set beginning of final year of school, like a few hours before the previous chapter.

'jungkook!'

jungkook turns at the call and promptly stumbles, throwing his hand out just in time to stop himself from colliding with the wall. he looks up at the approaching girls with warm cheeks.

'hey,' minkyung greets with a wide smile, 'jungkook, right? we met like, once, briefly. yugyeom said you were finishing school here, told me to look out for you.'

jungkook clears his throat. 'yugyeom said that, huh? yeah, that's me. i... yeah, i remember. meeting you.'

'i'm minkyung,' she says and jungkook nods.

'i'm kyungwon,' the girl net her introduces, holding out her hand. 'you're our age, huh?'

'i... think so?'

'when's your birthday?' she asks.

'september?' he says, unsure where the line of questioning is going and she pouts.

'goddammit, i'm still the youngest.'

'i'm third youngest now,' minkyung gloats, 'sweet.' she looks at jungkook's faintly confused face. 'we've been the babies of the class for like the entire time we've been here.'

'the joys of starting school early,' kyungwon sighs.

minkyung lean forward conspiratorially. 'actually, we made friends in preschool, and i started early, and she cried until they let her start early as well.'

'but... we're the same age?' jungkook says.

'did you miss the 13th year thing?' minkyung says with a smile.

'... right,' jungkook says, 'yeah, okay, i'm with you now. so... do they do this every year?'

'just for the matrics,' kyungwon says, 'we've been on the waldorf schooling system until now, so they want to tell us how this year's gonna work.'

jungkook nods slowly, feeling a little out of his depth. it must show because kyungwon gives a laugh.

'don't worry, we'll get you settled.'

'yeah, hey, at least you're starting kind of knowing people.' minkyung gives him a smile he returns with one filled with relief.

his eyes are wide by the time they're all led into the classroom, and he find himself directed to a desk next to minkyung, who gives him a teasing grin that looks almost sinister in the light of her candle, and he gives her a sceptical look in return.

they don't sit down immediately, like he thought they would.

'i'm not the only one who finds this weird as , right,' jungkook murmurs quietly to minkyung as the teacher's reading out a verse.

minkyung lets out a very soft laugh. 'we've said a different part of the verse everyday since year one,' she whispers back, 'it's totally normal.'

he gives her a hard sceptical side eye. 'right. well, i'm just glad i'm standing by the door,' he mutters and she chokes back a giggle, swaying close enough to elbow his arm.

so maybe moving schools won't be as lonely as he thought it might be.