Chapter Text
The canteen was louder than ever. Then again, when wasn’t it?
Taehyung had just walked out of practice, sweat still clinging to his skin beneath his shirt. After a whole gap year, stepping back into this chaos felt strange, like the world had moved on without him. But none of that mattered right now. He just wanted to get back to basketball, lock in, and return to his best form as fast as possible.
Unfortunately, his roommate refused to let him exist in peace.
Minho walked beside him, talking nonstop and dumping weeks’ worth of campus gossip into Taehyung’s ears while they searched for food.
Taehyung only half-listened, eyes scanning for an empty table.
Then loud hooting and laughter erupted from one corner of the canteen.
A crowd had gathered around a table, people practically climbing over each other to watch whatever drama was happening in the middle.
Minho’s eyes lit up. “Oh shit, look. Someone’s about to make a fool of himself again. Jimin’s not gonna spare him today. Fuck man, he found his prey for today. I can tell he’s having fun.”
Taehyung barely glanced over, more focused on the food counters. “Who’s Jimin?”
Minho stopped dead, staring at him like he’d grown a second head. “Dude… you don’t know Jimin?”
Taehyung rolled his eyes at the dramatics and kept walking. “I took a gap year, of course I don’t.”
Minho lowered his voice dramatically as they moved again. “He started Modelling and it basically blew up. He is no less than campus celebrity. Half the university is obsessed with him. Since he came out, guys keep trying their luck with him.” He snorted. “Most of them leave humiliated.”
Taehyung finally looked toward the crowded table. He still couldn’t see the people at the centre as the crowd took over but caught a flash of blonde hair. Taehyung rolled his eyes while answering, “Sounds exhausting.”
Before Minho could respond, the canteen suddenly quieted.
Then a smooth voice cut through the silence.
“Aw. That’s cute. Did you practice that confession in the mirror first?”
The entire canteen erupted in laughter.
Taehyung sighed internally and grabbed his tray, already planning to sit as far away from the noise as possible. He found an empty table near the wall and finally looked toward the commotion properly.
He couldn’t see the blonde guy’s face properly but he could hear everything.
At the centre of the canteen drama sat Park Jimin with his effortless charm, was leaning back in his chair, legs crossed, lips curved in a sweet little smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
Standing in front of him was a tall guy in a tight black shirt, the type that practically screamed gym membership and overconfidence.
“C’mon baby,” Minjun drawled loudly, voice full of fake sincerity, “you’ve been replying to my texts all week. I know you feel this too. Stop playing hard to get.”
A few of his friends snickered behind him.
Jimin tilted his head. “Hmm. Do I?”
The guy stepped closer, grinning wider like he genuinely thought he was winning.
“I’ll treat you good, Jimin. Just say yes already.”
Jimin’s eyes gleamed with mischief.
“Uh-huh” Jimin said, voice honey-sweet and loud enough for the entire surrounding crowd to hear, “But, I do have one condition before I date you.”
Minjun’s chest puffed up instantly, overconfident grin widening. “Now we are talking. Name it. I’ll do anything for you, babe.”
The canteen quieted down, everyone leaning in.
Jimin stood up slowly, graceful as ever, and looked Minjun straight in the eyes before speaking. “You have to be completely honest with me. My condition is simple…”
He paused for dramatic effect. “You must have never kissed anyone before. Never dated anyone before. Never slept with anyone. Only then will I even consider you.”
Dead silence for half a second.
Then Jimin gestured lightly toward the crowd.
“So go on,” he continued gently. “Say it loudly for everyone to hear. Tell them you’re completely inexperienced.”
The guy’s confidence cracked immediately.
“W-what?”
Jimin blinked at him, all cute and confused. “But you said you’d do anything, right? Hence, this should be easy. Just say it. Loud and clear.”
The guy opened his mouth, then closed it again as realization finally hit him.
Phones were already out recording.
Jimin’s smile never faltered.
