Chapter Text
♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧
The early morning air was cool against Jungkook’s skin as he stirred awake, the faint light of dawn slipping through the thin curtains of their cramped room. He blinked sleepily before stretching out his sore limbs, careful not to disturb his younger omega brother, Eunwoo, who was curled up beside him on the thin mattress. The gentle rise and fall of Eunwoo’s chest made Jungkook hesitate, his movements slow and measured.
To his left, his youngest sibling, Soohyun, a beta, lay sprawled out with one arm thrown over his head, his lips slightly parted in deep sleep. Jungkook smiled faintly. Soohyun always slept like that, as if he had no care in the world, unlike Jungkook, who had carried the weight of responsibility for as long as he could remember.
It was his turn to make breakfast, and he moved carefully, stepping over scattered schoolbooks and a pair of worn-out shoes by the doorway. Their small house was anything but soundproof ; even the creak of the floorboards felt deafening in the quiet of the morning. If he wasn’t careful, he’d wake up their parents, and his mother wouldn’t hesitate to scold him for making unnecessary noise.
The kitchen, if it could even be called that, was a narrow space at the back of the house, barely big enough for one person to move around comfortably. The walls were stained with years of oil splatters, and the shelves were stacked with mismatched plates and cups, some chipped from use. Jungkook let out a quiet sigh as he reached for a pot, setting it on the tiny gas stove. Today, they would have noodles. Again.
As he stirred the boiling water, he let his mind drift.
What if life had been different ?
What if they didn’t have to count every coin before grocery shopping ?
What if they lived in a house with more than just two cramped rooms, where he didn’t have to share a mattress with his younger siblings, where they didn’t have to worry about every little expense ?
Jungkook had done everything right—at least, he thought he had. He had studied hard, graduated with a degree in IT, and applied for countless jobs, sending out resumes until the mere sight of an email notification made his stomach churn. But no company wanted him. Not even as an intern.
After months of rejections, his mother’s friend’s friend’s friend had offered him a position at a beauty salon.
“They need a manicurist,” she had said.
Jungkook wasn’t a manicurist, but at that point, he wasn’t in a position to be picky. He had taken the job, grateful for anything that could help support his family.
Five years later, he was no longer the inexperienced young man who had fumbled with a nail file on his first day. He had become an expert, his precision and artistry earning him a reputation that extended beyond the small salon. Wealthy clients sought him out, requesting private home services, paying him handsomely for the luxury of having their nails tended to in the comfort of their grand mansions.
That was how Jungkook had come to see the world of the rich up close.
There were the alphas who never spared him a second glance, their noses high as they leaned back in plush chairs while he worked on their hands. The betas who chatted idly about their extravagant vacations, completely unaware of how foreign their lives were to someone like him. The omega housewives who sighed dreamily about their husbands’ latest business deals, their fingers adorned with rings that cost more than his entire existence.
He had been inside homes with ceilings so high he wondered if they ever echoed. He had sat in the back of luxury cars, the leather seats so soft they felt unreal beneath his fingertips. He had walked across marble floors polished to perfection, where his own reflection stared back at him, reminding him of the world he did not belong to.
Jungkook envied them. He really did.
Not in a malicious way, but in that quiet, aching way that made his chest feel tight at night when he lay awake on his mattress, staring at the ceiling with thoughts too loud to ignore.
If he had been born into wealth, would his life have been easier ? Would he have had the luxury of choosing his own path instead of taking whatever job he could find ?
He sighed, shaking off the thought as he finished preparing breakfast. It was useless to dwell on what-ifs. This was his reality.
For now, at least.
Because deep down, Jungkook knew—if there was one thing he wasn’t, it was someone who accepted fate without a fight.
♧
The sound of faint stirring from the other room signaled the start of another day in the Jeon household. As always, the first to rise after Jungkook was his father, Mister Jeon.
