Chapter 1

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Auntum mark the transition from summer to winter, when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier, but last night rain fell so suddenly make the road dirtier, almost all yellow leaf on the tree leaving it branch, leave some of it which strong enough facing the rain that pouring hard last night. The after rain make the air cooler this morning. Sometimes wind blowing softly, make the leaf forced to leave the tree harshly by the wind, fly away to somewhere it doesn’t know. Leaving a crisp sound everytime a feet step on it, which surprisingly calming.

A boy take a leaf which just fall on the ground. His black hair flutter softly by the wind while he twirling the leaf, his big eyes inspect all the part of the leaf. He look up and breath out through his small pulm cherry lips.

Blinking his eyes for several time, looking at the blue sky. He look at the leaf in his hand again then hold it softly inside his palm. He walk toward the tree not far from where he had sat.

The boy standing looking up to the tree in front of him. He was clearly saw the leaf fall from the branch above his head. Looking at the tree give him an idea, he thought to climb the tree and attach the leaf back to its branch. He is aware what he just thought must be sound weird if people know, but he don't want to do nothing, when he know how it feels like forced to leave from a place called home. Regadless of whether the leaves have a mind of it's own or it have its own feeling or not.

The raven haired boy don't care about that. He feel like he need to do that. After all, that's the only thing he could do to comfort his heart. The boy looking around, make sure there is not much people pass by near where he is standing.

A couple walking toward him and he catch a words that come out from the girlfriend when the couple walked right behind him. She said “ a freak” and then both of them laughing. Heard that make the boy smile bitterly, although he is not sure if the words directed to him or not. But it still have an effect to him.

The raven haired boy decide to climb the tree without thinking any further again. Why he should feel ashmed? He don’t do anything that will make his parent can’t go out from their home. He just about to climb a tree, what's wrong with that? there is nothing wrong, and why he should care what people might think about what he is about to do? why he care? thought the raven haired boy while looking at the tree.

With that thought in mind the boy take out a bandage, a roll tape and other equipment from his bag. Zipped it closed, and lean it to the tree. He did a fast inspection to the tree, to draw a step up in his mind.

He start his first step, it was a bit slippery climbing a tree with a damp trunk from the rain last night without removing a glove and his shoes. After a few minutes struggle to not lose strenght on his arm and his grip, he manage to climb to his destination. He lying flat on his stomach on not so big trunk, and reach out his arm to the branch where the leaf was come from.

His tounge sticking out a bit when he concentrate reaching the branch, without causing many movement. He carefully hold the branch, while his other hand rumage his parka pocket to find the leaf, bandgae and a roll tape. He hold the bandge on his right hand which also hold the branch, the small tape on his mouth, and the leaf on his left hand.

His hand shaking softly for keep it mid air, but that’s the only way for him be able to connect the leaf on the branch. His breath hitched because his chest and stomach hold his position in one trunk, it start to hurt a bit actually, but he ignore it. He use his finger to start wraping the leaf to the branch using a bandage. His delicate hand around the branch for several time, until he feels like enough with the wrapping.

He move his right hand to a roll tape in his mouth. Sticking it to the wrapping branch, make one round on the branch, then let the rest of the roll tape hanging in the air. He take the scissor he was put on his parka right pocket.

“Oh” When his body shaken a bit because the strenght in his left hand almost give up.

The boy don’t know someone was watching him in full tension from under the tree. He is standing out of the black haired boy eyes could reach.

The black haired boy successfully take out the scisor, and cut the tape, let the rest fall to the ground. He let go the branch slowly, keeping his eyes on it for a few minutes, to make sure his wrapping was strong. Suddenly the wind blowing, make his body stiffened in anticipation. The wind shaking the leaf, make the boy holding his breath, a few second leter the leaf survive, make him sighed in relief. He call it enough and planning to get down from the tree.

He use both of his hand to lift his upper body carefully, struggle to push up the body in limited space make his right hand slipped from the trunk. His body unbalance to the left, send cold sensation all over his body in a second and make his heart stopped for a while. “I’m falling” what he has in mind when the gravity pull him down fast.

He manage to use his left hand to grab on the branch, but his left hand always betray his trust, it never has the same strenght as his right hand, at least he tried. Than flashes in his mind.“Broken bone? whatever” then his hand give away, and finally the gravitation could pulling him down fast. He closed his eyes, waiting for his body bumped hard with the ground.  Instead he feel something other than ground bellow his body,  the boy opened his eyes, looking to his left and saw a pair of leg, make his eyes widened. He turn his head to the right and saw a person face with a light blonde hair looking at him, his mouth fall open a bit.

