Lesson 8

Namjoon was in the practicing room, which belonged to his class and he was getting his stuff out of his locker. He packed everything in his back bag and into a box until the locker was completely empty. At the end he took the photo of Taehyung, which was stacked to the inside of his locker's door and looked at it. He felt sad and depressed and disappointed. He liked that guy so much and he always knew Taehyung would never love him but Namjoon would have been satisfied already when he could be the other one's friend only. Then he put the picture into his box, which he picked up and was about to leave the room as suddenly Jimin entered the room. "Namjoonie? Why are you packing up?"
"Jimin... I'm thinking of going home to Ilsan", Namjoon talked sadly.
"Wait a minute! Although you got kicked out of the A-Group, you still have the S-Group", Jimin said, trying to hold his friend back from leaving the academy, but Namjoon just turned away, "What's the big deal? Just because you got rejected by a guy you're going to quit?" Jimin didn't expect any reaction, so it was just quiet for a moment until Jimin continued talking. "I see. So your love for music is that limited." Then Jimin smiled slightly and left the room, leaving Namjoon behind.

Yoongi and Taehyung were sitting in front of the exam's room, while Jungkook was resting on Taehyung's lap. Inside the room was still another student, who was taking on his exam and the others could hear him, while waiting. Yoongi was nervous, hiding his face in his hands and his legs were nervously moving quickly up and down. "Hm, he's good", Taehyung said while listening to the other student, "Why is he taking a repeat exam?"
"That's Kang Seokho from A-Group. He was studying in Germany, so he missed the exam last time and before joining the breakdance division completely he also has to finish it", Yoongi explained, "Damn it! Why am I after him?"
"We'll definitely beat him", Taehyung mentioned and Yoongi gave him a confused look.
"That's impossible", the other one said hopelessly, "We've never rehearsed together."
"Humph! At least I'm better than his pianist. You couldn't get a better one than me."
Yoongi rolled his eyes and looked ahead again. "It's nice, isn't it? To be rewarded without effort. You can brag as well."
"Huh? I'll tell you, I've been practicing piano and violin since age of three. Especially the violin... I practiced from morning till night before coming back to Korea", Taehyung told without looking at Yoongi, "With a mother as concert pianist and a father who's also famous in music industry, you never can be good enough, so I practiced it excessively. I also wanted to learn other instruments, but my piano is still not good enough. That's why I entered the piano division. Well, because I worked on it diligently, I managed to be on top. Now, perhaps I'm slacking off a bit."
"Hey", Yoongi, who had listened carefully, interrupted Taehyung and gave him a look, which was still hopeless, "Midway it turned into a glory story. What are you really trying to say?"
"In the end...", Taehyung continued and leaned his head against the wall behind him, "My dream is to become a choreographer. So I'm studying various things, but I haven't been rewarded at all."
Yoongi didn't know what he should say about this. He had never expected that deep at the inside Taehyung was just like all the others, struggling with problems. Problems which were different from those Yoongi had, but it didn't make any difference. Right at the moment Yoongi wanted to say something, a man stepped out of the exam room and called for him. "Next! Min Yoongi!" 
Taehyung stood up carefully, making sure that Jungkook, who was still sleeping didn't wake up. He gently laid the younger one's head under his bag, so it would be more comfortable for him then lying directly on the bench. "Let's go", he talked to Yoongi then, who got completely nervous, "Today don't worry about techniques and other details. But listen carefully to my piano. Other than that, play as you like." Taehyung walked ahead into the room and while passing Yoongi, who couldn't believe his ears, Taehyung patted his shoulder supportively, which caused Yoongi smile brightly. Thanks to Taehyung he now had courage for the exam.
Inside the room Taehyung sat down at the grand piano and Yoongi took place in front of it, placing his violin on his neck. They exchanged looks and Taehyung gave him a nod. They were ready to start. Yoongi took another deep breath, then he started playing and Taehyung stared along with him.
"Man, as soon as I tell him to play freely, he complies", Taehyung thought while playing the piano, "He's as sloppy as ever. But I will show them that I can adjust to him."
At the same time Yoongi concentrated on playing his violin, but also was in thoughts. "Amazing! He comes in exactly when I want him to", he thought, "Taehyung is directing it. I'm totally at ease. I feel great!" 
They played along and Taehyung accompanied him perfectly with his piano. "He's another Jungkook", Taehyung suddenly noticed, when he was leading Yoongi through the piece.
In front of the room Jungkook was still lying on the bench, shivering and sweating from his fever while he was wrapped into a blanket. His cheek were red and hot, his bangs were wet and stacked on his forehead, which was covered with an ice pack to reduce his fever. He listened to the music, which Taehyung and Yoongi were producing and filled the room. "The joy and lightning of shining youth...", Jungkook mumbled in his feverish delirium, "A field of flowers."
Suddenly Namjoon appeared next to the bench, where Jungkook was laying. The taller man had followed the sound of the music, which sounded like a warm, happy spring day. "Just like I thought...", he talked quietly to himself, "Music is a wonderful thing." He smiled slightly, before he turned around and wanted to leave again. Namjoon hadn't seen Jungkook but suddenly something hold him on his back bag and stopped him from leaving. Namjoon turned around and finally saw Jungkook on the bench, who had grabbed his bag. 
"Where are you going?", Jungkook talked quietly, looking up to the other one, who looked down on his box with his stuff, "Hey, the duel is not over yet!"
"Kookie...", Namjoon mentioned and looked back at the young one, who just smiled innocently and the blonde man couldn't help but smile also. 

