The building exit was chaos.
Camera flashes.
Mic cords everywhere.
Shouting voices overlapping.
"Y/N! Did you use Taehyung to get back at Jungkook?"
"Are you two dating?"
"Are you cheating on Jungkook?"
"Is this why Ria posted everything?"
The glass doors slid open.
And the moment Y/N stepped out…
The noise exploded.
By reflex, she paused.
Her head dipped.
Hands shaking.
Her chest felt heavy like someone was sitting on it.
She wasn't ready.
But then—
A shadow moved in front of her.
Warm.
Solid.
Taehyung.
He stepped in front of her without even thinking twice.
Scene: Taehyung vs Reporters
A reporter pushed his mic forward.
"Taehyung-ssi, clarify! Are you with her now?"
He didn't even look at them.
He simply moved one step closer to Y/N, making sure her body was completely behind him.
And then he spoke.
Calm.
Controlled.
But sharp enough to cut.
"Step back."
The whole crowd froze for a second.
But then they continued.
"Are you her boyfriend?"
"Is she playing both of you?"
"Is this revenge?"
His jaw clenched.
He turned to them slowly.
"You're filming a human, not a story character," he said.
"So stop acting like vultures."
A flash popped right in her face.
He instantly lifted his hand, blocking her view.
"No pictures," he ordered.
"Not today."
The crowd again
"She's a public figure!" someone shouted.
"She should be ready!"
Taehyung laughed coldly.
"And you should be decent," he replied.
"But here we are."
His arm stretched back slightly.
He didn't hold her hand.
But he gently tugged her sleeve.
"Stay close," he murmured so only she could hear.
She nodded silently.
Her fingers were trembling.
He felt it.
He slowed his steps instantly.
More reporters crowd them
"Did Jungkook give up on you?"
"Did you choose Taehyung instead?"
"Who do you really love?"
Her breath hitched.
He felt it.
Then suddenly—
He stopped walking.
Everyone froze.
He turned back to the cameras.
"You all want statements, right?"
They leaned closer immediately.
His eyes sharpened.
"She doesn't belong to anyone to be 'chosen' or 'claimed'.
Not him. Not me.
And definitely not you."
Silence.
He continued:
"She's a person before she's your headline.
And if any of you post more lies—
I'll handle it legally."
The air turned heavy.
Small moment between them
They started walking again.
Quieter now.
Still flashes, but slower.
She whispered:
"…You didn't have to."
He didn't look at her.
"I know."
Then his voice softened.
"But I wanted to."
Her heart skipped.
Not in love.
Not confusion.
Just…
Relief.
For the first time in a long time.
Outside – When it's almost empty
They reached the car.
He opened the door for her.
She stopped before getting in.
"Taehyung…"
He looked at her.
"Thank you."
He gave a small smile — tired, but real.
"Don't thank me."
"Just stay strong, okay?"
She nodded.
And for the first time…
She believed she could.
The training hall was silent.
Just the squeak of shoes on the floor.
The echo of a ball hitting a wall.
Jungkook wasn't training.
He was sitting.
Back against the bench wall.
Phone resting in his palm.
Replay.
Replay.
Replay.
The clip.
Taehyung standing in front of Y/N.
Blocking cameras.
Speaking for her.
Protecting her.
He exhaled slowly.
Not angry.
Not screaming.
Just… quiet.
Which was worse.
Yoongi stood near the water dispenser, watching him carefully.
"You're going to break your phone," he said casually.
Jungkook didn't look up.
"You think he did it for attention?"
Yoongi paused.
"I think he did it because she needed someone," he replied honestly.
Jungkook's jaw flexed.
"And that couldn't be me, right?"
Yoongi didn't answer.
The silence spoke enough.
He laughed under his breath.
"Crazy… how I was standing right there when Ria started this… and didn't stop her properly."
He finally locked his phone.
"Now she thinks I support it."
Later – Outside the ground
A black car pulled up slowly.
Jungkook looked up.
And frowned.
The door opened.
A tall figure stepped out.
Familiar posture.
Calm walk.
That quiet confidence.
Park Jisoo (Y/N's senior from physiotherapy academy)
He had been posted abroad for months.
No one expected him back this soon.
He adjusted his glasses, looking around the place.
"Did I miss anything… or is the world just burning as usual?"
