SUMMER OF 2004

001

"when they come over here, leave all the talking to me. i'd rather not let sunwoo's party crash over medicinal herb." the girl searched her purse for a pair of pink sunglasses, glass tinted pink, putting them on her face and crossing her leg over the other like a diva. yoongi was both confused and surprised— jennie was helping them out? that's out of character for her. "what's the glasses for? we're inside." yoongi questioned, which was where the confusion came from. "so it's hard for the cops to read my expression," she adjusted the pink accessory. "can't determine if i'm lying or not if you can't read and search for context clues."

"you seem to know a lot about this." yoongi brought up. "i've done it on multiple occasions," she shrugged. "first, it was at jackson's party... then a few more times at jackson's party. it's always his parties that get everyone in trouble. and then it was solar unnie's, but hers was way more tame compared to the shit that goes down at ja—"

"hello young men, young woman," a police officer walked up to the seven, bowing slightly, making everyone else bow in response. "hello, officer." jennie greeted politely, ignoring how she still was slightly nervous interacting with cops no matter how much she had to do this. "what seems to be the problem?" she somehow made it seem like she genuinely didn't know, which the officer did fall for. "oh nothing... we had gotten a call saying that there had been underaged smoking and drinking going on here, so we're checking the premises."

jennie carefully picked her words, not wanting to trip up and get the group in trouble. at this point, it was too late to back out of this situation. she had gotten herself involved, so she paid the price. "underaged drinking and smoking?" the brunette made sure not to exaggerate the sentence too much. "i haven't smelled any smoke here, nor have seen any alcohol here. maybe a different houseparty?" she shook her head, staring a hole in between the officer's eyes to avoid direct eye contact. she made sure not to spare any glances towards any of the boys next to her in case the officer had noticed and questioned them too, and she wasn't too sure on how well they could respond while high.

"we think that may be it, enough people had said no already for there to be anything actually wrong here," it seemed her efforts had worked when the officer shot her a smile. "have a nice day, you all." and he walked off. "do you guys still wanna go home?" she spoke slightly loud, so the officer could at least lose any suspicion he had towards them... if he did. these officers seemed bad at their job. "yeah, i do," jin answered. "this place blows. kinda boring." everyone just nodded, getting up. yoongi turned to jennie, who had taken off her glasses and put them back in her bag by then. "you're leaving too?" he asked. "yeah, can you drop me off at home if you don't mind? i mean, you all now owe me a favor..."

yoongi rolled his eyes. "yeah yeah, whatever. come on."

—————

something about tonight was special, and no, it wasn't the cop encounter. something about this night made it feel like it'll soon be a fond memory everyone will reminisce on in the near future. maybe it was how there was a cool breeze there to accommodate the seven, blowing throughout the car freely and blowing everyone's hair. maybe it was the way everyone had fun, more fun than at that stupid party, no offense to sunwoo, there could never be offense to sunwoo. and most importantly, it was summer (and nighttime).

summer, where it was hot as hell for months, keeping cool by sitting in front of a fan, eating ice cream with friends while walking along the shore, racing to the water to get cool after basking in the sun's hot rays that tingled down your body. the nights were always the best with how it was like a break from all the heat, the air becoming slightly chilled but in a comforting way as the wind blows.

everyone but jennie and yoongi were still decently high, blabbering about god knows what at this ungodly hour. it was only eleven, yeah, but it felt as if it were three in the morning, especially with how dark it was. yoongi stopped at the next red light, tapping his fingers impatiently against the steering wheel.

yoongi heard a belt unbuckle in the back, the sound of someone moving from their seat and towards the window. yoongi turned his head, seeing jimin leaning over taehyung as he looked out the window. "hey, redhead, you're pretty cute!" he called out, alerting a citizen that stood there, waiting for the light himself. yoongi sighed, rolling down his window to apologize.

"i'm sorry about him, he's stoned right now, he doesn't mean it— fuck." yoongi clamped his mouth shut, saying too much. "goddamnit, yoongi-oppa," jennie groaned, facepalming. "woah. okay, just pretend you didn't hear that." yoongi's eyes widened, gripping the wheel tightly. the redhead raised a brow, making yoongi sigh, striking a deal. "would it hurt to buy your silence?" didn't the blond see the stick in the redhead's hand? "not needed," he waved dismissively, holding up the blunt to eyesight, smiling at how yoongi noticeably eased up. "just came from a party myself, but i'll gladly accept the money."

"why are you just smoking weed out in public, man? you look young." yoongi asked. "nobody's actually told me i looked young, it's always either 'no way you're eighteen', or 'hoseok's not 25?' so i just get away with it." hoseok shrugged. "and plus, it's eleven at night, nobody's up at ass o'clock walking home other than me." yoongi didn't understand how people thought the redhead— which he knew as hoseok now, was older than twenty. "wait, you're walking home?" jennie's eyes widened. "...yeah. my designated driver got drunk and so i gotta walk now." he sighed.

"were you at sunwoo's party?" yoongi asked the younger. he nodded slowly. "yeah, he was supposed to be my d.d."
"hey! that's the homie! get in, yoongi can drop you off!" jungkook smiled widely, giggling at nothing. hoseok looked over at yoongi worriedly, unsure of if he'd actually do that. "i don't... i'm fine!" he nervously smiled, lips forming a heart. yoongi's face reddened, hoseok had a pretty smile. he had to secure the bag, he couldn't fumble a pretty boy.

"i'm fine with dropping you off, it's dark outside and you're walking alone in the streets of seoul." the blond played it cool, shrugging. it was worth it when hoseok's eyes gleamed with an unspoken happiness. "really? i appreciate it, thank you!" taehyung opened the door to his side, telling jimin to sit on his lap to make space for hoseok. yoongi would've preferred to have him sit in the passenger's seat, but jennie refused to be crowded with five, now six, boys.

the rest of the ride from there passed on flawlessly, everyone was having fun. everyone got to learn more about hoseok. he was eighteen, wanting to take up dancing when he graduated (he added "if he survived", but everyone just thought of it as a depressing joke). he didn't have a job, having enough money to be successful somehow. he must come from a wealthy family and be extremely spoiled, but yoongi found it hard to believe that, but then again he had known the guy for a few minutes.

the group reached the address hoseok told yoongi, everyone saying bye and to stay safe until yoongi stopped him midway exiting the car. "so uh— you're pretty cool to talk to, and i just wanted to ask if you wanted to be friends with us? we can exchange phone numbers if you do," yoongi subtly asked the redhead for his number, not missing how jennie teasingly looked at him. "oh sure! pass me your phone." yoongi did as told, hoseok entering his phone number and gave it back to yoongi. "talk to you soon?" hoseok nodded, saying goodbye and walking towards his home.

"wow, so smooth yoongi hyung~"

"shut up."