It was HIM.
Hiroshi.
Sata Hiroshi.
Jungkook's first love,
and Taehyung's biggest insecurity.
Taehyung shook himself out of those thoughts, but his insecurities were getting the best of him. Jungkook had repeatedly assured him that Hiroshi belonged in his past. A painful past clearly. However, when all your life you have only been unsure of your worth as someone's family, you learn to jump onto the uncertain chain of thoughts as an acquired habit. And the annoyingly confident but heartless human before him was adding fuel to those doubts.
"Guess you finally recognised me. I am sure Jungkook and the people around him must have mentioned me from time to time. I did play an important role in his life once."
"Just get to the point. What do you want?"
"I see! A man of a few words! I like that. However, I am not looking for something. I, in fact, want to help you get what you want." The wicked human spoke smugly. When Taehyung raised an eyebrow in question, he continued; although not before checking his surroundings for potential eves-droppers.
"Taehyung-ssi, let me tell you a secret. I know that your engagement is a sham. A farce. I know about your little contract with Princess Joana…"
Taehyung didn't realise when his pulse quickened. His clothes started to feel tight around his neck and chest, and his breathing turned shallow and uneven. He couldn't form a coherent response, even.
"Well, don't worry, I have no plan to expose you both right now. Not unless you give me a reason to," the man smiled evilly, " As long as you do as I say, both you and your kid will be safe."
Taehyung was shit scared by the fact that this person didn't just know their secret and was willing to use it against them, but he was also threatening his and his child's safety.
'No', he couldn't let Hiroshi harm their baby now, could he? No, he would do anything to protect it. His protective instincts had kicked off, but before he could say anything, a sweet voice startled him.
"Babe, what are you doing here?" A beautiful woman was walking towards them, dressed regally. She seemed to have startled Hiroshi as well because his face suddenly grew a bunch of worry lines.
"Kyung-mi! Angel, I was just introducing myself to Dr. Kim, Jungkookie's would-be groom."
"Oh, so he is Taehyung-ssi? Hello, I am Kyung-mi. I can't believe I am meeting you through my fiancé rather than yours. Anyway, congratulations on your brother's wedding. I am really looking forward to your own wedding, though!" She offered Taehyung a sweet smile. However, Taehyung was still uneasy with the whole confab.
"Taehyung-ah, there you are! Jungkookie has been searching for you everywhere…"
They were interrupted by a voice before the scientist could say anything. He turned to see Yoongi walking towards them with Jimin on his tail. Both of them wore very unusual expressions.
"Hyung, I was on a call with…", he stopped himself before he could expose Eun-ji's name.
"We know, Jungkookie told us. He just wants you by his side. The reception is about to start." Jimin hurried towards his side, linking their arms together. The couple had almost ignored the existence of Hiroshi, only throwing just an acknowledgement towards Kyung-mi.
"Kyung-mi-ssi, nice to see you, but we are afraid we will have to take Taehyung away. He's the host, after all." Yoongi bowed a little and led the younger two away by pushing them both by his palm on the small of their backs.
As soon as they were out of the earshot, Yoongi questioned,
"Taehyung-ah, whatever the fucker said, don't pay him any heed. He is not worth any attention."
"Hyung, he…" However, he was again interrupted by Jungkook who was running towards them.
"Where were you, let's go. You have to give your speech."
He let the prince pull him in his arms and walk him towards the reception venue. He had to school his expressions, he had to calm his thoughts. He couldn't spoil his hyungie's dream wedding and he couldn't let the fucker think that he had power over Taehyung. Taehyung was not going to let him win.
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The reception went smoothly despite it being a last-minute affair. After the newly married couple was sent off to their wedding suite, the prince and the scientist retired to their chambers. Jungkook, being dead tired, slept immediately. Taehyung on the other hand didn't have that luxury. He was not able to get an ounce of sleep that night. No, he wasn't scared for himself, he was scared for the safety of his child and Eun-ji. He knew Hiroshi couldn't directly harm Jungkook, he had no power for that. However, he could definitely use the contract against them. He had to get hold of the contract and destroy it.
👑👑👑
Taehyung was not sure when he slept but the next morning when he woke up there was no warm body pressing into him. He woke up uneasy with the thought of Jungkook not being close to him. He got off the bed with the need to search for the prince, only to find him sitting on the lounger nearby, reading a book. “How to be a dad your child deserves: The prenatal stage”, the title read.
“So, is this what you are using to turn our child against me?” Taehyung asked in his groggy voice, almost startling Jungkook.
“Tae, you scared me!” Jungkook spoke, holding a hand to his heart, but scooting one side, automatically making a space for his barely awake fiancé. Taehyung flopped himself on the lounger but mostly on Jungkook's body; who welcomed him nonetheless.
