6

Our little group outing started out just fine, with Jungkook groaning, the older boys comforting him, and the younger ones fooling around with each other. Feeling bad for Jungkook’s wallet, we decided to go to one of the cheaper restaurants around the company. The boys were decked out in hats, masks, and sunglasses even though the sun was already on its way down and the streetlights were starting to blink on one by one. Chatter floated in through one ear and out the other, never a lull in the conversation. Smiling, I watched the others talk amongst themselves, content to sit back and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere.

“Since you beasts just emptied out my bank account, I think I deserve a kiss as compensation,” Jungkook said, munching on a piece of kimchi.

“Not with that kimchi breath,” I said, laughing when he huffed, patting him on the back jokingly.

Savoring the sweet flavor of bulgogi, I gradually tuned out the insignificant sounds around me and looked around the restaurant, from the colorful posters hanging on the walls to the groups of friends and families laughing together over their meals.

It's been so long.

A slow lazy smile spread across my face and I leaned back, mind hazy with the effects of food coma. The vibrating of my phone forced me to clear the mud from my mind. An unknown number flashed onto the caller ID screen, making me frown in confusion.

Who would call me?

Apprehensively, I swiped the answer button, placing it slowly against my ear.

The automated voice left a hollow ringing in my ear, but nothing drowned out the message that the voice left me. Without thinking, I stood up and ran out of the restaurant, nearly tripping over the legs of Yoongi and ignoring the cries of surprise from Hannah and the boys.

Why would they do this to me?

Streetlights flashed by in colorful blurs and the wind muffled the angry shouts of passerby. My eyes were burning, but there were no tears. Ragged breaths were torn from my body, but I continued to run, hoping that by the time I stopped, I would be calm enough to act rationally. I skid to a stop when I felt the slight vibration of my phone. Fumbling with the buttons, I felt a rush of cold wash over me as I read the text.

Sorry. Auntie was sick so we had to tap into your funds. :)

-Ashley

A haze of anger flooded my sense and my vision began to turn red. If no one stopped me, I would probably end up in a jail cell before morning.

"Michelle-sshi," someone whispered, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"What?" I spat, whipping around, eyes widening when I was face to face with Yoongi, who was out of slightly out of breath.

"Calm down before you do something you'll regret," he whispered, tightening his hold on my shoulder and dragging me back to reality.

My vision was blurring as the tears finally came, burning trails down my face and choking me until my breath came in short strangled gasps. I felt him tug on my hand and we began to walk, the silence thick and heavy between us. He didn't ask and I was thankful. Memories flew through my mind, each more crushing than the last and all the tears that I held for years came rushing back until my thoughts were barely coherent.

"Sit," Yoongi said gently, easing me onto a soft cushion.

"W-Where are we?" I mumbled, my throat raw and scratchy.

"Back at the dorm," he replied curtly. "I won't ask, but if you want to talk, just talk. I'll listen."

"Why?" I said. "I didn't exactly make the best first impression and you don't seem to like me very much."

"I judged too quickly and it was my mistake. I guess I just couldn't find the right moment to apologize until now." Yoongi said, a small smile momentarily appearing. "If it'll make you fell better, I'm a great listener so if you want to talk, I'll be here. Think of it as my way of apologizing."

I tried to smile, everything came rushing back and I just didn't have the energy to lift my lips. "It was my foster parents. They took all the money that I had been saving up for years to pay for college. They were never the kindest to me, but they never went as far as to do anything this drastic. It was always berating words and a few missed meals here and there. Never anything that involved other people. Their daughter Ashley didn't follow the same rules. Her boyfriend boxed and let's just say she offered me up as his punching bag."

"Boyfriend? But you were in elementary school then. She's not the same age as you?" Yoongi asked, mildly shocked.

"She's ten years older than me. I was six then and she was already sixteen" I replied, fiddling with my fingers and avoiding eye contact.

I grimaced and sighed bitterly at Yoongi's expression, eyes narrowed and lips pursed. "Why didn't you ever tell anyone?" he asked, eyebrows furrowed into a deep crease.

