Episode 2: Who are you?

The sounds of birds chirping outside the window were distracting Yeri for a second before she pulls her gaze off from the outside scenery to the boring teaching Korean Literature class. It has been 4 days after that, but Jeon Jungkook still has not come to school. She was not sure whether the boy she met was him, or it was just another boy roaming around the neighborhood. She still had no disclosure of what Jeon Jungkook looks like and her brother Taehyung was not a big help at all in finding out the student data.

“Sorry, Yerimie. Oppa can't do it for you.” Taehyung went home that day just to bring disappointment to her, again. “The databases are well secured in the data room. I can't get through it without any permission from the school director.”

Yeri sighs. Guess the fastest way of knowing Jeon Jungkook was not the easiest as she thought. Maybe she should ask her classmates of what he looks like. Although asking her classmates were the last thing she would do, this is the only way she can think of right now to get out of her curiosity.

But, why am I thinking of him anyway? She didn't even know his face or his voice but Yeri was so curious to know his identity. 

Jeon Jungkook. He is a classmate who I never see attending the class as the others, nor that I saw him outside of school. Why do I care so much about him and why are they acting like he didn't exist? She thought while biting her lips as her eyes wandering around the classroom, searching for the answer to her never-ending curiosity. It has been a month since she transferred and also marked a month Jeon Jungkook didn't come to school.

Weird. There's probably something had happened before I was transferred.

She decided to approach the class president Mark Lee when the break time bell chime. It was not weird at all when the class president approach Yeri first — but it was a different case when she did it. Mark was struck for a moment when Yeri came to his desk but come back to his sense after a few sounds of his name getting called.

“Mark,” Yeri said, “I have something to ask. Will you listen to me?”

Her eyes were staring intensely at him and Mark smiled, nodding his head, “Sure. I am more willing to help you. What is it?”

She was right to ask him first. Of course, the class president will know everything about his classmates. There is no way he wouldn't know at all. She took a deep breath, “I have something to ask you,” she pauses, “It's about Jeon Jungkook.”

The question was a bit surprising for Mark but he didn't show it on his face, “What about Jeon Jungkook?” He asks while tilting his head to the side, looking as if he was interested.

“Tell me more about him.” Yeri demand and there was no hesitation in her words.

She was surprisingly bold and it was shocking to Mark. What did Jeon Jungkook do to her that makes her so curious about him like this? He pursed his lips into a thin line as he looked around the classroom and thought it was not safe for them to talk about it here. Haechan who seated in front of him pats his shoulder and suggest them to talk about it outside.

“The Gym entrance was not that so far away from here. There are lots of benches there.” Haechan said as he threw a little smirk at the end.

“Thanks, man,” Mark said as he pats his friend's shoulder back. He stood up from his seat and stare at Yeri who doesn't move from her seat. “Shall we go? We have another 20 minutes before the lunch break is over.”

After waiting for a good five minutes, Yeri could finally saw Mark coming from the cafeteria with a handful of snacks in his hand. He approached her with a big smile as he jogged to the place where she at and taking his seat next to her. It was one of those cool windy days in summer, and thanks to the big tree behind them which giving more shades to them, Yeri had nothing to worry about her skin. (She spends 3 hours for her morning routine, do you think she wants it to go to waste?)

“You must like strawberry milk, right? I bought this because I thought most girls in our school drink this.”

Yeri stares at the carton of strawberry milk in his hand in disgust. Ugh, she hates strawberry milk the most after banana milk. Those two things taste so horrible. But how can he just assumed she likes strawberry because all the girls like it? Ugh, this is so ridiculous. Did he just, assume, she was the same as the girls? “Thank you. But I don't like strawberry milk.” She had too. She had to reject his offer politely. “I'm sorry.”

She swears if Mark was one of his brother she would literally smack his head for it.

She could clearly see the hint of blushed as his ears were reddening. Ah, she was done for. Mark couldn't even lift his head up to look at her now. “Ah, really? I thought you like strawberry milk too. That's too bad.” He rummages through the plastic bag and took out a bottle of iced lemon tea. “Here, you can have mine.”

