"Where's Yugyeom?" Jungkook heard the curious question.

He was curious too. Jungkook had not seen him that day.

"He left," Jaehyun said.

There was something about guilt that makes your stomach churn painfully restless, something about it that makes your mouth run dry, your palm sweaty, your head heavy and your eyes shifty. It makes you feel ty and Jungkook was feeling unbearably ty now.

"I didn't see his name on the list," the boy added thoughtfully.

"Because he's not there," Jaehyun said easily.

"Is that why he left?" The boy asked, "A pity. I saw him play a few times; thought he was good enough to make the team. Is it because he's a freshman?"

"Because he played sloppy while everyone else gave their best at the try-outs. Who was he hoping to impress?" Jaehyun said, unapologetic.

"It's not fair that they're only basing it on one game. He has always played well, better than most." the boy said and Jungkook agreed.

"You only get one game to win the championship. So, what if he does well every time during practice but couldn't perform at play-offs?" Jaehyun said, cutting.

"He is your friend." Jungkook reminded; he could not ignore the backhanded remarks about Yugyeom.

"The way he isn't yours?" Jaehyun jumped at Jungkook then, eyes sharp, words sharper still.

"I never said that," Jungkook said annoyed. He was not the one blatantly shoving Yugyeom into the mud and to be accused by said man did not sit right.

"But you meant that." Jaehyun pressed, "I was there. I heard everything you said."

And the reminder of his sins broke the quiet water under the bridge as if it were a drowning man finally breaking through the surface for air. Jungkook had been pushing the thoughts down for the weekends. He was surprised it lived as it did, screaming and wreaking havoc. He had never been one to avoid problems before, but he also had never been the one at the hilt of a bloodied blade before.

Jungkook shifted slightly on his feet when it felt like his entire skin crawled.

"You know I don't mean that," Jungkook said.

"Do I?" Jaehyun challenged, "Whenever you're with us, you look like you have better places to be at. You don't hang with us or talk to us unless you had to. Isn't it because you feel that you're too good for us?"

"I... was busy," Jungkook said.

"Right you are, and we're not," Jaehyun scoffed, "That's an excuse you give to someone, not your friend. I got the message loud and clear the last time; you don't have to repeat yourself. I'm not as stupid as Yugyeom."

"I get that you're angry with me," Jungkook said, "But why are you so angry with him?"

"Because! He's always been stupid like this—cared for people who don't give a damn and I'm sick of it!" Jaehyun spat, "Should have kept his head in the game like we told him to. Not run off to find you. Should have laid low like we told him to. Not grovel for you in front of the coaches! They already hated his guts enough for being late. For what? To get  from you?" Jaehyun was so close that Jungkook felt his anger crackling on his skin.

A tiny crowd was starting to form around them, but Jaehyun was heedless.

"I'm sorry," Jungkook said quietly.

"That you're his friend?" Jaehyun replied, caustic, "Don't bother yourself. That's his fault."

'Are they fighting? 'What's going on?'  'What's this about this time?' Jungkook heard the guileless questions whispered around. The reminder of an audience made anger surge in him. There was no reason for Jaehyun to get all the way up in his face, worked up, like a possessive girlfriend. As far as Jungkook knew, Jaehyun had not even been a proper friend to Yugyeom up until a few months ago.

Jungkook sidled closer so the malicious words he would say were lost to the rest of them, "Why are you so angry? I don't see any of his other friends attack me the way you do. Are you jealous of me? You in love with him or something?"

Jaehyun's expression turned entirely baleful, he jerked Jungkook forward, "Go screw yourself, you damn bastard!"

Jungkook forcefully removed the lapels of his white shirt from Jaehyun's fist, "What happened back then? Seeing you're so affected; you must have been a bastard to him too."

There was a temporary surprise that coloured Jaehyun's expression, and Jungkook knew he had hit a sore spot.

