Ch.52
Jimin spoke softly to Yoongi. The third year calmed down after a while. All the boys helped him feel better. He had a small break down, but Jimin made Yoongi slowly return to normal. Taehyung asked Yoongi is he was ready to face Seokjin. It's been minutes since then and he hasn't given his answer. The blue hair has chosen to remain silent. Jungkook nibbled on his bottom lip nervously as the eldest hyung in the room stared aimlessly at the ceiling. For the most part, you believed you and the boys managed to get him thinking. All you had to do was get the third year to lower down his walls.
He didn't push away your hands or stop you from petting him and squeezing his hand. Occasionally, he would squeeze your hand back. It made you smile since that let you know he wasn't completely off in his own universe. It also meant that Yoongi didn't mind the physical contact you had with him. Jimin eyed Yoongi, waiting for him to make up his mind. The first-year boys were ready to walk over to Seokjin's house. It was getting a little late, but you would go with them too. Unnie won't even realize you're not home once she arrives to the apartment. She's just going to crash in her own room and get ready for tomorrow.
Taehyung glanced at Jungkook. Jimin had stopped talking which left nothing, but silence in the warehouse. The air was cold and everyone was beginning to freeze. The only blanket here was on Yoongi's lap with a hidden Holly inside. There's no way he's going to give it to the others. Taehyung and Jungkook didn't want to break their concentration. They were going to power through the chilly atmosphere until Yoongi decided to talk to Seokjin. That's when Yoongi didn't stop squeezing your hand. He kept a tight grip on it and you stopped petting his head in confusion. Jimin and you made baffled eye contact before looking at Yoongi again who sighed heavily.
"...I guess." He lowered his head.
"You're ready to talk, hyung?" Jimin smiled, rubbing Yoongi's shoulders.
"It's going to be cold. Zip up your jacket," Taehyung said, Jungkook excitedly zipping up his jacket as an example.
"Seokjin should be awake. Let's get to his house before it's too late." Jungkook bounced up to his feet.
"Let's go." You lifted Yoongi off the couch. He stared down at you with an empty stare. There was no annoyance or sadness anymore. You ran your hand through his hair one last time with a smile. "I want to see that gummy smile again."
"Sure..." He chuckled lightly, grabbing your hand out of his hair. He had a small smile and squeezed your hand. "Now let's go before I change my mind."
Everyone nodded in the warehouse. Yoongi was amused to see all the excited first years in the room. The four of you must have looked like children at a birthday party. The boys bounced around Yoongi, following him out of the warehouse. Except, the five of you barely stepped out of the entrance to see Seokjin's black truck rolling in. Its engine shut off and was parked right in front of you guys. Seokjin got out of the truck, slamming the door with a weak smile. He didn't look too confident to show his face here. Namjoon and Hoseok came out of the vehicle too.
They were just as shocked to see the first years as you guys were to see the second years. Did all of you have the same plan today? Yoongi swallowed hard, tightening his fists as Seokjin made small steps over to his friend. Namjoon and Hoseok shoved their hands into their pockets. They stood in front of the truck to watch Seokjin meanwhile you and the other first years stood behind Yoongi. It was to give them space to talk somewhat privately. Hopefully both of them were here to forgive each other and apologize. A part of you worried that Yoongi would suddenly flip like a switch to see Seokjin. You didn't want him to bring his walls up again and deny his hyung anymore. They had to make up. They just had too.
"What are you doing here?" Yoongi asked first. It made Seokjin tense up and become more nervous than before.
"Namjoon and Hoseok talked to me. (F/n) did too about our fight." Seokjin frowned.
"She talked to me too and so did the rest of the first years..." Yoongi looked down.
"Really?" Seokjin looked at the three boys who stood sheepishly in the background. He sighed, facing his friend again with a little more confidence in his face. "Well, they all got me thinking...I really don't want us to stop being friends. I'm not trying to abandon the gang. Those are not my intentions at all."
"But why Australia? Can't you go to a modeling agency in Seoul?" Yoongi balled his fists even tighter. "Why do you have to go so far away?"
"...I really want to go with Alpha Agency." Seokjin cracked his knuckles.
