"You want us to go to a football game with you?" Jimin questioned the small brunette boy, earning a nod from him and a small smile as a response. His best friend looked around the table, unsure about how to answer him, "But, we've never been to a football game ever since we've gone to this high school. We even agreed on how stupid and pointless they are. Why are you wanting to go all of a sudden?"
Taehyung opened his mouth to answer before Hoseok beat him to it, "Jungkook invited you to the game, didn't he?" Jimin and Yoongi looked over at the youngest male sat at their lunch table, looking at him expectantly. Taehyung felt put on the spot, and he wasn't liking the stares he was getting from his friends in the slightest, so he just hesitantly nodded as a response. "Knew it."
"Jungkook invited you? So that's why you're going?" Yoongi asked, and Taehyung nodded as an answer, earning a scoff from Jimin. The small brunette boy looked over at him with furrowed eyebrows, before seeing his face and how it looked like he couldn't believe what was happening. "And if we don't go?"
"Then I'm not going." It was simple, and he made it out to be simple. Taehyung wasn't going to go if his friends weren't going, and that's that. He didn't want to go by himself, just the thought of it gets his anxiety high and it was something he couldn't even imagine doing by himself. He hated going places alone, and he always had someone with him, and that someone was always one of his friends.
"I don't like Jungkook," Jimin stated as he folded his arms over his chest firmly, narrowing his eyes onto the younger male sat across from him. Taehyung rolled his eyes as he nodded and pulled his hood over his head. Hoseok reached over and smacked Jimin on the arm, shaking his head as he glared at him. "What? It's true. I don't like him, or the other two you talked to that one time."
"Look, I was serious when I said Namjoon and Jin are really good people," Hoseok started, retracting his hand and scooting his chair closer to Taehyung, narrowing his eyes on the shorter man, "And I meant it, no only because I'm friends with them, but because it's true. They're not like the other jocks at this school, and I really wish you would just trust me on this. I wouldn't lie to any of you and I definitely wouldn't put any of you guys at risk with some guys who may have it out for you."
Taehyung knew Hoseok was right, and he trusted him with his life. He even trusted Jungkook and believed he was a good guy as well, but the others, not so much. He hasn't properly met them, only that one time when Namjoon came to their table and had a small conversation with them for a little bit before leaving to go to his boyfriend and friend.
"I don't get a good feeling about them either," Yoongi stated matter of factly, crossing his arms and sinking down in his chair. Hoseok rolled his eyes as he wrapped an arm around Taehyung's shoulders, pulling him in for a side hug, and the sudden touch made the small boy flinch a little, before relaxing when he remembered it was only Hoseok touching him. "They're friends with Bogum, for Christ sake's."
"Do you guy not realize how Bogum hasn't been messing with Tae in almost over three weeks?" Hoseok pointed out, looking around the table as Jimin and Yoongi shared a look. "Ever since Jungkook came around, Bogum hasn't been messing with Tae. Did you guys also seem to forget that Jungkook beat the shit out of Bogum for pinning Tae against the lockers?"
Jimin and Yoongi shared another look before casting their gazes down to the table. The sound of students chatting continued on around them as the table fell silent. Jimin sighed, shaking his head a little as Taehyung and Hoseok watched them. Taehyung didn't know what to say, and it was starting to feel a little awkward. He was tempted to walk away from the table and tell them to forget about his offer.
He looked around the cafeteria and seen Jungkook walking with some of his jock friends, and he even seen Namjoon and Jin. They walked by their table, Jungkook catching Taehyung's eye and offering him smile, to which the small brunette boy returned easily. Jimin watched, rolling his eyes before sighing and sitting up in his chair, "Alright, I'll go to the game with you."
Taehyung tore his eyes away from Jungkook, shifting his gaze back to his best friend, "You don't have to. It was just an offer. My parents are gonna be out of town for the whole week during the game, so I thought this would be my chance to get out of the house and hang out with you guys. But, seriously, if you don't want to go we can always do something else."
Jimin shook his head, offering him a small smile, "No, Hobi's right. And as much as I hate to admit it, but ever since Jungkook came into the picture, Bogum has been leaving you alone and we really do have to thank him for that. I guess I jus don't like the fact that he's a jock and the way he attacked you that one time-"
"Wait, he what?"