“Uhk... can you move? I think you crushed my stomach. Fortunately I didn’t coughed up a blood” Said the blonde boy under him. The black haired boy lost in his own thought make him stay still where he fall, which make the blonde lift his head up a bit to see what the boy above him doing. The blonde sighed, let his head fall to the ground.

The words seeped through the black haired boy brain after a few second, make him abrubtly stand up, and immediately streched out his hand to helping the blonde to stand up from the ground. The blonde reach the black haired boy hand, instead lifting the other up, the black haired boy can’t bring himself to lift the other weight and ended up get pulled down again.

The black haired boy used both his hand between the other head, to prevent him from bumped head to head with his saviour.

For a few second they stay like that, looking into each other eyes. The black haired boy realized what kind of position he is in and stand up abruptly, again. The blonde folowed after, he brush off some dirt from his pants but it seems useles because his hands also dirtied which resulted more stain on his pants.

 The blonde take a glance to the boy in front of him who now give him his back. He let out a groan when he streach his arm up, make the black haired boy turn his body to look at the blonde, while feeling a sudden guilt when he look at the blonde condition because he was turned his back to him instead of saying thank you or checking if the blonde is fine.

“Thank’s to you, I think I have an excuse to not go to school tomorow” said the blonde boy in sarcastic tone. Make the boy in front of him look at him a little confused.

“Oh.. okay” said the black haired boy. Then silence. He is not listening to what the blonde said and just answered whatever come to his mind, his eyes fixated to the scars on the blonde arm.

The blonde look at him dumbfounded. His lips opened slightly, his eyes widen a bit because of the shock. He then laughed, surprised the black haired boy from his thought

“ oh..okay” the blonde mimicked the black haired boy words. That’s make the black haired boy titled his head to the left a bit, he don’t understand why the blonde copying his words.

“Isn’t normally, people will say thank you when someone help them?” the blonde said, his smile was awkward. He look at the black haired boy in front of him.

“ah! sorry. Thank you so much” said the black haired boy, followed with bowing his head gesturing his sincerity.

“What the hell with this guy?” the blonde said under his breath, so that the black haired boy won’t cath what he is saying.

The dellaying in the black haired boy words, make the blonde think his words was not sincere.

“Yeah.. whatever” the blonde shake his head and turn around, he take his phone that fall on the ground earlier. He is about to leave but halted after a few step. He gritted his teeth, and clicked his tounge, then turn around and huffed once, looking at the black haired boy with annoyed look.

“You!- “ the blonde trailed off, thinking if should he say it or not.

The black haired boy raised his eyebrows, then poiting at himself.

“What about.... me?” the black haired boy said, looking at the blonde in front of him who now give him “are you kidding me”Face.

“ You.. what’s wrong with you? “ the blonde said, pointing his finger to the black haired boy.

“Me? What’s wrong with me?” the black haired boy confused by his question.

“First, what’s the use of patching the leaf that already fall to it’s branches? I still can’t understand your logic” the blonde said, he is aware that his words is a bit harsh. But he need to know, or it will bugging him all day.

The black haired boy raised his eyebrows, his orb looking around trying to find an excuse to get away from the question.

“Two, what’s with your tone of talking? I don’t hear sincerity on your ‘thank you’. It’s my first time meet a person like you”

The black haired boy gulped a lump in his throat and scratching his cheek, again trying thinking of an excuse to get away from the question the blonde throw to him.

“What? You don’t have an answer for both of my question?” the blonde scoffed “Woah.. unbelievable” he rolled his eyes, felt annoyed to the person in front of him.

“I just-“ the black haired boy said, but before he can continue his words he got cut off by the blonde.

“Who’s your name?” the blonde question make the black haired boy takken a back.

“What? Name? For what?” the black haired feel kind of scared, so he take two step back.

The blonde clicked his tounge, and walk toward the black haired boy with fast step. The black haired boy shocked and about to run, but the blonde cought his arm first. He start cheking all pocket on the black haired clothes, make the later freeze in the spot because of what happening to him. the blonde find what he search. He take out a black wallet from the jacket of the black haired boy.

The black haired boy try to reach out his wallet, when he regain from his shock. But fail as the blonde slap his arm gently. The blonde start opened his wallet and take out a card.

“Joen jungkook. 15th years old?! You’re younger than me? and you talk like that to me?!” said the blonde then take back the student card, to where it was placed. He give back the wallet back to the black haired boy, which he take it fast.

The blonde watch him put the wallet to the jacket and notice something on his hands.

“Ya! I-isn’t that blood on your palm?” said the blonde shocked looking at the blood on jungkook right palm.

Jungkook look down to his hand, and hide it in his jacket. He is about to leave the blonde behind. He is too nosy and annoying. But he forced to stop when a hand grabbed his elbow.

His body turned around with force by the hand that hold his elbow.

“Are you ignoring me after what I’ve done to you?”

