♰ chapter four ♰

The next day at school, Yoongi spots Jimin's head in the courtyard, standing next to Taehyung. The two make eye contact, but Jimin shows no sign of them ever interacting the previous night. Especially no sign of there being a "You're a vessel for Satan" look, which Yoongi imagines would be raised eyebrows and the gesture of devil horns.

Yoongi is about to do a one-eighty and go the opposite direction when he hears a timid voice call, "Yoongi-hyung?"

He frowns, turning around. Taehyung is the only person who talks to him, really.

Jungkook is jogging towards him, a paper in his hand. A few heads turn at the sight of the cute popular kid initiating conversation with the asshole rebel. Yoongi is torn between being bothered by it, and wanted to flick each of them off individually.

"What?" he snaps, unintentionally. He isn't used to this much attention, unless it's from the principal. He likes to be the scum no ones wants to interact with. He likes being isolated. He doesn't like all this damn staring.

However, the younger male is unbothered by Yoongi's tone, true to his word that he isn't quite afraid of the elder. "Just real quick. I was doing my homework last night with the trick you taught me, but this one question doesn't make sense."

Yoongi sighs, rubbing his forehead. "Really? You're going to make me do math at eight in the morning?"

Jungkook gives him a small smile, using puppy dog eyes. "Please? Really quick?"

Yoongi rolls his eyes.

He snatches Jungkook's paper. Rips it up. Grabs the younger's jacket and shoves the pieces into his pocket, giving him a mocking smile and two thumbs up.

Or at least.

That's what he would normally do.

For some damned reason, he doesn't do that. Instead, he takes the paper from Jungkook, scanning the worksheet to find the one unanswered question. Obviously it doesn't make sense. There's three fucking typos in it, using the wrong mathematical signs to get an actually valid answer. Whoever wrote the worksheet is an idiot.

When Yoongi tells Jungkook this, the younger boy frowns. "Are you sure?"

"Positive, kid. With the function it wants you to use, the signs are completely negating any possible outcome. Tell your teacher he's a dumbass."

"W-well, I can't really do that..."

"Fine. Tell him I said he's a dumbass." Yoongi holds gives Jungkook the worksheet back. "You did the rest of them correctly, though. At least I'm not wasting my breath when I talk to you."

Jungkook's cheeks flush. "Y-yeah, I made sure t-to listen hard and take notes."

"Really, though, point the mistake out to your teacher. If you're lucky, you can embarrass him in front of the entire class and either get extra credit or fail."

Jungkook's eyes widen. "I can't fail! I need this class to graduate."

"Well, you can't solve an unsolvable function, either." Yoongi slaps the boy's back encouragingly. "Good luck."

He's about to walk off when he catches the fear on Jungkook's face as he stares down at his worksheet. There's a deep scowl on his lips, his eyes wide and his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth as he rethinks the problem numerous times, trying to find an answer just to have one. Just so he won't have to confront the teacher.

Yoongi sighs heavily. He doesn't know why he feels so bad for the kid when he's witnessed students have actual breakdowns and couldn't care less. "Come on," he grumbles. "I'll talk to him."

Jungkook looks up in shock, but Yoongi is already walking towards the appropriate hallway, drawing more suspicious looks as Jungkook follows like a lost puppy. Yoongi notices Jimin watching him closely, but he tries to ignore it.

Last night was a dream, that's all.

Jungkook, rather bravely, catches Yoongi's wrist. "Y-you know, it's okay. Y-y-you don't have to do this."

Yoongi quirks a brow. "He gave you a shitty worksheet. That's on him. You don't need to get a question marked wrong because he's too stupid to proofread."

Jungkook swallows nervously as he lets go of Yoongi.

"You don't want to get in trouble, right?" Yoongi snorts. "That's why I'll do it for you."

"Hyung—"

But Yoongi is already throwing open Mister Daesung's door, the teacher in the middle of preparing for class to start. He startles when the two kids walk in, then confusion floods his face. He gets a scornful look when he notices Yoongi in particular.

"What are you doing back in my class?" he asks pointedly.

Yoongi and Mister Daesung hated each other. Yoongi hated him for being too dumb to teach, and Mister Daesung hated Yoongi for always challenging him on every topic. There was an argument every day, and it mostly always ended with Yoongi getting kicked out. He still made the top grade out of all the prick's classes, though.

"Helping a friend," Yoongi says, the words tasting weird on his tongue. He's never even called Taehyung a friend, not out loud. "Your worksheet is bullshit."

Mister Daesung groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yoongi, I promise I never missed hearing you say that."

"I never missed fixing all your mistakes, either." Yoongi takes the worksheet from Jungkook again. "Problem seven. Just take a look. Let's see if you can find the clue."

Mister Daesung's cheeks flare red from anger as he snatches the sheet, his eyes glaring at the problem. He starts scratching his chin, Yoongi's confirmation that he found the error.

"Doesn't make any damn sense, does it?" Yoongi asks with a smile. "Jungkook here caught it. I think he deserves some extra credit points for that."

