CONTRACT MARRIAGE ||KookV||

22

"If you go to Kookie's bookcase, to the second drawer on the leftmost side, you'll find a small box there; and inside it, is the answer to what you want to know."

Taehyung stood before the bookcase, the words Yoongi spoke earlier replaying in his mind. That bookshelf of Jungkook's was rather high, so he used a step ladder to climb up; going for the second drawer on the far left, to the box Yoongi had spoken of.

It was an antique-looking wooden box, covered in many intricate designs which were exquisite and beautiful.

Taking the case into his hands made Taehyung feel quite nervous, to the extent where his hands actually began to tremble as the constant feeling of it being like he was peeking at some mysterious object overtook him.

He did not try to open the box at first, he only stared at the thing intently, while the two opposing thoughts: "Open" and "Don't open", bounced against one another, as if they were the multiple-choice answers on a sheet of paper laid out before him.

His mind warned him doing something like this was wrong, and that spying on Jungkook's private things without his consent was very bad.

But, his heart told him this thing should be something regarding him, otherwise, Yoongi would have been unlikely to tell him about it to begin with.

Besides, he wanted to know the answer to those things Yoongi had said, and ultimately, why Jungkook wanted to make such a contract with him.

Without a doubt, his emotions prevailed over his rationality in the end. So with the intake of a deep breath, Taehyung slowly opened the box. The box's latch made a soft "click" echo within his hand when it unlocked, and in that split second, Taehyung heard the sound of his own heart pounding.

Surprisingly, there was nothing particularly special inside the box. So far, just an old piece of newspaper—looking a bit yellowed—resting atop its other contents.

Upon seeing the newspaper, Taehyung was a little stunned; not understanding what Yoongi's intent could have been in making him see it. He then took out the newspaper and read the date on its cover: July 25th, 20xx.

——This newspaper was from five years ago.

Why would Jungkook treasure and preserve an old newspaper like this? Taehyung did not understand.

Now putting back the box, Taehyung opened the newspaper and read the capitalised front-page headline of the leading news story——Jeon Group's Next Heir, Jeon Jungkook, Receives Secret Invite to Attend the XXth Youth Standalone Web game Competition: So could this mean the Jeon Group is possibly stepping foot into the online gaming industry?!

Below this headline, one-third of all the titles were all about Jungkook.

Taehyung, "..."Is narcissism that Kookie's reason for wanting to hoard popular newspaper headlines of himself and keep them in that box? Could that Kookie actually turn out to be more of a narcissist than a tsundere?

Knowing fully well such a thing was out of the question, Taehyung still could not help but laugh after he thought about it, as he took a careful look at the Jungkook from back then. Comparatively speaking, there was not that much difference between the Jungkook in that picture to his current appearance. His features were still quite handsome, and his expression was still rather indifferent; but now it seemed like those features, along with his temperament, became even more refined, more mature—more...composed. That photo, suddenly made Taehyung become more curious as to what Jungkook was like those years back, especially whether or not he was such a sharp-tongued tsundere as he was now.