The dorm was quiet again, but this silence was different. It wasn't heavy with authority like the office earlier. It was the kind that settled after long days, when exhaustion pressed against the walls and even the air felt drowsy.
Jungkook lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His headphones rested around his neck, music paused hours ago. He hadn't moved, not really. His chest rose and fell, but his thoughts churned too fast to let him rest.
The manager's words replayed in his head. Be careful. Each time the phrase echoed, guilt tightened his chest. He knew he hadn't hidden it well on stage. He knew the way his eyes found Taehyung too easily, too often. And he hated that he didn't want to stop.
A soft knock broke through his thoughts. Three quiet taps, deliberate, not the careless knock of someone looking for toothpaste or snacks.
Jungkook sat up slowly. "Yeah?"
The door creaked open, and Taehyung slipped inside. He didn't bother turning on the light. The faint glow from the hallway framed his silhouette before he closed the door behind him.
Jungkook's throat went dry. "What are you doing?" His voice was softer than he meant it to be.
Taehyung didn't answer right away. He crossed the small space between them and sat at the edge of the bed, close enough that the mattress dipped under his weight. His presence filled the room, steady, grounding.
"You've been quiet since earlier," Taehyung said finally. His tone was low, calm, but there was no mistaking the weight behind it. "I came to check."
Jungkook looked down, fingers knotting in the blanket. "I'm fine."
"Don't lie." Taehyung's reply was simple, direct. It wasn't harsh, but it left no room for argument.
The silence stretched. Jungkook felt it pressing on him, the way Taehyung's gaze stayed fixed, patient, waiting. He hated how easily it unraveled him.
"I keep thinking about what he said," Jungkook admitted, his voice barely audible. "What if we ruin everything? What if I'm the one who ruins everything?"
Taehyung shifted, turning so he faced Jungkook fully. In the dim light, his eyes looked darker, sharper, but not unkind. "You won't ruin anything. You're stronger than you think."
Jungkook finally lifted his head. The sight of Taehyung this close made his heart pound. Taehyung always carried himself with a calm dominance, a kind of quiet authority that demanded trust without asking for it. And Jungkook—despite being taller, despite his strength—felt smaller under that gaze.
"I don't feel strong," Jungkook whispered.
"That's why I'm here." Taehyung's hand moved, resting briefly on Jungkook's wrist. The touch was firm, steady. Not asking permission—reminding him. Guiding him. "You don't have to carry it alone. Let me."
Jungkook's breath hitched. He wanted to pull back, to protect himself, but the warmth of Taehyung's hand rooted him in place.
"Hyung…" His voice cracked, soft, trembling.
Taehyung leaned closer, his face inches away, his voice dropping into something even lower, steadier. "Trust me."
The words settled between them, heavy, dangerous, impossible to ignore. Jungkook's chest tightened, his resolve thinning with every second of silence.
And then—
The hallway floor creaked outside. Someone's footsteps passed their door. Both froze, breath caught in their throats, the fragile moment balanced on the edge of exposure.
Taehyung didn't move, didn't break his gaze. His hand lingered on Jungkook's wrist a second longer before pulling away slowly, carefully, as if promising this wasn't the end.
When the footsteps faded, the room felt heavier than before. Jungkook swallowed hard, his pulse racing, his skin still buzzing where Taehyung had touched him.
He didn't know what scared him more—that they might get caught… or that he wanted Taehyung to never let go.