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Jeon Jungkook was a man of many layers, though if you asked any of the housewives in the greater Seoul area, they’d only mention one: the layer of sweat glistening off his biceps as he wrenched a pipe loose.
Jungkook was, by all public accounts, a thirst trap with a wrench. He was the crown jewel of "Hope & Chim Plumbing," a business strategy devised by his best friends Hoseok and Jimin. The strategy was simple: Jungkook would wear the tightest black t-shirts allowed by law, let his sleeve of tattoos peek out from rolled-up cuffs, and stand near a leaky faucet until the customer’s heart rate tripled.
"It’s not exploitation if you’re getting a bonus," Jimin would say, scrolling through their five-star reviews, which were mostly just comments like ‘He fixed my sink and broke my soul’ or ‘I’m going to throw a brick down my toilet just to see him again.’
But Jungkook had a secret. Beneath the piercings—the eyebrow, the lip, the nose, the ears—and beneath the jacked physique, Jungkook was a romantic sap who liked banana milk and spent his evenings debating if a nipple piercing would be "too much" while staring at his belly button ring in the mirror. He was also a self-proclaimed skincare czar.
While the world saw a man covered in grease and grit, Jungkook’s skin was smoother than a polished porcelain basin. He took "looking as good as he feels" to a religious level. In fact, he ran a covert YouTube channel under the handle JK_GlowUp, where he dished out high-end product reviews and double-cleansing advice to 100,000 growing followers. None of them knew their favorite "Skin-fluencer" spent eight hours a day elbows-deep in sewage, and Jungkook intended to keep it that way. He took his business—both the plumbing and the pore-refining—very seriously.
And right now, someone named Kim Seokjin was ruining his life.
"He’s ghosting me," Jungkook growled, slamming his phone onto the breakroom table. "It’s been a month. One month since I fixed that catastrophic burst pipe in that fancy Gangnam apartment. He promised to pay. He looked me in the eye—well, he looked at my toolbelt—and said, ‘Send the bill to Kim Seokjin.’"
Hoseok peeked over his coffee. "Did you send the final notice?"
"I’ve sent five! I’ve called ten times!"
"Text him," Jimin suggested, deviously. "But make it... attention-grabbing. Use the 'thirst trap' persona. Men like that only respond to intensity."
Jungkook huffed, grabbed his phone, and typed with the fury of a thousand scorned tradesmen.
Jungkook: Hey Seokjin, I’ve been so horny since we last spoke. I’ve never felt like this after meeting a guy!
He hit send. Three minutes later, the bubbles appeared.
Seokjin: sorry who is this?
Jungkook’s eye twitched. The audacity. The sheer, unadulterated disrespect of the 'Who is this?' defense.
Jungkook: I’m glad your phone is working. It’s Jungkook, your plumber. I have sent multiple overdue invoices, final notices and called numerous times now. Please pay this invoice before I take legal action.
The silence that followed was deafening. Jungkook didn’t wait for a reply. He grabbed his keys, adjusted his heavy-duty leather belt, and headed for the van.
"Where are you going?" Hoseok called out.
"To collect," Jungkook shouted back. "And to teach Kim Seokjin that you don't mess with a man’s livelihood!"
Across town, in a penthouse that smelled like expensive sandalwood and questionable life choices, Kim Seokjin stared at his phone.
"Namjoon," Seokjin said, not looking up from the screen. "Do we know a horny plumber named Jungkook?"
Kim Namjoon, the middle brother, was currently trying to put a lid back on a blender. He succeeded only in snapping the plastic hinge. "A what? No. Why?"
"He says I owe him money. He also says he’s been horny since we last spoke." Seokjin tilted his head, a slow, predatory smirk spreading across his face. "Which is a lie, because if I had met a man that intense, he wouldn't be horny—he'd be satisfied. I’m a very thorough person."
"Hyung, please," Namjoon groaned, sweeping up bits of plastic. "Wait... Kim Seokjin? That’s the name Taehyung used last month when he flooded the guest wing while you were in Paris."
Seokjin froze. His younger brother, Taehyung, was the bane of his existence. Taehyung, who thought 'responsibilities' was a suggestion. Taehyung, who frequently "borrowed" Seokjin’s identity to avoid credit card interest.
"Taehyung," Seokjin whispered, his voice dangerously low. "That little brat broke my plumbing, called a professional, lied about his name, and then ghosted the bill?"
"Sounds like a Tuesday for him," Namjoon sighed.
Just then, the doorbell rang. It didn’t just ring; it was being pressed with the rhythmic aggression of a drum solo.
"I'll get it," Seokjin said, his eyes flashing with a wicked glint. He adjusted his silk robe—the one that hung open just enough to be distracting—and smoothed back his hair. If a 'horny plumber' was coming for his brother, Seokjin was going to make sure the man got exactly what he was looking for.
Jungkook was ready for a fight. He had his "Debt Collector" face on—lower lip jutted out, eyebrows furrowed, shoulders broad enough to block out the sun.
The door swung open.
