When Namjoon opened the door and let him in, it finally hit Yoongi that he really did move out, that he’d be living hundreds of kilometers away from home, and that there was no turning back.

It was his first time living alone, although, technically speaking, he’d be sharing the apartment with other people. But still. Moving has never been Yoongi’s favorite activity. Moving meant cutting off from the familiarity he was used to, it meant a change, and Yoongi never liked changing. But he it up, because moving also meant new opportunities, and the new opportunities, he liked them.

In fact, he had been quite lucky. After hearing that he’d be sent to work for some entertainment company in Seoul, he found an apartment for rent right away. When Yoongi called, Namjoon told him that the landlady was one of his relatives, and this was the reason why the rent was kind of cheap for a big flat like that. That didn’t mean it would be possible for only two men in their mid-twenties to pay it off without starving, though. So Namjoon decided they would share the house with more people despite the fact that there were only three bedrooms, meaning that they wouldn’t get the luxury of having a room each. Yoongi, however, didn’t mind it.

«Sorry ‘bout the mess,» Namjoon told him as he led him further into the apartment. They stepped aside to avoid a card box that was just in the middle of the hallway. «Seokjin hyung has just moved in yesterday, too. He’s still sorting out his things.»

«No problem,» Yoongi replied with a shrug, «it’s going to be the same with my stuff. I don’t think I’m in the position to make a fuss about it. Besides, it’s not my home–»

«But it is,» Namjoon answered back, «you’re going to live here.»

«Well, technically speaking, it’s not. I’m just renting it.»

«Details. To me, as long as people live together in a place where they can return to and be taken care of, it’s home.»

Oh, he was the cheesy type. «Alright, fair enough.»

Namjoon shot him a beaming smile. Yoongi snorted, and decided he liked him.

Namjoon opened a door to their left and stepped aside, letting Yoongi enter and take a look around the plain-looking room, furnished with only a bed, a desk and a wardrobe. It wasn’t too small, although it felt a little too impersonal. On the other hand, Yoongi still hadn’t moved his stuff in, so he was sure that everything would feel more familiar to him once he settles down.

«This is yours,» Namjoon announced proudly, waving his hand around and then patting Yoongi on his shoulder. «And this is Seokjin hyung.»

He motioned to the man that had just appeared out of nowhere on the doorstep. He wore a plain white t-shirt and black shorts, and he was handsome and tall – why did everyone have to be taller than him?

«Hi,» the dude said, all smiles. «You must be the new guy.»

«Yeah, I’m Yoongi,» he replied, taking his hand and shaking it, «please, take care of me.»

«Namjoon told me that you come from Daegu… It’s kind of impressive. I mean, moving to Seoul all the way from there.»

Yoongi smiled sheepishly. «I didn’t have much choice, you know. Work and stuff.»

«I see. What do you do?»

«I’m a producer. I compose songs.»

Seokjin’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then he smiled. «Cool. You’ve got to show me someday.»

Yoongi decided he liked Seokjin, too.

«Sure.»

Saying that his new life was just decent, as Yoongi thought it would be, was the understatement of the century.

Not only did he live a couple of bus stops away from his workplace, but Namjoon – who, on a side note, was a composer too – offered to share with him the small studio he set up in the basement of their apartment block. Although he as well had to pay his share of expenses, working in a proper environment felt nicer than working in his room with half of the equipment he needed.

Namjoon would drop by sometimes too, when Yoongi used the studio. He liked those times the most, because they’d always spend hours talking about music and composing and writing lyrics, and it was just that awesome. Namjoon even helped him sometimes, giving him suggestions about this or that part that didn’t sound right; Yoongi did the same when it was Namjoon’s turn to be stuck on a certain melody.

On the other hand, life at his new home was good too, and Yoongi knew that the very first day when he moved in. Until then, he had thought he was a kind of decent cook, but when he met with Seokjin’s cooking, he really had to reconsider his own skills. Maybe it was just due to the fact that Seokjin worked as a barista, but Yoongi was not completely sure that it was just about that. There was something about Seokjin’s cooking, something special, that made even just a plain bowl of noodles taste so delicious. Yoongi felt as if he found home all over again.

Besides, Yoongi was never the one to complain. Having a personal studio and at least one home-made meal per day was more than he asked, and neither Namjoon nor Seokjin were bad flatmates. The three of them did get along, and they weren’t too awkward with each other. They even spent an evening putting random songs on and dancing to them – they were the worst dancers, but Yoongi had a good time nonetheless.

In fact, he hadn’t had such a good time for years, ever since he moved out for the first time and lost touch with the neighborhood children he used to play with. He remembered how much the ten-year-old himself cried the day he left his first home.

Yoongi really didn’t like moving out, but he felt that this time it wouldn’t be so bad.

Two weeks after he had settled down in his new home, Namjoon announced that they were probably going to have a new guy moving in. Said guy – his name was Jungkook – came to take a look at the house the following day, and since both Namjoon and Seokjin had work, Yoongi happened to show him around.

