Taehyung breathed in the familiar smell of home. After ignoring his mom’s 27 missed calls, 14 text messages, and 10 voicemails, Taehyung had finally given in and replied with a simple, “Relax, I’m coming home.”

He lugged his single suitcase into his room and collapsed onto his bed. The apartment was quiet. If he listened closely, Taehyung could hear the hum of the traffic outside. Seoul was always packed with moving vehicles and bustling people. He wondered where his mom was, and why she had not called to check on him. She was probably out getting her hair done or getting her car washed. She was a very punctual woman, her life was always perfectly organized, and she expected Taehyung’s to be the same.

He got up and dragged himself to the bathroom. It had been a while since he had seriously looked at his own reflection. He noticed that his hair was a little longer, his dark circles a little more prominent, and a small scar was imprinted on his cheek, just as the Japanese girl had predicted.

After a quick shower, Taehyung grabbed his car keys and got into his faded yellow truck. Amongst Seoul’s modern, polished cars, Taehyung’s aged one really stood out. Its sunshine-y color didn’t help either. But Taehyung had grown fond of it, including its constant breakdowns, and wouldn’t trade it for anything. He patted the steering wheel before starting the engine, “Did you miss me?”

Sana had taken only one step into the threshold when she was enveloped in several hugs at once. Multiple voices called out her name and many hands were reaching for her. She couldn’t help laughing out of shock and joy, or both. She hastily asked the crowd to calm down so she could take a good look at them all. Aside from a few hairstyle changes, new piercings, and growth spurts, her family still looked the same; as warm and welcoming as ever. They were still impatient and energetic. Random questions were thrown at her, and Sana tried her best to answer them. Yes, she had carried plenty of hot-packs during the flight. Yes, she had quit her job on good terms. No, she was not hungry at the moment.

Despite the fatigue she felt from the flight, Sana had never been more happy. It was a good decision to come back to Korea, she thought. She wanted this moment to last forever.

Taehyung parked his bulky truck neatly into a lot and got out. He pulled his hoodie up before walking swiftly into a small store. The sign in front read “Snapshot,” and then in smaller letters, “saving life’s memories one photo at a time.” Taehyung stepped in and smiled at the familiar sight of a sleeping Yoongi. He walked over to the counter and whacked the snoring man on the top of his mint head.

"Welcome to Snapshot,” Yoongi mumbled drowsily, his eyes barely open.

"What kind of receptionist are you? This place could be on fire and you’d still be snoring,” Taehyung said, a cheeky smile plastered on his face.

Yoongi laughed, “It’ll really be on fire when I release my mixtape.” Taehyung was relieved. It was uncommon for Min Yoongi to be in a good mood. He probably only laughed out loud twice a year. Taehyung cautiously said, “So about me coming back to work-”

Yoongi’s face immediately turned sour, “Don’t even start. What the hell were you thinking, just shipping your over to Japan like that?”

Taehyung sighed, “Hey I’m back now.” He activated his best pleading expression and watched gleefully as Yoongi reached for his phone, a little too violently. Taehyung held his breath when he recognized their boss’s unmistakable voice on the line. After a few minutes of yelling, cursing, and some sweet-talking on Yoongi’s part, the call ended.
“You owe me one for getting your dumb job back,” Yoongi glowered.

Taehyung enjoyed his job. It was simple and laid-back. He made rounds everyday in his truck, first to print the photos taken in the studio, then to deliver them to the customers’ homes. The pay was a fraction above minimum wage, but Taehyung wasn’t concerned about the money. He liked spending his days alone. And furthermore, if he didn’t have a job to busy himself with, Taehyung thought he would go insane.

Weeks went by and the weather continued to get worse. It was likely the coldest time of the year. Taehyung’s life was back to normal, or as normal as it could possibly get. He developed a routine for himself; skipping breakfast, working, buying a quick lunch, which more-often-than-not happened to be a ramen cup from a convenience store, working, returning home to an empty apartment with a note from his mom to heat up the leftover dinner, and sleeping. Doing the same things everyday helped him forget about the gaping hole in his chest. It was still there of course, but the pain was dulled. Taehyung considered getting a haircut, but always lost the motivation whenever he was close to the barber’s. He felt as if his hair gave the world around him a permanent shadow, and he was a bit afraid when he realized that he preferred it that way. The haircut could wait.

That morning started out like every other morning. Walking in to “Snapshot,” Taehyung was hit with the revolting stench of alcohol. Taking one look at Yoongi with his crumpled clothes and his hair stuck in all directions, Taehyung immediately spun around and headed for the door. After much begging and threatening, Yoongi managed to convince him to grab him a coffee to help his “slight headache.” Taehyung trudged over to the cafe across the street, swinging his car keys and squinting at the bright sunlight. He was never a morning person.