“And hey, why would you say that I am using this harmless book to turn our kid against you?” Jungkook asked, cuddling with the sleepy bear.
“Eun Said you keep talking to the foetus, telling them how I annoy you. I have a feeling that it definitely has something to do with this book.”
"God! You are so insecure! And no, I am not turning the kid against you. I was just telling them that you looked so handsome in your suit and I couldn't even kiss you. Eun was not supposed to listen to this. I told that brat to cover her ears!”
“Why would you tell that to the baby, though? Don't you think it is not really an appropriate thing to share with your child?”
“ Now that you put it like that, it is!” Jungkook sulked, in understanding.
“Why are you sulking now?”
Jungkook mumbled something incoherent, making Taehyung nudge him to speak a bit louder and more clearly.
“I don't know what to say to the baby. I just keep talking about random things in the hopes that they will recognise my voice after they are born… If not….”
The prince looked deflated while being unable to complete his sentence.
“If not what, Jungkookie?”
“If not, how will they know I am their other dad? They don't share Fifty per cent of my DNA like I hoped they would. It's only 25 percent. Technically speaking, I am just their uncle…”
“And?
“I know you think that you don't care about the bonding and all, but the kid is gonna love you regardless. Kids anyway tend to gravitate towards their biological parents…”
“Now who the hell told you that?”
“I read it somewhere…” Jungkook muttered in a low voice.
“Jungkook, what did I tell you about not trusting everything you read online? There is no research which says that. Yeah, kids do recognise their biological moms as they know their smells and voices right from their time in the womb, however, with fathers, it's totally different. They recognize everyone close enough to hear their voices from inside the womb. If anything, I am afraid the baby would prefer you more because they only hear your voice the most and won't even spare me a glance.”
"Shut up… You are just saying it for the sake of it…”
“I only speak the truth and quote only the verified research findings.”
“Don't go all scientisty on me now… We have to wait till the wedding.” The prince whined, jutting his lips out for Taehyung to kiss. Taehyung gave him a look of disbelief but melted right away when the prince eyed his lips pleading. And who is Taehyung to say no to his baby highness's demands? He let Jungkook engulf his lips with Jungkook's own, trying to catch up for the lost kisses from the day before.
The kiss was soft but still eager, conveying Jungkook's real feelings from the time he had seen Taehyung all dressed up, looking like a dream. Truth be told, Jungkook couldn't wait to marry him and make him his. His patience was on the verge of breaking. Desperately he tried to coax the scientist to part his lips so he could get a better taste of his fiancé, but with a hand on his chest, Taehyung stopped him from going any further.
“Wait… I haven't brushed yet…”
“And? Does it look like I care ?” Jungkook sassed, pulling the scientist into his lap.
“No, it clearly doesn't. However, there is something I would like to talk about urgently, in the privacy of our bedroom.”
Even though he sounded serious, Jungkook did not budge. His mouth stayed parted and glued to the scientist's jaw.
"Jungkook…” Taehyung reprimanded him again. More firmly this time. His authoritative voice made Jungkook understand instantly that he was serious about whatever it was.
He snapped his head up, giving Taehyung full attention.
“Good boy!” Taehyung absentmindedly muttered, while his palm held the prince steady by his nape.
The praise went straight to the prince's head or should we say to his *ahem*, yet he did not act on it. He was clearly in need of hearing more of such praises. So he stayed still like a good boy. Meanwhile, Taehyung hopped off from his seat, making sure the doors and windows were locked so no one overhears them. Jungkook knew Taehyung was a bit paranoid but even for himself he looked a little too much.
“Baby, what's wrong?”
Taehyung sighed as he took a seat opposite Jungkook.
“I met Hiroshi yesterday.”
The declaration made Jungkook freeze. His lack of response made Taehyung panic so he tried to elaborate it better.
“I mean I didn't approach him. He did.”
It made Jungbook's expressions worse.
“What does he want now? Was humiliating, bad-mouthing me in front of the whole world was not enough.”
“I don't know how but he knows about our initial arrangement.” Taehyung stated gingerly.
"What? How?” Jungkook was beyond baffled.
“I don't know… But he knows quite a lot.”
"He will not let me live peacefully …” Jungkook felt breathless.
“No… Don't give him that power. That unevolved ape is not gonna get away with threatening us and our child.”
“He threatened you? He dared to speak about our baby with that filthy mouth. I will kill him with my bare hands.…”
“I don't think he has that kind of power, Kook. He wouldn't be sitting on the information like this if he had proof and power to deal with it. I know these types of bullies. They are all bark, no bite…”
“What are we going to do now?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then we are going to get hold of the only thing that could cause problems for us and destroy it.”
“ And what is that?”
“The egg donor contract Joana had signed.”
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