It’d been approximately three and a half weeks since Jungkook’s encounter with Taehyung, and he’d heard next to nothing about him when listening into the mingling gossip that drifted through the school halls. Of course he’d catch the occasional muffled squeals talking about a ‘foreigner with blonde hair’ or ‘that hot guy on Yeon Public High’s soccer team’ but nothing more.

                Nothing seemed to make sense. No matter how fast Jungkook booked out of his school to catch the release of Yeon’s students and scoured the streets for a certain blob of blonde, Taehyung was never there. It was the same in the morning too and after searching meticulously through the crowd of grungy ill-mannered teenagers he found himself bursting into his first period class, face-flushed, gasping for breath in attempt to make it on time. He didn’t. Which made him even more ticked at the fact that, even when Taehyung wasn’t ‘there’ he was still causing him grief.

                Yet Jungkook still found himself woken up by his alarm hours early than it ought to be just to search for the male. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, now that Taehyung was back, he didn’t want him to disappear on him just yet.

                So even though he felt sleep attempt to drag him backward to sink deeper into his pillow the thought of Taehyung always penetrated. Even though his bed was warm and the draughts about the room were cold, he felt his feet swing outward and take the plunge into the prickling chill nonetheless.

                “Taehyung means nothing to me” Jungkook would argue gruffly to himself stuffing his chapped hands into the rough pockets of his uniform. He snuggled his nose down further into the bulge of his scarf that wrapped snuggly around his neck to block the early crisp breeze. He brought a palm up and rubbed the blur of drowsiness from his eyes as he briskly walked along the sidewalk to Yeon Public High.

                He was extra early today and was determined to find Taehyung, because if he didn’t find him by this week, Hoseok made him promise to give up. It’d been a month of fruitless searching and Jungkook was wearing himself dry, but he would find him. He had to. Jungkook’s mind immediately whirled with unnerving possibilities.

                Did he leave? No that couldn’t be possible. He the rumors he heard about the blonde were recent so he definitely hadn’t vanished.

                “Yet.” Jungkook muffled grimly with disdain.  

                He gnawed on the inside of his cheek as he neared the school. No one was there so he decided to slouch back into the tree where he last met Taehyung. But before he made it, his eyes picked up subtle movement in his peripheral vision.

                Something jumped the wall and was making its way into the school. And that something or rather, someone had a mop of blonde hair. Jungkook’s heart immediately jumped at the flash of color and he found his feet increasing their pace towards the building.

                Taehyung. Was all Jungkook’s mind could process. He’d finally found Taehyung.

                “That lil’ son-of-a-.” Jungkook said half smiling as he breathed out a breath of air.

                Jungkook rushed through the school doors and weaved through the building, tracing the subtle sound of shoes scuffing on the floor as his guide. He couldn’t help it to be in a hurry. Although He hated Taehyung and was furious with him… the other hadn’t ditched like he had all that time ago.

                Jungkook could still get his rival back and the thought was exhilarating. Soccer, truthfully, was a lot less exhilarating for Jungkook once he lost the one person to test his limits on. He had become too good at the sport and it was lonely. He wanted, no needed, that challenge that only Taehyung could provide him with. Jungkook decided that if he had to drag the other to a field to battle it out, he would.

                His rival was back and he couldn’t wait to see him in action again.

                Jungkook’s feet came to stop in front of, what he could only presume to be, the principal’s office.

                He outstretched a hand to grab hold of door and yank it open but froze at the sound of the others talking on the other side.

                “Here's the papers.” Taehyung’s voice rang in Jungkook’s ears, causing him to shiver in excitement. The others voice was still coarse and grainy from sleep and Jungkook knew just how to change that.

                He wanted a game now. But curiosity got ahead of him so he decided to listen out the conversation before he unreasonably forced the other to play. Plus it would be rude and disrespectful towards the principle, so Jungkook, being the top student that he was, waited.

                And no this wasn’t eavesdropping. Jungkook was merely waiting his turn to go in. Jungkook nodded to himself, pleased with his reasoning before tuning back into the conversation.

                "I did what you asked me to do, Sir. It's all there I promise." Taehyung reasurred. 

                There was a moment of silence as the exchange of papers were made. Once the rustling stopped the principle was the one to speak, his voice calm and quiet. Secretive almost. “Thank you… you made sure no one followed you right…umm…your name?”

                “Taehyung. Just Taehyung.” The other filled in the trailing sentence the principle hung. “And no, no one comes here at this time, Sir.”

                Jungkook’s eyes narrowed. What was that about? Was this why Jungkook never saw Taehyung? He just comes this early? And the principle… this whole conversation was sending Jungkook eerie vibes.

                “Oh yes, sorry. Seems my mind has yet to wake up. This arrangement puts me on edge, if ya know what I’m sayin. I could get fired for this ya know.” The principle said hastily.

                 Jungkook felt the corners of his lips tilt down at the reply.

                Okay this was seriously wrong. All signals in Jungkook told him that he needed to back away. Something wasn’t right. But yet he found himself crouching further and peeking through the doors keyhole. He needed to see what was happening in there.

                “No no, it’s fine no need to apologize. My situation is… unique after all. I appreciate you cooperating with me.” Taehyung said his voice hinting at some unknown secret that only the two knew. Jungkook fisted his palms in aggravation.

                Jungkook shifted his position slightly and that’s when he saw it. A sealed, brown envelope.

                “What the hell?” Jungkook whispered to himself. “What is that?”

                “I’ll get it with time, Taehyung-shii.” The principle