The following day Taehyung walked into class, early and as on edge as he had the day after his secret had been discovered. He knew this would be a constant. This feeling, this unease, because it wasn't something new, he'd been through this in high school after all. But it was as he told himself before; he couldn't run forever. He couldn't keep moving, changing schools, getting farther from Yoongi. He had to prove his own endurance. To himself more than anyone.

"Hey, Taehyung."

No more than three minutes after he sat down, Taehyung was greeted by the gentle, yet cheerful voice of Jungkook, who offered a soft smile at the brief meeting of their gazes. He claimed the seat beside Taehyung.

"You sleep alright last night?"

"...I guess," Tae replied almost inaudibly, somewhat puzzled by the question. "Why do you ask?"

"Just 'cus," Jungkook said. He leaned back in his chair to stretch out his legs in front of him as he gripped the edges of his desk. "I slept okay, too. Except some time around three in the morning. That's when I started hearing the alley cats performing their nightly summoning ritual. You know how it is."

Turning his head slightly, Taehyung stared back at the other boy with the oddest expression, one that came as close as it could to making Jungkook burst out laughing.

"You know," he added, biting back a grin. "Like, meowing, and stuff. But like, really...loud, and it sounds like they're in pain, and-...T-...Taehyung, it was a joke..."

Taehyung knew this, and yet he maintained his furrowed brow and pouted lips, hoping he would make the other feel awkward enough to shut him up - on the contrary, this act of his only amused the boy more and edged him on to more conversation starters.

Taehyung saw himself as the freak but Jungkook was definitely the weird one.

"So since I was awake I decided to make an omelet. But then I realized I was out of everything except eggs. So I put a cooked egg inside the omelet. It was an egg omelet. You know?"

"Are you sure you even slept?"

"I can't remember."

Truly, an exasperating thing to talk to Jungkook. And Taehyung wasn't entirely sure why he didn't simply ignore him. Perhaps, he knew deep down that would only be more exhausting, and the boy could only handle so much at this point.

***

"Hey, Jungkook, can I talk to you for a second?"

It wasn't common for Jungkook to be called out to by people on campus, so needless to say it took him aback a bit to hear this request from one of his fellow students from his music classes. Then again, he considered even before they spoke again that it concerned that subject. He couldn't imagine why else a near stranger would have reason to talk to him.

"Hey, Eunshik." Jungkook forced a polite, somewhat shy smile as he greeted the boy now standing in front of him. "What's up?"

A look of genuine curiosity blended with urgency stained Eunshik's expression as he glanced away, seemingly to find his words, or maybe to select them properly. Still unaware, Jungkook waited patiently.

"Are you..." Eunshik dragged out the word, his lips extended, brow furrowed. "...are you friends with Taehyung?"

"Taehyung? Of course."

It came as an instinctive response, almost as a reflex, Jungkook's gaze unmoving from the other boy's own. He didn't plan on taking it back. Or even thinking about it. What concerned him was why Eunshik felt the urge to ask in the first place.

"You are?" He asked, and Jungkook nodded. "So, then...do you know what's up with him?"

"What's up with him?" A feigned laugh. "Oh, I don't know, maybe he's been a little tired lately, you know how college stress can get to a person-"

"No, Jungkook, I mean about his condition-"

"What about his condition?"

He shocked himself with how acrid his tone had become. Sharp edges, unable to be dulled with how livid this encounter was already making him. And Jungkook was never the type so quick to anger.

"If you're friends with him, I mean, you gotta know something, right?" Eunshik asked. He seemed more tentative now. And rightfully so, Jungkook thought. Perhaps his passive aggressiveness was actually getting through to him.

"He's nothing for you to worry your pretty little mind over."

"Why do you sound so cold, man, I was just asking," Eunshik said with a scoff, eyeing the other's countenance as though second-guessing this was actually Jungkook he was speaking to. "I have a right to be concerned, you know. I think we all do."

It dug under his skin. Jungkook wasn't fond of the feeling.

"Mm, nah, I think that's a symptom of mob mentality. Or paranoia." He placed a thoughtful hand on his chin, humming softly to himself as his eyes lifted towards the sky. "Or maybe it's a bit of both. Ask a psychology student."

Eunshik made no effort to mask his irritation with the boy, scowling as he turned his back to go join a small group of people Jungkook could only assume were his friends - most likely waiting on Eunshik for some answers, he thought with disgust.

Disgust. That was the only word Jungkook could think of to accurately describe how he felt about these people. Disgust.

He meant what he had said to that boy. Regardless of his apparent, scathing tone of sarcasm, Jungkook firmly stood by his own words. Namely his mentioning of mob mentality. He wasn't an expert in psychology himself, of course, but he knew enough about it to comprehend simple concepts, or at least the simplest aspects of certain concepts.

Mob mentality. Aka one of the main reasons Taehyung's life had not once, but twice, become the equivalent to a living hell.

It was an incredibly dangerous thing. Jungkook knew that much, as well. What a shame it had already seemed to settle so quickly, and spread even faster.

