Curses, Kim Minho!!!!!!!!

Hint ;)

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There were times when Hoseok felt that he was going to be okay.

School was still pretty normal. He at Math (as always), excelled in PE (as always), joked around with Namjoon (as always), and had lunch at the rooftop with his friends. Except now, Jungkook was missing more often than not.

And that was the time when Hoseok felt his heart was literally going to break.

But he it up. He put on his mask, he smiled and laughed and danced. He faked it.

But he couldn’t fake the needles stabbing his heart when he saw Youngmi smiling at Jungkook tenderly as they ate dinner before practice. He couldn’t fake the drop of his stomach when she cheered Jungkook on. He couldn’t ignore the prickling behind his eyes when she met his gaze and sent him a smile, as if she knew what sort of effect it would have on him.

He’d worn the mask for almost quarter of a year now. It seemed almost part of his daily routine, to just slip it on and leave it until he could barely take it anymore.

He didn’t want to worry them, but Hoseok didn't realise that he was, with him waking a little later, eating a little less...

But he knew she saw something was up that night, when the three of them were in the lift together. He had been too tired to throw his mask on anymore, and he’d let his true feelings show, and she’d caught it.

He could tell from her deer in headlights look, from the way parted as if she was going to ask the dreaded question, “Are you okay?”

No. Hoseok was not okay.

But what choice had he? She was happy with Jungkook. He could tell that she loved him, as he did her. And Jungkook was improving by leaps and bounds. He was singing better, his stamina was off the charts…

Hoseok would be able to perform on stage again, and Youngmi would finally be happy, and so would Jungkook. The three of them would be satisfied if this were the outcome.

So why did he feel so empty?

---

Ever since Jungkook and I started dating nearly 3 months ago, it seemed as if Superhero-sunbaenim wanted nothing more to do with me.

And honestly, it really hurt.

I had to admit, that guy had dug deeper than I had expected him to. I thought we were friends, but he didn’t seem like he wanted to be any longer.

It really ing , seeing as I’d shared basically all of my secrets with the guy. He’d been my first friend. He was my best.

And now he barely even talked to me anymore.

He didn’t even come and hang out with me anymore during lunch time. We didn’t pass by in the hallways. I even half contemplated visiting him at the rooftop during lunch but I knew Jungkook would be there and he’d get the wrong idea.

Why didn’t he want to talk to me anymore?

He’d said that he wanted to be friends with me and not to me but by his actions it seemed as if now that I was dating someone he didn’t even want to look at me, let alone be friends.

“You look stressed,” Jungkook reached over and rubbed the space between my eyebrows.

“Stop,” I groaned, swatting at his hands.

“What’s up?” he leaned back and asked, lunchbox in his lap.

I sighed. How on earth was I going to tell him? I knew Jungkook had an inferiority complex to Superhero-sunbaenim, and he got really jealous with him involved.

“Just some friendship issue,” I finally let out.

“You don’t have many friends,” he stated, before frowning. “It’s Hoseok-hyung, isn’t it? Did he upset you?”

“No he didn’t!” I hurriedly shook my head. “Just… we haven’t been talking lately, and I kinda miss him.”

Jungkook gave me a cold look.

“So even while you’re with me, you still talk to him?”

I rolled my eyes.

“So I’m not allowed to be friends with him just because I’m dating you?”

“No, because I know it’s going to progress into something and he’s going to take you away from me,” Jungkook said obstinately.

“Since when did I start taking your orders?” I snapped. “I’m just friends with him. That’s all. Can’t you trust me?”

“How can I trust you when literally everyone has left me?” he asked bitterly, bristling in anger.

There was a dead silence as we stared at our lunches, both fuming.

I literally felt steam pouring out of my ears as my blood boiled with anger. What the did he think he was doing, controlling who I spent my time with? Who the did he think he was? He was my boyfriend, not my owner.

“Forget it, I obviously can’t talk sense into your thick head,” I hissed, gathering my things. “Grow the up, Jungkook.”

With that, I stormed out of the place, leaving Jungkook barely holding back tears.

