𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃

24 | can i ask you a favor?

"You mean steroids."

"Come on man, help another guy out." He begs, making a grimace that causes wrinkles to appear near the corners of his eyes and his mouth. "I'm not asking much!"

"I'll see what I can do Tae." And with that we head into separate changing rooms to replace our sweaty gym clothes. Taehyung's apartment is located on the other opposite side of town, hence why soon enough, he and I go on our separate ways.

He thanks me once again for agreeing to close a massage appointment with Nox then heads towards his car while I settle on jogging on my way back home since it's less than ten minutes away from here on foot and as I approach our little neighborhood, I spot Yoongi in a black hoodie and a Yankees baseball cap pacing away from the apartment. Every Tuesday, five o'clock sharp he always goes somewhere. I've never asked him where he was headed and I guess I won't find out anytime soon. Yoongi doesn't see me, but I watch him as he fades away into the distance until his figure is no longer visible and I let out a long nostalgic sigh.

As much as I hate to admit it, I kind of miss hanging out with his smart ass.

Even if the main reason why he approached me in the first place, was to use me in order to keep an eye on Nox. However, that doesn't mean I'll cave in. If he doesn't apologize to me first, I'm not planning on speaking to him again. It was very shitty of him to manipulate me like that despite his good intentions. It has been like two weeks and we haven't talked since our argument at the Sage.

I cross the street and once I reach the gate, I punch in the numbers for the passcode and the gate opens automatically. Near the water fountain, I can see Nox's brother sitting on the marble while a dark-skinned boy and a girl with afro textured hair are sitting on beach chairs next to him. The girl looks at him fondly, while the boy kicks off Axel's flip flop, causing him to jab his face with his foot and the girl laughs uncontrollably at the two boys.

As I approach the fountain, to get to my apartment, I catch a glimpse of the boy's face and even though he and his sister look very much alike, his hair is blonder than hers and his shoulders are broader. If Nox never told me that he only recently turned eighteen, I would have guessed that he was the younger sibling. There's something about his face that makes him look aged for a young adult. Maybe it's the sharpness of his eyes and the fact that they're devoid of light, or the permanent creases that are now engraved on his face; as if those jade green eyes have seen and lived through things that they shouldn't have witnessed.

Perhaps, those little flickers were stolen by someone who wanted to keep that flame to themselves so they made sure to take away even the tiniest spark of innocence from him.

He looks tired.

Fatigued.

And yet he's smiling.

That's enough to brighten up his entire face. It makes him look like a kid again.

Axel lowers his back and extends his arms so that he's holding on the marble of the water fountain bowl when his gaze falls on me. He finally lifts one of his arms and waves at me.

"Hi Seven!" He says with a grin as I approach the group of teenagers. "If you're looking for Nox she's inside."

"Hey, Axel." I return swiftly, but then I look at him in confusion. "How do you know I'm looking for Nox?"

"Doesn't everybody around here?" He huffs, lowering down his body until his head dips inside the water in the fountain bowl. I'm pretty sure Nox would have his ass if she saw him do this. "Besides, what would you want to talk to me about?"

Okay, he has a point.

"Anyway, this is Jason and his younger sister Neveah. Guys, this is Seven-I mean Jimin, the guy my sister went clubbing with a few weeks ago."

"Hey," says the boy with the dread locks while the girl appears to be shyer than him.

"I think you meant to say 'neighbor'." I correct him.

"Sure, he's that too," Axel lifts his head off the fountain bowl and looks at me, his blonde hair turning a darker shade now that it's drenched. "Are you sure that's all you want to be?" His jade green eyes are glimmering and he's grinning mischievously as water trickles down his face from his hair.

What's that supposed to mean?

"Axel!" I can hear a familiar voice shout from afar. "Didn't I tell you to stop dipping your brainless head into the water fountain?"

Nox approaches us with angry strides and as soon as she reaches the fountain, she smacks her younger brother's neck and he grunts annoyed. Jason and Neveah have now exploded in a fit of laughter as they grab onto the beach chairs for life in hopes they can finally start breathing properly.

"Told you your sister was going to whoop your ass," Jason chortles.

"Shut up," Axel spits and Nox throws him a dirty look.

"Roll your eyes at me again and see what happens." She threatens before turning to me. Her aggravated frown suddenly dissipates just like how the sunlight shines through clouds and enters the atmosphere. "Hi, Jimin." She finally says to me and for a moment there I'm stunned at how quick she is when altering between reactions.

"Uh, hi Nox I just wanted to-" I begin to say but then she cuts me out of nowhere.

"Axel, there's strawberry lemonade inside if you guys want some." She tells her brother.

"I thought you said you were too lazy to make it." Axel snorts while rubbing the nape of his neck.

"Well, now I made it." She throws. "Beat it."

And with that Axel and his friends make their way towards the apartment, leaving both me and Nox alone outside.

"Sorry for interrupting," she tells me. "What's up?" A lock of hair gets caught in her finger and she starts twirling it playfully as she looks up at me tentatively.

"Is it okay if I can ask you for a favor?"

She grins. "Sure, but nothing in life comes for free."

"I would like to close a massage appointment." I chuckle.

She stops twirling her hair.

"Oh, s-sure," she squeaks. "But I need to take a look at my schedule first." She takes out her phone from her pocket and turns it on as she mutters things to herself. "Today and tomorrow are definitely a no. Got three appointments on Thursday. Friday, I have a shift at the patisserie, so that leaves us Saturday...Is Saturday alright with you?"

"Sure," I smile and she switches off her phone. "And it's actually not for me."

"What?" She pipes. "Who's it for then?"

"My friend Taehyung. He's having these horrible shoulder pains."

"You mean the one who danced with us at the club?"

"Yes,"

Her lips turn into a thin line. "He can always ice it or pop an ibuprofen."

I look at her bewildered. "Do you not want to massage him?"

"No, it's not that." She shakes her head and her face falls. "I just thought that the appointment was for you."