Begin (JJK) BTS 2026 series Book 3 (COMPLETED)

Taehyung's News

(A/N: This chapter spoils part of the ending of Book 1, "Miss Right." If you have not read that one, consider stopping here, reading that book then coming back. There are no spoilers for this book within it.)

Jungkook finishes slurping the last of the noodles Mrs. Park made for him and he sits back in the chair and groans a happy, fulfilled sound.

"That was so much nicer than the food I would have gotten on set," he mimes, patting his full belly for effect. Mrs. Park laughs at him, knowing he has no belly to pat.

"What are you going to do with your day off?" She knows that on the rare occasions when he has a day off at home, he tends to get in the way of her cleaning routine, and interrupt her from her chores.

"Maybe I'll go to the gym, work off all these carbs," he tells her. An alert on his phone sounds and he looks over at the screen laying nearby on the counter. His eyes get wide and he gasps.

"What is it?" she asks, concerned.

"It's Taehyungie!" He grabs the phone and looks at the screen, reading a message. "He wants to see me, now!" he calls as he's already standing and moving toward the door to the kitchen. "I'm going out Mrs. Park!" he tells her what she already knows and he rushes to the front door, grabbing his car keys and slamming the door shut in his wake.

Taehyung hasn't reached out to him once since that conversation in the car. At the time, he seemed happy and even hopeful. He was going to take Jungkook's advice and go look for Hana, to explain the truth, and get her back. Something had gone wrong after that and no one knew exactly what. Jungkook wondered if he had been talking with one of the other members and they just didn't share that information. No one seemed to know more about it when they were at the hospital waiting for Jin's son to be born, no one admitted to knowing more. Namjoon spoke to him, and asked him to come and everyone heard him say that he would make sure that none of them were there when he came to visit. It hurt Jungkook to think he was hiding from them somehow, that whatever he was experiencing, he didn't want to share it with them, when they had shared everything in their lives, all the highs and lows, the success and failures, and their deepest worries and fears. Now he was experiencing something he wouldn't share, at least not with Jungkook.

He pulls up in front of the apartment building within five minutes of receiving Taehyung's message. He lives closer than anyone, and he knows this might be why Taehyung reached out. Maybe he's hurting and has decided to find comfort. Jungkook is willing to put aside his own hurt feelings now that he has finally reached out. He rings the bell and Taehyung buzzes him inside without even a word. Jungkook stares at his reflection in the mirrored wall of the elevator and wonders how to comfort him best. Should he just listen and nod or should he tell him there are plenty of other girls out there...

He steps off the elevator and sees the door to Taehyung's apartment is still closed. He knocks, a friendly soft knock and he listens at the door. He doesn't hear anything and he wonders if Taehyung is standing just on the other side, composing himself. Perhaps he was crying and he doesn't want Jungkook to see, but if he needs to cry, he will be there for him, no matter what. He swallows hard as he hears the door open. He looks up woefully and is greeted by the smiling face of Taehyung.

"Jungkookie, I knew you would come first," he says as he turns to walk down the hallway. His beaming face confuses Jungkook. It was not what he was expecting. 'First'? he repeats the word in his head, and looks down at his message from Taehyung. He realizes it's a group chat, and the other members are all coming, they're all on their way. Jungkook follows after Taehyung down his long hallway wondering what is going on. He hasn't been called here to console him or to comfort him, there is something else going on and all the members are apart of it.