Hoseok and Taehyung walk into school the next morning and the hallways are lined with more garbage cans than usual.

"Ugh. I hate cleaning out lockers." Hoseok groans as the walk through the halls.

"Maybe if you didn't stuff all your trash in there it'd be easier." Taehyung says.

"Yeah whatever. I haven't used the thing since first semester so there's probably a new creature inside." Hoseok says.

Taehyung laughs at Hoseok's lame joke.

"I guess I'll see you in first after I clean my locker..." Hoseok trails off looking behind Taehyung.

Taehyung turns and sees Suho walking down the hall with Lisa and Bogum.

He turns back to Hoseok. "Yeah. I'll see you in first. I should get to my locker too."

Hoseok nods and smiles even though his jaw is tightly clenched as the three of them walk pass.

"Hey Tae." Suho says as they pass.

Taehyung feels as if the breath as been knocked from his lungs as he hears the devil speak his name.

Suho just smiles and continues down the hall not even expecting a response.

"Taehyung~"

"It's fine." Taehyung says before Hoseok can continue. "It's okay. I mean I'm okay."

Hoseok sighs as Taehyung's infamous lie leaves his lips.

"He doesn't win Hobi." Taehyung reminds. "If I let that upset me then he wins. And he doesn't. So it's fine. Okay?"

"Yeah. Okay." Hoseok says knowing that Taehyung mostly said that for himself to hear.

"Alright. Go ahead to your locker I'll see you in first." Taehyung says smiling a little as he turns from his friend.

Taehyung's hands shake as he tries to put in his combination.

After multiple times his locker does open and he finds a single purple rose.

Taehyung's eyebrows knit together as he picks up the rose.

"Secret admirer?"

Taehyung closes his locker to find Jungkook leaning against the one before his.

"Jeon Jungkook." Taehyung says.

"Surprised beautiful?" Jungkook asks smirking sweetly.

Taehyung's face flushes as he looks down at the flower in his hands.

"You didn't have~"

"I know." Jungkook says. "But I wanted to."

"Thank you." Taehyung says.

"You are very welcome." Jungkook says. "Now. Shall I show you to class?"

"Yeah." Taehyung chuckles before walking alongside Jungkook to their first period.

Taehyung loved how Jungkook had a way of making him for everything bad in the world.

"You should come over tonight. My parents are having guests so I'm not allowed to leave my room." Jungkook says.

"That doesn't make any sense." Taehyung says.

"Yeah. They still haven't really forgiven me for telling them off even though it's been like a good month now." Jungkook says.

"Yeah. I'll come." Taehyung laughs.

"You should also look up what a purple rose symbolises." Jungkook says.

"Or you can just tell me?" Taehyung says looking up at Jungkook.

"Look it up buttercup." Jungkook winks.

Taehyung smiles looking down at the flower again as they get to class and take their seats.

"Hey Taehyung."

Taehyung looks up to find Taeil.

"Still appearing from nowhere I see." Taehyung says.

"Yeah I guess." Taeil laughs.

"What's up?" Taehyung asks.

"Nothing. I just haven't really talked to you in a while. Just wanted to see what was up." Taeil says.

"Nothing much. How about you? You're not still antisocial are you?" Taehyung asks.

"Yeah. I don't think even friends can cure my antisocialism." Taeil says smiling.

"That's too bad." Taehyung chuckles.

"We should hang out sometime. Even when school let's out." Taeil says.

"Yeah. Cool." Taehyung nods.

"Alright. I'll see you around." Taeil smiles leaving the table.

Jungkook waits until Taeil is back in his seat to speak.

"I didn't know you still hung out with them." Jungkook says.

"I don't. Just Taeil. But I haven't even done that really." Taehyung says.

"I don't think it's a good idea to associate with any of them. Taeil included. He's the one who got you in trouble in the first place." Jungkook says.

"Yeah. And he's also the one who told you guys I was in trouble." Taehyung says.

"So. That doesn't make him a good guy." Jungkook says getting a bit frustrated.

"And why not?" Taehyung asks.

"Because even if he doesn't act like it he's still just like his friends." Jungkook says.

"Just because his friends are like that doesn't make him a bad guy." Taehyung says in Taeil's defense.

"Still makes him a stoner." Jungkook says.

"Why are we even arguing about this?" Taehyung asks realizing how stupid the conversation is.

"Because I don't want you hanging around those kind of people." Jungkook says. "They'll only hurt you in the long run."

"Why do you think you have a say in who I 'hang around'?" Taehyung asks.

"Because I actually care about you unlike them. They just want your money. They're drug dealers." Jungkook says.

"You don't know anything about them Jungkook." Taehyung says.

"And you do? You were stoned out of your mind whenever you were with them." Jungkook says.

"That was my decision." Taehyung says.

"They influenced you." Jungkook says.

"No they didn't." Taehyung says.

"It's called peer pressure." Jungkook says lowering his voice in an attempt to keep himself from yelling.

"Alright. I'm done talking about it. Drop it." Taehyung says turning to face the front.

"Fine." Jungkook says facing the front. "But just know that all I'm doing is looking out for you."

Taehyung doesn't respond as he waits for the exam to begin.

-

The thing about Taehyung's life is, whenever something starts to go good or whenever things aren't terrible, something terrible happens.

Taehyung was used to this pattern by now and he was just anxiously awaiting for the terrible part to come.

Taehyung's depression has always been apart of him that he's always lived with but when it flared up it was always bad.

His dad never understood why he would stay in bed for days at a time without eating or bathing, just questioning his will to live.

His depression was almost crippling.

To the point that he would do anything to make himself feel something other than the pain of existing.

Despite feeling his world begin to come crashing down Taehyung forced himself out of bed after a long night of being scared awake by his nightmares.

Taehyung had been doing good. He'd learned how to get away from his flashbacks whenever they came and he learned how to live with himself again without feeling dirty and used.

But then he just had to mess everything up.

He never spoke to Taehyung before so why did he all of a sudden feel the need to?

He must of saw that Taehyung was getting over him. That he was forgetting.

And he didn't want him to forget.

"Taehyung."

Taehyung looks away from the bathroom mirror to find Jakyung in the hallway in front of the bathroom.

"It's almost eight. You're going to be late." Jakyung says in a calm voice.

"Yeah. I overslept. I'll be ready in a minute." Taehyung says turning back to the mirror to brush his teeth.

"Are you okay?" Jakyung says.

"Yeah. It's fine." Taehyung says.

"I'm ready when you are." Jakyung smiles before leaving him to get dressed.

Taehyung gets dressed quickly and puts his shoes on only briefly trying to fix his now faded hair.

This last week of school seemed to be endless.

When Taehyung gets to school he immediately goes to his second period where his exam is being held instead of meeting Jungkook in the cafeteria.

He sits in his assigned seat and puts his head down.

He hated feeling like this.

He hated that he couldn't even explain the feeling to anyone because it was so undescribable.

It's like no matter how much sleep he got he was still exhausted.

No matter how long he went without eating he wasn't hungry.

No matter how much he cried it was never enough.

And no matter how much he clawed at his wrists he still felt numb.

Taehyung knew this was only the beginning and just hoped he could get through this week without crashing.

--