(MASSIVE TRIGGER WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER: EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE)
(BOLD IS YOONGI'S SUBCONSCIOUS, BOLD ITALICS IS COGNITIVE THOUGHT, NORMAL IS NARRATION, ITALICS IS MEMORIES)
When Yoongi returned to his dorm he was ready to have a breakdown. His mind was racing and his thoughts where a haze. Taehyung's words from earlier were still running through his mind
"If you need me just throw me a text and don't be afraid to call okay?" His eyes skim across the room until they land on his phone, haphazardly thrown on his bed. He takes a step to grab it before he stops
You just met him. If you put all this on him now he's gonna think you are fucked up in the head. In a way you are, going to almost complete strangers for help on your stupid bullshit "problems". You're pathetic.
Shut up, I know that already. I don't deserve the help. I'm pathetic enough as it, seeking attention with my stupid excuses and reasons.
He strides over to his phone and without even thinking he holds the power button and selects the power off option before throwing it back down not caring where it landed or if it got broken.
Your "parents" should have just left you how you were before. On the streets. Where you belonged, oh wait no, scrap that, STILL BELONG. You should still be on the grotty streets getting into fights over food and sleeping space, waking up every morning and wondering when you will be able to eat, always having bruises and cuts and scrapes, never knowing anything for definite. You should have resisted when those two tried to bring you in but no you went willingly following them with all the naivety of a puppy. I guess you got what was coming to you in the end though.
Yoongi lived life on the streets. At 7 years old he was already well versed in self-defense and was actually well known in his area of town. Everyday was a constant battle, the lone wolves against the gangs, the children against the adults and everyone for themselves. On the streets people are like monsters, they will do anything to survive. It was one particuallarly bad day when he met THEM.
He had been awoken abruptly by the sound of sirens so his immeadiate thought was to run, if they caught him he wouldn't make it. The same thing had been drilled into his head for years by the elders, "If you hear sirens, run. They just want to hurt you." Grabbing the small backpack he had won in a duel not long back he dashed down the alley just before he was noticed by the rapidly approaching men. Not being fully awake he hadn't noticed the rock and he had tripped ripping up his exposed knees and hands but he didn't have time to inspect the damage, he had to keep running. He knew the area well, having been in that particular place for too long. 'I need to move today.' The elders had also taught him to keep moving as staying in one place for too long will get you caught. Once he was sure that he wasn't being followed Yoongi slowed his pace to a walk thinking about where he could go next. Without thinking he turned into the next alley in hopes that he could catch some extra sleep as he hadn't slept well the previous night and travelling on pretty much no sleep was basically suicide in his opinion. Breifly looking around he couldn't spot any signs of immeadiate danger, there were a few empty cans lying around as well as a knife but that didn't raise any alarm within Yoongi, people have to leave stuff behind all the time so it wasn't unusual to find something like that down there. Placing his bag down on the floor in a small dark corner of the path so that it wasn't likely that he would be spotted or stepped on he lay down, closed his eyes and attempted to sleep. He was just drifting off when the sound of loud voices alerted him to the presence of mulitple men.
"Huh, why is there a fucking kid here?" One of them speaks with a slight slur in his voice, obviously the effects of whatever had previously been in the cans that were scattered around the area. "Boss, come look, there's a fucking kid here. Can't be more than 12. What do we do?" The same voice pipes up and after hearing footsteps approach him Yoongi shoots up.
"Oh, you're awake." A deep voice from the shadows appears. The sound of steps makes Yoongi nervous and as the owner of the voice emerges from his previously hidden state a large gulp could be heard in the silence. "Min Yoongi, I have been waiting for you." With that the leader's face contorted into a sick, sadistic half smirk. "You know what to do boys." The man turns away again waving to indicate that the young boy was all theirs. A large group of males edged their way towards him, almost hesitantly, as if they were still unsure of what the boss had said. "I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU DUMBASSES STAND THERE ANY LONGER AND GAWK AT HIM! IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, I MEANT BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF HIM!" The voice from the shadows booms and the group that had slowly surrounded Yoongi shook their heads as if awakening themselves from a daze before moving in on the boy quickly. He didn't even have time to prepare himself for what was to come before the first punch was thrown, it hit his cheek square on and that started the cascade of fists and feet. After what felt like ages there was a rough but familiar pair of hands on his shoulders pulling him up off of the ground, the next thing Yoongi knew he was being stabbed in the arm with an ominous liquid being pushed in by one he used to call a friend. Kim Wonshik. It baffled Yoongi how even though Wonshik (Or Ravi as the gang called him) was only a month or so older than him, he had all this respect and power. His vision is starting to go hazy and his limbs feel heavy but the hands holding him up were still firmly on his shoulders. The beating resumed but this time rather than it being punches and kicks to his arms legs and head it was lets see how much pressure we can put his torso under before it collapses, Yoongi was pretty sure they were close to finding out. The once faint sound of sirens becoming louder startles Yoongi but he tries to not let that show for fear of what the group would do to him if they thought he was scared. He doesn't know what's coming over him when his eyelids start to droop, the sound of sirens getting ever louder but still not loud enough for the group to hear. The last thing Yoongi remembers is lights and voices and then black.
