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

"What does it look like?" asked Yoongi coolly.

Jungkook blanched. "Did you... do something to her?"

"I can do what I want with her.”

"Tell me," Jungkook insisted. “Did you do something or not?”

"You know me,” replied Yoongi, slightly smirking, and Jungkook had the urge to punch that smirk off his face when he said, “You know I'm not the type to sit back if a girl wanders in.”

Yoongi knew exactly what this sounded like – but he had to make Jungkook understand, once and for all, that he had no right to pursue Seung Hee. That she was taken.

"Wait, she…. came to you?”

"She begged me to let her sleep here.”

Jungkook went even whiter. “And just like that… you took advantage of her?”

Yoongi shrugged.

Jungkook couldn't take it any longer. He grabbed Yoongi, yelling, "How could you? How could you do that to her?!”

He was about to punch Yoongi when Seung Hee suddenly screamed, “Stop it! Stop it, both of you!”

She had been woken by Jungkook's yells, and though she didn't understand what exactly was going on, she did understand that they were about to get into a fight.

Jungkook dropped his fist.

Seung Hee was about to heave a sigh of relief when she noticed Jungkook's expression. He was looking at her, heart-broken, shattered, his eyes swimming in suppressed tears.

"What happened?” she asked, panicked. How could Jungkook cry? That was all wrong – he always smiled, he was always full of light. Just like a star...

"I get it,” he said. “I told you to call me if this jerk tries anything - “

"He didn't!”

"Then why are you here? Don't lie."

And Seung Hee understood why he was upset.

She looked at Yoongi - he was glaring down at his clenched fists.

"It's not like that," she said. "Nothing happened... Jungkook, there is nothing between Yoongi and I-"

Jungkook shook his head, and ran out. Seung Hee, crying now, tried to follow him, but Yoongi grabbed her wrist, his eyes slits of darkness. “Are you that worried about him?”

"Please let me go, he misunderstood-”

"Damn it, Lee!” shouted Yoongi. “Is he the only one you can see?”

"He's upset, please-”

"What about me?” His grip tightened. “I'm upset, too, and you won't even look at me!”

Seung Hee was crying too hard to listen – she couldn't let Jungkook leave like that, he was so hurt – and  Yoongi gripped her shoulders.

"Don't cry,” he ordered. “I told you to never cry in front of me! Especially over someone else!”

This was just like the old Yoongi – the Yoongi she was afraid of.

"I'm s-sorry-”

She couldn't say anything else; Yoongi suddenly put his arms around her and held her tightly.

"Don't cry,” he said again, but gentler. “Stop crying.”

His hands rubbed her back in soothing circles, and Seung Hee knew that the scary Yoongi was gone. She buried her face in his chest, feeling his warmth which seemed so familiar, and she could feel every muscle through the thin fabric of his blue T-shirt. Her sobs lessened, and then stopped. And she still stood there, in his arms. He drew back after a while.

"That's better,” he said. “Don't cry for Jungkook, or because we were misunderstood. I know the truth, and you know the truth – that's what's most important, right?”

Seung Hee nodded, wondering if that's what he forced himself to believe whenever there was any bad press about him. And how could he be so scary one second, then so comforting the next? He gave the sickness and then the medicine.

Yoongi must have been suddenly embarrassed, because he pushed her away and muttered, “I have to go...”

Without looking at her, he got some clothes out of his cupboard and left. Seung Hee didn't look at him either.

Because in fact, what mattered most to her right now was Jungkook's pain – what mattered was that Yoongi was the one who had let Jungkook leave with that pain.

 

* * * *

 

“Again,” said Namjoon. "Jeon Jungkook, focus!"

Jungkook wiped his sweaty face, and even though his lungs were about to burst and his legs were burning, he forced himself to move as the music came back on.

BTS had been practicing the same dance for over two hours now, and Jungkook knew that it was all his fault – he kept messing up. He was holding back the others, and Namjoon's temper was running low. Namjoon was normally a calm guy, but the maknae could see the leader bite his lip – a sure sign of danger.