Jungkook opened his mouth. "Listen here, you deadbeat, I’m not leaving until—"
The words died in his throat. They didn't just die; they were incinerated.
The man standing in the doorway was not the messy, frantic guy Jungkook remembered from the flooded apartment. This man was... art. He was tall, with shoulders that rivaled Jungkook’s own, a face that looked like it had been carved out of moonlight and arrogance, and a silk robe that was doing things to Jungkook’s blood pressure.
Seokjin leaned against the doorframe, his gaze sweeping over Jungkook’s tattoos, the piercings, and the tight shirt. He didn't look like a man who was afraid of legal action. He looked like a wolf who had just found a very muscular lamb.
"So," Seokjin purred, his voice like velvet dipped in bourbon. "You’re the one who’s been so horny for me?"
Jungkook’s brain short-circuited. "I—the invoice—the pipe—"
"You have a lot of piercings, Jungkook-ssi," Seokjin interrupted, stepping closer. The scent of him—rich, masculine, and expensive—hit Jungkook like a freight train. Seokjin reached out, his long fingers ghosting near Jungkook’s lip ring. "Do they all hurt? Or just the ones I can't see yet?"
Jungkook’s knees hit a structural failure. He’s hot. He’s dripping hot. Why is the deadbeat so beautiful? "You... you didn't pay," Jungkook managed to squeak out, his 'tough guy' persona crumbling into dust.
"I didn't," Seokjin agreed, tilting his head. "Mainly because I wasn't the one who called you. That would be my brother, Taehyung. He has a habit of using my name when he’s being a disaster."
Jungkook blinked. "Your brother?"
"Yes. But," Seokjin stepped out into the hallway, closing the distance until they were inches apart. He was taller than Jungkook, and he used that height to look down at the plumber with a playful, lethal hunger. "Now that I’ve seen the quality of the service... I think I’d like to settle the debt personally. Though, I should warn you, I’m a very demanding client."
Jungkook, who usually handled aggressive customers with ease, felt his face turn the color of a fire hydrant. In his head, a voice that sounded suspiciously like his own was already picking out floral arrangements for their wedding. This is my husband. I will marry this chaotic, gorgeous man and I will let him ghost every bill I ever send him.
"I—I have the invoice in the van," Jungkook stammered.
"Forget the invoice," Seokjin said, reaching out to grab the front of Jungkook’s shirt, pulling him slightly forward. "Why don't you come inside and tell me more about that... 'horny' text? I found the phrasing very intriguing. Was it a marketing tactic, or a confession?"
"It was... a typo?"
"Liar," Seokjin laughed, a bright, musical sound that made Jungkook’s heart do a backflip. "I like liars. They’re more fun to break."
An hour later, Jungkook was sitting on a plush velvet sofa, sipping a glass of water that probably cost more than his entire van. Seokjin was sitting across from him, legs crossed, watching him with an expression that was half-amused, half-predatory.
Namjoon walked through the room, carrying a pile of broken wood. "Is he paying yet?"
"We're negotiating," Seokjin said, not taking his eyes off Jungkook.
"He's going to break your heart, kid," Namjoon muttered to Jungkook. "He once convinced a telemarketer to pay him for the call."
"Namjoon-ah, go break something in the kitchen," Seokjin waved him off. He turned back to Jungkook. "So, Jungkook. You look very... sturdy. Are you always this intense when you’re collecting debts?"
Jungkook took a large gulp of water. "I’m a professional. I take my work seriously. My partners, Hoseok and Jimin, they rely on me."
"And the belly button piercing?" Seokjin asked casually.
Jungkook choked on his wine. "How—how did you—"
"Your shirt rode up when you sat down. I have very good eyes," Seokjin winkED. "What else are you hiding under that 'tough guy' exterior? A nipple piercing, perhaps?"
Jungkook’s face was now a permanent shade of crimson. "I was... thinking about it."
Seokjin leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Don't get it yet. I’d like to have a say in the jewelry. After all, if I’m paying this 'overdue' bill, I expect a certain level of... after-care."
Jungkook realized then that he was completely outmatched. He had come here to be the 'Top' in a professional dispute, to assert dominance and demand his money. Instead, he had found a man who was a natural-born predator, a flirty wolf who seemed to find Jungkook’s muscles and piercings like a delightful new toy.
And the worst part? Jungkook loved it.
"You’re very... straightforward," Jungkook whispered.
"Life is short, Jungkook-ah. And you are very, very handsome. It would be a crime to waste time being subtle." Seokjin stood up and walked over to the sofa, sitting down right next to Jungkook. The silk of his robe brushed against Jungkook’s denim jeans. "Tell me, do you still want to take legal action?"
"I think... we can settle out of court," Jungkook said, his voice trembling as Seokjin’s hand found the back of his neck.
"Good. Because I have a very leaky faucet in my master bathroom," Seokjin lied effortlessly. "And I think it requires a very long, very thorough inspection. One that might take... all night?"
Two Months Later
Hoseok and Jimin were staring at the books in the plumbing office.
