"I'm sorry for stopping guys. Taehyung, you need to make sure to cue in the entrance so everyone knows when to come in!"

BamBam furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought it was pretty clear? It's okay if you missed it, we can try it again."

Jungkook tried not to glare at the member of his quartet, but his eyes still narrowed slightly as he looked at him.

Daniel cleared his throat. "Let's just try it again! Hmm... start back at measure 109."

With a pout, I shook off the comment and raised my violin, pressing the bow against the string and cueing everyone when to enter at measure 109.

We played until we hit the next page of music, Jungkook stopping us again.

"Taehyung, is your violin tuned?"

I recoiled, shocked by his question. "Of course."

Jungkook tsked. "Check it again please. I keep hearing notes played out of tune, and I prefer it be your strings rather than your fingers not being placed correctly."

To appease him, I checked my strings, realizing that none of them were out of tune.

He huffed. "I guess you're just not good enough to keep up today."

My shoulders dropped as Daniel and BamBam tried talking some sense to Jungkook, who merely scoffed.

"I think rehearsal should be done for today. We can pick it up again next time."

The other two members of the group shrugged, clearly not wanting to fight with it.

I instantly got up and packed up my violin with a pout. My eyes tried to water every few seconds, but I would constantly wipe them away. I wouldn't let anyone see me crying over something so small. Even as Daniel and BamBam came over to check on me and I looked up to find the cellist already gone.

••••

My mind had been spinning all night, leaving me tired and annoyed by morning as I walked into the performing arts center with a frown.

Entering the concert hall, only three other orchestra members were in the space, making me feel like I could breath easy a little.

As I set up my violin, the big doors opened and in walked Jungkook, long legs covering the large distance between me and the doors.

"Taehyung." The conductor's voice was short and gruff. "Be sure to play in tune today, yeah? Don't make the orchestra have to play things over to match your inability to play in tune."

I chuckled in anger, facing the conductor with narrowed eyes. "Since you have advice for me, here's my wise words of wisdom to you: straighten up your fucking attitude."

I grabbed my violin and walked to my chair within the orchestra, setting my music on the stand and beginning to practice, with perfect intonation, loud and proud so everyone would hear my perfect tuning. That is one of the things I have always taken pride in: my great ear for hearing whether things are in tune.

As more members filed into their seats, Jungkook stormed back to my chair. "Mr. Kim, meet me in my office following rehearsal."

My eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "Fine." I continued playing the piece while the rest of the orchestra found their seats.

"Okay everyone. Let's get started," Jungkook announced, facing the principal oboe player to tune the orchestra.

•••

I tried to shove my frustration aside as I knocked on the conductor's door.

Rehearsal today had been rough, with the violins always being critiqued. Apparently all the mistakes were my fault.

I was vexed, to say the least. With Jungkook, for pointing out my flaws to the whole orchestra. Also with myself, for letting myself apparently slip up so much it affected the whole section, and therefore the whole orchestra. I didn't deserve to be apart of this ensemble. Clearly I couldn't keep up with the high standard.

The door opened, revealing Jungkook, with a deep scowl on his face.

"Taehyung. Come in."

The door closed behind me, making me swallow the lump in my throat. I dropped my bag at my feet and awaited the uncomfortable conversation.

He walked over to his desk, leaning against it with crossed arms. The skin between his eyebrows was wrinkled in obvious frustration.

"Look, Taehyung, I don't think you being in our quartet is going to work out."

"Oh..." I could feel my shoulders slump in disappointment. The quartet had become one of my favorite activities. The guys and I got along well, and our sound blended together in, what I thought was, a harmonious way. "Um," I cleared my throat of the lump threatening to grab a hold of my trachea. "May I know where I went wrong so I can improve for next time?"

Jungkook sighed. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just don't think you are the right fit for our group." 

"Was this decided on as a trio? If so, I understand."

"It wasn't."

"Oh?" I quirked up my eyebrows at Jungkook's admission.

"It was a decision made solely by me," he continued to admit.

"The quartet doesn't have a designated leader. You should really discuss with the other guys. I feel like it's unfair to me if you are the only one that feels such a way that I'm the one being asked to leave the quartet."

