Troublemaker

TROUBLE 40

Y/N slowly turned her head, her lips still lightly smeared with melted ice cream. She avoided eye contact like her life depended on it. Which it did.

"Uh—I—I didn't—Sir—I meant—um—beach!" she laughed nervously, stepping slightly to the side. "Yes! I said beach! Like, 'let's go to the beach!'"

Taehyung didn't blink. His arms were crossed now.

Y/N cleared her throat and pointed weakly at the girl who had pushed her. "I—I was trying to tell her we are... beach people?"

Jungkook, sensing danger and being the loyal idiot best friend he was, quickly stepped in. "Haha! Right, right, Y/N! But the beach is next week, not today! You silly!" He threw his arm around her shoulder like a lifeline, glancing nervously at Taehyung's face for any signs of forgiveness.

Nothing.

No response. Just a longer blink. Taehyung's jaw ticked as he looked away, clearly deciding whether it was worth ending their fun day now or later.

Y/N could see the restraint in the way his fingers pressed into his arms, his breath slowing to something eerily calm. That dangerous kind of calm.

"He's doing the silent fury thing," she whispered from the corner of her mouth.

"I know," Jungkook whispered back. "We're so dead. Say your prayers."

Y/N whispered through her teeth, "Are we going to survive?"

"I'm not sure," Jungkook whispered back. "But if we die, it'll be together."

Taehyung finally exhaled a slow sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Without another word, Y/N quickly grabbed Jungkook's hand and dragged him back to the end of the churros line, muttering like a prayer. "We're getting churros for him. Please, Lord. Let cinnamon save our souls."

They stood quietly this time, too afraid to even speak.

Jungkook leaned in and whispered, "You just had to say it. That word."

"She made my ice cream fall!"

"And now he's going to make your life fall."

"I said beach!"

"Yeah. With a sharp b."

They both shivered.

From a few feet away, Taehyung stayed silent, arms crossed, but watching them like a hawk. Not angry. Just... that quiet fury that only teachers possess. The kind that says, I'm not yelling. But you'll wish I did.

Y/N turned to Jungkook. "Get the biggest churro. Drown it in chocolate. It might save us."

Jungkook snorted. "You mean save you."

"Collateral damage still counts," she whispered quickly, glancing behind her where Taehyung stood like a statue. He hadn't said a word since the "B-word" incident. Not a single syllable. Just silence. The kind that pressed down on her shoulders like bricks.

They waited at the cart as the vendor prepared the churros—thick, golden, sugar-dusted, and dipped generously in warm chocolate. Y/N wrung her fingers like she was waiting for a verdict in court. "Okay, now go slow. Calm. Casual. No sudden moves."

Jungkook gave her a side-eye. "You're acting like you're delivering an offering to a forest deity."

"He is a forest deity," she hissed. "With terrifying patience."

They approached the bench where Taehyung sat, leaning back casually with his phone in hand, long legs stretched out. He looked calm ,which somehow made her more nervous.