After the meal, as the crew departed, Ivory began tidying up the kitchen while Jake took out the trash. Jin lingered, watching her for a moment before speaking.
"You know, it's been a while since I've seen JungKook this happy," he said.
Ivory looked up, surprised. "Really?"
"Yeah," Jin nodded. "His last relationship took a toll on him. But since meeting you, he's been... lighter."
Ivory smiled softly. "I'm glad."
Jin chuckled. "Also, I'm fluent in English. Comes in handy with international fans and business."
"Business?" Ivory inquired.
"I own a restaurant," he replied. "You should come by sometime. When you're not busy."
"I'd like that, Jin." she said.
They shared a warm smile, the beginning of a new friendship forming amidst the remnants of a joyful evening.
Jake returned from taking out the trash, rubbing his slightly pink ears from the cold. Jin gave him a salute and a smirk.
"I'll take my leave now. Let the lovebirds settle in," he teased, earning a flustered eye-roll from Jake and a playful shove.
As the door shut behind Seokjin, Jake turned to Ivory, stretching his arms overhead with a yawn. "Your room's ready."
Ivory raised a brow. "You already set up your guestroom for me?"
He nodded. "Of course."
She giggled, remembering their first night in Iceland. "Look at that. The tables have turned."
He tilted his head. "What?"
"You remember when I told you to stay in my guestroom in Iceland?"
He groaned dramatically. "Your guestroom was a luxurious suite inside a literal mansion."
She smirked. "Still a guestroom."
Then she paused, her expression turning mock-serious. "Wait. So... we're not sleeping together?"
Jake blinked. "I mean, I readied it just in case—if you're up for it."
"Oh, no," she teased, stepping closer and crossing her arms. "You prepared that guestroom for me. Took the time. Made the bed and everything. Sounds to me like you don't want me sleeping beside you."
He narrowed his eyes, stepping forward. "That what you think?"
She tilted her chin up defiantly, clearly enjoying the game. She turned towards the guestroom. "Seems pretty obvious."
Without another word, Jake's hands flew to her waist and lifted her effortlessly, making her squeal. In one smooth motion, he carried her toward his room.
"Jake!" she laughed, kicking playfully as he marched across the hallway.
"Oh, no," he said, grinning. "You had your chance to choose."
He nudged open the door with his foot, carried her in, and tossed her gently onto his bed. Before she could sit up, he joined her, wrapping both arms tightly around her waist from behind and locking her in a warm, unyielding embrace.
"You're not going anywhere now," he murmured against her ear. "Guestroom's off-limits."
She wiggled, mock-struggling. "Let me go!"
"Nope," he smirked, pulling her even closer. "You called me out, now suffer the consequences."
She turned her head just enough to catch his eyes. "Oh no. Guess I'll have to sleep beside a warm, gorgeous man who smells like vanilla and arrogance."
He chuckled, tucking his chin into her shoulder. "Terrible fate."
They exchanged smiles—tender, warm, wordless. The kind that lingered even when they both turned in for the night.
Sunlight poured into the sleek living space as Ivory emerged from the guestroom, hair slightly tousled, wearing one of the oversized hoodies Jake had left folded on a chair.
The scent of breakfast hit her first—something buttery, something sweet.
On the counter was a simple, hand-written note:
**"Good morning, sleepyhead.
Breakfast is ready. Coffee's hot.
I'll be back later. Don't miss me too much.
Jake"**
She chuckled. "He could've just texted me. What is this, a K-drama?"
Still smiling, she poured herself coffee and took a seat at the kitchen island with her laptop.
She hesitated, fingers over the keyboard, before typing his real name.
Jeon JungKook.
Page after page flooded in—concerts, tours, awards, millions of fans, sold-out stadiums.
It was overwhelming.
Then she saw the headlines:
"Jeon JungKook Caught in Dating Scandal"
"Idol's Ex Speaks Out"
"Rumors Spark Brand Withdrawals"
Her heart sank a little.
She read more carefully, absorbing the full picture. The chaos. The accusations. The noise.
She wasn't just dealing with a guy in hiding—she was falling for a man who carried the weight of a whole country's scrutiny.
Her brows furrowed with concern, but also determination. She clicked into her secure contact portal and opened chats with her legal counsel and virtual assistants.
"Track Korean media reports and social responses connected to Jeon JungKook. Prioritize smear campaigns, digital footprints, and PR redirection angles. Start now."
She tapped her pen on the table thoughtfully, sipping her coffee.
Then—she saw it.
"Jeon JungKook Confirms Plans for Military Enlistment Later This Year"
She stilled.
So this was coming too.
She searched about it. How it goes. How many days. What do they do. The articles also stated that he will be entering with one of his best friends, Park Jimin. A day before will be his other best friend, Kim Taehyung. The others already served.
Even as an idol, there were no exceptions. He'd still have to leave.
Her lips parted, but she didn't say anything aloud.