Mister Jeon was a man of habit, neither waking up too early nor too late, always moving with a quiet dignity that age and hardship had not managed to steal from him. His steps were slow as he walked to his usual spot on the floor, settling down with a weary sigh.
Jungkook, who had just finished preparing breakfast, didn’t need to be told what to do. He grabbed a bowl and filled it with steaming noodles before handing it to his father.
“Thank you, son,” Mister Jeon murmured as he accepted the meal. He twirled the noodles around his chopsticks before pausing to glance at Jungkook. “Are you working late today ?”
Jungkook hesitated. His schedule depended entirely on his clients, especially now that he offered premium home services. Some days, he would be done by evening, and other days, he wouldn’t return until past midnight.
“I’m not sure yet,” he admitted. “Why ?”
His father sighed, rubbing his temples before reaching down to massage his ankles. “I need to go to the hospital today. My back’s been worse these past few nights.”
Jungkook’s fingers clenched around his chopsticks. His father’s chronic pain had been a lingering issue for years, worsening with time. Treatment helped, but it was expensive. More than half of Jungkook’s earnings went toward his father’s medical bills, leaving little for himself. Groceries and other household needs were covered by his younger brother, Soohyun, and their mother, but even with their combined efforts, money was always tight.
Just as he was about to speak, Soohyun stumbled out of the room, yawning loudly as he rubbed at his messy hair.
“I’ll go,” Soohyun mumbled sleepily, stretching his arms. “I don’t start work until the afternoon, so I can take Dad to the hospital.”
Jungkook let out a breath of relief. “Are you sure ?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.” Soohyun waved him off before plopping down next to their father and reaching for his own breakfast.
Mister Jeon gave a nod of approval before turning back to Jungkook, his expression shifting to something lighter. “By the way, where’s your lover ?”
Jungkook nearly choked on his food. His face burned as he coughed, hastily shaking his head.
His father chuckled. “What ? Did I say something wrong ?”
Kim Taehyung.
The most handsome alpha in the neighborhood. The person who had somehow, against all odds, chosen Jungkook out of everyone. His boyfriend. And maybe—just maybe—his future fiancé.
The thought alone sent a fresh wave of heat rushing to Jungkook’s face.
They had been together for as long as Jungkook could remember. Some days, it felt like Taehyung had always been there, appearing beside him when he needed him most, his warm hand reaching out without hesitation.
And yet, despite their years together, Taehyung still had this effect on him.
Every time his name was mentioned, Jungkook became a blushing mess. It was embarrassing, really, especially when his younger brothers teased him about it endlessly.
Before he could recover, the door to the kitchen opened, and Miss Jeon walked in, wiping her hands on her apron. Her expression immediately soured as she caught wind of the conversation.
“Why are we talking about that boy again ?” she huffed, moving to grab a bowl. “I swear, you’re all too fond of him.”
Jungkook tensed. He knew where this was going.
His mother sat down with a heavy sigh, shaking her head in disapproval. “I don’t understand why you waste your time with him. That alpha has no job, no house, and nothing to offer you.”
Jungkook’s lips pressed together. He had heard this argument a hundred times before.
“Mom,” he said, his voice tight, “Taehyung is doing his best.”
“Doing his best ?” She scoffed. “Jungkook, we’re already struggling as it is, and you want to tie yourself to someone who can’t even take care of himself ? What future do you see with him ?”
Annoyance prickled under Jungkook’s skin. His mother had always been this way, talking about Taehyung as if he were some kind of burden—as if their family was any better off.
“We’re not exactly rich either, Mom,” he shot back.
“But we work hard,” she countered. “At least we have jobs. At least we’re doing something to keep ourselves afloat. What is Taehyung doing ? Running around with his dreams ? That won’t put food on the table, Jungkook.”
Jungkook clenched his jaw.
Taehyung wasn’t lazy. He wasn’t useless. He was just… unlucky.
Life hadn’t been kind to him.
