Staegma ✧ taejin

21

The clock read 27 minutes past 2 AM, and the student was still undecided on what to feed himself in the meantime, his essay left abandoned in his apartment.

Jeongguk strolled again through the same stalls of food in the convenience store, which was, obviously, convenient. He had debated for a while whether to get the chocolate-flavored drink or the banana-flavored one for his milk, and in the end he had settled for bottled water instead.

"Sir, you've been walking around there for thirty minutes. May I help?"

"What?" Jeongguk said distractedly to the tall cashier boy, looking at the contents of noodles. "No thanks, I'm good."

After deciding on which cup of noodles to take, he went back to the drinks area to take the banana milk. The tall boy at the cashier sighed in annoyance.

"There's no need to be irritated, I'm paying," Jeongguk said as he placed his items on the counter table. The cashier's name was apparantly 'Yugyeom.' ". . .Yugyeom."

"I'm not annoyed, though."

But the elder of the two was smart enough to detect a lie. "You're just saying that so I'll still come back as a customer."

Yugyeom was rapidly pressing buttons on the cashier. "You're right, sir." Then he told Jeongguk of his payment, to which the latter paid. Yugyeom then housed the items in a paper bag, pushing it rather harshly that it almost slipped away from the counter.

"Oh, f—"

"No no, it's okay, I can handle it." Jeongguk caught the paper bag with ease. "Good night."

Yugyeom frowned. "But it's morning, sir."

When Jeongguk left, the next customer in line casually placed a bag of chips on the counter. "You'll get your sleep soon, kid."

Yugyeom was at loss of words when he saw the customer — who was none other than RM.

-

The time on his wristwatch read 2:27 AM.

He passed by the convenience store, hardly noticing a boy pacing back and forth inside and a tall boy at the cashier counter. His focus was directed on the apartment building not so far away from it.

From behind him, however, was Namjoon, just watching.

Just watching.

-

After Jeongguk's quick (long) trip to the convenience store, he went back to his own apartment, using the same old staircase wherein his footsteps and even his breathing was audible as it bounced off the walls. Pat, pat, pat.

But it was nothing new.

He used his free hand to fish for his apartment keys — cursing when he can't feel the metallic-y sense on the tips of his fingers — almost shaking his own pockets.

Now this was something new.

He can't just be left outside of his own home, he had an essay to finish! If he seriously gets a failing grade just because of it his future is at stake Guk is not the best student and that professor of his is more terrifying than Descartes' evil genius conc—

"Excuse me," a deep voice interrupted Jeongguk's struggle. "Um, hello, is this Jin's apartment?" He pointed at Seokjin and Yoongi's door.

Jeongguk looked up to see a stranger, dressed in a beige sweater, a leather body bag strapped around him, with blonde bangs falling over his eyes like a real-life anime.

Like a real-life anime, Jeongguk repeated in his head. People like that exist?

"Who are you?"

"I'm, uh," the stranger seemed nervous, "I'm Taehyung."

Jeongguk tried to recall that name. He never heard of it, not even once. "I don't know any Taehyung that they are associated with. Surname?"

"Kim. Kim Taehyung. And what's your name?"

"That's confidential."

Taehyung's smile dropped. "Oh. Alright."

Jeongguk finally found his keys in his pockets, and he was ready to slam this stranger with the paper bag and run inside his apartment then lock the door to avoid a legal case, because he was scared.

"It's a long story, mister, but I swear I'm not a murderer. So is this Jin's apartment?"

"You mean Seokjin-hyung?"

"Seokjin?" The stranger tilted his head. "That's his real name?"

Jeongguk felt a sense of vigilance. "How do you know him?"

"It's a long story—"

"I have all the time."

Jeongguk did not have all the time. In fact, he had an essay to complete.

"He introduced himself to me as Jin. And I know of Yoongi, he's my friend. We — we met rather weirdly, but separately."

Jeongguk didn't trust him, not one bit.

"You've got the wrong apartment, then. They moved away months ago." That was a lie. "You must leave now, it's too early in the morning. See you."