† 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟬𝟴 †

╭─━─━─━─━─━─╮𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟬𝟴†❝𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗘𝗡?!❞╰─━─━─━─━─━─╯

༺ ☠︎ † 𝖁 𝖎 𝖘 𝖎 𝖔 𝖓 𝖎 𝖓 𝕯 𝖆 𝖗 𝖐 † ☠︎ ༻

A few days had passed since Evie had started at this new school, and things had settled into a routine. The initial nervousness she had felt was beginning to fade.

At first, she had been hyper- aware of everything -how people acted, how they looked at her, and whether she would fit in. But now, she realized none of that really mattered. No one cared about each other here, and honestly, she didn't either.

She had decided early on that she would mind her own business. If she wanted to get through the next few months peacefully, the best thing to do was stay out of people's way and not get involved in anything unnecessary.

Luckily, Mia had been a great support to her these past few days. She had helped her catch up on pending work, guided her through the little things she was unfamiliar with, and had generally been a good friend.

Evie liked Mia because she was similar to her-quiet, independent, and uninterested in drama. As a scholarship student, Mia didn't interact much with the other students either. She focused on her studies, avoided unnecessary socializing, and simply went about her day. It was nice to have someone like that by her side.

And then there was Taehyung.

Evie still found it a little surprising that he was the son of her father's boss. When she had mentioned it to her father, he had been taken aback and immediately started lecturing her about being respectful to him, making a good impression, and even suggesting that she invite him over for dinner sometime. She had rolled her eyes at that-her father could be dramatic about these things.

But she couldn't deny that Taehyung was different from what she had expected.

He wasn't like the typical rich kids she had seen around campus-the ones who carried themselves with arrogance, cared too much about social status, and looked down on others.

Taehyung was nothing like that.

He was the opposite, actually. He spent most of his time in the library, reading-not just academic books but even romance novels, which was unexpected for a guy.

He was punctual, respectful towards teachers and staff, and overall, just... decent. That was rare in a place like this.

He had also been incredibly helpful. Despite her hesitation, he had insisted on helping her with her pending work, even taking some of her notebooks home to finish assignments for her. She hadn't wanted to burden him, but he had been persistent. Thanks to him, she had managed to complete everything on time.

He also explained concepts to her when she struggled, making things easier to understand. His patience and kindness didn't go unnoticed.

Taehyung was different.

Soft-spoken , reserved, and unexpectedly adorable in small ways. His smile was gentle, his expressions nothing but warm.

Of course, he was handsome-there was no denying that. But it wasn't just about looks. It was the way he carried himself. The way he treated people. The quiet depth he seemed to have.

He was... exactly her type.

Evie almost laughed at herself for thinking that. What the hell was she even doing? It wasn't like she was planning her future with him. She barely knew him.

And yet, she couldn't deny that he was the kind of person she naturally gravitated toward. Unlike the stereotypical 'bad boy' type that so many girls seemed to swipe over-the ones who acted tough, possessive, or had that 'touch her and die' attitude-Taehyung was different. And that's what she liked.

She wasn't into the whole bad boy brings heaven in bed nonsense. That wasn't attractive to her.

Totally bullshit and turn off.

But someone like Taehyung?

That was a different story.

She shook her head, pushing away her thoughts before she got carried away. She couldn't jump to conclusions based on a few interactions. But at the same time... if their friendship grew into something more, she wouldn't mind it. In fact, she would probably like it.

Before she could overthink any further, she snapped back to reality.

It was morning, and class was about to start. Students were making their way inside, filling up the room with chatter. Evie sat at her desk, waiting for Mia, who usually arrived around this time. But today, she was nowhere to be seen.

Frowning slightly, Evie glanced towards the door, wondering what was keeping her.

Evie waited a little longer, glancing at the classroom door every now and then, hoping to see Mia walk in. But as more time passed and there was still no sign of her, she figured Mia must be absent. It made sense yesterday, she had seemed a little unwell, so maybe she had taken the day off to rest.

