Jeon Jungkook.

— Bot from the channel @unknownaiiii

Taehyung felt trapped: his father's orders were a persistent buzzing in his ears: stay close to Jungkook, the future master of the largest syndicate, and lay the foundation for an alliance at any cost. Because of this, Taehyung had to suppress his composure all evening, adopting the other man's mannerisms and imposing himself, practically breathing down Jungkook's shoulder.

Jungkook himself watched this performance with a hidden, almost lazy interest. His guard tensed every time the alien heir violated their young boss's personal boundaries, but Jungkook merely raised an eyebrow, allowing Taehyung to hover nearby. He read Taehyung like an open book—he saw the false glint in his eyes and the falseness of the politeness coming from the boy's lips. But Jungkook wasn't angered. He'd long wanted to get closer to Taehyung, and their fathers' calculated plans had absolutely nothing to do with it.

When they reached the balcony balustrade, Jungkook was staring into his glass, stirring the remaining champagne and talking, while Taehyung continued to stare at him. He paused mid-story and looked at the boy:

"Taehyung, stop staring at the back of my head," Jungkook said, turning his body and taking a step forward. "You need to look the person you're talking to in the eye, if you want me to like you."