"Wait, how do you guys know each other?" Hoseok asks, looking from Jeongguk to Taehyung in confusion.

Taehyung finally snaps his gaze at Hoseok after hearing him speak up.

"How do you guys know each other?" Taehyung throws back, his tone dripping with accusation that only gets Hoseok to be more confused.

"W-well, he's a new transferred student and he wanted to join the dance club so I wanted to meet up with him before I introduce him to the rest of the crew tomorrow," Hoseok explains, almost defensively under Taehyung's judging gaze.

Taehyung frowns at that and internally curses the universe of just how unlucky he is. First, he has to see Jeongguk outside of the local gym now that they go to the same university, and then he finds out that he is also interested in joining the track team just like Taehyung, now he is going to invade one of Taehyung's hang out place which is the dance studio since most of his friends, including Jimin and Hoseok, are in the dance team. Not only does he have to endure the fact that Jeongguk now goes to the same campus as him but he also has to find an alternative hang out place if he's going to avoid the dance studio from now on.

"That settles it, then," Taehyung says and Hoseok raises his brows in question. "Sorry, hyung. I don't think i'd be able to drop by in the studio tomorrow and possibly never again as long as this asshole," Taehyung pauses as he throws a glare at Jeongguk before continuing, "is in the dance team."

"Hey, don't be rude," Hoseok says, lighthearted but he gives Jeongguk an apologetic look. Jeongguk smiles at Hoseok reassuringly before throwing a dirty look at Taehyung.

Suddenly, Jimin flashes through Taehyung's thoughts and he internally grins.

"At least, Jimin would be more than happy to see you there, Jeon," Taehyung says, sweetly but only Jeongguk was able to catch the sarcasm in Taehyung's voice while Hoseok visibly beams.

"Oh! You know Jimin too?" Hoseok asks Jeongguk excitedly but the younger ignores him.

"Wait, you mean your Jimin?" Jeongguk asks, sounding irritated and Taehyung grins. As much as how unlucky and how unfortunate he feels, he knows Jimin isn't in any better position than him. Although Jimin doesn't despise Jeongguk as much as Taehyung does, Jimin is still not very fond of him as Jeongguk always makes sure that he doesn't only give Taehyung a hard time but also Jimin as well. One of Jeongguk's favourite things to rile Jimin up with is the few inches difference in their height. Sometimes, Taehyung has to catch himself to stop from laughing.

"Yes, my Jimin," Taehyung confirms and he watches Jeongguk groans to himself. Hoseok once again watches the exchange between the two them, still very confused.

"Alright, what is going on?" Hoseok asks, pointing a finger accusingly at Jeongguk and Taehyung as he narrows his eyes at them. "You haven't answered my question when I asked how you guys know each other." He directs this at Taehyung.

"He's my gym rival," Taehyung finally says, grimacing at his choice of words, no thanks to Jimin for planting that term in his head. At least, Jeongguk doesn't laugh at it or correct it.

Jeongguk and Taehyung watches as understanding finally dawns on Hoseok, nodding his head as if Taehyung's answer finally answered all his questions regarding the two of them.

"That makes sense. I do remember you mentioning about a devil spawn that you met at the gym outside the campus. Though, I don't think i'd describe Jeongguk like that. He's pretty nice," Hoseok says, a playful grin on his face. Jeongguk smirks at this and childishly sticks out his tongue towards Taehyung who returns it with a disgusted look.

Taehyung opens his mouth to attack Jeongguk with a remark and prove Hoseok wrong but there was the sudden announcement that tells the students to go to their respective areas as the tryouts will begin shortly.

"Alright, good luck to you two!" Hoseok says, jogging towards the high jump area and waving his right hand while his back faces Taehyung and Jeongguk. The two of them shouts a chorus of "good luck!" before they're glaring at each other again.