With a small sigh, Evie leaned back in her seat, already dreading the thought of spending the entire day alone. She had gotten used to Mia's company, and without her, the day suddenly felt a little dull.

As the minutes passed, students slowly settled into their seats, chatting among themselves while waiting for the professor to arrive. Evie was lost in her own thoughts, feeling somewhat out of place, until she suddenly became aware of a presence beside her.

Turning her head, she found herself looking at Taehyung. He had his backpack slung over one shoulder, and as soon as their eyes met, he gave her a small smile.

"Hey," he greeted casually.

Evie blinked in surprise before returning his smile. "Hey."

His gaze shifted to the empty seat beside her, the one Mia usually occupied. "Where's Mia?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

"I don't know," Evie admitted. "She wasn't feeling well yesterday, so maybe she took the day off."

Taehyung hummed in acknowledgment, then, without any hesitation, pulled out the chair and sat down beside her. "If she's not here, then I guess I'll sit here today," he said with a small grin.

Evie was momentarily taken aback. She hadn't expected that. It wasn't a big deal, really, but for some reason, it made her heart skip a beat. The ease with which he had decided to sit beside her, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, sent a strange warmth through her. Smiling softly, she simply nodded, not trusting herself to say much.

Taehyung, on the other hand, was having his own internal crisis.

What the hell was he doing? Since when did he become this bold?

Normally, he would have hesitated, maybe even overthought the whole thing, but today, for some reason, he hadn't even stopped to consider it. He had just sat down-no second-guessing, no asking for permission. It was so unlike him. And now, he could feel a small wave of panic rising inside him.

Act natural. Act casual. Just act like it's nothing, he told himself.

But damn it, why did sitting beside her suddenly feel like such a big deal?

His fingers lightly tapped against the surface of his desk as he forced himself to focus, trying not to let his thoughts spiral.

He was not going to blush like an idiot.

He was not going to make it obvious that his heart was racing just a little faster than usual.

Just as he was trying to collect himself, the professor finally entered the classroom, saving him from further overthinking. The room quieted down as the students turned their attention to the front, but even as the lecture began, Taehyung couldn't ignore the presence of her beside him.

As the professor began the lecture, the classroom fell into a comfortable silence, broken only by the sound of pens gliding across paper and the occasional flip of a notebook page. Evie focused on her notes, her brows slightly furrowed in concentration as she wrote down everything the professor was saying.

Taehyung, however, wasn't nearly as focused.

He tried-he really did but his attention kept drifting toward her. He couldn't help it. Something about the way she sat there, completely absorbed in her work, made it impossible for him to look away.

He noticed the way her lips pressed together in thought whenever she was unsure about something, how she tapped her fingers lightly against the desk when she was trying to remember a point.

It was... cute.

Shaking his head, he sighed softly and forced himself to look down at his own notebook. Focus, Taehyung.

But just as he glanced at her notes out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something.

She had written the wrong equation.

Without thinking much about it, he leaned slightly closer and whispered, "That's wrong. "

Evie blinked and turned to him, confused. "Huh?"

Taehyung pointed at the mistake in her notes. "This part-you wrote the wrong formula."

Evie followed his finger and immediately groaned under her breath. "Ugh, really? "

"Yeah," he chuckled softly. "Here, let me fix it."

Before she could say anything, Taehyung reached out for her notebook, flipping his pen in his fingers as he effortlessly corrected her mistake. His handwriting was neat and fluid, and Evie found herself watching in fascination.

"Done," he said, sliding the notebook back toward her.

She smiled, tilting her head slightly as she looked at him. "You really have good handwriting, you know."

Taehyung scoffed playfully. "Yeah, you just being nice."

Evie laughed and shook her head. "No, it's actually good."

As she reached for her pen to continue writing, it suddenly slipped from her fingers, falling to the floor with a soft clink. Without hesitation, she bent down to pick it up only to realize that Taehyung had done the same at the exact moment.

Their heads bumped together, making them both freeze for a second before they chuckled.

"Ow," Evie giggled, rubbing the side of her forehead.

