Jungkook read from the phone being soaked in the puddle of water surrounding him that Yoongi was infact coming. It was his only attempt to contact anyone, he waited for a little while before he was going to attempt to smash the phone on the ground and slit his throat with the glass. The only other way out.

Yoongi popped his bubble-gum as he walked, he couldn’t find him for a long time, the man had to be led by Jungkook’s texts to find his way around the high school. The building was huge and emptied from any living soul, except the janitor. What the hell was the boy doing here? It was midnight, even the nerds flock out at this hour, right?

 He heard a shower running and eventually heard a barely audible crying male voice sobbing underneath it, walking closer to the source he saw an unclothed, bloodied and embarrassed boy shaking under it.

Yoongi's splashing steps of his Nike's were barely audible through the now loud sobbing, if Jungkook looked up even slightly from his arms he'd see the man's reflection in the puddle, but he had no such desire to do so.

Yoongi clenched his jaw so that his tears wouldn’t drop at the immediate shock of the sight that made him swallow his chewing gum and almost choke to go with it. The youth was even more embarrassed after the older saw him in such a state, he was a complete and utter freak to everyone now. No, he hasn't seen the man looking at him but his dark brown eyes pierced trough him and burnt his skin, or so it felt like.

He couldn’t hide it anymore, so his tears flooded, even though that wasn't the plan, the boy meaned to tough it out until Yoongi came. He couldn’t hide how nobody out of his peers in school liked him and how everybody wanted to see him suffer. It was out there in the open, he was a nobody to everybody. The boy curled into a fetal position as much as he could, trying with all of his might to hide himself away.

The friendless, pathetic, freak. Sitting under a warm shower for hours in winter. His clothes were stolen after P.E., the last period, so he had nothing to change into and he couldn’t exit so he just stayed crippled under the shower. He barely gathered the strength to text Yoongi after Jin didn't answer. Why the hell would he? Jungkook didn’t blame him for not answering.

The only memory that he was left with spinning in his mind like a movie was:

After a few minutes of panic, Jimin, Taehyung and Hoseok were standing with a few other boys from their class that were less visible. Jimin held his hair tightly in his fist and knocked him into the shower tiles, when he woke up his entire body was bruised. Not knowing what has happened to his body in the time of his unconsciousness, left to die embarrassed and pathetic, left to die like an animal by other animals.

It was truly and honestly the last statement of ‘You don’t deserve to live anymore. Just end your miserable existence and do us all a favor’ The boys didn’t even have to say anything. He saw that Taehyung seemed really hesitant about what they were doing and Hoseok was turned with his back towards the youth. He was the person that mocked him the most, the one who acted the friendliest, the most neutral. Friends with everybody, wasn't he just such a good guy?

Hoseok, the person that smiled at him in class, that pretended as if everything was alright, turned his back as Jimin did what he did.

Jimin hated him and made sure of it, the other two were cowards. He never wanted to see them again.

Two cowards and an animal with an idea. Jungkook learned his place now. A soft, yet deep and raspy voice spoke to him to guide his mind away from his evil thoughts that trapped him inside of his own head.

“Hey, hey. Don’t worry, cry it out. I’m here now, nobody will hurt you.” He said to the boy as he turned off the shower above him he had to keep his body temperature warm. Not asking what happened or who did this to him, just making sure he knew he was safe.

Always so smart, he could survive the apocalypse if he just used his head, Yoongi thought. The man didn’t know he’d have to get him a jacket. Nevertheless, he took off his jacket and put it to the side, above the puddle of water together with the boy’s clothes. He took his sweatshirt off to wipe the wetness from the shaking boy who almost choked on his tears of how loud he wept, holding him with his other hand to move the boy. It was really easy since the boy was absolutely stiff. “I shouldn’t have called him.” Jungkook thought, he should’ve just jumped off the roof to test of Jimin’s plan could work or not. But honestly, he just wanted to be covered and feel human again.

How was he so pathetic? Did he had to go and live as he held by a string for his dear life? Wasn’t he the pathetic one now?