He didn't want that. If only he were a magician, he thought, so he could make them all forget and Taehyung could be at peace.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Jungkook heaved a sigh and turned around, preparing to continue in the direction he had been going in before Eunshik stopped him. He didn't expect to be stopped again, by anyone, but especially not by Taehyung.

The boy in question stood several feet away from him now. Evidently, by the sobriety of his expression, Taehyung had overheard their conversation, at least enough for him to understand what the exchange had been about. Him, naturally, and he didn't appear too happy about it. More than that, however, there seemed to be something else igniting that icy spark in his eyes.

"What are you doing?"

Confusion. Taehyung's stern gaze fixed on Jungkook's as he impatiently awaited a response. And Jungkook didn't try to feign a smile this time, because at the moment, he didn't consider himself in the mood for smiling. "What did it look like?" He asked.

"No, I don't think you realize exactly what you're doing."

He sounded so sure of himself. His admonition, well-justified, at least in his own eyes. Jungkook pretended to remain clueless.

"Jungkook, standing up for me is only going to make you enemies."

"So be it," he said with a shrug. "Filter out the trash from the recycling, as my grandma used to say."

Stunned. Taehyung didn't move from where he stood for a time, eyeing the other boy's countenance, scrutinizing every inch of it in the same way people observed him - trying to figure him out. It was odd, because no matter how hard Taehyung tried, he couldn't sense a hint of remorse in Jungkook. Not a shred of anything that suggested he cared about those people's opinion of him, or perhaps even how they might treat or act around him in the future because of his choices.

He seemed to have already found his land and built his fort. And that, more than anything, bewildered Taehyung the most.

"You're a jigsaw puzzle of a man, aren't you, Jungkook?"

This comment earned a curious chuckle from the boy, who tilted his head in question. "Jigsaw puzzle?"

"Don't you know what that is?"

"I do," Jungkook said. "I'm just a bit, how you say, 'puzzled' by your comparison."

A stretch of silence.

"...you're annoying."

"Aw, but it was clever!"

"It wasn't, and you're annoying."

***

After his classes that day, Taehyung went to work as usual and performed till it was time for him to head back home again. And although he did thoroughly enjoy the peace and tranquility singing and playing at the café provided, today, the ache in his chest from being apart from his best friend hurt more than usual, and for a reason not even he knew, so he couldn't wait to get back to his apartment to talk to him.

Over text, of course. Though Taehyung would have loved it to be in person.

He entered his apartment, tossed his bag on the floor and collapsed on the couch, not even bothering to take a shower first before texting Yoongi.

Taeger💛
hey yoongi

There was no reply. Taehyung waited a few minutes.

"Probably busy," he sighed in disappointment. Pouting, Taehyung set his phone aside and decided to get that shower after all. Maybe, if he were lucky, by the time he returned, Yoongi would have replied. Maybe. Hopefully.

Fifteen minutes later and Taehyung was exiting the shower, furiously drying his hair with a towel as he made his way eagerly over to the couch where he had left his phone. He picked it up to check for messages. Nothing.

Yoongi had a full-time job, he often had to remind himself. A full-time job, and he lived near enough to his family to visit them often, too. Not that there were many times Yoongi ever neglected Taehyung, not even unintentionally, but still, Taehyung always kept these things in mind, for his own good, he liked to think. Because deep down he knew how much Yoongi cared for him, down to considering the smallest details about him in all situations.

Taehyung set his phone aside again. That boy would reply as soon as he could, he knew that, so there was no point in staring at the device until he did. So instead, to pass the time until he grew tired, Taehyung turned on the tv.

Seconds letter he received a notification. His hands shot for his phone.

But it wasn't Yoongi - not Jungkook, either. Or anyone he knew for that matter.

Unknown Number
Hello! How are you?

Probably has the wrong number.

###
who are you?

###
i think you might have the wrong person

Unknown Number
No, I don't believe so.

His thumbs froze over the keyboard.

###
i'd like to know who's texting me before i say anything else

Unknown Number
Haha! There's no need to be so skeptical of me, Kim Taehyung. I am no foe.

###
jungkook if this is you pulling some sort of prank on me it's not funny

Unknown Number
Jungkook? Oh, no, I believe you are mistaken.

Unknown Number
This name is not mine.

###
then what's your name???

Unknown Number
Fun question!

Unknown Number
How about you call me Blue?

###
that's not a name

Unknown Number
But I like it! It is my name now.

Unknown Number
I am Blue. Like the color. And you are Purple!

###
do not. call me that.

Unknown Number
:( But why not? You do not like the color?

###
Give me one reason why i shouldn't just block you right now

Unknown Number
I already told you, Kim Taehyung. I am not a foe.

Unknown Number
If you choose to block me, I will obtain another phone and try again.

###
what reason do you have to be so persistent???

Unknown Number
Because we are brothers, Kim Taehyung!

###
i'm an only child

Unknown Number
Oh, no, I meant figuratively. Haha.

###
wtf are you talking about??

Unknown Number
Think about it, Kim Taehyung.

Unknown Number
My name is Blue.

Unknown Number
Shall I bleed for you?

*
*
*

end of chapter six.