Minjun’s neck turned red. He was too full of himself to immediately understand he was being destroyed, so he tried doubling down. “Yahh, stop joking around.
Everyone knows I’ve…” He stopped mid-sentence, realizing the trap.
Jimin’s smile never faltered. “Exactly. Everyone knows. So say the truth, Minjun. Or admit you can’t meet my condition and fuck off.”
The silence was deafening. Then the laughter exploded.
Minjun stood there, mouth opening and closing like a fish, cheeks burning. For the first time, that overconfident idiot finally realized he’d been played in front of the entire canteen. He looked pathetic.
“Next time,” he said, voice almost pitying, “don’t confuse basic politeness for interest.”
He patted Minjun’s shoulder twice and sat back down like nothing happened.
The entire canteen erupted in cheers, whistles, and loud laughter. Someone even started slow-clapping.
Taehyung paused mid-bite.
Minho whistled low beside him. “See? Ruthless.”
Taehyung didn’t answer immediately.
Because honestly?
The guy deserved it.
He didn’t know who this Jimin was, but the way he handled that asshole so sharply and smartly left him strangely impressed. It sounded arrogant, sure… but that guy had it coming.
Taehyung found the corner of his mouth twitching upward. Not bad.
He shook his head, quickly finished the rest of his lunch, and grabbed his bag.
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Slowly, the crowd dispersed and everyone went back to their own tables and conversations.
Jimin dropped back into his chair like nothing had happened. Beside him, Jungkook frowned down at his food.
“Hyung,” he mumbled quietly, “you went a little too far this time.”
Jimin instantly softened.
“Aigoo,” he cooed, pinching Jungkook’s cheek. “That’s because you’re too nice, Kookie. People like him would trick someone innocent like you in seconds.” He tilted his head, smiling. “That’s exactly why I keep you close to me all the time. Let hyung handle the trash.”
Jungkook’s ears turned pink as he pushed Jimin’s hand away weakly.
Across the table, Seokjin and Hoseok were still dying with laughter.
“Did you see his face when Jimin said ‘say it loudly in front of everyone’?” Jin wheezed, slapping the table. “The way colour drained out of his face so quickly.”
Hoseok was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes. “He really thought he was about to pull Jimin. The overconfidence was insane! That was pure cinema. Worth every second of the drama.”
Jimin only smirked, completely unbothered.
“He’ll survive.”
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The universe seemed to enjoy testing Taehyung’s patience.
He had started going with Yoongi to grab lunch, his teammate from the basketball team. Yoongi was the perfect company: minimal talking, zero drama, and a resting bored face that matched Taehyung’s own desire for peace. A much-needed break from his loud roommate.
But peace? Apparently not allowed.
His cafeteria timings now overlapped with theirs almost every single day.
Whenever Taehyung entered the canteen, the corner table was already alive with loud laughter and noises erupting bounced off every wall. With one of them slapping the table so hard the trays rattled while laughing. And there was a tall guy, with plump lips who delivered dramatic lines like he was performing on stage.
They weren’t exactly yelling. They were just… existing at maximum volume. Completely unbothered that the rest of the world was trying to eat in peace.
Taehyung had judged them hard from day one.
Attention magnets. Loud for no reason. Must think the whole campus revolves around their little bubble.
He always chose a table as far away as possible, back turned to them, and tried to focus on his food.
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Fast-forward two weeks.
Taehyung had joined the university’s Media and Events Club on a whim. Mostly because his scholarship required extracurricular credits, and basketball alone wasn’t enough. He couldn’t afford to fall behind on credits.
On his first day, the club president handed him a list of upcoming events.
“For now, help the main co-ordination team and help wherever needed.” she explained. Taehyung nodded absentmindedly while flipping through the papers.
The president pointed toward a pile of unfinished prop decorations stacked near the stage entrance. “You can start there. Help arrange the set pieces and backdrop panels before the photoshoot starts.”
Taehyung frowned slightly. “Photoshoot?”