Yeri sighs softly, feeling bad for Mark feeling bad for her. It was not his fault though, he didn't know anything about her. She took the bottle from his hand and smiled for a moment, “Thank you.” The lemon tea was not that bad. Now she wanted to go straight to their main purpose of coming out from the classroom during their precious 30 minutes lunch break. “So, I wanted to talk about Jungkook, like I ask you earlier.”

“Ah, that. Sorry, I almost forgot.” Being together with Yeri probably was enough to make him forget the world is revolving around them, so Mark decided to make one big last bite to his hot dog bun before throwing the leftovers in the trash can next to him. “Shall I start now?”

Yeri nodded as the sign for him to start talking.

“I didn't know much about Jungkook, to begin with,” He started off while Yeri was focusing on him. “I was in the same middle school as him. When I met him, he was already like that; quiet and a loner. He always sat at the back of the class where no one would mind him. Well, except for the class gangsters or the seniors who tried to pick up on him.” He sighs as he took a few seconds to take a breath, “So far as I know he had a bad reputation, like indefinitely. Since his first year in middle school and continued until we go to high school. He could have been blacklisted if he got too many suspensions. I don't know he got the back up to get him to stay in school but most of the guys who got suspended have been blacklisted from staying.” Mark stops as he takes a glance at Yeri who had never taken her gaze off from him. “Did you know that he was suspended two weeks before you were transferred here?”

Yeri stared at Mark in disbelieve, as well as shaking her head slowly. “What did he do?” She asks and studying from Mark's face, it probably not a good news she's going to hear.

“He beat up four seniors from the third year.” Mark continued as Yeri gasps when she heard him saying. “There was two sides of this story though. First, the seniors took his lunch money and beat him up. Thus, it made him mad and landed punches on them. Second, he was the one who took their lunch money by beating them up. The second story was ridiculous and I don't think Jungkook would do that.” Mark laughed as he recalled the incident back. “All the seniors were taken to the hospital and he was punished with two weeks suspension. I lost count on how many times he was suspended for the first term of school. He didn't even attend the midterm exam, goodness.”

“All of that was before I transferred here.” Yeri mumbled as she pondered at the soccer field upon here, “His suspension supposed to end a week ago but he didn't come for the exam nor the school. He just merely skipping them all.”

“Our classmates were really afraid of him,” He turned his gaze up to the sky, “that's why nobody ever wanted to deliver his printouts.”

And I'm here risking my life to deliver the printouts all the way to his home. Just great. If Yeri knew the story of Jeon Jungkook a little bit early, she didn't have to dig deeper to know his what-about.

“There are also rumors circulating in the school about him. It also one of the reasons why he always skips school.” Mark's continuation of his story made Yeri more curious as she squinted her eyes while looking at him. 

“Was it that bad?”

He nodded. “Rumors said his parents died because of him. Some said he killed them, and some said he drives them crazy that they actually committed double suicide.”

Yeri gasps, her eyes widened in disbelieve, “That was horrible. Why would someone like him do that?”

“Well, it's just a rumor though. You don't have to really believe it 100%.” Mark shrugged as he made a pout. “I don't believe them either because I know his parents died when he was young and he did not kill them.”

It doesn't make sense either. Yeri thought inside. Believing a rumor from an unreliable source was just a waste of time.

20 minutes have passed and the bell rang marking the end of the lunch break. Mark get up from the bench and brushing his pants from the dust. Yeri did the same as she brushed off the dust from her skirt. She turned to look at him and give him a quick bow, which was surprising.

“Hey, you don't have to bow like that.” Mark feeling guilty somehow. 

“I'm just showing you my gratitude, class president. Thank you for today.” Yeri smiled which almost makes his heart fluttered. “Say, you don't speak in satoori like everyone did. Did you transfer from somewhere before?”

Mark let out a quick laugh as he nodded at her question. “I think you wouldn't notice.”

“Your name was foreign enough to be noticed, Mark Lee.”

He laughed again and as they were walking together to class, Mark begins to open up his story. “I was living in Canada before moving to Korea. I spent four years in Seoul before my father transferred to Hwamyeong and it was just after I graduated from elementary school. That explains how I met Jeon Jungkook during my first year of middle school.”

Yeri pouted her lips, “Hm, but it still strange you didn't talk with satoori when your friends are. It doesn't match at all.”

