A/N: Hello, friends!!! It's been a while hasn't it? Like a little over a week? I'm so sorry I took a hella long time to update this. Everything is a mess in my regular life (and my fandom life tbh) and I've also gotten sick on top of it, so yeah. Hurray for sickness. BUT!!! the Run Teaser that mothering Bangtan released last night has got me in a mental breakdown that I just can't escape, and I figured it would be the same for you all as well, so I figured now was as good a time as any to update! This is a long chapter but I hope you like it!!! Credit for the title of the chapter goes (once again) to Lost Stars originally by Adam Levine, but in this case I am talking about our Fab Fetus' cover. The same Kookie WHO PUNCHED YOONGI IN HIS BEAUTIFUL FACE IN THE TEASER WHAT THE ACTUAL WHAT?!?? Boooyyyyyy, you about to get a beat down. Yoongi might be a tiny kitty, but he has sharp claws that will rip your face to shreds. Ok, I'm cool, I'm calm...just have a lot of feels about everything going on right now. And them mothering teaser pictures WHY DOES YOONGI HAVE GREEN HAIR AND TATTOOS END ME--

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty:

 

Jimin doesn’t bring up the song to his bandmates in the other realm the next time he sees them. Yoongi seems to have forgotten all about the little stunt Jimin had pulled by kissing his cheek and all seems to have gone back to normal. The older is no longer avoiding him, and neither are Jungkook and Taehyung avoiding each other either. In fact, all they have been doing is going through promotions over and over again for Boy in Luv and Just One Day. Jimin had missed the last concert they had performed at (yet again) and when he arrived the next day, it was just a photoshoot and a few interviews they went to that day. The day ended pretty quickly and before he knew it, Jimin was once again back in his home universe.

 

At school, it was finally time for lunch and Jimin followed along with Taehyung and Jungkook like normal to head to their lunch table where they would meet up with Namjoon and Jin. Along the way, Jimin catches a glimpse of orange hair and pierced ears.  Yoongi is coming out of the lunch line with his food in hand is about to head out of the cafeteria and to wherever it is that he usually eats when Jimin stops him.

 

“Hyung,” Jimin pops up beside him, almost barking like a puppy, “do you want to eat with us today?”

 

Yoongi looks startled for a moment, turning to look back at their table where everyone except for Hoseok is sitting there chatting and eating their lunch. Jimin follows the trails of his eyes and spots where his gaze has landed. Probably feeling the heat of their combined gaze, Jin turns his head and locks eyes with them. He tilts his head in a curious way then beckons the both of them over with a smile.

 

Yoongi turns back to face him. Jimin gives him his biggest most pleading puppy dog eyes, just hoping the older would be swayed. Jimin really wanted the older to eat with them today--eat with him.

 

*******Yoongi’s POV*******

 

“Pleeaassseee, hyung,” Jimin begs, “This will be good for you, bonding with the other members of BTS in a way that isn’t through the eyes of your counterpart. Pleasssssseeeee--”

 

“Alright, alright,” Yoongi gives in, grumbling, since when did this stupid brat have such an influence over me? he didn’t answer but there was an odd feeling in his chest like he already knew the answer, “I’ll go.”

 

Jimin cheers a little and Yoongi most certainly does not almost swoon at how endearing the younger looks. He grabs Yoongi’s hand in his, ignoring the way he shivers at the contact, and pulls the older with him to their lunch table.

 

“Hey, guys,” Jimin starts, “you all know Min Yoongi. Yoongi-hyung, this is everyone!”

 

Yoongi lifts a hand in a silent wave hello to them. Namjoon and Taehyung are the first to respond.

 

“You’re Suga!” Namjoon exclaims. Yoongi almost jerks before he remembers that Namjoon is actually a frequent visitor to the club he performs at a lot. He hadn’t realized that the older recognized him whenever he went on stage.

 

“You wrote Cypher!” Taehyung blurts at the same time. He starts to feel embarrassed about being recognized, turning his head down and to the side. It was one thing to see himself famous in one reality, but to have fans in this reality….that was just weird. Especially considering these were supposed to be his teammates.

 

“Uh, yeah,” Yoongi mumbles awkwardly, “that’s me.”

 

“You were great at the performance,” Jungkook says, “the best that night for sure!”

 

“Dude, you should see him all the other times he’s there,” Namjoon points out, “he’s the best every night. Undefeated champ!”

 

Yoongi continues to say nothing, sitting down quietly instead. The others chat happily, bringing him into the conversation every now and then. Yoongi almost smiles when he comes to find out that he and Namjoon seem to have a lot to talk about because Namjoon continues to ask him questions about his rapping and Yoongi finds out that this Namjoon is into rapping as well. Not only that but Yoongi finds out that all of the BTS member counterparts, the ones he had come to know only in his visions, had many of the same talents as their counterparts. Yoongi learned that Jungkook was a singer and a dancer here as well; Taehyung having the same talent for singing too. Hell, even Jin, the one Yoongi had previously thought would be nothing like his BTS counterpart, was actually pretty damn similar. Yoongi was still weary of the aura-reader though, not sure just how much the older could tell about him just with one look.

 

Yoongi finally could tell what Jimin had been going through and how hard it was to distinguish these guys from their BTS counterparts. They were practically the same people, although there were some stark differences. For example, Namjoon was smart enough in this universe, but he didn’t have an out of this world IQ like his counterpart, although he did teach himself English just like the other Namjoon

 

In this universe, he found out, Jungkook and Taehyung actually were together, and Taehyung wasn’t nearly as unchained and crazy in this universe as he was in the other universe, but not by much. Yoongi learned that Jin still loved to cook, but that because his family was rich, they never allowed him to really practice, therefore he was actually terrible at it.

 

And Jimin...well, Jimin had an almost untraceable lace of sadness to his voice whenever he spoke. Not only that, but because Yoongi had come to know him in two universes, he could see that this version of Jimin was very different in demeanor from his counterpart, especially when interacting with the different set of the same friends. Maybe it was because there were no cameras in this universe out to film their every move. There wasn’t any pressure to be entertaining, there was nobody watching them, expecting them to do something interesting and funny for them. So Jimin wasn’t constantly trying to cram into the shot for some screen time and Jungkook and Taehyung were a lot more open with their personalities, uncaring about an image to uphold.

