zero o'clock | tk

四

"Yo, Kook, where you headed? We've got PE next," Namjoon called out when he spotted Jeongguk making his way through the crowded hallway.

Jeongguk barely glanced his way, letting out a hum as he stepped beside Namjoon. He kept his eyes forward, the tension simmering beneath his calm facade as they walked together toward the locker rooms.

As Jeongguk pulled on his PE uniform, he glanced at Namjoon, trying to sound casual. "So, what were you doing with that Taehyung guy this morning?"

Namjoon chuckled a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Oh, it's kinda funny, but I'll tell you later," he replied with a smirk, leaving Jeongguk even more curious—and slightly more irritated.

The raven head scoffed, as he slammed his locker shut with more force than necessary. "What was it? Just tell me now," he demanded, his tone still calm but had a bit of bitterness.

Namjoon raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised by Jeongguk's sudden intensity. "I just made him do my tests, I was so close to getting suspended." He just shrugged and left the room heading to the gym.

Jeongguk furrowed his eyebrows, the thought gnawing at him, 'Why didn't he tell me?' As if on cue, Taehyung walked into the locker room, his gaze fixed on the floor, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

Jeongguk's eyes followed him intently as the room gradually emptied, students filing out one by one. Once the last person had left, leaving just the two of them, Jeongguk made his move.

He quietly walked over to the door and locked it, ensuring that only the teacher with the key could unlock it from the outside. The click of the lock echoed in the now-silent room.

"What are you doing? We need to get to class," Taehyung mumbled, his voice trembling as Jeongguk cornered him against the wall.

Jeongguk's eyes darkened, his emotions swirling as he leaned in closer. "So you're doing other people's tests now, huh?" he sneered, his voice laced with a venomous edge. "Can you get any more pathetic? How am I supposed to be with someone who lets themselves get walked all over like this?"

Taehyung's eyes filled with tears as he cowered, his shoulders hunching in as if trying to make himself smaller. The harshness in Jeongguk's words cut deep, and all he could do was blink back the tears threatening to spill over.

Jeongguk's gaze was sharp as he walked toward the door, his voice cutting through the silence. "You ask why I hide you? Maybe ask yourself that and you might find some answers."

Taehyung broke hearing the harsh words come out of his lover's mouth, and let out a pained sob, tears streaming down his face. "Then just leave me," he cried, desperately wiping at his tears. "Why do you even bother?"

"Because I pity you," Jeongguk said coldly. Without another word, he unlocked the door and walked out, leaving the shocked blonde standing alone, his heart sinking as the door slammed shut.

With tears still in his eyes, Taehyung grabbed his bag, but instead of heading to gym class, he dialled Yoongi's number. His heart ached, and he needed his best friend more than ever.

Yoongi, who usually worked part-time but had planned to skip school today to work from 9-5, answered the call. He agreed to pick Taehyung up, the boss might be mad but who cares?

-

"You're dating who?!"

"Jeongguk, the one in our English class,"

"Yes, I know who Jeongguk is, but what do you mean you guys are a thing?! Are you okay, Tae? Did you hit your head somewhere?" Yoongi's eyes widened in disbelief, his tone laced with concern.

Taehyung could only roll his eyes and sigh, feeling exhausted. Without another word, he unlocked his phone and pulled up pictures of them together.

Yoongi quickly snatched the phone from Taehyung's hand, scrolling through the photos with a mix of shock and curiosity. "No way! What the fuck?! How? When? Where? Why?!"

"He's a dickhead," Taehyung muttered, his voice held bitterness as he took the phone back, he began to select all the photos but couldn't bring himself to delete them.

"For how long?! And why didn't you tell me??" Yoongi's voice boomed in the car, echoing off the walls as he tried to process everything.

"Since the 9th grade... And nobody knows." Taehyung's voice was small, almost lost under the weight of his secret.

"You guys have been together for three years?!" Yoongi looked like he might pass out from the sheer shock of it all. His eyes were wide.

"Okay, I get that you guys are a private couple, but you still could've told me." Yoongi pinched Taehyung's arm, to which the blonde glared back at the other.

"He doesn't want anyone to know! Fuck, I just want to—UGH! I hate him!" Taehyung's frustration hit its peak.

Just as he was in the middle of his breakdown, his phone buzzed to life, the screen lighting up with Jeongguk's name.

Without a second thought, and before Yoongi could react, Taehyung grabbed the phone and hurled it out of the car window, the sound of it shattering on the pavement could be heard before Taehyung started panicking again.

"Oh my god, my phone!!" Taehyung's eyes widened in horror as the reality of what he'd just done sank in. Panic surged through him as he scrambled out of the car, rushing to where the phone had landed.

He picked it up, his heart sinking at the sight. The screen was spiderwebbed with cracks, barely holding on as the display flickered weakly. "No, no, no..." he muttered, desperately trying to get it to work, but it was clear the phone was on its last leg.

He ran back to the car, clutching his broken phone, with Yoongi practically in tears from laughing. "Yoongi, this isn't funny!" Taehyung exclaimed, his voice tinged with panic. "My parents are going to kill me! They can't afford to fix this."

Taehyung's stress levels, already high, skyrocketed as he slumped into the passenger seat. "I need to get a job. Please, ask your boss to hire me," he pleaded, his voice desperate.

Yoongi, still struggling to catch his breath from laughing, could only manage to nod.

"...Let's just go to the store now," Yoongi finally managed to say, still chuckling as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "I'm sure Jin hyung will hire you."