“Yoongi oppa?” I call hesitantly.

 

He sighs. “I know what you’re thinking, but let me get us to our destination first.”

 

I nod and lean back into the seat, my fingers fidgeting with as much curiosity as anxiousness.

 

At the beach, Yoongi finds a nice parking lot and expertly reverses into the spot before killing the engine. For a moment, we both sit in an unnerving silence.

 

“The thing about having multiple identities,” he starts, his voice barely a whisper, “is that one of us must be the host.”

 

I furrow my eyebrows as I watch him speak. The hurt in his eyes is evident and for some reason it pains me to see him be this way. I clear my throat. “I know. You don’t have to say it, oppa.”

 

“Namjoon is the host,” he blurts out. “All our documents are under his name.”

 

“Yoongi oppa…”

 

Yoongi shakes his head. “While we were living with Seyoon hyung, Jin hyung in particular got really close to him. Seyoon hyung… I don’t think he knows much about us, and the topic of the host never came out at all.”

 

He sighs. “One day, he suggested that Jin hyung try to ‘get rid’ of the rest of us. Before that, they were like best friends. Seyoon hyung doesn’t understand but Jin hyung obviously knows that this disorder doesn’t work that way. There was no way he could just get rid of us unless he locks us all up. Deep in his head, that is.

 

“Jin hyung wasn’t up for it. The seven of us… we’re all so close, you know? We have our own inseparable bond. Jin hyung got mad, and apparently so did Seyoon hyung. I don’t know for sure but Seyoon hyung might have been going around hospitals asking for advice. After that, Jin hyung didn’t want to come out anymore. And it’s not like I could let the other kids face this on their own, so I lived on only caffeine that whole week to get things sorted out.”

 

Yoongi pauses for a breath.

 

“And the decision you came up with was to leave?” I ask.

 

“There was no other way around it. Seyoon hyung couldn’t accept the fact that Jin hyung was more than just… Jin hyung.”

 

I let out a slow breath. “It’s been hard on you. All of you.”

 

A stray tear escapes Yoongi’s eyes. Feeling the pinch in my own heart, I lean over and pull him into a hug.

 

Yoongi sniffs and blinks rapidly as if to stop himself from crying.

 

I pat his back lightly. “Our dear oppa, I never would have thought of you to be such a marshmallow.”

 

“What does that even mean?” He croaks. I can almost hear him roll his eyes.

 

“Nothing.” Leaning back, I wipe the tear stains from his face. “Let’s go eat first. I’ll treat this time.”

 

Yoongi brings us to a local soup and rice place a short-distance walk from where he parked his car. The restaurant looks a bit run-down and according to Yoongi only those living in the area know of this place but the food here is actually to die for. A homely auntie peeks out from the kitchen when we enter.

 

“Young man, you haven’t come in a long time,” she greets as she waves for us to sit anywhere.

 

Yoongi smiles, revealing a rare sight of his small upper set of teeth. “I’ve been away for a while.”

 

The auntie turns to look at me. “Girlfriend?”

 

“No,” we both say at the same time.

 

“She’s like a younger sister to me,” Yoongi clarifies and I nod in agreement.

 

Auntie doesn’t look very convinced but she lets it go anyway. “What can I get for you today?”

 

I order the same as whatever Yoongi’s getting and while we wait, I check for messages on my phone. Reading a message from Hani, I immediately call her back.

 

“What do you mean by that?” I ask before she can say anything.

 

Hani sighs. “I don’t know. He came in this morning and suddenly announced that he’s going to be letting a couple of people go. Something about our branch not earning enough to support so many staff members.”

 

“So?” My clench a fist. “Did he say who’s going? Does he even have that authority?”

 

“I don’t know, Kyung, but I think he’s onto you.”

 

I hold my breath. “What?”

 

“He’s been asking around about you,” she whispers. “Have you done anything to offend him?”

 

I rub my temples to soothe a headache. “I knew that jerk looked like someone who doesn’t know how to keep work and personal issues separate.”

 

“Anyway, you’re coming in tomorrow, right? The announcement will be made the day after.”

 

“Yeah, see you tomorrow. Thanks, Hans.” Once I hang up, I let out a long sigh.

 

Yoongi frowns at me. “What’s wrong?”

 

“I think I’m going to lose my job.”

 

“I thought you were going to quit anyway?” He comments, which technically isn’t wrong but getting fired like that is just so… unjust.

 

I scrunch up my face.

 

Yoongi nudges me slightly. “Just stay at home for a while, then. Think of it as a short break until school reopens.”

 

“But the rent…”

 

“If we have to, we’ll cover that for you first,” he says it so casually. “You can always pay us back later.”

 

I scratch my head in frustration.

 

“You’re going to pull your hair out,” auntie interrupts suddenly. She sets our food on the table with a few other side dishes.

 

I smile awkwardly at her and put down my hand.

 

“Thank you for the food,” Yoongi says, and I do the same. Picking up my spoon, I taste the soup first.

 

“Mmm!” My eyes widen. “This is really good!”

 

We spend the rest of the afternoon on the beach. After walking along a good stretch of the shore, Yoongi calls for a break and runs off to lie down on the sand. I spread out the blanket I’ve brought with me and lay it out onto the sand. Half of it intentionally covers Yoongi’s body, including his face. Sitting on the other half, I stare out into the sea. Yoongi pulls the blanket down and tucks it under his chin.

 

“What are you looking at?”

 

I answer without diverting my gaze. “The sea.”

 

We say nothing as we let the sound of waves wash over us.

 

“Oppa, don’t fall asleep.”

 

“I’m not.” But Yoongi yawns. “There should be a café up there somewhere. I’ll go get a coffee.” He doesn’t move for a good two minutes.

 

I laugh. “I’ll go. Iced americano?”

 

“Thanks.” He smiles cheekily and I roll my eyes.

 

Pushing myself up, I take my time walking over. I order an iced americano for him and an iced caramel macchiato for myself. The drinks in hand, I head back to where Yoongi is now lying with the blanket over his face. Is he afraid the sun will tan his milky skin? I nudge him with the base of the cup.

 

“Oppa, your coffee.”

 

No response. He can’t be…? Cautiously lifting the blanket off, I in my breath and let the fabric drop again. I sigh, then uncover just his face so he can breathe more easily. Taking a sip out of my own drink, I push his coffee into the sand to make sure it won’t just fall over.

 

I count the number of ships along the horizon.

 

After what feels like twenty minutes, movement from beside me breaks my reverie and I blink to come back to my senses. Stretching his arms and legs, he sits up.

 

“That was a good sleep,” he beams. Then as if just realising his surrounding, he looks around, confused.

 

“Hoseok-ssi, right? Nice to meet you, I’m Lee Hyekyung.”

 

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