„Okay, now everybody sit down! We got a new transfer student so please be quite. Jimin please introduce yourself."

Jimin faced his new classmates, pretty nervous about how they will react to him.

"Hi, I'm Park Jimin. I just moved here from Busan because my father got transferred. Nice to meet you."

"Good. Welcome to Seoul. You can sit on the empty seat beside Kim Taehyung."

It's not like Jimin knew which one of the guys was Kim Taehyung but since there was only one seat available it wasn't that hard to guess. Jimin walked to the back row and smiled at his new desk partner.

"Hi, I'm Jimin." He said once he reached his desk.

"I heard you the first time."

Rude! He just wanted to be nice. What else was he supposed to say when they met for the first time? And by the blank expression the other wore it wasn't all that clear if he had really heard him the first time.

Jimin tried to calm down the raising anger. This guy would be sitting beside him for the rest of the year so it wasn't a good idea to get on his bad side already. Maybe he was just awkward with strangers or he had a bad night or something like this. Jimin would try once more to get to know him.

"I haven't gotten the supplements list, yet. Can I look with you?" Jimin asked, pointing at the other's math book.

Taehyung looked at him expressionless before he turned his head and looked at his book. Jimin already thought it was useless he even asked him when Taehyung suddenly pushed the book to his desk.

Jimin looked up surprised.

"Oh, thank you! But you won't be able to read anything like this. Just place it in the middle so we both get to see it." Jimin said, smiling at the other and tried to push the book back a bit.

"Don't worry, I'm gonna sleep anyway." To underline his statement he stretched his arms out on the desk and laid his head on them, covering his face.

Tsundere! Jimin actually caught himself a tsundere. He almost laughed out loud. He couldn't help it but finding this quite cute.

During the lesson Taehyung didn't look up even once. Half an hour must have passed and Jimin asked himself if the other truly was asleep.

He leaned in closer to hear Taehyung's breathing. Because he was focused on his hearing he didn't pay attention to his body and accidentally touched Taehyung's right arm. The reaction was amazing.

Taehyung held his breath after a surprised gasp and his whole body tensed. Nevertheless he still pretended to be asleep even though it was now clear, that it was only a show.

Jimin was surprised by the tension in the other's muscle, he could practically feel it. Possibly someone who didn't like body contact. Jimin retreated and got back to studying.

The teacher was explaining a rather complicated question that consumed Jimin's full concentration; that's why he noticed only after a while that Taehyung had slid bit by bit closer to him and was now leaning his arm against Jimin's left elbow - still pretending to sleep.

Jimin gazed down gently on the 'sleeping' boy beside him. Could a human being actually be this cute? He looked like a cat that rolled up to him in search of body heat.

Without moving his left arm, Jimin tried to pull his chair closer to Taehyung, leaning in so Taehyung's shoulder would touch his rips.

For the rest of the lesson Jimin couldn't concentrate, he was too absorbed in trying not to move too much so the other wasn't scared away.

When the bell rang Taehyung shifted back to his original position on his own desk.

Jimin noticed some students whispering while looking at him but he didn't really pay attention. He was new; of course they would talk about him.

As soon as the morning was over some of his classmates called out to Jimin and waved him over.

Jimin had just wanted to ask Taehyung if he could hang with him during lunch. The cute guy had continued his play the whole morning; he gave him his books without a word and then just pretended to sleep, starting usually on his own desk only to get closer to Jimin slowly.

He really wanted to get to know the guy better.

On the other hand he didn't want to offend the others who were calling for him. Therefore, he stood up and went over the three guys and two girls that looked at him expectantly.

"Hi, nice to meet you all."

"Hi, Jimin was it, right? We're heading to the canteen, why don't you join us?"

Jimin didn't really know what to say. He wanted to make friends and it would surely seem rude if he declined the offer but he really wanted to spend some time with his bench neighbour.

"I'd love to. Can Taehyung also join...?" Jimin wanted to ask if it was okay for Taehyung to join them for lunch but when he turned around he noticed that said person already left the room through the backdoor.

"...hmm yeah, actually we need to talk to you about Taehyung."

**

Jimin sat at the table across the guy who suggested to join them for lunch. He had trouble to believe what he just heard and looked at him with a pretty dumb expression.

