chapter 1

There was a large willow tree near the wall that separated the park from the Jeon family mansion. Its branches hung low, brushing the grass like fingers smoothing someone's hair. Children from the neighborhood played nearby sometimes, but they never looked too long in the direction of the mansion. Everyone knew who lived there.

Taehyung didn't know those rules yet.

He had just moved into the neighborhood, his small hand clutching the strap of his backpack as he wandered away from the house his parents were still unpacking boxes in. The air smelled like cut grass and warm sun. He followed the sound of leaves rustling lazily, drawn toward the big willow.

There was someone already there.

A boy sat with his back against the trunk, knees drawn up, holding a book. His dark hair fell over his eyes, and his clothes looked too clean, too neat, His posture was calm in a way that didn't belong to children.

Taehyung hesitated, chewing his lip.

The older boy lifted his head first, as if he had sensed him.

"Who are you? new kid?," the boy said. His voice wasn't unfriendly just... quiet. Controlled.

Taehyung nodded. "We moved today... I live over there." He pointed clumsily toward the row of smaller houses across the road.

The boy followed the direction with his gaze, then nodded once. "I'm Jungkook."

Taehyung swallowed. The name sounded familiar. His mother had whispered it earlier while unpacking.

That's the Jeon family's neighborhood. Keep your head down. They're powerful.

But Taehyung didn't know what powerful really meant.

"Taehyung, you can call me tae tae hyung " he introduced, with a eye smile, voice soft.

Jungkook stared at that smile like he's hypnotize as he closed his book, sliding it aside on the grass. "Why are you here?"

Taehyung blinked "I... like trees."

That earned the smallest almost invisible , lift at the corner of Jungkook's mouth.

"This one's mine," Jungkook said simply.

"Oh..." Taehyung's shoulders drooped pouting. "Should I go?"

"No." Jungkook shook his head. "You can sit. If you want."

Taehyung nodded quickly, almost relieved. He sat down next to him, legs wide like star fish. For a while, they didn't speak. Only the breeze moved, shifting the hanging branches like a curtain around them.

Taehyung's fingers dug lightly into the grass.

"Do you come here a lot hyung?" he whispered.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Jungkook's gaze fixed on the ground. He seemed to think longer than most children would before answering.

"It's quiet here."

"Oh..." Taehyung looked up at the branches. "I like quiet too."

Jungkook tilted his head slightly toward him. "Most kids don't."

Taehyung shrugged. "I think I'm different , That's why most kids don't like me."

There was no sadness in his tone. Just simple truth.

Jungkook blinked once. "Why?"

Taehyung thought about it.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm boring."

"You don't seem boring."

Taehyung looked at him, surprised. Jungkook didn't look away.

A small breeze brushed their hair. A moment passed. Two.

"How old are you?" Jungkook asked.

"Eight. You?"

"Ten."

Taehyung smiled a little. "That's older."

"Not by much."

"But enough," Taehyung said with quiet certainty, as if that meant something profound.

Jungkook studied him, as though deciding something without words.

Then he said, "Do you want to see something?"

Taehyung nodded eagerly.

Jungkook stood and parted the willow branches like curtains before stepping through. Taehyung followed, and inside, where the leaves draped thickest, was a small hidden clearing. Grass flattened like someone sat or laid here often. The sunlight filtered in soft, broken patterns.

"It's like a house," Taehyung whispered.

Jungkook nodded. "My house."

"It's nicer than mine, hyung" little Taehyung said without thinking with sparkle eyes. Then, remembering manners, he hurriedly added, "I mean my house is fine, I just this is... better."

Jungkook didn't laugh, but his voice softened.

"You can share it."

Taehyung's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yes. But don't tell anyone." Jungkook's tone shifted , lower, firmer, like a warning thicker than his age.

Taehyung pressed a hand to his own chest. "I won't. I promise."

"Good," Jungkook said. And something eased in his shoulders,

The first silence had been awkward.

This one was comfortable.

Taehyung returned every day.

Sometimes Jungkook was already there. Sometimes he arrived after. They didn't need plans. They just... found each other.

Taehyung told him about his sister, how she was perfect and talented and loved. How his parents always smiled at her in a way they never did at him.