“Shhh…shhh…I’m here, don’t worry, we’ll get you out of here, okay? I- we’ll go home together and I will tuck you in and you will sleep and you won’t go to school.. okay, Bambi?” He said, using his pet name as he smiled but recieved nothing in return, trying to choke back his own tears at the situation. He’s never seen somebody in such a state, he didn’t know the youth and himself were so similar. Both shunned and destroyed by their surroundings.

But even the thing’s his bullies did were never as severe as this. Are kids just crueler to each other now? Or just to him? The boy, too young for this, too unique to be facing this sort of cruel punishment from God. His entire life he has suffered, yet he's been such a good boy. How do people still believe in a justly God, when even after you do everything right in your life, you keep getting punished until you finally get broken down, by somebody bigger and stronger. Yoongi won't let the boy be broken, somehow. Any way he knows how.

 Jungkook’s loud sobbing hasn’t stopped no matter the sweet words, Yoongi finally wiped him dry and made him stand up to get dressed.

“Okay, let’s get some clothes on you, up, up.” He cooed to the boy who must feel like wanting to die instead of do any of this, it was as if trying to put clothes on a corpse. Yet he still seemed so wide eyed and petrified, staring into nothingness.

After that, Jungkook sat in the corner of the locker room, Yoongi didn’t understand why, yet he had a clue as to what was going on inside of his head. His scared, bruised, exposed body has been displayed unwillingly for everybody to gawk at and judge. Teenagers were self-conscious enough, adding spotlight to such a venerable part of a young boy's self, really must dehumanize his own self within his own psyche. 

The pink haired man understood the feeling, yet so used to it, he wished the boy's innocence would be left alone and respected, unlike his wasn't. 

"Jungkoo-"

“Don’t touch me! Do-don't come near me!” Jungkook repeated a dozen times to the older for half an hour as he sat in the corner, shaking and staring into nothingness, Yoongi was there to comfort him and pass him his inhaler, his silence broke with a sound of loud sobbing. He felt worthless, but most importantly regretful for calling anyone since nobody cared if he lived or died, he was only further embarrassing himself in front of somebody he didn't even know, who didn't even care about him. Nobody cares about him.

His loud anguish filled screams of pain and fear haven’t stopped, the older had to do something, he had to. The man thought that enough was enough, he was always so cold and unapproachable and he wanted to distance himself even more. This boy knew only how to distance himself whenever he was in distress...the man didn't know if he would knock his teeth out for this, since barely touching his shoulder gets the raven haired youth into a panic attack, but he knew what he'd want in this situation. The man kneeled down to the boy's level and embraced the taller boy into a firm side embrace and put his head on his shoulder. Jungkook gripped him back as tightly as he hugged only his own mother, craving comfort and warmth. A person wanting to be held and taken care of, for the first time since his childhood, he wanted to pretend that he had somebody that takes care of him and cares if he's well or not. If he's hurt or if he's okay. He pushed everybody away, but it wasn't his plans. The boy was just a scared little kid, who had no idea what to do. Having nobody to guide you, having to take all the shots since such a young age, really put the weight of the world on his small shoulders.

“I am a human too…I am sorry, I’m cold. I-I-I just just-j I want people- I wan- want a friend. I am a human too…why does ev-everyone hate me?” The youth whispered in the older’s ears, finally making him break into tears mimicking the other as the youth calmed down, tears broke loose from the older's eyes, quietly, not to be heard or noticed by the boy.  Yoongi just his hair to soothe him for around a dozen minutes more or less. He wished he knew the answer, wished he knew a solution to help.

“People hated Bambi too, maybe. But then his dad was like ‘you’re cool ,even though your mum is dead from trying to save your dumb .’ And then the dad died too, maybe. You know? I don’t remember the cartoon, actually.” Yoongi tried to be comforting, remembering the actual Bambi cartoon, but the younger laughed at him not being funny since he was probably really stressed out right now as well being in such a foreign situation.

“Ah, you always think I’m funny. I think I’m going to keep you around. Is that okay?” He said into the embrace. Yoongi was the most person at trying to comfort others since he never had to do it. He didn’t know how to tell Jungkook it will all be okay and that this is the worst part of his life, but it will pass. Like a giant kidney stone, but it’ll pass.

The younger switched from laughing to crying in a matter of seconds. The older had to comically swing their bodies from left to right to cradle him and calm him down. God he was at this.

