Taehyung walks into his house at around 8pm and finds his father waiting in the living room.

"Where were you?" He asks.

"I was at a friend's house." Taehyung says.

"I called Hoseok's dad. He said you weren't there." His father says.

"I have more than one friend." Taehyung says. "Plus. Taeil is new. You don't even know him."

"Where's you're phone? Each time I called it went straight to voicemail." His father says standing.

Even though he isn't drunk Taehyung still feels threatened.

"I broke it so. It's not working." Taehyung says.

"You should've told me. I would have gotten you a new one." His father says.

"Sorry. I would have, but the last time I saw you, you were drunk off your ass and beating the shit out of me." Taehyung says starting to head upstairs.

"Can't you see that I'm trying here Taehyung?" His father asks.

"I know. I just want you to see what it feels like to give everything you have and get nothing but shit in return." Taehyung says going upstairs and shutting his door.

Taehyung sighs.

He packed most of his stuff away after his father broke the news.

There wasn't much but his clothes and a few things he kept under his bed since his dad ruined most of the things that meant something to him.

Taehyung sits on his bed looking around the almost unrecognizable room.

He catches sight of himself in the mirror on the door and along with the unrecognizable room there's also him who is also unrecognizable.

His body has been heavy all the day with the weight of trying to pretend like everything was alright when it wasn't at all.

Taehyung felt like everyone was moving on with their life and leaving him behind.

Even Hoseok.

But it was all his fault.

He should've went to see him Monday but everything came crashing down when he saw him in the student parking lot talking and laughing and living his life as if he hasn't just ruined someone else's.

"Don't bother telling anyone. Everyone knows how easy you are. No one will believe a slut like you was forced into anything."

"Damnit Taehyung." Taehyung cries to himself.

Taehyung lays down on his bed and closes his eyes hoping to sleep peacefully.

"What's wrong honey?"

Taehyung squeezes his eyes shut tighter.

When he opens them it's like he's there again.

Suho's hand wraps tightly around his throat cutting off his air completely making spots cloud his vision.

Suho's breath burns his neck and his grunts of pleasure curse his ears.

"You like it honey?"

Taehyung gasps sitting up with a start.

He looks around his room and now even here seems to be contaminated with him and what he did.

Taehyung gets out of bed and leaves the room closing the door softly behind him.

When he gets down the old staircase his father sits in the living room in his recliner watching something on TV.

"Is everything alright son?" He asks when he sees him.

"Yeah. It's okay." Taehyung says laying down on the couch and looking at the TV as well.

His father doesn't question why he's come to sleep on the couch instead he asks what he wants to watch and they watch it together.

Taehyung still feels tense but he makes himself relax.

Maybe his father's new relationship was for the best.
-

Taehyung doesn't meet Hoseok and Jungkook at the table the next morning.

He feels like Jungkook's upset at him and he hates it.

Instead he goes to the library where the bookworms and lonely kids stay in the morning.

Taehyung scans his student ID card to get in and heads to a table where he could finish his math homework.

A few minutes later someone drops their books down in front of him and sits.

Taehyung looks up when Taeil takes his worksheet.

"Yah." Taehyung says trying to get it back.

"You can't have a negative square root. It'd become imaginary." Taeil says looking over the sheet.

"Good to know. Can I please have it back." Taehyung says reaching for the sheet.

"Is it graded based on accuracy or completion?" Taeil asks handing it over.

"You think I was listening when he explained this?" Taehyung asks looking at the sheet.

"Let me help." Taeil says standing and sitting beside Taehyung at the table.

Taehyung sighs. "I know how to do the first part. But I still don't understand imaginary numbers."

"Mhm." Taeil hums looking at the sheet. "The number becomes imaginary when the number under the square root is negative, see?"

Taehyung watches as Taeil explains but he can't seem to focus on his words.

"You get it?" Taeil asks.

"Yeah." Taehyung says nodding.

"I haven't told you how to do anything yet." Taeil says smiling a little.

"Oh." Taehyung says. "Sorry."

"No worries." Taeil says flashing the same sweet smile he always does. "If I'm gonna help though you gotta listen."

"I know. I just have a lot on my mind." Taehyung says taking the overdue homework and putting it back in his binder.

"What is it?" Taeil asks concern laced through his voice.

"Don't worry about it." Taehyung says shaking his head.

"Come on. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't let you dump all your problems on me." Taeil laughs. "You'd do the same for me."

Taehyung sighs. "Thanks. But I'm fine. Really."

The bell rings and they both stand to go to first.

"We should hang out again." Taeil says as they walk.

"Yeah. You should hang out with me and my friends. They're pretty cool." Taehyung says.

"Sounds good." Taeil says smiling again.

Taehyung smiles as well and they split up and go to their seats.

Jungkook already sits at their shared table when Taehyung takes his seat.

"Hey Tae." Jungkook says when he sits down.

"Hey." Taehyung says barely glancing Jungkook's way as he pretends to be looking for something in his binder.

"So. You and the new guy are friends?" Jungkook asks.

"Yeah." Taehyung says still not looking over at Jungkook.

"Look. About yesterday." Jungkook says turning more towards Taehyung. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get upset."

"It's fine. It doesn't matter." Taehyung says.

"No." Jungkook says laying a gentle hand on Taehyung's in hopes of getting his attention.

Taehyung does look up at him momentarily before taking his hand away.

"It's just frustrating Tae." Jungkook says. "You disappeared for an entire week. You ignored all our calls and messages~"

"My phone~"

"I know your phone isn't broken." Jungkook cuts off. "You even told Hoseok to leave you alone. What was all that about?"

"Jungkook." Taehyung sighs looking down.

He wanted to tell him. Everything in him wanted him to know.

It was a selfish thought but he longed for someone else to share this burden with.

"What is it Tae?" Jungkook says looking Taehyung in the eye trying to read him.

Taehyung feels like Jungkook can see right through him. Like everything he's been keeping in is tattooed across his forehead.

Taehyung looks away and shakes his head. "It's okay. It's fine. It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. It matters." Jungkook says.

"I can't think about it right now Jungkook. Please don't make me." Taehyung says his voice almost a whisper.

Jungkook looks confused but decides not to question him any further.

"I just want you to know you can trust me. You can talk to me about anything." Jungkook says. "I care about you a lot. And I want to take care of you and I want you to take care of yourself."

Taehyung looks up at Jungkook. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course." Jungkook says.

"Trust that whatever it is I'll tell you when the time comes." Taehyung says. "I just can't right now."

Jungkook nods. "I trust you."

Taehyung nods looking back down at his binder.

Taehyung looks at Hoseok's letter for the thousandth time.

He needed to tell someone.

--