The Shadows of power

13

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Before the auditions, which were set to happen after two weeks, something significant occurred. June and I were in the same physics class when our professor assigned a summer vacation project. Coincidentally, we ended up in the same group. Jun, always the practical one, suggested that we start working on the project immediately since he had other commitments during the summer. So, we began collaborating after our university hours, and slowly, we grew closer. In today's world, I suppose we could say we were on "talking terms" — messaging, chatting occasionally, but nothing more serious than that.

At this point, Taeyong chimed in with a smirk, "You know, I think you fell for June's personality, not his looks. But how can someone as handsome as you even bother replying to someone like him? I mean, such a good-looking guy..."

Namjoon clenched his fists at that, glaring at Taeyong and thinking, Your time to go back to your planet is long overdue. Jin chuckled before responding, "You could say I did fall for his personality, Taehyung. But let's not spoil the fun now. Wait and see what happens next."

Jimin playfully slapped Taehyung's arm and warned, "One more interruption, and you're sleeping on the couch for a whole month!" Taeyong gasped but quickly sealed his lips.

Jin continued, "So, yeah, we were good friends, and I loved his company. Jun had this interesting duality to him. At times, he acted like a professor, always reminding me to study and focus. Other times, he was the soft, adorable guy I found myself falling for — the one who made me realize there was much more to him than his stoic, mysterious exterior."

Then came the day of the swimming contest.

Everyone gathered at the open auditorium where the swimming pool was located. These kinds of events were a rare break from the university’s strict policies, which didn’t allow students to slack off or bunk classes. So, the contest drew a large crowd of students eager to escape the monotony of academics.

That boy — the one who used to like me, whom Suga jokingly referred to as "dinner boy" — was also in the swimming contest. But Jun wasn’t competing. When I asked him why, he replied, "I don't really like swimming. I talked to the principal about it, and he agreed to let me sit out." Jun, being his clever self, had claimed a fear of water to the principal, a believable excuse considering his reputation as a brilliant student. The principal didn't question it.

Instead, Jun found himself assisting the professor in charge of timing the swimmers. He was standing near the pool, observing the contestants when something unexpected happened. The boy, still upset over my rejection and no doubt feeling embarrassed, saw Jun and seemed to take his frustrations out on him.

The contest was intense, and "dinner boy" lost by a mere millisecond to another competitor. Furious, he accused Jun of interfering with the results, claiming he’d done it on purpose to sabotage him. Jun, as calm and sharp as ever, told him to check the CCTV footage if he really believed that, but the boy wasn’t having any of it. In a fit of anger, he pushed Jun into the water.

What happened next was beyond anyone’s imagination.

Every single person in the audience was shocked. The students gasped. The professors stared. Even the swimmers froze in disbelief.

The members were on the edge of their seats, eagerly waiting for the twist in the story. "What happened next, hyung?" they all asked in unison.

June smirked and teased, "Wait for the next chapter, idiots."