Jungkook took a deep breath and, holding his backpack to him tightly as if a shield for protection, he went inside the building and stopped in front of the elevator. A girl came and waited beside him. He automatically shrank back and lowered his face, afraid of being recognized. The elevator doors opened and she went in. After a moment of hesitation, he got in, too.

The girl didn't even look at him – good, she couldn't recognize him then. He was forced to move out of five places before because of people recognizing him, realizing that he is Jeon Jungkook, the ex-member of BTS.

"Is it true you wrecked Suga's career on purpose?" they had asked. "Is it true you were kicked out of BTS?"
It's not true, he wanted to scream out. But he bit his tongue, choked on the words he could not say, for to say them would be to destroy everything he had tried to create.

But this place seemed all right. It was in a quiet little town; if he was careful enough he might be able to stay here – even though the place was tiny, as it was all he could afford, it was somehwere to live. And he had to find a job to pay off all his debts. Except what kind of job could someone who didn't even really attend high school properly find? He was always busy with practce and tours to pay enough attention to school. Now he wished he had... he felt lost, inadequate. How was he supposed to survive on his own out here? He couldn't even go to college, he had neiher the scores nor the money to go there. He would be forced to work at a job with low-pay, and struggle to put money aside for his debts.

He sighed again. Why was everything so complicated?

The elevator doors opened and he stepped out, the girl behind him.

As though by reflex, he kept his face lowered as a couple passed by.

He didn't want to have to move again.

The girl kept behind him, he was sure she was following him. When he turned the corner, so did she. She kept an even distance between them – oh no, please don't let her have already found out, he prayed. Please just let me stay here quietly.

Feeling paranoid, he fumbled in his pocket for his keys and quickly turned them in the lock of what was now his home.

The girl had stopped walking too.

He snuck a glance behind him – she too was unlocking a door, and without sparing him a second glance she went inside.

Feeling stupid now, Jungkook went inside too. So she was a neighbor. And she lived right opposite him – he would have to be careful.

He sighed, and suddenly his suitcase felt like it weighed a ton. He just let go of it and surveyed the small room – the bed took up most of the space. There was no couch, and only a small sink and the tiniest fridge he had ever seen in a corner. The bathroom had only a small shower-stall and a toilet, with a small sink on the side and a cracked mirror. The cupboards were bare and the sheets were cold.

Home sweet home.

* * *

Yoongi could tell that his mother was crying over the phone, even though she tried to hide it. His voice shook as he explained what he had decided to do.

“I honestly thought that I could give it all up,” he said. “But now that the time is really here, I can't. Music is a part of me, and I have no choice. All the other members got schedules now...”
“I know,” said Mrs Min comfortingly. “I would never expect you to quit music. Making you marry Seung Hee was the last time I interfered with your life, and I'll support you no matter what you decide to do.”

Yoongi bit his lip.

“It's funny, isn't it?” said Mrs Min after a pause. “We hated Seung Hee's mother but now it turns out that her coming to Seoul is a real blessing.”

Yoongi felt sick – his stomach was churning and he was sweating. “You should know that I'm glad you made me marry that kid,” he said. “She really… means a lot to me.”
“I know.”
“You do? How? I never told you.”
“I could see it. And even this decision shows that you really care. In a way, you're protecting her and giving her a chance to live with her mother – that's something she's always wanted, and with you around she would have never left.”

“Do you think...” he whispered. “that she'll ever forget me?”
“Will you forget her?”
“Of course not.”
“Then if you can't, how can she forget you?”

That was a little reassuring.

“Yoongi,” said his mother. “What you decided to do is the only way you can protect yourself as well as Seung Hee.”
“I know...”
“Call me when you're leaving,” she said. “I love you.”
The connection was cut, and Yoongi took a deep, shuddering breath. He couldn't break down now, he still had so much to prepare. He had to talk to the members, to Seung Hee's mother, and he had to tell her. That was something he didn't want to do, ever.

He went back to his bedroom – no, their bedroom – and his heart seemed to just stop beating. There she was. Sleeping peacefully, lost in the land of dreams, he hoped. Her eyes were shut tight, her chest rising and falling with her soft breathing, her small hands curled up in the sheets. She looked smaller and more innocent than ever. She may be small, but she had the most beautiful and pure soul of anyone he knew – she who had remained by his side throughout, never doubting him, never believing that trash reporters dug up. Always understanding, always forgiving. In all his life, would there ever be another person capable of giving him such unconditional, unwavering love? He knew the answer without even thinking.

"I'm going to miss you," he said softly, and sat on her side of the bed and gathered her up in his arms.

