Hiding In Plain Sight

I wake up in a castle

In a blossoming garden

Feeling so lonely

I hide in this garden of thorns

- Untold Truth, BTS

As was their custom, the two friends, Ria and Ji-woo,  walked to school together along the narrow street lined with varied shops.  It was a cold morning and a light fog hung in the air making her friend less chatty and more annoyed than usual. 

"Hey loser, get off the sidewalk," Ji-woo said, as she stopped looking down at a boy that was blocking their way.  Other people just walked around him but not her. She had both hands on her backpack ready to swing it if she had to.  She had a tendency to be a bit rude in the morning.  She was definitely not a morning person but even this was a bit much.

I didn't know the raven-haired boy on the ground but seeing him like that made me pity him.  Cold and discarded and living in the streets at such a young age was unusual.

"Ji-woo! Don't be so rude." Ria nudged her friend to behave. Unlike her friend, she saw no need to be cruel.

"He's a drunk loser, why do you care?" Ji-woo said in a scornful manner.

"He's just a boy. Can't you see?"

"He should be on his way to school not laying on the ground.  I forget you're a softie, Ria," she says. "Will you rescue him like one of your cats?" She mocked.

Ria gives her a look.  "It costs nothing to be kind.  Stop acting like your a bad , you're not!"

"And I'm not!" Ji-woo says with eyebrows raised obviously pretending to be insulted.

"No.  Not today."

"Whatever let's go," she said walking around him.

Ria paused and looked back at the boy on the sidewalk and wondered if he was okay. When he didn't even blink she walked back concerned. It was a cold day and he looked cold. Actually, he looked frozen.

"Ria come on! We're going to be late," her friend yelled.

"Go on without me." Ria turned back and took off her scarf and hoodie. She kneeled down next to him and handed him the items. The boy blinked and looked up at her from under his long bangs with a surprised look in his eyes.

With a hoarse voice from disuse, his eyes opened wide and he said, "thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm sorry for my rude friend. Do you need help?"

"No, thank you for your kindness."  Yoongi couldn't believe this beautiful girl was talking to him.  He was so embarrassed his cheeks turning crimson at the state of his clothes.

"It's okay. Are you sure?"

"Y-yes," he says looking back down with an uncontrollable shiver.  His small nose pink from the cold.  

"My name is Ria."

Yoongi couldn't help smiling before uttering a soft, "I know."

"Ria! Hurry up!" Her friend yelled again from a distance.

Ria giggled understanding. "What's your name?"

"I'm Yoongi."

"That's a cool name. You're not from around here, right?"

"No."

"Well, I hope I'll see you around. Stay warm okay?"

"Okay, bye."

She walked away reluctant to leave the poor boy sitting on the cold pavement. He looked too young to be a drunk. Most likely he was a runaway.

All day long, she couldn't stop thinking of the boy. Especially when it was time to leave and the temperature had started to drop even more. She was freezing and she wondered how long he had been out in the cold.  Ria hurried home the same way she had come. This time not waiting for her friend. As she approached the spot where she had seen him she p