The Way Our Hearts Beat

EIGHTEEN

12th March

'Please, just stop looking at me.'

All that he had enjoyed, the fun Jungkook had had with Taehyung, it had all shattered, right there, on his lap, the moment he heard the name 'Ethan' come out of Taehyung's mouth. It brought back bitter memories of when he still liked Ethan. After all, it was a regretful, ominous phase of his life.

Ethan never talked to Jungkook at school after the incident. He didn't even dare make eye-contact with him. And then, after he finished school, he simply left. Jungkook had no news of him, no texts, no calls and life just went on. But there he was, sitting three seats away on the opposite side of the table, glaring at Jungkook every now and then.

Jungkook would try to keep himself engaged with his food while talking to Taehyung right beside him, but the non-existent burning sensation of Ethan's stare growing onto Jungkook's face was highly unpleasant. Did he want to talk to him? Was something about him disturbing Ethan? Did he still find Jungkook unethically wrong in his doings? Whatever it was, Jungkook did not know.

Taehyung wasn't any stranger to uncomfortable situations, he sensed the awkward rift between the two the moment he introduced them to each other. Jungkook had repulsed shifty movements and he avoided Ethan's gaze. While Ethan was just expressionless, looking at Jungkook as if he wanted to ask him something, or maybe even stuff a chicken leg down his throat, Taehyung couldn't tell, Ethan had always been a confusing person to read.

After dinner, Jungkook was ready to leave. As much as he wanted to stay by Taehyung until dessert, he was more concerned that Ethan might come up to him to talk. Jungkook didn't want to create a scene of any sort, especially after Yoongi got to know about Ethan's presence at the festival. Yoongi insisted he could go talk to Ethan to back off, but Jungkook told him not to.

"Just calm yourself, Jungkook." Yoongi told him as the two stood at the head of the table, while Taehyung and Jimin worked something out. "If you just give me the permission, I can just go and-"

"You don't need to, Yoongi." Jungkook replied. "And I am calm."

"Are you?"

Jungkook rolled his tongue and avoided eye-contact. "Yeah, okay, I don't know. But it's infuriating, Yoongi! That guy was awfully rude to me when he found out! I understand that it can be a bit confusing in the first go, but we were together for a year after that!" Jungkook held up a finger to exaggerate his words with hand movements. "And never once did he ever think of apologizing! Now, he's here and staring at me like he wants something from me! How am I supposed to stay calm?" he took a deep breath in frustration. "I just want to go back from here. The atmosphere is ruined."

Yoongi folded his arms. "Well, first, how about you tone down your amazing dance moves. You're grabbing unnecessary attention."

Jungkook frowned in dismay. "Those weren't dance moves."

"Okay, we got you your bandannas." Jimin's voice came from behind Jungkook. "It's time for war!" his voice sounded like he was extremely excited about this 'war'.

"Jimin, do not, for the last time, say it like that." Taehyung came by his side. "We are not going to war."

"Oh, it's a war, Taehyung." he eyed him with great determination to overthrow him in the 'war'.

"Wait- what's this 'war' about?" Yoongi interrupted the two. "And why did you get bandanas for us, Jimin?" he looked down at the red and blue cloth in Jimin's hands.

"Oh, right." Jimin sighed and gave Taehyung a pinched look. "We didn't tell them."

Taehyung sighed and took the blue coloured cloth pieces from Jimin and handed one to Jungkook while he kept one for himself. "It's for our game of 'Capture the flag'."