"You can easily get picked by another agency..." Yoongi mumbled.
Seokjin bit his lips. He quietly thanked Yoongi for thinking so. Though they weren't hugging each other and forgiving one another, you did see how Yoongi was clearing up his confusion. He asked all the questions you guys couldn't answer for him. Seokjin tried his hardest to answer them all carefully. He thought about each of his words but spoke from the heart. He wanted his new-found dream to become a reality and to make Yoongi understand. The first years beside you fidgeted around. They wanted so badly for the fight to end. Even the second years looked ready to have it over with.
Yoongi kept with his questions. It might have sounded like he still wasn't for the idea of Seokjin leaving to become a model, but you started to hear something else. How scared Yoongi sounded at the idea of one his friends leaving him. Abandoning the gang for what he used to consider a selfish reason. Yoongi was trying to wrap his head around it and not burst into a ball of rage. He listened to Seokjin explain himself but wanted to be satisfied himself. All the members want Seokjin to be happy, but Yoongi needed to know that their memories wouldn't be thrown away.
None of the other members told Seokjin that they felt the same way. Yoongi wasn't the only one who was hurt by Seokjin's sudden decision. It felt like he didn't want you guys involved in his life anymore at the beginning. It doesn't take long to realize that he just wanted to be independent and was scared of you guys destroying his dream. He barely found out what he wants to do in his future so you guys were going to support him no matter how much it hurt. Everyone wants Seokjin to not be afraid of admitting his dreams to his own friends. Namjoon hated the idea of Seokjin leaving and Taehyung wanted everyone together. Hoseok and Jimin would miss their elder hyung so much and so would you. It's be hard to forget someone like Kim Seokjin.
"It still feels weird calling it my passion." Seokjin chuckled. "But I know I want to do this for as long as I can."
"...how long is that?" Yoongi's brows knitted together.
"I'll just be gone for modeling college. I'll be coming back to Korea once I'm done." Seokjin stepped closer to the blue hair. "I'm not going to be gone forever. Don't worry, it's not a big deal."
"If it's not a big deal then why didn't you tell us before making the decision to leave to a whole new country?" Yoongi remarked. He suddenly grew bitter which made you suck in your breath. Seokjin regretted his choice of words there. It wasn't a smart idea to down play the situation and tell Yoongi how to feel. The second years worriedly glanced at each other. Seokjin tried reaching out for Yoongi, only to get his hand smacked away. His walls were coming back up against everyone. "Don't touch me. Talk."
"...I don't have chlamydia." Seokjin slowly smiled. Everyone's eyes immediately widened to hear this. How come he was revealing this right now? You looked at the other members and they were just as confused as you were. Yoongi didn't speak but eventually started chuckling.
"The f*ck?" Yoongi crossed his arms, tilting his head. Answers were needed right away to know why he said something like that. Last you checked, the possibility of Seokjin having chlamydia wasn't a worry with the group.
"You told me to deal with the sluts and I said it wasn't my problem." Seokjin grinned. "And you saidâ"
"I can make it your problem." Yoongi looked down at his feet, kicking dirt around. "Yeah, I remember that. And?"
"You tried telling people I had chlamydia and I jumped you before you could. That's how we became friends!" Seokjin cheered.
"It wasn't the easy." Yoongi shook his head.
"Well...it was the start. Our friendship literally started with us fighting." Seokjin nervously licked his bottom lip. "We fight, but our friendship only gets stronger. We're best friends and even if I go to Australia, that won't change anything. It'll only be two years over there and I'll come back to see the gang. You guys are my family and I'd never abandon you guys with cruel intentions. The gang means the worldâ"
"I know." Yoongi connected his eyes with Seokjin.
"Please, I...you know?" Seokjin was shocked. He didn't think stubborn Yoongi would accept so easily. Just a minute ago, he was ready to rip the elder's face off with his bare teeth. Neither did the second years in the back expect this outcome yet. They saw the three boys smirking next to you and were impressed. To be fair to Yoongi, you figured he would come to this conclusion very soon.
"You can leave for Australia if you want. I don't care anymore." Yoongi shrugged. "I don't give a sh*t. I don't give a f*ck."
