~7~

Min Yoongi knew.

He had known from the moment that his eyes had settled on the lone figure lying down in the middle of the studio. He had known from the moment that he’d told himself that he could have very well been staring at a lifeless body; yet his steps had only taken him closer. He had known from the moment that he had looked down at a veil of black hair.

“Plus, I have a surprise for you.”

Min Yoongi knew.

He had known from the second that he had knelt down to peer closer.

He had known from the enrapturing rise and fall of her chest to the flicker of light dancing atop of her fitted camisole. All before darting to the confines of her loose shirt as though to hide from his careful gaze.

He had known from the daunting shimmer of her tights against her thighs to the moving tips of her converse. So much so that he could only his head from side to side in perfect tune with the captivating motion. Enthralled, he didn’t miss a beat as they abruptly stopped only to resume their impromptu dance.

Indeed, Min Yoongi knew.

“I also have a surprise, you know?”

He knew just as perfectly as the sound of his best friend’s nagging as the latter would probably over his parade for not undoing the surprise before him. After all, no matter how hard Yoongi would tell him that his hand had hovered over her cheek, the truth of the matter would remain that, that was all his hand had done.

Hover.

All because, no matter how logical and perfect this all seemed, Yoongi couldn’t bring himself to touch her. Despite his previous bravado, it all dissolved into nothingness as the very object of his recent derision stood before him. All because he simply didn’t know what he’d do if he touched her again.

“I wasn’t looking for you.”

All because his tangible need to touch her again scared him.  

 “I didn’t want to find you.” 

All because he was afraid that she would slip through his fingers and disappear again.

“Yet here you are.”

It scared him to the point that he found himself letting out a breath he hadn’t even known he’d been holding.

“Yet here we are.” 

All because she’d been the one to reach out to him.

“What will pull you away from me this time?”

An Oscar-worthy shriek.

Closely followed by an even worthier facepalm.

Now.

Screaming like a damsel in distress as a stranger felt his cheek had never been Yoongi’s first option of defense; however, he was sincerely reconsidering it as he all but felt his sense of hearing slipping away from him just as quickly as the feeling in his nose.

“Did that hurt?”

So much so that he could only scoff as he brought a hand to his poor nose.

“Did your hand slamming into my face hurt?” Yoongi repeated as he slightly winced.

“It was self-defense.” She started explaining as he cocked his head to the side.

“Will it also be a self-apology?”

There was something truly baffling about the true damsel in distress silently watching their guilt-ridden assailant. Especially as the latter brought their slender fingers to their lips. Only to peek down at them, realization growing ever so slowly in their eyes as they peeked back down at the damsel.

“You were staring at me.”

“I have eyes and I’m free to use them.”

Strike 1.

“My eyes were closed.”

“So how could you tell that I was looking at you?”

Strike 2.

“Who knows what you could have done?”

“Nothing that you haven’t already done to me.”

Strike 3.

Her sigh began in the soft thud of Yoongi’s bag. Only to fade into the sound of his drawing pad falling flat against the studio’s cold floor. Crayons endlessly clattering to the floor as she sprung to her feet. The dissonance of it all wrapping around the empty room just as tightly as Yoongi’s gaze as it travelled up the length of her legs.

“Mijin Brown.”

All the way to her outstretched hand.

“Is that your apology?” Yoongi whispered as he propped his elbow onto his knee.

“That would be my name.” She cleared before shaking her hand. “This would be the part where you tell me yours so that I can properly apologize.”

“I don’t want to.”

Truth be told, Yoongi hadn’t listened to a word.

He didn’t even know what he was not supposed to want. He wasn’t even sure that he had thought what he had spoken; let alone spoken what he had meant. He was simply trapped by the glint in her eyes as she curiously peered down at him; enraptured by the faint rise of her eyebrow as their gazes met; and content with her stilled breath as he slowly got to his feet, his lips a breath away from hers as they stood chest to chest.

Ever so close as she gulped.

Her nose gently brushing against his chin.

“Are you always this difficult?” She shakily whispered as she slightly took a step back.

“Clearly, you know the answer to that question, Mijin Brown.”

Perhaps, she had tripped.

