Love In Contract | Taekook

Chapter 6

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JUNGKOOK'S POV

"Remind me why I let you convince me to do this?"

Jimin grabs onto my elbow as my arms flail. "Because it's for a good
cause."

"Well, I'm going to need someone to raise money for my cause when I
bust my ass and end up in the hospital."

Jimin laughs as I steady myself. "Just hold onto the boards until you get your bearings."

For some reason unbeknownst to me, I laced up a pair of stiff-ass rental
ice skates to attend a child's birthday party.

Granted, said child was being bullied at school until Yoongi got wind of
it, and showed up at his school to invite him to the ice-skating rink so they could play hockey together with the entire team.

Little Toby's story may have warmed my cold, black heart a little. My feet slide out from under me and my body jerks awkwardly until I grasp onto the boards for support.

Jimin skates around with Yoongi for a bit, while I cling to the perimeter of the rink, my legs wobbling like a newborn giraffe.

"I take it this is your first time skating?"

My shoulders jump at the sound of the unfamiliar voice behind me. I
grimace as I twist around to make eye-contact with the stranger. "No, I'm actually one of the professional athletes. Can't you tell?"

The man chuckles as he holds out his hand, palm facing up. "Come on,
let me help you. I'm Mr. Sykes, Toby's teacher."

"I would take your hand, but I'm too afraid to let go of the boards."

He slips his right hand around my waist, coaxing my left hand into his.
"There you go. You can do it."

I shift, trying to put some space between us without falling to my icy
death. "Shouldn't you be helping the kids?"

"You seemed like you needed more help."

I huff out a laugh. "Awesome."

"And if I'm being honest, you're beautiful. So, I guess my reason for
skating over to you is a selfish one."

"You're sweet." I side-eye him. "Not my type, but sweet."

Mr. Sykes raises his eyebrows. "It's the teacher khakis, isn't it?"

I scrunch my nose. "It's the elbow patches on your jacket, but the khakis aren't doing you any favors."

He nods as he laughs. "I love your honesty. I-"

His words are cut off as a Taehyung cuts across the ice, headed directly
toward us, and skates to a stop, spraying ice onto Mr. Sykes' pants.

I arch a brow at him.
I haven't spoken to Taehyung since jersey-gate last week. When Jimin saw me wearing his jersey, he filled me in on what it really meant...

"Wait a second-whose jersey are you wearing?" Jimin asks.
I shrug like it's nothing. "I'm showing my support for V."
His eyebrows jump. "Since when?"
"Since he stopped by my gallery last night and dropped off his jersey."
"Oh, he just stopped by to give you his jersey?"
I flip my hair over my shoulder and avert my eyes. "Yeah, he came by
the gallery."
"Why would he give you his jersey?"
"I don't know. Geez, what's with the Spanish Inquisition?"
He coughs out an incredulous laugh. "Oh my god."
"What?"
"You like him."
I scrunch my nose. "I don't like him. I barely know him."
"Says the man wearing his jersey."
I lift my chin. "It looks cute on me. That's all."
"And I'm sure it's going to be on his floor later."
I roll my eyes. "It's just a jersey."
"It's never just a jersey. He gave it to you because he wants to see you with his name sprawled across your back."
I pause. "But he wants me to show my support for the team."
He shakes his head. "Think about it, kook."
"Oh, hell no." I tear the jersey up over my head and stuff it into my bag. "I'm not someone's property. I don't need him to impart his insecure
masculinity on me."