STRAWBERRY FIELDS|| BTS

eight

He felt as though something was different today, yet every thing was the same; the same sunlight falling in through the windows of the classroom, the same doodled chalkboard that the teacher would then ask the class president to clean, the same gossip and trending news from the weekend.
The teacher was setting up her desk, sorting through papers and getting ready for to start the lesson.

He was sitting by the window, though it wasn't his designated seat, but it wouldn't hurt to stare out the window for sometime until the teacher noticed that there was, once again, an empty spot in the middle of the classroom.

He looked out into the school field, well it wasn't much of a field, a section of grass bordered by a pathway leading to the school entrance. The school itself was shaped like an unfinished rectangle, and he could still see some kids rushing in to prevent being late.

His gaze focused on a green leaf in the breeze, falling gently, he watched it all the way until it landed, not on the ground as he predicted, but on someone's light brown hair.
The boy was standing, hands in fists. He looked behind him, someone else was there, mingling between the school gates, motioning him to go inside. He wasn't from this school, his school uniform was green, with a striped tie; he seemed a bit reckless, his shirt two buttons loose.

"Alright class, settle down we'll be starting shortly" the teacher called, before explaining that she had to get something quickly, not forgetting to add- "and make sure you're in your seat by the time I comeback" nice and clearly so that she was sure he'd heard her.
Sighing, he moved himself to his own desk, in the middle of the classroom. Everyone else also got into their seats, and there was a sort of silence as they awaited for the teacher. Some people played with their pencils cases, others tried to text on their phone under the desk.

Finally the teacher came back, everyone stood and bowed.

"Now I have some news for you. As of today we have a new student joining us." She turned towards the door and called the student in.
"Please introduce yourself"

The class whispered amongst themselves at the new figure in front of them. Brown silky hair and plump lips, a soft blush across his cheeks–from the sudden attention, and his hands fiddling.
The class didn't notice, but he did. He saw how he gulped and rolled onto the balls of his feet before he revealed who he was.

He felt as though something was different today, yet everything was the same.

"Hello, I'm Park Jimin, please take care of me" the boy announced, voice soft and nearly afraid. He bowed and the teacher pointed him towards the empty desk next to the window.

He felt as though he already knew the boy, as if they've spent years of their lives together, drinking hot chocolates on rainy days and lying in the grass on starry nights, trying to come up with constellations because neither of them really knew any. He felt as though he knew all his habits, and manners, and remembered the way small cute animals excited him.
There was something about the boy that joined this morning and took his favourite seat by the window, that told him he wasn't a stranger at all. But someone that he'd spend a lot of time with, in the vacant classroom on fourth floor, perhaps with some other people, perhaps alone.
He was the type of guy that would stop him from skipping class, and the type of guy to make an extra copy of the notes when he skipped.

His vision focused.

And he saw him smiling back at him, eyes clueless and ready to take in the new surroundings.

His eyes told him that he knew something.

He smiled back and then turned his attention to the teacher, quickly scribbling down whatever task she had given.

But he wondered who that guy was, from a different school that he didn't seem to recognise the uniform of, likely from a different area, and motioning for this Jimin to take a step into the new school.

He wondered what Jimin was doing signing into a new school when they were so close to exams.

He wondered many things.

He thought about asking at break time, but knew that all the girls would get to him first. And sure enough when the first two hours of school were over, the girls crowded around Jimin; bombarding him with questions regarding his age and birthday and relationship status. They asked him about his favourite foods and drinks, and about any family member (of which he had a brother). They asked about his previous school, to which he has many options to choose from to reply, and questioned about his preference in girls.

You wouldn't call it eavesdropping if they were asking too loudly.

It was lunchtime, and he was heading towards his little hideout, tracking up the stairs to fourth floor and walking towards the end of the corridor, where behind a "classroom not in use" and "up for renovation" sign was just a room that the school has long forgotten about. Either they didn't seem it important enough to quickly renovate, or they run out of funds.

He pushed the door open, and slipped inside, the furniture covered by white sheets, hurried in dust, chalkboard long gone without use, the date still written in the corner, which no one ever bothered to clean, including himself.

The only things that were touched by him was the singular chair and table, which he always made sure to left tipped over in case a teacher did happen to pass by.
He set up the said chair and table by the window, preferring a bit of view today as he took small bites out of his makeshift sandwich.
Really, bread and butter, with two pathetic slices of smoked ham was nothing that he wanted to take into the cafeteria.

There was a knock on the door, two soft ones, as if the person was afraid of what might be inside.
He paused, wrapping his lunch back into the newspaper. Not the most hygienic out of all things, but there wasn't much choice either.

He walked up to the door and opened it only enough to see the silky brown hair, and same brown, knowing eyes looking at him through the little slit.
He pondered on why the boy followed him, why he was there, but then he sighed and let him in, being with someone was better than being alone.

Jimin smiled at him, clutching his little lunch bag in his hands, face lit by the now, pinkish yellow sun rays, and when he introduced him once again, the whole room that was before draped in grey tint and dust, seemed to take on a new image.

He looked at the boy, and let out a chuckle.

"I know. You introduced yourself already." He reminded, and directed him to set up a chair and table of his own.

This is how they sat through out lunch, him quickly finishing his pathetic little sandwich and Jimin slowly going through his little box of chicken nuggets.

There were ten nuggets in Jimin's little box, all tightly packed- he would guess by his mother.
But in the pastel sunlight and the moving shadows of leaves falling outside, the box was moved to his table. Five nuggets offered to him by the new kid in school.

Perhaps not everything was the same as before.

"I'm Taehyung by the way" he uttered as if not to disturb the comfortable silence, and popped a nugget into his mouth.

Jimin smiled.