Chapter 5 – Mixed Signals

After the rooftop night, things between them changed.

Not obviously.

Not enough for anyone else to notice.

But Taehyung noticed.

And unfortunately… so did Jungkook.

The teasing became softer.

The silences became easier.

And somehow, they kept ending up beside each other without planning it.

Which was exactly why Taehyung knew he was in danger.

Real danger.

“You’re smiling at your phone again.”

Taehyung looked up from the cafeteria table immediately. Jimin sat across from him with narrowed eyes and dramatic suspicion written all over his face.

“I always smile.”

“Not like that.”

Taehyung blinked innocently. “Like what?”

“Like you’re one text away from writing poetry.”

Taehyung looked offended. “I would never.”

Jimin grabbed Taehyung’s phone before he could react.

“HEY—”

Jimin looked down at the screen dramatically.

Then gasped loudly enough for half the cafeteria to turn around.

“Oh my god.”

Taehyung nearly launched across the table. “Give it back!”

Jimin held the phone higher. “‘Library. Seven. Don’t be late again.’”

Taehyung snatched the phone back instantly.

“That sounds weird when you read it.”

“That sounds weird when he writes it.”

Taehyung tried very hard to ignore how warm his face suddenly felt.

Jimin leaned forward suspiciously. “You like him.”

“I absolutely do not.”

“You literally smiled at a message with zero emojis.”

“That means nothing.”

“That means everything.”

Taehyung groaned dramatically and dropped his forehead against the table.

Because the worst part was…

Jimin might actually be right.

Which was terrifying.

Very terrifying.

Especially because Jeon Jungkook was impossible to understand sometimes.

One moment he looked at Taehyung like he genuinely enjoyed his company.

The next moment he became distant again for absolutely no reason.

Like he kept forgetting how to let people stay close.

That evening, Taehyung entered the library already emotionally exhausted.

Jungkook looked up from his seat immediately.

“You’re late.”

“It’s been thirty seconds.”

“You’re still late.”

Taehyung dropped into the chair across from him dramatically. “You’re emotionally strict.”

“You’re emotionally chaotic.”

“That sounded affectionate.”

“It wasn’t.”

Taehyung narrowed his eyes suspiciously before pulling his notebook out.

“You know,” he said casually, “normal people say hello first.”

Jungkook looked at him quietly for a second.

“…Hi.”

Taehyung froze completely.

Because somehow that simple word sounded softer coming from him.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Taehyung quickly looked down at his notebook before Jungkook noticed his expression.

Unfortunately, Jungkook noticed anyway.

“You’re acting weird.”

“I’m always weird.”

“More than usual.”

Taehyung opened his mouth to answer before his phone buzzed loudly on the table.

Jimin:

Did you confess yet?

Taehyung almost threw the phone across the room.

Jungkook raised an eyebrow slowly.

“…Confess?”

Taehyung immediately grabbed the phone. “Ignore him.”

Jungkook leaned back slightly in his chair. “Interesting response.”

“There’s nothing interesting happening.”

“Mhm.”

Taehyung stared at him suspiciously.

“Why do you sound jealous?”

Jungkook’s expression changed instantly.

“Why would I be jealous?”

Taehyung blinked.

Oh.

Oh, that reaction was fast.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Taehyung leaned forward slowly. “I don’t know. You tell me.”

Jungkook looked away first.

Which shocked Taehyung more than anything else.

Because Jungkook never looked away first.

The silence stretched between them strangely after that.

Not awkward.

Just charged.

Like both of them suddenly became aware of something they had been ignoring before.

Taehyung’s heartbeat felt annoyingly loud.

Jungkook tapped his fingers lightly against the table — something he only did when nervous or deep in thought.

Taehyung had started noticing these things recently.

Way too recently.

“You should focus,” Jungkook said quietly.

“You’re the one distracting me.”

Jungkook looked up immediately.

Taehyung realized what he had just said.

Too late.

Way too late.

The atmosphere shifted again.

Soft.

Heavy.

Dangerously warm.

Neither of them moved for a second.

Then Jungkook spoke carefully.

“You flirt without realizing it.”

Taehyung blinked slowly. “Maybe I realize it.”

That made Jungkook completely silent.

Taehyung’s chest tightened unexpectedly.

Because suddenly this didn’t feel like teasing anymore.

It felt real.

Too real.

Jungkook looked at him quietly for a long moment before speaking again.

“You should be careful.”

Taehyung frowned slightly. “Why?”

Jungkook’s eyes held something unreadable inside them now.

“Because not everyone knows how to handle things like this lightly.”

The words settled heavily between them.

Taehyung’s heartbeat slowed slightly.

Oh.

Oh, this wasn’t casual for Jungkook either.

Before Taehyung could answer, Jungkook suddenly stood up.

“I need coffee.”

Taehyung stared after him in confusion while Jungkook walked quickly toward the vending machines near the library entrance.

Interesting.

Very, very interesting.

And maybe a little terrifying too.

Because for the first time since meeting Jeon Jungkook…

Taehyung started wondering if the feelings growing between them were becoming impossible to ignore.

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