He tried to concentrate and did his best – honestly, he tried – but Namjoon still yelled “Stop!” He walked up to Jungkook. “What's gotten into you?” he demanded.

Jungkook couldn't meet his elder's face, he hung his head. “I'm sorry,” he said. “I'll work harder.”

Namjoon looked at the other members. “You guys sit, and Jungkook, you do the choreo.”

The five other members sat down gratefully, wiping off their sweat with towels and drinking. Where their hands touched the floor, they left a sweaty hand print behind.

The music began, and Jungkook began to move his body to the steps he had been taught, while Namjoon watched him like a hawk.

Namjoon's attention made him nervous, and the others began to watch him, too. After a while, Namjoon screamed, “Stop!” and pushed the maknae. “Is this a joke to you?” he yelled, turning red. “You keep messing up in the SAME PART OVER AND OVER! How many times has Hoseok showed it to you today? And this dance isn't even new!”

Jungkook bit his lips to keep them from trembling – he couldn't help it, and he really didn't understand where he kept messing up, he did the exact same thing Hoseok had showed him.

"I'm trying,” he said. “But aren't you being too harsh? This is just a practice-”

Namjoon hit the side of his head. It didn't hurt, but it was startling.

"Just because you're the youngest it doesn't mean that you can take things easier than the others! You're blocking everyone!”

"It's a practice-”

Jungkook felt something hard and stinging fall on his face, with a loud ringing noise. He clutched his cheek in disbelief, and Namjoon looked as though he couldn't believe it either. The thirty seconds of silence that followed was the time it took for everyone – including Namjoon – to register the fact that Jungkook had just been slapped.

Namjoon never slapped anyone – he never used force. Especially on the youngest member – he always called Jungkook 'the baby'. And to Jungkook, this amounted to betrayal.

"Hyung,” he whimpered, and burst into tears. Today was getting worse and worse...

The members scrambled to their feet, as shocked as Jungkook – though no one was more surprised than Namjoon.

Jungkook had to get away. He didn't know where, but he couldn't stand seeing Namjoon anymore – or Yoongi. He saw all the members take a step toward him, as though they were going to comfort him. Even Namjoon reached out to touch his arm, his eyes swamped in guilt. “Jungkook...”

That was it, and he ran out blindly, away – away from Namjoon and Yoongi, those two who had always protected him but stabbed him in the back today. He found an empty staircase and slid to the floor, hugging his knees to his chest.

How could Namjoon have treated him like that? Namjoon had been his father, his brother, his friend, since he was eight years old. Whenever he had made mistakes in the past, Namjoon would patiently correct them – never had he flown off the handle like that before.

Jungkook was suddenly aware of the presence of another person – Yoongi, who crouched down beside him. That made him cry harder. He heard Yoongi sigh and mutter, “I feel like I'm in a kindergarten; Namjoon's crying in the practice room and so is Hoseok and Taehyung. Jimin and Seokjin are probably bawling their eyes out, too.”

"Go away,” said Jungkook fiercely. “Are you trying to make me feel even worse? And anyway, it's all your fault!”

During practice, Jungkook couldn't stop seeing Yoongi lying beside Seung Hee, holding her hand, like this morning, he couldn't stop thinking about what Yoongi had done.

With something like that in his head, there was no room for anything else.

"It was a misunderstanding,” said Yoongi. “This morning...you misunderstood. And I let you. Nothing happened, I swear – I didn't lay a finger on her.”

Jungkook raised his head. “Are you sure?”

"I swear. This morning, you upset her… she wanted to go after you-”

"Then why didn't she?”

Yoongi shifted uncomfortably. “Because I didn't let her. Jungkook, you know that you're my little brother, right? But you have to understand that you can't go after another man's girl – that's just not done.”

"You don't even like her,” whispered Jungkook, resentment coursing through his veins.

"You don't know about that.”

"You said that you didn't care!" shouted Jungkook. "You said she was nothing to you!"

Yoongi couldn't reply.

Jungkook got up. He couldn't stand being here anymore, Yoongi had ruined it.

"You know what?” he said. “I used to really respect you. I used to trust you – you and Namjoon hyung - more than any one else in the world. But now, I don't think I can do that anymore...”