 

It was strange for Yoongi to sit here with another version of his teammates and even weirder without Hoseok here. These were people who were, by default, his friends in the other realm, but in this universe they weren’t. At least not yet. But the more Yoongi sat here and talked to them and learned about them, the more he realized, just like Jimin, how they all had a lot more in common then he realized.

 

The topic of the conversation shifts away from causal introductions and pleasantries to get to know you’s and everyone’s interest. Then the conversation suddenly switches to the current news that had been going around the school.

 

“There’s an annual class trip happening next weekend. We’re going to head down to Busan and stay in a few cabins along Haeundae beach,” Namjoon informs them. Yoongi sees Jimin freeze from the corner of his eye. Actually, that was a lie. Yoongi had had the younger within sight at all times, even when he was talking to the others. Not that he would ever let the other know that.

 

“We’re going to Busan?” Jimin squeaks. Yoongi thinks back to all of the information he had learned about Jimin, from other realms. He remembers all of the pain of losing his family and even now he was having problems with his brother. If this was confusing for Yoongi, it was bound to be a trainwreck inside Jimin’s head. It was one thing to go back to Busan in the other realm where the boy’s family was alive and well but to go back to Busan in this universe? This universe where his family was dead and any remembrance of them that that city might have would be forever tarnished.

 

“It’s just for a long weekend and we wouldn’t really be going anywhere too far from the beach, Namjoon explains, “Are you gonna go, Yoongi?”

 

Yoongi snaps to attention when he realizes that Namjoon had been addressing his question towards him. He felt a mild form of anxiety starting to bubble in his stomach now that all eyes were on him, waiting for an answer. As their eyes continued to bore into him, Yoongi could feel a prickle at the back of his head. It slowly worked it’s way forward, slithering to the front of his mind and Yoongi could see it start to cloud out of the corner of his eyes like the beginning of a disastrous rainstorm. The blackness.

 

Yoongi knew what it was. It was him--his subconscious--itching and scratching it’s way out from the deep trenches of his mind, oozing out to reach out for their shadows. To grasp them with the blackened and charred tentacles and twist them--crack them, warp their minds until they no longer knew of a person named Yoongi. Until they completely forgot a monster like him existed. He could feel the tingling at the tips of his fingers, twitching--a dull screamed building in his bones until it crescendoed into a scream that drove him mad and told him to reach out to the five susceptible minds in front of him. So weak, so defenceless. He could drive them all mad if he wanted to. Could drive them to the brink of insanity and then with the whisper of his breath--push them over the edge. He felt the temptation washing over his entire body, encapsulating him.

 

The rational part of his mind fought back. He tried to think clearly, but his anxiety, triggered by his instinct to fight or flight, kept on welling up. He could feel his hands shaking and a small sweat breaking out on his brow. No! Yoongi shouted in his mind. I don’t want to! he screamed into the void in his head, as his eyes fluttered hard and his breath was starting to come in and out like pants. No, I don’t want to! I can’t, I can’t--

 

And then a hand is on his. Yoongi’s head snaps to the side and his eyes lock with the brown, concerned eyes of Park Jimin, sitting to his right. As if driven away by a blinding light, the slimy black vines unravel themselves from around Yoongi’s body. The tingling, almost spark-like feeling in his fingers disappears and the darkness of his shadow retreats back, deep deep into the unexplored trenches of his ed up mind.

 

“Yoongi,” Jimin’s voice comes out almost like wind chimes--whispering like wind in his ears and spreading a warm feeling throughout his body, starting at the point of contact at their conjoined hands.

 

“Hey, are you okay man?” It’s Namjoon who asks this and Yoongi momentarily unlocks his gaze from Jimin’s. He clears his throat.

 

“Um, yeah, I’m fine--just, yeah, sorry,” Yoongi answers meekly. Yoongi lifts his gaze up and spots the heated stare of Jin sitting right across from him. He gives him the hardest stare Yoongi had ever been on the receiving of--and he’d received a lot in his life time. The older looked like he knew everything. Like he had witnessed the whole internal struggle Yoongi had just had as if it was glaring neon billboard sign. The thought made Yoongi immensely uncomfortable.

 

“I don’t know if I will go on this trip,” Yoongi registers Jimin saying. His eyes are immediately drawn from Jin’s intense stare to the oh-so-familiar melancholic eyes of Jimin. He had the fakest smile Yoongi had ever seen on his face, as he explained to them that he wasn’t really feeling up to it.

 

“Oh, come on, hyung,” Jungkook protested, “you have to come! This is our first class trip with you! And now Yoongi too!”

 

Yoongi almost remarks about how this young brat was being awfully forward, just up and assuming that Yoongi was going to tag along. He doesn’t say a word though, distracted by Jimin when he looks up at Yoongi with wary eyes.

 

“Are--are you going to come, Yoongi-hyung?” Jimin asks. Yoongi can tell by the tone in his voice that the only way Jimin would go was if Yoongi went. Yoongi figured it would be because Yoongi was the only one here who knew so much about how Jimin felt about everything that was happening to him. Except maybe Jin. Yoongi found a bitter taste in his mouth, thinking back to the older aura reader who was probably getting closer and closer to the younger.

 

Now that Yoongi thought about it, he realized he had a blaring blind spot. He had no idea what went on with the Jimin of his realm. Yoongi had gotten so used to knowing everything that was going on with Jimin in both realms, that he forgot that he didn’t have direct access to this Jimin. He would have to work for any answers out of him. His mind screeches to a halt when he realizes there was someone who could get answers out of Jimin….Hoseok.

 

“Actually,” Yoongi starts, drawling slightly on the first syllable, “I had promised Hoseok that I would go somewhere with him that weekend. He gets very moody if I cancel plans.”

 

Jimin looks at him like he doesn’t believe him, but the others speak up.

 

“Invite him along!” Taehyung starts, “the more the merrier!”

 

“He’s not a high school student,” Yoongi tries to say.

 

“That actually doesn’t really matter,” Jungkook says, “this is a pretty prestigious school so you can actually bring along people if you sign their name up alongside yours. Kind of like a plus one.”

 

Yoongi snorts, “I doubt that’d work for me.”

 

“Why is that?” Jin asks, speaking up for the first time since Yoongi’s incident.

