Jennie and taehyung were inside their class, studying in silence. It's been one hour since the class dismissed. Still, they couldn't stop blaming each other for the detention.

"Now if you stop your rant and rave, can I study? Peacefully for once?" Jennie almost shouted.

"Wow. The pot calling the kettle black. Yes I am the one complaining and blaming since last one hour right? And this girl right here, she has her mouth zipped up." Taehyung said sarcastically, pointing at jennie.

Jennie was done with him. Not wanting to make up a fuss again, she began writing her notes.

Taehyung looked at her, bewildered.

"Wow! She suddenly became quite. Well, that's fortunate. I am spared from listening her irritating voice tone." He said to himself.

After almost 20 minutes, while engaged in revision, they exchanged furtive and strange glares, conveying annoyance and disagreement.

Just then, the door of their classroom slid open. They both looked up, and it revealed their professor Lee Jinsung.

As he stepped into the room, he gave a quick look at the two students and blurted out in shock.

"You both are still here?" He asked.

Jennie looked at taehyung and gestured him to speak. But he, being obstinate, shook his head. Jennie rolled her eyes at his behaviour, when they were in front of their professor.

He could use a lesson or two in politeness, right?

"Either of you." Jinsung spoke. "Are you going to say something or not?"

Jennie rose from her seat and spoke in a low voice. "Sir. Actually we were detained."

Taehyung shook his head, visibly controlling his laugh.

"For what?" Jinsung asked. He has known taehyung and Jennie given their well-established reputation for diligence and discipline in their academics, so what is the reason behind their detention.

Jennie didn't had guts to explain. She leaned in slightly and whispered a few words to taehyung while jinsung just stood there, awaiting a response .

Taehyung rose to his feet in a deliberate manner.

"Sir we were discussing about something but things got a bit heated when we both lost our temper." He spoke with his head low.

Jinsung appeared to understand what he was trying to say. He gave a nod before speaking in a gentle voice.

"Taehyung and Jennie. I know both of you are in the top 10. You both respect everyone and are disciplined, but you have to keep your anger under control. This is a university and you have to make a good impression here." He explained.

Jennie was really paying attention to him and then she looked over at taehyung who had a neutral expression on his face but he too, was focused on listening to jinsung.

After a short lecture, jinsung sighed.

"Ok you both may move out now. It's getting late." He then had a look at his watch. "Oh it's 4:00 pm already. Kindly retreat to your apartment. I don't want any occurrences to happen." He said before leaving the classroom.

Jennie collected her books quickly and stowed them away inside her bag.

Taehyung stood up after packing his bag. "Mind if I drop you at your place?" He asked, his smirk again making an appearance.

Jennie just sneered before walking outside, leaving taehyung behind.

He watched her going away from his sight before he spoke a "Thank goodness" and left after arranging his desk.

-

Jennie was heading to her apartment, checking out her surroundings. Some shops on the roadside were open while others were closed. The sun was slowly setting and its warm rays were falling on her. The sky turned orange and the streetlights were switching on one by one.

"What a view!" She exclaimed. It made a change in her mood.

She started longing for her city. That city, that country where she grew up. It's been ages since she witnessed the sunrise and sunset over there.

It suddenly made her smile. Her daydreaming was interrupted by sound of her phone ringing.

With a curse, she took it out from her pocket and saw the caller ID.

Jisoo-ya.

Picking it up, she answered.

"Yeoboseyo?"

Her ears almost went deaf as she heard jisoo on the other end shouting at her.

"Yeoboseyo. Where were you? I was searching for you. I thought you might be in the washroom so I went to check but you weren't there. Were you in the class as I noticed the doors locked but i did saw a few students. If you were to be dismissed late, were your hands hurting while sending a message to inform me?" She burst out in one breath.

Jennie listened to her every word, contemplating how to tell jisoo about being given detention with taehyung, that too because of slight argument.

"Say something. Why your class was delayed and where are you now?" Jisoo asked.

"I'm going back to m-my apart-apar- apartment." She spluttered due to embarrassment.

"At this time? It's 4:15 pm. Jennie, 4:15. Why are you heading back so late?" Jisoo asked, her voice filled with anger.

"Let me explain. Calm down first. I know you are worried but I stayed back because...

She stumbled over her own words.

"Because what?" Jisoo asked, gently this time as she sensed Jennie was struggling with something.

Jennie took a deep breath and explained. "Actually me and taehyung got into a slight argument during one of the revision sessions today. He was pointing out my mistakes but I knew I was correct! So we both lost our cool eventually and started shouting at each other. None of us realised that we created a great confusion. One of the strictest professor you might know him, he was passing by and he detained both of us."

