Hungry ➵ Taekook -DISCONTINUED-

5

"Before we get into the project, I want you all to welcome our new student," Mrs Park announces as the door opens.

A chorus of excited whispers goes through the classroom. The petite girl in front of Taehyung - whose name is Mina - lets out a high-pitch whine and stretches her neck to get a better look at the new boy.

"God spent a little more time at that one," she beams at her friend.

Taehyung rolls his eyes and focuses on the small book that lies open in front of him, writing in it with neat, cursive letters

Friday, February 18th

and then, jumping down a line,

A slice of bread - 74 calories

Strawberry jam - 54 calories 

He doesn't look up to see that the new boy is the same that he bumped into yesterday. Nor does he realize that the warm, brown eyes linger on him a little longer than the other students.

"I'm Jeon Jungkook. It's nice to meet you all."

At the mention of the familiar name, Taehyung's head shoots up. Their eyes connect for a brief second before he averts his gaze again. A small blush appears on his cheeks because the guys' eyes are just so intense. With his own eyes glued to the desk, Tae misses the way Jungkook's smile slightly widens.

Mrs Park gestures towards the desk beside Tae,

"You can sit there," she says politely.

All eyes are on Jungkook when he makes his way to the back of the classroom. His shoulders are relaxed, his back is kept straight and his head is held high. Everything about his carefree stroll screams confidence, and the girls want to be with him, and the guys want to be him, and Taehyung wants to turn invisible and be left alone. The smell of minty cologne fills his nostrils as the dark-haired boy sits down beside him,

"We meet again sooner than expected, huh?"

The skinny boy looks up and forces the corners of his mouth to peak upwards. "Yeah, we do."

Jungkook opens his mouth to say something again when the teacher hushes at her class, something Tae is forever grateful for because No, he doesn't want to get to know this guy. He wants to be left alone with his own miserable thoughts because that's just how damn petty he is. He wants no one to notice how his illness is slowly consuming him because then they start to worry and ask questions. But when no one asks questions, he gets sad because no one notices how bad he really is, and no one cares enough to worry.

He wants to be worried about. He wants to be taken care of.

He wants to be loved. But how can he possibly expect others to love him when he can't even love himself? His thoughts are so messed up. They have trapped his mind inside this wicked prison of self-hatred and slow suicide.

In the end, there will be nothing left of him to be loved.

"Finally, I'll present the project. It'll be over the course of three weeks and I want a full report in by the third week along with a short reflection paper." As if on cue, the whole class groans. Mrs Park stitches a tight smile on her face as she continues blabbering about where and how they should proceed to pick different types of flowers and how to tell them apart. Bla bla bla.

Taehyung isn't paying attention. It's futile; He is unable to concentrate anyway. Doodling in his book, he is awfully aware of Jungkook's gaze that bores into his neck.

"What are you writing?"

The skinny boy's eyes widen in realization and he slams the book shut, nearly throwing it down in his bag. His eyes scan desperately through the room the same way he scans his mind for an excuse,

"A diary." The words leave him before he can give it a second thought. Red roses tint the dull skin on his cheeks. He can't believe himself. He just gave a complete stranger the ultimate weapon to bully him.

However, the look on Jungkook's face is genuine,

"A diary?"

"Y-yeah," Tae stutters.

"How adorable."

If he wasn't blushing before, he sure as hell is now.

Jungkook chuckles lightly.

"As for the partners," Mrs Park says and claps her hands together, catching the attention of the two boys in the back of the class. "I'll just make it simple. The person sitting next to you will be your partner."

They look at each other. A pair of brown eyes meeting another pair of brown eyes.

So alike, but Tae knows they never will be on the same page.

For while one pair is filled with sparks and fireworks, yet undoubtedly withholds something excruciating somber, the other holds but a glint that fades away, slowly and steadily.