She blinked sleepily. “H-huh?”
“Aish, just shut up,” said Yoongi, but not in a mean way. “You dumb kid.”
He ruffled her hair and she slapped away his hand. “Yah!”
“What 'yah?'”

“Aish, now I'm awake because of you,” she grumbled.

“I'm worth waking up for.”
“Not if you're just going to be mean to me.”

“I'm not mean!”

“You woke me up so yeah, that's pretty mean.”
He pouted and she resisted the urge to giggle.

Yoongi put his arms around her and drew her close to him, settling her on top of him.

“You're a very comfortable mattress,” she observed.

“Yah, I'm being really romantic and sweet and that's all you can say?”
She snuggled against his neck.”I'm sleepy.”
“You're just dumb.”
“I'll leave if you keep being mean to me.”
“No you won't, you'll lose your comfortable mattress if you leave.”

“Point.”
He smiled and her hair gently. “You want to go back to sleep?”
“What?" she mumbled.

“So you are still sleepy,” he chuckled. “OK, just sleep now.”

She tried to go back to her side but he locked his arms around her. “Where do you think you're going? I'm your mattress.”
“But-”
“Shut up and sleep.”

She let herself be embraced by Yoongi's warmth and it filled her up, making her sigh in contentment. Except he ruined the moment by saying, “You got heavier.”
“Yah!” she yelled, raising her head and he gave her a quick kiss. She blinked at him, and he grinned. “I knew that would make you look up.”

She rolled her eyes. “Idiot,” she said, and gave him a quick kiss in return.

“I should be an idiot more often if this is how you respond,” he said mischievously.

“You're always an idiot. And I hate you."
He tilted her face upwards and pressed his lips swiftly to the tip of her nose. "And now? Do you still hate me now?"
She giggled and he kissed her nose again. Then her forehead. Then her cheeks. Her eyelids. Her lips.

"Don't tell me you hate me now," he said. "I'm the ultimate romantic guy you've ever met so you should be grateful that you have a husband like me."
She snorted and snuggled closer to him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"You smell good," she murmured. It was that Yoongi smell – freshly washed clothes, a hint of perfume, something that made her think of chocolate, and of course, his own scent.

"I know I do," he said smugly. "I'll put some in a bottle just for you for when I'm gone."
"You're leaving?"
He bit his tongue – what had he said?

"It was just a joke," he said, trying to sound soothing and her hair.

"Your jokes are getting lamer." She tried to get up but he pulled her back down onto him.

"Where do you think you're going?"
"I have to get ready, I have a morning class today."
"I really hate your college," said Yoongi, putting a leg over her so she couldn't get up.

"Yah, Min Yoongi!"

He put an arm around her for good measure. "I wish you could stay home with me today. We could lie here in bed all day."

"How boring," she said. "Yah, Min Yoongi, I have class so-"

He suddenly leaned over her and kissed her lips. "You're so cute, worrying over being on time for class when I'm right here."
"So what if you're here?"
"The ultimate romantic husband in the world is at your disposal and you are just going to run to college, where I know you will daydream about me."
Seung Hee giggled. "You wish!'

"No, I know you do!"
"Ok fine, I do," she admitted, and he smiled and kissed her again.

* * * *

Manager Woo took the paper Yoongi had signed. “You made a good decision, Min,” he said.

Yoongi looked at him suspiciously – Woo's compliments came once in a blue moon.

“You'll be able to come back in two years after you complete your mandatory military service,” said Woo. “During that time, people will eventually forget, and you'll get their forgiveness.”

He looked at Yoongi carefully before saying, “It's for that kid, too, isn't it? Not just for your protection, but hers, too.” He sighed. “Never thought you would get soft. Anyway...”
He handed Yoongi a file. “This is your contract, and enlistment details.”
Yoongi nodded.

Woo didn't know what to say, but it was obvious he was reluctant to say goodbye.

“Active service,” he said. “I was in active service, too. Horrible, but you feel different once you come out of the army. You look at things in a new perspective. Strange, isn't it? You going away. I mean, you made K Entertainment – it was always you. And… I want you to know that I tried my best to get you back in. But even my best wasn't enough.”
Yoongi remained silent. He knew that Woo had gone to meet with countless investors to get them to change their mind.
But after a few minutes, this was just too awkward. He bowed and said, “I'll be leaving then.”
Just before he left, though, Woo called out, “Min – you're an artist, you know that? Not this wannabe idol… a real artist.”
Yoongi had never been told this in his entire life. He smiled, and realized that he had never smiled at Woo either.

He held up his papers. “I'll come back.”

That was a promise he would never break.