STUCK IN THE MIDDLE (BTS FF)

Chapter 7: Face Off

"I said don't touch her!" Jungkook reasserted, his voice louder than before.

"Ya, Jungkook.." Jin said gently, trying to intervene.

Jungkook shrugged him off. "No, I have to say something about this! Taehyung, you can't treat her so unfairly. You're deliberately making things uncomfortable-"

"I'm not making anything uncomfortable, she's the one doing that!" V retaliated.

His harsh words cut straight through you.

"That's a lie! She never did anything wrong!" Jungkook said, his voice becoming more strained.

"It's okay, Jungkook - I'm sorry, I should go.." You said meekly.

Feeling tears pricking the backs of your eyes. You stood up to go, but felt Jungkook gently pulling back on your left arm. You looked at him in confusion. Your heart was racing like crazy.

He kept holding onto your hand, but his gaze remained on V. "Please just give her a chance. You're judging her before you even know her!"

"And you're treating her like she's your best friend before *you* even know her!" V yelled back.

"She's not Chae-Soo!" Jungkook shouted with finality, staring straight at V.

The mention of the name rippled over the room. Your heart was in your throat, your head spinning with mixed emotions.

"That's enough! Stop this now," Namjoon said firmly, breaking the silence.

V's face remained tense for a moment longer, as though he was on the verge of shouting back, but then he took a step back, fists clenched by his sides. You saw a change in his eyes - anger gave way to sadness. He looked at Jungkook with a mixture of resentment and betrayal, before turning and storming from the room.

As you watched him go, your heart broke for him, your instincts urging you to follow him. You turned to look at Jungkook apologetically, your eyes pleading with him, and you started to back away. He stared at you in confusion, lips parted and eyes wide, but he didn't tighten his hold. You slid your hand from his grasp, then ran out of the room after V.

You ran up the stairs, wiping a few tears from your eyes. You felt utterly humiliated and weighed down with guilt, but your mind was only focused on going after V. You couldn't leave things like this.

You burst out of the building, coming to the street outside and looking around desperately. Your eyes found their target, V was just disappearing round a corner onto a side street. You hurried after him.

Turning the corner, you saw him halfway down the narrow side street, walking with his hands in his pockets, head down.

"Taehyung!" You called loudly. By now it was too late to hesitate - your instincts were driving you.

As he turned around, you kept walking towards him.

"Y/N? Why- what are you doing?" He asked, bewildered to see you'd followed him. He took a step back as you got closer, so you stopped.

The two of you stood a few yards apart. You became aware that it was raining very lightly. Your breathing was still a little heavy from running after V, who looked emotionally drained but still tense.

"I'm sorry, I had to come after you. I couldn't leave it like that," you explained, trying to show him your sincerity.

He seemed to be battling his own thoughts, frowning.

You spoke again, taking a small step forward. "I know about what happened with Chae-Soo. And I know why you find it so hard to accept me. And Jungkook was wrong to use her name against you like that."

V looked up in surprise, a look of frustration over his face. For the first time since your first day working with him, he looked you straight in the eye. You held firm, refusing to look away despite the flurry of butterflies in your stomach.

"The music room that night. I found- I *caught* you sneaking around in there! Why were you there?" V demanded, stepping towards you. His voice was forceful but measured; he didn't shout.

"You saw for yourself just now, V. I am a musician. All I dream of is making music, working with artists, becoming a great producer. ..I know it was wrong, but my curiosity got the better of me! I'm a low level worker dreaming of bigger things, not a liar or a thief." You steadied your breathing, looking into his eyes. "I know a part of you wants to trust me. You could have told the others you caught me that night, but you didn't. ...Please, give me a chance to earn your trust."

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Finally we get to level with V! How will the confrontation go?