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

Chapter 89: Cracks in the Constellation

"I live for the drama," I declare, flipping my hair like a diva. "Besides, you love it."

He doesn't even hesitate. "Yeah, I do."

I freeze for a half-second. Just a beat.

Just long enough to feel it-a subtle shift in the air, a quiet truth settling between us.

I glance at him. He's still grinning, still flushed from excitement, but his eyes flick to mine like he meant it.

Like maybe he knows he meant it.
And maybe I know it too.

But before the moment can get too heavy, he grabs my arm. "Rematch?"

"Oh, it's on," I growl, cracking my knuckles like I'm about to go to war.

"You've awakened the beast."

We spend the next hour bouncing from one game to another-racing through pixelated streets, shooting down spaceships, annihilating zombies in a VR co-op that has us both screaming and cursing like kids on a sugar high.

Every time one of us wins, the other demands a rematch. When we tie, we call it a truce and grab more tokens.

We talk trash like seasoned rivals-him calling me "grandpa" because I once said I liked 80s music, me calling him "bunny boy" every time he hesitates before taking a shot.

But there's no venom in it. Just joy. Pure, wild, uncomplicated joy.

There's this moment-we're standing side by side at the air hockey table, arms brushing as we reach for the puck, and I glance over at him.

His hair's a little messy, his lips pink and stretched into a grin, eyes lit up like the arcade itself is powering him.

And he's just... there. With me.

No walls. No awkward tension. Just us.
And he wants to be here.

That does something to me.
Something deep. Something gentle.

He catches me looking and raises an eyebrow. "What?"

I shake my head, smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

"Nothing. You're just... cool, is all."

Jungkook squints at me suspiciously. "You're trying to distract me so I lose."

"Busted," I admit, but my heart's doing something traitorous and fluttery, and I hope to God he can't see it written all over my face.

Then we move on to the claw machine. I swear the thing is rigged, but Jungkook's eyes light up like a kid at Christmas.

"I want that smirking bunny," he declares.

I eye the stuffed toy trapped under three others and sigh. "We'll be here all day."

Ten tokens later, I manage to nudge it.

Jungkook grabs my arm.

"Hyung, you're doing it!"