Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/12123609. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Underage, Rape/Non-Con Category: M/M Fandom: 방탄소년단_|_Bangtan_Boys_|_BTS Character: Kim_Namjoon_|_Rap_Monster, Kim_Seokjin_|_Jin, Min_Yoongi_|_Suga, Jung Hoseok_|_J-Hope, Park_Jimin_(BTS), Kim_Taehyung_|_V, Jeon_Jungkook Additional Tags: Friends_to_Lovers, Smut, Eventual_Smut, Non-Linear_Narrative, Non- Chronological, Explicit_Sexual_Content, Rape/Non-con_Elements, Alternate Universe, Not_Canon_Compliant, Urban_Legends, Childhood_Friends, Disturbing_Themes, Minor_Original_Character(s), Additional_Warnings_In Author's_Note, Detailed_Tags_in_Chapter_Notes, Other_Ships_Not_Mentioned in_Tags, Ships_will_be_tagged_later Stats: Published: 2017-09-20 Updated: 2017-10-10 Chapters: 2/? Words: 9695 ****** Gratuitous Usage of Monsters ****** by ihcomr Summary Seven boys grew up with relatively normal lives. It wasn't always easy and bullies filled the halls but nonetheless they always had each other. A monster invades their lives and turns everything into a nightmare, forcing the boys to face fears they'd rather have kept hidden deep in their closets. But the boys make it out alright. It's been 7 years since the events of their childhood took place. Namjoon is studying Liberal Arts at the University of Seoul. Jimin is a police officer in Busan. Yoongi and Jeongguk joined the military. Hoseok is an ER nurse in Gwangju. Seokjin is throwing bodies into the Han River. And Taehyung is in prison.   edit:// 20.12.2017 This began as a fic inspired by Stephen King's It but now it has turned into it's own monster and it's a WIP so I'm not really sure where the plot is going so read at you're own risk. There's some good stuff in here though,,, Notes Here's just some beginning A/N on this story: First and foremost, this is in BOLD so it's important: This story will be dark. It's going to start out dark and will continue to get dark. Head the warnings I've provided, read_the_tags. And enjoy if you are like me and enjoy dark things. Please not my default disclaimer at the end of this note as well~   1. It's heavily inspired by Stephen King's It. I watched It this weekend and was just really inspired to write something dark for BTS. 2. This is going to be dark. There's going to be disturbing content and themes. Pay attention to the tags if you're easily triggered. 3. I've been researching pretty decently for this, I'm incorporating both Korean, Japanese and Western Urban Legends into this because like why not??? Also probably some horror movie and horror game references. I'm a horror fanatic to my core so expect plenty of that. 4. BTS are the main focus of this and I don't plan on going off on tangents though I'm a sucker for other groups as well so cameos can be expected but they won't be as important as they are in my Zombies fic. 5. Yes, it is the same formatting as GUOZ. 6. The town they grew up in is fictional, I made it up, or well a generator did for me. But places they visit in the story (some) are real places in Korea and I've tried to do my research as best I can but like this is a story, so just enjoy it for what it is. 7. Default Disclaimer:// The depictions of the boys in this are certainly not how they are in real life and this is all meant to be fictitious. Don't take this seriously, guys. Just enjoy it. 24.9.2017 Edit:// While writing the second chapter, I decided I wanted to change the setting of the story so, I changed the setting from now to the 90s/2000s. So the dates will change and really that's it c: Also pls leave comments thank u, ily<3 ***** Prologue ***** Chapter Summary Namjoon had to remind himself there was nothing to be afraid of. Fear was not tangible— it wasn’t real. He learned that when he was 13. Fear wasn’t fucking real. Chapter Notes WARNINGS!!! This chapter contains: †Rape and rape elements †Explicit violence †Body horror  You've been warned. **If you want to skip the rape scene, simply skip from "He missed home." to "Motherfucker...". See the end of the chapter for more notes South Korea - Somewhere along the Namhae Expressway (May 13, 2001 ; 3:55 AM)   Jimin was silently thanking whatever god he believed in when his rarely reliable car started up without a problem at 2 AM. He was also thanking the gods when he found the usually very busy (at all times of day) Namhae Expressway was practically empty, as if the universe was being kind to him after throwing him out to the fucking demons for the last week of his life.   As his eyes focused on the road and his hand gripped the leather steering wheel harder than needed, he could still feel her fucking handson his arms. The skin where she had ghosted over was tingling even an hour or so after the event had taken place.   He wanted to vomit. He wanted to scream, to yell at someone— anyone, to blame someone for making him witness this bullshit again.   Seven years. Seven fucking years he survived without her presence. Seven years he went without her ruining his exams, without her making him piss his pants in his sleep or making him sweat with fear at the thought of her existence.   But, like clockwork this bitch was back, which meant he was back. Jimin was pissed and Jimin didn’t get pissed. Jimin wasn’t angry. He didn’t getangry.   Namjoon said that they were done with him forever now. That they had fucking killed him, or sent him back to hell, or whereverthe fucker came from.   Jimin trustedNamjoon, believed in the tall, lanky oaf that he was done with this bullshit for good.   University of Seoul - Library "The Stacks" (May 13, 2001 ; 1:21 AM)   Namjoon should have been studying. It was the beginning of May, finals looming around the corner for his Sophomore year at uni. He’d barely passed his exams for mid semester and really wanted to get better marks this time around.   Being a genius did have downfalls, he would insist. Sometimes you think you’re invincible— that there’s nothing a professor can throw at you that you won’t know. But Namjoon was oh so very wrong when his Japanese studies professor, Dr. Sana, slapped down the mid-term in front of her way too cocky‘genius’ student Namjoon, he thought it was in the bag.   He was wrong. So wrong.   After Spring Break when everyone was getting their exams back and groaning at their marks, Namjoon sat confident, a smile plastered on his face complete with his signature dimples. Dr. Sana gave him a (fake) warm smile as she slide the paper onto his desk, face down. Namjoon picked it up and stared blankly at his failinggrade, tears brimming his eyes.   Fuck.   So that’s why Namjoon was in the Stacks at 1 o’clock in the morning when he could have been in his warm bed, sleeping soundly and preparing his body for his Medieval Humanities exam in the morning. Or he could have been where he reallywanted to be in one Jackson Wang’s bed doing obscene things to the small Chinese boy.   But no, he was here. Dying in the library. Grateful it was open late for exams.   As if things couldn’t have gotten any worse, now he couldn’t find the book he needed. It was some obscure book, of course— Dr. Sana seemed the obscure type. He should have bought the book for the course like everyone toldhim to but Namjoon was a genius. He wouldn’t need the book.   Until now.   Namjoon heard the the flute first, deep in the stacks as he shoved into the bookshelves yet anotherJapanese history book that, while it looked interesting, was not the one he needed. The goosebumps on his skin formed instantly, as if they were in a dormant state of waiting, ready to pop up the next time this monster came into their realm.   