Chapter Seventy-six "Phoenix in His Arms"

 

 

 A Well-Deserved Treat

After the storm had passed, Taehyung decided that everyone deserved a proper meal to unwind. The university had already dismissed classes early due to all the commotion, and there was no better way to end the eventful day than with food and good company.

Taehyung booked a private room at an upscale restaurant in the city. The long table was filled with dishes ranging from spicy tteokbokki to grilled beef, seafood pancakes, and a variety of drinks. The atmosphere was lively, buzzing with laughter as everyone settled in.

Yoongi poured himself a glass of soju, sighing in satisfaction. "Finally, a reward for my hard work. You know, Taehyung, you should compensate me more often for saving your little devil."

Jungkook scoffed, stuffing a piece of meat into his mouth. "Hyung, I could’ve handled it myself."

Hoseok chuckled, nudging Jungkook’s arm. "Yeah? You mean running to the bathroom in embarrassment after—"

"Shut up!" Jungkook blushed, nearly choking on his food. His friends burst into laughter.

Jin, ever the motherly figure, clicked his tongue and handed Jungkook a glass of water. "Eat properly, brat. If you choke, we’re not paying the hospital bills."

Namjoon adjusted his glasses, sipping his drink with a smirk. "Speaking of which, I still can’t believe how bold that woman was. Offering to ‘buy’ Taehyung? That was a new level of absurd."

Taehyung leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "It was amusing, though. She really thought she had power over me."

Yoongi snorted. "You should’ve just asked your dad to buy her house too while you were at it."

Jimin, one of the ‘four brats,’ grinned mischievously. "Hyung, you really are like a chaebol in a drama. Cold, powerful, untouchable."

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "And yet, you all talk back to me so freely."

Jungkook smirked. "Because deep down, you love us."

Taehyung sighed, pretending to be exasperated. "Maybe. Or maybe I just tolerate you."

Hoseok nudged him. "Admit it, you’re attached."

Taehyung chuckled but didn’t deny it.

As the meal went on, teasing and jokes continued, with Jungkook at the center of most of them.

Jin looked at Jungkook with mock pity. "You really attract drama, don’t you?"

Jungkook groaned. "It’s not my fault!"

Jimin smirked. "Sure it’s not. But at least it keeps things interesting."

Namjoon clapped his hands. "Alright, alright. Let’s toast to Jungkook’s survival and to Taehyung’s victory."

Everyone raised their glasses, even Jungkook with his juice. "To surviving another crazy day!"

Their enjoyment, however, was cut short when a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Oh, what a coincidence! I didn’t expect to see you all here."

The cheerful atmosphere froze momentarily as all heads turned towards the source of the voice. Standing there with a gentle smile was none other than Professor Jenny, flanked by her usual group—Professor Rosé and Professor Lisa.

Jenny clasped her hands together, her expression filled with apparent concern. "I heard what happened today, Taehyung. That must have been so stressful for you and Jungkook. I was really worried when I found out."

Taehyung’s expression remained neutral, but his grip on his drink tightened slightly. Yoongi leaned back, rolling his eyes. "Right. So worried that you coincidentally ended up at the same restaurant as us?"

Jenny chuckled softly. "Oh, no. It really is a coincidence. I was just having dinner with my friends. But when I saw you all, I couldn’t help but come over and check on you. You know how much I care."

Jungkook frowned, his good mood souring. "We’re fine. Thanks."

Lisa smiled politely. "It’s good to see you all relaxed after such an exhausting day. You must be so relieved, Taehyung, now that everything is handled."

Taehyung glanced at Jenny, his sharp gaze not missing the underlying meaning in her words. "Handled? Of course. I always make sure of that."

Jenny tilted her head, feigning innocence. "That’s wonderful. But, Taehyung… you should be careful. Some people might not take kindly to how things played out today."

A tense silence followed as the group processed her words. Whatever she meant, it was clear Jenny wasn’t done with her schemes just yet.

But suddenly, the silence was broken by Soobin.

"Hyung, Taehyung Hyung?"

Everyone’s attention turned toward Soobin while Taehyung raised his eyebrows, indicating for him to continue. Soobin hesitated for a second before asking innocently, "Are you a flower?"

Taehyung blinked, frowning. "No. Why?"

Niki, giggling beside Soobin, added in a mischievous voice, "Because you attract a lot of butterflies."

For a moment, there was pure silence. And then—

Laughter erupted at the table, loud and uncontrollable, as everyone nearly fell off their seats from the unexpected joke. Even Yoongi, who rarely laughed openly, smirked as he shook his head in amusement.

Jin wiped away a tear from laughing. "Oh my God, that was golden."

Hoseok clutched his stomach. "Soobin, where did you even get that?"

Jungkook, wheezing, patted Soobin’s shoulder. "That was legendary."

Meanwhile, Jenny stood frozen, her face turning red—partly from embarrassment and partly from anger.

Taehyung smirked, completely unbothered, and took a sip of his drink. "Well, that was entertaining."

Jenny clenched her fists but forced a smile. "I’ll… let you all continue enjoying your meal."

With that, she and her friends walked away, leaving the table in fits of laughter. The night continued, lighter than before, with the lingering joy of an unexpected yet perfectly timed joke.

And for once, Taehyung didn’t mind the chaos. Not when it felt this warm.

As their laughter faded into comfortable conversation, Jungkook turned to Taehyung. "Hyung, do you think she’s really going to give up?"

Taehyung leaned back, swirling his drink in the glass. "No. But let her try. She’s wasting her time."

Yoongi smirked. "And we’ll be right here to make sure she regrets it."

Jungkook grinned. "Then let’s make sure we enjoy every moment until she does."

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