"It will probably a bit awkward since you're sitting beside him but trust us, it's better if you ignore him. He's really bad news."

"So to sum it up, you're saying that he was kicked out from three other schools because of his delinquent behaviour, that he was in custody multiple times for theft, assault and drug use, that he knock up his girlfriend and then dumped her once he got the news and to top it off he killed his Dad?
And if he'd done all that why isn't he in prison then?"

The things he heard just didn't match up with the guy who cuddled up to him the whole morning.

"It's true, you can ask anyone. He probably got some real good connections in the underworld. It's said that he joined a mafia group and sells drugs for them. The boss has maybe pulled some strings and let the proof disappear and such to get him out of prison. Who knows... Just don't get close to him. And don't offend him if you like your life."

The sound of the first bell saved him from making the decision whether he should believe them or not. Weren't all of them just rumours?

When Jimin got back to the classroom Taehyung was not there yet. Only after five minutes into the lesson Taehyung appeared headphones still on and definitely not caring about his image. Not even the teacher dared to say anything; she just stared at him until he had taken his seat and then continued where she had left off.

Even though Jimin usually didn't give much about rumours he had to say that the guys talk and the teachers reaction made him question Taehyung's behaviour so far. Maybe he actually wasn't a tsundere but just the rude - and dangerous - guy he appeared to him first.

Taehyung on his part only spared him one glance after he entered the room, noticing the pile of books one of the girls gave him without asking so he wouldn't need to borrow from Taehyung and laid his head demonstratively on his own textbook, going back to sleeping.

They didn't talk after this, mostly because Taehyung ignored him whenever he tried to speak to him, pretending to be asleep or not being able to hear him over the headphones or just bluntly ignoring him. After a few days Jimin was fed up with being ignored and stopped trying.

Actually he really would have liked to ask him directly if the rumours were true, but Taehyung made it obvious that he didn't wanted to have to do anything with him.

Jimin got closer with the other students. His kind nature and cute appearance made it easy to be liked by everybody. And Jimin liked the others but he couldn't find someone special among them. Someone who he could get really close to.

Taehyung was the only one that interested him; more than he wanted to admit but he wouldn't run after someone who wanted to be left alone.

It was some weeks later that everything should change.

Jimin was the last one of his class to exit since he was on duty and had to clean up. He was leaving through the side gate since it's shorter to his home when he saw Taehyung in front of him. It was a bit strange since Jimin was pretty sure the other usually left through the front gate.

Still fed up with the other's ignorance against him he decided to just go his way and pretend he hadn't seen him.

After some time when Taehyung was still in front of him Jimin became curious. By now it was clear that Taehyung wasn't heading home. Jimin already started to wonder if he actually wanted to visit his place - but forgot the idea since it wad absurd. First, Taehyung didn't care about him, why should he visit; second, even if he would care he didn't know his address.

Jimin had to walk about twenty minutes to get home, after fifteen they came to a crossroad where Taehyung turned left. Jimin had to go right if he wanted to get home...

Not knowing why he actually did it, he turned left.

Two minutes later Taehyung stopped in front of a rundown house. It was pretty big, but the yellow paint was washed out and the fence surrounding it was more holes than wood. One could hear a lot of noise coming from inside, mainly children's voices. In worn out letters above the house was written "Sunshine Orphanage".

What the hell was going on?!

Jimin didn't have the time to think about it because in the moment Taehyung opened the squealing gate hell broke loose.

Two children inside the house looked up when they heard the noise and started screaming "Taetae-hyung is here" soon followed by "Taetae-oppa"s and everyone stormed out the house and full force towards Taehyung.

The latter smiled widely and Jimin noticed that it was the first time he saw the other smile. He had a unique way of doing so since the corners of his mouth didn't pull up but straight behind, creating a boxy smile. It caused his eyes to crease into small slits and his whole face was glowing. He for sure would have remembered such a beautiful smile!

When the children reached Taehyung he hugged two of them and pulled them up in the air with him, laughing happily while the other kids gathered around his legs and wanted to be lifted too.

Okay, the rumour about knocking up a girl was definitely not true. Anyone who saw this wouldn't believe it since it was so obvious that Taehyung loved kids and would never abandon his own child.

