Cingulomania || Nerd X Popular || Jimin FF

Chapter 21: Secrets ⭐

Y/N's POV

James led me to a secluded spot behind the school, where the sounds of students and teachers faded into the background. The silence here was unnerving, and I could feel the tension in the air as James turned to face me, leaning casually against the wall.

"Why here, James?" I asked, trying to mask the unease in my voice.

He tilted his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "I wanted to talk to you without any interruptions. Especially without Jimin hovering around."

I raised an eyebrow, confused by his pointed tone. "What does Jimin have to do with this?"

James chuckled darkly, stepping closer, his gaze intense. "Everything, Y/N. You spend all your time with him, but you act like it's nothing. Do you really expect me to believe that?"

I crossed my arms defensively. "Jimin and I are friends. That's it."

"Friends?" he scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "Is that what you call sneaking out late at night to get coffee? Or spending hours drawing together at that little café off campus? Friends don't look at each other the way you two do."

I froze, my heart skipping a beat. "How... how do you know about that?"

James smirked, clearly enjoying my reaction. "It's not hard to figure out when you're paying attention. And trust me, Y/N, I've been paying attention. I know about the time he walked you back to your dorm after class when it was raining, how you stayed up talking to him on the phone until you fell asleep. I know about the time he surprised you with those little sketches of your favorite flowers."

I stared at him, shocked and uneasy. "How do you know all of that, James?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a gleam in his eyes that sent a shiver down my spine. "People talk, Y/N. They notice things, and so do I. It's clear you're closer to Jimin than you're willing to admit."

I felt a rush of panic, a mix of fear and confusion clouding my thoughts. "This... this isn't about Jimin. It's about us, James. Why are you bringing him into this?"

"Because he's always in the way," James snapped, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "Every time I try to get close to you, he's there, like some invisible wall between us. It's obvious he has feelings for you, and you're too caught up in whatever you have with him to see it."

His words stung, but I couldn't deny the truth they held. "James, you're making assumptions. Jimin and I... we're just friends."

He shook his head, clearly unconvinced. "Friends don't share the kind of moments you two do. You light up around him in a way you don't around anyone else, not even me. And don't think I haven't noticed how you're always defending him."

I was at a loss for words. Everything he was saying was too close to home, too accurate to dismiss. "James, I... I don't know what you want me to say."

"You don't have to say anything," he said, his voice softening, but his eyes still piercing. "Just think about it. Think about why you're so drawn to him, why you care so much about what he thinks. And when you're ready to face the truth, maybe you'll realize I've been right all along."

I stood there, stunned and conflicted. How did he know so much about me and Jimin? And why did his words make me feel so exposed?

James's smirk widened. "It's not a secret. People see things, Y/N. And you know what else I've noticed? The way he talks about you when you're not around. Like he owns you."

I blinked, taken aback. "What are you talking about?"

"Jimin's not as innocent as he pretends to be," James continued, his tone smooth, almost coaxing. "He's been bragging about how close you two are, how you're practically his. He's been telling everyone that you're too clueless to see it."