He had grown up without parents, raised by an elderly grandmother who had passed away when he was still young. Without family, without money, he had fought to survive on his own.
Taehyung wasn’t unemployed because he was unwilling to work—he simply hadn’t been given the same opportunities others had. He had no education, no connections, no one to vouch for him.
Yet, despite it all, he still smiled.
He still loved fiercely.
He still looked at Jungkook as if he were the best thing to ever happen to him.
And that was why Jungkook loved him.
Because Taehyung had nothing—but he gave Jungkook everything.
Miss Jeon sighed, shaking her head again before focusing on her food. “You’ll see, Jungkook. Love isn’t enough. One day, you’ll understand that.”
Jungkook said nothing.
♧
The moment Kim Taehyung stepped into the small neighborhood café, the energy shifted.
It was as if the entire place had been struck by lightning—charged with excitement, buzzing with anticipation.
The café wasn’t fancy by any means. Seokjin, Taehyung's besy friend and childhood friend run it. The chairs wobbled if you sat on them the wrong way, the paint on the walls had started to peel, and the air conditioning barely worked on hot days. But despite that, it was always full, always lively. Just like Seokjin himself.
And today was no exception.
The moment Taehyung walked in, the young alphas inside erupted into cheers, the atmosphere shaking with their enthusiasm.
“Tae is here” Seokjin yelled from where he's standing, grinning from.ear to ear.
“Hyung. Over here”
“Tell us the secret, hyung. How do you stay so cool ?”
Taehyung grinned, striding toward the center of the group with the confidence of someone who owned the world—even if, in reality, he had nothing.
But that didn’t matter.
To them, he was someone.
He was the one they all wanted to be. The one who, despite his struggles, never seemed weighed down by life.
Kim Taehyung wasn’t rich. He wasn’t powerful. He had no stable job, no fancy house, no expensive clothes or cars.
But what he did have was a heart so big that it could hold the whole world.
And a love so deep that it was impossible to ignore.
As he took his usual seat in the middle of the crowd, he clapped his hands together, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Alright, listen up,” he said, his deep voice commanding the space effortlessly. “Today’s lesson is about patience. You all know I’ve been playing the lottery for two years, right ?”
There were a few chuckles. They all knew.
It was no secret that Taehyung had been trying to win big.
Not for himself—but for his omega.
For Jungkook.
Taehyung’s eyes softened at the mere thought of him.
His beautiful omega. His everything.
Everyone in the neighborhood knew about their relationship. Knew how fiercely they loved each other. Knew how, despite their circumstances, they still found happiness in the simplest of things.
And Taehyung ?
He would do anything to make Jungkook’s life better.
“My dream,” he continued, his voice filled with conviction, “is to win a huge amount of money and put my omega in a big house. A beautiful home full of love.”
The group nodded in understanding. They knew how much Jungkook meant to him.
They had seen it firsthand—the way Taehyung looked at him as if he had hung the moon in the sky.
They had seen how Jungkook, despite his shy nature, would become a blushing mess whenever Taehyung was near.
They had seen how, even in the hardest of times, they never let go of each other.
“But hyung,” one of the younger alphas piped up, “the lottery is pure luck, right ? What if… you never win ?”
Taehyung tilted his head, pretending to think for a moment before a lazy grin stretched across his lips.
“Then I’ll find another way,” he said easily. “Winning the lottery would be the fastest solution, but if that doesn’t work, I’ll just have to work harder, won’t I ?”
The younger alphas looked at him in admiration.
Seokjin smiles, this was why people loved his best friend.
Not because he was perfect, but because he never gave up.
Because despite having nothing, he always believed that one day, things would get better.
And that kind of hope ?
It was contagious.
“Hyung,” another one said, leaning forward eagerly, “how do you stay so positive all the time ?”
Taehyung chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Easy. I have something worth fighting for.”
He didn’t need to say it aloud.
They all knew.