But Namjoon was a logical guy, he didn’t scare (too) easily. So why was he so on edge lately?   Maybe it was because the last three nights his cat had been acting weird. She’d been crying like she was in heat or something (she wasn’t). But her crying had rendered Namjoon completely useless as sleep was even harder to catch than it had normally been.   A distressed cat will do that to you— give you insomnia.   Namjoon thought nothing of it the first night, and even the second night it was, well, whatever. But the third night and even tonight she had been really worrying him. She went from walking around the house crying to cowering in a corner under his bed, her fur puffed up, ears back and pupils wide as saucers as she hissed and cried at her owner.   No,she wasn’t hissing at him. She was staring behind him.   That was when Namjoon really got scared, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on edge. The tension thick in his dorm room, fear surrounding him like a suffocating blanket. After so many years it felt so fucking heavy. That was when his alarm went off, signalling it was time for his afternoon class.   Thank fuck.   But now he was alonein the library and he was feeling that same fear. It blanketed him yet again, the goosebumps on his skin raising and the hairs on his neck following suit.   Namjoon had to remind himself there was nothing to be afraid of. Fear was not tangible— it wasn’t real . He learned that when he was 13. Fear wasn’t fuckingreal.   Korean Demilitarized Zone - Barracks (May 12, 2001 ; 11:51 PM)   Yoongi heard it, saw it before it even happened. He didn’t need to have a crystal glass to see when his dongsaeng was losing his temper. The kid had tried to be mysterious and stoical since joining the Army with Yoongi, but he was still the most transparent fucker Yoongi had ever met. Maybe it was simply that way to his friends because the idiots in their platoon certainly didn’t see it that way.   Which was why at almost midnight, Yoongi was listening to Jeongguk scream at their superior officer who was, quite simply, trying to calm the younger down. It wasn’t working, of course and had Yoongi been a better version of himself he might have gotten up out of bed and went to help his superior officer. Went to help calm the kid down, maybe save his ass from getting discharged.   But Yoongi was not the better version of himself.   Korean Demilitarized Zone - Barracks (May 13, 2001 ; 10:22 PM)   Jeongguk reeled his hand back and saw the split second of panic in his fellow soldier’s eyes before his fist met Leo’s cheekbone. Jeongguk continued swinging his fists, hard knuckles meeting the soft flesh of his (now former)friend.   Somewhere off in the distance, Jeongguk heard muffled screams and yelling coming from his commanding officer. He heard Yoongi even snickering and saying, “Just let him punch the douche. He deserves it.” followed by their commanding officer scolding Yoongi, briefly shutting his traphole that was spewing commands and orders Jeongguk had no intention of following.   Leo was on the cold ground of the dorm room they all shared now, his body slightly twitching though he was knocked completely unconscious. Jeongguk, as if watching from outsideof his body, saw himself getting down to straddle the main, bloody fists raised in the air. He put his fists together, clasping his hands as he began to bring down the single punch, right onto the center of Leo’s face and his mangled nose.   That’s when Jeongguk felt a bony, pale hand reach out and grab his throat. He found himself shoved off of Leo, his own back on the floor now and his position mirrored his victims. Yoongi was on top of him now. It wasn’t a sight Jeongguk wasn’t used to but he’d never seen his friend with such a serious look to his face.   The older had restrained Jeongguk, his bony hands having caged Jeongguk to the ground as they pinned Jeongguk’s own arms down so he couldn’t punch himtoo.   Jeongguk would never punch his hyung, why did Yoongi look so— afraid?   “That’s enough, Min. He’s subdued. You may lead him to my office now.”   “Yes, sir.” Were the only words Jeongguk heard from hishyung.   Seoul, South Korea - Somewhere along the Han River (May 13, 2001 ; 2:38 AM)   Seokjin lifted his head and cracked his neck, letting out a loud groan as he felt that familiar pop of his joints. He looked down again at his, well, formingmasterpiece. The man was just about decapitated at this point and Seokjin inwardly groaned at himself for not bringing his electric saw with him this time.   When he went back to work, hands holding the motionless corpse still so he could saw the rest of the meatoff of the man’s neck, he let out another groan. This was way more tiresome than it used to be.   He whines out loud, his arms were sore. He briefly wondered if he should hit the gym more often, or if he had become spoiled by his electric toys.   And goddammit why was the head so fucking hardto disconnect from the body? He wondered if this man was just stubborn, stubborn in death as he had been in life.   It seemed silly— this murder. Seokjin didn’t even hate the guy, he was just annoying. His face was annoying. So that’s why Seokjin stalked him for the day. Following around the middle aged man, just to see.   He didn’t have a wife or kids or even a goddamn dog. And Seokjin was thirsty— hungry for the adrenaline. It was like the guy just fell into his lap when he rudely brushed against Seokjin in the line at Starbucks. On top of that he ordered a fucking soyvanilla latté with no foam or whip cream or whatever the fuck they put on girly ass drinks like that.   Seokjin knew he wanted to kill this man in that moment. Soy? Really?   He’d probably have to call in sick tomorrow for work too, but he didn’t mind. He could feign a flu just as easily as he could shoot a man in the throat. Decapitation though? That was another story, apparently.   Seokjin heard the slick sound of blood gushing from the remaining vein he punctured followed by his Bowie knife meeting the concrete beneath and he sighed loudly in relief. Finallyhe could chuck this old fuck into the Han where he belonged.   Having already tied the man’s limbs and torso to concrete blocks, he grabbed his remaining block, some of his signature pink twine and tied it around the block, making sure to double knot and secure it so that the head wouldn’t be floating to the surface for at least a day or two. Preferably a week.   He decided on tying the hair to the block, the twine wrapping around the man’s lifeless face once and then twice before finally being secured into a slip knot he’d learned from Yoongi when they were kids.   Seokjin sat for a moment as he kicked the torso into the Han, hearing the satisfying splash of concrete meeting with rushing water. The head was between his thighs, Seokjin sitting with legs spread and glaring down at the disembodied head. He looked so weird and surreal, almost like a wax figure in the moonlight. The man’s eyes were closed, but his mouth remained open, jaw slack as it happened in death. Seokjin had a relatively clean death, opting to just stab the man in the heart at first before following up with a slice to the throat to be safe.   Bodies in death looked so peaceful and Seokjin wondered why humanity didn’t treasure this peacefulness. He wondered how peaceful it really was, if it was better than the life he led now. Better than the life he led before.   Just as Seokjin’s revelation came to a close and he was about to chuck the remaining body part into the river, he heard it.   