 

“This school is not too kind to scholarship students,” Yoongi murmurs quietly. He hadn’t really made it known to anybody that he was a scholarship student, figuring he wasn’t going to make friends anyway so why bother announcing useless information. Saying it now, he realized that it probably wasn’t a good idea because not many students at this school were on scholarship. Yoongi was one of the few because of his connections to Big Hit Entertainment. Apparently their president had some connections to the board of this school, being a part of their music program and he wanted Yoongi to come to this particular school. Hoseok, being the genius he was, was already out of school, leaving Yoongi to be the only one who still needed to complete schooling. Yoongi didn’t particularly care which school he went to so he readily agreed to come here. He hadn’t realized it was legit- a school for rich snooty students--chaebols or descendents of famous family members. It was a school of and for connections and Yoongi found he didn’t want any.

 

So he had laid low. He didn’t make any friends therefore he didn’t have to tell anybody that he wasn’t actually here for the normal reasons. Besides having friends as dangerous. Now, telling the people in front of him he somehow worried that they would judge him. Yet the other part of his brain shut that up right away and prepared himself with a witty rebellious comeback about how he didn’t give a flying potato if they didn’t want to talk to him because he was on scholarship. But that didn’t happen.

 

Instead, Namjoon just shook his head, “I can take care of that. We can for sure get your friend to come and he won’t even have to pay.”

 

“Really?” Jimin said with a breathy voice filled with relief. Yoongi could feel his resolve to not go deflate significantly. He already knew he was gonna end up giving up and giving in to the wishes of the younger boy.

 

“Okay…” Yoongi starts, “I guess we could come.”

 

Taehyung and Jungkook high five and bro hug, although when they sit down their hands are still interlocked and intertwined. Yoongi can’t help but think back to the other versions of those two, the ones who were having a hard time coming to terms with their feelings for each other that were obvious to him, but not to them. He wondered if those two would get their heads outta their asses and finally realize--like the two in front of him--that they loved each other.

 

When Yoongi finally glances over to look at Jimin, he finds that the younger’s eyes are swimming with gratitude and Yoongi finds that maybe he won’t mind going on this trip after all.

 

********

 

Yoongi finds himself apprehensive about falling asleep that night. He hadn’t had any visions of the other realm that day (although he almost lost control over his manipulation powers, but he stowed that far back into the filing cabinets of his mind), so he knew that when he fell asleep he would get an onslaught of visions.

 

Yoongi couldn’t stop his thoughts about the night Jimin had kissed the other version of him on the cheek. Yoongi could feel the burn of the younger’s lips on his cheek as if he had actually been there in person. As if he had been the one the younger had kissed. Yoongi had always prided himself on being a pretty chill person. He never thought of himself as the type of person to get jealous easily. But lately he started catching himself in the middle of random flares of insane jealousy. And the worst part? It wasn’t even about someone else. He was ing jealous of himself. He was jealous of the relationship that the other version of him had with the Jimin from his universe. Not only did his counterpart get to have the perfect life, but he also got the affections of people who weren’t even from his world. And Jimin…

 

Jimin wanted to be a part of that world. He didn’t want to belong to this world anymore. And Yoongi understood that. In fact, he had felt the same way. For years, he hadn’t wanted to live in this world either. For years, he watched his counterpart live as part of the group he so desperately wanted. Sure, his counterpart had some difficulties now and then, but he had a family. He had the 7 of them, all together. Yoongi could feel the strength of their bond even though it was never directed at him personally. He wanted that for himself, but after a while...he began to feel disheartened. He found himself not wanting to do anything anymore. It was hopeless. Everything was useless. The only thing he could do was to try to make his own world become as close to the other as possible.

 

But then Jimin had shown up. His hopes suddenly came rising to the surface and he found that maybe just maybe what he wanted could be a reality again. Yet he had gotten to know the boy and seeing just how badly the other wanted to stay in the other realm, made Yoongi realize how much that idea, the one he himself had fancied many times, would never work. It was futile. Even with Jimin’s Bestowed ability, as powerful as it was, he had no control over it. He couldn’t stay in the other realm permanently even if he wanted to.

 

Yoongi couldn’t keep his mind off the reality hopper and every time he caught himself in the middle of a stupid thought the more he began to think maybe he should distance himself from the boy. But almost immediately he found himself rejecting the idea. Why was that? Why was his mind so determined to constantly be stuck on this boy? Yoongi had absolutely no ing clue. All he knows was that he catches a glimpse of a smiling brown haired boy behind his eyes before he falls asleep and back into unconsciousness.

 

The first thing the visiting Yoongi notices is that they are on the beach. It’s a warm and beautiful day but he was wearing sunglasses and trying his best to avoid the sun. The second thing he notices is that there is a camera crew following them and there are a significant amount of foreigners on this beach. His counterpart continues walking on, like nothing is amiss, leaving Yoongi stuck in his head and wondering where the hell they were.

 

“LA man!!” Yoongi hears Taehyung and Jungkook scream at the same time, running into the water whilst holding their pants up past their thighs. Jimin and Hoseok are flitting around beside them, playing with the sand and the water. Yoongi turns his head and sees Seokjin and Namjoon hanging back slightly, talking amongst each other and their managers, whilst conveniently standing out of the way of the cameras currently trained on the four near the water.

 

Suddenly the camera is in Yoongi’s face and he has to stop himself from jerking backwards. It’s been so many years and he’s still not used to being filmed all the time. A noona is behind the camera and she asks him questions with a blank face.

 

“How do you feel about being in America and performing here for the first time?” the noona asks. Although this information wasn’t surprising for the Yoongi of that world, the Yoongi in his head was surprised. They were in the United States. And apparently they were going to be performing.

 

“I’m very excited,” Yoongi answers, his voice slightly automated, “I can’t wait to get to know America like this.”

 

“What are your expectation for being a part of this new show, ‘American Hustle Life’?” the noona asks again, not letting Yoongi get away from the interview.

 

“I’m looking forward to all that this experience will teach me,” Yoongi answers. Based on the thoughts floating through his counterparts head, it seems to Yoongi like he had thought a lot about this ‘show’ they were going to be on. Apparently, they had come here to learn about the origins of hip hop and to learn from experts in order to improve themselves and their music. The thought actually excited Yoongi and he was curious to see where this show would lead.

 

The camera is no longer focused on him as the noona turns to go film Taehyung and Hoseok standing near the water and getting scolded for splashing water at each other while they still had their mics on. Yoongi was thankful for the distraction. He looks out towards the water where the sun was starting to set on their first day in America. Yoongi’s eyes drift off to the side and fall upon a familiar petite figure off to the side standing happily with his feet in the water and a million watt smile on his face. The smile is more blinding than even the sun.

