Yoongi is sitting in the library behind a large stack of books the next day, trying but failing to concentrate on his English homework. Images of Jungkook’s confrontation of Ami from earlier this morning flash through his head. He resents her, yes, but a part of him rather admires her for being able to speak to Jungkook in the same sassy, annoyed manner she had always addressed him with. It is like nothing has really changed in their relationship- except now, they have the added burden of acting like they are dating.

Yoongi shakes his head. In another time, place, and situation, Jungkook would be absolutely delighted with this. Now, he is just angry and tense.

Suddenly, he sees Ami hurry into the library, an anxious look on her face. Yoongi grits his teeth. She is soon joined by Marcus Johnson. The two nervously talk for a few moments.

And then Yoongi straightens when he sees her run in a few moments later and go straight to Ami’s table.

The two of them are joined by Lina’s other friends- Preet Chopra and Annabelle Lim. The five of them sit around the table and argue about something. Suspicion fills Yoongi’s insides; every part of him is telling him that something is not right about this.

Ami Hwang, friend of the heir of the Seven Stars, suddenly gets entangled with the 4 Flames?

Something’s up.

Yoongi clenches his fists. He is going to get to the bottom of this no matter what.

So when the five of them stand up from their seats and head out the library, Yoongi subtly follows one girl in particular. He waits until she bids farewell to the rest of her friends and heads does another hall.

And then Yoongi grabs her by the wrist and slams her against the wall.

“What the hell are you playing at?” he growls in a furious voice, and he can see the momentary wince of fear that flits across Lina’s face and a pang of guilt hits him, but he will put BTS over everything else. They are what he is concerned about right now.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lina snarls, putting up a front of bravado.

“Don’t give me that bull. Ami hacked into the 4 Flames’ website- as you very well must know. Isn’t it a little suspicious that her best friend is the heir to the Seven Stars?” Yoongi reaches out and twirls a piece of Lina’s hair around his finger. He can see the unnerving effect he has on her.

“Get the hell away from me, you bastard,” she hisses. “And don’t you ing dare try and hurt Ami. Otherwise you’ll have hell to pay.” Lina tries to free herself from Yoongi’s grip but he holds on to her, unrelenting.

“Is that a threat?” Yoongi murmurs. “Are you going to try and use the Seven Stars to protect Ami? The last time I checked, you hadn’t talked to your parents in years. Maybe you’re plotting something with them. You’re trying to gain intel on the 4 Flames to get revenge.”

Lina looks up with him in a combination of fury, disbelief, and pure hatred.

“Have you finally acknowledged who you are?” Yoongi taunts softly in Lina’s ear. “The daughter of gangsters?”

He can feel her shudder beneath him.

“Let go of me,” she whispers.

Yoongi’s eyes flick to her’s. “You’re not scared of me, are you, Lina?”

Lina clenches her fists. “Hell ing no.”

He backs away, lets go of her wrists. He did not think she could be capable of speaking with that much animosity. Yoongi is suddenly struck by how strong Lina is now. Gone is the dainty, delicate girl Yoongi felt like he could crush with the mere power of his words. She has been replaced with someone who is unwilling to bend to anyone’s will, to be intimidated by anyone else, no matter how much bigger, tougher, or more powerful they are.

“Good,” he finally says, his lips curling up into a smirk.

Jungkook won’t shut up about Ami. It is only mildly annoying the other members of BTS- they all like Ami- but it is really getting on Yoongi’s nerves. Once, the 7 of them were on a mission, threatening the owner of a seedy convenience shop to pay the 4 Flames the money he owed them. Jungkook spotted a pair of couple keychains near the cash register, however, and shouted, “Hold up! Do you think Ami would like these?” He then proceeded to purchase the keychains from the man- and then break 3 of his ribs. It was the most cringeworthy thing Marge and the members of BTS had seen in their lives.

