Chapter 4: The Jealous Game

The weekend rolled in with the first breath of spring, and campus was alive with sunshine and chaos. Students spilled onto the lawns, couples tangled together under trees, frisbees flew, and the scent of blooming cherry blossoms drifted through the air.

But inside the fine arts building, tension simmered.

Jungkook had been paired with a fellow dance major for an upcoming showcase—Jiyoon, a tall, elegant ballerina with a smile that made people melt.

“She’s just a partner,” Jungkook told Taehyung for the third time that day.

Taehyung didn’t respond. He was too busy biting into an apple like it had personally wronged him.

“I’m literally not even into girls,” Jungkook added, exasperated.

“She touched your waist,” Taehyung muttered.

“She had to, it was choreography.”

Taehyung gave him a long, narrow-eyed glare. “You blushed.”

“I was sweating!”

Jimin, who had walked into the studio mid-argument, raised his brows. “Ooooh, the tiger’s jealous.”

“Am not.”

Yoongi followed Jimin inside and smirked. “You totally are.”

“I’m protective,” Taehyung grumbled.

“Possessive,” Jungkook corrected.

“Same thing.”

That afternoon, Taehyung dragged Jungkook to the basketball courts, insisting that he needed to blow off steam.

Jungkook, dressed in shorts and a tank top, was stretching on the side when Lisa showed up, ponytail bouncing.

“Hey, Kook,” she chirped. “Mind if I join?”

“Sure,” Jungkook said, smiling.

Taehyung’s eye twitched.

Seokjin leaned against the fence, watching the drama unfold like a soap opera. Hoseok joined him with a bag of chips.

“I give Taehyung five minutes before he explodes,” Seokjin said.

“Three,” Hoseok replied.

Sure enough, two minutes later, Taehyung yanked Jungkook’s hand and pulled him close.

“What?” Jungkook asked.

“You smiled at her.”

“She’s our friend!”

“You smiled like you smile at me.”

Jungkook blinked. “Oh my God, you’re insane.”

Taehyung leaned in, whispering, “Only for you.”

Lisa raised her brow. “Damn. Should I leave?”

“No,” Jungkook said, glaring at Taehyung. “I want a rematch. One-on-one.”

“What’s the bet?” Taehyung smirked.

“If I win, you stop being jealous.”

“And if I win?”

“You get to pick what I wear on our next date.”

Seokjin hooted. “Oh, he’s gonna make you wear leather pants, guaranteed.”

They played. They teased. They tackled. And in the end—

“YES!” Jungkook yelled, sinking the final basket.

Taehyung dropped to the court in dramatic defeat.

“I expect you to behave like a normal human now,” Jungkook said, towering over him.

Taehyung pulled him down and kissed his cheek. “Not possible.”

That night, back in the dorms, Jimin sprawled over Yoongi’s bed, humming.

“You didn’t get jealous today,” he said softly.

Yoongi raised an eyebrow. “Why would I?”

“Just thought… maybe you cared.”

Yoongi looked at him for a long moment.

Then he said, “I do. That’s why I don’t play games.”

Jimin’s breath caught.

Yoongi moved closer, lips brushing Jimin’s ear. “But if you want to make me jealous, wear someone else’s hoodie tomorrow.”

Jimin grinned. “So possessive.”

“Same thing,” Yoongi whispered.

Outside, the cherry blossoms continued to fall, and the world spun on.

But inside their small, chaotic circle of love and tension, everything was changing.

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