Perhaps, the sheet had slipped beneath her.

Perhaps, it had all been nothing but an excuse.

Nonetheless, after two weeks, she had found herself in his arms once more. His arm securely wrapping around her waist as her hands latched onto the front of his sweater. Her breath warm against the nape of his neck as he slowly loosened his hold around her. Only stopping as his hand rested in the small of her back and his lips near her temple.

“Must you always touch me?” He whispered as her hold tightened around his sweater.

“You touched me.” She cleared as she arched her head away from him.

“Should I have let you fall, Mijin Brown?”

She had touched him.

“I wouldn’t have hurt myself.” She easily countered.

“True.” He slowly nodded as he looked down at her. “I should let you go as revenge for my innocent nose.”

“You should have.” She replied as she lightly bit her lip. “Emphasis on the ‘should have’.”

He had wanted to touch her.

He had hoped for her to recognize his touch.

He had hoped for her cheeks to redden as they had two weeks ago.

He had hoped that she, unlike himself, had hoped to see him again.

That was all he had hoped and all she had done.

Therefore, he could now leave.

“Just as you shouldn’t have hugged me two weeks ago.” He mused as he slowly dropped his hand.

“How else would this beautiful friendship have begun?” She softly whispered as she looked up at him.

“I don’t remember having a friend like you, Mijin Brown.”

However, there was something hidden away in that light scoff of hers.

There was something peeking through and beckoning him to stay.

After all, if friendship was behind the chills running down his spine as he followed the specs of gold in her enticing green eyes; he could already hear Seokjin shuddering away from him.

“Neither do I.” She cleared as she lightly stepped back.

“Is that your subtle way of saying that hugging strangers is a habit of yours, Mijin Brown?” Yoongi mock-gasped as he peered down at her.

“Is that your subtle way of saying that you enjoyed our hug, dear friend who didn’t want to find me?”

There had been a slight pause to it all.

A meditated interruption to the beginnings of this friendship.

A careful dance along the lines that would define it all.

A low chuckle before the fall.

“Min Yoongi.” Yoongi whispered as he slipped his hands inside his pockets.

“Is that an apology?” She mock-gasped right back at him.

“What for?” He raised an eyebrow as he cocked his head to the side.

“You touched me, Min Yoongi.” She easily replied as she slightly nodded back at him.

“Not anymore.”

To remind her that she’d been the one to touch his cheek before assaulting him or to further take delight in the light glow her lips took whenever she lightly bit down on them?

“Yet you’re still holding onto me, Mijin Brown.”

There were words to describe the dazzling smile that had drawn itself on Yoongi’s lips as he peered down at the inviting glow of Mijin’s lips. There truly were and they began with the tips of his fingers wanting to reach for her cheek rather than his camera. Only to end with a slight gulp.

Now.

It didn’t take a genius to decipher what women thought whenever they looked at Min Yoongi for much longer than necessary. However, it did take a Jeon Jungkook to decipher just when and how his brother would actually let them have their way. So much so that after years of saving himself and his eyes from dangerous encounters ready to happen in the confines of their own apartment, Jungkook had felt proud beyond words.

Until now.

After all, there was only so much he could do when, for once, the innocent blush on his cheeks was on par with the scene unfolding before his eyes. Indeed, his brother wasn’t even touching her. His hands were neatly tucked away in his pockets as he peered down. Pure, raw and unexplainable amusement tainted by palpable curiosity and attraction locked away in his gaze as he cocked his head to the side to take a closer look at her. Only for the low timber of his voice to seep to every corner of the room as she leaned away from him, her hands still latched onto his sweater. By the time that Jungkook had fully taken in the simplistic allure of it all, it had already been broken by his own gentle voice.

“Hyung?”

No words could describe the chain reaction that ensued as Seokjin hit the back of Jungkook’s head only to scream bloody murder as a pencil hit him square in the face. Especially when the said pencil rolled away from him after purely and utterly failing to hit its target. Not that Hoseok cared as he weaseled past them, two strangers in tow, with several plastic bags.

“You must be Mijin!” Hoseok smiled as he plopped himself on the sheet at her feet.

