trigger warning; violence ):

***

"Another F", Mrs Choi slammed the maths exam on Jungkook's table, looking at him with a face that said it all, pity and sorrow written all over the woman's rather wrinkled face.
The boy's expression dropped along with his shoulders, "I studied so much for this", he whispered, getting angry at himself.

"Apparently so much isn't enough, Jungkook", she hummed, leaning down to look at the younger with a really serious expression. "There's only one exam left, Jungkook. If you won't get at least a C, I can't let you pass this class."

"B-but", the boy stuttered, "I'm in my third attempt", he gulped. "I can't fail!"

"You've got to work harder, Jungkook, I'm sorry", she shrugged. "There's no way to give you better grades than you deserve. I'm always trying to find points somewhere in your exercises but it's like you're writing stuff without even knowing connections between them."

"I'm just not good at maths", he grumbled. "It's not just maths class, Jungkook. You're failing biology and history as well-"
"I am trying my best!", he groaned.

"Your best doesn't seem to be enough for college then, Jungkook."

"My best is never enough", the boy whispered, tearing up right in class. God, this was fucking embarrassing. He cried like a pussy, right in front of his teacher. "Are you alright? I mean, emotionally. You seem so off most of the time."

"No, nothing is alright but who cares", Jungkook grabbed his bag and got up. Everyone else left already, rushing into lunch break.

"Wait", the woman sighed. "Do you need someone to talk to?"

"No", Jungkook hissed.

"You're not alone, y'know there are ways to deal with emotional instabilities if they affect your education", she suggested but Jungkook looked at her weirdly, "Do I look like I need emotional support?", he asked confused. "I'm fine."

"You're clearly not fine", she responded, following him when he tried to leave the door. "I can't try to help you pass this semester if you're not willing to talk. I can't solve problems I don't know about, boy."

"You wanna know what's wrong?", Jungkook asked, sounding highkey aggressive as he slammed his books on the table. The exam paper he held in his hands, he just ripped it apart and threw it into the rubbish.

"What's wrong is that I'm 20 years old, I have a child at home, a girlfriend that just left me hanging for two weeks and on top of all of that, I'm fucking gay and I can't do anything about it and I hate it and I really have bigger problems than some dumb math exams!", he yelled out and then broke into tears completely.

The woman gulped dryly, shocked that there was actually so much going on in the boy's life.

"Okay", she said, rubbing her eyes. "W-we can find a solution to this."

"No, we can't. If there would be a solution I'd already have found it. I'm bound to this girl because I gave my mother a promise before she died and no matter how logical it would be to break up, split the child's time and come out as gay, I fucking won't break my promise! It's not that easy. And now leave me alone."
With that he grabbed his books and rushed out of the room, leaving the woman confused and worried.

His way lead him towards the bathroom where he put his stuff aside and just leaned over the sink, looking into the mirror with tears still falling. "Come on", he grumbled at himself. "Stop being a fucking baby", he balled his fists, world spinning around him.

It felt as if time stopped, but the world didn't stop moving and he felt more alone than ever. He'd fail college, he was failing his relationship, his child and his best friend-, with no idea how to make it right.

It's like running through the rain, that's exactly what it felt like. As if the world is falling down on you, life passing by so fast yet so slow. There's no stop or return button, all you can do is run as fast as you can without getting sick by soaked wet clothes and raindrops hiding your sight.
It's running through the rain even though you know your clothes will dry, the rain will stop but in the end the ground will still be wet.

Rain doesn't pass by without leaving its traces.
Neither does life.

But in the end, rain is the reason why flowers bloom and trees grow, without a little rain there wouldn't be rainbows and the beauty of sunshine wouldn't be as amazing as it is when it comes after a heavy rain.

Life worked the same, where parts of you break - others grow stronger, a little scar turning into a personal mark that someone else might find beautiful someday.

Jungkook felt that, he really did.
Because right now it felt as if the whole world came crashing down, he had to do something, change anything to be able to keep going. And whatever he'd choose, in the end there would be new things growing in the darkest place he held inside his soul, all it took was a little time.

"Oh look who we've got right here", a boy's voice made Jungkook snap out of his thoughts, flinching when he saw one of those tall, broad built footballers. His heart speeded up as he stepped backwards automatically.

"Heard you've got some dick while your little trip to Disneyland?", the guy grinned and the three others besides him broke into laughter. "Still the same girl you've always been, needy for dick~", a second one joined in.

"I'm not a g-girl", Jungkook let out, sounding more squeaky than intended to.

"You sure behave like one. Fucking in the bathroom next door when your girl is asleep? Slutty, you're such a slut", the tall one said.

"How do you know", Jungkook felt tears coming up as they stepped closer. He couldn't get any further because the wall was blocking him so he ended up being pressed against it when he got grabbed by his collar.

