Taehyung could feel his face burning, his heart pounding erratically in his chest.
The close proximity, the intimacy of the small photobooth, and Jungkookâs sudden but gentle action had left him utterly flustered.
He couldnât bear to look Jungkook in the eye. With a hurried motion, he pushed the curtain aside and almost stumbled out of the booth.
Jungkook watching him go. His own heart wasnât faring much better, but he quickly composed himself.
Realizing the photos were done printing, Jungkook grabbed the strip from the slot. His eyes scanned the picturesâgoofy poses with Jaybum, their silly expressions, and then the last one⦠The kiss.
A faint smile tugged at his lips as he folded the strip neatly and slipped it into his pocket. It wasnât something he wanted anyone else to seeânot yet.
When Jungkook finally stepped out of the booth, he found Taehyung leaning against the wall nearby, his cheeks still a soft shade of pink. Taehyung avoided his gaze,pretending to focus on something in the distance.
Before Jungkook could approach him, their friendsâ voices cut through the air.
"There you two are!" Jimin said, smirking knowingly as he walked over. "Took you long enough. Were you printing a novel in there?"
Taehyung shot Jimin a glare, but it only made his cheeks redder. "Shut up, Chim."
Jungkook chuckled, slipping his hands into his pockets as if nothing had happened. "Letâs go. Namjoon-hyungâs probably waiting for us."
Once they reached near their table they spotted Namjoon, seated with two new faces, was laughing heartily, his dimples showing as he pointed at something amusing.
When Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin returned to the table, Namjoon gestured towards the newcomers.
The two men stood up the moment they spotted Jungkook. One of them, a tall, broad-shouldered man with sharp features, immediately hugged him.
"Ayy, man! Kook! Long time no see," Eunwoo said, patting Jungkook on the back.
Jungkook returned the gesture, his smile wide.
"Eunwoo! Jackson! When did you guys get here?"
"Just a little while ago," Jackson said, grinning. His charismatic presence was hard to ignore. Both Eunwoo and Jackson were familiar figures from Jungkook's pastâhis closest friends from high school. They had been pillars of support when Jungkook had lost Jay, and their bond remained strong despite their packed schedules.
The group sat down, laughter resuming as they reminisced about their shared history. Jacksonâs eyes darted across the table before settling on Taehyung.
"Hey, who's that? Havenât seen him with you guys before," Jackson asked, curiosity piqued.
Jungkook turned slightly toward Taehyung. "Oh, this is Taehyung," he said simply.
Taehyung, feeling the attention shift to him, extended his hand with a polite smile.
"Hello, Iâm Kim Taehyung. Jaybumâs babysitter."
Jackson shook his hand, returning the smile. "Iâm Jackson Wang, Jungkookâs friend."
"And Iâm Eunwoo," the other man said warmly, shaking Taehyungâs hand as well.
Though Taehyung was new to them, the two alphas had an ease about them that quickly melted away any awkwardness.
The conversation flowed naturally, with Jackson and Eunwoo bringing up amusing incidents from their high school days with Jungkook.
Jaybum, now perched comfortably in Hoseokâs arms, sipped on his juice, his little legs swinging as the adults continued their banter.
"Wait, wait, you remember the time Jungkook tripped during the relay race because he was too busy winking at the audience?"
Jackson said, barely able to contain his laughter.
Eunwoo added, "And then he tried to play it cool like it was intentional!"
The table erupted in laughter, Jungkook groaning as he covered his face.
"Why are we bringing this up now?" he muttered, cheeks slightly flushed.
"But wait, Kook!" Jackson suddenly said, his voice filled with excitement. "Arenât you excited for tonight?"
Jungkook looked puzzled. "Uh⦠yeah? Itâs New Yearâs. Everyoneâs excited."
Jackson smirked, leaning forward. "No, dumbass! How could you forget?
Tonightâs a full moon!"
Eunwoo nodded eagerly. "You might find your MATE tonight!"
