25: NOT ALL WATCHFUL EYES ARE WELCOME

"Homeless Door," by Offonoff (feat. Rad Museum)

                “…what are you doing here?”

                It was early morning on the day Naeil ecided to go back to school, and the moment she walked out of her door, she found a very chipper Taehyung and a considerably subdued Hosoek sitting on her front step. Evidently, they had been waiting for her. They stood up as soon as she opened the door.

                “We’re going to walk you to school!” sang Taehyung, leaning in and grabbing her hands. “WE’RE GONNA BECOME SUCH GOOD FRINEDS.”

                Naeil pried her hands out of his and took a step back. “Um…no.”

                Hoseok stood up, sighing and putting away his phone. “Come on, Naeil-ah. This is for the best. Let’s get going.”

                That’s odd.

                Hoseok turned around and walked away from the apartment without so much as a greeting. Naeil followed without protest, but she looked to Taehyung curiously.

                “Yah, Taehyung-ah, is he okay?”

                Taehyung pursed his lips together. “Well, not really. He’s on his phone all the time trying to get ahold of Jimin. He hasn’t talked to Hoseok for weeks now, and he’s been skipping more often.”

                “That kid? Again? What the heck is wrong with that guy?”

                Taehyung shrugged. “None of us know what’s going on with Jimin these days. He’s been real weird lately. It’s like he doesn’t even want to be friends with us anymore.”

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                “Look, look! It’s her! It’s Ji Naeil!”

                “Let’s sit next to her.”

                “Nah are you crazy?”

                “But I’m curious.”

                “Okay me too then—”

                Naeil slammed her cup down on her table. “Don’t…sit next to me,” she ground out, looking up at the two girls who had been blabbering about her. “I’m not free entertainment during lunch, okay? Go find something else to spice up your boring lives? How about, mm, that kid over there with two noses. Okay? Cool.”

                The two girls fled, looking peeved and somewhat aghast at Naeil’s words.

                “Aish, noona. You could at least try not to scare people.”

                Taehyung had dragged a seat over and plopped down beside her desk, unrolling his little brown bag and gobbling up its contents before Naeil could even see what they were.

                “Where’s Hoseok?”

                “Oh, hello, Taehyung-ah! How are you doing? I’m doing great, thank you, noona. Isn’t it such a pretty sunny day? What a perfect day to be nice to my dear dongsaeng!”

                Naeil snorted. “I didn’t know you could be this salty..”

                His bright smile returned as he popped something into his mouth. “I have many hidden talents.”

                It actually was a pretty day, Naeil thought, as she opened a bottle of juice. And it wasn’t even going that badly. Juyoung kept his distance, for the most part, and there was minimal stalking from his minions. It probably wouldn’t last long, but she could enjoy it for now.

                Except, she couldn’t. Because Hoseok was really worrying her, and had been worrying her for a while now.

                “Aw, you started eating without me?”

                Naeil’s eyes snapped up, surprised to see the boy who had just been occupying her thoughts. He brought over another chair and sat down, giving Naeil and Taehyung a tepid smile for a greeting. It made Naeil frown. Hoseok didn’t give tepid smiles. Not the Hoseok she knew.

                “So, uh, how’s your day been?” asked Naeil, trying not to sound as suspicious as she felt.

                “Well, I guess about the same as it was when I saw you a few hours ago.”

                “You’re not going to eat?”

                He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “No, I don’t think so.”

                “You didn’t pack anything?”

                “I did, I just don’t feel like it—”

                “Come on, Hoseok-ah, you’ve got to eat, at least!”

                “I just don’t want to—”

                Naeil lunged across the table and grabbed his backpack.

                “Yah! Naeil-ah! St-stop that! Give it back!”

                She held it away from him and ped the main compartment, digging through its contents.

                “Now, where is—”

                She stopped. The smile melted from her eyes, her shoulders slumped, and slowly, carefully, she looked up at Hoseok.

                “Hoseok-ah…are…are you…”

                “Noona, what’s wrong?” cried Taehyung, standing up.

                Naeil’s eyes were still glued onto Hoseok’s face, which was turning paler by the second. Her hand closed around the little bottle of pills she had found at the bottom of the backpack.

                “Is…are you…again…?”

                She couldn’t get any words out properly. She knew her voice would crack soon, and Hoseok didn’t need that right now. So, without another word, she let go of the bottle, zipped up the backpack, and handed it back to Hoseok.

