“Yah, did you hear? My husband is on the dance team! He’s so hot, now his body is gonna shape up too! Aish, how will I keep his admirers away?”

            “Do you mean Jeon Jungkook?”

            “Who? Pft, don’t make me laugh. My husband and the father of my children is Kim Taehyung, obviously.”

            “Ohhh, he’s on the dance team now?? That was so quick, he’s accomplishing so much! I wonder what they’re costumes are like… hopefully something with leather…”

            “Hopefully no costume at all!”

            The two girls giggled, ducking their heads and flushing. Jungkook narrowed his eyes at them. To him, they were practically cackling over a cauldron. He stood and made his way to the practice room. He didn’t storm and stomp and huff. Not anymore. It was pointless to try to draw attention; the other students weren’t watching him anyway. Not anymore.

            A smile ghosted over his lips as Jungkook opened the door to his safe haven. It was where he could be honest and comfortable; the last place in school he could truly be himself since that ing alien dropped in.

            “Guys, Kim Taehyung is-“

            “Present!” a deep voice called.

            Jungkook froze. Speak of the devil alien.

            Taehyung sat at the back of the practice room, arm raised, leaning on the wall all relaxed. Like he owns the place. Like he belongs here. Like he ing pays rent or built the damn wall or some . Jungkook takes a very very very deep breath. What was that final stage? Acceptance of the loss? Jungkook took a deeper breath and tried to mentally get there.

            Jin smiled gently, “Sweetie, we don’t call attendance here. It’s not a class.”

            “Oh,” Taehyung drops his arm and grins sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his neck, “Sorry ahjushhi, I thought maybe Kookie was looking for me or something, my mistake.”

            Jungkook’s eye twitches as he hears the nicknames. Breathe in, breathe out. Stage five, Jungkook, you can get there.

            “Yo bro!” Jimin slings an arm over his shoulder, “Have you met our new member?”

            “No,” Jungkook manages to utter through gritted teeth.

            “Taehyung!” Jimin waves him over, enjoying this absolutely way too much.

            Taehyung jogs over, grin impossibly widened. He extends a hand, “Jeon Jungkook! So nice to meet you. I’ve heard so many things-so many wild stories about you! The students all love you so much, can’t wait to learn why first hand! I look forward to dancing with you too, hopefully you can help me actually look decent on stage. I’m a terrible dancer, but you can call me Kim Taehyung, er, to my face at least.” He chuckles to the ground, then lifts his gaze and beams again, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

            Jungkook snorts. That was so ridiculous, and Jungkook didn’t mind all the compliments either. He shakes Taehyung’s hand, who actually lets out a small squeal of glee at the touch, “It’s nice to meet you too, I’m your new teammate Jeon Jungkook, but I suppose you already know that. I look forward to dancing with you, Taehyung.”

            Taehyung beams back, takes a small bow, and goes to stretch with Hoseok.

            “That went well, huh?” Jimin asks smugly.

            “Surprisingly, yeah,” Jungkook admits with a nod. “But this room isn’t for small talk,” He continues, glaring at a now openly smirking Jimin, “We’re here to practice, now let’s see if he can keep up.”

            “You’ve got to admit that he’s good.”

            Jungkook snatches his bubble tea order off of the counter, and huffs an annoyed, “He’s fine.”

            Jimin laughs, “Why so bitter?”

            “I’m not bitter,” Jungkook says bitterly, with a bitter expression.

            “Ohhhhh,” Jimin quirks an eyebrow “So jealous then?”

            “Jealous?” Jungkook cries in disbelief, voice cracking.

            Jimin loses it at the voice crack, holding his hand over his mouth; hiding how hard he’s laughing and desperately trying to swallow a mouthful of tapioca. He’s close to succeeding. But then a look at Jungkook’s furious glare has him doubled over, laughing harder.

            “That’s right, choke,” Jungkook says, cracking a smile, “Choke and die, motherer.” He dissolves into giggles.

            “You know,” Jimin says after finally swallowing, voice a little raw, “You still didn’t admit it.”

            Jungkook’s smile disappears when he realizes what Jimin means, he stirs his sky blue straw absentmindedly, “Okay, fine. Terrible dancer my . He lied. He’s actually pretty good, better than I thought he would be. But to be fair, those expectations were low to begin with.” Peeking Jimin’s smirk, he quickly adds, “And he’s not as hot as everybody says!”

            Jimin scoffs in surprise; “I never said anything about anything hot! Unless… that’s what you were thinking about during practice? ” He begins laughing again, eyes narrowed crescents of glee. Times like these when Jungkook thinks they’d look better surrounded by a blackish blue.

            “All the girls talk about him being hot constantly,” Jungkook utters to his tapioca, circling them with the straw, “So I was expecting something better. But he’s really not that hot, just sort of…mild.”

            “Mild?” Jimin asks, grinning.

            Jungkook scoffs, “Barely even that much, honestly.” He eyes Jimin, “Why are you so happy? Is being mild a good thing?”

            “Not ideal,” Jimin leans back in his chair, bringing his bubble tea to his lips, mumbling into the straw, “But it’s a good place to start.”

            Jungkook narrows his eyes suspiciously, What are you up to? But Jimin just winks back.

Author's note: HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO JHOPE!!!

MY CHILD!! *dabbing at tears* they grow up so fast..... imma need that aegyo tho cause ANNOUNCEMENT ALERT I gots some big exams coming up soon so i'm type  at the moment (wish me luck y'all keep me in your prayers please and thank you <3 ) but also, I've been doing a super job at updating every Friday....unfortunately the next update may be a bit delayed due to these tests :((((( but I'll post as soon as I can! Hwaiting! Subscribe to read more, comment to let me know how the story is going (makes my day!), or upvote if you're enjoying it so far, everybody please take care <3 <3 <3 <3 <3