The man sputtered, spitting blood out onto Seokjin’s thigh— luckily covered by a thick layer of jean. Seokjin didn’t scream, didn’t even jump. He simply placed the head onto the concrete and stood up, taking a step back from the reanimated figure.   “Seokjinnie, where are my legs?” It wasn’t the man’s voice.   “Jinnie~”Seokjin blankly stared as the corpse’s mouth began to move. The head rose, bringing concrete block along with it like it was a fucking stand for a doll.   “Jinnie, am I still pretty?”   Daegu, South Korea - Daegu Correctional Institution (May 13, 2001 ; 1:22 AM)   Lights out for Taehyung used to bring peace, it used to symbolize quiet and a chance to sleepfor fucking once in this god awful place. Taehyung used to feel safe when the guards would call out loudly in the halls: “Lights out, girls!” because it meant no one could enter Taehyung’s cell and no one could leave it either.   Taehyung used to love lights out.   Until Jooheon’s dumbass decided to get locked up in Solitary for a solid 72 hours. Taehyung wanted to bang his head against the wall at his cellmate’s actions.   Taehyung couldn’t really judge, it’s not like he was someone who really thought before he spoke or acted on his thoughts (if he was, he wouldn’t be in here in the first place, right?) But Jooheon had insisted the leader of one of the smaller prison gangs was after his friend, his celly. So he went after him, naturally.   Except Shownu wasn’t small and though he was certainly one of the “pretty boys” in the prison, his martial arts were no joke. Jooheon ended up in the infirmary for the first 26 hours of his Solitary sentence because of the tall bastard.   Thinking of him actually made Taehyung sick, made him want to vomit as he imagined his best (only) friend lying in a pool of his own blood, right arm bone (Taehyung vaguely recalled Namjoon referring to it as the tibia) sticking out through his pale skin, the crisp white causing a harsh contrast against the actual meat of his arm and oh fuck the blood.   The fucking blood.   Taehyung was so fucking sick of blood.   Taehyung found himself lying in Jooheon’s bunk tonight, relishing in the smell of his friend surrounding him, comforting him . He imagined Jooheon’s rough Daegu accent that matched his own at times, an accent, a voicethat reminded him of someone from home at times as well.   He missed home.   “Yah! Pretty boy!” Taehyung jumped in the bunk, slamming his forehead against the bars above him as he heard someone call— no, barkout at him. He squinted his eyes, adjusting to the darkness before he was met with familiar dark, beady brown eyes.   He still wasn’t understanding why Shownu got off with 12 hours lockdown and Jooheon was stuck in solitary. But that was prison, eh?   “What d-do you want, Shownu?”   “Oh c’mon, you know what I want. I wanna see if your insides are just as pretty as your outside. But my pal, Kangdae, here wants to feel‘em, ya get me, kid?”   Shownu’s grin in that moment would probably be one to haunt Taehyung’s nightmares for the rest of his life. But that was before his eyes glanced over and gazed at the enormous man standing beside him.   Taehyung didn’t remember seeing this ‘Kangdae’ guy, but this guy certainly remembered Taehyung. The younger felt the man’s cold eyes on him as he practically mapped out what he was going to do to Taehyung in the coming moments without saying a single goddamn word.   It all happened so fast, and Taehyung briefly wondered why the guards ignored his screams and cries for help until Kangdae demanded a piece of rope which one of Shownu’s goons handed him. He then proceeded to wrap it tightly around Taehyung’s throat— cutting off most of his airflow and subsequently, his voice box.     Taehyung missed Jooheon so fucking much in that moment.   He tried to close his eyes as the easily 200 pound man crawled onto Taehyung, straddling him in the bunk bed— Jooheon’s bunk. He felt the man’s large hands pin his own down, meaty and thick fingers wrapping easily around Taehyung’s own scrawny wrists. He felt pathetic.   He’d been in this shithole for a good year now and had yet to build up any muscle. Before Jooheon arriving in early March, he’d never really thought much of building up. But Jooheon quickly showed him (by a series of martial arts sparring) that it wasn’t bad to have a bit of muscle while on the inside.   In fact, it was very badto be the twink that everyone saw him as. Taehyung had just been lucky so far, staying close to the guards at all times and keeping his cellmate even closer when he finally got one.   Taehyung was pulled from his thoughts (regrets) when he felt the beginning signs of pressure against his hole. It was dry at first, until his rectum started bleeding, that is. Kangdae attempted to scissor Taehyung open before plunging deep into him but it was no use as Taehyung’s body resisted with everything it could against the assault.   Taehyung told his mind, his body, not to resist. It would hurt less if he just let it happen. But that wasn’t Taehyung, it wasn’t in his nature.   A sick part of Taehyung was almost grateful he had torn, the blood providing some sort of lubrication, but another part of him was worried. He was getting blood and sweat and tears all over Jooheon’s blankets. He’d have to wash them for him before Jooheon came back. He’d be sure to sleep in his own bunk as well. He wouldn’t be getting stitches for the tears in his asshole, they’d have to just heal on their own. And he didn’t want to get moreblood on Jooheon’s sheets.   Taehyung felt the tears start to come after Kangdae’s third particularly hard thrust. He felt the large hands cup his cheek as they became frighteningly familiar at this point. Kangdae whispered something along the lines of ‘so pretty’ as he wiped a tear streak from Taehyung’s left cheek.   The rough finger was followed by the cold press of a blade though as he heard that once soft, deep voice turn rough and angry. “Why aren’t you making any sounds you fuckin’ twink?” Kangdae sounded like a demon. Anactual demon . There was that lisp as well when he cursed, Taehyung tried to recall if he’d had a lisp before. Had he even spoken before just then?   Taehyung finally opened his eyes, staring into the man raping him. But then he saw it, that glimmer. It was faint but Taehyung knewit was there, and suddenly it all made sense as to why he’d never seen or noticed Kangdae in the prison before.   Taehyung gasped as realization hit him. His airways were no longer blocked and his arms no longer pinned, he reached up to feel his neck, still feeling the indent the rope had left but no rope. No Kangdae sitting on top of him, pummeling his huge cock into Taehyung’s tender hole.   Not even Shownu’s gang were in his cell anymore.   Kangdae had disappeared into a puff of smoke, all that remained had been that orange glint in his eye. It settled itself deep into Taehyung’s mind.   He blinked once, twice and then a third time. But it was still there, still in the corner of his eye. Permanently embedding itself into his mind.   “Motherfucker followed me to prison.”   Gwangju Metropolitan City, South Korea - Gwangju Medical Center (May 13, 2001 ; 5:54 AM)   Hoseok padded his way around the hospital waiting room, moving away from the nurse’s station after his brief chat (and failed attempt at flirting) with fellow night nurse Jisoo. Who was he even kidding? She’d known him since they were teenagers. She saw the level of just plain awkwardHoseok truly was. No matter how nice his abs looked now, he wouldn’t be getting anywhere with her.   