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                It was all Naeil could think about for the rest of the school day. Even as she was leaving school, her mind was so occupied, she almost bumped into the man who was waiting for her outside the school gate.

                “Ah—you!”

                Seokjin chuckled. “Yes. Me.”

                “Why are you…”

                Seokjin took a step back toward the car parked behind him and graciously opened the passenger door, motioning for her to enter.

                “Where will I be taking you today, Ji Naeil-ssi?”

                Naeil’s jaw dropped. “Seriously, are you guys going to follow me everywhere?”

                “That’s the plan.”

                “Fine, I give up.” She just shook her head and got in the car. “You guys won me over. Somehow.”

                Seokjin chuckled as he closed the door and walked to the other side of the car. “I think,” he said with a little smile, “It might have had a little something to do with a scholarship?”

                “Y-yeah, maybe.”

                “Can’t blame you! It’s a good college. I go there myself.”

                Seokjin was turning his keys in the ignition when he turned to Naeil again. “So, where to? That church, right?”

                “Yes. Thanks. Thanks a lot.”

                “No problem.”

                Despite their circumstances, Naeil really didn’t know Seokjin that well, and she felt the awkwardness of that heavy silence as they drove through the old rundown neighborhoods in his very out-of-place car. She couldn’t help but be a little in awe of it. In another situation, she would probably be pressing all the random little buttons, especially—

                “You can touch it, if you want.”

                “Touch what?”

                “My car. It isn’t holy or anything. I don’t mind.”

                After a painful three seconds of silence, Naeil burst out laughing.

                “What? What’s so funny?” whined Seokjin.

                “Nothing! Me!” chortled Naeil, hitting herself in the face for good measure. “It’s so obvious how fascinated I am with your shiny car.”

                Seokjin joined her in laughing. “I still haven’t gotten over the windshield wipers.”

                “The windshield wipers?”

                “Yeah look—”

                After a few impressive demonstrations of Seokjin’s windshield wipers, the excitement died down and Naeil’s mind gravitated back to her previous thoughts.

                “So, uh, Seokjin-ssi…”

                “Mm-hm?”

                “Do you, I mean, have you known Hoseok for very long?”

                Seokjin nodded. “Years, actually.”

                “How about four years ago?”

                Something changed in Seokjin’s expression. He nodded more slowly this time.

                “So…” Naeil said slowly, “You…remember, then…”

                They had arrived at the church. Seokjin pulled up, parked, and turned to her.

                “Did something happen, Naeil-ssi?”

                Naeil sighed. “I…I don’t know if I should even be talking about this—”

                “Please. Tell me.”

                The look in Seokjin’s eyes was so serious. From the way he was talking, he already knew what Naeil was talking about anyway.

                “Today, I, uh, found some antidepressants in Hoseok’s backpack. He’s been off of those things for years and now—now, again? And, actually, I’m worried it might have to do something with that kid, Park Jimin. Taehyung said Hoseok have been worried about him. It’s not Hoseok’s not his fault, I don’t see—”

                Seokjin put a hand on Naeil’s shoulder. “It’s okay. We’ll keep an eye on him. Thanks for telling me. You should probably get to that piano class.”

                “Right, right. Thanks for the ride, Seokjin-ssi.”

                “Anytime, anytime.”

                It was reassuring that Seokjin new about the situation already, but Naeil still didn’t like talking about Hoseok behind his back, even if it was out of concern.

                “What a long day,” Naeil murmured to herself. She took out her phone and glanced out the time. Two minutes till class.

                Turns out, taking out a bunch of piano books and walking through the sanctuary door at the same time is not very easy. That was how Naeil ended up on the floor surrounded by papers and crumpled books.

                “Aish,” hissed Naeil, bending down to pick them up.

                “Need help?”

                Naeil froze at the sight of a long white hand closing around her notebook. She looked up.

                “You too?”

                Yoongi smiled and stood up straight, passing her the books he had picked up. “I thought I’d…watch you teach. So I can learn, too. I changed my mind, maybe I’ll give it a shot—teaching piano, I mean.”

                “Sure,” Naeil said skeptically. “You know, you guys could just let me know you’re going to keep an eye on me.”

                “Like you’d agree to that.”

                Naeil shrugged, because he was right. “I guess I just…I don’t know, I kind of feel bad, about how much you guys are doing for me. You’re all putting in so much effort, and I don’t have anything to return—”

                Yoongi stuck out his finger and poked the book she was still holding in her arms.

                “What?”

                “That.”

