Written in the Stars

Prologue:

Since the beginning of time (or at least since the time of his birth), Jin had always known he was destined for greatness.

Whether it was by working for a successful company, or perhaps becoming an entrepreneur, the self-assured, privileged boy had always been certain that he would be living a life of luxury by the time he was thirty. How exactly, he wasn’t certain, but his parents’ plan had always seemed rather simple to him. 

According to them, life was very simple. One just had to be ready for it.

“Jin, there’s a boy in this class desperately in need of your help.”

They had always told him the same formula afterall: study, graduate, then study again. Life was rational, predictable, and concrete. Keep your mind firmly planted to reality, and there would be no surprises.

“He’s a very bright kid, but he’s been struggling in mathematics recently. I think he needs someone as mature as you to coax him back into his studies.”

Eccentricity and imagination was a waste of time, unless it was for a literature assignment. Life was a never ending test, but like all tests, it could be studied for. Learn mathematics, not the arts, then retire early; although, you should be a millionaire by that point.

“Will you tutor him?”

Predictable, certainly.

“He’s the blonde one in the corner.”

Be calm and rational.

“Of course I’ll tutor him, Miss Jung.” 

Yes, regardless of what exactly he would end up doing, Jin had always thought that it would be something very easy, routine, and fantastic. Going towards that goal would be fairly simple –just a few tests and exams- if everything went according to plan.

“Hi, I’m Jin, your new tutor.” 

“Your eyes are so dark. They make me want to dissect you.”

 “…Excuse me?”

“You’re fascinating, really.”  

So, it was quite safe to say that becoming the tutor of Kim Taehyung, the most eccentric, bizarre, and nonsensical student on the planet, and being expected to teach him something as rational and boring as mathematics…

…was not exactly the life obstacle Jin had in mind.

&

Part One: In Dreams

“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere.”
― Carl Sagan

Taehyung dreamed in abstract images of lands far beyond the realm of reality.

Small, diminutive, spots of realism oftentimes found their way in, but his conjured up worlds were usually more along the lines of fantasy. Vivid colors etched their way across his vision and whispered their intentions in his ears, morphing his subdued nightlife into one of secrecy and beauty. 

Taehyung leaned his head back and let his dream winds wash over him, sighing deeply as he did. The winds here were gentle and elusive, unlike the winds in the real world, almost seeming to shimmer as they filled the dream with their essence.

The blonde teenager smiled, letting the cold air linger at his fingertips.

Dreams were truly more breathtaking than reality.

Up above the 16 year old, a sheer, white sky beamed down, illuminating the glowing surface of the Earth with bright lights and embers. The world was quiet here, awaiting. Everything around it seemed to twinkle like stars, causing a soothing, delighting mood to disperse. Placid music and floral scents wafted from the distance as gentle showers began to fall, seemingly out of nowhere. The crystal drops pecked at the boy’s features and Taehyung laughed, catching the rain on his tongue. The water here was sweet and refreshing, and the dreamer shuddered happily, sighing. The surrounding backdrop glistened with newfound dewdrops, each droplet dancing on flowers so tantalizingly delicate, it could only be described as ethereal.

Taehyung stared at it with eyes filled with awe, reaching forward with a smile.

This was truly a world only for the dreamers.

&

Busy hallways and inconsiderate students were just two unescapable parts of Jin’s life, so the older boy had not even flinched when two girls, clad in gray uniforms, had shoved past him on their way to class, nearly trampling him in the process. 

No, on this particular morning, the dark-haired T.A was simply one of the many teenagers running around in pursuit of that certain someone. Today was Tuesday afterall: the day he was supposed to tutor the alien, and the older boy was tied to his responsibilities. Pausing, Jin held onto his stomach tightly, attempting to block out the throbbing cramps as he puffed. The older boy had run around all morning, allegedly in order to fulfill his obligations, and couldn’t help but feel slightly betrayed. 

When his teacher had first assigned Jin the seemingly simple task of tutoring a student, the T.A had never thought he would end up like this…

Jin placed his hands on his hips in exhaustion as he took a quick breather, scanning the endless sea of students in front of him. All around, hues of muted darkness took their place among the masses, yet the older boy could not find that familiar bob of blonde hair anywhere. The older boy sighed; breaths labored and heavy. The boy he had labeled “the alien” was usually at his locker, doodling, but that was not the case today.

