucking flight to fly me back. Bye."

"How the fuck am I suppose to do that?"

"Figure it out. And listen to me Jin, don't breathe a single word about this to Yoongi, I swear he will confiscate my Ferrari again-..."

Taehyung's sentence was cut mid-sentence by the voice he wanted to avoid at the cost of his Ferrari. "Too bad ego head, kiss your damn ass Ferrari goodbye. This time, for a whole month. Goodbye."

"NO! Yoongi! Yoongi? Hello? Jin?"

"Sorry buddy, the call was on speaker and Yoongi is here. See you then. Bye."

Just like that, the call ended with a boiling Taehyung on one hand and a very happy duo on the other for they get to keep the Ferrari to themselves for the next one month.

.

"What are you trying to say?" Jungkook's heart stopped for a millisecond when he heard the simple yet accusing statement coming out from Namjoon.

"I know you heard me Jungkook and I think it's about time I come clean with few things in my hands."

"Namjoon, what are you saying? You're not making sense to me." Jungkook let out a nervous laugh hoping its another harmless joke that Namjoon is trying to pull. The raven head took the glass of water on his table and downed half of it when he felt his throat drying up.

"I know what happened between you and Taehyung."

The whole world stopped for Jungkook at that moment. Does he have to go through another episode of digging his memories about Taehyung? Whatever that has been done is enough to make him fly back to Sydney tomorrow morning. He doesn't need another one.

"I don't know what you're saying." Jungkook looked elsewhere nervously.

"Jungkook. I know what happened between you and Taehyung 8 years ago. I know why you left NYC and I also know why you hated coming back. This city reminds you of all the good times you had with Taehyung isn't it?"

"Those good times are all fake Namjoon. It's all fake and one-sided. No one who proudly confesses that they are indeed in love with you will behave like an egoistic bastard and label you. For Tae, I was only a little child and I still am. I don't want to talk about this."

"You think Taehyung's love for you is fake?"

"Namjoon, if you want to talk about this then I assume you also know the reason why I left in the first place. It's not only that but how can he claim that he loved me when he can't even bloody recognize my face when we met after all these years? Where is his fucking love?"

Jungkook's palm came in a harsh contact with the wooden table turning his soft and neutral skin to a flushing red due to the impact.

"You left Jungkook. You left without hearing him out and you didn't know what happened after the separation. I don't think so you have the right to accuse Tae either."

"Are you fucking kidding me Namjoon? For once I thought I saw a good friend and role model in you. Are you saying it's my fault as well for leaving?"

"I am not saying its entirely your fault but I said that you have no rights to accuse Tae just as much as he doesn't have the right to label or say anything about you leaving."

Jungkook runs his fingers through his raven locks.

"Listen Jungkook, it's not about pointing who has the heavier weight in this mishap. I am not here to argue Tae is right and you're wrong in anyways or vice versa. I just thought you needed some clarity and I am here to explain everything I know."

Namjoon waited patiently for Jungkook to digest everything and make a decision on his own.

"Let's go somewhere else." Jungkook packed his briefcase and texted Hoseok that he will be taking an early leave to pack his bags for tomorrow. For now, the opportunity to gather the past and forgotten truth seemed more appealing to Jungkook than piles of papers and overflowing numbers of emails.

.
__________________________________________
🥀
Namjoon is not here to blame JK or
defend Tae as he said. He is a neutral person
and he just want to help.
I can see some of you hate Tae's gut/character, sorry about that. It's for the story.