Tainted Blood
Chapter 1: The Return
The grand estate stood as it always had—cold, imposing, untouchable. Marble pillars lined the entrance, a symbol of the Kim family's legacy. Inside, servants moved in hushed silence, their presence barely noticeable under the strict discipline of the household.
Kim Taehyung stood near the tall windows of his study, fingers wrapped around a crystal glass of whiskey. His gaze was distant, fixed on nothing in particular. The weight of responsibility had long settled on his shoulders, but tonight, it pressed down heavier than usual.
The last time Taehyung had seen him, Jungkook was just a boy—eighteen and reckless, desperate to escape the suffocating grasp of the Kim family’s expectations. After his parents’ tragic death, Jungkook had refused to stay under Taehyung’s care, vanishing overseas for years. But now, at twenty-one, he was back.
A soft knock on the study door interrupted his thoughts.
Butler
"Sir," one of the house staff murmured. "Master Jeon has arrived."
Kim Taehyung
“Where is he?”
Taehyung turned his head slightly
Butler
"Sir," one of the house staff murmured. "Master Jeon has arrived."
Kim Taehyung
“That won’t be necessary,
Taehyung cut in smoothly, already making his way out. His footsteps echoed down the long, dimly lit corridor.
When he reached the entrance hall, he stopped.
There, standing in the middle of the grand space, was Jeon Jungkook.
He had changed.
Gone was the reckless boy who had stormed out of this house years ago. In his place stood a man—taller, broader, more confident. Dressed in a fitted black suit, his presence radiated an effortless arrogance. His once-soft features had sharpened, his jawline more defined, his eyes dark with something unreadable.
For a moment, neither spoke.
The word was laced with something Taehyung couldn’t quite name, but it sent a strange shiver down his spine.
Kim Taehyung
“You’re late,”
Taehyung said, keeping his voice impassive.
Taehyung’s fingers twitched at his side. The way Jungkook looked at him—direct, almost challenging—felt different than before. Unsettling.
Jeon jungkook
Jungkook tilted his head. “Would you have preferred I never came back?”
Kim Taehyung
“I didn’t say that.”
Jeon jungkook
“But you were thinking it,” Jungkook mused, stepping closer. “I can tell.”
Taehyung didn’t move, even as Jungkook invaded his space. He was testing him. Pushing boundaries the way he always had.
Kim Taehyung
“Don’t be childish,” Taehyung muttered, turning away first. “This is your home, whether you like it or not.”
Jeon jungkook
“Is it?” Jungkook murmured, his voice lower now. “Because it never felt like one.”
Taehyung clenched his jaw. He had expected this—resentment, anger. But what he hadn’t expected was the quiet intensity in Jungkook’s gaze, the way his voice carried something deeper than just rebellion.
Jungkook leaned in slightly, just enough for Taehyung to catch the faintest scent of his cologne.
Jeon jungkook
“Tell me, Uncle,” he murmured, voice teasing but eyes dark, “did you miss me?”
Taehyung swallowed, his grip tightening at his side. He told himself the discomfort he felt was because of the past. Because of guilt.
But the way Jungkook’s gaze never wavered, the way his presence unsettled something deep within Taehyung…
He wasn’t so sure anymore.
And that was dangerous.
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