Reporter Cha opened up his laptop, his mind whirling. He checked the pictures again, just to make sure that he was not dreaming. They were there all right – this was no dream.

He chuckled, remembering how fast Jeon Jungkook had run out to find him after he was spotted clicking a picture backstage. But he hadn't been able to find Cha. Of course, being a reporter, Cha had developed some quick reflexes. And learned to listen to his gut feeling – because once again, his gut feeling had been right.

That stupid girl he had met on Christmas had been none other than Min Yoongi's wife. Funny, she looked too innocent for someone like him... she didn't look like the type of girl he would like.

Just last night, Cha had seen her get into Suga's car, and he had followed them. He had seen them get out and go into the building together,the girl talking animatedly and staying close to him.

Cha's eyes had nearly popped out of his head when he had seen that stupid girl at BTS's waiting room and again backstage, hardly believing the exchange between her and Suga. He had actually ruffled her hair! That cold Suga seemed different when he looked at the girl…

Anyway, now Cha had to find out about the girl – her name, age, and so on. Now that he had her picture, it wouldn't be that hard before he got everything he needed about her...

 

* * * *

 

When Yoongi finished up his schedule that day at six, he went straight home.

“Yah, kid, I brought fried chicken,” he called before realizing that he was talking to an empty room. He wandered into the bedroom – maybe she was napping, like the overgrown baby she was.

Sure enough, she was cocooned in the blankets and he smoothed the hair off her face.

“Yah,” he said softly. “Wake up.”
“I am awake,” she said, and opened her eyes.

“Huh?” he said, puzzled. “Then why didn't you reply?”
“I was listening to music.”
She pulled out her phone from under the blanket and took off her headphones.

“What were you listening to?”
“Music,” she said, rolling her eyes, and he lightly hit the top of her head.

“I know that, you dumb kid!”
“You're the dumb one here – what else would I be listening to?”

He grabbed her phone and scanned the playlist – no way… she was listening to…

“My mixed tape?” he said, incredulous. “But… don't you hate rap?”
She blushed and took the phone back. “I like it now,” she mumbled. “But only when you rap.”
“You were listening to my mixed tape,” he repeated, still unable to believe it.

“Why is it such a big deal to you?” she demanded. “I can't listen to your songs?”
“Huh?” he said, slightly taken aback. “No, no, go ahead. I'm just-”
“-offended?”
“I'm touched.”
She looked down at her phone. “There's nothing to be touched about...”

They just stood there in silence until Yoongi said, “I brought fried chicken.”

She hopped out of bed, getting tangled in the blankets and dashed out.

"Where are you going?” he yelled.

She yelling something about showering first since she hadn't yet today.

"You dirty thing!” he yelled, grinning inn spite of himsel. “It's evening and you haven't even showered yet?”

Aish, on days without school she could stay in bed all day. Except when she got out, she had to shower – it was something her grandfather had taught her, that showering after getting up washed away the past and let you have a new day.

Except she was a bit late for that now...

She showered in record time and appeared soon, damp and in her hoodie – the one he had given her. In a burst of affection, he pulled the hood over her head and felt her wet hair.

“Yah,” he said. “Didn't you dry your hair?'

“I did.”

“It's dripping – you'll catch a cold! Aish, you're such a baby.”

He took her by the hood and pulled her to the bathroom, where he took a towel and began drying her hair.

“You can't even do this?” he grumbled. “Next what? You won't be able to put your socks on?”

“I can do this-” she said, trying to take the towel.

“Stay still.”

She stopped moving obediently, and he half-smiled. Actually, this was kind of nice. It was intimate, and he liked doing this kind of thing for her – only for her, no one else.

But then she reached over to take the towel, and brushed his hand. It felt like an electric shock to him; he wanted more… no, he craved for more...

“It's dry now,” she said. “Let me go eat.”

“Fine,” he said, letting go of her. “Go.”

She ran out and left Yoongi to hang up the towel and follow, his hands in his pockets.

“It's on the table,” he told her.

“You're eating with me, right?” she asked.

He shook his head – he was doing all kinds of stupid things today, it was better if he went away before he did something he'd regret.

“Got a schedule,” he lied smoothly.

“I'll wait for you, then.”

“Don't – I won't be back till morning.”

“You're going to leave me alone again?”

