Stigma Love's Algorithm [ A BTS x Reader Poly ]

Chapter 51: No More Holding Back

As the night wears on and Mr. Lee finally drifts away, leaving Dara and Namjoon alone, I catch the almost imperceptible sigh of relief they both release.

Dara rolls her shoulders slightly, as if shaking off the weight of her father's scrutiny, and Namjoon exhales, his posture loosening now that the verbal battle is over.

Yoongi notices too. His eyes linger on them, expression unreadable.

His fingers graze the stem of his glass, tracing an idle pattern, but I can tell his mind is still turning, still stuck on everything unsaid.

I bump my knee against his under the table. "Yoongs," I murmur, just for him.

He blinks, dragging his gaze back to me, and I offer him a small smile.

"You're brooding again."

Yoongi scoffs, but his lips twitch like he wants to smile too. "I don't brood."

I raise an eyebrow.

He huffs, setting his drink down. "Okay, maybe I do. A little."

Ha Eun, sitting beside us, catches the tail end of our exchange and grins. "Brooding? Oh, that's definitely his thing."

"Shut up, Ha Eun," Yoongi mutters, but there's no real bite to it.

Laughter ripples through our table, light and warm.

Trina and Jae are half-drunk and in the middle of an exaggerated reenactment of Jae's disastrous attempt to flirt with the bartender earlier.

Si Woo eggs them on, while Ha Eun wipes away tears from laughing too hard.

Through it all, I feel Yoongi's fingers slip into mine beneath the table. His grip is warm, grounding. I squeeze back.

And then-
A shadow falls over us.

I glance up-just in time to see Dara approaching.

There's a glint in her eyes, something playful, something mischievous.

I snicker at her, relieved as I see her now genuinely relaxed. She grins at me, hands on her hips.

"Well," she drawls, tilting her head. "You two looked very cozy over here. Where's my Taehyung?"

She remarks in a voice that's almost pouting "You guys promised I was going to meet him tonight, I was looking forward to it!"

Yoongi exhales sharply, amusement laced in his tone "Dara. Hello to you too."

I laugh, because of course this is how she greets us.

And from across the room, just before I turn back, I catch it-

Namjoon watching.
Again.

Dara's eyes flick between me and Yoongi, her smirk deepening. "Also, what's this I hear about you two hoarding food?"