This is a relatively "chilled-out" chapter compared to what is about to soon come.
Enjoy the long mess, while you can.

[ UNEDITED ]

-

It's a new day.
5 more days until I'm in a courtroom,
with an unneeded wedding dress,
before an unwanted man.

For right now, I stand sulking in front of a mirror, in jeans and a comfy sweater. I like the way it hugs my body, making me feel warm and protected against anything that might happen today.
What do we have today?
A lunch-date,
yet another failed date, I presume?

The doorbell rings.

I groan in, walking out of my room and away from my mirror.
I know exactly who it is.

The doorbell's deafening sound starts to become annoying, as it smashes in a loop. The one behind the door makes my ears want to bleed from how hurriedly they catch my attention. My teeth curl over my lip, biting down at the skin hard so I don't step boundaries and yell at the man outside my door. "Coming!" I yell as sweetly as I can muster.

The ringing doesn't stop. Air hitting my face when I yank open the door and have the it finally silence. I catch my breath, staring at the man with such innocence as I shyly let all my anger fall. "I said I was coming," I mumble, grabbing onto my side-bag and shoes in a haste.

Yoongi smirks, leaning against the doorframe outside my apartment. He watches me struggle with my shoes in front of him, cunningly grinning larger before he coos, "Sorry? What was that?" then he rings the doorbell again. I'm infuriated.

Stomping my legs to the ground, I know my body language spews a silencing I've grown accustomed to my entire life. With the straightening of my back, I force on a smirk myself before chiming, "Let's go?"

"You sure don't seem mad," his grin is softer now. He's still leaning, watching me catch my breath.

"Why would I be mad?" I'm smiling again. I'm smiling even though my insides are screaming from excruciating pains.

I move around him. Yoongi smiles, leaning away from the frame so I can lock my door. As I reach down for it, the idol makes sure he isn't right behind me this time - both of us cautious on not making the same mistakes over.

"Where're we going today?" I ask, putting the keys back into the slot of the carpet.

Yoongi shrugs, his hands going into his jeans. Everything on him is black. If it were night and he were to take me out, I would've known for a fact that he didn't want to be seen with me. But in the broad daylight, I stare to his black hat, black mask, black tee tucked into his black jeans, and his long black cardigan that looks cozier than the sweater I wear. Everything on him is black. Everything other than his skin, which is pale and glistening from natural oils oozing out of his pours.

I repeat my question, following him down the hallway and to the elevator.

Yoongi shrugs again, suave as he walks. A word doesn't escape him.

I'm confused over his actions.
In the elevator, I look to him. He doesn't look at me once.

We get outside, his mask is on so I can no longer see his smiles.
But I do catch the slight crinkling of his eyes, knowing fair well that he smirks.

Minutes feel like days, neither of us talking.

My hands are before my body, holding on tight to myself when I look to his face.

We're outside,
in the chilled air.
I wait for him to escort me in a direction.

"Yoongi?" I whisper, seeing whether his silence is because of a possibility of him being mad at me.

He shrugs. My jaw clenches, but I say the words as nicely as I can through my teeth. The last I want is drama right at the start of our second official date. "Honey, where are we heading off to today?"

Yoongi's brow arches. He's back to hiding his grins again. "Oh, honey," he exaggeratedly sighs in front of my building, not moving a muscle, "I was just thinking, you know, since you're an independent woman and all..." My eyes narrow at him, he continues once I react, "I'm not going to take us out today, you are."

"What?" My face falls.

"So," he moves his mask down and purposely plays the most adorable gummy-smile I've seen yet, "Go on 21st century girl, take your fiancée out."

"Okay..." I suddenly don't know what to do. I can tell he's wanting to be sarcastic, wanting to prove some point, but I'm too taken aback from his great smiles suddenly to genuinely capture the phrases being spoken.

Yoongi starts to walk, I move alongside him as we walk down the steps and start to move through the parking lot. We're walking for awhile and the exit comes to a near. My brows furrow again, "Where's your ca-"

"My car?" Yoongi obnoxiously cuts me off, pretending he didn't hear me want to finish, "I'm not taking it today. You're taking me out for lunch today. The money, and how we get there is on you."

"Hol' up." I freeze, chuckling nervously as I wave my hand towards his chest. Yoongi looks at his chest, then back up at my eyes. I'm smiling but it doesn't get to my eyes. "I'm doing what-now?"

