Chapter Text

When Park Jimin said that he hated him, the boy had made it appear actually true, for avoiding him was the first thing that the said boy did the next morning as the new semester started. For once he didn't sit right behind him, going as far as changing seat with Ikje (though the said action irritated him even to more extent since he hated Ikje's guts from time to time). The said boy was even missing in recess, though the others had simply shrugged their shoulder when Taehyung ended up asking and running away to find the brooding boy in the end.

And still Yoongi found himself remembering the things that Jimin said to him, one that didn't make any sense at all. Everything started with a simple conversation of the reason behind his disappearance that day before it turned into Jimin confessing his long-hidden hatred for him.

He found it to be nothing but a lie. But then again, as ridiculous as it sounded to his ear, Jimin's expression bothered him that much, leaving him feeling somehow responsible for whatever it was that made the said boy looked as if he was tearing his heart open right there with a dagger in his hand.

Jimin practically disappeared from his view for the entire day and not until he needed to get home does he realize that gnawing in his chest, something that felt entirely wrong. It was a missing piece at the sky or the blue just didn't seem to feel right, as he walked down the road of Yeoryang-myeon alone without a certain figure of someone by his side.

The boy hated how they always came home together after school, he said, hated how he rode the bicycle with Yoongi on his back.

He hated how Yoongi talked to him back then in the classroom.

Or even as Jimin poured his eyes out in front of him after the fight with his parents.

And if hate was everything that Jimin had, he would probably hate the time they spent in Gyeongpodae. He would probably hate every elbow grazing and knees touching every basketball practice. He would probably hate every ing minute of the lesson, boring his eyes into the very skull of Min Yoongi who sat in front of him for almost half a year.

Yoongi was anything but dumb and that night, as he wrote in his notebook about comparing Jimins's so-called hatred with what he had for the binding life and abhorrent town of his, he could only believe that it was nothing but a lie.

(But if Min Yoongi was even a tad bit smarter, he would also realize that just as much as he despised the town that he ironically loved the most, what Jimin had for him was everything but a lie).

+.-.+

Even if Yoongi was convinced that what Jimin said to him was a lie, the said boy didn't make it easy for him to even start a conversation, converting back to that cocoon of utter depression, refusing to make eye contact with him of all people. He turned into a turtle who was so good at disappearing, Yoongi couldn't find him the next day even though he was convinced that Jimin was still attending school. It irritated him to the point he put on a scowl on his face for the entire day (and according to Namjoon, the juniors had started yet another rumor of Yoongi the Medussa who could kill anyone with just his gaze).

"Seriously, who are you trying to kill?" Namjoon during recess, the two of them ended up spending their time alone. Seokjin was with Minju doing god knows what. Hoseok was out in the bathroom (something about drinking the wrong milk). Jungkook was probably studying in the classroom and Taehyung was probably pulling another stupid antic for their poor homeroom teacher.

"No one, and that's the most ridiculous rumor I've ever heard to this day," he said.

"You said the same thing about the rumor that Mrs. Oh had an eye behind her head."

"Well, both of them are stupid rumors and I'm clearly not in the mood for anything stupid," Yoongi said, sighing.

"But you are clearly in a certain mood and I can tell what it is," Namjoon said before stretching his body and yawned. Seemed like the younger had decided to sleep his way there and skipped the next lesson. "You're irritated."

Yoongi curved his eyebrow. He was waiting for such mood like anger or down-right rage, but not something as simple as being irritated. Calling it as irritation had simply-, downgraded it.

"How could you say that? I was actually waiting for something like pure resentment."

"Nah, you do look like you're about to kill someone, but you're looking more irritated. In fact I don't really think that you're in the mood of obliterating a certain entity from the face of this earth."

A certain entity, Namjoon said, and he thought directly about Jimin and that look in his eye, that desperation that didn't speak about hatred at all. It was regret and fear and even frustration, but it wasn't hatred. Yet the boy tried his best right now to avoid him like a plague and it didn't help but confuse Yoongi right now.

"You're irritated about something. What is it? Yujin finally getting in your head?"

