PERSONA ✓

24.

12 year old Taehyung fell onto the cement, hands out to prevent his face from meeting the ground painfully.

He hissed at the pain, knees scraped and rocks in his palms. His school bag had opened as he fell and his books and binders flew out, scattering around him.

"Freak!" one of the kids taunted.

"You're such a weirdo!" said the kid who'd pushed him.

"C'mon, guys, let's ditch him." That was the one who mocked him for organizing his pencils by color that morning.

Taehyung didn't bother to stop his tears as the group left. He made no attempt to get up.

They were all supposed to go to the park - and Taehyung thought that he'd get to go, too. It was just last night that he'd been excitedly telling Seokjin that he would get to go hang out with the other kids.

And Seokjin had smiled at him, only saying, "Have fun and be safe, Tae."

Taehyung really thought that he'd made some friends, but they turned around and humiliated him.

And now he was left alone, sobbing on the ground, wishing that things were different.

-

Taehyung opened his eyes. The morning light streamed in through his window.

He got up at precisely the same time every morning without fail. He got out of bed and sighed. After neatly making his bed, he went downstairs to get some breakfast.

In the kitchen, Seokjin smiled at him, ruffling his hair with his good arm.

"Hey, little dipper, sleep well?" He asked.

"No," said Taehyung, patting down his hair.

Seokjin frowned. "What? Why?"

"Bad dream," Taehyung said shortly. "Isn't your appointment to get your arm checked out today?"

"After school," Seokjin said. He patted Taehyung's head and left the conversation of the dream alone, seeming to understand that Taehyung didn't want to talk about it. "C'mon, we better hurry up and eat or we'll be late."

Taehyung nodded and grabbed his favorite cereal from the cupboard, pouring it into an empty bowl. Seokjin hovered around him, hesitating.

"You sure you're okay, little dipper?"

Taehyung nodded again. Sure, the dream was a little off-putting, but it was fine, really. He knew Team Persona wouldn't treat him like that. (Rather, he hoped, because as smart as he was, he could never be sure that they wouldn't turn their backs on him.)

"I'm fine, hyung."

-

It was after school that Seokjin had gone to the doctor to get his arm checked out.

Taehyung insisted upon going with him, but Seokjin refused, knowing the younger had a lot of school work.

"Your final exams are coming up, Tae," Seokjin reminded. "I already took mine, I have all the time in the world. You have to study."

So, reluctantly, Taehyung remained at home while Seokjin called a taxi to drive him to the hospital.

After an hour of waiting, the doctor called for Seokjin.

They did scans and x-rays and asked Seokjin to move his arm around.

"Well," said the doctor, looking down at the prints of the scans on his clipboard, "looks like you're all healed up!"