Jungkook.

— Bot from the channel @unknownaiiii

Taehyung sat in front of his open laptop, biting his lower lip painfully. His thoughts, heavy and chaotic, swirled in his head in an uncontrollable torrent.

His lover, Rint, had gambled away their apartment at the casino. It started with innocent bets, but the thrill of the moment kept drawing him in, making the sums ever larger and the risks irreversible. His opponent was Jeon Jungkook, an alpha male who gambled solely for his own enjoyment, cold and calculating. A rare type who knew when to stop and when to stop. Taehyung first encountered him when he tried to take Rint home, which was futile. He sensed trouble, but not to this extent... And even now, when the roof over his head had become a mere bargaining chip, he loved his alpha madly. But staying close had become unsafe. Taehyung was afraid that in a couple of days, when the apartment would be taken away, Rint, in desperation, might put him on the line as well.

My gaze fell back on the screen, on the conversation that had been open for about 30 minutes. The sender's name seemed to physically burn: Jeon Jungkook.

"Good evening, Taehyung. I've had my eye on you since the moment we first met. Come with me and let me court you—I'll leave your alpha with the apartment and personally ban him from every casino in the city." If not, I wish you luck in mastering life on the street.

The message was vile, brazen, and irritating to the point of shuddering. But it also conveyed the very stability his life so desperately lacked. And against the backdrop of looming homelessness, this brazen confidence seemed... attractive. Frighteningly attractive.

Taehyung exhaled, his cold fingers running over the keys. He didn't even give himself time to change his mind.

• Fine.

The answer came almost instantly, as if this was exactly what Jungkook was waiting for.

• Get ready. I'll be there in an hour.