𝐔𝐍𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐘 || Vhope

C.35

Chapter 35: The same but better.

The door of his office opened and slammed shut.

"I want you to fire him."

Hoseok lifted his eyes from his computer.

Jungkook was scowling at him, his face holding none of its usual easy mirth and sweetness.

"What are you doing here?" Hoseok said. "Does walking still hurt?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then you're supposed to be resting," Hoseok said. "The general rule of thumb is if an activity brings any pain or discomfort, stop doing it immediately."

"That's what he said, too," Jungkook grumbled. "I want you to get rid of him."

Leaning back, Hoseok gave him a patient look. "I presume you're talking about your new physio?"

"Who else? I want you to fire him."

"Why?"

Jungkook shoved his hands into his pockets, his aquamarine eyes dropping for a moment. "I don't like him."

"I'm afraid that's not a good enough reason," Hoseok said calmly. "You know how understaffed we are-"

"I'm the star of this team," Jungkook said with a nice smile. "It's in your best interests to get me back to fitness as soon as possible. Isn't that your job, Hoseok?"

Hoseok narrowed his eyes. "I'm well aware of what my job is. I'm responsible for rehabilitation of all footballers of this club, and no one is entitled to preferential treatment. Because of the onslaught of injuries in the first team, reserve team and under-18 team, our physios are overworked already."

"But-"

"Jungkook," Hoseok cut him off, leveling him with a look, "I asked Namjoon Hardaway to work with you as a personal favor to me. He's one of the best physiotherapists and fitness trainers in Europe. You're incredibly lucky he agreed to do it on such short notice. Normally it would be impossible. He's in very high demand."

Jungkook scoffed. "That explains why he's such a bossy asshole."

Hoseok pinched the bridge of his nose. He had expected that Jungkook would be unhappy with his choice. Namjoon was a great guy, but his bedside manner left a great deal to be desired. Namjoon had no patience for bullshit. He wasn't the type Jungkook could wrap around his little finger.

Hoseok said, "If you want to return to the pitch before the end of the season and get called up for the English National Team, you will do what he says. And no, you can't hire another physio-I won't clear you if Namjoon doesn't confirm you're fully recovered and fit to play. After all the trouble I went through to get you the best physio, you won't get him fired only because you don't like him."

The mulish expression on Jungkook's face was very familiar. Hoseok wondered if Jungkook and Taehyung realized how similar some of their mannerisms were. They might not be related by blood and they might look nothing like each other, but Jungkook had a lot in common with Tae.

Hoseok{s voice softened. "It's for your own good, Kook."

Jungkook's stubborn expression didn't change.

Behind Jungkook, the door opened silently, admitting the man they were talking about. Before Hoseok could say anything, Jungkook said, oblivious to their audience, "If you don't fire him, someone might accidentally find out that you're fucking my brother. That would be such a shame. His career would be ruined."

Hoseok's blood went cold.

Jungkook gave him a curious, expectant look. Like a spider watching a fly caught in its web.

For the first time, Hoseok truly saw what Taehyung meant when he said Jungkook was a two-faced little shit. How could someone be so beautiful on the outside and be so ugly and calculating on the inside?

"Nice," Namjoon said, stepping into the room and walking toward Jungkook, who froze at the sound of his voice. "Blackmail, brat?"

Pursing his lips, Jungkook turned his head and glowered at him.

Namjoon looked unimpressed, his steely gray eyes fixing Jungkook with a hard look. "Why aren't you in bed? I gave you clear instructions."

Jungkook scowled. "You mean orders?"

"Precisely," Namjoon said, undeterred. "I need to talk to Hoseok. Go wait for me outside."

Jungkook gave him a mutinous glare, but, to Hoseok's surprise, actually obeyed. Well, he did attempt to storm out of the room but whimpered, grabbing his inner thigh, and slowed down. "Shut up," Jungkook threw over his shoulder.

"I didn't say anything," Namjoon said, his lips twisting. "But if you stop being a baby and start listening to me, you'll recover twice as fast."

"I hate you," Jungkook said and closed the door loudly behind him.

"Don't worry about his threats," Namjoon said, turning away from the door to look at Hoseok. "I'll make sure he won't spread that bullshit."

Hoseok wondered how he was going to accomplish that but didn't question it: Namjoon wasn't one to give empty promises.

"You wanted to talk to me?" he asked instead. "Come to complain too?"

Namjoon snorted. "If I start, we'll be here all night." He pulled something out of his jacket-something that looked suspiciously like wedding invitations-and put them on the desk. "Ji asked me to drop these off. He doesn't know your new address. Give Taehyung his, will you?"

Hoseok smiled. "About time." Jin and Namjoon had been in an on-and-off relationship for years. "Congrats, man."

Namjoon nodded before raising his eyebrows slightly. "So what did you do to piss Jungkook off so badly he wants to make up some shit about you and Taehyung?"

Before Hoseok could reply, the door opened and Taehyung walked in.

"Hey, Joon," Taehyung said with an easy smile.

Namjoon said something in response, but Hoseok listened to their conversation only with half an ear, his eyes drawn to Taehyung, who propped his hip against Hoseok's armrest. Gabe dropped his hand and found Hoseok's. Their fingers entwined.

Hoseok glanced at their hands before looking at Namjoon as the other man continued to talk to Taehyung. There was no way Namjoon could fail to notice the fact that they were holding hands, but Namjoon didn't even blink.

Hoseok almost laughed when he realized why: Namjoon wasn't surprised because they always acted that way. Whenever Namjoon had seen them together, Taehyung had usually been sprawled half on top of him or snuggled into his side. Nothing, short of kissing Gabe in public, would raise people's eyebrows: to the outside world, nothing had changed in the way they behaved. Actually, very little had changed in the way they behaved when they were alone, too. They had sex-lots and lots of sex-but other than that, their relationship was exactly the same as it had always been.