Fated Foes ||toptae||

45

New Year special fluff. Don't coo too hard!

Jungkook didn't know how he let himself get dragged to the rooftop, but there he was, standing in the chilly evening air with Taehyung. He crossed his arms and glared at Taehyung, frustrated. "What is it this time? Just say whatever you need to say."

Taehyung didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked to the side of the rooftop and lit a small lantern. Within moments, the sky was illuminated with small, glowing paper lanterns drifting upward. The letters "KISS" formed as the lanterns aligned, creating a dazzling display against the night sky.

Jungkook's eyes widened in surprise. "What... what is this?"

Taehyung turned to him, his expression serious despite the romantic gesture. "You've been ignoring me, avoiding me like I don't exist. But you can't ignore what happened between us. You kissed me, Jungkook. Why?"

Jungkook's jaw tightened, his gaze darting away. "I don't know, Taehyung. Don't ask me questions I can't answer."

"That's not good enough," Taehyung said, his voice rising slightly. "You can't just brush this off like it's nothing. It's eating me alive, Jungkook. Do you even realize what you've done? Do you know how I feel?"

Jungkook clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over. "I don't want to talk about it!"

"Well, I do!" Taehyung shouted back. "You kissed me, Jungkook. You told me everything I ever wanted to hear in that moment. And now you're acting like it meant nothing."

"It didn't mean anything!" Jungkook snapped, his voice harsh and cold. "I was caught up in the moment. That's all."

Taehyung's expression softened, but his eyes gleamed with determination. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love me."

Jungkook froze, the words catching in his throat. His heart screamed at him to say the truth, but his mind replayed his parents' expectations, their disapproval, the life he was supposed to live.

He forced himself to meet Taehyung's gaze and said, "No. I don't love you."

The silence that followed was deafening. Taehyung's face betrayed no emotion, but his clenched jaw and trembling fingers told another story. He took a step back, nodding to himself.

"Alright," Taehyung said, his voice calm but firm. "If that's how you feel, then fine. But let me tell you this, Jungkook." He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I'm not giving up. I'll wait, and we'll see who falls first."

Jungkook blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

Taehyung smirked, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You said you don't love me. Let's see if you can keep that up. Let's see who breaks first."

With that, Taehyung turned and walked away, leaving Jungkook alone under the glowing lanterns.

As the door to the rooftop closed, Jungkook sank to his knees, staring at the word "KISS" still shining in the night sky. His chest ached, and his mind was a whirlwind of regret and confusion.

"Why do you have to make this so hard?" he whispered to the empty sky.

~

The morning sun cast a soft glow over the campus as Jungkook walked across the courtyard, earbuds in, mind distracted. He was trying to focus on anything but the previous night's confrontation with Taehyung. Just as he passed the benches near the fountain, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Jungkook!"

He froze mid-step, his body tensing instinctively. What does he want now? Slowly, he turned his head to see Taehyung lounging on a bench, a mischievous smirk on his face and a bag of chips in his hand.

Jungkook sighed, rolled his eyes, and walked over despite his better judgment. He plopped down on the bench next to Taehyung, keeping a small distance between them. "What do you want?" he muttered, arms crossed.

Taehyung held up the bag of chips, shaking it slightly. "Do you want some?"

Jungkook shot him a skeptical look. "No, thanks."

Taehyung hummed, popping a chip into his mouth and chewing exaggeratedly. "Mmm, your loss. It's so tasty. You don't know what you're missing."

Jungkook tried to ignore him, but the loud crunching and Taehyung's obvious attempt to rile him up were grating on his nerves. Taehyung licked his fingers after every chip, making obnoxious "mmm" noises.

Finally, Jungkook turned to him, his patience snapping. "Will you stop-" He froze, noticing Taehyung's hand hovering mid-air, one finger covered in orange chip dust.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Still not interested?"

Jungkook stared for a second too long before something in him snapped. Without thinking, he grabbed Taehyung's wrist, brought the offending finger closer, and leaned in. Before Taehyung could react, Jungkook licked the spice off his finger, slow and deliberate, maintaining eye contact the entire time.

Taehyung's smirk vanished, his eyes widening in shock.

Jungkook sat back, smacking his lips. "Hmm, you're right. It is tasty."

Taehyung blinked, completely caught off guard. "Y-You-"

Jungkook stood up, brushing imaginary dust off his jeans. "Thanks for the snack, Taehyung. See you around."

He walked away without a backward glance, leaving Taehyung sitting there, his finger still outstretched and his brain short-circuiting. His heart was pounding, and his cheeks flushed.

"Did... did he just-" Taehyung muttered to himself, then groaned, covering his face. "This guy is going to be the death of me."