Love or Destiny

Laughter That Doesn't Reach the Heart

The house was loud again.

Music echoed faintly from someone's phone, laughter overlapped with playful arguments, and the living room had once again turned into a battlefield of chaos.

"Hey! Don't touch that, it's mine!" Jimin shouted, trying to grab the last piece of fried chicken from Jungkook.

"First come, first serve," Jungkook replied with a grin, already taking a bite.

"You're unbelievable," Jimin groaned.

From the couch, Yoongi watched lazily, completely unbothered.

"Children," he muttered under his breath.

"Then what are you, grandpa?" Jin shot back instantly.

Yoongi scoffed. "At least I don't fight over food."

"Because you already finished half of it before we sat down," Hoseok added.

That earned a round of laughter.

Across the room, Jennie sat beside Rosé and Lisa, trying to hide her smile.

Trying and failing.

Yoongi noticed. Of course he did.

He leaned back slightly, arms crossed, his lips curling into a faint smirk.

"Someone looks suspiciously happy today."

Jennie blinked, immediately looking away.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh really?" Jimin leaned in dramatically. "Then why are you smiling like that?"

Lisa joined in. "Yeah, unnie. Did something happen?"

Jennie shook her head quickly. "Nothing happened."

"Sure," Jungkook teased looking between Yoongi and Jennie, "nothing at all."

Yoongi let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head.

"...She's bad at lying."

Jennie shot him a glare, though her cheeks betrayed her instantly.

"Stop talking."

"Make me," he replied casually.

That only made things worse.

"WAIT," Jimin suddenly clapped his hands, eyes wide. "Did something happen between you two?"

Silence.

Then everyone looked at them at once.

Jennie froze.

Yoongi raised a brow.

"...You're all too invested."

"That means yes," Hoseok whispered loudly.

"Shut up," Yoongi warned, though there was no real threat behind it.

Laughter erupted again.

────୨ৎ────

But not all laughter felt the same.

Across the room, Jisoo stood near the window, a faint smile on her face as she watched the others.

She laughed when they laughed.

Reacted when they joked.

But something was missing. And someone noticed it.

Yoongi.

His gaze shifted from Jennie to Jisoo.

Then to Taehyung. Who sat quietly at the edge of the couch, scrolling through his phone, barely engaging.