Hide And Seek...

The classroom buzzed with energy as students from various departments filtered in. This was no ordinary class—it was Creative Collaboration and Innovation, where engineers, writers, and creatives were mashed into project groups whether they liked it or not.

Jungkook quietly slipped into his usual spot—near the window, dropping his bag by the desk and settling in with a sigh.

Just then, Jimin slid into the seat beside him, grinning like a cat that had just found a laser pointer. “Look at us. Fated to sit together,” he said with a wink.

Jungkook stared blankly. “It’s a shared class. Literally anyone could’ve sat here.”

Jimin gasped dramatically. “Cold. You wound me.”

Before Jungkook could formulate a dull comeback, Hyanbi appeared behind them—and stopped mid-step.

“Dude,” she said dangerously, her smile not quite reaching her eyes, “That’s. My. Seat.”

Jimin lazily stretched his arms over the desk. “Too late. Destiny sat me here.”

“Move,” she said.

“Never.”

“Fine. I’ll sit on you.”

“I’d sue.”

Jungkook blinked as the volume of their petty bickering increased.

Behind them, three familiar voices joined the room.

“Yo, Jungkook!” Seojun called out as he walked in with Minho and Suhang right behind. They took seats in the row behind Jungkook, Minho sliding in next to Jimin with a suspicious glance.

“Who's this guy?” Minho muttered, eyeing Jimin.

“Friend of yours?” Suhang asked Jungkook, raising an eyebrow.

Jungkook shrugged. “Not exactly.”

Jimin leaned back in his chair and flashed them a peace sign. “I’m a mystery. A beautifully chaotic mystery.”

“Great,” Seojun said under his breath. “A clown.”

“Hey, I heard that,” Jimin shot back, narrowing his eyes—but in that cheeky, unbothered way.

Meanwhile, Hyanbi was still trying to reclaim her seat from Jimin, who had now barricaded himself with a textbook and a water bottle fortress.

Jungkook watched it all unfold—Hyanbi arguing, Jimin smirking, Seojun and Minho trying to decode the situation, and Suhang just sipping her iced coffee with raised eyebrows.

And for a fleeting moment, Jungkook smiled.

The chaos had somehow drowned out the shadows.

“You know,” Hyanbi huffed, now standing behind Jimin with her arms crossed, “you’ve got the attitude of a cat and the seating manners of a gremlin.”

Jimin turned slowly, raising a brow. “You flatter me. I’ve always identified spiritually with chaotic neutral energy.”

“More like chaotic annoying,” Seojun muttered from behind, watching the battle unfold like it was the best free entertainment of the day.

Minho was already opening a snack he smuggled in, offering Suhang some, who took a bite and whispered, “This is better than K-drama.”

"Jimin,” Jina warned again, “If you don’t move, I will—”

Suddenly, she reached forward and poked his cheek.

Jimin let out the most dramatic gasp known to mankind. “Assault! I’ve been violated! You saw that, right? Witnesses, all of you!”