Jungkook didn't say anything at first.

Then one day, quietly, he said, "My parents don't smile at me either."

Taehyung looked at him. Really looked.

Jungkook's uniform shirt collar had once been buttoned wrong, too high, like hiding something. Taehyung didn't ask. He didn't know how to ask.

But he stayed close.

One afternoon, as they sat beneath the willow, Taehyung said softly, "We can smile for each other, then."

Jungkook didn't smile.

But something in his expression changed. Warmed. Deepened. "Yes we can"

He didn't need to say thank you.

Taehyung understood anyway.

Children can't name attachment.

They don't know the words for You are my safe place.

They just keep returning.

One evening, Taehyung was late. He ran to the willow, breath heavy, hair messy.

Jungkook was there already, but not sitting. He stood stiffly, jaw clenched, eyes darker than usual.

Taehyung slowed.

"Kookie...?"

It was the first time he used the nickname.

Jungkook didn't correct him.

He just said, tightly, "Where were you?"

Taehyung blinked. "My parents... wanted me to stay home. To help my sister get ready for her dance class. They forgot that I .."

He stopped speaking when Jungkook looked away.

"Don't be late again," Jungkook murmured.

It wasn't anger.

It was fear.

"Hyung are you worried that tae tae would go away from you ?"

Jungkook turned his head in a snap of time hearing the word away something tugged inside his little heart. He didn't liked it.

"You won't go anywhere, remember. you said you're hyung's little butterfly."

"Don't worry hyung i won't leave you never ever pinky promise " little tae tae showed his pinky promise.

"When we grow up we will get married hyung i will buy you chocolates to marry me . Noona said she will give chocolates to the boy she likes so that he will like her back and later marry her. I will do the same.

Taehyung stepped closer, tugging Jungkook's sleeve gently.

"No we can't marry eachother tae, boys can't love eachother it's a sin"

Jungkook said with a sad face

"But hyung i want to marry you, you're pretty. So pretty like prince charming who would come to save me from my bad noona. " Tae tae said with his eyes filled with tears staring at Jungkook

Jungkook stared at the little pretty angel "okay my little sweetheart, i will marry you. But promise me you're mine and you would wait for me. "

"I will hyung, tae tae loves his hyung" as little taetae pecked the elder lips caughting elder widen his eyes. At the innocent peck of his little sweetheart

"Don't you ever leave me , you're mine tae tae, promise? "

"Okay. I won't hyung. I promise."

Jungkook looked at the hand holding his sleeve.

Then he looked at Taehyung.

And then slowly, he nodded.

"Good."

They sat.

Side by side.

Their shoulders touching, just barely.

As seasons changed, so did they.

Taehyung grew quieter at home.

Jungkook grew harder inside his house, where voices were sharp and hands were harsher.

But under the willow

They were just Taehyung.

And Jungkook.

Two boys sitting close enough to hear each other breathe.

Years passed.

The willow never forgot them.

And neither did they.

The first time Jungkook's father saw them together, it was late afternoon. The sun was sinking, the willow leaves glowing like gold. Taehyung had brought a packet of cookies, hose aren't expensive like jungkook eat, they are simple homemade. And he offered some to Jungkook shyly.

"They're my favorite," Taehyung said, smiling a little.

Jungkook didn't say anything at first. He took one, broke it in half, and handed the bigger half back to Taehyung.

Taehyung blinked, cheeks warming.

"You don't have to hyung i already ate them - "

"You like them," Jungkook whispered, as though that was reason enough.

Taehyung's heart felt warm in a way he didn't understand yet. He only knew that sitting under this tree with his Jungkook hyung felt more like home than his own living room ever did.

Taehyung leaned closer, shoulder lightly bumping against Jungkook's.

Jungkook didn't move away.

He didn't move at all, like if he did, the moment might break.

They didn't notice the footsteps at first.

They didn't notice the shadow that fell across them, long and deep.

But Jungkook felt it.

His body went still. Not like a frightened child, but like a soldier hearing a command.

Taehyung followed his gaze

A tall man stood near the hanging branches.

Suit pressed, shoes shining, eyes sharp like glass that could cut.

His father.

Jeon Hyun-joon.