"I don't think you knowâ" Seokjin furrowed his brows.
"Let me finish." Yoongi rolled his eyes. "I don't want you to goâ"
"This doesn't make sense!" Seokjin frowned.
"Motherf*cker, let me talk!" Yoongi huffed, making the eldest shut up. Jungkook and Taehyung snickered together. The second years grinned and you shook your head. Yoongi wasn't actually angry. Maybe a little annoyed at most. "As I was saying, none of us really want you to go. But I know you want to be a model and sh*t."
"...are you giving me permission to go?" Seokjin tilted his head.
"I'm not going to stop you." Yoongi sighed. "...and I hope you do care about us."
"Of course, I do! You don't have to worry about that." Seokjin quickly hugged the blue hair. Yoongi stiffened up, not a fan of the sudden hug. He lightly patted the black hair's back. Eventually, he was released and could breathe again.
"Text us, write us, I don't care if it's expensive. Share all the money you get with us." Yoongi smirked.
"I don't know about that last part." Seokjin grinned. "But ah...I want to say I'm sorry for bringing up the past. I should know better not to bring that sh*t up."
"...I didn't mean to compare you to that @sshole. Or tell you that you were going to become him. The fight is kind of a blur." Yoongi rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm a f*cking awful person, but I'm glad to actually feel like a person now."
"You're forgiven and you're not that awful. Trust me, you know there are worse people out here in this hell hole." Seokjin looked Yoongi in the eye as if he was telling him a message. Yoongi understood and slowly nodded. He hesitated, trying not to turn his expression into a gloomy one. "Am I forgiven?"
"...yeah." Yoongi nodded as Seokjin brought him into another hug.
At that moment, Hoseok ran into the hug. He brought both of the men tightly together with his arms. Namjoon clapped his hands together and let out a sigh of relief. Soon he joined the hug too with the first years coming over too. You smiled to yourself and walked over to the group hug. Every member squeezed the third years in the middle. Jungkook made sure to squeeze them extra hard while scolding them. He told them to never fight again on this type of scale. Since he was squeezing the air out of them, they really couldn't protest.
When they were released, both panted heavily to catch their breath. Yoongi was showing his cute gummy smile now and Seokjin was laughing his classic laugh. They were on good terms again and you were incredibly thankful. Graduation was two weeks away. Technically it was less than two weeks now. Just a week and a half, so you were glad that things could be resolved before then. Taehyung was telling them how excited he was to take pictures with them once they get their diplomas. Jimin and Jungkook admitted that they were looking forward to that too. They wanted to see their hyungs graduate.
Meanwhile Seokjin called his dongsaengs cute, Yoongi walked over to you. Namjoon and Hoseok began doting on the dongsaengs too. Jungkook was smiling wide but wouldn't look Seokjin in the eye from embarrassment. Then Taehyung insisted that he was Namjoon's favorite and asked Hoseok to confirm it. Jimin told Hoseok to ignore his best friend's silly question. They were making quite the fuss over it, but it was all playful. All of them couldn't stop laughing and it looked like their cheeks would start hurting soon. Yoongi had his hands in his pockets and smiled softly at you. It made your smile grow bigger too. Having Yoongi in a good mood made everything better.
"I don't really like to say thanks or sorry, but I think...I have to." Yoongi sighed.
"You feel it in your heart?" You raised a brow. He rolled his eyes as you giggled. "Those little feelings you have make you normal, Yoongi. It's your conscious."
"...I have one?" Yoongi tried not to smile too wide. "Hell yeah."
"Hell yeah!" You cheered.
"Anyway, I should probably thank you since you're the main reason I'm actually able to graduate." Yoongi shrugged. "Forcing me to do homework actually made me get enough credit to pass. Plus, it made me actually remember stuff for tests so...thank you."
"Aw, you're welcome!" You tried to throw your arms around him for a hug, but he stopped you. He quickly grabbed your hands to prevent another hug. Your fingers were interlocked with his, making a light blush go across your face.
"No more hugs." He smirked. "There's been enough of that for today."
