[CONTENTID1]

She’s heard the rumors—certainly, saying they were close (best buddies, two peas in a pod—whatever you say) before and frightened by everyone. She’s heard the familiar Choi Junhee who was often associated with both of them (beautiful, golden hair shining) as the trio turned the clause into three peas in a pod.

Kim Taehyung was an orphan, Min Yoongi was like an orphan and Choi Junhee was almost an orphan. They shared the same thing; loneliness. How each night when the dark cover almost everything in their sleep (their eyes just closed, not really sleep) and when morning came the dreadful feeling awfully switched on their heart.

Heo Youngji was lonely too. She knew life will always have two sides; ups and downs—delight and misery.

But she’s simply not ready. Her family wasn’t ready. When her father was caught in terrible mistake to the company, he got fired and the standard life of Youngji couldn’t be back to usual again. She needed to stay with one of her aunt in countryside, changed school and basically started over in strange place, alone.

Youngji put the melon bread each on Yoongi and Taehyung’s table respectively, when the class was empty between lunch break and near last hour.

“He won’t show up.”

It’s plain, forward and gave no room for argument. She could only nod and took Taehyung’s bread before scurrying to her own seat.

“Besides, this is absolutely unnecessary.”

But Youngji still didn’t respond and Yoongi still ripped the seal of his free meal.

———

“Yah, transfer student! Can’t you hear me?!”

Of course Youngji could hear Ilhoon’s loud voice proper and clear, or the whole classroom. The group of bully who consisted of Jung Ilhoon, Han Sanghyuk, Choi Jinri and Lee Naeun (and Taehyung who has few days been absent) surrounded her like predators cornering their prey. They wanted no other than making her life more like hell; ordering her around like some brainless weakling.

Her face flushed red, her breath was stuck somewhere in her chest and Youngji bit her lip out of nervousness.

“This girl, really!” She heard feminine sneer—high-pitched and deafening. “Yah, are you turning deaf now?!”

Naeun yanked her hair and Youngji gasps. Tears were b in her eyes but she kept putting her bravado.

“I am not.” Her voice came out weak, frightened and the tremble was too obvious in her tone. But she needed to defend her own self—not when her other classmates choose to avoid the conflict and Min Yoongi still laid his head on the table, careless. “So you don’t need to loudly yell at me.”

Calm down, Youngji. They are just kids like you—

Slap!

The silence immediately hung around the class and everyone could hear their own breath and heartbeat loudly thumping against their chest.

Tears uncontrollably streamed down on her cheek like waterfall, no matter how hard she tried to hold them. Her head was down, gaze nailed on the floor. It hurt.

“See?” She hears a bitter chuckle. “Don’t you dare talking back at us, Heo Youngji.”

She’s her breath as slowly lifting up her face. Hands formed a fist to prevent them touch her blazing cheek. “Wh-“

She saw a petite hand flying again before shutting her eyes tightly.

“Quit it you all!”

There’s murmur, and undefined noise like buzzing bees. When Youngji opened her eyes, Taehyung was beside her, grabbing Jinri’s hand tightly. In his table, Yoongi stood up, his breath wasn’t stable after shouting angrily.

She felt one hand grab her arm and started to drag her body out of the classroom. She saw how Taehyung stayed still, glaring sternly at his friends.

“You can cry.” Yoongi’s soft murmur floated around in the midair—she doesn’t know where he brought her—and Youngji let out a muffled sob before crying in his chest like there’s no tomorrow.

———

They started to have lunch together, the three of them. Surprisingly, it’s Taehyung who started following her around and asking for his melon bread. And then he made her follow his sneaky steps to the rooftop. Min Yoongi could be easily found there, napping, didn’t have a care for the world.

It didn’t feel awkward. It just flowed like how it should be from the beginning. Taehyung would be loud, Yoongi would scowl—irritated, but then Youngji’s smile was blossoming and the next they knew, they were laughing together.

They returned to be three peas in a pod, only without Junhee.

And Youngji knew, she’s gonna find out the dark secret in no time (and they were gonna get wounded again for the second time).

———

“She’s pretty.”

“She’s a beauty.”

“She’s stupid.”

“She’s pathetic.”

And both Yoongi and Taehyung still shut their mouth tightly, avoided opening an old scar.

“When she transferred here, no one wanted to be her friend.” Someone said. “Of course, with her blonde hair that school prohibited no one’s gonna stupidly just dyed their hair at the first time to school.” Another one shared.

“She’s only trouble.” Rumor was already spread. “Right. She had that wicked power to force two best friends fight off each other.” Rumor sometimes told the truth. “Do you think you can be her? If yes, then you also possess the wicked power to tear Yoongi and Taehyung apart.”

Heo Youngji never once thought she’s being Junhee’s replacement, but everybody believed what they wanted to believe. Although there’s time when her tongue got so itchy to know the detail from either Yoongi or Taehyung, but she couldn’t dare risk their new friendship.

“You’re kind of resembled to her though. That’s why they chose you.” Han Sanghyuk chuckled one day, when they trapped alone in the class.

She knew who but still, “Who?”

The way he lifted his eyebrow in certainly mocking way wasn’t new to her, before he smirked. “Surprise. Surprise.” His voice was dark. “Why do they still keep it from you?”

Youngji shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with the tone Sanghyuk used. And how he creepily inched closer to her spot.

“Because,” There’s a growl, suddenly, coming from the door and made Youngji jump in her seat—didn’t know if it’s because of joy or scared. Taehyung walked in, glowering at the other male in the room. “It’s none of your business!”

Sanghyuk stopped dead at his track, seemed frightened before his little smirk making a comeback. His lips stretched out, forming a wicked grin. “Can’t wait to see her reaction when the story of Choi Junhee is being revealed then.”

“You bas—“

Taehyung was ready to struck Sanghyuk, but his arm was being held tightly. Youngji grabbed his arm with so much force, she whispered then lowly, “Don’t. It’s okay. I don’t need to know if you don’t want me to know.”

And then the bell rang and Youngji thought this was the first time she’s glad hearing the obnoxious timer sound. She sat on her seat, didn’t miss the trembling Taehyung on his seat before he suddenly flew out of the class.

“Yoongi-ah,” She almost stuttered after the bell to go home rang as her feet tried to keep up with him. “Can we, can I know Taehyung’s address?”

Yoongi halted, one hand lazily clung his backpack on his shoulder, took a glance at timid Youngji behind him—she looked awkward with Taehyung’s bag is in her grab too. He sighed loudly.

“So troublesome,” He muttered. “You don’t need to spoil him. No one would dare to steal that brat’s belonging anyway,”

“But,”

He left her with unfinished words, didn’t know what to do—didn’t know where to go. Only three steps later, he made a sudden stop and sharply turned around. “What are you waiting for?” Yoongi scolded her.

Youngji got startled first but then a tiny smile formed on her lips as she lightly followed his step.

They stopped in front of one traditional house with a very big tree planted on the large yard. With only at first glance, Youngji knew how much the house stored the history, between Taehyung and his grandmother, Taehyung and Yoongi, and maybe also Taehyung, Yoongi and Junhee. Yoongi refused to tag along into the house, so Youngji was alone when she met Taehyung’s grandmother for the first time.

Grandmother Kim was a nice, warm old lady. She almost burst into tears once Youngji handed the bag to her, but then realization hit her that the brown haired girl in front of her was not Choi Junhee. She apologized sincerely for had mistaken Youngji as certain someone and for delivering information that Taehyung still didn’t reach home yet.

“I know where he is.” Yoongi simply said when Youngji announced the abstain of Taehyung, and once a