Jungkook.
Jungkook was his everything.
And no matter what happened, Taehyung would never stop fighting for him.
♧
Jungkook adjusted the strap of his worn-out bag over his shoulder, stealing one last glance at his family before stepping outside.
“Bye, eomma. Bye, appa. Soohyun, don’t forget to eat before work,” he reminded, voice gentle yet firm.
His younger brother just yawned in response, waving lazily from the doorway.
Eunwoo, standing beside him, stretched his arms. “Alright, let’s go.”
It was their usual morning routine—Jungkook and Eunwoo leaving together, taking the same crowded bus. Jungkook headed to his salon, while Eunwoo, being a farmhand, took another bus to the fields beyond the city.
As they walked toward the bus stop, the streets around them came alive. Children ran barefoot, their laughter filling the air. Street vendors called out to passersby, selling freshly baked bread and steaming hot tteokbokki. The smell of fried fish and rice filled Jungkook’s nostrils, making his stomach grumble softly.
But the moment he appeared, Jungkook forgot all about hunger.
The sound of slow, confident footsteps reached his ears.
And then, there he was.
Kim Taehyung.
Jungkook’s heart stumbled.
The alpha walked toward them, unhurried, effortless, perfect.
He was too much.
Too handsome. Too confident. Too him.
Taehyung was dressed the way he always was—just on the right side of casual, but in a way that made him look ridiculously attractive. His white shirt had two buttons undone, revealing a tempting glimpse of his tan chest. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing thick forearms that had become more muscular over time.
Taehyung had changed.
He wasn’t the skinny, noodle-limbed nineteen-year-old Jungkook had started dating. No.
He had grown.
Broadened.
His once lanky frame had turned into something stronger—buff, masculine, beautiful in a way that made Jungkook feel weak in the knees.
The moment their eyes met, Taehyung grinned, the corners of his mouth quirking up in that lazy, confident way that made Jungkook’s stomach flip.
“Omega,” he greeted, voice like smooth honey.
Jungkook felt burned by that voice. It always did that to him.
Taehyung had this way of saying things—this way of owning his words, as if they weren’t just sounds but something far more intimate.
“Hyung,” Eunwoo greeted back, unfazed. “What are you doing here ?”
Taehyung didn’t even glance at him. His gaze was locked on Jungkook.
“Came to see my omega, of course,” he said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Jungkook’s face burned.
Eunwoo rolled his eyes. “You see him every day.”
Taehyung finally looked at the younger omega, arching a brow. “And ? Do you have a problem with that ?”
Eunwoo made a face, muttering something about “disgusting alphas and their lovesick expressions” before walking a little ahead to give them some space.
Jungkook, still trying to calm his racing heart, glanced up at Taehyung, taking him in again.
God.
How did he end up with this alpha ?
There were so many omegas in their neighborhood—prettier, wealthier, better.
Shin Ye-Eun, for example. She was beautiful, with flawless skin and dainty hands. She always wore elegant trendy outfits, carrying herself with grace.
Or Kim You-Jung, another stunning omega—one who actually put effort into dressing up, who styled her hair to perfection, who had alphas tripping over their own feet just to talk to her.
But Taehyung… chose him.
Jungkook.
Simple, ordinary Jungkook.
His hair was long and slightly wavy, reaching just past his neck. It was never styled, just washed and air-dried.
His clothes ? Simple. A loose, oversized shirt tucked into plain black slacks. No accessories. No perfume. No makeup.
He didn’t dress to impress.
Didn’t try to be someone he wasn’t.
Yet somehow…
Taehyung still looked at him like he was the only omega in the world.
“I’ll walk you to the bus stop,” Taehyung said, voice warm.
And every time, Jungkook’s heart betrayed him.
Because Kim Taehyung loved him with a boldness that Jungkook still wasn’t used to.
He had always been loud about his love.
Never hesitated. Never held back.
