CROSS-CHECKED (VSOO)

23

Taehyung

I walked into morning practice already irritated and sleep-deprived. The arena lights were too bright, the ice too loud, and my brain was still replaying every stupid second from last night.

Her voice.
Her smile.
What I said.
Why I said it.

I was still trying to convince myself I hadn't completely lost it.

Sean spotted me the second I stepped onto the rubber flooring.

"Well, well, well," he sing-songed, skating up with a wide grin. "Look who had a fun night at the gym."

I groaned. "Shut up."

He elbowed me. "Nah, man. I saw you. You and Jisoo. Real close. Real cute."

"Sean," I muttered, "I swear to God—"

"I mean, if you're into her, just—"

"Drop it," I snapped, though not harsh enough to actually hurt. Just enough to shut him up before Joshua joined in and made it worse.

Sean smirked like he knew more than he should.
I hated that.

I geared up fast, pulling my pads on, tying my skates a bit too tight. I needed the bite of the laces in my ankles. I needed the sting to focus.

Because Jay's glare was burning holes through my helmet from across the rink.

Practice began sharp. Coach blew the whistle, and immediately it was chaos — blades carving ice, sticks clashing, bodies slamming.

Jay was being... Jay.
Too aggressive.
Too sharp.
Too much of a showoff.

Fine.
Two can play that game.

We collided during a drill, shoulder to shoulder, both refusing to yield an inch. It wasn't even hockey at that point — it was a battle of egos, stubborn and stupid.

Jay stole the puck — I stole it right back.
Jay shoved me into the boards — I shoved harder.
Coach yelled at both of us — neither of us cared.

The entire practice was one long, heated, wordless fight.

By the time coach ended practice, everyone was sweating like they'd run a marathon. Most of the guys sat along the wall, gulping water and untying their skates.

I sat beside Sean, chest still heaving, when Jay's voice cut through the lingering air.

"Rough morning, Taehyung?" Jay asked, fake pity dripping from every syllable.

I didn't even look at him. "You wishing you had one?"

Sean sighed under his breath. "Not again."

Jay walked closer, tossing his gear down. "You think you're so special, don't you? Silverridge's favorite golden child."

I rolled my eyes. "You're projecting. That's cute."

The smirk on his face sharpened. "You know what else is cute?"
He paused dramatically.

"I heard you and Jisoo are getting real close."

My grip around my water bottle tightened.

"Leave her out of your mouth," I said, voice low.

Jay scoffed. "Her? Please. You think you're the first guy she's—"

"Jay," Joshua warned.

But Jay didn't stop.

He leaned in, voice dropping to a poisonous tone.

"You two are the same. You play with girls. She plays with guys. At least she's consistent."

Blood rushed to my ears.

"Shut up," I said.

Jay laughed. "What? Too sensitive? I mean—" he shrugged casually, "I know her. Better than you ever will."

My jaw clenched so hard it hurt.

"I know how she looks."
My fists curled.

"I know how she sounds."
My breath stilled.

"I know how she feels," he smirked viciously. "And oh... she feels good."

Everything inside me snapped.

I didn't think.
I didn't breathe.
I just moved.

My fist collided with his jaw so fast the guys barely had time to react.

Jay stumbled backward, eyes wide, shock twisting into rage. He lunged forward but Sean and Joshua held both of us back, yelling.

Coach's whistle shrieked somewhere in the background. Jay wiped his lip and glared at me with pure venom before grabbing his bag and storming out of the rink.

The room was silent after he left.
Too silent.

I sank onto the bench, chest still heaving, knuckles throbbing red.

Sean looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "Dude... what the hell was that?"

I didn't answer.

I couldn't.

The things Jay said kept replaying in my head, each one twisting deeper into a place I didn't know existed.

I hated it.
Hated how much it bothered me.
Hated how low my stomach dropped the second he talked about her like she was something someone could claim. Like she was an object.
Like her name was some joke he could spit out.

I didn't know why it burned so much.

All I knew was this:

I never wanted to hear Jisoo's name come out of Jay's mouth again.

Not like that.
Not ever.

And the worst part?

The anger didn't fade.
It grew.

Because I couldn't tell if I punched him for disrespecting her...

Or because a part of me hated that he had ever known her at all.