Taehyung leaves first and began to head towards the starting line for the 100 meter runners. At least he finally feels relieved to be away from Jeongguk's presence and the thought of finally getting the tryouts over with. It has been occupying his head so much lately that it was even more difficult to think of inspirations for his projects. Whether he gets in or not (he highly doubts he won't get in), at least he's over with it and he doesn't have to think much about it. Well, if he doesn't get in he'll probably will cry in frustration for a few days before putting it behind him and completely move on.

Taehyung was called and was assigned to be one of the first set of runners. He quickly jogs up towards the other runners lining up horizontally as they collectively crouches down into their proper positions.

He can feel tingles in his arms down to his legs from excitement. Taehyung has always been fond of the exhilaration and thrill that physical activities provides for his body. He's constantly craving for them.

Taehyung watches the starting pistol as it rises upwards, a grin forming on his face.

On your mark.

Get set.

Go!

"Kim Taehyung!"

Upon hearing his name, Taehyung looks towards the source from his spot on the couch, his thumb momentarily stopping from idly scrolling through his Instagram feed. He finds Jimin near his doorway, a pained and disbelief look on his face as he kicks off his sneakers.

"What," Taehyung says, already turning his attention back towards his phone. Namjoon posted something, the gym staff that he has grown closer to after being a regular at the local gym where Namjoon works.

"You asshole, you knew Jeongguk was going to be there that's why you didn't want to go to the studio," Jimin says, now hovering over Taehyung. Jimin looks like he's in pain and is mildly disgusted. Taehyung enjoys the sight and lets himself grin.

"How was the practice?" Taehyung asks, ignoring what Jimin said and watches as he sits at the other end of the couch. He closes his eyes and massaged his temples, looking exhausted. Taehyung sympathizes with him, knowing how busy Jimin's schedule is for the next two weeks. He even has to quit the track team because he doesn't have enough time to attend the afternoon practices regularly.

"Shut up, it was horrible," Jimin mumbles and Taehyung chuckles, making Jimin glare at him. "He didn't look surprised when he saw me so I guess he already knew somehow. The little fucker enjoyed how surprised I was and I really was so close to calling it all bullshit when I remembered you told me about him moving here."

Taehyung can already imagine that smirk on Jeongguk's face when he knows he's at the advantage side of things and uses it well to get under someone's skin. Not that he has to do all of that to get into Taehyung's nerves. Jeongguk just has to breathe in Taehyung's direction and he can already feel his skin prickling in irritation. Though he's careful to not show Jeongguk how much he easily riles up Taehyung or else that's going to be another problem.

"What else happened?" Taehyungs asks, not that he's curious but Jimin just looks like he wants to say more.

"Well," Jimin starts and Taehyung has the feeling he wouldn't like whatever he will say next. Jimin has that sheepish look on his face. "I really hate to admit this but Jeongguk is so good, at dancing at least. He got everyone in awe of him it was disgusting but I get it, you know? Hoseok hyung was practically kissing the ground that Jeongguk walks on."

Taehyung shakes his head in utter disbelief. He had enough hearing praises towards Jeongguk from Hoseok yesterday at the tryouts and he can't handle Jimin, his Jimin, praising him as well. Taehyung is petty, sue him.

"I'm gonna pretend you never said that," Taehyung says.

"But it's true!" Jimin exclaims and Taehyung doesn't know why Jimin is suddenly being so insistent about this topic. Jeongguk must've done something. "You should come and visit the studio to check out for yourself," Jimin continues, his brows waggling suggestively. Taehyung looks offended.

"I am not checking out anything. I see him everywhere now and I don't really want to see him any more than I already do," Taehyung says, grimacing at the thought of seeing Jeongguk again, wherever that would be.

"By everywhere, you mean the gym," Jimin says, rolling his eyes.

"No. By everywhere, I mean the local gym, the school gym, and track," Taehyung says and Jimin widens his eyes.

"Wait, track? Oh my god, he's also joining track, this is amazing," Jimin says and begins laughing in amusement. Taehyung gives him a middle finger.

