At the lunch table, the atmosphere is awkward. Jimin sits next to Jungkook instead of Taehyung, and Taehyung pretends that Jungkook didn't catch him working a part-time job on the down low. Jungkook thinks it's something that is usually shared with a friend-being Taehyung's first job.

Jimin is being so touchy with him today. Jimin says it's going to be in Jungkook's favour if they rile Taehyung up-he doesn't know that Jungkook and Taehyung have already gone further than kissing, and quite frankly, Jungkook has no plans on telling him, but sure, Jimin can be his unofficial wing-man he never asked for.

"Do we know why that girl stopped sitting with us?" Jimin asks.

Taehyung glances at Jungkook before looking uninterested, scrolling through his phone.

"She's sitting with Naeun now," Soobin says, pointing to their table.

Naeun? Naeun and Mina together? Jungkook's stomach churns, feeling anxious about what them together could mean.

He looks at Taehyung again, hoping to get more than just another short glance, but it doesn't achieve anything. He needs Taehyung alone. It becomes his mission.

All day he looks for opportunities. He follows behind Taehyung, trying not to be seen like an assassin waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce. He attacks every time he sees an opening, but an outside influence diverts each attempt.

Jungkook is painfully reminded of how sort after and popular Taehyung is. Everyone wants a piece of him. Only recently did he realise how much he wants Taehyung, but he doesn't just want a bit; he wants his entirety.

"Tae-" Jungkook is interrupted by Naeun.

"I heard Jimin is no longer going for the role," she says, standing before Jungkook so he can't walk further. Jungkook can only watch Taehyung walk away, and he has to stop himself from groaning in front of Naeun.

"Good job. You're not useless after all," Naeun says.

Jungkook scowls. "Useless? So mean. After all the times you've used me for your personal gain."

Naeun crosses her arms. "Don't take offence, Jungkook. It's only a saying."

"So what do you want now?" Jungkook asks.

Naeun scoffs, putting a hand up to her chest. "What makes you think I want something from you? Can I not talk to you without needing something in return?"

Jungkook mimics Naeun's scoff. "Don't play with me. We both know you have an ulterior motive."

Naeun leans on one leg, twirling her hair with her fingers. "Maybe you're right." She giggles. "I hope you come to see the play."

Jungkook thins his lips.

"Oh, and don't get too jealous when I kiss my man," she adds.

Her man?! Jungkook wanted to say something snarky, but she had already turned her back, running off after Taehyung.

Jealous? Jungkook wants to laugh. This girl doesn't know anything. Jungkook has already claimed Taehyung's lips more than once, and he doesn't need some stupid play as an excuse to kiss someone. Stupid. Jungkook won't get jealous.

But the more he thinks about it, the more angry he gets. Jimin said so, and now Naeun-why is there such a big emphasis on a stupid kiss?

Since he cares so little, he wrote a list of all the possible outcomes the kiss could lead to;

1. Nothing-it's just a kiss

2. Taehyung will realise Jungkook is the one and never kiss another girl again.

3. Taehyung will end up enjoying the kiss

4. Taehyung will enjoy the kiss so that he goes in for a second-oh, the horror.

5. The kiss turns into a full make-out session, and the whole school will be watching, cheering them on.

6. Jungkook will vomit

7. Taehyung ends up getting feelings for Naeun

8. The world will implode because Jungkook can't handle this anymore- scratch the stupid list. He hates this. He doesn't want to see it or want it to happen. Yes, he's jealous.

He leans back on a locker, sliding down into a crouching position. Why won't Taehyung speak to him?

💌

"Taehyung, slow down." Naeun tries to keep at Taehyung's pace.

Taehyung is upset, but he won't do anything about it. Everything is fine if he ignores the problem. He thinks back to Jimin and Jungkook's hands interlocked; what the hell was that?

"Jimin is no longer auditioning for Romeo," Naeun says.

Taehyung sighs. "It doesn't matter."

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?"

"Never mind." Taehyung sighs again.

"Tell me, what's going on?" Naeun puts a hand on Taehyung's shoulder, stopping Taehyung from walking.

He contemplates, but instead, he avoids. He starts walking again. "We have class."