Yoongi starts coming too, eyelids fluttering but all he can see is white. It confuses him, the brightness of the surroundings so drastically different to the darkness of the alleys and roads that he would always roam. He can barely recognise the fact that there is a voice talking to him before his eyes clamp shut and his head falls back, once again sending him into a deep slumber. He sturrs again a few hours later and to his surprise when his eyes ease open he is greated by the concerned face of an unfamiliar man. "Oh, you're awake." a soft voice speaks and Yoongi swears the entirety of his body tenses up at the words, with a gentle hand on his shoulder he slowly calms down. "I'm sorry for that, my name is Jung Taekwoon and I'll be taking care of you during your stay here. I know this may be a little hard to process for now but I need to ask you a few questions to make sure that what happened didn't affect your brain." Blinking a few times to get used to the brightness of the walls around him, Yoongi pushes himself up on his elbows, ignoring the strange look Taekwoon gives him at the sudden movement.
"O...Okay, go a-ahead" His voice was shaky and barely there but obviously it was enough for the other as he asked the first question
"What is your name?"
"Min Y-Yoongi." The way his voice sounded still surprised Yoongi he was used to it being rough but never like this.
"How old are you Yoongi?" The questions continued,
"12," He answers without thinking but honestly he doesn't know. He lost track of years and even sometimes days and his age had never really bothered him.
"Why were you in that alleyway yesterday?" Yoongi had been expecting questions about parents, home-life, his address maybe but not this.
"I-I-I was just trying to get some extra sleep before I headed to my next campout, I didn't know it was his turf." He answers unsure if his memories where reliable, he assumes they are but honestly as they are a little hazy he doesn't want to sound too sure of himself. He can feel his heart starting to race and this breathing is quickening. A few images flash past his eyes and his head starts to throb but the kindly doctor lay his hand on the boy's shoulder comfortingly.
"I think that's enough questions for today..." Taekwoon started but before he could voice his next thought Yoongi had already voiced his own
"Why am I here?" The inquistive look in the young boy's eyes broke down the doubt in Taekwoon's mind that he could be some sort of hardened criminal who was lying to his face.
"I can't answer that but there are two people that can." The next few minutes were a largely uncomfortable silence and Yoongi trying to ask questions but being shot down by Taekwoon.
Suddenly there where two figures in the room, one male the other female. They quickly introduced themselves and Yoongi's tired ears didn't quite pick up what they had said but he assumed there was a reason they were here so he tried to focus. The conversation that ensued barely included Yoongi so he kinda tuned it out but he would catch the occasional word
"Adoption"
"Care"
"Safe-life"
What those words have to do with him he has no clue but he doesn't have the ability to question it, his mind is too groggy from lack of sleep. He could barely keep his eyes open and it wasn't long before he gave in and shut his eyes, drifting off on the unfamiliar surface of the bed. After what felt like only moments he was being shook awake gently by an unfamiliar pair of hands. His eyes shoot open and the first thing he goes to do is grab his bag, out of habit, but when he reaches out beside him there is nothing but air, taking a second look around the room. It was the same one he had fallen asleep in but who was the person who was waking him up? Rubbing his eyes and propping himself up on his elbows Yoongi turned to peer at the intruder. The face that met his gaze was certainly unfamiliar but there was a comforting look in the eyes of the man. A rough voice spoke up, shocking Yoongi due to the previously pristine silence that had surrounded the room,
"C'mon, you need to wake up now, we're leaving soon." We? What did he mean WE? Who was this WE he was refering to? Before he knew what was happening Yoongi was being pulled out of the bed by his forearm and clothes were being put in his hands. "Put these on then come outside, we will be waiting for you." Again with the 'we' but Yoongi decided not to question it too much. Waiting for the strange man to leave before removing his hospital gown and gently adding the new clothes to his body, they felt wierd, much different to his worn sweater and torn up jeans. Following orders Yoongi left the gown on the bed, folded neatly and left the room, outside waiting for him was the man from before and a woman that looked eerieely familiar. Looking up at the pair expectantly they suddenly snap out of their daze and grab a wrist each, faintly circling it with their fingers and motion for Yoongi to follow them.
