Yoongi's POV

I love the cold.

Every single day my body is adorned with multiple layers of clothing. It drowned me in insufferable heat. It suffocated me. It almost drove me mad. I could easily make a bath out of the sweat I've accumulated or cook an egg outside of the palace doors for the starving peasants to eat.

When the weather is cold my body cools and everything around me seems to be at peace. No bickering between the servants on who gets to do what because they want to avoid the scorching sun. There are numerous reasons why I admire the cold and why I'm so keen for winter even though autumn had just began, but one reason stands above all.

In the season of coldness, we are all surrounded by snow; the sheets that covers the dead trees and the substance that forces animals to hibernate. While looking over the distance, there is nothingness; no familiar sight, no sound other than the howling of the wolves and owls, and no intrusion from other kingdoms because of the temperatures.

Soldiers from the enemy's army doesn't have the luxury to have the same equipment as my own to survive the brutes of winter; and so, in this season, no one dares to touch my kingdom.

The frigid air penetrates their skin, their body temperature continuing to drop. That is when the shivering begins. I watched their skin turn to the shade of ice, their fingers and toes blue and gray, as the air sunk into the marrow of their bones like wet concrete. The way they fought, uncoordinated and clumsy, made me uncontrollably chuckle. I didn't even have to stain myself with their filthy blood.

When they cried for their mothers, wives, and children, the tears left frozen track marks on their faces. In the last seconds of their lives, they held their arms out as if their loved ones were by their side, begging them to not let them die like the cowards they are.

I've grown to love winter more than ever, but as I look through the forest coated with the light autumn sun... the sweet surrendering scent of the morning dew that filled the forest as the leaves from the trees towering over me lay scattered on the floor; each of them turning brittle brown; and when my feet takes a step forward, the sound of the satisfying crunch of the leaves sends chills down my spine...

...and when I saw her.

Autumn sparked a new light to me.

Though, there was a missing piece hidden deep inside my memory that I couldn't dig out— a piece that connected her to autumn, a season that I've disdained for so long that I forgot why.

I just had the strong urge to see her.

Just once.

Even if it was just a strand of her hair, I would be satisfied.

Looking back, I always had the thought 'I have to see her again' repeating in a continuous loop. I prayed that she'll be there... overlooking the stream of water, humming to herself when no one is around, resting so peacefully as if she had no troubles in her world, even when she had so many.

She welcomed me with a smile despite not knowing me.

I loathe myself for thinking nothing of it when I should've appreciated every bit of it.

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Heaving a sigh as I navigate through this forest, frustration bottled inside of me, not because I didn't know my way, but because of how much physical work I have to do. I recalled the path from the previous day with ease by breaking branches in certain directions, guiding me through the withering shrubs.

Walking and dodging every tree branches that threatens to scar me, and stumbling over overgrown roots is a pain in the ass. Adding to my troubles, to sneak out of the castle, I had no choice to wear thick and dark disguise. I'm sweating and sticky all over.

For the past few weeks, I navigated myself out of the castle, avoiding the kings guard, to venture my kingdom. Being tied down to the throne and surrounded by the quarreling men of the council for years,  I wanted— no, I needed fresh air.

War hasn't touched my country for years.

I made sure that there won't be another for many more, hence the reason I'm so carefree.

Upon arriving my destination, a haunting and tearful melody welcomed itself to my ears. I was so enamored of its pure and raw emotion that it rendered me motionless for a short period.

She's here.

I peer over the bushes, witnessing her fingers dancing among the strings of a foreign instrument I've never seen before, creating symphonies that moved my soul.

What astonishes me the most was the way the autumn sun hit her perfectly toned skin. My eyes were drawn to the (h/c) river that gently caressed its way down to her neck, and those rebellious strands that clouded parts of her face made me wanting to reach out and tuck them behind her ears.

Her white hanbok flawlessly draped over her shoulders as she continued to play along with the sound of young birds filling the air with their chirping and tweeting.

Deep in thought, I barely noticed that the music stopped and she was aware by my presence.

I didn't know how she knew I was there, but judging by her pointing her ears in my direction, she was listening carefully for any unnatural movements. Her nose twitched slightly, inhaling in the scents around her and smiled.

"Yoongi?" She calls out my name. "I know that you're there."

My lips curls into a mischievous smile as a thought of mine gave me some ideas.

I slowly made my way to her, trying my best of my capabilities to not make any sound. The closer I got, the more her nose began twitching like a cute little bunny, as if she was overwhelmed by my scent.

Wait do I smell?

I lifted my arm and sniffed my armpits.

No, I don't smell.

In fact, I smell rather exotic.

The moment I stopped in front of her, her breath hitches. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I felt the softness of her breaths touch the skin of my nose.

"You're in front of me aren't you?" She giggles, her shoulders relaxing at my presence.

"If I am, what are you going to do about it?" I whispered. "You shouldn't let your guard down so easily, (Y/N)."

"I let my guard down so easily because you haven't hurt me yet, Min Yoongi." She put one foot forward and stood closer to me. "You won't hurt me right? Not now at least."

I furrowed my brows. What's that supposed to mean?

