✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
NINE YEARS AGO :
the hallways were filled with vibrant energy as students hustled and bustled, engaged in animated conversations and laughter as they made their way to their classrooms.
despite the chilly winter air, the youthful enthusiasm remained unhampered, as the start of the school after the vacation only seemed to intensify the students' liveliness, making it seemingly impossible for anyone to rein in their exuberance.
however, among all the loud kids there was a seventeen years old jungkook.
he had pulled the hood of his hoodie so far down that his face was nearly invisible as he maneuvered through the bustling crowd. just to reach his usual seat, as he would either gaze out of the window or doze off during the classes that failed to captivate his attention.
jeon jungkook doesn't have any friends. heck, he barely talks to people. not only because he is an introvert and has no interest in befriending anyone but also because,
he's being bullied throughout his school life.
the situation isn't as terrible as one might assume. they simply target him due to his introverted nature, his tendency to stutter, his choice to wear the same worn-out hoodie during winter or a mask during summer, or even labeling him as a nerd despite not necessarily excelling in academics.
he's quite literally average. wearing big round glasses, having a bowl cut and wearing baggy clothes- always hiding his face behind a mask or the hood of his hoodie as if his big round glasses aren't enough to conceal most of his face.
but the thing is, they don't realize that jungkook isn't afraid of them or has any trouble giving them a piece of his mind. it's just that he doesn't really see them as humans.
behind his those big round glasses, he sees the world as a pain in the ass. whenever he would look at a person, their faces would distort in his eyesight to the point he would feel nauseated. especially the people at school who keep bullying him even though he very much minds his own business.
something these people can't do.
it wasn't that he couldn't fight back. he is very capable of doing so, but he is afraid that if he does, he might go overboard- something that happened when he was seven years old.
now he's seventeen and not much has really changed. he still has that bloodlust for things he doesn't like, people that he can't stand. jungkook often wonders if there's something wrong with him, like if he's mentally fucked up and worries that others will notice if he looks them in the eye. so he just avoids it altogether. he tries to keep his distance, but these bullies won't leave him alone.
his lack of attention towards the bullying he goes through can be attributed to the fact that it has never reached an extreme level. this could be due to the widespread rumors that his parents are highly influential business tycoons in south korea.
however, despite his privileged background, jungkook surprisingly harbors a secret desire for the bullying to intensify. in a somewhat contradictory manner, he secretly wishes for the situation to escalate, hoping that it would provide him with a valid reason to unleash his pent-up bloodlust and go batshit crazy.
too bad, the chance never arose.
the raven head strolled down the bustling corridor, completely immersed in his own world as he listened to music through his earphones while keeping his head lowered beneath the comforting shield of the hood. the atmosphere was heated with the students as they rushed around to make it to their classes on time, eager for their first class after the lengthy winter break.
as he kept his gaze down at his shoes, the raven head failed to notice the person running towards him. consequently, they collided, causing jungkook to fall with a loud thud and his glasses to come off.
"oh my god, i'm so sorry!" it was a deep voice, deep in a beautiful way. however, jungkook didn't dare meet the eyes, assuming that they would also make him feel nauseated.
"it's o-okay" he really needed to do something about his stuttering. he hesitantly tried to grab his glasses that had fallen near the feet of the person with the deep voice. however, what caught jungkook's attention was the hand that reached out for his glasses - the dainty hand was captivating with its exquisite long, slim fingers and well-groomed nails.
that was the first time in a while jungkook ever raised his head and tried to look at the person who's pretty hand grabbed his ugly glasses.
at the moment, jungkook was thankful the person wasn't looking at him but instead focused on grabbing his glasses. as jungkook was embarrassed- because he was blushing.
the guy was so pretty - prettier than a girl.
jungkook was captivated by the mesmerizing sight of the boy's long eyelashes delicately fluttering as he gracefully stooped down to grab his glasses. the boy's complexion, adorned with a gentle tan, boasted a flawless smoothness that seemed to invite touch. his rich brown hair, fluffy and full of life, added to his overall attractiveness. the boy's sharp nose, perfectly sculpted, accentuated his facial features while his pink, plump lips resembled a heart - jungkook had never seen a boy this pretty before.
but here's a thing. jungkook has seen a lot of beautiful people but never has he ever felt anything towards them except nausea. however, when his eyes fell on this certain pretty boy - he didn't feel such ugly emotions.
instead he felt his heart racing. in a very flattering way.
he had never felt this way before, which made him even more scared. and so he immediately lowered his head and pulled the hood further down to hide his flushed face.
"your glasses-" when the pretty guy extended his hand towards his face to offer him his glasses, jungkook blinked aggressively and quickly grabbed the glasses from the stranger's hand. he then stood up, expressed a brief gratitude, and hastily walked off.
"t-thanks!"