"You're paying for me and figuring out transportation, duh, it's a date silly." He chuckles like a school-girl, a slight bratty one near the end of his statement. His fingers jab at my shoulder as I wince back. I can't see Yoongi's mouth, but from what I see from his eyes, he's barely smiling.

"B-But I can't pay for you."

"What happened to women being able to pay for their men?"

"Since when were you my man?" I squish my nose inwards, trying not to show my cringing-state, but blowing it when he looks to me offended. Yoongi truly isn't, but whichever facade he plays right now, he plays well.

"Oh, pish-posh! I am your man now." Pish-whaaaa?

"You're freaking me out."

"I'm just allowing you to be the type of woman you were fighting so passionately for last night," Yoongi shakes his head as if he has long air ready to whip in the wind.

"That's fine but," I lick my bottom lip, "I'm not sure what you like to eat. How am I supposed to compete with yesterday? I don't have enough money for some fancy restaurant if that's what you're expecting." I'm unsure about what he'll say about my idea of a date when compared to his, he sees this and I hate my insecurities for slipping out.

Yoongi drops his act for one second. Just one second he looks at me with genuine eyes and lowly says, "I know I'm an idol that has done fairly well...but I won't belittle your advances."

I swallow hard at the stare he gives me.
We both notice it.
Yoongi glares away, going back to his stuck-up attitude the same as before
—as if nothing changed, not even for a slick moment.

"Can I ask you a few questions before I pick a place?" I stop in front of him. Sucking in a breath when he doesn't stop at first, I shyly step back so neither of us are in each other's space.

"Ye," he hums, barely looking over at me as he fixes his mask and hat.

"How do you feel about fast food?"

"Meh."

"Pizza?"

"Um," he makes me hopeful, then his lips pucker behind his mask as he murmurs, "Meh."

"Italian?"

"Meh."

"Chinese?"

"Meh."

"Pork belly?" I'm asking this as I'm walking backwards. He keeps taking steps towards me.

"Meh."

"Lamb skewers?"

Yoongi doesn't say anything.
I feel like I've got something on him that he might love, my smile is so bright...

"Meh," he says without any hesitation. And I've lost him.

"Is there anything else your body knows to communicate other than 'meh'?" I snap this a little with the sharp movements of my tongue.

Yoongi narrows his eyes. He looks at me deeply, almost as if he's thinking of a comeback.

I challenge him with my gazes as well, waiting for him to speak back at me.

He shrugs, "Meh."

"Yoongi!" I groan, twirling around out of the parking lot as my feet move towards the sidewalk.

"Yah! Watch it!" a voice yells, swerving their bicycle out of my reach as I almost crashed into a stranger.

Breathless and with wide eyes, I look to Yoongi who holds my waist back, hugging me close to him from behind. Glancing down to his fingers that grips my sweater close and tight, I grow flustered.

It doesn't help that he lowly scolds at my ear with a, "Watch where you walk next time." He comes back harsh, but the way he holds me, and awkwardly lets my body go reassures me that Yoongi is just as affected from sudden touches between the both of us, as I am.

Breathing in the air around me, with a sharp inhale, I look around hastily. "Come," I softly say to the man that hides behind my shadow today. Yoongi follows me as I move, our feet in similar movements as we walk towards the bus station across the street.

"Don't you have a car?" Yoongi complains under his breath, looking around in fright over someone possibly recognizing him. Taking public transit was risky, but if the both of us were going to do this, it had to be 100% commitment involved for such a spontaneous lunch date arranged by me.

"No. I find it a waste of money."

"You're a saver huh?" Yoongi asks. I can hear the smile in his voice but I don't look at him.

"You're a spender huh?" I mumble back, showing my uninterest to this conversation going nowhere.

"Are you going to be a sweet wife and pay for my transit fare?" Yoongi whispers this at my ear. I'm glad he's wearing a mask, otherwise I would've been more flustered than usual.

"Sure." Again, I'm not volunteering to look at him.

He seems to notice my struggles. I hear him genuinely chuckle a little to himself before focusing on the fairly rushed roads ahead of us.

12:47 p.m. we wait for the bus.
12:58 p.m. we're on the bus.

