Hoseok knew something was wrong.

Taehyung had returned from the garden ten minutes ago, looking as composed as ever—smooth steps, easy smiles, not a single hair out of place.

Yet, there was no sign of Jeongguk.

And that was a problem.

Jeongguk wasn't the type to just disappear. Not at an event like this. Not without a reason.

Hoseok's grip tightened around his glass as unease slithered down his spine. He scanned the room, searching for any sign of his best friend, but the ballroom was just as it had been all night—grand, glittering, full of monsters dressed as royalty.

But no Jeongguk.

His gaze flickered to Taehyung, who was engaged in some idle conversation near the dance floor, a polite smile on his lips, fingers curling loosely around a crystal glass of wine.

Too relaxed. Too unbothered.

And that's when Hoseok knew—Taehyung knew exactly where Jeongguk was.

He downed the rest of his drink, jaw clenching. Then, without another thought, he slipped away from the crowd, moving toward the garden doors.

Something wasn't right. And if Jeongguk was in trouble—

There'd be hell to pay.

Hoseok stepped into the gardens, the cool night air a stark contrast to the heat and decadence of the ballroom. The distant murmur of conversation faded behind him, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the faint trickle of a nearby fountain.

His sharp eyes scanned the moonlit space, searching, calculating.

Then—

A figure.

A dark shape slumped against a stone bench, half-hidden by the shadows of towering hedges.

Hoseok's pulse spiked. He strode forward, steps eerily silent against the marble path, and as he neared—

Jeongguk.

Sprawled against the bench, breathing unevenly, hand pressed against his side.

Dark red spilled between his fingers.

"Fuck." Hoseok dropped to his knees beside him, immediately assessing the damage. The fabric of Jeongguk's suit was slick with blood, the scent sharp in the night air.

Jeongguk let out a strained chuckle. "Took you long enough."

Hoseok ignored him. "Who?" he demanded, already pulling out a handkerchief to press against the wound.

Jeongguk's lips curled, something almost amused—almost delirious—tugging at the corners.

"Kim," he murmured, voice a little too pleased for someone currently bleeding out.

Hoseok stilled. His grip tightened.

Of course.

Of course, it was him.

Hoseok cursed under his breath and slipped an arm around Jeongguk's waist, hauling him up carefully.

Jeongguk hissed through his teeth as pain flared in his side. His grip tightened on Hoseok's shoulder, his body heavy against him.

"Fucking hell," Hoseok muttered. "You're lucky he didn't go deeper."

Jeongguk let out a breathless laugh. "Maybe he wanted me to suffer."

Hoseok's jaw clenched. He adjusted his grip, steadying Jeongguk against him. "Come on. We need to get you out of here before someone sees."

Jeongguk barely nodded, his face pale but his lips still curled in that maddening, reckless smirk. "Think I made an impression?"

Hoseok huffed. "Yeah. A deep one. Right in your fucking side."

Jeongguk chuckled, the sound weak but smug. "Worth it."

Hoseok rolled his eyes, dragging him toward the exit. "You're a goddamn idiot."

Hoseok wasted no time, practically shoving Jeongguk into the car before sliding into the driver's seat.

The engine roared to life, tires screeching against the pavement as they sped away from the Kim estate.

Jeongguk leaned back against the seat, his breathing uneven. He could feel the warmth of his own blood seeping through his shirt, but he barely registered the pain. His mind was elsewhere. On the smirk Taehyung had given him. The sharp glint in his eyes. The dagger sliding into his skin like a promise.

"Fucking hell, Jeongguk," Hoseok bit out, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

Jeongguk exhaled, tilting his head back. "I wasn't."

Hoseok shot him a glare before focusing back on the road. "Yeah, no shit."

Silence stretched between them, the only sound the low hum of the engine and Jeongguk's shallow breaths.

And then—

Jeongguk smirked, eyes fluttering shut. "He wanted me alive."

Hoseok scoffed. "Oh, congratulations. You're his personal fucking chew toy now."

Jeongguk chuckled weakly. "Could be worse."

Hoseok gritted his teeth, pushing the accelerator harder. "Yeah? Try dying and see if it's worse."

Jeongguk just smiled, lips stained with the taste of something he wasn't sure was blood or desire.

The room was dim, the only light coming from the flickering city skyline beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Jeongguk lay on his back, shirtless, the bandages around his torso stark against his skin. The sting of the wound had dulled to a steady ache, but his mind was far from the pain.

