Yugyeom cleared his throat, leaning forward with a playful glint in his eyes. "Jungkook," he started, a hint of mischief lacing his tone, "aren't you going to introduce us to your friend here? I thought we knew everyone you were close to."
Mingyu chimed in almost immediately, grinning as he eyed Taehyung. "Yeah, seriously. We've never seen this guy before. A new face in your circle? Interesting."
Taehyung, caught mid-bite, blinked at the sudden attention. He offered a polite smile, unsure of how to respond.
Mingyu leaned closer, resting his chin on his hand as he addressed Taehyung directly. "So, do you have a boyfriend? If not, make me yourâ"
Mingyu didn't get to finish his sentence. His words were cut off by a sharp groan as he grabbed at his leg, glaring daggers at Jungkook.
"Can you stop doing that?" Mingyu hissed, rubbing the spot where Jungkook had just kicked him under the table. "I'm just asking! Why are you so offended?"
Yugyeom stifled a laugh, clearly enjoying the tension. "Wow, Jungkook," he teased, "you're being a little territorial, don't you think?"
Jungkook shot his friends a warning glare, his jaw tightening. He could tell they were deliberately trying to provoke him, but before he could retort, a voice from a nearby table caught his attention.
"Where's Kim Taehyung today?"
Jungkook turned his head slightly, his sharp gaze landing on a group seated not far from them. It was Gyungho, surrounded by his usual crowdâSiwoo and Yejoon, two people Jungkook already couldn't stand.
Yejoon snickered, nudging Gyungho. "Seriously, Gyungho-hyung, he didn't come to see you today? That's rare. Did your personal shadow finally give up?"
Siwoo added with a smirk, "Yeah, it feels weird without him trailing behind you like a puppy, begging for scraps of attention."
Taehyung froze for a moment, his hand tightening around his fork. The words hit a little too close to home, bringing back fragments of the dream that had been haunting him. Memories of Gyungho's indifference and his friends' constant mockery replayed in his mind, making his chest tighten.
In the dream, Taehyung had endured so much. Gyungho's silence had hurt more than the words of his friends. It was as though his loyalty, his love, had meant nothing.
He rolled his eyes, focusing back on his food, trying to shake off the bitterness rising in his chest.
Was I really that foolish? Taehyung thought, frowning. How did I put up with that for so long? Six years of humiliation, all for someone who didn't even stand up for me?
Yugyeom, who had also overheard the conversation, scoffed loudly. "Wow, those three are truly something else. Talking like that behind someone's back? How pathetic."
Mingyu nodded in agreement, though he couldn't resist adding his own playful comment. "But I gotta say, I'd gladly go through a little humiliation if it meant I got to pay tribute to the great Kim Taehyung."
He turned to Jungkook, smirking. "By the way, is it just me, or does 'Tae' sound like an awfully familiar nickname? Jungkook, you called him that just now. Your names sound so similar. What a coincidence."
Jungkook stiffened, his expression darkening. "Why are you talking nonsense?"
Mingyu leaned back, holding up his hands in surrender. "Whoa, calm down! What's wrong with you?"
Taehyung stayed quiet, taking another bite of his food as he listened to the banter.
Even strangers can see how much effort I put in, he thought, a mixture of embarrassment and regret washing over him. In the dream, I took the initiative too far. I was practically begging for something that was never mine to begin with.
Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Yo, Kim Taehyung! You've been here a long time."
Taehyung glanced up to see Siwoo smirking at him from across the cafeteria, his tone dripping with mockery.
Yejoon joined in, laughing cruelly. "I thought you had a little self-respect."
The two of them laughed as if they had shared the most amusing joke of the day.
"Here, come here, come here," Siwoo said, his voice condescending as he gestured toward Gyungho. "Gyungho-hyung is waiting for you."
His tone was so demeaning it made Taehyung's stomach churn. Siwoo's words weren't a request but a command, spoken as if Taehyung were a dog expected to obey.
Taehyung looked down at his food, his grip tightening around his chopsticks. The sharp edges of his emotionsâshame, discomfort, and a simmering angerâbegan to cut through him. Across the table, Jungkook calmly sipped his water, his expression unreadable but his eyes betraying his rising irritation.