I paid for Yoongi as soon as I got in. Going towards the back of the bus where many weren't crowded, there were a few glances our way but Yoongi managed to duck his head low in attempts to keep himself hidden from the rest. Reaching a corner where there were handles to hold, and windows to successfully lean on, Yoongi unknowingly created a cocoon-space for me by the window as he held on, separating me from the rest of the bus.

The bus moved in jolts a lot. Barely having most to hold on, I could hear the man sigh under his breath when seeing me wobble about. "Just hold on to me," he suggests bored.

"No thank you," I peer out, trying not to look at him so close.

"Don't be a child, just hold my arm if you don't want to hold anywhere else." I stare at him lowly murmur for me to do so. Staring at his eyes that scream urgency, I hesitantly bring my hand to his arm that holds the handle.

Yoongi looks to the side, out the windows so he isn't face-to-face with me throughout the whole ride. I don't look at him either, my eyes on his shoes, mine, or the man on his phone behind Yoongi. Pursing my lips with every jolt that comes, I try not holding onto the idol too tight, but I can't help it
—I hold on, and when my gasps lightly get out of hand, Yoongi's free-hand shifts out of his pocket for placing a grip on my hips.

I flush, trying to shift away from his hold by fighting his hand with my free one. He only grips tighter. I lamely just hold his other arm as well, having him in full control of me so I don't fall around.

Yoongi's close enough for me to smell his soapy scents, and I'm sure he's close enough to catch perfumes of mine. We awkwardly make eye contact, my breath surely hitting parts of his face.

"You're squeezing me a little too hard," I whisper, staring away from his chest and at the outline of his mask. I'm too uncomfortable to look to his eyes.

Yoongi doesn't say a word to me. He just loosens his grips a little, still looking out of the windows as if he holds no cares in the world. I look to his chest again.

My phone buzzes with a ring.
I swallow hard when Yoongi's hand moves towards the back pocket of my jeans.
He pulls my phone out for me, painfully slow as his eyes dart to watch the way my chest moves from his actions.

"Here," he whispers finally, extending my lightening phone screen that holds a new message.

I grab the phone. I'm hot in more reasons other than my face.

"Thanks," I say gently, making sure not to touch his fingers while focusing on the new lights that surround the wordings on my cellphone.

I'm flustered further at the message before me.
Pursing my lips, my heart that was now just newly fluttered seems to fall numb fast.

Icarus
I'm sorry for how I walked out yesterday...It's been hard getting you out of my head. I promise I'll try harder, but I'd really like to meet one last time. Just one last time, my love.

I close my phone. Nibbling on my bottom lip, I stare over at Yoongi who is close to me.

He's staring away.
I'm glad he didn't see that.

[ YOONGI'S P.O.V. ]

I totally saw that!

Meet up?
Is this dude serious right now?
I'm marrying her by the end of this week!

My face scoffs under the mask, Pft, 'meet up one last time', this ain't some—OH wow.

My eyes widen. I read your type-back from the corners of my eyes; "Okay :)"

What have I gotten myself into? I sigh internally, shaking my head before boredly looking back out the window, This poor poor mess of a situation, with this poor poor mess of a woman.

I can feel your eyes at the side of my face, looking up to see if I've spotted anything.

I don't react, nor do I show evidence towards the fact that I've caught a glimpse towards something I wasn't supposed to see; my devilish eavesdropping and snooping stays a secret.

My secret.

[ YOONGI'S P.O.V. END ]

My secret.
Icarus is my secret.

I smile painfully to myself before focusing away from Yoongi's grips I was too focused on earlier.

Now, I stare out the window the idol does, fishing to see what he finds so mesmerizing.

Little do I notice his eyes on me as soon as I guide away to see the lights outside.
His stares fishing for something on my features,
he fishes for a long while,
I don't catch him reeling in and planting the bait.

The mechanical voice above us rings in our ear and I finally look back to Yoongi. I catch him staring and with a weird stare of the eyes, we're both dancing with our gazes for a second before I lightly tap over his sweaty fingertips by my reddening hip. My blood boils with heat from where he touches.

"We're closer to walk to the holiday shops from here," I whisper my plans. Yoongi's brows furrow, a light chuckle leaving his mouth from his mask when I tug the sleeve of his cardigan and push him to hurry before the door's to the bus close.

We trip out together.

"Holiday shops?"

