Chapter Text
The morning was bright and pleasantly warm. The sky had hints of pink in the distance as the sun ascended.
Jungkook hummed softly on his way to high school. New school, new me! he said to himself as he walked, not fast but not slow either, just at the right pace. He was lucky and he knew it. His parents moved to the city for work, and fortunately other parents followed for the same reasons. The Kims, Mins, and Parks, all close friends, made the move together on a bright Friday morning. The trip had been long and felt longer due to the sweltering heat. No air conditioning was available in the moving trucks. They were cheap for a reason. Their old houses were rented to relatives back in the village.
The village was so small that many gathered on the roadsides to wave them goodbye. The cortege of cars left the little village with a twinge of sadness but bright hopeful smiles. A new job meant better money and better prospects for the children. Rural communities were like families, but work opportunities were less and less available, unless one wished to plant carrots or strawberries for their neighbors forever.
Jungkook straightened his uniform. He had one now! And how happy he was about it. His mother gushed about it. Back in the village, the school was on a tight budget. Their uniforms consisted of a white shirt and black pants bought from Madame Chen’s shop. But now, he had a real uniform with a vest and the school’s insignia. It was black, not his favorite color, but the flower blooming next to the school’s initials was pretty.
“Handsome boy!” His father had said that morning as he patted his shoulder. “You look just like me at your age!”
Jungkook preened.
Pulling his backpack, a new one, higher on his shoulder, Jungkook stepped inside his new school. The gate was wide open. Security guards looked over the students hurrying inside. They have security guards! He thought with glee. It all looked so swell, as his father would say.
Jungkook walked slowly towards the main building. He had a plan and directions. His first class was English thanks to Namjoon and his English world obsession. But still, Jungkook grinned at the idea of learning a foreign language with a foreigner.
He had many classes with his friends. He had History with Yoongi which meant they could sleep in the back peacefully. They used to share the class with Namjoon…it had been torture. He had mathematics with Namjoon, and chemistry with Jimin. Well, the latter was entitled way too many accidents for sure. Once, they dyed Jimin’s hair pink for fun. The teacher did not find it fun. Adults had a way of ruining everything anyway. They were way too old to enjoy the simple pleasures of life like dying a friend’s hair with weird products. Surprisingly, he had club activities, mandatories in his school, with Seokjin and Hoseok. In general, Jungkook felt blessed and lucky to be surrounded by friends. They spent an excellent summer exploring the city and trying to look less like newcomers, and more like city people. However, Jungkook admitted gladly that he missed at times the vast fields and fresh air.
He missed stealing Madame Chen’s pomegranates with his group of hooligans, as the old lady always said with a laugh.
Jungkook snapped out of his thoughts and headed towards the bathroom first. He drank too much orange juice thanks to his mother. You need vitamins! She kept saying.
The fluorescent lights in the bathroom had Jungkook wince for a second, along with the smell of strong cleaning products mixed with the scent of dampness. Fancy school or not, all bathrooms had that typical smell apparently. Sharp voices filled the space.
Jungkook stumbled upon a peculiar scene. A boy stood near the corner by the sinks, his hands nervously gripping the straps of his backpack. He bowed his head and hunched his back trying his best to be invisible. Other boys surrounded him, blocking his escape route.
"So, you brought the snacks or what?" One of the boys, with a cocky grin plastered on his face, said. He crossed his arms trying to look bigger than he was. He towered over his victim. Jungkook squinted his eyes to read the name tag of the trembling victim, Kim Taehyung, same year as him apparently.
For a second, Jungkook was lost in the contemplation of Taehyung. The boy was an omega judging by his elegant and enticing features. Despite the pungent smell around, Jungkook could detect a hint of sweetness. Omega, he was then.
"Yeah, we told you to get them, didn't we?" Another boy joined in, his voice laced with condescension. He popped Jungkook’s bubble. The boy chuckled, nudging the first boy with his elbow, clearly enjoying the discomfort on Taehyung's face. "Not like you had anything better to do, huh?"
Taehyung shifted uncomfortably, his voice barely audible. "I… I’m sorry. I forgot. I’ll go get them right now."
"Forgot? Seriously?" The first boy’s voice sharpened, as if the very idea of Taehyung forgetting was a personal insult. "You had one job, man. You are the delivery boy, remember?"
“Holy shit,” Jungkook interrupted them. He approached, hands in his pockets, and leaned toward the first boy, who he identified as the leader. “Are you bullying him? Seriously? Like in the movies?” He laughed softly, but there was something cold in his eyes. Despite his light tone, the way he carried himself made it clear—he wasn’t someone to mess with. His sharp gaze flickered to Taehyung, who was looking down, his face flushed with embarrassment, and then to the group of boys cornering him.
“Who the fuck are you?” the leader retorted trying not to lose face in front of his group. However, he took a step back, overwhelmed by Jungkook’s presence.
“Can’t read?” Jungkook answered back tapping his name tag. “The name is Jungkook. My friends call me ‘Kook. You can call me Jeon.”
“The country bumpkin,” one of the boys in the group uttered with surprise. “The teacher told us about new students.”
“My reputation precedes me then,” Jungkook chuckled softly as he stood straight. “Man, it must suck to be this short,” he added rubbing his neck for good measures. “You should wear heels or something,” he addressed the leader with a casual disinterest before turning towards Taehyung. “You should go to class now. And from now on, you bring snacks to me, not these idiots. Got it?” he gave Taehyung a wink.
Taehyung’s eyes widened for a second before he gave a short but sharp nod.
“Now go,” Jungkook added gesturing to the door with his chin. “I need to talk with the no-brainers, and I can’t do that with delicate ears around.”
Taehyung did not wait to be told twice. He fled the bathroom, holding tight his backpack. He did not look back even.
After taking care of the wannabe thugs in the bathroom, Jungkook headed to his class. His smile brightened as he noticed Taehyung there. To his immense joy, Jungkook was sat next to the omega too! He was overjoyed as he sent a wink in Taehyung’s way. The young alpha sat straight and puffed his chest. He glanced at the omega and found him a blushing mess. Jungkook grinned. Clearly, the omega was under his spell. Unlike what Namjoon kept saying, Jungkook was good at flirting and wooing omegas, not that he did that often. As a matter of fact, Taehyung was his first. Jungkook was the golden boy after all, and the omega swooned already.
“I’m hungry,” Jungkook grumbled once the bell rang. Immediately, Taehyung pushed banana bread towards him. Jungkook took it with a bright smile. “Thanks,” he said as he unwrapped it quickly. He bit into it with gusto. “Keep ‘em coming. They are my favorite,” he said through a mouthful. A hint of red bled into his eyes from excitement.
“O-ok,” Taehyung whispered with a nod. “I h-have to go now. I need to use the bathroom,” he explained shyly.
Jungkook simply nodded then watched Taehyung leave. He eyed the banana bread. It was their first courting gift. Honestly, he knew that the omega was under his charm, but to dare offer him a courting gift so quickly– wow. Jungkook cleared his throat hoping to cool down his burning cheeks. City omegas were really something.