Jungkook was shy. This was the first impression he gave Yoongi, who found it kind of cute, as they introduced themselves. Jungkook took careful steps and looked around the house awkwardly, his backpack slung over his shoulders. When Yoongi asked him if it was the first time he lived alone, he scratched his neck and replied with an embarrassed “Yeah”.

«It’s my first time too,» Yoongi said, trying to sound as honest as he could. «But you’ll get used to it, really. Namjoon and Seokjin hyung are nice people. I am a nice person, too.»

He looked over at the younger and, for the first time on that day, Jungkook’s tensed shoulders seemed to relax a bit. He smiled, and said: «I don’t doubt it».

Five days later, on a Sunday, Jungkook’s belongings joined those of the other residents, and another mattress was added to Namjoon’s room. Seokjin had gone for some grocery shopping the previous day, and the dinner of that evening consisted of chicken soup, stir fried meat and vegetables with tofu, grilled fish and a colorful, delicious looking salad. They toasted to Jungkook joining their happy family – those were Namjoon’s exact words – with plastic cups.

For some time, Jungkook’s presence was almost non-existent. He went to university in the mornings and spent a good amount of the afternoons either at his part-time work or studying, shut in his room, from which he emerged only in the evenings to have dinner with the rest of them and sometimes make small talk.

Yoongi knew that he was still reserved – being because he was the youngest out of them – and didn’t know whether he should try to make him warm up to them or just let him be. Seokjin suggested that, maybe, opening his own world to Jungkook might help him getting more familiar with them. Yoongi didn’t think it was a too bad idea.

It seemed that Namjoon had thought the same thing, and on one afternoon he found him and Jungkook in the studio. Yoongi wasn’t too surprised: Jungkook studied performing arts at university, and being interested in music making wasn’t breaking news. What disappointed him a tad bit was the fact that Namjoon beat him bringing Jungkook there. Yoongi, however, just told himself that two was better than one.

«Our Jungkook finally got out of his shell, yes?» he teased. The beverages in the plastic bag clanged as he put it down on the table.

Jungkook smiled shyly, and Yoongi saw in the corner of the eye that the tips of his ears turned pink. «I’ve decided to take a break,» he admitted, taking the can of cola Yoongi passed him.

«It was about time, we thought that you didn’t like us.»

«No, no, it’s just– I’m bad at this stuff. Getting to know people and all.»

Namjoon patted his shoulder. «It’s alright, don’t beat yourself up too much. Besides, hyung, did you know that this kid can do literally everything? He can sing and play lots of instruments–»

«I’d be surprised if he doesn’t,» Yoongi snorted, «this is all he does at university.»

«He can dance!» Namjoon exclaimed excitedly, gaining an eye roll from Yoongi. «I mean, you put on a song and he just– he dances! He’s freakishly good at it!»

Jungkook laughed a bit. «Actually, I’m majoring in vocals. I’m not even half as good as those who take dancing courses…»

«Don’t worry, everyone is better than him at dancing. Even Seokjin hyung can beat him at it, if he really wants to.»

Namjoon frowned at him. «Now, now, let’s be realistic here. I think I feel the groove better than him.»

«Whatever you say.» Yoongi, then, turned to Jungkook. «Promise that you’ll join us in our next dance parades? You’ll understand what I’m talking about then.»

The younger smiled widely, and Yoongi felt his heart melt a bit. «Sure, I’d be glad to.»

«Also, loosen up a bit! You always look so stiff around us. We’ll be living together for some time, it would be uncomfortable if you kept being so formal with us.» He would regret saying it later, because Jungkook turned out to be an easygoing and mischievous boy, but at that time he was unaware of it. So, as Jungkook laughed and agreed, he thought that everything was alright.

Few months later, when Jungkook warmed up enough to them to accept his status as their “golden maknae”, as well as all the teasing (most of the times teasing back), Jimin and Taehyung joined the household.

The two of them were cinematography students, and they had been roommates in their university dorms. They mentioned something about not getting along with the students they shared the room with, so they decided to seize the opportunity as soon as they saw the ad Namjoon had put out. The apartment felt a little bit smaller now that there were six people inhabiting it, but still good.

Since Jimin and Taehyung knew each other, Seokjin thought that they’d be more comfortable sharing the room with each other than anyone else. This was the reason why he moved all his things in Yoongi’s room and they became roommates – not that Yoongi minded. However, he was more interested in getting to know their new entries, especially once he had found out that Taehyung, too, was from Daegu.

Although he didn’t know the boy from back there, having someone from the same city as him was in some way exciting. It was not as if they spent a lot of time together, but Yoongi somehow felt a bit closer to his hometown now that Taehyung moved in.

Besides, the kid was a funny one. He’d make inappropriate comments and be absorbed in the strangest activities; sometimes he would even talk to himself. Jimin told him that it was normal for him to behave like that, it was part of his personality.