That got him furrowing his eyebrow even more, the randomness of Yujin's name in their conversation finally being the one thing that irritated him.

"What? Yujin? Why are you even mentioning her name right now?"

Namjoon sport a smirk and now Yoongi could definitely say that he was indeed irritated.

"Someone told me you two spend some time together in Jeongseon last sunday," he said, making wriggling brows and such ridiculous smirk all he wanted to do was to wipe it all off with a smack to the face.

"Someone told me that you're a complete who meddles with someone else's business," Yoongi said, lifting his fist in a playful manner. "Anyway, Seokjin-hyung and MInju were there. I was only doing what Seokjin-hyung asked me to do. It wasn't anything special."

It was a strange day nonetheless, but what happened afterward troubled his minds more than the stupid movies they had watched that day or the way Seokjin and Minju always ridiculously walked ten steps ahead, as if wanting to leave the both of them together. It was coming home and finding a smiling Jimin before it turned into everything that spoke of depression in matter of seconds that made it even weirder.

"It wasn't anything special?" Namjoon repeated, emphasizing his words. "You know what, Min Yoongi, sometimes you really are stupid."

"Hey, what was that for?" he protested, this time kicking Namjoon on the shin. "You know what, now I really do feel irritated by a certain Kim Namjoon whose existence I'll be more than happy to obliterate from the face of this earth," he said, his palm and making another makeshift threat.

Even though Namjoon was an , he had indeed proven himself countless time to be his best friend in a way.

(Like his punching bag, from time to time)

+.-.+

Second day of school went by really slow. He didn't know whether every teacher just made up their mind to torture all of them or the clock that hung by the wall was indeed broken. Everything was so slow and Yoongi couldn't help but to realize the same troubling feeling that had been haunting him since yesterday. 'His back was itching' was the term he used to describe the feeling. Either he was bothered with the fact that Jimin was not sitting behind him like usual or he just despised Ikje's existence that much that turning around and not finding the former face seemed really wrong.

But sometimes in the middle of history he did turn his head around, his head kept on repeating how weird it was to find Ikje raising his brow with a confused expression painted across his face instead of a smiling Park Jimin who was in the middle of scribbling another stupid doodle with Taehyung as his seatmate.

So this time he turned his head towards the other end of the classroom, exactly where Jimin sat right now, only to find another two familiar irises, looking back at his in the same manner.

"Mr. Min, please have your eyes on the textbook, or maybe you'll care to share us about something interesting that you've found?"

He turned his head around to see Mrs. Oh staring at him. At that point he was certain that Min Yoongi was her least favorite student out of the 30 poor souls that had to withstand her tedious lecture.

'There are thousands of other things more interesting than your lecture. Your horrible face, for example,' was something that he wanted to utter, though his silence was answer enough.

For saying that how Park Jimin who hated him was undoubtedly looking at him during the lecture was something undeniably unimportant.

Of course it wasn't.

That tiny seconds of locking eyes was undeniably unimportant.

That fracture of a second that spoke of everything but hatred.

+.-.+

Yoongi didn't come home directly that day, getting caught up in a conversation with Yujin who definitely flashed him more smiles since that trip to Jeongseon. Some of the girls from her groups giggled as they walked pass the two of them talking, Yuna even gave him a smack on the shoulder though he certainly didn't understand what that meant.

"Are you going home?" Yujin asked when the two of them realized that the crowds were thinning and the school was going to be abandoned in a few minutes. The thing about schools in such a small town like Yeoryang-myeon was how the students tend to leave the building faster, already having places somewhere else in the city for them to linger after lesson. His group were the only one who stayed longer, most of the time occupying the gym for basketball practice more than ever.

"We can go home together," she said.

Yujin's home was closer to his from the school. He didn't really pass it everyday but he could if he chose another winding path that cost him another 10 minutes extra. But then again, everything in this town was did by walking, so of course he wouldn't mind doing just that.

