Chapter 4~

...The Price of an Empire...

For the first time in years...

Jeon Jungkook missed an entire day of work.

And the empire felt it immediately.

Meetings were postponed.

Executives argued.

Investors demanded explanations.

Projects stalled.

Panic spread through headquarters faster than any rumor.

Because everyone inside Jeon Corporation knew one thing.

Jungkook wasn't just the CEO.

He was the foundation holding everything together.

The moment that foundation disappeared—

Cracks began to show.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE LOST THE CONTRACT?"

The conference room shook with Jimin's voice.

The executive nearly jumped.

"The client backed out this morning."

"Why?"

"No final approval from the CEO."

Silence.

Another executive spoke.

"The Singapore project has also been delayed."

"And the European investors are requesting an emergency meeting."

Jimin pressed his hands against his face.

Across the table, Yoongi remained silent.

Dangerously silent.

That was usually worse.

The room fell quiet.

Nobody wanted to be the next person delivering bad news.

Because there was plenty of it.

Millions lost.

Projects delayed.

Investors nervous.

And Jungkook nowhere to be found.

Finally, Yoongi stood.

"We'll handle it."

The executives immediately nodded.

Nobody questioned him.

After all, Yoongi had been beside Jungkook for years.

If anyone could hold the company together temporarily, it was him.

Even then...

Everyone knew the truth.

There was only one Jeon Jungkook.

Meanwhile...

At the Jeon mansion.

Jungkook stood in front of a mirror.

His reflection looked perfect.

Immaculate suit.

Perfect tie.

Perfect hair.

Perfect image.

Exactly what the family wanted.

The appearance of perfection.

The illusion of control.

The reality was very different.

His grandfather adjusted the tie himself.

Not out of affection.

Not out of care.

Because appearances mattered.

Always appearances.

"You will go to the company."

Jungkook said nothing.

"You will fix this mess."

Silence.

"You represent the Jeon family."

His grandfather stepped back.

Satisfied.

As if he had dressed a mannequin rather than a person.

"Do you understand?"

"...Yes."

The old man nodded.

Satisfied.

Not once did he ask if Jungkook was okay.

Not once did he ask if he needed rest.

Not once did he care.

The company came first.

The family name came first.

Everything came first.

Everything except Jungkook.

An hour later...

Jeon Corporation Headquarters.

The lobby immediately erupted into motion.

Employees bowed.

Executives relaxed.

Investors stopped panicking.

Because Jungkook had arrived.

Everything would be okay now.

At least that's what they believed.

Only two people knew otherwise.

Min Yoongi.

And Park Jimin.

The moment the elevator doors opened, both froze.

Jungkook looked exhausted.

Not the normal kind.

Not the kind caused by working late.

Something deeper.

Something heavier.

His face remained expressionless.

But they knew him too well.

Too many years.

Too many secrets.

Too many nights watching him carry burdens nobody should carry alone.

Jimin's jaw clenched.

Yoongi looked away briefly.

Because anger was easier than helplessness.

And both men felt helpless.

Inside Jungkook's office.

The door closed.

Silence followed.

Jungkook immediately sat down.

A stack of files nearly reached his shoulder.

Reports.

Losses.

Emergency contracts.

Financial statements.

Problems.

Thousands of problems.

He reached for the first file.

A hand stopped him.

Yoongi.

"No."

Jungkook blinked.

"What?"

"No."

"I'm working."

"No."

"Yoongi."

"No."

Jungkook stared.

Yoongi stared harder.

Neither moved.

Finally—

Jimin slammed a coffee onto the desk.

"Drink."

Jungkook sighed.

"You two are impossible."

"No."

Jimin crossed his arms.

"You are."

The next few hours became chaos.

Meetings.

Conference calls.

Emergency negotiations.

Investor reassurances.

Jungkook handled everything.

As always.

Every answer.

Every decision.

Every solution.

By evening, most of the crisis was under control.

The stock stabilized.

Investors calmed down.

Projects resumed.

The empire survived.

Again.

Yet Jungkook looked worse than before.

Much worse.

Late that evening.

The office floor was nearly empty.

Most employees had gone home.

Only three remained.

Jungkook.

Yoongi.

Jimin.

The usual trio.

Jungkook continued working.

Of course he did.

Yoongi sat on the couch reading reports.

Jimin ordered dinner.

Again.

For the third time.

Because Jungkook had ignored the first two meals.

Again.

"You need to eat."

"I'm busy."

"No."

Jungkook looked up.

Jimin pointed toward the food.

"Dinner."

"Later."

"No."

"Jimin."

"No."

Yoongi didn't even look up.

"He's right."

Traitor.

Absolute traitor.

Jungkook narrowed his eyes.

Neither man cared.

A few minutes later.

Jungkook finally took a bite.

Jimin looked victorious.

Yoongi looked relieved.

And for a brief moment...

The office felt less lonely.

Less cold.

Less empty.

Jungkook noticed it too.

Though he'd never admit it.

Because somewhere along the way...

Yoongi and Jimin had become the closest thing he had to family.

Not because of blood.

Not because of obligation.

Because they stayed.

Even when things became difficult.

Even when he pushed them away.

Even when they couldn't save him.

They stayed.

Across the city...

Taehyung reviewed another report.

His men stood nearby.

Waiting.

Watching.

Nervous.

"The company recovered?"

"Yes, Boss."

Taehyung looked up.

"Already?"

"Jungkook returned today."

Silence.

The room became still.

One man.

One day.

And an entire corporation stopped collapsing.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Taehyung studied the report.

The more information he received about Jeon Jungkook...

The more confused he became.

The media described a cold billionaire.

Competitors described a ruthless genius.

Employees described a perfectionist.

Yet every report carried the same detail.

Works endlessly.

Rarely rests.

Never leaves problems to others.

Carries everything himself.

Taehyung frowned.

That didn't sound like strength.

That sounded like someone who believed they couldn't rely on anyone else.

Someone carrying too much.

Someone breaking.

Slowly.

Quietly.

Alone.

"Continue observing."

His men looked surprised.

No new attack?

No new orders?

Just observation?

"Boss?"

Taehyung closed the file.

"That's all."

The men exchanged confused glances.

Because for the first time since this war began...

Their boss seemed less interested in destroying Jeon Jungkook's empire.

And more interested in understanding the man protecting it.

A dangerous curiosity.

One that would only grow stronger with time.

Especially because neither man knew it yet.

But fate had already begun pulling them toward each other.

And neither empire would survive unchanged once they finally met.

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