FATE'S GAME | | BTS FF (18+)

[11]

ISHITA CHOUDHARY

I slipped into the storeroom to grab the props for practice, hoping for a moment of peace. The door shut with a soft click behind me, and I let out a quiet sigh. Finally... alone.

Or so I thought.

"Look who decided to show up," Seyeon's voice sliced through the silence. My stomach sank.

I turned slowly, my heart pounding. Haerin was leaning casually against a shelf, her arms crossed. Seyeon smirked like she knew every move I would make.

"Ishita, trying to hide from practice again?" Haerin taunted. She stepped closer, and I instinctively took a step back, only to bump into a stack of boxes.

"I-I just came to get the props," I stammered, trying to keep my voice steady.

Seyeon laughed, sharp and cold. "Props? Or are you just running away because you know you can't keep up?"

Before I could react, Haerin reached out and grabbed my shoulder, spinning me slightly so I faced her. The pressure of her hand was firm enough to make me wince. "You think you're better than us, don't you?" she said, her voice low and dangerous.

"I... I'm not," I whispered, trying not to shake.

"Liar," Seyeon said, shoving me lightly against the shelves. My back hit the metal edge, making me stumble slightly. "You walk around like you own the place. Newsflash: nobody likes a show-off."

I tried to step back, but Haerin's hand landed on my wrist, gripping it tightly. "Don't even think about moving," she warned.

Their voices kept raining down on me, cruel and sharp. "Always so serious, aren't you? Try smiling once in your life." Seyeon jabbed a finger lightly into my chest, and I stumbled again.

"I... I'm fine," I muttered, my voice barely audible, but they didn't let up.

"You know, you're not as perfect as everyone thinks," Haerin sneered. "One mistake, and everyone will see it. And then where will you be?"

Seyeon laughed, nudging me with her shoulder. "Scared little Ishita, all alone in the storeroom. How pathetic."

I could feel my cheeks burning, my hands trembling. My chest was tight, every word they spat at me cutting deeper. I wanted to disappear, to vanish from this small, suffocating space.

"Watch your back, Ishita. You're walking on thin ice," Haerin whispered as they finally stepped aside, letting me breathe.

I hunched over slightly, taking a shaky breath, rubbing my wrists where their hands had grabbed me. Alone again... but my chest still felt tight, and my heart pounded like it wanted to escape.

I can't let this stop me, I thought, swallowing hard. I won't let them break me.

KIM TAEHYUNG

I was pacing near the practice hall, pretending to check my phone, but my eyes kept drifting to her. Ishita.

She was laughing softly at something Jimin said, completely unaware of the way my chest tightened every time she smiled. But then... I noticed it. Jungkook. That boy.

The way he looked at her. Not like a friend, not like a teammate... something more. Something deeper. His gaze lingered too long, too intensely, and my stomach twisted.

What the hell is he doing to her?

I clenched my fists, trying to tell myself I was overreacting. Maybe I was imagining things. Maybe it was just his usual teasing nature.