Chapter 2.the Red Bridal Bed

Taehyung’s eyes darkened with a heavy, possessive intensity as he looked at Jungkook. He didn't say a word. He stepped forward, the scent of pine wood, soap, and pure male heat enveloping Jungkook.

Before Jungkook could prepare himself, Taehyung leaned down. One large, calloused hand securely cupped Jungkook's upper back, while the other slid under the crooks of his knees. With a powerful, effortless lift, Taehyung hoisted Jungkook up into his arms.

Jungkook gasped, his hands instinctively flying up to cling to Taehyung’s broad shoulders. He could feel the hard, sculpted muscles of Taehyung's chest pressing against him.

"Hold on tight," Taehyung murmured, his deep, gravelly voice vibrating right against Jungkook’s chest.

Despite his old leg injury, Taehyung’s stride was rock-solid as he carried Jungkook out of the house. The village erupted into deafening cheers, firecrackers exploding (Bang! Bang! bang!) in the yard, filling the air with gray smoke and the smell of sulfur. Taehyung carefully placed Jungkook onto the padded back seat of the donkey cart, making sure he is safe.

The procession traveled across the dirt roads, crossing two villages and the boundary line into Red Maple Village—Taehyung’s territory.

The Kim family yard was massive, packed with wooden tables and benches. The entire village had turned out to eat the pork and rice Taehyung had provided.

But as Jungkook stepped off the donkey cart (with Taehyung holding his waist to steady him), the harmony shattered. The Kim family soap opera was waiting.

While Taehyung, his Mother and sweet little Jimin lived in separately, but they all live in the same house, Taehyung's two older brothers had already split from the family to live separately because of their greedy spouses.The oldest brother (29) and his loud wife (26) were already loading their plates with the best cuts of pork. Right next to them was the middle brother (27) and his husband, a dramatic, snobbish Ger brother-in-law (24) wearing a suspiciously expensive new scarf.

"Oh, the city-slicker Ger is here," the oldest sister-in-law scoffed loudly, aiming her voice at the neighboring tables. "Look at those soft hands. Taehyung wasted fifty pounds of rice on someone who doesn't even know how to hold a hoe. We asked Mom for ten pounds of flour for your own nephew last week, and she said the family was broke!"

The middle Ger brother-in-law snickered, tossing his head. "Exactly. Just because Taehyung gets a military pension doesn't mean he should waste it on a pretty face. He won't last a day during the autumn harvest."

Jungkook stood there, his red bridal sleeves fluttering in the wind. In his past life, he had successfully handled toxic CEOs, passive-aggressive HR managers, and furious corporate clients. These 1970s villagers were in the amateur league.

Before Jungkook could unleash his corporate-grade sarcasm, Taehyung stepped in front of him, his tall frame completely blocking the toxic in-laws from Jungkook's sight.

Taehyung’s face was like ice. His military authority leaked out, making the temperature in the yard drop. "My pension was earned with my blood on the border. Who I spend it on is my business. If you two came here to audit my wedding feast, put the meat down and get out of my yard. Now."

The older brothers and their spouses flinched, their faces turning pale under the gaze of the village elders who were judging them for ruining a wedding. They muttered some curses and scurried back to their tables.

Taehyung turned to Jungkook, his expression softening just a fraction. "Don't mind them. They're parasites."

"I'm not worried," Jungkook said, offering a small, confident smirk. "I know how to deal with pests."

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised by his new bride's fierce attitude. "Good. Let's bow to the parents and finish this."

Hours later, the guests finally cleared out. The Kim family compound grew quiet under the starry, pollution-free 1974s sky.

Jungkook sat in Taehyung’s bedroom. The room was illuminated only by the warm, flickering glow of a single kerosene lamp. The brick bed (kang) was covered in a brand-new, bright red silk quilt—a luxury Mama Kim had saved for her youngest son.The air was thick with anticipation. Jungkook’s modern soul knew exactly what happened next, but his 18-year-old body was trembling, a heavy, nervous heat building in his lower stomach.

The wooden door opened, and Taehyung walked in. He had removed his formal military jacket. He wore only a thin, white cotton undershirt that clung tightly to his sculpted chest, exposing his thick, tanned forearms. He locked the door behind him with a definitive click. He walked over, his slight limp giving him a predatory, deliberate stride. He sat on the edge of the red bed, the mattress dipping heavily under his weight. The scent of raw masculinity, alcohol from the wedding toasts, and pure heat enveloped Jungkook.

"Are you scared of me, Jungkook?" Taehyung asked, his deep voice dangerously smooth in the quiet room.

"No," Jungkook whispered, his doe eyes meeting Taehyung’s intense gaze.The heavy, aggressive tension in the room evaporated into a profound, heavy silence.

Taehyung stared down at Jungkook for a long moment, observing the slight tremor in the younger man's shoulders. Taehyung’s gaze drifted down to his own right leg, which was throbbing with a dull, persistent ache from the long day. A bitter, quiet pride flared in the soldier's chest. He was a retired, injured man; he had no desire to force a terrified 18-year-old into a marriage bed on night one. He had spent nine years in the harsh military camps on the border—he knew how to endure, and he knew how to read people.

Taehyung exhaled a long breath "Lie down and sleep," Taehyung said, his deep voice dropping into a flat, steady calm. "The bed is big enough. I won't touch you."

Jungkook blinked, a wave of profound relief washing over his modern soul. He watched as Taehyung pulled a separate, faded green military blanket from the wooden chest, laid down on the far edge of the kang (brick bed), and turned his back, establishing a strict, respectful boundary between them.

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