Truth Between Us ??

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The golden expanse of the wheat field shimmered under the midday sun, a picturesque scene of people in rolled-up sleeves diligently working. Among the volunteers—some in suits, some in casual farm clothes—was Jungkook, crouched near a row of crops with a scowl etched on his face. Mud streaked his arms as he begrudgingly uprooted another stalk of wheat. Sweat glistened on his brow, and he wiped it with his sleeve before turning to glare at the tall figure standing a few feet away.

There was Taehyung, cool as ever, leaning against a wooden post with his aviator sunglasses on, arms crossed, watching Jungkook's toil like it was an entertaining reality show.

"Hey Captain!" Jungkook snapped, throwing the freshly plucked wheat stalks into the pile beside him. "Shouldn't you be doing this instead of me?" He jabbed a muddy finger in Taehyung's direction.

Taehyung lowered his sunglasses slightly, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. "My job is to protect you, not do manual labor. You're the one who agreed to help with the campaign. I'm just here to make sure no one throws tomatoes at you—or worse."

"Stop telling me what your job is!" Jungkook huffed, wiping his hands on his already dirt-streaked jeans. "Honestly, I doubt it sometimes because you're way too mouthy for a bodyguard."

Jungkook complained loudly and returning to the dirt. "And why do we even need to do this? What's the point of me plucking wheat for some stupid campaign?"

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, the smirk growing. "Didn't you agree to this? Even I was surprised. You were the one who said you wanted to be miles away from politics."

Jungkook scowled, his lips jutting into a pout. "I'm only doing this so when I go talk to my father and tell him to leave me the hell alone, I'll at least have some solid points to throw in his face. 'Look at me, Dad, I'm a good little campaign mascot. Now leave me alone!'"

Turning his face slightly, Taehyung bit his cheek to hide the grin threatening to break free.

Jungkook groaned dramatically, throwing himself back into the dirt and glaring up at the sun. "He's probably sitting in his air-conditioned office right now, giving all the actual work to his ass-kissers while I'm out here sweating my life away. What even is this life?"

Taehyung adjusted his sunglasses with a slow deliberation, his smirk ever-present. "Sounds like you're doing a great job, though. Very convincing. I'm almost inspired."

Jungkook shot him a dirty look before plucking another stalk, muttering under his breath about "sadistic bodyguards."

Since his meeting with Hoseok a few days prior, Jungkook had been unusually quiet, going along with his father's orders without much of a fight. It wasn't compliance out of respect—it was strategy. Jungkook knew better than to tip his hand too early. Until Hoseok confirmed the final arrangements for their deal, he decided to play the dutiful son, enduring his father's whims.

It didn't help that Taehyung seemed to be enjoying this brief period of Jungkook's forced silence. The man had a way of lurking nearby, always watching with that maddeningly smug expression, as if silently mocking Jungkook's suffering.

"Protect my ass," Jungkook muttered to himself one evening, scrubbing dirt from under his nails after another day of fieldwork. "The only thing he's protecting is his own entertainment. He's practically thriving watching me suffer."

But even as the thought crossed his mind, Jungkook begrudgingly admitted—though only to himself—that Taehyung was different. Not like the others who had come before him, eager to fake their loyalty and grovel for his favor. Taehyung didn't try to charm or please him; he wasn't afraid to call Jungkook out or knock him down a peg.