As a sincere request from his mom, he decided to visit his dad in the hospital. Carrying a basket of noodles his mom made while she was still busy taking care of their restaurant at that moment. Yoongi went and placed it on the table beside his sleeping old man.

His eyes spotted a different kind of view; Seokjin’s jacket.

"Oh, you're here?"

Yoongi didn't exactly have the energy to argue or respond at all and just looked at him with piercing eyes before he started to unpack the gifted good. Jin was walking over to help, but was rejected in doing so. He let his hyung take care of the rest like he wanted it to.

"How . . is he?"

"He needs plenty of rest. The doctor entrusted me with the estimated time for him to take his medicines. And, surprisingly enough, they’re going to give credit to me for knowing the basics of Dad’s—"

"I didn't ask for that." As usual, he was cold as ever. Unwrapping the bowled noodles, breaking the chopsticks in half before mixing it properly on his own.

Shockingly, the old man awoken to the sound of their voices. Jin was the first to react, walking towards him to check on his status. "Dad, don't worry. Hyung and I are here to take care of you."

Yoongi never got to hold him anywhere. He remembered the past memory, trying to grab ahold of his hand, and he. . .well, needless to say, it wasn’t one that didn't come with a price in his growth.

"Yoongi," he called him.

"Yes?"

"You can go. Jin can take care of the rest for me." He says that with a reassuring smile, but the boy knew, his preference will never change, no matter the circumstance.

Yoongi bowed humbly before running out of the room, closing it gently. Leaning against the wall beside it as he looked down on his phone to distract himself. "Why bother?"

Next time, his mom ought to be the one visiting.

🎧

The moment Yoongi came to his doorstep, he was surprised to have seen Kate waiting for him then and there, hugging her own legs while they were tucked inside her arms. He approached her quietly, shaking her by the shoulder to wake her up.

"Please, let me in. . ."

It wasn't the same cheerful Kate he knew. Something must've happened.

"The floor hasn't even been mopped yet, get off of it."

He pulled her with the help of his arm, twisting the door open with his key. Kate rushed in, lurking through his drawers, looking for something.

"Kate, what the hell? Do you need money or something?"

"N-No. . , something. . , something else. . ,"

What could that possibly be, he wondered?

Yoongi pats her on the shoulder, feeling her beating heart vibrating throughout her body; she's anxious about— maybe it’s a problem at home.

"Did something happen? Talk to me."

Kate still couldn't answer. When she finally found what the thing she was looking for was; he blinked. His hidden pack of cigarettes saved for the week. She held it in her hands, handing it over to him.

"What? You didn't think I smoked?"

"Give me one."

Yoongi laughed lightly to get rid of the uncomfortable tension he was feeling in this conversation right now. "I don't think so. You're too young."

"Yoongi, please—!"

She’s on the verge of tears, he could tell by the way her eyes wavered at his presence. The short loss of breath. Long silences. Looking off into the distance. In the end, she plopped to the floor, holding on to her head.

"I– I can't take it anymore. . . I don't want to go back home. . ."

Yoongi (somehow) knew what to do at a time like this. Considering the fact he had been dealing with this ever since he was 14, after all. So he sat down and scooted a bit closer to lend a listening ear. She’d probably have a squeakier voice any time soon and he wouldn’t be able to hear it if he were to stand too far away.

"Is it the pressure? Grades?"

Kate paused for a while. But it didn't take much long before she admits, "Ever since my big brother died. . , I started feeling the pressure he felt during his days. . . Nobody might've seen it, but Mom and Dad expect a lot from him, since they're both the best in what they do."

Comparison between siblings. Sounds familiar.

". . and now, it just feels like they're passing on the torch to me. Since. . I'm their only child now. They. . they have no idea what goes on in my head. . I-I'm sorry, oh gosh. I wasn't supposed to say anything, but—"

Yoongi shook his head and that was all it took to make her understand. Kate was in a vulnerable state. He had to comfort her.

"Want to go somewhere, instead?"

The engine of his motorcycle started revving up as he pressed on its pedal, waiting for her to hop on the back like what he usually does for his friends.

"W-where are we going. . ?"

"Hop on and you'll find out."

Yoongi could see how extremely frightened she was at the view of the vehicle, so he stopped it for a bit, just to help her calm down before climbing onto it. "Do you have a trauma about motorcycles?"

"M-My parents wouldn't allow this."

A typically obvious reason.

"My. . grandmother died riding on one, too. ."

"Was she someone very close to you?"

"No, I never met her."

It could've been a joke. Could've been another chance to hear her laugh again. But today wasn't the time. Yoongi stepped out of it, removing his helmet after safely tucking the keys in his pockets. "We can walk."

🎧

Kate was laughing again; after getting treated with ice-cream at the usual shop he goes to when he’s down.

They were now sitting on a bench outside, telling each other about personal stories they haven't told other people about.

"Okay, okay, so one time, eep— this is going to be embarrassing—"

"I'm taking that challenge. Top my wearing my mom's underwear to school story."

"The day I met Rosé. You couldn’t see her that night at the club, she went off to flirt with other seniors." Kate licks the top half of her ice-cream before she began talking again. "Okay, so, I was actually looking for orgs I could sign up for. That's how I came across Jisoo-unnie’s Beyond the Scene."

That. Yoongi flinched at the mentioning of her name. A few flashbacks went through his head of the time when he handed out those flyers to Jimin, and when he used to help her out. It was all black.

Wait, Kate is a member of Jisoo's club?

"Aha..ha. . I knew it wasn't a funny story. . ." Kate tucked a few strands of hair that lost their way behind her ear in the process. "Sorry about that."

"Oh, no, it's not you. I just remembered something about your story. . ."

"Care to share it?" Kate was scooting closer, crossing her leg over the other with her chin resting on the top of her palms, eager for the story. Though it made him smile a bit at how she looked like rapunzel while doing that, he couldn't.

"Do you. . . like Agust D?"

Kate blinked in confusion. "You do know you're pertaining to yourself, right?"

Yeah, he knew. A stupid question. He shouldn't have asked that. He scratched the back of his head to muster up the courage to explain. "See, Yoongi and AD are. . .different people. . . you know?"

"Yeah? I'm friends with both of them. So. . what are you trying to say?"

He figured he should merely shut up at this point.

"Ah, nevermind. I should get you home. Your parents might worry about you."

Although it seemed that the conversation wasn't over for both of them, Kate follows his footsteps. Taking the bus with him back to her home and she watched as his back disappeared from the oblivion.

[ posted SEPTEMBER 2 2018 ]

author's note: my mom's birthday,
everyone. uwu 🎈🎉