<One week later>

Jimin looked at the girl who was shivering in front of him. He had been teaching her quite nice lessons whenever they met for the last three days.

"I...I said I'm s-sorry. Stop troubling me a-already." Hiya's voice faltered, her words barely a whisper, each stammering syllable betraying her fear of facing this public humiliation once again.

Jimin's gaze hardened, his expression twisting with disdain as he took a deliberate step closer. "Sorry? You think that cuts it?" His voice, though low, carried a weight that seemed to draw more people to the scene. "I thought you were a decent person. A nice girl." He practically spat the words, his eyes narrowing with disgust. "Turns out you're just... sick in the head. You're nothing but a cheap, two-faced girl who tried to pit us against each other, drug Taehyung—to get him in bed." The venom in his tone caused a ripple in the crowd, everyone leaning closer, drawn by the magnetic pull of cruelty in his words. "Do you even know what they call girls like you?" His words cut like a knife, unrelenting and unforgiving.

"P-please..." Hiya choked out, her voice wavering, her shoulders shaking as silent tears spilled down her cheeks, carving paths down her face. The gathering crowd grew, faces watching her unravel, all waiting for the next word, the next blow.

But Jimin only tilted his head, his smirk laced with mockery, his gaze tracing her tear-streaked face as if savoring her discomfort. "Oh, don't tell me you still don't understand," he sneered, his voice oozing with false pity. "Poor thing, still confused about who—and what—you really are. Tsk, tsk..." He glanced around, his expression changing, now painted with a mask of faux innocence as he addressed the crowd. "Guys, maybe you can help her figure it out? She clearly needs some help."

He flashed a cold smirk as the murmurs from the crowd grew louder, their eyes glinting with a cruel fascination, eager for the spectacle they'd been feeding off for days. The weight of their stares bore down on Hiya, her face a portrait of shame and despair as she trembled under the flood of judgment, each snicker, each glare only deepening the ache within her.

"I think whore is the proper term." A girl spoke from the crowd while throwing her used tissue near Hiya's feet.

"No, slut suits better."

"She is a dick deprived bitch."

"Betrayer, cunning and shameless."

"Witch"

"Hoe"

"Cockslut"

"Manipulator."

"Wannabe aunty"

The cruel whispers ricocheted through the crowd, each insult sharper than the last, feeding on Hiya's silent misery.

"SHUT UP YOU ALL"

A voice sliced through the murmur, loud and commanding. The echo of Jimin's shout settled into a tense silence as he glared at each person, daring anyone to speak. His chest heaved as he took a slow, controlled breath, his jaw clenched. "Go back to your classes. The show is over for now," he ground out, his voice a dangerous calm. "Maybe try studying for once, instead of acting like a bunch of sadistic, jobless idiots." His sharp words left the onlookers blinking, stunned, murmuring amongst themselves, visibly caught off guard.

"Why are you stopping us? You wanted it—so what's the issue n—"

"I. Said. LEAVE!" he shouted again, his voice reverberating down the empty hallway with an intensity that left no room for argument. A few people visibly flinched, eyes wide, and in a few tense seconds, the once-taunting crowd dispersed, each person slipping away under Jimin's dark, unyielding stare. Silence reclaimed the corridor as the last of them disappeared, leaving only Jimin and Hiya behind.

As the noise faded, Jimin stood, motionless, his gaze fixed on her crumpled form. Despite everything she'd done, the thought of others jeering, piling on insults—it went against everything he'd been raised to stand for. His upbringing, his sense of integrity, the values drilled into him wouldn't allow it. He couldn't, wouldn't let this turn into something even uglier. Inhaling deeply, he set his jaw, deciding then and there that her punishment would be left to the hands of justice, not to a crowd that thirsted for humiliation.

Hiya had fallen to her knees, her shoulders trembling as quiet sobs wracked her frame, each one more desperate than the last. Her mascara smudged in dark streaks down her cheeks, her once-confident demeanor shattered beyond recognition. "I'm... I'm really sorry," she choked, her words broken between hiccups, each one raw with regret. "I... I r-regret it all... please... I'm begging you... forgive me."

She curled in on herself, repeating her apologies in a soft, defeated murmur, her voice barely audible as she pleaded over and over. The hallway stretched out in empty silence, broken only by her sobs, her sorrow spilling out in quiet desperation that lingered, hanging heavy in the air.

