Yoongi barricaded himself in his room after that and didn't come out. Seung Hee studied and watched TV. It was practically like a normal morning. Except for the fact that she was acutely aware of his presence just in the next room.

 

Mrs Min called at around four in the afternoon. "Seung Hee?” she said. “I'm so sorry! I was going to come visit you this evening, but I can't.”

 

"That's all right, Eomoni,” said Seung Hee reassuringly.

 

"Actually, I miss having you around. It was almost like having a daughter again. You remind me of my Eunji. Have I told you about Eunji?”

 

Seung Hee'ss throat tightened.“You haven't...”

 

"She was my daughter – she was Yoongi's sister. She - died… years ago… I'll tell you more when you come over, and show you pictures...”

 

"I would like that,” said Seung Hee softly. “You must miss her a lot.”

 

"I do, and so does Yoongi...he had such a hard time after she died... "
 

Mrs Min was going to cry, Seung Hee could tell, so she quickly said, “Have you tried out any new recipes, Eomoni?”

 

"As a matter of fact, I did,” said Mrs Min, and Seung Hee heaved a sigh of relief as Mrs Min told her about making croissants. Finally, she asked, “Are you all alone over there?”

 

"Yoongi is here, too,” Seung Hee replied.

 

"Oh, then can you put him on?”

 

"Uh, ok...”

 

Seung Hee softly knocked on his door. Hearing no answer, she went in.

 

Yoongi was lying on his bed, scribbling in a notebook with white headphones over his ears. He shoved the headphones down around his neck and demanded, “What do you want?”

 

Seung Hee held out her phone. “Your mom,” she whispered.

 

He took the phone and went to the other room.

 

Seung Hee couldn't hear anything at first, but after a while Yoongi raised his voice in anger. “You think she needs that? In the end, she'll be the only one hurt! No, I don't agree. Her life's already messed up enough, don't make it worse.”

 

He came back in and she couldn't read his expression – she couldn't even guess what he was thinking, or what she should say.

 

"You heard?” he asked, and his tone was just like his face: closed

 

She nodded. “Is something wrong?”

 

Yoongi ran his hand through his blond hair. “Don't worry about it.”

 

Knowing that he wouldn't tell her anything more, Seung Hee was about to leave, but froze when he spoke.

 

"Kid,” he called. “Come here.”

 

Obediently, Seung Hee went and stood in front of him. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, and reached for his white headphones. Wordlessly, he placed them over her ears. She jumped a bit at the contact, and he leaned back against the pillows.

 

Seung Hee's heart skipped a beat when a beautiful voice hummed a haunting tune. It was just a voice, but it was so beautiful, so rich, that background music or even lyrics were not needed. That way, full justice could be given to that voice, and that melody…

 

She knew that Yoongi was watching her closely, gauging her reaction, but she did not pay attention to him. That voice bewitched her, demanded that she pay attention only to it, and she couldn't think or even notice anything else. The melody relaxed every bit of her, and filled her heart with warmth, but it had a tinge of sadness, too. It was so intoxicating, and she couldn't get over that voice… it was b with emotion and passion… whoever it belonged to, he really loved music.

 

All too soon, Yoongi took the head phones off, and she stood rooted to the spot, still hearing that haunting voice ….

 

"Did you like it?" asked Yoongi, but she didn't hear him. He asked again, and she nodded, letting out the breath she hadn't known she was holding.

 

"It was...” she said slowly, struggling to find the right words to describe such a voice. “It was… beautiful, haunting- and just wow..."

 

His face softened.

 

"That voice...” she said. “I can't even describe it… whose voice is that? He's really talented.”

 

"Mine,” he said.

 

"Yours?” said Seung Hee, incredulous. “No, you're joking. You rap, your voice… is not what I just heard...”

 

"It is my voice.”

 

"Then why do you rap? I mean, that voice is just incredible...”

 

"I like rapping,” he said. “I just use my voice for composing.”

 

"Wait, you - you composed this tune?”

