Chapter 9: A chaos in the air

The gymnasium buzzed with energy, a cacophony of bouncing basketballs and excited chatter. It was a day for physical activity, a welcome break from the usual academic routine. Taehyung, however, found himself confined to the clinic, his body succumbing to an unexpected bout of weakness. He had insisted on joining the class, his competitive spirit unwilling to be sidelined, but his pleas had fallen on deaf ears. Perhaps, he thought, it was a blessing in disguise. After all, Jungkook's class was participating, and the thought of facing him, even from a distance, sent a shiver of apprehension down his spine.

The air crackled with anticipation as students, both male and female, learned the fundamentals of basketball. Jimin, a whirlwind of energy, practiced his dribbling skills, his movements fluid and precise. Suddenly, a stray ball, launched with reckless abandon, collided with Jimin's chest.

"Oops, Sorry, Sunbaenim!" A younger student, his face flushed with embarrassment, apologized profusely, retrieving the errant ball.

"It's okay," Jimin replied, his smile disarming.

His eyes met Jungkook's, who stood a few feet away, observing the scene with a detached amusement.

"Oh, so you're here. I didn't expect to see you in this place without Taehyung," Jimin said, his voice laced with playful sarcasm. "You usually would snake behind him as if he'd disappear the moment you wouldn't see him."

Jungkook's expression remained impassive, his gaze unwavering. "Is that so?" he countered, his voice flat and emotionless. "At least I don't crawl into places I don't even belong." His words were a veiled barb, a subtle reminder of their strained relationship.

"Taehyung doesn't even belong to you," Jimin retorted, his voice rising in defiance.

"Not yours as well," Jungkook sneered, his eyes flashing with a cold intensity.

"Maybe you should have stopped guilt-tripping him. It wasn't his fault, to begin with. What happened to you was because of that bastard, not Taehyung," Jimin argued, his voice filled with righteous anger. "He was a kid back then. You should not have been gaslighting him."

"Are you that jealous that you can't get him from me? If he likes you, I'm sure he would crawl to you," Jungkook grinned, his words dripping with venom. "But you see, you are just his friend, nothing remarkable for him. If he genuinely trusted and believed in you, he would have accepted your help.  But you see, he didn't do that because he didn't trust you as much as you hoped."  Jungkook's smirk was a cruel mockery, his gaze piercing Jimin's soul.

"Just a little bit more convincing, and he would be free from you," Jimin glared at him, his frustration simmering just below the surface.

"Do you think so? And what are you going to do next? Imprison him as well?" Jungkook cocked an eyebrow, his voice dripping with disdain. "Say, do you really think I didn't know what your intention was?" His face was a mask of stoicism, his eyes seeming to penetrate Jimin's thoughts.

"I don't understand what you are talking about," Jimin said, turning away to find a new spot to practice, his voice strained. "You are a psychopath, an obsessed person who wants nothing but satisfaction for himself."

"You don't have to worry, trust me, Taehyung wouldn't need you," Jungkook said, his voice a low growl as Jimin stopped beside him. "I can take care of him on my own, so you better stop intercepting in our relationship. That's not good, you know."  Jungkook's laughter was a chilling sound, a threat thinly veiled in amusement.

Jimin looked at him, his eyes narrowed. "Relationship? What kind of relationship? An unhealthy one? Do you really expect him to get Stockholm Syndrome?" He mocked Jungkook, his voice laced with sarcasm. "That's not going to happen. I'll make sure to get Taehyung away from you."

"As if he would have a healthy relationship with you. Unfortunately for you, Taehyung just sees you as a friend. Simply accept that fact, or else you'll get hurt," Jungkook grinned, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light.  "Did you really think I would let you do that? There's no way that's gonna happen. I'm afraid to tell you, but I'm willing to get rid of anything that will get in our way. Even if it means to kill. Let me show you how the real psychopath works.  It looks like to me you are just being a copycat." His smirk was a chilling promise, a warning that sent a cold shiver down Jimin's spine.

Jungkook tapped Jimin's shoulder, his touch a cold, unwelcome gesture, before turning away and disappearing into the crowd. Jimin ran his fingers through his hair, his mind racing. He had to get rid of Jungkook, and soon. His words, laced with threats and veiled promises, echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of the danger he faced.

Meanwhile, Taehyung, confined to the clinic, felt a wave of relief as Jimin entered the room.

"Taehyung, are you okay?" Jimin asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Hyung..." Taehyung muttered, his voice weak.  "Are your classes already ended?"

"Yup, I came to check on you. I heard you're not feeling well. You should have taken a rest instead of attending classes.  It's not like you'll fail if you miss a day, you know," Jimin said, his voice laced with genuine concern.

"I'm sorry, I was fine earlier. I guess I didn't realize I wasn't feeling well," Taehyung mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, that makes sense. You are losing weight," Jimin commented, his eyes noticing the subtle changes in Taehyung's appearance. "Why don't you try to spend time with me? I mean, let's have dinner together," he suggested, his voice a gentle coaxing.

"But J─" Taehyung started, his voice trailing off as he hesitated.

"You don't have to worry about him. I heard he was selected to become a trainee for a basketball match, and I think the practice would start after the class, so it might take him a long time. That means you can take that chance to be at least far from him. Besides, it's not like you are going to escape or what. It was just a simple dinner.  I'm sure he would be fine with that," Jimin said, his words a carefully crafted plan.

"He wouldn't like it," Taehyung mumbled, his voice barely a whisper.

"Your parents, they might have missed you. Don't you think you can use them as an excuse?  Jungkook would have trusted you if used them," Jimin said, his voice taking on a persuasive tone.

Taehyung's parents lived in Daegu, and he would visit them during breaks and vacations. Jungkook would often accompany him, making it difficult for Taehyung to confide in them about his worries and fears  Jungkook, however, would always trust him if he mentioned his parents, a fact that Jimin was quick to exploit.

Taehyung yearned for freedom, for a chance to escape Jungkook's suffocating control. He wished he could break free from the invisible chains that bound him.

"Tae?" Jimin called, his voice a gentle reminder of his presence.

"Sure," Taehyung forced a smile, his heart heavy with a mixture of hope and trepidation.

He was somewhat sure that even if Jungkook found out about his dinner with Jimin, he wouldn't mind that much. He believed that Jungkook wouldn't see Jimin as a threat, a belief that Jimin was quick to exploit. A sinister grin masked Jimin's smile as he watched Taehyung agree. He could finally turn the tables and show what he is really capable of.