- Flashback -

 

 

        Yoongi bit his lip, staring at the other kids eating their lunches without a care in the world. He sat off to the side with no lunch of his own and no one to accompany him, a repeat of the day before and the day before.

        It had always been like this.

        None of the other kids ever wanted to associate with him because of his lack of humor and serious demeanor. Frankly, it did hurt Yoongi. After all, he was still a child, albeit more mature than others.

        "Hey, are you ignoring me?!" 

        Yoongi jumped, immediately snapping out of his trance. In front of him stood a kid he had never seen before. He was short and well put together, without a single strand of hair out of place. The kid struggled to push up his dark-rimmed glasses, the two lunch boxes in his hands restricting his movement.

        "You were talking to me?" Yoongi choked out, embarrassed that he was caught spacing out.

        The kid cleared his throat, presenting Yoongi with one of the two lunch boxes.

        "Yes! I've been trying to give this to you," he chirped.

        Yoongi stared at him blankly for a long moment.

        "But why? Do you know me?" he said rather incredulously.

        "No, but you sit there every day looking hungry." 

        Yoongi scoffed.

        "I don't need your handou-"

        His stomach let out an earth-shaking rumble, and the kid in front of him burst out laughing. Yoongi's face turned beet red, and he snatched the lunch box without another word.

        "Thanks, uhhh..." Yoongi gazed at the kid expectantly.

        "What?! Do you not know my name?" the kid practically tripped over himself at the realization.

        "No? Should I?" Yoongi retorted.

        "We've been in the same class for two years? What?!" 

        Yoongi just stared at him.

        "I-It's Kim Seokjin." he caved.

        "Well, thanks for the food, Seokjin," Yoongi said, wasting no time in tucking into the meal.

 

 

- End of Flashback -

 

 

        Yoongi jerked awake. His heart raced in his chest as he slowly came back to reality. 

        Only a dream.

        He sighed deeply, wiping the tears from his eyes. 

        ing dreams.

        His messy desk stared at him. At this point, it had become its own entity. He glanced at the clock. It was half past six, and he still hadn't eaten anything. Despite the despair that hung over him like a fog, his stomach still had the audacity to cry out for food. Yoongi cursed under his breath, quickly deciding that convenience store food would be enough to satiate the monster in his belly.

 

 

. . .

 

 

        Yoongi blinked, staring at the ramen cup in front of him. He was vaguely aware of the sound of shoppers entering and exiting the store. The cold bit at his fingers as he shrunk into himself more.

        The noodles are getting soggy.

        He sighed, a white cloud exploding in front of him before dissipating into the night's dark clutches. This kind of weather encouraged many to wear layers upon layers and lasted for so long that Yoongi would often forget what real warmth felt like. Despite this, the frost could never touch what truly plagued him: loneliness. Nothing ever touched it, not the bustling Seoul life or the festive music that played in the square every day. 

        Shaking his head vigorously, Yoongi brought himself back to reality. The cold continued its merciless onslaught. 

        What a bust.

        The green convenience store table wobbled as a foreign object greeted its surface.

        Huh?

        Yoongi watched in confusion as a figure wrapped from head to toe in insulated fabrics scurried away from him. He glanced at the neatly wrapped box in front of him. 

        "Wait--" he stood up, but they were already gone.

        Yoongi looked around awkwardly, weighing his options before sitting back down.

         it.

        He opened it, greeted by the sight of a bright pink lunchbox.

        Oh.

        His chest felt heavy. Something nagged at him achingly. 

        What is this feeling?

        He looked back and forth between the cold, soggy noodles and the lunchbox that seemed to have an angel's halo around it now.  He opened it without any more hesitation, picking up his chopsticks and digging into the homemade meal. He didn't stop or pause for a moment, wolfing it down with the appetite of a famished sailor. The food was delicious, no doubt the work of a practiced chef.

        The food was gone in a matter of moments.

        Yoongi leaned back in the chair. He stared at the night sky, not daring to think any thoughts, but the feeling growing inside of him didn't seem to have any intention of stopping. His bottom lip trembled. 

        No. Not right now.

        His vision blurred, and his body shook from the sudden assault of emotions. Burying his head in his hands, he let out a stifled sob. That first tear was followed by all the others that had been slowly building within him, unbeknownst to Yoongi. The floodgates had finally opened.

        Next to the 24/7 convenience store and comforted by the gentle hum of Christmas music, Yoongi allowed himself to feel everything that he dared not face before. The moon above shone bright and true amongst the distant stars, casting its cool glow down on the new paths and destinies that had been formed.

 

 

 

 

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A/N: Oooo, we made it past the first chapter? What's gonna happen? Who's the pink lunchbox owner??? No idea~~ Anyway, thanks for sticking around, and I hope you'll read the next chapter to see what happens next :DD <3 BIG PLANS!!! - hermit