He stared at the ceiling, lips parted, breath slow.

Kim Taehyung.

A fucking Kim.

He should be furious. He should be planning his revenge, plotting a hundred ways to make Taehyung pay for what he did.

But all he could think about was the way Taehyung had looked at him. The way their breaths had mixed in the cold night air. The heat between them, thick enough to suffocate.

And then—the blade. The sharp kiss of steel.

Jeongguk let out a slow exhale, his fingers twitching against the sheets.

He had never wanted someone more.

And that was the problem.

Hoseok sat beside him, arms crossed, watching him carefully. He had been silent for a while now, letting Jeongguk process whatever storm was raging inside his head.

But even Hoseok had his limits.

"You look like an idiot," he finally said.

Jeongguk didn't react, still staring at the ceiling.

Hoseok sighed, shaking his head. "You get stabbed by a fucking Kim, and now you're lying here like a lovesick fool?"

That made Jeongguk blink. Just once.

Hoseok scoffed. "You're unbelievable."

A beat of silence stretched between them before Jeongguk finally spoke, voice quiet, unreadable.

"He could've killed me."

Hoseok leaned forward. "Yeah, and that's exactly why I'm waiting for you to come to your damn senses."

Jeongguk exhaled through his nose, a ghost of a smirk pulling at his lips.

"But he didn't."

Hoseok narrowed his eyes. "That's what you're focusing on?"

Jeongguk turned his head slightly, meeting Hoseok's exasperated stare.

"If he wanted me dead, he would've gone for the heart." His voice was calm. Too calm. "But he didn't."

Hoseok groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Great. Fantastic. You're obsessed with a guy who stabbed you. That's totally normal, Jeon."

Jeongguk chuckled, a low, breathy sound.

"Maybe I am."

--

If Jeongguk had been obsessed before, he was downright insane now.

It had been days since the stabbing. Days since Taehyung had looked him in the eye, smirked, and sunk a blade into his side. Days since Jeongguk had felt that sharp, burning pain—followed by something worse.

Intrigue.

Now, he couldn't stop thinking about him.

He replayed every second in his mind. The way Taehyung's fingers had brushed against his chest before he struck. The heat in his gaze. The way he had leaned in, lips inches away, making Jeongguk want—before twisting the knife, both literally and figuratively.

Jeongguk knew he should be furious. Enraged.

But instead, he just wanted to see him again.

It was fucking ridiculous.

He sat in his study, swirling a glass of whiskey, the bandage around his torso a reminder of his own stupidity. Across from him, Hoseok sighed heavily, watching him with thinly veiled judgment.

"This is getting out of hand," Hoseok muttered. "You're spiraling."

Jeongguk hummed, taking a slow sip of his drink. "Am I?"

Hoseok scoffed. "You got stabbed."

Jeongguk smirked. "And?"

Hoseok ran a hand down his face. "And normal people don't get obsessed with the person who stabs them, Jeon."

Jeongguk leaned back in his chair, eyes dark and unreadable.

"I never claimed to be normal."

jeongguk stood up, " i need to do something"

Hoseok groaned, already dreading whatever reckless idea Jeongguk had just conjured.

"Jeongguk," he warned, watching as his best friend shrugged on a black coat, movements slow but deliberate. "Tell me you're not about to do something fucking stupid."

Jeongguk smirked, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Depends on your definition of stupid."

Hoseok exhaled sharply, standing up as well. "You're injured, Jeon. You should be resting, not chasing after a goddamn Kim like a man possessed."

Jeongguk buttoned his coat, adjusting the collar as if Hoseok hadn't just called him out. "I'm not chasing anyone." He tilted his head, eyes glinting with something dangerous. "I'm hunting."

Hoseok's expression darkened. "Jeongguk."

But Jeongguk was already walking toward the door.

And Hoseok knew—nothing he said would stop him now.

Hoseok ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "You're really going through with this, huh?"

Jeongguk smirked, but there was no humor in it. Just cold, unrelenting determination. "Make sure my father doesn't find out," he said, voice low and firm.

Hoseok clicked his tongue, crossing his arms. "You realize if he does, we're both dead, right?"

Jeongguk's gaze darkened. "Then don't let him."

There was a long beat of silence before Hoseok let out a quiet curse. "You're out of your fucking mind," he muttered, but there was no real protest in his tone.

Because Jeon Jeongguk had already made up his mind.

And nothing—not blood, not loyalty, not the threat of war—was going to stop him.