FOOLS // Yoonmin

Chapter 4: Yoongi's POV

Trying to sedate my mind in its cage and numb what I see.

A heavy sigh of exhaustion escaped my lungs as I gathered my belongings. This school was definitely an improvement, but it was draining. I swung my leather satchel onto my shoulder, giving the grand piano one last gentle touch before turning off the lights and locking the door. I always found schools eerie in the later hours of the night, lacking the standard commotion of students, the hallways appeared static and devoid of emotion. My footsteps echoed in the silent atmosphere, as I quickened my pace, eager to return home. The sound of heavy rain became evident as I arrived at the exit, the glass doors presented to me a gloomy evening that I would need to run through. I had forgotten my umbrella.

I splashed through puddles, silently cursing the school for placing the staff car park so far from my building. My clothes were already drenched, the droplets hitting my skin like shards of ice. Rubbing the water from my eyes, I dragged my keys from my pocket, my shivering hands attempting to unlock my car door. I stopped momentarily, my eyes darted towards a figure ahead of me. His powder blue shirt now temporarily stained a darker shade by the rain, and an expression of pure pain graced his face. He also shivered, water running down his cheeks, and something within me knew it wasn't from the rain. Our eyes were trained on each other, unmoving, as the dark swirl of nature continued to rage around us. The broken man shook his head, before stepping into his car and leaving me standing alone in the ever flooding car park. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the spot he had stood, I felt a dull ache in my chest, and I hated myself for it. I had finally succeeded in unlocking my car, climbing inside, raking a hand through my dripping hair. He looked so pained, as raw as my freezing skin. I had never seen him like this before, and I knew it was my fault.

It was always my fault.

My fingers massaged slow circles into my temples, attempting to ease the guilty thoughts that pounded in my mind like a headache. The image of his drooping features must have burned into me, even with closed eyes it was all I could see. Shaking, either from the cold or despair, I couldn't be sure anymore, I slowly started my car. Pulling out of the staff driveway, I gave way toa scruffy boy of shorter stature, who made his way across the road, bobbing his head at me in a signal of thanks. His uniform clung to his body like a second layer of skin, dripping as much as the sky above.

Jimin?

My eyes followed him as he trudged towards a nearby bus stop. Surely he wasn't catching a bus at this time of night, and in this weather? My head cocked to the side, my curiosity sparked slightly. I huffed quietly, reminding myself that this boy's method of transportation was none of my business. His pale face looked up at me suddenly, and I felt the skin on my neck heat up as I realised I was staring again, a bad habit of mine. I raised an arm, waving it in his direction. A smile, brighter than I had seen in the music room, broke his downtrodden expression. He waved enthusiastically back at me and I couldn't help but chuckle as I began my journey home.

I heard the faint thud behind me as I leant against my apartment door, sliding myself down until I was sitting on the floor. I felt the cool tiles beneath my skin, my eyes closed, breathing heavily. To most, the silence of my place would be deafening, but I have always found comfort in the quiet, with only my thoughts to haunt me. The peace was only disturbed by the warm licks I began to receive from Holly. My eyes slowly opened to see his happy face looking at me expectantly.

"Hello there Holly." I murmured happily, ruffling through his soft brown fur. "Did you miss me today?" He licked my face again in response, forcing my grin to reveal itself. Holly always made me smile, I much preferred his company to most people. "Let me guess... Food?" I raised my eyebrows at him, the way his tail began wagging furiously amused me. I pushed myself up to flick a few lights on, bathing the space in a warm glow. Holly followed me as I made my way through the living room into the kitchen, which was really only separated by a marble-topped breakfast bar. I shook the box of dog food at Holly, who whined happily in return, sitting patiently in front of his food bowl. He was well trained, but as soon as the food hits the metal all his manners disappear. I watched Holly for a few seconds smiling, before returning to the cupboard to find something for myself. I turned my nose up at the groceries I had, my appetite practically non-existent, and opted for a juice instead. I leaned over the bar, my chin propped on one hand. "Namjoon was at my work today Holly. You wouldn't believe how uncomfortable it was." I mumbled, my dog munching away on his food. I glanced at the feature wall in my living room, it was a nice change to all the minimalist black and grey furniture I had. The varying shades of blue were spattered with silver and white paint, which caught the light, creating the illusion of a night sky. The shelves along the wall were stacked precariously with albums and records, and my keyboard waited patiently to be played in the corner. I wasn't exactly adept in interior design, but this was my favourite part of my apartment, it was like an explosion of musicians and genres had occurred and splattered itself against my wall. I rolled my eyes slightly as my gaze trailed to the hideous blue shag pile rug Hoseok insisted I buy to 'tie the room together'. I hated it, I didn't like overly colourful things, but it was quite nice to lie on when my thoughts became too overwhelming.

This was one of those nights. I strolled over to the rug and lay down, running my hands through the soft fabric, ignoring the perfectly comfortable leather couch next to me. I breathed as deeply as possible, hoping in vain that my thoughts would leave me with the air flowing out of my lungs. No such luck. Holly joined me on the rug, burrowing himself underneath the crook of my arm.

"I'm going to have to face him again tomorrow Holly." I said, defeat evident within my tone. Holly was the only creature I was ever expressive to. "I can't just run away this time..." I trailed off, absentmindedly stroking Holly's fur. I didn't want to confront these emotions, not right now. I needed a distraction.

I breathed deeply once more before easing myself, and Holly, off of the ground. I pushed the thoughts of Namjoon and that expression to the far reaches of my mind, and was surprised to find Jimin popped into my head. I wondered if he made it home? The idea that a parent wouldn't have just picked him up bewildered me to no end.

"I'll be back soon Holly, I just found myself a distraction." I smiled, bringing myself to my feet. Quickly grabbing my keys again, I made my way to the door, only stopping to give Holly a pat goodbye.

I ventured into the large stationary store, the sliding doors dousing me in harsh fluorescent lighting. The rain had ceased to merely a drizzle outside, so I fortunately wouldn't create a large puddle on the floor, as I turned on the spot, trying to pinpoint the item I needed. A shop assistant approached greeting me warmly. "Can I help you tonight sir?"

"Yes, thank you. Where do you keep your binders?"