As Taehyung walked away from Jungkook and his friends, Jin shouted in his ear, "What the hell was that? You scared the shit out of me!"
Tae winced at his brother's tone. Jin never cursed, unless he was really pissed. "Sorry about that," he muttered timidly.
"Is that new way to pick up guys? Because I strongly recommend you find a new technique."
"Not exactly," Tae said as he began to pace on the edge of the yard. "I left this trip up to fate, and you'll never guess what happened."
"You turned gay and got laid?" The sarcasm oozed out of the speaker.
"No. I sat next to Jeon Seongjin's son on the train."
That got Jin's attention. "What? Did you know he was going to be there?"
"I didn't even know it was him until Jeon Seongjin shook my hand at the Busan Station."
"Did he know who you were?"
"No... he mistook me for someone else."
"Who?"
Taehyung rehashed the story, and Jin let out a slow whistle. "This sounds more like me than you, little brother. Are you sure you can pull it off?"
"Amazingly, I have so far. We've even made it halfway through our engagement party."
"An engagement party?"
"His mother's a nut job. A gold-digging, social wannabe nut job. She spent enough money on this party to sustain a family of four for a year. Who knows what she's planned for the wedding? Jeon Seongjin certainly has the motive. I think I'm on to something." He paused. "No lecture? No admonishment?"
"Hell, no. You were right and I was wrong. Your plan is pure genius. I wholeheartedly approve."
Jin's approval set off blaring alarms. Tae stopped in his tracks. "You're kidding."
"No. Is Jeon Jungkook a looker? Are you going to hook up with him while you're his fake fiancé?"
"What? No!"
"So he's a dog?"
"No. He's gorgeous, but I can't start something with him. I have to break up with him as soon as I find some solid evidence."
"Tae, have I taught you nothing? Why not get some action while you're out there? It's perfect. You don't have to worry about a long-term commitment because you're only hanging around a few days and he knows you're bailing. Why wouldn't you go for that?"
"I'm not that type of guy. How's he going to feel when he finds out the only reason I'm here is to find evidence proving his father is a thief?"
"It doesn't matter, Tae," Jin said, frustrated. "You'll be gone. What's the problem?"
Maybe Taehyung didn't want to start something with him and be gone. He almost laughed at the irony. There had been one meaningful relationship in college. For some reason, it had ever felt quite right. By all appearances, they should have worked out. There were no compatibility issues, and Tae's mother had approved of his ex, but he'd always felt like something was missing.
A spark.
He'd blamed himself. Since his father's death, he'd been so driven to make his father's legacy—his business—a success, he'd given the firm priority over everything and everyone in his life. He'd told himself there would be plenty of time to find the right person and start a family when the time came. Over the last few months, when it finally seemed as though the business had found solid ground, he'd allowed himself to examine his past relationship, determined to make the next one work.
His conclusion was sobering. He realized he could have lavished all the attention in the world his ex, and it still wouldn't have worked. Some might argue the connection he sought was the stuff of fairytales and folklore-- two things Kim Taehyung did believe in, because there had been so much spark in his parents' marriage, they'd glowed with it.
That was why Taehyung found acknowledging his attraction to Jungkook so difficult. He realized he was not only attracted to a guy, but he'd finally found that elusive spark...except with Jungkook, it was more like a blaze. It was crazy. Tae hardly knew him, but there was no denying it. And while he was tempted to take Jin's advice and indulge in his desire for Jungkook before he left, he couldn't do it. From what he could see, Jeon Jungkook's life was full of people dead set on hurting him. Tae didn't want to add his name to that list.
And that strangled him more than he'd expected.
"How far are you going to take this?" Jin asked.
Taehyung sucked in a breath and pushed it out, while simultaneously trying to force the thoughts of the sexy brunette out of his head. "I don't know yet. Seongjin's friends and associates have painted a pretty flattering picture of his character, but that doesn't mean anything. Desperate men go to drastic measures. He seems like an ordinary guy and he doesn't have expensive hobbies—an occasional game of golf, camping, fishing..."
