After the volcano incident and Jimin's horror-movie cameo, silence filled the room like a curse.
Taehyung avoided eye contact. Jungkook avoided everything.
They got ready in the quietest chaos ever:
Jungkook wore his usual cozy softboy look — thigh-high socks, oversized hoodie, little pink clip in his hair.
Taehyung pulled on his school uniform like it was armor, covering every inch of his tatted skin and shutting down his feelings like a pro.
By the time they walked out of the house, the tension could slice titanium.
At school, news spread fast.
"Kim Taehyung is BACK?""Wait, the guy with the five cars?""Did you see the transfer list? He's in 11-B!""Same class as Jeon Jungkook?!"
Jungkook's fan club nearly imploded.
They cornered him the second he stepped into the hallway."Who is he?""Do you know him?""Is he single?""Are you single?"
Jungkook blinked, overwhelmed.
Taehyung watched from across the hall, arm slung casually over his bag, jaw clenched as he watched boys get way too close to his bunny.
Especially Minho.
New rich kid.Flirty.Dangerously smooth.
He smiled at Jungkook like he already owned him.
"Hey there," Minho said, leaning in. "You're cuter than I expected. Wanna grab bubble tea after school?"
Jungkook blinked, lips parting—But before he could respond, a hand gripped his waist.
Hard.
"Sorry," Taehyung's voice came from behind, low and calm, "he's busy."
Jungkook turned, shocked. "Tae—"
Minho raised a brow. "Didn't realize he came with a leash."
Tae's smirk sharpened. "Only for dogs who don't know boundaries."
The hallway fell silent.
Jungkook's face turned red, but his stomach flipped in the worst-best way.
Minho backed off with a shrug and a smirk. "We'll see about that."
Later in class, the seating chart placed Jungkook and Taehyung right next to each other.
Of course.
Jungkook tried to focus on the blackboard. On his notes. On anything other than Taehyung's cologne or the memory of that morning's... incident.
But then a whisper brushed his ear.
"Did you moan like that on purpose?"
Jungkook almost dropped his pen.
His face turned tomato-red. "Shut. Up."
Taehyung chuckled under his breath. "You're lucky Jimin walked in."
Jungkook turned, scowling. "Am I?"
Tae leaned closer, lips ghosting against his ear. "No. Not really."