«I don’t think I would’ve been his friend for so long if he hadn’t been like this,» he confided to Yoongi one morning. «It’s fun with him around.» (Afterwards, he began telling him about Taehyung’s antics in detail, and had Yoongi not stopped him, he would have been late for university. That boy talked too much for his own good.)

Jungkook seemed to have gotten even livelier since the two joined them. Even though at first he had been a little cautious with them too, it had been a matter of days for them to befriend him. Yoongi thought that it had to do with the fact that the three of them didn’t have much of an , unlike how it had happened with Seokjin, Namjoon and himself. He found it sort of cute, how Jungkook would get excited when Jimin and Taehyung showed him their university projects.

«I’m kinda jealous, you know,» Seokjin told him one night, when Yoongi went to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water. He found the older sitting at the dining table, flipping through some kind of magazine.

«Of who?» Yoongi asked him distractedly as he poured the clear liquid in a cup.

«The three of them. Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung. They look so close; I want to be close to them like that, too.»

Yoongi nodded as he took a sip of water. It was not as if their three maknaes were secluded in their own world. It was just that they seemed to be on the same wavelength, more than how they were with the rest of them. Yoongi understood that.

«Maybe you should start to think as if you’re in their shoes,» he offered. «Imagine that you are Taehyung.»

Seokjin snorted. «Please, I don’t think I’ll ever understand what goes on in that kid’s mind.»

There was a silence in which Yoongi gulped down the rest of the water. «You know,» Seokjin resumed, «it feels like we’re like a big family.»

Yoongi looked at him questioningly, and he proceeded to explain with a small, almost embarrassed smile on his lips. «If you think about it, the three of them would be the troublesome kids, and you, Namjoon and I are the responsible parents who take care of them. Well, Namjoon maybe not, but… I mean, it sounds nice, doesn’t it? I think it does.»

Yoongi pondered a bit. A thought like that had never crossed his mind. He had never considered the idea of finding some kind of home with someone other than his family or his future spouse. Yet, the tingly feeling he was getting from living with them was right. It made sense.

He liked it, there was no doubt in it.

«Yeah, I see what you mean,» he admitted, «but I think that you should really go to sleep, hyung. Staying up late makes you greasy.» Seokjin laughed.

Hoseok was the last one to join them, then Namjoon declared that their apartment couldn’t fit any more people. («Told ya,» was Jimin’s cocky answer, to which Namjoon replied with «Please, I’m the one in charge of this apartment. I can kick you out anytime if you feel that it’s too crowded in here».)

Hoseok was only a year younger than Yoongi, he was an amazing choreographer and he was cool and everything. He was easygoing and always had a joke ready, and this was beyond awesome. To put it simply, he was just a crazier version of the three youngsters put together. This explained why he was instantly transferred to Taehyung and Jimin’s room and he didn’t object at all – similar minds thought alike.

Hoseok was that kind of person who couldn’t stay still for more than five seconds, especially when he had nothing to do. He would wander around the house and naturally strike up conversations and play around with the rest of them, bringing a smile even to Namjoon when he returned from long, frustrating hours stuck in the studio.

With him officially part of the household, the apartment felt incredibly smaller. This was due to the fact that mornings were now noisy, and the evenings even noisier. The dance parties they used to hold became some kind of ritual they performed at least twice a week, with Hoseok supervising them all and challenging them to create the most ridiculous moves of the century. Yoongi wondered how it was possible that their neighbors still hadn’t come and complained about all the noise they made.

Hoseok would calm down only when it was time to go to bed. Once asleep, he looked defenseless and completely different from his awake self. He also had a funny way of thrashing about the bed, making it look as if sleeping was the most pleasant thing that he had been graced of.

Those times when Hoseok looked to be in the deepest, nicest slumber he had ever had, Jimin would mobilize the rest of his flatmates to wake him in the harshest way they can think of – this usually meant throwing freezing cold water onto his face, putting on ear-splitting music, rolling him off the mattress, and depriving him of the bed sheets.

Taehyung thought it was fun watching Hoseok whining for being woken up like that. Yoongi couldn’t really say anything, because he as well was a victim of those wake-up calls from hell, on Sunday mornings, when he only wanted to roll around the bed all day. (He evilly enjoyed pouring water onto Hoseok’s face anyway.)

Life went on relatively smoothly – as in Taehyung nearly burned down the whole building after forgetting about the water he left to boil – until one day Seoul was hit by a thunderstorm.

It was the worst of the year yet; rain kept pouring down heavily, flooding a good part of the city. They just had the luck to live in that part, and none of them fancied the idea of getting soaked wet by just taking a step outside their apartment building. The youngsters rejoiced when they were told that their lessons for the day had been cancelled, but the rest of them had to take a day off from work (at least, they could use the excuse of the flood to get some good rest).

In the evening, things got worse as the power went out.

«You mean that there’ll be no wi-fi until who-knows-when,» Taehyung said, when Namjoon announced that it was likely they’d be stuck without electricity until the weather got better. A thunder cracked outside the window, making them jump.

