The Change Within

⑭Don't Do That

 
“What the hell happened?” Hoseok asked the moment Taehyung plopped down on a chair next to him.

“I—I don’t know. I really... I have no idea,” Taehyung breathed out, his eyes still reddened by his fit of crying a while ago.

“Are you okay, Tae?” Jimin questioned in the softest tone possible as he curled an arm around his shoulders and pulled him in his hug.

“No. Of course I’m not okay. I just saw Jeongguk beat up Juseong like he was a punching bag. What is wrong with him?”

“I’m sure he had a good reason,” Yoongi voiced out hesitantly, not wanting to anger the confused boy.

“A good reason? What reason would be good enough to justify his actions?”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Tae.” Yoongi gazed at him with sullen eyes as he was lost about why Jeongguk did what he did as well.

“Is Juseong okay?”

“They took him to the treatment room, but we don’t know anything else. He was in a bad shape,” Seokjin informed in a quiet tone.

The bell blasting out through the entire building indicated to the students the break was over, and as people around them started moving right away, the six boys sat still.

“Will you go to your class?” Jimin asked the boy he still held in his arms.

“Yeah, it’s an art class, so I’ll enjoy it at least.”

“Do you know if Jeongguk will go home?” Namjoon questioned as they rose from their seats.

Taehyung shook his head as he gave them a tight-lipped smile. “I don’t know. Mr. Kung told me to leave the office to talk to him.”

“Okay, see you guys later,” Namjoon said, and once they said their goodbyes, they headed to their classes.

Taehyung didn’t know what to feel about everything that happened, and he also couldn’t stop replaying the events in his head. It was the first time he saw such a fight in person, and he had no idea how to process it. And not knowing why it happened only worsened his agitated state.

 
After his class, instead of meeting his friends, he dragged his feet towards Mr. Kung's office. He stared at the wooden door, contemplating if he should knock or just drop it and go home. His need to talk to him overcame him, and he raised his quaky fist, knocking three times.

“Come in.”

“Mr. Kung. Do you have a minute?”

“Yes, of course.” He beckoned him to take his seat on the couch, and the other did a few seconds later.

Mr. Kung perceived at first sight that something was troubling the boy, and he smiled sadly as he dragged his chair around the office, placing it in front of him before he sat down. “What’s wrong?”

At the simple question, Taehyung felt a lump form in his throat as a storm of tears brimmed his eyes. “I’m s-sorry, I’m j-just overwhelmed with everything that happened,” he choked out, uneven breaths leaving his mouth as he endeavored to muffle his broken sounds.

“It’s okay,” Mr. Kung said in a hushed tone as he patted his shoulder. “You were scared, weren’t you?”

Taehyung brushed off his tears, blinking away the wetness from his eyes, and focused his gaze on him. “I was. And still am.”

“Why are you still scared?”

“I’m scared for Jeongguk. I don’t know what’s wrong with him, and I can’t help him. His friends don’t tell me anything, and he doesn’t tell me anything. I don’t know what to do.”