"Look... I'm not saying this j-just because I'm scared of getting h-hurt or humiliated.I am genuinely s-sorry for whatever I did. I was blinded by this greedy mirage of getting on top. I r-really r-regret it all."

Jimin rolled his eyes at her. He would never ever forgive her until he thinks it's the time.

"You're saying all these because you want me to forgive you and stop you from going to that care center. But I'm not getting moved hy this apology of yours. You'll get arrested today's evening itself and I won't have to deal with you anymore. So good fuckin bye."

He stated as the matter of fact and was to move but Hiya stopped him.

"How can you do this to me? I've a whole career ahead and you want me to get arrested. You've humiliated me not once but almost twenty times since you're back. I'm tolerating it all but you don't get it that I can hurt you like no one could ever. You fuckin narrated all my deeds here, slapped me, bullied me, insulted me, made my life living hell. You snatched Hoseok from me now. There are my pictures all over social media, just because of you. You should be scared of me...Its better that you stop this case else once I'm back , I'll ruin you, Kim Jimin."

Jimin scoffed at her threats.

"And you said you were sorry? Bitch, you are mentally ill. And you need a fuckin therapy for god sake. About making your living hell, I'm happy that I did. Now fuck off."

Hiya looked at him with big wide eyes and shook her head.

"No, n-no. I'm really s-sorry. I am just a poor girl who came with her dreams...I wasn't an orphan but I lived in the orphanage cause my parents were too poor to take care of me... I'm deprived of everything..I wanted to earn money and help them and live a nice life with them.... I'm really sorry."

"Shut up, Hiya. Hoseok and Yoongi have told me about your parents well so don't even dare trying to trap me in those fake tears. Just now you were threatening me and now you're pretending to be a helpless girl? Seriously, stop it already."

Saying this, he walked away from there, leaving the fuming yet crying girl behind who was both angry and scared, thinking about the cops arresting her today.

________

"Taehyung! Taehyung! Taehyung!"

The stadium roared with cheers, echoing from every corner as students called out the name of their star player. It was a name that dominated every sports event, almost guaranteed to make the headlines by the end of the day.

Jimin stormed into the stadium, his steps heavy as he made his way to the last row, far from the crowded shade where others had gathered. He tossed his bag across the empty seats beside him, sprawling out without a care. The noise, the excitement—it barely registered. Did he care that he was alone in the back row? Not at all.

"TaEhYuNg~" he mocked under his breath, rolling his eyes as he mimicked the overly enthusiastic cheers filling the air.

Taking a long sip from his water bottle, Jimin's gaze shifted to the game below, his eyes finding Yoongi, who was sprinting down the court. He couldn't help but think of his friend as a kitten darting after a treat. It was just Yoongi's energy, his quick yet soft movements that made Jimin think of a little cat on the hunt.

Well, he was just making it up because in reality, yoongi was sprinting while dribbling the ball like a pro. But for Jimin, his friend was nothing but a kitty.

Suddenly, Yoongi found himself boxed in, trapped by two opponents, his eyes scanning the court for his teammates. Jimin leaned forward, interested, propping his chin on his hand as he watched the intensity unfold. He noticed Taehyung waving his arms, shouting for Yoongi to pass the ball to Soobin. But Jimin smirked, seeing through Taehyung's tactic immediately.

"Sly motherf—," Jimin muttered, his eyes narrowing as he saw Taehyung's true intentions. He knew his brother's tricks too well—Taehyung wanted Yoongi to divert the opponents, only to have the ball sent his way instead.

Sure enough, Yoongi threw the ball to Taehyung. The pass was clean, and Taehyung caught it with ease, but the opponents were quick, recognizing the play and trapping Taehyung just shy of the half-court line. Jimin's smirk deepened, intrigued.

"Interesting," came a voice beside him, breaking Jimin's focus. He glanced over to find a new face—a boy who had just settled into the seat next to him.

He was Baekhyun, a new student who transferred here for some experience as he was the principal's son. He joined just the day Jimin came back. 

Jimin simply hummed in response, keeping his gaze on the game.

"You think he can win?" Baekhyun asked, his eyes following the players.

Without looking at him, Jimin nodded. "He has a lot of strategies. Knows how to fool people. He's good at masking his thoughts."

