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. His 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 him for seemingly wanting to further his very first relationship that he believed made Yoongi 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."

Kim Seokjin was a Literature major like Namjoon, and they had become fast friends. He was a bit older, and impossibly handsome. This made him incredibly confident, and Namjoon found himself in awe of his friend's tenacious self-assurance. Namjoon often wished he could be more like Seokjin, and looked up to him with great reverence.

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."

-

Park Jimin was never lacking in friendship as he attended a very exclusive boarding school growing up. He was well off, popular, and happy as he maneuvered through life as an adolescent. He could not relate to the type of upbringing a few of the guys in his friend group had endured. But they were all friends nonetheless.

Because Park Jimin was anything but elitist. He was friends with whomever he wanted to be friends with, regardless of their situation.

Some of the people he knew at university were surprised by this. They assumed he'd continue his reign as the popular kid, hanging out only with other popular kids.

But the moment Jimin had met his now best friend, Taehyung, he knew he didn't want to continue his life of only surrounding himself with other rich and powerful people.

Kim Taehyung had grown up in the same area and in the same schools as Yoongi and Namjoon, but they'd never met until university as Taehyung was younger by a couple of years. But they weren't much different from him. Taehyung had grown up less than well off as well, and was definitely not popular. So they all related to each other.

It may have seemed odd to some that Jimin joined their friend group, as he couldn't relate to their upbringings, but Jimin was friendly and exuded confidence, so he made himself a part of their group quickly. They all got along, even though they'd had wildly different experiences as kids. And Jimin brought a friend along with him when he entered the group, completing their "dream team" of six.

Jung Hoseok was a dance major, like Jimin, and they'd met in class. They were the best dancers in their program, so they were drawn to each other. Hoseok was a bit older than Jimin, and Jimin looked up to him as an older brother. Hoseok was the first person Jimin had found himself calling Hyung, and it felt good to be able to have someone like that in his life. And he knew Hoseok would fit right in with their friend group. And he was right. A bright ball of happiness and laughter, the others loved Hoseok instantly. He brought smiles to everyone's faces.

The boys all got along so well, that many of them lived together and they all got together often. They were all best friends now, and loved each other wholeheartedly.

What none of the others, not even Taehyung, realized is that Jimin was very intuitive and observant. And so it was Jimin who first noticed that something might be wrong.