And the kids loved him, too. Would those innocent and really attentive beings really adore someone to that extent when he was such a bad person? Jimin had trouble to believe a single thing he had heard about Taehyung.

Right now he only remembered the shy way Taehyung had searched for closeness and warmth, actually maybe just some contact with someone else, the first morning he arrived.

"Taetae-hyung, did you bring a friend to play with us?" a little boy asked Taehyung picking at his trousers to gain his attention. The first moment Taehyung looked confused at her but when he followed her finger that pointed on Jimin his eyes narrowed.

Jimin smiled apologetically.

"What are you doing here?" Taehyung asked, insecurity making his voice deep. It would have sounded intimidating in other circumstances but right now Jimin could only see a gigantic play doll that every child wanted to play with.

"Can't I play with you, Taetae-hyung?"

The light blush that covered Taehyung's face was purely adorable.

Jimin couldn't hold his laughter.

Thanks to the children's assistance who seemed thrilled to have one more playmate, Jimin was allowed to stay. He had a lot of fun. It was exhausting but also very refreshing to be around those innocent little humans.

Three hours later the kids were called to eat dinner and Taehyung and Jimin said their goodbyes with the promise to come back soon.

They walked the same way back that they came, silently at first, trying to regain their energy.

"I swear if you tell anyone...!" Taehyung began, leaving the threat open.

"What will you do then, Taetae?" Jimin asked, not able to hold his smile back while using the cute nickname. Sure as hell he would use it from here on out!

Taehyung glared at him, but Jimin wasn't impressed.

He studied the other for the past three hours and got to know some useful hints from the kids. They told him that Taehyung wasn't able to harm a fly and that he only looked scary. He learned that Taetae's voice got deeper when he was shy or really moved by something and that he would try to cuddle every chance possible (this at very least overlapped with his observations from the first morning) they also told him that the easiest way to make him stop looking angry was telling him that they liked them - this was still to be proofed.

"Why are you looking so scary, Taetae? Oh wait, do you actually prefer to be called Taehyungie? Then I will do that, Taehyungie~"

The children weren't the only ones who told him some secrets. The nurses told him their fair share, too; thrilled to meet a friend of their dear Taehyungie~.

Good thing eyes couldn't kill, or Jimin would be lying on the ground right now. Instead he was laughing harder than he had for a long time.

"Let's talk."

"Sure!" Jimin agreed happily.

Taehyung led them to a nearby park and sat down on a bench, Jimin following his example. It was silent for a while but he didn't mind, it wasn't uncomfortable.

"I'm... You shouldn't hang around me in school." Taehyung finally began.

"Why?"

"It's not good. You won't... I don't have a good reputation in school. If we hang out you will get cut, too."

"Yeah, there are some crazy rumours going around. But you know, I don't pick my friends after what others say, so why don't you tell me what's true about those rumours and what of them are just fairy tales and then I will decide myself if I want to be friends or not?"

Taehyung looked at him for a moment and when he continued to speak Jimin noticed that his voice got deeper; the kids really are attentive.

"The truth doesn't matter, only what the people believe matters. Everyone at school thinks those rumours are true, and some are I can't deny that. So don't hang out with the bad guy or you will become one yourself."

"As I said, I don't care. I don't like people dictating me who I can like and who not. Tell me your story and I will evaluate if you're still worth the trouble of being shunned or not. Don't worry; if you're that horrible like you make yourself sound I'm gonna avoid you anyway."

Taehyung cracked a half hearted and Jimin got the impression that he could really fall in love with this boxy smile.

Jimin took the chance of Taehyung being absorbed in his own thoughts to lie down and place his head in Tae's lap. Jimin giggled when he saw the perplexed expression on Taehyung's face; this was gold.

He decided to distract the others attention so he didn't have to contemplate on what to do with the living being on his thighs.

"So for starters, where should we begin? I already know that the thing about you leaving your pregnant girlfriend and abandoning your child is bullshit... So how about you doing drugs?"

"I never even tried a cigarette and who should I sell drugs to if anyone avoids me?"

"Mm-hmm, true. Then what about theft? Did they catch you but the boss of your group let the proof disappear?"