"Fine." You groaned. "But! You did say you also wanted to say sorry. What for?"
"You really are annoying, huh?" Yoongi teased. His tone wasn't hurtful, but playful. "I just...sorry for all the sh*t I pulled in the beginning. Women haven't really been the greatest in my life."
"I accept your apology and hope that you can lower your walls with other people in the future." You gently squeezed his hand. Whatever problems he has, you hope he learns to deal with them and continue to become the good person you know he can be.
Yoongi didn't respond verbally. Instead, he squeezed your hand back to let you know he was hoping for the same thing. You knew he learned a valuable lesson after all this time you've spent with him and the gang. If he wants good people in his life or to keep them, he's going to have to put some effort in too. Nice people can only be nice for so long. The both of you stared at each other with soft eyes, ignoring the background noise from the rest of the members. He nudged his head to the side, moving some of his faded blue bangs to the side of his face. He smiled softly as you stared into his dark eyes.
The moment didn't last long. His phone started to ring and he stopped holding your hands. Yoongi took his phone out, noticing your curiosity. The third year looked confused too to hear who was on the other side. You were about to whisper a question about it until he held up his finger. Yoongi looked really concerned as he walked off. All the members were still playing around. They didn't notice Yoongi go into the darkness, away from the warehouse. Currently, Jungkook was telling his hyungs how much he appreciates them. Jimin and Taehyung were encouraging him to continue. Seokjin appeared to be very moved and the second years were clutching their chests. They were so proud of their maknae.
Biting your lip, you looked over your shoulder to check on the faded blue haired boy. It was hard to see his face in the dark. You didn't know what time it was, but it was probably not midnight just yet. Yoongi's body language looked nervous and shocked. He paced around but stood still after a few seconds. You felt like he wanted to move around but was too stunned. Hopefully it was good news. That's what you wished for at least. Being the nosey person you are, you quietly walked over to where he was. It sounded like Yoongi made plans to meet up with someone. By the time he hung up, you were standing behind him and hugged him. Would that cheer him up?
"Jiminie, is that you? What do you want now?" Yoongi looked down at the arms wrapped around his torso. "Or is it f*cking Tae? I told you that I'm not interested in Gucci!"
"It's not Jimin," You said, "Or Taehyung." He stiffened at your voice.
"Did I ever give you permission to hug me like this?" Yoongi scoffed. "I don't remember that..." His voice sounded weak. Why did it sound so hard for him to tease you right now?
"Everything okay?" You asked. "Was the call serious?"
"Too serious." Yoongi sighed as you rested your head against his back to comfort him. "An old friend called me...I don't really talk to him anymore. I figured that maybe my old man finally died or something, but it wasn't good news."
"You can trust me," You stated. He's confessed a lot about himself today. Stuff about his past that you didn't know and what he would consider good news.
"The address people think I still live at is the trailer home. Mail for me always goes there instead of the warehouse." Yoongi slowly put his hands over yours. "I never cared, but that old friend told me something that I didn't want to hear. God, it's going to f*cking ruin everything. I want to stay with the gang!"
"What is it?" You worriedly questioned. This sounded so frightening.
"The country needs me to serve. I have to go into the military a week after I graduate." Yoongi hung his head low. Your eyes widened and you didn't even notice yourself squeezing him tighter. He has to leave too? No, not yet. But he has to go. D*mn it.
"Already?" You frowned. "Why do they need you so soon?"
"I'm not going to college so I can't use studying as an excuse...f*ck, f*ck, f*ck!" Yoongi started to struggle in your arms. "I'm supposed to stay with the gang! I don't want to go! They can't make me!!"
"Yoongi! Min Yoongi!" You shouted as he panicked. He wouldn't stop moving around and you had to let go of him.
"I have to avoid it! The gang needs me!" Yoongi gritted his teeth. "I need the gang..."
"Yoongi!" You grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him close. His eyes were looking everywhere until you forced him to make eye contact. He breathed heavily as you calmed him down from his freak out. "Breathe, okay? Think things through. Little by little, okay?"
"Okay..." Yoongi nodded, licking his bottom lip nervously.