"Yeah, that was smooth," Taehyung teased, laughing softly as he picked up the pen and handed it to her.

She took it with a grateful smile. "Thanks."

Just then, a sharp voice interrupted their little moment.

"Mr. Kim. Miss Parker."

Both of them immediately straightened up, their laughter fading as they turned to see the professor looking directly at them, an unimpressed expression on his face.

"Is my lecture too boring for the two of you?"

Taehyung opened his mouth, trying to come up with an excuse, but Evie quickly shook her head. "No, sir! We were just-"

"I don't need excuses. Pay attention," the professor warned before turning back to the board.

Evie pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh, while Taehyung let out a small, amused sigh. It was rare for him to be called out in class-he was always one of the more well behaved students.

But surprisingly... he didn't mind this time.

If anything, it made him feel something light, something warm.

As the lecture continued, Taehyung glanced at Evie out of the corner of his eye, catching the small, shy smile on her lips.

Yeah... maybe getting caught was worth it.

The rest of the day passed by in a way that felt surprisingly natural and comfortable. Taehyung and Evie ended up sitting together in every class, talking quietly so they wouldn't get caught by the professor again.

They shared small jokes, exchanged quick glances, and whispered about things that had nothing to do with the lectures, yet somehow, time flew by without either of them feeling bored. It was effortless, the way their conversations flowed-never forced, never awkward.

Just easy.

By the time lunchtime rolled around, Evie found herself alone, missing Mia's presence since she was still absent. She expected to eat by herself, but to her surprise, Taehyung stayed with her. He made a casual excuse to his friends and chose to sit with Evie instead, far away from his usual crowd. They found a quiet spot outside on the grassy field, away from the loud chatter of students.

Evie liked this-spending time with him, talking about random things, laughing over silly jokes. And though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she was selfishly glad that Mia wasn't here today. If Mia had been around, she probably wouldn't have had this chance to be with Taehyung.

What she didn't know was that Taehyung felt the same way. As much as he liked Mia as Evie's friend , he secretly wished she would stay absent a little longer, just so he could have more moments like this.

After lunch, Evie made her way toward the library as usual, but this time, she went alone. Taehyung had football practice, and though it was a little surprising to her at first-considering how quiet and studious he seemed-she realized that he wasn't just a bookworm.

He was athletic, too. When he told her about his practice, he even apologized for not being able to accompany her, which she found unexpectedly cute. It was funny how he felt the need to say sorry for something so small.

Now, walking down the hallway, Evie balanced a stack of books in her hands. Before heading to the library, she had one more stop to make - the staff room. She had completed her assignments and had been instructed by her professor to drop them off in his cabin.

The only problem?

She had no idea where the staff room was.

Pausing near a corridor, she looked around, trying to figure out which way to go. The building was huge, and despite being here for a few weeks now, she still hadn't explored every corner of it. Most of the time , she just followed Mia or went directly to class, never really paying attention to the other sections of the school.

Now she regretted that.

Sighing, she adjusted the books in her arms and decided to ask someone for directions. Hopefully, she wouldn't embarrass herself in the process.

Evie walked down the quiet hallway, balancing the stack of books in her arms as she searched for the staff room. She sighed, realizing she should have asked someone for directions instead of wandering around aimlessly.

The corridor she had entered was much quieter than the rest of the school, with fewer students passing by. She glanced at the doors lining the walls, reading the small plaques beside them, but none of them said "Staff Room."

Just then, she noticed a door slightly ajar at the end of the hallway. Thinking it might be the right place, she pushed it open without hesitation.

As she stepped inside, her eyes quickly adjusted to the dim lighting. The space was smaller than she expected, filled with shelves stacked with boxes and sports equipment. It didn't quite look like a staff room, but before she could turn to leave, her gaze landed on someone standing near the center of the room.

Her breath hitched.

She recognised the person.

That Jungkook guy.

And he was in the middle of pulling on his sports jersey.