Taehyung happens to have multiple classes with Naeun. So when Jungkook is not around, Naeun usually sits next to him. Sitting at his desk, he stretches his limbs, thinking about sleeping.

"Oi." Naeun pokes Taehyung.

"What?"

"You remember that girl, Mina?"

"What about her?" Taehyung sits up.

"You remember, right?" Naeun pulls out a photo he hasn't seen in a long time. It's a group photo from summer camp five years ago-one of those camps that Mum forced him to go to. Naeun points at a girl that Taehyung has an arm wrapped around her shoulder while she smiles brightly. It's Mina. Taehyung remembers everything-it's why he tolerates Mina's apparent advances. He feels Jungkook thinks Taehyung is oblivious; no, Taehyung knows. Taehyung knows Mina's intentions and feels terrible. He hopes it fizzles out soon because he doesn't feel the same.

"She went to our camp," Naeun continues. "I remember you two were attached to the hip; what happened?"

"We grew up?" Taehyung shrugs.

"I only just found out she transferred here last year," she adds. "Oh, and she just happened to approach me at lunch. She sits with us now."

"Does she now?" Taehyung scribbles in his textbook.

Naeun nods. "I'm surprised she even remembers me. We never really talked during camp."

Taehyung remembers crying every time he had to go to camp. He begged his mum to convince Jungkook's mum to bring him to the camp, but it never happened. A whole summer without his best friend. As a child, time went by so slowly.

Mina was a girl he hung out with during that time. She smelt and looked pretty; most of all, she was fun. They played all the games Taehyung wanted to play-all the games he wanted to play with Jungkook. The camp used to joke around, saying that they were a married couple, so of course, they were on the joke and pretended as well. It was fun.

Taehyung was surprised Mina transferred to his school and confused that they didn't talk until she decided to sit with him and Jungkook at their lunch table. He was happy to see her in a way-it's why he didn't mind her sitting with them; however, it's been so long since they've talked. She's a stranger to him. A lot has changed in five years-look at Naeun; she's not the same girl she was five years ago.

More of a reason to cherish Jungkook. The only thing that has been stable in his life all this time. That is why he's so afraid of losing what they have.

Taehyung hits his head with his wrist in frustration.

Naeun side-eyes.

He doesn't know why he keeps messing everything up. All those times he could have talked about the situation with Jungkook were avoided because he found kissing to be an easier option, a way to forget the problem and ease the pain. But the relief is only short-lived once the initial burst of dopamine depletes. He is pushed further into an anxious state of despair. Is this why Jungkook is turning to Jimin?

What does Jungkook see in Jimin that Taehyung doesn't have?

Taehyung wants his pillar back. He wants to feel secure. But, he's scared, scared of everything changing.

💌

It's finally time for the athletics carnival, and Jungkook still hasn't gotten a hold of Taehyung. It's at a point where he's given up thinking that avoiding the problem might just be easier. So it's decided he doesn't want to talk to Taehyung today.

Jimin rocks up, wearing his sports uniform-shorts, blue paint lines under his eyes, white socks and a shirt with their school emblem. So he can stick with Jimin for today.

"Jungkook, you're looking good in your sports uniform," Jimin says, wrapping an arm around Jungkook's shoulder.

"Thanks. You do too." Jungkook smiles, looking at the bleachers. Everyone is in carnival spirit-each homeroom, but that's when he realises he can't sit with Jimin because he's in a different homeroom.

"Taehyung!" Jimin calls out, waving like an idiot.

"Shh!" Jungkook hushes.

"What?"

Jungkook curses under his breath when Taehyung looks at him. Jungkook awkwardly smiles and waves.

"Did you guys fight or something?" Jimin asks. "Usually, he's all smiley seeing your face, but he just looked away."

"We didn't fight or anything. I don't know what happened." Jungkook sighs. "We haven't talked since we went to the restaurant-at least not anything except small greetings.

"Wait... Is it because of me?" Jimin points to himself.

"Don't worry about it." Jungkook notices Soobin walking towards him, Taehyung trailing behind him.

Taehyung is annoyingly hot today. He's wearing a headband that pushes his hair back, exposing his beautiful forehead. And not to mention, Taehyung's legs are a delight in those shorts. Soobin and Taehyung match with red paint lines on their face-the colour of their homeroom.