“Okay.” The younger responded.

“Can I be your friend?” He asked the big child as he took a break from his hair to back way and smile at the kid, Jungkook hooked his hands on the sides of the older so that he doesn't leave, sitting in silence as he thought for a minute of what to respond with.

“Shut up, hyung.” Jungkook said to the older as Yoongi frowned and flicked his nose and Jungkook smiled upon him with his big brown eyes that absolutely still had so much light in them that they were glowing.

“We are friends! F-friends he-help friends out w-when it’s um-.” He added on, his mood slightly improving, making Yoongi sigh in relief.

“Tough?” Yoongi guessed.

“Inconvenient.” Jungkook gathered his thoughts.

“Besides, you know. I don’t hate you. You’re kinda… okay I guess.” Yoongi said sarcastically as he wiped the boy’s tears. Jungkook didn’t understand and broke out into sobbing even more as he leaned his head on the wall behind him.

A lot of people said he was autistic when he grew up, not understanding many social ques, but he never understood, why? The boy never harmed anybody, why was everybody so repulsed of him? He started slowly studying social ques, but things slipped through him, still.

Jungkook didn’t know why Yoongi hyung wouldn’t like him. Was it impossible to like him?

“No, no! Hyung was kidding! Agh! You’re so dumb, really. So smart, yet so dumb.” Yoongi spoke as if he was speaking to a baby, proceeded to embrace him even tighter. Jungkook usually didn’t appreciate skinship but he didn’t know what took over him to act so physically clingy. He had to imagine as if he had an actual friend to confide in and trust, otherwise he would go insane.

Of course, the older had no clue about the types of mental disorders there were, he thought Jungkook just didn’t understand sarcasm and harmless humor most times and that that was simply that. The older wasn’t a classically smart man in anyway, nor an educated one. He just treated Jungkook the way Jungkook treated him, with respect. Besides, Jungkook was normal, he was able to love and able to hurt like everybody else it was just that nobody took the time to get to know him.

 Sarcastic humor was most of Yoongi’s personality so it was difficult to form any sort of bond with the boy especially. When he’s with the unique, drawn in 18 year old, his guard , his armor built of humor has to be lowered and pulled down, he has to be straightforward most times or else misunderstanding happens extremely often.

Standing in a locker room of a public school, Yoongi slowly released his embrace as Jungkook’s gaze immediately shot down to his feet. Yoongi grabbed his chin carefully to forcefully make him look up at him as the younger was too tired to cry, he wanted to look nobody in the eyes from the embarrassment and, oh boy did Yoongi know how that felt like. He wanted to make sure that the younger could look at him for guidance and comfort during his tears, he doesn’t have to look away or look down when he speaks to him or cries. That needs to stop for good.

No, the boy wasn’t hungry for comfort and compassion, he was starving for it. Going on for so long without it, he forgot his basic human needs needed to be met or else he’ll go insane.

“Your eyes are way too pretty to be crying all the time and not looking ahead, people need to know that you have such big, beautiful double lid eyes. Alright? ” He said as Jungkook didn’t respond, but instead just blinked at the older, clueless, which made Yoongi respond with forming a straight line with his lips, breathing out deeply trough his nose.

“You won’t go to school, them, they don’t care about you. You don’t care about them. It’s no big deal. “ That’s how you deal with life. He said firmly as he put down his hands on the ground, stopping the support on Jungkook’s chin from making him look up, but his stare still meeting the older’s...

“I can’t do that, I-I’m not l-like o-other kids… school is all I have.” Jungkook said, broken and defeated. He would never do such an absurd thing. His academics were more important than his wellbeing. The entire educational system made him feel that way and so did his classmates. Jeon Jungkook wasn’t the funny one, nor was he the athletic one, he was the smart guy that’ll go to America to study in Harvard, or perhaps go to the University of Seoul and work his hardest until he finishes college, then he’ll work until he drops dead.

That’s just what he’ll do. It’s all the socially crippled, ugly boy could do.

“No, the school has you and you have that big brain of yours. You can do anything. You aren’t a loser, Jungkook, and you shouldn’t be treated as one.” Yoongi said as he tried talking his own version of sense into the boy.