"I think it is fair, considering it was started by Daniel, Bambam, and myself. You were added later on. You can be easily removed."

I felt tears prickling behind my eyes, making me swallow to hold them inside. "I'm so easily replaceable to you?"

Jungkook's eyes softened slightly, and he shook his head. "Taehyung, no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Clearly you did." I inhaled sharply before releasing the air through my flared nostrils. "I'm sorry that I'm not enough for you, or for your incessantly high expectations. Maybe someday I will be enough for somebody, but clearly I'm not enough for you." I reached down to grab the strap of my bag, swinging it onto my shoulder. "I guess I'm not suitable for the orchestra position either, hmm? Maybe I should go ahead and quit that while I'm ahead."

"Taehyung," Jungkook started, but a raise of my hand stopped him from continuing.

"Thank you for the opportunities. I wish you good luck." I gripped the strap of my bag and turned on my heel, walking towards the door that exited Jungkook's office.

"I'm not saying you're not a good fit because you're not enough!" Jungkook blurted, voice raising slightly, before he took in an audible breath. "I did it because I can't focus on the music when you're around. My eyes drift to you. My hands yearn to hold your hands. My mind is consumed by you."

I faced the conductor once more, a bewildered look on my face. "What are you saying, Jungkook? That I'm a distraction?"

"I'm saying that I'm fucking wild about you, Taehyung! I want to touch you and kiss you, and these thoughts rattle my mind while I'm trying to play. I don't want to be the reason behind this quartet becoming a laughing stock. You all have worked so hard and I don't want to screw it up over a damn crush."

My shoulder bag slipped off, crashing to the floor as I sighed, taking a few steps towards Jungkook, who looked visibly deflated.

"Jungkook? There has to be a way to amend this besides me leaving the quartet, hmm?"

"I haven't been able to find one. I'll take any suggestions you have."

I hummed, taking another small step towards the male. "In my experience, the second your crush is no longer a crush, they are on your mind a little less."

"And how do you suppose we make me not crush on you so hard? I've been trying to make myself not like you and it hasn't worked. Are you going to start doing nasty shit that'll make it hard for me to like you? Because honestly I think that would just make me laugh."

I chuckled slightly, shaking my head. "That wasn't what I had in mind." In an instant, my hand found his cheek, my lips finding his, our breaths intermingling with each other in perfect harmony.

Jungkook pulled away after a few seconds, eyes wide. "Tae, I..."

My hand dropped from his face, my feet immediately taking a few steps back. "I... Isn't that what you wanted?"

Jungkook's hands fisted his hair as he turned away. "No, I mean, yes?" He groaned loudly, dropping his hands and facing me again. He closed the distance, squeezing my hands in his. "Taehyung, God, I want it so bad, you have no idea."

"I want it too, so what's the problem?" My teeth found my bottom lip, gnawing at the thin skin.

"Everything is the problem," Jungkook sighed. "I'm your conductor. It's not really a written rule, but it's kind of just assumed that the conductor would not be in any sort of relations with people from the orchestra. I don't want to seem like I'm picking favorites."

"You have liked me for a bit you said, and you haven't shown me any favoritism so far. Why would making things more official change that?"

"When I correct the violins at all, you pout. And everytime you pout, I want to kiss you. Having to actually experienced what it's like to kiss you will only make me want to kiss you more."

"What if I left the orchestra?"

Jungkook's eyes grew wide, and he immediately shook his head. "Tae, no."

I merely shrugged. "Yes, I love being a part of this orchestra, but if moving to a different orchestra allows me to not only remain in the quartet, but also allow me to see you, then it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

The conductor's eyes softened. "I would never ask you to do that."

I squeezed his hand. "I know. How about we maybe try going on a date, and if it goes well and we see it going somewhere, then we can figure something out, hmm?"

Jungkook nodded, placing his forehead against mine. "Can I kiss you again?"

I stepped back, watching his lips form a frown. "Not until after our date." I picked my bag off the floor and exited the office, large smile on my lips and blush on my cheeks.

That was not how I thought that conversation would go.