“I can talk in satoori if ya' want.” He smiled slyly at her.

The two of them were only a few steps before their classroom when a familiar voice was calling them from behind. Mark and Yeri turned around and saw Taehyung was walking towards them...with a disapproval face. Yeri swears, at the end of the school, she will most like to hear his lecture on this matter. especially when he saw her with a boy.

“What are you two doing?” Taehyung asks them with a stern face. “You should have been in the classroom before the ring bell.”

Mark and Yeri exchanging their glances before they bow to him. “Sorry, Mr. Kim. We'll be going back to class.”

Taehyung sighs, “Alright.” He said as he glared at Yeri for a fleeting moment before turning his heels to the opposite direction. When his figure was gone after the right corner, both of them sigh in relief.

“He really is scary,” Mark mumbled under his breath.

Yeri almost burst to laugh when she accidentally heard what he was mumbling about. Scary? What nonsense. Her brother Taehyung was not that scary at all. Comparing him to their eldest brother Seokjin, he is the softest person on Earth.

“Are you dating with him?”

Yeri glare at Taehyung from the back seat, her arms were crossing on her chest. “How many times should I say: I am not. Do you want me to repeat it on loop? I am not dating Mark Lee. I am not dating—”

“Okay, stop. I got it.” Taehyung sighs as he runs his fingers through his brownish hair. “I'm just worried.” His eyes were focused on the road, sometimes he will take a glance at Yeri through the mirror. 

“So what if I were to date him?” Yeri groans, “Oppa, I'm not a little girl anymore. You don't have to worry so much.”

Taehyung glance again at his younger sister through the mirror, studying her expression. “Yeri-ah, do you know that I worried about you because I love you? I only have one younger sister and it is you.” He took a turn left as the car passed by a small cafe. “As your brother, I have a huge responsibility. You choose to live with us after our parents divorced, Seokjin hyung and I are responsible to take care of you. We wouldn't know if something ought to happen in the future. It could be either bad or good, or both. ” He stops the car after taking a reverse to park it in front of the small cafe they passed by earlier.

It's not like that.

It's not like that. She never thought once that her brothers don't love her. She knows really well that Seokjin and Taehyung poured their heart contents to her - their one and only sister in this world. It's just that - they didn't understand her very well although they are siblings. You could say; she is selfish. She doesn't want her brothers to be worried about her all the time. She is a grown-up now, a seventeen-year-old girl who can think stand on her own. She wants her brothers to find their own happiness, not worrying about her. She doesn't want to cling to her past self, and she doesn't want her brothers to fear the past Kim Yerim. She wants to move on, but with her brothers acting like this, she's going nowhere. Her one selfish wish is to stop her brothers from worrying about every little thing she did. She wanted them to trust her more. Was that too much for her to wish for?

Yeri stares out of the window, realizing that they were in front of Seokjin's cafe and snapped back to reality when Taehyung calls her name.

“I'm not against it if you are dating. Just, let us know if you did.” Taehyung turned around from the driver's seat and smiled at her, his eyes were calm. “And if you have a problem to share, I'm all ears.”

Yeri remained silent for a few seconds before she laughs at him.

Seokjin came out from the back door of his cafe and walked straight to Taehyung's car and knocked on the window as he gestured him to roll it down. Instead of opening the window, Taehyung decided to come out of the car, followed by Yeri right after.

“Jimin is here,” Seokjin nodded his head to the side, gesturing to the cafe, “You guys are an hour late. He's been waiting like forever.”

Taehyung laughed, “Sorry, hyung. I got something to do at school before we actually can go home.”

“Tell that to Jimin.” Seokjin rolled his eyes as he took Yeri's hand, “Let's go.” He said as he walked her into the small but lovely cafe that he owned.

The cafe is not that crowded and Yeri can easily spot Jimin from where she stood. He was there, reading a book while sipping on his coffee. He was so focused until Seokjin came to him and pats his back, almost choking on his hot coffee.

“He almost killed me...” Jimin mumbled under his breath. 

“Sorry, Seokjin hyung is always like that,” Taehyung says as he took a seat in front of Jimin. “Yeri-ah, sit here.” He gestured her to take the empty seat next to him.