He sighed, taking a seat in some dark corner and staring at his phone in hopes that his lead wouldn’t come after him and tell him to go check on patients who were dead asleep anyway. He looked up briefly when he heard the sliding doors open and close shortly after, signalling that a new patient had walked through the doors— except the man wasn’t new. Not to Hoseok.   He saw the dyed orange hair first and quickly wondered if police officers were allowed to have such a crazy hair color. But when his eyes followed down the stranger, he saw the faint remnants of a deep scar along the man’s cheek, just near the corner of his lips.   He scrambled to his feet, almost slipping on the tiled floor in his work shoes. He barged over to the patient, hand reaching out and grasping onto a slim wrist almost as if Hoseok needed to feel him to know he was real. That he was really here. With him.   “Jimin?” Chapter End Notes Just a small sidenote: Kangdae and his group are some of the (very) minor characters. I couldn't bring myself to pick any idols to really fill those roles in Taehyung's story. Also this is my first time writing anything 'horror' like, in my whole time of writing ever, so I hope you guys enjoyed! ***** Am I Wrong? ***** Chapter Notes In case you guys wanted to know, here is the breakdown of what I have for who is inspired by who and their roles, etc (in relation to It). Some of them overlap because it's certain attributes from different characters I'm kinda combining into BTS and well, I'm taking a lot of creative liberty with all of this tbh but I thought it'd be fun to share with you guys! Maybe you can see what I take from the characters and incorporate into this and all that. Okay I'm rambling now sorry ;~; Namjoon - Bill Denbrough + Ben Hanscom Seokjin - Mike Hanlon Yoongi - Henry Bowers Hoseok - Stan Uris Jimin - Beverly Marsh Taehyung - Richie Tozier Jeongguk - Eddie Kapsbrak + Bill Denbrough Also some helpful(?) information: As of 1994 (when this chapter takes place), here are the boy's ages: Namjoon - 14 Seokjin - 16 Yoongi - 15 Hoseok - 14 Jimin - 13 Taehyung - 12 Jeongguk - 11 And being that this is largely inspired by It, the boys will be doing a lot of stuff that isn't necessarily ~kid friendly~ (like drug use, cursing, smoking, etc), but I've provided warnings when I feel necessary, so you all know what's going on and what to expect. I've tagged this stuff for a reason, so please head those warnings and tags. Now that I've rambled, onto the warnings. WARNINGS!!! This chapter contains: †Slight Homophobia + Homophobic themes/language †Underage Sexual Context †A slightly pathetic attempt at horror (I promise I'll get better) You've been warned. P.S. I'm sorry this chapter seems a bit all over the place, it'll get better I promise <3 ↤ Late 1994 ↦   There’s seven of us. Well, now there is. There used to just be three of us. For our childhood (well, the beginning), it was always just me, Yoongi and Hoseok. We dicked around, pretended we wrote decent music sometimes as 6 year olds (Yoongi was 7, older by a year but still with us as he got held back), and just doing..little kid things.   Until we all got shipped off to boarding school by our parents. Hoseok just kinda coming along for the ride really, as a boarding school was better than an orphanage. My parents had a couple extra million won lying around, so I convinced them to pay for his tuition.   “As long as he keeps his grades up,” they’d say. But they never paid attention. They never even looked at mine.   So, there we were. Three loser fuckups staring up at some ancient building that had once been known as some other weird name but was now just the simple and boring “Seje International School for Boys”.   I remember Hoseok moaning in annoyance when he heard it was a school for boys. Not like he got any action, but he pretended to anyway. He was the first of us three to actually like girls, or well, not find them gross. As 6 year old boys often do.   So we went. We stayed in a dorm together. Hoseok and Yoongi shared a room while I got stuck alone, until they found someone to plop in my room.   A week after our first classes, they did. An older kid, named Kim Seokjin. He was cool, I guess. Kinda quiet at first, until I talked to him one fucking time and he hasn’t shut up since.   It’s been 7 years. He’s still my roommate too, how funny. We’ve even moved dorms twice. The school splits all the boys up by age groups. So as we grew older, they moved our dorms along. And somehow, I’ve always stayed with Seokjin while even Hoseok and Yoongi rotated out with different strangers. Seokjin complained for them once, to the head lady of our dorm, Mrs. Lee. After that, Hoseok and Yoongi were never broken up again.   Anyway, after meeting Seokjin we got to 4. A nice, even number.   Until Hoseok met this kid named Kim Taehyung. He was younger than us by a year. He came packaged with another kid too, Park Jimin.   Hoseok swore Taehyung was cool, cooler than us. But all I saw was some dopey looking kid with big eyes, thick glasses and a boxy grin. Shadowed by his smaller best friend with hair way too feathery for a boy and lips too pink and full.   I was jealous of his lips. And I have nice lips.   Regardless. Now we were 6. Again, a nice even number.   But then Taehyung found this new kid. No, really, he was actually new. Taehyung snagged him within hours of this little fucker entering campus.   He said his name was Jeon Jeongguk and he really didn’t talk much. For awhile, at least. He talked to Jimin and Taehyung. But never us older kids. He seemed to shake in Yoongi’s presence.   Until one morning when Jeongguk was cornered by Kwon and his goons and Yoongi told them to back off. After that he practically hung from Yoongi.   Weirdly enough, Yoongi never seemed to mind.   So now there’s 7 of us. I’m the de facto leader, Kim Namjoon. I told Taehyung no more stragglers after Jeongguk.   I like the number seven. It fits us well.   Seje, South Korea - Seje Public Library (Archives) (October 4, 1994 ; 3:55 PM)   Seje was a small ass town in a big ass province in South Korea with some big ass issues. It had rude ass people, creepy ass houses and a fucking abandoned carnival to add to that.   But still, Seje remained a small ass town.   Today Namjoon had gone to the library and asked to see public records of Seje. He wanted to know the population. The books said 23,459 people but Namjoon literally scoffed at that as his eyes grazed the nimble pages.   “Tch…” he laughed, flipping a page to look at the breakdown of all the residents by demographics. Yoongi walked up just then, dangling a cigarette between his lips. He sat at the table in the library beside his best friend, leaning over his shoulder to peer at what Namjoon had been reading.   “What’s up, Joonie? Readin’ bullshit again?” His Daegu accent was thick even throughout his years growing up on the west coast.   “This shit says that Seje has 20 thousand people?”   Yoongi snickered as he rolled the unlit cigarette along his bottom lip, “Tch,20 thousand if ya count all the dead ones maybe.”   “Yah!” Seokjin approached the table quickly, probably speaking far too loud to be acceptable in a library, but he was just thatway. Namjoon looked up at his hyung, a smile beaming on his face as he saw the most beautiful one of their group.   Yoongi only rolled his eyes, silently wishing he lived in the 60s ‘or somethin ’ as he often spoke of because ‘they let you smoke and drink fuckin’ anywhere!’.   In tow behind the eldest was the youngest— the maknae of their group, Jeongguk. He practically hid behind the broader boy as they walked up to Yoongi and Namjoon sitting comfortably at the table.   