CHAPTER 5 - CHAOS
ONE DAY LATER
Jungkook had been sitting in that corner for a full day now. The corner of the alleyway he used to go to all the time when he needed a breather. Rocking back and forth and crying were the only two things he knew how to do. At least it felt that way. He already missed one football practice, but he was sure Quinton did too. Were his teammates panicking? His coach? It wasn't like Jungkook had his phone on him, so he couldn't tell if he was being tracked or not.
Raven and Jimin had been on his mind all day. More specifically - Raven. Not for any romantic reasons despite that being his original intention. Get Raven to trust him enough, then kiss her in front of Jimin. That plan was thrown out the window. Now he was thinking about her and the confrontation. Why the hell was her getting hurt the thing that spiked his adrenaline? Why was he so hellbent on hurting Quinton for hurting her? Or, more importantly - what the * did he bite him for?
That was the most concerning event out of everything that happened last night. He felt an urge to bite Quinton. Why did he listen to said urge? Jungkook wiped a stray tear and hopped to his feet, clenching his hands into fists. He couldn't just sit here and let his friends panic over his whereabouts. If he was being hunted, he could escape with his powers. Probably. That was what he was hoping for, anyway.
The walk back to campus felt long and shameful. He could've taken the subway, but the last time that happened, he got bit by a spid-
Oh.
He glanced down at where the bite mark was, but it was gone (shocker). Logically, he could bite someone and what? Poison them? Was that what happened? Alright, he would stick with that. He could bite someone and give them venom, stick to walls, heal faster, and he was much stronger. Maybe he sounded crazy... but did that spider bite give him superpowers? What type of spider was that? Were the chemicals those construction workers were hauling impact it? Did the spider fall into the chemicals and become enhanced as a result?
Jungkook decided not to think about it. That was a topic for another day. It wasn't like he could go back to the subway and search for the dead spider. It had been over a week, there was no way it was still there. Oh well. He'd have to figure it out on his own. Funny. He wasn't used to doing that.
The campus came into view after the long stroll, him noting how he had 10 minutes left before astronomy started. So, with that in mind, he increased his pace. When he made it to the heart of campus, many students were looking at him. He wasn't sure if that was because he was in trouble, or because he was Jeon Jungkook. Whatever the reason, he went into the classroom wing and found astronomy without much issue.
No one stopped him, not even campus security. So there wasn't a price on his head. But how long until that changed? Did Quinton come out okay? Was he... no, no he couldn't be. Jungkook already broke enough at the thought of hurting someone that badly, let alone...
Not knowing what else to do, he went to the one person he never thought could help him. One of the only people who showed up to class early. He sniffed as he approached, placing his hands on the lab desk and sighing.
Jimin stared, backing away as if on instinct, not on purpose.
Jimin"He's alive. Barely, but he's alive. There was poison in his blood. Venom, like the type black widow's give. The ambulance got him in time."
Jungkook"But black widows don't give enough venom to kill humans. It's rare to die from a bite. How did..."
Jimin"Back up. How about we forget that and talk about how you can climb walls and bite people with venom in the first place. Care to explain that?"
Well, *. He couldn't hide it now. Not when he showed off his powers in front of Jiven. Jungkook kept his clammy hands against the table, shutting his eyes.
Jungkook"I don't know how it happened."
Jimin"No one's around, you can tell me. The only other students are out of earshot."
Jungkook glanced around and saw that Jimin was right: no one was present. Why was Jimin being sympathetic? Why did he care at all about this? Or maybe he was just curious and didn't actually care.
Jungkook"Why aren't you screaming at me? I hurt someone... I..."
Jimin"Yeah well, you've hurt me before. At this point I'm not surprised."
Jimin went back to what he was doing, organizing his notes and preparing for today's lab. What the hell could he say to make up for what he had done to Jimin and Quinton? Would Quinton even remember the encounter? More questions Jungkook didn't have the answer to. But... he had to start small.