"Please." Mister Daesung scoffs. "Jungkook is barely passing this class. I know you found it for him."

Jungkook shrinks behind Yoongi, despite being the taller one.

"Actually, dipshit, he's pretty damn good at math. He just needed someone who knows how to teach. Look at the rest of his work. That's all him. He did it on his own, and he's right. Give him some praise, Jesus." Yoongi huffs, holding the teacher's stare. Mister Daesung hasn't changed at all in two years.

He's still a salty bitch.

"Fine," the man says through gritted teeth. "He'll get an extra point when I grade to make up for the question being incorrectly formatted. That's it."

"So he made a one-hundred, which should boost his grade to a B, which is not 'barely passing'."

"Get out of my class, Yoongi."

"With pleasure."

"And don't come back this time, please."

"You're not lucky enough to see me again."

Yoongi closes the door just as he hears Mister Daesung groan.

He gives Jungkook a silent gesture that says, "Well, thank me, you fuck."

Jungkook blushes. "T-thanks. I could really use that on my grade."

"Yup. If you've got Miss Hartley for biology, look at for that too. The poor woman is too old to keep her eyes open long enough to write a legible worksheet."

Jungkook chuckles. "Thankfully, I took biology last year."

The bell rings.

"Thank you again," Jungkook says, his eyes looking so sincere that Yoongi averts his gaze. "Really."

"Yeah, sure," Yoongi mumbles, waving the gratitude away even though he craved it hardly two minutes ago.

Jungkook hurries to his first class while Yoongi pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, watching over him. He might—dare he say—be growing a soft spot for the kid.

***

Taehyung forces Yoongi to sit with him through lunch again. Except this time, he has interrogating to do.

"How do you know Jeon Jungkook?" he asks, leaning in close and keep his voice down while the rest of the boys talk enthusiastically amongst themselves.

Yoongi quirks a brow. "Tutoring. You know, my punishment."

"Being in Jeon Jungkook's presence is a blessing, sir, not a punishment."

"Oh." Yoongi nods, smirking. "I see."

"What?" Taehyung's eyes widen. "What do you see?"

"I sense Jungkook has a secret admirer."

"Who?" There's a flash of pain through Taehyung's eyes. "Does he already have someone?"

Yoongi blinks, disbelieving that this is his best friend. "You're so fucking stupid sometimes, Taehyung."

"What are you—? Oh... Yeah, well..." Taehyung's cheeks blush. "I may or may not have a tiny crush."

"He's a grade below you, and two grades below me," Yoongi states. "You like younger guys?"

"I like anyone that my eyeballs decide to seek out in a crowd," Taehyung clarifies. "A two or three year difference doesn't bother me."

Yoongi shrugs. It's not much of a difference, especially when they all get older. He just always thought Taehyung had a thing for Hoseok. When he tells Taehyung this, the younger boy blushes furiously.

"W-well, that-that might have been true... B-but not anymore!"

"You can't crush on everyone, Taehyung."

"Watch me do it anyways."

Yoongi chuckles. "Yeah, I know you will."

"I gotta do whatever I can until one actually likes me back. The strategy isn't working too well so far."

There's suddenly a pair of hands clapping in between them. Yoongi scowls up at Jin, who returns the look, unbothered. Yoongi grumbles and looks away first.

"I was asking if anyone would go to a party at my house Friday if I were to hold one," Jin says. "A responsible party, though. With sparkling water."

Yoongi snorts, then gets popped upside the head by Taehyung.

"Ow," he pouts.

"Are you inviting everyone?" Namjoon asks, concern lacing his tone. "I don't think it'd stay very responsible for long that way."

"No, just everyone at this table," Jin clarifies. "I don't like anyone else here, anyways. Well, I don't like Yoongi either, but since he's Taehyung's friend..."

"The feeling is mutual," Yoongi replies.

"What about you, Jimin?" Jin asks kindly. "You're certainly invited."

Jimin smiles, a bright one like yesterday, but Yoongi squints his eyes, seeing right through it now. "Oh, thank you. It would be rude of me to decline."

Hoseok raises his hand.

"Yes, Hobi?"

"Can I bring sparkling water with a splash of vodka?"

"Defeats the purpose of the 'responsible' part, doesn't it?"

"So... that's a no?"

"That's a no."

Hobi clicks his tongue, mumbling under his breath, "What he doesn't know won't hurt him." Clearly, he's planning on doing it anyways.

"Everyone has my address, right?"

"No—"

"Yoongi, you come with Taehyung or you aren't allowed in."

Yoongi gives the elder a dirty look, but bites down on his tongue to refrain from snapping in reply.

When lunch is over, Yoongi is walking out the door when Jimin casually strides up alongside him, as if it's normal for Yoongi to be walking alongside anyone.

"What do you want, house invader?" Yoongi snarls, yet keeps his voice down just in case.

"Just doing my job," Jimin mumbles in reply, giving a kind smile to a girl who looks his way and blushes.

"Fornification is a sin, angel man."

Jimin gasps quietly, eyes bulging, feet halting in their step.

Yoongi walks away cackling.