And sometimes… Jungkook wondered why.
Why him ?
Why not someone better ?
But then Taehyung glanced down, meeting his gaze with that look.
That look that said, “Why wouldn’t I choose you ?”
And just like that, Jungkook stopped wondering.
Eunwoo walked ahead, deliberately ignoring the two behind him.
He already knew how disgustingly in love Taehyung and Jungkook were, and frankly, he didn’t need another reminder.
Every morning, it was the same thing.
Jungkook would leave for work.
Taehyung would insist on walking him to the bus stop.
And the whole time, they would whisper, laugh, and steal glances at each other like some lovesick teenagers.
It was a routine. A painfully sweet, almost unbearable routine.
And Eunwoo had learned, for the sake of his sanity, to stay ahead.
He didn’t need to hear Taehyung’s flirtations.
Didn’t need to hear Jungkook’s soft laughter.
Didn’t need to witness how effortlessly easy it was for them to exist around each other.
So, as always, he walked ahead.
Behind him, the two lovers moved at their own pace.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go back to sleep ?” Jungkook asked, side-eyeing Taehyung as they strolled.
The alpha yawned, stretching his arms behind his head, completely unbothered. “I’m wide awake.”
Jungkook scoffed. “You were snoring when I called you.”
Taehyung grinned. “That was two hours ago.”
Jungkook huffed. “That’s still morning.”
“It’s a new day, Jungkook-ah.”
Jungkook rolled his eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re adorable.”
“Shut up.”
Taehyung chuckled, nudging him playfully. “You love it.”
Jungkook turned his head away, but Taehyung still saw the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
The alpha’s heart swelled.
He lived for that.
The way Jungkook always tried to act unaffected when, in reality, Taehyung had him completely wrapped around his finger.
And truthfully ?
Taehyung was just as wrapped around Jungkook’s.
Every day, he did this.
Walked Jungkook to the bus station
Watched him get on.
Waited until the bus disappeared from sight before heading home.
There was no practical reason for it.
Jungkook knew how to get to work.
He didn’t need an escort.
But Taehyung still did it.
Because it was their thing.
Their habit.
Their routine.
And Taehyung would rather die than let a morning go by without it.
“Did you sleep well ?”
“Hmm ?” Jungkook glanced up at him.
“Last night,” Taehyung said. “You were up late, weren’t you ?”
Jungkook blinked, surprised. “How do you know ?”
Taehyung gave him a look. “I know everything about you.”
Jungkook scoffed. “That’s dramatic.”
“It’s true.”
Jungkook ignored him, but Taehyung wasn’t wrong. The alpha was ridiculously attentive. He always noticed when Jungkook was tired. Always noticed when Jungkook was stressed about something. Always knew exactly when to tease him, hold him, or leave him alone.
It was infuriatingly sweet.
And Taehyung had no shame about it.
“So,” Taehyung continued, tilting his head, “why were you up late ?”
Jungkook sighed. “Just… thinking.”
Taehyung hummed. “About me ?”
Jungkook glared. “No.”
Taehyung smirked. “Liar.”
Jungkook groaned.
Taehyung laughed. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop.”
Jungkook eyed him warily. “You’re lying.”
Taehyung grinned. “Maybe.”
Jungkook sighed, shaking his head. But there was no real frustration behind it. Because this was them. The back-and-forth. The playfulness. The way Taehyung teased, and Jungkook pretended not to like it. And the way it never got old.
They reached the bus stop, just as they always did.
Eunwoo was already there, arms crossed, pretending not to listen.
Jungkook stepped onto the bus, turning around at the last second like always.
Taehyung stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets, smiling.
Jungkook bit his lip, trying not to smile back.
Taehyung noticed. And he grinned even wider. The bus door closed. Jungkook sat down.
And as the vehicle pulled away, he turned to look out the window, just in time to see Taehyung still standing there, watching until he was out of sight.
Like always