---

Hoseok knew he was in trouble when his phone pinged. It was as if he had a sixth ‘Youngmi’ sense that allowed him to know whenever Youngmi was planning on contacting him.

He swiped his phone open in dread.

We need to talk.

Ah, .

She was going to ask questions like “Dude why are you ing stalking me you creep I have a boyfriend now please stay away from me forever”

Do we have to? He replied.

Yes. Came the answer. Walk me home tonight.

I thought you get driven home by your boyfriend?

He pissed me off.Are you going to make me walk home alone?

… No…

Good. See you later.

Hoseok sighed, regretting the time he’d given her his number. Honestly back then it was so much easier. He could love her all he wanted without feeling any guilt or shame. He could be friends with Jungkook without thinking of her and vice versa.

He had to hurry up and get over her, for the sake of his sanity. And the only way he could do that was by distancing himself from her.

But how could he when all this was happening?

---

I could feel the bad vibes from Jungkook a mile away, which meant it was wholly intensified since I was just a seat away from him.

Mirae sent us worried glances as I directed my heated gaze onto the table, wrestling with the resentment spilling out of every orifice of my body.

Why on earth was Jungkook so afraid of me leaving him? Had I done something heinously wrong, wanting to be friends with Superhero-sunbaenim? He had been the first one who had accepted me as I was. He had been the first one who had shown me care and concern instead of fear and anger and distrust. How could I just drop a friendship like that?

Why couldn’t Jungkook understand how deeply important this first friendship was to me? Why couldn’t he see things from my point of view, instead of hiding behind his?

But I felt a prick of guilt as I thought about it.

Jungkook had had his sister torn away from him, and his mother had abandoned him on the doorstep of a stranger. He’d struggled with his gynophobia for years, and only recently had he been able to communicate his feelings and start opening up to me.

Was it really right of me to be angry at him for having such insecurities when I knew his backstory?

I sent him a cautious look.

His nose was tinged red and his eyes were shining, and he kept sniffing conspicuously.

I felt my face blanch. Did I seriously make Jungkook cry? Again?

But it wasn’t my fault! He was the one who was ordering me around, trying to prevent me from being friends with people and trying to control my life, so why should I feel bad about it?

I turned my thoughts away from the guilt chewing away at my insides, thinking of more pressing matters at the moment.

Honestly, what was I going to say to Superhero-sunbaenim?

I had texted him on a whim and now I hadn’t even an inkling about what I wanted to say to him. Like, hey stop ignoring me I’m your friend? Or dude you’re being a ing ?

How could I put across the hurt I felt at his rejection, the pain of being wordlessly pushed away when he was my closest friend…

I groaned. At least I still had a few hours before I had to meet him.

---

And all too soon the final bell had rung and I was in the midst of packing my bag when Jungkook had walked off on me.

I stifled the hurt and the anger at his reaction. It was probably deserving of me to be cold-shouldered like this since I had yelled at him.

But even though we had fought, I still wanted to go to support him at his practice. I’d made friends with the rest of the group as well (aside from Suga-sunbaenim), and I didn’t want to cause a big fuss with the rest of them.

I sighed and shouldered my backpack, making my way out of the school.

---

Jungkook swung his backpack over his shoulders, following the well-trodden route to Suga-hyung’s house.

He shoved away the thoughts of Lee Youngmi accompanying him on this journey for the past few weeks, shyly holding onto the hem of his sleeve, but to no avail.

Her lavender scent and the hint of warmth when her hand brushed his were still very much imprinted on his mind.

Why couldn’t she understand?

He knew those glances that Hoseok-hyung would send her way. He recognised in Hoseok-hyung the same way he felt about her.

How could he trust them to be just friends?

He trusted his mother, and she’d dumped him outside some random house before killing herself right in front of him.

Friends didn’t share important life-changing secrets with each other.

Friends didn’t sneak off and go on dates alone.

How could they be just friends, when Hoseok-hyung was in love with her? If a guy like that was in love with her, how could Jungkook compete?

Hoseok-hyung had no baggage. Hoseok-hyung was kind, loving, talented, funny… whereas Jungkook had so much history, had so many problems…

He just couldn’t compare.