A couple girls giggled as Jin gave a yell of frustration, yanking his hair. He was hungry, sleep-deprived, and now tired from running, yet Kim Taehyung was still nowhere to be found. How ironic was it that he, so well-known in the school for being rational, was acting so uncharacteristically irrational today?

This was all simply too much to bear.

Sighing, Jin leaned over and huffed as two students walked by him. The morning was dull and gray, yet these two seemed bright, snickering as they talked. The T.A eyed them suspiciously, narrowing his eyes. They were hooligans, he was sure; their appearance screamed it. One was taller, darker, and clad with sunglasses, while the other was pale and short, but both students seemed to be gossiping about the same scandalous subject.

“Dude, did you see that one kid asleep in the soccer field?” The shorter laughed, turning to the other. His voice was high and obnoxious, grating at the T.A’s ears. “Poor sophomore, he’s probably getting beat up right now,” he chortled. “What the was he doing sleeping in the soccer team’s territory of all places?”

The other just shrugged, fixing his sunglasses. “Beats me, man. Obviously the kid isn’t very smart,” he snorted. “I mean, he’s in some of my dumb classes, so that clearly says something.”

Leaning forward and burying his hands in his deep pockets, the taller let his uniform slump down, not bothering to fix it. The boy seemed preoccupied in a way, as if something was bothering him, and he darkened because of it. After a while, he finally turned to the shorter and tapped his back, frowning slightly. 

“But Suga, you know what’s strange, man?” he inquired hesitantly, looking down. “He’s my classmate, frickin seatmate, and I think I might have asked him for a pen at some point, yet I still don’t even know the kid’s name. Honestly, I’ve been thinking about it all morning, and it’s been bothering me.”

He growled slightly. “What’s the kid’s damn name!?” he raged. “Taeyang or some ?”

The pale boy just scowled and smacked the taller. “What the hell bro?” he snapped. “That’s the member of Bigbang.”

“Oh yeah.”

“You idiot.”

Jin scoffed as the two walked away, shaking his head. He had never understood hooligans and their inordinate interest in other’s pain.

Folding his arms, the older boy let himself blend into the sea of gray uniforms, sighing softly. Another girl almost ran into him, but Jin just stepped aside, inattentive. The school was endless and flowing around him, yet the alien was nowhere to be seen. Jin kicked at the ground grouchily. Seriously, where was Taehyung? The T.A had never been more frustrated in his life. Even after making several rounds around the school already, the blonde was still missing, and that irritated him to no end.

Biting his lip, the older boy hurriedly ran down the crowded hallways of the South Korean highschool and continuously ran into more people…none of whom were his target. Faces, voices, and features faded into the distance as the T.A’s search turned more and more desperate. The gentle rings of the ending bell chimed from the distance, yet the older boy did not notice, unceasingly looking. The map seemed to spread out in front of him, concrete and indisputable; the destination being obvious, but the older couldn’t help but wave it away. Jin’s stomach sunk as he realized the predicament. At this point, the only place he hadn’t checked was the soccer field; the place the bullied dreamer was, and that concerned him greatly. 

Wringing his hands, Jin pulled his backpack in close and closed his eyes, trying to calm down. Not that he particularly favored the blonde in any way, but Taehyung was not a bad kid. Jin had known him for two weeks now, and it was already clear that he meant no disrespect when he fell asleep. The blonde boy always seemed so tired in a way, yet he was always ready to share his dreams. A kid like that meant no harm, and the thought of a bully hurting someone so innocent sent Jin’s heart plummeting to the ground.

Shaking slightly, the older boy shoved past some students and gritted his teeth. He couldn’t help but hope that it was another kid who had fallen asleep in the soccer field, and not his alien, but he had to be realistic.

Grabbing the jacket that he had earlier thrown off in frustration, Jin swiftly and erratically made his way in the general direction of the field, his feet pounding into the concrete. The wind around him whistled and sang, edging him forward, and the T.A secretly cursed out the entire soccer team.

A hopeless dreamer falling asleep in a soothing field…

Who else could it be?

&

Taehyung thought laughter was one of the most beautiful sounds in the world, so he simply laughed along with the crowd of students hanging over him.