Yoongi didn't say anything for a long time. Jungkook thought triumphantly that he had won – how could Yoongi even try to defend himself? But then Yoongi looked at him, and his face was blank – blanker than when he appeared on variety shows.

"Jungkook," he said, his voice full of supressed emotion. “Why do you do this to me? Can't I have Seung Hee – and not lose you? Can you let me have that one person? She… sees me as a person, Jungkook -”

"Oh, that must be so important, huh?” sneered Jungkook – wait, when did he ever sneer? “I wonder why others don't think of you as human? I'll tell you why: because you're a cold, back-stabbing traitor!”

And Jungkook ran, leaving Yoongi still leaning against the wall.

Jungkook wished he hadn't behaved like that. It was as though some part of him - a part he had never known - had suddenly woken up. It was horrifying – Jungkook was turning into a monster. He knew this, but he couldn't stop it...

 

* * * *

Mrs Min had asked Yoongi to come over to dinner, and he literally stuffed Seung Hee into the car and barked at her to put her seat-belt on. She pressed herself as close as possible to the window, as though she was trying to escape from him. And that annoyed him. A lot.

"Let's stop this fight,” he said, and he had to admit that his voice was not very friendly. No wonder she shot him a terrified glance and managed to press herself even more into the window.

"Stop that,” ordered Yoongi. “I'm not going to hit you!”

This strategy was obviously not working, so he grit his teeth and said, “Oh, come on." He tried to soften his tone. “Look, I'm sorry, ok? And if this will make you feel better, I told Jungkook that it was a misunderstanding.”

"Really?”

It was sad the way she said that – like a child with a big present in front of her, yet afraid that it was not for her.

"Yes,” he said. “So stop sulking!”

"You were the one started it,” she said defensively, but she was no longer pressed against the window.

"Me?” he demanded.

"Yeah – you and your multiple personality disorder!”

"I do not have a multiple personality disorder!”

"Do too!”

"Do not!”

Yoongi was surprised by how quick Seung Hee seemed to become more confident and easily bicker with him. She didn't even question him about the Jungkook thing. Aish, she was just so innocent. She even started telling him about school and Choi Ha Na.

By the time they reached his parents' house, he was amazed. It was as though the tension of that morning and her fear of him never existed. Where was that frightened girl from last night? From just ten minutes ago?

"What happened?” he asked. “I mean, you've never been so…. so comfortable around me before.”

A light pink tinge painted her cheeks. Yoongi had aways found that adorable, and loved that she often blushed because of him.

"Nothing,” she muttered.

"Tell me,” he ordered, getting curious.

Seung Hee looked at him quickly. “Actually, I feel as though I've known you forever,” she said in one breath, and looked down quickly. Her fingers gripped the hem of her sweater, and he realized that she was afraid of his reaction.

Half-smiling, he took her small hand. “You have,” he said. “Ok, not forever, but quite a while now.”

He let go as they got out, and they went up the steps of the Min house and went in without knocking. A delicious aroma wafting in the air greeted them.

Mrs Min squealed excitedly and hugged them, and Yoongi hung up their coats. Mrs Min suddenly shrieked about leaving the stove on, and rushed to the kitchen.

  Seung Hee noticed that there was an extra plate on the table, and asked Yoongi whether there was another guest. He went to the kitchen to ask his mother, who murmured in reply, “Her mother.”

Yoongi, about to pop some rice into his mouth, froze, his hand comically in the air.

"Eomma,” he whispered, aghast. “How could you?'

"She wants to see her child,” answered Mrs Min firmly, but it sounded as though she was trying to convince herself, too. “It's natural.”

"But I told you she would get hurt!" cried Yoongi. "I told you it wasn't a good idea!"

Meanwhile, Seung Hee went to answer the door when the bell rang. It must be Mr Min, she thought, but the greetings died in when she saw the woman standing there. It was a face she knew and hated – missed, but hated.

The woman seemed a bit surprised to see Seung Hee, but recovered enough to say, as though in a dream, “My daughter...”