𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗚 || ᴛᴀᴇᴋᴏᴏᴋ

• C H A P T E R 37 •

The final quarter of the game had barely begun when Jinsoo, the cocky captain of the Yellow Team, made his next calculated move a move that didn't involve a ball, a pass, or a strategy but something far more dangerous.

A wink.

Right at Jungkook.

The moment Taehyung's laser-sharp eyes caught the glint of that smug gesture, something inside him snapped. His jaw tensed so tight that the muscles under his ears visibly twitched, and a dangerous flush spread across his cheeks and up his ears, turning his already heated skin a boiling red. His fingers clenched around the basketball like it had personally offended him, knuckles turning white as his entire frame stiffened with the sheer effort to not charge across the court and rip that stupid wink right off Jinsoo's face.

He didn't speak, didn't shout. But his eyes said everything.

And the air around him? It shifted, changed. Even the crowd could feel it. It was like a ripple of energy, like the moment before thunder crashes. Even the referee looked momentarily hesitant to blow the whistle again.

Jungkook, from his seat in the stands, felt his heart lodge somewhere in his throat.

Oh no.

He saw it — the rage, the possessiveness, the explosive frustration simmering beneath Taehyung's composed exterior. His body moved like fire now burning, fast, and furious. His feet pounded the court with unmatched speed, weaving through Yellow Team's players like they were cardboard cutouts. He didn't just play aggressively he dominated. Every time Jinsoo tried to defend, Taehyung brushed past him with calculated force, throwing shoulder bumps that sent Jinsoo stumbling and growling, while Yoongi snorted on the sidelines like it was nothing but well-deserved karma.

Within minutes, Red Team caught up then passed and the scoreboard screamed in favor of Taehyung's team.

Jungkook could barely breathe. His flag trembled in his hands now as his wide, doe eyes followed every move Taehyung made on the court. His dark bandana was soaked in sweat, but the wild fire in his gaze hadn't dimmed. If anything, it intensified, especially every time his eyes flickered up toward the crowd — toward Jungkook.

Toward that cursed yellow flag in his hands.

Beside him, Jimin cheered loudly, suddenly switching sides and screaming, "YES, TAEHYUNG! THAT'S MY CAPTAIN! GO RED TEAM!!" as if he hadn't just orchestrated a plan to light that same captain's jealousy on fire.

Taehyung, despite winning, didn't smile.

His face was flushed red not from exertion, but from something much deeper, much wilder and when the final whistle blew and Red Team was declared the winner, he stood there in the center of the court, chest heaving, eyes dark, jaw clenched, not even looking at his teammates.

No celebration. No smile. Just that seething, burning gaze that refused to break from the boy sitting in the crowd... the boy with the yellow flag.

Jeon Jungkook gulped.

Hard.

The celebration echoed through the basketball court like thunder cheers, claps, whistles, students shouting Taehyung's name with uncontainable excitement, banners flying, and teammates lifting the Red Team captain into the air with joy. But amidst all that noise, Yoongi's sharp eyes followed the one person who wasn't basking in victory.

Taehyung.

His tall, broad frame stormed off the court like a hurricane wrapped in black and red, his eyes no longer on the scoreboard, the crowd, or his team but locked with a burning glare towards the stands. Toward Jungkook.