The words hit like a thunderclap. Jungkookâs smile faded slightly as realization dawned on him. He froze for a moment, the weight of the statement sinking in.
Taehyung, seated beside him, felt his chest tighten. He gripped the edge of his seat as his thoughts spiraled. Mate.
How could he have forgotten about the full moon? It was such an integral part of a trueblooded alpha's life.
As a vampire, the concept of mates was more mythicalâsomething rare and often left unspoken. But for Jungkook, it was destiny. Taehyungâs heart clenched painfully.
What if Jungkook found his mate tonight? What if all the tender moments they had sharedâthe smiles, the laughter, the stolen kissesâmeant nothing in the face of fate?
Across the table, Jungkook wasnât faring any better. The full moon was a significant event in his life, but in recent months, he had barely thought about it.
His focus had been entirely on Taehyung, on Jaybum, on the life they had built together. The idea of finding his mate suddenly felt⦠intrusive, unwelcome.
"You remember how Jungkook used to be so desperate to find his mate?" Jackson said, laughing.
"Yeah," Eunwoo added with a soft smile. "Heâd always wait for the full moon like it was Christmas Eve."
Jungkook clenched his jaw, glancing at Taehyung, whose face was unreadable. The lively chatter around them faded into the background as both of them got lost in their thoughts.
Taehyungâs mind raced. The thought that Jungkookâs mate was out there, somewhere. But now that the possibility loomed so close, it felt like a cruel joke.
Jungkook, on the other hand, felt a mix of dread and defiance. His mate was supposed to be his destiny, but as he glanced at Taehyung, he realized something profound: his heart felt something different.
Taehyung plastered on a polite smile, his voice calm and steady. "You guys carry on. I'll be right back," he said, pushing his chair back and standing.
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked away, heading toward the quieter part of the house. His heart was racing, emotions threatening to spill over, but his mask remained firmly in place.
Jackson and Eunwoo, oblivious to the tension, continued talking and laughing with the others. Their carefree demeanor contrasted sharply with the unease that settled among the group.
Namjoon exchanged a quick glance with Jin, concern evident in his eyes. Jimin, ever the empathetic one, looked like he was ready to follow Taehyung, but Hoseok gently held his arm, shaking his head.
Meanwhile, Jungkook sat frozen for a moment, staring at the space Taehyung had just vacated.
"Iâll be right back," Jungkook said abruptly, his voice firmer than usual. Without waiting for a response, he stood and strode off in the direction Taehyung had gone, his steps quick and purposeful.
The others exchanged worried glances but chose to stay seated, understanding that this was something Jungkook and Taehyung needed to handle on their own.
Taehyung at first was planning to head to the rooftop for fresh air ,but people were already gathered around the rooftop thus he avarted his way.
He was now on the same balcony , Jungkook was supposed to give his surprise fireworks.
The air on the balcony was heavy, both with the chill of the night and the weight of emotions Taehyung couldnât contain any longer.
He leaned against the railing, the cool metal grounding him as his mind spiraled. The party was in full swing downstairs, but here he was, away from the laughter and cheer, battling the storm inside him.
*Why am I feeling like this?* Taehyung asked himself, biting his lip to keep the tears at bay. His heart ached in a way he couldnât describe. His thoughts were a messâJungkookâs mate would probably be perfect,someone who could give him everything Taehyung never could. Someone who could make him happy.
Yet, the idea of Jungkook loving someone else tore him apart.
He exhaled shakily, his breath visible in the cool night air. "I should be happy," he whispered to himself . "Jaybum will get another parent⦠and Jungkook will finally find the one meant for him." He swallowed hard, trying to convince himself, but the words felt like knives cutting into him.
"Tae...," came a voice from behind, soft yet trembling.
Taehyung froze, his eyes closing tightly at the sound of his name from the familiar voice......Jungkook.
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But wait! Was your author that kind enough to give them a happy ending?Just like that??
Who'll be Jungkook's mate? What do you think? Do you think your author will be cruel enough or spare them apart?
Read more to find out.....