The nerd met Jungkook's pleading eyes, leaning back on the balls of his feet.
Jimin"Alright, how do I know this isn't some dumb trick? All you do is lie and manipulate people. That's all you're good for. You're nothing more than an *. That little crush I had on you was strictly because you're hot and muscular. I fell for the idea of you, not who you actually are. And now that I've seen it, I hate it. I hate you, Jeon Jungkook."
For some reason, the words stung. They made him flinch and his heart beat faster.
Jungkook"I can't prove it with words, but I can start with them. I really, truly am sorry for what I've said and done to you. I can't imagine how I made you feel-"
Jimin"Because you've never been at the receiving end of it. Now you made a mistake. You *ed up. How's it feel, huh? How's it feel to finally have some karma for the * you've done. Injuring me, insulting me, kissing me. You've *ed with my head in more ways than one, and now I don't know what to think. I don't trust you, not even a little bit. I don't know how you hurt Quinton like that, and quite frankly, I don't care anymore. Jungkook, I'll give you one last chance. Leave me and Raven alone and never bother me again, or Raven and I tell the truth about what happened that night."
Jungkook backed away, Jimin scoffing.
He ran away with his tail between his legs, departing the class as a whole. But, as soon as he left, he nearly knocked over a security guard.
Jungkook"O-Oh I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there, I forgot something at my dorm I'm in a hurry, I'm sorry."
Stranger"The dean would like a word with you."
Well... *.
~~~
Sitting across from the dean was probably the most humiliating thing he ever had to do. The dean's searing eyes scorched right through Jungkook's body, his hands trembling from the sight.
The Dean"Mr. Jeon, it's come to my attention that the starting quarterback and you had a fight last night. He woke up this morning and told the police the entire report, and that report is on my desk here."
The dean's office was like a box. There was a window to Jungkook's left, pouring in sunlight since the main lights were off. Wood made up the structure of the office. Jungkook sat on a chair across from the older man, his eyes darting around the carpeted room. It had a dark color scheme, and it complimented the deep chestnut eyes the dean had.
Jungkook folded his hands together on his knee and attempted not to look terrified. He failed miserably.
Jungkook"Sir, if you have any questions about the fight, I'd be happy to answer them."
He left out 'Quinton started it', knowing it'd be no help here.
Jungkook"I don't know what happened, everything went so fast. Next thing I knew he was on the ground having a seizure. I don't know what caused it-"
The Dean"There was venom in his veins. Venom and a bite mark. Care to explain?"
Jungkook"How can I? I didn't bite him. I punched him. He blacked out and a few seconds later he had a seizure."
The dean didn't change his face at all. Then, the door opened, and a familiar face plopped down next to him. Raven.
The Dean"Miss Goldenstein, can you tell me what happened last night?"
Jungkook grasped the sides of the chair instead of keeping his hands together. His posture slipped, all thoughts of calming down leaving his mind. But, what the redhead said next had his mind spinning more.
Raven"Sir, last night I went to get ice cream with Mr. Jeon when Quinton started a fight out of no where. I begged them to take it outside, and Quinton punched me as a result. Out of fear of Jungkook's anger, he ran outside and the fight escalated. Jungkook pinned Quinton down and punched him. It was very blurry, sir. My vision wasn't the best due to the punch I got from Quinton. All I remember was seeing Jungkook hit him, and the next thing I know, Quinton was having a seizure."
Why Raven lied for him boggled his mind, but he didn't speak. He borderline stapled his mouth shut, playing with the wooden handles of the chair.
The Dean"It appears your stories line up, but it doesn't change that this man went to the hospital because of poison. The family doesn't wish to press charges, but Jungkook, this isn't the first time I've had a complaint against you. Before, the cases were all weak and had nearly no evidence. Now I'm starting to believe them. Many students are spreading rumors about your violent tendencies. Your grades are excellent, you're truly a model student. Your attitude, however, is not something we stand by. I'm hereby revoking your scholarship."
