A/N: i'm literally going to kill my astronomy teacher

Kang Jade

This was it. Everything that I had built up at this new school, all the friendships, was going to . I stared at the headmaster, Jaqueline in horror as she explained to us that our circle had been chosen to represent the school one of the largest mage games.

“The Mage Championship isn’t something that you can just show up to,” she told us sternly. Jimin and Taehyung stood to my left, Yoongi and Jungkook stood on my other side. The four of them were practically shaking in excitement. I felt like shaking too. “You must practice and train so that you don’t absolutely humiliate our school.” She sends Taehyung a pointed look. He raised his hand in surrender.

“No spray-paint,” he nods and I can hear the smile in his voice. I could feel the smile on all their faces. I hoped that I didn’t look to aghast. “I promise. We’ll do you proud.”

Jaqueline finally cracked a smile, before her eyes returned to me. I stared back at her listlessly, my mind racing. I had to get out of this. She was the only person in this school that I had been obligated to tell. It had been part of the deal when I approached her. I’d asked many universities, she had been the only one to respond.

“You all are dismissed, more information about the championship will be delivered to your school emails,” Jaqueline tells us, pulling her glasses off her nose. “However, I would like Jade to stay for a few moments.”

I nod immediately and I feel Jimin’s hand on my shoulder. I turn to see him and Taehyung looking at me, their concern for me forcing a smile onto my face.

“Go home, I’ll follow a little later,” I tell them, and they begin to file out slowly. Taehyung lingers for a bit longer but I shoot him a look and he follows his friends out the door. Once it is firmly shut behind them, I turn to my headmaster.

“How could you ask them to do this? You know that I can’t be filmed, if they find me-” I start. The headmaster looks up at me sharply.

“And what, was I supposed to not give my star pupils the opportunity of a lifetime? That prize money would mean a lot to some of those boys, the championship to earn them jobs.” She told me and I immediately felt incredibly selfish.

“You’re right,” I blinked, my voice changing. “But I can’t compete.”

“You must,” Jaqueline told me, no sympathy evident in her voice. “The entire circle must compete for them to be eligible. And with you on their team, they have the best chances of winning.” I swallow, thinking about all the times that the boys griped about tuition fees, student loans, their part-time jobs.

“They’ll hate me,” I tell her desperately. “And my people will come for me once they know where I am.”

“You need to make a decision. What is more important?”

The walk back to the apartment was absolute hell. My mind raced with thoughts. What was I going to do? Telling them would steal them away from me, they would hate me. Not telling them would subject them to the knowledge that I’d manipulated them and they would hate me. I had to leave, but what was the point? Taehyung would find me. And then they would hate me.

I could already feel it.

Loss. It drove needles into my heart and rolled in my stomach painfully. It didn’t matter what I did, I would lose them. These kind people that accepted me into their circle, their family without blinking. And Taehyung who, despite being permanently bonded to me, dealt with my mood swings and his anger and always returned in the morning. Taehyung who forgave every harsh word, every mistaken accusation, who endured my cold shoulders. Taehyung who made my heart race with just one lazy smile. I was going to lose him too.

He would hate me, just like the rest, and that was one thought that hurt the most.

Blinking away tears, I shoved hair behind my ears.

I would tell them and then I would lose them. I in a breath, glancing up at the sky. I was used to this, I’d been alone my entire life, I could get past this. When my eyes returned to the cement walkway and I found Taehyung standing waiting for me by a lamp post, my heart shattered.

No, I couldn’t get past this.

“What did the headmaster want to say to you?” He asked, hurrying over to me.

“Just had some questions about my tuition,” I say and he notices how shaken I am.

“What’s wrong, Jade?” He asks, “do you have money issues?”

If only money was the problem.

“Yeah, but my scholarship took care of it,” I tell him as he moves to walk beside me. We’re both quiet for a moment as we head towards our shared apartment. The sun had already starting to sink in the sky and I stared at it jealously. I wanted to sink into nothingness, I wanted my close my eyes and wish this all away.

“Hey,” Taehyung reaches for my elbow, stopping us. “I know something wrong, just tell me.”

I avoid his eyes for a moment. “Nothing’s wrong, I’m just tired. Let’s go home.” I tell him, my eyes pleading for him to leave it alone. He searches my face but releases me, not convinced. We walk.

“What the hell are you wearing?” Taehyung asks me as I step out of the changing room. I look down at the black skin-tight jeans and cropped sweatshirt I was wearing. I wore a pair of sky high heeled boots and a black leather belt.

“Didn’t you leave this on my bed for me?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Taehyung moves to stand in front of me, as if to block me from view and shakes his head wildly. His hands land on my wrists. The heels allowed to me be eye level with him and I enjoyed the panic in his eyes.

“I did,” Jimin calls, sauntering up to us. I could hear the laughter in his voice, “she wants to run with us, she’s got to look the part.” I did agree with him, the rest of my circle were all adorned in black clothes, their hair styled away from their eyes. Taehyung himself was wearing dark ripped jeans and a black button-down, his wrists adorned with a few layers of charmed silver bracelets, to help with magic flow.

“I like it,” I turn to him with a grin, “thanks.” I place a black baseball cap on my head. This had been my compromise. Maybe could do this if nobody knew who I was if I hid on camera.

“What are you doing?” Jungkook asks, coming to stand beside Jimin. He means my cap.

“I don’t feel comfortable in front of big crowds,” I explain. “Besides, I don’t need to see anything, I see the battle through you guys.” Taehyung reaches for my hat but Jimin reaches up and catches his hand.

“Let her be,” Jimin says and I blink at him thankfully from below the brim. “Besides it looks good with her outfit.”

Today was day one of the championships. The first day had the least television coverage per team, most of the TV time went to the highlighted battles. Hopefully, we could gracefully lose, with the least screen time and without the ability to progress.

One look at my circle and I felt bad for hoping for that. They’re eyes glittered with excitement for battle, eager