Baekhyun raised a brow, clearly interested. "Interesting. Just like you."

Jimin turned to look at him, a hint of curiosity in his gaze. "You know my name, huh?"

"Of course," Baekhyun replied, his tone almost amused. "You're Jimin, right?"

"Hmm," Jimin responded, barely interested.

Baekhyun's smile turned into a smirk. "You're pretty handsome."

Jimin raised a brow, unimpressed but polite. "Thanks, I guess. You're good-looking too." With that, he turned away, subtly signaling he wasn't interested in continuing the conversation.

They both returned their attention to the court just in time to see Taehyung, cornered by his opponents, smirk with confidence. In a single, fluid movement, he pulled off a flawless half-court shot, the ball slicing through the air before swishing through the hoop.

The stadium erupted in cheers, louder than before, and Jimin found himself smirking, impressed despite himself.

Jimin hummed in satisfaction as he slung his bag lazily over one shoulder, ready to leave. But before he could take a step, Baekhyun's voice stopped him.

"Jimin... Can I get your number? Just for friendship."

Jimin tilted his head slightly, considering, before he shrugged with a soft "Hmm" and punched his number into Baekhyun's phone. He turned to leave again, but a familiar voice rang out, pulling him back.

"JIMIN?" Yoongi shouted from below, waving with a wide grin.

Jimin's face softened, waving back with a small smile. "Hi... Y'all did great today."

Yoongi gestured for him to come over, calling out, "Come down here!"

Jimin glanced at Baekhyun beside him, who looked like he was teetering on excitement. "Wanna join?" he asked, amused by Baekhyun's hopeful expression.

"Sure!" Baekhyun replied, practically hopping beside him like an excited kid.

They made their way down to the players' area, where the rest of the team was unwinding. Jimin walked in confidently, while Baekhyun followed a bit more reservedly, eyes darting around the space with curiosity.

"Jimin?" Taehyung's deep voice called out, catching Jimin's attention. He stood there, towel in hand, dabbing sweat from his forehead. "Didn't you have class right now?" Taehyung added with a raised brow.

Jimin gave a dismissive sigh. "I ditched it. Wanted to watch your match, and besides, that lecture was boring as always," he replied, flopping down next to Taehyung without a second thought.

Taehyung gave him a knowing smirk, but his eyes flickered to the newcomer standing a bit awkwardly by Jimin. "Who's this?" he asked, gesturing to Baekhyun, who was still observing everything with a bit of awe.

Jimin glanced up. "Oh, this is Baekhyun... my new friend."

Taehyung's brow lifted in mild surprise, catching on immediately. "The principal's son? The new talk of the school, huh?" he remarked with a slight chuckle, and Baekhyun's cheeks tinted pink.

"Wow, didn't realize I'd be famous already," Baekhyun mumbled, scratching the back of his neck with a shy smile.

Soobin, sitting nearby, chuckled and patted the seat next to him. "No need to be embarrassed. You'll get used to it."

Gradually, Baekhyun relaxed, joining in with the team as they recounted the highlights of the match, laughing and poking fun at how ruthlessly they'd outplayed their opponents. He laughed along, fitting in easily, while Jimin sat quietly on the bench, watching his friends joke around with an almost distant expression.

Noticing Jimin's unusual silence, Taehyung nudged him with a gentle elbow, causing him to flinch slightly. "Earth to Kim," Taehyung teased, his voice full of warmth, bringing Jimin's attention back to the present.

Jimin's expression softened as he playfully pouted in response. "Gimme the towel," he demanded, holding out a hand.

Taehyung pulled it back, feigning offense. "No way! It's mine, and I'm using it... I'll get Mark to bring you a fresh one."

Jimin crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "I said give it to me."

With a sigh, Taehyung relented, muttering, "Fine... but it's unhygienic, you know," as he passed the towel over. Jimin took it without hesitation, a small grin tugging at his lips.

Before Taehyung could process it, Jimin shifted, moving to sit directly in front of him. Taehyung's breath hitched, surprised, as Jimin gently took the towel and began wiping his hair, slowly drying it with focused care. Each motion was steady, almost tender, as Jimin dabbed away the beads of sweat from Taehyung's damp hair, the closeness of the moment stretching between them like a quiet, invisible thread.

