sɪɴᴄᴇ ʜɪɢʜsᴄʜᴏᴏʟ ☑

22. The Dominance Game

Jimin jumped up on his feet and Hoseok waved at Jungkook before he decided to leave to give privacy to the two boys. "Y-yes?" Jimin asked, brushing his nervous hands through his hair and helping a small smile.

"Here is your money," Jungkook extended a hand full of cash towards him, and Jimin tilted his head with eyes doting on the money.

"What is this for?" Jimin worked hard to dissolve a lump that formed in his throat, tighter than a knot.

"You paid for my food, shopping, and cabs. It's just that. I am returning it," Jungkook launched himself and tucked the cash in Jimin's hands.

Before Jimin could stop him, he was gone. Jimin looked at the cash with a broken heart but he knew that Jungkook was hurt. What he didn't understand was why? Why would Jungkook be hurt if he slept with a girl?

After that afternoon, Jungkook started spending his days like before, not sparing a glance at Jimin when the older boy would grab every chance to look at him. Jungkook didn't smile at all, being focused at all times on his books and sometimes they would practice together as they were in the dance group.

Even in rehearsal, Jungkook was a center and he didn't really have anything common with the other boys for some chunks that he didn't need to talk to anyone for it. For the common choreography, Jungkook could talk to Taemin or three other people in the group.

Jimin would enter the class and his eyes searched for Jungkook every day. The boy sat with Yoongi which didn't worry Jimin, but Yoongi's friends, Jaein, Do-Jin, and Kyong did. They were his foes with a lot of history between them.

One particular day, Jungkook's cackles caused Jimin to walk out in the corridor during lunch. As usual, he was with Do-Jin. They were looking around as if they were finding the right time to do something. Something secretive. Jimin grew suspicious, it wasn't like Jungkook at all. Jungkook avoided getting in trouble as far as Jimin could remember.

With a blink of an eye, Jungkook entered the cafeteria and Do-Jin stood outside, guarding the gate more like. "What are you brewing, fathead?" Jimin lurked towards him to stop Jungkook but Do-Jin cornered Jimin.

"Want some free snacks?" Do-Jin smirked.

Jimin's head whipped and he found Jungkook stealing from a vending machine. He wanted to yell at the boy, grab his hand, and drag him back to his own desk to sit. "Oi!" Jungkook flinched when he heard Jimin's voice and the snacks fell from his hands.

Pushing Do-Jin aside, Jimin entered the cafeteria. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" Jimin's voice was mellow but his expressions were drilling.

"Oh, Hyung..." Jimin saw Jungkook stutter, his face paled, and he wanted to hug him and assure him that he wasn't going to complain about him, but he couldn't.

"Are you waiting for someone to come and find you?" Jimin had to keep his tough stance as he stared. Jungkook shook his head innocently, looking through his big ovals. "Then go."

Once Jungkook ran out, Jimin seized Do-Jin in his place, grabbing his sleeve. "I am warning you, if you try to pull off something like this and get Jungkook in trouble, I won't hesitate to mess you up real bad. You should know that I am not lying."

Do-Jin yanked Jimin's hands off of him. "How can I forget?" He spat bitterly and tramped away.

Jimin sighed naturally, but on discerning the whole situation, he also smiled. Jungkook talked to him after weeks.

Even if there were two words, it counted. It wasn't as much how many words he spoke, it was about how Jungkook behaved vulnerable in front of Jimin, letting him take the command again and assert his dominance.