Jungkook's pov, 

I closed my textbook when the vocal class was over. Leaning backwards on my chair, I stretched my legs out.  My mouth stretched wider, failing to stifle a big yawn, my sleepy eyes closed mildly. While closing my mouth, I made a deep throaty moan and I saw the blue head in the front row turned immediately at me with the same amazed expression. Clear big eyes were scanning my lips, mostly, like he did several times earlier in Prof. Bang's class. Like it had become his favorite pastime seeing me yawn all day. Didn't even try to hide, he was too obvious to notice. At least I covered my mouth with my hand this time, blocking his view. 

Our eyes met and he panickingly blinked, licked his lips twice, like he was caught in the middle of theft. But didn't turn his gaze away. When the new professor, Min Yoongi, told him to follow him in his office, he walked after him like a little puppy, which I sometimes assume he was. 

Last night I dreamt of Jieun, as I often did. But I didn't know how he teleported to my bed when I was just some moment ahead of the climax and scared the shit out of me. Nevertheless, I was tired and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, but he was fully conscious. He could have asked for my permission before stepping into my bed or could simply say 'I'm having problems sleeping in the upper bunk, please let's exchange beds'. But no. He just straight up stayed there silent, enjoying the cuddle. 

If hitting on me was not his intention, then what else could be— I failed to figure that out. 

I had come to a conclusion, this dude had a serious problem in head. He was weird but cute. However, that didn't mean I would forgive him for creating a scene in the middle of the class and involving me in it. Whether it was Intentionally or not, he ate away my whole week's attendance just like I ate his cookies. 

Tit for tat. 

Averting my eyes from the door, I checked my phone. Still had some time for our group practice, so I texted Hoseok, asking him his whereabouts. His reply, almost  instantaneous, as I’d expected. Hoseok texted that he was in the reading room of our library. I smiled at the word 'library', I forgot the last time I visited there. Without a delay, I walked through the small alley in the great campus lawn leading to the entrance of the library. 

I found Hoseok at the end of the reading room, sitting at the corner, looking outside the window. A thick book, fanned open on the table before him, craving his attention, but he looked somewhat distracted. He broke out of his reverie to glance at me when I approached with a simple 'hi'. 

  "So finally Jeon Jungkook made his way to the library, huh!"  —His lips widened in a full smile. 

  I nodded, letting a smirk cross my lips when I mocked back, "You're acting like a regular visitor here!"

  "Now I am. Exams are knocking at the window bro, and mom has pretty high expectations for me." —He took away his book-bag, emptying the chair beside him for me to sit. 

  "Oh. I guess I am not disturbing you then." I said before scooting the chair near him, closing the gap, and toned my voice down to the maximum because the signboard dangling on the wall said: Talking unnecessarily in the library is not allowed.

  "Just drop the formality and come to the point. What made you suddenly look for me?" —Asked Hoseok. 

 I hooked my elbow over the back of his chair, leaning close to his ear. I said, "I need your suggestions on a heart related matter." 

  "Don't tell me-"  —He chimed. 

  "Not for me. I have a friend. He asked me actually. 

  "Oh, ok." 

  "Ok so," I cleared my throat before proceeding,  "My friend fell in love with his friend. A close friend actually. He likes him. But the boy said, he had just found a person whom he was interested in."

  "Oh!"

  "So my question to you is, what do you think my friend should do?"

  Hoseok thought for a moment, then said gently— "It depends on the boy. If he thinks he likes the third guy sincerely, then your friend should move on."

  My mouth dropped. "Move on before telling his crush that he likes him?" A part of me was expecting he would support the first guy. 

  "Yes. Because if they were good friends, things would get awkward between them after the confession. I think he should back off without telling him."

  So he wanted to play safe huh! 