"Now what do you have to do first? What'd your friend say?" You asked. The male collected all his scattered thoughts. Once he got them gathered, he spoke slowly as if he was unsure.
"I have to meet up with him to get the letter...I h-have a medical check up the day after graduation," Yoongi said. "I have to pick up my uniform a-and I probably can't keep my blue hair..."
"Okay." You nodded your head. "Well, at least the blue is fading. I'm sure you'll look good in black hair."
"I don't want to go." Yoongi shook his head in protest. "The gang just got better...then we just started being friends..."
"To be honest, I considered you a friend way before." You gave him a small smile.
"That doesn't count." Yoongi narrowed his eyes on you. "It doesn't count unless I say so."
"But if you accepted then we would have been friends for months," You reasoned. He sighed heavily while you tried your best to ignore the ache in you heart. Both the third years would be gone from your life until you basically graduate yourself. How wonderful is that?
"I didn't like you calling me your friend," He said and you remembered the days he would glare at you for calling him that.
"What would you have preferred me calling you?" You raised a brow. He didn't say a thing to you. He only stared at you silently, scanning your whole face and eventually locking eyes with you. For a second, you forgot how close your faces were and how exactly to breathe.
"Wah! Are Yoongi hyung and (F/n) going to kiss!?" Hoseok's voice shouted.
Yoongi broke out of his silence. He pulled your hands off his face and took a step away from you. There was a light blush on his pale skin. Since Hoseok shouted at the top of his lungs, he captured the attention of all the other members. Immediately, they all spotted you two standing next to each other in the dark. All of them had different facial expressions. Hoseok seemed amused while the rest weren't as entertained to hear that lie. Taehyung was baffled as he looked over. Jimin and Jungkook were raising a suspicious brow. Both Namjoon and Seokjin looked kind of disappointed. Yoongi started walking towards them with slight annoyance and you ran towards them too.
"We're not!" Yoongi scowled.
"We were just talking." You fidgeted with your fingers. Was Yoongi going to tell them about the military?
"Interesting," Hoseok teased. Yoongi didn't even bother glaring at the red head. He simply stared down at his feet with defeat. Not from Hoseok playfully not believing him, but with everything going on. Namjoon was able to pick up on that right away.
"Something wrong, Yoongi?" Namjoon quickly questioned. All the members became serious. They expressed concern now that their leader spotted something. Nibbling on your bottom lip, you gave the third-year space to talk. This was big news.
"...I have to enter the military a week after graduation. Apparently, the letter arrived at the trailer and I got a call from someone I knew back then." Yoongi scratched his neck.
"Wait, you have to go?" Taehyung's jaw dropped.
"Our third years are leaving us?" Jungkook looked at Namjoon as if he could fix this.
"Oh sh*t..." Hoseok brought his hand to his mouth.
"This means Seokjin and Yoongi will be gone for two years," Jimin said, getting a nod from the leader.
"We all have to do it at one point. Except for (F/n)." Seokjin sighed. "It's best to get it out of the way now, huh?"
"No way. I want to stay with the gang." Yoongi desperately looked Namjoon in the eyes. "I'll avoid going!"
"What? Yoongi, no! They'll put you in prison for eighteen months at least if you refuse to go." Namjoon eye's widened. "I hate that you have to go, but prison is not worth it."
"I really don't want to go." Yoongi sounded hopeless.
"You can do it, Hyung." Jungkook lifted up his fist. "Fighting."
"Jungkook's right." You smiled as Yoongi stared down at the ground. This still wasn't changing his mind. He might not be one hundred percent excited to go, but the gang needed him to do it. For the country and so he doesn't add more to his criminal record. Taehyung tugged at Namjoon's sleeve. The leader already looked down to hear Yoongi had to go and now Taehyung wasn't smiling either.
"What's going to happen to the gang? Yoongi hyung was supposed to become our get away driver," Taehyung whispered.
"I don't know...I'm gonna have to think it over." Namjoon didn't want to show how stressed he really was. While most of the members comforted Yoongi and told him to serve proudly, Namjoon had to think about the future of the gang. Was the question 'what are you going to do when the gang ends' becoming a reality?