It wasn't long before the woman piped up "Okay sweetie here's what's going to happen," the use of the pet name 'sweetie' didn't hide the authoritive tone in her voice, it was firm and not to be argued with. Yoongi had never heard this kind of voice come from a woman before, the only women he had ever met were the old ladies from the small resturant downtown that would sneak him food and water, so really he hadn't got the experience to say anything. "my name is Marion and that is how you will refer to me, his name is Simmone and you will call him that. Do you understand?" Yoongi, scared out his mind managed a meek nod but that didn't satisfy Marion. She tugged on his wrist and pulled him to her eye level. "When I ask you a question you will reply vocally. Now I will ask again, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" Swallowing the lump in his throat, he spoke up.
"Yes Marion." His voice came out quiet and broken but it seemed enough for Marion as she placed him back down on the floor. For the rest of the journey to the front desk Yoongi kept his eyes down, staring at the floor as if was the most interesting piece of art he'd ever seen. The repeating pattern of blue and white tiles made his eyes confused and he couldn't tell how far they'd travelled. An eternity had passed before Yoongi felt a soft tug on his hair and he raised his head to see the front desk, the receptionist sitting with an expectant look on her face, as if she was waiting for an answer.
"I'll ask you again. What is your name and who was your doctor?" Oh, so that's why she was waiting.
"My name is Min Yoongi and I had Dr.Jung" His voice was shaky but it could be passed off as the fact that he hadn't had a proper nights sleep in his life. The receptionist (Karen according to her name tag) looked confused.
"It says here that you aren't meant to be discharged for another week." Karen finished her sentence and Marion, not missing a beat, relayed her story.
"Well you see, Karen is it?" Karen nods. "Dr. Jung told me that if Yoongi seemed well when we came to see him this morning then we could bring him to the front to be discharged, we plan on homing this poor boy so that he doesn't have to live on the streets anymore. We just want him to get familliar with his new home as soon as possible." Karen's eyes are wide, it's almost as if she's never seen a homeless child before in her life. She was nodding along with Marion's story though and it seemed that she was gonna let them go. Yoongi didn't believe the words that she spoke but there was no evidence to support his claim of her lying and if he was wrong then if they did get him out of there he would surely be beat, so he just kept quiet. Marion seemed to be getting impatient, she was now tapping her toes against the tiles. She out on a sickly sweet smile and she had a voice to match as she spoke again "So can we take him with us or not Miss?" Yoongi silently hoped Karen would deny the request but obviously the universe hated him.
"Of course you can take him with you. You have already recieved permission from a doctor so there is nothing I can do to stop you. I'll just register his discharge in the system and then you can head off." Karen punctuated the final sentence with a small smile and Yoongi felt his heart drop to his feet and his blood run cold.
Not enough time passed before Karen was calling the trio back up to the front and giving the green light to go. Yoongi felt a firm hand on his wrist and before he knew it he was being half-dragged-half-lead to the entrance. As soon as they had left and Marion had made sure that their was nobody around she burst. A firm hand made contact with Yoongi's cheek and he flinched only a miniscule amount for fear what would happen if he reacted to visably. He was still mildly dazed when Marion started yelling.
"HOW DARE YOU!" How dare he what? What did he do? All he did was answer Karen's questions. "YOU DELIBERATLY IGNORED HER DIDN'T YOU? YOU IGNORED HER TO MAKE ME LOOK STUPID! THINK YOURSELF LUCKY WE ARE IN PUBLIC, OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE WAY MORE THAN A SLAP!" Yoongi was shaking at this point and he could feel tears forming in his eyes, he let one slip out and he saw as Marion's face contorted in anger. "Just you wait until I get you alone." she hissed at him. The whole time Simmone just stood there, a blank expression, as if he was used to her treating people like this. Marion pulled harshly on Yoongi's ear and practically dragged him across the car park, his ear was burning in pain but he didn't dare to speak up.
The car journey wasn't long enough, Yoongi spent the entire ride in the back, completely silent fearing for his life. He could see a large cream exteriored house approaching them rather quickly and then the brakes were slammed on. Marion parked up and threw open the car doors. "GET OUT." She barked the order and Yoongi scrambled to get out of the car as quickly as possible so that he wouldn't enrage Marion further. Simmone opened the door and Marion shoved Yoongi through the opening, he landed on his hands and knees. Yoongi didn't move for what felt like an eternity. He saw Marion walk past him and stop then he heard whispering but it was definitely more than two voices. There was an unfamiliar hand in his hair and his head was being yanked up violently. He was greeted by a young face contorted in sadistic joy; a deep voice spoke out
"Well look what the cat dragged in."
'Wait a second' Yoongi thought 'I know that voice.' cautiously Yoongi peers up and instantly his eyes widen with shock.
And then the hand let go.
TO BE CONTINUED...