Chapter 1

     Jungkook's life had never been easy.

     After his father passed away in middle school, he and his older brother had to support his mother so the family would survive. His mother ran a public bath house after the passing of her husband to support the family but that wasn't enough for her to support three children, especially Jungkook, who had his entrance exams coming ahead. Jungkook's brother was attending University on a scholarship while working two jobs to help pay for his sister's tuition.

     Jungkook's 11-year-old sister attended a private school for her brains, and although it was hard in their situation, neither Jungkook, his brother, or their mother wanted her to drop out and go to a regular school.

Jungkook didn't exactly fancy this life; he had his dreams too.

He had always dreamt of working at a broadcasting station as a Producer.

     His life was busy enough helping his mother at the public spa as well as studying for his entrance exams. There was no space in his life to producing anything let alone have a dream.

Tomorrow was the first day of school, the start of his senior year. 

     Jungkook sighed and opened the creaking door to his apartment and glanced at the guttering light at the ceiling. The owner still hadn't changed the lightbulb for months, but it wasn't something he could complain about. They were about to be behind on their bills and on the verge of being kicked out; he couldn't dare complain about a bulb. He checked the mailbox and grabbed the envelopes.

"Why're you always home so late?" Jieun asked from behind.

Jieun was the girl who lived a storey above him. 

"What do you mean," he said with a grin. "I always end work this late."

"You're working even on the day before school?" Jieun said with a frown. "Sheesh, take a break man."

Jungkook laughed at her daily dose of talks.

     Jieun was his oldest friend. Jungkook moved into this apartment to start his kindergarten year and Jieun peeped from above, curiously staring at Jungkook who grabbed at his mother's sleeves as he watched the men move the furniture into the house. 

To the little Jungkook, Jieun was the little girl who helped him crawl out of his shell.

"You should ask the owner lady to change the bulb," Jungkook said lightly. "It's dangerous to go up and down the stairs."

"But you live on the first floor," Jieun said.

"I'm talking about you, idiot." 

"Whatever," she muttered. "Be out by 8.A.M tomorrow."

     She waved him goodbye. Jungkook watched until she safely walked into her door and proceeded to his door, pinching in the password. There was a creepy old man who lived opposite him; he would always watch Jieun from the bottom with weird eyes. He did nothing, but there was something about him that bothered him. 

"I'm home," Jungkook greeted and saw the living room light turned off. 

     There was faint talking coming from his mother's room mixed with his brother's voice. His brother's voice got louder and his mother started screaming over him. Jungkook sighed and rushed over to the room. His brother Jung-hoon had been fighting with mom a lot lately and it was hard for Jungkook to step in and stop the fight every time.

"It's just this one time!" Junghoon yelled at his mother who looked even more furious.

"How many times have you pushed back your graduation?! How can you miss the scholarship?!"

     Jungkook sighed. They were fighting over Jung-hoon's scholarship again. Junghoon was a fourth year in College, and Junghoon had survived all four years on scholarships because the family just could not support Junghoon and Jung-eun, their sister at the same time. Junghoon would usually never miss his scholarships but once in a while, he would miss it and end take a withdrawal for the semester. 

"Then what am I supposed to do?!" Junghoon screamed. "I didn't miss this scholarship because I wanted to!"

"So you're going to take another withdrawal?! Are you out of your mind? This is your fourth withdrawal this time!"

"I'm trying my hardest too," Junghoon teared up. "It's hard for me too."

"You should have tried harder." his mother shot. Junghoon sighed and grabbed his jacket, rushing past Jungkook and running out the door. 

Jungkook no longer had the energy to chase after his brother or talk his mother into try understanding Junghoon. 

"I'm home," Jungkook said quietly and retreated to his room, throwing himself on his bed.

Without much thought, Jungkook closed his eyes and fell right asleep.

--

     Jungkook opened his eyes and the sun was slowly rising.

He groaned a little and got up from his bed, staring at the window.

He got ready for school and got his school uniform on, staring at himself in the mirror. His sleeves were already getting short; that's how hand-me-downs always were. 

"I'm going to school," Jungkook said as he left.

     A smile crept up his face when he saw Jieun waiting for him by the door. Her bobbed hair rested just above her shoulders and when she tucked her hair behind her ears, her milky skin would radiate the dark gloomy apartment.

Jungkook's heart skipped a beat when she smiled at him and threw him a bread.

"What's this?" he stared at the bread. 

"You always skip breakfast when your mom has a fight," she said nonchalantly. "You're already skinny as it is."

"How did you.." Jungkook sighed. "Sorry, my mom and Junghoon are very loud."

"I'm used to it," she laughed. "I've heard it for the past 10 years."

     Jungkook smiled. There was no one who knew him as well as Jieun and no one who knew her as much as him. He unwrapped the packaging from the bread and took a bite, walking alongside Jieun as they headed to school.

"Do you think we'll be in the same class again this year?" Jieun asked, yawning.

"Probably," Jungkook shrugged. "We had similar grades last year."

     "Right? I thought-" Jieun fell to the ground because of a boy who ran right into her. Jieun landed first on the ground and groaned as the boy hissed in pain and got up with a face very pissed off.

"What the fuc-" the boy screamed but stopped when he saw Jieun get up and stare at him. 

The boy's eyes softened and were fixed on Jieun's face as she wiped the dust off her .

"Ouch.." Jieun groaned.

"Are you okay? I..I'm sorry," the boy stuttered as his eyes were fixed on Jieun with a small grin creeping up his face.

Jungkook stared at the boy; he was wearing the same school uniform as them. 

Park Ji-hoon, read his name tag as the boy fixed his eyes on Jieun the whole time.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Ji-hoon asked as he tried to grab Jieun's hand.

     "She's fine," Jungkook slapped his hand off and stood beside Jieun, staring right into Ji-hoon's eyes. The two exchanged unknown glances before Ji-hoon nodded lightly and smiled, focusing on Jieun again.

"You also go to Dong-lim high?" Ji-hoon asked with a bright smile. 

"Y..eah," Jieun said awkwardly. "Seeing the uniform, you too?"

Jihoon nodded innocently, never losing his smile. "I'm a second year."

"Right," Jieun nodded awkwardly. "Well.. then, goodbye." 

"I'm new to this town, so I don't know how to get to school. Can I walk with you?" 

Jieun and Jungkook exchanged glances before Jieun nodded with a light smile. 

Jihoon pushed in-between Jungkook and walked beside Jieun, his eyes focused on Jieun the whole time as the two walked with smiles on their face.

Jungkook followed from behind, staring at Jieun. 

"Wait for me," Jungkook chased after them, hiding the bitterness he felt.