The grand hall door swung open with a soft groan. Minjun adjusted his tie, a nervous smile playing on his lips. "Ready?" he asked Tae, extending his elbow.

She looped her arm through his, the silk of her plunging neckline dress whispering against her skin. "Always." Her laugh was bright, practiced. Diamond studs glittered in her ears as sunlight caught the rhinestones sewn into the fabric hugging her hips. The dress was scandalous for an engagement ceremony—backless, thigh-high slit, the bodice straining against her curves. Minjun’s parents would clutch their pearls. She didn’t care.

Inside, guests murmured beneath vaulted ceilings. Tae scanned the crowd, her gaze snagging on a tall figure near the window. Broad shoulders strained against a tailored black suit. Dark eyes locked onto hers, widening almost imperceptibly. Her breath hitched. Jungkook. His jaw tightened as he took in Minjun’s hand resting possessively on her waist. The air crackled, thick and silent between them.

"Hyung!" Minjun beamed, pulling Tae forward. "You made it." He turned to her, oblivious. "Tae, this is Jungkook. My older brother."

Jungkook’s voice was gravel. "Taehyung." Her name sounded like an accusation.

"Jungkook-ssi." Her smile felt brittle. She remembered that voice roughened against her neck, those hands mapping her body years ago. Now they clenched at his sides. Minjun chattered about flight delays, but Jungkook’s stare never wavered. Tae shifted, acutely aware of how the dress clung to her breasts, how his eyes traced the swell of her hips. Heat crawled up her throat.

"Engagement suits you," Jungkook said flatly. His gaze dropped to the emerald on her finger—Minjun’s ring. "Quite the surprise."

Tae lifted her chin. "Life’s full of them."

Minjun squeezed her hand, oblivious to the electric current arcing between them. "Hyung just flew in this morning," he announced proudly. "Jet-lagged as hell, but wouldn't miss this."

He chuckled, nudging Jungkook's stiff shoulder. "See? Told you she was stunning."

Jungkook’s gaze remained fixed on Tae, a muscle ticking in his jaw. "Stunning," he echoed, the word devoid of warmth. His eyes, dark and unreadable, flickered over the diamond choker circling her throat, down to the deep V of her neckline where her cleavage swelled against the tight fabric. "The dress is… memorable."

Tae forced a breathy laugh, shifting her weight to make the slit ride higher on her thigh. "Minjun picked it out," she purred, leaning into her fiancé. She watched Jungkook's knuckles whiten. "He knows what he likes."

"Does he?" Jungkook’s voice was dangerously low. He took a deliberate step closer, invading the space Minjun had created. The subtle scent of sandalwood and expensive cologne – his scent – washed over her, instantly conjuring memories of tangled sheets and desperate whispers. "Does he know you Taehyung? What you crave? What makes you gasp?" The question hung, thick and loaded, just for her ears beneath the murmur of guests.

Minjun blinked, catching only the tail end. "Hmm? Know her? Of course I do, hyung!" He grinned, pulling Tae tighter against his side. Her hipbone pressed uncomfortably against his. "She's perfect."

Tae met Jungkook’s burning stare, a defiant spark igniting in her own eyes. She tilted her head, letting her glossy hair fall over one shoulder, exposing the delicate strap of her dress and the smooth expanse of her back. "Perfectly happy," she countered, her voice sugary sweet. She traced the emerald ring with her thumb. "Minjun gives me everything I need."

Jungkook’s lips curved into a humorless smile. He leaned in, his breath hot against her temple as Minjun turned to greet an aunt.

"Everything?" The word was a rasp, a challenge. His gaze dropped pointedly to her mouth, then lower, lingering on the swell of her breasts barely contained by the shimmering fabric. "We both know that’s a lie. Some appetites," he murmured, his voice dropping to a velvet growl that vibrated deep in her core, "only I ever learned to satisfy." He pulled back abruptly, leaving her skin tingling and her carefully constructed composure cracked.

"Congratulations, brother," he said, clapping Minjun on the back, his eyes never leaving Tae's flushed face. "You've landed quite the prize."