«Wi-fi is the last of our problems,» Namjoon sighed, passing them all a handful of candles. «How’s Jungkook? Has his fever gone down?»

Jungkook had indeed caught a flu the day before. That boy thought that running under the heavy rain was a brilliant idea, because he “didn’t want to call Seokjin hyung to pick me up from university, I might have bothered him”. He had returned home shivering, his clothes drenched, and hadn’t it been for Yoongi, who sent him to dry his hair and get a change of clothes, it was likely that the rest of them would’ve found him passed out on the floor.

«Not really,» Seokjin replied, «but he’s woken up. Hoseok’s with him right now.»

The five of them dutifully lighted the candles, and the apartment was soon dotted with small flickers, along with the few flashlights they managed to find. Then, they proceeded to light some in Jungkook’s room too.

They found him sitting on his bed, slurping down the soup Seokjin had prepared him. Hoseok was checking the thermometer in the light of his smartphone.

«Wow, you still look like ,» Jimin told the youngest, earning a smack on the back of his head from Seokjin.

Jungkook rolled his eyes tiredly. «Thank you, I really needed to hear that.»

«How do you feel?» Yoongi asked. The younger shrugged his shoulders.

«Better than this morning. Still a bit tired, though.»

«Next time you need a ride, just call me, alright? We don’t want you to get sick again, you know,» Seokjin frowned. Even in the little light of the room, Yoongi could see genuine concern in his eyes.

Jungkook must have seen it too, because he sank in his pillow and put on a guilty expression. «Yeah, I will. Sorry about the trouble I’m causing.»

«Hey, no problem, man,» Namjoon smiled. «It’s not the end of the world. It’s normal to worry for each other. Besides, you are our beloved maknae; we can’t just let you be.»

Hoseok slapped his arm playfully. «Gross. Stop saying corny stuff.»

«That’s not even the half of his sappiness, you must see him when he’s writing lyrics,» Yoongi said, earning some stifled laughs from the others. Namjoon arched his eyebrow at him.

«Excuse me, but yours are nowhere less sappy than mine.»

«Alright, hyung, we understand that both of you love us very much,» Jimin grinned. «Just don’t embarrass us in your songs, would you?»

Yoongi clicked his tongue. «Please, y’all should be grateful if we even consider talking about you in our songs.»

Jimin just beamed at him. «But you love us anyway, don’t you deny it.» Namjoon and Yoongi just laughed.

«You know, it reminds me of camping» Jungkook commented, laying down again. His eyes were glassy from the fever, and Yoongi felt the urge to pat his head. But he didn’t. «Since we’re all huddled together here. Except there’s no bonfire.»

«But there’s fire,» Taehyung replied, motioning at the candles lit around them. «If we put them all together, we can pretend that it’s the real one.»

«How about no,» Namjoon interjected. «Do you want to burn down our home that much?»

«Let the kids have some fun, man,» Hoseok laughed, to which Namjoon lifted his hands in surrender. Hoseok then added: «Anyway, it doesn’t sound like a bad idea, going camping and all. It’s been a while since I last went».

«Me too,» Jimin agreed. «I used to go camping a lot when I was a kid. I remember that my parents would send me out to go exploring with my cousins. But we haven’t done it much recently. I kind of miss it.»

Jungkook smiled as his eyelids began to droop. «It sounds fun. I want to go somewhere together.»

«Yeah, let’s,» Hoseok agreed. «Once it gets warmer. And once you get better, of course.» He ruffled his hair affectionately, to which the younger replied with a heartfelt laugh.

The next day, Jungkook’s flu was gone, along with the heavy rain.

Sometimes, Yoongi liked to shut himself off from the rest of the world and just be left alone. It was not as if he felt uncomfortable with the rest of the guys, really. They were good kids and all, and he was grateful that it was them that happened to be his flatmates. Yoongi liked them, he really did. But Yoongi also liked to take a break from teasing Seokjin, the youngsters’ antics, the long talks with Namjoon in the studio, and Hoseok’s playful nagging. Sometimes, he felt overwhelmed. Sometimes, he only needed to wind down.

Today was one of those days.

He offered to do the grocery shopping, and Seokjin and Hoseok eyed him suspiciously: Yoongi hardly ever did anything that required effort. They were squinting their eyes at him worriedly by the time he said that it was okay, he didn’t need Seokjin to go with him and help him carry the bags. Yoongi sprinted out of the door to avoid their questions.

The supermarket was ten minutes of walk away from his apartment complex, but Yoongi decided to take the longer route. He needed to be alone for a while and deal with the sudden homesickness that had tormented him since that morning.

It had been eight months since Yoongi had moved to Seoul. The fact hit him hard, and he was surprised to find himself still all in one piece, without having experienced any mental breakdown (yes, he was that paranoid about living with Namjoon and the others). It was all better than he had expected.

