Classwork

2

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2 - Beads and Pools

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Hoseok stood by the front gate of the school, waiting. Student after student walked past him and no sight of the one he was looking for. It was almost as if he was being avoided. He watched as the last teacher left the school grounds.

By the time Hoseok gave up, it was already dark. It seemed like the sun had given up too, telling him it was time to go home. As he was leaving, Hoseok felt a vibration in his pocket. He reached in and pressed the power button, silencing his phone. He sighed as he faded away into the darkeness.

"Hoseok! Where were you? Do you realize how late it is?" Hoseok nodded as he walked to put his backpack at the foot of the stairs. "I was waiting for Yoongi." He pulled a chair out from the table, sat down and lay his head facing his mother. "Well you could've answered my calls at least."

Hoseok sighed and breathed out a faint "I know." his mother walked out of the kitchen holding two plates of food. "Your father will be home later. He's working overtime." Hoseok hummed, knowing what his father was really doing away from home all night. She placed a plate in front of Hoseok and he groaned, observing it. "Noodles, again?"

She sighed and sat down as she said, "You know we're running low on money lately. Variety is expensive, love." Hoseok nodded, poking at his food with a chopstick.

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Yoongi ran straight to his room, ignoring the yells from his father. He closed and locked his bedroom door. He dug his nails into his redwood dresser, pulling it towards him until it was close enough to the door. Yoongi climbed over the dresser and pushed it hard against the door, earning his fathers full attention.

He could hear his fathers drunken slurs from behind the door. Yoongi leaned his back against the wall and let himself slip down onto the floor, choking out sobs as he did so. He fumbled in his sweater pocket for the all too familiar, cold piece of metal. He pulled the cardboard cover off with his shaking hands and pushed up his sleeve.

Yoongi grazed his index finger against his old scars, before violently making new ones. He couldn't stop until both of his arms were completely covered in red beads and pools. He felt no remorse, as he was used to this; it was routine. After the sun began to rise, Yoongi relaxed on the ground in his tear-stained hoodie, releasing the blade in his hand as he drifted off to sleep.

Yoongi's phone rang and vibrated in his pocket, waking him up. It was his alarm, signaling a new day and a new start. He got up and pulled his dresser back into it's place. He opened a few drawers, sifting through the clothes before deciding on black jeans and a blue hoodie. He dressed himself, observing his scabs, thinking to himself, If you want to end it so badly, just fucking do it, Min Yoongi. He sighed, deciding to leave his thoughts well enough alone, for now.

Yoongi unlocked his door and grabbed his backpack before running outside. He pulled up his hood, despite the beams of sun being exceptionally hot. The lint from Yoongi's inner sleeve got caught on his scabs, causing him to accidentally rip them off when he pulled on his sleeves to shove them in his pocket. He winced in pain, still walking to school, regardless.

Yoongi walked through the school gates, noticing the red-haired boy standing there, seemingly waiting for someone. "Yoongi-hyung!" Hoseok frantically waved towards him, attempting and failing to get his attention. He ran to catch up to Yoongi and grabbed his shoulder, out of breath. Yoongi let a small smile escape his lips, so small that not even Hoseok noticed. "You sure are out of shape."

Hoseok smiled, glad to finally get a response from the older. "Yeah, I guess that's what happens when you lay in a hospital bed for so many months with nothing to do." Hoseok was fine with joking about his cancer, it was gone, he was finally healthy, so he was comfortable with it. Yoongi only nodded, looking straight forward.

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It was lunchtime, Yoongi would certainly rather be sleeping, but instead, he was joined by the red-haired boy who kept trying to feed him. "How can you not like cookies? Everyone likes cookies!" Yoongi looked up at Hoseok and sighed. "I don't like eating any food."

For the first time, Hoseok wasn't worried about whether or not him and Yoongi would become friends; he was worried about Yoongi's health, as anyone would be. "When was the last time you ate, hyung?"

Yoongi avoided Hoseok's stare, looking down to the table. He traced his finger over the knots in the wood, trying to focus on anything other than the curious boy in front of him. "Yoongi-hyung?"

Hoseok grabbed one of Yoongi's hands and placed a cookie on it, closing his fingers around it. Yoongi looked slightly up, catching Hoseok's gaze. "Eat." Hoseok stood up as the bell rang and began walking to his class.

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