  "Suppose," I gave serious consideration of his thoughts, but the FRIEND we were talking about was a very bubbly, sunny, cheerful person. Seeing him getting sad and depressed everyday just because he didn't want to break friendship with his crush, made me take this matter firmly.  "That new guy is their teacher, and has no interest in dating students. And is never going to give that boy any damn shits. Just because my friend values their friendship, do you really think he should suppress his feelings like that? How long will he act like a friend in front of him and keep up a fake smile on his face every time his crush speaks about that professor? Won't that be torturous? And I am worrying, maybe at the end of the day both my friend and his crush are going to get hurt."

  "Then he should,"  —Hoseok's eyes got progressively bigger until he looked like an anime character. "Wait a minute, are you talking about Jiminie and me?"  I blinked. He took a sharp breath when the realisation hit him like a truck. "Why didn't I think of it before, you only have three friends, and don't like to talk with others."

  "Yes. I have only three friends. And don't want to see any of them suffering alone." I crossed my legs, moved back a little to get a better look of his face, "What do you feel about Jimin, tell me honestly Hobi."

  "I like him." —He lowered his head, his eyes  closing as if  he was debating in his mind.  "More than just a friend."

  "Then why aren't you telling him?"

  He was silent, a long moment. Sighed— "My mom won't let me date a guy."

So that was the thing holding him back till now. 

  I rubbed my palm gently over his back, "She'll understand." 

  "No she will not. I know her."

  "Then what about Jimin?" I looked into his eyes for the answer. 

  "He said he likes that professor. I should let him be happy with him."  —He smirked to distract the pain behind those words. I could sense the tension rolling off him. 

  "How could you let your boy go easily like that? To that professor, whom he has just met!" Also he was that weird guy's cousin. Weirdly dyed his hair blue like him.

  "But Jimin doesn't like me like that." —Hoseok sighed. "What if he rejects me? And even if he accepts my love, my mom, I don't want to hurt her. She's my only family." His eyes darted downwards again, hesitation filled his voice though his  implication was clear,  "I can't hurt Jimin either. Can't leave him midway. That's why I have decided to shut my mouth and try to act like nothing happened."

  The abnormal silence inside the library was painful. Even the low noise of a lizard could be melodious at this moment, I thought. 

  "Can't I do anything for you?" I said, a moment later. 

  "One thing." —He looked up at me, requesting, "Can you not tell this to Jimin?"

  "Only if you say that you'll talk with him."

  "Why, no. I -I can't." 

  "Then I can't guarantee." I stood up, proceeding to go. 

  "Ok. I will." —He held my hand again, from behind. "Just give me some time." 

That's like my boy.

  "Alright." I turned, "After your confession we will think of something to convince aunty. Till then, don't be upset,  don't stop smiling. Maybe you don't know, but your smile is a power bank, it gives me so much hope."

  I didn't know what crossed his stupid mind, he jumped up on his toes and on impulse, hugged me like a koala bear, tightly— "Thanks, buddy. Thank you so much for talking with me."

I pulled my head to breathe and saw fresh tears, which he was suppressing for a God knew how long, rolling down his cheeks. 

  "Aish," I pushed him off me. "Don't start this melodrama shit here in the library. They'll kick us out together." 

  He giggled— "I don't fucken care."

Seeing a friend smiling because of you, gives you so much self-confidence, makes you so happy. I felt that for the first time. 

  "See you around." I patted his back before coming out of that suffocating room. Well books were never my heaven. Especially text books. 

After the trip to the library, I clutched my guitar strap, again took the lawnway to reenter the main building. But an unexpected flash of incident made me pause midway. 

I saw Seojoon, our senior, beating a guy I couldn't remember name under the tree shade. But what made my legs jammed on the spot was Taehyung, doing something with his hands over the nape of Seojoon. 

What was seriously wrong with him? 

Till now I knew he had a loose screw in his brain, but I just realized he didn't have any brains to begin with. Unless why would he meddle into a fight? Don't tell me he was there to referee! 

