Beyond The Friend Zone [Taekook]

The Cost of Friendship (3)

The next morning, Ms. Aera clapped her hands sharply to gather the attention of her bustling classroom. "Everyone, we have a new classmate joining us today! Let's all give him a warm welcome and make sure he feels at home."

The students' chatter erupted into excited whispers. The girls exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up with curiosity and interest as they turned their attention to the new arrival. Taehyung, standing at the front of the room, shifted nervously from foot to foot, his eyes darting around the room.

"Please introduce yourself to the class," Ms. Aera urged with a bright smile.

"Kim Taehyung," he said, his voice steady but barely above a murmur.

"Taehyung, why don't you sit beside me?" a girl's voice piped up from the front of the room.

"No, he should sit with me!" another girl protested.

"I want him beside me!" came another enthusiastic plea.

Ms. Aera tried to quell the growing uproar, but the students were too absorbed in their desires to be close to the newcomer. Just then, Jungkook shot up from his chair, drawing everyone's attention, including Taehyung's.

"Quiet! He's sitting with me!" Jungkook declared with a commanding voice.

The classroom fell into a mix of surprised murmurs and frowns. The girls glared at Jungkook, clearly annoyed by his bold claim. Jungkook, however, was unfazed, his expression determined.

"We're best friends, so naturally, he will sit with me!" Jungkook added, his voice ringing with confidence.

"Hey! What about me?" the boy sitting next to Jungkook protested, looking both surprised and hurt.

"Uh... I guess you could move behind?" Jungkook suggested, scratching his head awkwardly.

"Seriously? You're so mean!" the boy grumbled, but his tone was more bemused than truly upset.

As the classroom erupted into an animated debate over Taehyung's seating arrangement, Ms. Aera, overwhelmed by the chaos, decided to let Taehyung choose for himself.

"I'll sit alone at the back," Taehyung said with quiet determination.

The room fell silent. The students looked at Taehyung in surprise, and Ms. Aera, recognizing that no one should have him due to the competitive fuss, agreed with the idea. She allowed him to sit alone at the back of the classroom.

As Taehyung made his way to the back, every pair of eyes followed him. Jungkook waved frantically, trying to catch Taehyung's attention, but Taehyung walked past him, his gaze fixed ahead.

A girl at the front smirked and teased, "Oh, they're best friends, he said."

Jungkook's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "We are! Taehyung, right?!" he called out, hoping for a confirmation.

Taehyung kept walking, deliberately ignoring Jungkook. The classroom burst into laughter at Jungkook's expense.

"We really are best friends!" Jungkook insisted, his voice rising in frustration as he frantically threw his hands up in the air to prove his point. "Even if not best friends, we're still friends! I didn't lie! He even accepted my Superman sticker!"

"Sure, sure, whatever~" the girl at the front smirked, clearly enjoying Jungkook's discomfort.

Ms. Aera sighed, her patience worn thin by the students' antics. She turned to Taehyung, who had quietly settled into his seat at the back.

"By the way, Mr. Nam informed me that you don't have your textbooks yet. Would you like to share with someone until yours arrive?" she offered with a kind smile.