"What's up with you?"

The words I'd been pushing back finally comes spilling when I see him avoiding my gaze. For the fifth time.

"Nothing."

"Then why are you acting like I'm the worst thing that's ever happened to you?" I whisper, eyes wide and sad. "There's nobody here, V. It's just us."

"I know," He groans, dragging an exhausted hand down his pale face. Now that I look more closely, I can see shadows under his eyes.

"I'm just— stressed."

"Stressed?"

"Yeah," He replies blankly, eyes clearly still avoiding mine. And the thing that scares me the most is that it seems instinctive— involuntary.

It's like he doesn't want to look at me at all.

"If you don't want to see me that much, I'll leave." I say stiffly, my feet already heading towards the door. "See you at home, V."

"Wait."

His hand grips my waist, twisting me back. The small stack of papers he'd been holding falls back onto the desk in an unruly mess, and I stare up at his darkened eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I'm—I'm sorry," He whispers, and my eyes widen as he buries his face in his hands.

"I'm so sorry."

"Hey— it isn't something you should be sorry about." I quickly say, worry filling my gaze. Why was he acting like this— I shouldn't have been so selfish. He was probably overworked, and I was acting like a little brat.

"Let's go home, okay?"

"Okay."

I take his hand in mine, my heart breaking when he suddenly snatches his away. When I look up, his eyes are wild as he glances left and right— as if searching for something.

Searching for what?

After he seems satisfied that nothing's there, he reaches down and cups my face. Any thought of asking further disappears from my mind as his lips meet mine.

I can feel the apology from his kiss.

But apology for what?

_________________________

"Woah— you guys live together, too?"

A familiar voice rings to our right, and I whip around in surprise to see Jungkook and Jimin. The two are both sucking on popsicles that match the color of their hair, eyes wide as they wave.

"Yeah," I answer, surprise filling my voice as well. "Wait— you guys live here too?"

"Yeah— all the other professors do, too. We were just a bit late because we wanted to pick up some ice cream for the hyungs. Take one."

"What do you mean all the professors?"

"It's weird how we haven't run into each other. Jungkook's my roommate. Yoongi and Jin hyung are roommates, and Hoseok and Namjoon hyung live together too."

Then Jimin's eyes flicker over to V, whose eyes look unfocused and blank as they stare off into space.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know— it's what I'd like to know," I sigh, dismayed at the sight of him so distracted. "He's been acting like this all day."

"Looks like stress." Jimin notes, eyes burning as he analyzes V. "Worry— concern over something. No, scratch that. Worried about you, Tzuyu. He's worried about you."

"Sorry," V hurriedly says, finally noticing the duo in front of us. "Uh— hello. How long have you guys been here?"

"Yup," Jimin nods, clicking his tongue.
"Definitely stress. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Lies~" Jimin sings, and V suddenly looks like he wants to strangle the man. Noticing that, Jungkook hastily pulls on the man's sleeve.

"Come on, hyung. Let's go— we still need to end our match from last night."

Jimin sighs as he tosses the finished popsicle stick into the trash bin, waving a farewell at the two of us.

"Overwatch addict," He explains. "And besides, feel free to come over anytime. It would be nice to take a break from seeing this coconut all the time."

"This is why I want to room with Jin hyung," The maknae mutters, scoring the finished stick over his shoulder. "At least he cleans up after himself."

"No! You will always be my roommate!"

__________________________

"V—"

An unreadable expression crosses his face as he smiles softly at me, clearly trying to get my mind off of his strange behavior.

"I'm sorry, Tzuyu," He whispers, squeezing his eyes shut together. Stress is apparent on his face as he breathes out deeply.

"I think I'm just really tired— I'm sorry I'm acting like this."

My words come out a stutter as I hurriedly take him to his room, eyes widening as he grimaces. He looked like he'd pulled two— no, three all-nighters, with shadows deepened under his eyes and skin pale.

What could've possibly happened that would affect him like this?

"Sleep," I command, pointing to his bed. "You're going to rest until you don't look like you just died and came back to life, V. Okay?"

All he does is wordlessly nod, letting me tuck the covers over him even though he usually hated for me to baby him like this.

Something was really wrong.

And it seemed like I had to find it out myself, because V didn't look like he'd tell me anytime soon.

___________________________

"Tzuyu?"

The door opens to reveal a messy-haired Jimin, who looked like he'd just woken up from a nap with his messed hair and rumpled shirt.

"Hi," I say quickly, my fingers drumming against the side of my thigh. "Can you help me with something? Actually— I need help with, uh, V."

"Yeah," He nods, waving me inside. "I knew you'd come to ask about him soon— he looked really stressed earlier."

"I know," I groan, sighing as I drag a hand down my face. "He's been acting like that all day long. And when I ask him about it, all he says is that he's tired. And I know he isn't— he's tired from something else, and it's not fatigue."

Then I hear the sound of a door opening as Jungkook walks out, his hair dripping water onto his shirt and a towel around his neck. His eyes instantly go wide as he sees me there.

"Hey, Kook." Jimin explains, and Jungkook raises an eyebrow as I anxiously wave. All I can do is hope that he doesn't kick me out, because I really didn't know where else to go if not for these geniuses.

"Why are you here?"

"She needs help with her boyfriend," Jimin interrupts, and I nod. "You saw him earlier— he looked stressed as hell."

"Oh— V hyung?" The maknae asks, and I nod again. "Jimin hyung can help you with him, I think. He's the best at psychology out of all of us."

And then he disappears into the kitchen, soon appearing with a sandwich clutched between two fingers and a glass of water in the other.

"I'm not that good," Jimin says, running his fingers through his hair. "I only got into psychology for about a year or so—"

"Says the guy that still has a master degree in it," Jungkook snorts, chewing lazily. "It only takes you an year to get a degree in whatever major you take, hyung."

"What I mean is," Jimin says sharply. "I might not be able to get out that much information than you think I would. And to make that worse, V is a really, really hard person to read."

"But will you try for me?" I plead. The idea of stalking him around at school wasn't appealing at all— that was my last resort, if nothing worked in the end.

"I will, but I'm just telling you don't get your hopes up. Will you bring him over right now?"

"Yeah!" I exclaim, flying up from my seat. "He's sleeping right now, so let me just—"

"Tzuyu? What are you doing here?"