???? ????? ?? ???? -tk

The cafeteria buzzed with chatter and laughter as students relaxed during lunch, filling the space with the lively noise of carefree conversations. Taehyung and Jimin sat at their usual table, casually talking while Jungkook, Yoongi, and the rest of the "bad boys" lounged at a table nearby, casting subtle glances in their direction.

But suddenly, a shy-looking junior boy, probably just a freshman, nervously approached Taehyung, clutching his hands together as if for courage. He took a deep breath, his cheeks flushed a faint pink.

"I... I like you, Tae hyungie," he stammered, barely meeting Taehyung's gaze. "Would... would you maybe go out with me?"

Taehyung blinked, taken aback, but his face softened as he prepared to kindly let the boy down. "Hey, I'm flattered, but-"

Before he could finish, Jungkook shot up from his seat, his expression twisting with anger as he banged his hands onto the table with a loud smack, silencing the entire cafeteria. He stormed toward the junior, his voice venomous.

"what the fuck did you say? You fucking asshole!,, Jungkook's voice was dangerously low, his hand reaching to grip the boy's collar. The boy froze, terror evident in his eyes.

Jungkook leaned in closer, seething, "How dare you think you could confess to him? Are you fucki-"

"I-iam sorry" the boy tried to mumble an apology, but Jungkook didn't let up. His voice grew louder, echoing across the cafeteria. "You think he'd be interested in someone like you a fucking fag , a gay bitvh!! To suck his dick? And you have the nerve to confess in front of everyone?"

Taehyung's eyes widened, shocked not only by Jungkook's outburst but also by the harshness in his tone and the words he spun. Jimin looked over at jungkook, equally horrified.

"Jungkook, stop!" Taehyung managed to speak up, but Jungkook barely glanced his way.

"wgy should I? Don't tell me you're considering this fags confession" Jungkook spat, pulling out his phone and shoving it toward the boy's face, snapping a picture. "Let everyone see this-some pathetic little faggot thinking he could confess to anyone."

"Jungkook, what are you doing?" Taehyung's voice cracked as he panicked seeing jungkook sending the picture of the guy in the "university students" group anable to hide his hurt. "Stop this, now!" he barked

But Jungkook, driven by a mix of jealousy and anger he couldn't control, scoffed and muttered loud enough for the entire cafeteria to hear, "What kind of loser confesses to a guy anyway? Ridiculous. He should be ashamed."

The room fell silent, and a chilling tension spread as people exchanged uncertain glances. Taehyung's face fell, a deep sadness clouding his eyes. Jimin clutched his tray, his face drained of color, horror spreading through him. He'd never seen this side of Jungkook before, and the overt homophobia struck him hard. Memories of a M
more accepting environment in Thailand filled his mind, making Jungkook's words even more unsettling.

Seeing Taehyung's expression, Jungkook's confidence faltered for a second, but his pride forced him to hold his ground, refusing to acknowledge the hurt he was causing.

"Has koo-jungkook changed for good ?" Taehyung thought, his heart sinking. He felt the sting of betrayal as he watched Jungkook's indifference.

Meanwhile, Yoongi, sitting a few seats away, watched the scene unfold with a blank expression, arms crossed. His face betrayed no emotion, as though he couldn't care less about the drama surrounding him. Inside, he felt a pang of empathy for Taehyung and Jimin. But he kept it to himself, his silence part of the armor he'd built over the years. Yoongi knew he could care less about people's opinions of his sexuality, should anyone ever find out. To him, everyone was entitled to be who they were, whether they fit into the "norm" or not.

Finally, Taehyung managed to speak, his voice emotionless, yet it cut through the silence like a blade. "Is this really who you are, Jungkook? All this time, I thought... I thought I knew you. But maybe I was wrong."

Jungkook's jaw clenched, the hint of regret flashing in his eyes, but his stubborn pride wouldn't let him say anything in response. He wanted to defend himself, to explain that he didn't mean it like that, but his silence spoke louder than any words he could muster.

The crowd around them, sensing the intensity of the moment, remained silent, unsure if they should watch or leave. Taehyung took a deep breath, looking at Jimin for a moment, who gave him a small nod of encouragement.

"Let's go, Jimin," Taehyung said, his voice steady but filled with an underlying pain. He didn't look back as he turned away from Jungkook, each step feeling heavier than the last. Jimin followed, casting one last hurt glance at Jungkook before turning his attention back to his friend.

As they walked away, Yoongi uncrossed his arms and watched Jungkook for a moment, his expression unreadable. He approached Jungkook, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"So, that's your true color, huh?" Yoongi's voice was cold. "Turns out, you're not as different as the rest of them."

Jungkook glared at Yoongi but found himself unable to come up with a retort. His own actions left him feeling exposed and vulnerable, especially under Yoongi's gaze.

Yoongi simply shook his head and walked away, leaving Jungkook standing alone, surrounded by silence. As the cafeteria returned to its usual noise, Jungkook couldn't shake the hollow feeling in his chest, wondering if he had just ruined something irreplaceable.

--

Tbc