Instead, she sat quietly, trying to process everything. Wondering how much time they really had left—how much of it she could actually spend by his side. Her heart thudded like a warning drum in her chest. He was supposed to serve for two years. There would be vacation days, but not enough. Not when the timing of his enlistment clashed with everything she had to face on her own.
That same season marked the launch of her new flavored wine—a project she'd nurtured for years. It was also when her licensing renewal would be due, a legal storm of paperwork and in-person appearances that couldn't be delayed. And it all had to happen in Italy. She had no choice but to be there—physically, mentally, entirely.
The thought made her chest tighten. While he disappeared behind barracks and borders, she would be buried in business, miles away from the only person she wanted to share it all with.
***
Jake stepped inside later that day, grocery bag in one hand and a drink carrier in the other, whistling to himself. He spotted Ivory seated cross-legged on the sofa, laptop in front of her, reading something with far too much interest.
"Whatcha reading?" he asked, suspicious.
Ivory smirked. "Just brushing up on some history..."
Jake narrowed his eyes. "What kind of history?"
And then—she stood up.
Without warning, she launched into the most dramatic recreation of his 2016 boyband dance routine, complete with exaggerated facial expressions and finger hearts.
Jake dropped the grocery bag, scandalized. "YA! NO! Not that one!"
Too late. She was already mimicking his footwork like she was performing at a fan meet.
His ears turned crimson. "I will tackle you, I swear—"
She laughed wildly. "You looked like a dancing baby goat!"
That did it. Jake lunged and tackled her down onto the couch, careful but swift. They both collapsed onto the cushions in a fit of laughter, limbs tangled.
"You've been corrupted by the internet," he said, breathless.
Ivory grinned, still poking fun. "Wait—should I show you the fan cam angle too—"
Her sentence was cut off.
By his kiss.
A real one. Gentle but firm. Deepening just slightly, long enough to make her forget the joke. His lips moved against hers until she fell completely silent.
"Still talking?" he murmured, eyes hovering inches from hers.
She blinked, dazed. "Nope."
"Good," he smirked.
He stood, casually pulling off the hoodie in one smooth motion. His toned form and the trail of inked tattoos that danced across his arms and side were suddenly on full display. Ivory sat up slowly, gaze tracing the artwork she'd read about that morning.
He caught her staring.
"Yeah... it's a thing," he said, shrugging. "A lot of fans aren't into idols having tattoos. Or piercings. Or... individuality."
"But you still got them?"
"I don't give a damn," he said with a soft smile. "They're part of me. They're mine."
She nodded, respect blooming in her chest.
He looked down at his arm for a moment, running a thumb across the ink like he was remembering the pain—and the peace.
"I started with small pieces," he continued quietly. "Each one meant something at the time. A memory, a promise, a reminder. Then I hit this point in my life where everything felt like it was slipping—who I was, what I wanted. So I decided to claim it back. All of it. One needle at a time."
Ivory listened closely, watching how his voice softened just slightly, as though he wasn't used to explaining this part of himself out loud.
"The sleeve was never just for show. It was like building armor—but not to hide behind. More like... a map of how I got through the worst and found parts of myself I never thought I'd keep."
She blinked, letting the weight of his words settle. The tattoos weren't rebellion. They were survival.
Then he glanced at the time. "Wanna go out and eat? Or stay in? I can call in some delivery."
Ivory looked at her laptop. "Stay in. I'm working through something."
She opened her latest message—it was from her lawyer.
"I've reviewed Jeon Jungkook's case. It's more complicated than it looks, but I'm intrigued. Also... why are you helping him?"
She smiled at the screen, typing back a simple:
"Because someone should."
Ivory typed swiftly, eyebrows furrowed in focus when she felt weight settle against the back of the couch.
Jake had leaned in, his chin gently resting on her shoulder, warmth pressing into her. His breath skimmed her skin as he peeked at her screen.
She didn't mind.
Until his eyes narrowed.
There on the screen: his name... and a law firm's email header.
He straightened up slightly. "What's this?" he asked, voice soft but tinged with something cautious.
Ivory turned a little. "Just a consult. Nothing serious."
"I have lawyers," he replied, stepping back now. "My company's handling it."
"I know," she said gently. "There's nothing wrong with having another one take a look. A fresh perspective."
He didn't say anything at first. Just looked.
Not angry. Not even irritated. Just... closed off.
And that said more than words ever could.
"I just don't want you involved in this mess," he finally said. "It's not your responsibility, Ivory."
She held his gaze for a beat. Then nodded slowly.
"I understand."
There was no bitterness in her tone. No protest. Just a quiet kind of grace as she stood up and closed the laptop.
"I'll go take a shower," she said, offering a soft smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Then she disappeared down the hallway, the echo of her retreating steps leaving a silence that felt heavier than before.
Jungkook sighed, running a hand through his hair, frustrated at the weight he didn't know how to share—no matter how much he wanted her close.