RIVALS | jjk. ✓

9. a crush

"hyung, what do you do if you're interested in someone, and they tell you they're gay?" Jungkook breaks the silence among the group. As a result, he finds six pairs of eyes gazing at him intently.

"Then change your gender?" Jimin suggests , stretching out the tensed muscles of his arm.

"Cross dress?" Taehyung followed with another idea.

"You guys are not even making sense!" Jungkook responded with a frustrated whine. The rest of them exchanged mutual glances as he ruffled his hair aggressively.

"First of all, who is this mysterious person?" Hoseok comforts the maknae, rubbing circles around his back.

"I won't tell you, you'll steal her away from me." Jungkook refuses, eyeing his hyungs that were famous amongst the girls. "She's super cute."

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"Based on the scores in the previous physical class, Jeon Jungkook is placed the highest." The gym teacher announces to the students, and the girls in front begun to glance admiringly at the muscle pig. My response was contradictory to them in fact, I glared intensely at him as he purposely passed by with a smug smirk.

"Show-off" I stuck my tongue out at him who chose to sit beside me. He ignores my provoking, and just shifts closer to me so both our shoulders touched. I raised my eyebrows as he did, but Jungkook remains unfazed.

Why is he so casually comfortable with me... I thought to myself, shifting my butt to the other end, only to realise that Jungkook had moved closer to me. I was stuck between the corner and him who sat crossed legged next to me.

The rest of the class at the front listened intently to the teacher's instructions, but I had already drowned out his voice. All my attention was diverted to Jungkook's piercing gaze at my side profile - although I tried not to be stiff and facing the front, the more conscious I got.

"Soojung." He calls softly, nudging me by the side. I glanced at him briefly since I couldn't look at him directly from the way his shoulders rubbed against mine.

"Can we hang out after school today?" He leans over so he could see my face. Our eyes locked for an agonizing minute, before I could process the question in my head.

"I need to buy groceries later" I answered him, the tone of my voice slightly down. For some reason, I didn't want to reject his offer.....Wait, what?

Since he was still staring at me with our faces mere inches apart, I found myself facing down to avoid his eye contact. Jungkook notices my uncomfortable state and backs off, his cheeks also slightly tinted red.

"I'll go with you" he rests his head on his arm, knees propped up against his chest. A sweet smile was plastered on his lips as he stared curiously into my eyes.

Our conversation was cut when the teacher dismisses the students to form groups. I was assigned to a different one from Jungkook, and it felt....strange.

Then I realized why. Jungkook had always been by my side ever since I've enrolled in this school - he's become a presence that I could reach out for whenever I need, and he's always there.

But what exactly is he to me?

Friends? That seems like what people thought of us, but I wouldn't feel like it described our connection. If I were to put a title on him, I would assume he's my rival.