Taehyung had gotten accustomed to Jimin on his lap and got comfortable himself. While talking he unconsciously started to caress Jimin's hair.

"What group are you talking about? If you talk about Ahjumma Lee from the orphanage then yes. I was taken in since I was at the wrong place to the wrong time when some pricy handbag got stolen. It wasn't me though and when Ahjumma heard about it she came storming to the police station at let hell loose what they think to take in an innocent child without any evidence and after an apology towards me they let me go. The bag was found with an illegal circle of thieves a few days later, not one of them knew me. But I did once steal a bubblegum when I was seven. I felt so guilty I couldn't eat it afterwards."

"Ahjumma Lee really seems to care for her children."

"Yeah!" A caring smile was shown on Taehyung's face every time he thought of the Ahjumma.

"How did you get to know her? Are you an orphan?"

The smile disappeared instantly, simultaneously with the caressing on his hair when Taehyung froze his hand in place.

"You don't have to answer if you're not comfortable with it, Taehyung. I'm sorry; I was quite insensitive, right?"

"It's not that. I'm... I told you there are some rumours that are true. There is one going around about me killing my father, right? That's the one."

This time it was Jimin that froze. He didn't really believe what he heard, couldn't quite process it. Taehyung seemed to know that it was some heavy piece of information and left him time. Jimin noticed that Taehyung had pulled back both of his arms so Jimin could get up freely.

He decided to stay in place where he was. What he got so far was that Taehyung was a really great guy that was loved by everyone who took the time to get to know him. Such a guy didn't just kill his parent randomly. Jimin wanted to hear everything.

When Taehyung didn't give any sign of continuing - probably thinking just how long Jimin needed to get what he tried to say and leave, he really must think of him as dense - Jimin pushed on his own.

"What happened?"

Taehyung really seemed surprised, but ultimately started to tell his story. He told him that it wasn't his Dad but his Stepfather and the he was abusing both his mother and him. One day when he came home his mother was barely breathing and the guy was still beating on her. Taehyung just reacted and threw himself at the man. Therefore the jerk let go of his mother and focused on Taehyung. He told Jimin that everything happened really fast, that he was thrown around and then somehow landed against the table where a bottle fell to the floor along with him. He took it out of reflex and before he knew what happened the other guy was lying on the floor bleeding out of his stomach where Taehyung stabbed him.

"When the ambulance arrived the guy was already dead, my mother just barely breathing. They took her to the hospital and me to the police station. It got cleared as self defence shortly after since there were a few witnesses and I was able to go but my mother was still in the hospital and need a lot more of time to cure. That's why they brought me to Ahjumma Lee and the Sunshine house.

I know I shouldn't say that, but that was one of the happiest times in my life."

Jimin felt the tears running down over his ears into his hair but didn't care. He sat up and turned around, pulling Tae in a tight hug. Comically it was Taehyung that comforted the crying Jimin, drawing soothing circles into his back, instead of Jimin doing so.

Jimin couldn't imagine how long the boy must have grieved over being a murderer with the students only fuelling these feelings when everything he had done was protect himself and his mother from the actual murderer.

"And? Enough of the truth? Better kept with the rumours, right?"

"You're worth it." Jimin mumbled, still hugging Taehyung tightly.

"Eh, what did you say?"

Jimin loosened his embrace. He didn't know what he was about to do until he had done it; he kissed Taehyung. The other was surprised, frozen in place but didn't try to push him away. When Jimin pulled back he looked Taehyung in the eyes.

"You are definitely worth everything that's going to happen! I'm sorry, but you're stuck with me now! I won't ever let you go!"

Jimin grabbed Taehyung's face in both his hands.

"I'm going to kiss you again. If you don't want to - not because you're afraid of the consequences but because you really don't want to kiss me - then you need to push me away, otherwise I'm not going to stop."

"Ji-"

Whatever Taehyung wanted to say was cut off by Jimin's lips. He kissed him tenderly, giving time to collect his thought. After a while he felt Taehyung reciprocating it tentative and shy. Jimin smiled into the kiss before parting slightly.

"You didn't push me away."

"You said to only if I didn't want it."

"Yeah, I did..." And Jimin's lips were back on Taehyung's