𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 | 𝐲𝐬𝐤

SEVENTEEN

chapter seventeen | green eyed monster

Yoongi was tired. This whole staying away from each other was tiring.

He just wanted to be able to hold him again this chest and revel in his bright smile.

Yoongi erases his last words on the paper again and again. He can't come up with the right words to say to him even after a week. The paper is no longer a clean white, it's more of an ash gray, stained with blurred words and past shards of an eraser. Yoongi bunches it in his hands and tosses it back with the rest. Then, the light emanating from his lighter flickers, once, twice, and it burns the cigarette he had hanging from his mouth.

Yoongi remembers a sight he saw while skipping class. A boy who Yoongi has never seen around Hoseok before was hanging off of him. They were laughing at something Hoseok was playing on his phone. The sight made his jaw clench.

He needed to fix this and quick.

-

Hoseok's back to a routine pretty quickly.

Before Yoongi, he'd like to think he got by easily. Avoided contact with anyone other than his friends, spent lunch with them, maybe encountered a bully or two and that was it. The older boy had taken him from that. Stood up for him, stole him away at lunch and breaks, and he found confidence in himself he didn't even know was possible. As short as it was, it had been nice.

"Hey, did you hear? They have an official date from the winter dance!" it's the first thing Jimin shouts when he joins their little group. It brings them to a full conversation, to clothes, possible alcohol that will for sure get sneaked in, the drama, theme. His friends are ecstatic.

The annual winter dance that goes on for a couple of days, one for each year of students. It's a traditional thing that his school had and the kids went as big as the teachers. The music always correlates with the theme (he heard last year it was 70's theme), it was always fun to get done up and hang out with friends. Hoseok did miss the last year's dance he opted to stay in his room and watch dramas no matter how badly he wanted to go. The seniors though almost always had to be cut short because someone got caught doing something. One of the best parts, at least Hoseok thinks, is getting asked out to it. There are elaborate plans to asking someone. Cheerleaders doing their dances, football players dedicating their wins to their partner, drama kids putting on plays, and the occasional serenades in the halls. It's always so full of cheeriness and love and Hoseok adores it.

Of course, he's only ever been a watcher to these.

He's even seen his friends go on and get asked right in front of him. His friend's bright blush and giddy mood that stained his was enough to keep him satisfied. A part of him longed for it but somewhere along with all the dirty looks and uncomfortable stances he understood that it was a dream out of reach and he's come to terms with that.

Hoseok absolutely does not let the last week influence his reasoning for walking into the pet store later that day. He lets his bright eyes wander the color fishes and the fluttering birds. His feet falter when he sees cats getting groomed. He shakes his head keeps walking.

A familiar fluffy dog comes into view and he almost breaks off into a sprint but what he hears makes him hide in the isles.

"-GI? He seems pretty okay to me."

"....Between us, it's only a front. Kihyun and Namjoon have knocked some sense into him, I promise you, things won't stay like this for long."

The other one sighs, "Did he decide to do it or did someone else have to make him?"

"Give Yoongi more credit."

He sighs again, "he better not drag this out any further, Hoseok is miserable."

Hoseok looks down at his hands, so his friends did notice. Youngjae and Jaebum stand away from him, the older of the two holds a leash connected to a dog so fluffy Hoseok always compared it to a cloud. He tries to listen in more on their conversation but the topic has changed completely.

His mind rushes with thoughts. What did he mean by 'things won't stay like this for long'? What were they talking about? How much did they know? and more importantly, what did he and Yoongi have to do with it?

-

The first person was asked to the dance today. Hoseok hadn't seen it happen but by the rumors flying around, it seemed pretty big. He ignores the green-eyed monster creeping upon him.

"So, I heard from Taemin, who heard it from Minhyuk, who heard it from Yeosang, so don't blame me for anything that is inaccurate!" Jimin states.

"Whatever just tell us what happened," Youngjae yawns.

"Apparently, San bought like a hundred roses and I think his favorite snacks for Wooyoung that spelled out 'will you go to the dance with me?' and sang him a song in front of Wooyoung's cheerleading team during practice."

Bambam sighs dreamily, "Choi San still does the most for his boyfriend even after being together for so long. Never fails every year."

Taehyung sucks in his teeth, "Someone could learn a lesson or two," he not so discretely elbows Jungkook who was previously staring off into space, The younger doubles over and sends a pout his boyfriends way.

Again, he watches his friends get invites. Someone gets a partner almost every day but he doesn't let his lack of invitation sour everyone else's mood. He watches suspiciously as Jimin turns down yet another person. Usually, the boy would brag about whoever takes him but he doesn't see that now. When Hoseok asks why he gets a shy response.

Jimin thinks of both broad shoulders and dimples, "I already have a date." And that was the end of that conversation.

Hoseok's legs ache. He had done a mile in his p.e class today and it totally sucked the life out of him. He complains to Youngjae who shares his class. The boy wraps his arms around his shoulders and whines with him. Soon enough he's dragged away by a loud ding on his phone.

"Bye, Hoseok!" the boy waves back, "Don't forget the homework!"

Don't forget...

What homework?

He panics. The curly-haired swings his backpack in front of him and starts looking through every fold and zipper. He can't remember having any homework. A bright paper in one of his pockets catches his eyes. He doesn't remember putting that there.

The message is simple, Thursday, 2 pm, bleachers.

He gasps.

—

this is gonna be a little long but this story is coming to an end. maybe a chapter or two left.

as well as this account. i'll be deleting the other book i have because im not satisfied with it at all and im far too lazy to edit or finish it. and i will be leaving this account behind once this story is done. it would just feel nice to start over again. i did make another account but i don't know if i would be writing there as well. if anyone wants the other account or a social where you can follow me or something let me know so i'll drop it on my board. i would love to be friends with any of you!

anyways comment some possible themes for the dance!