Harmonic Destinies

Chapter 11 : Rumours

Taehyung spent the rest of the day in a daze, trying to forget the embarrassment of being trapped in the broom closet. But it was hard to shake off the feeling that his reputation was hanging by a thread. Rumors spread like wildfire in school, and Taehyung had quickly become the target.

As he walked into their shared dorm room, he found Jimin sitting on his bed, scrolling through his phone with a serious expression. Taehyung dropped his bag on the floor and flopped onto his bed, still feeling drained from the day's events.

"Hey," Jimin said, glancing up at him. "You good?"Taehyung shrugged, not trusting his voice to give a real answer. Instead, he focused on the ceiling, where the paint was peeling in patches. He felt Jimin's gaze on him, heavy and concerned. "Listen," Jimin said, sitting up straighter. "I think we need to talk about what's been happening."

Taehyung rolled onto his side, propping his head on his hand. "What do you mean?"Jimin took a deep breath as if he were preparing to dive into deep waters. "About why people are treating you like this... and why I'm not very popular with certain groups either."Taehyung's heart raced. "You mean those girls? The ones who opened the closet door? They said some awful things." Taehyung knew they were talking, he had heard some talk about Jimin.

"Yeah, they're part of it," Jimin replied, running a hand through his hair. "But it's bigger than that. You deserve to know the truth. Why do I keep my distance from the ZENITH members." Jimin sighed. It looks like he really went through something. "Okay..." Taehyung said, sitting up. He could feel a knot tightening in his stomach.

"I used to date Yoongi," Jimin began, his tone steady but somber. "And it was... complicated. You see, my mom is the CEO of the company that manages ZENITH. She didn't want me dating someone like Yoongi because of the image it projected and of course, because he is a male. It wasn't just a romance; it was a scandal waiting to happen. That is what she told me when she found out."Taehyung's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? Wasn't it your choice?"

"Sure, but my mom thought it was best for my career to break it off. So, when the news leaked that we were together, she made sure it didn't last. The media caught wind of it, and my mom used her influence to make the story disappear, but not before the rumors started flying. They painted me as the bad guy, the spoiled son who couldn't keep his relationship quiet. I ended up losing a lot of friends, and the girls who idolized Yoongi turned on me."

Taehyung's heart sank as Jimin continued, his voice heavy with emotion. "They spread rumors about me being a slut, saying I led Yoongi on just to get close to the group. They painted me as some sort of villain in a story I never wanted to be part of. It was like my whole world shattered overnight." Jimin looked like he was about to cry.

"I'm so sorry," Taehyung said softly, realizing how much pain Jimin had hidden behind his cheerful facade. "I had no idea..." Taehyung offered a hug and he patted Jimin's back.

"It's okay," Jimin said with a weak smile, but his eyes were sad. "It's not your fault. But I just wanted you to understand why I have a hard time with certain people in this school. They see me and think I'm the same spoiled brat they read about in those tabloids. I also don't want you to experience what I have gone through." Jimin said as he deeply sighed, breaking the hug.

"I can see how you look at Jungkook, you might not realise but I can see you like him." Taehyung's cheek flushed a kind of red. "I... I don't know any of that. I mean I know I'm gay and all that. I just don't know if I like him yet. But if we are sharing secrets, I know Jungkook way before moving here." Jimin was shocked by the last sentence. "You know? How?" Taehyung reaches for his violin case showing the sticker, along with the picture of them. "I met him at the festival, in my home city Sydney. He had a broken ankle." Taheyung smiled a bit.