The manager's voice sliced through the air, and the room fell into silence. Sweat still clung to their skin, but now it wasn't only from practice. Jungkook's heart thudded against his ribs as the man's gaze locked on him and Taehyung.
"Both of you. Office. Now."
Namjoon opened his mouth, about to step in, but the manager raised a hand. "The rest of you, stay here." His tone was final.
Taehyung rose first, stretching his neck with a practiced ease that looked casual, though Jungkook noticed the slight tension in his shoulders. Jungkook followed, towel clutched in his hand, trying to steady his breathing.
The office door clicked shut behind them. The small space smelled of coffee and paperwork, a sharp contrast to the sweat and energy of the studio.
The manager leaned against the desk, arms crossed. "You two need to be careful."
Jungkook's throat went dry. Taehyung tilted his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Careful about what?"
The man's eyes narrowed. "Don't play dumb. Whatever it is between you—keep it off the stage. Fans catch everything. Staff catch everything. One slip is all it takes for rumors to spread."
Jungkook opened his mouth, then closed it. Taehyung's hand brushed against his behind their backs, quick and invisible. The warmth grounded him.
"We understand," Taehyung said smoothly, his smile still in place but his tone firmer now.
The manager held their gaze for a long moment before sighing. "I'm not here to control your personal lives. But remember what's at stake. The group, the company, your careers. Don't let something personal become everyone's downfall."
He dismissed them with a wave. The door clicked again, and the hallway felt heavier than before.
"Guess we're busted," Taehyung muttered with a small chuckle, his voice low enough only Jungkook heard.
Jungkook's lips twitched into a reluctant smile. "Not funny."
"Then why are you smiling?" Taehyung shot back, eyes sparkling as he nudged Jungkook's arm.
Back in the studio, the others paused mid-conversation as the two walked in. Hoseok raised a brow. "So… how was detention?"
"Shut up," Jungkook grumbled, tossing his towel at him.
The room broke into laughter. Jin clapped his hands dramatically. "Ooooh, troublemakers."
Yoongi didn't laugh, but his eyes lingered, thoughtful. Jimin caught the look and shook his head slightly, as if to tell him to let it go.
"Alright," Namjoon said, cutting through the noise, his leader voice firm but gentle. "Let's run through the bridge section again. Focus. We still have a long way to go before tour."
The music started once more, but the energy in the room shifted. The others laughed, teased, and danced, yet underneath, everyone knew something had changed.
During breaks, Taehyung kept things light, joking with Jimin, poking Jin's side, playfully stealing Yoongi's water bottle. His gummy smile lit up the room, making it easy for everyone to relax again.
But Jungkook felt the stares, even if no one spoke outright. The bond between him and Taehyung wasn't invisible anymore. It was alive in the small touches, the way Taehyung's laughter found him first, the way Jungkook's eyes followed without meaning to.
Later, when practice ended and the group sprawled across the floor in exhaustion, Hoseok broke the silence. "You know what? If something's going on, I'd rather you two be honest than sneaky. We're family. We see everything anyway."
The words dropped like a stone in still water. The room went quiet.
Taehyung chuckled, leaning back on his palms. "Hyung, you sound like a dad."
"Because I am one," Hoseok replied with a grin, earning laughter from the others.
But Jungkook stayed quiet, his chest tight. The acceptance in Hoseok's words should have calmed him, yet all it did was remind him how fragile this balance was.
As the others filed out of the studio, Taehyung lingered at the door, turning back to Jungkook. His smile softened, no longer playful but warm, steady. "We'll be fine."
Jungkook wanted to believe him.
That night, a trending post began to spread online. A blurry photo of rehearsal, where Jungkook and Taehyung's hands brushed, captioned: "Are they closer than we thought?"