“And you are?”

“Min ing Yoongi!”

In the face of Kim Seokjin, one could only close his eyes.

However, the simple fact that his best friend’s breath now tickled his neck stopped Yoongi from doing so. He could only let out an incredibly long sigh as he all but saw his need for sleep and a headache wave him hello as he felt Seokjin’s hands wrapping around his shoulders. In his defense, he had tried to cherish the few minutes of silence before the storm. He sincerely had. However, she was to blame.

Mijin.

As though on perfect cue, her hold on his sweater tightened as she cutely scrunched up her nose.

“Tae!”

In her defense, there was only so much she could do as a bottle of water was pressed to her cheek. More precisely, there was only so much she could do as a handsome brunet tried to press a cold bottle of water to her cheek only to meet a large hand.

Gently, it simply lay against her cheek.

Yoongi’s thumb only momentarily grazing her chin.

A detail that more than a few had caught.

“What did I tell you about pencils being for paper and not faces, Min Yoongi?”

All but Min Yoongi himself.

“I told you not to hit Jungkook and you’re always saying that you’re an incomplete masterpiece.” Yoongi deadpanned as he tried to shake himself away from Seokjin. “I was just helping.”

“I’d tell you where to stuff your help but we have Kookies in the room.” Seokjin pinched his cheek as he held him closer. “But I will tell you go to bark your help up an ugly tree next time.”

This should have been the part where Yoongi took the high road and simply focused on the familiar face, also known as Park Jimin, carefully checking Jungkook’s for bruises. This should have been the part where he called out the brunet drilling holes into his hand. This should have been the part where he noticed that Mijin’s cheek was only growing warmer against his palm. It sincerely should have. However, he only found himself properly handing Seokjin’s back to him.

“Woof.”

On a silver platter, to boot.

“You always had it in you to be a tree, Kim Seokjin.”

If looks could kill, Yoongi’s service would have already long been over. A fact that everyone had more than understood as Hoseok had pulled on Yoongi’s jeans as Jungkook had squeezed himself between the two of them. Much to Mijin’s bewilderment as she stumbled forward and leaned against the brothers.

“Noona, are you alright?”

Though Jungkook’s voice had been dripping with worry for Mijin, his finger had more than dug into his brother’s side. So much so that the latter could only wince as he leaned away from him. Mijin in tow as she let out an incredulous chortle in the fabric of his sweater. Not that it could compare to the light rumble of Yoongi’s chest as he took in his brother’s pursed lips.

“I’m sorry that they’re like this.” Jungkook shyly whispered as he bowed his head.

 “I didn’t do anything wrong.” Yoongi shrugged but Jungkook’s pout begged to differ. 

“We’re here to eat not fight.” He pointed out as Yoongi innocently nodded back at him.

“Make love, not war, was it?” Hoseok called as he placed food onto the sheet.

“We do love each other, Hobi.” Seokjin smiled as he plopped down next to Hoseok.

“More like hate.” Jungkook noted as Seokjin shook his finger at him.

“To hate is to love adoringly.” He nodded before popping a chip into his mouth.

“Scratch the adoringly part.” Yoongi mused as he looked down at Mijin.

“Did you not enjoy my surprise, dear best friend of mine?”

The frown on his surprise’s lips was undeniable as she blew a curl out of her eye. So much so that Yoongi could only bite back a small smile as he wrapped a hand around her shoulder. Gently, he guided her away from him as she passed her free hand through her hair. All in perfect time to look back at Jungkook.

“Speaking of surprises, little Kookie.” She mused before cocking her head to the side. “Care to explain why I’m the only one who seems surprised at this gathering?”

“Are you questioning your one true love, free food, Mimi?” Jimin mock gasped as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

“We both know that Tae took my card to pay.” She clucked her tongue before shrugging him off of her shoulder. “Plus, which part of we’re not eating did you not understand, Park Jimin?”

“The part where I’m most definitely eating.” He stuck his tongue out at her before pinching her cheek.

“Plus, the part where you were supposedly dying but still managed to order for five, Mimi.” The handsome brunet shot as he plopped down at her feet. “After all these years, I’m still wondering where it all goes.”

