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Under The Same Sky

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Chapter 4 – The Rooftop

The next few days passed in a strange pattern neither of them expected.

Taehyung kept finding Jungkook everywhere.

In the literature building.

In the café near campus.

In the library at exactly seven in the evening.

And somehow, their conversations became easier each time.

Not softer.

Jungkook was still sarcastic.

Taehyung was still dramatic.

But the tension between them had started changing into something else.

Something quieter.

Something dangerous.

“You’re staring again.”

Taehyung blinked and looked away from Jungkook immediately.

“I wasn’t staring.”

“You’ve said that three times this week.”

“Because you keep accusing me unfairly.”

Jungkook looked back down at his notebook. “You walked into a chair five seconds ago.”

“That chair attacked me.”

“You’re embarrassing.”

“And yet you continue spending time with me voluntarily.”

Jungkook’s pen paused slightly.

Taehyung noticed.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

They were sitting in the campus café after class, pretending to work on their assignment while Taehyung mostly distracted Jungkook every five minutes.

Actually, every two minutes.

“Do you ever relax?” Taehyung asked while watching Jungkook edit his essay again.

“I am relaxed.”

“You look like you’re preparing for a national emergency.”

“I’m fixing your grammar.”

“That is a national emergency.”

Jungkook sighed softly, but Taehyung noticed the corner of his mouth twitch upward again.

Small progress.

Tiny progress.

But progress.

A loud voice suddenly interrupted them.

“Taehyung!”

Taehyung looked up immediately and smiled brightly. “Jimin!”

Park Jimin rushed toward the table dramatically before dropping into the empty seat beside Taehyung.

Jimin was Taehyung’s roommate and probably the loudest person on campus.

Which was saying something because Taehyung himself was very loud.

Jimin looked between them curiously.

“Oh.”

Taehyung blinked. “What?”

“So this is the mysterious Jeon Jungkook.”

Jungkook looked mildly uncomfortable immediately.

Taehyung narrowed his eyes. “Why did you say that like he’s an urban legend?”

“Because nobody ever sees him voluntarily socializing.”

“I’m literally sitting right here,” Jungkook said flatly.

Jimin smiled unapologetically. “And yet somehow you still feel fictional.”

Taehyung laughed loudly while Jungkook looked deeply exhausted already.

“Anyway,” Jimin continued dramatically, “Taehyung talks about you constantly.”

Taehyung choked on his drink.

“I do not.”

“You literally came home yesterday and said—”

“Jimin.”

“—‘Why is he so annoying but also weirdly nice sometimes?’”

Taehyung covered his face instantly.

Across the table, Jungkook slowly looked up.

Their eyes met.

And to Taehyung’s horror… Jungkook looked amused.

Actually amused.

Jimin stood up dramatically afterward. “Alright, my work here is done.”

“You created problems and called it work.”

“Exactly.”

Before leaving, Jimin leaned toward Taehyung and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear:

“He’s prettier when he smiles.”

Taehyung nearly died on the spot.

“LEAVE.”

Jimin laughed while escaping quickly.

Silence settled over the table afterward.

Taehyung refused to look up.

“I’m transferring universities again.”

“You’re dramatic.”

“I’m serious.”

“You’d survive.”

Taehyung finally looked up slowly.

And froze.

Because Jungkook was smiling.

A real smile.

Not the tiny almost-smiles Taehyung usually caught accidentally.

This one was soft.

Warm.

Dangerously beautiful.

Taehyung forgot how breathing worked for a second.

Jungkook noticed immediately. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Taehyung blinked rapidly. “You smiled.”

“…So?”

“That’s illegal.”

Jungkook rolled his eyes slightly, but the smile stayed.

And Taehyung realized something terrifying in that exact moment.

He wanted to see that smile again.

Very badly.

Later that evening, after leaving the café together, Taehyung noticed Jungkook walking toward the stairwell instead of the dorm path.

“Where are you going?”

“The rooftop.”

Taehyung blinked. “There’s a rooftop?”

Jungkook looked at him like he was embarrassing. “Obviously.”

“Why didn’t I know this?”

“Because you don’t pay attention.”

“That’s hurtful.”

Jungkook ignored him and continued walking.

Taehyung followed immediately.

The rooftop door creaked softly when Jungkook pushed it open.

Cold evening air brushed against them instantly.

Taehyung stepped outside slowly and froze.

The entire campus stretched below them, glowing softly under the night sky. Lights flickered across buildings while distant laughter echoed faintly from below.

“Oh,” Taehyung whispered.

Jungkook leaned against the railing quietly. “I come here when the library gets too crowded.”

Taehyung walked closer slowly.

“It’s beautiful.”

Jungkook looked up at the sky. “Yeah.”

For once, neither of them joked around.

The silence between them felt calm.

Comfortable.

Taehyung glanced sideways at Jungkook carefully.

The city lights reflected softly in his eyes.

And suddenly, standing beside him under the open night sky, Taehyung felt something shift quietly inside his chest.

Something unfamiliar.