"Your girlfriend is a little pissed", the guy laughed, "Told her friends, they told us so we'll help to teach you some manners."

Jungkook gulped, "D-don't", he whined, tears falling as panic was taking over him.

This, all of this fucked up shit, was what he got so scared of all those years. It happened before and it'd happen again. And Lyza let it happen.

Again.

"Aw, you're getting all girly with those tears everywhere", the guy smacked Jungkook's cheek to get rid of the tears.
Kook bit his lips accidentally so they started to bleed, his hands shaking, legs trembling.

"P-please", he begged, flashbacks rushing through his mind, going faster and faster the closer the boy got.
Suddenly he could feel the boy's knee between his legs, pressing against his middle.

"Bet that gets you horny, huh", he laughed out loudly and then kicked the boy roughly between his legs. Jungkook's body literally lost balance and he fell down on the floor, crying in pain as he tried to hold his lower area.
"This is what you deserve, faggot", the guy groaned and then kicked him again, this time harder and right into Jungkook's stomach.

Everything went blurry, Jungkook losing grasp of reality.
He didn't even realise when Jimin and Taehyung stormed in, the door slamming shut.

That's when all happened too fast.
Taehyung's mind blacked out when he saw Kookie on the floor, almost losing consciousness.

"Oh shit his boyfriend is coming to save him", the tall dude chuckled, not scared at all.
But he should've been afraid, actually he should've started running the moment Taehyung entered the room.

Jimin saw it happening before it really did. He automatically grabbed Taehyung's arm, pulling him back as his jaw fell open and his stare met the boy who kicked Jungkook to the ground.
It triggered, it was as if alarm bells went off in his mind, loud as fuck and frightening to the boy himself.

He never thought he'd be able to feel such an emotion but all he could think of was taking the boy by his hair and slamming his head into the mirror.
And so he did.

He wasn't thinking, Taehyung's mind blanked out as soon as memories flashed back in when Jungkook was eight years old, laying in the hospital bed and crying for hours without stopping once.
"No one", he yelled out, grabbed the guy and slammed him against the wall, gritting his teeth as he punched him right into his face.

Jungkook who by now was seeing clearly again just glanced at Jimin, begging for help. "Get him out of here!", he voiced but it wouldn't help.

Taehyung was losing it.

Thoughts of Jungkook's face back then, completely deformed and covered in blood. His eight years old best friend close to dying--

"No one is going to hurt my Kookie ever again", he shouted and then pushed the boy's head into the mirror. His head crashed against the sink as well when Taehyung let him fall, the now broken mirror covering the floor in blood dripping from the boy's head. There was barely anything visible except for blood and ripped off skin.

The other guys were gone already, they just left their friend in here.
Taehyung turned around as soon as the guy was unconscious and not reacting at all,  he kneeled down next to Jungkook and pulled him into a hug.
"I'm sorry I should've been here sooner", he let out, pressing Jungkook's head against his chest.

But the younger wasn't saying anything at all.
Jimin called the ambulance while he didn't know what to do.
This escalated and they'd be in trouble for it, although it wasn't even their fault.

"You almost killed him, Taehyung", Jimin said after a while as he was kneeling down to bring the guy into a safe position so he'd not choke on the blood that even came up his throat.

"He was hurting Kookie, I-I c-can't let it happen again", he whispered, tears falling as he hugged Jungkook a little bit tighter.
Jungkook wrapped his arms around Taehyung, crying even more knowing how his best friend suffered from the past happenings worse than he did himself.

It was like a bomb ticking inside the older's brain. When he saw Jungkook in danger, he blacked out, he got extremely defensive and somehow dangerous. They saw that today and Jimin and Jungkook both didn't know if they should be afraid or not.

"W-what happened here!", the principal cried out as soon as he rushed in with the ambulance besides him. They carried the boy outside instantly as they called his parents.

"H-he was punching Jungkook a-and I-", Taehyung stuttered, not knowing what to say.
The principal nodded, "I see, I s-see", he said, still shook at all the blood that was covering their bathroom. "Go home-, we'll talk about this when everyone calmed down a-and I've called your parents a-and- yeah", the man said and then turned around and rushed outside, not able to look at Taehyung.

He somehow seemed crazy, sitting in between all this blood holding Jungkook in his arms as if he'd be some kind of treasure.
But he was. To Taehyung he definitely was the most worthy.

"Let's just g-go", Jimin said quietly and then helped them get up.

*

Somewhere around 10pm, Taehyung walked into his living room where he found Jungkook sitting on a chair with his eyes focused on his maths book in front of him. Stained tears on his cheeks and a glass of milk next to him.
With a sigh, Taehyung walked closer, "Won't you come to bed?", he asked quietly.