Seokjin finally sat down, Jeongguk standing awkwardly at his side as he moved close to the table, standing between Namjoon and Seokjin’s chairs.   “Don’t say shit like that, Yoongi-ah!” Seokjin spoke again, and again he was fartoo loud.   Namjoon heard harsh ‘Shhhs’ echo in the library and only rolled his eyes at the other patrons, being the brat he was.   Jeongguk’s cheeks heated up almost immediately at the attention on them and they straight up burst into flames when he caught the lookYoongi was giving him.   The elder had taken his cigarette between his index and middle finger, rolling it around and keeping his black beady eyes locked on the maknae. Jeongguk was blushing furiously at this point as Yoongi started to speak his lazy drawl, though Jeongguk could barely process what he was even saying.   “Jeongguk-ah,” Seokjin finally broke through the muffled noises in Jeongguk’s ear, “Yoongi is telling you to sit by him. Do as he says. We’re your elders.”   Jeongguk only side glanced to Seokjin who he now saw was holding Jeongguk’s wrist lightly, long and crooked fingers easily wrapping around the lithe joint. Jeongguk nodded after a silent moment and walked around the table to sit beside Yoongi.   “Joonie what cha readin’?” Was all Jeongguk heard come from Seokjin before he zoned out, his gaze, his focus, his mind, body and soul became entranced on Yoongi.   It wasn’t five minutes of Jeongguk and Yoongi’s awkward eye stares and Namjoon explaining that there were probably some creepy ghosts living in the boarding school they attended because it was built on some sort of ancient burial ground before the rest of their group burst through the doors to the basement of the library. Jimin was leading the group first, followed closely in tow was Hoseok and behind him was Taehyung who was fiddling with a rubix cube. Hoseok’s eyes lit up when he saw them all gathered at the table towards the back and he grabbed Jimin by the wrist and yanked him along before the smaller boy could even utter a word.   Taehyung quite literally jogged behind them before walking up to the table and slamming his hands on the old wood— again, way too loudly.He gave a boxy smile to Namjoon who only looked up from his book, Seokjin following his gaze as he had been quite literally almost on top of their leader, his eyes focused on the gruesome pictures in the particular book Namjoon was showing him.   “Yah! Namjoonie-hyung, what cha readin’?”   Namjoon rolled his eyes and groaned, placing the book flat on the table before leaning back in his chair, “Aish, why do you all have to ask the same damn question?!”   Another round of hushing came his way as Taehyung blinked at his elder with a blank and slightly confused face. Jimin stood behind the younger, his arm slinging itself over Taehyung’s shoulder as he peered down at the four sitting at the table. Hoseok had already gone and made himself comfortable on the other side of Yoongi, kicked his feet up onto the table and started smacking his gum loudly.   Jeongguk noticed Taehyung rolling a lollipop around inside his mouth as he waited for an explanation on Namjoon’s outburst. After a few moments of awkward silence and Namjoon rolling his eyes at the other patrons of the library, he piped up, “Yeah, Namjoonie-hyung! Be quiet!”   Jeongguk’s voice cracked in the word ‘quiet’ but he held strong, hoping no one noticed (they all so totally noticed), but his antics had earned a grin and genuine laughter from his favorite hyung. The blue haired boy smiled and patted Jeongguk’s thigh, bursting into a fit of poorly controlled laughter, “Damn Gukkie! Gettin’ good at bein’ a little shit, huh?”   Jeongguk felt his face turn bright red and heard Jimin giggled at the sight because apparently Jimin had been the only one to catch the beet red skin of his cheeks before Jeongguk’s face met the wood of the table with a loud thud. He groaned, shifting under Yoongi’s touch— which, by the way, did not falter as his hand remained on Jeongguk’s thigh.   Jimin watched the two before turning his gaze back to Namjoon who had been explaining to Taehyung just exactlywhat he was reading.   Unfortunately, Jimin only caught the last part.   “So that’s why I think we should check out Bosung Hall. I think there’s some clues there!”   “Woah woah woah.” Jimin interjected, his hands up in front of him. “Dude, we can’t just gothere like, there’s trespassing laws?”   Taehyung turned to Jimin, a pout on his lips already as he stood and stomped his foot once. “Jiminieeee~” he whined, “C’mon! Namjoonie has done his research and he definitely knows what he’s doing, we’ll be safe! Besides, Yoongi is like really good with knives and stuff and his dad has a gun plusJinnie can cook and Jeongguk would be a really good scapegoat or bait or whatever if some ghosts come after us!”   “Hey!” Jeongguk and Hoseok both said in unison.   “What about me?” Hoseok leaned back in the chair, his leg still up on the table.   “Oh let’s just ignore the fact that Tae just volunteeredme to die!?!”   “Calm down, Gukkie, no one will let you die.” Seokjin said with a smile as he reached his hand across the table to brush a straight black hair out of Jeongguk’s face. The youngest responded by throwing his head back down onto the table, his groans muffled by the wood.   “Ughhh I hate you all!”   Yoongi grinned, putting his cigarette back between his lips as his hand rubbed along the younger’s thigh soothingly, trying to calm him down. “Pal, it’ll all be good. Taehyung is right, we got a good team.” Seje, South Korea - Seje International School for Boys (Bosung Hall) (October 6, 1994 ; 11:30 PM)   “Not to be the like, Debbie fuckin’ downer over here but isn’t this oh I dunno a bad fucking idea?!” Hoseok was practically screaming at this point, flailing his arms in the air as he made a show for his group of (stupid) friends.   Jimin giggled at Hoseok as the elder cling to the smaller man, looking around and stepping oh so carefully to avoid traps. Like this was some Egyptian tomb rigged to the nines with traps.   "Weren't you like, totally down for this before, hyung?" Jimin gave Hoseok a classic shit-eating grin and it made Hoseok wanna punch him, but he couldn't. He couldn't punch his Jiminie. Instead he only sighed and buried his face (and subsequent burning cheeks at hearing Jimin's sing-song voice calling him hyung) as he walked along with the younger, still clinging to him for dear life.    Jimin smiled again, reaching a hand over and petted Hoseok’s hair lightly, reassuring him that it would all be fine. Jimin was really loving distressed Hoseok as it brought out his Jeolla and boy did Jimin have a thing for that accent.    Taehyung was at the front of the group, walking slowly beside their leader, Namjoon, who had a flashlight ready in his hand. “So what do you think we’ll see down here hyung?” Taehyung spoke in what can only be called a very excited whisper as he stayed on Namjoon’s heels.   Jeongguk clung to Yoongi who looked bored as ever as he dragged his feet along the linoleum tiles of the hall.   They had made it inside without a hitch, thanks to Jimin’s hidden lockpicking skills. Yoongi and Seokjin had been impressed while Namjoon looked definitely notsurprised and Taehyung, Hoseok and Jeongguk watched in awe.   "Wow hyung,” Jeongguk spoke just as the boys heard the lock click open.   Now the seven were wandering around the hall, it was simple enough. A small cafeteria for the residents on the bottom floor with a living space to the side of that in a sunken room and a large, grand staircase sitting behind it.    