Hoseok was gesturing for the male sat across from him to stop talking, shaking his head and waving his hands a little on front of him. Jimin's mouth clamped shut, realizing Hoseok hadn't told Taehyung about the attack Jungkook made towards Taehyung that day. The small brunette boy looked at his friend beside him, eyebrows furrowed and lips parted.
Hoseok, Jimin, and Yoongi kept their mouths shut, grimacing when Taehyung turned and looked at them expectantly. He felt his heart shatter in his chest from hearing how Jungkook had attacked him, but at the same time, he was use to it. He was use to the rumors and the shit-talking, the beatings and whispers, the pointing and the laughing.
He was use to it all.
But knowing Jungkook had also attacked him made him feel a little pang to his heart, and it didn't feel good either. Instead, this one seemed stronger and different from all the others. This one seemed as if it hurt the most out of all the people who's ever done that to him, and he fucking hated it. When they weren't friends, he expected it to happen, but yet, it still hurt him in a way.
But then again, he expected it.
"When did he attack me and what did he say?" Taehyung asked Hoseok, eyes flickering between the three males sat at the table with him. Hoseok opened his mouth as if he were to say something, but no words came out, only making him look like a gaping fish. "When did this happen? What did he say?"
He was demanding now, not even caring anymore. He felt like he had to know, and he had to know now. He watched as his best friends remained quiet, looking at each other with guilty looks on their faces before Jimin finally cleared his throat and started speaking up, "He just said that you need to start standing up for yourself against Bogum. It wasn't anything major or hurtful-at least I don't think it is."
Taehyung nodded, noticing everyone now slowly starting to clear out of the cafeteria. It was about time for everyone to gather their things for their next class, meaning he and the others would be going their separate ways soon. He stood up and grabbed his bag without saying a word as he began walking out of the cafeteria and towards his locker.
Hoseok caught up with him, calling out his name and stopping by his locker, leaning up against them, "Hey, it wasn't what you think it was, okay? Jungkook was just in a really bad mood and he was upset that Yoongi attacked Bogum because at that time they were friends and whatnot, but-"
"I don't care what he had to say. Yeah, it hurt a little bit because now I guess we're considered friends and all, but," he paused, turning away from his opened locker and looking at the older male, a little bit of a hurt expression plastering his face, "Why did you tell me? You kept it from me and it may seem stupid and childish and petty-or whatever-but, you guys kept it from me. Why didn't you just tell me what Jungkook said?"
Hoseok sighed, looking down at the floor, feeling guilty for keeping something like this from Taehyung. He shrugged his shoulders lamely, "I don't know. We were scared that you may get upset over it because we already know how bad things are for you, and we just wanted to protect you as much as we could, you know? You're our best friend and it's our job to protect each other, so that's why we did it. We weren't doing it to hurt you, either."
Taehyung sighed, nodding a little, feeling stupid for even getting upset over it. He knew his friends only had good intentions for everything they've done for with him or for themselves. He didn't know why it upset him, but it did, and it aggravated him for being so easily triggered. He hated that about himself, and he didn't know how to stop it. It's not like he hasn't tried, it's just something he doesn't understand how to stop and he doesn't know what to do about it.
"I'm sorry I got upset with you guys. I know you only did it to protect me and all, I just don't know why it upset me. I guess I'm stressed out about finals coming up and I've been studying my ass off because I don't want to disappoint my parents." Hoseok nodded, understanding where he was coming from.
Just as Hoseok opened his mouth to say something, the doors to the hallway opened, causing the pair to turn and look to see Jungkook walking with some of his jock friends he was with in the cafeteria. He was smiling his bunny smile, laughing at something Jin had said. His eyes met Taehyung's, his smile widening before walking away from the small group and towards the small brunette boy.
"Hi."
"Hey," Taehyung replied back, smiling softly at the older male before turning back around and fishing out the books he needed for his next class. The brunette boy stole a quick glance over his shoulder, seeing the group of jocks he was previously with were just watching and looking at Jungkook with confused expressions, but he shrugged it off and went back to his locker.
Hoseok looked over, seeing the staring and whispering, his eyes narrowing into the two males he knew personally, glaring at them, "Is there a problem?" He asked, voice stern and echoing through the semi-quiet hallway. Taehyung's eyes widened, looking over at Hoseok with a parted mouth, hearing chuckling coming from his other side. The group of jocks shook their heads, earning a small nod from Hoseok. "Then why are you staring?"
