Beyond The Friend Zone [Taekook]

Jealousy in the Forest (9)

"Where do you want?” Taehyung asked, his voice neutral.

“How about by the river? I think it will face the moon at night, and it will be a very beautiful sight...” Mira suggested, her eyes shining at the thought.

Taehyung had no objections, so they chose a spot beside the river. He pulled out the tent from the bag and started setting it up according to the instructions provided on the paper.

Mira wanted to help, but Taehyung declined, concerned she might hurt herself. The equipment parts weren’t exactly light either, and he worried that another pair of hands might complicate things.

As Mira watched Taehyung work in silence, her heart fluttered. His focus and determination were impressive, and the way he began to sweat under the sun only made him seem more attractive. He didn’t seem to struggle at all, moving with the same quiet confidence that had drawn her to him.

"So, Jungkook, should we set our tent next to Ms. Aera?" Dao Li asked again after receiving no response earlier.

Jungkook nodded absentmindedly, barely listening. His eyes were locked onto Taehyung and Mira, who were setting up their tent far from everyone else. He felt pathetic for being so preoccupied with Taehyung, who clearly didn’t seem to care about him.

Deciding to stop watching, Jungkook forced himself to focus on helping Dao Li set up their tent. However, the more he tried to help, the more trouble he seemed to cause. The tent kept collapsing, and eventually, Dao Li had enough and asked him to step aside.

Seeing that he wasn’t much help here, Jungkook decided to fetch some water for his partner instead. At the water point, he ran into Mira, who was also there to get some water for Taehyung, wanting to contribute since he was working so hard on their tent.

"Hi," Mira greeted politely, trying to hide her nervousness.

"Hey," Jungkook replied, clearing his throat as he filled his bottle. The silence around them was awkward, with only the sound of running water filling the gap. Jungkook decided to break the silence, as he didn’t handle awkwardness well. "You're getting water for Taehyung?"

"Yes," Mira said as she turned off the tap. "It’s embarrassing to admit, but he’s doing all the work, and I can’t really help, so I thought I could at least bring him some water."

Jungkook understood her frustration too well, feeling similar about not being able to help with his own tent either.

Despite his jealousy over Mira being Taehyung’s partner, Jungkook couldn’t bring himself to dislike her. She was sweet, well-liked by many, and honestly, he liked her too. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of frustration, which he found difficult to vent.

Before Mira left, Jungkook offered her a piece of advice, hoping it would help. "Mira, Taehyung has this strange habit of falling asleep at 9 pm. Once he’s out, nothing in the world can wake him up."

Mira blinked in surprise. How did Jungkook know something so personal about Taehyung when they hardly seemed to talk in class? She offered a grateful smile. "I’ll keep that in mind, thank you."

Jungkook nodded as she walked away. After rejoining Taehyung, Mira shyly offered him a bottle of water, but to her dismay, he declined it, suggesting she drink it herself and stay hydrated.

Taehyung finished setting up the tent shortly after Mira returned, and it was an impressive piece of work. He had followed the instructions meticulously, not missing a single step, and the final product was flawless. Even Ms. Aera, who had been supervising the students, was visibly impressed by his skills.

As Jungkook passed by the growing crowd gathered around Taehyung's tent, he couldn't help but pause to admire the work. The tent stood tall and sturdy, looking exactly like the picture on the packaging. Despite his lingering jealousy, Jungkook felt a genuine sense of admiration for his friend’s abilities. He then made his way back to his own tent, where Dao Li was still struggling.