Yoongi wanted to ditch his stupid plan then and there, but staying here really wasn't a good idea – and anyway, he couldn't back out without looking like an idiot.

“Bye, then, Yoongi.” She got started on the chicken.

That kid! She said goodbye to him so easily!

“Yah!” he yelled. “What's more important – the chicken or me?”

“Of course, the chicken.”

“Yah!”

“Aren't you going?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm going. I'm really busy, you know – so busy that I don't have time to argue with stupid kids!”

“Then go! I'm not stopping you.”

“I'm going now, and I'll never buy you chicken again!”

“You're so immature,” she muttered just as he stepped out and shut the door behind him.

How dare she prefer chicken over him?

 

* * * *

 

“Yah, Namjoon,” said Seokjin, going into Namjoon's room. “Tell Yoongi to get off the couch – that's my spot.”

Namjoon groaned and put the magazine over his face. “Just sleep somewhere else for once, ok?”

“Make him get off! The couch is my spot!”

“What makes you think that he'll get off if I tell him to?” asked Namjoon. “After you failed to make him get off?”

“You're our leader," said Seokjin.

“And you're the oldest.”

“As the oldest, I command you to get Yoongi's off my territory even if you have to kick him off!'

“Leave me alone!”

Seokjin pulled a protesting Namjoon into the living room, Yoongi was lying on the couch, hugging a pillow, Jungkook was locked up in his room, and the other three were playing video games.

Yoongi could sleep through anything, but the couch was Seokjin's territory. Everyone knew this, and it was an unwritten rule of the dorm that when Seokjin wanted the couch to himself, he got it. And Yoongi was breaking that rule right now.

“Go on,” said Seokjin, jabbing Namjoon sharply in the ribs with his elbow.

“Ow!” cried Namjoon. “Um, Yoongi, get off. Seokjin hyung...”

“He has a room,” muttered Yoongi.

“You have an apartment!” yelled Seokjin. “And your girl is there! If I were you, I'd never hang out over here!”

Yoongi made an indecipherable noise and punched the pillow. Seokjin and the other three– who had paused their game to watch the more entertaining fight - turned to Namjoon for a translation.

“That's the problem,” explained Namjoon. “That's why he's here.”

“Huh?”

“Why?”

“He's crazy!”

“He's weird!”

Yoongi threw a cushion at them and yelled, “Leave me alone!”

“Sorry, Seokjin hyung,” said Hoseok. “Looks like he's not budging.”

Taehyung poked Yoongi in the ribs and demanded, “Why can't you go home if Seung Hee's there?”

“They had a fight!”

“She hates him!”

“Who doesn't hate him?”

“I don't – I hate you.”

“Yah! You brat!”

“Ow! Don't hit me!”

“Shut up!” hollered Yoongi, and the members all fell silent except for an “Explain,” from Namjoon.

“Nothing you can understand.”

“Tell us, that way you can keep the couch.”

“Yah!” protested Seokjin, but was quelled with a look from Namjoon. “Fine, fine, I get it... eldest hyung is always a victim...”

Everyone ignored him because Yoongi was finally speaking.

“I can't go back today,” he said, and there was a kind of desperation in his voice. “This morning, I… I made a mistake, and I don't want to scare her so-”

“Wait!” interrupted Taehyung. “Are you saying that after ALL THIS TIME, you haven't even laid a finger on her?” His eyes went wide. “You expect me to believe that?”

“Not everyone's like you,” muttered Jimin.

“No, wait,” said Taehyung. “This is Min Yoongi we're talking about. Don't you think that he's behaving oddly these days?”

“It's because he loves her,” said Hoseok, and Yoongi promptly turned bright red.

“Yeah,” said Taehyung. “But if you like a girl, and she likes you back – and those two are married for God's sake – there's no problem! You don't need to hold back and you can just grab her and-”

“Ew, you have no concept of romance!”

“This is Lee Seung Hee you're talking about, you know.”

“Don't speak like that about our little sis!”

"You can't just do that to people!

“Ok, ok,” surrendered Taehyung. “Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Because of her, Yoongi hyung can't go home – hey, should I tell her?”

“Don't you dare!” snarled Yoongi.

“Why? I'll help you!”

“I don't need your help so don't you dare in and tell her something weird!”

