CHASING MATE | k.v

Thirteen: Lunch date

The next few days felt like hell for a single, unmated alpha like Jungkook. He was sure that Taehyung was something more than just a teacher for him, but he wasn't ready to point it out just yet.

How could he, when he was continuously turned down by Taehyung? At this point he didn't know what to do, though he was sure there would be no way he was gonna give up so easily.

"Hey, sir Kim!" The alpha greets, approaching Taehyung who was walking down the hallway which led them to the main cafeteria. "Heading for lunch?"

The omega groans, shoulders slumped down as he whips his head to the side so he could look at Jungkook. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

Their steps synchronizes with each other as they neared the cafeteria. "Why do you always eat alone, sir Kim?" Asked Jungkook, silently hoping that Taehyung would take the question as a sign that he wanted to converse with him. "Not that I'm stalking you or something- I just happen to notice you eating by yourself during lunch."

"You already know the reason, Jeon." Taehyung replies, waiting in line to order his lunch. "And I'm sure that there's nothing wrong with eating lunch by myself." He added, stopping the urges of extending their conversation to an informative one where Jungkook could take his chances with getting to know him better.

Reason? Taehyung does not know either.

"Right." Jungkook sighs, looking over the menu to see what he would want to eat. "It's just kinda new for me to see teachers actually deciding to eat alone."

Taehyung frowns upon hearing his response. "Then I guess you'll have to get used on seeing me eating lunch alone, Jeon. It's that simple you know." He says, shrugging before stepping forward to finally order his lunch.

Jungkook sucks in a deep breath, preventing himself from asking more questions- knowing that Taehyung would feel uncomfortable. He wonders why the latter was avoiding him- or why would he give a cold shoulder.

The alpha was sure that he didn't do anything wrong. He made sure to respect Taehyung's privacy and even agreed about not touching him just in case his heat strikes again. Jungkook may have lusted for Taehyung, but he couldn't really brace himself with putting it to action at the moment.

At least, that's what he would always remind himself. "I'll have one pork belly, please." Jungkook states his order as soon as Taehyung steps aside, taking some money out of his wallet as he waits for his receipt.

"Jungkook-ah! We're saving you a seat!" A girl says out loud, enough to call Jungkook's attention as her group approaches the cafeteria counter. "Eat with us today, it's been a while!"

Taehyung raises an eyebrow at that. Though he didn't have anything much to say, he still kept his eyes on the girls that were approaching Jungkook. They were obviously omegas; judging by how small and feminine they were- their curves not much different from his own.

"I don't think I could today.." Jungkook smiles at them sheepishly, scratching his nape as he glanced at Taehyung to try his luck with asking for help. Sure, he tends to have flings before- but he's trying to be a decent alpha now that he actually has someone to crush on. "I'm quite busy to begin with-"

"Awe come on, it's break time!" One of the girls protested against his excuse. "You could do your work later anyways."

Jungkook sighs, feeling so defeated as he stares down at the tray that had his lunch order. "What's there to tackle about anyways.." He mutters under his breath, staring up to look at Taehyung though he was already heading for a vacant table.

Not only he was given the cold shoulder, but he was also ignored at the moment he needed help. Just great. Jungkook felt his stomach twist in some weird way- having no choice but to follow the group of girls to their table which was a little too far from where Taehyung was dining.

The whole time he was with the girls, Jungkook felt uncomfortable. He didn't like how touchy they were towards him- let alone the casual flirting they were doing thinking it would entice the alpha. He couldn't even eat his lunch in peace as they would ask him to spoon-feed them.

So he had no choice but to wait for Taehyung to look at him. It may seem like forever, but it wasn't impossible to achieve.  Fortunately, the male omega did turn to look at him- their eyes meeting each others and neither of then tried to break away.

'No, it's his problem Tae. Don't get yourself involved.' Taehyung reminds himself, chewing on his bottom lip lightly as he thought about a good excuse.

But clearly, there wasn't much of a way out. "Fine." He mutters to himself, raising his hand as he motions Jungkook to come over his table. Maybe he did owe Jungkook for saving him from his co-teachers a few days back, and this could be a way to help him with whatever trouble he was facing.

Jungkook's eyes lit up like a wolf who was given a treat, using the chance to pull away from the girls' hold as he takes his food tray with him. "I'm sorry, girls. I have to go, my teacher called me and I'm guessing it's for a project." He lied, smiling at them before walking his way towards Taehyung who gave him a questioning look.

"Happy now, Jeon?" Taehyung asks, raising an eyebrow at Jungkook who was already busy eating his lunch.

"Mh." Jungkook hums, cheeks puffed out due to how stuffed his mouth was. He doesn't say anything afterwards, however as he wanted to satisfy his stomach first before anything else.

"Not even a thank you?" Taehyung raised an eyebrow, slowly eating his bowl of ramen while his eyes remains glued on the cute alpha. "I still saved you from whatever you were going through earlier." He says, rolling his eyes when Jungkook smiled at him right after gulping the food he was chewing.

"Thank you, sir Kim! I really needed your help so I appreciate it." Jungkook says, using a formal yet happy tone to show how thankful he was. "But sir, you could really call me Jungkook instead. It feels weird to hear my surname with every sentence you say or something." He says, though he knew that the latter would decline his suggestion either way.

"We've talked about this, didn't we? I will address you as Jeon inside the school campus. In that way we could show everyone that whatever happened in the bathroom isn't something to be considered as suspicious." Taehyung explains then again, unsure of why would Jungkook want him to drop the formalities even if it wasn't appropriate.

"So it's because of the bathroom incident, huh?" Jungkook looks down at his plate, thinking of a good reply as he engulfed the last chunk of pork. "I'm guessing that you're being distant because of what happened too, am I right sir?" He asks, tilting his head to the side by the time he had locked his eyes again with the male's.

"What do you mean, Jeon?" Taehyung asks, confused. "I'm not being distant- how could you accuse me of such thing?" In fact, he was distant. Taehyung didn't want to get attached to an alpha like Jungkook anyways; who was also a student under his care and if they do something intimate- it would only violate the university rules.

He would always choose he job first rather than mating with someone. He wouldn't want to just rely on his future alpha anyways, claiming that he isn't that submissive.

"I am not blaming you for anything, sir." Jungkook says, smiling a little as he grabs some tissues from the small dispenser in the middle of their shared table.  "I'm just trying to point out what I am getting from the way you act or speak towards me. Kinda different from the past days, don't you think so?"

He leans over the table, with Taehyung moving his head back automatically due to his reflexes though this only made the alpha laugh. "But that's okay, sir Kim. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable since that would only make you avoid me even more."

Jungkook lightly taps the tissue against the corner of the omega's lips, drying it as it was dripping with ramen soup earlier. Taehyung froze, eyes wide to his surprise as he could feel heat rush up to his face.

"And I surely wouldn't want that to happen." The alpha pulls away, crumpling the used tissue on his palm as he takes his tray with an empty plate and used utensils and cup with him. "I'll see you around, sir Kim. Or maybe see you outside the campus! I would want to hear you say my name sometime." Jungkook dismissed, bowing at his teacher before walking away with a satisfied grin on his face.

It felt good to tease his teacher as a payback for being cold and distant. But what matters more to Jungkook is that Taehyung was now aware of his concerns.