The day was nice. The sun was out and there was a slight breeze. It seemed that nothing could bring this day down. But on this beautiful day, it just so happened that someone was planning to do something so dark, the sun in the sky would no longer feel like it was shinning.

Minah was in her 5th period class when it all went wrong. She was sitting in her desk, silently reading a passage when an announcement came on over the loudspeakers. 

"Shin Minah, please come to the counseling office immediately. You are not in trouble but you need to run."

Those words were broadcast throughout the entire school. The school consisted of two buildings. Minah was in building A and the counseling office was in building B. What? Me? Minah looked up from her textbook with shock written all over her pretty face. 

"Minah, hurry and go to the office now. It seems like an emergency. Don't worry about your stuff, if you aren't back before the class is over, I'll keep them safe," Minah's teacher reinforced the order to her. Minah stood quickly from her desk and calmly walked out of the room in a hurry.

The moment the door was closed and she was in the hallway, Minah let out her long pent up air. What could have happened? Her eyebrows came together in a crease. She took a deep breath before running like she had never run before. If the school officials told me to run, it must be serious.

Minah's slim figure bolted out the doors of building A. Her shoulder length black hair fanned out prettily as she ran. She skidded to slow down as she reached for the door. Minah flung the doors open and began running towards the counseling office. Once again, she had to slam her feet hard on the ground in front of her while leaning back to try and come to a stop before entering the office.

Minah looked in the office and two security guards and the school's principal came up to her. "Shin Minah?" Minah nodded, trying to catch her breath. The adults suddenly got a relieved look on their faces. "Do you know Jung Hoseok?"

Minah was surprised by the name. Hoseok was her sister's friend. Her sister worked with him. He was a grade above her so why was she being connected with him at all? Though she was shocked, she nodded again.

"Did you know about the thoughts he has been having?"

"Thoughts? What do you mean by that? All I know about his thoughts is that he was recently considering dying his hair." The principal looked almost amused.

"I truly wish that was all he was thinking about. Unfortunately, he is attempting to kill himself."

Minah's eyes bulged. "He what?! Are you sure you have the right person? He is such a happy virus though! Wait! Why aren't you there stopping him?!"

"Well that's what we're trying to do. He said he would only talk to you," her principal calmly informed her.

"Me?! He doesn't even really know me! Why not his friends or something?!"

"I thought you were his friend, are you not?" I shook my head. "Then that's interesting that he named you. Well maybe you're his friend even if he's not yours," the principal gestured behind me before continuing. "He's on the rooftop."

The roof?! He's going to jump!

The security guards confirmed the principal's statement. "Yeah. Hoseok is up on the roof getting ready to jump. If we get too close to him he says he'll really jump and if we send the police in there we think he actually will. When we asked him if we could just talk he turned us down. But when we asked if he would talk to somebody else, he said Shin Minah. You're the only real hope we have besides trying to get a sniper to shoot him with a tranquilizer from the other building. So will you help us?"

"Yes of course." With those words, Minah was led to the door that read Roof Access. The principal opened the door for her and she stepped in. The door closed behind her and she began walking up the dimly lit stairs.

She got to the top of the stairs and was now in front of the door to the roof. That door was the only thing between Hoseok and her. That door was the obstacle that Minah had to get past that would decide Hoseok's fate. Breath, Minah, breath. Minah took a deep breath. The air seemed so thick and hard to get into her lungs but without letting that affect her, she pushed the blockade open.

The air was fresh and cool up there. The sun bathed her with kisses and the breeze hugged her gently. The day truly was beautiful. Though it seemed so beautiful right now, there was darkness ahead. Minah straightened up and looked up from the floor. The figure she was anxious to see was standing straight ahead of her. He wasn't facing her but was looking out off the building.

How do I approach him? I see these things on TV all the time and imagine myself saving people like this but I don't know anything for real. When it comes down to it, I guess I'm just going to have to wing it. Just remember that suicidal people need to be told that they are understood and never told they are wrong and that they are doing something stupid. Treat them like they are normal. Right! Fighting!

Minah slowly walked up to Hoseok, taking in her last deep breathes. "Hoseok?" Minah came to the side of him and peeked at his face. Hoseok turned his head to look at her. "Ah I thought it was you!" Minah smiled. "It's such a nice day out! Isn't it just a great day to be alive?" Minah swung her arms back and flung her head back to fully take in the nice weather. "This is such a great place to really take that in. Did you just find this place?" 

Hoseok looked a little surprised by the way she was talking to him but answered. "Yeah. I'd been planning to come up here for a while... to..to-"

"To look at the clouds up close? To breath a fresher air? To look down on all the other students as they walk by during passing period like ants? Oh oh! I know! What about to run away from scary clowns with spiders in their hair and razor sharp teeth?" At the last one, Hoseok looked at Minah with a flabbergasted expression. Minah burst out into laughter, "Sorry, I know that last one was a bit over the top, wasn't it?"