She looked at him like he was already behind.
“Yes, photoshoot. Jimin’s coming in less than an hour.”
Taehyung blinked. “Jimin… as in the Jimin?”
“Yeah. Park Jimin.” The president laughed as he said, “What, are you a fan too?”
Taehyung just frowned, jaw slightly tight.
She kept walking while talking over her shoulder.
“And listen carefully, we are running on an extremely tight schedule. Jimin has another brand commitment after this, so nobody wastes his time. Everything needs to be prepared before he gets here. Props, lighting, backdrop, changing area, all of it.”
She stopped briefly to hand Taehyung another clipboard.
“He’s opening the show this year, so today’s shoot is important. If anything goes wrong, everyone panics. Especially the media team.”
Taehyung stared at the clipboard in silence for a moment before looking around the hectic backstage again.
People running everywhere.
Staff yelling.
Schedules falling apart.
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Taehyung was helping with props and background setup — moving crates, adjusting stands, and carrying things no one else wanted to touch.
He was already bored out of his mind.
Until Jimin stepped in front of the lights.
The moment the soft white lighting hit him, everything changed. Jimin had changed into one of the show pieces; a sleek, oversized shirt slipping off one shoulder, paired with loose trousers that still somehow looked expensive. His blonde hair looked almost ethereal under the glow.
“Ready?” the photographer called.
Jimin gave a small nod, and just like that, he became someone else.
He tilted his head, eyes half-lidded, lips parted in a lazy, seductive smile. One hand slowly ran through his hair as he shifted his weight, hips angled perfectly. Every movement was fluid, intentional, and devastatingly beautiful. The lights caught on the curve of his neck, the sharp line of his jaw, the way his shirt slid against his skin.
Taehyung forgot he was holding a heavy prop box.
He stood frozen near the side, completely lost. The noise of the room dulled. All he could see was Jimin. His heart did something stupid in his chest. For those few seconds, nothing else existed. Just the eyes that could probably ruin someone without even trying.
“…hey, new guy!” Someone suddenly snapped their fingers near his face. “Can you bring the silver backdrop stand from the storage? We need it now.”
Taehyung blinked hard, snapping out of the trance. His ears felt hot.
“Yeah… got it,” he muttered, quickly setting the box down and escaping toward the back.
________________________________________
While carrying the stand back, he heard the commotion near the clothing racks.
“What the hell, dude!” A senior was yelling. “Do you even know how much these costs? You spilled the entire glitter spray all over the black jackets! Are you fucking blind?”
Jungkook stood there shrinking into himself, head down, shoulders hunched. Glitter dust covered his hands, sleeves, and half the black jackets hanging nearby. He looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
“I-I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to… it slipped…” Jungkook’s voice was tiny.
The senior kept scolding him loudly. Jungkook only made himself smaller.
Taehyung set the heavy stand down with a thud and stepped in.
“It’s okay,” he said calmly, deep voice cutting through the tension. “I’ll help him clean it up. We’ve got this.”
The senior glared for a second, “Whatever. Just make sure it’s handled.” He walked off, still grumbling.
Jungkook slowly looked up at the tall stranger with wide, surprised eyes.
Taehyung crouched down beside him, grabbing cloths and cleaning spray.
“Hey, breathe. It’s just glitter. Not worth stressing over.” He gave the younger boy a small, warm smile. “We’ll fix this together. Take it easy.”
They worked in silence for a minute. Jungkook kept stealing glances at him, still shocked that someone was actually helping instead of shouting.
“You really don’t have to…” Jungkook mumbled shyly.
Taehyung chuckled softly as he wiped glitter off one of the jackets. “It’s fine.” He looked at the mess around them and the sparkles still stuck in Jungkook’s hair, then smirked.
“Now pass me that cloth, glitter.”
Jungkook’s ears turned even redder at the casual nickname, but he handed it over with a tiny smile.
