Present Day
22-Years-Old

"I really appreciate you setting this all up, Sunhee."

Aera was watching as the nail technician did her manicure as Sunhee sat beside her doing the same.

"Of course," Sunhee replied. "I thought it would be fun to have a girls day."

"This is not something I'd normally think to do," Aera admitted. "But it's fun. And I'm glad I get to do it with you."

Sunhee grinned at her. "You're not really a girly girl, huh?"

Aera chuckled. "Was it that obvious?"

"Well, I'm glad you were willing to give it a try!"

They continued chatting and admiring their nails through the various stages of the manicure. By the time they were done, both girls gushed over each other's nails.

And no, it wasn't something Aera would have ever chosen to do on her own. But she enjoyed Sunhee's company and her nails really did look nice. She was pleased, and the day was quickly making the stress of her situation with Jungkook disappear.

After the manicures, the girls decided to go to lunch. They were waiting for the food, when Sunhee brought up the inevitable question.

"So, what's up with the little boy you watch? Is everything okay there?"

Aera sighed. "I met him on the bus one day. Yoongi and I were headed to the park to people watch and this little boy was just sitting by himself, looking terrified. He wouldn't speak, but we eventually figured out he was by himself. We took him to the police station, and they let us know that they knew him because he got lost often and had been brought in numerous times already."

"Oh no," Sunhee said. "That's awful."

"Yeah," Aera continued. "They told us he lived with an aunt and uncle who didn't pay much attention to him. I gave an officer my name and number in case the aunt and uncle ever needed a babysitter. And the uncle ended up calling me. I've been watching him most nights for the past couple of weeks."

"For free?" Sunhee asked.

"Yeah," Aera said. "He's so precious. I can't even imagine asking for money to spend time with him."

"That's really selfless of you," Sunhee admitted. "That's a lucky little boy."

Aera shook her head. "I think I'm lucky. I feel like I've really gotten through to him. And he hasn't run away anymore. Well, until..."

There was a pause and Sunhee frowned. "What happened?" she asked carefully.

"Well," Aera said sadly. "Apparently he tried to get out again one day when I wasn't there. His uncle caught him, though. And he hit him."

Sunhee gasped. "Oh my god. That's terrible."

"Yeah. That's why I was crying the other day at the apartment. Because I knew I needed to turn the uncle in. But I was scared I'd never get to see the boy again."

"What a hard decision to have to make. I'm so sorry, Aera."

"It's okay," Aera said, though the shakiness in her voice betrayed her. "The police said there wasn't much they could do to keep me informed after they'd perform a welfare check. Now, I'm just waiting to see if I'll ever even hear about him again."

"Oh no," Sunhee said sadly. She placed her hand over Aera's.

"He's just the sweetest little boy," Aera continued. "I even offered to foster him, but they told me that wasn't really the way the system works."

Sunhee looked surprised. "You want to foster him...in your and Yoongi's apartment?"

"Well, yeah. I knew Yoongs wouldn't mind and – "

"So, you offered to do that without consulting Yoongi?"

Sunhee pulled her hand away and Aera looked at her, slightly confused. "Well, I mean, Yoongs and I know each other well enough to – "

"Do you not think that was a bit presumptuous?"

Aera's brow furrowed. "What? I – "

"You know what I think, Aera?" Sunhee said. "I think you take advantage of Yoongi."

Aera stared at her. "What?"

"You don't agree?"

"Well, no. I – "

"I think you've gotten a little too comfortable in your relationship with Yoongi."

Aera didn't know what to say. How had this conversation turned so drastically?

"You've made yourself quite indispensable in his life," Sunhee continued when Aera didn't reply.

Their food suddenly appeared in front of them, but neither acknowledged the waiter who brought it. They were instead staring at one another, one completely confused and the other suddenly defiant.

And then five words changed the entirety of the conversation...of the situation...of the relationship Aera had believed they'd been building.

"But I can change that."

-

"Yoongs, I think we need to have a talk."

"Yoongs?"

Yoongi looked up from where he was inserting a video game into the console. Sunhee smiled down at him.

"What? Is that okay? I think it's a cute nickname."

"It's just... No one's ever called me that except Aera."

"Oh." Sunhee tilted her head. "Would you rather I don't call you that, then?"

"Uh..." Part of him thought it was fine, but the other part felt it was a bit weird to hear someone other than Aera say it. "Um, no, that's okay. I've just never had anyone else call me by a nickname so it was kind of a surprise."

Sunhee smiled. "Okay, well, I'll keep using it if you're sure that's okay."

"Sure," Yoongi said as he handed her a controller. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Aera," Sunhee said as she set up her character in the game. If she noticed Yoongi throwing her a sideways glance, she didn't acknowledge it.

"What about her?"

"Well, her and that boy," Sunhee continued. "Do you really think that's normal?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she's just really latched onto him. It's a bit odd, right?"

"I mean – "

Sunhee kept her eyes trained on the TV, waiting for Yoongi to complete his character as well. "She just seems a bit too attached. Almost like..."

"Like?"

"How she is with you."

Yoongi finally looked up from his character on the screen and met eyes with Sunhee. "What does that mean?"

"You don't think she's taking advantage of you?"

Yoongi scoffed loudly. "Of course not. Aera and I have always – "

"Not even when she offered to foster that boy without even consulting you?"

Yoongi paused. "That's... That's different. She needed – "

"What Yoongi? She needed you to just shut up and accept what she wanted to do? Your opinion didn't matter?"

"But I didn't mind that – "

"It would be a huge imposition on you," Sunhee interrupted. "Giving up parts of your home, of your life, of your – "

"But I don't think of it like that. I – "

"But you should, don't you think? Aera's treating this home like it's not even yours."

"It is mine!" Yoongi objected. "She's not even on the lease!"

Sunhee's sly smile escaped Yoongi's notice. "That's what I'm saying, Yoongs. It's your home, and she's making decisions about it without you."

Yoongi sat, stunned. The more he thought about it, though, the more he thought Sunhee was right. Who was Aera to make decisions about who lived in their apartment - his apartment - without him?

"I-I guess she should have asked me – "

"Absolutely, she should have! I'm telling you, Yoongs, you need to nip this in the bud now."

"But – "

"She's only going to continue taking advantage of you like this. You just need to be more diligent about cutting it off at the pass."

"I guess..."

Sunhee smiled as the game started. "Don't worry, Yoongs, I'll help you."