Paper Hearts

11

Jisoo sat on a chair, waiting for Jennie to arrive with her little minions so that cheerleading practice for the day would begin. It was the third week of practice, and Jennie was actually quite impressed with the younger- not that she would admit it.

Jennie entered the room and gave a curt nod to Jisoo, who looked away at once. Cheerleading practice was the only time they actually got along, and Jisoo didn't mind listening to the older.

"Jisoo," Jennie said. "Hyemi isn't going to be able to help me train the rookies for the next few weeks. Since you're already okay at this...you mind taking her spot?"

Jisoo nodded. "Cool."

The two girls had learnt to tolerate each other, partly because they had to stay around each other most of the tome with Jisoo coming over every alternate day because her brothers weren't home and partly because Jennie liked to vent in front of the younger because even though she wouldn't admit it, Jisoo was the most non-judgemental person she had ever met. Also, Jennie knew Jisoo wouldn't snitch on her and she could bitch about practically anyone, so she took full advantage of that.

By the time practice ended, Jisoo was panting hard, gasping for air, but Jennie hardly broke a sweat. "How do you do that?" Jisoo asked, wiping off the beads of sweat from her forehead.

"Practice makes perfect," Jennie said with a grin. This was the first time Jisoo had seen her happy, really happy. All the other times that Jennie had smiled were vile or malicious in some way or the other, but this, right now- it was purely genuine. Jennie looked beautiful, and Jisoo blinked once, snapping out of it as fast as she had been drawn into the thought.

The girls hurried to the shower room, rushing to get to the stalls first. Jennie sat on the bench and waited for most of the crowd to clear before she dug out her towel from her bag, turning around to get to the empty stall, stopping in her tracks as she saw a naked Jisoo, clad in a towel only, running her fingers through her freshly washed hair.

Jennie stood rooted to the spot, staring at the junior's bare shoulders, and then at her collarbones, eyes dipping slowly towards her exposed milky thighs, looking so tempting that Jennie's mind suffered the process of steady corruption and her lips parted as she sucked in her breath, trying to empty her head of the sinful thoughts.

"What?" Jisoo said. "Why are you red?"

Jennie looked away in different directions, looked anywhere but at Jisoo, as she realised her neck and face felt hotter than ever. "You're gonna catch a cold. Wear your clothes," she said, rushing to get away from the now confused girl.

As the warm water hit Jennie's back, she sighed and looked down at her feet. "Nothing happened. Nothing." But it didn't sound even a bit convincing to her ears.

• • •

Jungkook's parents had made it clear- he was the black sheep of the family. It didn't matter that his grades were satisfactory, his sports quota was excellent and he was the only son they had.

He had yelled at them, his eyes red and his voice shaking. "YOU HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING FOR ME EXCEPT THROW YOUR MONEY IN MY FACE, SO DON'T GIVE ME YOUR BULLSHIT." He'd left immediately, tears in his eyes and a tightness in his chest.

As he walked through the halls of his school on a Sunday, he enjoyed the solace, humming along to the song playing on his phone. He stopped abruptly outside his classroom and a smile adorned his face despite the circumstances.

"Baby boy," he said. Taehyung looked up from the papers in his hand and groaned.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same."

"The Olympiad," Taehyung said. "I participated last month. The results came."

"And...?" Jungkook walked into the room and peeked into the papers.

"I'm qualified for the next round even though I didn't think I have a shot," he said.

"Well, you're smart," Jungkook said, pushing a lock of hair behing Taehyung's ear, surprising him.

Taehyung looked away, scarlet dusting his face and spoke quietly. "I'm going to leave."

Jungkook held his waist, and spoke softly. "Baby boy...look at me." But Taehyung avoided eye contact, making Jungkook hold his face by the chin.

"I..." Jungkook began, taking a deep breath and summoning all the courage he could. He pushed the older against the wall, caging him between his muscular arms and maintaining a dangerously small distance between their faces.

Taehyung's eyebrow furrowed and he looked at Jungkook, frowning. "Let me go."

Jungkook shook his head. "I...I don't know what happens to me when I'm around you," he said, his voice nervous and shaky. "I feel things I'm not supposed to feel...things I've never felt. I-I...I think I like you too much."

Taehyung looked straight into his eyes and scoffed. "Get away from me." His voice was so serious, that Jungkook dropped his arms to his sides, but didn't move back.

"Don't you...feel the same way?" Jungkook was confused. The students in his school would give up everything to date him, and yet here Taehyung was, possibly rejecting him.

"Feel the same way?" Taehyung half-shouted. "Are you serious?" He paused to laugh and then continued. "People like you disgust me...walking around like you own the world or something."

Jungkook remained silent, processing Taehyung's words, but failing to understand how anyone, especially a nerd could outright reject Jeon Jungkook.

"I hate you," Taehyung said and pushed Jungkook away.

The younger stood there for a moment and slowly forced out a dry chuckle. "You don't mean that."

Taehyung rolled his eyes and turned away to leave the room, stopping reluctantly as Jungkook held his wrist and spoke with desperation. "Please."

Taehyung yanked his hand away and turned to look as Jungkook with dark eyes. "You're nothing but a rich brat and a bully." He turned around and spoke with his back facing the younger. "And now, you're just pathetic."

•   •   •

Author's note:

I'm not crying, you are.