It definitely wasn’t the first time Yoongi showed up at work hungover. His only form of entertainment was clubbing in Gangnam and waking up with a new woman every now and then. Apparently, alcohol and were affective forms of inspiration for the upcoming mixtape he was always rambling about. Taehyung sometimes wondered how one could find pleasure in those things. When he voiced these thoughts, Yoongi would call him “a church boy.” Taehyung would laugh it off. He didn’t dare tell Yoongi that he was far from that. He didn’t dare let anyone see his inner darkness. He was afraid, that perhaps they would abandon him.

Stepping into the cafe, his nostrils were filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, freshly baked bread, and freshly perfumed strangers. It smelled way too- homely. Taehyung made a beeline for the register and grumbled a quick order for a cappuccino. The drink was finished in no time and presented to him by a smiley worker. Its efficiency was one of the things he liked best about this cafe. Just as he turned around, about to head straight for the exit, a loud clang rang out. His head naturally turned in the direction of the noise and he quickly connected the dots. A woman was on her feet, shrieking and jabbing her finger at one of the cafe’s worker. She had clearly just slammed her drink on the table with enough force to spill its contents all over the floor. Taehyung let out a breath; it was just another unbearable person bent on ruining another person’s morning. He turned back around, but before he could take a step, something in Taehyung’s head clicked. He immediately narrowed his eyes at the familiar figure. Same small stature, same dark silver hair, same pointy nose, same apologetic expression.

Sana tried to ignore the burn on her hand, as a result of the steaming drink splattering everywhere. She continued to bow and apologize. The morning had started out fine. She had successfully reached the cafe via subway, despite her mom’s fussing. Jimin had offered to give her a ride, but she knew he was dropping off his girlfriend at her college. Wanting to give the couple their privacy, she had politely refused. The first hour of work had gone so smoothly, Sana’s good mood was unstoppable. Until now.

She wanted to turn back time. Since that’s not possible, punching herself would work too. But she couldn’t do that either. She was just stuck here, flustered and guilty. The woman had a right to be angry, the drink in front of her didn't match her order. Sana had definitely memorized all the recipes the night before, so she had probably messed up by bringing out the wrong order. She blamed her usual clumsiness. Sana nonverbally reminded herself that she was merely unlucky to run into such a customer today. She apologized again and assured the woman the correct drink will be made immediately. 

The woman crossed her arms, her bright pink lips curled into a sneer, “No thank you. What if you bring out a mixed-berry smoothie instead of the goddamn simple cappuccino I ordered? Who knows if you’re retarded or not. Can I just have my money back?”

Sana bit her lip, “I’m sorry but we can’t refund you. It will only take a minute for me to make you the cappuccino.” She desperately looked at the kitchen’s direction, hoping against hope that Jimin would come out with his signature smile and a solution for her. He had never failed to do so. Instead, Sana spotted someone else heading in their direction.

"You’re unbelieva-” the woman couldn’t finish before Taehyung jammed his cappuccino in her face. She scrunched her brows up in confusion, “And what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Taehyung kept his face expressionless, “It’s a cappuccino, not missing a drop. Take it,” he added, “And leave.”

She opened to retort, but seemed to think better of it. She yanked the cup out of his hand and stomped out, making as much noise with her olive three-inch pumps as possible, and not forgetting to glare back at all the curious stares thrown her way.

"Thank you so much,” the worker let out a sigh of relief, “I’ll make another one for you right away.”

"No need,” Taehyung spurted out and immediately regretted it. He looked down at her and could see the recognition slowly grow in her dark chestnut eyes.

"Oh! It’s you! Drunk guy with the camera?”

11:00 P.M.

Home is a weird word, isn't it? It can refer to the structure with a roof, rooms, and beds, that you return to everyday after a long day of work or school. Most people look forward to returning home, because it's where they belong. At home, most people eat meals, take a satisfying shower, converse with family, and snuggle into bed. Home can be a familiar neighborhood too. You can be at home while walking through familiar streets, eating familiar food, or seeing familiar faces. Taehuyng racked his brain. A library for booklovers, the playing field for athletes, a classroom for teachers. I can go on, really. I guess I'm not like most people, because punching in the code to unlock my apartment feels oddly dreadful. My supposed home feels chilly, like when your blanket doesn't cover your full length and your feet stick out, exposed to the night air. I thought it's because the lights and the heater are always off to cut down on the electricity bill. My mom is always strict on cutting down the bills, you know. But even when I open all the windows as wide as they can go, the feeling is still there. I probably just need more time with it. Anyway, the weather's still pretty cold, so bundle up for bed tonight. Until now, it has been V. 

It took me a looong time to update, sorry fam. I had finals and then test after test, but it's finally a three-day weekend, yehet. This chapter feels a bit boring, but I wanted to set up the details of their lives now that both are back in good old Seoul. The majority is in Taehyung's perspective, so I'll try to balance it out more. Also, Yoonmin made their first appearances yay! This is how I've always imagined Yoongi as a struggling young adult, if he wasn't in BTS. Speaking of BTS, their TEASERS. February 13 is the only reason for me to drag myself to school everyday. I gotta survive so Big(s)Hit can kill me. That's it for now, please hang in there with me until the next update. Thank you so much for reading!