"Jungkook, I have the red chalk stick; let me put it on for you," Soobin says, popping the lid off the stick.

"Wait, no," Jimin interrupts, taking the stick from Soobin. "Let me."

Jungkook is too shocked to say anything as Jimin delicately puts a hand underneath his chin, making him face Jimin.

"I'll do it prettily for you." Jimin applies the paint onto Jungkook before handing the stick back to Soobin. "Blue would look better, to be honest."

"Well, red is our homeroom colour." Soobin smiles. "Red goes faster."

"C'mon, Soobin. Let's go sit down," Taehyung says, dragging Soobin away before he can say bye.

Jungkook watches in confusion.

"Wow, look at the red in those eyes," Jimin says, grinning widely.

"What the hell was that, Jimin?" Jungkook angrily pushes Jimin's shoulder.

"What? Do you not feel the tension? He wants you even more now," Jimin says, brushing his shoulder with his hand.

Jungkook shakes his head. "He's going to get the wrong idea."

He ends up sitting in Jimin's section-a dot of red in an ocean of blue. He won a few first-place ribbons and a few second-place. He's pretty good at running and uses it to clear his mind. Metaphorically it's funny now that he's trying to run away from his problems, sitting in Jimin's section. The way Taehyung dragged Soobin away definitely felt like he wasn't invited at his own.

"What are you still doing here?" Naeun asks. The blue paint on her cheeks has a bit of glitter smeared.

"He probably fought with his lover," Yoongi says, his eyes closed, arms crossed behind his head.

"We did not," Jimin says.

Yoongi sighs. "Please. Stop the act already. You can tell in Jungkook's eyes that he is over the moon for Taehyung."

Jungkook frowns. "Why are you talking about me like you know everything."

"Am I wrong?" Yoongi opens one eye, quirking an eyebrow at Jungkook.

Naeun giggles. "Too bad it's one-sided."

Jungkook ignores them both.

"Aren't you joining any of the races, Yoongi?" Jimin asks.

"Me, run?" Yoongi starts to laugh. "What a joke."

Jimin smirks. "I thought so. That's why I put your name into the relay."

"What?" Yoongi sits up. "Are you kidding?"

Jimin shrugs. "I'm going to go watch the high jump. Bye."

Jungkook looks over to his homeroom, sighing. He longs for everything to be okay. He takes a sip out of his water bottle but stops mid-sip, noticing a sticky note stuck to the base of the bottle. He takes it off, reading;

Meet me in the gym storage room

"Did you guys see anyone put this on my bottle?" Jungkook asks, waving the sticky note.

Naeun furrows her brows. "What does it say?" She goes to grab it, but Jungkook retracts his hand, shoving the note into his pocket. "Never mind."

Strange. It must be Taehyung at it again.

💌

Taehyung scrunches the sticky note in his hand. Is it Jungkook reaching out to him? He has questions for him, but he's too scared. He needs to rip off the band-aid and begin to heal their relationship. Then, everything will be fine-he must keep telling himself that.

"Wanna watch me compete in the high jump?" Soobin asks.

Taehyung smiles. "You can go. I'm going to reserve my energy for the relay."

Soobin smiles back. "Good idea!"

Taehyung watches Soobin walk off, feeling bad that he didn't go with him, but he has somewhere to be.

He's still feeling a way about Jimin and Jungkook acting so lovey-dovey together. Do they see each other behind his back? Is that what Jungkook is going to say in the gym storage room? 'Jimin and I are going steady. I've moved on from you.'

Taehyung cringes at the thought. He shouldn't let that happen. He needs to fight for Jungkook, but is Taehyung being selfish again? Selfish, like how he was on the rooftop, turning Jungkook down on a whim because he's scared of losing what they have. Or kissing Jungkook recklessly instead of talking their problems out first. So stupid. Taehyung is stupid. How can he do all this with the amount of self-awareness he has? Oh, that's right, he's just a coward. He's always been. It's probably why his parents divorced. Taehyung didn't bother to fight it and watched them slowly grow to hate each other.

He stands up, brushing himself down. He watches the races before him for a few minutes before gaining the courage to leave.

He needs to see him.

💌

A.N: Thanks for reading~ Things are going to start picking up again 😘

Also, I'm glad to be back to updating regularly again😊