Young Men

August 24: Back in the cafeteria

He was back in the classroom. Everyone was quietly seated in their desks and working on writing their names. Jungkook didn't have that much of a problem, except his 'g's and 'k's looked kind of funky.

Their teacher was sitting at her desk, a smile on her face as she was doing paperwork of some kind. The lights were back on, and Jungkook felt better under the white-ish yellow light.

He was done with tracing his name over and over again. The small boy, Iron Man backpack left on the back of his chair, got up and wobbled over to Mrs. Domnus' desk. For a small bit, he just stood in front of her desk until she looked up at him.

His teacher jumped in surprise, making Jungkook jump too. She saw the sulking paper in his hands and spoke in her old, cheerful voice, "You can just leave it on the corner of my desk." She tapped the spot to show him where.

Jungkook put the paper on the desk and went back to his seat. As he walked back to his area, a girl's paper caught his eye. Her handwriting was beautiful, almost as beautiful as the flower that hung down from the ceiling. The letters weren't wobbly like his, and he thought that was amazing.

Then, he realized that he was standing for too long, staring at the girl's paper.
"OOOOH, HE LIKES HER!" Someone shouted.

Many 'ooos' and short snickers came from some other classmates. The girl, whom was writing still, didn't know that they were talking about her and never picked her head up. She probably didn't even care.

Even if she didn't care, Jungkook was still embarrassed. Why do people like picking on him? He thought as he sat back down.

He didn't like her. Why do people have to go and make things up? Do they like sharing false information? Either way, Jungkook hated it. Another thing to add to his long list of things he didn't like.

He waited in silence. His classmates took forever to get their work done. Then, their teacher stood up. She made her way up to the front of her classroom.

"Children, it is now time for lunch. Pack up your things and line up. Single file, please!"

The students ran up to the door, creating a jumbled line.

"Ow, stop pushing!" A little girl with short, blonde hair yelled at Jungkook and shoved him out of his spot in line.
But he didn't even push her. He didn't even try to touch her.

Without arguing, he went to the back of the line. He looked around. Then he noticed something, It was a small little pumpkin man trying to lift up an empty pail.

Jungkook felt sorry for the pumpkin man because he knew that he might never lift up that pail. But, he still cheered on for him in his mind.

The line was moving without him. He had to hurry up and get out or the class would leave him to starve. Quickly, the small boy shut the door and ran to go catch up with his classmates.

By the time he caught up, they were already inside the cafeteria. It was double the amount of loudness now than it was in the morning. Mrs. Domnus' lined the children up into the lunch line and went to speak with one of the ladies who were supposed to be watching the kids.

Then she left.

Jungkook noticed this and panicked. What was he supposed to do? Was he supposed to follow his teacher? He turned around and tried to leave his line, but another class has entered the cafeteria.

It was the first graders, and they walked like they owned the school in front of the kindergarteners. In the beginning of the line was a boy with black hair. He was very skinny, and Jungkook even considered giving him his spot in line so he could get something to eat faster.

Behind that boy, Taehyung's hair bounced up and down as he skipped. He looked back to see if his teacher was gone, and when she was, he grabbed some boy from the back of the line and ran up to Jungkook.

"Hi. Hi Jungkook!" Taehyung smiled. "Do you want to feel my heart? It's beating like crazy because of how fast I was running." He took Jungkook's hand and tried to place it on his chest.

Quickly, Jungkook pulled his hand away. He didn't like whenever people touch him so suddenly.

The other boy that Taehyung took with him made a face, "That's weird Tae. Leave him alone."

Jungkook started to feel uncomfortable about the situation he was in until the boy smiled at him.

"By the way, I'm Jimin, Taehyung's best friend. Just reminding you, in care you forgot." He brushed his dark locks behind his ear, but they never stayed.

The three boys were all about the same height then, but if anyone was going to get specific, Jungkook and Taehyung were the same height and Jimin was just a smidge shorter.

The line was going fast. The three boys hurriedly selected their meals and left the line, back into the cafeteria. Jimin went to one table and the other two followed. The lighting was perfect, it was a bright soft natural light coming from the huge window they sat by.

Taehyung sighed, "Just wait until everyone gets in here, it's really crowded."

Jimin nodded with those words, "yeah, and then people start breathing all over your food until you lose your appetite."

Jungkook knew what all of that meant until Jimin's last word. App tight? What does that mean? His mom has said the same thing whenever Jungkook wanted more chicken nuggets one time.

The second graders started making their way in. Now they looked like they owned the school.

Another boy with shiny, black hair, that almost seemed silver, carried his tray over to Jungkook's table. His eyes were small and partially closed. And...was he sleep-walking?

Taehyung jumped up, slamming his palms harshly down onto the tabletop. "Who's that?"

The sleeping boy slowly opened his eyes. He threw his tray next to Jimin's and plopped down. Jimin scooted away from him and closer to his best friend.

Taehyung sat down. He asked the new boy, "wait a minute... who are you?"

The new silver headed boy just rubbed his eyes.

Then some girl came over. She was the one that was crying earlier this morning. She wasn't anymore, but Jungkook knew that was her.

"Jimin!" She yelled. "You promised to sit next to me on the bus! But you sat next to Allie!" Her cheeks flared into an irritated red color.

Both Jimin and the silver head had their eyes wide open. Jimin because he had been called out. And the Silver headed boy because the girl was yelling right in his ear.

Jimin told her that, "they were supposed to sit together next week." The girl from this morning left, trying to act mad, but really she fell for Jimin's smooth talk.

There were other kids that seemed to be interested in the four boys, but never got the courage or want to go and sit with them.

Jungkook saw his teacher and his class start to line up by the cafeteria exit. He got up and said in his small voice, "okay bye ya guys. I got to go now."

"BYE KOOKIE! OKAY SEE YOU LATER!" Taehyung shouted as Jungkook wobbled away.

"Bye!" Jimin yelled too, but not as loud. Jungkook liked that Jimin was so cool, he always acted cool and had so many friends.

He liked Taehyung too, he was fun.

But he wondered the most, who was that one other kid?