"I can't believe shit happened again. Are you okay, Tae?" Namjoon asked worried as he hugged Taehyung close to his chest and refused to let go. The other didn't mind, instead wrapped his arms around Namjoon, equally clingy. He had greatly missed his friends.

With everything that had gone down, Taehyung had barely had a minute to process anything and he missed the book club meeting deeply. The last meeting on this horrible day after all had been cancelled.

Taehyung had taken a few days off school and now that he returned, he was moved into focus of concern. He was touched by the worry of his friends but he didn't like being the talk of the school, once more.

Joo Beomseok and his three friends had been expelled. It was the talk of the school and Taehyung was in the center of it. He hated the attention. Jungkook had assured him that he would take care of the rumors but it was still uncomfortable walking around the school and hearing strangers whisper about him and what had happened.

Mina, the last participant of the book club alongside her girlfriend Sana, looked equally worried as she abandoned her book and joined Namjoon's worried questions, pulling him into a short hug of her own before Namjoon engulfed him again.

"I'm... I'm not okay, but I'm managing. I don't know, so much has happened and I barely got to process it," Taehyung answered Namjoon's previous question truthfully, releasing a sigh. Namjoon's big arms tightened around him and the taller released a little sniffle.

"God, I'm so sorry this happened to you. After all you've been through... why did this asshole do shit like that? I don't understand how someone cannot no as an answer!" Namjoon's exclaim got more heated in the end as the sorrow he felt for his friend turned into anger.

"Did something like this happen before?" Mina asked shocked and a flash of panic shortly appeared on Taehyung's face. He pulled away a little from Namjoon, patting his friend's back gratefully before saying, "don't worry about it, Mina. It's all in the past."

Mina, still not very convinced, didn't pry any further, sensing it was a sensitive topic to Taehyung. So she only squeezed his shoulder and smiled kindly at him.

"But there's actually something I'm worrying about and I wanted to ask you something as you have a more distant point of view. If I ask Jimin, Jungkookie or the guys, they will immediately go on a rampage before asking questions and I don't want them to get into trouble because of me again." At Taehyung's words, the three others grew concerned.

"What is it, Tae?" Namjoon asked, the cryptic formulating had caused him to perk up.

"I believe Hwang Gina has something to do with my incident but I would like to ask your opinion on that," Taehyung revealed with an uncomfortable shuffle of his feet. He hadn't wanted to talk to Jungkook about his thoughts, not that he didn't trust the other. It was because Taehyung knew Jungkook a little too well.

Plus, Taehyung didn't want to add fuel to the fire by causing unnecessary drama. Still, the words Beomseok had huffed near his ear wasn't anything he would be able to forget. "Pretty thing and so pliant, so easy, just like Gina said."

"Why do you think that? Did she do something to you?" It was Mina's turn to ask. She knew Gina, having a cheerleader girlfriend had its perks and Sana had always complained about the snobbish, arrogant girl who was especially obsessed with her status and Taehyung's now boyfriend. Of course, being book club partners with Taehyung, the last part was of more importance to Mina.

"When Beomseok tried to hurt me... he said something along the lines of Gina saying I would be 'pliant'," Taehyung explained, drawing lines with his fingers around the word 'pliant'. It had burned itself into his head and Taehyung wanted to find out what was behind that.

"I cannot quite ask him anymore what he meant by that nor do I want to engage with him. Still, he mentioned her name. Sana, did you hear something? You're part of the cheer squad, right?"

Sana nodded, visibly uncomfortable. She had grown quite pale by the reveal. "Unfortunately, I did. I'm sorry, Taehyung. Gina said some... very nasty things behind your back," she revealed in an apologetic tone. Taehyung bit his lip, a dagger piercing through his heart.

He had been aware of Gina's interest in Jungkook, the talk with her and the slap afterwards still served as a reminder of her displeasure towards him. Yet he had forgotten about her; she had never approached him again and Taehyung had trusted Jungkook that he had taken care of the issue. Seems like that wasn't the case.

"What did she say? I doubt it has valuable sources. She hates me because I'm in a relationship with Jungkook, doesn't she," Taehyung said bitterly, he didn't doubt the reason behind Gina's hatred, she had told him herself.

Sana nodded, confirming his assumption. "Well, you must know she and Jungkook had dated. She's still hung up on that, boasting that they were made for each other. I was actually present when Jungkook told her off during cheer practice. She was humiliated. And Gina can be a real bitch. She ran after Jungkook and didn't return for hours. When she came back, she was so angry, it was scary. She spat nonsense about you being..." Sana interrupted herself, clearing her throat uncomfortable.

"That I seduced Jungkook or something along these lines?" Sana nodded embarrassed. Taehyung sighed, rubbing over his temples. A headache was forming. What a stupid, immature and completely unnecessary situation, he thought by himself.

"Or that I slept with the rest of the football team behind Jungkook's back?"

"How do you know...?" Sana asked carefully while Mina had gasped horrified, pressing her palms over her mouth while Namjoon cursed.

"What the fuck–," Namjoon started enraged but Taehyung's bitter chuckle interrupted him.

"I'm aware because that's the same thing Beomseok told me when he held me down. Seems like I found the source of that nonsense." Taehyung shook his head. "I don't know why she acts like this but I'm going to put an end to it. I'm done playing nice and backing away. These rumors grew nasty and I'm going to put an end to them."

"What's the plan?" Namjoon asked, having calmed down himself enough to think rationally. He wanted to help. No, he needed to help.

"I don't want to confront her but I feel like it might be the only way. But I'm not sure. Jungkookie already tried and it didn't work."

"She might be too far gone in her delusions," Mina nodded along Taehyung's words, deep in thought.

"Complain to the headmaster?"

Taehyung shook his head. "The headmaster didn't even want to punish Beomseok at first. I doubt he'll take bullying accusations seriously. I was hoping you could monitor her? I feel like the more people are on my side, the less she'll do something, because she has opponents."

The three were quick to agree. It wasn't a plan per se, but it was a step in the right direction. By paying close attention to Gina and her wrongdoings, they could monitor her and put an end to nasty rumors. The entire jocks were already on Taehyung's side and Sana told him that almost everyone from the cheer squad disagreed with Gina.

She didn't have any supporters despite her shrinking group of friends. That encouraged Taehyung. It wasn't like the school was taking sides, more interested in gossip but to prevent another incident like with Beomseok, it was important to not allow Gina to spread rumors again.

Taehyung actually had the horrible thought that Gina herself had told Beomseok when he could catch Taehyung alone and put him directly on him, telling him the rumors herself. If that was the case, how could he stop her from approaching another student to act in her place?

Maybe Taehyung did need to include Jungkook after all... but for once, Taehyung had wanted to take care of his issues without the help of his boyfriend. Jungkook had already done so much for him, for once, Taehyung wanted to solve his problem without his help. Plus, he was scared Jungkook would get into trouble because of him. He didn't want the blue-haired to take the hit.

For once, Taehyung wanted to protect Jungkook.

"Will you tell Jungkook about your plan?" At Namjoon's words, Taehyung bit his lip. That was answer enough for Namjoon.

"Tae. He's your boyfriend. He wants to help. You shouldn't keep this from him."

"I know, I just... I want to keep him safe. He already got into so much trouble because of me, I don't want to make his life difficult, I love– I mean, I care about him." Taehyung blushed as he had nearly slipped that he was in love with Jungkook. Sana and Mina squealed.

"Then tell him exactly that. From what I've seen that guy would bring you the sun if you asked him."

~

I felt like Taehyung's friends had too less screentime so this chapter is dedicated to them (especially Namjoon)

Elaboratae