Between Love and Trust

chapter - 3

~Classroom, A Week Later~

It had been a week—a long, painful week. Every day, Jungkook had tried to approach Taehyung, to ask him why, to get even a shred of an explanation. But every attempt was met with cold indifference, as if Jungkook were invisible. Each ignored greeting, each sidestepped interaction, chipped away at his heart, leaving him feeling emptier with every passing day.

Now, he sat in his new spot, second to last row, far from the window seat he once shared with Taehyung. From here, he could see Taehyung across the room, leaning in close to Irene, smiling as she babbled on about something. The sight made his chest tighten, a dull ache settling in as he watched them laugh and whisper, as if he hadn't existed at all.

What did I do to deserve this? Jungkook thought, clenching his fists beneath the desk.

Just then, the door opened, and the teacher walked in, accompanied by a girl Jungkook had never seen before. She was petite, with an easy smile and confident demeanor. The teacher introduced her to the class.

"This is Jennie Kim. She's new here, so I expect you all to make her feel welcome," the teacher announced. He scanned the room, his gaze landing on Jungkook. "Jungkook, raise your hand, please. Jennie, you'll be sitting next to him."

Jungkook raised his hand slowly, offering a polite nod as Jennie made her way over to him. She sat down beside him, her face bright with curiosity.

"Hi! So, you're Jungkook?" she said cheerfully. "Looks like I'm your new seatmate."

Jungkook forced a small smile, barely meeting her eyes. "Yeah. Welcome," he said, keeping his tone polite but distant. His heart was still too raw to care much about making new friends.

Jennie tilted her head, studying him with an amused smile. "Not exactly the warmest welcome," she teased lightly. "Did I say something wrong?"

Jungkook shook his head, not wanting to seem rude. "No, it's... nothing like that. I just have a bit of a headache."

Jennie's expression softened. "Got it. Well, if it gets too bad, I've got some extra Tylenol," she said with a smile, trying to be helpful. Despite his sadness, Jungkook felt a faint sense of gratitude toward her, appreciating her kindness.

As the lesson began, Jennie and Jungkook exchanged a few quiet words, learning the basics about each other. She was easy to talk to, and her gentle energy felt calming in a way he hadn't expected. For the first time in days, he felt a small distraction from the constant ache in his chest.

But across the room, Taehyung couldn't help but notice the new addition to their class and the way she seemed to capture Jungkook's attention. He'd stolen glances throughout the lesson, watching as Jungkook smiled at Jennie, seeing them lean in close, whispering quietly to each other. And the sight... it made something unfamiliar and unsettling twist in his stomach.

Irene nudged him, drawing his attention back to her with a laugh. But he found himself glancing back at Jungkook and Jennie more than once, his brows furrowing each time. He clenched his jaw, an uncomfortable tightness settling in his chest as he watched Jungkook give Jennie another small smile.

What on earth are they talking about? he wondered, irritation flickering in his gaze.

As the class wrapped up, Taehyung noticed how Jungkook lingered, helping Jennie with her things as they left together. Taehyung's gaze followed them out the door, a strange feeling stirring in him, though he couldn't quite put a name to it. All he knew was that seeing Jungkook talking so easily with someone else left him feeling... unsettled.