for dinaratnajuwita [♫]

I nervously tug at the hem of my shirt. My mind is racing with anxious thoughts and multiple worst-case scenarios. Yoongi (being all-knowing and all-seeing, apparently) notices and grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together. I blush, still not quite used to the new intimacy of our relationship.

“Hey, don’t worry,” he says, half-smiling down at me in that familiar way and only accelerating the fluttering of the butterflies already in my stomach. Everything about him both calms and electrifies me, and it’s strange how this contradiction has grown so necessary.

“I...I’m just...” I worry my lip and look at him with furrowed eyebrows. “Yoongi, what if they don’t like me?”

He snorts and gently pulls me forward, wrapping his arms around my waist. My blush deepens, my hands land on his chest, and I bow my head into the comforting crook of his neck.

“Sujin, really,” he deadpans, holding me securely. “They’re the ones who should be worrying about how you feel about them. They were the s, not you.”

“Yoongi!” I scold, pulling back to frown at him. “Don’t say that!”

He grins and leans his forehead against mine. “See? You’re even defending them from me. How could they possibly dislike you?”

I sigh but succumb to a bashful smile. “Are you sure? I just...they’re so important to you, and I want them to like me, and like that you’re with me—”

“Nothing they say will change how I feel about you,” he interrupts me firmly.

“I know! I know, it’s not that, just...I still want them to like me.”

Yoongi rolls his eyes and kisses my forehead. “They will, unless they’re stupid. Which they are, but not that stupid.”

“So this is what you truly think of us!” exclaims a loud and obnoxiously offended voice.

I giggle, recognizing Hoseok and pulling away from Yoongi to wave. “Hi, Hoseok. How are you?”

“Like death, since Risa’s on another business trip,” he sighs dramatically, launching himself at me, Taehyung close behind. It’s their customary greeting.

“Taehyung! How are you today?” I laugh as they squeeze me between them.

“Hey! Careful!” Yoongi barks, as he always does.

Taehyung ignores him, as per usual, and pouts at me. “Haewon and Yeonhee are having fun without me! Why don’t they love me anymore?”

I watch Yoongi roll his eyes at his friends’ dramatics and can’t help the fond smile. Everything about him makes me so happy.

“Noooooooooonaaaaaaaaaa!”

I gasp and wriggle my way out of Hoseok and Taehyung’s arms, surrendering them to Yoongi, and spread my hands out to hug Jungkook. “Kookie! You’re here!”

Taehyung mutters to Yoongi behind me, “Hyung, I’ve never seen her that happy to see you.”

Yoongi growls, “Shut it.”

I squeeze Jungkook tightly around the stomach before pulling back and complaining, “Why are you so tall? Stop growing!”

He gives me a flat look. “Noona, you say that every time you see me.”

“Well, you’re too tall!”

He grins and ruffles my hair, to my displeasure. “Ah, I’ve missed you. Yoongi-hyung told me you’re nervous about meeting the other hyungs.” He shakes his head. “You shouldn’t be. They’re gonna be on their best behavior. They might even grovel, if they can shut up their egos long enough.”

I fix my hair, then fix it some more just in case. “Oh, I hope not, that would be awkward. I just want them to like me.”

Jungkook snickers. “Honestly, if they don’t like you after going through Haewon-noona, then I dunno what’s wrong with them. She just tore them apart. It was hilarious.”

I gape. “What if that’s why they like her? What if they think I’m too meek for Yoongi!?”

He rolls his eyes. “Noona, you’re paranoid. But if that were to happen—which it won’t, ‘cause it’s impossible—but if, I’ll protect you.” He puffs his chest out proudly.

“My knight in shining armor,” I laugh then squeak when Yoongi suddenly hugs me from behind.

I snuggle back into him as he grumbles at Jungkook, “Hey, I’m her first line of defense, kid.”

“Yeah, okay, hyung.”

I smile and pat Yoongi’s cheek when he holds me tighter and bends so we’re cheek to cheek.

“You okay?” he murmurs into my ear.

I turn and peck him on the cheek, flushing red when I notice all the boys wiggling their eyebrows at me. “I’m okay. Thanks.”

Someone clears his throat, and Yoongi and I look up to find Namjoon, Seokjin, and Jimin (I keep having to remind myself to use their real names; it still feels weird) peeking in from the doorway, different levels of embarrassment and discomfort on their faces. Jimin looks like he would literally rather be buried alive than here with us, avoiding all eye contact; Namjoon looks mildly awkward and refuses to remove his sunglasses when Jungkook gestures to them; and Seokjin is mostly expressionless, as always, though there’s the tiniest smile on his face. It’s so strange to see them like this. It’s such a far cry from the last time I saw them—so long ago, now—that it all almost seems like a dream.

They seem so different now, so much more at ease in their skins, that it’s hard to remember why I feared and disliked them so much. They’re easy to forgive, and even easier to like.

I smile and wave shyly. “H-hello. Please, come in.”

The three of them slowly trail in, pointed looks and subtle shoves being traded between them. Jimin seems least enthusiastic about all this, which worries me. He must really not like me.

