a/n: i know this chapter is short and kind of boring but please bear with me!!
school is starting again so i'm a teensy bit stressed; it also doesn't help that these chapters are all a build up to the ending so my motivation is on a constant downfall
but i'm trying and hopefully, i'll be able to update more this week :)
[ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 ]
"Hey Hayeon, are you okay?" Jin asked as I dragged myself into the house, probably looking like a hobbling old man. I had underestimated how close the field, where Hoseok and I trained, was from the house. Let's just say that after ten minutes of clambering a steep climb only minutes after finishing that tiresome run, I felt like climbing into bed and not waking up till noon the next day.
"I'm good," I replied, huffing slightly as I wiped a bead of sweat from off my brow. "I was just going to speak to Yoongi."
Jin tilted his head slightly and pursed his lips, probably wondering if this was a good idea, but didn't discourage me from doing so. That's what I liked about Jin- he never judged.
"If you're going to talk to Yoongi, will you ask him to come to the barbecue tomorrow? We're going to do a group training and, afterwards, have a meal. You're free to join as well, obviously," he asked, his lips quirked upwards. "I don't suppose he'll say yes but we can try."
"Of course," I replied, grabbing a glass and watching as it filled to the brim with water. Promptly, I reached out and gulped down the cool liquid, unashamed about the boy witnessing my blatant thirst. After I drained the glass, I placed it in the sink and made my way to the stairs, already dreading the small ascent. I got to the the fifth step when I realised I'd forgotten one crucial fact.
Leaning over the banister, which I'd been shakily holding on to in fear of my knees collapsing, I shouted down to Jin, who'd proceeded to watch a film on the television. "Where is Yoongi's room?"
Jin laughed, turning around to face me. "It's at the end of the corridor, on the right." He paused, thinking intently. "Just a quick word of advice, if he's sleeping, I'd leave quite hastily. He's a bit of a monster when it comes to being woken up."
I gulped, already slightly regretting my reckless plan. After all, Min Yoongi should certainly not a person to be reckoned with.
When I finally managed to conquer the flight of stairs, I limped down the hallway and smiled when I spotted Jungkook sleeping through the small crack in his door. Unlike the old apartment, this house had enough rooms to house everyone separately. In a way, it was nice to have my own place again but it was weird not seeing him as often.
I shook my head, ridding my mind of the distraction and strode over to the door Jin had pointed out to me. It was closed, just as I'd expected it to be. From what I was aware of, the boy had been sulking in his room ever since the fateful argument.
Wasting no time (in which I would probably bow out) I knocked on the door, feeling the wood beneath my knuckles. There was an absent pause when I stood awkwardly, swinging my leg, before a gruff voice shouted out a simple, "who is it?"
I bit my lip, leaning closer to the door. "It's Hayeon."
That endless pause seemed to drag on for another minute before the boy replied again, his voice sounding increasingly aggravated. "Leave me alone."
I placed my fist against the wood and knocked again, knowing that the loud noise would irritate the boy more than my voice could. My strategy was this: knock until he gets bored and opens the door.
By the time I heard a growl of acceptance, my knuckles had already gone stiff. There was a creak of the wooden floorboards before the door swung open, Yoongi leaning against the doorframe with a raised eyebrow. "What do you want?"
In all honesty, he didn't look so good. In fact, he looked as though he would pass out from exhaustion any minute. His eyes were drooped and red, one flickering shut in tune with his consistent yawns. His hair was another glaring factor of his drowsy state- the long strands tied sloppily into a messy bun at the top of his head, hairs falling out from the hair band. To say that I'd been running for an unfathomable amount of time, it didn't look that way when paired with this boy.
"I came here to say that you should make peace with Jungkook," I said, trying to hold in the tremors threatening to ruin my speech. There was something about Yoongi that made my words want to jumble up in a sudden panic.
The boy's piercing stare made me feel uneasy, especially paired with that self assured grin of his. Something about him made me shiver. Although, I suspect it was all an act.
"And why should I do that?" He scoffed, scanning me from head to toe.
"Because the argument was stupid in the first place. Yes, I messed up." His shoulders tensed as if he hadn't expected me to say that. "But at the end of the day, I treated Jeno like you treat the others. We are," I paused. "We were best friends and I wasn't willing to believe that something that strong had shifted in such a little amount of time. Surely, you understand that."
He rolled his eyes but he looked less askance. "I suppose."
"Look, I know you don't like me." He let out a noise of disapproval but I verbally shushed him, smirking slightly when he prickled. "It's very obvious. You never wanted me here. From the first moment, you insisted on hating me before you'd even met me." I had a sudden flashback to the escape, in the laboratory, when the boy had failed to supply me with an email about the sudden change in plans, meaning I was almost stranded. "But, I understand."
His eyebrows knitted in confusion, as his lips pressed themselves into a firm line. It made me wonder if he even knew what I was talking about or if if constant distrust of me was just a natural reaction.
"I know that I've gotten in the way of your reunion with Jungkook. If I hadn't ever arrived, you'd have had more time with him."
"Are you saying I'm jealous of you?" He asked with a hint of a growl in his voice.
"You were the one who said that, not me," I said, smiling to indicate that I wasn't being serious.
"Look, you should come to the barbecue tomorrow," I suggested, holding my breath as I awaited his answer.
"I don't really do social gatherings." There was yip and the sound of nails prancing on the wood floor before a little black nose stuck its nose between Yoongi's leg, peering up at me. "Holly, move," the boy hissed between his teeth, picking up the small dog and cradling him in his arms.
That dog had quite quickly become the pride and joy of this house. First to fall head over heels was Jimin with Taehyung not too far behind. Everyone, even Jin, was absolutely smitten with him but no one was more fond than Yoongi. To say that boy was so uneasy around people and anything that ruined his perfect plans, Holly appeared to be the only exception. I wouldn't even be surprised if he slept in the same bed as the creature; they were glued to the hip.
"I think Holly wants you to come," I chuckled, watching as the dog wiggled in its owner's hold, his tail narrowly missing Yoongi's face as it swung left and right like a window screen wiper.
"I'll think about it," Yoongi finally sighed, rubbing the space between his eyebrows. He lifted the dog up into the crook of his elbow and turned to place him on the foot of his bed, using his foot as a doorstop.
That was enough of an answer for me. "I'll see you there then."
With that, I spun on my heel with the intent of telling Jin my success. As I skipped back down the hall, I heard him shout angrily behind me. "I didn't say yes!"
I flashed him a smirk. "You didn't say no."
All I heard in response was an aggravated huff.