Jungkook stared at the piece before him.

It’s probably his best creation so far—this week’s theme was ‘Youth’ and he worked his off this paticular painting. It doesn’t have too much colors, but it was vibrant and loud with a hint of a heartbreak, just perfect to describe his youth that he currently feels.

Yet again, he was at the end of the line. He had found comfort of the position and he can see a lot of people’s reaction on the deadline without needed to interact with them. Yes, he might have gained some friends, but it doesn’t mean that his shy and awkward nature would just disappear into thin air.

He saw the other student’s drawings and he can say they were pretty good too. Most of them had painted people on it rather than just an expressionist-naturalist symbolism like Jungkook, and he could say they’d earn a lot of points too. They used a lot of bright and flashing colors, which perfectly describes the youths these days—spontaneous and full of energy.

As time passes by, he was already the next in line with no one behind him. Even though Jungkook likes being the last on evaluation day, he can’t really say that it was comforting to be alone in the same room with the red-haired boy. Since that day, he never really talked to him again, only sending small comments and jotting in some flaws he needed to fix aside from writing his points. And Jungkook decided to never bring it up either.

It was finally his turn and his piece was already in Jimin’s hand, being examined and traced all over. The red-haired boy in front of him was looking at the work so throughly that he didn’t realize Jungkook has been eyeing him.

“So you do read my critics,” he suddenly said, making the younger boy jolt in his seat, “This is probably your best work so far,”

The black-haired boy looked down as he nods softly, “Thank you,”

“This is personal experience isn’t it?” the question made Jungkook shot his head up to the boy, “I can see you put a lot of yourself in this,”

“H-how..,”

“I’m not the club’s president without a reason, Jeon Jungkook,” he replies as he give him back his report card, “You deserved the points for this,”

As Jimin stood up, going to leave the room, suddenly Jungkook’s voice rang.

“Sunbaenim,” he carefully says, “Will you ever come back to the club?”

There was no answer from the red-haired boy, he was letting the silence cover him. But it didn’t stop the younger boy.

“We’re going to try out for the Winter Games,” he continued, “And we’re in need of another member,”

Jimin was still keeping his silent stance, but finally whispered, “I hope you’ll get your new member,”

“It could be you, sunbaenim,” Jungkook’s eyes was piercing on his, “You can be part of this,”

But the council president only smiled bitterly to him.

“The world isn’t that nice to me, Jeon Jungkook,”

“I told you I don’t want to see you anymore!”

Jungkook was just on his way home as he finishes his art class and he was pretty hungry that time. When he walked closer to the said store, suddenly a flock of familiar brown hair appeared in his sight, along with a woman in her twenties currently making a ruckus.

“Please, Taehyung-ah,” she pleaded, “Just give me one more chance!”

“I’ve given you so much in the past and you neglected it! What makes you so sure that you won’t do it anymore?”

“Taehyung-ah—,”

“I don’t want to listen anything anymore!” the brown-haired boy fumed, “You and mom and dad—none of you guys are different!”

Taehyung suddenly shot up from his seat, grabbing his bag harshly and running away from the place, leaving the woman alone. The woman tried to catch up with him, but the younger boy was much faster than her.

“Oh, why is this so hard,” she cried, “Why can’t I fix things?”

The black-haired boy who had currently taking his time to buy himself a decent milk bun and a box of strawberry juice, and somehow a can of milkis when the two was bickering around. As he got out of the convinience store, he saw that Taehyung was gone already with the woman he seen before sitting alone while trying so hard not to sob.

“Here,” he didn’t know what came up to him because apparently Jungkook’s tolerance towards girls was pretty low knowing his shy demeanour, but he’s now currently offering the woman a drink, even though he was stuttering, “I- It was actually for Taehyung, but I guess he kind of left...,”

The woman smiled at him as she took the can, “Thank you. Are you... his friend?”

“A-ah, yes, Jeon Jungkook, uh, mam,”

She giggled as she heard Jungkook speak, “There’s no need to call me mam, I’m only 22,”

“Ah, sorry then, noona,” he smiled sheepishly, “Are you Taehyung’s sister?”

“Yeah,” she suddenly looked down, “But he doesn’t seem to acknowledge me as one,”

“Why?”

“I admit I’ve been ignoring him like his parents,” she sighed, “I wasn’t that brave to go againts my parents decision that time.. but now I’m already working and I’ve lived by my own, I really wanted to fix things between me and him,”

“I know what he feels,” she suddenly choked a sob, “He must have been very lonely,”

“At least you didn’t give up,” Jungkook smiled to her, “Taehyung’s a little hard-headed, but if he can forgive his old friends, I’m sure he can forgive you too, noona,”

“Old friends?” she suddenly gasp, “Is the basketball club back?”

“Ah!” the black-haired boy beamed, “Do you know about the club, noona?”

“They are pretty famous around the town,” she nodded, “So Taehyung’s not alone anymore..,”

Jungkook nodded at her, “Yeah, he has a lot of friends now,”

“That is really good to hear,” the woman stood up, “I really do wish I could start over again with him,”

“He’ll get to it,” the black-haired boy grinned at her, “You’ll just need to give him some time,”

The woman smiled back, “Well, I’ll be going now. Thank you for listening to me, Jungkook-ah,”

“It’s fine with me, uh...,”

“Baekhee,” the woman said, “It’s Kim Baekhee,”

“Ah, Baekhee-noona,” he nodded, a simple hum was heard from the person before him as she was leaving.

*******

The stars are shining pretty bright today.