Jisoo on the other end couldn't believe what she heard. She has known Jennie since the first day of their university. She is always nice and friendly as ever. Sure, she is known for her savage nature but she is not the one who would engage in banters, that too for something unimportant.

"Jennie. I think he was just helping you find your mistakes and-

"No. He was obviously making fun of my answers. What does he think of himself? He was trying his hardest to act cool in front of the class." She said cutting jisoo off.

"Whatever you say he is just trying to help you out and nothing else." Jisoo said with a sigh.

After a conversation with jisoo, jennie hung up as she arrived at her apartment. Taking out the keys and unlocking the door, she turned the knob sideways opening it and entered inside. She placed her bag down on her bed in a careless way.

"Oh. It was a tiring day." She said lying on bed, tracing the patterns on her bedsheet with her fingers.

He's just trying to help you find your mistakes Jennie.

"Argh." She got up, holding her head. "Why am I so concerned about him, why can't I stop thinking about him. He is my rival, he only cares about success and nothing else." She said frustrated.

"Since the day I met him, he has been constantly on my mind. I need to let go of him and my stupid thoughts." She said before an idea striked her mind.

She gave it a thought for a while before giving up and decided to focus on her studies for now.

-

Taehyung arrived one hour ago, freshening up and changing into comfortable clothes.

He was on a call with Jungkook, Jimin, Namjoon and Hoseok.

"Only you and her." Jimin said teasingly.

"Shut the fuck up." Taehyung said angrily.

"Taehyung hyung why were you arguing?" Jungkook asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"I was just pointing out to the professor that her answer is wrong but she was against it. She was sure of her answer but it was definitely irrelevant, according to me." He said trying his best to sound as calm as possible because namjoon was on the call too, listening.

"Oh. Got it." Namjoon sighed.

They talked to each other for an hour or so, before jungkook proposed an idea to dine out for tonight.

"Yes I'm in. I'm honestly sick of the room service of my apartment." Namjoon said to which the others laughed and agreed.

"Good thing you have room service otherwise your apartment would have been in ashes by now." Jimin joked.

"Hey you shortie. I know fireless cooking and I'm not like you, having instant ramyeon every day." Namjoon said with utter seriousness in his voice.

"Ok I'll call yoongi and seokjin hyung and you all arrive at exact 9:00 pm." Hoseok said before cutting the call.

As taehyung went to change and fix his hair, he thought of something which has been on his mind since last two days.

"I hope I don't bump into that girl Jennie again."

-

Jennie was making history notes. She was writing down important definitions, making flow charts for her better understanding.

She remembered she needed to go through her diary as she had written down a few important topics in it.

She reached into her bag for it and took it out, placing it on her table. But as she was about to zip her bag, something caught her eye.

Taking it out, her eyes widening on seeing what it was.

Taehyung's notebook.

She was thinking how she ended up having it, then she recalled packing her things in a hurry and she mistakenly took his notebook without either of them noticing.

"Crap. Now he will again argue with me tomorrow. Why did you took it? So careless you can't even look at the label and blah blah blah." She mimicked, trying to say her words in his voice.

She kept it inside her bag again, hoping he would take it without clashes and misunderstandings.

Next day:

Jennie arrived earlier than usual. There were no one in the campus, not even the staffs. She went to her classroom and settled down on her desk. She wandered her eyes around hoping for someone to come.

8:15 am.

She took out her phone and started listening to a youtube lesson.

As usual, a studious girl.

She was completely engrossed in the lecture that she forgot about her surroundings.

She came back to her senses when she heard a familiar voice. The voice which she has been irritated of.

"Hello." Taehyung sat and greeted.

Jennie took out her headphones and greeted him back with a smile.

They chatted about yesterday's lesson and Jennie tried to stay calm, not wanting to get into any arguments early in the morning.

Not my fault but I still have to be nice.

Soon their lecturer arrived and they all stood up to greet him. Taking out their notebooks, everyone started writing notes.

Suddenly his phone rang, causing the students to groan because of the discontinuance.

The lecturer gave an agreement before putting his phone back in his pocket.

"Students. Sorry but there's an important notice to be given to you all so Jinsung nim would be here in a moment." He said and left the room.

The classroom was suddenly buzzing with conversation. Everyone was talking about what the notice could be that had to be given at that moment.

"What do you think? What could be the notice?" Jennie asked taehyung who was busy writing something on his notebook.

"How would I know? Am I the chancellor?" He replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"You can never give a straight answer." Jennie said narrowing her eyes and shaking her head sideways.

Jinsung arrived after a minute and held a paper, which seemed to be the notice.

"Students you know that there is an exhibition next week." He said to which the class chorused. "Yes."