---

And now I literally had absolutely no idea where I was.

Whenever I went over to Suga-sunbaenim’s house, it had always been with Jungkook, and I had never paid attention to where I was going.

It was made clear now that I was pretty bad at memorising routes by the fact that I was utterly lost in the middle of nowhere.

“Ah, Lee Youngmi?” a familiar voice piped up behind me.

I snapped my head backwards, heart racing in dread.

Kim Minho stared back into my eyes, smiling widely and surrounded by a few boys who looked much older than us, but were wearing Haneun High School’s uniform.

I swallowed thickly. Haneun High had one of the highest retention rates in Seoul, and it was notorious for breeding gangs and secret societies. Why would Kim Minho be hanging out with them?

“My oh my, it really is you!” Kim Minho laughed cheerfully, walking closer.

I turned my heel and moved to run but it was too late.

As if like lightning, one of the boys shot his hand out and grabbed a fistful of my ponytail, causing me to cry out in pain.

He dragged me backwards by the hair as I clawed at his hand desperately, trying to release his hold on me. With a grunt, the boy threw me on the ground.

“Do you remember Youngmi?” Kim Minho’s voice turned freezing as he lifted my face up with his fingers. “What you did to me?”

I balked as his finger traced my face languidly. My heart thumped slowly, and my oral cavity was dry as sandpaper.

“I remember,” he said. “And now I’m going to pay you back.”

“What makes you think that I’ll sit here and take it?” I asked quietly, my eyes like cold ice as I calculated the best route to run.

“Why don’t you ask your little boyfriend?” he grinned like a shark, before taking out his phone and unlocking it, swiping until he reached the page that he wanted and showed it to me.

It was a picture of Jungkook, walking with me while on the way to Suga-sunbaenim’s house.

I felt my heart drop to the pit of my stomach as he continued to swipe through the pictures. Most of them were of me and Jungkook walking to the house, coming out of the house and entering Jungkook’s car… And then he stopped at the last one.

Jungkook was walking alone, his face in a deep frown.

“What should we do to his pretty little face, Lee Youngmi-ssi?” Kim Minho shrugged carelessly. “If you don’t comply that is.”

“You ing coward,” I hissed in contempt, but my heart was in my mouth.

If he even touched Jungkook… I almost felt my blood run cold, thinking about Jungkook being hurt by this heinous beast.

“Well, even if I’m a coward, I get my revenge anyway,” he shrugged cheerfully at me, before turning to his other friends. “Have fun, boys. Make a good mess of her face.”

With that, he waved goodbye and walked off.

The gangsters leaned over me, smiling dangerously and cracking their fists.

Oh .

---

Jungkook shouldered past J-Hope rudely, shoving him out of the way as they entered the studio.

All J-Hope could do was send a sad look to Jungkook, who was busy prepping himself for training.

Why did Jungkook hate him so much? All he wanted to do was not hurt both Jungkook and Youngmi, but it seemed that he’d done nothing but that.

But why was Jungkook still so angry, when he’d done all he could to push Youngmi away? He barely interacted with her anymore. He never texted first, he greeted her cordially but didn’t start conversation, he was polite but not excessively friendly… And still Jungkook got mad at him.

Was he doing something wrong?

Why couldn’t his life just be simple? Why couldn’t his feelings for Lee Youngmi just not exist?

Then people wouldn’t be hurt.

He let out a short chuckle. There was so much tension between him and Jungkook, but the person they were currently “fighting” about wasn’t even here when she said she would show.

He checked his phone gloomily, but still no message from her.

Where are you? He texted, before stuffing his phone into his pocket.

She’d probably be here soon.

---

Breathe.

Can’t.

Help.

Struggling. Can’t breathe.

My chest.

It hurts.

I can’t see.

Help.

Help.

---

“Dude, you’re really out of it, you know?” Rapmon panted as J-Hope slid to the ground, head in his knees. “You and Jungkook both. What’s wrong?”

J-Hope shot him a rueful grin.

“Us again, huh?” he sighed tiredly, avoiding the question.