                “It’s just one of my piano books. It’s too challenging for new students.”

                “No. Teach me.”

                He wasn’t joking. Naeil could see it in his eyes, he was being sincere. Teach him? There couldn’t be much she knew that he didn’t, but, if he wanted…

                The door to the sanctuary opened. Her student had arrived.

                “I’ll, um, talk to you about it later then. Just sit over there somewhere. And try not to look too scary, alright? The kid’s not going to turn you in to Sa Hyeo Pa, I promise.”

                Naeil was almost used to seeing Yoongi walk around with a cap and mask all the time, but it wasn’t the most welcoming appearance. Surprisingly, he pulled the mask off per her request. During practice, he didn’t say a word, just sat on the second row of pews and watched her teach in complete silence. His elbows sat on his knees, and he leaned forward, just watching and listening.

                When Naeil finished, he helped her pack up and followed her out the doors.

                “Are you—”

                “Just let me walk you home, okay, Naeil-ah?”

                “…Okay.”

                Naeil paused at the end of the church driveway. “Wait a second.”

                Yoongi was already trotting toward the bus stop, hands shoved into his pockets, shoulders swaying carelessly. “What?” he asked, turning around.

                Naeil jogged to catch up to him.

                “What did you just say to me?”

                “I said ‘what,’ you idiot.”

                “No, before that.”

                “…I don’t remember.”

                “Liar! You’re lying!”

                “Hurry up, we’re going to miss the bus.”

                “You called me ‘Naeil-ah.’ I heard it.”

                “You’re younger than me anyway, and you were my junior at Jae-Dong. I don’t know why I’ve been so polite to you all this time.”

                “Does this mean we’re friends now?”

                “Shut up.”

                “I don’t mind, you know. You’re weird, but I guess you’re oka—”

                “Oh, look, is that the bus? I think I see the bus.”

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                Something in her apartment wasn’t right. It was dark, except for light streaming from the windows, but she could tell that someone had been there. Drawers were opened, tables cleared, objects pulled out and thrown on the floor. Part of her didn’t want to believe she was seeing things right. Maybe something else had happened.

                Then something clicked, and Naeil dropped her books. She ran through the house, flipping on light switches and looking into rooms, calling out for her mom even though she knew she shouldn’t be here until three hours later.

                When she reached her room and flipped on the light switch, nothing happened.

                Aish, the fan.

                She had turned off the light from the ceiling fan. Of all the times she had to do that, it had to be today.

                Naeil could swear she heard her heart pounding as she inched her way to the center of her room looking for the ceiling fan’s chain. She waved her arms about blindly, hoping to brush up against the chain. Where…?

                Naeil froze.

                She had definitely heard a sound—no, sounds. Footsteps. And they were approaching her.

                Without hesitation, Naeil backed up, saw the shadow, and immediately roundhouse-kicked in the general direction of the intruder’s head.

                “AISHHH, JI NAEIL WHAT THE HELL?!?!”

                Naeil looked down, barely perceiving the writhing body on the floor that was Yoongi. Her jaw dropped. She dropped to the floor, rushing over to him.

                “Omo, are you okay? I didn’t know it was you, I promise! I thought you were a gangster!”

                He was cradling his head. “Where did you learn to kick like that, you crazy woman?”

                “Sugchul. Taekwondo. I’m not that good, actually. I’m more of a judo person—wait, why are you in my house?”

                Yoongi let go of his head and looked up at Naeil. She could barely see his eyes in the shadows of her room.

                “I came back because while I was walking away, I saw a shadow in your window, a man’s shadow. There’s not a man who lives here, is there?”

                “No.”

                “You didn’t see anyone?”

                Naeil shivered. “No. No one.”

Author’s Note

HAPPY MLK DAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

I know the chapter’s late, but I don’t even know if I have update days anymore so maybe it’s not late wowwww deep questions to think about. I went on an outline-writing rampage over the weekend because I lost my will to write (or live for that matter) and got through planning part 2.

Honestly though, I got no idea what’s going to happen this semester so…...expect the uhh unexpected.

I wrote a poem just now while I was walking over to my laptop. Wanna hear it? It’s pure genius [no actually not it’s pure garbage that’s what it is] OKAY SINCE YOU INSIST

If I were a butterfly

What ever should I do?

If I were a butterfly

I would fly over to you

If I were a butterfly

I’d be beautiful as small

If I were a butterfly

I’d do really nothing at all

And then I would die

Because I’m a bug

And a bird would probably eat me

Or sumthin