Jungkook froze, the sweat on his skin halting with him. The words repeated in his mind a few times until they clicked, Jungkook's tongue swelling up from how hard he was biting on it.
Jungkook"Y... You're w-what?"
The Dean"I'm revoking your scholarship. The first and second semesters will still be covered, but from now on, all future ones will be paid for by you. I'd get to work on loans if I were you, it's already past midterm season."
The words hit Jungkook not only in the heart, but in the soul too. He couldn't feel anything around him. Not his body, not his mouth, not his brain. Not a single part of him was functional right now.
The Dean"Leave before I change my mind about keeping you in this school at all. One more major incident like this, and consider yourself gone."
Jungkook left without sparing a glance at Raven, rushing out of the building and panting as he went. The emotions dancing inside him had him bawling, tears falling down his face and dripping down to the sidewalk. He didn't care how embarrassing it looked. The ones around him were confused. Some clearly heard about the incident and laughed at him, others whispered to their friends.
He paid them no mind, he only ran and ran. Sprinting until his legs burned and his throat ached from crying. He couldn't remember the last time he cried, let alone like this. It was terrifying, truthfully. Was this how Jimin felt when Jungkook broke his heart? Was this how he made the people around him feel with his constant need to feel superior? He knew it was the answer, but he couldn't accept it quite just yet.
The dorm entrance snapped open, him dashing inside and taking the elevator up to his floor. His roommate was already gone for class, so Jungkook didn't worry about that. He could sob into his pillow for over an hour and not worry about it. That was his plan, so he executed it, hopping off the elevator and going to his room. However, his plan was halted when he spotted Angelina.
She was banging on his door, grunting when no answer came.
Jungkook"Babe? What are you doing here? I had astronomy."
Her furious eyes whipped around, her arms crossing over her chest.
Angelina"You beat up the quarterback? Is that true? Did you really send him to the hospital? And I just heard what you did to that nerd. I thought we were only messing with him, not beating him up. What the hell's wrong with you?"
Jungkook"You seemed perfectly fine with it when I smashed his glasses."
Angelina"Yeah, well people change, Jungkook. Quickly too. I woke up, it's time for you to do the same. Did you seriously fight Quinton?"
Jungkook regretted the words as soon as he said them, but that didn't stop his girlfriend from scoffing and walking over.
She slapped him, Jungkook yelping at the impact.
Angelina"* you, Jeon. Seriously, * you. I've met some amazing people recently, and I'm starting to like them more than you. Doesn't help how neglectful you've been recently. Flowers don't make up for everything. We're done. Don't contact me again."
Angelina shoved him as she went, departing the area and leaving Jungkook in the dust. He stood there, pondering if this day could get any worse. Not wanting to jinx it, he stormed inside and locked the door behind him. Right away he jumped on his bed and sat there, staring at the wall opposite to him. The thoughts he had before all disappeared. He was left alone. His friends probably hated him by now, his girlfriend dumped him, and he lost the reason why he was in this school.
Contrary to popular belief, his parents weren't rich. They had money, sure, but once they found out he lost his scholarship, they'd flip their *. No matter how he explained the situation, they were going to think he was a lowlife who beat up another kid and lost the opportunity of a lifetime. Jungkook wasn't like that though. He was an ass, but he wasn't stupid. He didn't do anything to put his scholarship on the line. Jimin was a nerd, it wasn't like he was going to tell on Jungkook. But Quinton? He completely annihilated Jungkook. If anyone deserved to be punished, it was him.
But... Jungkook deserved it too. He hurt a man in a way that sent him to the hospital. In a way that could have killed him. Whether he understood his powers or not, there was no justifying that. Jungkook drowned in his miseries, wondering how the hell he was gonna redo his life.
