Us | Taekook | Complete

2

The bell rang, signaling the start of class, but Jungkook’s mind was far from focused. He sat rigid in his seat, arms crossed, trying his best to ignore the infuriating presence behind him. The professor, a man in his late forties with round glasses and a perpetually tired expression, strode into the room, clutching a stack of books.

"Good morning, everyone," Professor Choi began, his voice steady but monotonous. "Today, we’ll be starting our group project. Pairings have been randomly assigned, and I’ll call them out now."

Jungkook’s heart sank. *Group projects. Great.* He wasn’t the type to rely on others. If anything, he preferred working alone, ensuring perfection without interference. But what really made his stomach churn was the dreaded possibility of being paired with—

"Jeon Jungkook and Kim Taehyung."

Jungkook froze. *No. No way.*

A soft chuckle came from behind him, and Jungkook didn’t need to turn around to know it was Taehyung. He could already imagine the smug smile on his face.

"Looks like we’re partners, Kookie," Taehyung said in a sing-song voice.

Jungkook’s hands gripped the edge of his desk, his knuckles turning white. "Don’t call me that," he muttered through gritted teeth.

Taehyung leaned forward, his voice dropping just enough for only Jungkook to hear. "Why not? It suits you."

"Kim Taehyung," Jungkook hissed, finally turning to glare at him. "If you think for one second that I’m going to let you slack off while I do all the work—"

"Relax," Taehyung interrupted, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I’m not as useless as you think I am."

Jungkook narrowed his eyes, not buying it for a second. "We’ll see about that."

---

After class, Jungkook packed his things with more force than necessary, shoving his notebook into his bag. Taehyung, as expected, took his time, strolling up to Jungkook with an easy smile.

"So, partner," Taehyung began, slinging his bag over one shoulder, "where do you want to start?"

"With ground rules," Jungkook shot back, not bothering to look at him. "Rule one: don’t waste my time."

"Noted," Taehyung replied, his tone light but with a hint of sarcasm. "Anything else, boss?"

"Rule two: if you’re not going to contribute, stay out of my way."

Taehyung laughed, a genuine sound that caught Jungkook off guard. "Wow, you really think I’m useless, huh?"

Jungkook finally turned to face him, his expression cold. "Am I wrong?"

For a moment, Taehyung’s smile faltered, but it was so brief that Jungkook almost missed it. Almost.

"Guess you’ll just have to wait and see," Taehyung said, his grin returning. "So, library at five? Or do you have a better plan, Mr. Perfect?"

"Five," Jungkook agreed curtly. "Don’t be late."

The university library was a vast, sprawling space filled with endless rows of bookshelves and the faint scent of old paper. Large arched windows let in streams of golden sunlight, illuminating the quiet atmosphere.

Jungkook arrived early, as usual, and chose a table near the back, away from the main traffic of students. He laid out his notes, meticulously organized, and checked his watch.

*4:55. Of course, he’s not here yet.*

By the time the clock struck five, Jungkook was already tapping his pen against the table in irritation. Just as he was about to pack up and leave, Taehyung strolled in, looking entirely unbothered.

"Relax, I’m here," Taehyung said, dropping his bag onto the chair across from Jungkook.

"You’re late," Jungkook snapped.

"By two minutes," Taehyung replied with a shrug. "You’re seriously this uptight about everything, aren’t you?"

Jungkook ignored the comment and pushed a notebook toward him. "Here. I’ve outlined the project. We’ll split the work fifty-fifty. No excuses."

Taehyung picked up the notebook, scanning the neatly written notes. "Wow. You really don’t trust me, do you?"

"Should I?" Jungkook shot back.

Taehyung leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "You know, for someone who acts like they have it all together, you’re pretty insecure."

"Insecure?" Jungkook repeated, his voice rising slightly. "I’m not insecure. I just don’t have time for your games."

Taehyung tilted his head, studying him. "Maybe that’s your problem. You’re so busy being perfect that you don’t know how to enjoy anything."

Jungkook opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Instead, he stared at Taehyung, who, for the first time, wasn’t smiling. There was something different in his eyes now—something that made Jungkook’s chest tighten.

"Look," Taehyung said, breaking the silence, "I know you don’t like me. And honestly, I don’t care. But if we’re going to do this project together, maybe we should stop pretending to hate each other long enough to get it done."

Jungkook blinked, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity in Taehyung’s tone. He wasn’t used to this side of him—the side that wasn’t all teasing and sarcasm.

"Fine," Jungkook said finally, his voice quieter now. "But if you mess this up—"

"I won’t," Taehyung interrupted, his expression softening. "You’ll see."

For the first time, Jungkook didn’t have a comeback. He simply nodded, unsure of what to make of the boy sitting across from him.

---

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