"your wel-" jungkook didn't wait for the stranger to speak in his pretty deep voice and sprinted away.
the stranger stood there, tilting his head. "weird guy"
╍╍╍╍
the next day, jungkook found himself even more vigilant and careful with his actions. it wasn't because he didn't want to unexpectedly encounter the pretty stranger again but rather because he actually wanted to.
he wants to see the pretty stranger again.
but he wasn't a fan of the crowd or how some people always gave him side-eye and laughed behind his back. jungkook was used to it though - he knew he was weird, not conventionally attractive, and an easy target for bullying. but he never felt the need to do anything about it. it was too much work and wouldn't really make a difference for him. if people kept their distance, that was just fine with him. he had no interest in engaging with others anyway.
they make him nauseated.
except for that one stranger.
next year, he will enter his final year of high school, eagerly counting down the days until he can finally bid farewell to this dreadful place. however, his heart yearns for one last encounter with the enchanting stranger before that.
just recalling that pretty face again made his heart all fuzzy and a smile pop on his lips - a very rare case.
he made his way to the lockers. putting books inside but then suddenly someone leaned against the locker with a loud noise.
"yo jungkook!"
not them again. . . jungkook sighed when a few guys gathered around him - his bullies since middle school.
"what got you smiling nerd? girlfriend? HAHAH" one of the other's said and jungkook rolled his eyes underneath the hood which they couldn't see.
he was not in the mood to deal with their bullshit today. usually, he would simply tolerate it because his mind is always wandering, making it easy for him to disregard these people. however, today was different for jungkook. he had a strong desire to escape, to distance himself from them. all he wanted was to catch sight of that pretty stranger once more, see him from a distance, even if just for a brief moment.
"don't joke around guys! this nerd and a girlfriend? fuck that's hilarious!"
"totally! even his smile is ugly as fuck" the one leaning against the locker laughed while smacking jungkook's shoulder.
"even his glasses, damn how ugly" when one of them attempted to grab his glasses, jungkook was reminded of the pretty stranger who held them. he couldn't understand why, but he didn't want anyone else to touch those unattractive glasses of his.
and without thinking, he slapped the hand that tried to grab his glasses.
the place fell silent for a second as they stopped laughing, now looking at jungkook who had raised his head and glared at them.
"did you just fucking slapped my hand?"
"stay the fuck away from me" jungkook didn't know why he was speaking to them. something he hasn't done in years but today, he feels it would be wrong for them,
to touch the glasses those pretty hands touched.
"what the fuck did you just say?!" the guy who was leaning against the locker straightened up and moved closer to the raven head who continued to glare at him without ceasing.
by then people had started gathering around. whispering and watching the heating-up scene.
"i said, stay the fuck away from me you leech" with a slight tinge of fury resonating in his voice, jungkook softly uttered those words under his breath.
"HOW DARE YOU?!" the guy seethed with fury, and without giving jungkook a chance to respond, he delivered a forceful blow to his face. the impact sent jungkook spiraling into the lockers on the other side and ultimately caused him to collapse onto the floor.
he grabbed the hood to keep it from falling off his face and looked at the floor. trying to calm his anger because he knows if he lets it get to him,
there would be a blood shower.
therefore, jungkook tried to not stand up and face those bullies who now circled around him.
the crowd was getting bigger and soon someone noticed the familiar raven head on the floor.
"isn't this the weird guy from yesterday?" the deep voice muttered to himself. he widened his eyes when he saw those guys circling him, ready to start a fight where he doubted the raven head could stand up for himself.
"shit, i need to call the teacher!"
on the other hand, jungkook without looking up, wiped the blood that was oozing out of his nose and tried to sit up.
"i've never heard you speak before. thought you were mute, guess not huh" the guy mocked and laughed with his friends.
jungkook's anger surged, causing his blood to boil. he sensed a persistent tick sound in his ear, like an alarm that could potentially go off at any given moment.
but he clenched his fists and resisted.
"woah look at him, clenching his fists and all. damn nerd, you gonna hit us?" the guy crouched down and grabbed jungkook's hood along with his hair that made the raven head winch in pain.
tick tick.
"what?" the guy laughed when jungkook glared at him with reddened eyes.
tick tick.
"oh my, i'm scared woohoo" the guy laughed at jungkook's face and his friends behind laughed along with him.
tick tick.
"let go" jungkook's voice came out in a raspy tone, accompanied by tears welling up in his eyes as he struggled to contain his overwhelming rage.
tick tick.
"or what? huh?" the guy tightened the grip on his hood and his hair strands were pulling along with it which drove jungkook to the edge further.
he has never been bullied physically to this point. so he is scared, really fucking scared.
not for him, but for these guys.
the tick sounds just got louder in his head.
tick tick tick tick tick
"let the fuck go" jungkook said through gritted teeth. the person in front of him getting distorted in his eyes. it meant one thing.
danger.
tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick-
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!" jungkook was snapped out by the teacher's loud voice.
the guy in front of him looked up at the approaching teacher and panicked. letting go of his hood, he stood up.
"next time. you're dead nerd" the guy threatened which didn't even bother jungkook who was busy fixing his glasses and hood to hide his face.
before the teacher could catch them, the group of boys quickly fled the scene, leaving jungkook alone. he remained slouched against the lockers, cradling his nose in pain.
shit, i'm bleeding too much.
