Color of My Pain

10| Yellow

"Hyung, wake up. We're here."

Yoongi groaned and swatted at the hands that shook him out of sleep, sitting up groggily and stretching his arms.

In the parking lot, the students who wore proper I.D.'s had 30 minutes to join a group from the other school.

Yoongi, however, sat on the bus steps, waiting to join Kookie and Tae's group. He was not about to make friends with strangers.

He watched carelessly as people laughed and talked, some exchanges more awkward than others. A small group was set apart, nearer the buses than the rest of the crowd. They were clustered around one of their friends, patting his back. One hugged him. The boy stuffed the I.D. badge into the pocket of his jeans and started in Yoongi's direction.

The boy's face set Yoongi's gay heart fluttering. Honey tanned skin, a sharp nose, and high cheekbones, a nervous smile that lit up his whole face.

Suddenly, Yoongi wanted to talk to him. He was walking past Yoongi's bus, muttering something about getting the circle wrong and being closer than he'd thought. So, Yoongi called out to him.

"Don't like statues?"

The boy was startled, but his smile grew wider. "Oh, I do, I just have something to look for."

Yoongi got to his feet, a grin on his own face. "Want a partner?"

He reached out to shake the boy's hand.

* * * *

Yellow was now Hoseok's favorite color.

Tears sprang to his eyes at the contact. The fading mauve was gone completely, like a gasp of air leaving his lungs. His blue anxieties vanished in a swirl of color.

"Y-yellow?" The stranger whispered, as if to himself.

Hoseok began nodding rapidly, not trusting his voice. He tried to blink back the tears. That would be embarrassing.

"Yellow." Hoseok managed.

"Thank God, I thought I wasn't gonna get your number." The stranger -- Hoseok's soulmate -- laughed.

"I'm Jung Hoseok."

"Min Yoongi."

"So, how about that art museum?" Hobi chuckled.

"I'm down for that."

* * * *

They looked each other over in silence. The realization that Yoongi was Hoseok's and Hoseok was Yoongi's was a new perspective to be studied.

The grin Yoongi liked so much broke out in his soulmate's face. And Yoongi was pulled a right hug, feeling his feet leave the pavement as he was spun around. Hoseok was laughing. He had such happy laughter.

"Come on, you have to meet Namjoon. Namjoon!" Hoseok grabbed Yoongi's hand and pulled him towards the group he'd just slipped away from.

"Gave up already?" One of the tallest called over his shoulder.

"No. I just need you to meet someone."

Namjoon whirled, he could hear the barely contained excitement in Hoseok's voice as well as Yoongi.

Yoongi felt like cowering behind Hoseok, but didn't. He wanted to look confident to Hoseok's friends. He stuck out his hand and Namjoon grasped it, pulling him in for a hug.

This group is very hug oriented. Yoongi thought.

"Call me Joon."

"I'm Yoongi." He smiled.

"Yooooooooooonie! Where'd you gooo?"

"That's me too," Yoongi blushed, turning at the sound of his nickname.

Hoseok's brow furrowed cutely. Yoongi moved to call Jungkook over. He was a lost puppy without Taehyung. His eyes were wide and curious. Yoongi could practically see the questions buzzing through his head.

Why is hyung with strangers? Where's TaeTae? Who are these strangers? Why is hyung so close with to that guy? Wait -why is Yoongi holding his hand? Do you they like banana milk? Where is Taehyung?

Jungkook reached Yoongi's side and linked their arms. "Hyung?"

"Kookie, this is Jung Hoseok. He's my soulmate."

Kookie looked between them for a minute, gears working in his head. "Y-your soulmate? But, but Yoonie, you said you didn't b-believe it!" Jungkook buried his face in Yoongi's chest, wailing.

Yoongi blinked, pushing Jungkook off himself. "What the actual f-"

"There you are. Kookie why did you run off?" Tae pulled Jungkook off Yoongi effortlessly.

Yoongi felt his hand fall to his side, empty. Hoseok was leaning back into Namjoon, confused.

Yoongi smacked Jungkook's head lightly. "What the heck?"

Jungkook giggled sheepishly, rubbing where he'd been hit. "I was bored."

"What did he do?" Tae asked.

Hoseok started laughing, smacking Joon's arms and thrashing. Yoongi smiled fondly. Jungkook just crawled onto Taehyung's back.

"Did you find banana milk?"

"Yeah," he handed the boy the desired drink. "But babe, what did you do?"

Kookie leaned down and whispered into Tae's ear, grinning devilishly, carton already on its way to his lips. Taehyung was pouting.

"You promised not to do it without me." He whined.

Yoongi hit Taehyung next. "Kim Taehyung this is Jung Hoseok. My soulmate. Hoseok, these are my idiot friends."

Hoseok managed to compose himself and greeted the idiots warmly.

"Hi. Yoongi this is Namjoon's soulmate Jin and Jin's best friend Jimin."