"So, what are you going to do now?" Eunwoo asked his fuming friend carefully, who was barely keeping his cool. Taehyung had shyly requested to stay in their break room, almond eyes big and slightly red on the edges from crying. It tore Jungkook's fucking heart right out of his chest.

Yugyeom, Minghao, and Mingyu offered to stay with him, communicating quietly with their captain who was restless, wishing to take care of unresolved business. He was confident his friends would be taking care of Taehyung and the blonde himself had assured Jungkook that he was okay to be left in their company.

"I'm going to make Gina regret ever talking to my boy," Jungkook growled, rage now barely concealed. The jocks agreed with little hums, anger also barely contained and only restricted for the sake of Taehyung. The fragile boy did not have to see them lose their shit and hear them yelling profanities, not after the day he went through.

He was snuggled up on the couch, Jungkook's jersey spread over him like a blanket, with Mingyu and Yugyeom to his sides. Taehyung looked adorable, in Jungkook's humble opinion. His precious boy who was too sweet for the world and who had been put through so much misery. It made Jungkook's blood boil just thinking about it.

"Good call. What's our plan?" Of course, his friends would be on board too, he had never doubted that. They were his backbone, the ones he could always count on, his best friends.

"First, someone call Jimin over here. I bet he'd love to know as well. Jin's possibly with him so have him bring Jimin so Tae can cuddle with him," Jungkook instructed them, ever the confident football captain who was used to barking orders over the football field.

Minghao already whipped out his phone, muttering a 'got it' while Mingyu rubbed soothing circles over Taehyung's back who protested faintly, an embarrassed blush forming on his face because he felt overwhelmed, not knowing how to deal with all this positive attention.

"You don't have to–," he protested but was interrupted when Jungkook knelt in front of him and interlaced their fingers.

"My dearest Sweetheart," the jock started, affectionately, rubbing Taehyung's knuckles over his cheek, "you deserve to be pampered. It is my duty and pleasure to protect you. I know you're strong but you can also allow yourself to be taken care of. Let me handle it, Tae."

Taehyung stared vulnerably at Jungkook, his love confession grazing the tip of his tongue but he didn't want to confess with other people present. This man kneeling in front of him felt so unreal, like a dream. There was no way Jungkook was truly real. What had Taehyung done in his past lives to deserve such a man? The blonde wanted to cry and never wake up from this dream.

"How are you so kind?" Taehyung's voice was barely above a whisper. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Jungkook smiled lovingly.

"By being yourself."

"Sap," Yugyeom grumbled and threw the captain a glare while Eunwoo made a gagging sound. Jungkook glared at his friends but with no ill intent.

"You just wish that was you, huh?" He accused them.

"No thanks, Blueberry, you ain't my type," Yugyeom shot back, making a face. It caused them to laugh and that finally eased the tension in the room. Taehyung turned to look at Jungkook carefully, so many words to say but he didn't dare to speak them out loud just yet.

"What will you do, Koo?" Jungkook's eyes turned grim.

"Telling that bitch she ever dares to approach you again, we'll make her regret it."

"We?"

"Of course, we, pretty boy, did you really think we would leave her words unpunished? She messed with our pretty boy," Mingyu said with a teasing but menacing undertone. Taehyung took a moment to look at each jock, trying to find jest in their eyes but they were all serious. Tears choked him suddenly.

"Thank you," he whispered overwhelmed, "for being my friends when you didn't have to."

"Friends stick together, Taehyung-ah," Minghao said gently, he had finished his text to Seokjin, assuming that the elder jock was with Jimin as these two were glued together nowadays.

"Although please don't call Blueberry your friend or he might cry."

"Hey!" Jungkook protested and slapped Minghao's arm offended but a nervous glance directed towards Taehyung was enough for the blonde to giggle.

"Don't worry, Jungkookie. You were always more than a friend to me," he confessed rather boldly. Jungkook stopped functioning, staring wide-eyed at the pretty boy. Eunwoo whistled.

"Broke him again, pretty boy."

"At this point, we should make bets on how long he'll stay this way," Mingyu commented delighted. It caused Jungkook to snap out of his daze.

"Enough now," he growled at his friends and released Taehyung's hands but not after pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

"We got shit to do."