 

"Well, yeah.” He seemed surprised by the question.

 

"Um, can I say something?”

 

"What?”

 

"Don't add anything. Just that voice, and the melody is enough – it's perfect...”

 

He looked confused.

 

"It's the tune, and the voice, that make it special." Seung Hee wondered whether she should say the next thing. She didn't want to spoil their fragile relationship - it was just beginning...

 

"Y-Yoongi?” she called again, slightly nervous.

 

"What?” he asked again, but this time with a touch of exasperation. Seung Hee almost told him that it was nothing, but she really wanted it so she scraped up her courage and said, “Maybe, one day, you could… sing? N-not in public,” she said hastily. “Just for me. I… really like your voice.”

 

Yoongi opened his mouth, then shut it. He seemed at a loss of what to say.

 

"It's just..." muttered Seung Hee, looking down. "I really like it-"

 

"Kid?”

 

She looked at him. Yoongi's expression… it was warm, and his tone was soft. “Maybe I'll sing for you one day.”

 

She smiled, and to her mortification, her face turned red. To draw attention away from that, she said the first thing that popped in her head. “Let's eat now.”

 

"It's only four.”

 

"Still.”

 

"You eat.”

 

"What about you?”

 

"Have to go exercise.”

 

Yoongi got up and brushed past her and disappeared into his 'mini-gym'. Seung Hee sighed, found a packet of Oreos and switched the TV on. She was zapping through the channels when she realized that she hadn't spoken to Jungkook that day. And maybe he would have time so they could have a nice, long conversation.

 

Seung Hee fetched herself a large glass of water before calling him.

 

"Seung Hee!” he cried, and she grinned. Just hearing him over the phone was enough to make her day.

 

"You doing well?” he asked.

 

"Yep. You?”

 

"I finally get to rest!”

 

"Eat a lot, and sleep, too.”

 

"Of course! You don't need to tell me that. I wish you were here with me, though… we could have made a good meal and eaten together.”

 

"Shall we, one day?”

 

"Really? Then come to the dorm soon!”

 

She suddenly remembered one of Yoongi's rules. Even though he wouldn't really send her to an orphanage, she didn't want to provoke him. After all, that rule was for the good of everyone - the less she had to do with BTS, the safer.

 

"Is Yoongi bossing you around again?" asked Jungkook. "Yah, don't listen to everything that guy tells you, he can't control you.”

 

"He isn't controlling me.” Somehow, she had the urge to defend Yoongi, even though he was a bit too bossy.

 

"Then come to the dorm one day!”

 

"Maybe...”

 

Seung Hee just about had a heart-attack then, as Yoongi crossed the living room to go to the kitchen – aish, had he been there the whole time? She thought he would go back in his room, but he came and stood in front of her, slightly smirking.

 

And she couldn't breathe anymore, it hit her again how perfect Yoongi was. Everything about him was perfect - he was like a sculpture. No, better than that - like something out of this world. Why was it hitting her so suddenly? The last time he had this effect on her was in the BTS dressing room, but he had been in makeup and costume then. So why?

 

"Seung Hee?” said Jungkook over the phone. “Yah, Lee Seung Hee!”

 

She forced her eyes away, and tried to focus on Jungkook. "Yeah?"

 

"What happened?” he asked. “You weren't answering!”

 

"Oh, um… n-nothing,” she stammered, trying not to look at Yoongi who suddenly began to do push-ups. What was with him? It was almost as though he wanted her to pay attention to him - and not to Jungkook...

 

"Yah,” said Jungkook. “Is this a bad time?”

 

"N-no, I… continue, sorry.”

 

Jungkook's tone turned serious. “Is Yoongi there with you?”

 

Seung Hee didn't dare look at Yoongi as she said, “Y-yeah.”

 

"WHAT?!” yelled Jungkook, and she winced and held the phone a little away from her ear. “You're in the house with him ALONE?!”

 

"Calm down! It's no big deal.”

 

"Yah, do you even know him? Don't let him touch you, you hear? If he tries anything, call me.”

