PREDESTINED [ Jin Centric ]

S I X

Seokjin may have been a kind friendly child, but he was also sometimes overbearing and insensitive. No one knew that better than Namjoon who'd gotten the brunt of most of Seokjin's ill-feelings which left him feeling a mutual dislike towards the boy he used to like.  In the beginning, it had been Seokjin who'd purposely started off on the wrong foot with the other two.

At the time it was childish rivalry, something overlooked quite easily, but unresolved feelings led to bigger complications. Seokjin lied, he had done something once upon a time...something he's  not proud of, because it was then that everything started to change. In truth, Seokjin played in active part in turning Namjoon and Yoongi against him. Although, it's been several years since then and Seokjin refuses to see any other way but his own, thus he places the blame solely on them.

It's stubborn denial that—

.\~*❦ *~/.

A cry brings Seokjin out of his reminiscing and to the group that had been playing basketball on the court a few yards from him. A frown forms as he observes the scene playing out before his eyes:

"See, you're getting in the way," A boy snidely alleges, an expression of obvious animosity as he addresses the smallest boy, who is sprawled on the rough surface of the concrete haphazardly. "If you can't keep up with the big boys then leave."

"No, you pushed me," The small boy imputes, picking himself up with a wince as he does his best to ignore the stinging of his palms and knees to stand his ground.  "You don't like that I'm better than you." The boy states matter-of-fact, his tone unwavering, as if used to saying that particular phrase.

  "Listen here, Golden Boy, this sport is ours, so stick to being a know-it-all little nerd and stay in your lane." The boy harshly advises, dropping all pretenses of playing nice, as he glowers down at the boy about two heads shorter than him.

"I like playing sports too." The small boy starts with a little pout, his big eyes expressing hurt as he reasons with a shrug. "I don't try to be good, I just am."

The boy snorts, looking around at his friends who all wear similar expressions of annoyance or poorly masked envy.  "Give it up, Runt! The coach may have let you on the team, but you'll never be one of us." The boy snarls, shoving the younger suddenly. The group of boys laughing aloud as the youngest of them cries out; finding twisted joy in seeing the boy like this, for they all resent and envy the boy everyone praises.

Seokjin tenses as he looks on as the boy pick himself up again, his stomach dropping when he sees blood trickling from a fresh abrasion on the once unblemished skin of the boy's left cheekbone. "I'm not going to listen to you, but I will tell coach about this. Then you'll be the one off the team for trying to bully me into quitting!" The boy fearlessly stands his ground, heeding no mind to his bleeding cheek or the slight hobble in his step as he bravely faces those who put him in this state.

Seokjin's filled with veneration for the small lone boy who confronts his bullies courageously; the actions of someone so young, so unlike his own. It's a sentiment not shared by the group as an ugly expression befalls the boy leading, his patience wearing thin, a clear sign that the escalation is about to reach its peak.

"Hey, Stop it!" Seokjin calls out, apprehension twisting in his gut the moment he sees the hand rising to strike the boy. Intervening at last, he bounds off the swing, hastening onto the court to place himself protectively in front of the boy. "How 'bout you pick on someone your own size or find another hobby aside from making little kids cry."