 

******

 

Later that night, it’s dark and the managers decide to stop somewhere because they need to go fix some things with their visas. Nobody minds, everything seems normal, and the managers get out stating they should be back soon. Yoongi instead looks at his phone whilst everyone else sits in the car and waits for their managers to come back.

 

Yoongi is sitting in between Jimin and Jin, whilst Hoseok sits with Namjoon in the middle. Taehyung and Jungkook take up the seat closest to the front, with one open spot next to them where one of their managers usually sat to film them whilst they drove through the city. All of them are just doing nothing, some sleeping, some just hanging around waiting. They don’t really expect it at all when two unfamiliar foreign figures open the van door and shove their way in. Yoongi doesn’t even really notice something is amiss until he hears Hoseok’s shriek of terror from in front of him.

 

He feels Jimin freeze beside him and Jin gasp slightly but other than that, the two don’t make a sound. Neither does Yoongi although he can hear the panicked attempts at getting the men to let them go from Jungkook in the front seat.

 

Something about this whole scene didn’t feel right--and it wasn’t just the fact that they were supposedly getting kidnapped. Yoongi felt a vague sense of deja vu from Rookie King when the PDnim’s had tried and failed multiple times to scare Yoongi and the others. It wasn’t like Yoongi was completely fearless but these attempts were so obvious and Yoongi was very perceptive at catching on to them. Not to mention that the cameras in the car were still rolling, according to the green lights flashing in the corner on the devices, and filming their every move. Yoongi relaxed in that moment, deciding to just be calm. There were two people in the car who weren’t though. Hoseok was normally a scaredy cat, and Jimin was quick to scare as well, which meant those two probably didn’t even bother to consider if this was all a setup for their show.

 

Sure enough when Yoongi turns his head the slightest to the side, he sees Jimin’s hand is balled up into a fist on the seat. A glance at his face would fool anybody into thinking that Jimin was the pinnacle of calmness right now, but behind the chair, his demeanor was anything but calm. Yoongi could automatically tell that Jimin was on the verge of panicking right now but no one could say a word to help him. So Yoongi does the only thing he can think to do at this very moment, he places his hand firmly upon Jimin’s and watches as he visibly relaxes at the touch, all without either of them saying a word or looking at each other. The others head turns slightly towards him and Yoongi knows that Jimin is looking at him. So Yoongi flicks his head silently towards the cameras hoping that the younger would get what he was trying to say. The younger seems to notice because his eyes widen slightly and he gives Yoongi’s had a nudge before turning away and pretending like nothing just happened.

 

After they exit the car and enter the building, Yoongi starts to feel bad for his teammates. He doesn’t know which of them knew this was fake and which of them still believed they were actually getting kidnapped. He could tell that their youngest was completely believing it, fidgeting and chewing his lip despite being yelled at to stop. Yoongi couldn’t understand exactly what the men were saying--they didn’t exactly learn all these words in their brief english classes, but he knew that it was best to just sit quiet and still and follow Namjoon’s lead whenever one of the burly men decided to order them to do something.

 

They take their hats, their sunglasses and their shoes off. They even have to take one of their socks off and Yoongi internally laughs at the hilarity of the whole situation. He could see the camera clear as day, filming their every move.  They even made a few of them switch seats when they noticed him staring at the camera and Yoongi couldn’t believe how obvious these people were being. It doesn’t stop until all of a sudden a voice sounds and a video starts to play on the wall. Yoongi picks up on the words ‘American Hustle Life’ and ‘hip hop’ and remembers that that’s the name of the show they were supposed to be a part of. Seemed to him like this little charade was going to be coming to an end soon. As soon as the men leave, the others start to titter and question about. Yoongi scratches at his head and moves to put his hat back on.

 

He grumbles, rubbing his eyes, “Aishhh, what is this? I was sleeping in the car.”

 

The rest of them seem pretty worked up; wondering aloud what’s going on. Namjoon explains that this was part of the show, but that didn’t stop the others from being freaked out. Was the show really going to take place here? Those were the questions many of them asked, and Yoongi just decided that since the cameras were still on that they should just go to sleep and wait for tomorrow. In the end, they slowly disperse to the beds and Yoongi promptly falls asleep, too dead tired to care anymore.

 

*******

 

The weekend arrives in a whirlwind. Yoongi hadn’t actually had to ask Hoseok to come along on the trip to Busan. The annoying mind reader picked up on his thoughts as soon as he had gone home that night. He agreed too fast and with too much enthusiasm that any person in this world should have. Namjoon had kept his promise and got Hoseok onto the list quite easily and with no charge.

 

That whole week the boy had asked him not stop questions about the others. He said he wanted to know as much as possible about them before meeting them for the first time. Yoongi didn’t exactly understand why this was necessary when the older would know everything within seconds of meeting them anyway. Yoongi had thought meeting Jimin previously would stop Hoseok from being curious about the younger, but it turns out all that meeting had done was lead Hoseok to become even more curious about Jimin. Yoongi was not fond of all the questions Hoseok was asking him, because he would always, always get the answers he wanted even if Yoongi wanted to hide them.

 

Hoseok hadn’t mentioned anything to him about how he had almost slipped up and used his power. The other rapper had seen everything, Yoongi’s thoughts seeping out of his mind in wisps like smoke. Thankfully, he didn’t ask Yoongi any questions about that particular issue.

 

Soon enough, it was the weekend and Yoongi was starting to get anxious. Of course, that would never show on his exterior--where he was as cold and calm as a still ocean. The only one who could tell was Hoseok, and the boy didn’t bother to hide how much he found this situation hilarious. Yoongi tried his best to ignore him, but it got harder especially as they arrived at the school and saw the group of boys Yoongi was currently dreading meeting.

 

“Hi, Yoongi Hyung!” Jimin calls to them with a large smile, “Hi, Hoseok Hyung!”

 

As they get closer, the acid in Yoongi’s stomach starts to react badly and he can feel his insides churning. It’s strange being here with everyone. Finally all together in person.

 

“Hi, everyone! I’m Jung Hoseok, Yoongi’s roommate and BFF for life,” Hoseok introduces himself with his usual wide grin, even throwing in a comical V pose in the air. Yoongi groans.