“Fine,” said Taehyung, and Seokjin suddenly pushed Yoongi hard so he rolled off the couch and squashed the younger three members on the floor.

Seokjin hopped on. “This is my spot, and don't you forget it – or else I could tell Seung Hee some very interesting stories about her innocent litte husband.”

“Don't you dare!”

A snore answered him – Seokjin had fallen asleep. Honestly, no amount of noise could keep him from his beloved sleep.

Everyone shrugged, and Yoongi got up painfully and the other three started their game again, shouting loudly but Seokjin didn't even roll over.

“Oh, yeah! SCORE!”

“Take that! And that!”

“Yah, that's cheating!”

“You cheated first!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

Yoongi rolled his eyes. Idiots, that's what they were.

“By the way, where's Jungkook?” he asked Namjoon.

“No idea,” replied Namjoon. “He ran off as soon as you came. I think something's bothering him.”

Yoongi thought so, too. Jungkook hadn't answered his, “Yo, wassup!” and hadn't even met his eyes earlier that morning. Wait, he wasn't that way because of Seung Hee, was he? No, there was something else. And whatever it was, it was bad, because Jungkook wasn't the type to worry about small things – and he looked more than worried these days.

 

* * * *

 

Yoongi cornered Jungkook at the practice room during break. The maknae tried to leave, though, and Yoongi grabbed his arm and was surprised when the other tried to wrench it away.

“Jeon Jungkook,” he said. “Get a grip. What's wrong with you these days?”

“Nothing!”

“You've never kept anything from me before, Jungkook. Are you in trouble? Tell me, I'll fix it. Just like I've always done.”

Jungkook's hard eyes suddenly filled with tears. Alarmed, Yoongi said, “Yah, just tell me. We'll find a solution together and-”

Jungkook kept blinking and shaking his head, and muttered, “What will happen if you and Seung Hee get exposed?”

Yoongi only heard him mention Seung Hee's name – and his mind automatically thought about the hurt Jungkook went through because of him.

“Is this about Seung Hee?” he asked, aghast. Did Jungkook hate him because of what had happened? Was he really this upset over that?

“I'm sorry,” he said. “Jungkook, I'm sorry-”

Jungkook seemed to be in even more pain. “Don't apologize… you have nothing to apologize for...”

“I do – I hurt you, Jungkook, and-”

With surprising strength, Jungkook pushed him and he slammed against the wall. Yoongi could hardly register that it was Jungkook – little, harmless Jungkook – who had pushed him like that. And that he refused to tell him what was bothering him.

“Don't be nice to me again,” said Jungkook harshly, but his eyes betrayed him. “It's burdensome.”

“Burdensome?” echoed Yoongi. “Yah, we're part of the same team! You're my little brother...”

Jungkook put his hands over his ears to block Yoongi's words.

“Don't say that!” he cried. “I – I betrayed you – I betrayed everyone...”

Yoongi frowned. “You're not making sense.”

Jungkook pushed him again and ran out of the practice room, and Yoongi did not try to follow him.

Yoongi ran his hand through his hair and looked back at where the other members were resting – they were all occupied and had no idea what had just happened, except for Namjoon.

He locked gazes with Namjoon, telling him silently that he had not managed to find out about Jungkook, but something was really tormenting him.

Jimin suddenly looked up. “Where's Jungkookie?”

“He has a headache,” replied Namjoon, then clapped his hands. “Ok, you guys, break's over! Get up!”

Yoongi prodded a snoring Seokjin awake with a start and a groan of, “Can't I ever sleep in peace?”

Taehyung laughed. “You really are an old man – always sleeping!”

Seokjin and Taehyung bickered while Hoseok was already executing perfect dance moves. Namjoon and Yoongi exchanged glances – the rest of the team were fine, but Jungkook had left a gaping hole that was slowly getting bigger and was going to swallow everything up…

 

* * * *

 

A week later and things were no better. Everything was so weird. It was too calm; Jungkook avoided all the members now and not just Yoongi. But the reporters, fans, the agency… they were all unnaturally quiet.

Some kind of pressure built inside Yoongi – it was so quiet it was scary. It was as though the entire world was waiting with bated breaths – waiting for the catastrophe that would blow up in their faces…

And when it did, it did not blow up quietly.