“Let go” jungkook said

“ Okay, I know I’m being nosy. But you can’t let that wound untreated “ said the blonde, he pull jungkook hand.

“Let go!” jungkook raise his tone a bit. But the blonde still not let his hand go.

“Let me see it” the blonde removing the gloves jungkook wearing with difficulty because jungkook struggling to get away from the blonde.

Once the glove where jungkook hand wounded removed, the blonde take a look at the wound. But surprised when he lose his balance because of a hand pushing him hard, make him fall to the ground.

Jungkook breathing hard, looking at the blonde with shock mixed scared reflected from his eyes.

Looking at that the blonde felt guilty for forcing someone he just meet like that. He doesn’t mean any harm to the later even though the black haired boy made him annoyed. But that’s not the cause he did all of that. He just couldn’t ignore it.

The blonde stand up, looking toward jungkook apologetically.

“I’m sorry, I-I doesn’t mean any harm to you,but your reaction was... that doesn’t matter now. You really need to treat that wound, it keep bleeding”

Jungkook mind calmed down a bit, he looked down to his bleeding hand. Then looking at the gloves he was wearing, jungkook lift his hand until chest level, and look at the wound on his palm.

Jungkook was deep in his thought, not noticing the blonde walk closer to him, holding a handkerchief.

Jungkook notice two feet in front of him, then look up to the person in front of him.

Jungkook stared at him thinking, will his hands still has an effect even when it’s wounded? Jungkook watch the blonde hands which holding a handkerchief, he want to try it and find out the answer, but feel scared how if the wound don’t have any effect?

“My name taehyung, I’m really sorry for my action before. Let me wrapped it to stop the bleeding, then we can go to the nearest clinic” taehyung said.

Jungkook was too deep in his thought, he didn’t hear what the slightly tall blonde said to him. His eyes fixated on taehyung hand, which now hold the back of his right hand.

Jungkook want those hand to grip his hand, not just hold his back hand. He want to know, really want to know what will happen. Maybe with that he can find a way out to escape from his curse.

Jungkook flip his bare right hand where there is a wound, and hold taehyung hand.

Taehyung shocked when jungkook flip his hand, and hold his, It was gentle and slippery because of the blood at first, but in the next second the grip become strong, then jungkook hand slipped away which made him a bit surprised, a few second later he see the black haired boy fall on his knees.

 

An isntant sharp pain stab his head, it feels like someone trying to split open his head. Breath caught on his throat, his entire body stiffened in respone of the pain.

“Hey! What happen?!” taehyung panicked looking at jungkook reaction.

People who hurt his palm, then hold the other hand wouldn’t react like this, taehyung thought.

Taehyung squat down and shake jungkook shoulder, trying to make the black haired boy come back to his sense. But his only respone is just a whine, which sound like he is crying.

“Did he react like that, because of the pain from his wound? What he was thinking to did that then?” taehyung thought reffering to when jungkook hold his hand hard.

Taehyung is about to open his mouth and nagging the boy in front of him. But surprised when he meet with a pair of brown eyes, looking straight at him. For a second he shudders looking at those eyes. Taehyung wonder how can he suddenly calming down.

“V” jungkook said. Taehyung taken a back when he heard that nickname. Anger mixed frightened eyes, looking toward jungkook.

It’s been a long time he didn’t heard that nickname and there is not much people know that nickname. Taehyung thinking how does the stranger in front of him know that nickname?  The nickname he hate so much.

“Y-you, who are you?” said taehyung with trembling lips.

“ I really hope you didn’t do that to my dad, because of that we can’t meet again in the near future, take care of yourself “ jungkook said, after told him that jungkook head and his shoulder slumped down.

Taehyung remember those words, taehyung remember who told him that, but he don’t understand how can this stranger know their conversation?

Taehyung heart beat start to picking up, his face turning pale, he slightly get dizzy when an old memory flashed in his mind. He was tried hard to move on after those accident. But here he is, struggling again by the words of the strangers.

Jungkook body sway, and fall to the front. Bumped his head to taehyung shoulder which make taehyung jerked back a bit. Taehyung hold jungkook body from slip away on his side in instinct. Eyes empty looking pass jungkook head.

When the sound of black haired boy breathing reach taehyung ears, taehyung back to his sense. Jungkook hot breath hitting his collar bone unexpectedly calmed him a bit.

Jungkook opened his eyes, blinking for several time try to adjust with his surounding. When he realize his head was leaned on someone, he jerked back make him lose balance with the sudden move.

Jungkook use both of his hand to prevent him from fall. But he forgot about the injuried on his right palm. An instan pain shoot through his hand to his head. He retreat his right hand fast, let his body fall to the side bumped his right shoulder in the process.

