𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗚 || ᴛᴀᴇᴋᴏᴏᴋ

• C H A P T E R 20 •

Jungkook had tried everything.

He lingered near Taehyung’s locker longer than necessary. Walked just a little slower past him in the hallway. He even switched his usual seat in class just to be one row behind Taehyung — close enough to accidentally brush knees if he stretched a little.

But none of it worked.

Taehyung didn’t look at him. Didn’t smirk. Didn’t tease. He was like stone — unreadable, unbothered, unreachable.

It was messing with Jungkook’s head.

By the time the lunch break rolled around, Jungkook had had enough. He waited by the stairwell Taehyung always used after his economics lecture. His palms were sweaty, his backpack clutched tightly in front of him like a shield.

And then he saw him — Taehyung, walking down the steps, hands in his pockets, eyes glazed in thought.

Jungkook waited, heart pounding… and then bumped into him, intentionally.

His shoulder brushed hard against Taehyung’s arm.

Taehyung barely flinched. His eyes flicked lazily toward Jungkook — no shock, no smirk, no scolding — just a cool, blank stare like he’d bumped into a stranger in the street.

Jungkook swallowed.

“Ah—s-sorry…” he mumbled, hoping, praying Taehyung would say something.

But Taehyung didn’t.

He stepped around him wordlessly and walked off, footsteps echoing down the hall.

Jungkook stood there, frozen. The lump in his throat tightened until he couldn’t breathe properly. His chest burned with something hot and confused. It wasn’t supposed to feel like this. He had been scared of Taehyung — terrified, even — but this?

This silence?

This nothing?

It felt worse.

Like he didn’t even exist.

From around the corner, Jimin watched the scene quietly, his expression unreadable. And from a far stairwell landing, Yoongi stood smoking again, eyes narrowed, watching Taehyung’s retreating back with the smallest frown tugging at his lips.

The university garden was quiet that afternoon, save for the distant chatter of students scattered under shady trees. The sky hung heavy with clouds, the air thick and warm, hinting at rain. Jungkook sat curled up on a bench beneath a flowering tree, knees pulled close, fingers anxiously picking at a loose thread on his sleeve.

Jimin plopped down beside him with a soft sigh, glancing at Jungkook from the corner of his eye.

"You look like a kicked puppy," he murmured, nudging Jungkook’s knee with his own.

Jungkook didn’t reply right away. He kept his gaze on the grass, blinking slowly. “I don’t get it,” he said finally, his voice small. “He’s ignoring me.”

Jimin let out a dry chuckle. “Didn’t you want him to stop?”

“I thought I did,” Jungkook whispered. “But… not like this.”

The silence that followed was thick, filled only by the occasional chirp of a bird and the wind rustling the leaves.

“I talked to him,” Jimin said after a moment. “Told him to back off. He’s been… different since. Quiet. Distant. Even with me.”

Jungkook’s head snapped up, his eyes wide. “You… you told him?”

Jimin gave him an apologetic look. “You were coming home looking like a sad ghost every day. Jin-hyung noticed. Even Yoongi was weirded out. I just thought… I thought you needed space so i told him you don't love him.”

Jungkook’s heart sank. So it was true. Taehyung had backed off because of them. Not because he wanted to. Not because he hated Jungkook. Just… because he was told to.

“He doesn’t even look at me anymore,” Jungkook muttered, voice cracking. “And I… I miss it. The teasing. The chasing. Even the stupid dares.”

Jimin tilted his head. “Kook... do you like him?”

Jungkook’s breath hitched, and he bit down on his lip, hard. His silence was enough of an answer.

Jimin’s expression softened. “Then maybe it’s time you say something. Or he might think you really want nothing to do with him.”

Jungkook sat quietly, eyes watering again despite himself. A week ago, he would’ve given anything to be left alone. But now, the silence was suffocating.

And maybe, just maybe… he didn’t want Taehyung to stop chasing him after all.

Jimin leaned back against the bench, glancing at the sky before flicking his gaze back to Jungkook. The breeze tousled his hair slightly, and he asked, almost casually:

“…Did he ever confess to you?”

Jungkook blinked, startled. “What?”

“I mean, Taehyung,” Jimin clarified, eyes narrowing just slightly with curiosity. “Did he ever… tell you he liked you?”

Jungkook hesitated. His fingers stilled on his sleeve, and his gaze dropped again. The memory flickered—Taehyung’s voice, firm but vulnerable, standing on that rooftop with eyes too honest to ignore.

“…He did.”

Jimin’s eyebrows rose. “Seriously?”

Jungkook nodded slowly. “He said he liked me. That he never meant to hurt me with the teasing. That it was his stupid way of… showing he cared.”

“And what did you say?” Jimin asked softly.

Jungkook’s throat tightened. “…I told him I didn’t feel the same. That I was scared of him. That he wasn’t someone I felt safe with.”

Jimin was quiet for a long moment, watching him.

“You didn’t mean it, did you?” he asked gently.

Jungkook pressed his lips together, guilt rising in his chest like a tide. “I did… back then. I really was scared. But now, I—” His voice cracked. “I don’t know. I just miss him. And I don’t know what to do.”

Jimin gave a small hum, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Tae doesn’t open up to just anyone, you know. He jokes arounda a lot with family, but when it comes to real feelings, he’s… kind of a coward. He hides behind all that cold face because being open up scares him.”

Jungkook looked up at him slowly, lips parting slightly.

“If he told you how he felt, that’s a big deal for him,” Jimin continued, “And hearing you didn’t feel safe with him probably wrecked him more than he showed.”

Jungkook’s eyes shimmered again, but this time it wasn’t just sadness—it was realization.

Jimin stood up, brushing his hands off. “So, if you’re gonna keep sitting here moping, that’s fine. But if you do feel something, even a little bit… don’t let him think you hate him. You’ll both end up miserable.”

Jungkook looked down at his hands, heart racing, pulse thudding in his ears. His fingers curled into fists in his lap.

He didn’t know what he’d say yet. He didn’t know how to fix what he’d broken.

But he knew this:
He didn’t want to be invisible to Taehyung anymore.

TO BE CONTINUE