BTS - 00:00 (Zero O'clock)

(A/N: Best to read with the actual song as the background music. I don't own the video)

 

 

Taehyung slowly fluttered his eyes open, expecting the sunlight to blind his vision but instead he woke up to the pitch black of darkness. It was cold, there was no stray of light anywhere. Taehyung could hear the sound of the drizzling rain outside. The perfect weather. His favorite weather.

 

Taehyung moved his hands around, brushing his palms against the sheets, before stumbling upon a hard surface. He examined the object with his touch and figure out that it was the item that he was searching for. He took the phone close to his face and unlocked it.

 

"12:00AM" he whispered.

 

"I missed dinner...again." he thought as he rose up in a sitting position.

 

"Mom would've be mad."

 

He blinked sleepily, debating whether he should stay awake or try to fall sleep again. But, after a few moments, he figured out it was hard to go back to sleep as he slowly felt like he was gaining his senses. Taehyung sighed and swing his legs to the side of the bed, letting his feet land on the cold floor. He pushed himself up and started to make his way to the window. Pulling the curtains aside, the lights from the city become the source of Taehyung's vision of his own room.

 

Taehyung watched as the raindrops flowing down the glass window, droplet by droplet. He focused on the window only to see a figure. His shadow. His own reflection. His pathetic reflection. His messy bed hair, long enough to almost cover his eyes. The pale porcelain like skin. The dark shades under his eyes, probably due to the lack of sleep. His bony figure. Those crimson lines on his wrists and his empty set of eyes.

 

The rain drops on the glass seemed to mimic tears drops, it looks like as if Taehyung was crying away his sorrow. The truth was he wish he could. But it seemed like there was no more tears left to cry. Taehyung curved a mocking smile "you're ing pathetic" he spoke while maintaining a deep eye contact with his own reflection. His smile slowly faded and he reached his hand out to slide open the window. The faint drizzle sound swiftly increases its volume. Taehyung took a deep breath, inhaling the petrichor smell of rain. He used to hate rain. But since then, the rain become his healer, as well as his bane.

 

There's something about midnight, that wake Taehyung up every time. Was it because that he went to sleep too early? Was it because it is the beginning of a new day? He never figured out. The hardest thing for Taehyung to wake up in the middle of the night was the things he felt, the things he did whenever he gained into consciousness. The absence in his heart feels rather heavy for him to handle, the emptiness in his brain seems to deceive his actions. 

 

He was not feeling anything, he was thinking anything and yet he always found himself holding a knife in his right hand and a bloody wrist on the other. At first, he thought it was just a series of looping lucid dreams. But the stinging pain that he felt in the morning proved him wrong. The more he looked at the wounds, the more mesmerizing it seems to him. He knew it wasn't a sane thing to do, and yet he had no intention of stopping. Taehyung sighed and went back to his bed. He opened the drawer of his night stand, taking the slightly blunt knife and silently, lifelessly walk towards the bathroom.

