"Yumi!" she called, waving excitedly. "Over here!"

Her best friend swerved around and made a beeline in her direction.

"Hey, Sujin, what's up?" Yumi grinned. "Any more exciting Suga stories to tell me?"

Sujin rolled her eyes. "None of the things you've wheedled out of me were actually exciting."

"If it's got Suga, it's exciting," Yumi argued cheerfully.

She rolled her eyes again. "No, I—whoa!"

Someone bumped into her from behind and she flailed her arms wildly, trying to regain her balance. She tipped forward and Yumi scrambled to help her but someone else’s hand caught her around the waist first.

“Whoa there. You okay?”

Sujin looked up at the familiar voice and smiled when she saw Jungkook. “Jungkook! Thanks for saving me. Again.” She blushed as she stood up and his arm slid away from her body.

“My pleasure,” he said gallantly.

Yumi gazed after the rude person and yelled, “You could’ve at least said sorry, you jerk!”

“Yumi, I’m fine, don’t—“ Her voice broke off when the person turned, her eyes widening. Of course.

Suga.

Yumi gasped, realizing that she had just insulted Suga, the gangster of gangsters. “Oh god. Is he gonna kill me? I don’t wanna die yet!”

Jungkook chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” He grinned charmingly at Yumi, who blushed and stammered nonsense.

“Jungkook.” Suga’s low voice pierced through the din of the hall.

“Coming, Suga-hyung!” Jungkook flashed a quick smile at the two girls. “See you later!”

He dashed off and Yumi rounded on Sujin. “When did you become besties with Jungkook? How could you not tell me this?”

“I thought we were besties,” she joked but at Yumi’s glare, she sighed and admitted, “I—may have gotten lost going home one day and Jungkook helped me out.”

“Sujin! Why don’t you tell me things unless I force them out of you!” Yumi shrieked and slapped the girl’s arm.

“Ow!” she hissed. “Someone help, I’m being abused!”

Yumi rolled her eyes and pouted. “Why don’t you ever tell me anything?”

“Because I don’t think to,” Sujin said with a shrug.

“But this is such a big deal!” Yumi squealed. “How can you even forget?”

“It’s not that big a deal…”

The bell rang before Yumi could retort wittily.

“I’ll grill you later,” Yumi vowed. “See ya!”

Sujin sighed heavily. Yumi was going to go Spanish Inquisition on her—again. Rubbing a hand over her face, she hurried to class, not wanting to think about BTS anymore.

She somehow survived the long, boring lectures, the painful interrogation during lunch, and more class, and now she was finally on the subway. She glanced sideways at Suga and found him staring at her with a completely unreadable expression. His face was wiped blank and his eyes were hard and his mouth was set in a line, with a lingering shadow of his typical scowl.

She blushed under his gaze but forced herself not to look away. She ignored her body’s trembling and kept her eyes on his, not sure what point she was trying to prove. That she wasn’t scared of him? She obviously was, hence her shaky limbs. That she wouldn’t let him push her around? But she would, if it really came down to it. Because she was still scared of what he could do to her. She was a wimp after all.

So why? She wracked her own brain for an answer as she continued to burn her eyes into his and she swore his eyes widened the slightest bit and the hard line of his mouth softened. She unconsciously shifted closer and thought she saw a shattering in his eyes.

There. That was why.

Because every time she looked at him, just looked at him, she could see abandonment and isolation. Maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her, but she couldn’t help seeing it. And she had always been weak for the lonely. It was the reason she sacrificed her food and time to forsaken animals on street sides; the reason she secretly left food and money by a beggar’s meager belongings; the reason, she realized now, that she was so drawn to Suga. She had never known such neglect and it hurt her heart whenever she saw it. Yumi always told her she was just a pushover busybody, but she didn’t care. What was so bad about helping others anyway?

But she wasn’t sure she could do anything in this situation. As Suga finally blinked away, looking down at his hands on his lap, she released a shaky breath and felt hopeless. Why did she have to be such a busybody? There was nothing she could do for Suga—nothing he would even want her to do. But she was restless now and she knew he would weigh on her mind until she satisfied her desire to help him.

She sighed harshly, angry at herself and Suga. Why did he have to look like that? Why did he have to be a gangster? Why did she have to be so meddlesome? Why, why, why?

She was undeniably curious and there was nothing she could do except move forward and ask timidly, “M-may I sit here?”

A/N: Okay, so it didn't turn out as long as I was hoping. But I felt like this was a good ending point—a turning point. :D I'll try to write more next chapter! Get some meat in there. OTL

Do you guys think the characters are changing too quickly, especially Suga? I actually considered making him a misogynist but then I didn't cuz I thought it would take way too long to write his recovery...but now does it seem like he's doubting himself too quickly??? :/ I'm bad at pacing things lol Cuz I at planning. >.< Let me know in the comments! It'll help me outline and pace the story better. :)

Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

skyblaze208, OUT!

EDIT 7/8/15: Gave her a name because it's too difficult to write scenes with Yumi without a name. Sorry! I hope you don't mind! I won't go back and change the other three chapters because they're alright as they are. Sorry to kinda spring this on you.

© Copyright 2014 by skyblaze208