...At night...

-----Taehyung's pov-----

Going to bed and snuggling within the comforting embrace of my sheet, a sudden pang was engulfing me ...The words I had uttered seemed to hang in the air...

"Aisshhh!!!!!
I shouldn't have said those words!" I muttered to myself, feeling a wave of embarrassment washing over me.

In the flickering reel of memory, I found myself back in that crucial moment.
If only I could turn back time, rewind the moment and swallow those words before they escaped my lips.

-----Flashback-----

"What did you just say???" Nuna's instant piercing question, demanding an answer that I wasn't prepared to give.

I glanced at Y/n's unreadable expression. How could I have been so foolish to let those words slip past my lips?

"I mean how can y/n and I are???? We are batchmates, moreover she has different titles and different parents. Therefore scientifically we are not ..."
I said and attempted to diffuse the tension with a nervous laugh, but Nuna being nuna, at first her keen gaze told me she saw through my face. And then she chuckled which had provided a fleeting moment of slight relief to me, a temporary shield against the awkwardness of my words.

"Gosh!!! Bro, since when did you become so scientific?" she teased, a hint of amusement or something else in her voice.

It wasn't Nuna's reaction that troubled me. No!! it was the presence of Y/N in my mind that tormented me.

What is she thinking now about me??? It has only been few days that we are now on good terms...
Ughhhh!!! No!!!! I don't want her to think anything ...

I shrugged off Nuna's question with a small grin, and stealing a glance at Y/n, whose thoughtful expression only fueled my discomfort.

"Let's go!" I said playfully and with that I started walking, in a hope that my casual manner would convince them that my words were merely a jest, a fleeting moment of misguided humor!

But deep down, the echo of my words lingered in the air, a reminder of the fragility of the words and the weight of unspoken truths.

-----End of flashback-----

As I lay there, I was lost in thoughts of her, memories of Y/N!!!!...
mmm.... I don't know, but the more I spend time with her the more I want it... the way she smiles, the way she acts, her keen eyes... It's that, her whole aura is captivating...

Our shared moments flooded my mind like a heavy yet pleasing downpour. The way she barged into the room today to help me out, our hiding spot, then eating the ice cream together... And making bouquets together ...was so much fun ..... her infectious laughter echoing off the walls, and the simple joy we had found in each other's company filled my heart, unknowingly a smile made its way on my face ...

But amidst the warmth of those memories, a chill of doubt crept in. Did she feel the same way? Or Was I just another face in the crowd to her? Or did she too harbor secret desires beneath her stoic exterior?

I shook my head, trying to vanish the doubts that threatened to consume me. But I couldn't shake the feeling of longing that gripped my heart whenever she was near.

"Will Y/N ever feel this way towards me?" I whispered to the empty room, the words hanging in the air. But deep down, I knew that the answer lay not in her actions, since she doesn't behave that way, unlike other girls who would be trying to find reasons to talk to me .... click photos, always be near and so on.....
But in my own willingness, I was in hope of it! If one day she will!!!

And so, as the night enveloped me in its embrace, I surrendered to the whirlwind of emotions that swirled within me, allowing myself to drift away into a world where anything seemed possible, even the faintest glimmer of hope for something more.

........

-----End of Taehyung's pov-----

...At University...

Finally the presentation day arrived...

As the teacher entered the room, the tension in the room thickened, our hearts drummed with a rapid beat. Each second seemed to eternity as we sat on the edge of our seats.. awaiting for our turn to present. We all were sitting in silence, the only sound that dared to break it was the steady voice of the speaker echoing through the room.

One by one came ...and took their places at the podium, projecting confidence as they navigated through their presentations confidently. Some of them fielded questions with ease, their knowledge shining through each articulate response, while some couldnt answer it ...
a collective nervous energy hovering over us like a heavy fog.

Gosh this is so nervous!!!!

And then, it was now our turn ...

