It was not okay.

As Yoongi was gathering his things from his locker, expecting to have a quick path home, he noticed the rush of students sprinting to the outside of the school— far more than usual. Thinking nothing of it, he continued grabbing the last of his things, before shutting his locker shut. No sooner had he locked his locker, Namjoon appeared in front of him, a wild expression on his face.

"What's wrong?"

Yoongi tensed at Namjoon's hurried stance. Not answering him, Namjoon grabbed Yoongi's wrist, quickly pulling him towards the direction of the student traffic, talking in hurried tones.

"Apparently, Joshua and his friends are going to beat the shit out of Hoseok."

Yoongi stopped short at the statement, and for the first time, he didn't bother correcting Namjoon about his language. The air felt like it had left its lungs as Namjoon dragged him down the stairs, clearly with the intent of Yoongi stopping the mess that was currently unfolding. He remembered Taeyang telling him about the possibility of them doing that, and Yoongi had completely forgotten to warn Hoseok about it. He'd been too wrapped up in his own worries that he forgot to mention to Hoseok that he should watch his back. But, he didn't think that Joshua would pull through. Yoongi thought he'd managed to calm them down a bit, and that they would be fine with Hoseok being one of the members.

He felt like such an idiot.

"Joon, Taeyang warned me that this was probably going to happen," Yoongi breathed, his eyes already starting to water. "He told me that it was a possibility, and I forgot to warn Hoseok. It slipped my head. But I-I didn't think that they'd pull through. Why would they hurt him?"

"Because he's not like them, Yoongi," Namjoon said, sounding disappointed. "Or you, for that matter. He's different. People hate different. You should have told him immediately, Yoongi. Excuse me!"

Namjoon began shoving against the crowd, Yoongi following behind. The students were cheering far more than Yoongi was expecting, anticipating what was to come. Everyone held their phones, recording the fight that would start any moment, no one lifting a finger to try to help. Yoongi could already hear Joshua shouting at Hoseok, his voice loud, aggressive, spewing slurs and riling the crowd up.

Not a single administrator in sight.

"You have to stop this, Yoongi," Namjoon urged, continuing to shove around the seemingly endless crowd. "They're your teammates, and I know that you probably don't like Hoseok being on the team, but you can't let him get hurt. He isn't doing anything wrong."

What could Yoongi do?

He was placed in a predicament. If he decided to side with Joshua, then Hoseok was going to get hurt. That was the safest route. Everyone was on Joshua's side. Hoseok was someone that stuck out in the pristine, perfect St. John's. He didn't belong in anything, and now that he was placed in a team that has recognition, Hoseok was being too bold. His other option was to come to Hoseok's aid. Taeyang had already mentioned that the others had suspected that he and Hoseok were friends, which wasn't true, and if he stuck up for Hoseok, Yoongi would be in more trouble than he deemed worth it.

But, Hoseok had been nothing but nice to him since they had started talking again.

Hoseok, despite them not speaking in years, was just as hospitable. There had been a form of trust that had formed between them, and it wouldn't be fair if Hoseok got hurt. Besides, Yoongi had told Hoseok that he would have his back if anything rose up. But surely Hoseok knew that there was a risk in him coming back to the team as abruptly as he did. And for him to be better than all of the team, that was bound to bruise everyone on the team's egos.

"Who the fuck do you think you are, Jung?"

They had finally made their way to the front. Namjoon looked back at Yoongi, continuing to urge him to get Hoseok out of the trouble. Yoongi was frozen, watching the scene unfold before his eyes. Two of Joshua's friends— fellow teammates, were holding onto Hoseok's arms, while Joshua paced around, stretching and cracking his neck as if readying himself to punch Hoseok— and from the looks of it, he'd already done so.

"Tell me how you did it," Joshua continued, seething in rage. "Did you sleep with the Coach? The captain? That wouldn't surprise me, knowing how much of a fag you fucking are."

Hoseok remained silent, not even bothering to look in Joshua's direction, which only made him angrier.

"You look at me when I'm talking to you, you disgusting piece of shit!"

"Yoongi," Namjoon tugged at Yoongi's sleeves. "Come on. You have to do something."