"If you don't come," Yejoon added, smirking, "Gyungho-hyung might get mad at you."
Taehyung's fingers clenched tighter around his chopsticks, but he didn't move. Jungkook noticed the tension, his sharp eyes darting to Taehyung's trembling hands. Beside him, Mingyu and Yugyeom exchanged confused glances.
"What are those three shouting about?" Mingyu muttered, his voice laced with curiosity.
Before anyone could answer, Gyungho called out, his voice smooth and authoritative, a sharp contrast to his friends' taunts. "Taehyung, come over."
Taehyung took a deep breath, his mind swirling. Then, without looking up, he replied in a soft but firm voice, "Sorry. I won't eat with you guys anymore."
The words felt like a small rebellion, but they carried a weight that Taehyung hadn't expected. For the first time, he was standing his ground, breaking away from the chains of his past.
Jungkook raised an eyebrow, surprised. He studied Taehyung, puzzled. This was the second time today that Taehyung had turned Gyungho downâa behavior that was completely out of character based on what he knew.
"What did you say?" Gyungho asked, his tone sharp with disbelief.
Taehyung raised his head, meeting Gyungho's gaze for the first time. His voice didn't waver this time. "I said I won't be with you guys anymore."
For a moment, Gyungho looked stunned. Then, he chuckled, the sound tinged with disbelief. "Are you serious?"
Never again, Taehyung thought firmly. The fragments of that dream woke me up. I need to avoid people who don't care about me, people who bring nothing but pain.
"Taehyung," Gyungho said, his voice dropping an octave, "I'll say it one last time. Come over."
Taehyung exhaled deeply and gave a small shake of his head.
Siwoo sneered. "What's gotten into you? Did you lose your mind, or did you hook up with someone else?"
That was the last straw.
Jungkook, who had been quietly holding himself back, slammed his chopsticks onto the table with a loud, sharp clatter. The entire cafeteria seemed to pause as all eyes turned toward him.
"Do you three even have ears?" Jungkook growled, his tone low but dangerously sharp. "Taehyung already said no. Are you all so dense that you can't take a simple refusal? Or are your mouths just that used to spouting nonsense?"
Yejoon, bristling at the insult, started to rise from his seat, but Gyungho stopped him with a raised hand.
"Enough," Gyungho said coolly, though there was an unmistakable edge of irritation in his voice. He looked at Taehyung, his expression unreadable. "You know I don't like people acting this way."
Taehyung didn't flinch. "I meant what I said."
Gyungho's jaw tightened. He stared at Taehyung for a long moment before shaking his head. "Don't regret this," he said simply. With that, he turned and walked away, followed closely by Yejoon and Siwoo, who both shot glares at Jungkook as they left.
As the tension eased, Taehyung slumped slightly in his seat, his thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. He felt a mix of liberation and self-reproachâfree from the toxic pull of Gyungho but still angry with himself for not seeing through him sooner.
Suddenly, an arm slung around his shoulders, pulling him into a light, familiar embrace. He turned to see Jungkook grinning at him.
"Let me introduce him properly," Jungkook said, his voice teasing. "This is Kim Taehyung. You could say he's like my childhood sweetheart."
Taehyung chuckled, his earlier tension melting away at Jungkook's antics.
Mingyu pouted dramatically. "Oh, come on! Why don't I have a childhood sweetheart?"
Yugyeom smirked, nudging Mingyu. "Well, if he's Jungkook's childhood sweetheart, then by extension, he's ours too, right? Childhood sweetheart by association."
Both of them extended their hands to Taehyung for a handshake, only to be shoved back into their seats by Jungkook.
"Enough nonsense," Jungkook said, rolling his eyes. "Just eat."
The lighthearted banter made Taehyung laugh, his heart feeling lighter than it had in days.
Gyungho's friends always found faults in others, always brought tension wherever they went. Comparing that to this, Taehyung thought, looking around at the easy camaraderie at the table, it was so exhausting to keep up with them. This is what it feels like to truly relax.