Jungkook has a problem. It's nothing super serious, he thinks, but his mom is threatening him with a month's worth of grounding, if he gets detention again.

Which he does, because Fate is a cruel, manipulative .

So he's wondering what to text his mom that will lessen the blow. Maybe he could tell his dad, first. He'll be disappointed, sure, but he'll also make sure his wife doesn't murder their youngest son, like she's threatened: "I brought you into this world, Jeon Jungkook, and I can take you out of it and make a new son!"

He thinks she's bluffing, but he'd rather not find out.

It's not even entirely his fault he gets in trouble so often. Not to throw his friends under the bus or anything, but the Double Dogs are kind of a bad influence. He would never have attempted to plant chickens in the ceiling without their persuasion.

That's not entirely it, either, though. He's an artist; if he can't open his dream duck restaurant, he wants to tattoo for a living. So he draws a lot or daydreams about his designs, and he misses a lot of what's going on until it's already happening or done.

This time, he's walking to his literature class when a hand on his arm stops him. Jungkook fully expects Jimin, Baekhyun, maybe Taehyung—if he could separate from Yoona's hip—but it's the queen bee herself.

Kim Jin.

"Hold these for me." Books are into his hands, and he can only stare at them dumbly, because why is he holding Kim Jin's textbooks? He should be in class. He has his own books. This is ridiculous.

Jin finishes fishing around for whatever it is girls fish in their purses for, pushes it to her back, and flips her hair over her shoulder. She doesn't take her books back. "Come on, then." There's a moment of hesitation, but his feet and brain frequently experience disconnect, and he finds himself tailing behind the older student.

He watches her from behind, books under his arm. She's modelesque and taller than a lot of the other girls—even taller than Jungkook, who's not yet hit a growth spurt—with hair so long it almost hits his face when she runs her hand under it, combing out imaginary snarls. He notices the white paint on the back of her pink denim jacket is flaking.

She pivots like a model on a runway, hair thrown around her face to settle over her shoulders. "Thank you, Jungkook." He didn't know she knew his name.

Their fingers brush when she takes her books, and a volcano of emotions erupt between his ears, heating his entire face.

The bell rings.

She walks into class, cool as a cucumber. Jungkook turns around and runs down the hall, cool as a blacksmith's forge.

A teacher catching him running—coincidentally away from his classroom—and slaps a detention slip in his hands.

"I can't take this!" he squeaks in terror. He's not entirely sure whom he's scared of disappointing more, his mom or Kim Jin.

The teacher frowns at him over her glasses. "You can, and you will, Mr Jeon. Tomorrow morning: detention. Now get to class and walk."

Jungkook turns and plods slowly to his classroom, detention slip heavy and cold like a sheet of ice in his hand. Maybe, rather than calling his dad, he should just call a travel agency. Leaving the country sounds more appealing than facing his mom when he gets home tonight.

a/n: This is a part of the same SugaV high school AU. I've cross-posted my contributions to AFF: In the flush of love's light, we dare be brave. Double Dog Date Snakes Will Always Bite Back