Come to think of it, it kinda looked like their dorm.   “So should we go to the rooms or look down around here for awhile?” Namjoon finally spoke, his voice sounding foreign in the still environment of the abandoned hall.   Taehyung only shrugged while Namjoon turned to look at the rest of his group behind him. His flashlight moved over all of their faces, the boys squinting when the beam landed on them.   They somehow ended up standing in a circle, Namjoon noticed. With him at the “front” of the circle, if there even could be. Beside him was Taehyung on his right, arm linked into the elder’s elbow and head leaning onto his bony shoulder. Taehyung, always so handsy, but Namjoon was used to it by now.   Beside him was Jimin and Hoseok, Hoseok in a similar position to Taehyung as he basically clung onto Jimin for dear life. Seokjin stood behind Jimin, tapping his foot away at the tiled floor while he glanced around, quite literally on alert. Jeongguk stood huddled next to Yoongi, complaining he had been cold (he wasn’t), but the warmth emanating from his hyung was enough to keep him there, like he was addicted to the man. Yoongi only stood as he normally did, bored and even yawned at one point.   Yoongi’s eyes landed on Hoseok, humor dancing behind them. His lips twitched and raised into a smug smirk as he watched Hoseok’s hands cling onto Jimin’s grey hoodie.   “You all look like you're about to walk to your deaths, it's just a creepy old hall, guys.” He chuckled, his eyes on Hoseok. He felt Jeongguk’s grip on his bicep loosen just a bit.   Taehyung sneezed, his overly dramatic and so goddamn extrasneeze, causing Yoongi to jump and let out a yelp. Yoongi’s frantic eyes glanced around the circle and after a moment too long of silence, Namjoon let out his laugh, “HA!”   Jimin snickered and Taehyung smiled, watching Hoseok furrow his brows at the blue-haired boy as he had jumped as well from Taehyung’s sneeze.   “Hyung, calm down it was just a sneeze, no need to jump a mile!” The grin on Taehyung’s face stretched from ear to ear.   Yoongi glared at Taehyung before reaching across in front of Namjoon, grabbing the younger by his hoodie and kicking him in the shin.   Namjoon grabbed at Yoongi’s own hood, noticing Jeongguk quite literally stayed clung to the elder like a koala before shoving Yoongi back, furrowing his brows at him. “Yah! Hyung, what the fuck?!”   “Little punk ass dumb ass sneezer.” Yoongi only grumbled as he straightened himself back up, eyes trained on Taehyung who just kept grinning.   After a quick game of eenie, meenie, miney, mo, the boys decided to check upstairs first and make their way down. They formed a line, of sorts, all hands linked together so they wouldn’t get lost (by order of Hoseok, of course).   That’s how Yoongi ended up behind Taehyung. Yoongi had lost his little koala who opted for walking in front of Taehyung and behind Jimin, leaving Yoongi at the back and leaving Seokjin and Hoseok to trail behind Namjoon.   Still, Yoongi was spiteful and wanted payback. Besides this was getting boring.   So he decided to blow on the back of Taehyung’s neck, of course.   Yoongi leaned forward as they walked up the staircase, his hand clutching Taehyung’s. His lips ghosted over the nape of the younger boys neck, letting out a puff of air to resemble something shooting passed them.   He saw Taehyung twitch and repeated his action before abruptly letting go of the younger’s hand and letting out a gasp, “Oh shit! Tae did you feel that?!”   Taehyung jumped, turning around to face Yoongi and losing his footing on the stairs. The older made sure to grab onto his wrist tightly, keeping him steady as guilt started to slowly wash over him. What if Tae had fallen? Fuck.   “What happened?” Namjoon chimed in a few steps ahead of them as the group noticed the pause. Yoongi only shrugged while Taehyung was quite literally shivering. Okay now Yoongi really felt bad.   A loud bang emitted from the floor they had just arrived at and it made the whole gang jump, Jeongguk letting out a little squeak as well. Jimin giggled, walking down to the maknae as he pulled the boy against him in a comforting embrace, Jeongguk's back pressed into Jimin's chest. The youngest shivering now as well.   Jimin’s arms found themselves wrapped around Jeongguk as he rocked him from side to sided, “Gukkie! It’s fine, we’re fine. Promise.”   “Well I guess we know where to start looking now.” Seokjin spoke aloud now, Namjoon making a hum of agreement and nodding, “Yeah but who wants to go in?”   “I vote Rock Paper Scissors!” Hoseok spoke up nervously, knowing he was the best at the game.   Yoongi rolled his eyes, peeling himself away from Taehyung who he had clung onto from the bang.   “Of course you pick the game you’re best at.”   “Okay, let's do two people and we'll all wait outside,” Namjoon began as he climbed the rest of the stairs reaching the hallway of the fourth floor.   “I think the noise came from the end of the—”   Namjoon’s guess was cut off by a slamming door at the end of the hall. He gulped quite loudly as he noticed Seokjin shifting closer to their leader, his long fingers reaching out for anything to ground him. In this case it was Namjoon’s hand.   “What the fuck?” Yoongi mumbled eyes trained on the blackened hallway they kept hearing loud noises from.   “O-okay so,” Namjoon held out his hands, preparing for the game. The rest of the seven followed suit. And after a long and stressful game, it came down to Yoongi and Jeongguk.   “Rock, Paper, Scissors!” They chimed in unison, Jeongguk revealed rock while Yoongi's hands extended into a sideways V-sign. The elder moaned in annoyance and held his hand up, silently screaming ‘Why’ at his shitty ass luck.   “FUCK!” Seje, South Korea - Seje International School for Boys (Cafeteria) (October 13, 1994 ; 12:05 PM)   Yoongi glared down at his apple juice carton, piercing the small piece of foil with the sharp straw after double checking the expiration date of his juice. Rich boarding school or not they still fed the students outdated nasty shit and he rarely trusted anything. Save for the pizza they gave every other Friday in the International line, of course.   “Hey hyung,” Taehyung was the first to come to lunch as usual, sitting down at the table beside Yoongi. The older found that odd as Taehyung usually sat on the other side, leaving a space empty for Jeongguk (who was always last due to tutoring he attended at lunch).   Yoongi raised his eyebrows and shrugged, pausing his CD player and shoving his headphones from his head. “What’s up, Tae?”   The younger only blankly stared down at his fingers, fiddling nervously with the digits, “Where have you been, hyung?”   Yoongi opened and closed his mouth a couple times before looking back down at his apple juice, avoiding Taehyung’s questioning glare.   Just then the doors to the cafeteria burst open, Hoseok in the lead, the one at fault for the loud bang which made both boys sitting at the table jump. Neither mentioned anything about it, though.   The (ridiculously) hyper boy charged over to them, the rest of the group in tow behind him. Yoongi noticed Jeongguk clinging to Jimin now, like he used to cling to him not a week ago.   The guilt was starting to feel real fucking heavy.   Hoseok bounced over, sliding into the seat across Yoongi, his fingers excitedly tappin on the table, “Hyung, you’re back!”   Yoongi tried to crack a smile but it was almost like he physically couldn’t smile. He saw Hoseok’s face fall and the guilt hit him even harder now. What the fuck is wrong with me?   