Taehyung's eyes softened as he watched Jimin work, his heartbeat picking up ever so slightly. The buzz of laughter and voices around them seemed to fade into the background, the only thing he was aware of being Jimin's gentle hands and the soft, unspoken connection between them.

"You're busy in talking...so I'll do this." With a huff, Jimin started his job  and Taehyung smiled at him.

Taehyung started to shake his head to annoy Jimin , recieving a nice smack on his head while the others just laughed.

"Jimin hyung is the greenest flag." Soobin commented and Baekhyun nodded.

"Which kind of boys or girls do you like, Jimin?" Baekhyun questioned and everyone turned towards him.

"Hey! I'm saying quit your advances already because Jimin is mine." Taehyung said putting his arms around Jimin's petite waist while the latter just smacked his head once more.

"Ow! Stop smacking my head as if its some drum or whatever. What will happen to me if you date someone else? Who will dry my hairs, cuddle me, ditch classes to watch me playing, cook for me, be my crime partner, go on long thrilling drives? No! No, I'll be heartbroken."

Now everyone was laughing at them and Jimin could just shake his head at the taller male's cute cheeky behaviour while Taehyung just sheepishly smiled.

Baekhyun hummed at the situation.

"What do you think about our performance , Baekhyun?" Taehyung asked, trying to not let the newbie feel out of place.

Baekhyun's eyes sparkled, though he hesitated for a moment, glancing at Taehyung before speaking. "Umm... It was really impressive. Especially you," he started, his voice carrying both admiration and nervousness. "I loved how you play like it's not a game but... but a scripted match, and you're the destined winner."

A moment of silence fell as the team processed his words, a few of them raising their eyebrows in confusion.

"You mean," Jimin chimed in, trying to smooth over the slight awkwardness, "you like how he doesn't get nervous, stays calm, and is always so focused on winning?"

Baekhyun's blush deepened as he nodded, a shy smile breaking through. "Y-yeah... that's what I meant. Thanks."

Taehyung chuckled, flashing a soft smile at him. "Aww, thank you, Baekhyun. You're pretty cute yourself." His compliment earned Baekhyun a few playful nudges from the others, who laughed, agreeing with Taehyung's warm assessment.

Amid the friendly chatter, Jimin leaned in close to Taehyung, his voice dropping to a playful whisper near his ear. "Tae~" he whined, the soft, familiar tone meant just for him.

Taehyung turned, an amused glint in his eyes. "Yeah?"

"I want some candies... I'm out of stock. Get some for me," Jimin murmured, trying to keep his request between the two of them.

Taehyung gave him a side glance, feigning exasperation. "I bought you a whole packet yesterday, and you finished it already? That's not exactly healthy," he scolded, but there was a smile tugging at his lips.

"Nawr! I want it....I saw an old halmeoni selling some handmade candies..they are healthy..I want it." Jimin pouted , muttering slowly.

Taehyung sighed, clearly giving in, his voice dropping to match Jimin's whisper. "Alright, alright. I'll get you some."

With the two of them huddled in their own little world, the others remained blissfully unaware of Jimin's secret weakness for sweets. But soon, Taehyung's voice rose to address everyone.

"Guys! I'm heading out," he announced, his gaze sweeping across the team with a genuine smile. "The match was awesome—thank you all for your hard work. You're the reason we won today, and I hope we keep this spirit alive. Cheers to our victory!" He raised a hand, and the team's response was immediate, cheering with high fives and waves as they all bid goodbye.

As they made their way to the parking lot, Jimin, shedding his stoic act, clung to Taehyung's shoulder, practically bouncing beside him. "Hurry up!" he whined, barely able to contain his excitement.

Taehyung chuckled, amused by Jimin's eagerness. "I'm hurrying, alright? Now get in," he said, playfully lifting Jimin and placing him in the passenger seat with ease. Jimin giggled, securing his seatbelt as Taehyung hopped in beside him.

The engine roared to life, a thrill settling between them as Taehyung grinned, mischief dancing in his eyes. With a loud, exhilarated yell, Taehyung hit the gas, the car darting out of the parking lot, causing the guards to shout after them in protest. But neither of them paid attention, lost in their moment of shared excitement as they zoomed through the gates, laughter filling the car.

_________