 

~~~

 

Ae-Ri pushed her way through the crowd. Even through the corner of her eyes she could see people around here hustling and bustling around with their own life. She quickened her steps, wishing she's not late for the bus. Upon arriving, she found herself lucky that she's not late and the bus was just around the corner. Ae-Ri took a look on her watch, feet stomping on the ground impatiently. It's was true that she was on time for the bus, but that doesn't mean she will be on time for her class. She looked at her surrounding with the remaining time that she had and spotted a familiar figure. She squinted her eyes hoping that her hunch was right.

 

"Taehyung! Kim Taehyung!" Ae-Ri yelled her next-door neighbor's name only to get no response from the man.

 

The bus finally arrived and stopped right in front of her. She let the other passengers to get in first while hoping that Taehyung would speed up his pace.

 

"Yah, Kim! Tae! Hyung! We're already late!" she waved her hands hoping he would notice her, but he kept his head low, staring blankly at the ground.

 

"Miss, are coming or not?" The bus driver asked.

 

"Wait a moment sir." Ae-Ri quickly ran towards Taehyung's direction. He seemed to not realize that Ae-Ri was running to him. He was caught off guard when Ae-Ri grabbed his hand and pulled him to run with her. He was confused for a while, but quickly recognize her from the color of her hair, dark raven with a slightly brown highlights and her much smaller figure than him. He stared at her hand, holding his tightly. Strangely even with her small hands, he could properly feel the warmth against his cold skin. He slightly squeezed her hand.

 

Both of them aboard the bus and quickly run to the back of the bus to find some empty seat.

 

"That was close." Ae-Ri sighed. Taehyung just stayed silence and did not make any eye contact. 

 

Ae-Ri waited for a thank you, a sorry, any type of response but Taehyung stayed silence and pinned his attention straight ahead. 

 

"Hey.." Ae-Ri wanted to tapped his shoulder but then realize her hands are still perfectly wrapped around his, causing her cheeks to gain a few shades of red.

 

"Tae- I- sorr-" she stuttered, trying to let loose of her grasps but failed as Taehyung tighten his instead.

 

"Stay." He whispered under his breath, Ae-Ri could barely hear him, "W-what?" she asked.

 

Taehyung didn't have the mood nor the energy to repeat himself. He closed his eyes and laid his back to the seat, leaving Ae-Ri all flustered and confused. "Okay..." she whispered. She couldn't help but to stare at the sight of her own hand, nearly hidden in between Taehyung's. Ae-Ri looked away to the window and smiled softly, remembering the good old days.

 

 

 

~Flashback~

 

Taehyung throw his head back laughing like a little kid at the sight of Ae-Ri.

 

"Ha.Ha. Very funny." Ae-Ri rolled her eyes.

 

"How the hell can you be so clumsy, Ae-Ri? The hurdle is right in front of you." Taehyung wiped away the tears from the corner of his eyes, still laughing.

 

Ae-Ri got up and dusted her back and her thighs, "Yeah, I'm not blind. It's just there's a condition that you can clearly see, I'm ing short. I can't jump and run through those hurdles like a pro. So, better stop laughing head, or I'll kick your ." She pointed her index finger.

 

"Woah, calm down with the curses. Though it's kind of hot." He looked down on her, biting his lower lips before smirking. Ae-Ri got flustered with his comment and swiftly changed her focus elsewhere. "Shut up you ert." She mumbled. He smiled in triumph when he recognized that shade of colour on her cheeks. One step was all it took for Ae-Ri to hiss in pain and abruptly stopped her pace.

 

Taehyung immediately stop his ridiculous acts and hold Ae-Ri by the shoulder, "Woah there, you're okay? Did you got hurt? You sprained your ankle? Should I bring you to the hospital?" he shoots multiple questions, not giving Ae-Ri any chance to answer any of them.

 

"Let me see." Taehyung quickly got on his knees, "May I?" he looked up to her for approval to roll up her pants. Ae-Ri nodded in response. 

 

"Ahh! Ow!" Ae-Ri could feel the clothes brushed against her wounds. "Ah, you're bleeding." Taehyung exclaimed. "I'll bring you to nurse's office."

 

"Nah, it's not that bad—"

 

"Hey you two! Gather back with the group!" Taehyung and Ae-Ri's attention turned to the yells of Mr. Park, the PE teacher.

 

"Okayy, we'll be—woah!" Ae-Ri's reply was cut as Taehyung lift swiftly pulled her in, simultaneously giving a piggyback. "Teacher! Ae-Ri got injured. I'm bringing her to the nurse's office." Taehyung yelled in response.

 

"Ahh! Really? Okay! After dropping her off, make sure to come back here. Got it?" Mr Park ordered.

 

"I understand." Taehyung replied.

 

"Yah, you don't need to carry me. I can walk on my own." Ae-Ri moved and wiggled around, trying to set herself free. Taehyung squeezed on her lower thighs, "You know that I could feel your s on my back if you move around like that right?" he spoke nonchalantly.

 

Ae-Ri immediately stopped, her movements as well as her words. She could feel her face getting warmer upon hearing his comment, not to mention his grip was awfully tight on her thighs. Ae-Ri could feel the butterflies in her stomach desperately trying to break free. Taehyung chuckled, "Hold on tight and just enjoy the moment, princess." Embarrassed for many reasons, Ae-Ri wrapped her hands around Taehyung's neck and nuzzled into his neck, "Hmm." She hummed in response. Taehyung couldn't help but to smile at his friend's adorableness. "Good girl." He whispered. Along the way, both Taehyung and Ae-Ri might have thought of the same thing.

 

"Would she say yes if I confessed?"

 

"Would he say yes if I confessed?" 

 

~End Flashback~

 

 

 

That was back then when they were high school seniors, now they are nearing their end sophomore year at their university. Both Ae-Ri and Taehyung didn't have the chance to confess their feelings to each other. The timing was never right and there was always something blocking them. Ae-Ri's insecurities and Taehyung's pride were also the factors that their relationship stayed just that. Friends. Neighbours. They got more distant last summer when the most unfortunate event happened.

 

"Tae--" Ae-Ri called.

 

"I'll see you around." Taehyung cuts her before coldly walked pass her. No smile. No goodbyes. Nothing, but an empty pair of eyes, dark and lack of light. Ae-Ri hesitantly took a few steps, wanting to chase his down but stopped halfway through. Thinking she doesn't have the right. Not anymore. Ae-Ri sorrowfully watch Taehyung walk away from her. The sight of him back was similar to that day. How she wanted to scream out his name. How she wanted to run to him and hold him tight and never let go. But, she couldn't. A piercing pain gradually stabbing Ae-Ri's heart, as if God was punishing her, to feel the same pain as she did.

 

~~~

 

The hands of the clock were exactly aligned at the number of 12. Zero O'clock. Ae-Ri sprung up from her slumber to the sound of roaring thunder. The sound was extra loud as her window was wide open.

 

"Holy—" the sound of t