"I need to study", Jungkook let out weakly.

The older bit his lips and stopped behind Jungkook, softly placing his hands on his shoulders, giving him a loving massage. For a second Jungkook was about to lean back and let the pleasing feeling take over him, but as soon as he felt the fucking butterflies he leaned away, turning to Taehyung.
"We have to stop", he said. "They already know and we can't do the same mistakes all the time, Tae."

"You can't blame me for trying", Taehyung hummed, pulling his hands away as he leaned over the desk and took a glance at the math formulas Jungkook tried to solve.

"Let me explain that to you", he said calmly and sat down on another chair next to his best friend. "All you've got to do here is add the x with the amount of x+y and then double it up, split it through two and--"

"Taehyung", Jungkook whispered, not listening at all. He was busy staring at the older's beautiful face.
"Hm?", he looked up shyly, caught a little off-guard.

"Thank you", Jungkook let out. "For always saving me."

Taehyung gulped, "I thought I scared you away-"

But the younger shook his head immediately, "No.. You're always there, I can always count on you", he sighed. "I'm afraid of them, Taehyung. Not of you."

"I know you're afraid", Taehyung agreed, "But so am I."

"What are you afraid of? You're so strong and confident, no one ever dared to touch you-", Jungkook said as their eyes met. The dimmed light of the room surrounding them in a comfy atmosphere, making them all fuzzy internally.
The younger's eyes turned doey and big when he felt Taehyung stroking through his hair, resting his hand on his chin.

"You touched me, Kookie", he said quietly. "I'm afraid of what I'm going to feel for you someday. After what happened today--", he stopped talking and looked down in embarrassment.

Jungkook smiled weakly and pushed his chin up, forcing him to look in his eyes again, "You're afraid of me?", he asked with a little teasing in his voice.
Taehyung nodded slightly, shutting his eyes for a moment.

"I'm afraid of what you're doing to my heart, gguk."

Jungkook looked away, trying to control his heartspeed, "Remember what you promised me back then", he said in a small voice. "Don't say it, Tae", he shut his eyes.

The boy nodded, biting his lips.

"I know", he responded, "I know there's no hope for this."

"Hope comes with eternal misery, Tae. Let it go", Jungkook smiled sadly and then pulled back, separating from each other again.

"I think hope is the only thing we need, Kookie", Taehyung said but Jungkook got up, trying to avoid the topic. "I had hope this morning when I woke up and saw you brought Taejeon to kindergarden so I could sleep a bit longer, you knew I needed that. I went to college and got another F and got knocked down by some dudes."

"What are you trying to say?", Taehyung asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Hope isn't for me", Jungkook shrugged, then intertwined their hands and dragged him to the bedroom. "Let's sleep."

They expected to fall in bed and cuddle and just sleep in peace, maybe with some sweet dreams of each other-, well they forgot about something.

Named Taejeon.

The little monster was sitting on their bed, playing with Taehyung's phone and brought all his pillows, plushies and blankets.
"What-", Jungkook sighed.

"I told you I will sleep here too we can do pyjama party", Taejeon explained firmly, handing Jungkook and Taehyung a plushie.

"Daddy you are the bunny. Taehyungie is the tiger. And I am a butterfly."
Both boys sat down with a sigh but a smile at the same time. "Seems like you're the boss in this house, huh", Taehyung chuckled as he leaned down to give Taejeon a kiss on his forehead.

"Yeah I'm obviously the coolest person in here. All you pussies do is cry."

"Taejeon", Jungkook grumbled, "Who taught you to be this disrespectful to your parents?"

Taehyung's heart skipped beats at his, his arms wrapping around Jungkook slowly and shyly but the younger let him.
"Jiminie said I can be mean because you're no intellectuals like me and him are", he mumbled and then grinned when he saw them hugging.

"Daddy and Taehyungie are very much in love", he clapped his hands and then snuggled in between their hug. "Taejeonie loves you two too!", he clinged onto Jungkook's tummy and grabbed Taehyung's fingers with his tiny hands.

"I don't want to go home to Mommy", the small boy let out. "I like Daddy being happy! Look he smiles!!", the babie cheered and reached upwards to kiss Jungkook's cheek. "Daddy has the prettiest bunny smile forever I love him so much I love him more than you do Taehyungie but it's oki, Taejeonie's love is too big", he shrugged but no one was really listening.

"You'd rather stay here?", Taehyung asked surprised.

"Yes, we could do pyjama parties everyday", the kid explained, "And no one would yell and everyone would always hug and smile!"

"He's so precious", Taehyung said, glancing at Jungkook after he heard what Taejeon said.
"That's because you helped to raise him", Jungkook smiled.

"Taejeonie only wants Daddy happy and Taehyungie makes so!"

***