It’s about a week later when they meet outside of detention again. And once more Namjoon finds Seokjin throwing up in the bathroom. He lingers at the door for a moment, musing over whether to go in or leave before he’s seen, like he did the last time. In the end his curiosity wins and he grabs some paper towels from the dispenser next to the door.

“What’s wrong with you?” Namjoon asks when he hands the tissues to the older.

Seokjin hadn't even heard that someone entered the bathroom and so he flinches when there’s suddenly a person next to him. Taking a deep breath he looks up, trying to look a little less pathetic than he feels and his heart sinks when he registers it’s Kim Namjoon who found him like this. His second reaction is confusion upon the paper towels in the other’s hand and the absence of judgement on his face. But he is too afraid to let go of the sink to take them so he just stares, attempting to get his breath back under control.

“This is the second time I see you throwing up in here,” Namjoon says. Seeing how the knuckles of the older are already turning white in effort to hold himself up, he wraps an arm around Seokjin’s waist to support him. Namjoon has to admit that he’s a little surprised when the president doesn’t protest.

Seokjin slowly lets go of the sink and finally takes the tissues to wipe his mouth. Only after he finishes rinsing his mouth and washing his hands, all in careful, slow movements, he looks at Namjoon again.

“Are you doing this so you can use it against me later?” His voice sounds raw and when he tries to move away a little he stumbles, forcing Namjoon to tighten his grip to save him from falling.

“I’m doing this because you look like absolute right now.” He leads the other over to the wall where he throws his jacket to the ground and helps Seokjin sit down.

“Can you… lock the door?” Namjoon doesn’t even question it and complies, sitting down next to the older afterwards.

“So... what’s wrong with you?” the taller finally asks again after a long time of silence.

“I probably just ate something bad.”

“Then let’s go to the hospital.”

Seokjin visibly tenses up at that before narrowing his eyes.

“Why are you acting so nice?” He’s obviously trying to change the topic.

“Not always following the rules doesn’t make me an or an idiot.”

The older looks away at that. He knows that it’s true all too well. After all Namjoon is the reason he never manages to get first place. It doesn’t matter how hard he tries, how much he studies, the other is always a few points better. Seokjin realises that that’s probably the reason why he dislikes him so much. He just never thought about the fact that the other has no real reason to hate him back. Sure he keeps ‘ruining their fun’ but that’s his job as president and Namjoon knows.  

“Not going to say sorry for that,” he mumbles after a while.

“I don’t care. And bringing you to the hospital would allow me to ditch school to be honest.”

Seokjin tenses again. “I’m not going.”

“That’s what I thought,” the younger says smirking. “So it’s not food poisoning, huh?”

The president doesn’t answer. He just closes his eyes and rests his head against the wall, taking deep breaths. The faint feeling of wanting to throw up is still there. Namjoon doesn’t urge him to say something and so it’s silent for a bit.

“Give me one good reason why I should tell you. You’re like the last person in this school I should tell anything.” He sounds defensive and distressed at the same time. Like a person who knows he shouldn’t but desperately wants to confide in somebody. He wonders for a second where the complete emotionless Seokjin went but then he realises that it’s probably an act to protect himself and the president is in no condition to keep that mask up right now.

“You know… Jungkook talks a lot about you. Not you you, but this older brother he has who he thinks is the most amazing person in the world. I don’t dislike you enough to ruin mine, and probably Jimin’s, relationship with him.”

“I’m going to regret this…” the older says after a long pause and continues before Namjoon can answer. “Those are anxiety attacks.”

“All the more reason to see a doctor.”

Seokjin shakes his head. “Nobody can know. I don’t even know why I’m telling you.”

“Like I said I’m not gonna talk about you. I’m probably the best person to tell.”

“Yeah, right,” the older scoffs. But then he presses a hand to his mouth to stop himself from gagging. The thought of everybody finding out makes him feel sick all over again. It would lead to his stepmother finding out about it. Jungkook finding out about it. It can’t happen.

“I kept my last promise,” the taller says, trying to avoid upsetting him again.

Seokjin looks at him for a while, still not taking his hand away but then he nods and relaxes.

Namjoon uses the silence that follows to think. He realises that he really doesn’t hate Seokjin. He doesn’t even dislike the president much. Sure he did like to annoy him, but the stuff Jungkook told them made him forget about finding an advantage and turning the tables for once, the moment he learned who exactly the youngest was talking about. After that he had made the decision to ignore Seokjin mostly since he was just doing his job.

Namjoon wasn’t one of those dumb trouble makers from dramas who were really just angry at the world because of their miserable life. He doesn't’ feel the need to get back at everybody who does something he dislikes. And he certainly doesn’t feel strong after kicking somebody who’s already on the ground. Whether it’s literally or figuratively.

No, Namjoon is in fact one of the most intelligent students in Korea and just likes to have a bit of fun with his gang and defy some rules.

So of course seeing Seokjin in such a vulnerable state concerns him. Especially since he still remembers how dead his eyes looked that day in the detention room.

“What’s the reason?”

Seokjin laughs bitterly at the question. “A lot.”

Namjoon hums in response, not sure how to answer that. “You know, I always thought you were like the class presidents in those stupid high school movies. A total goody two-shoes, your life perfectly planned out. I kinda envied that”

The older huffs at that. But it doesn’t seem annoyed or angered more like… it would actually be a laugh if Seokjin would remember how to do that. “I always thought you were a complete jackass.”

It seems like the older appreciates the change of topic. “But not anymore?”

“Jungkook really likes to talk about you and your friends,” he answers, like that explains everything. And it kind of does. Namjoon knows the ways Jungkook talks about Seokjin so he just assumes he talks the same about them. Hopefully.

After that the silence comes back but it’s not uncomfortable.

If somebody had told him he would end up in a situation like this with the student council president, he would have laughed in their face but now it doesn’t even feel weird.

Eventually Seokjin makes attempts to stand up but he still seems a little shaken up so Namjoon stands up first and Seokjin takes his outstretched hand without question, letting the taller pull him up. While Seokjin walkes slowly back over to the sink he stretches his muscles which are stiff after sitting on the floor for so long.

“You gonna be alright for now?”

He can see Seokjin rolling his eyes in the mirror. “I always am,” he answers with the tiniest bit of sass and Namjoon realises that Seokjin is broken, but not dead inside.

“Remember that you still owe me a favor?”

A little confused Seokjin looks up from the sink and stops splashing cold water in his face. “Yes?”

“Next time this happens, call me.” Namjoon says and the older looks even more confused.

“Why?”

“Just do it,” he answers before leaving the bathroom, intending to tell his friends he fell asleep somewhere if they ask why he was missing for two hours.

Seokjin doesn’t know what to think when he doesn’t throw up for three days straight after this little episode in the bathroom. He’s kind of thankful but he avoids Namjoon and his friends as much as he can. If they wonder why they’re suddenly getting away with so much they don’t mention it.

Well I just realised I’m bad at naming chapters. But who reads the title of those anyways. And I know I said I would update sooner but I had migraine since tuesday. I finally woke up without a headache this morning and it was amazing so I finished this chapter and I hope you like it.

Anyways I again want thank everybody who subscribed and commented. You are amazing and I love you. Also if there’s anything you want to ask, please do, I’m going to try and answer to comments from now on. (I’m usually so happy I don’t know what to say)