I fidget a little and hold on tighter to Yoongi’s arms.

“It’s fine,” he whispers, his lips brushing my cheek. “I swear, you have nothing to worry about.”

Namjoon raises an eyebrow behind his shades and his lips quirk up into an amused smile, displaying his deep dimples. “Aren’t you gonna let her go? How am I supposed to shake her hand?”

“I’m not holding her hands down,” Yoongi counters, but I whisper his name and squirm, so he releases me with a heavy sigh.

I step forward and smile hesitantly. Namjoon extends his hand and I carefully take it, surprised when he shakes it excessively up and down.

“Nice to meet you again, Sujin,” he says warmly. “I, uh...I’d like to apologize for our behavior...before.”

I shake my head quickly. “No, it’s fine! It’s all in the past. You were just protecting Yoongi, anyway, so I understand.”

He chuckles deeply. “You are way too nice for our Yoongi-hyung.”

Seokjin steps forward, ignoring Yoongi’s yelp of protest in the background, and nods at me. Not sure what my response should be, I bow my head uncertainly, and then I hear a chorus of gasps around the room.

Looking up immediately, I glance in confusion at Hoseok, Taehyung, and Jimin, who are all staring at Seokjin in awe.

“He...he smiled!” Jimin shouts, pointing almost accusingly.

Seokjin wipes his face blank instantaneously (a pity, because he looks so nice with a smile).

“He smiled!” Hoseok and Taehyung repeat in unison, also pointing.

Yoongi just rolls his eyes and offers me a wry grin.

Finally, Jimin clears his throat. He approaches me but refuses to look away from his feet.

“U-um,” I stutter. “Hi. Um. J-Jimin.”

His eyes dart to mine for a second before he coughs and looks away and nods. “Yeah.”

Namjoon tsks and smacks Jimin on the back of the head. “Do it properly!”

Jungkook steps forward and pokes Jimin’s side. It turns out Jimin is exceedingly ticklish because he spins away with a high-pitched yell. “Yeah, hyung, you’re making noona feel bad! She thinks you don’t like her!”

Jimin’s face is an interesting shade of pink-purple now and there seems to be something lodged in his throat because he keeps clearing it. “I-I, uh, no, I mean, I just—uh, yes, hi! Hello! I’m Jimin. You’re Sujin. Um.”

He seems incredibly flustered, which confuses me because I don’t think I’ve done anything to embarrass him. I turn to Yoongi and give him a concerned look.

He just shrugs. “He’s just embarrassed for being an to you. Well, it was pretty embarrassing. Right, Jimin?”

Jimin splutters and chokes out, “Wha—shut up, hyung, you were embarrassing too! Actually, you’re still embarrassing now! You’re always tryna kiss her! I dunno how she puts up with you!”

My face flares and Yoongi’s cheeks turn pink, though his gaze is murderous.

“You little—” Yoongi starts, but Jimin cuts him off.

“Anyway, ah, Sujin? I—yeah, I’m really—sorry. Um. Yeah.” He coughs again.

I laugh and shake my head. “It’s fine now! Really. I’ve forgotten all about it.”

His face is still red but he finally meets my eyes and doesn’t look away. “Thanks.”

“Finally, that’s over,” Yoongi mutters as he grabs my hand and shoves it with his own into his pocket. “Can we go eat now?”

Jimin scoffs, Hoseok and Taehyung make kissy faces, Jungkook smiles, Seokjin shakes his head, and Namjoon just looks amused. My heart feels so full now. Things are still awkward, still shiny and new, but I know this is only the beginning of the rest of our lives.

notes: omg I didn't know how to end this. ><

Hi all! What is upppppp. so school officially started yesterday; it was an okay day. The inconveniences of commuting from home have truly settled in now: I have to wake up at 8AM jsut to make my 11AM classes. Thank goodness I don't have any earlier classes, haha. TT_TT I definitely do miss the freedom of being able to go back to my room whenever, go out with friends whenever, stuff like that, but housing was simply too expensive for that. I guess I'll have to truly make an effort to stay social from now on, oh joy.

Anyway! As you may have noticed, I have closed the request for this collection. I can't afford to be stressed about too many things outside of school (and I don't want a story I love to write to become a stressful burden). However, that doesn't mean radio silence! I will finish the requests I currently have and then post whenever I have my own ideas (e.g. TwoSu proposal fic which I have promised haha). I may open requests again during winter break for a few weeks, but we'll see! I have to apply for internships and stuff, ughhhh.

Okay, so this one is for dinaratnajuwita! I hope you like it and I'm sorry if it reads a little messy?? And if the ending is weird? It is so hard to wrote 8 characters at a time, dear lord. I hope I did okay! :)

The song this time is another throwback to my childhood (so long ago now, cry). I loooooved Lizzie McGuire! And I admire Hilary Duff. I think she's one of the few teen celebs that grew up well, without any scandals (that I know of, at least). And she seems to be living happily with her family now, good for her! :)

Not much else to say this time, so see you in the next chapter!

skyblaze208, OUT!

© Copyright 2016 by skyblaze208