 

Everyone greets him in turn and Taehyung seems to take an instant liking to him.  Jimin tells the group how Hoseok is a dancer and a rapper as well, and this gains the interest of both Jungkook and Namjoon in turn. Hoseok continues to chat with the whole group as the rest of the school shows up and waits in turns for the teachers to come and direct them onto the buses headed down to Busan.

 

That Jin guy is interesting, Yoongi suddenly hears the familiar voice of Hoseok in his head, very perceptive and his aura readings are extremely precise. He could tell I was Bestowed and could read minds as soon as he laid eyes upon me.

 

Yoongi listens to the projected thoughts into his head as he takes in the scene before him. All the while Hoseok was sending him thoughts, the aforementioned was continuing to multi-task and chat with everyone and anyone in their group. Yoongi fidgets awkwardly. He wasn’t really talking at all, instead opting to listen to the chatterings of the group. He felt the pressure to say something, but he honestly didn’t know if he should or not. Instead of risking anything, he just decided to keep his mouth shut and only answer or talk when someone said something to him.

 

Jimin keeps thinking about you, Hoseok sends into his mind. Yoongi can feel his cheeks heating up and he quickly snaps at Hoseok in his head, telling the other to shut the up before he kicks his for real.

 

Yoongi can feel Jimin’s eyes on him throughout the whole time of their chatting. Yoongi is almost afraid to look up. He doesn’t really want to see the pitiful look in Jimin’s eyes. Nevertheless, Yoongi can’t resist the temptation and ends up looking to Jimin anyway. What he sees, isn’t what he was expecting. Instead of anything resembling pity, he sees a look of gratitude in his eyes. Was...was this what Hoseok had been trying to tell him?

 

Jimin is really glad you showed up, Hoseok projects to him, he keeps thinking about how he wouldn’t have had the strength to go home if you weren’t here.

 

Now Yoongi is really feeling sick. The nerves in his stomach increase ten-fold and Yoongi is almost positive he is gonna throw up right then and there and ruin any cool image he might have been maintaining.

 

“Okay, all students to the buses!” a chaperone calls out.

 

Oh thank ing God, Yoongi thinks in his mind. A chuckle that doesn’t belong to him resounds in his head.

 

********

 

When they arrive at the beach, they are placed in little bungalow-like houses along the waterfront. Yoongi hadn’t been aware that when Namjoon had signed them up that he had done so, so that the seven of them shared a bungalow but apparently he had.

 

There were three rooms with two twin beds in each and a couch in the living room. Yoongi wanted to immediately call the couch but he couldn’t leave Hoseok alone and everyone else had already paired up. Jimin ended up volunteering to sleep on the couch because Taehyung and Jungkook (no surprise there) had decided to room together, and Namjoon and Jin, ever the best of friends, had decided to room together as well. Hoseok and Yoongi took the third room. Yoongi felt bad for making Jimin sleep on the couch, but he figured it might be best this way.

 

Taehyung had decided he wanted to go to the beach right now, at the very moment after they placed their bags down in the rooms. Jungkook was quick to oblige, with a large amount of his own enthusiasm and Namjoon and Jin were down for anything. Yoongi wasn’t too sure. He was very pale and although it wasn’t necessarily by choice, he didn’t really feel like burning his skin. But of course, Hoseok pushed a crap ton of thoughts into his mind, begging him to just it the up and go to the beach with everyone or he’ll tell everyone about Yoongi’s secret collection of Kumamon dolls. Of course, the lil always got his way; he had too much dirt on Yoongi.

 

Jimin might’ve offhandedly mentioned that he really liked the ocean and that might’ve made it easier for Yoongi to decide to just go to the beach. But he still wasn’t happy about it. Nope. Not at all. Not even when he noticed the sides of his mouth turn up into a smile when he saw Jimin horsing around with Taehyung and Jungkook in the water, would Yoongi admit that he was happy. Hoseok had gone to join them in the water as well, and Yoongi could tell that the boy was going to quickly get accustomed to the others and they would all become fast friends. Hoseok was good at making friends like that. Yoongi wished he had that talent.

 

Yoongi had opted to sit on the chairs under the umbrella alongside Jin and Namjoon and just watch. Namjoon had started drifting off to sleep but Jin was still wide awake. The older, who was sitting up partially in his chair, was sitting right next to Yoongi and he vaguely wondered why he thought this seating arrangement had been a good idea. It wasn’t that he was particularly afraid of the older. But the man had a power to read him almost with the same accuracy as Hoseok and that was something Yoongi found himself being uncomfortable with. Hoseok had known him for years, he knew his ways and how he was like. Jin on the other hand had barely just met him.

 

“You should relax,” Jin mutters from next to him, “I’m not going to do anything to you.”

 

Yoongi flinches at the voice piercing his ears, “I didn’t think you would.”

 

Jin snorts, “Please, your aura is bursting with red right now, has been the whole way down here. I don’t think you are particularly angry about anything, so that means you’re nervous or anxious about something. I’m here to tell you to stop. There’s nothing to be anxious about.”

 

Yoongi wants to grumble. Who was to say he was anxious? Although, it wasn’t like that wasn’t true...but he still didn’t want this guy to know that.

 

“I didn’t know you could read moods in auras,” Yoongi murmurs, somewhat salty. Yoongi doesn’t turn his head to face the older but he can tell the older shrugged.

 

“Moods are emotion based. Emotions and feelings are a large part of what make up a person’s aura,” Jin starts, “There’s the base aura colors, that don’t change unless something drastic enough happens to change your personality, and then there are other colors that flare when someone is feeling one or more emotions particularly strongly. Any reason why you are so anxious right now?”

 

Yoongi doesn’t want to answer. That explanation was clear enough but he was still apprehensive about trusting Jin. He knows he shouldn’t be. Jin’s counterpart was one of the kindest people Yoongi had ever seen. But that didn’t mean this Jin, sitting right next to him in this world, was the same. Yoongi ultimately decided that it didn’t really matter what he said to this Jin, it wasn’t like he could do anything against him. Yoongi still had a dangerous weapon of defense….so what if it was one he tried his damndest every day not to use. It was still powerful.

 

“I’m assuming you know about the other universe,” Yoongi says blankly, stating it without an ounce of contradictory belief. Jin makes a small grunt of agreement.

 

“Indeed…” Jin says sarcastically, “I do know about the other universe. And I know that you and Hoseok both know about it as well, since you are both Bestowed.”