"So the students of the second year have been given a task and it's also like a break from studies. Take this as your extra-curricular." He continued. "And I assume it to be a science exhibition so you have to make models and you have been given partners so that you can work on it together."

"The student pairing of this class are as follows."

Bae Joo hyun and Choi Soo Bin
Choi Soo yong and han ji sung
And so on..

Jennie and taehyung were waiting for their names to be called out but it seemed their pairings were listed at last. The suspense was killing them.  

Wait. What if we two are to be paired?

"No!" Both exclaimed at the same time.

They both looked at each other.

"What happened?" Jennie asked him.

"Nothing. But I was about to ask you the same thing." Taehyung replied.

Just then, taehyung's name was heard.

Taehyung and..

Please not her.

Please not him.

Both of them silently praying. Hoping they are not partners.

Taehyung and Jennie. You both are paired for this activity.

They looked at jinsung in disbelief before turning and giving an annoyed look to each other.

"Sir." Taehyung said raising his hand. "Can't we switch partners?" He asked hopefully.

Jinsung looked at the notice before saying "I'm afraid you can't. The pairings are finalized and we can't change it now."

"But we want to change it sir." Jennie said while standing up, banging her hand on the desk.

Everyone in the class, including taehyung and jinsung were shocked seeing her act like this.

"Jennie sit first." Jinsung said firmly. She realised how she has been behaving she silently settled herself down.

"You two can work together right? You can help each other, use your ideas and create something innovative. I'm sure you both make a good pair. If any model turns out to be the best, it will be selected by the guest." Jinsung explained to them.

"I would rather work alone." Taehyung said to himself but Jennie somehow heard it.

She decided to be calm at the moment.

Jennie tried to propose alternative solutions to the professor but she knew it was of no use.

They had no choice but to work together. Even though they were completely unwilling to do so. 

-

"Yes I have been paired with a girl. She sits in front of me so I can take help from her." Jungkook said which irritated taehyung more.

"Guys can you please stop talking about the pairings and the activity? I'm already angry and I don't want to let it out on you all." Taehyung said.

Jungkook and jimin instantly stopped. They were shocked to seetaehyung being so angry on something like this.

"What happened hyung?" Jungkook asked him.

"I'm paired with someone i didn't wanted to work with." He revealed.

"Oh I understood it's Jennie."

They were startled when a voice caught their attention, and they saw their seniors coming towards them.

It was seokjin. The seniors came over and got themselves seated across the table.

"How do you know hyung?" He asked, his voice almost a whisper.

"We know you maknaes since the first day. We have spent so many moments together, created memories and will continue to do so. But taehyung, everyone knows you will be irritated here because of one person and that's Jennie." Namjoon stated the truth.

Taehyung looked down, not having anything to say.

"Stop the competition and contests here and work with her, give your best shot." Seokjin said.

"Ok." He said slowly.

Suddenly everyone became quite. But there was a tension in the air.

"Taehyung." Namjoon spoke, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?" He hummed in reply.

"Be honest with us." He said being dead serious.

Taehyung gulped and nodded.

"Are you jealous of her success?" Seokjin asked completing namjoon's question.

Taehyung was never jealous of her. Deep inside his heart, he was impressed by how serious she was with her studies.

"No. I'm not jealous of her. It's just misunderstandings and miscommunication which escalate our rivalry. Nothing more." Taehyung said, his voice sounding serious.

Everyone believed him. They knew taehyung never acts like this. He always wants the best for others and he wanted the same for his peers.

-

"I don't want to compete with him here as it's a matter of respect and talent but if he acts like he's better than anyone else, then I have to report it to the professors." Jennie said.

"Jennie I advise you not to do that." Jisoo said maintaining an eye contact with her.

"Why? Care to explain?" Jennie said.

"If he does anything wrong then make him understand, why do you want to create dramas?" Jisoo said.

"If only he would understand, it wouldn't be so difficult to work with him." Jennie said, finding jisoo's advise of no use.

Jisoo shook her head before saying "fine do as you please and if anything goes wrong, don't come to me for help."

Saying this she got up and walked away, leaving Jennie alone with thoughts.

"Maybe she is right." Jennie said to herself.

"But I have to teach him a lesson when necessary."

She sighed getting up, tired of her mind battling against the two decisions.

The bell rang, signalling it was the time to head back to class. She threw the empty snack packet in the dustbin, she wiped her hand and mouth with a tissue and made her way back to the class.

A/N:-
Any idea what's going to happen next?

What are the other reasons which fuels their rivalry?

Let's see in the coming chapters.

Till then, take care

And

Love yourself.

Please vote and comment. (ŏ⁠﹏⁠ŏ⁠)

Thank you.