"A boat?"
"It's twenty years old, with a small outboard motor."
"So the wedding is his big expense?"
"I'm pretty sure money slips through his wife's fingers like water. When I asked about his financial planner, one of his friends hinted that Seongjin doesn't have much money to invest. A woman pulled me aside because she thought I might know what was going on. Joke's on her, but she had something interesting to say. Rumor has it he refinanced their house to get the money to pay for the wedding of the year. And it still wasn't enough."
"So he could be the culprit?"
"Maybe. I was hoping Lee Daejung, his partner, would show, but so far he hasn't made an appearance, and it's getting late enough that I suspect he won't."
"Wow. I'm impressed. I didn't think you had subterfuge in you, Tae."
Jin meant it as a compliment, but Taehyung suddenly felt dirty. "Ae-ri mentioned that Seongjin has a home office on the second floor with the bedrooms. I hope to search their house tonight after everyone goes to bed, but I suspect any real evidence is at his business office. Getting there could be challenging. Jungkook's mother is like Mother-of-the-Bridezilla. She's made itineraries for each of us and my time is booked solid up until the wedding. I have no idea how I'm going to get away to go to Jeon's office."
"Doesn't his family think it's weird you don't have any family or friends there?"
"Jungkook said the shithead he was going to marry hardly had any friends, and neither his parents nor brother were planning on coming."
"The guy sounds like a tool if his own parents weren't going to the wedding. Is Jeon's son...?" Jin trailed off.
Tae got his unspoken question. "No. Not from what I've seen. Quite the opposite, in fact. I can't figure out why he was planning to marry the douche bag."
"It doesn't matter. I think you're on to something. And the fact is, if you're busy with all the wedding plans, then you need help."
"What does that mean?"
"Your mother may not be coming to the wedding, but your brother can change his mind and show up tomorrow."
"What? No!" Tae protested in panic.
"It's perfect, Tae. I'll have more free time than you. Besides, you and I both know this is more my type of caper than it is yours." Jin laughed. "You're out of your league, Tae. Admit it."
Taehyung paced, rubbing the back of his neck. Jin showing up could be a potential disaster. His brother tended to be a loose cannon. But Tae had to admit he needed help, and Jin had been the one to corner them into this situation in the first place. Time was ticking down, and he'd known going into this that he was going to have to resort to rolling in the mud. "Fine, but you have to behave yourself, Jin."
"Hey! When have I not behaved myself?"
"Consider why we're in this situation to begin with..."
"Jeez, one time--"
"One time?" Tae shook his head. "Dammit." This plan was even more insane than the course he was currently on. "I'm not telling them that you're coming. I can't think of a single reason to justify you showing up tomorrow. Jungkook wants to break up at the party tonight, and I don't want to scare him into going through with it."
"You can't let him break up with you!"
"I know. And for the most part, I'm safe. Jungkook is trying to save face with his mother, and I've been the perfect boyfriend."
"Like that's a stretch," Jin snorted. Leave it to Jin to make an attentive boyfriend sound like a bad thing.
"The point is that he needs me to act like a first-class jerk before he can break up with me, although it would come across even better for Jungkook if I break up with him. And I have no intention of doing either tonight."
"So you're safe."
In theory, but Tae could also end up infuriating Jungkook. The better option was if he could get him to agree to the delay. And if Tae were being honest with himself, he didn't want Jungkook to be angry with him.
"I've told Jungkook we should break up tomorrow. He hasn't agreed, but one of his best friends likes me and is trying to get him to put it off. I think I can get him to hold off until at least tomorrow night. But that's not near enough time if you show up in the afternoon. I might have to try pushing the breakup off to Friday, but that's cutting it pretty close to the wedding." He paused. "Maybe I'll find what we need tomorrow."
"Not likely."
Could Taehyung afford to turn down his brother's help? He had four days before the axe dropped on their big deal. He was going to have to bend some of his ethics to get the proof he needed and that thought didn't sit well with him. "I don't even know what I'm looking for, Jin. How do I pin this on them?"