 

"Nothing will happen,” murmured Seung Hee.

 

Yoongi, lying on the floor now, tugged the hem of her jeans for attention. She looked down at him; his blond hair lay scattered around his head like a golden halo.

 

A shadow of annoyance crossed his face. He got up in one fluid movement and sat right next to her, and leaned in close. Having him so near was making her dizzy, she couldn't think straight. He took her phone and said, looking right at her, "Sorry, Seung Hee's busy. I'm hanging up now.”

 

Yoongi hung up, but he didn't move over. With trembling hands, Seung Hee picked up her glass of water to look bus, to show that his nearness didn't make her nervous. She was shaking so much and it spilled right in the middle of the couch and onto Yoongi.

 

"Yah!” he yelled, springing up. “You idiot!”

 

"I'm sorry!” she cried, getting up, too, as the water slowly spread.

 

"Aish!” He glared. “See what you've done?”

 

"I-it'll dry,” she said.

 

"And if it doesn't?”

 

"It will,” she insisted, with more confidence that she felt. His glare suddenly changed into a smirk. “You're such a ert.”

 

"What?” she yelped.

 

"I saw you,” he said, beginning to grin idiotically. “You couldn't stop staring at me. I can take off my clothes, if you want."

 

His hands went to his shirt-button and Seung Hee screamed. “You're the ert! Don't you dare take that off!”

 

He stifled a laugh. "All right, but don't regret it later!"

 

He laughed as she shrieked, and went into his 'mini-gym'. This time, he didn't come out for one hour, his hair and body drenched in sweat. He took a shower, and they sat down to a dinner of instant noodles – for Seung Hee, and salad for Yoongi.

 

The couch was still wet, so Seung Hee watched TV on the floor. Yoongi eventually got bored and wandered out of his room to bother her.

 

"Yah,” he said, nudging her leg with his foot. “I'm thirsty, go fetch me a coke.”

 

"The kitchen's right over there!”

 

"I don't care. Go get me one."

 

"Fine," she muttered, and went to the kitchen to find him a coke. She couldn't, and told him so.

 

"Then make me hot chocolate,” he said, his eyes on the TV screen. He had even changed the channel. She sighed, but made some for him.

 

He kept bothering her, telling her to add more cocoa because he couldn't taste any chocolate, and then to add more sugar because it wasn't sweet enough. At ten, he came back and switched the TV off.

 

"Hey!” she cried. “I was watching that!”

 

"Go to bed,” he said bossily. “You have school tomorrow.”

 

He put his hand on the couch to check whether it was dry yet. “It's soaking.”

 

Seung Hee touched it; it was just a little bit damp. “It's practically dry,” she told him. “It's fine, actually.”

 

Yoongi went into the kitchen and returned with a small bottle of water. He unscrewed the cap, and poured it all on the couch.

 

"What are you doing?” yelled Seung Hee.

 

"Now it's not ok,” said Yoongi calmly, looking her square in the eye.

 

Her eyes filled with tears. Was he going to be mean to her again?

"Yah, you jerk!” she cried. “Now I have to sleep on the floor! You-”

 

"You'll sleep on the bed,” cut in Yoongi.

 

She hiccuped. “Huh? Why…. all of a sudden?”

 

"The couch is all wet, right? So you'll sleep on the bed. With me.”

 

She hiccuped again. “No! I can't!”

 

"Yes you can.”

 

"Min– hic—Yoongi, what are you – hic—trying to do?”

 

"Nothing! Listen, that bed is big enough for ten people. It's dumb that one person uses it.”

 

"Still-”

 

"We're married, it doesn't matter,” he said impatiently. Seeing her eyes fill with fear, he was quick to reassure her. “No, you misunderstood! I didn't mean it like that – I mean, it's ok to sleep in the same bed. If it bothers you so much we'll put pillows in the middle, between us. Ok?” He put his hands in his pockets. “Change and come. Quickly. Or else I'll lock you outside the apartment.”

