jeongguk sat himself in a corner in the fifth grade collaboration space, his head stuffed in his knees and his arms wrapped around himself protectively. he looked so small, he felt small. he didn't want to be at school, he didn't want to go home either, he just didn't want to be.
jeongguk cried quietly, hoping no teachers would come out, he didn't feel like telling a random teacher that he was crying because someone called him a name. his eyes clenched shut, but the tears still rapidly rushed down his cheeks, onto the carpeted floor. "stupid stupid stupid.." he repeated to himself.
jeongguk didn't know someone was around until he felt a small hand on his shoulder, which made him flinch and look up. 'yoongi.' jeongguk quickly wiped his face with his sleeve, shaking yoongi's hand off before looking away. "koo i-"
"h-he's right. i know y-you think so."
yoongi frowned, crouching down in front of the other boy. he cupped both of jeongguk's cheeks, making said boy meet his gaze. "he's always wrong. you're not a crybaby, you barely cry. you're a strong boyo, koo, sometimes too strong." yoongi pouted, wiping the lingering tears off of jeongguk's cheeks with his thumbs.
"b-but it's just a—a-a juice b-box and-" jeongguk hiccuped, not able to get the rest of the words out, a sob cutting him off. he sniffled, coughing a bit. "m-m sorry yooyoo, 'm so so sor—sorry.."
yoongi took his hands down and wrapped them around jeongguk, in which the other returned the embrace tightly. "shhh, it's okay koo, just breathe. in and out, mkay?"
yoongi had never seen jeongguk like this. sometimes the boy would get sad but, jeongguk never cried like this. he never cried really. he was so worried about his best friend, and made sure that he would punch taehyung in the future.
after a bit, jeongguk calmed down, and the two pulled away. they sat in silence, before hearing the bell ring. "let's go get our stuff for fifth hour, okay bubba?" jeongguk nodded timidly, sniffling and wiping his face once more. yoongi grabbed jeongguk's hand and intertwined their fingers, holding his hand securely. "and, here you go."
yoongi held out a strawberry kiwi juice box, one of jeongguk's favorites, looking at the other boy with a warm gummy smile. jeongguk giggled a bit, taking the juice box, and quietly thanking yoongi.
"you're the best, yooyoo."
