Chereads / Echoes Of The Dark / Chapter 4 - Visible yet unseen.

Chapter 4 - Visible yet unseen.

"Your little exception means me of cosmic fate"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jimin walked through the campus with his ears tingling at annoyance- will people ever stop gossiping, spreading information that they never are sure of about a particular person?Jimin knows, more than anyone, how being assumed something who you are not feels like. He had experienced it, resents it and will never dare to do that to someone- no matter how much of a stranger that person maybe."Did you hear that the student he beat up is still in the hospital? He's gotta be dangerous..""Of course, he's bipolar.. Couldn't expect anything less from him.."Jimin covers his ears with the paws of his hoodie which covered his palm like a cute sweater paw, and still could hear muffled whispers, "you better not sit beside him. Avoid him at all costs.""Mother-fucking gossipers" Jimin mutters to himself- as much as he shudders before people, actual people due to his crippling anxiety, his inner monologues are always the brave, badass version of himself that Jimin wished he was in real life.He did not want to assume things about the newbie who beat up those students- he probably had a valid reason. Yes, beating up somebody is bad, unforgivable- not unreasonable.Maybe they deserved it.You could never tell in this world.But it ain't like Jimin would dare to interact with the badass boy who managed to beat three students up- not because he is bipolar, but because he wouldn't approach any living, breathing human beings ever- he had his reasons.He walked into his classroom, eyeing the very last bench, his bench where he usually sits- no need to interact with anyone. His teachers, who were warned of his anxiety, would never make him interact at all. They give room for Jimin to interact whenever he feels comfortable.Which is why Jimin never speaks.But the last bench- his safe haven was occupied by an unknown figure, a figure that Jimin had never met in the campus before, the figure that Jimin assumes to be the newbie that the rumors were spreading rapidly about.Yes, Jimin assumes- for he does not know the students of his own class by heart to be knowing for sure.Jimin almost made out that he was wrong, for the boy had innocence in his doe-like eyes, the innocence shimmering through the sense of alarming territorial anger, his hands gripping his own, fumbling with his own fingers as he swiftly avoided people at all costs.Jimin made his way to his usual seat with hesitation; his heart starts to race when the guy shot him a glare- which Jimin felt is a glare, making his breath hitch. Jimin took in a deep breath- he cannot be having an anxiety attack over a guy glaring him, for the severity of his own condition concerns him.He sat beside the guy, with the guy still looking at his with those eyes, intimidating Jimin.Jungkook eyed the boy from top to bottom- he was covered with hoodie, his dark brown locks of hair peeping through the hood, his hands covered like a cute sweater paw and a pant- this guy didn't look dangerous to Jungkook at all.He does not look as though he would intentionally trigger his issues- but Jungkook could never tell.People are dangerous.He would trust none.Jungkook turned back, stopped staring at the guy as he whipped out a notebook and began sketching- he would usually avoid people by sketching random shit during free his free times, that way he would avoid encounter with people as well as improve in his art.Jungkook often glanced at the hoodie guy subtly between his sketching, the guy was fumbling with his own hands, twisting his little fingers as his crescent, ocean eyes would be staring at his fumbling hands- does he make this guy nervous?'Of course I make hoodie guy nervous,' Jungkook thought to himself as he carefully sculpted the eyes of the anime boy he was sketching. 'What did I expect, I am a fucking psycho for god sake!'Jungkook glanced at the guy again, hopefully this guy won't trigger him and his issues like those bastards from the previous college did- Jungkook would bear sitting next to a guy if had they ignore each other's presence entirely.With that the teacher entered the lecture hall with every student greeting the teacher as she settled down on her usual bench before shifting her gaze to Jungkook.she shot Jungkook a heartwarming smile before speaking, "class, may I have your attention, please. Thank you."Jungkook could feel that her voice was not intimidating, yet so powerful."Let us all welcome our new student warmly. Jeon Jungkook. Did I get your name right, dear?"Jungkook nodded as he stepped forward- the teacher had been holding her hand forward for a bold shake, a 'warm welcome' as she puts it into her words, to which Jungkook wants to scoff at her face."Jungkook, I hope you adjust to your new environment well and find some friends, yeah?"Jungkook held back the urge to scoff, again, as he nodded. The teacher smiled at Jungkook before muttering, "let's not bother the guy too much, shall we? We gotta make him feel home."Jungkook understood the very subtle hint, the subtle hint that the teacher refers to his disorder, 'waning to make him feel home'- directly translates to 'do not do anything to trigger him.'Poor teacher does not know home is a bad example for that sort.She signaled Jungkook to take his own seat, which Jungkook gladly obeyed- he hated being the centre of attention. Her eyes trailed through Jungkook's path- Jungkook's got to be a hard nut to crack.Of course she heard Jungkook's story like the whole college did, probably a bit more detailed than the students by the principal and had agreed to be Jungkook's class teacher. She seeks to heal him, heal Jungkook and Jimin.Maybe she can.She had dealt with many students who suffered from disorder like his, like depressed and anxious kid like Jimin himself, like abused kid who needs help- in that list, both Jimin and Jungkook seemed to be the extremes, were hard to crack, were too worse and needs tender and gentle touches to heal them.As her eyes landed on Jungkook's seat, which was the same as Jimin's, her eyes grew so concerned- one of Jimin's main triggers with anxiety is anger. Jimin would have a full blown anxiety attack over some random person raising his voice at him- with clearly states that sitting beside Jungkook would just might not be the right choice.She spoke up to Jimin, her voice turning softer than what she used with Jungkook, "Jimin, dear, do you need a more private seat or are you comfortable with where you are?"Jimin shot his head up at the question a bit too swiftly, his eyes widened to the greatest extent- of course his anxiety demands a more private seat, yet, willn't Jungkook feel bad, assuming he avoids him due to his disorder?Jungkook shot his head back to the teacher, stopping midway on his track back to his seat, and turned back to Jimin. He felt a pang on his chest when Jimin was tensing at the question, when Jimin was too scared to reply- he hates that people are scared of him. It breaks his heart.Unconsciously, his doe eyes pleaded Jimin, pouted looking straight into Jimin's eyes when he actually took in the fear the latter is in. He was shuddering, his eyes were widened to the greatest extent, his hands shaking when his eyes met Jungkook's.'of course he is scared of me. People are always scared of me. No one stays. They leave-'"It's...It's okay... miss. I can... I-I am fine.."Jungkook's self deprecating thoughts were interrupted by Jimin stuttering to the class teacher, who show Jimin back a proud smile."Are you sure, dear?"What is up with him, Jungkook wonders, for the teacher cares about this guy- more like worries about this guy more than anyone else. Jungkook was curious, yet didn't attempt to get to know the boy nor question the fact that he stutters too much that it's concerning.Jimin nodded, the simple action sending tingles through Jungkook's chest- he definitely did not expect the boy to stay with the devil when he had gotten the chance to flee, flee away from him and save himself as much as he could, yet he stayed.Jungkook sighed as he found his way back to the seat, his seat beside the Jimin guy- who was back to staring at his own hands as though he was actually hoping to find something in them, as though he was doing an important task.The class bore on for the day as both Jimin and Jungkook made no effort to speak to each other, not even a single word, made no effort to even maintain eye contact, not even a single minute, yet both of them felt a little weight off their shoulders- Jimin, as he did not hurt Jungkook's feelings by changing seats; Jungkook, as someone didn't flee at his presence for the first time, as someone tried to acknowledge the fact that he's human too unlike others.Both of them never expected anything more, they didn't expect things to improve between them, never assumed that they would ever need to talk to each other.But, of course, life has its own plans, ready and cooked for them.