Chapter Four

Eunji didn’t show up to school the next day.

Jungkook noticed immediately. Her usual seat at the lunch table was empty, the air heavier without her bright, easy laughter. Taehyung sat next to where she should have been, his phone clutched tightly in his hand. His brows were furrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line. He looked tired. Distracted.

Jungkook waited until the others were distracted by their own conversations before speaking. "Is everything okay, Taehyung?" His voice was soft, laced with the perfect amount of concern.

Taehyung glanced at him, startled, as though he hadn’t realized Jungkook was sitting there. "Huh? Oh… yeah. Everything’s fine."

But it wasn’t fine. Jungkook could see it in the way Taehyung’s knee bounced under the table, the way he kept glancing at his phone like he was waiting for a message that wouldn’t come.

"If you ever need to talk," Jungkook said, letting his gaze drop shyly to his hands, "I’m here."

Taehyung gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Jungkook. That means a lot."

It was the first crack, a hairline fracture in the foundation of Taehyung and Eunji’s relationship. And Jungkook was going to drive a wedge into it until it shattered completely.

---

That evening, Jungkook sat in the darkness of his room, the faint glow of his laptop screen illuminating his face. The burner phone rested on the desk beside him, silent for now. He had been patient, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again.

He opened a new email account under a fake name, keeping everything anonymous. Then he began to type.

> To: Eunji

Subject: You Deserve to Know

Hi, Eunji. I’m sorry to send this to you anonymously, but I feel like you need to know the truth. Taehyung hasn’t been honest with you. He’s been talking to someone else behind your back. I’ve seen the messages myself.

I know this is hard to believe, but I’m only telling you because you deserve better. If you want proof, check his locker. There’s a phone in there. It’s not his usual one—it’s hidden. You’ll see for yourself.

I’m sorry you’re going through this, but you deserve to know the truth.

He read over the email twice before hitting send. The moment he clicked the button, a thrill shot through him. The game was in motion.

---

The next morning, Eunji was back at school. Her expression was tight, her eyes rimmed red like she hadn’t slept. Jungkook watched from the corner of his eye as she made her way toward Taehyung’s locker.

She waited until the hallway was mostly empty, then quickly opened it. Jungkook could see the way her hands trembled as she rummaged through his things. When she found the burner phone, her face went pale.

She didn’t even wait for Taehyung to show up. She stormed off, the phone clutched tightly in her hand.

By lunchtime, the tension between them was impossible to ignore. Eunji sat across from Taehyung, her arms crossed and her expression icy. Taehyung looked confused and frustrated, his voice rising slightly as he tried to explain himself.

"I don’t even know where that phone came from!" he said, his tone defensive. "Why would I hide something like that? You know I wouldn’t do that to you."

"Then why was it in your locker, Taehyung?" Eunji snapped, her voice shaking. "And don’t tell me you don’t know, because someone’s been texting me about this for days!"

Jungkook, sitting a few seats away, let his gaze dart between them, his expression carefully concerned. He didn’t say anything—he didn’t need to.

The other students at the table shifted uncomfortably, some of them muttering excuses to leave. By the time lunch ended, it was just Jungkook, Taehyung, and Eunji sitting in tense silence.

Eunji finally stood, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. She glared at Taehyung, her voice low but venomous. "I can’t do this anymore, Taehyung. If you want to lie, fine. But don’t expect me to stick around for it."

She turned and walked away, leaving Taehyung sitting there, stunned.

---

That evening, Jungkook found Taehyung in the art room, his head buried in his hands. The soft glow of the overhead lights cast long shadows across the room, making it feel smaller, more intimate.

"Taehyung?" Jungkook’s voice was soft, hesitant.

Taehyung looked up, his eyes bloodshot. He looked utterly defeated. "Hey, Jungkook," he mumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you," Jungkook said, stepping closer. "You seemed upset after lunch."

Taehyung let out a bitter laugh. "Upset is an understatement." He ran a hand through his hair, his voice breaking slightly. "Eunji… she broke up with me."

Jungkook’s heart skipped a beat, but he forced his expression to remain neutral. "I’m so sorry, Taehyung. I… I didn’t know things were that bad between you two."

"They weren’t!" Taehyung exclaimed, his voice raw with frustration. "At least, I didn’t think they were. But then this whole thing with the phone… I don’t even know where it came from, Jungkook. I swear I didn’t do anything wrong."

Jungkook hesitated, then placed a gentle hand on Taehyung’s shoulder. "I believe you," he said softly. "Sometimes people just… misunderstand things. Maybe Eunji will come around once she calms down."

Taehyung shook his head. "She won’t. She already blocked me."

Jungkook tightened his grip on Taehyung’s shoulder, his voice firm but comforting. "Then maybe this is for the best. If she doesn’t trust you, maybe she’s not the right person for you."

Taehyung didn’t respond, but his shoulders slumped further.

Jungkook stayed by his side, silent but present, letting the moment stretch out. He could feel the bond between them growing, the cracks in Taehyung’s heart widening just enough for Jungkook to slip inside.

This was what he had wanted.

What he needed.

And he wasn’t going to stop until Taehyung was his, completely.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***