It’s seems to be some kind of unwritten rule that every school has one ‘bad boy’. The one kid who is most likely to be arrested before he’s twenty five, the one who never actually does what he’s supposed to in class, the one who seems to enjoy making the people who he finds inferior upset. In BigHit High, that kid was Jeon Jungkook.

One thing people seem to forget is that the ‘bad boy’ has feelings. They see him as just a criminal, a bully and don’t remember that he is a person like them.

So, after school on a Tuesday in late August, Jungkook found himself singing his frustrations out in the empty music department. He knew he had another hour at least before the janitors started to lock the school up for the night so he continued mashing the piano keys down violently, listening to his own voice catch every now and then with anger.

“You have a nice voice.”

The deep voice coming from the doorway made Jungkook jump, the music cutting off with a crash of the piano as his hands slipped. Standing in the doorway with the straps of his backpack clutched in his hands, an orange haired boy stood.

The boy walked closer without any hesitation and grinned widely at Jungkook. His smile was like a rectangle and held no fear or hostility (like the usual smiles Jungkook was used to). “You shouldn’t hurt it by letting it get so mean-sounding, Jungkook.”

Jungkook could only stare at the boy, confused. So, he knew who he was, yet he was still talking to him so comfortably?

“Who the hell are you?” Jungkook spat out eventually. The other’s smile didn’t falter for a second.

He bowed slightly. “I’m Kim Taehyung! But you should call me hyung, since I’m two years older than you!”

Jungkook was still confused. “Okay, but why are you talking to me?”

“Because you have a nice voice and you need to be nice to it!” Taehyung sat next to Jungkook on the piano bench, making the younger boy instantly flinch away at the contact of their arms, shuffling to the very edge of the seat. Taehyung looked towards him, tilting his head. “It’s okay, Jungkook, I don’t bite!”

Jungkook was growing more and more weirded out by the second. People were usually scared of him biting them, so someone reassuring him that they don’t bite was a brand new thing for the boy.

Taehyung began to play a sweet melody, letting the notes fill the room. Jungkook kept his eyes down, staring at his hands on his lap as the older of the two began to sing.

If Jungkook thought his speaking voice was low, then Taehyung’s singing voice was practically at the bottom of the ocean. It was quiet and deep but it sounded like the musical version of melted chocolate. Dark chocolate to be specific.

The song itself was anything but ‘mean-sounding’. It was sad. Taehyung sang it as if he had just lost the only light in his life, like he knew no sun other than the one he lost. Jungkook was drawn in easily, leaning his body towards Taehyung so he could hear the low voice better. It was nothing like how he sang; his angry, desperate; Taehyung’s lonely, heartwrenching.

Jungkook almost didn’t notice the song was over until Taehyung spoke up with a ‘put your feelings into something that won’t be so harsh on your voice!’

He nodded almost absentmindedly, returning his gaze to his hands. He heard Taehyung laugh and a hand ruffle his hair.

“Who would have guessed that the resident meanie would be so shy!” Taehyung giggled and pulled his backpack straps back over his shoulders. Jungkook tensed when Taehyung brought up the fact he wasn’t good in any way but the elder didn’t seem to notice. “I will be here again tomorrow in practice room 3, so you should come see me, if you’re free!”

Jungkook didn’t even have a chance to process Taehyung’s offer before he had bounced out of the room. He was just staring after the strange boy, repeating his words over and over in his head. You should come see me.

Everyone was so scared of Jungkook and avoided him as much as possible. Why wasn’t Taehyung? He knew who he was, and obviously knew his reputation. What was he up to?

***

Jungkook almost turned away out of nervous when he reached practice room 3 the next day. He picked at his nails, the butterflies in his stomach threatening to tear his whole stomach apart.

Why was he so scared? He was Jeon Jungkook. Taehyung should be scared of him.

Trying to put on his best glare, he pushed down the handle, stepping as confidently as he could into the small room. However, his glare melted the second he saw how excited Taehyung was.

“Jungkook!” he cried, leaping up from the piano bench. “You actually did come!”

“What? Don’t you accept invitations from every strange kid that interrupts you while you’re singing?” Jungkook retorted, rolling his eyes, all nervousness forgotten. He couldn’t even remember why he was scared in the first place. He fell into the spinny chair beside the desk and watched Taehyung as he pouted.

“Don’t be rude, I’m your hyung,” he huffed. Jungkook just laughed.

“Whatever, hyung.”

***

After that, it became a regular occurrence for the two boys to be found together in the music department after school ended. They rarely saw each other during school hours as they were two years apart, and Jungkook certainly didn’t change any of his ways. He would still bully as many kids out of their money as possible, would still find new ways to cause havoc around the school. There was even a new history teacher for him to harass, which was a big bonus.

However, the second he enters the small practice room to find Taehyung smiling as brightly at him as the first time they met, every mean streak in Jungkook seems to disappear.

Taehyung is everything Jungkook is not. He’s kind and sweet, while Jungkook is cruel and malicious. He’s invisible to the rest of the school, whereas Jungkook’s name is probably the first one every new kid learns to fear.

But Jungkook doesn’t mind. Taehyung is the only person Jungkook has ever felt he should be nice to, because Taehyung is the only person to be nice to him without any hesitation.

