LOVEGAME OVER

13 - Game over

Taehyung is flicking through his phone next to Hoseok, barely aware of the world around him, when he feels uneasy, as if he were being watched. He looks up and briefly meets the glare of Jimin, who is sitting with Yoongi at the other side of the courtyard, before his best friend shakes his head and focuses again on what Yoongi is saying.

Taehyung frowns and carelessly asks his older classmate, "Why is Jimin so grumpy? Why are they even sitting on their own?"

Hoseok raises an eyebrow. "So you have no idea?"

"What? Did I do something?" The younger boy seems to realise something and asks once again, "Is it just because he is jealous of my online friend?"

Hoseok sighs. "Tae, it's more than that." He glances towards the two students sitting away from them and resumes, "I think he feels like he's losing you."

"But I ain't going nowhere."

"You're just... not there. Even when you're with us. And most of all, when you're with Jimin."

"But that's not true!" Taehyung groans. "He's just– He's overreacting. He can't see how great I feel since I met Jungkook. He's jealous he's not the one making me feel great."

His friend shrugs and mumbles, "You tell him, not me."

As Taehyung is getting angrier and angrier, he decides to lock his phone and get up to stride towards Yoongi and Jimin. Hoseok tries to stop him, but he walks fast and is already in front of the two boys, who look at him with a questioning expression.

"So, what's that about?" Taehyung hisses, putting his chin up. "You being exclusively with Yoongi?" Jimin has a sour laugh and rolls his eyes. "You're just so immature," he adds, annoyed. "Just admit you're only making a scene because you're jealous."

Jimin loses his smile and crosses his arms on his chest. "Oh, I'm being immature?" Yoongi immediately puts a hand on his tigh, trying to calm him down, but Jimin just gets up to face Taehyung. "At least, I'm not the one making friends with people I don't know. I have real friends. And I know how to keep them."

"So I was right, this is just about you being jealous."

"Of course I am jealous, Tae!" Jimin finally breaks down, and tries to fight his tears. "Why should I be the one to be second-best?" Yoongi rises too and attempts to separate them, but he gets two offensive glares in return that make him leave. "I'm tired of being neglected, I'm tired of having to wait for you. How should I say this so that you understand?" Jimin is now crying – he could not restrain his tears.

"You're my best friend, Jimin," Taehyung tries to reason. But it is as if he had not listened to what Jimin had said.

"No, I'm just a random person in your life, another player in your little game. One that you select and then unselect. And if you need me to keep on using the gaming terminology so you get it, I fucking will. So listen to me: if you don't start to change right now, believe me, it's game over with me." And Jimin leaves.