"Why can't you do something if you're so concerned about Hoseok's wellbeing?" Yoongi retorted, knowing that people were probably eavesdropping into their conversation. "It's not my job to watch out for him."

Namjoon's hold on Yoongi slackened at this. Yoongi could see the stunned, disappointed expression on Namjoon's face, but he forced himself to look away, not wanting to see more of Namjoon. He didn't need this. He didn't have to help Hoseok if he didn't want to. He didn't have to stop the fight that was brewing in front of him. He could just blend in with the crowd, let them cheer on while Yoongi tried retreating, before going his merry way.

"You would think, Yoongi, that you'd have more of a heart."

"Hoseok can handle himself."

Namjoon scoffed. "Look at him! He's being held by each arm while the other delivers the blows. How is handling himself?"

Yoongi shrugged. "It's not my business."

"Is that what God would want for you to do?"

Yoongi's stomach flipped upside down at Namjoon's words. Namjoon didn't have a right to use God in that way. God didn't like people like Hoseok anyhow. What did Namjoon know about God? He wasn't as religious as Yoongi in any way shape or form— he wasn't even applying to any religious institutions! So for Namjoon to be trying to lecture him about God it rang nothing but audacity.

Who did he think he was?

Yoongi remained silent, not wanting to talk to Namjoon anymore. He looked back at the scene unfolding, noticing how Hoseok's face was starting to get bloody, which only increased the screams of the supporting crowd. Feeling overpowered by this, Joshua only continued the assaults, each one more violent than the last. Yoongi winced, but stayed still, choosing not to do anything. God can't fault him for his actions. Hoseok was getting what everyone had on their minds.

Maybe if Hoseok had been more like them, it would be different.

"At least fight me fairly, coward."

Hoseok's voice was stern and clear, shocking everyone around. Joshua froze a bit, not expecting Hoseok to speak, before bursting out in laughter, clapping his hands in delight.

"So it can speak!" Joshua mused. "I was starting to think you were just too much of a fucking pussy to say anything. I should be teaching you some manners. Consider this your official welcome to the cross country team. We couldn't be more glad to have you on board."

I'm sure your God loves you for all that.

Hoseok's words rang in Yoongi's ears louder than he had ever heard them. This was a phrase that appeared in his head over and over, one that Namjoon had conveyed in his questioning. Yoongi shook his head, forcing himself to ignore the nagging, focusing on letting himself blend in with the crowd of supporters. As long as he wasn't seen, it would be fine. He wouldn't have to choose to save Hoseok or keep his reputation. It would be fine as long as he didn't get involved.

At that moment, Hoseok's eyes met Yoongi's.

There wasn't any real emotion in them, but, with their eyes meeting, Yoongi couldn't look away. It felt as if the time had stopped between the both of them. It was just them two, Hoseok waiting for Yoongi to react, anticipating Yoongi's next move. As luck would have it, now Yoongi did have a choice to make. While the others hadn't mentioned him in the crowd, knowing that Hoseok had locked eyes with Yoongi, meant that Hoseok knew Yoongi was in the crowd. Yet, Hoseok wasn't expecting any sort of help from Yoongi. Yoongi could see that in his eyes.

It looked like Hoseok was waiting, far more than pleading to Yoongi. He was waiting for Yoongi's next move, trying to decipher what decision Yoongi would make. Once again, Yoongi was stuck like deer in headlights, in a trance. Where Namjoon had failed to move Yoongi, Hoseok was doing, pulling at Yoongi's emotions, and leaving Yoongi in a tight predicament.

Saving Hoseok or saving his reputation.

What would come first?

"That's enough!"

Yoongi couldn't even feel himself moving towards them at the speed that he was moving. He felt detached from his body as he walked in between Joshua and Hoseok, quickly pulling the two holding Hoseok away from him, leaving Hoseok with the ability to move. Yoongi then turned to Joshua with a serious expression, though he tried to keep his voice level.

"Do you find this entertaining, Joshua?" Yoongi scoffed. "I thought you would be better than this. How dare you lay a finger on someone who's on your team?"