With a silent exchange of supportive glances, we looked at each other and shared a small gesture of encouragement to our teammates, Emily, Taehyung Jimin and I as we approached the front of the room. We get the ppt ready and then took our position. Emily and Taehyung began their presentation, their voices steady and their slides meticulously crafted to captivate the audience.

As they were speaking, it became evident that they were indeed excelling. Their confidence radiating, their words weaving a compelling narrative that held the audience captive. Each slide transitioned seamlessly, each point elucidated with clarity and conviction.

After they finished with it ...
Sir then started asking questions, and
all of us confidently answered it ....

But then came the moment came, as our professor posed the final question, a challenging inquiry that demanded not just knowledge but creative thinking and real-world application, a hush fell over the room. We exchanged nervous glances, hoping that someone among us would have the answer, but none of us knew we were unable to grasp a solution.

In that moment, the weight of the question hung heavy in the room.

Continuously repeating the question ...I constantly was trying to find a solution...and suddenly by God's grace, like a beam of light it struck me ...
And taking a moment to frame it.. I started answering it, in the hope that it would be correct ....

Finishing it, I took a deep breath nervously ...

And as I fell silent. I looked at the professor, his expression unreadable, his eyes betraying no hint of his thoughts. But then, like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds, a smile spread across his face, a silent acknowledgment of our efforts.

"Well done, Team!!!" he said, his voice a warm blanket of praise enveloping us.
"I truly liked your project. Excellent work!!"

The sound of applause filled the room, a symphony of validation and triumph. I glanced at my teammates, their eyes shining with pride and gratitude. Silently, they cheered me, and encouraged me with a small thumbs up ..

With a sense of accomplishment settling over us like a comforting embrace, we returned to our seats, satisfied. It was a performance to be proud of, a testament to our hard work and dedication.

...After the class ...

"Wohaaaa! Y/N, today you rocked it!" , Jimin exclaimed while patting my back proudly ...his voice brimming with pride.

"Thank you guys ...but you all too ..did well, making it a successfully executed presentation." I exclaimed in return

Emily hummed ... However, Taehyung, with his soft eyes for a second and then said "We would have gained fewer marks if the last question was not answered. So.. Well Done Y/N and good job Team ROCK ✨", His proud smile mirrored mine, a silent acknowledgment of the teamwork and determination that had led us to success.

Enjoying our small achievement... we then parted our ways ...

....

Taking my things out from my locker... As I was busy doing so, my hands halted for a second when a murmur caught my attention, drawing me towards it ..Two girls of our class were passing by and they were gossiping about something, my ears made their way to them ...when I heard the name Emily...

Girl 1's voice, tinged with a hint of envy, pierced through the air.
"Emily is so lucky that she got the chance to work with him..."

Girl 2's response, softer yet equally charged..
"Yeah... but I must say they looked good with each other. You know I have seen them together at the cafe shop.. a few times ... I think Taehyung likes ...", The words fainted with their steps, as they left...

Hearing it, "Yes, they do look good with each other" I found myself murmuring in agreement, yet my inner self rebelled against the notion. I don't know but an unknown emotion was stirring in my heart...
A strange sensation stirring within me, a cocktail of feelings that I couldn't quite sort it
Why did the mere thought of it ignite such turmoil within me?

Perhaps it was the unexpectedness of it all. Or perhaps it was the realization that sometimes, the heart holds secrets even from its own bearer, whispering desires and fears in the quiet small hidden place of the soul.

Suppressing my unknown, unwanted thoughts swirling in my mind, I hastily packed my bag, and left from there ...

As I slipped away from that place, still a sense of unease lingered, like a shadow trailing behind me, with the mysteries of the heart.

~~~~~~🪻💜(⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)💜🪻~~~~~~

Someone is feeling something!!!🤭😁

Let me know in the comments about your thoughts on this chapter and do vote🫶❤️🤗

Stay tuned for the next episode....✌️

Till then Be safe, happy and keep smiling !!!🤗💜

See you soon .....🫶