“And I’m still wondering how you know Min Yoongi, Kim Taehyung.” She shot back just as easily.

“And I’m still wondering why he had his arms wrapped around you.”

All gazes in the room followed the tip of Kim Taehyung’s finger.

Even Min Yoongi’s.

Quite sincerely, the fiasco unfolding before him had been far too interesting for him to think of joining in. However, he had now been more than thrown into the fire as Hoseok’s finger poked his cheek.  

“Now we’re both dissatisfied.” Taehyung sweetly smiled before biting into his sandwich.

“Make that three.” Hoseok mused as he pushed harder on Yoongi’s cheek.

“Make that four.” Seokjin chimed in.

“Wouldn’t that make it six?”

Before Seokjin could even call Yoongi on the need for him to go back to pre-school, his fingers followed the tip of his best friend’s index as they singled out Jimin and Jungkook. Truth be told, had the situation been different, Yoongi would have felt bad for the cherry tomato between Jimin’s teeth. After all, it’d been a good five minutes since it’d expected its end but Jimin was only staring. A fact that Mijin more than ignored as she plopped herself down next to Yoongi.

“That still doesn’t answer my question, Min Yoongi.” 

“He’s my older brother.”

Yoongi had heard Mijin’s confusion before she’d even thought it.

Especially as he felt her eyes travel from the tips of his fingers wrapping around a bottle of water to Jungkook’s as he slightly passed them through his hair. She only seemed to grow more confused as her gaze flickered down Yoongi’s slender frame. The pale skin peeking from the confines of his ripped jeans in jarring comparison to Jungkook’s sun-kissed skin against his red beanie.

However, she never asked. Even as her gaze avoided Yoongi’s sharp feline features, only to linger on the innocence behind Jungkook’s gleaming eyes, she never uttered a word.

She simply focused on his.

“I wanted him to meet you.”

More precisely on the faint blush on his cheeks.

“I wanted Mijin noona to meet my family.”

To hug him or to hug him?

Seokjin hugged him hard enough for every loving gaze smiling back at him.

From his light punches and protests, it would have seemed that Jungkook hated every bit of the hug he had received. However, Yoongi knew better as he brought his bottle of water to his lips. Tightly wrapped around his every protest, Jungkook’s light giggles reciprocated every single bit of love hidden in the gently kiss Seokjin placed on his forehead.

“Min Yoongi, take notes from this Jeon preciousness.”

Yoongi’s flipped finger as he handed Jungkook his sandwich was the closest Seokjin would get to his Jeon preciousness.

“When did our side of the family agree to this arranged lunch, Jeon Jungkook?” Taehyung shook his sandwich at Jungkook before wrapping an arm around Mijin’s shoulders. “Mimi is already taken.”

“Yes, I am.”

There were words for the pain in Kim Taehyung’s neck as he looked down at Mijin and they all began in Jungkook’s slight gulp, only to delve further into Hoseok’s tilted head and Seokjin’s light chuckle. All before finishing in the scowl on Jimin’s lips as they all took in the drawing pad in Mijin’s hands.

“Sorry, little Kookie.”

Cutely followed by her bright smile as she popped her head from behind it.

“Now Jimin, Park your on this sheet.”

Hoseok had just recovered from his whiplash at Mijin’s love for her drawing pad; only for his jaw to drop to the floor as Jimin’s hands protectively wrapped around his beautiful backside. Seokjin’s bright laughter seemingly the cherry on top as Yoongi pulled his leg to his chest. His lips momentarily brushing against the fabric of his jeans as he lay his cheek on his knee. His eyes carefully studying the details of Mijin’s side profile as her gaze followed Jimin’s every movement yet her hands expertly tied her hair up in a messy bun. 

“That wasn’t what I had meant, noona.” Jungkook called as he slightly buried his face in Seokjin’s arm.

“I know.” Mijin nodded as her hands slowly slid back down to her drawing pad.

“Then why did you apologize?” Jungkook slightly blinked.

“Because we both know much courage this took you and who the real tough cookie is here.”

Unrivaled talent.

An uncanny eye for detail.

Young.