 

Seung Hee grabbed her stuff and tried to change quickly, but she kept fumbling about. In the pit of her stomach, there was a nasty knot of fear that kept growing bigger and bigger – he wouldn't do anything to her, right? No, he wouldn't...

 

When she was finally dressed, Seung Hee looked in the mirror. An anxious, pale face looked back. Those Hello Kitty PJs… she loved them so much, her grandfather had bought them, but they were so childish..

Yoongi would burst out laughing. She hated the idea, she didn't like it when he laughed at her – that made her feel like a clueless and annoying kid.

 

Taking a deep breath, she stood in front of the bedroom but lacked the courage to go in. After what seemed like forever, Yoongi himself opened the door.

 

"There you are,” he said. “I thought you ran away.”

 

He looked at her pyjamas, and she braced herself. Here it comes….

 

"You look cute,” he said.

 

Was he messing with her?

 

"I'm not teasing you,” he said. How spooky—he had known what she was thinking!

 

Yoongi pulled her in, and steered her to one end of the bed. He was right; ten people could easily fit on it. The other side seemed to be a mile away. He pulled back the covers and pushed her to sit.

 

"Lie down,” he ordered, and when she obeyed he tucked the blanket around her tightly – just like it had been tucked this morning. “There.”

 

Seung Hee watched him go to his end. He pressed a button and the lights went out.

 

They said nothing. It was so quiet that she could hear her roaring heart, and she shook with nerves. It was strange to be in the same room – in the same bed – but even stranger not to not hear or feel him. Was he still there?

 

"Yoongi?” she whispered.

 

"Yeah, kid?” he answered from some distance away.

 

"Nothing.”

 

So he was there – and that made her shake even more. Her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, and she could make out the various shapes in the room – she could see the composing equipment, the bathroom door, and even Yoongi looking her way.

 

"Are you scared of the dark?” she asked.

 

He chuckled. “No. Are you?”

 

"No.”

 

"You sure? You're shaking. Are you cold?”

 

"No, I'm f-fine.”

 

How did he know that she was shaking? Could he feel it somehow? She looked at him, and even though it was dark, she could see that his lips were turned up in a half-smile - directed at her. That somehow took away her fears, and filled her with peace. Even though the person she was going to sleep next to was him, she wasn't scared.

 

Her eyes grew heavy, and she snuggled against a pillow, hugging it to her.

"Night,” she mumbled, registering that this was the first time she had actually said goodnight to him.

 

"Night, kid,” replied Yoongi, but she barely heard him – she was already fast asleep, watched over by Yoongi's warm gaze.

 

* * * *

 

 

 

It was 7:00 am. Yoongi knew that he should get up and get to work, but he was too comfortable. Five more minutes, he decided, and smiled to himself when he saw the person nearby. That kid had ended up on his side through her sleep, but when he reached out to touch her, he couldn't because there was still too much distance between them.

 

The kid lay on her back, her eyes shut and slightly open. Her arms lay over the covers limply, and he watched the small rise and fall of her chest with her steady breathing. This was so different from the first time he had seen her sleep - that time in the car, she had seemed so anxious. Now, she seemed relaxed.

 

Yoongi knew that it wasn't a good idea, but he couldn't resist. He crept closer, and touched her hand. It was so warm. He held it gently - one day, he though, he wanted to walk somewhere while holding onto this hand.

 

This was so nice. For once, Yoongi did not think of all the complications that came with this girl. He just enjoyed this moment. Maybe it could last forever. Maybe he could hold her hand and things would be this simple forever.

 

Nothing lasts forever. In life, bad things must happen to create a balance with the good. Yoongi knew this. He just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon.

 

Because in just one second, everything became complicated.

 

When he heard a choked gasp from the doorway, Yoongi knew the moment was over.

 

"Yah," he said. "Just because I gave you the code, it doesn't mean you can come in whenever."
 

"Hyung..." whispered Jungkook, ashen-faced. "W-what's going on?"

---