"are you okay?!"
jungkook's heart skipped a beat.
it was that same deep voice from yesterday.
the raven head was unsure about what had affected him, but he attempted to stand up once more in order to escape, despite his strong desire to see that face up close once more. he doubts his ability to do so, given his strong inclination to hide his face and run away.
however, the stranger who possessed that deep voice gently grasped his forearm and assisted him in rising to his feet.
"are you ok?" the deep voice asked again and this time, jungkook nodded his head slowly while keeping his head low.
"those brats! they think they can run away!" the teacher with a stick in his hand grumbled before approaching jungkook who had stood up properly by then.
"you okay kid?" the teacher asked, trying to look at his face but jungkook just lowered his head and nodded.
"ah ok- what! you are bleeding!" the teacher's attention was drawn to the blood drops trickling down jungkook's chin, causing the raven head to feel uneasy and self-conscious as he attempted to wipe it off.
"what?!" the stranger with the deep voice made an attempt to catch a glimpse of his face, but the hood jungkook had pulled down on his face obstructed his view. however, he was still able to make out his chin and the bottom lip, which surprisingly captivated his attention.
pretty. the stranger thought.
however, it wasn't the time as he asked the teacher if he could take the raven head to the infirmary. the teacher permitted them and asked jungkook to see him after school.
after being dismissed by the teacher, jungkook was taken aback when the stranger unexpectedly grabbed his hand. completely caught off guard, he found himself frozen in place, his feet rooted to the ground and his hand trembling uncontrollably. it was only at that moment that the stranger himself became aware of the fact that he had been holding onto jungkook's hand.
"oh. . . i'm sorry!" the stranger released his grip on jungkook's hand, causing a pang of disappointment to wash over him. the raven head couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness about the sensation of the comforting warmth that had enveloped his cold hand going away. the simple act of their hands touching somehow gave him comfort.
"let's go. you're bleeding a lot" the stranger urged jungkook to follow him and without lifting his head he nodded.
the stranger kind of ran, urging jungkook to do the same. for the first time in a while, jungkook finally raised his head and stared ahead at the back of the stranger's head, his attention was drawn to the way the stranger's fluffy brown hair bounced rhythmically with each hurried step he took.
even the stranger's backside was attractive.
jungkook felt himself staring and turning red once more. however, as soon as he caught sight of the infirmary, he immediately lowered his head and adjusted his large glasses that covered most of his face.
"hello, could you please check on him? he's having a heavy nosebleed" the stranger anxiously informed the doctor and the unmistakable concern in his deep voice sent a wave of unfamiliar emotions coursing through jungkook's veins.
nobody has ever cared about him. even when he was constantly bullied, nobody bothered to pay attention to him. everyone always regarded him with disgust, except for this stranger- he actually seemed concerned.
jungkook's heart raced further.
the doctor urged jungkook to sit on the bed so that she can check him up.
"can you lift your hood?"
jungkook's eyes widened. he looked at the stranger's feet and felt even more self-conscious. he didn't have the courage to face the stranger, not yet. he is afraid the stranger would find him disgusting and then that pretty face will also start distorting in his eyes.
jungkook didn't want that.
he fiddled with his shaky hands and then whispered to the doctor.
"c-can you t-tell him to leave first?" the doctor then looked at the stranger who stood by the bed.
receiving the doctor's subtle and awkward stare, the stranger responded with a nod, feeling a similar wave of awkwardness.
"oh yeah, i'll leave" the stranger was about to turn around when he suddenly stopped and then,
he approached jungkook and then spoke, startling the raven head.
"i'm taehyung by the way. if you ever feel like you need help, my classroom is on the fourth floor, 403"
the trembling in jungkook's hands gradually subsided, his gaze fixated on the feet of the stranger standing before him, noticing how close he was now.
"w-why?"
taehyung was surprised to hear him speak. he had almost believed the boy was mute.
"why? dunno, maybe i want you to come find me? of course, to thank me" taehyung joked. he didn't want the boy to come find him just to thank him.
the boy's continuous act of hiding his face from him inexplicably piqued his curiosity. he had caught a glimpse of the boy's bottom lip earlier on, and it was evident that he wasn't ugly. this led him to wonder why he felt the need to conceal his face to such an extent, enduring the relentless blows without even daring to lift his head. was it solely out of fear that he hid himself away? taehyung found himself skeptical of such a simple explanation.
at that moment, the sound of the school bell echoed through the halls, signaling that it was now time for classes to begin.
"oh shoot, i better hurry back to class! okay, hoodie boy, see you later if you ever come find me!" taehyung laughed in an attempt to cheer the raven head but upon receiving no response, he decided not to wait any longer and hastily left the infirmary.
however, what taehyung couldn't see was,
the boy underneath the hood and big round glasses was blushing like crazy. doe eyes widened and cheeks tinted red.
"taehyung. . . what a pretty name" he thought.
━━━━━
im sick but still wrote this chapter so might not be that well written.
anygays, if u think it's done here then u r ded wrong, real deal starts next chapter~
also my very observant readers, now do u realize why jungkook wears hoodies sm even in the present? hehe was kind of a foreshadowing.