“Kookie, look at this song Jimin showed me earlier! It would fit your voice so well!”

***

Exams started early in January and the stress was so tangible in the air that Jungkook felt sick in most classes. He was never one to care about exams - he did so little revision that it was a wonder he actually got into high school - but Taehyung did. They would still hang out after school but Taehyung played less music and read more and more textbooks. Instead, Jungkook took his place at the piano, trying to calm his beloved hyung just a little with his favourite pieces. Occasionally, he would find himself sitting next to Taehyung as he worked, running his fingers through the older boy’s now black hair. Taehyung would lean into his touch, encouraging Jungkook to continue.

Their contact extended to Jungkook holding a crying Taehyung in his arms when Taehyung was certain he messed up badly on his maths exam. Jungkook ran his hand up and down Taehyung’s arm, rubbing soothing circles into his back, shushing and reassuring in a quiet voice.

The next day he was laughing loudly at a girl who was upset over how she felt she did in one of her exams.

***

Jungkook was no stranger to trouble. He had been called to conferences with the head and several of his teachers many times, but he was horrified when the principal asked his secretary to call Kim Taehyung to the headmaster’s office, so he could chat to both boys at once.

“Taehyung?” Jungkook screeched, standing up. “What did he do?!”

“Sit down, Jungkook,” Mr. Lee sighed, staring up at the infuriated boy. Jungkook ignored him. “Myself and a few other teachers are just becoming slightly concerned with the amount of time you are spending with Mr. Kim.”

“Concerned?” Jungkook hissed. “Why should you be concerned about me being around Taehyung?”

His geography teacher, Mr. Park sighed too, running a hand over his face. “Taehyung is a… gentle soul. He is too kind to everyone, whether they deserve it or not, and we are just worried that you-”

“That I’ll make him a juvenile delinquent, just like me?”

The teachers looked slightly uncomfortable as Jungkook said exactly what they were all thinking. Jungkook scoffed. “Why would I ever want to change Taehyung?”

“Listen, Jungkook, this is to help you-”

“No, it’s not!” Jungkook snapped, yelling loudly. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides, and if looks could kill, every single person in this room would be dead. “None of you give two s about me! You don’t want to help, you just want someone to place the blame on when things go wrong! ‘Oh, look at that graffiti, I bet it was Jungkook again.’ ‘Someone fell down the stairs, Jungkook must have pushed her.’’ No one cares about people like me! No one wants us!”

The teachers’ gazes were pitying, one of them was actually shaking her head in sympathy. Jungkook knew everything he said was true, and so did they.

“You will leave Taehyung out of this,” Jungkook’s voice was cold, shocking the four adults in the room. During all the meetings they’ve had with Jungkook, and sometimes even with his parents, they had never heard the boy sound so unforgiving. “Do not involve him, he has nothing to do with anything I do. Let him be.”

“Jungkookie?” An all-too-familiar voice sounded confused and worried. Jungkook turned to face Taehyung, taking in the look on his face. Taehyung’s distressed frown was an unwelcomed change from his normal smile and Jungkook didn’t like it in the slightest.

“It’s okay now, hyung,” he murmured, a soft smile directed at Taehyung. “We can go now.”

Not one of the teachers, nor the headmaster challenged Jungkook as he pulled Taehyung out the door and along the corridors.

“What were they talking about?” Taehyung fretted. “Was I in trouble?”

Jungkook hated seeing Taehyung upset over anything, so instead of replying, he led Taehyung to the practice rooms, checking to see if there were any free. Room 1 was empty, so Jungkook dragged his hyung in, sitting them both on the floor beside the piano.

He still didn’t reply as he wrapped his arms around Taehyung’s body, resting his forehead against Taehyung’s temple, letting his eyes fall shut.

He could feel Taehyung hesitate against him before pulling him closer, turning his head so their foreheads were pressed against each other’s.

“Are you okay, Kookie?” Taehyung whispered, affectionately running his hand over his dongsaeng’s cheek. Jungkook leaned towards the hand, trying to prolong the contact for as long as possible.

“I’m always okay as long as you’re here,” Jungkook mumbled, feeling his cheeks tinge red. Before he met Taehyung, he would never have dreamed of saying something so cheesy, but it was Taehyung. He would tear the world apart and destroy the sun if it would make his Taehyung happy.  

Taehyung inhaled slowly, taking his time. The breath he let out was shaky. “C-can I…?”

Jungkook opened his eyes, staring into the onyx colour of Taehyung’s and nodded once.

Taehyung’s lips were chapped, but soft, and Jungkook found himself enjoying the feel of them a lot more than he ever would have thought he’d enjoy the feel of another male’s lips. But Taehyung was warm, and lovely and far far too good for him.

Jungkook was okay with being selfish and didn’t want to let what was too good for him go. “You know, hyung, I like you a lot.”

Taehyung’s smile was back and Jungkook felt his heart jump in his chest. “I like you too, Kookie!”

***
Jungkook was still the most terrifying presence in the school and Taehyung was still unseen by nearly everyone, but neither boys seemed to mind since none of that mattered when they were together in their practice rooms.