TRUE LOVE taekook

2

One week later...

Nothing had changed.

Jeon Jungkook still barely spoke. He only interacted with Lisa and Jennie, his voice rarely heard beyond the soft replies he gave them. There were entire days when the others didn't hear him speak at all.

But for Taehyung, everything had changed.

Because now, he thought about Jungkook all the time. Every day. Every hour. Every moment his eyes weren't on him, his mind was.

He didn't even know how it started—maybe with that first electric glance—but now he found himself watching Jungkook constantly. Admiring the slope of his nose, the way his lashes curled when he looked down, the subtle strength in the way he carried himself. He was ethereal—like someone carved out of a dream, too distant to touch but too beautiful to ignore.

And Jimin noticed. Of course he does.

He watched his best friend blushing at nothing, smiling at things that made no sense, and sneaking glances like a lovesick high schooler. Jimin had known Taehyung his entire life, and he had never seen him like this.

He was happy for him—truly. Taehyung deserved love. But Jungkook's silence, his distance, his walls... they worried him. He was cold, and Taehyung was all warmth. Jimin feared his sunshine would be swallowed by a boy made of shadow.

Still, every time Taehyung smiled at Jungkook like he'd hung the stars, Jimin let it go.

Because Taehyung was in love.

Hopelessly, stupidly, beautifully in love.

HALLWAY – LUNCHTIME

The group gathered outside their lecture hall, waiting for each other before heading to lunch, as usual. Except today, Yoongi was pacing like a storm cloud with legs.

Jin raised an eyebrow. "Hey... What's wrong with you? You look ready to murder someone."

"I am ready to murder someone," Yoongi snapped. "That bastard Bogum just quit the team. Out of nowhere. Said he doesn't want to play anymore."

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Like this is some kind of game? You don't just walk out two hours before an important match! And our backup players are injured. What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

"Wait—so you need a basketball player?" Namjoon asked, blinking.

"Yes! A good one. And I have two hours. You do the math."

Lisa's eyes lit up like a lightbulb.

"So... basically, you need someone who can play basketball?" she asked, glancing sideways.

"Yes." Yoongi sighed. "Why?"

"Problem solved!" Lisa grinned, practically bouncing on her heels as she looked at Jungkook.

Jungkook didn't even blink. "No."

Lisa pouted dramatically. "You didn't even let me ask!"

"I already know what you're going to say," Jungkook said, walking away from her as she followed behind.

Just then, Taehyung and Jimin arrived, catching the tail end of Lisa pestering Jungkook.

Taehyung tilted his head with a soft smile. "What's going on?"

TAEHYUNG'S POV:

Jennie filled me in quickly. "One of Yoongi's teammates ditched them, and they have a game in two hours. They're desperate for a player, and Lisa's trying to convince Jungkook to help."