"See if you can get access to Seongjin's emails from around the time my bag was stolen. Try to find a copy of the plans with our name on it."
"You really think someone's going to keep a copy of an incriminating document?"
"Yes. I do."
Tae rubbed the back of his neck. "So where do I look?"
"The Jeon house is a good start. I doubt he'd keep the plans in the office. How would he explain it to his colleagues? But if his wife found it, no big deal...I bet none of his family would give it a second thought."
Tae had to admit that Jin was right. "This is a great start if Seongjin's our guy, but I still haven't figured out how I'm going to explain your sudden appearance."
"I can play the role of the surprise, drop-in brother. Send me an address."
"But why would you show up? How did you find out where I was?"
"You let me worry about all of that. You just act completely surprised to see me. Now what's the address?"
Taehyung had a sinking suspicion he was going to regret this. "I'll text it to you."
"See you tomorrow, Tae."
He wasn't exactly looking forward to this family reunion.
Tae rejoined Jungkook and his friends. Hoseok was watching him like he was an all-you-can-eat buffet, though one he didn't care to dine at, while Jungkook looked embarrassed, and Namjoon was doing his damnedest to pretend Tae didn't exist.
"I need to use the restroom," Tae said, needing to escape for a few minutes. Hopefully it would also give him the opportunity to do a quick search, as he'd planned.
"You can use the powder room on the first floor," Jungkook told him.
Feeling someone's gaze on him as he made his way across the deck to the back door, Tae looked back to see Jimin and Yoongi watching him. Shaking his head, he let himself into the house and used the restroom, then opened the door, planning to head upstairs to look for Seongjin's office. But as he moved toward the stairs, Tae heard a voice from behind the partially open bedroom door at the end of the hall. He paused, looking to see if anyone would notice him eavesdropping. When he didn't see anyone, he moved closer, realizing it was Jeon Seongjin's voice.
"No...you know it's too late." There was silence for several moments before he said, "That's not what I said. You know I want to help...I'm just...tied up."
Seongjin was obviously on the phone, but who was he talking to and what was the call about?
"We always knew there would be casualties," Seongjin said, sounding unhappy. "Talk to the attorney and see what he says."
Was he talking about Taehyung potentially fighting the patent?
"Hear anything good?" Namjoon whispered behind him.
Tae jumped and spun around, trying to keep a poker face. "Hey, Namjoon-ssi. I was looking for the restroom."
"Hmm..." He crossed his arms. "You seem to have passed it." He pointed his thumb to the partially open door behind him.
"Huh." Tae tried to sound nonchalant. "The door was closed when I went by. I heard Jeon Seongjin-ssi in the other room, so I decided to ask him where I could find another bathroom."
Namjoon pinned him with his steely gaze.
The bedroom door opened and Seongjin came out. "Oh!" he said in surprise, looking nervous. "I haven't had a chance to say hi to you, Namjoon. How are you doing?"
"Good."
"I see you met Taehyung. Or had you met him before?"
Tae held his breath, waiting for Namjoon to expose him.
"Nope. This was my first opportunity to meet Taehyung."
If Seongjin heard the inflection, he didn't let on. "Are you ready for Jungkook's wedding excitement?"
Namjoon's mouth twisted into a devious smile. "You have no idea."
"Well..." He squeezed past the two of them. "I better get back out to Ae-ri. I'm sure she's fit to be tied over something." Seongjin continued toward the kitchen. Namjoon watched him until Jungkook's father was out of earshot.
His eyes narrowed at Tae. "What are you up to?"
"I told you. I was looking for the restroom."
He shook his head slowly, keeping his gaze on him. "No. You're up to something. I can feel it. The question is what?"
Tae held his hands out at his side. "I'm just trying to help Jungkook."
"No. I don't--"
"You are unbelievable!" Jungkook said in a loud voice, walking up behind Namjoon. "I told you to leave him alone!"
Namjoon turned to face his friend and Tae slid past him, moving next to Jungkook. "I told you that I don't trust him, and sure enough, I found him eavesdropping outside your parents' room."
