Chapter Fifty-Nine "Phoenix in His Arms"

 

A Truth Revealed

The room held its breath.

Professor Jenny remained on one knee, the red rose still extended toward Taehyung, waiting for his response. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. The air felt heavy with anticipation, all eyes locked on the two figures at the center of this unexpected confession.

Then, Taehyung moved.

Without sparing Jenny a glance, he slowly stood from his chair. The sound of his chair scraping against the floor felt deafening in the quiet hall. He reached for a tissue, dabbing at the blood trickling from his palm where the shattered glass had cut into his skin. His movements were calm, deliberate—eerily composed.

And then—

He finally spoke.

"There is something that no one knows about."

His voice was low but carried effortlessly across the room, sending a shiver through the audience.

Jenny's eyes widened slightly, her confidence faltering for the first time.

Taehyung looked down at the bloodied tissue in his hand before discarding it on the table. But the moment he moved his hand, exposing the deep red smeared across his palm, the entire hall reacted.

A loud gasp rippled through the crowd.

Murmurs broke out instantly.

"His hand… it's bleeding!"
"Did he just sit there all this time holding a broken glass?"
"Why didn’t he say anything?"

The students whispered in shock, their eyes darting between Taehyung’s injured hand and his unreadable face. Even the professors exchanged glances, some of them shifting uncomfortably at the scene.

Jenny's confident expression flickered—just for a second—before she quickly masked it.

But Taehyung didn’t care about the murmurs. He exhaled sharply, his tone dropping even lower.

"I know you've had feelings for me for a long time."

A fresh wave of whispers erupted at his blunt words.

Jenny's fingers curled slightly around the rose, her lips parting as if to say something, but no words came out.

"Everyone can see it—it's obvious. And even after all my warnings, you never stopped yourself."

His gaze finally landed on her, sharp and piercing. His dark eyes bore into hers, his words cutting through her like a blade. Jenny’s grip tightened around the rose, her lips twitching in frustration.

"But you should move on… because my fate is already sealed with someone else."

The collective gasp that followed was even louder than before.

Jenny’s expression cracked.

For the first time, her mask slipped—just for a moment—before she quickly recovered. But the tension in her shoulders, the way her nails dug into the soft petals of the rose, did not go unnoticed.

The hall was in chaos now.

"Did he just reject her in front of everyone?"
"Who is he talking about?"
"Wait… someone else? Does he already have someone?"

Jenny clenched her jaw, her pride struggling to remain intact. Forcing a smile, she spoke, though her voice was slightly strained.

"Taehyung…" she started, tilting her head. "Are you saying… you already belong to someone?"

Taehyung’s expression remained cold.

He didn’t answer immediately.

The entire hall was in complete shock.

Taehyung's words had already sent waves through the audience, but Jenny wasn’t ready to accept them. Her fingers clenched tightly around the crushed rose, her lips twisting slightly before she took a deep breath.

"You're lying," she stated, her voice laced with disbelief. Her sharp gaze scanned his face, searching for hesitation—anything that would prove her right.

But Taehyung didn’t waver.

Instead, in front of everyone, he slowly reached for the first button of his shirt and undid it. Then the second. The hall held its breath as the fabric parted slightly, revealing a delicate silver chain resting against his collarbone.

And hanging from it—was a ring.

A simple yet elegant band, glinting softly under the hall's golden lights.

A collective gasp echoed throughout the room.

Without a word, Taehyung pulled the chain over his head, freeing the ring. He slid it onto his ring finger, his movements slow and deliberate, as if sealing something—something that had already been decided long ago.

Jenny’s eyes widened in shock and fury. "What kind of joke—"

But Taehyung cut her off before she could finish. His voice was calm, but the weight behind it was undeniable.

"I don’t care if you believe me or not."

Silence.

"But the truth will not change."

Jenny's breath hitched.

"And this isn't sudden."

Taehyung’s cold, unwavering gaze met hers, making her feel small in a way she never had before. His next words came slowly, deliberately, allowing their weight to settle into the stunned crowd.

"My fate was sealed with someone when I was just thirteen… and my partner was only six."

Gasps filled the hall once again. Whispers erupted between students. Jenny’s face paled slightly, her nails digging into her palm.

"I won’t let misunderstandings enter my life because of you."

The finality in his voice struck like a hammer. There was no space for argument, no chance for persuasion. He was drawing a line—one she would never be able to cross.

And with that, Kim Taehyung returned to his seat, brushing his sleeve as if nothing had happened.

The hall remained dead silent for a moment. Then—Jenny laughed. It was forced, strained, but she masked it with a charming smile.

"Oh, Taehyung," she said sweetly. "I was just doing my task. You didn’t have to weave stories just to refuse me."

Her meaning was clear—she still didn’t believe him.

But Taehyung didn’t react. He simply took a sip of his wine, his injured hand completely unfazed by her words.

At the other end of the room, Jungkook’s friends were buzzing with pride.

"Damn, Jungkook," Jimin whispered with wide eyes. "You’ve got a man who literally rejected another woman with a whole-ass RING in front of everyone!"

"He's yours, bro," Soobin grinned, patting Jungkook’s back. "No one can take him from you."

Jungkook, however, sat completely still, his large doe eyes glistening with unshed tears. His chest felt tight, but he refused to cry.

Taehyung had said it. Out loud. In front of everyone.

"My fate was sealed with someone when I was just thirteen… and my partner was only six."

Jungkook wasn’t dumb. He wasn’t naïve. He knew who Taehyung meant.

His hyung. His Taehyungie.

His hands clenched against his lap, trying to contain the storm inside him.

Meanwhile, the tension in the room was unbearable, suffocating—until Soobin stood up, grabbing a microphone with a mischievous grin.

"Alright, alright! Let’s not get too emotional!" he called out. "It’s a party, not a drama!"

Laughter rippled through the hall, lightening the mood. Jenny’s expression darkened for a fraction of a second before she forced another smile and stepped aside.

"So, my task is to make everyone laugh," Soobin continued. "And honestly, seeing Professor Jenny get rejected that hard was already pretty funny, but let’s move on!"

The hall erupted into laughter. Even some professors chuckled behind their hands.

The night continued—but nothing would be the same after this.

Because Kim Taehyung had just claimed someone in front of everyone.

And Jungkook knew it was him.

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