Loud hoots and jeers rang out from all angles, and the 16 year old simply bathed in the joyous tune, smiling. The younger boy didn’t trust anyone who didn’t laugh. The world was so full of wondrous things that it would be a crime not to be amused by it all. In the end, it was the little things in life that truly made one’s existence worthwhile, so Taehyung was just glad he had managed to make someone’s day.

The morning had started out rather strangely for the younger. One could refer to it as eventful. Taehyung didn’t particularly recall everything that happened, but he did remember some useful things. For one, the blonde boy remembered finding a nicely tended, green field of epic proportions and being fascinated by its effortless beauty. How could someone not take in such a beautiful sight and be awed afterall? Such sights needed to be praised.  

Light had streamed from the sky, illuminating the athletic expanse, and in the boy’s eyes, it had looked like a meadow. The wind had been slow and subdued that morning, cold, yet comforting at Taehyung’s cheek, blowing against him teasingly. Songs and promises of sleep had blown towards him, coaxing him onward, so the boy had simply smiled and taken up the opportunity to dream, moving forward and grabbing it.

He keeled forward, biting his lip harshly as blows rained down.

Although it was clear from the very real pain resonating from his stomach now that that had not been a good idea.

A red-headed boy leaned down and jerked Taehyung’s collar up, smirking down at him.  

“What,” he taunted, eliciting more laughs from his cronies. “Not fighting back, blondie?”

A slightly shorter boy standing behind the bully cackled and highfived the guy next to him, chanting loudly. All around, students and even teachers of all grade levels stood watching, some laughing and others sighing, as the red-head threw another punch at Taehyung’s face. The blonde just stared at the sky, mesmerized, as the hits rained down. The clouds, floating serenely, almost seemed to call down to the younger, muting the ache, and it was much more interesting than the scene being performed now.

“Actually,” the dreamer replied, blinking thoughtfully through the pain. “I think this is a beautiful day to pretend to be a male black widow, don’t you agree?”

The red-head crinkled his brow, frowning. “Huh?” he sputtered, stopping mid-punch. “The are you talking about?”    

Taehyung just shrugged, beaming.   

“Well you see, the male black widow is one of the few species on Earth that gets devoured by their wives after ,” he explained, sighing regrettably. “It’s actually the reason why the species was dubbed ‘black widow’ in the first place. You hurting me for no reason just reminds me of those spiders’ dilemma, that’s all.” Taehyung smiled, apparently unfazed by the lack of response. “I suppose this just comes to show that all things comes with a consequence, huh?” he breathed.

The soccer player just shook his head, snickering. “I think this just comes to show that you’re ing weird,” he scoffed. "Freak."

More cheers roared up from the crowd as two more boys approached Taehyung and forced him upright, only to knock him down again. It hurt. The dreamer tightly closed his eyes as his mind came crashing, quite literally, back to earth. Colors and angles seemed to blur as the boy’s breath left him in a whoosh, pain creeping up his chest like a plague. The field was much more up close and personal now, and Taehyung decided that it wasn’t as beautiful as it had appeared from a distance. In fact, it currently looked quite gross. Taehyung loved nature, but he wasn’t a big fan of mud.  

Slight, pained whimpers forced their way up the boy’s throat, grating at his ears, and Taehyung was aware of the delighted responses it was eliciting. His limbs were slackened now, exhausted from the abuse they were receiving, and the dreamer closed his eyes, wanting to sleep. Humiliation coursed through his veins for the first time that day, and the blond boy frantically fought back the urge to cry. Tears weren’t weakness, just signs of hurt, but the boy knew his bullies would love it. He couldn’t give them that satisfaction.

The darkness called in tendrils of whispered bliss, tugging at Taehyung’s form hastily. Senses, so weak to begin with, loosened their grip on reality, and Taehyung felt like he was floating up to the cosmos.

The emptiness beckoned him.

Then it happened. A loud yell. Some shoving. And Taehyung hurriedly opened his eyes to look at the crowd. He was aware that his tormenters had stopped.

The dreamer’s sight was still blurry, but the figure running towards him was unmistakable. The older boy almost appeared to be glowing in Taehyung’s vision, dark eyes and brown hair shining in the rising rays of the early morning sun. He was tall, strong, yet so human in his desperation that the dreamer couldn’t help but smile. It was strange how erratic the older boy looked; so out of the ordinary. Jin’s clothes were usually neat and perfect in every way, not a speck out of place, but now he looked like a madman in his disorganization.

