"We Finally Met"
It was supposed to be a routine charity gala—one of the many events Taehyung attended out of obligation, not interest. Held at a luxury hotel on the Han River, it was packed with Seoul’s elite: business Alphas in polished suits, high-ranking Betas exchanging handshakes, and a few carefully invited Omegas draped in designer silks, their scents heavily masked by suppression patches. Taehyung hated these gatherings.
He stood near the edge of the main hall, one hand tucked in his pocket, the other wrapped around a glass of untouched champagne. Flashes from cameras went off occasionally as reporters caught glimpses of his family’s arrival. Jimin was already deep in conversation with his elder brother Namjoon, as usual, looked completely at ease as he talked with government partners and Alpha council members. Taehyung was about to disappear into the shadows of the ballroom when someone approached him—her voice smooth and familiar.
Irene/Omega
"I didn't expect to see you here."
Dressed in icy silver, her Omega scent was layered beneath expensive fragrance, all roses and smoke. Beautiful, yes—but cold in a way that reminded Taehyung why things had ended.
Kim Taehyung/ Alpha
"Hello Irene."
Irene/Omega
"Still brooding."
She tilted her head, sipping her wine.
Kim Taehyung/ Alpha
"I'm not brooding."
Irene/Omega
"You only say that when you're. So..... Who is she?"
She glanced at him over the rim of glass.
Kim Taehyung/ Alpha
"What?"
Irene/Omega
“You’ve got that look in your eyes. Like something’s unraveling under your skin. It’s not business, and it’s not your family. That only leaves one thing.”
Irene smiled faintly. He didn't answer. Irene stepped closer, voice softer now.
Irene/Omega
“Just be careful, Taehyung. Omegas don’t all break the same way. Some don’t break at all. But the ones who do… leave pieces behind.”
She walked away before he could respond, her heels clicking against the marble like punctuation.
Jungkook’s night was quieter, but not easier. He was in bed early, curled beneath two layers of blankets, his windows closed this time. His thoughts were too loud for sleep, memories looping like old recordings. Yogeum’s voice. His scent. The suffocating dominance that had worn love’s mask.
"Why are you always hiding?”
“Don’t you know I’m the only one who could ever love you like this?”
“You’re mine, Jungkook. You know that, don’t you?”
The words haunted him more than the bruises ever had. Jungkook pressed his palm to his chest, fingers curled tightly. That Alpha in the bookstore—he hadn’t looked at him like that. There was no threat in his posture, no command in his gaze. Just something… steady. Still, it scared him.
Meanwhile, in a darkened office far above the city, Kim Namjoon slid a file onto Taehyung’s desk.
Kim Namjoon/ Alpha
“I had Jimin pull traffic cam footage from around the bookstore, we found him.”
He said watching Taehyung closely. Taehyung sat forward, silent.
Kim Namjoon/ Alpha
“He exited through the alley, merged into the crowd on the main street. No name yet, but we caught a few clear shots of his face. Facial recognition flagged a match from a bakery application submitted two months ago.”
He slid another paper forward.
[Jeon Jungkook.]
Age: 22.
Status: Omega.
No public Alpha registration.
No known family beyond one older brother, Jeon Jin.
Currently employed part-time at Sweetbean Bakery.
Taehyung stared at the photo—blurry, taken from a distance, but unmistakably him. That same curve to his lips. That same guarded expression.
Kim Namjoon/ Alpha
"Do you want us to reach out?"
Namjoon asked. Taehyung shook his head.
Kim Taehyung/ Alpha
"No, I just wanted to know his name."
Taehyung didn’t answer right away. His fingers brushed the edge of the file as if grounding himself.
Kim Taehyung/ Alpha
“Because I haven’t stopped thinking about him since that day. And I needed to know if he was real.”
Kim Namjoon/ Alpha
“He’s real. But careful. His scent is rare—unprotected but precise. That kind of control usually comes from trauma.”
Kim Taehyung/ Alpha
"I won't approach him. Not yet."
Namjoon left the room without another word. Taehyung leaned back, Jungkook’s name echoing in his mind like a quiet drumbeat. A whisper of something unfinished.
The next morning, Jungkook walked into the bakery five minutes before opening. It was still dark outside, but the soft yellow lights inside flickered on as he passed the counter and dropped his bag near the back. He didn’t notice the man in the far corner until the bell above the door chimed again.The stranger didn’t move. He just stood there, watching. Tall. Dark coat. Quiet presence. Something about him- Jungkook froze. It wasn’t the Alpha from the bookstore. But the feeling was the same. Like being watched too closely. Before the man could speak, Jungkook stepped behind the counter, keeping the display case between them.
Jeon Jungkook/ Omega
"Can I help you?"
Jungkook asked carefully. The man didn't smiled.
+++
I’m looking for someone who works here. Jeon Jungkook.”
Jungkook's pulse kicked. Jungkook asked voice steady.
Jeon Jungkook/ Omega
"Why?"
+++
“I’ve been asked to deliver something. From someone who saw you recently. Someone named Kim Taehyung.”
The world went quiet for a breath. The man reached into his coat and pulled out a white envelope. No return address. Just his name. Jeon Jungkook written in clean, steady strokes. Jungkook stared at it but didn’t move to take it.
Jeon Jungkook/ Omega
"What is it?"
+++
"I didn't read it. I was paid to deliver it."
He placed the envelope on the counter and left. Jungkook stared at it long after the bell had stopped ringing. He didn’t touch it. Not yet.
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