"That's okay," Hoseok weakly laughed. Then they were silent. "Actually..." Hoseok started.

"I know. They told me," Minah informed him. Hoseok mouthed an 'o' and nodded. "I was hoping you could explain though. I just wonder why."

Hoseok was quiet for some time. Then he spoke up, "I can't live here anymore."

"Then where will you live," Minah asked, already knowing the answer.

"Up there," Hoseok pointed up and then just looked up even after his arm had fallen back to his side. "I hate this place." Tears welled in his eyes.

"I figured you probably did. But, Hoseok, why? Is it school? Family?"

"Stress from both. School is too demanding. I'm always expected to be top of the class here. Same goes for home. My parents expect too much from me. They say I'm smart and I'm just not smart enough I guess..."

"But you are smart. The thing is, being able to handle stress is not part of being smart. To deal with stress, you need a motive and inner strength. I know this will sound cheesy but, love yourself, Hoseok," Minah turned to him, forcing the eye contact. "I know how you feel. I think everyone goes through it. I believe that now that I see the smartest, most capable person I know feeling that way. That person is you, Hoseok."

Hoseok stared deeply into her eyes, trying to find the lie within what she was saying. "Do you really believe that?" Minah nodded. "Then what makes you and everyone else want to keep living?"

"This world may seem out to get you, Hoseok, but not everyone is-"

"I have to disagree with you on that. Nobody is there for me."

"And I'll have to disagree with you. No matter what happens, I am here with you and I always will be. You might not have originally been my friend but from this point on, you have a friend in me. I won't turn on you and no matter what kind of grades or scores you are getting, I'll still be your friend and will fully care about you. You don't have to feel like everyone is turning on you and expecting more of you because it's not true. Even if you can't believe that anyone else cares, I do. You can believe that, can't you?"

"I- I guess," Hoseok choked out.

"I know where you are coming from and I get it. But this is not the way out. This is even the perfect place to see that the world is much more than school and grades. Just lie down right here with me," Minah gestured to the floor as she kneeled and got ready to lie down. "Come one, let's go slow poke!" Minah and he got down as well. In sync, they lay back on the rooftop. "Look at the sky. Look at the clouds. And ooo! Look at that bird fly by! Isn't this all too great to be lost to grades and school? By the way, can a kangaroo jump higher than a house?"

Hoseok looked blankly at Minah, wondering why she had asked that. "Um, yes?"

"Yes of course it can! A house doesn't jump at all!" The moment Hoseok got the joke, his face contorted into a laughing one.

Once the laughing died down, Hoseok asked, "Why did you tell me that joke so randomly?"

"Because it made you laugh. Laughing is one of the greatest things in life. If I were to die, I think I'd miss that the most." Hoseok nodded and thought about it a bit. "The world can always change if you stay positive. I will always be here for you so you never are alone. I understand how you feel but I just don't want you to miss out on this." Hoseok smiled genuinely for the first time that day. "Hold you breath for a moment." Hoseok did as told. Suddenly he looked uncomfortable. "Okay take a deep breath in." He did so. "Doesn't that feel amazing? Living is great!"

Hoseok shook his head with a smile on his face. "Aigoo this girl. Trying to make me suffocate and die before it's my time to go," Hoseok teased.

Before his time? He doesn't want to die anymore?! Yes!!

"Just have hope, Hoseok. Just hope. That's what I'm going to call you from now on, Just hope. No, no, I'll call you J-hope."

Hoseok, now known as J-hope, grinned at her widely. Minah beamed at him, happy that he was smiling. The day was getting even brighter with each other. They felt so at peace when they lay next to the other.

"J-hope?" Hoseok turned his head to her. "Do you want to come down with me?"

"Okay. Let's go," Hoseok agreed, standing up. Minah began to walk towards the door when she realized that Hoseok was still just standing there. Minah cocked her head to the side. "Can we... hold hands?" Minah was surprised by the question he posed. Slowly, Minah nodded her head and Hoseok's eyes twinkled with excitement.

Hoseok had never been this happy before, at least he didn't think so not right then. In that moment, he felt like he was floating. His cheeks hurt from the sheepish smile that played at his lips but he didn't care. He was so glad Minah had came. He was glad he didn't go through with jumping. Now, Hoseok could be with Minah. Minah was on earth, he needed to be on earth too. Death was no longer an option.

"Oppa, let's go eat lunch, the bell already rang," Minah said as they walked down the stairs. As they opened the Roof Access door, the adults behind it held their breath. When they saw both Minah and Hoseok, they let out the worried air they had been holding in for so long. "I guess he missed eating," Minah joked and they all laughed, even Hoseok. 

Hoseok and Minah walked towards the lunch room, swinging their clasped hands back and forth. They both had a long life ahead of them and now they had each other to go through it with.

"Hey Hoseok, buy me lunch?" Hoseok looked down at her and chuckled. Her eyes shined with playfulness and Hoseok knew she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

 

 

_____________________

Hello!^^

I hope you enjoyed my story! Leave comments~ 

:)