“…” The boy disapproved, but wishing not to upset the older, chose to remain quiet.

“My father dropped out of high school and so did I, I turned out just fine.” The pink haired man stated.

“But, you’re a prost-“ Jungkook said as Yoongi covered his lips with his fingers.

“Sh, your big mouth probably got you beat up in the first place, you monkey. Tch, - I swear-” Yoongi said, angered. Jungkook got really quiet, then Yoongi removed his finger.

“Sorry, hyung.” The boy said, not knowing he was inappropriate. He wanted to test a theory, it was confirmed. Yoongi did hate what he was. The pink haired man put a jacket over him and insisted he’d to take it. It didn’t help him at all, he wanted to go out and freeze to death. They were slowly making their way home by foot since the older responsible one didn’t bring any money and Jungkook never brought money with him, since it was just a possibility of him getting robbed or wasting it on snacks whenver his stomach rumbled.

 But then he felt his fingers being intertwined with the older’s. Eyes were widened out of fear of the unfamiliar touch, he flinched his hand away instinctively. He embarrassed himself in front of his crush enough for a lifetime, he doesn’t need to burry himself even deeper. Knowing he was a burden to the older.

The pink haired man rolled his eyes as he punched Jungkook in the shoulder with a closed fist and forcefully, not intertwining their fingers this time, but held his hand instead as the younger held his right bicep with his hand since it was already aching in pain and Yoongi just punched a bruised arm.

"Ow!" The raven haired boy whined in pain.

“Aish…weak.” He responded as he wanted to make Jungkook feel better with simple gestures but he battled him every step of the way.

Jungkook didn't reject him this time, taking the awkward and small trinket of friendship. The boys slowly walked, taking a short cut they walked over four rows of train tracks without any worry on their mind,  the older leading the way for the boy with his hand held.

It was Jungkook's first time to hold somebody's hand, at eighteen years of age. Never had a boyfriend, never held hands with anybody, never had his first kiss and of course, never even thought about loosing his ity, because that was a ludicrous goal for this lifetime. 

Yoongi guided the boy through the streets and shortcuts all the way to Itaewon. the raven haired boy was happy, it felt like he left a place he will never go back to. He felt as if he was just a boy holding the hand of his boyfriend, he imagined a scenario to himself that Yoongi had no idea of.

“Listen, I- if you feel as if…you want to harm yourself…because of this. Because of what a bunch of worthless did to you…please don’t. It’s not worth it and I lived it, trust me. You’re so so much better than them...kay? ” The man said, truthfully, he had cuts on his ankles, thighs, stomach. He has tried to kill himself twice and almost overdosed a multiple times. He feels as the time is coming to an end of his short, worthless earth life, so why not help a kid out?

He never felt like he would grow old. Jungkook’s future is clearly drawn out to him, on the other hand.

Jungkook was far too important and intelligent to be on the same level as the man himself out for money, giving out love for one night but ending up hating himself in the morning. Drugs being the only coping mechanism he ever knew, drugs and pain. Struggling to pay rent, long nights and short days. It was no life.

“Oh…” Jungkook said, almost tripping over a rock, not knowing what to say, the silence of their walk was thick as chimney smoke from the houses they passed on the way. They were closing in to their neighborhood and Yoongi was visibly freezing for the sake of Jungkook’s warmth, but the younger didn’t notice since his mind was somewhere else right now. It usually was to be fair, Yoongi won’t hold a grudge. He gave him his jacket, so he was left only in his thin shirt and ripped jeans in the 9 degree weather. If he was unfashionable like Jungkook, he’d be warm, tch.

“You will be so incredible…really. You will grow up and change the world. You will forget me and them both as you ride on the fruits of your labor. Forget Itaewon, forget your classmates. You’ll probably cure cancer or something.“ Yoongi said, talking out of his , but meaning every single word. The youth just stared at their hands, not listening what was being said almost tripping a few times because of it.

It was almost as if this was the ying to today’s yang. The worst thing possible happened so that the best thing could happen. For some reason whenever the older took a look at him, Jungkook always tried to hide away the corners of his mouth lifting.

