???υ? ?αυ??? ( Completed)

The flickering glow of the desk lamp cast long shadows across the study, the air thick with the weight of unspoken words. Taehyung leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the armrest as his gaze settled on Jisoo. Namjoon sat beside him, arms crossed, his sharp eyes mirroring the same understanding that lingered between them. 

“This decision stays between us,” Taehyung said finally, his voice calm, but carrying the authority of someone who knew exactly what they were up against. “No one else can know.” 

Jisoo’s expression hardened slightly, his fingers curling on his lap. “You think they wouldn’t accept it?” 

Taehyung exhaled, gaze cold. “They wouldn’t allow it.” 

Silence settled between them, the reality of their world pressing down like an invisible force. They knew the rules. They had spent their entire lives playing the game their family dictated—where power was inherited, not earned, and loyalty was nothing but a tool to be used. 

If the elders got wind of this, they would twist it. They would whisper doubts into their children’s ears, poison their minds with greed, and set them against one another—just as they had done to them. 

But this time, Taehyung wouldn’t allow it. 

Jisoo exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. “And the others? Our siblings —” 

“They’ll be reassigned.” Taehyung’s voice was resolute. “We’ll place them in sectors that keep them occupied but far away from succession matters. If they don’t have direct influence, they won’t interfere.” 

Namjoon hummed, nodding. “A clean separation.” 

“It’s the only way,” Taehyung murmured. 

He had spent years maneuvering through this family, carefully treading between expectation and defiance, ensuring that Jungkook remained untouched by their games. He had suffered for it, bore the weight of their grandfather’s demands, their uncles’ scrutiny, their aunts’ passive-aggressive tactics—anything to keep Jungkook from becoming a pawn. 

But this time, it wasn’t just Jungkook.

Haerin was innocent. She had no part in this war, no place in the tangled ambitions of their elders. And yet, if they found a way, if they saw an opportunity to twist her into something useful, they would not hesitate.

A cold certainty settled in Taehyung’s chest. He would not let it happen. He would burn this entire family down before he let them lay a single hand on her.

"And now, there was Haerin. " Taehyung’s said.

Jisoo’s fingers tightened slightly. “You think we can really keep her safe?” 

Taehyung’s eyes sharpened. “We don’t have a choice.” 

Jisoo met his gaze, something shifting in his expression. A slow understanding. A silent acknowledgment. 

“She won’t be like Jungkook,” Taehyung continued, his tone even, but carrying a weight that neither of them could ignore. “No one will use her. No one will push her into the same chains that bound us.” 

Jisoo swallowed, nodding slowly. “I won’t let that happen.” 

“Then promise me.” Taehyung’s voice was quieter now, but no less firm. 

Jisoo’s throat bobbed. “I promise.” 

The weight of the vow settled between them, an unbreakable pact forged in silence. 

Namjoon leaned back, his gaze unreadable. “And when the time comes?” 

Taehyung’s lips pressed into a thin line. He didn’t need to ask what Namjoon meant.