The walk across the crowded hall felt impossibly long, yet somehow over too soon. Every step pulled Taehyung closer to a past he'd neatly tucked away, to a face that was both utterly familiar and astonishingly new. As they finally stood before each other, the ambient hum of the conference felt miles away.
"Taehyung-hyung?" Jungkook's voice was deeper now, a low resonance that sent an unexpected shiver down Taehyung's spine. His eyes, though, were still those same earnest, questioning pools from childhood.
"Jungkook-ah," Taehyung managed, the name feeling both foreign and incredibly natural on his tongue after so long. He extended a hand, then, almost instinctively, let it fall, opting for a softer, more genuine smile. "It's you. What are you... what are you doing here?"
Jungkook chuckled, a soft, familiar sound that brought back a rush of playground laughter. "I work for Nexus Innovations. We're pitching our new AI security system this afternoon. What about you, hyung?"
"Advertising. Branding. My agency is consulting for one of the main sponsors." Taehyung felt a strange relief. They were both here for work, for logical reasons. Yet, the air between them thrummed with something far more illogical.
They fell into a tentative conversation, initially about work, then about their respective cities, their careers. It was polite, adult, professional. But beneath the surface, a different dialogue was unfolding. Taehyung found himself watching Jungkook's hands as he gestured, noticing the faint scar on his left eyebrow – a relic from a bike mishap they'd had years ago. Jungkook, meanwhile, seemed to be taking in every detail of Taehyung, from the way his hair fell across his forehead to the slight crinkles around his eyes when he genuinely smiled.
Later that afternoon, a shared coffee break turned into an hour-long chat in a quieter corner of the lounge. The corporate veneer began to crack. They talked about old teachers, the ridiculous trends from their youth, even briefly, hesitantly, about their old secret spot under the oak tree. Laughter, lighter and more genuine than any Taehyung had shared in months, bubbled between them.
"Remember that time you tried to convince Mrs. Kim that her prize-winning rose bush was actually a monster plant and needed 'pruning' with my toy sword?" Jungkook teased, a wide, almost boyish grin spreading across his face.
Taehyung groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Oh god, she was furious! And you stood there, innocent as a lamb, even though you handed me the sword!"
"Hey, I was just your loyal squire, hyung," Jungkook retorted, his eyes twinkling. "Always ready to assist your noble quests."
The sheer, comfortable ease that settled between them was startling. With Jennie, there was a quiet understanding, a respectful partnership. But with Jungkook, it was like breathing. It was like finding a piece of himself he hadn't known was missing, a frequency his soul resonated with instantly. There was no effort, no pretense. Just... them.
As the conference day wound down, and colleagues started heading for dinner reservations, Jungkook hesitated. "Are you... busy tonight, hyung? I mean, with your company and all?"
Taehyung glanced towards the exit, where he knew his team would be gathering. He pictured Jennie's text from earlier, "Have a good day, love you!" and a pang of guilt, swift and sharp, pierced him. But the pull towards Jungkook was stronger, a magnetic force demanding attention.
"Actually," Taehyung found himself saying, a small, reckless thrill coursing through him, "my team usually does their own thing tonight. Maybe... if you're free, we could grab dinner? Catch up properly?"
Jungkook's eyes lit up, a brilliant spark that stole Taehyung's breath. "I'd like that, hyung. A lot."
As they made plans to meet downstairs, Taehyung felt a profound sense of anticipation he hadn't experienced in years. This wasn't just catching up. This felt like the beginning of something new, something dangerously exciting.
He just didn't know if he was ready for where that exciting new beginning might lead.