His phone buzzed on his nightstand. His hand reached out and pulled it closer, him eyeing the texts on the screen. There were 8 missed calls from his coach, and a devastating text that told him he was off the team due to his actions. Quinton wasn't as far as he knew. What a surprise. No more girlfriend, no more scholarship, no more football, likely no more friends. What would he do? Transfer to a new school? Start over? No, more rumors would spread about him, right? Would they find out about his track record?
Jungkook let his hands lay on his lap, him holding one arm up and looking at the spider bite that was no where to be seen. He had the urge to place his middle and ring finger on his palm, his index and pinky staying up, and his thumb straight out on the side. Wait. His hand.
The motion had him falling into his thoughts. For a moment, despite the devastating day he had, he focused on something else. He held out his arm and acted like he was shooting something out of his wrist. Web... could he shoot webs? If he could bite and climb, he should know about webs. Wait, if he were given the abilities of a spider, would that mean the webs would come out of his...?
He shook the thoughts off and went back to sulking, his eyes on the wall again. His life was falling apart. Every piece was falling right in front of him, just out of arm's reach. Girlfriend, friends, scholarship, football. What was next, his grades? Wait, no. He just mentioned not wanting to jinx anything. Jungkook stayed still, his eyes averting to the ground. Then, he got an idea.
The floor welcomed him when he landed on it, him using his sticking powers to open the window and slip out of it. No one was below him. No one had any reason to be behind the dorms, so Jungkook leapt up to the top of the building. It was 5 stories tall, Jungkook pitter-pattering to the edge of it and sitting down. His legs dangled off the stone roof, him not worried about falling. Then, he delved into his thoughts. Spiders could survive long falls without their webs. They could survive being whacked out of their webs and knocked down. This was a far fall, sure, but could he...?
Jungkook stood on the edge of the roof, no students around to witness this. He double-checked to ensure he was alone, then, he hyped himself up. If his powers didn't help him, he probably wouldn't die. Probably. Granted, he'd be in a hospital for months, but hey, maybe his healing powers would speed that up too.
The very idea of powers had him wishing to jump, to test how far he could go, but facing death was not an easy feat. Jungkook stared down at the pavement beneath him, hopping up and down to gain some motivation. Was he really about to do this? Yes. Yes he *ing was. So, without wasting time to think about all that had happened today, he planted his feet.
Then, he jumped.
Right away, time seemed to slow down, the air brushing by him smelling of pollen. His arms were extended like a skydiver, the wind throwing his hair and causing him to shiver from the sudden lack of ground beneath him. The terror peaked when he felt himself passing the third floor. And he got lower and lower until he... flipped? No, really. He did a *ing front flip as the second floor passed, the move lasting until the first. Then, he landed on his feet in a crouching position, one hand on the ground and the other back, his middle and ring finger down on his palm. The same pose he did earlier when thinking about webs.
Jungkook started laughing. Finally, something went right today. He didn't feel an ounce of pain. All that followed was triumph, an emotion he desired after getting slapped literally and metaphorically. A victory. It didn't change that he had a life to fix, but it meant he had an idea of what he could do.
He had an idea. An idea that could possibly help him atone for all he had done. He was sure he'd still do bad things, but maybe he could start small. With saving people instead of hurting them. Stopping crimes with these gifts. But, he needed one more thing to do that. A weapon. AKA: webs. There was one problem with that. A massive one.
He needed Jimin and Raven's help to do it.
They were the nerds. The scientists. The engineers. They would know formulas, and together they could do something. However, Jimin wouldn't help him. As a result, Raven wouldn't either. He grunted at yet another obstacle being placed in his way. Then, he turned, and he almost fell over. So, he wasn't alone after all. Out of all students to be there at this moment, it had to be him. Kim Taehyung with his body frozen and his jaw on the ground.
Jungkook chuckled and waved, a pink shade hitting his ears.
Jungkook scratched the back of his neck. Taehyung blinked for the first time since they made eye contact.
Taehyung"What the actual *?!"