†

Jungkook immediately sensed someone's presence in the room. His sharp instincts made him act quickly, and he swiftly pulled his sports jersey over his head before turning around to see who had entered.

His brows furrowed as he looked at the girl standing frozen at the doorway, her eyes wide with shock.

It took him only a second to recognize her-the same girl who had bumped into him a few days ago with that dumb excuse about forgetting her way. He had seen plenty of girls try to get his attention before and he had assumed she was just another one of them. And now, here she was again, standing in front of him in a room where she clearly wasn't supposed to be.

His lips curled slightly in annoyance as he ran a hand through his damp hair. "You? Again?" he muttered, his tone filled with disbelief.

Evie, still in shock, immediately shook her head. "No-no, I didn't mean to come in here!" she blurted out, holding up her hands as if to prove her innocence. "I was looking for the staff room, but I must've taken the wrong turn."

Jungkook rolled his eyes. Hard. As if he had heard this excuse a thousand times before. "Oh, come on, girl," he scoffed. "Not again with that same pathetic excuse."

Evie blinked. "Excuse me?"

Jungkook sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "Listen, just accept it already. I'm not interested in you. Whatever plan you have to get my attention, it's not gonna work, so stop embarrassing yourself."

Evie's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Was this guy serious?

"This dumbhead," she muttered under her breath, gripping the books in her arms so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She took a deep breath , trying to control her rising irritation. "I told you-I was looking for the staff room. I walked into the wrong room. That's it."

She glanced around for the first time, finally realizing where she had ended up. The room wasn't a classroom or an office. It was filled with shelves stacked with sports equipment-footballs, basketballs, jerseys, and other gear.

"And for the record," she added, turning back to him with an exasperated glare, "this isn't even a changing room. It's a storage room for sports equipment."

Jungkook huffed, shaking his head as if he didn't believe a single word she was saying. "Yeah, yeah, keep playing innocent," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Doesn't change the fact that people do change here sometimes. And honestly? It's kinda pathetic how desperate you are."

Evie felt her eye twitch.

Desperate?

Desperate?!!

Her fingers itched to throw one of the heavy books in her hands straight at his smug face. But before she could even open her mouth to fire back, Jungkook took a step closer.

She instinctively stiffened, her body tensing at his sudden approach. But instead of saying anything, he simply raised a hand in front of her face, silencing her before she could even speak.

His expression remained blank-unbothered, detached, as if she were nothing more than a minor inconvenience in his day.

Then, to her confusion, his dark eyes slowly dropped to her feet.

Evie's brows furrowed as she watched him. What the hell was he-

His gaze slowly dragged upward, moving from her shoes to her legs, then to her clothes, her posture, her hair-like he was inspecting her. But there was no admiration in his expression. No intrigue. No hint of anything remotely positive.

Just cold, dis-interested judgment.

Evie suddenly felt... uncomfortable.

Jungkook let out a dramatic sigh before crossing his arms over his chest. "Three out of ten," he muttered.

Evie blinked, confusion washing over her. "What? "

Jungkook tilted his head slightly, as if reconsidering. "Fine. Four out of ten. But I can't go any higher than that."

Evie stared at him, her brain struggling to process what he had just said. "What are you even talking about?"

Jungkook shrugged carelessly, his face as bored as ever. "Your looks," he said casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Not exactly my type, but I've seen worse."

Evie stood frozen in place, her mind struggling to process what had just happened.

Had she heard that correctly?

Had Jeon Jungkook-the most arrogant, self-absorbed, insufferable guy she had ever met-just rated her?

Rated. Her.

Like she was some... some item on a store shelf, casually being evaluated before a decision was made on whether or not she was worth something.

For a long second , she just stood there, her lips slightly parted in shock, her brain refusing to function properly. She tried to replay the moment in her head, hoping she had misheard him, that her ears were deceiving her-but no.

He had actually said it.

Her chest tightened, her fingers curling into fists as she forced herself to speak. "What the f-" She barely got the words out, still staring at him in sheer disbelief. "Did you just-did you seriously just rate me?!"

