The junior came back with two glasses of punch only to find that Taehyung had left their table. The corsage that he gave the older was still in site.

Why'd he take it off? Was it ugly? Maybe he should've bought the more expensive one, Taehyung would've loved it. What if he actually hated this one?

Where was the senior?

Did he pass by him to use the restroom and the younger didn't notice? Maybe he went to get more food.

But his assumptions were wrong because the first thing his eyes caught when he turned to look at the dance floor was the back of Taehyung's head.

The music slowed down, a clear que for anyone who didn't have a date to shoot their shot with a fellow singlet. Anyone who wasn't a fan of slow dancing or acted like they weren't a fan of slow dancing (because they're single as hell) had already scurried back to their tables, afraid of getting stuck between two mushy couples.

The junior didn't move. He stood where he was, drinks still in hand, heart sinking to his stomach.

Jungkook stared as the boy he was deeply crushing on swayed rhythmically with Hoseok to the slow music. He couldn't be mad at Taehyung because deep down he knew something like this would happen. He should've known better than to leave Taehyung's side, giving him the opportunity to scurry back to the boy he truly had feelings for.

Maybe he was disappointed in himself for gaining hope.

Perhaps his eyes watered at the sight of the perfect couple, trying his hardest to blink them away. Though it wouldn't have mattered even if he let himself cry. Everyone was too occupied with their dates or friends. Even his own date was too occupied to catch a glimpse of the heartbroken boy.

He felt awkward standing alone by the gym wall while everyone made the best of their night. It was sort of embarrassing to lose his date on the first dance he'd ever attended. Jungkook imagined a night filled with memorable laughs and smiles from the ethereal brunet. But no. Instead, he's lonely and contemplating whether he should walk home or stay to make sure Taehyung doesn't go home past the curfew his parents set.

Dances sucked and-

Fuck. He was about to cry. No no no.

Gently placing the drinks on their table, Jungkook walked back out of the gym and into the hallway. Taking deep breaths sort of helped with getting rid of the tears forming but his heart still hurt.

It's funny really, it didn't matter how much longer he knew Taehyung or how much effort he'd put in just for the older to notice him or at least appreciate him as a friend. The brunet would pick Hoseok. It's always Hoseok.

It's always everyone else but Jungkook.

Because Jungkook's the loner.

Jungkook's the shy kid.

Jungkook's the one that receives snickers from just walking in the hallway.

Jungkook's... just him.

But wanna know what's funnier? Despite knowing that Taehyung would never put him first, it didn't matter to the younger. He loves the boy. It doesn't matter that his heart's been dropped many times by him.

So why was Jungkook suddenly so heartbroken about the situation when he had years to break? Ever since the younger entered high school, Taehyung and Hoseok had been together.

The current junior was always good at hiding his feelings for the boy. So why now?

"Kook?" The boy heard Taehyung call, making him turn the other way to hide his eyes, afraid that there's still a hint of red left.

"Yeah?" Jungkook answered, faking his emotions through his words. He was mentally telling himself to keep his cool.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Oh, nothing. It was starting to get musty in there. Needed to take a short breather." Keep your cool, Kook.

"Yeah, I get you. Did you see? I got to dance with Hoseok! Yoongi apparently couldn't make it so I saw the perfect opportunity." The younger could almost hear the proud smirk plastered on his friend's face.

"Perfect opportunity to forget about me?" THAT'S NOT COOL, KOOK. THAT'S NOT COOL.

"What are you talking about?" Taehyung questioned, voice suddenly laced with confusion.

Jungkook turned around, finally facing the brunet. KOOK, STOP. STOP! YOU'RE EMBARRASSING YOURSELF.

"I agreed to be your date for prom to help you make Hoseok jealous not so you could ditch me for him and make a fool out of myself, Tae. I just wish sometimes you'd be considerate of my feelings too."

Alright, who allowed me to have such a big mouth?

Taehyung kept silent. "It's just not fair. He gets ditched by his date so you decide to comfort him and ditch your own date. You don't know how much that hurts, Taehyung. I'm never your first priority yet you're always mine."

There goes my dignity.

Bury me in a ditch while I'm at it, would you?

"That's- that's not true." The senior scoffed, keeping his gaze on the floor.

"Not true." Jungkook chuckled to himself. "I put you before all of my responsibilities while you pick everyone else over me."

"Just because you do that, doesn't mean I'm required to do the same, Jungkook." He could tell the older was pissed now. "I don't get why you're so upset when you agreed to this! You agreed to help me with Hoseok and now that I'm happy, you just have to ruin it for me."

"You're right. I agreed to this. I have no right to be upset. I was just a part of your plan, yeah? Hoseok's more important even when I've been there for you since you moved here in middle school?"

The junior would've felt guilty, he really would've but his thoughts were now racing. It's hard to think with a fogged mind so he doesn't stop.

"You know I love Hoseok-"

"Fuck love, Taehyung! Love isn't an excuse to leave me for Hoseok and his friends! I'm your friend too but that doesn't give you the right to fuck with my emotions by leaving me by myself for years then coming back and acting like we never had a gap in our friendship in the first place."

The older fell in silence again. Probably starting to see how true Jungkook's words were.

"To be honest, it's kind of getting tiring being second place. I-I don't even know why I do all of this for you without asking for anything in return when I'm always let down in the end."

He released a painful laugh. "I don't- I don't even know why I'm telling you all this when you only care about Hoseok's feelings- other people's feelings. Of course you wouldn't care about me, I'm just the weird kid that no one wanted to be friends with. I don't get why you're even friends with me when you're embarrassed of me."

This caused Taehyung to furrow his brows. "You're not weird, Jungkook. And that's not true-"

"But it is, Tae. I'm the weird loner who's best friend is ashamed of them. Ever since you started dating Hoseok I almost never got to sit with you during lunch because you're always with him and his friends. I sat alone until you two broke up and suddenly I seemed to exist again. People noticed, Taehyung. They noticed how you neglected your own best friend and somehow all the rumors make you the victim and I'm the weird kid who made you uncomfortable.

"I've heard them say that you stopped being my friend because I'm too much of a geek, I'm a loner, or I'm too unusual. And it's so believable, Taehyung. It's so believable because I know I'm different from others and I know I'm an introvert while you're an extrovert who gets along with everyone. It makes sense why a guy like you wouldn't want to be seen with me."

"But I didn't stop being your friend." It was a lie, the junior could tell that the older knew it was a lie from the way he bit the inside of his cheek.

"What you show to everyone else says otherwise. You never sit or hang out with me anymore. At least not until you broke up with Hoseok. And it may sound stupid but you don't even post about me on social media yet all your other posts are about Jimin, Jin, Namjoon, Yoongi, and you even kept the ones with Hoseok. Not one single post with me."

"I can post pictures of us if you want. It's not that big of a deal."

"That's- That's not the point!" Jungkook frustratedly pulled at his hair. He looked incredibly close to bursting into tears but surprisingly held it in. "Y-you don't get it. Of course you wouldn't. "

"I could've been home and out of my mom's radar but I decided to go against her and went here anyways for you... but I guess it was useless since I'm clearly not needed."

Jungkook laughed out of embarrassment. He couldn't believe he was saying these things to Taehyung. "You know what? Nevermind. Forget everything I said. I'm making a fool out of myself. I'll be going now."

"Jungkook, wait. Please-" The brunet lightly grabbed the other's wrist to stop him.

The younger stopped in his tracks, turning back around with his head low. "Don't stay out too late, don't want you to get in trouble with your parents." And he walked away.

==

A/N: Not the best chapter I've written and I'm sorry. :/

I'll try my best to write the next one more smoothly.