Yet, it didn’t stop him from feeling out of place. He had never lived so far from Daegu for such a long time. Calling home felt a relief, since he could hear how life was going back there. Most of the times, however, it frustrated him even more and made him yearn to take the first flight back home.

Yoongi stopped near the playground, and saw some children playing hide and seek. He used to play hide and seek too, when he was a kid. Everyone looked up at him, because he was the one who freed them all when they got caught. He also remembered that his mother would often send him to do commissions, just like what he was doing now.

He missed Daegu. Sometimes, he’d look out of the windows of their apartment and think that, if he had been back there, he would’ve seen the slim, glassy skyscrapers, and the low mountains in the horizon behind them. He missed the mountains and missed the winter’s sun and missed wandering in those ever so familiar streets. He was still not used to Seoul.

«Yoongi hyung? What are you doing?»

Taehyung was standing in front of him, his backpack slung over his shoulders. His lessons must have ended, Yoongi thought.

«They asked me to do the shopping,» he answered. «I’m going now.»

Taehyung, too, frowned at his reply, like Hoseok and Seokjin did. «You sure? You never do the shopping alone. You always ask someone to go with you.»

Yoongi wondered if he was trying to be considerate. An idea popped up in his mind, and he smirked. «Then, do you want to come with me?»

The younger seemed taken aback by the request. «Oh, well, I…» he mumbled. He didn’t look like he wanted to go, but Yoongi was not going to let this opportunity slip. He suddenly felt like spending some time with Taehyung.

«C’mon. I’ll buy you ice cream.»

Taehyung looked as if he was told that he had won the lottery, and Yoongi couldn’t help smiling: sometimes, he forgot how things like that excited him. Taehyung really looked like a kid. Yoongi, however, didn’t complain.

They began making their way to the grocery store. Taehyung was in the lead, bouncing happily at every step. He seemed so carefree. Yoongi wondered how it was possible for him to be like that. Didn’t he miss his hometown like Yoongi did? How could he put up with it?

But then again, Yoongi was always the one that thought too much. Taehyung, on the other hand, was not. Taehyung was more laid back about everything, sometimes he would even be a bit of an airhead. But he was smart nonetheless. Maybe he was just really good at concealing his feelings.

Taehyung must have sensed the heaviness of the silence, because he turned to Yoongi and began walking backwards. «You’re acting strangely, hyung,» he observed.

Yoongi’s eyebrows shot up. «Am I?» he asked, surprised that Taehyung had actually noticed.

The younger scrunched up his face in a funny way, in that one expression he made whenever he was thinking hard. «Yeah, you are. You never do anything on your days off, and now here you are, going to the supermarket. You even took the longer way.»

Yoongi rolled his eyes. «You make me sound like a lazy .»

«Well, you are one,» Taehyung beamed, and had Yoongi not find his square smile somewhat cute, he would’ve earned himself a whack on his nape. «Anyway, wanna tell TaeTae what’s bothering you?»

Taehyung actually caring about his hyungs was not an everyday occurrence. Yoongi wanted to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of the situation, but on the other hand, he was relieved that the boy actually asked him. He stopped on his tracks, and so did the younger. «Say, how long have you been here in Seoul?»

«Well, since I started university so… this is the third year, yes.»

«It must have been tough.»

«Uh? Oh, uhm, it was, at first. I mean, I had to study and work lots, and I was barely twenty years old, so… Then I just kind of got used to it.»

Yoongi looked at him almost helplessly. He wanted to get used to it, too, but most of the times, he terribly missed his hometown. He had lived there for the whole two decades of his life for heaven’s sake. He knew that one does not just leave some place they were used to that easily. Yet…

Taehyung moved awkwardly under the older’s intense gaze, and played with the straps of his backpack. «Well, actually, I still miss Daegu a lot,» he said, looking down at his shoes.

Those words took Yoongi back to reality. Taehyung began shifting his weight from one foot to another. «Do you really?» Yoongi asked. The younger nodded.

«Yeah, why wouldn’t I? I mean, it’s normal. You too, hyung, miss it, don’t you?»

Yoongi’s cheeks flushed pink, and he hoped that Taehyung didn’t notice. However, even if he had, he pretended not to see it.

«It’s okay,» Taehyung said, «look at me; I’m still here. You just… get through it. Really. Three years flew by and I didn’t even notice. One day you’ll wake up and you’ll miss Daegu, but you’ll also think that it’s nice here. It gets better.»

Yoongi nodded at his words, and felt more relieved all at once. It seemed that Taehyung understood his feelings better than he had expected, and it reassured him. It didn’t stop the sadness from overwhelming him, but he did feel that he was going to get through it a tad bit better than he imagined. He thought that, maybe, all he needed was someone to tell him that it wasn’t going to be so bad. Maybe he only needed to hear it from Taehyung.

He missed home, but it was okay because Taehyung, too, missed it.

«Do you like it here? I mean, living with the boys and everything,» Yoongi asked. The younger blinked once, twice, then he looked down and kicked a pebble on the pavement, a corner of his lips curling up.