I nod, pointing over the long street ahead of us. Lights, blue, red, white, yellow, and green. Other shades dash before our eyes without knowing as a huge green tree sits by the end of the street's corner. Kids and families play around it, eat around it, and take pictures around the decorated gem. Alongside the street, on either sides, there are shops upon shops. Crowded in most locations they are, I don't give Yoongi a chance to speak before tugging his sweater so we could get lost within the swarm of people.

"I-"

"Loosen up," I giggle, excited and suddenly not to insecure when seeing the festive activities that people play. Everyone's laughing, everyone's smiling, and I can't help but either. No matter the fact of who I'm here with - Min Yoongi.

He lets me drag him, as we slightly shrink within the lengths of tall men and women around us. I hold onto his sweater tight, making sure not to lose him while making it a mission to head towards the massive tree that leads to smaller trails for walks. As we go, it is obvious Yoongi's mouth is parted from awe, his gaze bouncing from one shop to the other. He smiles and I see it in his eyes that he has taken to accept the beauty of the place I bring him to.

When I giggle next,
he lets out a laugh.

I'm no longer holding his sleeve anymore.
His hand I hold, cold and freezing we both start to be, when we rush.

"There's a library behind the trials!" I shout over the music and people.

Yoongi laughs louder at that, trying to keep up with my runs without tripping. "You're taking me to a library?!" he hollers over the noise pollution.

"Just trust me," I hold his hand tighter as I surface away from the massive crowds and officially begin to run.

Yoongi doesn't fight it,
running with me.

-

Yoongi fights it,
coughing with me.

We made it through the trails that held woody scraps from trees that had fallen throughout the seasons; branches and leaves scattered to soon be covered by snow. We didn't talk the way over, just how hands that sweat yet frosted in the chilly air was enough to keep us heighted through a language universal: our bodies. I'd hear his struggles to breathe when we didn't stop running, my chest starting to burn as well. But we did it, eventually, we made it.

"Again," the back of Yoongi's throat made a wheezing sound, "Why are we at a library?"

I don't reply to him.

A woman greets us, sweet and asking if we've been here before. I answer, kindly speak to her answers but make it clear that it's Yoongi's first time.

The man is a sliding mess with his socks at first, grabbing onto my hand he doesn't seem to let go just yet.The woman helps the man adjust to the warmth and welcoming of the place as she greets him finally. He smiles, mask still on as he nods his head.

"He's shy," I joke, noticing her confusions to why he shields his face once respectfully acknowledging her. "I uh," I scoot away from her, "I'll give him a tour around myself, thank you."

She nods, smiles, and then disappears behind a corner. I wonder if I'll see her again after such a dramatic getaway. Glancing back at Yoongi who stares at the long shelves, the glass stairs, and the porcelain tiles that make the floors and walls, the colour rages right off of Yoongi's skin. "Pretty," he whispers and I get excited, wanting to have more recognize the beauty of such a place as I take his hand I grab and drag towards the stairs.

It's a tight-space, but we make due.

I finally let Yoongi's hand go, telling him to go pick himself a book.

"Bu-"

"Just go," I giggle, not taking 'no' for an answer.

He gets lost in the shelves, not bothering to find me until 30 minutes of my time gets consumed by stalking books to my arms as well. I jump, almost screaming when he scares me when I turn a corner. As I catch my breath, I wonder how long he had stayed watching me before deciding to ambush.

"I got a few comic books, poetry books, and surprisingly, a math textbook I found for third graders." My brows knit at the end bit, he chuckles, staring at the book as he says, "Thought it'd be funny to refresh and see what I remember and what I don't. I'm gonna have a child some day so might as well have fun wi..." his face falls.

I blink. No smile is on my face.

With the clear of his throat, Yoongi shifts uncomfortably back from me. "Where to next?" he mumbles, the excited and fun atmosphere we previously so naturally obtained being washed away in an instant—right in the instant where we acknowledge what we are to each other, and what we will be.

"There are reading sections. Like little beds where people just lay to drink, eat, and read the books they pick." My voice is soft. My shoes are softer as I move back, hugging my chosen books to my chest.

Yoongi barely looks at me,
his jaw is muscular from how harshly he snaps it shut.
"Lead the way," he mumbles towards me, watching me look to my feet.

I walk, leading the way and he follows.
I don't dare hold his hand now.