Jungkook moaned, because of the pain he felt from his whole body. He turn his body so that he can lay down on the ground, don’t care anymore about the dirt which stain his clothes and hair.

Jungkook thinking while holding his right hand to his chest, if he hurt someone feeling today or a week ago? Because he was reading this book in city library, in that book said, if you hurt someone feeling and that someone can’t forgive you, they typically wish something bad happen to the person who hurt him/her.

Just the thought about that already made him sighed, because he can’t think of anyone. He then thinking about how he can go home with his appearance right now? Dirty clothes, dirty hair.

Taehyung stand up from his place, and dragged his feet to walk away from there. His mind blank, his whole body aches. An old scars opened with just some sentence.

 

He is sitting on the bench at the bus stop near the garden, don’t care about how people look at him. He is aware the reason why people give him that look, its because of his clothes which had stains here and there. But he can’t care for that right now. What he felt since 30 minutes ago was the urge to scream and clawing his heart. For the sake to not lose control, he grip the edge of the bench hard. Eyes train to look toward the busy road.

“What kind of message is this?” someone who has brown ash hair showed his phone to taehyung “Don’t ever messaging me with something like this, I’ve got enough looking at someone died” he said.

“Hyung...” taehyung look at the brown ash haired man with tired eyes. Make the brown ash haired man frowned looking at him.

“ What’s wrong?” he said worried written all over his face “What happened to your clothes?”

“Namjonie hyung-“ taehyung trailed off “Is there a possibility that woman tell the others before she died?” taehyung grabbed namjoon clothes, clutch at it.

“Woman? Are you talking about that woman?” Namjoon ask knowing who the woman taehyung talking about, taehyung nodded as his answer.

“He said the same thing like what she was said to me hyung...” taehyung said, massaging his temple with his right hand.

“he? who is it you’re talking about?” namjoon become more and more confused by taehyung ramble.

“Someone who made me like this” taehyung said, while pointing to himself.

“Do you know him?”

Taehyung shaking his head as his answer, while namjoon expression change into serious one.

“But there was something strange about him” taehyung bring his right hand to his tample and massage it again “But my mind felt hazy right now, I can’t pin point what strange about that person”

Namjoon sugested taehyung to resting which taehyung agree to it immediately. In his way home with namjoon, taehyung think how amazing what the person named jungkook did to him in just a few hours.

Jungkook beat taehyung in and out without having any intention to do it. Taehyung smiling at the thought. He closed his eyes, sinking his body deep to the passanger seat, let the machine sound lull and took him away to dreamland.

 

 

Today is like disaster for jungkook, not just his body that in pain, but he was exhausted mentally. He took a walk to get home, since he didn’t have a choice to take a bus or a taxi.

If he take a bus to go home, he is sure he will attract the attention of the other passanger, not because his look but because of how dirty he was looked. A taxi not an option too, he don’t have that much money in his wallet right at that moment.

He avoid the main road to his place called home and used a shortcut way. Which  fortunately nothing happened to him until he reach his small apartement.

Jungkook take off his shirt, and throw it to the bucket near the washing machine, then following his under shirt, pants, and boxer. Leaving his underwear he stepping into bathroom to cleaning himself.

While in the shower, jungkook keep looking at his right hand. His intention to harm his palm was not an option, if he do that it will just give him more than what he can handle.

Jungkook let the water rinse the wounded palm, it sting of course. But jungkook kind of like it. It’s a proof he is still alive. He need to stay alive until he fullfiled his reason to keep living.

As hard as he can to control his mind and feeling, he always lose when a certain memories flashed in his mind. Jungkook take a deep breath, trying to calm down and think about another things. But the copper smell of a blood that washed away by the water, also created steam that floating away through the air duct, he can’t avoid to breath in the air, which make him lose control.

Playing in his brain a memory of someone screaming, of someone soaked in blood. He bring up both of his hand, and covering his ears. Trying to dulled down the screaming voice in his head, which actually the screaming was coming from himself.

Jungkook opened his eyes, just to find himself sat on the bathroom tile, panting hard. He tried to calm his breath and escaping from the bad memories. He stay there for a few minutes before struggling his way to stand up by supporting his body to the bathroom wall, and make his way out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.

He throw his own body to the bed, thinking maybe sleep will help him get rid of his headache. He sighed before drifted away to sleep or fainted. He is not sure about that.

 

Jungkook startled wake up from his slumber because of his alarm, just to find his whole body ache. He groaned while pushing himself up, because he need to go to school. He felt a sharp pain from his right hand, make him remember about what was happened.

He dragg himself to get ready for school, ignoring the fact about his dizziness he felt and heavy body. He go to school like nothing serious happened to his body. Keep pushing his limit, until he himself don’t know anymore where is his limit.