«Yeah. Honestly, I like it better than when I lived in the uni dorms. It’s more fun here.»

Yoongi hummed in response. He was happy to hear that. «That’s good. You know, I used to think that I wouldn’t have survived here. I thought it would be hell.»

Taehyung beamed at him. «Good thing that you changed your mind.»

That evening, Yoongi offered to help to cook the dinner, and Seokjin finally dared to ask him what was wrong with him that day. Taehyung replied that “Yoongi hyung is homesiiiiick”, and for the rest of the week he had to suffer Yoongi’s wrath.

Jimin was not coming home. According to Taehyung, his lessons should have ended hours ago, yet he was not coming home. He was not picking up their calls either. Seokjin had become a worried mess.

«What if he got kidnapped?» he said, pacing back and forth in the living room, where they all sat. It was 7PM, dinner still cooking, and they hadn’t heard from Jimin for hours. «I mean, he’s not picking up our calls and he’s been gone for so long and–»

«Don’t be so paranoid,» Namjoon replied. «Maybe his cell phone died. Why would you assume that he’s been kidnapped?»

Seokjin frowned at him. «Well, excuse me for worrying about him.»

«I’m not saying that you shouldn’t,» Namjoon retorted, «but I just think that you’re overreacting a bit. Jimin’s a grown up man, and he’s able to–»

A click came from the front door and the six of them froze on their spot. They heard the door being unlocked and opened, a pair of feet shuffling on the floor, and some muffled whispering. Jimin was home.

Seokjin was the first to react and rush to him, with Jungkook, Hoseok and Taehyung in tow. Yoongi and Namjoon soon joined them, and the entrance got crowded suddenly.

Jimin didn’t look as if he was hurt or anything, but he did have a suspicious bump protruding out of his belly, covered by his hoodie. His arms were wrapped around it protectively, and Yoongi eyed it curiously as Seokjin asked him why he didn’t answer their calls. «The phone died,» the younger replied.

Namjoon smirked at Seokjin, but no one noticed, because Jungkook pointed at the thing sticking out of Jimin’s abdomen and asked: «What’s that?».

The boy smiled sheepishly and held the lump tighter. «Uhm, well, it’s…» he tried to explain, but something moved inside his clothes and interrupted him.

Taehyung jumped away in shock. «What the heck,» he yelped, grabbing onto Yoongi’s arm in the process. They waited quietly as the thing wiggled in Jimin’s hoodie – he attempted to hide it, with no success – and poked out of his clothes. Everyone was holding their breath in expectation.

It was a puppy.

«Oh my god,» Namjoon said quietly.

«Aww, it’s soooooo cuuuuuute!» Hoseok squealed, reaching his hand out to pull down the zipper. Yoongi felt like chuckling, but he kept it to himself.

«Yeah, I know,» Jimin said excitedly, and everyone gathered around him. Jungkook and Taehyung cooed at the small pup, Yoongi looked at him curiously, and Seokjin scratched his neck happily, his worry long gone. Only Namjoon stood at his place, frowning.

The pup, however, didn’t seem too pleased with being surrounded by people all at once, because he rejected Hoseok’s spread arms and hid in Jimin’s clothes again, whimpering quietly.

«Is this what you’ve been up to until now?» Yoongi asked, and stretched out his hand towards the puppy. He peeped his hand with suspicion for a while, but then he leaned into it and sniffed it tentatively. Hoseok pouted sadly and Yoongi felt a bit sorry for him.

Jimin nodded with eagerness. «Yeah. I found him in a box outside university. Someone must have left him there, so I decided to take him with me. I went to buy the food too,» – only then everyone noticed the bag Jimin had dropped on the floor – «so we can feed him and everything.»

«Except that we can’t,» Namjoon stated sternly, crossing his arms. Everyone turned to him. Jimin stared at him as if he had seen a ghost. «No animals allowed in the building. It’s the rules.»

«But, but,» Jimin stammered. The pup in his arms glanced around the entrance curiously, oblivious to what was happening around him. «I can’t let him be,» he said, looking as if he was going to cry, «you should’ve seen him when I picked him up. He looked so defenseless and sad and– I just– we can’t leave him, it’s freezing cold outside, he’d be all by himself and he’s just a puppy and–»

«And we can’t keep him,» Namjoon huffed. «Look, I don’t want to ruin the moment, but we’re not allowed to. I’m sorry. We’ll leave him to an animal shelter, where he’ll surely be taken good care of.»

Jimin pouted and glanced down, sadness pouring out of his eyes. The pup must have sensed it, because he rested his head on one of Jimin’s arms, as quiet as the boy was.

Yoongi felt a tad bit of pity for him. Namjoon wasn’t usually that strict. They all knew that rules are rules, and none of them could afford to be kicked out of the apartment and find another that was as convenient. But he also knew that Jimin was a selfless and kind-hearted boy, and it sort of broke his heart seeing him like that (not that Yoongi would ever admit it). 