 

“Well, then you must know that I don’t necessarily have any friends besides Hoseok, and especially not friends who are also Bestowed,” Yoongi snaps slightly, finding irritation seeping into voice.

 

Jin turns to him with a serious look. For a moment Yoongi thinks that Jin is going to call him out on his attitude, but all he does is speak quietly again.

 

“You know…” Jin starts slowly, “one your first day of school, I tried to talk to you. I tried to befriend you but you ignored me. You had such a strong defense up that I think you blocked everyone out. I couldn’t even see your aura clearly, it was that repelling.”

 

Yoongi tries not to let the fact that these words are slicing into him like knives known to the older.

 

“Through Jimin, I was finally able to see what your aura was really like, and in it, I see someone who tries so ing hard to hold themselves back but not because they are afraid of getting hurt…” Jin trails off. Yoongi braces himself.

 

Here it comes, Yoongi thinks.

 

“But because you’re afraid of hurting us,” Jin breathes out. As soon as the words come out of his mouth, it snaps in Yoongi and he can feel his walls coming down, “I saw just how hard you fought to keep your powers from hurting us that time at lunch. The black was literally seeping out of you and reaching towards everyone of us, but you fought to keep it bay. The only person it didn’t seek out was Jimin and when he touched your hand, the black tentacles receded instantly--as if his touch repelled them. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life.”

 

Yoongi can feel himself slipping away. These words were too real and Yoongi did not want to hear them. He wanted to live in blissful ignorance. He didn’t want others to know that the reason he was so afraid of becoming friends with them, the reason he was so afraid of getting close to Jimin, was because he was afraid that his powers would hurt them. Now that it was out there, he wanted to be swallowed up, preferably by the ocean that was currently in front of them. He needed to get out of his head and fast. Unfortunately, that was impossible. So the only other option was to suddenly be sent into a vision of the other world by Yoongi’s stress induced powers.

 

They were on the beach again. But this time, a good chunk of the other members weren’t there. More specifically, Yoongi was alone with only Taehyung and Jungkook. Yoongi was sitting down in the sand, the itchy grains getting all over his clothes and his legs as he dug his toes deeper and deeper into the sand until both of his feet were completely enveloped. He really liked how the sand felt on his bare skin. It was relaxing in a way that he couldn’t quite comprehend. He was watching Taehyung and Jungkook as they played in the water yet again.

 

He watched Taehyung pick a piece of seaweed up and start talking to it. He watched Jungkook dare him to take a bite of it and Taehyung screaming something about cannibalism that didn’t even make any sense. Jungkook then splashed the water at Taehyung who screeched like a banshee and jolted towards Jungkook to get back at him only for the younger to speed off down the beach like a ing cheetah. The older didn’t even take a second to start off after him, running as fast as he could in the sand to catch up with the raven haired maknae.

 

Yoongi wanted to grumble at the sight. They all really should be working on their dance for the competition, but if he was being honest, he would rather just sit on the beach and watch the ocean and the two idiots running around and goofing off with each other. Besides, Yoongi knew their team would never win a dance contest, especially not with Jimin and Hoseok in the other two teams.

 

Yoongi turns his head and sees the cameras following the boys as they played. There was also a camera on him but since he wasn’t doing anything, the pd shut it off, mumbling something about continuing once they started to practice. The other cameraperson, deciding that they had enough footage of Jungkook and Taehyung goofing off, turned theirs off too. The two camerapersons walk up the beach together and head towards the van they came here in and go off on a smoke break.

 

Yoongi turns back to the water, the sparkling crystals reflecting with the sun in the sky so bright that he can’t look at it directly. He has his sunglasses on, but the beams continue to break through and pierce his corneas. His gaze flickers back to Taehyung and Jungkook when all of a sudden there is a loud shout resounding from the younger, who was finally caught by Taehyung. The older headlocks the younger and starts to tickle him madly. Jungkook is cracking up, twisting and bending this way and that trying to get away from his crazy hyung. For a moment he breaks away and tries to run off again, but Taehyung was a step ahead of him.

 

The older trips the boy at the same time latching his arms around his shoulders. Not expecting this, Jungkook was still mid-run and the sudden force causes the both of them to trip and tumble down the beach in a rolling mass of flailing limbs. When they stop, the momentum finally ceasing, they are left in a position that Yoongi is almost positive would’ve been edited out for inappropriateness if the camera’s were still rolling. Taehyung was lying on his back, his hat having fell off with his arms and legs spread out like a starfish. Directly on top of him straddling one of the oldest legs, is Jungkook. They are chest to chest with their arms and legs tangled and their faces dangerously close to each other. The shock of their position must have flustered the two because they were making no move to get up or get off and were staring at each other with an oddly intense and heated gaze.

 

Yoongi wants to tear his gaze away but he finds he can’t. His mind goes back to what the other Jimin had told him a while back. About how in his universe Taehyung and Jungkook were together--like together together--and that he was surprised it wasn’t true in this universe as well. Yoongi remembered the younger coming to him, crying and worrying that he had messed up the two’s friendships because he had caused a fight that Yoongi happened to overhear part of. Yoongi had been suspecting for a while that the two youngest had feelings for each other, but his proof was all based off fleeting stares and an abundance of skinship. Now...now, it was all too obvious.

 

Yoongi could hear the camerapeople behind him coming back, and the maknaes were still lying on top of each other like idiots, and he couldn’t let them get caught.

 

“Yah, it’s time to practice our dance!” Yoongi calls as he stands up. It’s effective in getting their attention as they snap out of their strange daze and get up off the ground. They look flustered and all of a sudden awkward as they quickly make their way back to where Yoongi was standing. The cameras are back on and they quickly start to work on coming up with their dance. Jungkook doesn’t seem to be that into it and neither Taehyung nor Yoongi himself feel like learning any particular hard dances. They quickly make their dance and practice a few times and then stop. They probably worked for 20 minutes before they decided they had had enough. Yoongi felt slightly guilty, thinking about Hoseok and Jimin’s groups that were probably working really hard to make a complex and visual aesthetic dance. On second thought, Yoongi wasn’t so guilty.

 

******

 

Hoseok and Jin’s team end up winning the dance competition and Yoongi can’t say he didn’t see it coming. The choreography Hoseok had come up with was just right. Complicated enough to show off their skills but easy enough for Jin to follow. Jimin and Namjoon’s team had amazing choreography, that much Yoongi had to admit, but Namjoon had a hard time following along, which was also to be expected. Nevertheless, Yoongi was still proud of all of them. He couldn’t lie and say he didn’t feel a swell of pride every time someone of their group showed off their skills--especially in front of the Americans who were their judges, and sometimes, their competitors.  