Yoongi smirked.
"Perfect timing."
Jungkook stood up.
"What are you doing here?"
Jisoo shrugged.
"Came back for a project," he said.
"But also… because a certain junior of mine looked like she might disappear under pressure."
Jungkook stiffened.
"You spoke to her?"
He nodded lightly.
"She didn't say much."
"But silence can scream too, Jungkook."
That name… from him… felt heavy.
"And?"
Jisoo crossed his arms.
"She looked like someone who hasn't had a proper shield for a long time."
A pause.
Then slowly:
"Until today."
Jungkook already knew who he meant.
Jungkook's reaction to Taehyung's action
"So you're saying…" he muttered,
"he's doing what I should've done."
Jisoo didn't sugarcoat.
"Yes."
Yoongi glanced between them.
"But don't mistake," Jisoo added,
"this isn't about him winning."
He looked straight at Jungkook.
"This is about whether you can still stand beside her
instead of behind habits and people who make things worse."
A long silence hung between them.
Jungkook didn't answer.
Because this time…
He didn't have one.
Meanwhile… Y/N (small glimpse)
Y/N sat in the backseat, quiet.
Her phone vibrated.
A message.
Jisoo: I'm back. And yes, you're still terrible at answering calls.
A small smile almost came to her lips.
Almost.
But she didn't reply.
Not yet.
The hallway outside the training complex was quiet now.
Most people had left.
Cameras gone.
Lights dim.
Only cleaners and a few staff moving around.
Taehyung leaned against the vending machine, scrolling through his phone but not really seeing anything.
His mind was still stuck on the way Y/N had looked at him earlier.
That silence in her eyes.
He erased the memory quickly.
He didn't want to linger in it too long.
That's when he heard calm footsteps.
Slow.
Unbothered.
He looked up.
A guy stood there.
Tall. Clean posture. Calm eyes behind thin glasses.
Not an athlete.
Not staff.
Not media.
Someone different.
"Kim Taehyung?" the man said.
Taehyung straightened slightly.
"Yes?"
The guy nodded once, very lightly.
"Park Jisoo."
"Her senior."
Silence.
Not awkward.
Just heavy.
"Oh," Taehyung said softly.
"So you're the one who came back suddenly."
Jisoo gave a quiet smile.
"And you're the one who stood in front of her today."
Taehyung didn't deny it.
For a moment, they both just looked at each other.
Not rivalry.
Not hostility.
Two people standing at different edges of the same storm.
The Talk No One Expected
Jisoo leaned lightly on the wall.
"You know," he said,
"She has this habit of acting like she's fine."
Taehyung exhaled.
"Most strong people do."
Jisoo looked at him.
She doesn't let people stand up for her easily.
So when I saw the clip…"
He paused.
"I knew it wasn't something small."
Taehyung's jaw tensed.
"I didn't do anything special."
"She wouldn't agree."
Taehyung finally looked straight at him.
"You care about her."
Not a question.
A statement.
Jisoo didn't pretend otherwise.
"Yes," he admitted.
"But not like that."
A beat.
"I care about her the way someone cares
about a person who always carries too much alone."
Taehyung nodded once.
"I understand that."
Jisoo observed him closely.
"You, on the other hand…"
"…you care but you're scared of crossing lines."
That hit closer than he expected.
Taehyung didn't respond immediately.
He just looked down.
"I don't want to be another person who adds confusion to her life."
Jisoo let out a small breath.
"Then don't add confusion."
A pause.
"Add clarity."
A Quiet Respect
The wind from outside brushed through the corridor.
Taehyung finally looked up again.
"Do you think," he asked calmly,
"she's okay… right now?"
Jisoo tilted his head slightly.
"She's not okay."
A silence.
"But she's still standing."
He gave a faint smile.
"And sometimes, that's her way of surviving."
Taehyung's fingers clenched slightly.
"I don't want her to survive," he said softly.
"I want her to live."
Jisoo's expression changed slightly at that.
A hint of respect.
Then he stepped back, adjusting his watch.
"She won't let many people walk that close."
He turned to leave, then paused.
"But you already crossed half the distance without even realizing."
Then he walked away.
Leaving Taehyung standing there.
Thinking.
Not hopeful.
Not broken.
Just… quietly there.