He made up his mind. «What if we kept him just tonight?» he proposed. He saw Jimin raise his head and look at him in the corner of his eye. «I mean, it’s pretty late right? I doubt that looking around for an animal shelter right now is a good idea – it’s getting dark and everyone’s tired.»

Namjoon frowned at him (he was probably wondering why Yoongi, out of all people, suggested that), whereas Jimin looked at him hopefully. Yoongi just felt a little bit better at the sight.

It seemed that the other boys, too, agreed with him. «Yeah, why don’t we keep him for now?» Seokjin said, a smile on his face. «No one will notice, if it’s just for one night. We’ll deal with the matter tomorrow.»

«Yes, let’s!» Jungkook exclaimed, with an excited twinkle playing in his eyes. He turned to Namjoon. «Please, hyung! Just tonight! We’ll take good care of him!»

Namjoon sighed deeply as Hoseok and Taehyung echoed along the youngest. He tried to reason with them, but with no success. He glanced at Seokjin, then at Yoongi, and finally at Jimin. The puppy in his arms looked at him with his huge eyes, and it seemed as if he, too, was pleading with him.

Yoongi was delighted to see that Namjoon was giving in. «C’mon, let the kids have their fun.»

It didn’t took long for Namjoon to huff again, with the rest of them looking at him expectantly. «Well, I guess one night won’t hurt anyone–»

The youngsters, plus Hoseok, rejoiced. They tackled Namjoon and about not being able to resist the puppy’s cuteness, whereas Seokjin bounced happily in the spot and held out his hands to the pup. This time, he eagerly crawled out of Jimin’s hoodie, his excitement showing as he thrashed happily in the other man’s arms. Seokjin as well proceeded to begin teasing Namjoon, bringing the pup close to him with the other three huddled around them.

Jimin didn’t join them right away. Instead, he turned to Yoongi, and gave him the brightest smile he had ever seen. «You’re the best,» he said. «Thank you.»

Yoongi only grinned lazily. «No problem, ChimChim. This is what hyungs are for.»

«I want to go to the sea,» Hoseok said one evening, a couple of months later.

The seven of them were gathered in front of the television screen, playing with the newest Mario Kart game Seokjin had bought. «Yeah?» Yoongi mumbled as he watched Jungkook’s Toad begin his last lap, followed by Namjoon’s Waluigi, Seokjin’s Peach and Jimin’s Bowser. He was waiting for his turn with Taehyung and Hoseok, since the controllers were not enough for everyone.

«Remember when we talked about going somewhere together?» Hoseok asked, and received some hums of acknowledgement. «We never got around it. So I think that we should totally go to the sea.»

«Yeah, it doesn’t sound bad,» Seokjin commented mindlessly as Peach threw a red shell at Waluigi. Namjoon, however, equipped him with a banana just in time, and Seokjin groaned as his attack failed.

«I really want to!» Hoseok whined, seeing that no one was paying attention to him. «I’ve found a nice place to go to. It’s like, a couple of hours of drive from here. We can rent a small van and spend a few days there. It sounds good, yes? I want to go there. C’mon, are you even listening to me?»

It seemed that Hoseok was really, really fond of the idea. The next few days, he kept nagging everyone about it, bringing up the topic every time he could.

Yoongi only thought that it would be a hassle doing all the packing and waking up at 5AM to visit villages he’d never heard of and everything. Hoseok told him that it would be a good opportunity to refine his composing skills, with the help of the clear, crystalline water inspiring him, since summer was coming and so was the demand for summer songs, and oh. It didn’t sound too bad indeed.

The others went along with the idea, too. Yoongi suspected that Hoseok convinced them all with a similar approach, whether they actually thought that some days off from the usual routine sounded nice or they just wanted to make him shut up. All he knew is that, in the end, a proud Hoseok booked a cheap villa for five days and announced that there was no turning back now (Yoongi thought that, even if they wanted to, Hoseok wouldn’t let them).

Two weeks later, on one morning, Yoongi sat between Jimin and Namjoon as Seokjin drove the seven of them in the highway. The weather didn’t look as favorable as they hoped it would be – low, menacing clouds occupied the otherwise blue sky, and a cold wind blew past their car. Hoseok was not one to be impressed by such things, and assured them that it would get better.

It didn’t. Three hours and a stop to the service area later, they reached their destination. The ominous sky still loomed over them and the salty air felt way too cold for spring, as their van pulled in the garage of the rented villa. Everyone hopped off it at once and went exploring their new home for the following days.

The house was modest and nice. They found a polished, clean kitchen and a cozy living room on the ground floor, and two plainly-furnished bedrooms on the first. Both of the floors had a pristine white bathroom each. The house also had a small garden fenced with bushes of blooming star jasmines. It was a lovely sight, and Hoseok looked proud of himself as his flatmates gaped in awe.

After unpacking their stuff and having lunch in a nearby restaurant, they decided to go find the sea Hoseok longed for.