"They paid for all my entrance exams for the private schools in America. I was in elementary school back then and there was no other way for me to get the money I needed," I said, a fresh wave of tears surfacing as I remembered what happened just a few minutes ago. "The semester at my university starts in February and I already had money saved up for the first payment due tomorrow. It was ten thousand dollars which is around eleven million won. At the restaurant, the bank called and told me that my account was emptied and massive withdrawal was made by my foster parents. Ashley just texted me and said that her aunt was sick and needed treatment so they decided to take my funds. I know they're faking it because Ashley's aunt died two years ago."

Hearing the words actually come out of my mouth broke my already leaking dam, reducing me into whimpering heap, sobbing pathetically into my hands. "Where am I going to get that much money by tomorrow?" I sobbed, my tears soaking into the fabric of my jeans and leaving wet patches. "Without it, I can't go back to America."

"Where are your foster parents now?" Yoongi asked soothingly, patting my back softly.

"They're here in Seoul somewhere, but I don't know what district they're in." I mumbled, the zeros of my bank account flashing in front of my eyes. "They're probably at some expensive restaurant right now, cackling into their bowls of rice."

Yoongi's lips twitched up to form a small that he tried to hide with a weak cough. His laughter slightly alleviated the gloom that hung over my shoulders, but it came rushing back when I remembered Hannah's words of how she was so proud that I was finally starting college.

Yoongi gently rubbed my shoulders and swept my hair away from my face. "Is there anyone that can lend you some money?" he asked as he leaned my trembling body against his.

"I can't ask Hannah. Her mom never liked me anyway and my foster parents have too much influence over her. There's no away Hannah can get the money without her mom noticing something. I don't want to tell Hannah either because it will only make her worry and she's already done so much for me," I whispered, drying my tears against my shirt. "What should I do?"

Yoongi was silent and my bottom lip began to tremble again, eyes welling up with tears. Sniffling, I wiped them again and refused to cry.

I can probably get a loan from one of the banks here and I'll get a job for the rest of the year to pay it back.

"Yoongi-sshi, do you know any banks that are willing to give out loans to students?" I asked, straightening myself and grimacing at the wet patches on my clothes.

"Just call me Yoongi," he said and shot me a smile. "And I have a better idea."

"Am I going to like this idea?" I asked skeptically, eyeing the bright smile on his face that I was not used to seeing.

"If you like hanging out with us, then yes."

This might be a bad idea.

***

“How long have you been  dancing?”

“Thirteen years and continuing.”

“What else can you do?”

“I can also choreograph.”

“Can you do makeup and hair?”

“Fairly well yes.”

"I'll need to see the extent of your skills before I assign you to a department, though you might be in multiple."

“Thank you, Bang PD-nim.”

As soon as I exited the office, all the tension left my body and all the air in my lungs came out as a sigh of relief.

"So how did it go?" Yoongi asked, leaning against the doorframe of the office with an air of nonchalance.

"Bang PD-nim said that he'll need too see my capabilities first so I don't know what I'm doing yet," I said and smiled gratefully at Yoongi. "Thanks a lot though."

"So are we good now?" he grinned, his gums showing through his smile and his eyes turning into crescents.

"We will be once you give me your number," I laughed, handing him my phone.

"Well aren't you bold," Yoongi said wiggling eyebrows, but he entered his number. "There, it's saved under Min Suga."

"You know, I've always wondered how Big Hit got you guys to agree to those stage names. I'm mostly talking about Rap Monster, but yours is pretty funny too." I said as he walked through the lobby.

"Honestly, we didn't really care how ridiculous the stage names were as long as we got to debut," he shrugged. "By now, the names have already grown on us."

The smile never left my face as we headed back to the dorm, prepared for an onslaught of questions from Taehyung and Jungkook. Yoongi didn't tell any of the members what we were up to, but he did say that it was a surprise, which made Taehyung whine in protest and Jungkook sulk moodily in a corner.

"But really Yoongi, I can't thank you enough," I said, ignoring blatant stares of the people around us as they followed Yoongi's green hair with their eyes.

"It's not a problem really. Getting a loan from Big Hit it much safer than getting a loan at a shady bank," Yoongi said, the palest of blushes dusting his cheeks. "You'd probably get mugged by loans sharks like those dramas."

