Young and Free | BTS [√]

juu roku

There would be periods of time when Namjoon would feel like a volatile substance; not even a creature, waiting to be evaporated.

It had been some days like this. He couldn't really pinpoint what was wrong, why he felt so disappointed when he shouldn't be.

Yet every night when he'd feel this urge to hold a cigarette in between his fingers and coat himself with the stain of ashes and breathe in the stench of nicotine he knew something was going wrong with him, definitely.

It was ten or eleven at night, Namjoon didn't bother much to check the time before he had gone outside. But as he found himself in the lonely streets of the neighbourhood and the designated store which was terribly empty save for the part timer, he supposed it was close to midnight.

And the yarning of busking himself in the poisonous smoke was poking him in the head again.

He put the bill with the packet of Marlboros on the cashier's desk and as Namjoon saw a pair of veiny, pale hands take the money off the table he instinctively looked up.

It was Yoongi, the engineering major from the other end of his dorm.

"Do you need a bag?" As the lad voiced Namjoon shook his head to the sides.

Namjoon did not really know why he was at unease, all of a suddenly. Smoking was his occasional and a secretive habit of some sorts, but it was out in the open for Yoongi to know now. That was not the problem.

The problem was Namjoon knew, he looked like shit, utter shit. He hadn't been going out unless he had classes. In his room he had been reading and smoking, A LOT. Namjoon caught this 'occasional' habit when he was young, way young, but he could not remember the last time he had smoked so much in a few consecutive days.

Namjoon could already feel the dark circles under his eyes getting heavier, the new grown pimples poking out in his skin that he'd often absentmindedly scratch on, his complexion ghastly as if he was out of blood, lips chapped and gray.

But Yoongi did not observe his pathetic self for long.

"Well, you look like shit!" A sudden voice boomed and Namjoon saw Hoseok standing with two bottle of beers in his hand, judging Namjoon's face with wide eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked and his eyes fell onto Yoongi next. "I did not know you worked here!"

Namjoon did not know that either. He was supposed to say he was fine but as he clutched on the packet of cigarettes inside his hoodie's pocket, he really did not feel like saying so.

Thankfully, Yoongi and Hoseok were immersed in their own small talk now. "My shift's ending now actually." Yoongi pulled out his green vest, with his droopy shoulders he slowly arranged the desk before stepping out.

"How about having some beer in the dorm's rooftop!" Hoseok hoisted the bottles in the air with a bright grin on his face. "Today's weather seems nice!"