"Oh, don't act like you're the saint here," Joshua sneered. "You've been watching this entire time and haven't said a single word until now."

"I was hoping you'd find it in your hearts to stop, but I see now I should have stepped in a lot sooner," Yoongi turned to Hoseok. "For that, I apologize. As your captain, I let you down. I'm sorry."

Hoseok smiled thinly, though said nothing in return.

"So what?" Joshua crossed his arms. "You're going to come to its aid? Do you think that thing deserves a spot in our esteemed cross country team? It's lucky we even let it enter the school grounds every single day. He deserves nothing here."

Yoongi shook his head. "When you point your finger at someone, three fingers point right back to you. Joshua, do you think God would be pleased with what you're doing? Regardless of how unnatural you deem Hoseok to be, he has a right to be respected."

"Does he, Yoongi?" Joshua smirked, stepping closer to him. "You know, you're sticking up a lot for a boy you haven't talked to in years. But what do I know? What do any of us know, really? From the looks of today, you seemed friendly towards it. Nah, that's not the right word. Cozy. Real cozy."

Murmurs broke out among the crowd, their phones still out and avidly recording the scene before them. Yoongi's breath had caught in his chest, jaw clenching as he began to shake in fury. His cheeks were heating up, not just out of embarrassment, but out of horror at the insinuation. He knew that it was going to happen— that they would think something of him that he was not. It was exactly why he didn't want to get involved with Hoseok, to begin with, because he knew that everyone would start talking— no matter how much Yoongi didn't want them to.

Yoongi swallowed the lump in his throat. "Just because I am doing the right thing, it doesn't mean that I'm like that. Stop it now, Joshua. I don't want to make a scene."

Joshua sneered, balling his fists.

"Should have thought about that before getting in my way."

Yoongi had never been a violent person. He had always believed that problems could be solved by talking. He believed there was no use for violence, as violence never solved anything. He was a good kid— someone who could never throw the first punch at someone. Going as far as to hurt someone, Yoongi couldn't dream of it. It wasn't in his system. It wasn't him. He didn't like being violent.

"I don't want to have to fight you, Joshua," Yoongi shook his head. "There's no point in injuring others."

That, however, didn't stop Joshua from hitting him square in the jaw.

Yoongi stumbled back, eyes blurring momentarily at the intensity of the punch. His hand immediately went up to his jaw, wincing at the sharp pain that flamed from him touching it. The crowd gasped. They were no longer cheering for Joshua. Instead, they were stunned silent, looking at each other as Yoongi forced himself up, looking as if he was no longer in the mood to play around.

It was one thing to hit Hoseok, the outcast.

It was completely another thing to hit someone everyone loved, Yoongi, the golden boy.

People could have Joshua's back messing around with Hoseok because no one liked him. He was the black sheep, the scapegoat, the one that no one cared about. He could afford to be made fun of, hit, and bullied. No one would bat an eye at it. But, Yoongi? Yoongi, the one that had the support of all the teachers at the school? Yoongi, who had been nothing but kind and lovable since first starting at St. John's? Not him. Everyone acknowledged that Yoongi was someone that shouldn't be messed with. Yoongi made no enemies, and he was just exactly what everyone envisioned him to be.

Yoongi did everything to help the school and help others. He was someone who could do no wrong.

"Consider yourself, off the team, Joshua," Yoongi remarked, expression dark. "I'll be letting Coach know of your actions today, including your assaults at Hoseok."

"You can't fucking do that," Joshua seethed. "I'm one of the best you've got."

"You're right," Yoongi agreed. "But, I'm sure that someone else will happily take your place in the statewide meet. Your behavior is completely unacceptable. God would be incredibly disappointed in your actions today."

"Who are you to come preaching to me?"

"Come on Hoseok," Yoongi looked towards Hoseok. Hoseok raised an eyebrow, pointing towards himself. Yoongi nodded, motioning for Hoseok to come with him. "I'm going to see if the nurse is still available. I hope you think about your actions, Joshua."

Yoongi thought that was the last exchange that would happen between them.

He hoped.

Unfortunately, it wasn't.