"Eavesdropping on what? My mother's outside and I just passed my father."
"Kookie. Listen to me. Taehyung was listening to your father's phone call."
Tae plastered a look of what he hoped was innocence on his face. "I was looking for the restroom. I heard your dad's voice, so I was going to ask him where it was. Then Namjoon-ssi showed up and accused me of...I'm not sure what." Tae hated lying, but here he was, lying through his teeth. The guilt was overwhelming.
"You can't trust this guy, Jungkook!"
"Hyung! Keep your voice down," Jungkook whisper-hissed. "Why in the world would Tae eavesdrop on my father? What could he hope to hear? Do you know how paranoid and crazy that sounds?"
"It might sound paranoid, but it's true."
Jungkook shook his head. "You'll do anything to prove me wrong, won't you?"
Namjoon looked genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?"
"You'll resort to making up lies to get me to end our arrangement."
Namjoon's mouth dropped open. "Have you lost your mind?"
Tears filled Jungkook's eyes. "You've already decided that I have, so why do you keep asking?"
"Kookie." Namjoon's voice softened.
Jungkook shook his head. "Stop. Just stop." Then he took a deep breath and turned to Tae. "My mother wants my father to formally introduce us to their friends." Tae started to say something, but Jungkook held up his hand. "Yes, I know. We've already talked to every single one of them, but nevertheless..." His voice trailed off.
Namjoon's anger returned. "If you think I'm going to stay here and watch this--"
"Go!" Jungkook nearly shouted, his eyes blazing. "If you can't watch this, then go. No one is making you stay!"
"Jungkook," Tae interrupted, his guilt crushing him. He couldn't let him ruin a decades-long friendship over him.
"You're choosing him over me?" Namjoon demanded. When Jungkook didn't answer, he pushed on. "You're picking a man whom you've known for approximately ten hours over your friend of fifteen years."
"No, hyung. You chose for me." Jungkook grabbed Tae's wrist and pulled him down the hall, leaving a stunned Namjoon in his wake.
"Jungkook, really--" Tae stammered.
"It's fine," he said, forcing a smile. "I'm fine. Let's go get introduced."
By the time they reached the kitchen, Jungkook's hand trembled in Tae's clasp. He was upset whether he wanted to admit it or not.
"Jungkook." Tae pulled him to a halt. "Hold on for a second."
Jungkook stopped in front of him, looking up with questioning eyes. He was so agonizingly close and he looked so vulnerable. All Tae wanted to do was take him in his arms and kiss Jungkook, assuring him that everything would be okay... but he couldn't. He wasn't sure everything would be okay once the dust finally settled.
"Give me a minute, okay?" he asked, certain Jungkook would afford him the time he thought he needed to collect himself. Tae felt less guilt over this small duplicity. It was for Jungkook's benefit, so he could live with it.
They were still holding hands, he suddenly noticed. Tae thought about dropping his hold, but couldn't seem to let go. "He'll get over it," Tae finally said.
Jungkook let out a deep breath, then forced a smile. "I'm not so sure."
"Hoseok-hyung will smooth things over."
His smile turned genuine. "Yeah, he can't stand it when we fight."
"I like Hoseok-hyung." He reached his free hand around Jungkook's back and pulled him to his chest before he realized what he was doing. Touching Jungkook was as natural as breathing, and while that was dangerous, Tae didn't much care at the moment.
Jungkook relaxed into him, resting his head on Tae's shoulder.
They stood still for nearly a minute, and with every ticking second, Taehyung felt more and more certain this man was different than every other man he had ever met. The question was what did he do with that information? He didn't see any way to achieve a positive outcome.
Jeon Ae-ri poked her head through the back door. "There you are! Aren't you too precious, stealing a moment for yourselves. You can hug later. Your father wants you out here for an official introduction."
Tae wasn't fooled. The introduction had to be Ae-ri's idea, but at the moment he was Jeon Ae-ri's golden boy and he wasn't about to say a word.
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A/N: i hate making Joon sound like a villain