The Change Within

⑤What Makes You Think I Care?

  
No one could understand what was happening.

A strange silence surrounded the group’s table, something that was far from normal. Jimin, the usually talkative, cheerful boy, had a veil of hesitation and unease covering his features as he shot multiple glances at the boy who was enwrapped in his recipe book.

Hoseok jabbed his finger into his ribs to grab his attention and mouthed ‘what’ in stark puzzlement when Jimin met his gaze.

Jimin dragged his lower lip between his teeth and bit hard as he released a nasal sigh, rolling his eyes and shutting them before he set them on Jeongguk. “Um.” He cleared his throat as he braced his elbows against the table and held his hands up, struggling to say the words that were caught in his throat.

“Just talk! Even I am getting irritated here,” Namjoon spat out in frustration, attracting the caramel-haired boy’s attention as he had no idea about what was going on this whole time.

“Fine.” Jimin shifted in his seat and peeked at Jeongguk, who was now staring at him with furrowed, raised brows. “Thank you,” he breathed out with a nod of his head. “For letting Taehyung move in with you. I know it was hard for you, so thank you.”

“I don’t think you should be thanking him, babe,” Yoongi whispered as he placed a hand on his shoulder and instructed him to recline in his seat.

“Why?”

“Because as I said yesterday, I’ll make sure to make him regret even his thought of coming to our house,” Jeongguk responded with a smile, the same wicked smile as yesterday.

“Why? Why can’t you just be nice? He hasn’t done anything to you and he’s really an angel.”

“Just tell him to stay out of my way. And I’ll see what I can do.”

“Tell him yourself.” Jimin nodded his chin to the violet-haired boy who came into view.

“Hi, guys!” Taehyung greeted in a gleeful tone as he sat next to his best friend.

“Hey, did you settle in?” Jimin asked, a fond smile on his lips, as he stroked his back.

“Yes! Your uni is amazing. Even if I have to study business, there are plenty of other classes I can take as well.”

“Why do you have to study business?” asked Seokjin.

“Oh, my parents. They want me to major in what they majored, so yeah.”

“That sucks.” Hoseok pouted, and the violet-haired boy nodded with a tight-lipped smile. “That was one of the few things Jimin didn’t say about you. But he said you like writing, right?”

“I love it! I’ve already published a few novels on my website and now I’m writing another one.” Taehyung maintained his merry smile since the moment he sat with the group, but it was getting harder and harder to do so when he espied a certain someone casting him sharp glares often.

“It would be awesome to read your work. Do you mind giving me the name of your website?” Namjoon chimed in.

“Oh, yeah, no problem. Thank you!” He jotted down the name and passed the note to him.

“Vante Novels, huh? Wait, it sounds familiar.” Namjoon rucked his brows together in thought as he repeated the name in his head.

Upon hearing his words, Jeongguk’s eyes enlarged and traveled to the violet-haired boy, his jaw going slack. “You are Vante?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“Oh yeah, Kook, isn’t what you were reading—“

“Shut up,” Jeongguk hissed, cutting short Hoseok’s question, and he could only hope that no one would say anything else about it.