"Hobi!" Taehyung whisper shouted as Jungkook tried to stifle his giggles and laughs, trying not to make the situation worse. The small brunette boy looked over to the side, shooting daggers at the other older male with jet black hair. Jungkook seen the look and quickly shut up, trying to look serious as Taehyung turned his attention back to Hoseok. "Stop it before a fight breaks out."
"Whatever. You coming to practice after school, Kook?" Jin asked as he and the others began to slowly walk away. Taehyung went back to grabbing things out of his locker, not wanting to make any eye contact with any of the other jocks besides Jungkook. He still didn't feel comfortable around them, and the fact that Hoseok was calling them out for their unnecessary staring formed so much tension around them it was suffocating.
"I didn't know there was practice after school?" Jungkook stated unsurely, eyebrows knitted together as Taehyung looked his way, eyes scanning over the jocks that were a little too close for the small brunette boy's liking. He shut his locker door with a light slam, zipping up his bag and turning around before leaning his back against the lockers, eyes on the jocks.
Minho's eyes landed on Taehyung making him extremely uncomfortable from the intense stare. A hand clutched his straps as Hoseok moved a little closer to the younger, just as Minho took a step closer to Taehyung. The whole atmosphere changed, and the small boy wasn't liking it one bit. It was like Minho was staring down his prey, and Taehyung just so happened to be the victim. It was the same intense stare that Bogum always gave him, and Taehyung was assuming the worst yet again.
What Taehyung didn't know was the pair of eyes watching everything with a confused and a little bit of a worried look. Minho looked him up and down, as if he were sizing him for a fight. "Who's the pretty brunette?" Minho smirked, looking Taehyung up and down still, making him uncomfortable. The small brunette boy heard a scoff emit from beside him, but he didn't dare to tear his round eyes away from the male in front of him.
The next this Taehyung knows is Jungkook stepping in front of him, blocking Minho's view from the vulnerable boy behind him. The raven-haired male gave Minho an unamused look, poking the inside of his cheek with his tongue, "You know, I beat the shit out of Bogum for his unnecessary comments towards Tae, so what makes you think I won't do it to you, too?"
Minho held his hands up in surrender, an amused smile on his lips as he backed away, "Whoah, Jeon, I was just fucking with him. Didn't know someone like you held a soft spot for people like him," the man stated, causing Jungkook to glare daggers at him, taking a step forward with a cocked eyebrow.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean, huh?"
Taehyung reached out and grabbed Jungkook by the arm, tugging him back to stop him from walking and towering over the other jock. He didn't want to see another fight break out because of him, and he could feel the tension rising. Jungkook stopped, looking down at the hand and fingers wrapped around his bicep before flickering his gaze to the small brunette boy behind him, who was giving him pleading eyes.
Taehyung shook his head, their eyes never unlocking before Jungkook gave him a small nod of his head and turning his neck back to the friends of jocks, his features shifting back to a hard glare. He grabbed the hand that was wrapped firmly around his bicep, giving it a light squeeze, "Come on, Tae. Let's go to class."
Taehyung didn't even have a chance to answer before he was being pulled down the hall, sending a small wave to Hoseok. The said male returned the wave with a bright smile before immediately dropping it and turning his attention to the group of jocks that haven't left yet. "Seriously, what's your jocks' problem with Tae?"
The group looked at him with confused looks, and Hoseok knew they were fake, "What're you talking about? We don't know who Tae is," Minho stated with an amused look on his features, earning a dramatic eye roll from Hoseok as a response as he crossed his arms.
"Don't play stupid. You jocks may be pretty, but you guys are fucking stupid," he sneered through clenched teeth, "You jocks always spread fucking rumors about him, and I don't understand why. He's a really great guy if you get to know him, but instead you guys would rather spread rumors that aren't a even real and just tear him apart. What the hell is up with that, anyway?"
The group remained quiet, sharing looks with each other before Hoseok sighed and shook his head at them, unfolding his arms as he sent them all a glare, "You know what, don't tell me. I don't think the answer will make anything better, just stop spreading lies about him and find a new hobby. Something that's actually fucking useful."