He should have answered with a 'why not' and just went home. Her house wasn't exactly next to his. Or at least not as close as someone with whom he'd been going home together with for almost half a year, someone who was supposed to be here waiting for him at the gate instead of Jung Yujin with an equally bright smile but not quite at the same time.

"I'm sorry, i forgot something at the classroom. I have to get back," is what he said instead, his heels already turning.

"I can wait for you," she said.

It wouldn't take long. He would just run to the classroom, get whatever it was that he just left behind (his notebook, probably and most likely, even though he didn't even know whether he did leave it behind or not) and ran back to the school gate where Yujin would be waiting for him. But then again-,

"Nah, it's okay. You can go back home first. It'll be faster for you than to wait for me," he said, his body was already turning before he darted towards the classroom.

Why was he going back to the classroom of all places? He was certain his notebook was stored safely inside of his backpack. He was certain that no one would be there. What greeted him would be an empty classroom. He wouldn't want to go back to find a certain someone staining the desk with their tears, would he? Then again a little part of him hoped that he would, only so he could speak to him.

Only so he could say how he was sick of him acting weird. Only so he could say how everything about that hatred thing was nothing but bull and utter crap. Only so he could say how every walk back home felt wrong, even if someone else would be there walking right next to him.

He didn't even realize that he was running. The school was already empty and it reminded him awfully to that day, that time when he walked back to the classroom, just wanting to make sure that the pathetic boy that he somehow despised so much wouldn't be sobbing in it under a horrible excuse of leaving something behind. That day as Jimin rode behind his bicycles for the first time.That day as he made it clear as day that he didn't care for the boy at all (and he still did. What he'd done was nothing but for his own pleasure of not seeing more tears that was the one single thing that he resented the most).

The first thing that caught his eyes as he neared the classroom was indeed Park Jimin and his heart leapt with reason he certainly couldn't understand. At least he was gladful that he didn't open the door right at that moment for his heart sank at the next upon realizing that Jimin wasn't alone inside the classroom. Through the glass door he could see Jimin sitting on his old seat with someone else beside him.

Of all people it was Taehyung that sat there next to Jimin, one arm slung across Jimin's back, patting his seatmate as the latter had his head rested on the former's shoulder. It was indeed a weird scene. Why was Taehyung there? What were the two of them doing?

And most of all, was Jimin crying? Did he break his promise? Was his shoulder shaking and his sobs echoing through the room? Was he crying as hard as the time when he fought with his parents?

He should have just walked inside of the classroom. He should have grabbed Jimin's shoulder tight and shook him until he spilled everything that he kept inside his throat, words that were just right at the tip of his tongue. He should have just asked for an explanation because after everything that happened he definitely deserved one.

Then again his heels were turning themselves automatically. He found himself running farther away from Jimin, realizing that Taehyung was there with him, comforting him in a way that Yoongi probably couldn't. He found himself running back to the school gate again, burrowing his brows as he saw a familiar figure, still standing there by it, waiting for him, even when he had said for her not to.

"You've got what you've been forgetting?"

"I thought I've told you to go back home first," he replied as he jogged his way towards her.

Yujin let out a smirk before she answered. "I'm not that easy for you to cast away," she said in a playful manner.

He couldn't help but to smile with her. Funny. He once thought that Yujin was easy to cast away. He had refused her offer once and she did leave. Yet here she was standing, remonstrating his initial thought entirely.

"So, should we go now?" she said, hands on the straddle of her backpack, ready to walk home. "Did you already get what you've forgotten?" she asked again.

Did he get what he run back for? Did he get his explanation, the relief from the gnawing feeling of his chest whenever he realized that Park Jimin was missing from his life with reason he couldn't understand?

"Yeah, kind of. Let's go home now," he said, sporting a grin which she returned with a warm, beautiful smile.

I came home with Yujin today instead.

+.-.+

It’s Thursday and Jimin had even decided not to come to basketball. The six of them played like usual, though this time the girls decided to hang around. A suggestion from Yuna got the girls trying to play alongside them. They ended up four against four, with each team consisting of two girls. Seokjin as always had to be disgusting as he went against Minju from the opposing team and ended up hugging her from behind and hauled her up as he tried to steal the ball. Yujin was in the same team as he was and she put up quite of a fight, though Yuna topped all of them.

