Unexpected pt. II .26.

‘And here comes the guest of honor,’ a familiar voice chimed; the boy standing primly with his hands in his pockets.

‘Fashionably late.’

The blonde positioned himself between the two; a hand running through his hair as he combed back the disheveled cut with his fingers. The male on his right whistled softly as he stared at the older boy’s impeccable attire: white shirt, black blazer, black slacks, and matching black tie-ups. It had been a while since they’d seen their friend dressed for the occasion, and pleasantly surprised at even his attendance, the younger one couldn’t contain his smile.

‘Fashionably late, and downright fashionable at that,’ Jimin commented, still eyeing the combination the older boy had on with an impressed glance.

Suga scoffed; a hand absently straightening the line of buttons on his suit. ‘I had to improvise. Jin wouldn’t take no for an answer.’

‘And I’m glad he didn’t!’ a loud voice boomed from behind, dramatically introducing Hoseok who squeezed through the crowd like a worm in their direction.

He grinned impishly before throwing an arm around the blonde’s shoulders; his head directed at the large chandelier that dangled overhead in all its crystal-like glory.

‘Doesn’t this place bring back sweet memories?’

‘Yep,’ Taehyung appeared with Jin; the p in his agreement popping loudly. ‘Memories of a Suga-hyung with dark hair, who is no more, all thanks to yours truly.’

‘Oh God, is he praising himself?’ Jimin snorted.

Taehyung’s eyebrows wiggled in that sinister way only he was capable of as he sashayed towards Jimin, much like how Hoseok approached. ‘I predict Chimchim’s hair going red!’

Suga watched as the boys broke out into a mini argument, followed by more hilarious comments and laughter when Jungkook appeared shyly behind them. It was his first time at the theatre and being the youngest, it was somewhat understandable of how coy he acted. Thanks to the older boys however, he quickly relaxed, to which Suga responded to with a discreet smile. Even though he’d never otherwise admit it because he was a man of few words, he really did miss his friends. He never quite appreciated them during his period of helplessness when the incident with Yunji took place, but during the time he was not in his body, he grew to realize he took their support for granted all this time.

In fact, if it weren’t for the body swap incident, Suga wasn’t quite sure where he’d be at this point… all he could imagine was a dark place. Somewhere where he was still lost in the past. Still addicted to sleep. To nothingness. But he was glad he found some closure with the incident; he found the strength to move on in a way he couldn’t quite describe.

‘You OK?’

Suga hadn’t realized it but he’d been staring at the large, sparkling crystal light overhead until Jin’s voice pulled him out of his train of deep thoughts. He turned to face the older boy; his back arching as he shoved his hands in his pockets at the side.

‘Of course I am,’ he smiled. ‘Why do you ask?’

Seokjin – like the other boys – was attired in a double-ed, black suit that at certain angles with the lighting, gave off specks of ocean green. Unlike the others however, he had on a long neck scarf that covered a good width of his shoulders as it rounded the shape of his collar in a neat fold; matching tassels dangling over his thighs. He certainly rounded a generous amount of attention from his surroundings, and combined with Suga’s striking blonde hair, the two were seemingly more attractive than the theatre’s gaudy redecoration.

‘Because you look like a maniac about to climb up that chandelier,’ Jin laughed, however his smile gradually fell into a thin line.

‘This place holds a lot of memories for you. If you’re uncomfortable or anything…’

Suga laughed; the sound of it a rare treat for the older boy who felt just a little taken aback by his unexpected reaction. ‘If I was uncomfortable, you probably wouldn’t have been able to drag me out of bed, Jin. I’m fine. In fact, I feel good after a pretty long time. So don’t waste your worry on me. You should use it on the alien instead.’

Jin sighed; a relaxed smile on his lips as he watched the younger three along with Hoseok in conversation with a bigger group that looked somewhat familiar from their distance.

‘Well… there is another reason behind the question,’ he started slowly, glancing at Suga from the side of his eye. ‘And I think you know what that reason is, Yoongi.’

Suga shrugged. ‘You win some, you lose some,’ he mumbled; a thin smile on his lips as if he went through a handful of recollections of her in his mind.

‘I’m sure wherever she is, she's happy. And if she is, so am I.’

Jin looked at him thoughtfully, however his friend’s expression remained unwavering even as he said such a thing. Remaining the only member of the group that was conscious of the body swap truth, it didn’t take him long to realize that with the phenomenon reversal came a fallout between the two. He didn’t know Momoe too well, but he sure as hell knew Suga. And he could tell that even though the younger boy didn’t show it, his expressions, body language, and general lack of attention at times were apparent he was affected by her absence. It was similar to his state when he was still addicted to sleep and loneliness when Yunji had been ripped away from his life, but in a much subtler way.

He was – after all – a person who never quite showed vulnerability even if he was on the brink of self-destruction.

‘That’s a pretty dramatic way of thinking,’ Jin commented absently; a sad smile finding its way on his lips.

Suga scoffed, accompanying the snarky response with a slanted grin which quickly allowed for the older boy to relax again. ‘I’m not a poet for nothing, you know.’

The two shared a hearty chuckle at the truth of his statement before separating into the crowd where Seokjin had seemingly spotted faces he knew. Suga had his fair share of surprised and lingering looks; the blonde hair definitely not helping his predicament, which also attracted more than he bargained for from the surrounding female attendants.

