a/n: i'm terribly sorry to everyone who had to see the absolute mess that happened recently with the republication of the previous chapter. if you guys are still experiencing display errors [e.g. repeated paragraphs, cut-off sentences, etc.] with my updates, please let me know. thanks in advance and a bigger thank you to those who were so patient in waiting for this chapter. hope you all enjoy this one! :)

taehyung had chosen to take a few days off from work due to the passing of his late father. in his absence, he assigned one of the most-trusted lead managers of kim corporation, kang daniel, to temporarily take over his position whilst updating him on certain things from time-to-time.

meanwhile, jungkook has kindly been staying by taehyung's side for the entire fortification duration so far, building a habit of heading over to the elder's condo right as he's finished at the tattoo parlor and spending literally every single night at his place. it has gotten to the point where he even had his own toothbrush chilling next to taehyung's bathroom sink now.

not like either of them were complaining, though.

on top of everything, taehyung was planning to befittingly end things with bogum as well. since his father also was no longer here to pressurized him into pretending to act all lovey-dovey with bogum, the blond CEO had absolutely no reason to continue staying with the aforementioned man. in his eyes, that was a beyond relieving fact, especially because that meant now, jungkook and him could start working towards making things official between them and not stress over bogum's malicious objectives as much.

however, following the death of daehyun, taehyung and jungkook were more than surprised to then hear the unexpected news of park bogum's odd disappearance off the face of the earth right after the passing of taehyung's father was announced to the public around a week ago — the announcement being held back from the media a bit as per the young CEO's request. in the end, the pair weren't so sure if they should be glad or disturbed about the bizarre news regarding taehyung's missing business partner.

those two shocking events which coincidentally occurred within the same week definitely shook the entirety of south korea's business industry, more so since the collaborative city development project between kim corporation and park industries was set to launch in just a couple of weeks. but, at this rate, that might need to be postponed or even put to an inevitable halt if bogum wasn't going to be in the picture.

taehyung heaved out a sigh, trudging over to the open kitchen with the intent of boiling a pot of water. he certainly needed a nice, warm mug of tea in order to temporarily cleanse all the unwanted stressful thoughts from the confines of his head. 

he had actually long taken jungkook's advice of cutting down on caffeine and sticking to a healthier alternative instead — which, of course, happened to be tea. after trying so many different boxes of tea the tattooist had brought to his home, he eventually realized that his favorite tea had to be peppermint. 

he was midway through pouring the hot water into a ceramic mug when he heard the front door unlock with a subtle click. in came jungkook, striding into the place in all his glory, shaking off his sneakers whilst carrying four bags of food. he was dressed in a sleeveless white tee which hung loosely around his torso that was paired with black leather pants which hugged his strong thighs so tightly that the sight could make anyone's throat dry out in seconds, and taehyung was no exception.

on the other side of the room, taehyung was having an internal battle with himself while fighting back the urge to outwardly drool at all the exposed tattoos adorning the younger's muscular body — the most noticeable ones being the serpent that viciously slithered down his right arm and wrapped around his shoulder, as well as the majestic tribal dragon that menacingly curled around the opposite side of his neck.

the blond ended up trying to pull a mere thin-lipped smile onto his lips without looking too constipated, quietly watching as jungkook went ahead to set the multiple grocery bags down onto the dinner table near the entrance.

"y-you know, you really don't need to keep coming over after work to check on me. i know you're worn out and— uh, you don't need to be so concerned about me or my mental state anymore," he spoke up as soon as jungkook greeted him. "i'm okay now, for real."

"o-oh. but, tae, i don't come here everyday because i'm still worried about you— wait, no, i think that came out wrong." jungkook let out an awkward cough, anxiously shifting his weight from one foot to another. "i do get worried about your well-being and that's why i originally started staying over night after night, but that's not why i choose to keep coming here. i choose to come over everyday because i want to see you, a-and be by your side," he shyly revealed.