"He. Was. Late," Jaehyun's angry finger jabbed hard at his creased shirt, "That's all the coach needed to know about his character. He won't make the team now, or ever. And he can thank you for that."

"Jaehyun!" a boy surged from among the crowd, bigger now, to stand between them, a warning hand on Jaehyun, "Stop it."

Jungkook realised that it was Mingyu later, that night as he laid awake studying the run-down like he would flip his first coin back and forth. Mingyu, the boy who had to ride out the consequences for having too much attention on him.

But Jaehyun was not done.

"You don't even know how to be sorry. At least I know how to count my favours," Jaehyun continued, rage unbridling like a careful braid untangling.

Jungkook wanted to argue that he counted his favours well too. He had been just as careful, had weighed them in kind like a scrooge. Probably for longer too, because he started as soon as he knew how to count his money. When he was five, when he barely had anything for himself, even less for kind Yein who was always sharing her lunch, when he would rather keep the precious penny, he had found than buy a pencil, he had bought Yein her favourite chocolate.

Mingyu stopped them before Jungkook could say anything.

"Jaehyun; you're on the team dammit," Mingyu hissed, grabbing him by the nook of his elbow, pulling him firmly away from Jungkook, "The coaches are around."

Jaehyun shrugged him off harsher than needed, "Get lost," he told Mingyu.

"Get your  together. Hit a wall or something. Alone," Mingyu told him, and that sobered him. Jaehyun's gaze wandered to find the many anxious, curious, joyous eyes on him.

For a measured while, Jaehyun did not say a word. Then, he stormed away; shoulders stiff and the crowd parted for him easily as if scorched by the heat of his fury.

Jungkook felt Mingyu's brief scrutiny on him before he too left, his figure disappearing after Jaehyun's. The people around him fell away quickly when he ignored their probing questions. There was nothing else to see; only him.

All Jungkook's life, it had always been him stabbed, heart bleeding, blood flowing. It had been him with blood on his hands this time. He had run a blade through a person who had his back trustingly on him, merciless. He felt the fear so acutely; more than ever. But something said during the fight, though, gave him hope. If it had been true that Jaehyun had wronged Yugyeom like he had guessed, then all it might take to right the wrong was a simple apology.

So, Jungkook missed classes for this. He had waited for Yugyeom here for the better part of the day; had not budged until his own shadows had grown longer than him and the sun had lost most of its bite and Yugyeom was still nowhere to be seen. Because this felt monumental. Like there was something left for him to save. And if, he did not find Yugyeom that day, it would feel like he was the one to snuff out the dying ember. Jungkook was not sure if he could forgive himself then. So, he kept waiting.

They had told him he would catch Yugyeom here. 'The parking lot east of the main building.' 'Find the most expensive-looking car. You'll find him.' They had hollered after him, laughing at something he did not get.

He tried to appear nonchalant as he waited by the shiny red car. People walked by and once in a while, he would get some questioning eyes.

Jungkook kicked the gravels with his aged shoes, hands in pockets, but the sight of a set of slippered feet pausing in front of his made him groan internally. He wished them away and would have continued ignoring them had they not stopped there for an uncomfortable span of time. Jungkook, with dread, traced them up to a face.

The sight of the somewhat familiar face eased a little of his distress.

Her.

The sun girl.

He thought he knew her. But he had never known her from this distance before; had never seen her so close he would remember details to draw her by memory, like the slope of her nose bridge, or the deep set of her eyes. So close, if he were to just stretch his arm a little, he would touch her, could even brush away the lone eyelash that had fallen on her cheekbone.

"Can I help you with something?"

Jungkook started.

"No," he said.

"Okay," she said.

But when no one moved, she asked, "Are you waiting for someone here?"

"Yeah," he said and willed her away.

But she prodded, "Who? Maybe I can help."

"Yugyeom," he found himself telling her.

"Ah," She said in recognition, as if she knew Yugyeom, "Does he know you're waiting?"