The harbor of the town was a really pretty view. Dozens of boats were arranged in clean rows and floated gracefully on the water. Namjoon commented that they must cost a lot, and Taehyung said that, when he would be rich and famous, he would buy one and throw a party on it. Jimin doubted that it was likely to happen, but Taehyung didn’t seem to hear him as he announced excitedly that he was going to travel all around the world.

The boats decreased as they passed them. The surroundings changed as well: the colorful, lively shops on the seafront made room for more modest blocks of apartment buildings. The path they were following ran along jagged rocks, on which the waves kept crashing relentlessly. Soon enough they spotted a small pier that looked on the sea. «Let’s go there,» Seokjin proposed, and they found themselves running as Jungkook sprinted towards it first, backpacks bouncing on their backs and cold air stinging their skin.

They sat on the cement, legs dangling above the dark surface of the water. «It’s so pretty,» Namjoon said, as they stared off into the horizon. The sky was still clouded, but it didn’t seem it was going to rain. Maybe they would even see the stars in the evening.

«It is,» Hoseok beamed. «Y’all should be thanking me, since I brought you here.»

«Correction, Seokjin hyung brought us here,» Yoongi said. Hoseok huffed.

«Well, you wouldn’t have seen the winter sea, if it weren’t for me.»

«Correction again, it’s spring.»

«Oh, c’mon, give me a break. I’m trying to keep the mood up.»

«Thank you, Hoseok hyung,» Jungkook said with a cute smile. Yoongi snickered as Hoseok’s cheeks flushed pink, not having expected some actual thanks. The others noticed it as well, and they tackled him, teasing him about having a soft spot for the youngest.

When Hoseok finally got rid of them – «You all do!» he retorted – they returned to admire the sea. The water splashed under them and seagulls were spotted occasionally. It was a very nice moment. Even Taehyung stayed quiet, as he leaned lazily onto Yoongi’s shoulder. He didn’t brush him away, not wanting to ruin the atmosphere. He felt a tingly feeling bubbling inside him – happiness, probably – but he didn’t voice it out. He was sure that everyone else felt like he did, too.

They kept resting there until they noticed it was getting late, and they hadn’t started visiting the town yet.

The air was crisp that night, when they all gathered in the garden. Jungkook had bought some fireworks in a nearby shop, insisting that it was safe since they were in small sizes. «We won’t get any more chances when we’ll go back to Seoul,» he argued as he took a handful of Roman candles from the plastic bag.

They gathered around them as Namjoon took out his lighter. The first firework burst in a colorful explosion, sparks flying high, trying to reach the sky but never quite there. It was soon followed by two, three more, and the small garden was soon dotted with glowing lights projecting into the air. It was an amazing sight. Excitement took over the seven of them, and they soon found themselves waving the sparklers Jungkook took out, jumping around joyfully, laughing when Hoseok and Taehyung started a sword fight with them.

Yoongi took a lot of pictures. His camera wouldn’t stop snapping as the rest of them danced around and shoved each other playfully. He wasn’t sure the memory of his camera would be enough, if they had done that for the following nights too. But it was fun, and Yoongi wanted some fun memories to look back to once they would return to Seoul. When Seokjin noticed that he was only taking photos, he shoved his own sparkler into his hand and told him to enjoy the moment. Yoongi laughed, and decided to leave his camera for a bit as the rest of the group urged him to join them.

Once all the fireworks were used up, they all laid down on the cobblestones next to each other, feeling worn out. They had been moving ever since that morning. Yoongi felt as if he would have fallen asleep right then, if Jimin hadn’t spoken. «We should go in,» he slurred. «It’s kinda late, and tomorrow we’ll have to wake up early, too.»

«‘tis too much work,» Hoseok mumbled, shifting closer to Jimin so that Taehyung wasn’t pressed between Namjoon and him.

«I agree,» Jungkook added. «It’s comfortable here. We might as well sleep here.»

Namjoon frowned a bit. «We’ll get a cold if we sleep outside.» But he didn’t move, his eyelids lowered.

The younger smiled. «I know,» he replied. «Just a little bit more.»

Seokjin closed his eyes, too. «I want to stay like this forever,» he sighed contently. «It’s so nice. I’m glad that I came here with you all.»

Yoongi was glad, too. Staying like that – shoulders touching, breaths even – made him feel a sense of belonging. He thought back to the first night he spent in the apartment in Seoul, nearly a year before. The feeling of helplessness had made him stay awake all night long. Now, look at him. He had made it so far. He didn’t feel lost anymore. He liked his apartment in Seoul, and liked living with the six of them even more. The thought broke a tiny smile on his face.

He still didn’t like moving, but he had found home. He hoped he wouldn’t have to move again soon.

oh my god I didn’t mean to write so muchhhh it’s almost 8,000 words long sob

Actually I like this story a lot and I’m super happy that I finished writing it. Please leave some feedback if you enjoyed it too! I’m really looking forward to write more OT7 lmao ive become a bts trash