As much as he would have liked going back to indulging in darker shades, Taehyung’s suggestion of platinum blonde appealed to him unexpectedly. It was an outlandish prospect at first, yet the more he dwelled on it, the more he found himself liking the idea. It was something different; something new… it was one thing of her that was left behind that he willingly let go of.

It’s a start, he often remarked whenever he glanced into the mirror or tousled his hair absently. A start to moving on. Yet the state of his apartment said otherwise.

‘Yoongi…!’ a familiar voice cried excitedly, pulling him out of his thoughts. ‘I’m so glad you made it!’

He glanced over the crowd and immediately placed the voice to a face; a handsome smile replacing his otherwise thoughtful expression.

‘Ahjussi,’ he acknowledged when the middle aged man attired in heavily theatrical-themed clothes approached; the two sharing a solid handshake. ‘It’s good to be back. Thanks for the invitation.’

And his words were certainly true. Despite the initial nostalgia when he’d arrived, whatever uncertainty he imagined he’d feel was now nonexistent. Even though he hadn’t a segment in the schedule for tonight himself (to the owner’s mild disappointment), Suga felt relatively at ease being in the theatre. The two shared small talk for a moment before the older man had to leave; a guest on his far left catching his attention.

‘Oh, it almost slipped my mind,’ ahjussi turned back again quickly, catching Suga’s attention.

The blonde cocked an eyebrow. ‘Yes?’

‘There’s a guest I’d like you to show backstage if you don’t mind popping in,’ he explained, half lingering in the younger one’s direction, half being pulled into the crowd. ‘She’s an ex-employee of mine, Ito Momoe. It’s unlikely you two met, but she…’

The mention of the name was so unexpected that Suga looked at him in complete bewilderment as he continued explaining the girl’s expired expertise at the theatre; his hand gesturing in the opposite direction before he disappeared entirely with a curtly nod. Momoe was at the theatre? For what reason? Who was she going backstage for?

A hundred and one questions plagued his mind in that instant yet Suga quickly pulled himself out of the daze. He turned around and began pushing past guests calmly despite how much disarray his thoughts were in… or perhaps how many ridiculous things he felt at the time. He found it difficult to believe she was actually there, and wondered for a moment if he heard the man right.

It’s probably someone else, he said to himself, however deep down he knew the possibility was slim. It can’t…

Oh, but it was. He spotted her almost immediately; his eyes landing on her with as much recognition as the bloated moon on a clear night. She was seemingly in conversation with a group of men; her back visible to Suga who lingered a few feet away apprehensively. He felt a great deal of things at the time, but one of the most prominent of emotions was grueling uncertainty.

An uncertainty that was temporarily masked behind the admiration his searching eyes held as he drank in every detail of her he could. Her hair was as he remembered: medium length, brown, straight locks that twirled like tall wisps of smoke at the ends. She was attired rather nicely from what he saw; an outfit he clearly remembered picking out himself that day they visited the mall together. The sight – paired with the memory of the trip – was enough to put a small smile on his face. An expression he couldn’t remember making for the longest time; adoration. She looked unrecognizably petite; small hands curled, lips pursed coyly, high cheek bones catching the light… she looked perfect.

The thought escaped through the appropriation sieve in his mind with such absent-mindedness that when he registered what he just acknowledged, he felt his insides burn slightly with embarrassment. He was a poet, alright. But far from a hopeless romantic. However the pleasant things he felt along with the excitement upon seeing her again was short-lived, and the apprehension returned like a heavy weight in his gut.

Could he face her again after the messy parting they shared? He didn’t think so. He didn’t even think he’d see her again let alone be faced with such a predicament ever since they went their separate ways. Yet even though there was the part of him that found the prospect of his approach demeaning, another part of him was all too eager to see her again. To hear her voice again. To simply be within her compass, because he couldn’t deny what he felt: he missed her.

‘I’m sorry,’ he heard her say from his distance; her voice tinged with embarrassment and something else he couldn’t quite decipher, but which reached his ears effortlessly because he strained to hear her every word.

‘I’ll be leaving, then…’

She’s leaving again, the voice at the back of his mind whispered involuntarily, however Suga lowered his head quickly to avoid catching her eye as she turned around. The clearly outstanding colour of his hair was a factor he’d momentarily forgotten about then as he attempted ducking her field of vision and slipping back into the crowd, yet something kept him lingering longer than he’d liked.

He looked up one last time at her; the girl’s form trembling visibly as she departed from the group of men she seemingly conversed with moments prior. He found it odd that she seemed rooted to the ground; her hands balled into tight fists at her sides, and her eyes staring directly ahead of her at nothing in particular, and he couldn’t help but feel concern worm its way into his belly.

He ought to have left. Ought to have convinced himself he didn’t see her so soon, ought to have let her go, yet his legs moved on their own accord.

‘Hey, what if she hears us…?’ a voice from the group of men she just exited said with a tinge of humor.

He was a handsome man, Suga noted. Dark hair and dark eyes that were accompanied by the unmistakable dent in his cheek as he smiled crookedly. ‘For a stupid dare, I can’t believe she actually took me seriously.’

‘Well nobody asked you to be that darn charming, Jiho.’

It didn’t take him long to put two and two together. He couldn’t be positive of the situation, but judging by the girl’s reaction and their unmistakably loud voices he was certain she and the surrounding guests heard, Suga didn’t think twice about his following actions. He leapt forward and s