Scar (Min Yoongi)

Twenty One

Her own voice had haunted her for years, more so once Yoongi died. But now, it was so loud it felt as if her head would explode.

"There's no way-"

Namjoon silenced her with a single look. "I'll let him explain... for now, figure out how you're feeling." He said as he stood. But before he left, he turned to her once again, his eyebrows furrowed like he was unsure if he should really say this.
"And despite all of what happened, he still loves you. Don't let him lie to you."

Then, Namjoon left her alone once again.

Ari stood from the bed, her eyes glued on the shrine as always. Thought his time, it was a completely new sense of dread that chilled through her spine.

-

The next evening, Ari still hadn't heard from Seojun. Or... Yoongi, now. She groaned, the flower she was working on planting now thrown across the gardens. It's just a flower, after all. Ari wished it was Yoongi, so she could at least feel a bit better.

The doubts were still coursing through her mind, and she didn't want to believe he was really Yoongi out of the fear he was lying to survive, or to win that stupid bet he'd made with Yoongi so long ago.

After what felt like forever, Ari stood from the planter and brushed off her skirt as she sent a glare toward Yoongi's window. It was open now, and that was the worst part of all of this. Throughout her time at the palace, those windows remained shut to keep the light out. Now that his identity had been revealed, the windows were open. 

I could always ask... if he has any proof that he is Yoongi. Or-
Ari stopped as she remembered the body in the cellar. Which was Min Seojun's apparently.

If this was true, Ari knew for sure the spot on Seojun's arm would have the scar. If it wasn't true... it was quite obvious.

Ari rushed through the halls, ignored the painted tiger for once, and skipped one, maybe two stairs as she descended into the still reeking cellar. She made it to the crate, which she clearly could read the characters reading Daechwita now, and ripped off the top. Her heart fell with the wooden lid as she laid eyes on the boy. The twin was decaying badly at this point. Merely showing bones and leftover skin.

Ari still lifted his arm and yanked down the robe sleeve, eyes widening when her eyes locked on that same scar, from his wrist to his forearm.

I can't be sure... it may be decay, right? Wrong. The scar was so obvious, it was practically holding up a sign yelling, "he was telling the truth!"

Ari jumped to her feet and ran back up the stairs, straight to Min Yoongi's room. Without even bothering to knock, she threw the door open.

"Yoongi-ah!" She shouted. The man jumped, his tea soaring over his lap and onto the floor. "Yah! I know you're mad at me but that was good tea!" He whined as he threw a blanket over the spill. Ari finally looked around the well lit room. Her heart soared.

He really was Yoongi. The trays and cups strewn about was something only that twin would do. She knew it well too, as he quite often locked himself away.

"Show me your arm." She ordered. Yoongi didn't ask many questions, his arm out like he was about to receive a shot. Ari pulled back the sleeve, breath short in her throat.

No scar. It was Min Yoongi. Tears welled in her eyes.
"But... why?" She asked.

Yoongi set down the empty tea cup, and despite her protest, he pulled her into his arms.
"You could never love someone with a scar... I decided after I killed my brother that I'd still protect you. My first plan was to leave you behind. But Namjoon told me about how it got worse after I left and... I couldn't allow it." He said.

"You could have told me it was you!" Ari said, her voice laced with spite but never moving from his arms.

"And how would you have reacted? To hearing I had killed someone, I mean. After the look of horror you gave me each time I threatened to kill those men. Would I have been justified?" He said.

Ari's gaze dropped to her hands, but Yoongi brought it back to his soft eyes with his thumb and index finger holding her chin.

"Ari-yah... I always loved you, did you know?" He asked. Her breath caught in her throat. All Ari could do was shake her head no, like the coward she was.

"Not even after I proposed?" Yoongi's brows furrowed.
She chuckled a bit, finally finding her words. "I thought you were joking. After you died, I realized you were being serious. I wanted to marry you, Yoongi. I'm sorry I was so heartless that day."

Yoongi smiled, then his lips pressed her forehead with as much affection as a single glance could have given her before. "Wanted?" He said, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Want... I want to marry you. I don't care about your scar, or that you killed someone. Yoongi, I want you." Ari said. Before he could respond, she closed their already small gap, kissing him as if she never would again.

When they pulled away, Yoongi's gummy grin spread across his face. His eyes sparkled, in a new way she had never seen in his dark pupils like childlike wonder. "Then you shall have me, Lee Ari-yah."

The End