They went to the minimarket after the game this time, all of them laughing and being happy with the dusk hanging above their heads. It was another great day like always, his Thursday always being the day he loved the most from the entire week. He ended up walking home once again with Yujin right next to him, the two of them talking about how stupid Namjoon was during another attempt of a slam dunk from their earlier game.

It was a great day nonetheless, yet as he waved his hand and saw Yujin's figure dwindled into the horizon, he realized how his Thursday was lacking a certain something that made even the brightest star seemed dull. He raised his head, hoping that the night sky would be able to console him.

What they did was reminding him to the day he spent it stargazing with Jimin, emphasizing what he was missing instead.

+.-.+

It was Friday and it meant that Jimin had been giving him this silent treatment for almost an entire week. It wasn't like he was avoiding the boy. It was Jimin who tried his best not to talk to him. He wasn't with their groups when they were spending their time together. Jimin was not even there on recess. Another thing that he realized was how Taehyung would take another leave of absence together with him. Even during lesson he could tell that the two of them were skipping together since the only empty seats were theirs.

"Is it just me or is Jimin avoiding us?" he finally asked on recess to Namjoon, the two of them once again being alone on their usual spot.

"Avoiding us? Nah, I don't think so. He said hi to me this morning and he looked just fine."

He didn't know whether Namjoon was being the stupid one here or he was, since Park Jimin was far from the word fine.

"You're sure?"

"He was just busy yesterday, calling his parents or something, he said to me. He wasn't avoiding us. He went to Taehyung's place with Jungkook the other day as well or so I've heard."

So Park Jimin had been spending his time with Taehyung indeed.

"Why? Was he avoiding you?" Namjoon asked.

And now he realized that he shouldn't have asked since Namjoon would be persistent and he certainly didn't like it when the so-called monster of destruction stuck his nose in his business. He didn't need any more damage.

"Nah, forget it," he said. He didn't feel like telling Namjoon what happened. It would be weird and he doubted that his best friend could help him after all.

"You two are fighting or something?"

"No," he said, though he didn't really know whether what they were having right now would be defined as a fight.

Turned out his uncertainty was apparent through his tone, for Namjoon ended up pestering him like he was initially afraid he would.

"Oh, come on. What is it?"

That brat told me that he hated me which is an absolute lie before he avoided me like a plague. I don't even understand what he wants.

"I've told you, nothing!" he said, standing up, feeling irritated and annoyed at the same time he didn't even realize his tone was raising.

Because at least it was Yoongi who would think that nothing happened between them. Were they fighting? At least in Yoongi's part he didn't have a reason to. He didn't have any reason to say that he hated Jimin either. Then here came the boy he had known for almost half a year, showering him with bull that didn't make any sense. If Namjoon wanted to know what the was going on, he could easily ask Jimin because that brat was the one who made all this mess up, not him.

"Hey, there's no need for you to get mad," Namjoon said, his voice cautious, catching up to Yoongi's apparent change of mood. "I'm just asking."

Yoongi inhaled deeply before burrowing his own face in his palm. He suddenly got this rush to have a cigarette resting between his finger even though he actually hated it. It messed with his lungs and as a basketball player who for once cared about how long his performance on the field would be, smoking was something he actually tried to avoid.

Only now did he realize how bothered he was by the fact that Park Jimin hated him. It shouldn't have bothered him. Anybody could hate him for all he cared with all the ing reasons in this universe. But no, it had to be Park Jimin who did, even with reasons he couldn't accept.

He should have been fine with it then, shouldn't he? It was Jimin's decision to avoid him, to hate him or to loathe him. He shouldn't give a flying .

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry," he said, exhaling before walking down the stairs, leaving a baffled Namjoon alone.

The teachers could brand him as a delinquents, his father could be a complete fool and even the juniors could fear him as much as they want. Min Yoongi shouldn't be giving any or whatsoever.Therefore what would a certain Park Jimin hating him equaled to? Absolutely nothing.