I saw how Seojoon's grip loosened and the other guy escaped like a prison runaway, and then Seojoon held Taehyung's coller to beat him up instead. Taehyung babbled something in his defense. Which was, in my opinion, useless. I could sense the heat ejecting out of Seojoon's body. He was surely going to beat the pulp out of  that blue-velvet cake. 

Let him. Why should I care? I was definitely not going to save him.

 I was going to go. But stopped. My legs on their own started walking to the right(I hate my legs), and just before Seojoon's fist would meet Taehyung's jaw, I held his hand. 

  "Leave him, Seojoon." I said. 

  "I'm not talking with you."  —He groaned, tilted his head. I saw blood in them.

I looked past his shoulder and saw Taehyung inhaled deeply, closing his eyes with all his might. I could see fear behind those closed lids and quivering lips. I didn't know what he did to make Seojoon mad, but whatever it was, my stomach churned to protect him. 

At least for once. 

  "But I am talking with you. Leave him." I said firmly. 

  Finally Seojoon angled his face towards me— "What's your problem Jeon?"

  "Nothing." I said, without taking my hand away. "I was just passing by. But what were you doing with him? You were not a bully type." I knew him well because he worked in the same night club with me, but as a guard. 

  "I'm not bullying him," —He muttered and turned his bloodshot eyes at Taehyung, which made him gulp. "But this guy helped that motherfucker Joon Gi escape, who stole my girlfriend. If he hadn't interfered, I would have kicked his ass hard and plucked all the shits out." 

  "Hold on," I frowned, "So he helped Joongi steal your girlfriend?"

  "Yes. He's Joongi's motherf*cking partner."

Taehyung shook his head helplessly, silently pleading for me to help.

  "He can't," I strongly opposed. "He just came here yesterday and doesn't know anyone here." 

  "Are you sure?"

Not sure. I didn't know him. But when my eyes met Taehyung's big puppy ones, my heart went all soft(I do hate people with those innocent puppy eyes, they just make others feel things: things should be avoided at any cost). 

  I sighed and averted my gaze at Seojoon, who was still holding Taehyung's collar, and was not looking in a mood to back off. So I put a hand around him and squished his shoulders. "Bro, can you please come with me for a second?"

  "No way." —Seojoon thought I was tricking him. "If I leave him, he'll get away." He was talking from his last experience. 

  "He won't. Trust me." However, I always advised people not to trust anyone, but this matter looked serious. "He's not the person you think he is. Don't judge him by his looks."

  "What do you mean?" —Seojoon frowned, confused. I took him by his shoulders to the other side of the tree, leaving the flabbergasted Taehyung behind. Bringing my face closer to my senior, I whispered, 

  "He is seriously ill. Mental disability."

  Seojoon's eyes still carrying a shade  of suspicion as he glanced at Taehyung, then at me— "How did you-"

  "Shhhh!" I placed a finger on my mouth. Whispered, "I know because he's in my class, also he shifted to my room to make my pain worse. He sniffed me yesterday like a dog, screamed, and created unnecessary drama in Mr Bang's class. Can you imagine how much embarrassment I had to face because of him? Not only that, last night he slept in my bed, instead of his, because as he said he couldn't find his own bed. That could only mean," I kept the sentence unfinished with a suggestive stare. 

   "What?"

  "He has nyctalopia. Night blindness."

  "Unbelievable!"  —The information made Seojoon's face sullen and his eyes narrow in disbelief. 

  "That's why I'm telling you, leave him. He's suffering already."

  "Ah thanks for telling me beforehand. Unless I would be guilty afterwards for beating an innocent."  —Clearing his throat several times, Seojoon strolled towards the guy he left a minute ago. Tried to act friendly, "Sorry bro. Hope you get well soon." He patted Taehyung's shoulder gently, tsk-tsked, shaking his head, in a sad manner. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to come to this hyung, ok?" 

Taehyung was chewing his lower lip, staring at him unblinkingly. He seemed shocked and curious at the same moment. 

Seojoon tapped on his shoulder again, feeling somewhat guilty. Then he jogged back to the college. 