"I should do something in return so I don't feel like a crappy person," I said. Yoongi didn't reply, but his face was deep in thought. Pressing the buttons of the elevator, I sighed in content and swung my arms, the bulk of my problems lifted of my shoulders.

"What are you going to do about your foster parents?" Yoongi asked, shoving his hands in his pockets and staring unblinkingly at me.

And just like that, my mood was ruined again.

"I feel like I should do something, but it's not worth the hassle," I sighed, making Yoongi frown. "Besides, it'll be fine for now. I can't make them give me back the money and they're not doing any permanent damage."

Yoongi just sighed and shook his head, but he didn't say anything else. "Don't feel too bad Yoongi. I'll be fine as long as I don't come in contact with them." I said, poking his cheek to get him to loosen up. The elevator doors opened again and we began to climb the stairs. It made me feel a little better to see him struggling like to me to climb the stairs.

"Why didn't you guys just stay on a floor where the elevator does reach?" I groaned, clutching the railing to rest my burning calves. "Somewhere in the middle would have been nice."

"I complained the most when the manager told us that we would have to climb the stairs to our dorm, but Bang PD-nim insisted that we needed some exercise and apparently, climbing stairs seemed to satisfy him," he replied, resting his hands on his knees. There were only a few flights of stairs, but that was already a few too many.

"I'm starting to think he is an evil man for making you guys climb all these stairs," I said, taking another step and immediately groaning when fire raced up my legs.

"Almost makes me want to back to our old cramped dorm," Yoongi complained, literally using his arms to carry his legs up.

Seokjin squawked in surprise when the first thing that greeted him when he opened the door was Yoongi collapsing into his arms with a pained wheeze.

"Stairs?" Seokjin deadpanned, raising an eyebrow. Yoongi just nodded and Seokjin sighed, half dragging him to the living room where Hannah and the rest of the boys were gathered. Taehyung, Jungkook, and Hannah looked ready to burst as their eyes followed me across the living room. Right when I sat down, questions started pouring out of their mouths.

"Where were you yesterday?"

"DId you meet Yoongi-hyung? He left almost right after you did."

"What happened?"

"Are you going to be mad if I told you that I ate all the food we saved for you?"

"You what?" I screeched, leaping up in fury.

"I'm sorry," Taehyung cowered, leaning away with his head buried in his arms. "I was hungry and the meat was practically singing my name!"

I huffed and crossed my arms, eye twitching when Taehyung shot me a sheepish smile.

"Is that important right now?" Jungkook practically roared, steam coming out of his ears, Hannah and Jimin nodding furiously in agreement.

"Now, now kids, I'm sure Michelle will explain," Seokjin said calming Jungkook down, but he was also looking at me curiously.

"I remembered that we left the lights on at the dance studio?" I said weakly, hiding behind Namjoon and Hoseok, who were both failing miserably at holding in their laughter.

"Michelle Lee!" Jungkook and Hannah yelled at the same time, both standing up with furious expressions and jaws clenched. Jimin was trying to calm Hannah down and Taehyung was too busy clutching his stomach and laughing.

"Seriously," Jungkook said, crossing his arms and glaring at me.

Okay Hannah, I get but why is Jungkook so concerned?

"It was just a small family emergency. My aunt got sick," I lied, my gut twisting when the words came out of my mouth. Yoongi surreptitiously raised an eyebrow and I shot him a side glance that told him to stay silent. Hannah's eyes furrowed together, but she didn't say anything. Jungkook seemed to buy my lie because he just sighed and sat back down, a pout visible on his lips.

"So then why'd you disappear with Yoongi this morning?" Jimin asked.

"Yoongi, please explain?" I whined pleadingly.

"Michelle's going to be working under Big Hit until she returns to America," Yoongi drawled, waving his hand dismissively.

"Really?" the rest of the boys chorused in unison. Just as I was about to reply, my phone began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Michelle-sshi correct?"

"That's right."

"Bang PD-nim has set up a meeting at two o'clock this afternoon. Is that fine?"

"Yes, that's fine."

"Please meet him outside his office at the appointed time. That is all."

"Thank you."

Everyone looked at me expectantly when I hung up. "Yeah, I'm going to be working the the company. In fact, Bang PD-nim just made an appointment to see me in an hour," I said.