The sounds of our shoes are louder than my breathing. His shoes and the way they clank overpower mine, making the insecurities I felt before rise again. He's an idol, he's rich, he's here in a library?

I feel stupid.

I turn, walking backwards with the sucking of my neck so I don't collapse straight into Yoongi. With curious eyes, he looks up to me. I clutch tighter around the pages, "This isn't boring for you, is it?"

Yoongi looks at my pressuring expression for a long while. He stares at my eyes, long and gentle. With a shake of his head, Yoongi whispers, "N-No...I was looking forward to reading." Then he smiles. Yoongi actually smiles.

I stare away from his smile. I can't look at it for long without being worried for my heart which flutters. Trying to silence the thumping, the books press to my breasts tightly. "O-Okay, Let's," I smile, it's forced and I wonder why we're both stuttering, "Let's go." I turn, quickly and rushing; I find us a spot.

"Gentleman's first," I cutely sing out, outstretching my hand to the comfortable, closed-off cushion space. The far back of the bed has a window, allowing us to see down the stairs to the many other shelves yet to be explored.

Yoongi side-smiles. Less awkward in comparison to before, the man scoots all the way in, making it easier for him not to be seen by none other. However, the quietness that lurks already makes it obvious no one will be interrupting soon. He's safe here.

"Ah, this is comfy," he shuts his eyes, scooting to lay and bring his knees up to the ceilings of the small space. I sit down next to him, keeping my distance as I have my legs close to my chest. I smile more genuinely when seeing him tiredly close his eyes.

"What happened to reading?" I tease, opening up one of my books.

"Five minutes," Yoongi mumbles, hugging the books as pillows as he lays to sleep.

I chuckle. Shifting away from paying attention to him, I open the first crisp cover of my book. It smells new, untouched, but no matter how alluring the pages same to my mind that works fast—I'm distracted by him falling asleep.

Nibbling on my lips,
I put my books to the cushion under me.
Getting up, I struggle to move without waking him.
I leave.

Another 15 minutes of my time consist of buying the both of us noodles and hot chocolates. My hands are filled again but I don't press anything to my stable chest no more, climbing the stairs of my special library.

When I place the food down next to my books I left a while ago, Yoongi is still asleep. He hasn't moved around. His body stays still and the best I've get from him is the occasional leg twitch or pout.

I'm hesitant with waking him. Moving my hand to softly shake his shoulder, the man grumbles under his breath. It scares me for a moment.

"Yoongi?"

No movement.

"...Yoongi?" I whisper softer.

I touch his shoulder again. Softly moving my thumb at his cardigan instead of shaking him, the man's scowl sleepily falls away once his eyes squint to see the one waking him from his short nap. His eyes soften immediately, he takes a moment to arch his neck over, popping his head adorably up to eye the surroundings he's forgotten.

I try not to smile at him lost.

"How long have I been knocked out?" his voice cracks, it's deeper than normal - slurring and tired, the man truly is.

"About 20 minutes," I round up, whispering still even though I wish to laugh.

"What?" then he side-smiles, sitting up with a groggy slide of his bum, "Here I was saying 5 minutes of shut-eye."

"I'm guessing as an idol, you've mastered the art of falling asleep on demand," I finally allow myself to giggle, sitting back down next to him now that he was awake.

"Actually," Yoongi grins, "That's exactly right. I have mastered quick naps."

I nod, listening before passing over him food sweetly. He looks to the food, sighing as he takes the warm bowl of noodles that I already open for the two of us. "You really didn't have to," his voice is soft, but he stares at the food ready to devour.

"What happened to treating you?" I slurp up the noodles, haste and laughing when I almost choke, "A woman can pay for her man, that's what you said right?"

Yoongi watches me eat. I notice from the corner of my eyes, seeing the dark colours at his eyes. Normally, I'm used to a sea blue staring my way, not a brown that seeps with curiousity. Yoongi's eyes make me eat slower, his gaze makes me question whether there's much on my face. I bite gentle, voice soft, "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" I touch the side of my mouth.

Yoongi blinks. He blinks a lot, almost as if he fell asleep with his eyes open and woke with sudden horror—either that or I catch him staring and he panics. "I," he squeezes his eyes shut, looking to his lap where the bowl sits, "I was just looking over how good the food looks." His voice seems unsure.

