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The happiness Taehyung and Jimin found in each other’s company became harder for Jungkook to ignore. He’d see them together in the library, Jimin leaning in close to Taehyung, murmuring something that made him smile. Or in the cafeteria, where Jimin would gently nudge Taehyung, and they’d both burst into laughter. It was as if they were in their own world—one that Jungkook wasn’t a part of anymore.

His jealousy grew, twisting into something dark. He found himself imagining ways to pull Taehyung back, to remind him of their bond. But it felt like Taehyung had forgotten about him, and the idea of Taehyung moving on with Jimin was a reality Jungkook couldn’t handle.

One day, he caught them in the hallway. Taehyung was laughing, his eyes bright as Jimin whispered something in his ear. Jungkook’s fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms as he watched them. Without thinking, he took a step toward them, fully intending to break up their little moment. But then, as if on cue, his friends appeared around him, their jeering and taunts pulling him back.

“Getting jealous, are we?” one of them sneered, watching Jungkook’s gaze fixated on Taehyung and Jimin. “Looks like you really did lose your puppy, huh?”

Jungkook forced a smirk, shrugging it off, but the anger simmered beneath. He knew his pride wouldn’t let him admit the truth—that he wanted Taehyung back by his side, that he was consumed by an urge he couldn’t explain. But each time he tried to get close, his friends’ voices and his own ego pulled him back, taunting him with reminders of how he’d “moved on” from Taehyung.

He was spiraling, and he knew it. But instead of facing his feelings, he let them fester, jealousy brewing into something dangerous, something that would eventually come to hurt Taehyung more than he intended.

________

While Jungkook wrestled with his jealousy, Yoongi had his own dark plans brewing. Seeing Jimin happy with Taehyung, laughing and carefree, fueled his anger. Memories of their past—things Jimin had done that Yoongi had never forgiven—flashed in his mind. The fact that Jimin could simply move on, find happiness with someone else, grated on him in a way he couldn’t control.

He began plotting ways to make Jimin’s life at this university a nightmare, just like he’d done at the previous one. Quiet threats in the hallways, anonymous messages meant to shake him up, and rumors whispered among students to turn others against him. Yoongi wanted Jimin to feel isolated, cornered, to remember that he couldn’t escape the mistakes he’d made.

And as Yoongi’s anger simmered, he started looking for moments to strike—moments when Jimin was vulnerable, alone, moments when he could remind him that he would never be free from his past.

______

Meanwhile, Taehyung and Jimin remained blissfully unaware of the storm brewing around them. They were deep in their studies, preparing for exams, sharing late-night study sessions, and enjoying the simple moments they’d found in each other’s presence. They felt like two people who’d found a safe harbor in the midst of a chaotic world.

Jimin, for the first time in a long time, felt like he had someone who understood him. Taehyung’s presence was a balm, a calm that eased the pain he’d carried from his past. With Taehyung, he didn’t feel judged; he felt seen, appreciated for who he was, not who he’d been.

Taehyung, too, found himself opening up in ways he hadn’t before. He shared stories from his childhood, dreams he’d buried, and even some of the hurt he’d felt when Jungkook distanced himself. Jimin listened, offering quiet support, and their bond grew deeper with every passing day.

Their world felt like a bubble of peace, a small pocket of happiness that shielded them from the shadows of their pasts. They spent hours in each other’s company, laughing, sharing secrets, and finding solace in the comfort they’d created together.

_______

But Jungkook and Yoongi watched from the shadows, each simmering with their own unresolved emotions, waiting for the right moment to act.

Jungkook’s jealousy reached a boiling point each time he saw Jimin and Taehyung together, his resentment festering, his mind torn between wanting to pull Taehyung back and pushing him away to save face. He hated the way Jimin’s presence made him feel, the jealousy that gnawed at him whenever he saw Taehyung’s soft smiles directed at someone else.

__________

Tbc