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

Interlude

Jungkook wakes up in his large bed, with Binna curled into his arm, asleep. He runs his fingertips down her bare arm slowly, careful not to disturb her. He stares up at that one spot on the ceiling that his eyes can always find, that one discoloration in the paint. It's always there, and has become a focus point for him when he's deep in thought. Binna's hand is draped across his chest and her small fingers tickle the skin just under his collarbone as she twitches slightly in her sleep. He smiles at the feel of her hand on his skin; almost as though her touch connects something deep within and he feels his heartbeat slow to match her slumber.

It's dark outside now. He isn't sure of the time, but it feels late. He drifted off to sleep not long after she had. He's fairly certain his housekeeper has gone home for the night, and she likely realized that Binna's clothing is not with her, and that she is with Jungkook, in his bedroom. She's learned over the years not to ask too many questions, or to open certain closed doors, but he feels a little moment's pause knowing Binna will be embarrassed that she will guess what happened between them. He looks down at her, sleeping peacefully. She fell asleep in his arms, and it felt comfortable, soothing even. When he woke, in the same position, he didn't feel like moving away from her, so now he lies here, awake, thinking. He isn't sure what Binna is feeling now, she seemed almost relieved to be here with him, to let go of some private struggle she's hidden away and battled with. He wonders what part of her surrendered to him tonight, and if the battle will rage on when she wakes.

He looks down at her long hair, draped across his skin, stopping just at the spot where her hand lays over his chest. He raises his hand up to touch hers, lifting it from his chest and intertwining their fingers. What happens next? He won't know until she wakes, until he sees her reaction to finding herself waking up next to him, again. He chuffs at the idea that he has to wait for her to decide what comes next. Normally, he's already up and gone before thoughts of anything more are given a fleeting moment in his mind. Tonight feels different.

Tonight, he has no where else to be. Tomorrow, he has no work planned apart from rescheduling the music video, which they can work on together from his house after they get up. It will be nice to have an easy day, to take care of work from home, and Binna has a great excuse to stay and work. Mrs. Park will enjoy making food for them, she always makes too much food for just him, and it brings out her inner hostess. For once he isn't rushing from one meeting, one photo shoot, one interview, one dance practice, after another, and he has time to just be still, to just experience this, whatever this is. It will be nice to wake up and just be...She stirs a little and moves her head to the side. He looks down and can see the outline of her profile against the light from the city in the distance. A soft smile appears at the corner of her lips, and he wonders what she's dreaming about.

He leans down, and plants a kiss on her temple, leaving his lips in place long enough to taste the sweetness of her warm skin, and he smiles as he lays his head back down on his pillow. He closes his eyes to their night together, looking forward to what tomorrow will bring.

***

Binna wakes suddenly in the cold dark of the room. She sits up quickly, panic rising as she tries to identify where she is. She turns to see Jungkook, bare chest, the crisp white sheet pulled tightly around his waist. His head is turned away from her as he sleeps and she can see the outline of his strong jaw. He shifts his weight and she stares at him, holding her breath, hoping not to disturb him. She looks under the sheet to see that they are both still naked. She covers herself a little, embarrassed, but she looks over his form as he turns over in his sleep. He looks just like a piece of art, his skin shimmering in the spill of light from the window, his tattoos leading her up his body, to reach his chest, and make her want to nestle down beside him again. What would it be like if she let herself; If she fell back to sleep and woke up with him in the morning, as she had the first day of the music video shoot. What would it feel like if she opened her eyes to the new day and saw him, lying beside her, smiling. Would he be smiling? She stops and second guesses herself. Would he think about how awkward it is again, and how to get out of this situation without any confrontation. Would he make jokes and try to tease her? She bites her lip, frowning. She did it again, she was weak again, and who knows what he thinks of her now. What is perhaps worse than looking like a foolish girl with no self control, is that she didn't even tell him about the audio file in Bang PDs safe. She shakes her head, disappointed.

She looks around her, wondering where the robe she had been wearing is now. She slides off of the bed and her foot steps down onto the robe piled on the floor. She drops her sheet and grabs it, throwing it over herself as she rushes toward the door. She steps into the dark hallway, carefully closing the door behind her, and looks around knowing no one should be there. She wonders what Mrs.Park thought and she feels herself flush with heat of embarrassment as she moves quickly toward the kitchen and the laundry room beyond. She turns on the light to see her clothing, folded and piled neatly on a counter. Mrs. Park must have known she was with Jungkook and would eventually need the clothes, but she understood enough of what was happening to not disturb her and offer them to her personally. Binna pouts as she looks at the neat stack. Mrs. Park is nice enough to not mention this, and not embarrass her, but that is perhaps what is most embarrassing about it. She probably sees dozens of girls in Binna's situation. There is nothing unique or special about it to her.

She grabs the clothing and hastily puts it on, turning to a clock nearby to see that it's just past 4am. Binna takes the HYBE ID, looking at her image on the corporate badge and she frowns at herself. 'What is wrong with you Jee Bin Na?' She asks herself, hearing the voice of her father; disapproving, ashamed. 'One stunning man pays attention to you and you're ready to ruin your entire career.' She tsks at herself. She puts the ID around her neck and sneaks back through the house to the front door, finding her running shoes on the mat, she laces them quickly and steps out of the apartment, closing the door quietly.

When she reaches street level, she starts to run, a slow and methodical pace, not the driving blind panic she had been in when she rushed to see him, but a pace to help her get home, eventually, after thinking long and hard about what she must do to make this right. When she gets home, she will reach out to Bang PD, and she will explain that she must have the footage back, she is done worrying Jungkook about this. It was her mistake. It was all her mistake. She has to fix this on her own.