It had been a week since Doori's passing and a week since Yoongi had stopped attending his classes. The funeral was held a couple days after the execrable event and it was reserved for the most part. Only close family and friends were able to come as well as Yoongi's friends who she treated as her own children. It was a difficult scene to watch especially when little Yoonji would occasionally fall asleep on her father's lap from the amount of tears she had shed and wake up just to drain herself even more.

Hoseok and Jimin sat on either side of the mint head who had not shed a tear nor shown any sign of emotion since they arrived. Taehyung leaned on Jungkook's shoulder who was still in a bit of a shock considering, much like Hoseok, it hadn't even been two months since he met the nice lady. Namjoon and Jin sat next to the two youngest, reassuringly holding each other's hand while they stirred through the silence.

All in all, the funeral was their last moment to say a proper goodbye to the mother that cared for her children and others, to the wife that held her husband's hand through his problems, to the person that everyone adored... to Min Doori.

"You gonna be okay, Hyung?" Hoseok asked once they stepped out of the car. "You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"As much as I'm not up for school at this moment, I can't mourn forever." Yoongi breathed, heading to the front of the school with the younger by his side.

They walked through the main hallway where a lot of students stood by their lockers, chatting away with their friends. Receiving looks when some people noticed their presence, he reached down to take Yoongi's hand in his to let the older know that he's there for him if he needed it but the older shook his hand off, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck when he saw a few students staring.

He walked ahead of the younger who felt utterly stupid for his action.

Right...

While focused on comforting Yoongi, he almost forgot that he was a 'brownie'.

6 Months Later

There were surely ups and downs through the months that had passed since Min Doori left so suddenly. It wasn't until a month after the funeral that Yoongi suddenly broke down when he saw little Yoonji hugging a framed picture of Doori in her sleep. Hoseok rushed to his house without a second thought when the boy surprisingly called him out of all his other friends.

As for the arranged wedding, despite the loss of Doori, the future plans will continue on for business purposes according to Hoseok's parents and Yoongi's father. They still hung out every weekend because the mint head had claimed that he could at least keep that promise to his mother. Frankly, the brunet didn't complain because he enjoyed the older's company.

It was safe to say that the two had gotten closer over the course of those six months. The brown-eyed boy was always there to console the older whenever he had minor setback... unless they were in school or in public and Hoseok didn't have his blue contacts on. Yoongi still didn't like being seen with the younger but it was okay because at least he was finally warming up to him.

At least that's what Hoseok told himself every time the thought brought him down.

"Hyung." The brown-eyed boy heard Jungkook softly call out to Taehyung who was busy babbling to Jimin and Yoongi. When that didn't work, he weakly tugged on the junior's sleeve.

"Damn it, Jungkook. What do you want?" Taehyung irritatedly snapped at the younger, annoyed that he was being interrupted from his little rant about how blue M&Ms tasted better than the rest of the colors despite his hyungs arguing that they all tasted the same.

That was also another thing. As time flew by, Taehyung slowly clung less to the bunny boy. Sometimes Jungkook would spend the afternoon at Hoseok's house because his so called best friend ditched him for other people. The freshman looked glum each time and all the brown-eyed boy could do was put on a movie to distract the younger.

"I-I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the ice cream shop after school?" The younger frowned, blue bambi eyes wide in fear from the sudden coldness reflecting off of his close friend... if he could even consider him a close friend anymore.

"I'm busy."

"But we haven't gone in a while. I-I'll even pay, please?" Jungkook pleaded, orbs now holding onto that small hope.

But Taehyung didn't seem fazed when he replied with "I'm hanging out with my friends later." and continued talking to Yoongi and Jimin.

"O-oh. It's fine then." The freshman mumbled to himself, lowering his head in shame for even asking.

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Play this song while reading cuz it helps set the mood :)

It's up there too if this one doesn't work for you☝🏼

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Song: Heal by Tom Odell

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None of the boys seemed to notice the gloomy aura surrounding their freshman friend when he excused himself to use to restroom.

Except for Hoseok.

The brown-eyed boy followed him not long after. It wasn't a surprise when he found the boy leaning his head against his own locker instead of being in the restroom and so he decided to approach him, the younger looking up with reddened eyes.

"You okay?" Hoseok softly asked, standing by the locker next to the freshman's.

"No." Jungkook admitted because there was no point in lying when he knew his face already gave it away.

"Talk to me?" The senior questioned, keeping his eyes on the other who hesitated but nodded nonetheless.

"Taehyung hates me now and I don't know why." He said, eyes lowered to the floor. "He probably got tired of me rejecting him every time he would flirt so now he doesn't even want to be friends with me. He's always hanging out with other people. I don't... I don't even remember the last time we hung out."

"I'm sure he'll come around. Taehyung adores you and everyone can see it." Hoseok assured him.

"He probably used to but clearly not anymore." He frowned. "H-Hoseok-Hyung, I'm confused."

"Of what?"

"I think- I think I like Taehyung." He confessed, eyes teary and lost. "And I'm scared. I'm really scared, Hyung."

"Come here." Hoseok beckoned him to come closer so he could pull the other into a comforting embrace. "Why are you so scared, Jungkook?"

"I've told everyone that I'm straight and have known that I'm straight for the past fifteen years." The younger started, head laid on the senior's shoulder. His voice was a bit muffled but it was enough for the brunet to hear. "B-but now, I feel like my whole world's crashing down on me because what I thought I was suddenly isn't who I think I am. I'm a different person, I don't know what I am anymore."

Jungkook's explanation strangely sounded a bit familiar to the brown-eyed boy. Until it hit him. That was his 8 year old self's exact thought process after he attended school for the first time.

"Look at me." Hoseok demanded and confused blue orbs met sincere brown ones. "It takes time to accept sudden changes like these. Don't expect yourself to immediately open up to the foreign idea because no one else would expect you to."

Hoseok really shouldn't be the one giving such advices considering he's still struggling with the same problem just different circumstances.

"You'll learn to accept yourself one day." He wasn't sure if he was directing it to the younger or to himself but either way it had seemed to ease the tension on the boy's shoulders.

"I-It just hurts because now that I'm finally figuring myself out, Taehyung isn't by my side to help me through it." The boy's tears finally started cascading down his chubby face, drenching the older's uniform.

It was a good thing that no students or teachers were present in the hallway because Hoseok was sure the younger wouldn't want other people to see him looking weak and defeated.

As the brunet held Jungkook, he realized that he had done nothing but comfort others these past few months. He gave his full attention to his small group of friends that there was not much difference from the times that he was alone...

Because he still never got to figure out who he really was when he's been busy giving up his own time and comfort for others.

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A/N: I feel better about how I wrote this chapter rather than the chapter before this. :D

But that's besides the point because if my writing for the next chapter goes as planned, you can expect it to be very eventful. 💆🏻‍♀️