Taehyung wiped the last streak of glitter off the black jacket and straightened up. The fabric still sparkled stubbornly under the lights, but at least it no longer looked like a crime scene.
Jungkook bowed his head slightly, ears still pink. “Thank you for helping!”
“It’s no big deal.” Taehyung said as he tossed the dirty cloth into a bin. “Glitter’s a pain. I’ve dealt with worse during team celebrations.”
Jungkook gave a tiny, shy laugh, the kind that barely made sound. For a second, something clicked in Taehyung’s mind. Had he seen this guy before?
Before Taehyung could say anything else, Jungkook’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it and his eyes widened.
“Ah! I have to go. My friends are waiting. They are done.” He quickly gathered his bag, bowing again. “Thank you, sunbae!”
Taehyung nodded, watching as Jungkook hurried toward the exit, almost tripping over his own feet once. He headed straight for a small group lingering near the building entrance.
Taehyung moved closer to the window, pretending to adjust one of the stands. He couldn’t hear them, but he could see everything clearly.
Jimin was leaning against the wall, blonde hair glowing in the golden light, arms loosely crossed. The second Jungkook appeared, Jimin’s sharp expression melted into something warm. He laughed softly and pulled Jungkook into a hug, ruffling his hair with fond affection. Jungkook instantly relaxed against him. They seemed really close.
He stared a second longer, eyes lingering on Jimin’s easy smile and the way his hand stayed on Jungkook’s shoulder. Something hot and unfamiliar twisted in his chest.
He hadn’t known it was possible for him to feel this way about someone without even knowing them. He wanted that kind of closeness. He felt stupid and mentally slapped himself as he walked away hoping it to be just a phase.
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Next morning – Business Analytics Lecture Hall
Taehyung walked into the hall and immediately spotted the familiar hoodie in the second-last row. Jungkook was sitting alone again, earphones in, shoulders slightly hunched as he doodled in the corner of his notebook.
Taehyung hesitated for a second. Then he walked over and took the seat right next to him.
Jungkook looked up, eyes widening in surprise.
“Glitter,” Taehyung greeted quietly, the corner of his mouth lifting.
Jungkook’s entire face flushed a deep shade of red. He sat up straighter, suddenly hyper-aware of how close Taehyung was sitting.
“S-sunbae… you’re in this class too?”
Taehyung chuckled lowly. “Yeah. Gap year fucked up my schedule pretty badly.” He paused, then added in a playful tone, “Also, why do you keep calling me sunbae? Do I look that old?”
Jungkook panicked cutely, waving his hands. “No! That’s not it! I… I just saw you talking to Seojun sunbae last time so I assumed… I’m sorry—”
“Relax,” Taehyung said, smiling softer. He leaned in just a little. “Call me hyung. Or Taehyung. I’d like that.”
Jungkook’s ears turned bright red. He couldn’t hold eye contact. His fingers tightened around his pen as he gave a tiny, shy nod, heart clearly racing.
When the professor started the lecture, Taehyung waited a few minutes before leaning toward him again.
“So… am I allowed to know your real name? Or am I stuck calling you Glitter for the rest of the semester?”
Jungkook bit his lip, fighting a shy smile.
“Jeon Jungkook,” he whispered, voice barely audible.
Taehyung extended his hand under the desk. “Nice to meet you, Jungkook.”
Jungkook hesitated for half a second before shaking it. His palm was slightly sweaty, and he held on a little longer than necessary. When Taehyung pulled back, Jungkook quickly looked down at his notebook, but kept stealing glances at Taehyung’s side profile for the rest of the lecture.
Taehyung noticed every single glance. He found it kind of endearing. He’s cute, Taehyung thought. Like a nervous bunny.
But every time Jungkook looked away, Taehyung’s mind drifted back to a specific boy with blonde hair, sharp eyes, and that dangerously sweet smile.
He has to take it slow and steady.
If befriending Jungkook was the way to get closer to Jimin without getting publicly roasted… then Taehyung was willing to take his time.