Body Talk

35: Over My Dead Body

I.... didn't know what to make of Taehyung's offer.

However— there wasn't even a second to think; or breathe. Considering his offer was out of the question when everything seemed so fast paced, and before I knew it, It was already the next day.

I feel my throat hitch up as the morning assembly begins; and I'm completely and utterly paralysed. Breathe...breathe!

A ringing, silent sound occupies my ears as the crowd downs out in my panic. Instead of conversation, the whispers between the others intensified in my ears like a dreaded drum.

God. I think I'm having a mild panic attack.

As I fumbled myself together to stand upright, my field of vision of the floor spots a pair of feet shifting near mine.

"Hey, sit down in your sea—

All of a sudden, the teacher gapes in puzzlement; with my male classmates following suit as I feel Jungkook's hand grasping tightly on mine. "Nine...eight..." He counts down as his eyes are fixated on the clock. "seven, six, five, four...."

The teacher seems to step forward in retort to question his weird behaviour when the broadcast system emits a static; and it signals that someone's turned on the speakers. My hand immediately flinches in response, eyes shut tightly for the incoming announcement. Jungkook's hand remained firmly on mine, rubbing circles on my palm in attempts to help calm me down.

The announcement begins. As the new principal; Naeun's father gave the speech, the student body exchanges looks with one another and the whole campus became dead silent. I didn't know if the reactions were positive or negative. I couldn't even lift my head to look.

"Han Soa will hence be transferred to the top of the male dormitory temporarily, as we build new living quarters for special students." He explains.

"Meanwhile, I ask you all to welcome her with.... enthusiasm. Unless she wins the Summer Nationals, or even finish in the top 3; she will be expelled."

The whole campus goes into a quiet uproar as I feel intense stares towards our direction. Whispering; gossiping and even talking were entering my ears like a constant ring. Jungkook didn't seem to mind as he shields me a little from their eyes, hands still interlocked in mine.

It felt like forever— the announcement and morning assembly was now over, and all male students begins to run from their seats from whichever classroom they came from....to steal a glance of me.

"That's Han Soa?"

"Hell, wasn't she Jungkook's roommate?"

I opened my eyes a little to observe the situation, only to see that my field of vision was blocked by Jungkook's back. He pushes me safely against the wall; facing the front as my classmates shoot questions at me.

"Piss off." I hear Taehyung near us as well. "Can't you see you're making her uncomfortable?"

Perhaps it was the murderous glare towards their direction from the top boxers— Jungkook and Taehyung, that the others begin to step back a little. I felt less claustrophobic after the teachers begun to send off and disperse the crowd.

The dread in my shoulders lifts even more as I spot a familiar figure rushing towards the door of my classroom.

"Jimin!" I greet him with a relieved smile. He seemed to have ran all the way from the other building in a hurry.