The Nights

four

"He said 'one day, you'll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember.'"

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Jin - Senior
Yoongi - Senior
Serri - Senior
Hoseok - Junior
Namjoon - Junior
Jia - Junior
Jimin - Sophomore
Taehyung - Sophomore
Jungkook - Freshman

History sucks. That was what the majority of the class was thinking, including Jia. She was a good student, at the top of her class, but it was the teacher that ruined this class. Mrs. Kang is the teacher that hands out packets of work and doesn't speak the rest of the class. Everyone was practically self taught, and student-ran discussions was nothing new for her grade.

History was also second period, so Jin and her were separated, leaving her alone. It didn't both Jia much. She could take care of herself.

"Mrs. Kang," one of the students behind Jia spoke. Mrs. Kang pulled her eyes away from the computer and narrowed her eyes, his face unfamiliar to her.

"Yes...?" Mrs. Kang answered dryly. The kid wrinkled his nose.

"Jooyeon," he said snarkily. There were a few sniggers from the other boys. "Lee Jooyeon. Can I go to the bathroom?" Mrs. Kang huffed and nodded, rolling her eyes as she pulled out the bathroom pass, Jooyeon getting up to receive it. Jia scolded herself for wanting to comment about it for writing a pass shouldn't be so difficult.

Jia frowned slightly once she heard quiet giggling behind her, from the boys. Definitely not a good sign. Then a giant crash caused her to jump and immediately turn to see what caused the noise. "Jooyeon!" Jia cried and jumped to her feet. He was on the floor, eyes closed. What the hell happened? Jia wanted to cry when she saw his limbs fly everywhere, out of control.

She's had too much experience with seizures. Too, too much. She would have to hold Jungkook for hours after he had one, never able to calm down. She hates seizures. Hates them.

"He's having a seizure!" Jia looked up at Mrs. Kang who was only sitting in shock. "Call the hospital! He's never had seizures before!"

Jia made sure not to touch Jooyeon while he was thrashing around, but she did make sure to count how long it lasted. Too long can be fatal. At 45 seconds he stopped and the whole class held their breath, waiting to see what will happen next.

Jooyeon laughing was not what anyone expected. He sat up, his whole face covered in amusement. "Ha! Got you Jia!" He leaned closer to her face, her eyes wide. "Thought I was your baby brother? Being a complete psychopath shaking like that?" Spit flew onto Jia's face as her eyes watered, the whole class laughing at her now.

She looked around, a single tear tracing down her face, eyes full of embarrassment and betrayal. She's been so nice to everyone who was mocking her. Always smiled and opened doors for them. Always said good morning. What was happening?

Jia grabbed her stuff and ran out of the room, ignoring Mrs. Kang's shouts. She went to the one place she knew she was safe in. The music room.

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Jia squinted down at the piano in the darkness, trying to get the tears out of her eyes so she could see the keys. Taking a shaky breath, she played some chords, minor ones. She made them into intervals, playing with the octaves at which ones sounded the best. Her eyes drifted closed and let her fingers take over. Somehow, her fingers began to play that dreaded song. Every time she loses control, it's the same song. It's the song her heart longs to hear.

Hallelujah.

The one she played during her parents' funeral. The one she had to play when she was only 12 for her mom. Fifteen for her dad.

Without realizing it, she had an audience. He stood in the corner, arms crossed as he watched tears flow down her face, the sunlight from the windows reflecting off of them. He too, knew this song all too well.

Jia's fingers jumped off the piano when someone sat next to her, pushing their hip against hers to make her scoot over. She quickly wiped her tears away once she met the eyes of Yoongi.

"What is this?" Yoongi grabbed Jia's hands and glanced down at the tears on her fingertips. He wanted her to tell him what happened. Harsh he might be, but this was his way of showing affection.

"Tears." Jia looked back at the piano, wishing she could get lost in its melody once more, just for a little while longer.

"No." Yoongi's voice pushed the music from Jia's head, something not many people could do. "The Jia I know doesn't cry. She smiles. She hugs people through her eyes, always encouraging them whether she knows them or not. The Jia I know would be laughing at a joke she told herself, even if no one else laughed. She wouldn't be hiding in her beloved piano room crying while playing such an emotional song."

Jia smiled softly as she stared down at their hands, the ones Yoongi had intertwined himself. He hates holding people's hands, but knows Jia loves it.

"What happened?" Yoongi's voice hardened once more, squeezing her hand lightly. Jia knew there was no escape from this. He would keep her here all night until she would tell him the reason behind her sadness.

"Jooyeon faked a seizure in class, knowing I would try to help him." Jia forced herself to look into Yoongi's eyes, making sure he knew she was telling the truth. But Yoongi already knows when Jia lies, she blinks faster than normal. And he knows that she wouldn't lie about something like this. "Then he made fun of Gguk, calling him a psychopath for his seizures." Yoongi's fingers turned Jia's white from the amount of force he was using. But Jia didn't mind. She wanted to feel something. Something her wrists have felt many times. Something her brothers have protected her for. Something that forces her to keep a smile on her face. "I ran out of class crying."

"That bastard is going to die." Yoongi gritted his teeth, staring at the door as if he was imagining himself ripping it off its hinges and destroying the lockers in the hall. But all of that was replaced once his eyes met his little sister's. He stared at her green-blue eyes, the ones she had inherited from their American mother. Yoongi always thought of Mom when he met Jia's eyes. He took a deep breath and hugged Jia, being her big brother first, fighter second. "I'll play you a song." Yoongi released their hug, Jia hooking her arm through Yoongi's. "You love to hear me play." Jia's eyes drifted closed as a smile danced across her lips as Yoongi's fingers performed River Flows In You. A song Jia has desperately tried to learn, but couldn't seem to get.

Jia rested her head on Yoongi's shoulder as her mind drifted back to when her father would do this. All nine of them would sit on the floor and stare up at their father with awe as he played the piano for them. Jia always tried to copy him, and he would laugh, placing her fingers on top of his own, letting her fingers feel how it should go. She giggled as her father finished and kissed her cheek, only six at the time.