Jimin sidled over, Jeongguk following closely in tow. Yoongi was sure the boy would have been holding Jimin’s hand or had his arm linked in the crook of the smaller boy’s elbow had it been socially acceptable.   Yoongi would have done it. Given no fucks about doing it either. But, Jeongguk, he knew he never would. He got bullied enough as it was.   Jimin settled in beside Hoseok, Jeongguk on the other side while Seokjin sat beside Jeongguk and Namjoon beside Taehyung. Yoongi caught a glance of Namjoon’s hand slipping under the table and watched as Taehyung jumped a bit. Namjoon probably patting his leg to calm the most sensitive of their group, at times, that is.   “Did you come for my birthday, hyung?”   Fuck.   “U-uh, yeah, Jimin. Yeah. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”   Jimin subtly rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Jeongguk who was blankly staring at Yoongi now. Jimin snapped his fingers in front of the maknae’s face, getting his attention but barely holding it.   No thanks to Taehyung.   “Okay so now that this awkward shit show is over.” He said with a deep breath, making Namjoon smile and in turn that made the younger beam with pride. Namjoon hadn’t really smiledin a week. Since Yoongi went MIA.   “We’re all back together now and that’s what’s important right?” Seje, South Korea - Seje International School for Boys (Dorms) (October 14, 1994 ; 2:43 AM)   “You’re having them too, aren’t you?”   Jeongguk heard the familiar raspy satoori of his roommate as he sat straight up out of his sleep. He’d just finally managed to fall asleep too, but then his nightmare creeped in almost immediately. Tonight it was a spider.   Well, he wasn’t sure if it was reallya spider. It had multiple legs and too many eyes to be normal. So Jeongguk assumed a spider.   He didn’t answer Jimin, and perhaps the older thought he was ignoring him for a minute as Jeongguk saw the elder’s shoulders slump in defeat at the silence of the room. Jeongguk metaphorically shuffled around in his brain, willing himself to speak.   “Wh-what?” His voice squeaked and in that moment he really envied his hyungs for their voices being past the moment of unintended squeaks. Sometimes their voices still cracked— but never squeaked.   He saw Jimin shift in the darkness, he turned his head so his cheek rested against his knees which he had pulled up to his chest. He blinked his slanted eyes at the younger before speaking again.   “The nightmares.”   Jeongguk swallowed hard, quite literally making a gulpsound. He nodded after another too long moment of silence.   Jimin hummed, blinking his eyes at Jeongguk. He looked like an owl just then, his eyes big and blank.   “What are yours about?” Jimin asked.   “S-s-spiders. What ab-about you, hyung?” Jeongguk turned in his bed, facing the older as he brought his legs into a criss-cross style.   He blinked a few more times, willing his eyes to adjust to the darkness as he waited for Jimin’s response.   “Huh,” he hummed, “mine’s about a woman.”   Jeongguk tilted his head like a dog does when it hears a high pitched whistle.   “She’s like...missing her mouth. Kinda.” Jimin turned his head, resting his chin on his knees now as his fingers played with the hem of his pajama pants. He faced forward, away from Jeongguk.   “No, it’s not gone. It’s broken.” Jimin mumbled, his tiny fingers fumbling with the light blue fabric, “like, someone took a knife and just...pulled at the corner of her mouth. It’s like from ear to ear. She’s scary.”   “So scary…” Jimin whispered, staring off into seeming nothingness at the end of his bed.   Jeongguk reached over to his bedside table, flicking on a switch so that the small lamp illuminated a circle of area around it. Jimin didn’t move, still blankly staring at the emptiness at the end of his bed.   “We should try and sleep, Gukkie.” Jimin suddenly turned to Jeongguk, his eyes ringed with red as if he’d been rubbing them, or crying, or both.   He reached over and turned off the lamp, but stayed in the position he had been in since Jeongguk woke up.   “I c-can’t sleep, hyung.” Jungkook said in the smallest voice he could muster. Jimin shrugged in response before looking at his dongsaeng.   Suddenly it was like a switch was flicked inside of Jimin as the elder quickly got to his feet and padded over to Jeongguk’s bed. He slipped into the small twin bed with the younger, tucking himself under the covers.   Now Jimin was lying beside him, his brown hair fanned out over Jeongguk’s white pillow. He looked at Jeongguk, blinking owlishly again before the younger laid his own head down, facing the older.   “I’ll sleep with you tonight, Gukkie. I’ll protect you.”   ↯   Jimin had set his alarm for 4:58 AM. He set the alarm right before he felt himself dozing off in Jeongguk’s arms. He knew the younger had finally fallen asleep, the evenness of his breathing had told him so. But, he couldn’t let them be caught. So Jimin had expertly peeled the younger’s arms from around his waist and padded over to his side of the room, changing his alarm to just before they did morning checks.   But Jimin slept through his alarm.   “Yah!”   The shrill annoying voice of Mrs. Lee startled Jimin awake in the worst of ways. He would have preferred a nightmare to be quite honest. He felt Jeongguk shoot up beside him and instantly the boys disentangled themselves as Mrs. Lee gave them a pointed and disgusted stare.   Jimin felt his morning wood in his pajama pants and was cursing the fucking world and his existence for his predicament right now. Jeongguk’s boner apparently went down immediately but Jimin’s would not subside.   “Well, aren’t you going to get up?”   Jimin wanted to die.   He rose from the bed, trying to pull his oversized t-shirt down to hide his erection but it was no use. Mrs. Lee gasped and then made the most disgusted sound he could have possibly imagined.   She barged into their room and grabbed Jimin by his pierced ear, literally ripping his earring out in the process. Jimin felt the blood start to seep down his neck and onto his shirt.   “Boys don’t do that, Park Jimin.”   She began scolding him as she forcefully pulled him down the corridor by his fucking earlobe. Jimin knew where he was going. And it wasn’t the infirmary to patch up his now ripped flesh. Seje, South Korea - Seje International School for Boys (Cafeteria) (October 14, 1994 ; 12:18 PM)   Jimin joined the group almost halfway through their lunch period. No one really said anything as the small brunette climbed onto the bench, sitting down beside Taehyung. His eyes stayed down, staring at the weird grey color of the lunch table and avoiding the curious eyes of his friends.   For awhile they had continued their chatter. Namjoon was talking about homework for Psychics and a group project him, Hoseok and Yoongi all had together that was due that following Monday. Seokjin quietly ate his food and then reached over to grab some of Taehyung’s, munching on his ramen as well. Jeongguk sat still as a statue, keeping his eyes down to what seemed to be a book in his lap. And Taehyung only stared at Jimin.   The brunette felt a large, warm hand on his thigh and flinched away from it as soon as he felt the pressure. He could feel Taehyung frown at the reaction but he couldn’t bring himself to feel bad about it. Not after what Mrs. Lee and their headmaster, Dr. Jung laid into him this morning.   Taehyung went for a different approach and lifted his hand away, moving it to gently touch at the white bandage Jimin had taped onto his earlobe.   “What happened?” His voice was quiet and oh so fucking deep. Jimin hated him for hitting puberty before him.   “Nothing.”   Jeongguk’s eyes looked up from his book at the sound of Jimin’s voice. Jimin hadn’t noticed before but he was sitting directly across from the youngest.   Taehyung hummed disapprovingly and moved his hand away from Jimin’s wound, wrapping his arm around Jimin’s waist and pulling him closer. Jimin shyed away, flinching at Taehyung’s touch as he scooted further from the younger.   Taehyung frowned and Jeongguk simply blinked blankly a few times, like the bunny he was, before speaking, “I-It’s my f-fault, h-hyung.”   “Jeongguk, shutup.” Jimin’s voice was dark and so were his eyes as Jeongguk met them, fear rippling through his spine.   His stutter worsened as he tried to speak, only to feel himself come practically to tears under Jimin’s harsh gaze. Taehyung grabbed Jimin’s arm and snapped him from his seeming trance, slapping Jimin across the cheek lightly.   “Jimin, what the fuck, dude?” Taehyung snapped, grabbing Jimin by his shoulders and forcing him to face him.   Jimin saw movement from the corner of his eye and stiffened as he saw a flowy black skirt storming over to them.   Taehyung felt a sting on his hand and recoiled, sucking air through his teeth as he groaned at the pain of the slap.   “Park Jimin! What did we justdiscuss this morning?”   Jimin wanted to punch her.   Taehyung stared in awe as he saw the small body of his best friend rise from the table in an almost robotic manner and stand before Mrs. Lee. The older woman only had about 2 inches on the 13 year old, so it wasn’t a long reach when Jimin’s fist reeled back and met with her gut.   Holy shit.   Jimin actually punched her.   The cafeteria bursted into an uproar as Mrs. Lee fumed and grabbed Jimin by his arm this time, pulling him through the cafeteria that was now so loud Taehyung couldn’t hear himself think. He heard his classmates asking what was going on? A couple of them approached their table to ask about what the hell had gotten into their friend.   Taehyung was simply clueless and knew as much as anyone else, and he assumed the rest of the group was the same. Until…   Until one of the older residents of Seje International sidled over to their table, followed by his four goons. A rough hand clapped onto Jeongguk’s shoulder as Taehyung peered at him, giving him his most badass look.   His ‘don’t touch my fucking friend’ look, but the elder seemed to disregard it as Taehyung watched his fingers dig into the youngest’s uniform jacket. Watched as Jeongguk’s face twisted into an expression of slight pain from the pressure.   Jiyong gave a toothy grin, leaning down so his lips were inches from Jeongguk’s ear.   Taehyung had to read his lips, because the cafeteria was far too loud.   “You gonna tell your pretty little friends about your little fagfest with your dormmate? Or should I, Gukkie?”   Taehyung felt rage boil in his chest. They were all protective of the maknae but Taehyung and Jimin especially.   “What the fuck did you just say?” Taehyung rose to his feet, crawling from behind the lunch table and walking around getting in one Kwon Jiyong’s face.   The elder only gave his cocky grin, looking behind himself in that cliché bullyway, making eye contact with his right hand. Moving his head a tiny bit to signal his goons to come in closer, to surround Taehyung.   Taehyung’s fist had somehow made its way towards Jiyong’s shirt, bunching the crisp white button down between his tanned fingers.   “Oh, were you not in on it too, Taetae? You three strike me as a cute little threeway relationship, to be quite honest. I bet if you pretend Gukkie is a girl it won’t feel as dirty. But you look the dirty type.” Jiyong leaned in, his lips practically pressing against the skin of Taehyung’s ear, “I bet you like it real dirty, Taetae.”   “Fuck off.” Taehyung shoved Jiyong away, making his goons tense in response.   Jiyong only grinned again before tipping his imaginary hat to Taehyung and sidling off just as he had sidled in.   “If anyone’s a fag, it’s that guy.” Taehyung mumbled under his breath, sliding in next to Jeongguk.   “Tae,” Jeongguk spoke, his voice small and quiet. Taehyung looked over at him, taking in the boy’s big doe eyes and all their thoroughly shook glory, “what’s wrong with that? What’s so wrong about Jimin hugging me? Or you touching me or Jimin or any of us just hugging or touching or—”   Jeongguk’s pathetic rambling was silenced by Seokjin who grabbed onto the boy’s hand underneath the table. He had been sitting next to the younger all of lunch, quietly listening to their conversations and feeling how antsy Jeongguk had been the entire time, namely since Jimin had arrived.   Jeongguk looked over at his oldest hyung, his eyes still big like saucers, waiting for an answer to his question.   Seokjin hummed, interlocking their fingers under the shadow of the table but being sure that no one else could see. He gave the youngest a warm smile before pulling his hand back.   Jeongguk felt cold all of the sudden.   “There’s nothing wrong with it, Gukkie. But some people don’t like it. Some people think it’s gross or wrong.”   Jeongguk opened his mouth to speak but was silenced once again as Seokjin cut him off, “But,” Seokjin started, “we don’t want people seeing okay? Keep it secret and it’s all gonna be alright.”   Seje, South Korea - Seje International School for Boys (Dorms) (October 17, 1994 ; 7:04 PM)   “They threatened to send me home. So I told ‘em I don’t have a home. Oh man, their faces, Gukkie!” Jimin laughed, laying back in his bed. His head rested on the top ledge of the headboard where he now kept his alarm clock. He shook his head against the wood, eyes closed and neck arching in an almost unnatural way.   “And when they called and got an inactive number,” Jimin’s lips stretched into a malicious smile, “fuck were their faces pale. When the realization that they gotta house some faggot ass poor kid because it’s the ‘moralistic’,” Jimin made air quotes at the word, “thing to do."   Jeongguk feigned laughter as he listened to his hyung’s answer of his earlier question: “Where have you been?”   He hadn't seen him in three days. Jeongguk was worried.   Worried he got him in trouble. Worried he got Jimin kicked out. Or hurt. Or worse.   Jeongguk chewed on his bottom lip, keeping his eyes off of the older as Jimin continued his story— his ramblings and rants of how pompous the administration at Seje International were. Jeongguk only understood a portion of his word choices, but he pretended to be enthralled nonetheless.   Pretended wasn’t the right word, though. Because he wasenthralled. Jimin speaking any words, really, made him happy, kept him interested. Kept his mind from wandering and wanting to play with his fingers or find something fast paced to keep his mind occupied with.   Jimin kept him focused.   But he couldn’t focus right now.   “H-hyung,” Jeongguk’s stutter had gotten worse since Jimin was away, “w-wh-what was w-wrong w-with what w-w-we were d-doing?”   Jimin only lifted up his head, his laughter stopping abruptly. He looked over at Jeongguk, all small and making himself smaller in his bed. Jeongguk, a cute little bunny rabbit of a best friend he’d ended up with thanks to Taehyung.   He saw fear in the youngest’s eyes and it broke Jimin just a little bit. He said he’d protect him and now he scared him.   “Nothing, Jeongguk. Nothing is wrong with it.”   Jimin wished he believed himself. Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!