“Please can you both talk to each other? I’m telling you this as a leader and as a friend. If it’s got anything to do with that girl, you better sort it out soon,” Rapmon frowned.

“Understood,” J-Hope said and motioned for Jungkook to follow him.

The two headed outside, a cool autumn breeze whistling its way through the landing.

Jungkook’s eyes were cold as he stared unblinkingly at the park below Suga’s house. J-Hope felt a sting of hurt as Jungkook refused to look at him.

“Aren’t we friends?” J-Hope asked, some hurt seeping into his voice. “Why are you treating me so coldly now?”

Jungkook shifted his stance, looking a little uncomfortable now.

“This is about Youngmi, isn’t it?” J-Hope asked directly, not wanting to beat around the bush anymore.

There was a pause.

 “Hoseok-hyung the perfect boy, with the heart of gold and the penchant with girls,” Jungkook chuckled bitterly. “Compared with the boy who has stage fright and gynophobia, who cannot hold her hand without hyperventilating, who cannot look into her eyes without feeling feverish… The boy who can’t protect her, who can’t love her like she needs to be loved. Who will be chosen, hyung?”

“Youngmi doesn’t need to be protected,” J-Hope stated firmly, but Jungkook continued.

“I can never compare with you,”Jungkook’s voice was choked by tears. “Why would she want me if she has you?”

“Does she want me?” J-Hope asked. “Did she ever say that?”

Jungkook didn’t answer, but stared stubbornly ahead.

“If she’s never said it then how can you just assume that she does feel that way about me?” J-Hope asked, though his heart was breaking into two. “She likes you Jungkook. Not me. Stop being so insecure. You can tell from the way she looks at you that you’re the one in her heart.”

Jungkook glanced at J-Hope with sadness in his eyes.

“I just don’t have it in me to trust her.”

“If you can’t trust her,” J-Hope started. “Maybe you can start with trusting me first?”

A pause ensued as Jungkook thought over it.

“Yeah,” he finally said. “I guess I can.”

“I promise I will never do anything to hurt you. Never.”

 “… Okay,” Jungkook replied, subdued.

J-Hope patted Jungkook on the back as his phone trilled once, signalling a message from his mum.

“You go back in first, I’ll catch up with you later,” he ushered.

Jungkook nodded and headed back in as J-Hope flicked through his messages, before realising that his last message to Lee Youngmi had gone unread, and she hadn’t shown up at all today.

Puzzled, he called her, feeling a growing bubble of doubt as the phone carried on ringing for the next few minutes with no one picking up.

---

Ring. Ring. Ring.

It shook me out of my unconsciousness. My phone was trilling nonstop in my pocket. I tried to stand up, but the sharp ache piercing my chest caused me to double over, dry heaving.

The action caused my phone to slip out of my pocket, flipping open and answering the call.

“Hey, noticed you didn’t read my message since just now,” Superhero-sunbaenim’s voice answered through the speaker. “And you didn’t show for practice either. You okay?”

The pain was getting unbearable. I could hardly breathe, my chest felt like it was being stabbed.I let out a guttural cry as I collapsed onto my knees, one hand on my ribs and the other on the ground supporting my weight.

“, Youngmi, you okay?” his voice sounded unclear through the screaming in my head.

“H-help,” I wheezed, barely able to breathe as my vision blurred.

“Stay awake Youngmi, I’m coming to find you now. Don’t worry, I’m coming, but you have to stay awake okay? Where are you now, do you know?”

I stifled a cry of pain as my arm crumbled, causing me to crash to the ground headfirst.

“! Stay with me Youngmi! Where are-”

I out.

---

A voice. It’s familiar.

I can’t make out what it’s saying as I’m scooped up into warm arms. The smell of ash and smoke comes to my nostrils.

I’m touched all over my body, but it’s a touch that is gentle and prodding, searching for injuries. And it finds one in the involuntary yelp I utter as the hands press against my ribs.

There’s the deep rumbling of a voice again, and I strain to hear it. Mi… mi?

But it’s too late. I feel my eyelids flickering shut.

The lights go dark as I slip into unconsciousness.

SHE'S NOT GOING TO DIE OK be patient young padawans all will be revealed soon :D