"Fuck you," Taehyung says weakly and Jimin laughs even harder.

Taehyung startles when he hears his phone vibrates. He looks around his room, searching with his eyes for his phone from his current spot on his desk. That's when he notices that the sun is already gone and that it's finally dark outside. He was so focused in his animation that he started working on this afternoon that he didn't even realize how long he has been working on it.

He spots his phone on his wooden nightstand and grabs it; there are a couple of texts from Hoseok.

From: dance captain 🕺
Congrats on making the track team!!!
Here's the schedule for the practices and the meets
[Image Attachment]

Oh right, the track. It completely slipped off his mind because of the stupid animation that was recently assigned to his class that is worth 10%. He can't fuck it up so he cleared his schedule and his mind of any unnecessary things so he can focus on his project. Not that track is unnecessary but he wasn't particularly worried whether he gets in or not because he's sure he would make it. If Taehyung would boast about one thing it would be his skill in running.

To: dance captain 🕺
thanks hyung
did you make it 🤨

Taehyung sends his text and puts down his phone on his desk beside his laptop. He knows Hoseok made it but he asked anyways for the sake of just asking.

From: dance captain 🕺
hell yeah!!! 😜
jeongguk too :)

Taehyung sighs at his screen. He sends Hoseok a 'congrats!' before locking his phone and getting up. He hasn't eaten anything ever since he got home from his last class. Now that he's not completely focused on his animation, he suddenly realizes just how hungry he is. He's pretty sure there's nothing left to eat but he heard Jimin enter their shared apartment earlier and hopefully he has some food with him or better yet, that he already has gone grocery shopping. It's highly impossible but Taehyung can hope.

Jimin is on the couch when Taehyung exits his room. Jimin is watching The Office and he looks up when he sees Taehyung.

"Hey, you look like you're starving," Jimin says, knowing well how empty their fridge and pantry is. Taehyung groans before plopping himself beside Jimin on the couch.

"Yes," Taehyung replies. "Is Jimin going to save Taehyung's day?"

"Yes, he is," Jimin says with a grin, grabbing his backpack from the ground beside the couch and pulls out two burritos. Taehyung begins to tear up because, oh my god, the smell.

"You're a fucking angel, my hero," Taehyung says, dramatically wrapping his arms around Jimin and pretending like he's weeping.

"Get off of me," Jimin says, but does not make an effort at pushing Taehyung away. Taehyung gives him a grin before grabbing the food from Jimin's hands and proceeded into inhaling them in two bites for each. Jimin watches in amusement.

"You look like you got something stuck on the heel of your shoe and you need my help to get rid of it. So, spill," Jimin suddenly says and when Taehyung asks what made him say that, Jimin only points at his face and tells him his brows were furrowed and he looks irritated.

Taehyung sighs, almost like in defeat.

"Jeongguk is in the track team with me and Hoseok hyung," Taehyung explains, letting himself pout. Jimin looks amused and he looks like he wants to laugh but he stifles it. "Can I please just have some peace?"

Jimin does not reply anything. He only looks at Taehyung in pity but there's a glint in his eyes that Taehyung despises. Last time Jimin had that look on his face, he was talking about Taehyung and Jeongguk being, god forbid, soulmates.

"Interesting, isn't it?" Jimin says and Taehyung groans, already knowing what's coming. "Do you believe in soulmates?"

Jimin really looks like he's enjoying it and Taehyung wants to kick him in the face.

"I take back everything I said," Taehyung says, making Jimin chuckle. "You're not an angel, you're not my hero, you're a devil spawn like Jeongguk. I hate you guys."

Jimin's grin widens.

"I know a love story when I see one."

Jimin returns his attention towards the show he's watching and Taehyung knows he lost him. But Taehyung does not even try to question him, whatever he means, because the thought of him and Jeongguk being anything other than a pair of gym rivals, especially lovers or soulmates just like how Jimin wants to call it, is utterly ridiculous.