“Do you really think so?” Jungkook asked, truthfully he never had anybody he looked up to praise him. Only teachers he didn’t care for. It was their job to be polite. Never really believing those people's words. Taehyung always told him that Jungkook is too smart to be his friend and Jungkook would always tell him he’s too talented to be his, but otherwise Taehyung never bothered with his grades or his success, or admitted he did at least. When they were together they didn’t talk about school or how mean their classmates were to them, they just played together.

“Mm.” He hummed in agreement.

Tears started streaming down his face for the he doesn’t even know what time during the night, God, can’t he just stop being a cry baby? His tears were starting to become cheap.

“I’m sorry..” The boy said, wiping his tears.

Of course he had outbursts like these, he’s had a horrible day.

“Oh, you’re crying again? Well, okay. I mean I won’t give you a prize if you learn to bottle it up…people like that are kind of ed up .” He said, referring to himself as an example.

“I guess.” Jungkook responded, not really knowing how to respond so just giving a neutral response, unaware at the self dab being made by the older. Yoongi safely got Jungkook home, and the boy was so overjoyed at his horrible night he forgot to take his anti depressants and slept like a baby as the older disappeared into the night as he usually would.

X

“Yooo…cutie, I keep seeing your friend on the bus stop but you’re never there. Well, he stopped going too. Do you hate me?” Namjoon said not minding the youth’s absence, since they weren’t friends and honestly he was a bit strange. He stopped Jin in his tracks with his forceful, obnoxious and loud presence to the other, rather off-putting as well.

“I don’t have time for your attempts at flirting, the friend that goes to Itaewon every day is hurt or something and I know it and I don’t know what to do. He told me once about this Jimin kid who always ‘annoys’ him. But that’s it, aish, I should’ve asked for more information. I'm so self absorbed” Jin rambled, he guessed the kid ‘Jimin’ was the reason.  Honestly it could be god knows what.

“Do you want me to kill him?” Namjoon offered with a smirk. He’d shoot up a hospital if Jin told him to. Maybe that wasn’t healthy thinking, but damn romance isn’t dead with this silver fox.

“Don’t joke! He’s 18 and he needs to be protected. What if he’s seriously injured or got hit by a bus? I don’t know anymore.” He said with a sad and worried expression that Namjoon copied out of genuine emotions, he rarely showed.

“I’m not joking, I’ll ing kill the kid who hurt him.” The silver haired man said seriously, but Jin just pushed past him, simultaneously rolling his eyes, Namjoon grabbed his wrist.

“Hey! Don’t be like this. Don’t you want his bullies to pay? I was the bully in school and I can be it again.” Namjoon said truthfully, he never picked on kids like Jungkook though. Maybe?

“Oh yeah kill a couple of teenagers, get arrested won’t you?” Jin said to the man as he turned around to face him. He didn’t care for the frivolous​ thug from Itaewon anymore.

“It’s sweet that you care, angel, but of course I wouldn’t kill them. Just you know, threaten their lives. Me and my boys do that sort of thing.“ He said to the other man.

“My boys and I, but no matter your bad grammar, I don’t even know anything about them. I don’t know where Jungkook lives but he hasn’t been going to school. I know where his school is though. He’s not even answering my phone calls.” Jin said to the other as he wasn’t focusing on the flirting anymore but what really mattered.

“You care so much about that kid…why?” Namjoon said, he found it to be a bit weird.

“He’s special, yet he has nobody to protect him. Even you, no matter how…bad you turned out have parents and siblings, friends. He has only himself. My mum still calls me every few days and I’m in college. He’s a ing child.” Jin said as he got overly emotional. All the scenarios went through his head, what if he really got seriously injured but Jin’s phone was on airplane mode to save battery that ing night since he was too lazy to charge it. Oh boo hoo, his first world issues were really important that day. The youth missed a few  study group meet ups at the university, he never misses and it really shook Jin up. 

 He felt as if there was nothing to do for the boy who disappeared off the face of the earth. A tear went down his cheek, he was a very emotional person, he couldn’t hold it in even in front of the jerk, he quickly wiped it away with his jacket sleeve, not wanting to show his emotional side to the person who only cared about one thing. To get him in bed, then ditch him after he gets his way.