"jung—"

"o-only if you don't mind, though!" the younger made haste to add, wildly moving his hands around the air in front of him. "i don't want to be a bother or anything so if you want me to stop coming here, i'll gladly leave and—"

"no, kook, i don't mind at all," taehyung quickly cut him off, not quite catching the exhale of relief jungkook then emitted. "you're anything but a bother. besides, you've been staying here for the past five days, kook; you practically live here now," he continued, pausing to chuckle. "i've never exactly told anyone else where i keep my spare key, except for you, so just know that you're always welcome to drop by whenever you feel like it."

"th-thanks, tae. ah, right! i brought food," jungkook trailed off to rummage through one of the four bags, pulling out and lifting up a large box of korean takeout in his hand, his biceps flexing as he did so, causing taehyung to audibly gulp. "it's black bean noodles, by the way. i figured you would be hungry after you texted me an hour ago saying that you had nothing left in your fridge, so i also brought some snacks, drinks, and fresh produce."

"christ, you really didn't have to, but thank you. you're the best, kook," taehyung didn't wait to vocally express his gratitude towards the other male. "i, uh, made peppermint tea. do you want some?"

jungkook beamed at how the elder was progressively beginning to appreciate tea more than coffee, rubbing the back of his neck with a small nod as an answer. 

he mumbled a soft 'thanks' when taehyung later re-emerged with a steaming mug of tea in his hold, biting down on his lower lip when their fingers briefly brushed against each other's as he reached out to take the drink in his own hands.

jungkook followed taehyung over to the dining table where the box of mouthwatering black bean noodles was awaiting them, proceeded by the two males sitting face-to-face and eating in a rather comfortable silence. 

well, that was until the younger soon noticed how taehyung's grip was tightening around the handle of his mug and his brows were unconsciously furrowing together, forming faint creases on the surrounding area of his forehead. furthermore, his eyes held a somewhat faraway look to them, as if he was physically in the room with jungkook at the moment, but mentally, he was currently miles away from reach.

"is something wrong?" jungkook asked, putting his chopsticks down. "you look bothered."

"wh-what?" taehyug snapped out of whatever daze he was in, peering up at jungkook in alert. "no, not at all," he hurriedly lied, forcing a strained smile.

the ravenet managed to instantly see through both the awful lie and the fake smile, heaving out a sigh. "that was supposed to be a rhetorical question because clearly, something's wrong. hey, what's the matter? tae, you can tell me anything; you know that, right?"

taehyung's gaze dropped to the plate placed in front of him as he hesitantly picked at the unfinished food with his chopsticks. "i know, kook. it's just that... the thing with bogum suddenly going missing, it's so unsettling. i know i should be glad that he's gone at last, that he decided to simply leave without attempting to make matters on my end even worse for me. i just think that it's suspicious, kook. he left right after he found out about my father's passing, and on top of that, no one knows where he went, not even the employees from his own company! it's extremely uncanny and a little too good to be true, don't you think so?"

"i get where you're coming from — believe me, i do — but you shouldn't be dwelling so much on that. just slow down and relax, tae," the tattoo artist instructed. "maybe that bogum jackass realized what he's been doing all along was a series of dick-moves and that he shouldn't be showing his face in public anymore after all that he's done. maybe that's why he left without leaving a trace behind. maybe he doesn't want to be found because he's that ashamed of his past actions," he listed; more and more limitless possibilities were just waiting to be spewed out by him.

the blond frowned. jungkook does have a point. "i guess, but—"

"nope, no but's. tae, listen to me." jungkook reached across the table, taking taehyung's quivering hand into his calloused right palm and using his thumb to soothingly rub over taehyung's knuckles, his chest expanding when the CEO evidently blushed at the gesture. "the only obstacle that was remaining in the way of our relationship has willingly left us alone. hell, shouldn't we be celebrating right now?" he resumed, not missing in the slight twinkle which danced within taehyung's irises when he casually said 'our relationship'. "he's not worth thinking about, and he never was. please stop worrying your pretty lil' head over somebody like him, yeah?"

