NAMJOON

Another shift done at my ty excuse of a job, I fill up my tank. "I'm taking that out of your next paycheck!"  My boss can hear me filling up but doesn't notice when people are shouting abuse at me for things I can't control. It's not like I planned on driving off without paying. Bastard.
There's never much traffic on my way home, so I drive a little faster than allowed. Groaning, I make a mental to do list. It stresses me out more, but my brain does it without my permission. I can't help it.  A glance at the radio tells me 3:42am. What was originally meant to be a 30 minute nap turned into a few hours. I woke up stiff and cold when I could've been at home. Let's see...

1) Shower
2) Sleep
3) Eat

Ok, that's easy. Number three is questionable, though.

4) Grocery shopping? Later.
5) Class at 9:00 am

Oh, terrible, terrible life of mine.

Did I even do homework? What was my homework? Why wasn't I born into a wealthy family? A million other things buzz around my head as well - loans, my other classes, my other job. I'm too busy stressing that I almost run over some clown that lazes onto the street out of nowhere. Slamming hard on the brakes, I let out a strangled scream. The idiot just stands there. I get out and he still does nothing.

"I could've killed you! Get off the damn road!" I try to get his attention but he's still staring. I get a better look at him and my whole lecture gets lodged in my throat. His lips are swollen, as the rest of the left side of his face is. A little nick beneath his left eye - which in itself, is begining to bruise -  is crusted over with dried blood. He would look tough if he didn't have such a baby face. I go to say his name but he keels over. I rush to him, slinging his arm around my shoulders so I can place him in my truck.

"So, what happened? How bad is it? Do you want me to take you to a hosipital?" He'd been quiet up until the word 'hospital,' to which he shrieked a no, nearly causing me to ram into a nearby lampost. I pulled over. He kept shaking his head and let his hair fall into his eyes. "I'll take you home." He bit out another no. I pulled my keys out and threw them on the floor. Seriously? Crossing my arms I waited.

"I don't live with my parents a-anymore. I moved in with Yoongi. Couple weeks ago."

"Okay, fine. But I wanna know what happened to make you like this. We aren't leaving 'till you tell me." He crumpled into himself, head still shaking. "Jungkook, , just tell me! I'm tired, I don't need this in my life right now, god!" Flinching, he nodded and reached for the door handle. "That's not what I meant, stay put." Sniffling, he sat back down. He'd been crying the whole time, lip caught between his teeth to keep quiet.

"Yoongi's then?"

"Um..."

"If not, tell me where so I can take you already."

"I don't..." Letting his words hang off, I caught what he was getting at. He looked at me with big eyes and whispered please. I had so many questions, but I was too tired. We still had fifteen minutes until home so I put on the radio. Hunched up against the window, I assumed he was sleeping.

"They were gonna me." I didn't know what to do so I just nodded like he told me he got a new tattoo instead. Idiot. My eyes kept darting from him to the road.
"They were some guys from school, I didn't even recognise them and I thought they were just gonna beat me up and leave me but then he, they were whispering things - oh my god." Whimpering, he pulls at his hoodie, pushing a fist at his mouth to block out the sobs.  

My knuckles grow white as I tighten my grip on the steering wheel. Who would do such things? On top of that I want to find them already, give them a piece of my mind. But my sadness trumps my anger and I try my best at comforting him.

"You don't have to tell me. If you don't want. Jungkook, it's okay."

"I'm just glad for the last guy, you know?" Dragging a sleeve up, he wiped his tears away. I swerve again. I'm surprised I haven't crashed yet.

"What?"

"Before I passed out he came and somehow scared them off. I was kinda scared too 'cos he did all this weird , banging stuff and squealing. And then he called out that he had a gun named Seaweed and started leaping around and laughing. He was like the Joker on acid." If it wasn't for his situation I'd have laughed. "He carried me and hid me behind the dumpster and then just... left."

"He left you? You know he could have - "

"Hyung, he saved me from things I don't even want to think about. Besides, you heard me, it's not like he's in his right mind anyways." I let it go and pulled onto gravel and parked. His confusion as he looked around the train tracks and forklifts was understandable.

"I moved out, too. Last year, I just didn't tell you guys. Aunty didn't approve of the whole philosophy major so I made it easier on the both of us. Now I shack up in this container after a deal I struck with one of the forklifters, crudy but at least rent's dirt cheap, right?"

I laugh to brush off my slight embarrasment and guide him in. Exhaustion finally kicked in for the both us and we crashed.