Yeri remained silent as she took the seat. Jimin greeted her with the calmest hello, the same as always. She gets it now. Taehyung purpose for taking her to Seokjin's cafe was this. It has been a while since she was involved in this session, she thinks she is getting better now.

Or so what she thought.

“Yerimie, how do you feel today?” Jimin asks, his eyes and smiles were calm but why is Yeri suddenly scared of him?

She tried her best not to feel anything and answered, “I'm fine.”

“Please come again,”

As soon as the last customer walked out from the convenience store, the boy behind the counter sigh in defeat as he walked towards the door and flipping the 'WELCOME! WE ARE OPEN.' to 'SORRY! WE ARE CLOSED.' sign on the door. He threw his hat on the counter as he loosened a few upper buttons of his turquoise uniform and begin to count the money they earned for the day at the cash register. When he was busy counting, a man in his fifty walked in through the back door as he turned the lights back on which the young man had turned it off before. He caught him in surprise, but the boy remained standing at his position.

“It is already late, Jungkook.“ He said as a cough escapes a few moments after he said that. “You should head back home.”

Jungkook chuckled, ignoring the man words. “The money won't count itself, old man.”

“You should worry about school.” The old man took a stool near the counter and sit on it. “Your uncle Yoongi said that you haven't been to school for a month now. That's really a huge concern.”

Jungkook stops from counting the money as he put it back into the cash register. “I don't like school.” He said as he pushed it closed. “Why should I go to a crappy place like that?”

The man sighs, unable to understand what is going on inside the teen's head. “I may be a century older than you, but I still know school is important for everyone. Jungkook, your uncle is worried about you.”

Jungkook snickered mockingly, “He should have worried about himself first, ” he mumbled under his breath and walked off from the cash register to the back of the store. The man sighs again and shakes his head as the figure of Jungkook disappeared when he walked out from the back door.

It was already midnight when he arrived at his apartment and as always his uncle is not home, again. The cold silence and darkness slapped onto his face soon after he pushes the door open but he already used to it. He closed the door again and pull his shoes off before walking towards the kitchen where the only light that will light up every single night. When Jungkook enters the kitchen, a cup of untouched ramen noodles greeted him and a pink post-it note was attached on top of it.

To: Jungkook

I will be out of the town for a day. Expecting to come back tomorrow at dawn. There are stocks of ramen noodles in the cupboard and 20,000 won pocket money if you want to eat something else. I'm sorry, I need to earn more money for us to live.

Uncle Yoongi

Jungkook clicked his tongue as he crumpled the piece of paper in his hand and threw it into the garbage can. “Money? My . You never earned a single cent.” He mumbled under his breath as he turned the kitchen lights off and strode to his own room. He flicked the light on and the messiness of his own room greeted him. Jungkook sighs softly as he started to collect the dirty clothes on the floor when a glimpse of the envelope he received from a certain classmate caught his attention.

He stares at it, wondering why she even bothers to send him the printouts.

And wondering why did he even bother to pick the printouts that day. 

He threw his body on the bed as he stares blankly at the ceiling. To think that she's brave enough to come here when everyone in his class never had the guts to come near him even for an inch.

“They do have someone like that in the class. I thought everyone was a coward.” Jungkook chuckled mockingly, recalling how people are scared of him. From the teachers to the students, everyone is the same - coward. And people's perspectives of him are always the same - delinquent, dropouts, killer, etc. He can't remember how many times he had been called like that. He can't remember how many times he was bullied in school because of the rumors of his parents.

He had lost count on literally everything.

So he chooses to be the bad guy. Although bullying has stopped, people perspectives are just getting worse. Jungkook doesn't care anymore. He chooses this way, he probably won't go back to his old lame and weak self. But was it the right way for him to conceal his past self? Jungkook doesn't want to know.

He got up from the bed and took the printouts out from the envelope, carefully putting it on his study table. There were only three subjects - Math, English, and Literature. The teacher sure knows his weak points.

 Author's note: Hey guys, I'm back! I'm sorry it took a while for me to update but here you go! I thought I should make a little angstier so I guess I'm going with a slight dark plot for the first few chapters because of the mentions of suicidal thoughts and depression.You will know why I include this and I hope you guys will be okay with it ^^