Min Yoongi might be the toughest person any of his friends had ever met.

He was hardened by a childhood marred with poverty. Teased in school because he was unable to buy the types of clothing and school supplies his peers had, he had worked hard as soon as he was of age to get a job and earn his own money. Even when his parents disapproved, wishing for him to concentrate solely on his studies, Yoongi worked in secret. From the age of 14, he'd been working. And though he still endured taunting and sometimes even physical abuse at the hands of his peers because he refused to buy shinier things, it was all worth it. Because the money he socked away allowed him to attend university now. And he was grateful to be able to finally do something he wanted to do without the fear of mockery and disdain from anyone else in his life.

But Min Yoongi had a secret.

It was one that not even his best friend, Namjoon, knew about. Friends since middle school, they shared everything with each other. Both outcasts, they related to and helped each other through school and life and all of its miseries.

But Yoongi couldn't tell Namjoon about this. No, Namjoon simply wouldn't understand. It was the first and only time Yoongi knew he couldn't rely on his best friend for something.

It was something Yoongi needed to handle himself.

-

"I'm moving in with Chul."

Kim Namjoon had always considered his best friend to be the most reliable and honest person he'd ever met. He depended on Yoongi a lot, and he knew Yoongi depended on him just the same. So, he was rather shocked when Yoongi approached him one day to tell him he would be leaving their shared apartment that they'd worked so hard for to move in with his boyfriend of only two months.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Joon. I know this is sudden, but I really want this. Can you please support me?"

The look in Yoongi's eyes was one of desperation, and Namjoon mistook it for being desperate to not upset him. Namjoon's expression softened as he incorrectly believed that Yoongi was simply worried he'd upset his best friend. And Namjoon knew that Yoongi would never do anything to jeopardize their friendship. He simply couldn't be angry with Yoongi for seemingly wanting to further his very first relationship that Namjoon believed made him so happy. The happiest Namjoon had ever seen him, in fact.

Namjoon remembered the day Yoongi had approached him, a huge grin on his face, to tell him that his longtime crush had asked him out. Namjoon was ecstatic for his friend. Yoongi was the first in their group of friends to find a date at university, and everyone was excited for him. But Namjoon was the most excited. He'd watched Yoongi be miserable since middle school, and he'd watched him damn near want to kill himself when he realized he was gay. Until they met their other friends, Namjoon was the only one who knew. Because he and Yoongi both knew that that information would only make him more of a target, and his parents wouldn't approve. So, for Yoongi to be able to set his fears aside, and have himself and his feelings be validated by Chul, Namjoon would be forever grateful.

Or so he thought.

"I – "

"Please, Joon?"

There was that desperation again, and it softened Namjoon's heart and resolve.

"Okay."

Namjoon thought he might have detected something akin to disappointment in Yoongi's voice as he said, "Thank you." But he figured he must have been mistaken.

"I'll see if Jin wants to move in," Namjoon said, coming up with a plan to lessen Yoongi's concern for him in this situation. "He's mentioned that he struggles with his bills sometimes, living alone."

At Namjoon's suggestion, Yoongi smiled a very small smile. "T-That's a great idea."

Namjoon nodded as he pulled his best friend in for a hug. "I'll miss being your roommate, but you know I'm so happy for you, Yoongs. Hopefully this will be your dream come true."

Yoongi nodded against his friend's chest. "Hopefully."

-

"Did you hear Yoongi's moving in with his boyfriend?"

Yoongi's and Namjoon's friends were discussing the new living situation over lunch a couple of days later.

"Yeah, Namjoon asked me to move in with him now that he has an extra room."

Kim Seokjin had indeed agreed to move in with Namjoon, as Namjoon had suggested to Yoongi. Seokjin was a Literature major like Namjoon, and they had become fast friends at school.

"I'm kinda of surprised it happened this quickly," admitted Jimin. "I mean, I know Yoongi's really happy with Chul, but don't you think this is a huge step to take so early on in their relationship?"

Park Jimin had been an interesting addition to their friend group, but a welcome one nonetheless. He had been raised in very differing circumstances than the others, as he'd grown up rich and popular. But Park Jimin was anything but elitist, and he'd quickly become best friends with a boy he met on the first day of university just a few years before.

"When you know, you know, I guess," Taehyung said. "It must have just gotten a lot more serious a lot sooner than we realized."

Kim Taehyung had brought his best friend, Jimin into the group once he'd realized just how special Jimin was. Taehyung had grown up in the same town and schools as Yoongi and Namjoon, and just like the other two, had never been well off or accepted by the "elite". But Jimin's differing circumstances never changed the way he treated his friend, so Taehyung knew he'd get along well with the others.

"We should just do our best to be supportive," said Hoseok. "Yoongi's a strong, logical guy. He knows what he's doing."

Jung Hoseok had completed the "dream team" of six for the friends. He and Jimin both studied under the school's elite dance program and, as the two best dancers, had gravitated toward each other. And the others quickly gravitated toward the bright ball of happiness and laughter that was Hoseok.

"I don't disagree, of course," Jimin replied to Hoseok. "But I can't help but have the feeling in the pit of my stomach that it's too soon."

"Well, just don't say anything about that feeling to Yoongi," Seokjin warned. He was a bit older than the others, and took his role as the eldest very seriously as he felt protective of all the friends. "I have no doubt that he has thought this through carefully, and I don't want him to be offended if he feels we're doubting him."

Jimin sighed. "That's not what I mean. Yoongi's intelligent and cautious, I know. But I just..." He struggled to find words to explain his concerns. "I dunno," he concluded. "I just hope it all works out okay for him."

Taehyung nodded as he placed a hand on Jimin's shoulder. "It'll be alright."

The days to come would only bring Jimin more cause for concern, however. Because what none of the other friends realized is that Jimin was very intuitive and observant.

And so it was Jimin who first noticed that something might be wrong.