"What are your parents going to think of you helping out a scumbag like Hoseok?"

Yoongi stopped short. He turned back to Joshua, who began approaching him as if they were friends. Joshua smiled softly, placing a hand on Yoongi's shoulder, and seeing that Yoongi was only looking at him, he continued.

"You know your parents won't be happy that you're defending garbage." Joshua's voice lowered so that only Yoongi could hear. "Hoseok doesn't need to be helped. You should be on my side of this. I'm trying to protect our team from that disease. We don't need him. You don't need to be by his side. You worked so hard to get rid of him during freshman year. We've worked well without him. Why would you turn back to your old, disgusting habits now?"

Yoongi's hands balled into fists, his jaw clenching at Joshua's words. Noticing the visible reaction, Joshua continued, leaning in to whisper in Yoongi's ear.

"I know you care about your reputation," Joshua murmured. "I can forget all of this and vouch for you. I'll tell them you aren't friends, that you didn't want him on the team, but as captain, you had to stand up for him. But, if you leave with Hoseok, everything that happens after is going to be your fault. You're choosing to align yourself with someone who isn't in God's favor. Everyone loves you, Yoongi. Don't become a token of their hatred. You gonna sacrifice everything for one boy?"

Without another word, Yoongi pushed Joshua back, and before he could comprehend his actions, raised his arm and swung at Joshua. Caught off guard, Joshua didn't react in time, Yoongi's fist managing to connect with his nose. Joshua cursed, glaring at Yoongi, who could only stand shocked at what he had just done. Strangely enough, he didn't feel guilty about it. All he could do was stare down at Joshua, mentally preparing himself for him to try and hit him. But something told him that Joshua wouldn't.

"Now we're even."

Satisfied, Yoongi looked at the crowd, and as his eyes passed through each of them, all he could see was how scared they looked to be seeing Yoongi. Their looks of unease did nothing to soothe Yoongi. It wasn't a good indication, and as he saw people rushing to Joshua's aid, Yoongi knew it was time for him to take his leave. Namjoon was nowhere in sight, but Yoongi couldn't worry about him right now. He looked at Hoseok and nodded at them to leave. The two began walking back towards the school, neither of them saying a single word to each other.

Yoongi rubbed the hand that he'd hit Joshua with, wincing a bit. He'd never hit someone before, and he hadn't expected himself to get as worked up as he did. Joshua had been telling Yoongi nothing but truths, and instead of accepting them, Yoongi got furious and without thinking hit Joshua. Not that it hurt Joshua, Yoongi presumed, as Yoongi didn't know the first thing about hitting someone, but at the very least, Joshua's ego was bruised.

To Yoongi's disappointment, the nurse was nowhere in sight. Yoongi turned to Hoseok and fully looked at him. Wordlessly, he grabbed Hoseok's wrist, bringing it up to check Hoseok's hand for any bruises. He let Hoseok's wrist go, eyes drifting to Hoseok's face, where the damage seemed to be the most. Hoseok smiled wryly, eyes pointing to Yoongi's hand.

"I'm not the one that decided to recklessly punch someone, Yoongi."

Yoongi rolled his eyes at Hoseok's remark, saying, "He hit me first. I just let it slide. Come on, I'm sure Coach has a first aid kit and some ice bags."

"You've never been a violent person."

"I'm not," Yoongi responded, walking towards their Coach's office. "If that had been the case, I think I would have punched him the first time. I didn't even realize that I'd hit him until the damage was done."

"I'd say he did more damage to you," Hoseok remarked. "That punch looked like it hurt."

Yoongi shook his head. "I should be the one telling you that. Are you okay?"

Hoseok shrugged. "All in a day's work."

When they got to their Coach's office, the Coach was already expecting them. Namjoon was next to him, and Yoongi avoided making eye contact with him, feeling guilty of the words he had spoken. The Coach quickly assured them that Namjoon had told him about the situation and that he would get to the bottom of it in a few minutes. He already had the ice packs and first aid ready, and he gave it to Yoongi, before formally leaving the room, leaving the three by themselves.

