Chapter Three

The following morning, Jungkook slipped into the flow of high school life with practiced ease, his shy smile and soft-spoken demeanor earning him a handful of "Hi"s and friendly glances as he passed through the hallways. He carried his books close to his chest, his head slightly bowed, the perfect picture of innocence. But his mind was anything but.

He had spent the night replaying every interaction, every smile Taehyung had given Eunji. The shadows in his room had been louder than usual, their whispers crawling into his ears and setting his nerves on edge.

“She’s ruining everything,” they had hissed. “She doesn’t deserve him.”

Jungkook hadn’t argued with them. Instead, he had made his plan. It wasn’t enough to simply remove Eunji from Taehyung’s life—he had to do it in a way that would leave Taehyung vulnerable, open, ready to be claimed.

Now, sitting at their shared lunch table, Jungkook let his gaze linger on Eunji. She was laughing at something Taehyung had said, her hand brushing against his arm. Jungkook clenched his fork tighter, the metal digging into his palm. He forced himself to smile, his expression soft and unassuming.

"So, Eunji," he said, his voice quiet but curious. "How long have you and Taehyung been together?"

Eunji beamed at the question, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Almost two years now," she said, glancing at Taehyung with a look of pure adoration. "He’s amazing."

Jungkook tilted his head, feigning interest. "That’s a long time. You must trust each other a lot."

Eunji nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Taehyung’s the most loyal person I know."

Jungkook hummed, as if in agreement, but his mind was already spinning. Trust. It was such a fragile thing, so easy to break. He glanced at Taehyung, who was busy teasing one of their other friends about his terrible taste in music. His smile was radiant, carefree.

It was almost a shame Jungkook was going to ruin it. Almost.

---

After school, Jungkook lingered in the library, waiting for the right moment. He had noticed Eunji’s routine—the way she always stopped by the library to grab a book before heading home. Today was no different. She walked in, her bag slung over one shoulder, her phone in her hand.

Jungkook approached her with hesitant steps, clutching a random book he had grabbed off the nearest shelf. "Eunji?" he said softly.

She looked up, surprised but smiling. "Oh, hey, Jungkook! What’s up?"

He shifted on his feet, letting his gaze drop to the floor. "I… I don’t know if I should say this. It’s probably nothing, but…"

Her brow furrowed, concern flickering across her face. "What is it?"

Jungkook glanced around, as if making sure no one else was listening, before leaning in slightly. "I overheard something today… about Taehyung."

Eunji’s smile faltered. "What do you mean?"

Jungkook bit his lip, hesitating just long enough to make her uneasy. "I was in the art room during lunch, and I heard some girls talking. They mentioned Taehyung and…" He paused, his voice dropping to a whisper. "They said he’s been texting someone else. A girl."

Eunji’s face went pale. She stared at him, her eyes wide. "What? That… that can’t be true."

Jungkook shrugged, his expression apologetic. "I didn’t want to believe it either. Taehyung seems like such a great guy. But they sounded so certain. I thought you should know."

Eunji’s hands trembled as she clutched the strap of her bag. "Did they say who the girl was?"

"No," Jungkook said, shaking his head. "But they said she’s in our grade. I’m so sorry, Eunji. I really hope it’s just a misunderstanding."

Eunji nodded slowly, her jaw tightening. "Thanks for telling me, Jungkook. I… I’ll talk to him about it."

Jungkook watched as she left the library, her steps hurried and her shoulders tense. A small smile played on his lips. The seed had been planted.

---

That evening, Jungkook sat in his room, staring at the small burner phone he had purchased the day before. It was a cheap, disposable thing, but it would serve its purpose. He typed out a text, his fingers steady despite the thrill coursing through him.

> Hey, I had a great time talking to you yesterday. Can’t wait to see you again tomorrow. ;)

He saved the message as a draft, then typed in Taehyung’s number. It hadn’t been hard to get—one of their mutual friends had let it slip during lunch.

Once the message was sent, Jungkook leaned back against his bed, his heart pounding. It was a simple trick, one that relied on timing and paranoia. But he knew it would work.

---

The next day, Jungkook arrived at school early, slipping the burner phone into Taehyung’s locker. He had deleted the sent message and wiped the phone clean, leaving no trace of his involvement.

By lunchtime, the tension between Taehyung and Eunji was palpable. Eunji barely touched her food, her eyes darting to Taehyung every few minutes. Taehyung, for his part, looked confused and frustrated, repeatedly asking her what was wrong.

Jungkook watched it all unfold, his expression carefully neutral. Inside, he was smiling. This was only the beginning.

The shadows in his mind purred with satisfaction.

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