°°°

"Where is Gina? I have to talk to her."

Hwang Gina was pleasantly surprised to hear Jeon Jungkook's booming voice sounding through the gymnasium where the cheer squad was practicing and demanding for her. Immediately, she fixed her pretty cheer skirt and skipped towards the football captain, a coy, flirtatious smile on her face.

"Hello handsome, what can I do for you?" She purred, lifting her hand to stroke her nails over the jock's arm. The blue-haired man surprised her by stepping away, a disgusted look on his face. Her fingers didn't even come in contact with his skin yet he already looked like he was poisoned.

"You touched my boy. I'm here to tell you to back off. If you even think of approaching or touching him again, Gina, I won't hold back. You hurt my Sweetheart. Be ready to face the consequences of your fucking actions," he snarled, anger in his voice and danger glimmering in his eyes. He looked like he absolutely despised her entire being and couldn't even stand being in the same room with her. Jungkook didn't.

He had wanted to talk to Gina alone as he knew his friends would take on more drastic measures which he didn't want just yet. But what he wanted was Gina staying away.

"And stay the fuck away from me and my friends. I don't know who you think you are to act like an entitled bitch but it won't get you anywhere. I could report you but I'm warning you first. Keep away from me and my people."

With that, Jungkook turned, leaving Gina humiliated and trembling. Yet she couldn't let him walk away. Jungkook was everything she needed for her status to be perfect. They were perfect together, why couldn't he see that??

Gina ignored her friends who for sure would run their mouths through the entire school about what just happened, about Gina's lies being uncovered. She ran after Jungkook instead, not wanting to accept defeat. They were meant to be together!

"Jungkook, wait! Why are you treating me like this? I thought I meant more to you!" She accused him in a louder yell. To her relief, he stopped dead in his tracks. But when he spoke, his words weren't kind.

"We dated once. And it was in middle school, Gina. I only did it to get over Taehyung. Plus, you and I only dated for a month, you can barely call that a relationship at all." He said without turning back to Gina. The girl felt her blood running cold by that. He had used her. Now it made sense why he had broken up with her so quickly, giving her a weak excuse. They've gotten together two weeks after Kim Taehyung had finally disappeared.

"It's always been Taehyung for you? I've just been a replacement?", the girl asked in utter disbelief, anger overtaking her features and cracking her nice girl facade.

Jungkook nodded. "I'm sorry for using you like that, Gina. I've been a jerk in the last year of middle school, I know that. But you and I would've never worked out and I'm glad it didn't. You see, there's no 'we'. There will never be. Get over whatever you've been thinking because it will never happen. I have a man. And I'm happy with him."

Gina hissed, retreating her outstretched hand as she glared at the football captain.

"You might not realize it yet, Jungkook but you and I are in fact meant to be. And I'll show you."

She stormed off while Jungkook rubbed his face annoyed. He had apologized for his mistake, why couldn't she let it go? Why was she so obsessed with her popularity and alleged status? Why had she hurt Taehyung when she had never spoken to him before and when he never did anything to her?

It didn't matter, Jungkook told himself. He had told her off, not to approach Taehyung again and to also stay from his friends. His mission was fulfilled, he could return to his Sweetheart now. He was aware of Gina's ill intentions and delusions now and would be careful, observe if she could follow his orders. If not, she would have to bear the consequences of her own actions.

Gina on the other side had run away with angry tears running down her face. She wiped them away furiously.

"I'm going to get rid of fucking Kim Taehyung so you can be mine and mine only."

Gina wasn't nowhere done with Taehyung. He had taken Jungkook from her, charmed him with his false innocence and pitiful victim behavior and she was having none of it.

The possibility of the boy not keeping his mouth shut was high enough for her to form an evil plan to finally have them separated. She had tried intimidating Taehyung which wasn't successful as her own friends were too afraid of the football squad to push through. The rest of the cheerleader squad had distanced themselves from Gina and her hateful behavior as they found Taehyung cute. Bullying that annoying bitch wouldn't do her any favor and only taint her reputation.

No, she had to do something else.

"I can help you with that."

~

I love the way Jungkook is standing up for Taehyung (and also their friends I love them)

Elaboratae