I smile, nodding and giving in to his explanations before handing over him a cup of hot chocolate. "I even got them to write your name on the side," I pop, proud of myself as I show him. I don't notice how adorable I tend to get without even trying. "Don't complain about me not trying for effort today." My face is playful.

"I won't," Yoongi licks over his lip. He doesn't look to me as he smiles, taking the hot chocolate out of my hands as he places it between his thighs. "Thanks," he says slow, side-glancing. I notice the hesitation and nod. I don't say anything more, knowing of our awkwardness.

We slurp and eat in quiet.
He flips through the comic books he's brought out.

I flip through the literature I picked out.

When he's finished to the water at the bottom of his noodles, Yoongi places the remaining at his feet - full his stomach is, his mind is not yet as he grabs the poetry books to read.

My eyes catch the poetry books he reads.
I'm cupping my hot chocolate in my hands, now watching him read with sneaks of my own.

We do that for a long while,
He knows I'm reading with him due to the lingering he does,
Waiting for me to finish reading each page before he flips without saying a word.

I initiate the conversation first, after such silence of conversation.

The silence is no longer awkward,
it's relaxing.

"You've picked beautiful poetry books."

"They help." He mumbles this, brows furrowing as he inspects a page.

"With what?" Now I'm the one staring with my coloured curious eyes.

"My raps, producing, and composing," he mumbles again, flipping the page without waiting for me this time.

"Oh." I want to say more, I want to compliment him and his hard work. I want to ask him what his life is like, but I say nothing. We don't talk about him in this moment—not yet.

We don't talk about him in this moment.
Frankly, we don't talk at all for the rest of our silent reading.

[ YOONGI'S P.O.V. ]

I like that she doesn't take my silence as ignoring her.
I haven't met a woman like such before,
I...

This makes me want to smile,
but I don't. I'm too invested in the binned pages I read,
even my thoughts are a trail left unfinished.

[ YOONGI'S P.O.V. END ]

-

When he walks alongside me later, the sky is darker, the sun looks to be sinking behind the clouds. I'm barely talking, he's barely talking. We're both looking at our breath water in the air from how cold the night makes. I wonder how long the branches I step on will take to finally grant a covering in snow—I feel it coming. I feel the season changing with every step I take.

"Want ice cream?" Yoongi's voice pierces through the silence I got used to.

[ YOONGI'S P.O.V. ]

I ask her this because she didn't get her ice cream yesterday,
she was frowning then,
her mouth doesn't look nice when pouting.

[ YOONGI'S P.O.V. END ]

My head moves to him.
I'm freezing,
the wind is so cold around us.
But I smile and nod.
"Yes," then I laugh.

He stares at my mouth when I laugh.
Yoongi's eyes squint,
he's smiling under his mask.

"We'll probably get sick but I'm so ready," there is an explosion of excitement at my stomach.

Yoongi sighs, the mask making the air that leaves his mouth hit back to his face. "Hey, maybe if we get sick, our parents will give us more time and call off the wedding." He chuckles, it's a little darker than earlier times—dark like his clothes camouflaging into the night circling us.

"I can't wait if that's the case," I chuckle in the same rings he performed.

"Let's go get frosty." He thinks of this to be a good idea.

-

"Let's go get frosty," I mimic with a low voice. And he thought this was a good idea.

"Hoo~" Yoongi catches another brain freeze, his gums popping from the hide of his lips when he laughs and screams from the pain. I watch him jump around and I do the same, freezing, my nose running, as I slap the large decorated tree by the end of the street with my hands that are numb from holding my ice cream cone.

8:09 p.m. we're still here, when half the crowds are gone.

"Don't say," he sucks in a breath, I laugh to him barely able to talk without drooling from numbness of his mouth, "Don't say you didn't agree wholeheartedly for ice cream. I'm not the only one to blame here."

My nose scrunches, I sniffle in the snot that collects before using the back of my sleeve. I snort, feeling ice-cream dripping down to my hand that holds the cone - I'm a hot mess.

I look to Yoongi's red cheekbones, his eyes watering the more the cold air whips to his eyelashes that dance with me as an audience. His cone also drips, his tongue swerving around in circles as he tries to capture all of the drops into his mouth. I'm smiling, watching him. He's a hot mess with me tonight.