"No." He frowned after her, baffled.

"I don't think you'll find him here," she gave him a sorry smile. But there was no reason for her to be sorry and Jungkook was a little disconcerted by her exaggerated niceties.

"How would you know?" He questioned. Because why was she sure they were the same person; so sure, that he would not find Yugyeom here?

"I know him; he's a friend." She explained but her words felt mocking. 'She knew and he hadn't because she was a friend, and he wasn't,' she seemed to say.

"How do you know it's the same person?" he said, again.

"I saw him with you...once. Am I wrong? Is there someone else you know with that name?"

"No; there isn't," he said, reluctant.

"If you want...." She started carefully, "I can call him for you."

She waited not for a breath before she was already dialling a number on her phone. She must have crossed some line, but she was too puzzling for him to give any other thoughts he had of her, the spotlight. How was she like that? Gentle like a morning breeze and strong like a reigning wind at the same time. Talked to him so softly as though she was afraid to spook him, but wedged past his doors, cared for his wants nought.

She turned herself away from Jungkook as if she were to give Yugyeom her undivided attention the way she had his.

"Yugyeom?" Jungkook heard her greet over the phone. Her familiarity struck him hard. It felt like his reality and not-quite fantasy collided into a mesh of confusing colours he did not know to pick apart. She was supposed to be just a picture he saw from afar.

"Nothing...it's just someone is looking for you and I think it's important," he heard her say. She did it again. Her words did not string together for him. How did she presumptuously deduce it was something important without asking but then, was so careful to talk about him because she was aware that she did not know him?

"Not sure," but she said it so surely that no one would follow up on the question. He wondered what Yugyeom asked, "Can I give him your address?" he heard her say.

Pause.

"Okay, text it to me." She said, then, she hung up.

Quickly, she went over her phone. Then, finding what she was looking for, she brought it closer to him, showing him the screen, "He's not home, but he's gonna be at this place for a while. He gave me an address. Do you want a picture of it?"

"He told you that so easily? He didn't ask who you're giving it to?"

"He did ask," she said, slowly, then, "I didn't think that was important; I'm sorry. Did you want me to give him your name?"

"No, it's fine," he acquiesced and pulled his phone out of his back pocket. It seemed that for all the lines she had crossed, she did not quite overstep her boundaries with him. He could not quite fault her, and it irked him a little. How did she know him so well to know exactly where to stop?

Then, he wondered if he had been a stranger to her like she was to him. Just how close was she to Yugyeom; what kind of secrets did he share? Had she heard about him and how much did she know about him from the man she called friend. That thought made him uncomfortable and Jungkook did want to prolong this for more.

"Thank you for your help. I need to go now," he quickly thanked her, then even quicker turned to walk away.

"Dahyun!" He almost fell, trying to avoid an exuberant girl running in his direction him.

Jungkook whipped his head around to search for the owner of the name only to see the sun girl smiling widely, welcoming the call like it was her name.

Jungkook froze. Once again, his worlds collided, and it was dizzying. They were separate fragments he kept away from his reality, but they were not supposed to fit a puzzle to make a clearer picture. They were not supposed to both be Dahyun.

"Is that the guy that waited for you for the whole day?" He heard Dahyun's friend ask.

Jungkook forced himself to walk away so he would not be caught awkwardly by the side, eavesdropping. But he moved slow, so he could hear the conversation for longer.

"He didn't wait for me," he heard Dahyun clarify.

"Then why was he waiting in front of your car? Everyone thought he was your secret boyfriend or something. Why are you hiding him? He's not bad. You could do worse," she approved teasingly.

"Shh!" She hushed her friend desperately, embarrassed, but did not correct her, that was the last he heard of the conversation.

Honestly, the things said about him between them had not left a bad taste for him but something else did. How had the news about him waiting spread so fast that it reached even people that had not known him; should have no care to talk about him?