"Are you all right, hyung?" the younger asked.

All right? Of course he was. That was a stupid question. Why would he be not all right? Because Park ing Jimin treated him like a stranger? No, he wouldn't have any problem with it then, if that was what the brat decided to do.

"Yeah, of course I'm all right. Why would i not be?"

Namjoon's face indicated that he was going to retort that, though at the end he closed his mouth, which Yoongi was grateful he did. Sighing, he turned around, realizing that he desperately needed something to ease his mood.

"Where are you going, hyung?" Namjoon asked, though he gave no indication of following him.

"I need a smoke."

"But you don't really smoke," the other said, as if reminding Yoongi that what he was doing was indeed something that he usually not, that he was indeed not himself that day.

"Exactly."

+.-.+

He thought about going to the hill alone on Saturday with nothing but his notebook and maybe half a pack of cigarettes. Instead, what changed his mind was a last minute promise as Yujin was about to turn her back and entered her house on Friday after their walk back from school.

It was the only reason how he found himself sitting in front of a smiling Jung Yujin in a certain restaurant near Auraji Station which people deemed to sell the best Jajjangmyeon in town. This time there were only the two of them with no Seokjin or Minju whatsoever and Yujin smiled even wider than usual.

It was dusk when they walked back from the restaurant, the two of them spending times there talking about various topics which Yoongi couldn't even remember. He raised his head again even without him realizing as the two of them fell into comfortable silence, the girl just walking right next to him, supposedly having her eyes on him. It was another fusion of lilac and pink today, the darkness slowly creeping with hints of stars making its appearance, stealing the sun's lights away, giving room for its predecessor to fill the sky with yet another beauty that Yoongi wouldn't run out of words to describe.

"You know, I've been thinking about going to Chuncheon to study singing in an academy. Or maybe I should try applying to K-Arts instead," she said, breaking the initial silence.

"You sing?" he said absentmindedly.

Yoongi took his eyes off the sky for a split second only to find Yujin answering him with a pout. "Yeah, of course I do. How could you even forget it? I've shown it to you once."

He clearly had forgotten about it though he answered it with a simple 'yeah right' before raising his head back to the lilac clouds hanging above his head. He wasn't the best in details about other people, that much was clear.

"Oh, come on Yoongi. Do you even remember any details about me?" she joked.

"Like what color do you like or what your favorite drink is?" he said with a playful tone, intending it to be a joke since he clearly didn't remember if she ever had mentioned it once before (and for his own safety from the so-called woman's rage, he hoped she hadn't).

"Like i know that you really love looking at the sky," she said, the words coming out more like a whisper. "You're doing it even now," she added again with a small laugh.

Somehow, something churned in his stomach right then because he felt like he had had this conversation before. Someone had said the same thing to him.

"You always held your head up whenever we went back from school."

Yeah, indeed he had. The sky would be lucky, someone had said, to be loved and missed by a certain entity that was bound to the ground, destined to do nothing but to watch his lover out of his reach every single day. Yet even if that was the only thing that he could do, he never failed his paramour even for a single day, for he kept on doing the only thing that he could, keeping his eyes on her lover the entire day. He simply answered Yujin's words with a hum.

"It's hard not to realize, you know, that simple habit of yours," she said with a giggle at the end.

That was when Yoongi took his eyes off the sky, stopping his pace and turning his head to take a good look at the person right next to him, the person who was currently walking home beside him. It was Jung Yujin, wasn't it? It was Jung Yujin and no one else.

Yet someone entirely different from the girl right next to him had said the same thing about how lucky the sky would be to receive that longing gaze from him each day. Someone entirely different that didn't hold such a smile from the girl, someone with whom he spent his night lying on the school field in the middle of the night.

"Now, do you remember any small details about me?" she said, laughing.

Her words echoed in his head and he just stood there, taking a good look at the person right next to him. He just blinked and it was the sky once again.

You used to dance back in Seoul .

.

The brat could hate me for all he cared. I don't give a .