"It's so good though!" I yell this, cackling when Yoongi starts to jump about again. His brain freezes don't seem to stop.

"It is, but I'm so cold." He shakes, trembling purposely in more dramatic movements as his teeth chatter for real. I hear the way they clank. I chomp on the end of my ice cream swirl the same way his teeth smash together.

"You're a mess."

"Ay!" he warns, eyes narrowing over in playfulness.

I smile, sides of my mouth definitely wet from the flavour of my cone I hold.

Yoongi does nothing but messy his mouth as well, making fun of my sleeves that I try to clean myself up with. "Ahh, dirty dirty!" His nose crinkles, I laugh, threatening to rub my sleeve onto his. He pretends to be brave, to not be scared as he arches his shoulder forward.

In my space, hat's lining taping my forehead, Yoongi playfully combats with a, "Bring it, bring it." He's got me slamming my back into the tree we stand under. I giggle, pushing his chest back because of the way he makes my cheeks suddenly warm.

We calm when my hand touches his chest.

He moves back,
Smile because of his mask on his chin.

We're silent again.
It's a little awkward this time but we're both okay with it; familiar.

"I had a good time today," Yoongi's blunt and forwardness makes my head snap over in his direction. "I don't know what made you think that I wouldn't enjoy something grounding like this but..." he licks the ice cream off his bottom lip, "b-but I'm glad this happened."

"Your title as an idol is just intimidating," my voice is small. I don't try to look at him as I talk, I'm shy.

"Intimidating?" he asks, confusion at his tone.

I nod, hiding behind the large cone I still have left to gobble.

"Oh." He sounds like me when he says that.

We're silent again.

Past my normal character,
past my lack of voice, past my quiet aura, I say, "But it isn't always a bad thing. I guess I was just insecure that you'd comment on me not being able to afford much, similar to how you..." I pucker my lips, almost kissing my the sugar in my hand.

"How I wrongfully commented on you and your ex?" Yoongi's nose crinkles. "Yah~ I'll be honest, I was just trying to be a smartass for clear inappropriate reasons."

I nod, slurping my treat.

Yoongi hears the sound, watching my tongue
but I don't stare at him the way he does me.

"We started off on a weird front, I don't blame you." I sigh this. He stares at my lips and I don't catch it.

Yoongi doesn't say anything to that. Nor does he nod. I want to question why he's silent this time but my furrowed brows instantly unknit when a body gasps behind me. I turn, see a woman, adorable and sweet-looking as the sunset that has now vanished from the sky. Her eyes are a duller sea-like blue I see from Icarus, her lips are thin, and the way she runs past me to pounce on Min Yoongi makes me question who this loving woman seems to be.

"YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME!" she screeches in the man's ear, hugging him tight. "WHA~ what are you doing back home! I haven't seen you in years!"

His ice cream falls. I watch it fall, confused over how he could let it go so easy. But then I realize Yoongi does it so he can chuckle in shock at her neck, and wrap his arms tightly around her back.

"TERIN?" Yoongi yells himself. Never did I think to see him smile so huge before.

When I hear the girl's name, my eyes widen.

My ice cream almost slips out of my hands,
and I'm suddenly panicked with sweat.
TERIN? My heart drops to my stomach.

.

When we were 13,

His female friend, Terin, pushed me off the stool in music class. The piano I was playing went silent. Yoongi did nothing but laugh first.

.

I swallow hard.
I look over at the way Yoongi grabs her,
I swallow harder.

-

[ NEXT CHAPTER ]

"Why are you pushing me?" Yoongi's voice is high so I cover his mouth with my palm in fear.

His eyes are wide when he looks at me. With muffled phrases, his lips try to move in yells at my palm but I push him into my closet. His shirt that tangles at his feet, I pick up, tossing it at his chest before successfully closing the small door to Yoongi's face.

I'm breathing hard.

"What are you-"

"Please shut up," I beg, embarrassed over me locking a partially naked Yoongi in my closet, "I hear him. Please, please just be quiet in here and I'll go deal with him, I-"

"What are you talking about?" Yoongi is breathless himself, he's covering his body unable to find his shirt in the dark of the closet. "Open the door!" He shoves it, trying to get out.

"P-Please," I'm shouting in soft-yells back, "It's Icarus, I can't have him know you're here! That to, naked in my room!"