 

That was several days ago and now they were on to a different mission. They ended up meeting Warren G and Yoongi wasn’t even ashamed to admit that he fanboyed just a little (ok, a lot) over the man. The field trip they went on was amazing and learning about how the man had grown up was both educational and inspiring. It reminded Yoongi a lot about how he himself grew up, but with some differences of course.  Every place they went triggered more memories of his own past in his head, all of which didn’t go unnoticed by the visitor in his head. Their challenge this time was a lyric writing assignment and Yoongi finally felt like he was finally getting a chance to show what he could do.

 

The only problem was, he had to incorporate the point of views of both Taehyung and Jungkook and Yoongi found that that might end up being a problem. But this was the type of challenge that Yoongi liked. Taking a story or two and creating it into a lyrical poem. When he came together with the two of them to discuss their stories that was what he told the both of them.

 

Taehyung and Jungkook were awfully quiet when he spoke to them, “People say that we’re hip hop idols but in other people’s views, we can be seen as just ‘project’  idols. I have a lot of thoughts that are like, ‘is it right to do the music that I want to do or do the music that I have to do--that others tell me to do.’ I think that a person who writes their own story is someone who does real music.”

 

The two younger members had seemed really affected by his words and they wrote down many real feelings and worries that they gave to Yoongi, who they trusted enough to tie it all together and put into a song. Later that night, Yoongi worked diligently to try to put the thoughts into words, but nothing was coming to him. They only had till tomorrow to work on it and then they had to record. Usually when Yoongi was writing he had weeks, if not months to work on it and change it and edit it. The pressure of only having one night--and trying to come up with lyrics that would not only express the three of them well but also impress their mentor--was getting to him.

 

For months Yoongi had been working on their next album, Dark&Wild. He had been writing lyrics and melodies for all kinds of songs that would be on the next album. They had already been learning the dances to the title tracks for that album as well, and would film the music video when they went back to Korea. Their title track’s choreography was apparently already under construction and nearly finished, according to their choreographer back in Korea and Jimin, who had told them that he had seen a glimpse of it. But the rest of the songs...they were still working on producing and editing them and then eventually coming up with dances for them. Yoongi had been working on several songs already with Namjoon and Hoseok.

 

By now, the others had already gone to bed. Yoongi was still up, trying and failing to put the lyrics together. He was in a separate room from the others in order to let them sleep, and he relished in the quietness of the night. He was feeling so stressed he didn’t notice the door opening and a figure walking in. He didn’t notice until a water bottle dropped onto the table beside him and a body sat down in the chair next to him. Yoongi looks up with surprise to find Jimin sitting in the chair next to him.

 

“Hey, hyung,” the younger starts, his eyes somewhat thin because of the light in his eyes, “still up?”

 

Yoongi nods his head, “Yeah, I’m trying to get these lyrics churned out before tomorrow.”

 

The younger nods his head, understanding his dilemma.

 

“How are you and Namjoon doing with your lyrics?” Yoongi asks out of curiosity. Jimin shrugs.

 

“It’s going okay,” he starts, “we have two different stories we want to express but I think Namjoon has got it handled.”

 

“Aren’t you worried that the lyrics might not be good enough?” Yoongi asks, actually quite serious.

 

Jimin looks down, avoiding his gaze, “Of course I am, but since when are words ever enough? I’ve recently been finding that no matter how much I want to explain something or show someone what it is I am going through--I can’t. There are no words to adequately describe how much I’ve been through--how much we’ve all been through. I can only try my best to find some fitting words and hope my message gets across. Hope that the music will lend out a hand to help me.”

 

Yoongi is staring at the younger. It wasn’t like him to suddenly get all deep and philosophical. Usually that was Namjoon’s--or even Yoongi’s--area of expertise. But with everything the younger had been going through nowadays, it made sense that he had been self-reflecting a lot.

 

“I guess we’re all just confused about everything huh?” Yoongi murmurs, wringing his hands together and fidgeting slightly. Jimin looks up, locking eyes with him and drinking in his every word, “everything just keeps getting more and more unclear as the days go by and it’s hard to tell the difference between reality and fantasy. Nothing is what I expected anymore.”

 

Jimin leans forward and places his hands on the table, laying his head down to look up at Yoongi’s face. The eyes shining back at him has Yoongi’s heart stopping for a moment. The gesture was so vulnerable but trusting at the same time. Like the younger had infinite belief in him.

 

“Maybe you should channel some of those struggles into your lyrics,” Jimin starts, his eyes fluttering with the obvious attempt to stay awake, “You should go to sleep and let yourself think for a little while instead of trying to force the words out. Maybe in the morning you will fare better.”

 

Jimin ends up falling asleep at the table and Yoongi has to carry him in his arms back to his bed. He doesn’t even complain once.

 

*******

 

The next morning the lyrics finally come to him. He’s sitting on the toilet, of all places, and has to quickly type everything out on his phone before he forgets. Yoongi can’t help but attribute this sudden burst of inspiration to the talk he had had with Jimin last night, some of the words he had said ringing in his head throughout the night and popping up in his head again when he woke up.

 

When they get to the studio and start practicing, Jungkook and Taehyung are in awe about the lyrics Yoongi had managed to write for them. They had admitted that they were a little worried that this might be too challenging for him. Yoongi had to suppress the urge to smack them both upside the head for giving up so easily, but Jimin and Namjoon pass by and the younger gives him a small smile and Yoongi forgets completely about being angry at the two youngest.

 

Before they head into the studio booth to record, Yoongi overhears Jimin and Namjoon in the corner, working on how they plan to record their own song. He hears Jimin’s light velvety voice singing, “Let’s not give a , and we don’t give a ~” and Yoongi has to stop himself from laughing out loud. Namjoon’s influence over the lyrics were so obvious and it was weird hearing how pretty swear words could sound coming from Jimin’s mouth.

 

Yoongi joking announces that he’s nervous when it decided that their group would go first, but he quickly gets serious as soon as the recording starts though, trying to keep his eyes away from Warren G while they started their song. He already knows if he makes eye contact he’s going to get intimidated and screw up. He tried to shake the thought out of his head. He had no reason to be intimidated. Their mentor was understanding and kind.

