Entangled Hearts | VMINKOOK

06.

As Jeongguk stepped out of class, his stomach growled, reminding him that it was lunchtime. He lazily stretched his arms above his head, still mulling over the conversation with Mingyu. His mind was a tangle of thoughts-Jimin, their recent fight, and the possibility that things weren't as perfect as he'd hoped.

He sighed and began walking toward the cafeteria, trying to shake off the heavy feeling. The hallway was crowded, as always, with students laughing, chatting, and rushing to their next destinations. Jeongguk barely noticed them as he absentmindedly walked down the corridor, lost in his thoughts.

Suddenly, without warning, he collided headfirst into a solid chest.

Thud!

The impact sent him stumbling backward, his bag slipping off his shoulder and almost crashing to the floor. Before he could catch his balance, a familiar scent filled the air-clean and fresh, with a hint of something earthy, like pine.

Jeongguk blinked up, and there it was again.

Him.

Kim Taehyung.

Jeongguk's heart did an involuntary flip as he found himself staring straight into Taehyung's eyes. The world seemed to slow down for a moment, the noise of the crowded hallway fading into the background as those intense, deep brown eyes looked back at him, slightly amused, slightly... curious?

Jeongguk groaned softly, not in pain, but in frustration. "Seriously?" he muttered under his breath.

Taehyung's lips curled into a smirk. "Well, hello to you too, Jeongguk."

Jeongguk blinked, quickly stepping back and rubbing his head. "Why do I always bump into you out of nowhere? Like, out of everyone, why you? What did I do to deserve this?"

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing into a full grin as he leaned casually against the wall. "Maybe it's fate."

Jeongguk's eyebrows shot up, his frustration rising. "Fate? You're seriously going to blame fate for you constantly popping up and knocking into me?"

Taehyung shrugged nonchalantly, the amusement never leaving his face. "It could be fate, or..." He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice dramatically, "Maybe I'm just drawn to you."

Jeongguk's cheeks flushed, and he immediately shot him a glare. "Drawn to me? Are you crazy?"

Taehyung straightened up, crossing his arms with a playful grin. "Could be. Or maybe..." He tilted his head, his voice taking on a teasing edge, "you're the one who keeps bumping into me. You ever think about that?"

Jeongguk let out an exasperated sigh, throwing his hands in the air. "What?! I'm not doing it on purpose! You're always just... there!"

Taehyung chuckled, clearly enjoying how flustered Jeongguk was getting. "Maybe I'm just in the right place at the right time."

"Or the wrong place at the wrong time," Jeongguk shot back, his eyes narrowing. "You're like some kind of bad luck charm."

"Bad luck?" Taehyung feigned offense, placing a hand dramatically over his chest. "I'd say I'm more like... a lucky coincidence."

"Coincidence, my ass," Jeongguk muttered, rubbing his shoulder where the impact had hit him. "You're a walking disaster waiting to happen."

Taehyung chuckled again, leaning in closer with a mischievous glint in his eye. "You wound me, Jeongguk. I thought you'd be happy to see me."

Jeongguk shot him a look, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Happy? Yeah, right. All you do is annoy me."

"And yet," Taehyung drawled, his voice low and teasing, "you keep running into me. Almost like you can't stay away."