GOLDEN TALENT | VKOOK ✓

10 | DANCE THE PAIN AWAY

Jeongguk scrolled through his phone, pretending to be engrossed in whatever was on the screen. The waiting room was filled with tension, as students anxiously awaited their turn to receive the results of the examination. Failed candidates were storming out with frustrated expressions, their dreams shattered.

Soyeon, unable to contain her frustration, shot him a sidelong glance before shifting her attention to the commotion around them. The air was thick with tension, and the occasional outburst from disappointed candidates pierced through the dull hum of conversation.

Jeongguk heard steps behind him when he felt a hand running on his shoulders until the figure sat down. "Jeongguk-ah, what did you do to Taehyung?" Soyeon spoke, sitting behind him in the waiting room.

"Tch, why would I even touch him?" He whispered among the tantrums thrown by the ones that failed the exam when it was their turn. "Besides, he's your dear friend; aren't you supposed to know where he is?" The truth is, they were currently considered friends with Taehyung, but today he was in an incredibly sour mood, all because of the examination.

"I wouldn't be fucking asking you if I knew." She growled while sighing, pressing her forehead to her palms. "Fine then."

"Don't you worry, there's still two hours by then," Jeongguk said, leaning his left elbow on the chair.

"And you still dare to say you didn't do a thing." Soyeon was judged by his tone of speaking, unbelievably rolling back her eyes.

"Because I didn't." He said it calmly, reaching for his phone to distract himself with far more interesting topics than discussing Taehyung with Soyeon. Don't get him wrong; it's not in his business where Taehyung is now, but whether he will top the grades today or not, everything else doesn't matter.

As soon as she left, he dropped his hand on his thigh and sighed, clicking his tongue, "No." He shook his head and opened his phone once again, denying to care any less.

Jeongguk continued to scroll through his phone, doing his best to ignore the chaos in the waiting room. The tension was palpable as everyone anxiously awaited their turn for the exam results. Jeongguk's mind, however, was preoccupied with more pressing matters than Taehyung's whereabouts.

Jeongguk scrolled through his phone, attempting to immerse himself in a world far removed from the tense atmosphere of the waiting room. Soyeon's presence, however, lingered, and she seemed determined to keep the conversation going.

"I still find it hard to believe you had nothing to do with Taehyung's disappearance," Soyeon muttered, her eyes narrowing as she observed Jeongguk's nonchalant demeanor.

Jeongguk sighed, setting his phone aside for a moment. "Look, Soyeon, Taehyung's a grown man. I'm not his babysitter. If he wants to vanish for a while, that's his choice. I've got my own stuff to worry about."

Soyeon huffed in frustration. "You two are like oil and water most of the time, but you can't deny that he was acting strange before the exam. And now he's nowhere to be found. What if something happened to him?"

Jeongguk rolled his eyes, growing increasingly irritated by the conversation. "Soyeon, Taehyung is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He's not a delicate flower that needs constant attention. If he wanted us to know where he is, he would've told us."

Soyeon crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. "You're unbelievable, Jeongguk. Sometimes I wonder why Taehyung even puts up with you."

"Because deep down, he knows I'm right," Jeongguk retorted with a smirk. "Now, can we drop this topic and focus on the fact that we're about to find out our exam results? I'm not here to play detective."