Yoongi had allowed himself to consider, for a moment, doing that for Lina. But even the prospect of that idea caused a stream of regretful emotions to gush into his stomach so he had to stop thinking about it immediately.

Yoongi makes sure Ami knows that he does not trust her one bit.

He can tell it seriously pisses her off. Ami is friendly towards all the other members of BTS, but Yoongi’s blatant hostility towards her causes her to dislike him as much as he dislikes her. If Yoongi is being completely honest with himself, he is acting so rudely towards Ami because she reminds him of Lina. The relationship she has with Jungkook is like the one he had with Lina (except for the fact that Ami is a lot less innocent and a lot angrier than Lina used to be). It makes Yoongi feel like he is venting his frustrations out on Ami. Which is unfair to her, yes. But he could care less.

Whenever Yoongi sees Jungkook grinning down at Ami, his hands happily entwined with hers (“It’s just a part of the whole boyfriend-girlfriend act!” he protests to a teasing Jin afterwards. “I’m just trying to keep up appearances!”), or joking around with her during class, or resting his head on her lap, a peaceful, content smile on his lips, Yoongi wants to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. He wants to tell Jungkook to wake up, to realize that this is all just an act, that he’s faking it- he’s not actually dating Ami- don’t ing make the same mistakes as he did, don’t let your heart get broken in the end! But he is not cruel enough to break Jungkook’s bliss. He grudgingly lets everything be.

Later, Yoongi beats himself up for his soft heart. He should have warned Jungkook.

Because when Ami suddenly confronts Jungkook one day and tells them that they should break up, Jungkook is utterly, completely crushed.

Yoongi is standing in the middle of the hallway with Namjoon and Hoseok. There are grave expressions on all of their faces.

“What are we going to do about Jungkook?” Hoseok asks worriedly. “Ever since him and Ami had their fight, he’s been inconsolable. I’m worried about him.”

“Same,” Namjoon says grimly. “Do you know why Ami decided to break up with him? It came out of nowhere.”

Hoseok twists his lips. “Well, I wouldn’t say nowhere. Jungkook’s been pretty cold to her ever since she helped us on our first mission.”

“You’re right. He was pretty pissed that Ami had to see him in action.” Namjoon grimaces. “He wants to hide... that side of himself from Ami. But... I mean... he can’t conceal it from her for much longer. Word gets around quickly, and Jungkook’s pretty infamous as it is. She’s going to find out how he used to be sooner or later.”

“He needs to tell her himself,” Hoseok muses. “That would be a lot better than finding out on her own.”

    “Here’s a solution,” Yoongi says in a low voice. “We get rid of Ami Hwang once and for all.”

    Namjoon and Hoseok throw him an exasperated look. “Gee, Yoongi, haven’t heard that one before,” Hoseok says sarcastically. “You don’t like Ami? How could we have ever known?”

    “All she’s brought is trouble,” Yoongi growls. “She’s a nuisance. We should’ve eliminated her from Day 1.”

    Namjoon arches an eyebrow. “Don’t let Jungkook hear you say that.”

    And then out of the corner of his eye, Yoongi sees her stride past. Lina is thumbing the straps of her backpack, determinedly not looking at them.

    Maybe it is the frustration, or the anger, or the sadness that fuels him to do this, but the next thing Yoongi knows, he is saying in a purposely loud voice, “After all, Ami’s just a useless little who’s just clinging onto Jungkook for attention.”

    Lina freezes.

    Namjoon and Hoseok’s jaws simultaneously drop. “What the is wrong with you?” Namjoon hisses. “Did you actually just say that?”

    “Yoongi, you need to get your head out of your , pronto,” Hoseok mutters. “I don’t know why you have a problem with-,”

    “What did you just say?” Lina utters, standing right in front of Yoongi. There is a calm look on her face, but her eyes are blazing with absolute fury.

Yoongi turns towards her.

    And so it begins, he thinks.

A/N: this is honestly some