Chapter 5:

Yoon Gi avoids V’s piercing glare, scoffing out of his unbelievable act. “What are you doing?” Suga’s voice is cold and distant.

V, as if he’s morphed back into his innocent body, completely changes and smiles his big and childlike grin, beaming like an idiot. Silence.

“Ha Ha Ha Ha!” J-Hope’s forced laughter booms throughout the eerie atmospheric room.

“Ow!” Jimin screeches and jumps up a bit-- rubbing his arm from J-Hope’s pinch. J-Hope’s popping eyes beg Jimin to laugh with him. Jimin looks questionably at J-Hope’s face and eventually, catches on. “Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!” Jimin and J-Hope laugh becomes more exaggerated with each ‘Ha’. Suga rubs the back of his neck, sighs and pulls my hand along.

“Come on. I’ll take you home.” I’m forced out of my seat.

“I just want to say it was a pleasure meeting everybody and like always, please continue to do awesome work!” Two thumbs up. ‘Two thumbs up?! How lame could I be?!’ my brain judges my two thumbs still pointed up. ‘Put them down!’ My brain screams.

“See you soon, Tae Hee!” BTS shouts. I look back at them, though I wanted to make a cool entrance out like a chic woman. I wanted to capture the night I had dinner with BTS. I might possibly be the luckiest woman alive!

         The distance from Yoon Gi’s house to mine is brief and completely safe. Still, Yoon Gi’s sticking by my side keeping up with my slow and pondering footsteps—only letting the sound of our footsteps clinking against the gravel fill up the quiet country nights. “Don’t worry about it,” Yoon Gi’s knows I’m thinking about V. Yoon Gi’s eyes are glistening underneath the moonlight as he looks into mine. “Don’t worry about it,” he repeats. “V gets like that sometimes. I blame it on his blood type. He’s an AB, you know. Besides, it’s not like you’re going to see him again.” Yoon Gi gulps and looks down at his shoes now. “Don’t let him bother you.” We’re standing outside my front door, now.

“Well, thanks for walking me home, Yoon Gi. Good night,” I turn but Yoon Gi holds my wrist, turning me back around to face him—his face is inches away from mine. I could feel his warm and steady breathing on my face. For a second, it feels as if his hands are trembling as he’s holding onto mine. “Is something the matter?” He backs off, letting go of my wrist. I’m taking a closer look at Yoon Gi. He ruffles his hair and shoots out a quick and sharp sigh as he squats down. I’m immersed in Yoon Gi’s pained expression when he his piercing glance meets mine.

“I need to take a ,” he says, holding tightly onto his side. “Hurry up and open the door so I can use the bathroom!” he shouts.

Yoon Gi pushes past me as soon as I unlock the door. He scrambles as he takes off his shoes but stops as soon as he enters the living room. He’s bowing 90 degree. “What are you do-?” Sitting on the living couch with his feet propped up is a short and chubby man.

“Oh! Who’s this?!” A tease. My dad’s bark is certainly worse than his bite.

“Anyohaseyo!” Dad comes over and presses Yoon Gi’s cheeks together.

“My!” Squinting his old eyes to take a good, long look. “You sure got uglier, Sara!”

“Dad. It’s Yoon Gi from next door,” I say, passing past the two men in my house.

Dad squints harder and lets go of Yoon Gi’s face. “Oh. That explains it.” Dad ignores Yoon Gi and goes back to the couch to watch the news, scratching his . Without looking at Yoon Gi, “What are you doing here?” Dad is cold towards Yoon Gi as always.

“I was just dropping Tae Hee home.” No reply. “Mother’s been wanting to meet with you and Tae Hee’s mother. She was mentioning how long it’s been since you all met together. Please feel free to come stop by anytime.” Yoon Gi says politely.

“I will. Give my regards.” Looking into Suga’s eyes now. “Well, my daughter is back home safely. Isn’t it getting a bit late?”

Yoon Gi gulps and bows. “Have a good night, sir.”

“Bye,” Dad is flipping through the channel while Yoon Gi leaves the doorway. I’m heading towards my room when Dad calls me over.

“Tae Hee~” Two octaves higher. “I missed you sooo much!!!” He’s skipping towards me with his short and chubby arms open wide.  Rubbing his plump cheek against mine, “How have you been, my beautiful daughter?!” kiss kiss kiss. I’m prying him off me.

“I’ve been fine!!” Plop. Dad falls unto the ground—being the dramatic person he is. I cross my arms while dad is on the floor posed like a damsel in distress. “Why’re you always like that to Yoon Gi? He didn’t do anything to you.” I say, firmly.

His glare glistens with tears and grabs my shoulders, tightly—shaking me a bit. “Didn’t do anything to me?! He might as well have killed me!” I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes fully open because of my dad’s splattering saliva. “He broke my only daughter’s precious heart!!” He’s hugging onto me tightly. I try to pry him away, again.

 “Dad… Don’t mention it again,” I say, calmly. He takes one look at me and hugs me tighter. I can’t breathe.

“IT STILL HURTS, DOESN’T IT?!!! THAT’S WHY YOU WANT TO AVOID IT!!” He’s crying into my shoulder.

“Dad…” I sigh.

“Tae Hee. Don’t ever think about meeting Yoon Gi again! I forbid it!”

“Dad!” I whine as he makes his way back to the plasma screen.

“Tae Hee! I mean it!” He’s pretending play the firm and manly dad’s role. “Go to your room!” I grumble as I stomp into my dark room.

I fling my door open and turn on the light. Yoon Gi is sitting on my bed, flipping through a magazine. I close my door, shut. “What are you doing here?!” I whisper harshly.

“I still needed to take a crap...” he says like it’s the most casually thing in the world. I’m searching for the right words. “My house was too far.”

“It’s right there!” Yoon Gi doesn’t say anything but stare at me with sad, puppy like eyes. I take a seat next to him on the bed. “What?” I mumble, hoping to break the silence. Yoon Gi holds up a picture of himself that he found in my magazine. He leans in closer to me.

“What do you think about this guy right here?” His voice is sweet and low—like melting sugar. I scoff.

“Why are you teasing me?” I try to get up but Yoon Gi pulls me back down, to sink into my own bed. Yoon Gi’s getting closer than before. His eyes slightly close as his lips part a little—and his lips land right on my left cheek.

I look over at Yoon Gi who’s avoiding my eyes. He’s milky white skin is now like a ripe peach—blushing out of what? Embarrassment? He clears his throat.

“Good night,” he shoots up from my bed and heads full speed towards my window like he just caused a crime.

“Yoon Gi!” I stand. He stops—his back turned towards me. I hesitate as I’m holding my left cheek. “Do you—“

“A thanks for,” he hesitates, also. “Ahh!! I don’t know!” he shouts, flustered, and jumps out my window. I stand there, confused as to what just happened.

“I HEARD YOON GI! THAT SON OF A BAS@#$*@!” my dad goes and shouts out the window, waving his fist in the air, angrily—but, for me, those waving fist were waving out of pure joy.