"Do you need me to get you anything, Yoongi?" Namjoon asked quietly. Yoongi nodded, telling him what to get and without another word, Namjoon left, with the promise of returning.

Yoongi tended to Hoseok's wounds first. Using a damp towel he wiped the dried blood off Hoseok's face, making sure that he didn't press too hard on any of the wounds. Yoongi tried his best to ignore the throbbing in his hand and jaw, wanting to pay special attention to ensuring that Hoseok was properly treated. He hadn't suffered any major injuries— Joshua had mostly verbally assaulted him, but Yoongi still wanted to make sure that Hoseok was one hundred percent fine.

"You didn't have to do anything for me, you know," Hoseok said as soon as Yoongi was done. "I wasn't expecting you to."

Yoongi sighed, dipping his head. "I should have done something sooner. I stood there just watching and didn't want to do anything. I owe you and Namjoon an apology. I said some things to him that I regret. He wanted me to help you, but I shut him down."

"Why would you want to help me out, Yoongi?" Hoseok laughed, though there was no sign of cheer in it. "It took you such a long time to reach out to me because of how much you care for your family's opinion. I was expecting you to be the same as everyone else. To you, I'm nothing, and I get that."

"Don't say that about yourself, Hoseok," Yoongi spoke quietly, grabbing a bandage wrap that was available. He fumbled slightly, as the hand he was trying to bandage was his dominant hand. Noticing Yoongi's struggle, Hoseok grabbed the bandage, holding out his hand.

"May I?"

Yoongi nodded.

Gently, Hoseok took Yoongi's hand, eyebrows furrowing in concentration at the task at hand.

"I don't even know why you need to put this on," Hoseok said, looking up at Yoongi briefly. "It can't be that bad."

Yoongi laughed. "My mother's going to be going ballistics if she knows that I hurt my hand and didn't try to bandage it. She'll probably assess the damage once I get home. I'd rather her tell me that I only need ice than for her to yell my ear off about how I should have been careful."

"I don't blame you for being impulsive," Hoseok said, the tips of his lips curving slightly upward. "I'm sure Joshua said some shitty things to you. I've never seen you react the way you did back there. There. You're good to go, but you should really keep the ice pack on your jaw. You look like you're going to have a nasty bruise tomorrow morning."

"You're probably right," Yoongi grimaced. "Joshua knows how to punch."

"If only you had someone to kiss your wound all better."

Yoongi nearly choked on air at the words, looking at Hoseok incredulously. Hoseok stared at him innocently, raising his eyebrow just a fraction. Nothing in his expression seemed to suggest that Hoseok was referring to himself, but Yoongi was still caught off guard. They were the only two in the room, Namjoon still grabbing some things for Yoongi before Yoongi could actually leave to go home.

Was Hoseok talking about himself?

Was he suggesting to kiss Yoongi?

Why was Yoongi even entertaining the mere idea of it?

"Chill. You're giving it way too much thought, Min," Hoseok chuckled. "I was kidding. I know you haven't met the girl of your dreams yet."

The girl of his dreams.

Yoongi didn't think he'd meet her anytime soon.

"Oh, don't look like that," Hoseok shook his head. "I'm sure you'll find her. Maybe not right now, but someday. I was just teasing you. Don't think about it too much."

"Have you met your dream...?" Yoongi trailed off, knowing that Hoseok would understand what he was trying to say. Hoseok smiled, appreciating the privacy that Yoongi had given him (in not mentioning anything that could implicate him not being straight in case anyone else was around).

"Of sorts."

There wasn't an answer that Yoongi was expecting, but hearing that from Hoseok, somehow hurt. He hadn't expected Hoseok to really say that he'd met someone, and there was slight curiosity in him at the confirmation. Yoongi found himself wanting to know who was on Hoseok's mind— though it had been long, Yoongi was trying to scramble through what he knew Hoseok could find attractive in someone.

"Do I know..?"

Hoseok shrugged, saying nothing.

"I should probably get going," Hoseok said, changing the conversation. "Namjoon will come any second for you, and I need to be back home. But, if you want to hang out later, we could head up to Lake Texoma. You don't have to, but it seems like you got a lot on your mind. We won't be around anyone. Just the two of us."

