Chapter Text
The golden rays of dawn filtered through the sprawling windows of *Eclipse Enterprises* headquarters, painting the sleek, modern interiors in hues of gold and orange. The skyscraper stood as a symbol of untouchable power and wealth, a fortress hiding the deadly secrets of its six owners.
Inside, the morning chaos had already begun.
Jin, the eldest and self-proclaimed “Worldwide Handsome,” strolled into the lavish kitchen wearing a silk robe embroidered with his initials. His hair was perfectly styled, even though he had just woken up, and his expression was one of righteous indignation as he held up an empty box.
“Who finished the last of my organic strawberries?” he demanded, his voice ringing with authority.
At the marble island, Yoongi sat nursing a steaming cup of coffee. He barely glanced up, his disheveled black hoodie contrasting sharply with the elegance of their surroundings. “Wasn’t me. I was busy hacking into the National Treasury last night. Didn’t have time for strawberries.”
Jin blinked, momentarily distracted. “Wait. You hacked into”
“Don’t worry, hyung,” Yoongi interrupted lazily, taking another sip of his coffee. “It was for charity. The orphanages will be thrilled.”
Jin sighed and turned his glare toward Hoseok, who bounded into the kitchen with the energy of a thousand suns. Hoseok’s radiant smile lit up the room, and he was already holding a smoothie in one hand.
“Hyung, those strawberries were amazing! Thanks for breakfast!” Hoseok said, taking a long sip.
Jin let out a dramatic gasp. “You strawberry thief!” He grabbed a spatula and started chasing Hoseok around the kitchen. “Do you know how hard it is to get fresh organic strawberries imported in winter?”
Hoseok laughed, dodging the spatula. “I was just helping you stick to your diet, hyung!”
Namjoon entered the chaos, a tablet in one hand and his glasses perched precariously on his nose. He raised an eyebrow at the scene before him Jin chasing Hoseok, Yoongi looking half-asleep, and the kitchen already a mess.
“Are we starting the day with a food fight again?” Namjoon asked, sighing.
Jin stopped mid-chase, pointing the spatula at him. “Leader-nim, do something about this uncultured buffoon!”
Namjoon pushed his glasses up and ignored the plea. “Jin, Yoongi, Hoseok we have a board meeting in an hour. Can we please pretend to be responsible CEOs for once?”
Yoongi smirked. “I am responsible. I saved the company $10 million by hacking the competition’s servers.”
“Also illegal,” Namjoon said, rubbing his temples. “Why do I even bother?”
Hoseok clapped Namjoon on the back. “Because you’re our leader, Joonie. And deep down, you love us.”
Namjoon groaned but didn’t argue.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Jimin and Taehyung were sprawled on the couch, supposedly studying for their university lectures. A pile of textbooks sat untouched on the coffee table, while they bickered over the last bag of chips.
“Yah, Taehyung-ah!” Jimin scolded, tugging at the bag. “I’m older. Respect your hyung and hand it over!”
Taehyung held the bag above his head, grinning. “Age doesn’t matter when it comes to snacks, Jiminie. Survival of the fittest!”
“You brat!” Jimin lunged for the bag, but Taehyung dodged, laughing.
Namjoon walked in and sighed at the sight. “You two have a lecture in an hour. Please don’t embarrass us again.”
Taehyung flopped onto the couch dramatically. “Hyung, I’m a model student.”
Jimin snorted. “You’re a model at being a distraction, maybe.”
Namjoon crossed his arms. “Don’t forget last week when you made the dean laugh so hard he choked.”
Taehyung grinned. “What can I say? I’m charismatic.”
“Annoying,” Yoongi muttered from the doorway.
Jin leaned over the counter. “Let them have their fun, Joon. Youth is fleeting. Just make sure they don’t accidentally blow our cover.”
Later that morning, Jimin and Taehyung arrived at their prestigious university. Despite their reputation as troublemakers, they were effortlessly popular. Jimin’s radiant smile and Taehyung’s mysterious aura turned heads wherever they went.
As they walked across the campus, Taehyung adjusted his tie and grumbled, “I hate this uniform. Too stiff.”
Jimin smirked. “It’s for the aesthetic, Tae. You wouldn’t want to ruin your mysterious campus heartthrob image, would you?”
“Touché,” Taehyung replied, smirking back.
Jimin suddenly nudged Taehyung, nodding toward a quiet corner of the quad. Under the shade of a large tree, a boy sat alone, sketching in a notebook. His dark hair fell over his eyes, and his face was a mix of delicate innocence and quiet strength.
“New kid?” Jimin asked, tilting his head.
Taehyung shrugged. “Don’t know. But he looks… interesting.”
Jimin grinned mischievously. “Let’s go introduce ourselves.”
Taehyung raised an eyebrow. “And by ‘introduce,’ you mean ‘flirt,’ don’t you?”
Jimin laughed. “Flirting is just my natural state, Tae. Watch and learn.”
As they approached, the boy looked up, his doe-like eyes meeting theirs. There was a moment of silence before Jimin spoke.
“Hey there,” Jimin said, his voice soft and friendly. “Mind if we join you?”
The boy hesitated, then nodded shyly. “Sure.”
Taehyung plopped down next to him, peeking at the sketchbook. “What’re you drawing?”
The boy tilted the book slightly, revealing a stunningly detailed sketch of the campus. “Just… the view.”
Jimin whistled. “That’s amazing. You’re really talented.”
The boy’s cheeks turned pink. “Thanks.”
“I’m Jimin, by the way. And this is Taehyung.”
“Jungkook,” the boy replied softly.
“Well, Jungkook,” Taehyung said with a grin, “welcome to the circus.”
Jungkook smiled faintly, his walls already starting to crack under their warm, playful energy.
Jungkook shifted uncomfortably under their attention but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at his lips. He hadn’t expected anyone to approach him, much less two charismatic strangers who acted as though they’d known him forever.
“You’re new here, right?” Jimin asked, leaning slightly closer. “Where’re you from?”
“Busan,” Jungkook replied, his voice soft.
“Busan?” Taehyung perked up. “No wonder you have that soulful vibe. Busan boys always do.”
Jungkook chuckled, though his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Is that so?”
Jimin smirked. “Ignore him. Tae has a habit of romanticizing everything. You’ll get used to it.”
“And Jimin has a habit of being nosy,” Taehyung shot back playfully, making Jungkook laugh.
“Well, I wouldn’t call it ‘nosy.’ More like ‘curious,’” Jimin said, feigning innocence. “But if you need help finding your way around or… anything else, you can count on us.”
Jungkook nodded, his grip tightening on his sketchbook. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good,” Taehyung said, leaning back on the grass. “Because once you’re in our circle, there’s no escaping.”
Jungkook’s lips twitched, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he let himself relax.
As the conversation flowed, the trio grew more comfortable with each other. Jimin’s teasing remarks, Taehyung’s quirky observations, and Jungkook’s quiet humor blended seamlessly, forming an instant camaraderie that felt almost fated.
Unbeknownst to Jungkook, his life was about to take a turn he never could’ve predicted.