"Why are you working though? I thought you were on vacation," Hannah asked, confusion and apprehension leaking into her voice.

"A little extra cash won't hurt anybody," I shrugged. "Besides, it's all going into my college fund anyway."

Hannah pursed her lips but she gave me the benefit of doubt and sat back down, occasionally casting me worried glances. Yoongi shot me brief smiles here and there thinking that they wouldn't be noticed, but the ever observant Taehyung picked up on them anyway.

"Are you and Yoongi-hyung friends now?" Taehyung asked, eyes flitted between the two of us.

"I guess you can say that," I shrugged and Yoongi nodded, but gave no verbal reply. Jungkook was still looking at me suspiciously and I almost breathed a sigh of relief when his accusing gaze shifted over to Yoongi, who blatantly ignored the stare.

The conversation suddenly drifted and broke into little groups, all talking amongst themselves. Taehyung with Jimin and Hannah, Seokjin with Namjoon and Yoongi with Hoseok. That only left left Jungkook and I, staring at each other in silence.

"So," Jungkook said, clearing his throat awkwardly. "D-Did you and Yoongi-hyung do anything when you guys left?"

"What do you mean?" I teased, cocking my head in mock ignorance.

"N-Nevermind," Jungkook muttered, turning his head to hide the faint blush forming on his cheeks. Kept looking around randomly, avoiding my eyes. Unable take the silence any longer, I stood abruptly, making him jump and look at me in confusion.

"Well, would you look at the time!" I said, cringing internally at my overly bright tone. "I better get going so meet with Bang PD-nim!"

Scrambling out the door, I flinched when I heard Jungkook's confused voice mutter, "Wait, but it's it's still half an hour early."

***

"I have a good idea of your abilities now. You can stop."

Blinking, I dropped the makeup brush and stepped back to survey my work.

Not bad at all.

I was especially proud that I managed not stab the poor girl's eye with eyeliner. The unfortunate testing victim was one of the company's trainees who looked scared out of her mind when Bang PD-nim suddenly called her into his office. I had a striking suspicion that my face probably looked like hers when I entered the office this morning. Afterall, what kind of CEO is willing to lend a random college student eleven million won?

I still don't know whether I should be extremely grateful or extremely worried.

"Okay, I have decided," Bang PD-nim announced, clapping his hands together. "Since Yoongi was the one who introduced you to me, you can be Bangtan's assistant stylist for their comeback later this year. For now, you can help their choreographer Sung Deuk-sshi."

"Thank you so much PD-nim," I said trying to contain my smile.

"Your paycheck will be automatically transferred into your balance. Is that alright?" he asked.

"It's perfectly fine," I replied, hands quivering in excitement.

"Perfect. I'll introduce you to Sung Deuk, Bangtan's choreographer," he said and clapped his hands together. "Sung Deuk-ah, come in, I have a surprise for you."

The door immediately opened to reveal a man with a snapback, black hoodie, and basketball shorts.

"Yes PD-nim?" he said tiredly, rubbing his face with a hand. I couldn't help but notice the deep set bags under his eyes.

"I've gotten you a new assistant to help you out with the choreographies and to handle the boys," Band PD-nim smiled, giving me a little push forward.

"A-Annyeonghaseyo, Sung Deuk-sshi. It'll be a pleasure to work with you," I stuttered, immediately dropping into a ninety degree bow. I heard a sudden loud thud, making me snap up with wide eyes, only to find Sung Deuk on the the ground in a heap with tears leaking out of his eyes.

"Wha-" I began, was quickly cut off by Bang PD-nim.

"Oh stop the waterworks Sung Deuk," Band PD-nim scoffed, waving a hand at Sung Deuk, who was still on the ground crying, but I couldn't tell whether they were tears of sadness or tears of happiness.

"I c-can't PD-nim," Sung Deuk whined. "I think you just saved my life. I can never thank you enough for finally giving me an assistant."

Why is giving him an assistant saving his life?

Oh. He works with the boys.

Well, this is going to be fun.

~

Sorry this chapter came a little late. I just kept telling myself that I'd get to it but I didn't so the end result was a hastily written chapter that was posted late. Mystic Messenger has been distracting me lately so I hope you guys understand. Enjoy.