Those were only some of the words used to describe the Min and Jeon brothers. After all, where one excelled, the other settled into his footprints. To the point of throwing away his childhood and almost surpassing the other as he had stood at the top of his department at only fifteen-years-old. Truth be told, no matter how talented, there was something cruel about throwing a fifteen-year-old into a throng of young adults.

Especially artists.

So much so that, that seemingly justified and benign action had been just as barbaric as throwing a cub into a den of starving lions and expecting it to survive.

Yoongi could only bury his face deeper in his knee as he looked at Jungkook.

After all, this special cub was now in his third year of survival.

“But you still managed to make Tae stay for lunch.”

All because he had found allies.

“I’m not asking you to parallel park, Jimin.”

“No , Mimi.”

The contrast in Mijin’s gently smile towards Jungkook and disdain to Jimin was enough to put a smile on anyone’s lips. One that Yoongi perfectly hid behind his knee as he let his hand reach for his sandwich.

“You almost gave me a heart attack, you know that?” Jimin rolled his eyes as she simply beckoned him with her hand.

“Emphasis on the ‘almost’.” She nodded as she let her pencil drum against her lower lip.

“Where did you meet her?” Hoseok whispered as he leaned his cheek against Yoongi’s shoulder.

Yoongi hadn’t.

He hadn’t met a gaze as hazed as the lines she absentmindedly drew on her paper.

He hadn’t met those fingers as they grew ever so still at the simple flick of Jimin’s hair.

This was someone else altogether.

Or was it?

Yoongi’s answer lost itself in the light tug at the hem of his sweater.

“Let me guess.” Jimin sighed as he stretched his arms over his head. “Kookie would Jeon it?”

“Probably.” Mijin mused as she cocked her head to the side.

“Would you Brown it?” Jimin tried.

“That doesn’t make sense.” She made a face as her pencil rolled down her lips.

“And parking does?” Jimin lightly scoffed.

“It does, so take off your shirt, Mr. Park.”

The smile on Taehyung’s lips was contagious as they all saw through Mijin’s plan. Indeed, Jimin’s defeated chuckle only seemed to bring a cheekier grin to her lips as she nodded towards his shirt.

“ert Brown, is that you?” Taehyung teased only to receive the tip of a pencil on his cheek. “Why so rude, Mimi?”

“I don’t bother you when you’re two hours away from handing an assignment that you still haven’t started.” Mijin noted and Taehyung could only mirror her face as she scrunched up her nose at him. “Just eat your sandwich and socialize.”

“I like your noona, Kookie.” Seokjin softly smiled as he rested his cheek atop of his head.

“Me too.” Jungkook grinned before looking towards Yoongi. “What about you, hyung?”

“Do our opinions not matter? What are we to you?” Hoseok teasingly chuckled before pinching his nose. “Are we nothing but potatoes?”

“Oh, fellow potatoes!” Taehyung and Jimin called.

“Stop moving!”

Chaos was the only word that could describe the storm that this group had brought into the studio. Any sane person, would have run away from the cackles leaving their lips. However, Jeon Jungkook latched onto them. An odd mixture of disbelief yet pure, raw and unexplainable relief giving way to the brightest laughter Yoongi had heard from his lips in years.

Just as bright as the one he now heard every week when Park Jimin modeled at their home.

In all honesty, when facing Park Jimin, the only answer was to stare.

Something Yoongi had more than done the first time that he had seen him changing in front of his fridge. All before he had more than thrown his boxer-clad out of the door. After all, after countless mornings of hungover Seokjin and Hoseok bringing out their inner dying whales over bottles of water, there were only so little traumatizing memories that Yoongi would further allow in his kitchen: Built young men far from fitting the bill. Not that Jungkook had cared as he had relentlessly brought the young man over.

Clearly, the lines of the captivating dancer’s body had mattered more than his brother’s sanity.

A fact that Yoongi had tried but failed to deny.

After all, there was something about seeing Jimin move. His every step only seemed to betray a new muscle just as his every breath brought forth a new curve. He was the moving canvas that every artist wanted to capture.

He was Jungkook’s current prey.

A must for any struggling cub.

Especially as rivals hid amongst its allies.