But before I could utter another word, she guided me to the ground. I gulped the lump on my throat as she sat next to me, her right hand feeling the ground for the foreign instrument.

"What is this?" I curiously asked. She softly smiled as I glided my fingers across the smooth wooden surface then to what seemed to be the strings.

"It's a guqin. My uncle was traveling to a nearby country as a merchant and one day he heard a peasant girl playing this on the streets for some money. He told me that this instrument reminded him of me— he loved the way it sounded to the point of paying the peasant girl to teach him how to play. And when he came back, he had his own then gave it to me as gift."

"I'm guessing that he taught you."

"No," she paused, "he died before he can teach me. Apparently he caught some sickness on the way."

My face dropped. "You're lying."

"Yes I am," she jests.

"That wasn't funny," I deadpanned, attempting to hide my laughter from her stupid joke. "I actually felt sorry for you!"

"I would say 'you should've seen your face' but I'm blind." She nudges my shoulder. "Do you want to learn how to play?"

"This seems quite complicated. I mean I'm good with my fingers, but in some other way," I cheekily said.

"What do you mean?"

"I— uh yeah sure I can learn how to play."

"You know you're so odd sometimes."

"So," I veer the conversation, "how do you want to go on about this?"

"Well..." She lowered her head shyly, her cheeks turning pink for what I can see is slight embarrassment.

"You don't know how to teach me do you?"

"My uncle taught me for at least four hours a day. We obviously don't have the time for that. I just— I didn't even know that you were coming today, the day I usually come here to play the guqin because it's the emptiest. I was just excited that you actually wanted to learn something that I li—"

"(Y/N)," I stopped her.

"I'm sorry."

"How about this," I positioned myself behind her, my chin almost resting on top of her right shoulder, "position your hands on your instrument as if you're about to play darling."

"Okay..." she quietly answered.

"Can I put my hands on top of yours?"

Her breath became heavy as she nods her head in approval. Making sure that she was comfortable enough, I rested my palm on her palm and my fingers on her's. Her chest rose and fell rather quickly. The amount of energy pulsing through my veins exuded a static feeling that felt addictive.

"You can start playing darling. And my fingers will follow yours. Do you understand?"

"Yes Yoongi."

Slowly, she began stroking the strings she'd learned to play from countless hours of practice.

My eyes darted at the way I held her fragile hands, feeling her comforting warmth. Among the beautiful sounds of the nature: the birds singing and the river moving, her music was the only thing I can hear. Her body was the only thing I can feel. As I subconsciously pressed my chest against her back, I mentally took notes of every perfect curves she had. Furthermore, how she produced these harmonies, how elegant her fingers move fluidly among the strings, and how her body dances with the instrument— with passion and desire, and how her eyes closed completely to become one with her heart.

She wasn't perfect.

Nobody is perfect.

Her fingers stopped playing and turned to face me. I felt her gentle breaths against my skin. At that moment, I was glad that she couldn't see me— she couldn't see all of me, but her clouded grey eyes said otherwise.

I didn't know it then, but she was perfect to me.

I should've realized that the harmony she woven in a string of notes gave a haunting story. I should've seen her gravity-drawn shoulders painting a picture of her heart whenever she switched the notes abruptly. She was stuck behind a brick wall that she did not create herself.

It was only when (Y/N) gasped so suddenly when I remembered to take a breath.

"W-what time is it??" She panics, picking up her guqin and stood up.

"Judging by the position of the sun, it's the middle of the d—" it's already the middle of the day?!?

"Mother is going to kill me! She told me to not be late for lunch!"

I chuckled at her flustered state. (Y/N) turned on her heals, holding her belongings tightly on her arms and as she was gaining momentum to bolt out of the area, I quickly grabbed her arm.

I didn't know what I was doing, I was acting in pure impulse and my impulse said pull her so I pulled her against me.

She created the "umph" noise as her back collided with my chest. She's breathing loudly, and the heat of her body felt so warm against mine it took every ounce of my energy to let her go.

What's wrong with me?

"W-what are you doing?"

I could ask myself the same thing.

"Can I see you again tomorrow?" I dodged her question and asked nonsense, letting my mouth say whatever it wanted to say.

What the mouth wants, the mouth gets.

(Y/N)'s shoulders relaxed from the tension and turned around to face me. Even though her eyes were blank, I could see all of her emotions coming together as the crease of her eyes curves the moment she smiled.

"We're not strangers anymore right?" She questions me once again to clarify our seeds of relationship. She brings her hands on my cheeks, her thumb softly brushing my skin as a way to get accustomed to my presence.

My heartbeat echoed in my ears so loud, I couldn't hear the sound of my own voice.

"Ye-yes."

"Great! See you tomorrow Yoongi!" Her small arms wrapped around my torso, giving me a short hug. (Y/N) bounces back, waving her hands as she ran away.

My cheeks felt warm, especially on the side where her hand was.

"See you tomorrow too, (Y/N)."

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A/N

So sorry it took so long to get this out.

How is the first chapter?

It's still pretty slow, but it's barely the first so it makes sense haha

—France💛💛