 

Taehyung was the first to start singing.

 

“We live everyday with boredom

We're like Peter Pan from the Caribbean

Even though time flies like this

I won't become an adult”

 

It was now time for Yoongi’s part and he goes in with all he has.

 

“At a young age, I was so sure about my young dream

I fell for it and the door to my future became unclear

The weight on the pendulum is slowly getting inversely proportional

between what I expected and my reality

Stressing upon the state of being between an adult and a kid,

Music lend out a hand of salvation to me

 

Dreams come true, bravo my life

Dreams come true, bravo my life

to me who lives on day by day

today’s the highlight”

 

They sing the chorus and after a short while Jungkook takes over and takes them out of the song.

 

“Although time passes and I get older, I’m always here

My head is filled with worries

Where do I stand right now?

I’m confused too”

 

After they finish the other two groups go and after a small break for Warren G to read their translated lyrics, they get carted back into the room in order to announce the winner. When they announce that Yoongi’s team had won, he feels beyond elated. He feels like everything he has worked for up till this moment has finally been validated. They all break out into song and dances in celebration and Yoongi almost misses it when Jimin breaks out into a large smile and calls out that he knew that Suga-hyung would win. Yoongi smiles on the inside for the rest of the day.

 

Later that night, they ended up having dinner with Warren G and some of the crew and that was when his head started to get messed up. Their mentor starts asking about their families and Yoongi immediately feels everyone tense up. It was a very touchy topic amongst people in their industry. It wasn’t just them who don’t see their family that often, but nearly everyone in the business.

 

But to some of their members, this topic was particularly sensitive. Jin mentions not being home to see his family or even his new house that his family had moved into, and Taehyung looked like he was on the verge of crying when he mentioned missing his parents and his younger siblings every day. Yoongi was probably the only one who didn’t give an emotional response.

 

He told their mentor how he had left home to become a trainee over four years ago and that he hasn’t seen his family in nearly two years. He told them about how he had gotten used to not seeing his family all the time, and over the years he had learned to stop missing them. Missing them would get him nowhere and besides, they still didn’t believe that he had made the right choice by leaving Daegu and going up to Seoul to pursue music. To be honest, Yoongi didn’t want to talk about his family so he stayed quiet for the rest of that conversation.

 

Eventually, their mentor takes over and talks to them about his own family and about how his mother had passed away. When the man started to talk about that, Yoongi’s attention switched to Jimin. Everyone was quiet about the situation, in order to pay respect, but Jimin looked beyond like he was just sympathetic. He eyes were swimming with unshed tears and he was rubbing his thumbs in a self-comforting gesture. Yoongi knew that he wasn’t crying for his own family life--but for that of the other Jimin...and maybe he was thinking about his brother.

 

Their Jimin had been living in the mind of his counterpart for months now, and he had seen and felt all the emotions and memories of the other boy as if they were his own. But more than that, Yoongi knew, that their Jimin had his own problems with his family. Yoongi remembered how the other Jimin had reacted upon realizing that this Jimin was estranged from his older brother. Yoongi wondered again what had happened between the two. But he would never ask. He didn’t want to cause the younger any more pain. In that moment, Yoongi wishes he was sitting next to the younger so that he could hold his hand--or just do something--to reassure him that everything was ok. Even if it really wasn’t.

 

When Yoongi snapped out of his visions, Jin is looking at him strangely. Yoongi in a shaky breath, trying to calm down his heart that had been startled to find the older boy staring straight at him.

 

“Hmm…” is the only sound Jin makes. Hmm?? Yoongi thinks, what is that supposed to mean?

 

As if picking up on Yoongi’s uncomfortability, Jin speaks up, “Did you know your aura reaches out for Jimin even when you are not mentally present? Your aura immediately just latched onto his--even from across the beach--as soon as you zoned out.”

 

Yoongi coughs hard, awkwardly pounding his chest. The noise startles Namjoon awake and he starts asking questions that neither of the other two boys answer. Yoongi starts to feel another sense of dangerous dread wash over him. No, no, no, this isn’t happening again! Yoongi thinks again. He quickly stands up and walks down the edge of the beach as quickly as he can, trying to get as far away from everyone as possible. He doesn’t want to talk to Jin anymore. He doesn’t want to talk to anyone, but alas, Hoseok corners him as soon as he is within distance.

 

“Hey, are you ok?” Hoseok asks out loud, “I saw what happened in your head.”

 

“Yeah,” Yoongi coughs, “I’m fine, I just...I’m gonna go inside now.”

 

“Are you sure?” Yoongi hears Hoseok say something but he doesn’t answer as he was already turning away.  Yoongi turns around and locks eyes with Jimin who was standing just a few feet away. Yoongi feels something shift in his chest at the same time that the look in Jimin’s eyes change. Yoongi starts to feel like whole world crashing around him. Everything is loud and bright and his senses are on overdrive. Before he knows it, the world around him starts to dim, the darkness clouding the edges of his eyes and making its way to encompass his entire sight. Yoongi doesn’t even want to know what will happen if his entire vision blacks out.

 

His breathing increases in pace and Yoongi knows that the anxiety is going to well up again and he won’t be able to control himself as his powers acts up again and he knows he’ll end up lashing out and manipulating all the minds of those around him. It would be so easy just to erase Jin’s mind, manipulate the others memories and go home where he’s safe. But he can’t. He can’t do that to them. He can’t do that Jimin.

 

Yoongi turns around and takes off in a panicked sprint towards their cabin ignoring the calls from everyone around him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: YAAAASSSS! So I hope the abrupt switch of point of view's in the beginning didn't cause any of you wiplash but I really wanted to get another point of view and see more of the BTS realm when it's just BTS Yoongi and BTS Jimin. Also, I wanted more quality Bestowed Jimin/Bestowed Yoongi time. We'll get some more of that in the next chapter. I actually went through and rewatched all of AHL (which was as cringetastic as ever) for this, so y'all best appreciate my sacrifices. Hopefully, the next chapter won't take that long to get out. Maybe sometime in the middle of next week or towards the end, idk, gots lots of stuff to do. Project and all that ish. Anyway, since I probably won't talk to all of you guys before the comeback drops, I just want to wish everyone all well and that I am praying for all of our souls that we survive this apocolypse. And if not...well, see you all in Bangtan hell.