“Let me at least have a cherry tomato.” Jimin whined as he arched his head towards the food right at his feet.

“Kookie, if you so much as hand him a crumb, I’ll tell everyone that you’re the only one who handed in his subjects for the project.” Mijin warned as she shook her pen at Jungkook.

“You did what?”

Yoongi could only watch as Jungkook’s rival pounced to his feet. Taehyung’s handsome face drawn into a mask of horror as he tried to get past Hoseok and Seokjin, also known as Jungkook’s human tanks. Still, Yoongi could make out the smile behind Taehyung’s scowl as Jungkook laughed away from his jabs. Especially as his brother’s laughter wrapped around him just as easily as the latter’s hands around his shoulders.

“Hyung, he’s going to hit me.” Jungkook cried out as he wrapped his arms tighter around Yoongi’s shoulders.

“You dug your grave.” Yoongi chuckled as he arched his head away from him. “Now fight back or lay in it.”  

“How heartless of you.” Seokjin smiled as he brought his bottle of water to his lips.

“Then you lay in it for him.”

The outrage on Seokjin’s lips mirrored Jungkook’s as he went off running amongst easels and Taehyung followed. Not that Yoongi cared as he simply passed a hand at the back of his neck. Somehow, he just knew that this pain would last much longer than expected. After all, from the looks of things, his apartment would only get livelier. He could already feel the countless hours of cleaning he’d have to suffer to enjoy mere seconds of sleep in the comfort of his own home.

Still.

He couldn’t stop smiling.

Even more as looked back at his brother triumphantly cackling at Taehyung sprawled out on the floor.

“If they break something.” Hoseok started as he covered his eyes with his hands. “I didn’t see anything.”

“You’re peeking.” Seokjin chuckled before flicking his forehead.

“I have to make sure that they don’t break anything too expensive.” Hoseok clucked his tongue. “I’m broke.”

“Yet you came to visit me.” Yoongi noted as he propped his chin onto his hand.

“Is that your subtle way of telling me that I’m sleeping on the sofa?” Hoseok pursed his lips.

“That’s my spot.” Jimin called despite Mijin’s complaints. “Take the floor.”

“That’s my spot.” Seokjin shook his finger at him. “Take the bus back to your own bed.”

“Can you see the beautiful friendships that your words have broken, Mijin Brown?”

Yoongi’s chuckles finished in Mijin’s light .

Ever so light, her danced across her blank page. Her pencil only seeming to whisper sweet nothings, seemingly afraid to stain the white perfection beneath it. All before diving into a whirlwind of careless precision as she drew the outline of Jimin’s body. So much so that Yoongi only found himself peering closer as the outline became more defined.

Undoubtedly, she was drawing Jimin, yet her seemed to say so much more.

They brought forth the slight pout in his lips as it translated into the tension in his torso. His abs all the more defined as he stretched himself out as best as he could. His black hair veiling yet accentuating his captivating gaze as he studied Mijin as carefully as she did him.

No.

Curiosity dripping from the tip of her pencil to his pupils.

His eyes weren’t looking straight at her.

They were looking to the side.

“I see.”

Straight at Yoongi.

“I wasn’t but you were.”  

The words had left Yoongi’s lips before he had been able to stop himself.

“What do you see?”

Their gazes had met because she had stopped studying him through the eyes of someone else.

“You were looking for me, Mijin Brown.”

Their noses had brushed because from the moment that she had touched him, she had never let go.

“Oh Namjoon!”

As though on perfect cue, the studio door opened as Mijin leaned away from Yoongi.

“What’d I miss, Seokjin sunbae?”

Kim Namjoon hadn’t missed Mijin’s pinkie.

Still tightly hooked around the hem of an unfamiliar black sweater.

All as though she was scared that it would run away.

All as though she had known that they would be pulled away again.

---->

Hello, hello ^^ Dear Kim Namjoon. Heh. You can't exactly carry Mijin out of the studio... or can you?

Until next time, do read, read and do comment <3! Ciaociaoxx

Fun fact: The power of a pinkie I tell you. The power of a pinkie. *runs away to play with Kookie and Tae*