Jungkook, standing a few feet away from her, didn't even flinch at her outrage. He looked completely unfazed, like she had just asked him whether the sky was blue. If anything, he seemed almost bored by her reaction.

"Yeah?" he said simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Evie's eye twitched.

He really just-

Her breathing turned sharp, ready to snap at him, ready to make him regret opening his mouth. But before she could, he let out a sigh and spoke again.

"Look, girl," he said, his tone carrying an edge of impatience, like he was getting tired of the conversation already. "I get it. You're probably feeling a little hurt right now, but honestly?" He shrugged, adjusting the sleeves of his sports jersey. "I can't help it. You're just not my type."

Evie stunned.

Excuse me, not his type?

Not his type?!

She didn't give a damn about being his type! She had never asked to be his type! Who the hell did he think he was?!

Her mouth opened to fire back at him, but once again, Jungkook acted like he didn't even hear her.

"I mean, your hair is fine, I guess," he continued, eyeing her with a slow, calculating look. "Shoulder length. Not too bad. Could be better, but not bad."

Evie felt her anger grew...

Was he-was he actually analyzing her right now?

His eyes dragged lazily over her appearance, and before she could even think to stop him, he had already moved on to his next critique.

"But your clothes?" He scoffed, shaking his head in obvious disappointment. "That's where you really lost points."

Evie blinked, stunned.

"My... clothes?" she repeated, unable to believe this was actually happening.

Jungkook made a vague motion with his hand, as if to emphasize her outfit. "Yeah. I mean, who the hell wears something like that?" His eyes scanned her from head to toe, his nose wrinkling slightly in distaste. "It's just so... basic."

Evie automatically glanced down at herself. She was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a soft, comfortable sweater. It was casual, practical-not flashy, but not ugly either. Right?

Right?!

Jungkook sighed, like she had personally disappointed him. "I mean, these jeans?" He gestured at them with a lazy flick of his hand. "They're fine, I guess. But they don't really do anything for you. If you wanna blend into the background, they're great. But if you're trying to catch my attention-"

"What are you even-," Evie snapped.

Jungkook completely ignored her.

"-then you should at least try to put in some effort," he continued, as if she hadn't even spoken. "Maybe wear something a little more flattering. Like..."

Before Evie could move away, he reached out and pinched the fabric of her sweater between his fingers, pulling it slightly as if he was checking it.

Evie froze.

Her skin burned where his fingers barely brushed her, not because it was some romantic moment, but because she was so shocked by his audacity that she couldn't even react.

Jungkook seemed completely unfazed.

"Yeah, this?" He tugged the sweater slightly before letting it go, shaking his head. "Way too plain. It hides everything. You should wear something more fitted. A dress, maybe? Something short." His eyes flickered over her again, as if imagining it. "Tight enough to show off a little shape. Heels would help, too."

Evie felt her breath catch.

What. The. Hell.

He had just-just suggested outfit changes for her?!

Like she was some contestant on Jungkook's Personal Makeover Show?!

She stood there, speechless, her mouth slightly open as he casually continued judging her.

"Yeah," he nodded slightly, as if confirming his own thoughts. "If you start dressing like that, then maybe-maybe-I'd consider bumping you up to a six. But as of right now..."

He sighed dramatically, like he was actually thinking about it. Then, with a shake of his head, he gave his final verdict.

"Four out of ten. Can't go any higher than that."

Evie snapped.

"Excuse me?!" she practically say in loud voice, finally regaining her ability to speak.

Jungkook glanced at her lazily, unfazed. "Fine," he sighed again. "Four point five."

Evie lost all sense of reality.

Her brain completely short-circuited.

She just stood there, gaping at him, stunned as he casually insulted her entire existence without a single ounce of hesitation.

She wanted to kick him.

She wanted to grab the nearest object and throw it at his stupid, smug face.

But most of all-she wanted to know what the hell had just happened.

★ ★ ★

—𝖽𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗏𝗈𝗍𝖾         𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝗋𝗈𝗉 𝖺 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍···୨ৎ