Into the Unknown
Taehyung took a deep breath as the scent of freshly brewed coffee filled his nostrils. He had just clocked in for his 6:30 AM shift at the high-end coffee shop owned by his brother’s “friend”, J-Hope.
Even though he was exhausted, he forced a smile onto his face.
“Oh, TeaTae, you’re here!” J-Hope greeted brightly.
“Yeah, Hobi. Good morning. How was your Friday night?” Tae asked, slipping behind the counter.
“Oh, it was okay. I went to a bar last night with a couple of my friends oh my God, their VIP section was immaculate,” J-Hope said with a laugh. “But the whole vibe got ruined. The billionaire’s son, Jungkook, I think his name was, showed up. He made such a ruckus, had a crowd of girls with him, and they were all ridiculously loud.”
“Jungkook was there, huh?” Tae asked, a frown tugging at his lips.
“Yeah, total asshat to the staff,” J-Hope sighed.
“Typical Jungkook. What else would you expect from him?” Tae mumbled under his breath.
“What was that? Did you say something?”
“Oh-nothing. Must’ve been quite the experience. Forget about him; let’s focus on work. Customers are coming in.”
But no matter how hard he tried, the thought of Jungkook refused to leave his mind.
Taehyung, known to most as Tae, was in his fourth year studying to be an art major. His parents had disowned him years ago, unable to accept that he loved men instead of women. Now, he was barely scraping by, juggling his social life, work, and school while trying to make ends meet. At university, Tae wasn’t one of the popular guys. He kept mostly to himself. But he had one shining light in his life: his best friend, Jimin.
Jimin was the sun to Tae’s quiet moon-outgoing, popular, and endlessly optimistic. And no matter how busy his life got, Jimin would never let Tae be alone. The two of them had come so far together. Tae had stood by Jimin’s side when he had nothing, and now, Jimin made sure to do the same.
The morning passed in a blur of orders and the hiss of the espresso machine. Tae moved automatically, smiling at customers, taking orders, steaming milk - but his mind was elsewhere. No matter how he tried, Jungkook’s name kept echoing in his thoughts.
He shook it off. Ridiculous. I don’t care about him.
By noon, Tae finished his shift, changed into a soft beige sweater and jeans, and grabbed his sketchbook before heading toward the university campus. The sun was already high, casting sharp shadows on the pavement.
The walk to campus helped clear his head, the familiar streets grounding him. He liked the quiet moments before class, when the world felt just a little slower.
Tae pushed open the heavy doors of the art building and made his way toward the studio. The hallway smelled faintly of turpentine and fresh canvas.
Inside, students were already gathering, some setting up easels, others chatting in groups. Tae slid into his usual spot near the window, unpacked his pencils and sketchbook, and leaned back for a moment, letting the light hit his face.
That’s when he heard it, a low murmur rippling through the room.
He glanced up. The door had swung open again. A small crowd was gathered just inside the studio, and in the middle of it was him.
Jeon Jungkook.
Tae froze, pencil hovering above the page. He hadn’t even known Jungkook attended this class. Or any class. The billionaire’s son wasn’t exactly known for academic dedication.
Girls clustered around him, laughing too loudly at every small thing he said. Jungkook stood at the center, casually leaning against the doorframe in a black leather jacket, ripped jeans, and silver rings glinting on his fingers. His hair was tousled, dark eyes sharp and unreadable.
Tch. Typical, Tae thought, looking back down at his sketchbook. He didn’t need to get involved. He didn’t care. Not at all.
But something tugged at him - a prickle at the back of his neck. Slowly, almost unwillingly, he glanced up again.
That was when it happened.
Jungkook, mid-conversation, turned his head slightly, and their eyes met.
For one long, breathless moment, the noise in the room seemed to fade. Jungkook’s gaze locked onto Tae’s, sharp as a blade, unblinking. There was no smirk, no grin, just a cool, unreadable stare.
Tae’s heart skipped. He looked away quickly, heat rising in his cheeks.
What the hell was that?
When he dared glance up again, Jungkook had already turned back to the group, as if nothing had happened.
But Tae couldn’t shake the feeling - that brief connection, electric and unsettling, lingering in the air.