"you—you're right." taehyung's tensed shoulders slumped down. "yeah, you're right. i'm sorry."

jungkook shook his head. "don't apologize. for now, just focus on me — focus on us, okay? i want you to be happy."

"us?" taehyung coyly echoed in curiosity and amusement. "last time i checked, i don't remember us ever becoming an official couple, mr. jeon," he declared in a teasing and lighthearted manner.

"oh, uh, w-well, about that." the younger nervously laughed, forcing out a choked cough before he briskly straightened his posture and composed himself, an abrupt layer of determination crossing his features as a wave of newfound confidence powerfully surged through his veins. "let's change that, shall we?" he queried, quirking an eyebrow.

on the other side of the dining table, taehyung's heartbeat was already picking up its pace, thumping loudly against his rib cage since he had a vivid idea of what's about to come. in fact, it was so loud that he wondered if jungkook could also hear it despite being seated opposite from him.

this was finally it.

the moment they had both dreamed of for the longest time.

"kim taehyung, i like you," jungkook paused, his expression grew even cheerier. "no, i think... i might actually love you."

"i think i love you, too."

"mm," the black-haired male mindlessly hummed in response, reaching for his mug with his free hand before he fully processed taehyung's words, consequently violently choking on his tea and spluttering around the rim of his cup at the incredibly delayed realization of what the elder had just confessed. "w-wait, what? seriously? y-you honestly do?" he exclaimed.

"yes, silly. frankly, i've realized for a while, but i've just been trying to constantly push it to the back of my head," taehyung shamefully admitted, properly interlacing his fingers together with jungkook's rigid ones. "i was convincing myself that you don't deserve to be dragged into my shit-storm of a life where my father and bogum both used to dictate how close i could get to you. you deserve someone who wasn't a coward and wasn't scared of their own feelings, and i was neither of those. i-i was afraid of losing you, yet i was too selfish to completely let you go."

jungkook was at an utter loss for words. his heart was now speedily racing a thousand miles, right alongside taehyung's own.

"i couldn't bear the thought of you being with somebody else, but at the same time, i had always been too afraid to admit and tell you all of this." the blond man exhaled shakily. "however, i'm not afraid to say it out loud anymore. i love you, jeon jungkook, and i wholeheartedly mean it. i really hope you haven't forgotten my promise from that one night—"

jungkook was forced out of his stunned state, not wasting another second before leaning his body over the table and swiftly closing the large gap between their faces, firmly pressing his lips against taehyung's and nearly letting out a muffled groan in pure content because god, finally.

he felt his thin lips naturally stretch into a delighted smile when taehyung immediately responded to the kiss, feverishly slotting their mouths together and moving against him with the same amount of fervor, passion, and desire. 

right then and there, it seemed like they were the only two people that ever mattered as they slowly slipped into their own little world — an ethereal eternity gifted to them where there was no one else left in their path to happiness, where they could love unconditionally and not be met with the consequences of the harsh reality's society. they never wanted it to end; it was too addicting, too unreal.

it felt like forever before they found the willpower in themselves to ultimately pull away from each other. breathlessly heavy pants for air escaped between their swollen lips whilst a love-hazed mist clouded their eyes and a pigmented hue of soft pink dusted over both of their faces. their hands were still tightly clasped together atop the dining table.

finally.

"i love you too, tae. i'm— words can't possibly describe how fucking blessed i'm feeling right now," jungkook murmured, caressing one of taehyung's flushed cheeks. "i'll never forget your promise from that night, and i also hope you'll never forget mine. thank you for giving me a chance. thank you so much."

"no, thank you," taehyung returned. "thank you for not giving up on me even after everything that's happened," he stated, placing a warm palm on top of the hand jungkook's using to gently cradle the side of his face.

"and i'm guessing this is the part where i ask you," said jungkook, to which taehyung giggled with an eager nod. "tae, will you be my boyfriend?"

taehyung broke into the brightest grin. "i would love to be your boyfriend, kook."

a/n: it happened, guys! taekook finally got together after 33 entire chapters YEEHAW

not proofread because i'm lazy,,, what's nEW? lol