By the next day, whispers were everywhere.
"Did you hear?""Jungkook fell asleep on Professor Kim's shoulder.""Someone took a photo. It's going around."
Jungkook's chest tightened with every passing voice. He couldn't meet anyone's eyes. He felt exposed. Embarrassed.
And worst of all…
Taehyung hadn't said a word.
Not in class. Not in the hallway. Not even when their eyes met.
He looked... cold.
Untouchable.
And that stung.
So when one of the seniors — a college-age girl named Minji — draped herself against Taehyung near the staff bus and giggled at something he whispered, something inside Jungkook snapped.
He didn't even mean to look.
But he did.
Minji's hand touched Taehyung's chest. He didn't push her away.
Jungkook's stomach twisted.
He turned on his heel and stormed toward the field, heart racing.
He hated this. Hated feeling this way.
But before he could get far—
"Jeon."
The voice was sharp.
Taehyung.
Jungkook stopped but didn't turn.
"What?"
"Don't walk away when I'm talking to you."
"I'm not in your class right now," Jungkook snapped, surprising even himself. "You don't get to command me here."
Taehyung stepped in front of him, eyes narrowing.
"Then don't stare at me like that. Like you're jealous."
"I'm not," Jungkook lied. "You can flirt with whoever you want."
Taehyung leaned in, his voice low and hot against Jungkook's ear.
"I don't flirt with children."
Jungkook's breath caught.
"I'm not a child."
Taehyung's gaze burned into his.
"No. You're not," he whispered. "That's what's so dangerous about you."