When the exam was done, Taehyung and Yoongi left the room. Yoongi had left earlier because he wanted to finish something else quickly. Taehyung went back to the room, where Jungkook was laying. He picked the younger one up, giving him a piggyback again. He carried Jungkook out of the building and followed the path through the alley.
"Tae, Tae, Tae, Tae... Taehyungie", he heard a familiar, deep voice from behind and saw Namjoon running towards him and got stopped by the blonde man, "I'm going to stick with it a bit longer in the S-Group!"
Taehyung kept walking and Jungkook hugged him tightly. "Good, as long as you don't dance weirdly again."
"Yes!", Namjoon agreed happily and stacked to Taehyung, while also Yoongi joined them from the other side.
"About the S-Group", Yoongi talked while his ice cream like a little boy, "Is it true that Kwon Jiyong denied your request to change divisions? Tough break for us."
"Eh?", Taehyung let out a confused sound.
"I was thinking that if you transfer to the choreographer division you'd be around longer", Yoongi kept speaking and looked at Taehyung, who kept carrying Jungkook, while Namjoon was clinging to him, "After graduating you'll go to Europe or the US or something, right?"
"Europe?", Jungkook and Namjoon shouted surprised at the same time.
"You have talent and connections", Yoongi said and almost forgot about his ice cream, "There's no reason for you not to go abroad, is there?"
Taehyung stopped walking and thought about it. There was a problem but he didn't want to let anyone of them know about it. "There's nothing", he mentioned coldly, causing a big shock to Jungkook and Namjoon.
"Just when I thought I'd enjoy being part of a dancing group that you are choreographing", Yoongi told and turned back to his ice cream, while Jungkook hang down on Taehyung, who just rolled his eyes annoyed.
"What am I doing?", he asked himself and made sure that Jungkook won't fall down. Suddenly Jungkook wrapped his legs and arms tightly around Taehyung, so that he had problems walking ahead.
"Is seonbae studying abroad?", Jungkook asked wailing, "No, no, no!"

On the next day Jungkook felt better already. He had woken up the older one, by ringing his doorbell like crazy. He rushed Taehyung to dress up quickly and as soon as he was finished, Jungkook grabbed Taehyung's wrists and started running. He ran down the streets, pulling Taehyung after him the whole way to the academy. "Hey! What?", Taehyung asked but Jungkook didn't pay attention to him and kept running, "Where are we going?"
Jungkook ran down the hallway of one of the buildings and suddenly stormed into an office. "Milchie!!", he shouted when he got inside the room, dragging Taehyung with him, "Milch! You're Kookie's friend, aren't you? Let Taehyung seonbae move to the choreographer division!"
Taehyung was breathing heavily and fixed his clothes when Jungkook had stopped running. "Jungkook..."
"Please", Jungkook didn't listen to Taehyung, but continued to beg for his division change.
At first Jiyong didn't pay attention to the two students but then suddenly the man threw the newspaper he was reading on the desk with a loud bang. "I understand. I lose", he said and smiled when he turned around to the two boys, who looked confused. "But we have to make a deal. If you give me a kiss, I will approve Taehyung's division change."
"How is that losing?", Taehyung asked angrily.
Jiyong stood up and faced the students. "Kissing is no big deal in the west. That's why I said, I lose. With a kiss change divisions. No kiss, no change", Jiyong explained and stood up. He slowly walked over to Jungkook, who looked down and thought about it. The boy didn't know what he should do.
"Parting with seonbae?", Jungkook talked to himself and gave the other one a desperate look, before he leaned on Taehyung's arm, who had crossed his arms, "No more next door neighbor? Europe or a kiss?"
Slowly Jiyong came closer. Step by step the man walked towards them, causing Jungkook to look down, turning away and trying to avoid the choreographer. Taehyung looked from Jungkook to Jiyong, who stared at the younger one, while coming closer. "What should I do?" Jungkook looked at Taehyung for a moment, then he closed his eyes, pressing the application letter of Taehyung onto his chest and closed his eyes. Jungkook stomped one step ahead, his eyes were pressed together and Taehyung's eyes grew big. Was Jungkook really going to kiss the old man now?