“Sorry, he was supposed to be mathematician, that’d change the world. I know it I just know it. I should’ve been there for him as his hyung.” He said filled with genuine remorse as Namjoon was quiet the entire time. ‘I am overreacting, I should just leave.’ Jin thought to himself.

“Oh…come on don’t cry. He’s probably sick or like some stupid . ” Namjoon said as he knew not how to comfort the teary eyed, beautiful man.

“Jeon Jungkook doesn’t care about his health, he would’ve come to that stupid school even if he broke his legs and arms. Whatever, I’m fine, I just need to get to my dorm, I need to go.” Jin said as to his surprise Namjoon let him go.

“Somebody in that school will die for blocking me.” Namjoon whispered under his breath. The man had visited the school every single day to check if Jungkook was there until the week’s end. But he wasn’t. He will wait until the next week as well, then. That ing kid, where was he?

A few days ago, before Jungkook’s one week absence at school.

“Yah, Tae, are you not listening to me? Are you some kind of a joke that that annoying freaky will put down? Everybody saw it and nobody will respect you if you let that thing talk to you in such a manner.” Jimin said as he was enraged at Taehyung’s nonchalant attitude about the ordeal. Taehyung has calmed down and thought that maybe Jungkook had a lot on his mind? He was angry in the moment it had happened, but now, he doesn't wish to 'take revenge' or anything silly of the sort.

“Whatever. “ Taehyung said as he picked through his food that he wished he could just give to the boy that never ate, but Jimin saw his gesture when he did it the last time and he grew infuriated because of it. He said that ‘they’ don’t talk to such people and ‘If Jungkook is so much better than me, go hang out with him then’. People like Yoo, Jungkook and etc. If you talked to them, you hang out with them and not the ‘elite’, they were just too weird to converse with.

Elite. Such bull. Filled with fake friendships and smiles to get you into the best clubs and parties in Seoul. Taehyung thought.

“Seriously, Jiminah, just let it go.” Hoseok added. Jimin was his friend but he constantly grew angry over every little fact because of what people might think.

“Shut your mouth, am I the only one with common sense? You two are such embarrassments, without me you wouldn’t get invited to all those parties every weekend. You’d be nobodies. You can’t be friends with everyone, ya know.” He said to the two sitting at the table filled with ‘people from the popular crowd’ of the school. Taehyung sighed deeply as he thought about something else as the other talked and Hoseok flat out ignored him

Hoseok waved to Bambam who was walking over to their table with a tray of food as usual with a smile, but Jimin turned around and decided to scoot on the middle of the free space for the boy to sit on and spread his legs to take up more space.

“Hey, I guess there’s no space for you to sit here anymore? So sad.” Jimin said as he smiled at the boy who looked at Hoseok and Taehyung for support in the man’s madness.

“Really, Jimin? Hoseok? Yugyeom? Wow, alright. Stay quiet as he whips you into shape., then” Bambam said as he walked away from the table.

“What the hell was that?” Taehyung asked his friend at the table.

“Nothing, seems like he’ll be having lunch alone, it’s tough. Not enough seating space in this school. So are we going to do it or will you end up like him? In a terribly inconvenient situation.. ” Jimin asked his two closest friends as he smiled. He already knew the answer. He was like an evil snake, always getting his way as he smiled at your face, he would stab you in the gut.

“Alright, we’ll do whatever you want.” Taehyung finally budged as Hoseok still thought it was a bad idea but nodded along.

“I’ll tell you but not right now, not in front of everyone.” He said. Taehyung got fearful, since Jimin only got crueler and crueler as time passed them by. The boy wished his best friend hasn't changed, wondering why he is acting the way he is? It was scary. Jimin was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

- - - - 

A/N - okay taekook still will happen and exist, I didn't burry it so it'd never be found, I just didn't want to force both at the same time to make it more realistic. If taehyung was an for years and years he wont be nice and all good, right after yoongi comes into his life. I hope y'all understand, gosh bless ya, thank you for the amazing comments that inspire me so sooooo much. Whenever somebody writes me a comment and letting me know they appreciate my story in any way, an angel gains its wings. If you're confused about anything in the story just comment, puh-lease! <3