Taehyung turned his eyes at me, confused and motionless. 

I took a step away from him, but stopped when he called me. 

  "Jungkook," —He looked at me with the cutest pout I'd seen. "What did you tell him that he suddenly transformed into a saint from a mafia?"

 I wanted to laugh at his confused expression but kept a straight face when I answered, "You don't need to know. Just stay away from chaos next time." 

 "Jungkook." —He came forward, invading my personal space. I could smell his fruity shampoo and floral deodorant. But I didn't step back. Why would I? 

 "What?" 

  Making me stunned, he bowed deferentially.  Taking my hand into his, he kissed it like an European Duke, leaving his cherry lip balm mark over my knuckle—  "Thank you very much for saving my life."

  "Ah alright." I gulped. Looked around, checking if anyone was watching or not. What the hell! I wasn't joking when I said he had mental problems. "Just go back to your class. Don't follow me. Ok?" 

I ran from there. 

  "Jungkook. Jungkook!" —He came running behind me. Just what did he want from me now? I sped up my legs but he caught me. "Wait, Jungkook. Wait."

  "Now what?" I turned, annoyed, angry. I was just some pace away from the college entrance, so many kids were around and I definitely was not going to support this childish act anymore. "Can't you understand Hangul? I told you to go."

  "Can I come with you?" —Taehyung gave me one of those puppy eyes again. Breathing through his cherry lips. "What if he comes back and attacks me again?"

  "He won't." I shouted over his face. 

  "Can you guarantee?"

  "Just what do you want?" 

  "Can I come with you?" —He asked again, "I don't have any more classes."

I hate hate hate those puppy eyes. Seriously, I wanted to pluck them out so badly. They were making me weak. 

My phone vibrated. Namjoon texted me to come sharply and I had no intentions to make him mad again. 

  "Sorry dude," I put my phone back in my pocket. "I don't have time to babysit you. See you never."

Twirling on my toes, I walked fast to our practice room. But to my surprise, he kept following me like my tail.  When I stopped. His chest  bumped into my back, then he stepped back immediately, maintaining social distance. 

  I sighed, heavy and deep. Shoulder concave in a defeated arc. What would I do with this crazy fellow? No matter how many times I told him to stay away from me, he kept on coming closer. 

  "How good are you at keeping your mouth shut?" I asked, looking at the doorknob of our practice room. 

  "Pretty good." —He said with a sharp nod. 

  "Then," I had no idea what I was doing, "Follow me." I opened the door and stepped in. 

  "Look who's here!" —Jennie popped her pink bubblegum, checking that blue-velvet cake from head to toe. "Kim Taehyung, right?"

  "You know me?" —Taehyung went near her. 

  "Everyone knows you, babe." —Jennie smiled in between chewing her gum, "Your shout from yesterday, 'Emergency, emergency here's a boy dying,' is a brand new topic to gossip about. Seriously, you could even make a corpse embarrassed."

I didn't know about the corpses, but it made me embarrassed AF. 

  "Hi Taehyung, can you please just sit over there and watch us perform? It would be good if you could point out what and where we are lacking." —Namjoon asked him with a soft smile. 

"Yes. Sure. Thank you." —Taehyung beamed with a boxy smile like he just got his dream job. Then he kept himself busy checking the small music room. The instruments, the mics, the walls, the lights suspended from the ceiling and finally his eyes averted to the people. To me. 

I uncovered my acoustic guitar, and lightly vibrated the strings. Then played a soft tune. Like always, we played Euphoria at the beginning, following all the songs that we had produced for the compilation. 

.•♫•♬•♫• Snowflakes fall down
               And fall apart little by little
               I miss you 
               I miss you 
               How long do I have to wait
               How many nights do I have to pass
               To see you? 
               To meet you? 
               Pass the end of winter's cold
               Until the spring day comes again
               Until the flowers bloom again
               Please stay, please stay 
                     there a little longer.•♫•♬•♫•.