"Jungkook," Jimin said, looking up as the younger man walked in, looking suspiciously happy and wearing a very expensive-looking watch. "We have a problem."
"What?"
"The Kim Seokjin invoice. It’s still marked as unpaid," Hoseok pointed out. "But you’ve been 'inspecting' his apartment three times a week for two months. Are you ever going to collect the money?"
Jungkook smiled, a dreamy, faraway look in his eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. "Actually, I’ve decided to write it off."
"Write it off?!" Jimin shrieked. "That was a three-thousand-dollar job!"
"It’s a dowry," Jungkook corrected him, opening the box to reveal two stunning platinum wedding bands.
Just then, the office door opened. Kim Seokjin walked in, looking like he had just stepped off a runway, wearing a trench coat and a smirk that could melt glaciers.
"Jungkook-ah," Seokjin called out. "Are you coming? Taehyung accidentally drove my car into a fountain, and I need you to tell him how much the repairs will cost so I can make him cry."
"Coming, Yeobo!" Jungkook grabbed his jacket, giving his friends a quick wave.
As they walked out, Seokjin wrapped an arm around Jungkook’s waist, pulling him close. "By the way, I saw a new invoice on the counter this morning for a 'clogged drain.' I don't recall a clogged drain."
Jungkook grinned, leaning in to kiss Seokjin’s cheek. "It’s a code, yeobo. It means I’m horny."
Seokjin laughed, a loud, windshield-wiper sound that echoed through the street. "Ah, my sweet, muscular plumber. You’re learning. Let's go home. I think I have a 'pipe' that needs your immediate attention."
Hoseok and Jimin watched them go from the window.
"Did we just lose our best plumber to a guy who refuses to pay his bills?" Hoseok asked.
"No," Jimin sighed, watching Seokjin swat Jungkook’s butt as they reached the car. "We lost him to a guy who knows exactly how to handle a heavy-duty wrench."
Inside the car, Jungkook looked at Seokjin—the man who was chaos personified, the man who was currently arguing with his brother on the phone while blowing kisses to Jungkook. Jungkook might have been the one with the tattoos and the muscles, the one who looked like he could break a man in half, but as Seokjin reached over to squeeze his thigh with a possessive, knowing grin, Jungkook knew exactly who was in charge.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.
Epilogue: The Wedding
The wedding was, as expected, a Kim Seokjin production. It was held at a private estate, with enough flowers to trigger every allergy in Seoul and a cake that was seven feet tall.
Taehyung was the best man, mostly because Seokjin wanted him close enough to keep an eye on him so he wouldn't break the champagne fountain. Namjoon was the officiant, though he had to be reminded several times not to drop the rings.
When it came time for the vows, Jungkook stood there, chest bursting out of his tuxedo, looking like the world’s most expensive bodyguard.
"I promise," Jungkook began, his voice thick with emotion and eyes fixed shamelessly on Seokjin’s lips, "to always fix your leaks, to never charge you for a service call, and most importantly, to never stop sending you texts about how 'horny' I am for you—even if it starts out as a debt collection tactic. I promise to keep your pipes clear while you keep our joint YouTube channel—and my skin—shining with those 'secret' techniques you finally stopped gatekeeping. I vow to spend the rest of my life proving that while I might have been the one who sent the text, you’re the only one I ever want to answer." He paused, his gaze dropping to Seokjin’s chest. "And I promise to let you pick out all my future piercings... especially the ones we only show our three million subscribers after hours."
A collective, soul-deep groan erupted from the front rows. Hoseok and Jimin buried their faces in their hands, their shoulders shaking with second-hand embarrassment as they thought of the viral video where Seokjin finally made his debut on JK_GlowUp, lecturing Jungkook’s followers on why their barrier was compromised while looking like a literal god. Namjoon, the officiant, squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose, regretting every life choice that led him to this altar. Taehyung, the best man, let out a loud, theatrical gagging sound that echoed off the marble walls.
Seokjin, however, didn't flinch. He just smiled, his eyes soft and genuinely loving. "And I promise to keep being the most expensive mistake you ever made. I promise to keep you on your toes, to keep your heart racing, and to always remind you that while you might be the one with the tools... I’m the one who knows how to use them."
As they kissed, the crowd cheered through their winces. Hoseok and Jimin cried into their napkins, partially out of happiness and partially because they realized they now had to hire a new plumber.
And in the front row, Taehyung leaned over to Namjoon. "You know, technically, I should get a finder's fee for this."
Seokjin didn't even look away from his new husband as he spoke. "Taehyung-ah, if you finish that sentence, I’m sending Jungkook to your apartment tomorrow to 'fix' your Wi-Fi. Permanently."
Taehyung shut his mouth.
Jungkook just laughed, pulling Seokjin closer. He had come for a debt, but he had left with a kingdom. And as Seokjin whispered something scandalous into his ear about what they were going to do once the reception was over, Jungkook realized that being ghosted by a Kim was the best thing that ever happened to him.
The plumber had finally found his permanent residence.