⏳ Next Day — Classroom
You walked in, slightly tired but focused.
Today had to go smoother.
No mistakes.
No chaos.
"Good morning," Yuna smiled.
"You look serious," Minji added. "Scary serious."
"Project mode," you replied simply.
"Uh oh," Hana whispered dramatically."Someone's about to suffer."
And right on cue—
"Morning."
Jimin dropped into the seat beside you.
"You're late," you said without looking at him.
He blinked.
"…Okay, wow. No hello?"
"You said we'd meet early."
"I said I'd try."
You finally looked at him.
"That's not the same thing."
Before he could respond—
"Relax."
Taehyung's voice.
He placed his bag down, calm as ever.
"She's right," he added.
Jimin turned to him."Whose side are you on?"
Taehyung shrugged."The correct one."
Minji, sitting behind, whispered to Hana—"This is better than Netflix."
You ignored everything.
"Did you bring the updated references?"
Jimin froze for a second.
"…I was going to do them today."
Silence.
You stared at him.
"You said you'd do it yesterday."
"I said I'd try," he repeated, tone slightly defensive now.
"That's not enough."
"And acting like a manager won't help either."
That hit.
Your expression changed.
"I'm not acting like anything," you said, voice steady but colder now."I'm just doing what we're supposed to do."
Jimin leaned back.
"And I'm not doing nothing."
"But you're not doing enough."
The air shifted.
Taehyung looked between both of you.
Didn't interrupt.
"Why are you taking this so seriously?" Jimin asked."It's just a college project."
You let out a short laugh.
"Of course. It doesn't matter to you."
"And it does to you this much?" he challenged.
"Yes."
That one word—
was enough.
Silence filled the space.
Jimin looked at you differently now.
Not joking.
Not playful.
"…You don't have to act like everything depends on you," he said.
"I'm not acting."
"Then what is this?"
"This is responsibility."
"And this is overreacting."
Your patience snapped.
"Fine," you said, grabbing your notebook."Then maybe you shouldn't be in this group."
That landed.
Hard.
Even Taehyung looked up at that.
Jimin stood up slightly.
"…What?"
"If you don't care, don't pretend to," you continued."It just makes things harder for everyone."
His jaw tightened.
"I never said I don't care."
"You don't show it either."
That was it.
The line crossed.
Jimin let out a sharp breath.
"Wow."
He laughed.
But it wasn't funny.
"You know what?" he said."Maybe you should just do everything yourself since you're so perfect."
"I never said I was perfect."
"But you act like it."
You stood up now.
"And you act like nothing matters."
Taehyung stepped in.
"Enough."
Both of you ignored him.
"Say it clearly," Jimin said."You don't want to work with me?"
You didn't hesitate.
"Not like this."
Silence.
Real silence this time.
Jimin nodded slowly.
"Fine."
He picked up his bag.
"Do it your way."
And just like that—
he walked out.
The classroom felt heavier.
You stood there, breathing uneven.
Taehyung looked at the door—
then at you.
"…You went too far."
You froze.
"What?"
"He messed up, yes," Taehyung said calmly."But that doesn't mean you push him out."
You stared at him.
"So now I'm wrong?"
"I didn't say that."
"That's exactly what you're saying."
He sighed slightly.
"I'm saying you both are."
You shook your head.
"Great. Perfect."
You grabbed your bag.
"I don't need this."
And you walked out too.
⏳ Corridor
Your steps were fast.
Too fast.
Frustration.
Anger.
Something else you didn't want to name.
You stopped near the stairs.
Taking a deep breath.
Why did that affect you this much?
It wasn't even about the project anymore.
⏳ Back in classroom
Taehyung stood there alone.
He looked at the empty seats.
Then exhaled.
"…This is going to be a problem."