And like always the thunder of music rushed through my veins with every twang of string, I totally immersed myself into the meteor of music, forgetting the world. Forgetting my pain. Forgetting those big brown mesmerized eyes, which were completely on me, watching me all the time. 

Incalculable moments passed. When all the songs stopped, I twisted my stiff neck and stretched my limb arms up. 

  "Oh that was amazing. Excellent." —Taehyung clapped from his chair, widely grinning. 

  "You liked it bro?" —Namjoon asked. 

  "Yes." —Nodded the blue head, smiling. "Very much. Jennie you're awesome. Namjoon you are the coolest. And Jungkook is just amazing. I couldn't imagine this grumpy human could sing so well." His smile quickly faded when he looked at me. 

  I glared at him for a moment and started  zipping up my guitar. "Don't call me tonight. I have overtime. So I might be late tomorrow." I told Namjoon. 

  "It's ok." —Said Namjoon, packing his stuff. "Just don't overdo it."

  "I want to buy that thing," —Taehyung pointed out the keyboard Jennie was playing. "How much would that cost?"

  "Around 250 thousand won. My brother gave it to me as a birthday gift." —Jennie replied. "Wanna try it?"

  "Yes, it's beautiful." —Taehyung answered immediately. Unhurriedly moved his thin fingers over those black and white keys, admiring the music that was producing those keys. With every light press on those keys, his smile widened, like he was discovering a whole new world of music for the first time. A moment later he pouted, "Only if I had enough money to buy something like this!"

 "Uhmm, you can play mine, sometimes, until you buy your own." —Jennie also promised to teach him some basic tunes tomorrow. 

  "Really? Thank you so much." —Taehyung held her hand and kissed the same way he did with me outside, making Namjoon laugh and Jennie blush. 

  I just rolled my eyes and twisted open the doorknob, "I'm leaving then." 

  "See you guys." —Taehyung waves his long hands up in the air, coming backwards. 

  "Yeah. Tata." —Jennie waved back. 

  Taehyung halted, gasped dramatically— "How did you know?"

  "What did I know? I just said tata, bye bye." —Jennie was confused, I was also. We looked at each other. 

  "Ohh." —Taehyung breathed through his mouth, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "I thought. Uhmm never mind." 

Weirdo. 

I shut the door and walked really fast this time to avoid him. But it seemed like he was on a mission to nag me forever. He kept following me; to the corridor, hallway, stairs, lawn. To the gate. 

I just had enough. 

I turned sharply at him. "What are you doing?"

  "Just going my way." —Pressing his lips together, he gave me that innocent puppy look. 

  "You're following me." I glared, irked by all his stupid acts. 

  "No." —He straight up denied.  "You're just going ahead of me. I live in the same dorm room as you, so it is obvious that we have the same way."

He had got a point. 

  "Whatever!" I unlocked my bike, which I parked beside the gate and mount. He came after me, but I paddled fast to escape from him. 

The sound of His footsteps stopped near the gate. Without turning, I could feel his eyes were still on me, helplessly watching me going away. 

I laughed, dry and hoarse and stupidly in the middle of the street. Not at him, at me. 

Again I was doing the same. Running away from people. Keeping myself away from all the laughter, all the fun, all the friendship in the world. Why am I like this — I had asked myself countless times. But this was what I was. A boy stuck inside his nightmare, limited the world around him, pushing everyone out… I didn't care about the suffocation, just feared opening up to new people. 

Especially to people like Taehyung.

He was like a crazy wind, scattering my thoughts. I just want to get away from him. I just want to get away from everyone who made me feel soft. I truly hate my life. 

This was the life I never had desired. This was the life that was designed for me.

_________

Babies, are you enjoying the story? I'm not good at writing lengthy stories, but it seems like this story is going to be lengthier than all my previous stories.  It's a slow built romance. So it might take some time for the lead characters to realize their true feelings for each other. 

Please have patience, and read the story till the end. 

Borahae💜💜