The dream stayed in Taehyung's consciousness as the morning sun filtered through the dorm windows. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and turned to Jungkook's bed.
Jungkook was still asleep, his face relaxed in a way Taehyung rarely saw these days. No tension, no weight of expectations—just the boy Taehyung had known for years.
Taehyung smiled gently. He wanted to reach out and wipe away the strands of hair that were falling over Jungkook's forehead. But he didn't. Because reality wasn't as pleasant as dreams.
"Hyung, stop staring," Jungkook's groggy voice broke through the silence.
Taehyung froze. "I—I wasn't staring."
Jungkook cracked one eye open, smirking. "Then why do I feel your eyes burning a hole into my soul?"
Taehyung huffed, throwing a pillow at him. "Shut up and get up. We have a schedule."
Jungkook groaned, burying his face into the pillow. "Five more minutes."
"Nope." Taehyung yanked the blanket off him. "Get up, superstar."
Jungkook groaned dramatically. "You used to be nice to me, hyung. What happened to the Taehyung who adored me?"
Taehyung rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the smile forming on his lips. "He realized you're annoying."
Jungkook gasped, placing a hand on his chest. "Betrayal."
Taehyung laughed, shaking his head. These little moments between them made everything else feel distant—the secrecy, the fear, the world that seemed determined to keep them apart.
But as they got ready for their schedule, reality hit them hard again.
Their first stop of the day was a meeting with the company.
And the moment they walked into the room, they knew it wasn't going to be good.
Their manager sat at the large table, arms crossed and lips clenched into a thin line. Next to him were a few company executives.
"Sit," their manager said.
Taehyung and Jungkook exchanged a glance before taking their seats.
One of the executives cleared his throat. "We need to talk about boundaries."
Taehyung's stomach twisted. He knew where this was going.
"Your closeness isn't going unnoticed," another added, flipping through some papers. "Fans are starting to talk. There are rumors. And we can't afford that kind of distraction right now."
Jungkook's jaw clenched. "Distraction?" he repeated, his voice calm but sharp.
"Yes," the executive said firmly. "This is a business. Your image is carefully crafted, and anything that could jeopardize it needs to be handled."
Handled. Like their feelings were nothing more than a problem to be solved.
Taehyung forced himself to stay composed. "And what exactly are you asking us to do?"
The manager sighed. "Keep your distance. No more unnecessary contacts in public. No more lingering stares, no more—" he hesitated, choosing his words carefully, "behavior that could lead to misunderstandings."
Jungkook scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Misunderstandings? So we can't even be friends now?"
The executive smiled tightly. "You aren't simply friends, Jungkook. You're idols. Every step you make is tracked, evaluated, and combined into a narrative. If you can't control it, we'll do it for you."
Silence filled the room.
Taehyung stole a glance at Jungkook, expecting to see anger. But what he saw was worse.
Jungkook looked hurt.
Taehyung squeezed his fists under the table. He wanted to fight back, to argue, and say anything. But what could they do about a company that had complete power over their lives?
Jungkook took a deep breath. "Is that all?"
His voice was eerily calm.
Their manager hesitated before nodding. "Yes. Just… think about what's best for your careers."
Jungkook stood up without another word. Taehyung quickly followed, his heart pounding.
The moment they stepped outside, Jungkook let out a bitter laugh. "So that's it, huh? We're a liability now."
Taehyung placed a hand on his arm. "Kook…"
Jungkook exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. "Are we really supposed to pretend like nothing's going on? Like we don't—" He cut himself off, his voice tight.
Taehyung swallowed the lump in his throat. "I don't know."
Jungkook looked at him, eyes searching. "Do you want to stop?"
Taehyung's heart ached. "No."
Jungkook took a step closer, lowering his voice. "Then we don't."
Taehyung let out a shaky breath. "But the company—"
"To hell with the company," Jungkook whispered fiercely. "I won't let them tell me who I can and can't love."
Taehyung stared at him, his heart racing. Jungkook had always been stubborn, but this was different. This was a promise.
And for the first time in a long time, Taehyung felt hope.