Yoongi's stomach flipped at the thought of being alone with Hoseok.

But he couldn't risk trying to meet up with Hoseok. He knew that he'd already get in a lot of trouble just for being on Hoseok's side in this whole conflict. It would be worse for him if his parents managed to figure out how friendly Hoseok and he was being towards each other. It was pitiful, really, just how fast he was able to fold and converse with Hoseok.

It pained him how natural everything seemed to be between the two of them. The way they were talking as if they didn't have a care in the world. The way Yoongi carefully tended to Hoseok when he could have just left Hoseok to deal with his injuries himself, the way Hoseok was just as gentle towards him. It was like nothing had changed between them— like they still cared for each other, despite all the time, and all the wrong that Yoongi had committed against Hoseok.

All the wrong that Yoongi still had yet to address.

All the wrong that he still had to apologize for.

Still, his duty was to God and his family. Even if he wanted to hang out with Hoseok, and he didn't, his parents would be suspicious of him leaving on a school day when usually all he did was eat dinner and catch up on work. It was only a Monday, and Yoongi didn't think it would be worth the risk of him hanging out with Hoseok. He had to sever the attachment to Hoseok somewhat, and space was something that could help with that.

"If you change your mind, let me know."

There weren't any discord emotions on Hoseok's face, which only hurt Yoongi more. It was like Hoseok understood that Yoongi couldn't do stuff with him just because he wanted to. There was no judgment in Hoseok— just pure understanding that Yoongi was limited in his options. It pained Yoongi to see just how understanding Hoseok was. If the situation were reversed, Yoongi couldn't say for sure that he would also want to be like that. Not when Yoongi and Hoseok had so much history between them.

"This won't be in my record, right?"

Hoseok raised an eyebrow.

"Am I going to get in trouble for this?" Yoongi asked, eyebrows scrunching together in thought. "I mean, he technically punched me first, but also, I punched him back, and then you were also hit, but also you didn't hit anyone, only I did—"

"Yoongi, this happened outside of school grounds," Hoseok huffed. "I don't think you will get in trouble. Joshua started this, not you. If anything, he's the one that is going to in trouble. You know Coach won't let him live this down. You told him he'd be out of the team. He's the one that is going to have lasting consequences, not you."

"Do you regret it?" Yoongi asked, looking at Hoseok. "It's only been a day since you've gotten back on the team and you were already hurt."

Hoseok pondered for a moment.

"No," Hoseok finally said. "I knew what I was going to be getting into. I don't think I ever really thought that I would get away with just existing unscathed. That would have been nice though. To be treated just like everyone else."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I have you, right?" Hoseok smiled fondly. "You're all I need."

Yoongi could feel the slight heating of his cheeks. He smiled, heart, feeling warm in his chest. They fell into a comfortable silence, both of their gazes lingering on each other. They didn't need to be doing anything. They were enjoying each other's company, just like that, and if it wasn't for Namjoon suddenly appearing, Yoongi suspected that their moments would be a lot more extended.

"I'll see you later, hopefully."

Namjoon stepped to the side as Hoseok walked out of the office, raising an eyebrow at the response. Yoongi shook his head, taking his things from Namjoon gratefully.

"You going to hang with him tonight?" Namjoon asked. Yoongi shook his head once more. "Did you apologize to him? He got messed up kind of bad."

"Somewhat," Yoongi mumbled, walking out with Namjoon. "Says he understands my stance though. I need to apologize to you, too, Joon. What I said was out of line. You were just trying to help someone powerless while being powerless yourself."

"Have I ever told you, Yoongi, that you are wonderful with words?" Namjoon asked dryly. Yoongi laughed. "It's okay, Yoongi. I was being a bit pushy. I forget that our circumstances are different. I shouldn't have been so insensitive. I just wanted you to do something. Hoseok didn't deserve to get treated like that."

"I know," Yoongi whispered. "But at least, Joshua's going to get in trouble for what he did. Coach is going to kick him off the team, my mom's probably going to want to get him expelled, and then life will return to normal."

At least, that's what Yoongi hoped would happen.