Taehyung grinned, eyelids drooping as the older approached, fascinated. He had always thought of the T.A as a robot, but it was clear that was not true. Seeing the spark in those black eyes, and the angry tension in his posture, the younger knew that the T.A was capable of dreaming. He was capable of being irrational. He was capable of reaching the stars.

The older boy was cautious, calculating, almost overwhelming in his severity as he hauled the blonde dreamer over his shoulder.

“Taehyung!? Taehyung!” he called, his voice desperate and fading. “Oh my god, Kid, are you okay?”

Jin was sweating profusely, but that was not in any way uncomfortable to the dreamer. If anything, it just amused him further. How fast must the older boy had run to release this much energy?

Taehyung just chuckled, closing his eyes.

“You’re beautiful, you know that Jin?” he whispered tiredly, not answering the question. “I’m honestly more trouble than you deserve…”   

Laying there in his tutor’s grasp, weak, hurt, and exhausted, this whole situation couldn’t help but seem hilarious to the dreamer.

His shoulder’s shook.

“I’m sorry for missing our appointment, Mr. Robot…”

Taehyung giggled hysterically as Jin carried him to the nurse, ignoring the glances the others students shot him, instead just laughing louder.

Laughter was beautiful. Sometimes crying or laughing were the only two options left in a situation, and to Taehyung, laughing just felt so much better right now.

Shaking from his amusement, the blond let his mind flow, reaching out at the darkness that threatened to consume him.

And the dreamer was still laughing later when he out.

&

“Why do you always insist on being so irrational?”

The younger flinched. “What do you mean?”

“What were you even doing sleeping in that field?”

Taehyung looked up as Jin asked these questions, blinking blankly. The T.A had been very quiet for a while, simply caring for the younger’s wounds and avoiding the bullying topic, but now his eyes flared with condescending curiosity.

The dreamer just shrugged uncomfortably, staring straight ahead.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, feeling rather small. “I suppose I was just looking for the stars, that’s all.”

“Did you forget that it was light out or something?” Jin inquired, scoffing.

The younger only shook his head.

“Just because we can’t see the stars doesn’t mean they’re not there,” he replied, unfazed. “They’re always there, watching over us.”

Taehyung’s obsession with the stars had started at an early age when his mother had bought him his first telescope. Through the aperture and the lens, the child had seen things alighting his fantasies and filling his dreams, for, to a small boy with a big imagination, the thought of a world far vaster than the boundaries of his comprehension had opened up an infinite source of possibilities.  

“But isn’t there something truly beautiful about bright objects in the sky, shining down, yet being so impossibly out of reach?” Taehyung blurted suddenly, eyes bright. He turned to the older excitedly, beaming. “When I was a kid looking at the world through my telescope, I got most excited on foggy nights because those were the days when I could simply imagine how the sky looked…you know? There was no hope in finding the stars with my telescope, so I had to rely on my visualizing ability.”

The dreamer turned to the older boy, rather shy suddenly.

“That’s why I like your eyes really,” he admitted, quietly. “There’s something so dark and cloudy about them, like stars hiding behind fog. It’s like you’re a constellation, and I’m struggling to find my telescope.”

Jin frowned, leaning against the wall as he mulled that idea over. “What’s so great about them?” he huffed finally, expression hard as a rock. “They’re just black, that’s all.”

Taehyung smiled softly that one, sighing.

“Yes, they’re black, blacker than black, and maybe for you, that’s where the observation ends…” The younger boy leaned forward and gazed up at the older. “But for me, I see a sky in your eyes, alight with stars, just waiting for me to find the Milky Way.”

Jin grunted and looked out the window, admittedly uncomfortable, but not willing to show it. Light shined through the open window, flooding the room with gold, yet the older boy, so concrete in his rationality, still appeared black and white.

“Yeah yeah, that’s interesting and all,” he scowled, waving it away. He brushed down his clothing and shook his head. “But you still haven’t answered my question.”

Taehyung blinked. “What question?” he asked quizzically.

Jin glared at him.

“Why do you always insist on being so irrational?” He growled, turning away.

The dreamer leaned back and giggled, finding the question rather amusing.

He smiled softly.

“It’s because since I was born, no matter where I went, I’ve always felt like not even gravity could hold me down.”